Because a quirky one grabs more attention, hence processed more and remembered better. (study here)
What will you use for your next presentation instead of Arial?
Wednesday 29 December 2010
Change your font
Tuesday 28 December 2010
Quote of the day
'Self-love is an often misunderstood concept. Most people think it means liking yourself. True self-love, however, is the ability to love and bring together all our inner disparate parts. It is about achieving symmetry between the mind and the emotions.'
Shmuley Boteach, Kosher Emotions
Shmuley Boteach, Kosher Emotions
‘Advertising that amplifies passion’
Advertising should amplify passion instead of ambushing it.
Chris Anderson promoting TED talks initiative of ‘ads worth spreading’.
Chris Anderson promoting TED talks initiative of ‘ads worth spreading’.
Visualising Friendships – Facebook
‘When the data is the social graph of 500 million people, there are a lot of lenses through which you can view it. One that piqued my curiosity was the locality of friendship. I was interested in seeing how geography and political borders affected where people lived relative to their friends. I wanted a visualization that would show which cities had a lot of friendships between them.’ (Paul Butler, intern on Facebook’s data infrastructure team)
The result? The result:
Thanks to Political Calculations for posting it.
Monday 27 December 2010
Word trends
I have just tried the Google NGram – fun!! Fresh from Google Labs, it allows you to check Google books for the occurance of specific words through a period of years (1800 to today). The graph shows the popularity of these words on a time axes. Cool.
Thanks to Michael Wade of Execupundit, Culturaloffering.com and Eclecticity for posting it!
Check it out here. 
Sunday 26 December 2010
Saturday 25 December 2010
Know thy roots – the post for Christmas Eve
While according to Peter Fisher (as below) knowing your ancestry can boost your IQ, personally, I’d go further and say that knowing your heritage can also give you a solid base, and a belonging. And we need to know where we belong.
‘Peter Fischer and his colleagues at the Universities of Graz, Berlin and Munich have shown that thinking about our ancestors boosts our performance on intelligence tests - what they've dubbed 'the ancestor effect'.But how can these be connected? And where does Christmas come into the picture (the post for Christmas Eve)? Well, aren’t religious celebrations are to remind us to our roots? The reason hasn’t changed for over two thousand years… We celebrate Christmas to remember the birth of Jesus and Easter to commemorate the resurrection of Christ. We celebrate to honour, to memorise, to perpetuate. We do so to remember our roots, and our heritage. Putting it that way makes more sense, doesn’t it? So go ahead and celebrate. It’s good for you in more ways you can think of!
Merry Christmas!
Friday 24 December 2010
Thursday 23 December 2010
Mindset Shift 7
The life changing, enlightening, motivating Nicholas Bate:
Mindset Shift 7 - Nicholas Bate
Two Californias
Shocking… truly shocking…
“Many of the rural trailer-house compounds I saw appear to the naked eye no different from what I have seen in the Third World. There is a Caribbean look to the junked cars, electric wires crisscrossing between various outbuildings, plastic tarps substituting for replacement shingles, lean-tos cobbled together as auxiliary housing, pit bulls unleashed, and geese, goats, and chickens roaming around the yards. The public hears about all sorts of tough California regulations that stymie business — rigid zoning laws, strict building codes, constant inspections — but apparently none of that applies out here.”
Thank you to Michael Wade for posting a link to Victor Davis Hanson’s article. Execupundit.com: Two Californias.
The years are short
Thank you to Michael Wade of Execupundit for posting this. Click to reach a short but deeply moving slideshow about the shortness of life.
Wednesday 22 December 2010
Busty Russians & ‘targeting’
Targeting is so important.
We are getting bombarded with thousands of unselected and irrelevant marketing messages every day, and one of those that found me today prompted this entry. I was just surfing the net a few minutes ago when I spotted a top leaderboard advertisement promising ‘Busty Russians’ after the click – no, I was not on an x-rated site at all. But wait, it doesn’t stop there (oh, I must share). The ad went on to say that according to a study Russian girls are highly attracted to Western men and that ‘Men join for FREE’. (So does that mean women have to pay if they want to join?) Enough criticizing, it’s clearly a low budget ad (everybody has to make a living) that has to get a simple message across. While I think it’s a cheap one, we all know sex sells, so who knows, it could even have a surprisingly high CTR (click through rate) performance.
But then my question is: in today’s age, with all that digital advertising technology, such as IP address, geo, age, and time targeting, just to mention a few, why I got served this particular ad at ~7pm on a Wednesday evening (AEST), I will never understand. As established above, it’s not a branding ad, it has a crystal clear purpose, and a clearer than that target market. Into which (in case you were wondering), no, I do not belong.
Targeting is so important.
The ad that probably sells but wasting its efforts on people outside its target market:
We are getting bombarded with thousands of unselected and irrelevant marketing messages every day, and one of those that found me today prompted this entry. I was just surfing the net a few minutes ago when I spotted a top leaderboard advertisement promising ‘Busty Russians’ after the click – no, I was not on an x-rated site at all. But wait, it doesn’t stop there (oh, I must share). The ad went on to say that according to a study Russian girls are highly attracted to Western men and that ‘Men join for FREE’. (So does that mean women have to pay if they want to join?) Enough criticizing, it’s clearly a low budget ad (everybody has to make a living) that has to get a simple message across. While I think it’s a cheap one, we all know sex sells, so who knows, it could even have a surprisingly high CTR (click through rate) performance.
But then my question is: in today’s age, with all that digital advertising technology, such as IP address, geo, age, and time targeting, just to mention a few, why I got served this particular ad at ~7pm on a Wednesday evening (AEST), I will never understand. As established above, it’s not a branding ad, it has a crystal clear purpose, and a clearer than that target market. Into which (in case you were wondering), no, I do not belong.
Targeting is so important.
The ad that probably sells but wasting its efforts on people outside its target market:
The digital story of the nativity
You’d be forgiven to think that this is a viral ad for Google, Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare. Brilliant work. Enjoy!
Merry Christmas to all of my blogger friends out there!
Saturday 18 December 2010
Quote of the day
'Fear. The most debilitating emotion.'
'There are few emotions that make life as unpleasant as does fear. Indeed, fear and joy are inversely proportional such that the more fear, the less joy - and the more anxiety. Those who live in fear witness the gradual diminishment of their humanity, becoming less adventurous, less truthful, and ultimately less alive. They also become deeply cynical.'
Shmuley Boteach, Kosher emotions
Friday 17 December 2010
Quote of the day
'Guilt addresses the weakness in our character and tells us, 'Don't feel so bad about doing the wrong thing. You're weak. So is everybody else.' But success in life requires determination and resolve. Guilt accomplishes absolutely nothing, so the determined individual simply hs no time for it. It is a parasite that sucks up our energy and renders it useless. It has no power to transform us into someone better.'
Shmuley Boteach: Kosher Emotions
Shmuley Boteach: Kosher Emotions
A well known American story
Welcome to Zombieland: Ladera Ranch, California 
A CNN article highlights some of the underlying problems of the troubled US housing market and that the problem is far from being solved just yet…
‘Yet for the housing market to return to health, there needs to be resolution for these zombie loans that won't ever be paid in full and won't quite die either. Until they can be eliminated through short sales, foreclosures, and permanent modifications, the zombies will keep home values from recovering and suck momentum from the economy. They're not departing soon.‘
Weddings–a big business in China
Because getting married is no quiet business in China. It’s all about ‘keeping up with the Zanghs’ and no money or effort is spared.
‘A venture capitalist, for instance, recently flew a wedding cake from London to Beijing for his daughter's wedding, because it came from a bakery used by the British royal family.’
The Knot Looks for Slice of China's $57 Billion Wedding Market - AdAgeChina - News
Monday 13 December 2010
Saturday 11 December 2010
Happy Festive Season!
Different cultures, different traditions. I have Christmas Carols to look forward to, but this looks like great fun, too and an innocent but very positive profile raising for Judaism.
Magen Boys Entertainment Presents Hip Hop Chanukah
Magen Boys Entertainment Presents Hip Hop Chanukah
Thursday 9 December 2010
Wednesday 8 December 2010
Quote of the day
'The third and deepest level of loneliness is the most troublesome because in some ways it can never be overcome. This deepest level is the understanding that, even within a relationship, we will never ever be fully understood.'
'Herein lies the paradox, and ultimately the tragedy, of human existence.'
Shmuley Boteach, Kosher Emotions
Creative idea meets technology
Every marketer wants to ‘imprint’ their logo ‘inside people’s head’. Well, looks like BMW managed it… No, seriously.
All the people who saw this commercial live had to do was to close their eyes to ‘see’ the BMW brand at the end of the commercial. Creative idea meets technology. Fascinating.
Return to the earth
It's the ultimate in recycling - recycling ourselves:
Shoalhaven City Council [NSW, Australia] is to conduct a "natural burial" trial where bodies are buried in a cardboard box with just a rock or shrub to mark the grave. (source: Return to the earth)
The festive season (in Sydney)
This Christmas tree is beautiful! Thanks to Nicholas Bate for pointing me to it. Christmas is different in Sydney, ten years on, and I’m still finding it a bit challenging to get into the spirit of things. Isn’t it amazing how much weather has to do with how you feel (or is it more to do with the traditions one learns growing up)?
I have a ‘tree’ but it doesn’t even reach knee height. A little gaze over it just then, and I have to admit, that even describing it this way makes it feel higher than what it really is… It’s a symbol never the less and will keep us going until we’ll be celebrating white Christmases in the not so distant future hopefully. Until then, bring on Santa on Bondi Beach!
Tuesday 7 December 2010
BBC News - Wikileaks founder Julian Assange arrested in London
Guilty or not, isn’t my place to say – we’ll hear the decision in due course. But the fact that he was bound to get caught for something (anything), that’s for sure.
The Wikileaks saga continues:
‘The founder of the whistle-blowing website Wikileaks, Julian Assange, has been arrested by the Metropolitan Police. The 39-year-old Australian denies allegations he sexually assaulted two women in Sweden.’
BBC News - Wikileaks founder Julian Assange arrested in London
Austrian Parliament’s response to immigration
For someone to express such level of emotional intensity, they must have been robbed of their tolerance in its entirety. This doesn’t happen overnight, neither without any reason.
thanks to CulturalOffering.com to post this video:
Cultural Offering.com: "Your devotion to freedom of religion is pure hypocrisy. . ."
Beautiful life…
An excerpt from a recent study to see whether fathers, similar to mothers, prefer to hold their babies close to their hearts:
‘Women and mothers prefer to hold infants and young children on the left side of their bodies. The results [of a recent study] showed that a significant percentage (65%) of fathers preferred to hold their newborn infants on the left side. This holding bias in fathers was governed by neither the couple's number of children, nor handedness, nor hemispheric specialisation in emotion perception.’
Monday 6 December 2010
BBC News - South Korea begins live fire military drills
How will this end…
South Korea has begun a series of major live fire exercises in disputed waters off the west coast, despite warnings from the North against conducting them.
Afternoon indulgence
Seth's Blog: The world's worst boss
With hundreds of likes in Google Reader, 1,824 re-tweets (at the time I read it), this one is clearly a winner with the Seth-tribe. For a thought provoking and (hopefully) motivating read, check out Seth’s blog post on ‘The world's worst boss’.
Quote of the day
‘Beware of any rule that is written by those who are exempt from its effects.’
More Michael Wade at Execupundit.com: Random Thoughts
In love with Cornwall…
Pictures courtesy of Nicholas Bate:
It must be Cornwall 1
It must be Cornwall 2
It must be Cornwall 3
It must be Cornwall 4
It must be Cornwall 5
It must be Cornwall 6
Thank you!
A Yuletide Gift of Kindness | Smithsonian Magazine
What an amazing true story about genuine giving just before Christmas in the middle of America’s Great Depression of 1933. (A Yuletide Gift of Kindness | Arts & Culture | Smithsonian Magazine)
Thanks goes to Execupundit for posting it.
Sunday 5 December 2010
Quote of the day
'The essence of passion is novelty. The secret of recapturing it is to approach everything as if for the first time.'
Shmuley Boteach, Kosher emotions
This is nuts…
There is just too much weirdness in the world. This one (‘Australian man marries pet dog Honey’) is close to ‘home’, too.
Saturday 4 December 2010
What? We can’t see the Great Wall of China from space?
List of misconceptions from Wikipedia:
‘It is commonly claimed that the Great Wall of China is the only man-made object visible from the Moon.[42] This is false. None of the Apollo astronauts reported seeing any man-made object from the Moon. The misconception is believed to have been popularized by Richard Halliburton decades before the first moon landing.’
Courtesy of E. (Eclecticity). Thank you, amused. Again.
Visual persuasion – powerful stuff
The various tools that are available to a marketer, have their advantages and disadvantages. What a TVC can do, that is combining vision and sound, no other medium was able to before video became widespread on the internet. Radio can do the latter, and print can do the former and while each are reduced to half of that what a TVC can offer, work of generations ensured that both have mastered theirs respectively.
Radio commercials are over in 30 seconds (or in an ephemeral 15 seconds or less) like most TVC’s, but visual advertisement is something you can linger on for much longer; exploring it, immersing yourself in it, uncovering the hidden or not so hidden messages and let the picture speak to you. In fact, there is so much information that can be conveyed through seeing, that sight is often quoted as an intelligence rather than a sense. Radio also has its place, but it will only suit certain brands at certain times. Hence it’s not an accident that you have never heard a prestige watch being advertised on an FM station.
Some visual ads however are works of art…
I spotted the this Rolex advertisement on the BBC's site this morning and one word came to my mind: exquisite. There is more information in this image than what a 30 second radio commercial or even a TVC could convey. It ‘speaks’ of quality, luxury, prestige, and style. It also conveys the message the the ‘Yacht-Master II’ watch is durable and waterproof. To me, it’s also elegant and timeless. And there you have it. A visual advertisement that achieved what it set out to do. And because visual ads are ‘silent’, one way to do this is printing the words you want to convey. For example ‘the Yacht-Master II Rolex watches are in store. They are durable and timeless and also make a perfect Christmas present.’ Or, marketers, as they do, can use juxtaposition. Why? Because more often than not, a juxtaposed product has a much stronger persuasive power than the product by itself. Without stating words explicitly, a picture can convey several key messages by relying on the audience’s intuition. You look at an image and it all happens almost immediately. It never has to be said out loud, but it’s understood.
Visual persuasion. Powerful stuff.
* A marketer can achieve an integrated marketing campaign by using the same image on the website and also in all of their other visual collateral.
Radio commercials are over in 30 seconds (or in an ephemeral 15 seconds or less) like most TVC’s, but visual advertisement is something you can linger on for much longer; exploring it, immersing yourself in it, uncovering the hidden or not so hidden messages and let the picture speak to you. In fact, there is so much information that can be conveyed through seeing, that sight is often quoted as an intelligence rather than a sense. Radio also has its place, but it will only suit certain brands at certain times. Hence it’s not an accident that you have never heard a prestige watch being advertised on an FM station.
Some visual ads however are works of art… I spotted the this Rolex advertisement on the BBC's site this morning and one word came to my mind: exquisite. There is more information in this image than what a 30 second radio commercial or even a TVC could convey. It ‘speaks’ of quality, luxury, prestige, and style. It also conveys the message the the ‘Yacht-Master II’ watch is durable and waterproof. To me, it’s also elegant and timeless. And there you have it. A visual advertisement that achieved what it set out to do. And because visual ads are ‘silent’, one way to do this is printing the words you want to convey. For example ‘the Yacht-Master II Rolex watches are in store. They are durable and timeless and also make a perfect Christmas present.’ Or, marketers, as they do, can use juxtaposition. Why? Because more often than not, a juxtaposed product has a much stronger persuasive power than the product by itself. Without stating words explicitly, a picture can convey several key messages by relying on the audience’s intuition. You look at an image and it all happens almost immediately. It never has to be said out loud, but it’s understood.
Visual persuasion. Powerful stuff.
* A marketer can achieve an integrated marketing campaign by using the same image on the website and also in all of their other visual collateral.
Quote of the day
An old Jewish aphorism declares, 'The difference between the wise man and the clever man is that the clever man can get himself out of a situation into which the wise man would never have been in the first place.' The trick is thus to be wise rather then clever.
Shmuley Boteach: Kosher emotions
Friday 3 December 2010
When you don’t know what to do or say…
Cultural Offering.com: Cancer etiquette
A useful read, because when it happens to you, or to someone in your family, in the shock that’s sure to follow, all of life’s wisdom seem evaporate... You are near or apart, and want to do (something, anything) and help, but not sure what and how and don’t have the words. Only the cliches.
And to know that it doesn’t matter what you say, just showing support is enough, and is best and it’s sometimes all you can do is reassuring… even if that’s an email, a text or chat if you are twenty thousand km’s away from the loved ones who are suffering… and from those who are suffering no more…
Can you make a toaster from scratch?
A creative young man, Thomas Thwaites did, and documented the process all the way. The project has been exhibited at various locations, including London, Rotterdam, Dublin and Lancaster. Very clever.
‘I'm Thomas Thwaites and I'm trying to build a toaster, from scratch - beginning by mining the raw materials and ending with a product that Argos sells for only £3.99. A toaster. After some research I have determined that I will need the following materials to make a toaster. Copper, to make the pins of the electric plug, the cord, and internal wires. Iron to make the steel grilling apparatus, and the spring to pop up the toast. Nickel to make the heating element. Mica (a mineral a bit like slate) around which the heating element is wound, and of course plastic for the plug and cord insulation, and for the all important sleek looking casing.’
The end result: 
versus
the Argos Value Range 2 Slice Toaster:
Argos Value Range 2 Slice Toaster from Thomas Thwaites on Vimeo.
Learnings: specialisation and the division of labour has its uses.
A good TVC never ages
…or does it? Well, I’d say this would pass today.
Check out the young Brad Pitt in a Pringles ad from the 80’s. With the 80’s fashion enjoying its renaissance the ad (bar the recognisable superstar in it) may even pass these days…
Thursday 2 December 2010
What a lesson…
We can all learn from Gerald, the cabbie. Check out the story at CulturalOffering.com.
Wednesday 1 December 2010
Cultural Offering.com: The other Pop
Great story, thank you for sharing.
Cultural Offering.com: The other Pop
Tuesday 30 November 2010
Quote of the day
'Our emotions are the most crucial part of our lives because they directly determine the kind of people we will be. If you have a bad temper that regularly erupts, you are an angry person. If you act kindly with a soft heart, you are a compassionate person. Whichever emotion you most often exhibit will become the defining characteristic of your being. Thus understanding and controlling our emotions is key to becoming the people we want to be.'
Shmuley Boteach, Kosher emotions
Shmuley Boteach, Kosher emotions
Monday 29 November 2010
Flattery perfected
Thanks to CulturalOffering.com for posting this on The art of brown-nosing.
Sheer genius. I have doubts in being able to use it, but at least now I can see who does!!
Saturday 27 November 2010
Inside artist Ben Johnson’s studio
Working and creating within boundaries is intrinsic to art. A writer uses paper and pen to awaken our senses (i.e. smell, hear, feel), a poet needs to fit the words into a row no longer than a few words, and a painter needs to reduce reality to two dimensions. And that’s why Ben Johnson’s work is admirable. You almost want to step inside his pictures and wonder around…
In the below video he ‘takes us on a tour of his Hammersmith studio, where he creates his haunting, half-real and half-imagined interiors and cityscapes’. (wallpaper)
The British artist is most famous of his city landscapes, mainly that of Liverpool (see how that one was created here) that took 11 assistants, 24,000 hours to complete.
Friday 26 November 2010
Execupundit.com: The Other Side
‘The best managers, like the best lawyers, know how to argue the other side of the case.’
Execupundit.com: The Other Side
Thursday 25 November 2010
Quote of the day
'Some men see things as they are and ask why.
Others dream things that never were and ask why not.'
Others dream things that never were and ask why not.'
George Bernard Shaw
(in Kosher Emotions by Shmuley Boteach)
How eating a cookie can harm your career…
‘The Australian-born Dr Stephen Duckett, who has been dubbed the "Cookie Monster", left a meeting with health care leaders in Edmonton eating a cookie and refused to talk to waiting media about the health crisis in the Canadian province of Alberta’
(read more here).
Tuesday 23 November 2010
Monday 22 November 2010
Google speaks highly of competition…
…when they are asked whether they are concerned regulators could force their break-up because of their huge market share in search engines. (Source: Newswire)
Well, if you phrase it that way, than the market is certainly very competitive according to Patrick Pichette, Google’s CFO, where ‘Microsoft is a formidable competitor. They're really smart’.
He also compared the current search engine market to a race on the treadmill for innovation, where if you ever slow down, there is a catch-up that would take no time at all.
Of course there is no stopping either Google or Bing, when it comes to innovation, and everyone likes the underdog. Even if that’s Microsoft.
(disclosure: I’m currently employed by the latter and loving it.)
Well, if you phrase it that way, than the market is certainly very competitive according to Patrick Pichette, Google’s CFO, where ‘Microsoft is a formidable competitor. They're really smart’.
He also compared the current search engine market to a race on the treadmill for innovation, where if you ever slow down, there is a catch-up that would take no time at all.
Of course there is no stopping either Google or Bing, when it comes to innovation, and everyone likes the underdog. Even if that’s Microsoft.
(disclosure: I’m currently employed by the latter and loving it.)
Saturday 20 November 2010
Agree…
with Execupundit. It’s plain nuts indeed: a concert in Japan where the performer is a hologram…
Friday 19 November 2010
Volkswagen: Fun Theory Speed Camera Lottery - Video - Creativity Online
There is something truly powerful about rewarding good behaviour.
Based on this approach, San Francisco based Kevin Richardson dreamt up the ‘speed camera lottery’ concept, rewarding good driving behaviour, that is obeying the speed limit, and penalising bad driving behaviour.
Volkswagen deemed the concept so good that their creative agency, DDB, brought the idea to life, at a busy intersection in Stockholm. Check out the video!
Volkswagen: Fun Theory Speed Camera Lottery - Video - Creativity Online
Wednesday 17 November 2010
At the end of the day...
I've been quiet with blogging for the past couple of weeks, mainly due to lack of time (as I'm trying to organise an event of my own), but today really recharged my batteries with motivation and creative energy and made me realise (again) that I really love the advertising industry. There is just so much good stuff that comes out of it! Will be back with more soon!
Monday 15 November 2010
Why do people say cats have nine lives?
This is why…
The post that took me there in the first place is High alert by CulturalOffering.com.
Eclecticity’s raging red bull
‘Accept everything they [those in Washington] are proposing at face value and just f%)*#ing do it. Don't read it. Just do it. It is goring everybody's ox in one way or another.’
Read his thoughts here.
Sunday 14 November 2010
Fascinating accents
Watch Shakespeare performed in his own accent here. Courtesy of Political Calculations. Thank you, I as someone who is fascinated by accents, thoroughly enjoyed it!
Wednesday 10 November 2010
Funny because it’s spot on…
Political Calculations analysed a spam email that promises money (an obvious scam) using great humour, and with observations that are spot on. Con artists thrive on the internet, praying on the unassuming mostly. We need a higher level of awareness (and alertness), and need to educate especially those who are most susceptible. What better way to do it, then using a bit of humour! Love your work Ironman!
I'm considering this as my nameday present from the blogosphere for the 10th November…
Monday 8 November 2010
Goodie! Book list!
…and since I more often borrow (from the library) then buy, I need options – in case the one I wanted in the first place is not on the shelf when I need it.
So thanks to Execupundit for posting Amazon’s list of 100 best books of 2010 here.
Sunday 7 November 2010
The importance of your digital image
Quote from the book, The new experts by R.H. Bloom, courtesy of Execupundit, on the importance of a company’s digital image right here.
You can’t please everyone
and you should never aim to. Seth explains why.
Seth's Blog: Alienating the 2%
Saturday 6 November 2010
Friday 5 November 2010
Presentation aid
very hand link posted by Nicholas Bate – thank you, lots of good useful stuff on the site!
Thursday 4 November 2010
Friday 29 October 2010
The reality of advertising…
I must thank Michael Wade from Execupundit.com to bring this article by Stephen Pressfield to my attention. So thank you ,it’s brilliant and I could not resist to re-post the excerpt.
Here it is. Here’s the #1 lesson you learn working in advertising (and this has stuck with me, to my advantage, my whole working life):
Nobody wants to read your shit.
Let me repeat that. Nobody–not even your dog or your mother–has the slightest interest in your commercial for Rice Krispies or Delco batteries or Preparation H.Nor does anybody care about your one-act play, your Facebook page or your new sesame chicken joint at Canal and Tchopotoulis.
It isn’t that people are mean or cruel. They’re just busy.
Thursday 28 October 2010
Beer Addicted Stick Figure : The Stick Figure
I don’t blog for a week, than I decide to return with a joke. But what’s life without a laugh…? Enjoy.
Thursday 21 October 2010
The NSW Fire Brigade just marched down George St
Being a fireman is a very important job in a dry and hot country like Australia.
Wednesday 20 October 2010
Worst Ad Placement Ever « Oliver Willis
Stuff to be careful about when you are scheduling a Rich Media ad unit… 
Screenshot is courtesy of: Worst Ad Placement Ever « Oliver Willis
Screenshot is courtesy of: Worst Ad Placement Ever « Oliver Willis
Tuesday 19 October 2010
For the love of chocolate…
There is something special about flavours that were introduced to us when we were children. As if they could somehow give us a reassuring comfort whenever savoured again later on in life. Advertisers have long known this of course, case in point is McDonald’s Happy Meals which target children as young as under five’s. While Macca’s use the toys to ‘lure’ (well, they do) the kids in-store, other companies use powerful images in commercials to influence... such as the purple cow.
When I think of ‘my’ childhood chocolate brand, I have a 
vivid recollection of Milka’s purple cow as it’s grazing peacefully in the pastoral green fields of the Austrian Alps.
And if you haven’t seen the purple cow in its ‘original’ setting yet, make sure to watch one of their classic, 30 sec TVC’s below.
What is the one image that you can recall, may it be for Hershey’s, Cadbury’s, Nestle’s, etc.?
Monday 18 October 2010
I couldn’t blog all weekend…
…as I was busy with ‘her’… While at first it doesn’t necessarily look it, it’s a girls’ bike through and through. The internal gear hub means that I can change gears when I’m stationary (love it), not to mention that no special clothes are required to hop on, normal street-wear will do, as pants and skirt won’t get grease on them. On the other hand it still has enough oomph (gears) so that I can take the hills and slopes of Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs with ease. A bell (cute), and the rack at the back make it perfect, the latter which can hold a basket, although my pink bag (pictured) will do fine until I get one of those…
So I ditched the car last weekend, and as of this Monday morning, also public transport – pending on weather conditions of course… I’m still a girl.
Wednesday 13 October 2010
GAP returns to old logo
Not sure which of the two was bigger news – Gap releasing a new logo; or Gap reverting to their old logo after only 4 days! Not surprised by the latter, and just like many others (see reaction on GAP’s Facebook page below), I applaud it. Only puzzled by who really signed off on a logo so different to what GAP stands for. Which is simple yet casually elegant…
Perfection
When it comes to putting pen to paper, one of the definitions of perfection is not when you can’t add, but when you cannot take anything away. Enter In An Ideal World 7 by Nicholas Bate.
To have a lovely start to the morning…
(I just did) watch this video that was posted by Michael Wade of Execupundit and originally prepared by Olympus to mark its 50 years anniversary (‘59-‘09).
Tuesday 12 October 2010
The new Windows Phone 7
Usage statistics are fast elevating the Mobile to the status of ‘future platform of media’, hence it is a market that Microsoft can no longer ignore. Once owned it, now playing catch up, but ever so hopeful that the latest OS, Windows Phone 7 will carve back some of that long lost market share.
Well, there is nothing like a healthy competition, and it’s certainly a plus if the product is good. But is it? Thus far it has received mixed reviews, but at the same time it has already managed to convert Stephen Fry overnight (previously a strong iPod advocate and fan), and I personally only heard praises of it (mind you, I better disclose the fact that I do work for Microsoft…).
Never the less, mobile is a market to watch – for publishers, developers, as well as handset manufacturers.
Various forms of art…
Some people are just so creative!
‘Hans-Peter Feldmann creates installations in which images and everyday objects - collected from different commercial and domestic sources - are put together in carefully constructed settings or forms.’ (Hugo Boss art prize Oct 2010, more at the Wallpaper magazine)
Sunday 10 October 2010
Saturday 9 October 2010
GAP & new logos
You may have heard that GAP launched a new logo recently. On my weekly group meeting at work earlier this week, this was one of the pieces of market intel I brought with me. I’m not sure whether the team or I was more surprised, them about the fact and me that it stirred some interest.
Admittedly, changing the company logo is a big deal, especially when its such an iconic one. See for yourself here (thanks to Michael Wade for posting it: Execupundit.com: New Logos) on what a difference a new logo can mean!
When it comes to Gap, I think their ‘old’ one was just so much more elegant, yet simple. What do you think of the new Gap logo?
Friday 8 October 2010
The 5 level hierarchy of leadership
‘What catapults a company from merely good to truly great? A five-year research project searched for the answer to that question, and its discoveries ought to change the way we think about leadership.’
The 5 levels of leadership by Jim Collins (author of ‘Good to Great: Why some companies make the leap… and others don’t’)
What’s good for engagement?
And what’s good for trance only - Nicholas Bate on how to achieve either at work: Mmmm - Nicholas Bate
Homo proponit, Deus disponit*
I went to Europe for a 3 week holiday in September and had all the intentions to stay connected. Laptop, mobile, global roaming, etc. and only upon arrival did I notice that I forgot the chargers. The mobile lasted for a couple of days, and only after a while did I manage to hook it up via a data cable, but the laptop was ‘sucked dry’ within the first day never to be turned on again until after I have arrived back to Sydney. Then the most unexpected bliss followed, and I loved every minute of it.
And now I’m back, and a whole lot wiser about how to prepare for real holidays next time…
* Latin proverb which in English means ‘Man proposes, G-d disposes’, while in Hungary it’s slightly different, we say ‘man plans, G-d executes’
Wednesday 15 September 2010
Monday 13 September 2010
Saturday 11 September 2010
When creative & engineering brilliance meets – a marketer’s dream come true…
Or ‘How to sell your product in tough times?’
Make something that everyone wants to buy…
In the current economic climate, many companies are concentrating on price. Discounting is the initial reaction of many, but it’s a competition with no winners. Customers may come out on top temporarily, but with lower yields on the long run, R&D suffers, which translates to ‘lower’ or ‘less’ attached to every possible feature of the product. So you are marketer, what can you do? Well, you could make something that everyone wants to buy… read on for a great example.
With the ever increasing price of property in urban areas, many people find themselves compromising sqm’s for location. To those wanting to retain as much of their living spaces in their studios or 1-2 bedders as possible, is this the solution? Check out the video below. Traditionally Ikea’s forte, this is taking clever use of space to a whole new level… easy? No. It takes a couple of years or more before these furniture pieces come to life. But unless they get the marketing mix terribly wrong, these products should sell no matter what.
Friday 10 September 2010
Are you a risk taker?
Or are you not? You could be on the right track to become a successful entrepreneur!
Thursday 9 September 2010
Why business books are good for you
Yeah, sure I agree that…
“Business success isn’t a checklist, and that’s the implied message from many business books: do these things and you’ll be the hero. Business success is a dance: with the market, employees, investors, customers, landlords, and creditors — not to mention spouses and kids.”
At the same time to get to that success, you need lists. In fact, lots of lists. You need scrutinising, educating, reminding lists to accompany you on the way to success…
Wednesday 8 September 2010
The colours of Rosé
You thought Rosé was pink. Look closer…
This image was made by crystallizing the drink on a lab slide, then passing a polarized light through the crystal. Micrographs made in a Florida State University chemistry lab reveal kaleidoscopic patterns in popular cocktails. 
Sunday 5 September 2010
How to spot a lie
Great article on how to detect lies by Michael P. Maslanka from the TexasLawyer blog. Thanks also goes to another Michael for posting the link to it on his blog.
Saturday 4 September 2010
Clinton’s efforts in the Middle East peace talks
There are a lot of speculation why Obama chose to deal with the Middle East peace process earlier in his tenure than his predecessors. But let’s put that aside for now and hope the talks will be successful. Here is ABC News’ recap on Hillary’s efforts.
Advertising creative genius meets humour
Here is an Aussie advert… stuff we can get away with on national TV in this country!
Wednesday 1 September 2010
This is beautiful: ‘Autumn will come’
Something I eternally miss in Australia… seasons are just not the same… Thanks to Cultural Offering for describing Autumn so exquisitely.
Monday 30 August 2010
Groupon tests national campaign
The success that is Groupon, just keeps getting bigger (back story here). They recently tested a new concept whereby instead of promoting local businesses, they ran a national GAP campaign, offering $50 worth of apparel at half price that can be redeemed at stores (not online). It was a smashing success selling 441,000 units. In addition, GAP is hopeful more bucks will be spent once customers are instore. Benefits of the promotion don’t end there…
"It's a significant chunk of sales. I'm pretty sure if they ran a national TV campaign, they wouldn't have gotten nearly 500,000 paying buyers in the store," said Rob Solomon, Groupon’s President-Chief Operating Officer.
Good point, so let’s just look at the numbers for a second. Let’s say Groupon takes a 50% cut, which is what Rob Solomon said was the typical scenario, when interviewed by Ad Age. With 441k units sold at $25 each, GAP generated $11M in sales overnight. Groupon says people are expected to spend more once instore, around $75-$100 per voucher, however generally only around 80% of vouchers are used. So GAP makes between $17-$26M, out of which Groupon takes a $5.5M cut (if the rev.share is determined after items sold). Neat.
Furthermore, continuing on Solomon’s idea above, not only do I doubt that a national TV campaign would have generated the same amount of instore foot traffic, but GAP would have had to fork out that $5.5M or perhaps more to pay for the TV campaign, plus the creative, and offer the discount never the less.
What do you think? In the current value driven market, is the Groupon business model the way to go?
Monday Morning Motivation - Nicholas Bate
While we are waiting for Nicholas to go online again, here is one of his previous blog posts to kick off the week with cheerful positivity and intelligent choices:
Mmmm - Nicholas Bate
Sunday 29 August 2010
Saturday 28 August 2010
Digital Creative Video, Asia 2010 - Microsoft Advertising
There are some pretty cool stuff we can do these days using rich media, that valuable and important ingredient to digital campaigns that converts better by increasing engagement and dwell time.
How engagement and dwell time drives conversions: engagement ► familiarity ► trust ► positive brand impact ► conversion/ acquisition/ sale
Friday 27 August 2010
"Migration" of US shoppers threatens brands - Warc News
One of the most difficult challenges a marketer can face is when a product in their portfolio becomes indistinguishable from others like it and consumers buy it on price alone, or in other words, when it becomes a commodity.
Globalisation, increasingly open markets and trade, and the GFC are putting immense price pressures on goods especially in the FMCG category where differentiation is a challenge.
Globalisation, increasingly open markets and trade, and the GFC are putting immense price pressures on goods especially in the FMCG category where differentiation is a challenge.
a variety of "rituals" now define the way Americans make purchases, like frequently switching between brands to find the lowest price.
Price wars are good for consumers, but what can a Marketer do to combat such a trend? Innovate, bundle or segment, according to John Quelch, from the Harvard Business Review. Makes sense…
Innovation may be needed to meet changing consumer needs, or trends. Bundling in other products may just be the key to being able to ask a higher price. While segmenting the market and releasing different products for different groups (e.g. cheaper for those who are more price sensitive, and premium who are willing to pay a higher price) will also help to maintain an overall yield.
"Migration" of US shoppers threatens brands - Warc News - Warc
Innovation may be needed to meet changing consumer needs, or trends. Bundling in other products may just be the key to being able to ask a higher price. While segmenting the market and releasing different products for different groups (e.g. cheaper for those who are more price sensitive, and premium who are willing to pay a higher price) will also help to maintain an overall yield.
Tuesday 24 August 2010
About to present ThinkUKnow
“ThinkUKnow is an Internet safety program delivering interactive training to parents, carers and teachers through primary and secondary schools across Australia using a network of accredited trainers.
Created by the UK Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre, ThinkUKnow Australia has been developed by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Microsoft Australia.” (ThinkUKnow.org.au)
Wednesday 18 August 2010
The Web Is Dead. Long Live the Internet | Magazine
A thought provoking article on Wired. Quotes don’t do justice to it, it’s got to be read in full…
The Web Is Dead. Long Live the Internet | MagazineOver the past few years, one of the most important shifts in the digital world has been the move from the wide-open Web to semiclosed platforms that use the Internet for transport but not the browser for display. It’s driven primarily by the rise of the iPhone model of mobile computing, and it’s a world Google can’t crawl, one where HTML doesn’t rule.According to Compete, a Web analytics company, the top 10 Web sites accounted for 31 percent of US pageviews in 2001, 40 percent in 2006, and about 75 percent in 2010. “Big sucks the traffic out of small,”And because Google so dominated the Web, that meant building an alternative to the Web. Enter Facebook. The site began as a free but closed system. Google was forbidden to search through its servers. (…) And then, at some critical-mass point, not just in terms of registration numbers but of sheer time spent, of habituation and loyalty, Facebook became a parallel world to the Web.The Web almost perversely discouraged the kind of systematized, coordinated, focused attention upon which brands are built — the prime, or at least most lucrative, function of media.
Tuesday 17 August 2010
Groupon – fastest growing company ever
Forbes named it the fastest company growing - ever! Enter Groupon, the company that grew from zero to US 1.35bn in valuation in only 18 months.
But why has it been so successful?
- Business model: is based on the power of collective buying. The more people buy at the same time, the lower the sale price, because it allows businesses to sell at lower margins.
- Urgency: deals can only be purchased for a day. Buy now, or miss out!
- Exposure: invaluable word of mouth for local businesses, and fantastic use of social media. By clicking on ‘Like’ Facebook and other social media links people can spread the word by the click of a button.
- Risk free advertising/ marketing: businesses get the exposure, but they will only ever have to pay for the amount of sales this generate. The payment is based on the CPA (cost per acquisition) model, much desired by small businesses especially.
- Sampling: allows people to try at a lower cost. If they like it, they will probably want to visit the shop again, if they don’t, well, ‘it didn’t cost that much anyway’.
- Charging upfront: to get a deal, people have to purchase it first, the price of which flows immediately into Groupon’s coffers. They take a cut and pay the businesses (Groupon’s suppliers) back later.
Building on their initial success in Chicago, as Groupon founder Andrew Mason speaks about it in a Forbes video interview below, they now cover 88 US cities and 22 countries. As with many internet companies, the barrier to entry is rather low, which means that competitors have mushroomed – and Australia is no exception. Companies like Spreets.com.au, Zoupon, Jump on it, Eroo.com.au, Offerme, Scoopon, OurDeal, and Ouffer.com have all launched relatively recently.
So it is probably not much of a surprise, that Australia’s PBL Media is about to launch their version, called Cudo, backed by Channel Nine and ninemsn (my current employer).
So is Andrew Mason worried? Not particularly. He says ‘there's never been anything - radio, TV, newspaper, whatever - that could generate small business sales so quickly’. (Forbes)
And to the question of ‘what’s next’, the answer in the digital world, clearly is, more innovation. Groupon is preparing to offer more than one deal per day, and utilising an algorithm that will ‘mete out the offers by weighing customers' past purchases and geographic locations’ (Forbes).
But why has it been so successful?
- Business model: is based on the power of collective buying. The more people buy at the same time, the lower the sale price, because it allows businesses to sell at lower margins.
- Urgency: deals can only be purchased for a day. Buy now, or miss out!
- Exposure: invaluable word of mouth for local businesses, and fantastic use of social media. By clicking on ‘Like’ Facebook and other social media links people can spread the word by the click of a button.
- Risk free advertising/ marketing: businesses get the exposure, but they will only ever have to pay for the amount of sales this generate. The payment is based on the CPA (cost per acquisition) model, much desired by small businesses especially.
- Sampling: allows people to try at a lower cost. If they like it, they will probably want to visit the shop again, if they don’t, well, ‘it didn’t cost that much anyway’.
- Charging upfront: to get a deal, people have to purchase it first, the price of which flows immediately into Groupon’s coffers. They take a cut and pay the businesses (Groupon’s suppliers) back later.
Building on their initial success in Chicago, as Groupon founder Andrew Mason speaks about it in a Forbes video interview below, they now cover 88 US cities and 22 countries. As with many internet companies, the barrier to entry is rather low, which means that competitors have mushroomed – and Australia is no exception. Companies like Spreets.com.au, Zoupon, Jump on it, Eroo.com.au, Offerme, Scoopon, OurDeal, and Ouffer.com have all launched relatively recently.
So it is probably not much of a surprise, that Australia’s PBL Media is about to launch their version, called Cudo, backed by Channel Nine and ninemsn (my current employer).
So is Andrew Mason worried? Not particularly. He says ‘there's never been anything - radio, TV, newspaper, whatever - that could generate small business sales so quickly’. (Forbes)
And to the question of ‘what’s next’, the answer in the digital world, clearly is, more innovation. Groupon is preparing to offer more than one deal per day, and utilising an algorithm that will ‘mete out the offers by weighing customers' past purchases and geographic locations’ (Forbes).
Monday 16 August 2010
Quote of the Day – online advertising, Australia
“By 2013 the internet will attract 25 per cent of all ad dollars and both free-to-air TV (worth $3.2bn in 2009) and newspapers ($3.5bn) will have come down to the same level.” said Harold Mitchell, Australia’s most powerful media buyer, as appeared in the Australian newspaper, page 32, August 16, 2010.
Sunday 15 August 2010
just found this on Execupundit.com
“If you don't find yourself tapping along with this, you're dead.” said Michael Wade referring to the Radetzky March. Why, but of course we do!
Friday 13 August 2010
Friday the 13th
Unlucky? I had the most energy this today since the beginning of the month, achieved more than any other day at work, finished before the day was officially over, posted 5 entries to my beloved Thoughts. Life is good! Whatever date it is!
Which Identities Are We Using to Sign in Around the Web?
Interesting that regarding the business audience, facebook login is used more then LinkedIn (37% vs 3%). I would have thought LinkedIn was more prominent.
On the flipside, no surprises that Twitter is still going strong and ‘owns’ 45% of all news sharing. Twitter makes it so easy – publish with a click.
A picture is worth a thousand words
And I thank Eclecticity for posting this! I would have only linked to that entry if I didn’t want as many people see this as possible… shocking!
Microsoft Advertising: 2010 Global Case Study Compendium
Case studies are the ‘spice’ of advertising, especially digital. Marketers want to see examples of other successful campaigns – what it looked like, what platforms were used, and how it performed. So to respond to this need, we regularly dedicate some ‘on time’ (working on the business vs. in the business) to create these: we use images, screenshots, videos – it’s exciting stuff!
However, Microsoft Advertising did even better. They released the 2010 Global Case Study Compendium – open to everyone, completely free of charge.
It’s cool and it’s pretty. Check it out here.
BPS Research Digest: Left hemisphere already specialised for language by two months of age
Kind of common sense (babies’ time best spent with their mother in the first year), but I thought I’d share it anyway…
‘The present results show clearly that learning also plays a major role in structuring the infant's brain networks, inasmuch as the mother's voice has a strong impact on several brain regions involved in emotion and communication ...’
BPS Research Digest: Left hemisphere already specialised for language by two months of age
Thursday 12 August 2010
Execupundit.com: Discussing the Rules of Workplace Etiquette
Yes, agree! Thank you Michael Wade.
‘Too often, the violation is pinpointed after the fact. "They" won't tell you what to do but they'll tell you if you did it wrong.’
Execupundit.com: Discussing the Rules of Workplace Etiquette
Wednesday 11 August 2010
Amazing (& expensive) carwash
There is this whole world of prestige car detailing I never knew existed before… check out this video posted by Culturaloffering.com here.
Sunday 8 August 2010
All about timing…
or maybe not? ‘There is no perfect time 7’ by Nicholas Bate. Read this blog regularly, in fact every day and I guarantee you will find things that will motivate you to do whatever you need to do. Every now and then you may even feel he’s literally talking to you…
Saturday 7 August 2010
Thursday 5 August 2010
Wednesday 4 August 2010
Nurturing creativity
Thanks to Steven Pressfield for posting a link to to Elizabeth Gilbert’s speech on humility on TED Talks. Just under 20 minutes, but worth watching!
Tuesday 3 August 2010
Quote of the day
“I would submit so strongly that we live in a sea of mediocrity; in all walks of our life. We also live in a sea of unbelievable lack of and fracturing of civility. And everywhere we go as consumers, almost everywhere we’re getting people who don’t want to reach into our hearts or know who we are, they want to reach into our wallet and get some money. Whatever your need status is at Starbucks, if you ask a customer: ‘I just want to get the coffee and get out.’, but do you want to be treated with respect? A 100% of the time: yes.
So the equity of the brand is defined by the quality of the coffee, but most importantly by the relationship that the barista has with the customer. And whether or not the customer feels valued, appreciated, and respected. And that’s how the company was built. That’s not how we always execute it, but that is our aspiration every day.”
Howard Schultz, Chairman and CEO of Starbucks
Harvard Business IdeaCast podcast, 26/06/2010
Monday 2 August 2010
The magical 7 & it’s never too late to learn
I just read a great psychology study to support the belief that the capacity of short-term, working memory is 7 +/-2 (Miller) and the fact that it’s never too late to learn and memorise, even if it’s a 60,000 word epic poem…
”Pounding the treadmill in 1993, John Basinger, aged 58, decided to complement his physical exercise by memorising the 12 books, 10,565 lines and 60,000 words that comprise the Second Edition of John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost. Nine years later he achieved his goal, performing the poem from memory over a three-day period.
Just how did JB manage to pull off this incredible feat? He studied for about one hour per day, reciting verses in seven-line chunks, consistent with Miller's magic number seven - the capacity of short-term, working memory.
Read the rest here.
Sunday 1 August 2010
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