Being teenager is hard - the feeling of being misunderstood by nagging parents, broken hearts, mean girl-friends. It is not easy being insecure. It is painful. You wish often you had superpowers and took revange for all those who were mean to you and didn't invite you to the party last Saturday...well this is where Twilight comes in play. See how it works
"The Tracker" (El Perseguidor) is the tribute to Charlie Parker by amazing Julio Cortázar.
I remember spending hours and neglecting school in favor of his words and magic universes they've created. Every his book was an awesome adventure.
Now, the great illustrator José Muñoz created the trailer for the book playing with high rough lines, sleepless Paris of the 50-ties and unforgettable Charlie. Result - the piece of cool. Let the pictures, words and music take you away.
I've read to interesting books during my summer holidays: Ignore Everybody by Hugh MacLeod and Free: The Future of Radical Price by Chris Anderson
And as I was clear and inspired on being creative after reading Ignore Everybody, I was confused after reading free. Hugh McLeod is fairly realistic about being creative, it doesn't come for free. It is paid with months of hard work, dedication, sacrifice and engagment while Chris Anderson writes about free that is part of gift econony but it is not free after all. After reading the last page I was pretty confused - is it free or not? What's the main thought of his? The confusion rose with every page and I felt many statements was rather contradictory. It was just like a collection of thoughts that weren't mature enough. There was something there, he touched upon it but haven't thought it yet. "Free" concept is rather difficult to work with as money are appearing always somewhere in the process. And when staff becomes free, only when money arent inolved? or are there any other forms of payments we should consider? Lot's of questions, few answers. And inspiration from Hugh MacLeod.
Read also Malcolm Gladwell's review and Chris Anderson reponse
Be Cool, Be Social and Be the Change - 3 simple guidelines for the way to think and act in marketing. Obama showed it can work. Now you can tap into that wisdom by reading this book Barack, Inc.: Winning Business Lessons of the Obama Campaign.
I read a few fragments from the book on Google Book Search and it seems like an interesting and inspiring guide for the new thinking in the difficult times we are entering.
You can read more about the book on Barack,Inc. website.
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Why do we choose Coca Cola over Pepsi or Apple over Dell? Price, promotion, I can hear some shouting. In fact, we as consumers ask ourselves those question very rarely, if never.
Martin Lindstrom decided
to find out what lies behind the success or failure brand experience
nowadays. To find out the truths and lies about consumer behavior, he
conducted 3 years long and 7 mil. USD worth research that involved
brain scanning of 2000 people from 5 countries who were stimulated by
commercial messages and wrote Buyology.
Lindstrom’s starting point was a hypothesis that people lie when asked about their consumer preferences while brain scans show the truth, black and white. There is the reason why companies should find out what consumer think and want by scanning their brains. It sounds simple and promising. The Promised Land for marketers that could solve and improve efficiency of marketing investments.
There are lots of proofs in the book, pulled to support the hypothesis.
Proof #1 Lindstrom tested smokers and find out that they weren’t influenced by the warnings at the cigarettes boxes at all. It appeared that those warnings had an opposite effect – made smokers crave cigarettes. Maybe, it is not surprising when we take into consideration the fact participants weren’t allowed to smoke for the 4 hours.
Proof #2 Lindstrom concluded also that strong brands like Apple, Harley Davidson, etc. activates the same areas in the brain as the religious symbols. Is there potential for co-branding wit Jesus & Co?
Proof #3 Sex doesn’t sell. I wasn’t surprised again as I grew up in catholic family and spend some time in church and religion lesson with bitter nouns trying hard to convince us that sex and religion don’t fit together. Many internalized that in fear of sinning. Back to Buyology. Martin Lindstrom inferred that people in little clothes and provoking poses don’t convince us to buy products…but hot models with naked torsos from Abercombie & Fitch do.
This is here my neo cortex began to light and blink for serious.
There are plenty of conclusions in the Buyology. From using religious symbols and rituals in advertising to create the feeling of tribe and belonging, through mirror neurons as explanation for the success of brands like iPod to the final conclusion that our behavior is driven also by unconscious motivations. Well, this is something we knew before Buyology hit the market.
One may wonder what is then the reason of Buyology's popularity.
Through many years, we’ve heard over and over that over 50% of our advertising investments were wasted, that 1 out of 10 new product launched fails, because we don’t really understand consumers and forces that drive their behavior. In order to understand consumers, it is necessary to look beyond surveys and focus groups, as people and their behavior are unpredictable and can’t be captures into questionnaire schemes. We aren’t rational as we believed and majority of our decisions happens on the subconscious level. In other words, we know that we don’t know what we know.
That knowledge makes marketing and advertising people scared and helpless. There is an urgent need to disenchant the world. Here come techno shamans in the picture with advanced, million worth devices to make the unpredictable and intangible into predictable and tangible. Neuromarketing is hot because it comes with a promise to explain the world of consumers that is difficult to control and to give the solutions. It awoke the hope for finding the buy button in human’s brain.
Lindstrom rides on this neuromarketing trend and promises to reveal the truths and lies of why we buy. For this purpose, he uses available knowledge about human brain that identifies different areas responsible for different feeling, like love, reward, fear, etc. When those areas are stimulated, they lit up but there is no explanation what kind of behavior will follow or how the environment or part experiences stimulates the reaction the scanned persons. To use that knowledge as an explanation is like looking into people’s windows from the street and trying to guess what they are talking about.
There are more questions than answers about our brains. We have no access to all processes happening there and we are not able to decode many of information we can see.
Of course, Martin Lindstrom can’t do it either. He just theorizes and jumps to vague conclusions based on a light he and his team saw on brain picture. There was not once asked a critical question towards the results or an attempt to find out what could cause the given area lit up. Like in the story of product placement in American Idol. According to brain scanning’s Coca Cola was the most successful brand and was most memorable. Ford was the worst and Lindstrom is sure they wasted 26 mil. USD and while he gives advice on how to use product placement, he forgets completely to look beyond the picture of brain he captured and consider the heritage and place in the humans life Coca Cola has.
The book seems to me one-dimensional and filled with cognitive shortcuts. It makes it difficult to perceive it as serious science.
However it is full of
digressions that show Martin Lindstrom has been a long time around
and knows a lot about marketing and advertising and there are also a
few anecdotes that are good to tell at family parties to entertain
family members as long as they don’t have the faintest idea what we
do.
Martin Lindstrom’s Buyology is worth reading as an entertaining pop book, but it is not to be perceived as the revolutionary or helpful tool in marketing. There is a long way to go and discover before it can gain that status.
We, humans wouldn't survive without the ability and possibility to communicate. Communication and collaboration with others is what helps the herd to survive and make progress, develop and create. Collaboration was rather limited by the physical space. Internet added the new feature to our herd experience, it removed borders and enhanced the power of people and power of collaboration. Suddenly, what for 50 years was unthinkable, has become a reality today. 237 people from all over the world, joined the project Age of Conversation: Why don't they get it and created stories. 237 not only shared their thoughts and contributed to the collective mind and understanding of the times we are living in, but also thanks to Drew and Gavin wanted to give back to society and give the money earned on selling the book to charity.
I am happy to be a part of this project. And below you will the list of all contributors.
As of Wednesday, October 29, 8 A.M. (U.S. EST) the Age of Conversation 2 will be available for purchase at Lulu So, don't wait, just go and buy it, either in e-book version or hard copy.
You can read more about the project, listen to interviews with authors, got to know who they are on the Age of Conversation 2 blog as well as follow updates on AOC2 Twitter
Meet 237 co-authors of The Age of Conversation 2
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 LeDrew, Brad Shorr, 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, Chris Brown, Connie Bensen, Connie Reece, Corentin Monot, Craig Wilson, Daniel Honigman, Dan Schawbel, Dan Sitter, Daria Radota Rasmussen, Darren Herman, Dave Davison, David Armano, David Berkowitz, 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, Eric Peterson, Eric Nehrlich, Ernie Mosteller, Faris Yakob, Fernanda Romano, Francis Anderson, Gareth Kay, Gary Cohen, Gaurav Mishra, Gavin Heaton, Geert Desager, George Jenkins, G.L. Hoffman, Gianandrea Facchini, Gordon Whitehead, Greg Verdino, Gretel Going & Kathryn Fleming, Hillel Cooperman, Hugh Weber, J. Erik Potter, James Gordon-Macintosh, Jamey Shiels, Jasmin Tragas, Jason Oke, Jay Ehret, Jeanne Dininni, Jeff De Cagna, Jeff Gwynne & Todd Cabral, Jeff Noble, Jeff Wallace, Jennifer Warwick, Jenny Meade, Jeremy Fuksa, Jeremy Heilpern, Jeroen Verkroost, Jessica Hagy, Joanna Young, Joe Pulizzi, John Herrington, John Moore, John Rosen, John Todor, Jon Burg, Jon Swanson, Jonathan Trenn, Jordan Behan, Julie Fleischer, Justin Foster, Karl Turley, Kate Trgovac, Katie Chatfield, Katie Konrath, Kenny Lauer, Keri Willenborg, Kevin Jessop, Kristin Gorski, Lewis Green, Lois Kelly, Lori Magno, Louise Manning, Luc Debaisieux, Mario Vellandi, Mark Blair, Mark Earls, Mark Goren, Mark Hancock, Mark Lewis, Mark McGuinness, Matt Dickman, Matt J. McDonald, Matt Moore, Michael Karnjanaprakorn, Michelle Lamar, Mike Arauz, Mike McAllen, Mike Sansone, Mitch Joel, Neil Perkin, Nettie Hartsock, Nick Rice, Oleksandr Skorokhod, Ozgur Alaz, Paul Chaney, Paul Hebert, Paul Isakson, 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, 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 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, Tim Brunelle, Tim Connor, Tim Jackson, 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
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...is the new green. I am about to finish reading (listening) to Seth Godin's new book Tribes (you can downloaded it here for free or buy on iTunes for $ 0,99).
It is really interesting reading, so important for agencies that strive in finding their way of working in the new more connected reality.
The main outtake to me so far is that it takes changing mindset and attitude. The copy and paste into new template isn't the way for the winners. In order to become the part of the game in the connected world, we need to become heretics and lead the tribe, instead of managing and using old logics pimped with new hype words. It is about telling stories that unite the tribe, instead of giving orders.
Can't wait to get home and finish the book.
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This is the proof of triumph of popular culture. And some sign for transformation characteristic for Liquid Times. Who knows, maybe Z. Bauman transforms into Batman of sociology.
I can conclude one thing for sure - Batman is more popular than Bauman.
It's like Amazon was trying to tell me - give me a break Bauman, have some fun and watch Batman.
Age of Conversation is back. This time in black. Thanks to David Armano.
Watch out, book is coming anytime soon! 275 great stories by 275 great authors.
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
'We Think' by Charles Leadbeater explores the potential and the power of the mass creativity. This neat video presents the main ideas from the book. I wait impatiently for my Amazon delivery.
Tags: we think, charles leadbeater
Via Only Dead Fish
After the great success of bloggers' book Age of Conversation, Drew and Gavin who stood behind the idea, announced last week the new project - time to exceed Age of Conversation! They called authors to join and make a second book.
The topic of the new book is up to you. Everyone is invited to decide and there are three themes to choose from:
1) Marketing Manifesto
2) Why Don't People Get It?
3) My Marketing Tragedy (and what I learned)
You may vote for your top choice via SurveyMonkey - Click Here to take survey
Would you like to become a part of the project and co-author the book? Read the post and e-mail Drew to tell him that you're in.
All proceeds of the book will be donated to Variety, the Children's Charity.
Great initiative!
Tags: age of conversation, social media
I've spend the afternoon and evening watching focus groups - hours of listening to people rationalizing everything and showing their common sense. Then I've seen this. It was great come back to the world of emotions. WoW! What a great movie. It is a sequel to Coke Happiness Factory. This is story about passion and determination behind Coke delivery. It is all about making people happy. I like the Lord of the Rings twist. Excellent peace of work. It will make you smile.
Tags: coca-cola, happiness factory
There were 2 men and 1 very good idea. They have invited the bloggers to write a book about conversations. Over 100 clevere people said yes and contributed with their view, ideas and thoughts on conversations. It is also worth mentioning this is charity book. The money will be transferred to Variety, the children's charity organization.
I have look it through yesterday and there is lot of good material there.
The book is available now and you can buy it here.
Here is the long list of contributors:
Gavin Heaton
Drew McLellan
CK
Valeria Maltoni
Emily Reed
Katie Chatfield
Greg Verdino
Mack Collier
Lewis Green
Sacrum
Ann Handley
Mike Sansone
Paul McEnany
Roger von Oech
Anna Farmery
David Armano
Bob Glaza
Mark Goren
Matt Dickman
Scott Monty
Richard Huntington
Cam Beck
David Reich
Luc Debaisieux
Sean Howard
Tim Jackson
Patrick Schaber
Roberta Rosenberg
Uwe Hook
Tony D. Clark
Todd Andrlik
Toby Bloomberg
Steve Woodruff
Steve Bannister
Steve Roesler
Stanley Johnson
Spike Jones
Nathan Snell
Simon Payn
Ryan Rasmussen
Ron Shevlin
Roger Anderson
Robert Hruzek
Rishi Desai
Phil Gerbyshak
Peter Corbett
Pete Deutschman
Nick Rice
Nick Wright
Michael Morton
Mark Earls
Mark Blair
Mario Vellandi
Lori Magno
Kristin Gorski
Kris Hoet
G.Kofi Annan
Kimberly Dawn Wells
Karl Long
Julie Fleischer
Jordan Behan
John La Grou
Joe Raasch
Jim Kukral
Jessica Hagy
Janet Green
Jamey Shiels
Dr. Graham Hill
Gia Facchini
Geert Desager
Gaurav Mishra
Gary Schoeniger
Gareth Kay
Faris Yakob
Emily Clasper
Ed Cotton
Dustin Jacobsen
Tom Clifford
David Polinchock
David Koopmans
David Brazeal
David Berkowitz
Carolyn Manning
Craig Wilson
Cord Silverstein
Connie Reece
Colin McKay
Chris Newlan
Chris Corrigan
Cedric Giorgi
Brian Reich
Becky Carroll
Arun Rajagopal
Andy Nulman
Amy Jussel
AJ James
Kim Klaver
Sandy Renshaw
Susan Bird
Ryan Barrett
Troy Worman
S. Neil Vineberg
Tags: the age of conversation, blog
