Vice Global Trend Report
Vice magazine published their annual global trend report. Here are a few words about Copenhagen.
People in Denmark like to refer to themselves as “laid-back” and “mellow.” They act like they don’t give a hoot about fashion, or anything else for that matter, but they mix up as many styles as possible in order to acquire absolute nonstyle, and that seems to take a pretty good amount of forethought. Anyway, the desired look is messy, slightly sexy clothes, preferably picked right out of a dirty laundry pile on your floor.
Enjoy. There is more interesting reading not only about Copenhagen but other cities.
Tags: Vice, trend report, copenhagen
The New Client: The World
I was wondering this morning whether the WE is powerful enough to initiate the change in the world, to work towards solving the most burning issues in to world. Later on I've stumbled upon this video: Humanitarian Lion that calls all Big Guys to create big ideas about solving humanitarian problems. The rule is simple - one entry to Cannes festival binds you to send another entry to humanitarian category. No billboard or TV spots, just an idea.
Great! Let's use our brains to help the world, not only generate growth.
Tags: advertising, Cannes Lions, humanitarian lion
Stupidity Can Kill
There is nothing more endangering for our species and Earth as humans' stupidity. Now it appears that working with idiots isn't only annoying but it can kill you. Apparently it is very stressful to work with stupid people. It is a source of frustrations. How do you cope with stupidity. You don't say to someone to stop being such an idiot. It is against social rules. Usually people keep to themselves those frustrations and it can lead to very serious stress and health consequences.
Download the whole article here.
It is similar to being surrounded by people who are negative. We tend to become influenced by their negativity because of our mirror neurons that get us to do the same thing as the person we are watching (it explains infectious yawning). We learn by observing and imitating other people and it all happens on subconscious level. Thus, there is a risk we can become idiotic. Scary, it can happen i situation when we can't really handle the bad atmosphere, and ineffective work caused by lack of thinking, our brain chooses to adapt and save itself a lot of stress. In Rome do as Rome does...Bad idea! Better solution would be to stay patient and clever and wait the stupid ones become influenced and will follow.
Tags: idiocy, team work, mirror neurons
How to Spread the Word?
Spreading word is pretty challenging and not easy task. What would you do to spread word? Run naked on the street and shout, give free TV sets or maybe involve cockroaches? Yikes!
ZOO YORK - the skateboard producer - announced "Spread the Word" contest. Participants have to post the video on YouTube showing how to spread the word. Cockroaches get definitely attention.
Funbook
It is apparently what Facebook applications are for - having fun.
There are 911,343,980 installs across 24,459 apps on Facebook. Read more about most popular application on Adonomics.
Tags: facebook, applications
Darth Hilary Vader Clinton
Good recap of presidential race in US
Greenpeace vs. Dove
Greenpeace have created Onslaught video in replay to Dove's one, which says that Unilever, that is behind Dove beauty products, are buying palm oil from suppliers who destroy Indonesia’s rainforests.
The issue isn't just Dove, this the whole beauty industry and women, yeah like me and you who buy the beauty products chasing the vain beauty...
The Art of Innovation and Bicycle
Innovation is about taking risks and seeing opportuities there where no one would imagine opportunities could exist. Innovation is daring to trasform something that exist into something new. Like this bicycle I've seen this morning.
Who said that you have to stay satisfied with ordinary city bicycle when with a little effort, tree branch, rope, colorful wires and pillow you can create super orginal street cruise. It is excellent!
Responsible Marketing by M.Sorrell
It was really interesting to read
Sorrell’s call and Ruth Mortimer notes in Marketing
Week:
“All our instincts as
clients, agencies [and] media owners are to encourage people to consume more –
super consumption.” He added that people had become used to: “The aspiration
that you should consume more; the aspiration that you should have a bigger car;
the aspiration that you should have a number of holidays, bigger houses [and]
multiple houses”.
His point was that marketers
and their agencies need to adopt a new way of thinking to stop this trend of
‘super consumption’ becoming a real problem. In an age of worries about global
warming and limited environmental resources, brands need to behave with
responsibility. He suggested that the days of companies creating items that
would quickly become obsolete could – and should – be numbered.
Sorrell cited Apple as an
example of a brand creating products that consumers quickly jettison in favour
of the company’s newer ones. While nobody can deny that Apple produces
desirable, design-led objects, they do tend to become outdated very quickly.
The company cut the price of its 8GB iPhone model and scrapped the original 4GB
model only two months after launch.
But should Apple really be
worrying about issues such as ‘super consumption’? As the economic climate
worsens, don’t marketers need to keep parting people from their hard-earned
cash? This is especially important when the finance director starts asking
difficult questions about how the company can afford to run TV spots when sales
are being squeezed.
Let’s apply some common
sense. Sorrell isn’t saying that marketers should stop doing their job
properly; this is the man heading an organisation that made pre-tax profits of
£817m in 2007, up seven per cent on 2006. He is a clever businessman and he’s
not suggesting that as spending is curtailed, companies should stop trying to
sell.
Rather, he is picking up on
an important point: any problem opens up opportunities. You can be the company
worrying about what ‘super consumption’ means for you or the one rubbing your
hands together with glee at all the potential new business it presents.
If people are less willing
to buy items in large volumes because they have less money, make a virtue in
advertising of how long your products last. Charge slightly more for them.
That’s good for the landfill sites and good for your sales.
Or what about finding ways
of getting people paying to ‘upgrade’ old products? It shows that you’re
thinking about obsolescence while still offering people the sexy new functions
and features they desire.
You don’t have to do these things, of course. You can fight economic
difficulties by cutting prices and laying off staff. But you can bet Sorrell is
already working out how he will address ‘super consumption’. That £817m profit
last year suggests he’s pretty good at turning his ideas into actions.“
That’s great to read that as powerful man as
Sorrell is standing up against consumption. Great initiative. Great idea. There
is no doubt that our society needs to address those issues. I like Sorrell’s
suggestion about getting people to pay for upgrading the old products. This
could be something that could definitely help solving environmental issues. My
concern is however about the companies’ power to fight against super
consumption. The common belief that all consumers are thoughtless puppets in
the hands of devil corporations. Consumption is the culture. Culture is not
nothing new.
Many centuries ago, Aristotle wrote in ‘Politics’:
“The avarice of mankind is insatiable”
Over two thousand years later Leo Tolstoy wrote in “My Religion”
"seek among men, from beggar to millionaire, one who is contented with his lot, and you will not find one such in a thousand....Today we must buy an overcoat and galoshes, tomorrow, a watch and a chain; the next day we must install ourselves in an apartment with a sofa and a bronze lamp; then we must have carpets and velvet gowns; then a house, horses and carriages, paintings and decorations."
The desire to possess seems to be the part of our society across centuries. Mankind has known and enjoyed consumption over centuries. Consumption is not just modern times phenomena, this is something that has always existed and has it is roots in the social structures; this is the part of Weber’s stratification process, where status is based on the economical status and the non economical qualities like honor and prestige. Can Mr. Sorrell figure out how to change culture that thrived for thousands years? I doubt so, but his words open the door for the new and better vision. More responsible vision of doing business that appeals to consumers, who aren’t any longer only passive recipients of communication from corporations advertising. Due to technological empowerment, we have a possibility to change the world. Corporations together with consumers – people. After all we are all responsible for the society and the world we are living in.
Photo by Fanboy30
Why People don't Get It in the Age of Conversation
Age of Conversation - collaborative project organized by Gavin Heaton and Drew McLellan - is back. This year 275 authors will try to find our why people don't get it. There are many reasons and answers: fear, laziness, negligence. We keep on talking about the new times, new media, paradigm shift (it gives me almost goosebumps) but we don't take action. It is time to have a little less conversation and a lot more of action.
It will be fascinating to read the POV of all those amazing people and see whether there is clear diagnosis. I am part of the project and will take on the issues of privacy and anonymity online. I am very happy to be the part of the project.
Meanwhile, rush to buy the fantastic Age of Conversation. All the money from sales are donated to children, so if you don't care for book, you may care for children :-) Don't hesitate, click here and make a difference for kids and for yourself.
(Photo by Ooodit)
The participants of 2008 project:
Adam Crowe, Adrian Ho, Aki Spicer, Alex Henault, Amy Jussel, Andrew Odom, Andy Nulman, Andy Sernovitz, Andy Whitlock, Angela Maiers, Ann Handley, Anna Farmery, Armando Alves, Arun Rajagopal, Asi Sharabi, Becky Carroll, Becky McCray, Bernie Scheffler, Bill Gammell, Bob Carlton, Bob LeDrew, Brad Shorr, Bradley Spitzer, Brandon Murphy, Branislav Peric, Brent Dixon, Brett Macfarlane, Brian Reich, C.C. Chapman, Cam Beck, Casper Willer, Cathleen Rittereiser, Cathryn Hrudicka, Cedric Giorgi, Charles Sipe, Chris Kieff, Chris Cree, Chris Wilson, Christina Kerley (CK), C.B. Whittemore, Clay Parker Jones, Chris Brown, Colin McKay, Connie Bensen, Connie Reece, Cord Silverstein, Corentin Monot, Craig Wilson, Daniel Honigman, Dan Goldstein, Dan Schawbel, Dana VanDen Heuvel, Dan Sitter, Daria Radota Rasmussen, Darren Herman, Darryl Patterson, Dave Davison, Dave Origano, David Armano, David Bausola, David Berkowitz, David Brazeal, David Koopmans, David Meerman Scott, David Petherick, David Reich, David Weinfeld, David Zinger, Deanna Gernert, Deborah Brown, Dennis Price, Derrick Kwa, Dino Demopoulos, Doug Haslam, Doug Meacham, Doug Mitchell, Douglas Hanna, Douglas Karr, Drew McLellan, Duane Brown, Dustin Jacobsen, Dylan Viner, Ed Brenegar, Ed Cotton, Efrain Mendicuti, Ellen Weber, Emily Reed, Eric Peterson, Eric Nehrlich, Ernie Mosteller, Faris Yakob, Fernanda Romano, Francis Anderson, G. Kofi Annan, Gareth Kay, Gary Cohen, Gaurav Mishra, Gavin Heaton, Geert Desager, George Jenkins, G.L. Hoffman, Gianandrea Facchini, Gordon Whitehead, Graham Hill, Greg Verdino, Gretel Going & Kathryn Fleming, Hillel Cooperman, Hugh Weber, J. Erik Potter, J.C. Hutchins, James Gordon-Macintosh, Jamey Shiels, Jasmin Tragas, Jason Oke, Jay Ehret, Jeanne Dininni, Jeff De Cagna, Jeff Gwynne, Jeff Noble, Jeff Wallace, Jennifer Warwick, Jenny Meade, Jeremy Fuksa, Jeremy Heilpern, Jeremy Middleton, Jeroen Verkroost, Jessica Hagy, Joanna Young, Joe Pulizzi, Joe Talbott, John Herrington, John Jantsch, John Moore, John Rosen, John Todor, Jon Burg, Jon Swanson, Jonathan Trenn, Jordan Behan, Julie Fleischer, Justin Flowers, Justin Foster, Karl Turley, Kate Trgovac, Katie Chatfield, Katie Konrath, Kenny Lauer, Keri Willenborg, Kevin Jessop, Kris Hoet, Krishna De, Kristin Gorski, Laura Fitton, Laurence Helene Borei, Lewis Green, Lois Kelly, Lori Magno, Louise Barnes-Johnston, Louise Mangan, Louise Manning, Luc Debaisieux, Marcus Brown, Mario Vellandi, Mark Blair, Mark Earls, Mark Goren, Mark Hancock, Mark Lewis, Mark McGuinness, Mark McSpadden, Matt Dickman, Matt J. McDonald, Matt Moore, Michael Hawkins, Michael Karnjanaprakorn, Michelle Lamar, Mike Arauz, Mike McAllen, Mike Sansone, Mitch Joel, Monica Wright, Nathan Gilliatt, Nathan Snell, Neil Perkin, Nettie Hartsock, Nick Rice, Oleksandr Skorokhod, Ozgur Alaz, Paul Chaney, Paul Hebert, Paul Isakson, Paul Marobella, Paul McEnany, Paul Tedesco, Paul Williams, Pet Campbell, Pete Deutschman, Peter Corbett, Phil Gerbyshak, Phil Lewis, Phil Soden, Piet Wulleman, Rachel Steiner, Sreeraj Menon, Reginald Adkins, Richard Huntington, Rishi Desai, Beeker Northam, Rob Mortimer, Robert Hruzek, Roberta Rosenberg, Robyn McMaster, Roger von Oech, Rohit Bhargava, Ron Shevlin, Ryan Barrett, Ryan Karpeles, Ryan Rasmussen, Sam Huleatt, Sandy Renshaw, Scott Goodson, Scott Monty, Scott Townsend, Scott White, Sean Howard, Sean Scott, Seni Thomas, Seth Gaffney, Shama Hyder, Sheila Scarborough, Sheryl Steadman, Simon Payn, Sonia Simone, Spike Jones, Stanley Johnson, Stephen Collins, Stephen Cribbett, Stephen Landau, Stephen Smith, Steve Bannister, Steve Hardy, Steve Portigal, Steve Roesler, Steven Verbruggen, Steve Woodruff, Sue Edworthy, Susan Bird, Susan Gunelius, Susan Heywood, Tammy Lenski, Terrell Meek, Thomas Clifford, Thomas Knoll, Tiffany Kenyon, Tim Brunelle, Tim Buesing, Tim Connor, Tim Jackson, Tim Longhurst, Tim Mannveille, Tim Tyler, Timothy Johnson, Tinu Abayomi-Paul, Toby Bloomberg, Todd Andrlik, Troy Rutter, Troy Worman, Uwe Hook, Valeria Maltoni, Vandana Ahuja, Vanessa DiMauro, Veronique Rabuteau, Wayne Buckhanan, William Azaroff, Yves Van Landeghem
Anti Facebook Song
To all people tired of your Facebook "friends" who spam you with hugs, spells, quizzes and useless application. It is entertaining.
Tags: facebook, spoof, billy joel, song, facebook applications
OUR President - Obama
Barack Obama is being accused of using just words. It can be but words happen to be one of the means we use for communicating with other people. While Hilary Clinton gets angry shouts "Shame on you Barack Obama", Obama and the creatives that have a crush on him deliver the next message. The message that is about hope and change, but most of all about the power of community.
"He's gonna be our president. He's gonna speak for us, cause we've put him there"
I have shown this video to many people, non-US citizens and I think it was fascinating to hear their reactions. Those who dare, admit having goose bumps, because "they hear human message from the politician", others hide the feeling and say it is manipulation with words and emotions.
Even Bill Clinton endorses Obama message...kind of. Bill Clinton isn't faithful husband again.
Barck Obama became a brand, an idea that speaks with a human voice. Does he mean it? Does he has the power and abilities to turn the words into actions? I guess we can only find out when he becomes elected. For now Obama is visionary and charismatic politician, the type we have missed in the world and I hope he will become US president.
Tags: US election, Obama, politics 2.0
The World Map of Social Networks
Le Monde published the map of the most popular social networks across the world. It shows clearly human preferences vary a lot from country to country. North Europe goes for Facebook while South Europe fell in love with MySpace. Can it be something in design? :-)
Hat tip to Amelia for this one.
Tags: social networks
Hypes Don't Last Forever - Facebook in Decline
The last week brought some big news "Facebook Falters In Europe" according to the latest traffic data (Nielsen)
- UK: 8.5 million unique users in Britain spent time on Facebook in January, down from 8.9 million in December
- France: 1.87 million unique users in January, down from 1.89 million in December
- Spain: 659.000 unique users in January, down from 682.000
According to comScore, Facebook levels off in USA and keeps on growing worldwide.
Facebook in USA
Facebook Worldwide
We are talking about decline that is the consequence of the "friendly spam" deflouring Facebook and privacy issues. The European decline is also the sign for the stabilization of the hype that was created around Facebook. We are living in times where online and social services and brands take off primarily due to hypes created by easily influenced people influencing other easily influenced people and generate interest -> traffic. At some point it gets stabilized, people get bored, seek for something new, they want the new hype, the new stimuli.
"A lot of people who jumped onto Facebook over the past year and built up their friends and used applications are tiring of it," said Alex Burmaster from Nielsen "The aura has worn off a bit."
Via Techcrunch & Guardian
Tags: Facebook, social networks, social media, traffic
iPhones Make People Google
"We thought it was a mistake and made our engineers check the logs again," said Vic Gundotra of Google’s mobile operations.
Google reported that Apple's iPhones generate 50 times more Google searches than any other mobile handset.
Via MarketingVox
Tags: iphone, google, search
What Women Want ...
...from Internet
"Last year, "women's community" was the most visited and fastest growing Internet category, tied with politics, according to a ComScore Media Metrix year-end report. The number of unique visits to women's community sites jumped 35% to almost 70 million from 52 million."
Read more on AdAge to discover what women actually seek online?
Tags: Internet, Women, Communities
Bomb, Bomb, Bomb...
...John McCain is also convinced that yes, we can...but the future doesn't seem so bright
Tags: us, election, john mccain
What's Wrong with Socialism?
"Socialism is the system that heroically fights against problems that don't exist in any other system"
I couldn't agree more.
Tags: socialism
Companies Need Passionate Workers
What will make difference for companies and take them to the success aren't workaholics, who work their butts off driven by some kind of fear of facing the life, so they fill out their time with work. The employees that will make a difference are passionate workers. People who love their jobs.
"The passionate worker doesn't show up because she's afraid of getting in trouble, she shows up because it's a hobby that pays. The passionate worker is busy blogging on vacation... because posting that thought and seeing the feedback it generates is actually more fun than sitting on the beach for another hour. The passionate worker tweaks a site design after dinner because, hey, it's a lot more fun than watching TV." Seth Godin
The undeniable truth is that we work increasingly in 24/7 style, surrounded by blackberries, mobile phones and instant access to mail. We have hardly time to take a break to breath in. Work becomes habit, worker becomes the slave. And slaves aren't creative. Slaves suffer. Slaves fulfil their duties decently driven by fear of being punished (fired, no bonus, etc.). Slaves don't make a difference. Only passionate workers make a difference. In a world where work is the most time consuming activity after sleeping (for some work takes more time than sleeping), job needs to be some kind of hobby to deliver on to levels - duties and leisure. This is the area where work becomes your passion and as Seth says you'd rather do something exciting connected to your work than watch another silly TV show. The people who dedicate themselves to the job, by loving what they do are the most precious workers. They have incredible engagement that can be infectious and creativity that ignites ideas and new possibilities for companies to develop.
Picture by aussiegal
Tags: Seth Godin, passionate workers, modern slaves, work, corporations
Be Kind Rewind Sweded Trailer
This is so cool. Michel Gondry sweded his trailer. It can't get better.
Tags: be kind rewind, swede, Michel Gondry
Be Kind Rewind
I've seen today Be Kind Rewind and I loved the movie for its appreciation of creativity and freedom of interpretation and expression. The movie creates the new phenomena called "sweding", that originates from Sweden, like Sweden country and is about "re-making something from scratch using whatever you can get your hands on". Sweding is some kind of mashup. It is about being free, enjoying creativity and fellowship. Creating something new and unique without investing tons of cash and having fancy equipments. This the creativity that derives its advantage from being curious, ready to challenge norms and have some fun. Simple things we oversee. Could imagine shooting Rush Hour 2 in the playground in a day? Yes, Michel Gondry shows it is possible,
Great movie with lot of laughs and inspiration for every day routine struggles. 
You must visit film website to experience you Internet being erased and learn more about sweding.
Here is the trailer
Tags: be kind rewind, movie, Gondry, Jack Black
Wave Principles and Stock Markets
U.S.economy is according to some on the verge of the recession, according to others it is already in recession. The stock markets are falling down. Not only in USA, they are falling down across the globe.
Breaking News Alert from NYT
Stock Markets in Europe Plunge 7 Percent
Stocks Open Sharply Lower Despite Interest-Rate Cut
Asian Stock Markets Plunge for Second Day
The experts outdo one another in economical prophecies. Media sound the alarm
about the inflation. Everyone across the world seems to be touched by the problems. I
think it is very interesting to observe. It reminds me of the snowball
effect. The more it rolls the bigger it gets.
It is like with Elliott waves
that show the collective investor (or crowd) psychology and interactions move
from optimism to pessimism and back again. These swings create patterns, as
evidenced in the price movements of a market at every degree of trend.
From
R.N. Elliott's essay, "The Basis of the Wave Principle," October
1940.
"The wave patterns are an organizing
principle for myriad social behaviors, ranging from newspaper sales figures to
the fortunes of national leaders. The reason Elliott waves can tell us all this
is simply because they are direct reflection of human psychology - the rhythms
of human emotion, as Elliott puts it." (I know what you'll do next
summer, New Scientist, 31st August 2002).
Interesting
how the herd behavior and emotions influence even the stocks market. It is
incredible to see how everythink is linked and depend on one another.
Tags: stock markets, elliott waves, herd
Drink, Eat and Have Sex asThose Will Not Kill You...
This is le' cool ad that made med laugh out loud. Awesome.
Fount at Adriana's Blog
Tags: advertising
Real Leaders Are Rare
Leaders are hard to find. Many wind up director titles on their business cards, but there is no action...just a title. Mike Bowden put it really good:
"Too many times business owners seem to be satisfied spending their careers as managers rather than leaders. When you see real leadership in action, you're left in awe. Real leaders are active, engaged and motivating. They create an atmosphere that's electric - both fun and productive."
Mike Bowden
Found at the Brand Building Blog
Tags: leadership, management
Recycled Advertising
It isn't easy being green, especially in times where Green is the new black cocktail dress and it is trendy to talk about changing world in order to save environment (and then leaving the party with all the lights on in a huge 4 WD). But it is not about what you say, it is about what you do.
EDF Energy launched a very interesting TV ad that brings Green into advertising world - and here are lots of energy and CO2 to save. The ad created by Euro RSCG uses "recycled" film clips. Good idea.
(via Adverblog)
Have a nice Sunday and stay Green :-)
Btw winter has arrived to this part of the world. Sun was replaced by greyness, there is not too much green to look at.
Tags: green, energy, advertising
Happy New Year
New Year's Eve is just round the corner, so it's time to write some kind of summary of the previous year and peek into upcoming year. And I'm going to this with my left hand. It's pretty hard as I'm dedicated user of my right hand, which now is packed in plastic bag due to severe burn - it's very silly to pour boiling coffee on your hand!
Anyhow, left or right 2007 comes to an end. For me it isn't really end, this is just a check point people set up - time doesn't exist, our clocks don't measure something independent of the universe. Clocks doesn't measure time at all. New Year's Eve and resolutions are just the way of dealing with unpredictable and endless universe.
2007 was a year of Facebook. People went crazy not only with opening accounts but sending messages and creating applications. The number of third-party apps. available on Facebook has hit the 10,000 mark, but less than 20 Facebook apps. that are used on a daily basis by more than 25% of users who install them (via Marketing Vox). Social media were big this year and they will keep on growing, however they are still not mainstream. Mainstream level is reached when your grandfather and marketers get it, but it is not the case yet, but it is getting closer and closer. Marketers begin to look into and we can see more interesting examples of commercial activities that are build upon understanding of humans' needs and behavior.
2007 brought me also a great iPhone experience. I've got my iPhone and it convinced me the mobile will rise from ashes of previous predictions and finally become "the killer device". The phones like iPhone offering multifunctional within one thumb click and giving access anytime and anywhere are the future. Mobile phone are already ubiquitous, we carry and use them 24/7. iPhone adds a couple of steroids to our mobile experience. And I know there are many who will say that there are more phones that have more features and are powerful than iPhone....yes, it is true but they lack two crucial elements: total user centric design (you can access anything on iPhone within one click and it feels so nice to hold iPhone) and being social objects of social desire. I wait also for the next big news about GPhone, it will be exciting to see Google's next move towards taking world over.
My favorite viral video in 2007 was Cadbury's Gorilla. It is simple and cool. And it destroyed for me Phil Collins' song. Every time I hear it, I can see gorilla in front of my eyes.
My favorite and inspirational blogs: Herd and Punk Planning. Thanks for inspiration and keep on doing great job. You are one of those who make a difference.
T
he best quote in 2007: "Advertising is a tax you pay for unremarkable thinking." Johnny Vulkan.
The biggest chock and disappointment I've experienced in 2007 was when I was called for being to creative and consumer centric....hmm. Apparently flowcharts and GRPs levels are still crucial to media planning. I must have missed something.
What about 2008? Social media saga will continue, mobile will slowly rise and we will keep on living in hype culture where the new things, social media, applications and devices become hypes and achieve status of desirable social objects - like Facebook. Just a few will be able to reach the critical mass and become mainstream. They last until the new hype arrives and steals people CPA (continous partial attention).
The focus on GREEN will be increasing, more talking but also more action - Radiohead's initiative to reduce carbon output of their tours will find followers. Being Green will become the way to demonstrate you are wealthy in Western countries.
Besides the world will carry on, TV will still be there and radio and Facebook. We will forget to turn of the lights and buy lots of unnecessary things. We will make lots of resolution but we will remain who we are :-) - herd animals.
I wish you all wonderful New Year and great year 2008, filled with great ideas and three resolutions:
1) be more green by doing the small things, don't try to save the world but make the change to happen locally - turn off the lights when you leave the office, recycle, reduce the amount of printing, etc.
2) reduce spending on the things, you don't really need and give the money to those who need them. Owning another bag or another pair of shoes will not make any difference for you, but it can change someone's life.
3) be nice to people, smile makes life more bearable :-)
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Tags: 2008 trends, 2007, Happy New Year, Advertising, Media, IPhone, Facebook, Social Media
Never Stop Playing
I have been sick for the last couple of days. My body couldn't handle the pressure and stress anymore. Pretty bad experience, however between headaches and fever, I have managed to reflect over the two terms that were artificially set in opposition to each other - play and work (this is what brought me into the state of being unable to work)
The Western culture regards play as unimportant and silly activity that belongs to childhood. Grown-ups have more serious thing to do. Serious things meaning work. Play stands in in opposition to work, which is so wrong. Johan Huinziga said once that play is crucial to our culture.
“Play is simultaneously liberty and inventions, fantasy and discipline. All important cultural manifestations are based upon it. It creates and sustains the spirit of inquiry, respect for rules, and detachment.”
It is impossible to have satisfying life without balancing both - work and play. Too much work without elements of play leads not only to stress and exhaustion but refrain us from development, from being creative in the sense of finding the right solutions. For me the main difference between work and play can be described by R. Kennedy words:
"There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why... I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?"
Play means not only asking the WHY NOT questions and challenging status quo, looking further into future and imagining unseen and unimagined. Play means also being together, it means being connected with community. Pure work is just selling your soul to routines, duties and never endless deadliness. Work as such is pointless and deprives us of humanity (I know it sounds very hard). First when you mix it with playfulness it becomes something than can fulfill your needs and give you and others satisfaction.
In spite I am be usual suspect myself at the moment, I have hard time of understanding what drives people into giving up on play and turning your life into constant work, where family and friends are put aside, all matters is your inbox and presentations. The tyranny of being the best, of proving yourself? Even when you sick, you don't stop. You hold desperately onto it and turn into bitter, unproductive but responsible worker, who replied 50 emails just before she died. Wow, it surely opens the door to ...hell.
Never ever drop play ...neither me or any of you out there. Life is to wonderful and precious to turn it into routines and duties.
Personally, I have nothing against work, particularly when performed, quietly and unobtrusively, by someone else. I just don't happen to think it's an appropriate subject for an "ethic."
Barbara Ehrenreich
Tags: work, play, society, culture
Learn and Fight Hunger
Great idea for helping to fight against famine - Freerice.com. It is based on simple idea: you learn words. Each time you get it right, you donate 20 grains of rice. Everyone gets something out of it. You learn more English words and people that are in need get food. The small changes matters. This is made possible by the sponsors who advertise on the site.
Radiohead Kicks Ass
Radiohead has got people and music business talking when they've offered their latest album to download and offer people to pay for it the price they want. No label, no promotions. I've been waiting impatiently for the first results, wondering whether music fans are ready for such shift and how are they going to react. The results have proved Radio head has a strong base of fans - there has been 1.2 million downloads, average price was $8 per album sold and it brought estimated profit of about $10 million - all that in just one week.
Music industry is changing in rely to the generation FREE, people who want and expect certain things to cost nothing. Anti-pirate groups chasing them will not change anything, the new sales, promotion model can make a difference, which Radiohead is a good example of.
Tags: music, radiohead, album sales
Do the Green Thing!
I feel like staying green this week. Green makes me happy and I'd love to make you and Earth happy too :-) All you have to do is join Green Thing website. It's just an easy, monthly thing, it is a community that makes it easy and enjoyable to be a bit greener. Every month you'll get a different Green Thing to do. All you have to do is do it. This is exactly the micro change I wrote about yesterday. There are lots of cool videos, you can make friends with people who think green like you. You can see how much CO2 savings you made.
October's Green Thing is Walk Once and in order to make your walk even more enjoyable, you can download cool walking tunes and walking words written by a talented musicians and writers. You put it on your iPod and listen to as you walk...and you can't stop smiling!
Tags: green, environment, micro change, green thing
Blog Action Day
I've had a long at work today and when going through the office I was inspired to writing this post. It was before 10 p.m., empty office, you couldn't find a soul but there was so much light! Light in kitchen, toilet, in halls. Wherever you looked, it was light. I felt enlightened. I was wondering for a moment whether some people has found out that I can be afraid of darkness. But seriously . .We talk a lot about global warming and protest against huge 4 WD tracks. We focus on huge things. We fight against big corporations, we make demonstrations, shout and ... Is this the right way? I must admit, I doubt it. I am against fighting the monsters who destroy Earth. I opt for ordinary people taking their time to pay attention, clean around themselves and switch off the lights. My grandparents who dedicated their life to help orphans used to say, that we should never think that our help will change a world, we should focus on saving just one child, as this is what will make a difference. Our small efforts, our personal involvement and will to influence and change our closest surroundings can make a difference and contribute to saving the planet. Not huge declarations, not manifestos. It is not about words, it is about changing behavior. Our "green behavior" on micro level, on daily basis, like turning off the lights, sorting trash, avoiding unnecessary printing will add up and become to something bigger, something that will create the global awareness of the environmental problems. Changing our behavior, learning our kids to act in green way, influencing our friends to take some action - this is the way to contribute to saving the planet.
So keep on fighting and getting greener :-)
Tags: blog action day, green, environment
Quote of the Day
“We’re not in the business of keeping the media companies alive, we’re in the business of connecting with consumers.” T. Edwards, Nike
Tags: Nike, connections
Let's Chat
They start with being open but then become overwhelmed and go to F*** word. Good one!
Viewer Voices: Where We Respond To The Opinions Of Our Uninformed Viewers
Tags: let's chat, communication
What a Bunnies!
UPDATE!
The commercial is ready! You can see it here and it is super cool.
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Sony Bravia sets the new standards for advertising. Advertising isn't the sales pitch any more, it is not pushing the message "color like no other". Advertising is just an end product. What is fascinating is the whole process of creating advertising and hype around it. This is another example of the advertising as content (I wrote a couple days ago about FirebrandTV). People may hate advertising, but they love entertainment. Content that is King is alive and kicking. See the latest behind the scenes video on Bravia's website It shows how those cute bunnies were made.
Btw I love the black and white pictures of New York.
Tags: sony bravia, play doh, advertising
Bloggers Unite for Earth
On October 15th, bloggers around the web will unite to put a single important issue on everyone’s mind - the environment. Every blogger will post about the environment in their own way and relating to their own topic. There are over 6.000 bloggers who joined the initiative with reach over 4 million readers. The point is to spread the message, focus people's attention on environmental issues.
So if have a blog, just rush to join Blog Action Day to help make earth a better and cleaner place.
You can read more about the action day here.
Tags: environment, blog action day
Weekend Stuff
Here is some pretty interesting and funny links for relaxing weekend with laptop and good Internet connection with a cup of warm tea, good music and warm blanket.
RedFruit farm is looking for manager :-). Great website, especially the movie introducing you to the job.
Talking about jobs. Meet some very innovative engineers.
Dontclick.it. Interesting and addictive project.
Most influential gadgets in the history.
And a bunch of cool ads from YouTube
Great presentation of Nissan Rouge. Roughly speaking, I know what this car can on the road. Besides good creative execution.
I love "The Science of Sleep" movie for it is dreamness. Watching this movie is like being in a dream. Now, Michel Gondry used his expertise in science of sleep for Motorola and made a Razr commercial.
Sensual advertising from Korean Airlines. Beuatifully done. It expresses softness, sensuality and makes you feel safe.
This is not a commercial. This is the piece from the real life. Tony Blair should be thankful and happy to get so much love.
Tags: links, advertising, dontclic.it, gadgets
Power Point Is Bad for Brains
Power point is ominous program. I've hardly been to any presentation where it wasn't used. I'd count on one hand presentations I've given without power point. I have my set of guidelines I use when preparing presentations: people don't think in words, 80% of human communication is nonverbal, it's what I say matters, not my power point slides. And of course Seth Godin's rules: no more than six words on a slide. EVER, no dissolves, spins or other transitions, don’t hand out print-outs of your slides.
Power point is useful but used in a wrong way can be deadly. Here is just another reason why found at Power Point is bad for brains
Researchers at the University of New South Wales in Australia found
the brain is limited in the amount of infor