“We Try Harder”

Avis is one of my favourite old brands that played on NOT being the leader!

I was working with an incredible friend today and it is always a pleasure seeing her in action. She is making massive gains, getting known across Sydney and is in the zone.

As we spoke about many things, she made an interesting comment about me in that where I go, “I am the Commander”. That is very true. Wherever I go, I tend to wind up in charge eventually, be it on an official or spiritual capacity.

As I thought it through, I realised how true it was in that I always wind up “The Commander” everywhere. I unpacked why, and I can tell you in that it’s not that I go in there and take over.

I go into environments and if I love it, I just start naturally helping. Be it I give tips, directly contribute or whatever the case may be; I make myself useful. In the case of NSW Business Chamber, I did exactly that. It just started off with me inviting lots of people and then it snow-balled from there.

It made me think of one of my most famous Marketing examples being that of Avis with their old “We Try Harder” Campaign. If you go back some years, they were trailing #2 behind Hertz and they played on the fact that they aren’t the market leader; hence they must try harder!

This campaign was hit for the company and it made me think of myself today. I win a lot of clients and wind up in charge not because of any natural brilliance, but because I just “Try Harder” than everyone else.

I do that because I love what I do and in being an outsider to Sydney once, I just had to develop that ethic just to survive. I didn’t have all these connections or wonderful friends, so I just had to work much harder than everyone else to get ahead.

It’s great actually! You wake up “Commander” one day.

My advice and thinking? Try Harder! Success is often just putting in more effort that your opposition and I can tell you that is very true on multiple levels.

I love your work, thank you Avis and just ‘try harder’ – it works!