Filed under: Attitude & Aptitude, Creativity, Duran Duran, Entertainment, Music, Rock 'n' Roll
A few weeks ago I wrote a post about Duran Duran … or more specifically how a company trying to sell Duran Duran hoodies were claiming they ‘let you let out your inner rebel’.
As I said at the time, I like Duran Duran – I like the people, I like the songs and I even played with Simon Le Bon – but even when the band went through their ‘Wild Boys’ macho phase, they were about as rebellious as Paddington Bear.
However, I have learned I am wrong.
Because recently I saw a video of Duran Duran performing on stage and witnessed rock and roll rebellion at a level that would make Guns n’ Roses in their prime look like amateurs.
Take a look at this. But watch the whole thing.
Did you see it?
Did you see the utter disrespect and disregard for the fans?
No, it wasn’t that Simon Le Bon looked like he had been squeezed into his tee.
Nor was it John Taylor’s lack of bass playing and weird walking.
It was Nick Rhodes – the keyboard player, at the back of the stage – checking his fucking mobile IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SONG!!!
That’s the most ‘I don’t give a fuck’ move I may have ever seen … and I once saw Blackie Lawless of WASP, accidentally blow up his testicles after his crotch firework, failed [this is not a euphamism] while playing a gig at Rock City in Nottingham.
Let’s be honest, it takes a special sort of rock ‘n’ roll, rebel-psychopath to check their mobile while playing their music to an arena full of screaming fans.
What the hell could be more important than that?
Was he checking when his car parking ran out?
Was he booking a takeaway for after the gig?
Was he reading a scam email saying he’d been left a fortune by someone?
Whatever the reason, it’s real life proof that Duran Duran – albeit through just one member of the band – are rock ‘n’ Roll rebels and so I would like to publicly apologize to the hoodie company for daring to question their claims when – quite frankly – it’s the most true bit of advertising I’ve seen in years.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Attitude & Aptitude, Audacious, Brand, Brands, Collaboration, Creative Development, Creativity, Culture, Entertainment
Over the years I’ve written a bunch about weird colabs.
There was Prada and LG.
And of course, Ferrari and SanDisk.
Then the classic, ‘should ink stink’ of Montblanc and Perfume.
[Though since that post in ’07, Montblanc have evolved into more of a proper ‘lifestyle’ brand]
Anyway, there’s been loads, but it has felt that recently things have slowed down – or should I say, have become a bit more ‘logical’ – which is why I was kinda-ecstatic when I saw this.
Yes … it’s Coke Zero x Oreo.
In drink form [where it takes of Oreo] and in biscuit form [where it tastes of Coke Zero]
Now while I LOVE Coke Zero and used to love Oreo [can’t/don’t eat them anymore] … there is absolutely no reason why these 2 brands should come together.
Zero. Nada. Zilch.
And I can say, having tasted them [well, at least the drink version] I completely stand by that view … however that doesn’t mean I was not utterly thrilled when I saw them do it.
Now this is not simply because it’s all kinds of incredible that 2 of the most sugar-based brands in the history of the World have been able to create a product [at least in drink form] that has ZERO SUGAR in it … but because it’s the sort of madness that is being seen less and less in the world. And yet, it has captured the imagination – whether in terms of curiousity, aspiration or disgust.
Finally, something that provokes a real reaction in us.
Not ‘mildly pleasing’ or ‘generally nice’ but LOVE or HATE.
Fuck me, what a relief.
But it’s also a smart business move because as I wrote when Walkers launched their ‘mince pie’ flavoured crisps … it forces you to notice.
And while some may say, “being noticed means nothing if you’re noticing it because you hate it”, I’d say it still achieves a better return on investment than the approach of making everything so bland you don’t care, even when you see it.
Also known as current marketing practice philosophy.
So while I appreciate a limited edition is always going to provoke a response that is faster/greater than an established brand or product, it’s worth remembering – at this time where so many Effie submissions are being judged all over the world – that nothing drives commercial effectiveness like creative ridiculousness.
Or, to quote The KLF, if you want to win, ‘don’t give them what they want, give them something they’ll never forget’.
It’s not hard … we just make it that way because of ego, procurement, mediocrity or logic.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Attitude & Aptitude, Content, Emotion, Empathy, Entertainment, Football, Happiness, Love, Loyalty, Netflix, Sport
For a Monday, a post about misery, tragedy and death feels especially appropriate.
You see there’s a show on Netflix called, Sunderland Til’ I Die.
It’s about Sunderland Athletic Football Club where over 3 seasons, they follow the fall … and fall … and slight rise of the team and the affect this has on the players, the fans and the community that surrounds them.
It’s a story of mismanagement, false promises, hope, dreams, pain and desperation and frankly, it’s one of the best shows on Netflix, let alone football.
I’ve watched it countless times because it’s more than a story about football, it’s about how it feels to be left behind by society, industry and government.
A situation many people following many different football teams experience and face all around the World.
Anyway – without wanting to give anything away – the above quote comes from the show.
It’s not a pivotal moment in the series and yet it impacts you like it is.
Because the context of it makes you think about what you’re doing, what you’re working for and towards in your life.
What legacy will you leave?
Will you be remembered?
Will you have mattered?
I appreciate that sounds quite deep for a show about a football team in the North of England, but it’s that good.
Leaving you with understanding why it’s so important to love forever and always.
Regardless of the times or the challenges.
Because at the end of the day, it matters. Even when it hurts like a motherfucker.
It’s a brilliant lesson for life which is why, while I’ll never be a Sunderland fan, I’ll always be a fan of Sunderland.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Attitude & Aptitude, Brand, Cannes, Colenso, Creative Development, Creativity, Culture, Distinction, Effectiveness, Entertainment, Martin Weigel, Mischief, Paula, Planners, Planning, Relevance, Resonance
Systems.
Processes.
Models.
Theories.
We’re surrounded with ways to do stuff and yet it feels we’re surrounded by more boring stuff than ever before.
By boring, I mean derivative.
A production line of repetition, albeit with different brand names emblazoned on the front.
I’ve said this before, but while a process is important … when we place more emphasis on that, than what it produces – or what we want it to produce – then we’ve got our shit the wrong way round.
It’s why I’ve also talked about the commercial effectiveness of creative ridiculousness.
A way to make an impact by the simple nature of not following the same patterns and processes of everything that has come before.
I don’t mean in terms of ‘differentiation’ [which is still based on using category norms] but – to steal from TBWA mainly because I don’t see them doing it much anymore – disruption.
Which is my way of saying why I love this …
Yes, it’s got cats on it.
And yes it says it will let me talk to them.
But even I know it’s not true … and yet I bought it and paid a premium for it, which is more than I would ever do for any other form of gum.
Fuck, I don’t even buy gum normally which reminds me of this post back in 2007 that reinforces the power of packaging.
Planning is important.
It has a real role to play for business and creativity.
But when that role ends up being shaped exclusively by the rules of the category, the competition and the ‘average consumer’ … then we’re not moving our brands forward, we’re in danger of cementing them where they are.
Of course I appreciate the difference between a novelty candy and a major brand with global distribution … but the premise remains the same.
If you let your blinkers only allow logic to influence your choices, you’re not liberating opportunities … you’re stifling it. Or – as Martin, Paula and I said at last year at Cannes – you’re being strategically constipated and only imagination can be your laxative.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Attitude & Aptitude, Brand, Brand Suicide, Brilliant Marketing Ideas In History, Comment, Communication Strategy, Confidence, Context, Crap Marketing Ideas From History!, Creativity, Culture, Devious Strategy, Differentiation, Effectiveness, Entertainment, Happiness, Innovation, Luxury, Mischief, Packaging, Planning, Professionalism, Relevance, Resonance, Strategy
This is the last post for a week because I’m off again.
I know … I know … it’s getting ridiculous, but consider my jet-lag, your mental health.
Talking of mental health … I’ve not had a drop of alcohol for 38 years.
THIRTY EIGHT.
But despite that, I do find myself buying it on occasion … mainly when those occasions are an extremely rare dinner invite and/or a desire to show gratitude towards someone in particular.
And when that happens, I remind myself how easily influenced I can be.
Because as we saw in 2007, my biggest motivator is the packaging rather than the quality of the product.
Well, I say that, but it has to be a brand I’ve at least heard of – a brand I associate with some sort of quality – but fundamentally, it’s all about the packaging.
Recently I wanted to get something for our old neighbour in LA.
It was his birthday … he’s an amazing human … and he invited me to his dinner. [I was in town, so it wasn’t some totally empty gesture]
So I rushed to a bottle shop and was immediately hit with a wealth of choices and options and so what did I end up choosing?
This.
Yep, a bottle of Veuve in a pseudo orange SMEG fridge.
Frankly it looked ridiculous … hell, it is ridiculous … but it’s also my kind of ridiculous, despite even my low-class tastes thought that for 2 brands that are supposedly ‘premium’, the way they combined looked cheap and tragic.
But unsuprisingly, my inner Dolly ‘it-costs-a-lot-of-money-to-look-this-cheap’ Parton, took over and I handed over my cash and walked out full of smugness and slight humiliation.
Now I don’t know the background to this collab.
I don’t know the process they took to get here,
And while on one level it makes some-sort-of-sense, it also is completely and utterly bonkers … and that’s why I love it.
Because in a world of sensible, it’s nice to see ridiculous win.
Yes, I appreciate Apple’s ‘ceremony of purchase’ packaging strategy is next level … but in terms of what I call, ‘social luxury’, the use of ridiculous packaging – as seen in the fragrance industry – is arguably, the most sensible thing they can do.
For all the processes, models and eco-systems being pushed by so many people right now, it’s interesting how few actively encourage searching for the weird edges. Ironically, they build approaches where the aim is to filter these out before they even have a chance to see what they can do. Which is why as much as the we laugh at the superficiality of fragrance companies and some alcohol brands, they can teach us more about standing out than all these models that seem obsessed with making sure we all ‘fit in’.
So who are the stupid ones now eh?