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On December 1, 1967, 75-year old Leo Burnett gave this speed at its annual Leo Burnett employees' "Breakfast at Burnett's." It is very inspirational and reminds us 40 years after what our job should be about.
I think we all should print the speech and read it from time to time to find inspiration and engagement.
via AdPulp
Tags: Leo Burnett, inspiration
"In order to be able to connect to "uploaders", we need to recognize (or test the hypothesis), that most of them are narcissistic creatures searching online for fame. Therefore, any brand activity should appeal to this trait, vigorously massaging their egos and making them look good or famous in return for brand advocacy. Why do you think Mac users are such ardent advocates? Because they think that owning a Mac puts them somewhat above the rest, making life very easy for marketers..." Ozoda Muminova
Uploarders are the stars, having social media - YouTube, Flicks, blogging, etc. - as their stage. Their performances vary a lot, from shows at family garden parties through auditions to Idol to fully professional shows. Being uploader gives power and recognition amongst other memebers of the herd.
Read more about "Uploaders" here
Via David Armano
Tags: social media, uploaders, agency.com
We are not only belong to a herd, one of our biggest needs is to belong to a herd. The belonging need can be used in many different ways, for example in 'crowdgaming'. It may sound ridiculous but you can get a crowd of people sitting in cinema to act as joysticks.
Idea was created by SS+K in collaboration with Brand Experience Lab for msnbc.com. The idea is groundbreaking - there are motion sensors placed in movie theater that tracks people movements and control the game. It is fascinating to see the herd in action when all people join the fun and become 'crowdgamers'.
Talking about gaming, I've also find this video - from Japan TV. It is also some kind of crowdgaming, there are no technological gadgets, just people and some bricks. It is called 'human tetris'. It is pretty entertaining. There is something surreal in the Japanese TV shows.
The need of belonging is stronger that the fear of being / acting ridiculous.
Tags: crowdgaming, herd, belonging
So I've changed the job again. After 6 months at Carat I've been offered to join Vizeum as a strategic planner and to be a part of team that goal is to create the different media agency in Danish market, agency that goes beyond traditional thinking. It is a great and very challenging opportunity. I am going to work with fantastic people who has tones of enthusiasm and great ideas. I am sure we can make a difference and break through the wall of "reach and frequency" thinking.
Vizeum represents the new approach to media planning, it's about consumers experience and creating the brand stories together with consumers, not buying the media space for brand stories on TV. Vizeum's communication planning starts at understanding the motivations that drives people's behavior.
It's going to be exciting!
Tags: Vizeum
YouTube is great. It is fantastic source of insights about the people and their lives. YouTube is kind of focus group on steroids. Instant insights into people lives. What always amazes me is the people's creativity and the endless need of exploration and creation. YouTube brings plenty of fascinating stories. This is the new source of information for me, it lets me to follow with what's hot, what's not trends. It is other dimension of visual sociology - YouTubelogy.
Today when I was catching up, I've found this video. It is great piece of job. Sound of skateboard, movement and good beat = great video. Something that has a potential to become a hit amongst skateboards and other free riders.
Tags: YouTube, visual sociology, skateboard
iPhone is about to hit the stores in USA and there is a lot of hype around it. Monday was the first day that people began their wait outside of the Apple store on Fifth Avenue. Apart from the long lines and cool features there is also lots of good publicity thanks to the guys from Anomaly agency. The first in line at Apple store is marketing agency guru Johnny Vulkan, who's going to auction his iPhone off on Ebay, and donate the money to the charity Keep A Child Alive. Fantastic way of using the iPhone hype for a good cause and great PR for Apple.
More buzz about iPhone aid here.
Tags: iPhone, Anomaly, Keep A Child Alive
This time from Toyota. good story about those people who made your car. Toyota isn't just a metal, engine and wheels, it has a human touch.
Tags: advertising, Toyota
Seth Godin came with the statement that the reason behind the importance of price can be the lack of other values customers could care about.
"Maybe the reason it seems that price is all your customers care about is...
... that you haven't given them anything else to care about."
Yes, of course we would love to buy products with meaning. I shop therefore I am. We define our identities through products we buy. Still we are the hunters who will always be happy and proud to buy something cheaper. We love sales. There is some kind of sport in buying things cheaper than they normally are. I am always amazed seeing long lines to the discount shops or seeing people buying 5 packages of butter, so they can save 1$.
Another question that pops up in my head is about the people whose income is just about average? What about people who are so poor that their salary allows them to survive from 1st to 1st each month? Those people want the products that are affordable. That is what majority cares about. Many people can't simply afford to buy values.
So often people tend to perceive and describe the world through their own lives. I am sure Seth Godin buys products that has some special appeal and deeper meaning. But there are millions people in our world that can afford such a luxury.
Tags: price, values, shopping, Seth Godin
Pernille asked about the future of media planning and the presence of the right people in the business. This is a very broad subject and it makes us to face the questions about the roles media planners wants to play in the world of communication. Media agencies aspire to be the communication agencies but it demands the different mindset. It demands people who are curious and open-minded. People who are willing to explore the unknown and challenge the clients. People who are story-tellers and aren't afraid of the new ideas. But most of all it is all about enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is the most important asset people should have (not only in work but also in life) as it brings out other positive features, curiosity, creativity and the will to challenge and change things. We can learn media planners how to plan media, we can learn them all about communication, etc. but this is just knowledge that isn't worth too much without engagement and the willingness to explore the world and to challenge the traditional media agency way of thinking.
I totally agree with Marc McGuiness' from Wishful thinking blog views on enthusiasm versus confidence.
Too much focus on confidence makes people being serious and professional, but to awake your audience attention and to 'take them with you', you need to be enthusiastic. Being enthusiastic about subject shows you believe in the things you are saying, it shows you are engaged. It makes you trustworthy!
In my eyes most of media planners sets confidence in the first place by hiding themselves behind big numbers, serious research, hundreds of power point slides with charts and bullet points, but it is not enough to become the architects of communication. In order to achieve that you need to be like this little fellow is enthusiastic about such a small and silly thing - ice cream.
Tags: media planning, communication, media agency, enthusiasm
"Don't be afraid not to follow the herd -because where the herd's gone, the food is already eaten."
Bob Dylan, quoted on opendemocracy.com
This quote
made me think about the positioning media agencies have. Media agencies are all looking for some points of differentiation, for being unique. They offer services hoping others don't have. But in the end they all are the part of the same herd where the main point of focus are short-term goals. It is enough to look at their websites to find out that they are all talking about the same, just using different words.
Leaving the herd isn't easy, many fear the risks it brings. The fear of being different and rejected is irrational but huge. It is safer to do the same the others have done and are doing. 'Let's use the tested methods and ideas' is the common way of thinking.
But while they fear, the clients have gone somewhere else. World has changed and they aren't adapted. They've just keep on changing their mission statements. Words, words but no actions.
You must leave the herd you keep on following if you wish to find the new herd and achieve the stronger and unique position. Otherwise you face two choices: stay in a row being nothing special, being just another media agency or kill other members of the herd to achieve better position. I think I'd rather leave the heard I am in!
Tags: media agency, herd
Tags: advertising, logo
More and more companies make their presence in Second Life. DRAFTFCB agency has decided to join the crowd ...but ...see yourself :-) It is Second Life Live from First Life
Tags: second life, DRAFTFCB
I've found this video at Amelia's Life moves pretty fast blog. It is in incredible story in the video. You will be surprised the way it turns out. This is an ultimative test to our stereotypes.
I bet you have tears in the eyes as you hear him singing. I had.
Tags: stereotypes, talent
Swedish scientists has developed the new generation of paper - it is not only interactive but also cheap. It opens the door for the creative solutions not only for outdoor advertising but also packaging. The idea behind paper four is simple - you touch the surface and you get the information streamed out of speakers. Read more here.
Tags: paper, advertising, interactivity, technology
Unified theories of everything can't work in the modern world. In the world where change is on the agenda day after day, hour after hour. We are living in increasingly complicated environment where everything from media, to products and experiences are multiplied. Things aren't as they seem to be. We aren't whom we tell to be. We shop personalities as we change our roles. We zap through life as we zap through TV channels. We browse opportunities and change the life to use them as we browse endless Internet pages. This is the liquid reality, everything can be easily changed - shaped as we want and need.. For some it happens slower than for the others. We enjoy the change as "in changing we find the purpose" (Heraclitus). It leads us to be better, to be different, to achieve things, etc. We live "in flux" and it is not a revolution. This is the nature of our life and it affects everyone. Never forget that "No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it is not the same river and he is not the same man." (Heraclitus)
The media aren't the same as they used to be and the audience isn't the same, either. No one can stand still and expect the world will return to it status quo after the 'revolutionary new media buzz'. It won't, it would be against nature.
Tags: change, society, media, Heraclitus
