Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Attitude & Aptitude, Content, Context, Culture, Embarrassing Moments, Loyalty
A few weeks ago I woke up to find my instagram followers had gone up over 1500 in a night.
A NIGHT.
Given it had been years for me to break 1000 followers, something seemed up.
I checked this blog to see if this rise was reflected on here?
Nope.
I checked twitter.
Nothing.
I couldn’t explain it so in the end I just accepted it must be a weird event and carried on with my day.
Except it happened the next day and then the next.
When it reached 10,000 – yes, TEN THOUSAND – instagram contacted me to say I now could access their tools to further enhance my influencer status, including adding a descriptor of what I do.
Hahahahahahahahahahaha!
Because their list of options didn’t feature ‘annoying prick’, I decided to screw with their algorithm and describe myself as a fashion model.
But why was this all happening?
Well a few days later I found out which is why I write this …
To the [literally] thousands of people who started following me because a very famous rock band [accidentally/stupidly/mischieviously] featured my instagram in one of their stories … prepare to be massively underwhelmed with countless photos of my cat, kid and colleagues.
But on behalf of said cat, kid and colleagues, may I take this opportunity to thank you for letting us all feel momentarily popular until you come to your senses and unfollow the hell out of us.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Agency Culture, Attitude & Aptitude, Authenticity, Brand Suicide, Campaign Magazine, Confidence, Content, Creativity, Culture, Cunning, Devious Strategy, Differentiation, Embarrassing Moments, Experience, HHCL, Innovation, Insight, Management, Marketing, Marketing Fail, Perspective, Planners, Planners Making A Complete Tit Of Themselves And Bless, Planning, Point Of View, Prejudice, Professionalism, Resonance, Social Divide
For reasons I don’t understand – but I do like – I occasionally get asked for my opinion in industry magazines.
While I absolutely take what I do seriously, I have realized that if I was to compile all that I’ve said that has been printed, I would look a bit of a maniac.
For example, there’s this. Or this. Or even this.
And just recently I was asked ‘what Star Wars character would I be’ and this was my answer …
But here is the thing …
While many may think I do this because I need psychiatric help or have a career death wish, there’s another reason behind it and it’s about comfortableness.
You see when I was a youngster in the industry, I was surrounded by super-smart, super-senior people who were full of opinion, personality and provocation.
While I didn’t agree with everything they said, they helped me realise that ‘just because you take your job seriously, doesn’t mean you have to take yourself seriously’.
What this did was let me feel comfortable in taking to any of them about any madcap idea I had … let me talk to clients about subjects that may otherwise seem ‘off limits’ and let me work with colleagues without thinking it made me look weak or incapable.
In essence, cheekiness has enabled me to do – or be part of – things that I may not otherwise never have been able to do.
From work I’ve been a part of … clients I’ve worked with … agencies I’ve worked at and countries I’ve lived in.
Now of course, mischief is in my bones so it wasn’t exactly hard … but being encouraged to embrace my truth rather than oppress it had a huge benefit to my career and so while a bunch of what I say and do is because I’m a bloody idiot, there is a part of it that is intended to create the space and atmosphere to enable my colleagues and clients feel comfortable with being vulnerable … whether that’s expressing their ideas, their fears and ambitions or simply realizing that if I can have a career while still being a sweary fool, then they – with all their talent – surely can.
You might think this is a load of bollocks – and I totally understand get why – but it’s true.
The future of adland is not going to come from more processes, it’s going to come from more people being able to express or explore their ideas without fearing they will be judged, shot down or ridiculed.
And if you think that’s a dramatic statement, just go on twitter and see how the masses react to any idea that challenges the belief system they have bought into, even though they know for a fact that the very small amount of people who succeed – which are mainly white men – are generally the ones who reinforce the cliche rather than push or break them.
Happy Monday.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Agency Culture, Attitude & Aptitude, Confidence, Culture, Embarrassing Moments, Experience, Planners, Planners Making A Complete Tit Of Themselves And Bless, Planning, R/GA
Yes, that’s me.
It’s not totally random because a few weeks ago, the planning department at R/GA held an impromptu Elton John party.
Though I’m not quite sure why we did it to be honest.
Anyway, we went to town with it …
Elton glasses … Elton inspired drinks … Elton boa’s … Elton masks … even an Elton John impersonator.
I’m not sure which was my favourite part of fake Elton’s performance.
On one hand, it was pretty hilarious when he loudly announced through the PA system “Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome Elton John to the stage” and then we saw the post room door [which was doubling as his dressing room] rattling madly as he tried to get out without realizing he had to press the unlock button.
Though – all things considered – I probably prefer the moment he ran out of Elton John songs and decided to start singing The Proclaimers. [See the video below]
But back to that photo …
While you might think the sight of me on a stepladder wearing an Elton John mask is the worst thing you can imagine, let me remind you of the time I wore a mask of the Queen for my first ever photo with my son.
See, nowhere near as bad.
That said, I acknowledge it is pretty tragic which means – in comparison – your Monday is far less horrific.
You’re welcome.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Agency Culture, Anniversary, Authenticity, Creativity, Culture, Cunning, Embarrassing Moments, Emotion, Empathy, Love, Loyalty, Planners, Planners Making A Complete Tit Of Themselves And Bless, Planning
So last month, it was my birthday.
Because it was my first birthday in the UK for 25 years – not to mention R/GA – I decided to do something a bit special [read: daft] that culminated in me sending this all office email the day before my big day.
Yes, I really did buy that many Monster Munch and so while I thought I was going to have the last laugh on my birthday, my wonderful team decided to trump me by making me this cake.
What you are looking at is a Strawberry Jam Sandwich cake.
Literally layers and layers of jam sandwiches.
Despite having the sugar content that could bring all dinosaurs at once – it was strangely tasty – though I did only manage a slither, which the pricks took great delight in videoing.
And yet this act of evil genius was very moving to me.
While some might think I’m mad because what they did was an act of hatred – an attempt at murder – I see it differently.
Maybe it’s because in addition to the cake, I was given a bunch of cards and presents [Highlights include: Erika’s 1.25 liter of Diet Coke, Severine’s ‘Shut The Fuck Up’ bell, Ed and Rob’s test pressing of their new album and the teams ‘complaint letter’ to HR all about me ] … but even without any of those things, their act of birthday evil [or, as one person called it, the presentation of a white trash cake] was, for me, a demonstration of giving a shit which left me feeling very touched.
I’ve been super fortunate with the teams I’ve worked with.
Almost universally, they have been a bunch of brilliant people blessed with exceptional talent.
OK, not all of them … but overall, they’ve all been amazing even though they have also been mischievous shits. Which is why one day – and I appreciate no one would ever want this to actually happen – I’d love to have a party where everyone who has had the misfortune to work with me, comes along.
Not so they can compare war stories – though there would be a lot of those – but because in the main, they have made me a better person for the experience and I would want to thank them.
Even for Jam Sandwich birthday cakes.
Jesus, who am I?!!!
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Attitude & Aptitude, Brand Suicide, Comment, Communication Strategy, Crap Campaigns In History, Crap Marketing Ideas From History!, Daily Fail, Embarrassing Moments, Marketing, Marketing Fail, Pollution
A few weeks ago I saw this …
Have you watched it?
Please watch it …
Seriously, it suddenly makes Ronaldo’s play acting in front of a referee look Oscar worthy.
I know a bunch of Western celebrities do ads in Asia because they get paid a ton of cash and they think no one will ever see it, but the fact is – in these connected times – people do see it.
People EVERYWHERE.
Which takes us back to Ronaldo.
Why the hell did he do this?
For a person who seems very, very aware of his public image, he must have known how terrible this would make him look.
And I don’t just mean the terrible dancing, I mean everything.
The horrific production values.
The embarrassingly tragic script.
The ridiculous premise for the whole ad.
I just don’t understand why he would do it.
He isn’t at the point of retiring.
He absolutely doesn’t need the money.
And with such star power, surely he could – at the very least – have demanded a better script or some semi-decent production values.
Which all goes to show that money might buy you happiness, but it doesn’t buy you taste.