Filed under: Comment
One of the problems with this blog is that I forget there are people – other than the guys who offer their 2-pennies-worth each day – who actually read the bloody thing.
You’d of thought I’d learnt my lesson after the Bob Garfield debacle, but no … because last week I found out my blog had inadvertently pissed off an entire agency.
Yep, a whole bloody organisation!!! [They emailed an industry magazine and a few senior colleagues to complain about me!]
Now on one hand I can’t help but feel I should be a little proud by such an achievement … I mean, a whole company hates me … however the reality is I don’t because in one of my posts I did go too far [which is why I changed it ASAP] and no doubt ended up coming across as an even bigger tit than usual … so for that [the ‘going too far’ bit, not the ‘looking a tit’] I am truly sorry and apologise to anyone and everyone who may of been upset by my comments.
I should remind people this is my personal blog, representing my personal opinion – not any corporate view – so trying to get the media involved all seems abit dramatic, however I do feel terrible that I basically attacked a bunch of people who’d worked their arses off on a pitch because it’s not nice, especially when [1] there’s no reason for it and [2] you’ve just found out you’ve not been successful.
I could blame it on a few things – but lets be honest, there’s not much point – and whilst that doesn’t mean I’m going to change what I think, I may be abit more careful about how I say it in the future … or at least save my personal attacks for people/organiations who really deserve it! 🙂
Anyway I’ve taken the comments off this post because I’d like to put this issue to bed now [plus I know what certain people may write if they had the chance] so lets all move on and have a nice day because there’s alot more wrong in the World than the mad mutterings of some stupid bald English bloke.
Filed under: Advertising [Planning] School On The Web
So the next A[P]SOTW assignment is up and this time Mr Colman is behind it.
It’s quite different to the brilliant assignments of NP and Gareth because it’s much looser and less [planning] structured – however don’t make the mistake in thinking it’s easier or less fantastic because it’s a fantastic bit of brain torture, ha!
Anyway, go here and read it for yourself … it’s tops!
Filed under: Comment
Some people are saying this has been inspired by the Cadbury’s Gorilla ad because it uses the same Phil ‘I Divorced My Wife By Fax‘ Collins song … however I think it’s quite different because whereas Cadbury’s used one of the most post-rationalised justifications in history, this spot actually has some relevance to the product it is selling.
Well it does if you are a female percussionists, ha! Enjoy.
[Especially you, Mr Dodds! 🙂 ]
If the clip isn’t working, you can see it by clicking here.
Filed under: Comment
So SONY Ericsson have announced some new phones for 2008.
Yes … yes … I’ve just bought 2 new phones [actually 3] in the last couple of months, but I still don’t feel I’ve found true techno-fulfilment!
So one of the phones they’ve announced is this …
Nice eh?
Well I like it … especially as it has a REAL keypad, not that bollocks square thing that they have on their K850i.
Ooooh I want it … yes I do … I want to touch it, stroke it, love it … especially as Sony Ericsson have introduced a feature into the phone called ‘SENSE’ which helps bring our overall FEEL strategy alive [even though it’s SONY who are our client, not SONY Ericsson] as it allows music to be played to suit your emotion/mood.
However there is one slight flaw in this top-of-the-range, bang-upto-date, technological marvel … the camera is not autofocus and has no flash.
Now that might not sound much to you, but in reality it’s abit like having a Ferrari with an automatic gearbox.
In short, it’s shit, stupid and bloody annoying.
I can see why you’d take away those fundamental features on a mid-range phone – but on a supposed top of the line model?
What’s the betting some ‘Business Guru’ told them that if they included autofocus and a flash it would compete directly against their Cybershot range of mobiles, so undermine their ‘camera focused’ phone sales?!
Now before you say there is some logic in that opinion – let me point out their top-of-the range Cybershot phone has ALL the music features of the Walkman models … nothing has been taken out … so that argument just doesn’t hold up.
Not only that, but the Walkman phone only has a 3.2 megapixel camera [whereas the Cybershot has 5 megapixels] so there’s already a pretty major difference between the two already.
Do Sony Ericsson think people who take photos are more valuable [or discerning] than the scum who like music?
Why is OK to offer a fully featured phone under the Cybershot title but an underpowered version for Walkman?
I now either have to choose between a phone that is physically great but lacking in a key feature [as you can tell from my blog, I do use a camera rather alot] or stick with a model that has a decent camera but is the size [and weight] of a brick.
To be honest, I reckon the reason this happens is more to do with the ego of the individuals running the Cybershot and Walkman brands than SONY Ericsson themselves.
I never fail to be astounded how often different divisions of one company try and fuck eachother over.
I appreciate they all have their own sales targets and goals to achieve, but the amount of energy and time dedicated to doing colleagues harm is nothing short of astounding.
Actually that ‘insight’ was the inspiration behind the Coke Zero work … but I’d better not say any more incase they stop paying our bills, ha!
So to the guys and girls at SONY Ericsson, can I just remind you that you’re really pushing your loyal customers patience to the limit …
This was your big chance to get me back from my horrible NOKIA … but at the last hurdle you went and let the fuck-up fairy come and visit again … which might be good news for my bank manager and Jill, but fucking terrible news for me!
[PS: I appreciate how much of a wanker this post makes me look. Sadly it’s pretty accurate!]
Filed under: Comment
It would seem all I have done recently is write about colleagues of mine buggering off to new lands.
Connie … Mihika … OK, so it’s not too many I suppose except I now have to announce another two: Bazza and Freddie.
Now because Bazza is going to be earning a fortune as Steve Jobs [yes, THAT Steve Jobs!] personal ‘consumer trend advisor’, I’m going to brush over him till he buggers off some time in March 2008 … so that just leaves me with the sad task of saying goodbye to my favourite ever planner, Fred*.
After being my right hand man in Asia for the last 24 months or so, Fred has been poached by TBWA to be Planning Director as well as run [strategically speaking] the global account of the greatest airline in the World [after Virgin, ha!] … SIA.
I’ve said this about a billion times before, but as sad as I/we are to see Freddie go, there’s also a genuine sense of pride because it means we helped him develop his talent to the point where a load of great agencies were all tripping over themselves to hire him.
In the 2 years we’ve worked together I can honestly say I’ve done some of the best planning work of my career … planning work that has helped lead to creative that very few people ever gave us a chance of achieving … and as much as I was often the media spokesperson for the ‘thinking’, the real praise was [or should have been] aimed at Fred, because without his intelligence, ingenuity, conscientiousness, and all round good nature, much of the work would never have seen the light of day.
How Fred managed to put up with my loud mouthed, opinionated gob for so long is testimony to Swedish ‘calm’ so all that leaves me to say is thank you Fred for everything – you’re a great planner, colleague and friend and I look forward to the day when I can come and steal you back again!
Knock ’em dead … stay true … see you soon!
[* Who comes from Sweden. Lives in Singapore. And is called Fred]