The Power of Stupidity in Advertising

Are we being too clever for our own good? Is intellectualism not just creeping, but actually forcing its way into creativity? This talk explores the power of stupidity across all disciplines and suggests that perhaps the smartest thing we can all do is to embrace it.

Our industry, especially in strategy, often spends too much time trying to sound smart. Stupidity is a superpower – a resource we’re increasingly hesitant to embrace, even though it’s what we need the most.

There’s a good reason why VICE media was built on this approach: do smart things in a dumb way and dumb things in a smart way.

Maybe it’s time to seriously (but not too seriously) consider disengaging our brains. Perhaps the best strategy is one that doesn’t overthink. Join us as we explore how embracing this mindset could be the smartest move you ever make.

About the speaker:

Paula Bloodworth, CMO Idris Elba (IE7 & Akuna Group)

Over the last 17 years, Paula’s worked across Melbourne, New York, Sydney, Shanghai, Tokyo, London, and Portland. Today, she is the CMO of IE7, working across all Idris' businesses and new ventures. 

Previous to this, she was Head of International Strategy at Uncommon Creative Studio, she worked with a number of global clients, including Peloton, the Jordan Brand, and Pinterest

However a lot of her career was spent leading Nike Global Strategy at Wieden+Kennedy.