“Advertising is the tax you pay for being unremarkable”

On the Fast Company weblog, Danielle Sacks has posted a brief summary of highlights from The Idea Conference organized by Advertising Age. The “breakout star of the day” was Robert Stephens of Geek Squad, who regaled the audience with stories about launching and bootstrapping Geek Squad from untested concept to (geek) cultural icon. Along the way, he offered up some great quotes about innovation:

(1) “I believe advertising is the tax you pay for being unremarkable.”

(2) “Ramen Noodles. This is why startups are so innovative. Large companies want to be nimble, that’s why they go to “idea” conferences. I suggest starve departments of money.”

(3) “If you look for ideas in your industry, you’re stealing. If you steal ideas from other industries, that’s innovative.”

[image: Robert Stephens at The Idea Conference]