Rising above the noise with Pocket Stories

Problem-solving, ideating and producing – these are things that gets SP Lee going.

Combining his passion for ideas, film and marketing, he recently launched Pocket Stories.

Having spent most of his career running large agencies, he said he is happy to be free from the distractions of management and be able to focus on the creative process now.

Catering to a predominantly mobile-first world, Lee said while Pocket Stories works with all formats and media, video is the main medium.

MARKETING Magazine spoke to him in a recent interview :

MM : What inspired you to launch Pocket Stories and have you always wanted to venture on your own in this industry?

The best advertising does not look like advertising. This is one of the first things I learned in advertising. True then, even more true today.

I studied journalism and film, and worked in both editorial and advertising. To me, the camera and language are among the two most important inventions. They are the pillars of this vast media complex which is so influential. 

Working in an ad agency, you do a whole lot of stuff which distracts you from the core of the business and the things I like most – strategy, ideation and production. This is what I want to focus on.

We are a predominantly mobile-first world. For stories, first thing we reach for is our pocket device. Hence the name. Video is our main format. It’s effective and increasing in usage, though we also work with all formats and media.  

The fact that we do not know what is around the corner is both terrifying and exciting.

MM : In other interviews, you mentioned that Pocket Stories is a creative consultancy that focuses on content.
 
In short, we strategise, we script, we shoot. This can be content in any form. Stories, skits, documentaries, games, short forms, podcasts, sponsored content. The terms don’t matter much, so long as they stick and get shared. The platforms which allow co-creation is a wonderful space. And advertising as a function has to find its place here to be heard. I love the disruption. It presents challenges and opportunities for marketers and creatives. 

MM : What does Pocket Stories do differently to ensure their clients’ content reaches the target audience?

You are only as good as your thinking. You need to out-think the competition. Find the shortest path to your audience. The competition for attention is hard because information has never been faster, more fragmented and overwhelming. That few square inches on your mobile is very expensive real estate. The average person scrolls through 300 metres of social feed. How do you rise above the noise? That’s the brief. Every brief.