Adland perceptions

Bit hard to read at this size so give the pic a click and make it bigger. Trust me it's so worth it!

The year ahead via Soap

I'm not really one for predictions lists but this one by Soap is kinda fun. It's got me thinking too!

Take my name off the door

I'd like to dedicate this video to all the number crunchers, bag carriers, meeting callers and useless "where's your timesheet" chasers.

Where and how did our industry go so wrong?

Award entry videos

Hate to be cynical (I really do) but every time I see an award entry case study video of late I hark back to my days as a teenage punk rocker singing along to Garageland by The Clash.

If you're not familiar with the song the opening line is;

"Back in the garage with my bullshit detector"

And that's exactly what springs to mind when I see those videos.

Bullshit.

Not all of them obviously. But some of them.

Why?

Because it often looks like the budget for the video was bigger than the budget for the job.

And the results they quote are often not real hard facts but things like page views and brand impressions.

Far be it from me to even suggest that judges are often swayed by the video rather than the work.

But I can't help thinking that we'd give out a lot less advertising awards if the work had to stand on its own two feet.

And that ain't ever gonna happen. So here's The Clash.

Ogilvy on grammar

Time is money people!

Meetings.

If you're anything like me I'm sure you abhor them.

But sometimes they're important.

Not always. But sometimes.

Thing is even the most important meetings can drag on too long.

And as for the pointless meetings - the less said the better.

I wrote a few weeks back about how much time is wasted at work due to meetings.

Well now there's an app for that!


COMA - The cost of meeting app.

Here's how it works:

* Enter number of people and their average hourly rate
* Choose your currency
* Then sit back and watch the agency burn through money

Given most agencies answer to cost cutting is to cull the Creative Dept this app might not help put an end to time wasting meetings where you work.

But maybe it will. Stranger things have happened!

Click here for more info.

Apple v Microsoft

Looks like the stylistic and design differences between Microsoft and Apple were there pretty much from the beginning.

Books as art

I had a great idea for a client last year that was centred around a sculpture made from books.

At the time I was very excited as I was hoping to commission Nicholas Jones to make the sculpture.

I'd never met Jones before but had seen many of his book based artworks.

Sadly the idea never happened.

To be honest with you I'd completely forgotten all about it.

Until today. When I stumbled on this lovely little film about Nicholas Jones.

It offers a nice insight into his arts practice and working life.

And makes Melbourne look pretty cool too.

Where's Daddy?

This has been doing the rounds on the web for a couple of days now.

How can I not share it?

Classic!

Although somewhat unfortunate. Obviously.

Click the pic for a better look.

Happy birthday Muhammad

The Champ is a personal hero of mine.

A man who knew how to build and grow a personal brand long before the term had been invented.

It's his 70th birthday today. I hope he has a good one.

Still just doing it

As anyone who knows me well will tell you, I've never purchased anything by Nike.

It's a personal thing. Although I've always been a big fan of their advertising.


The new Nike UK campaign for the London Olympics is a beauty.

Just simple photography and headlines courtesy of the talent.

How easy is that!?

Not very if truth be told.

Although having Adam Hinton behind the camera must certainly help.



Lovely work by W&K London.

Here's hoping the Brit athletes can live up to the poster lines.

Mad Men and Newsweek

2011 was a year of ups and downs.

I know it sounds a little "first world" but no MadMen on TV last year was definitely one of the downs.

Good news is it'll be back on our screens this year and to celebrate Newsweek magazine is producing a 60's style retro edition.

Back in the day Newsweek was at the forefront of news coverage with stories on civil rights, Vietnam and more.

I suspect this special edition will become something of a collector's edition and may well be the first of many special edition mags we see.

After all, with circulation on the decrease, publishers have to do something to bump up sales figures.

And maybe going back to the future is just what they need.