Do ideas have legs??

If you ever spend any time with creative agency types, or anybody serious about communication strategy, you might hear them ask the question, ‘does this idea have legs?’

I thought I’d have a go at explaining what they mean. Because for anyone trying to manage their own brand and communication, without the help of lofty (and expensive) experts, quite often you end up finding your ideas are absolutely legless (having stumbled off the path you hoped they’d head down and instead lie curled up in a ditch rather than impressing the world, and your customers, at large).

An idea ‘with legs’ (aka THE BIG IDEA!), is the core of a concept that sits behind one or many communications. It’s usually tied to the core product or service proposition and brings it to life in a creative way. The difference between an idea that has legs and one that doesn’t, is the much coveted ‘leggy’ idea will run and run and run. In other words, it lends itself to being campaigned (or put another way, you can creatively interpret it over and over again, in fresh and exciting ways).

Your poor legless idea, might be quite charming, visually stunning and terribly witty. But it’s likely to be a one off. Little more than a novelty. A good idea that hits the mark just now, but is likely to feel out of date in a week or two.

A great idea of an idea with legs would be the O2 use of the bubble that has come to represent a revolution in the way mobile phones were marketed to the UK public. O2 have won a host of awards for advertising effectiveness for this big idea – but the proof of just how strong its legs are – is that it’s still being used in its virtually unchanged format a full three years after its inception.

I wish I could give you a great example of an idea with no legs (Sainsbury’s certainly had had one too many for a few years before they finally got Jamie Oliver on board – although trying to substitute a celeb for a good idea is a pretty poor show). But beyond that I’m struggling for a good example – simply because the ads you tend to remember are the ones with some longevity and lovely long legs!

Sara is a marketing specialist with a wealth of on-line and traditional experience. With award winning credentials as an advertising writer, her career also spans the disciplines of planning and strategy for both B2B and consumer clients. Having worked for one of the the UK's biggest non-London agencies, Sara now works on a consultancy basis for clients large and small. http://www.smallbizpod.co.uk/blog