Paul Arden
Paul Arden (7 April 1940 – 2 April 2008) was an influential author of several books on advertising and motivation including "Whatever You Think, Think The Opposite" and "It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want To Be" and a former creative director for Saatchi and Saatchi at the height of their advertising might.
In 1987 Arden was appointed executive creative director. He has spent 14 years with the agency, handling accounts of British Airways, Anchor Butter, Toyota, Ryvita, Nivea, Trust House Forte, Alexon Group and Fuji among others. His British Airways campaigns continue to be remembered as one of the greatest advertising campaigns of all time, changing the fortunes of the airline.
"Arden was the ringmaster behind the whole creative circus that saw British Airways become 'The World's Favourite Airline', The Independent become the new intelligentsia's favourite newspaper, Margaret Thatcher the nation's favourite leader and Silk Cut their favourite fag." Dave Trott, The Independent
"Tempestuous advertising director who thought up memorable campaigns for Silk Cut, BA and The Independent" Times Online
Arden chose to leave Saatchi & Saatchi in 1992 but remained a key consultant for the agency until 1995.
“Your vision of where or who you want to be is the greatest asset you have.”
“for a creative person starting out on a career, try not thinking about film or media or whatever. think about money.”
“having too many ideas is not always a good thing.”
“Be unfashionable. Take risks.”
“Too many people spend too much time trying to perfect something before they actually do it. Instead of waiting for perfection, run with what you go, and fix it along the way…”
“It's better to regret what you have done than what you haven't.”
“i wish means: would it be nice if..i want means: if i want it enough i will get it.”
“Risks are a measure of people. People who won't take them are trying to preserve what they have. People who do take them often end up having more.Some risks have a future, and some people call them wrong. But being right may be like walking backwards proving where you've been.Being wrong isn't in the future, or in the past.Being wrong isn't anywhere but being here.Best place to be, eh?”
“We are always waiting for the perfect brief from the perfect client. It almost never happens [...] Whatever is on your desk right now, that's the one. Make it the best you possibly can.”
“Religion is a light bulb, created by man to help him to see in the dark.”
“DO IT, THEN FIX IT AS YOU GO.”
“Life's all about 'me' anyway”
“If you always make the right decision, the safe decision,the one most people make, you will be the same as everyone else.”
“Be your own worst critic.When things go wrong it's tempting to shift the blame. Don't. Accept responsibility. People will appreciate it, and you will find out what you're capable of.”
“The world is what YOU think of it, so think of it DIFFERENTLY and your life will change.”
“Great people have great egos; maybe that's what makes them great.”
“Being right is based upon knowledge and experience and is often provable. Knowledge comes from the past, so it's safe. It is also out of date. It's the opposite of originality. Experience is built from solutions to old situations and problems. The old situations are probably different from the present ones, so that old solutions will have to be bent to fit new problems (and possibly fit badly). Also the likelihood is that, if you've got the experience, you'll probably use it. This is lazy. Experience is the opposite of being creative. If you can prove you're right you're set in concrete. You cannot move with the times or with other people. Being right is also being boring. Your mind is closed. You are not open to new ideas. You are rooted in your own rightness, which is arrogant. Arrogance is a valuable tool, but only if used very sparingly. Worst of all, being right has a tone of morality about it. To be anything else sounds weak or fallible, and people who are right would hate to be thought fallible. So: it's wrong to be right, because people who are right are rooted in the past, rigid-minded, dull and smug. There's no talking to them.”
“it's wrong to be right; it's right to be wrong.”