Wouldn’t it be great if small bets always led to big results? I’m not much of gambler, but even I know that you can’t expect to win on every bet you place – no matter if it’s at a casino, related to a sporting event or just a friendly office wager. Every scenario is different, but there is still a chance that you might come out on top or you might not, but you never know unless you try.

What about your brand? Have you ever thought about strategically taking a risk with your brand? Even if it’s just a small bet, there may be big results on the other side.

What does that mean? Well, there are lots of factors that could go into something like this, but recently I watched a video of Alex Bogusky (yes, THE Alex Bogusky) and Tim Bielenberg about how ‘Thinking Wrong’ and ‘Small Bets’ can really lead to some amazing ideas for brands.

Both of these guys are well known in the advertising industry – especially when it comes to unconventional thinking (remember Subservient Chicken for Burger King?). But this recent episode of The Woodshed really hit home with me. You can watch the full episode HERE, but the underlying message is that even the smallest ideas, brands or budgets can produce some big results if we think about it properly.

So – how does this work at Caliber? Well, our team at Caliber does exercises like those mentioned in the video quite frequently within our office and sometimes as part of a working meeting with our clients. Outsiders might think we’re just spewing silly ideas or wasting time – but really, it’s an exercise in thinking. Dismiss the obvious answers, don’t hold back an idea because you think someone else is thinking the same thing, say the opposite of what you think a solution might be, doodle something on the wall…The point is you never know where those ideas will go once shared with the team.

What about your brand or your company, how does this apply? Easy! If you’re a company that is looking for a boost of visibility, going beyond the normal solution or trying to reinvent themselves, this might be a good exercise to consider. Furthermore, if you’re a multi-faceted company and you’re looking to promote one specific service, branch or team – this is a perfect fit for these scenarios to test the waters with new ideas without feeling like you need to jump off the deep end.

What’s holding you back? Everyone is looking for the next big idea, but many of those big ideas start with a few small bets to help swing the odds of success in your favor. The team at Caliber is ready to talk about your ideas, no matter how big, small or crazy they might seem today – you never know what they might turn into.