OK Go Thrives in the Risk of Inefficiency

OK Go are no strangers to obstacles, but not the kind that hinder. The band, who renounced their big industry label in order to collaborate with iconic brands, has created multiple music videos that teeter on the edge of brillance and it’s many opposing challenges. 

The band has joined forces with Google Japan, Syyn Labs, Pilobolus & Chevy (Super Bowl) upon others in the hopes of developing a collaborative effort of art and music that can be enjoyed by all. Frontman Damian Kulash’s interview in Advertising Age best expresses his attitude about their new ventures into a world that many musicians wouldn’t dare enter. 

Kulash mentions that risk is one of the most important aspects of their work. This risk comes from inefficiency. “Most folks in the content-making world do all of their imagining in advance; they plan and storyboard everything out carefully, and then execute as efficiently and precisely as possible….We invest a lot in the middle of the process: Once we have the basic idea, we get in situ and start playing to see what new ideas emerge…This type of inefficiency is the risk that comes with our process, but it’s just one of thousands of rules that brands may have to break if they want to really push creativity forward.” The unknown is usually daunting, but for OK Go, it’s the driving force behind their greatness—where creativity can take the driver’s seat, allowing everything else to fall into place.

Ok Go’s inhibitionless process and creative, edgy videos (made possible by some brand funding) are a truly inspiring story. The band continues to create work that meets and surpasses their goals of reaching a large audience while attaining a meaningful presence. No good can come from never experiencing unexpected hardships—we really admire their willingness to take risks and can plainly see the results in their doing so.