My Boss Bought Cheap Chairs and Now My Back Hurts
I used to have a good chair. It had 3 levers on it that would stabilize my lumbar and spine. It was smoky grey and I called him Chester. It is true that Chester had some holes in him and a cigarette burn or two but he was comfortable and the wheels worked great.
Then I left for the week-end, to live my real life, and when I returned to work on Monday Chester was gone. In his place was some piece of black crap with no personality. But then I said to myself, “Hey, Chester had a great run but everybody gets old and maybe it was his time. I’ll try the new chair.” My new chair is crap. Oh yes, it looks expensive, with its mesh covering, but it was a bargain stool of pain.
Within a week I started to have lower back pain and when I complained, management told me that it was because I stopped going to the company gym and was getting a gut. Can you believe that? Now I was the problem, not the cheap chair that only has ONE lever. One lever! The thing just goes up and down. I’d rather just sit on a yoga ball!
It should be at this point that I link this article to something pertaining to advertising or design, so here goes nothing. Sometimes advertising campaigns should be left as they are. I know… it’s a shocking thing for an advertising firm to say. I think a lot of companies have a good thing going and completely changing it just isn’t the best idea. In our world filled with instant gratification and the desire to constantly claw our way to the top, we often completely forget what we’re climbing for.
Chances are that I’ll get used to my new chair and perhaps it really was for the best, but it is possible that my old chair was better. When you make a decision to update your corporate branding or your advertising, check to see what it is about your old campaign that was working. Perhaps there are some elements in that campaign that can be salvaged and incorporated into your new one. Keep in mind, advertising doesn’t always have to be shocking to be successful and not everyone likes drastic changes. I hope your chairs keep you comfortable and your advertising expresses what your business stands for.
Then I left for the week-end, to live my real life, and when I returned to work on Monday Chester was gone. In his place was some piece of black crap with no personality. But then I said to myself, “Hey, Chester had a great run but everybody gets old and maybe it was his time. I’ll try the new chair.” My new chair is crap. Oh yes, it looks expensive, with its mesh covering, but it was a bargain stool of pain.
Within a week I started to have lower back pain and when I complained, management told me that it was because I stopped going to the company gym and was getting a gut. Can you believe that? Now I was the problem, not the cheap chair that only has ONE lever. One lever! The thing just goes up and down. I’d rather just sit on a yoga ball!
It should be at this point that I link this article to something pertaining to advertising or design, so here goes nothing. Sometimes advertising campaigns should be left as they are. I know… it’s a shocking thing for an advertising firm to say. I think a lot of companies have a good thing going and completely changing it just isn’t the best idea. In our world filled with instant gratification and the desire to constantly claw our way to the top, we often completely forget what we’re climbing for.
Chances are that I’ll get used to my new chair and perhaps it really was for the best, but it is possible that my old chair was better. When you make a decision to update your corporate branding or your advertising, check to see what it is about your old campaign that was working. Perhaps there are some elements in that campaign that can be salvaged and incorporated into your new one. Keep in mind, advertising doesn’t always have to be shocking to be successful and not everyone likes drastic changes. I hope your chairs keep you comfortable and your advertising expresses what your business stands for.
Jimmy
