Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, America, Anniversary, Attitude & Aptitude, Brand Suicide, Corporate Evil, Culture, Flying, London, Management, Politics
Following on from yesterday’s post about Concorde I thought I’d post a sign I saw hanging in the ‘food preparation area’ of an old British Airways plane …
The fact smoking was once allowed on planes is amazing.
The fact they had to remind staff not to smoke while preparing food is mind-blowing.
But they did … because back then, having staff not smoke while preparing food was classed as ‘hygienic’, regardless of the fact being stuck on a plane with cigarette smoke working its way through the cabin at 30,000 feet was not.
Thank god those days have changed …
And that’s the thing with history, you often look at it and wonder, ‘what the hell were people thinking?’ but then you look around at the state of the World today and you realise we’re still making stupid decisions.
Whether it’s brexit or the rise of nationalism, millions of people are making decisions as stupid as allowing smoking on a plane.
Or smoking in general.
Of course, this is ultimately fueled by individuals who claim to be acting in societies best interests but are really getting the masses to act in ways that suit their own personal agenda … be it for money, fame or ego.
There’s an old proverb that says ‘those who forget history are destined to make the same mistake again’. Personally I think that needs updating to “those who only remember the bits of history that suit them are destined to lead us all into the shit”.
People will claim this is democracy, but it’s not really.
Apart from the fact anyone can win anything if you lie through your teeth, true democracy requires EVERYONE’S opinion to be heard. Maybe it’s time we follow Australia’s lead and say it is a requirement that everyone votes on issues of national importance. Maybe if that happened and people still voted for Brexit [albeit with issues that were true rather than fear mongering] the country would be less broken apart.
It won’t happen. Too many people with power and money will make sure that’s the case … and that is why anyone who still thinks we live in a democracy better not complain when decisions go against them.
Sorry, I got ranty there, I’m just so angry someone like Boris Johnson has got what he wanted regardless of the cost to everyone else. He and his cronies should be charged as enemies of the country … which may happen once everyone see’s the damage a No Deal Brexit has on their everyday life.
Oh, before I go and have a lie down … a little message to Dave.
Mate, I know today is a hard day for you. As usual, we are all thinking of you and will give you a call later.
Big hugs.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Attitude & Aptitude, Authenticity, Comment, Communication Strategy, Culture, Emotion, Experience, Flying
I fly a lot.
I have flown a lot for a very long time.
And still, I am not sick of it.
OK, that period of flying to America every week got to me, but generally, I love the feeling of flying – even though now, as a Dad, it makes me slightly more panicky just in case something happens.
I have to say of all the flights I do, long-haul are my favourite.
Part of this is because I sleep very, very easily on planes and so I get more rest on a plane than I do at home.
Part of this is because I get to watch movies uninterrupted, something that stopped happening when Otis was born.
Part of this is long-haul flights are my ‘normal’, so I don’t see them as long – just flying.
But of all the planes I have flown, I never got to do it on Concorde.
Maybe it’s because my Dad’s dream was to fly on it to NYC.
Maybe it’s because it entered mainstream service when I was at an impressionable age.
Maybe it’s because it flew at twice the speed of sound and so high, that you could see the curvature of the earth.
Regardless of the fact it was – in essence – the first rocket ship for public use, there has always been something about Concorde that was magical to me.
To be honest, I’m not sure why …
It was so quick I wouldn’t be able to enjoy a good sleep.
It was small – only 100 passengers – so I’d feel a bit claustrophobic.
The windows were so minute, you wouldn’t ever get a decent view unless you were next to it.
But regardless of all that, it was a magnificent machine … the likes of which, especially in domestic air travel, may never be seen again.
A few weeks ago, I got to see one.
Not a picture.
Not a model.
A real, refurbished one.
And I have to say, it was pretty emotional.
They had done it very well and in addition to giving you a good history of the rise and fall of the plane, they even included a ‘virtual flying experience’ that was pretty realistic.
However at the end, they showed a video of the last Concorde flight coming into land – Union Jacks flying from the pilots windows – and you felt a real sense of loss.
I know that sounds ridiculous, but it’s true …
Concorde was different.
Concorde was ahead of its time.
Concorde was the embodiment of the glamour of flying.
And while she was noisy, environmentally unfriendly, hideously expensive and the subject of a terrible crash [which, to be fair, was caused by the fault of another plane rather than herself] there was something magic about that plane and while I didn’t get to fly on her, it means a lot to me that I got to sit in her.
Thanks Concorde, you could teach a lot of companies a thing or two about capturing an audiences imagination.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Attitude & Aptitude, Authenticity, Comment, Communication Strategy, Culture, Daddyhood, Family, Friendship, Jill, Love, My Fatherhood, Otis
Dear Ring Doorbell marketing people …
If you want your product to have more emotion in your communication, stop talking about stopping thieves and start talking about how your product can capture spontaneous moments of family love and happiness.
This picture of me with my son is one of my all time favourites.
Caught by your product as we waited for his Mum to open the door.
Imagine the instagram account you could have of happiness, love and family …
A much nicer association than the fear-mongering you tend to peddle.
You’re welcome.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Agency Culture, Attitude & Aptitude, Authenticity, Creativity, Culture, Empathy, Imagination, Insight, Marketing, Marketing Fail, Prejudice, Relevance, Resonance
One of the best things I’ve done [so far] in the UK is see my R/GA planning mob work with the brilliant Brixton Finishing School.
They all graduate today so this post not only makes me – for once – super timely, but also super proud of them all.
Anyway, over the past few weeks they’ve been working with the students on the importance of putting creativity at the heart of strategy.
Well a couple of weeks ago it was my turn and it was massively emotional for me.
Not just because of their passion for creativity.
Not just because they embraced an old fucker with open arms.
But because of the openness of the conversation we had that touched on issues often swept under the carpet but are raw and real … especially if you’re a person of colour.
I was honoured to be there, we should be honoured they still want to work in adland given we – as an industry – are doing our level best to make them feel alienated, isolated or a token gesture.
It’s not hard to change this.
As I wrote about the need to embrace more female leadership, it’s just about making space.
The great irony is that the industry loves to talk about diversity, but not only do they fail to realise it’s about background not just heritage, it’s about how you let them behave. Basically if you make anyone feel penalised or negatively judged for simply being their authentic self, then you are acting in a way that is literally the opposite of diversity.
Sadly, many companies still don’t get this.
They better start or the people who are the one chance we have left to make this industry have a decent future, will finally have enough and take their potential and talent elsewhere.
Frankly, I would not blame them.
[Thanks Maya, Bree, Chelsea and Lani for the impact you still make on me]
Today is Freddie Mercury’s birthday.
He would have been 73.
SEVENTY THREE!
While I would love to hear what he was creating if he were alive today, maybe it is dying so young that has made him immortal?
Immortality is an interesting one.
Because while it doesn’t exist in physical form, it does in terms of emotions and memories.
Or so I thought …
This post is about a story that came up on my Facebook feed from years ago that had made a huge impression on me when I first encountered it.
It’s the story of a mother who lost her son to a brain tumour and then – by pure chance – met the young man who had been given his heart.
It is beautiful, loving and heartbreakingly sad all at the same time, especially the last 5 words of the story.
You can read it at the bottom of this post.
However, when it first came out, I wasn’t a father and so reading it again as the proud Dad of an energetic 4 year old, meant the effect it had on me has been even more powerful.
I have a better understanding of what Freda Carter must have felt.
How meeting the boy who lived because her son sadly passed, let her once again feel close to her precious son.
No anger … no bitterness or resentment … just a chance to have one last chance with someone who has gone.
Apart from being a deeply emotional story, I think I connected to it deeply because I had lost my parents and even now, would do anything to have one more moment with them.
But now I’m a Dad, well … it gives me anguish just thinking about it.
And that’s why I have even more respect for Andy and his wife.
Without going into too much detail, they faced an unbelievably scary situation when their beautiful daughter Bonnie was very young.
While many would fall apart, they handled everything with utter grace and calm.
No anger.
No blame.
No pity.
Of course they were scared and I know behind the glare of their daughters, doctors, friends and families eyes, there were many tears and fears shared … but they were absolutely focused and resolute on ensuring their daughter was in an environment of love, calmness and compassion and they ensured everyone they knew had to abide by those rules.
At the time I think everyone understood their wishes but were concerned they were adding even more pressure on themselves, however now that time has passed and Bonnie is brilliantly well, I see the strength of character and love that drove them forward.
I hope I am never in the situation they faced.
But if I am, they would be the inspiration for how to best deal with it.
As would Freda Carter.
Ensuring the focus is on loving what is precious, not hating what you can’t control.
