The brand strategists’ toolkit #20: Chekhov’s Gun / the SFW test

One of the simplest and most powerful tools in a brand strategist’s toolkit, the SFW test can be used every day.

“Remove everything that has no relevance to the story. If you say in the first chapter that there is a rifle hanging on the wall, in the second or third chapter it absolutely must go off. If it's not going to be fired, it shouldn't be hanging there.”

– Anton Chekhov

I’ve no idea how useful this advice is if you’re writing a play or a novel, but I always have it in the back of my mind when I’m building a strategy document. It’s a reminder that when presenting your thinking, your story will be more clearly understood if...

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