No Box at FX Network

Check this out from USA Today (online, 12/11/07)

NEW YORK — Playing against its formulaic TV rivals, the FX network is claiming "no box" can confine its programs' creativity.

The heart of the cable network's branding push — its first ever — is the tagline "There is No Box." The campaign will be introduced in spots aired during Nip/Tuck next Tuesday, according to FX President John Landgraf.

The goal is to build awareness of FX as the home for "a certain kind of cliche-busting quality," Landgraf told reporters during a preview of several of the two dozen spots Tuesday.

They will be seen not only on FX, but across multiple media platforms of owner News Corp. A 60-second spot will air during Fox's Super Bowl broadcast in February.

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No need for much in-depth analysis on this. It is just hard to grow in this unbelievably competitive industry by remaining too conventional. Is the same true for yours?

Steve

Not There Yet

Oh how hard it is to let go of the notion of the box. Poking around the internet a few days ago, I came across this on prweb.com. The headline read:

Platinum Funding Group Announces 'Thinking Outside The Box' Networking Series. The networking initiative aims to stimulate out of the box thinking and foster deal-making among leaders of the financial community.

The Platinum Funding Group is a company that deals in the factoring of accounts receivables (financing that turns receivables into cash). It may be the kind of business, that many would say operates squarely in the box. Think about it. "Receivables have to be handled in a certain way because they have always been handled in a certain way. No need for innovation here. Not really a lot you can do with them anyway, right?" Unfortunately, the same rationale, as unproven or simply wrong as it may be, is too often offered for almost every function of a business. The box is very pervasive.

Thinking out of the box for these folks might seem like a giant step, and we heartily applaud them for getting it started. We also want to suggest that their mere "out of the box thinking" acknowledges that there still is a box waiting to seduce them back in. when this networking initiative is finished or runs out of steam.

It is relatively easy to occasionally stretch your brain muscles and think outside the box in the short term. But it takes much more to cast the box aside entirely and refuse to let it ever entrap you again. And that is precisely what you and the Platinum Funding Group must be willing to do, to have a chance of producing real, long term, sustainable growth in the crazy world we all must compete in today.

Steve

What is your "box" for 2008?

Look back with me to 2007 just briefly. Assess your progress in your career. Are you pleased? Where are you stumbling? What part of the "box" is holding you back from really excelling? Really think about this.

I saw "The Great Debaters" recently. What an outstanding movie demonstrating a "no box" approach to life. The movie told the story about the struggles of a debate team for an African-American college (Wiley College) located in Texas during the 1930's. The coach played by Denzel Washington was driven to build a nationally renowned debate team. He knew that his approach would not only create a winning team but would also develop the personal character of each team member. In one scene, Denzel Washington was urging the team to work harder to become their best. But, the debaters wanted to start preparing their own presentations. The coach didn't believe that they were ready for this important step. Washington countered by saying, "I have the experience." The team understood and accepted his pronouncement. Experience - such an important factor in "the no box" cause.

What about you? Is experience keeping you inside the box? Is the lack of a certain experience affecting your confidence and limiting your opportunity to break-out? Are you willing to sacrifice to gain that experience so you can break outside of the box? Is eliminating "the box" in your life important enough to you that you will consider the sacrifice and struglle ahead to gain the experience? Let us know your thoughts. Join us in the "There is No Box" cause.

Tom H.