If you don’t listen, how can you possibly expect to know how to talk?

I walk through Birmingham city centre a lot.

Why? Well, in some part because of the repeated warnings of desk based careers contributing to an early death but more cheerily, because I’m nosey.

Strolling through a city centre you’ll hear the starts, middles and end bits of conversations.
Some happy, some sad, some funny, and some fortified with more profanities than a docker’s rant.

10,000 years ago, my copywriting lecturer told me always to write as people speak – if only I was that gifted.
However, that tip has always stuck with me and people fascinate me in all they do.

In an age where we all scurry around clasping iPhones like hymn books honouring the God of immediacy, there is still no substitute for looking, listening and observing.
For these are the people we are trying to reach after all.
From the pork scratching guy to that bloke selling bird whistles or balloons, to the people still awestruck by the floating Yoda, the colour and comment strewn arena of a city centre have inspired me to have many an idea that’s yielded many an award and sales spike alike.

MINTEL, TGI, QUAL/QUANT I still love you but, and it’s a big but, please don’t stop watching people, listening to people and observing people (but stop short of attracting a restraining order).

You’ll find some of the best things really do happen off screen.