Constructive pessimism

When bringing a brand experience to life, we producers must take on many mantles: magician, juggler, firefighter (not literally), therapist… But amongst them all, one of our most important roles is to spot potential pitfalls before they trip us up. It might sound pessimistic, but I believe a dash of healthy scepticism should be part of every producer’s toolkit – even the most enthusiastic ones.

Projects don't usually go wrong; they start wrong. Why? Because we humans are eternal optimists. We fantasise about winning the lottery but conveniently ignore the much higher odds of facing life's challenges – like illness, financial hardships, or getting struck by lightning.

Take our perception of risk, for instance. We're far more likely to feel anxious about flying than driving, despite the statistics that show air travel is significantly safer. It's not logical, but it's human nature.

Instead of only focusing on what should go right on a project, I've found immense value in a careful consideration of what could go wrong. It's not about being negative. It's about viewing things from a different angle to uncover hidden priorities.

In our line of work, agencies often start with optimistic timelines - assuming briefs will arrive on schedule, approvals will be timely, and nothing will change. But experienced professionals know better. We need to be resilient and flexible, especially when juggling hundreds of variables.

That’s why Ivory projects build contingencies into the timeline and use robust project management software to monitor everything. It’s why we designed a way of working where our producers, strategists and creative department work closely, hand-in-hand throughout the process, so the right questions are asked at every stage.

It makes sense to look at a project and assess, frankly, ‘what would make this a disaster?’ No audience? Technical failures? Unclear messaging? By addressing worst-case scenarios, we often uncover critical elements that might have been overlooked in the initial excitement when a project begins.

In more than twenty years as a producer, I’ve managed to head off many potential crises through a combination of foresight and, admittedly, some luck. Yes, there have been long nights and a fair amount of creative problem-solving. But thanks to the resilience and preparedness of the incredible team around me, we always find a way through together.

So, while it might seem counterintuitive, I've found that embracing a bit of "constructive pessimism" actually leads to more positive outcomes. By anticipating challenges, we're better equipped to handle them – or avoid them altogether. And that, my friends, is something worth celebrating.

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