I was scanning an issue of Sporting News at the doctor’s office today, and they had a little blurb about something from 1985 that passed me by then. That was the year that Nike introduced the Air Jordon–in black, white and red. Every game Michael Jordon was fined $5000 for wearing shoes that violated the NBA’s uniform rules…and Nike paid the fine over and over, with a big smile. The controversy and the exposure it generated much more than paid for the fine.
We don’t exactly advocate that you break any laws, but you might examine the silly little rules that constrain your own efforts, on fronts from promotion to product development. Some of these rules may be promulgated by others (like the NBA), and some may be of your own making (e.g., “that’s just the way we do things here”). But EVERY rule that you adhere to ought to be periodically and ruthlessly re-examined.
Just try to avoid committing any felonies!
