“We tell ourselves stories in order to live.“ – Haruki Murakami

The world has always been fuelled by powerful conversations. That’s because progress is primarily triggered by communication. Without that, we’re merely failed outcomes of evolution. Our ability to think, articulate, respond, evaluate and conclude is what makes us people of the world.

In a world so chaotic and digital, conversation is becoming a lost art, replaced by endless chatter on instant messaging apps. Talk is often one-way, with people rarely pausing to listen. We’re surrounded by noise that amounts to little more than the fear of silence.

Conversation is more important than we realise; possibly the ultimate human interest activity. In a way, it’s the only thing that brings us in direct contact with others like us, in all their complexity and nuance. This is what makes us human – stepping into each other’s stories with our words, voices and actions.

At PAD, this is what we do: strike up powerful conversations, but also engaging ones. We do it with the brand stories we weave, or the way we function in the office. Every idea is driven to spark a conversation somewhere.

There’s really nothing special in a pretty advertisement that flashes by – in through the eyes and out through the ears, no questions asked. The truly powerful ones are those that start a dialogue, small or big.

And how do we do what we do? Conversation, of course. With clients and customers, among ourselves, and within individuals. From listening to briefs to playing the storyteller, our conversations go full circle. And with the ethos of ‘Role Play’ at the centre of PAD, we’re able to turn even awkward silences into substance (more on that another time).

Because we’re at both ends, we realise how important it is to step away from small talk and make every discussion meaningful. This is how ideas are born, have life breathed into them, and are reborn – the kinetic, collaborative spoken word. That’s where impact begins, where innovation takes it first steps, and business solutions are formulated.

At PAD, we’re always excited to start a conversation. To listen, to regale, or to just explore the minds of the people we work with.