Give the people what they want
This month marks 40 years since Live Aid, when the biggest names in rock n pop took to Wembley Stadium to raise money for Ethiopia.
The new documentary 'Live Aid at 40' is a brilliant reminder of how bold, chaotic, and awe-inspiring the whole thing really was. It's also an intriguing time capsule - a reminder of where each star was on their journey in July 1985 - Madonna is on the cusp of superstardom with a terrible perm, Sting is freshly solo, and Bowie is deep in his corporate suit era.
But the recap is also a reminder of who understood their audience – and who didn’t.
Queen, who delivered the defining performance of the whole event, were well past their peak at the time and had been written off by critics. They knew this might be their last hurrah. So they took preparation seriously – especially the format. They understood this was a 'global jukebox’, and that the audience would want to sing along and have fun, not be introduced to brand new material.
While U2 played just two songs optimised for American TV, Queen chose the 6pm slot for maximum reach. Instead of showcasing their latest album, they delivered shortened versions of their greatest hits - songs everyone knew - and stitched them into a set list built for crowd participation. No indulgent solos. No obscure gimmicks. Just give the people what they want.
And it worked. Rehearsed to perfection, performed with buckets of charisma. Elton John told them afterwards: “You bastards! You stole the show!”
Queen put their audience first. Many brands don't.
You might offer comprehensive financial planning, sophisticated investment strategies, and decades of expertise. But your website isn't the place for the 6-minute version of Bohemian Rhapsody.
Your prospects don't want product specs or fund details upfront. That's like playing your latest B-side when the crowd wants We Will Rock You.
Whether you're writing an email, crafting a LinkedIn post, updating your website, or networking, the same rule applies: give people what they want to hear. Not what you think is fascinating about what you do.
Because when you fit your message to the moment, everything works harder
Your emails get opened, your LinkedIn posts get engagement, your conversations go somewhere.
Forty years on, Queen’s Live Aid set is still the gold standard for audience connection. Let’s aim for the same.
Changing channels
People in the UK are for the first time spending more time using their mobile phones rather than watching TV, research by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising has suggested.
Small talk
Turn on this mini AI voice recorder and it will capture and transcribe your conversations. The Plaud NotePin is less than 5cm long and can be worn as a necklace or wristband.
Daily Mail article from 2000 makes bold call
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