Filed under: 2026, A Bit Of Inspiration, Aspiration, Attitude & Aptitude, Audiences, Business, Childhood, Context, Culture, Food, Food For Thought, Happiness, Mum & Dad, My Childhood
Recently, I saw this article on Linkedin …
While I appreciate their point, it felt like another example of someone who only sees the world through their own perspective.
And while that’s common – which is why I normally ignore it – the slight diss towards strategists made me bite.
Hence I responded with this …
While I hope it didn’t come across too judgmental or condescending, I also hope my point is made …
Not just in terms of planners being the last people in marketing who are deliberately ignorant, but that one persons ‘reliably not shit’ is another persons ‘taste of the good life’.
As I said in the post, when I was growing up, we would only go out for dinner once – a max – twice a year.
Either to Trattoria Antonio – an Italian Restaurant on Trent Bridge.
Or the Berni Inn, which was called – for added attempt at sophistication – ‘The Chateau’.
Here’s a pic of the place that – sadly – is no longer there. Knocked down to be turned into another faceless shopping industrial estate.
In fact, it was The Chateau where I experienced a lot of my ‘firsts’ where certain foods are concerned …
Steak.
Broccoli.
Onion Rings.
Knickerbockerglory.
My god, I thought it was fancy-as-fuck and to a young kid from Nottingham, it was.
Hell, I still remember being confused by how they advertised their ‘2 courses for 5 quid’ promotion … because they made it sound like it was a bargain when for me/my folks, that was still pricey. Strangely though, I never associated it with lower quality food – such was my lack of exposure to what steak cost or was supposed to taste like, hahaha.
Maybe that’s why I still prefer eating the ‘cheaper-end’ of food rather than the fancy stuff I’ve since been exposed to and experienced … and why every marketer, planner, creative or suit needs to remember if you base audiences on who you want them to be or what your personal perspective and context is, then you may find you’re not just talking to yourself, but that might be the only person you’re talking to.
Filed under: 2026, A Bit Of Inspiration, Audiences, Comment, Creativity, Design, Environment, Retail
There’s a cafe near where I live that has that giant teddy bear outside its store.
Come rain, wind or shine it’s there … a fluff-filled giant fur monster sitting on the seats outside.
Given its size, it’s always lounging – taking up chairs – and yet, every time I pass it, I find myself saying hello to it.
Like a lunatic.
And yet I’ve never gone in …
Part of this is because it’s at the midway point of my start/finish walking points, the other is that as ‘friendly’ as the bear is, it doesn’t really convey ‘come inside’ vibes. At least to me.
Some of that is because its exposure to the elements means it all feels – and looks – a bit unhygienic. And the other is – as a 56 year old male – the very last person a giant kids cuddly toy should attract, is me.
Which serves as a good reminder that while doing – or having something – that helps you stand out from the crowd has great commercial benefits, if all you’re doing it for is to get noticed rather than entice … then it’s not just a waste of energy, creativity and time, it’s a symbol you may not know who you are – and even more scarily – who you’re for.