“The Crazy Thinker: Park Seo-won”

April 27, 2024 587 Views

“Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover.” There’s an English expression that means not to judge something based solely on its appearance. However, the book with the title “생각하는 미친놈” (The Crazy Thinker) had a cover too striking to just pass by.

With someone resembling a monk with a tight bun on the cover, it was hard to simply overlook the book without reading it. Eventually, I found myself naturally drawn to the book, led by its cover.

“Son of Doosan Chairman Park Yong-man, Park Seo-won”

Park Seo-won is the son of Doosan Chairman Park Yong-man. Unlike his siblings, he took a different path, living wildly before jumping into the advertising industry alone, eventually becoming a successful figure in the advertising world after studying art.

The book introduces the story of Big Ant, an advertising company founded by him and four other college students, and delves into his philosophy on “advertising.” Big Ant won the top prizes at international advertising festivals like Cannes Lions, New York Festivals, Clio Awards, D&AD, and the New York Festival three years in a row.

“The Source of Creativity is ‘Observation’”

The book also discusses his unique creativity and execution, emphasizing that the source of “creativity” lies in observing things intensely.

By looking from different angles, changing perspectives, and sometimes even becoming the subject of observation, one can continuously observe. Through this process, one can encounter “objects” from a new perspective and derive creative ideas.

“Ideas Start with ‘Why’”

Ideas start not with “how” but with “why.” By continuously questioning “why,” one can find a rough sense of what to focus on and how to express it.

In advertising, particularly, asking “why” is crucial to deliver a powerful message in a short time. Park Seo-won mentions that he always asks only two questions:

“Why did you do it this way?”
“Would you buy this if you were the consumer?”

“Big Ant’s Advertising Principles: Simple, Strong, Smart”

Similar to the book “Advertising with Humanities by Park Woong-hyun,” advertising must be simple, short, and impactful.

To grab people’s attention, it’s essential to focus on one unique aspect of the product rather than covering various aspects. Thus, Big Ant follows these steps in creating ads:

Understanding the fundamental problem and the client’s precise requirements through the question “why”
Constantly seeking good idea sources through curiosity about daily life and endless questioning
Refining ideas using the 3S (Simple, Strong, Smart) keywords

“A Great Product Sells Well”

Despite being written by someone running an advertising company, the book also mentions the importance of the “product.” To achieve effective advertising, the product must fundamentally be faithful.

Even if the product’s design is initially flawed, the book discusses cases where the advertising company redesigned the product’s design and then created ads after modifying it.

“From Thought to Action!”

In the latter part of the book, Park Seo-won shares personal stories, illustrating his transition from a carefree life to pursuing art passionately, the process he went through, and the mindset he adopted.

His relentless effort to pursue a single goal until achieving excellent results was impressive. Ultimately, it reminds us that passion surpasses everything.

“Bringing a Bed to a Job Interview”

The book also recounts anecdotes about job interviews, where a candidate who brought a bed was hired immediately. Actions speak louder than words when it comes to demonstrating passion.

Throughout the book, his passion indirectly shines through. Advertising is ultimately one of the activities related to a company’s survival. Therefore, analyzing and studying “good ads” is essential for cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset.

Below are some of the ads mentioned in the book: