Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, America, Attitude & Aptitude, Audio Visual, Childhood, Comment, Creativity, Culture, Dad, Emotion, Empathy, Experience, Love, Music, Queen, Relationships
OK, full disclosure, this is a post about Queen.
It’s also a post about parents, love, death and sentimentality.
So in some ways, it might be ‘peak-Rob blogging’.
But it’s not about me, it’s about a story I read recently that I just thought was beautiful.
OK, so it kind of reminded me of the time my Dad surprised me by buying The Works, Queen’s 1984 album, but most of all it just reminded me how music and memories are so deeply entwined that it has the capacity to act as some sort of temporary time machine.
And that is pretty wonderful.
With that, here’s the story …
For what it’s worth, my dad took me to see Queen at the L.A. Forum in’77.
I was 10.
This band Thin Lizzy opened for them. I remember thinking, “Who is this Lizzy chick?!?”
Then the lights went out, and Jailbreak began. I’ve never been the same …
All this is the introduction to one of the greatest moments of my life.
If ya have a moment, here’s the story …
I was 9 when I saw the full page ad in L.A. Times Calendar.
My parents had just divorced.
The Forum show was on my 10th birthday.
I called Dad …
“Hey Dad, um, Queen is playing on my birthday …”
“Yeah, I know. I tried to get tickets, but they’re sold out.”
[Damn!]
So Dad picks me up on March 3rd, and says “Let’s go to Sizzler for your birthday.”
“Okay, Dad, sounds great.” And it did, because I was thrilled to be with him.
So on the way to Sizzler, we ‘happen’ to pass The Forum.
In HUGE flashing lights: QUEEN TONIGHT!!
I thought ‘Oh man, what a dick! How could he torture me like this?!?’
I said nothing about that and we ate.
Afterwards on the way back home, we pass The Forum AGAIN.
Dad says …
“Oh, can you grab something out of the glove compartment for me?”
“Sure Dad,” I reply.
I open it and there – on top of the papers – is an envelope.
“This, Dad?” I ask.
“Yeah. Open it for me, will ya?” he says.
Guess what.
2 FUCKING TICKETS TO SEE QUEEN TONIGHT!
I will NEVER forget the sheer joy of that moment.
I still have the tour program.
Dad passed away, and at his memorial, I jammed all my brothers and nieces and nephews into my van and BLASTED Bohemian Rhapsody.
When it ended, there was complete silence.
It was freakin beautiful.
Thank you for reading.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Attitude & Aptitude, Authenticity, Black Lives Matter, Comment, Corporate Evil, Culture, Empathy, Equality, History, Honesty, Love, Loyalty, Perspective, Politics, Racism, Relevance, Resonance, Social Commentary, Social Divide
OK, let’s get the obvious out the way.
Even if 2020 is the most important year, it’s still been a shit year.
But the point being made is a good one.
To be honest, when I first read it, it felt very much like an ad for NIKE.
Taking what we think and forcing us to re-imagine it.
To feel the words rather than functionally jump to conclusions.
And while there may well be a lot of good that comes out of this.
There has been a lot of pain to lead up to this point and then get to this situation.
However as much as many of us probably wish to put all this behind us, it reminds me of something my Dad once told me.
My Dad changed careers quite a lot in his life.
And when I say ‘changed careers’, I mean it.
From the RAF to insurance to a photographer to law.
Fortunately for the family, my Mum was much more stable … hahaha.
But one day I asked my Dad why he did it … why he didn’t just change job, but dramatically and radically changed industry, even if it meant he had to retrain and re-qualify.
And he gave me the best answer I’ve ever heard.
It went like this:
“I love you and your Mum. If I’m going to spend so much time away from you every single day day, I owe it to you to be doing something I love because nothing would be more insulting than being away from the people I want to spend all my time with, doing something I hate”.
I have always taken that to heart.
Fulfilment over contentment.
It’s what has helped me make decisions that others thought were mad.
It’s behind the jobs I’ve taken, the countries I’ve lived in and the projects I’ve embarked on.
And while there were times it opened up challenges that made me question what I was doing, it always was worth it.
The best things always are.
And while I’ve experienced a fraction of the pain others have had to endure in 2020 – both in terms of the impact it has had on them and the duration it has lasted for them – this is the moment where we need to see change through … to get to the other side rather than try to go back to where we were.
Because on the other side of all this shit, is a chance.
A real, once-in-a-lifetime chance to make things right.
Not just in the US, but everywhere.
Where the systemic and systematic prejudice and racism that is embedded and integrated into our whole way of life is changed.
From education to higher government.
Where people of colour are given the equal rights that the rest of us have enjoyed our entire life.
And let’s be honest, if we do that, we still get the easy job.
There’s people out there who have fought for generations for this moment.
To be seen … heard … noticed … valued.
Which is why we have a moral duty to see this through … to keep fighting to the very end … because nothing would be more disrespectful to the people we say we stand with than walking away at the point we have the chance to make sustainable, effective change.
And if you need any other reason – which you shouldn’t, but just in case – there’s the fact that if we force equality – real, actionable, sustainable equality – into our everyday lives, the people of colour community will lift us all higher.
Take us somewhere better. For absolutely everyone.
Which is why we have to choose fulfilment over comfort.
We over me.
To make 2020 the most important year rather than the worst.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Agency Culture, Attitude & Aptitude, Authenticity, Business, Comment, Communication Strategy, Confidence, Content, Creativity, Culture, Differentiation, ECommerce, Emotion, Insight, Management, Marketing, Packaging, Positioning, Relationships, Relevance, Resonance
I have a confusing relationship with Amazon.
I use them a lot.
I admire what they do.
I appreciate how they operate.
But I don’t know if they’re a great brand.
Without doubt they’re a great company and have created a clear role in people’s lives … but in terms of brand, I’m not so sure.
That’s weird, because in many ways, they have achieved all the things a great brand requires, but at the end of the day – I have no emotional relationship with them, it is entirely functional.
Does a brand need to have emotional value to be great?
No. But I think it is the difference between being seen as a great transactional brand and a great brand.
But what surprises me most is Bezos understands business and brands better than many.
Not just CEO’s, but marketing folk … exemplified by this statement he made.
Which leads to the point of this post.
Brands.
As I’ve said a billion times, I’m an unashamedly huge believer in them.
If done well, they enable differentiation, cultural connection and economic power.
But the emphasis is ‘done well’.
And frankly, I don’t see a lot of that.
What I do see is a lot of companies spending of an awful lot of time and money on what they want to talk about.
What they think people should care about.
What audience should buy their product.
What they want their product to be used for.
What they want people to discuss about them.
What words they want people to associate with them.
What they want people to view as a threat or a competitor.
Them. Them. Them. Them. Them.
Now don’t get me wrong, you have to know what you stand for. What your values are. What your role is and why you do what you do, well. Not to mention what your point of view on the World is.
But you don’t just churn them out like some political manifesto brochure. Boring people into submission.
And yet that is the practice of so many … minus the point of view, which would at least make it relevant to culture instead of using a ‘proposition’ that is like a cement block, standing firm regardless what the headwinds that surround it are.
But it gets worse.
Because often what they do is wrapped up in some contrived ‘purpose/manifesto’ message in an attempt to make it look like it’s not all about them, which doesn’t convince anyone because it’s all about them.
Everything.
And it comes across exactly like that.
Self serving. Self indulgent. Self important.
Because the people behind these campaigns live in a bubble of corporate complicity.
Where ‘real life’ is closer to a sitcom sketch than anything resembling reality. Where families are always perfect and together. Where there is no problem that can’t be solved with [insert brand here] and their [insert meaningless ingredient]. Where the undertone of the work is to scare/shame/blame audiences into purchase submission – regardless how happy the soundtrack is or how saturated the images. All backed up and reinforced by a research report that has been specifically designed to fit in with the clients processes than representing truth.
Welcome to the world of marketing truth – a parallel universe to real truth that exists next to the Marketing solar system.
And that’s why, love him or loathe him, you have to respect Bezos.
Yes he has a world of data. Yes he has a universe of information.
But he knows it’s what people say when you’re not watching or listening to them that really reveals what they think of you.
At a time where so much work is done behind the desk, there’s never been as important a time as to get out, talk to real people, understand the texture, nuance, and chaos around the category … so we can help our clients with the most important foundation you can have in getting to great work.
Truth.
Of course, it is not always easy for clients to swallow.
Of course, they may prefer agencies that pander sweet bullshit to them.
But as Mr Bezos knows, you don’t get culture to truly buy into you, if you don’t know what culture really thinks of you.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Attitude & Aptitude, Authenticity, Communication Strategy, Crap Campaigns In History, Creativity, Culture, Daily Fail, Fake Attitude, Marketing, Marketing Fail, Mischief
Just like great PR is never seen.
And great conspiracies, always feel plausible.
Great scams should never let you doubt their validity.
Yes, I know a while back I wrote that Bernie Madoff had said that success is as much down to the individuals greed as the scammers ability to appear legitimate … but fundamentally, if something is too good to be true, it probably isn’t.
Which is why the ad above is probably the criminal equivalent of infant school.
Let’s face it, you don’t call yourself ‘Mystery Shopping’ if you’re going to tell everyone what they’re getting and the likelihood that SONY would allow an external company to promote to all and sundry that you can play on their yet-to-be-released new gamer machine is – and I appreciate I may be being a bit cynical here – ABSOLUTELY ZERO!
On the bright side, it does show clients that as professionals in communication, adland is much better at manipulating people than criminals. Or at least amateur criminals.
So at least we have that going for us. Ahem.
Sorry gomysteryshopping.co.uk, you’re going to have to up your game.
Or at least not make such stupid, basic mistakes.
Wait for all the consultancies that will now approach criminals with proposals to improve their efficiency and effectiveness. Now they’re definitely not ‘amateur’ criminals.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Attitude & Aptitude, China, Comment, Culture, Daily Mail, Food, Health
The picture above is from a headline in the Daily Mail.
I can tell you this …
Throughout my seven years living in China, I can’t tell you many times I heard people had died of heart attacks brought on by ‘arsenic poisoning through too much rice consumption’.
Oh, hang on, yes I can … it was absolutely zero.
Seems the Daily Mail are back to their scare tactic bullshit best, especially as the whole piece sounds like it could have been lifted straight from the fake research website I set up years ago about Asian culture.
We wrote some bollocks about rice there too.