I just read famously reclusive ad legend Charles Saatchi’s new book: My name is Charles Saatchi and I am an artoholic. It’s basically the interview he never gave. He talks mostly about his legendary modern art collection. And a little bit about his advertising career.
Saatchi and Saatchi had an enormous impact on the ad industry and the UK culture. They famously helped elect Margaret Thatcher in 1979 with their LABOUR ISN’T WORKING poster, which captured the zeitgeist of the time. Britain was in bad shape and Maggie was the cure.
Charles was the creative guy, his bespectacled brother Maurice (now Lord Saatchi) was the business guy. Their mantra was “nothing is impossible” and they lived really lived up to it. They had boundless ambition and chutzpah, buying and selling agencies all over the world like they were second hand cars.
Charles is now mostly retired from the ad game. But in his day he was really good. He had a disarmingly direct but artful style.
I read something he said once that had a huge impact on me. It went something like this: in order to create something great you have to have an attitude about it. In other words you have to have thought about it from every angle and be 100% confident that you are right. Not just have vague feelings and lightly held opinions.
Having an attitude about something gives you and your work energy. And the energetic tends to displace the passive. So even if you’re wrong you may well prevail over those who aren’t quite as intense and focused as you are. Because chances are you’ll win all the arguments.
