The launch of our new site this month has meant that Midas TouchPoints TM has been very top of mind. It's not new – Midas TouchPoints TM has been distilled from processes that we have always used and evolved over the years. But defining the methodology has brought it more into focus. And it's already having an effect on my creative team.
Midas TouchPoints TM focuses us to put ourselves in the audience's position. Of course we have always done that, but there is always the temptation to revert to what we feel comfortable with rather than keep the focus on the audience's perspective.
And it will act as a helpful focus for clients as well. The pressure of an organisation can easily lead Brand and Marketing Directors to default to seeing a communications project from an internal perspective. The day to day requirements and an enthusiasm for what they want to say can lead to messages leaning towards coercion rather than persuasion.
Midas TouchPoints TM reminds us where the communication actually happens. It makes it easier to keep looking at the point of contact from both sides and helps ensure we deliver the most appropriate solution. Focusing on the touchpoints gives us a starting point, a perspective which makes it easier to look backwards at the creative process to produce the most relevant concepts.
It is becoming apparent that Midas TouchPoints TM is going to improve our edge at many levels. It helps us focus – it's a benchmark that we can revisit at every stage of the design process to make sure we haven't drifted. It gives us a common and clearly understood goal. We can measure each iteration against the expectation of the experience at the specific touchpoint that we are addressing. This makes the creative process more efficient and more focussed.
I have been asked if I believe that the Midas TouchPoints TM process is going to restrict or stifle creativity. It is already clear that it is having the opposite effect. There is nothing worse than a blank sheet of paper where a coherent brief should be. What Midas TouchPoints TM does is start to form outlines on the page, providing structure and context for the creativity. I think we're going to enjoy working within the 'constraints' imposed by Midas TouchPoints TM very much indeed.