Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Australia, Authenticity, Culture, Food, Friendship, Sydney
Last month I found myself in Sydney.
While I have spent a lot of time recently in Australia, it has been a while since I was in that city.
It felt a bit weird.
Part of that is because of the history I have with the place.
I lived there for almost 10 years.
My wife and her family are from there.
We still have a home there.
Overall, I enjoyed my time there – but I always felt I would have been happier in Melbourne.
I always found that city a bit more real. A bit less showy.
More NYC than LA.
But as I was walking to have dinner with a friend who has just moved to Australia from Amsterdam, I passed this place …
Harry’s is an institution in Sydney.
A food stall that is – or was – open 24/7.
A place that is covered in photos of all the World Famous people who have visited and eaten there.
Elton John. Pamela Anderson. Colonel bloody Saunders.
You name them, they’ve all gone on a trip to Wooloomooloo wharf at some ungodly time of the day or night to chomp down on one of their basic delicacies.
The entire menu of Harry’s consists of pies, mash, peas, gravy and hot dogs with many packaged up using different combinations of those ingredients and given ‘exotic’ names.
Not only that, they offered mint sauce as a condiment for people to use as much as they liked and they never, ever scrimped on the onions in a hot dog … which meant that for me, Harry’s was – or should I say ‘is’ – perfect in every way.
Cheap as chips. Tasty as fuck.
Anyway, when I lived in Sydney, there were 2 scenarios where I would find myself there.
1. When I had visitors in town.
2. New Years Day … around 4am.
For 10 years, I made those pilgrimages to gluttony and never once did I regret it.
Oh the people I saw there.
The sights I witnessed.
The stories I heard and wrote.
I was early for meeting my friend so I just stared at the place. Relived the memories. And I have to tell you, I literally had to fight with myself not to buy ‘a Tiger’ pie.
I really wanted to … but the impending dinner with my friend, my new-found healthiness and their ‘pay by phone’ feature being down conspired to stop me.
OK, it was the pay by phone feature being down that was the real issue.
And while I am sure some stuff has changed – it wasn’t open 24/7 for a start [though now I’m thinking that may never have been the case except maybe weekends] it was lovely to see the old place. Hell, it even made me feel good about the city again.
You see while people love to talk about Sydney for its beauty – which is fair, as it is gorgeous – I always loved it for its quirky character.
The corners.
The places hidden in the shadows.
The slightly questionable rather than glam.
And while so much of it all has now become gentrified, I do love it when I find places that are proud about not changing. Seems crazy, but in a world that always wants to run ahead, there’s something comforting about a pie shop who is stubbornly staying true to who they are.
Almost as comforting as the pies they feed you.
Filed under: Attitude & Aptitude, Brand Suicide, Crap Products In History, Food
As you know, I like gadgets.
I’ll go further … I like shit gadgets.
My bank history is littered with decisions of madness. From robot balls to pens that can write in any colour imaginable to stupid badges and cups for colleagues to a bloody windmill.
Part of it is because I just find weird shit, fascinating … part of it is because I’m a fucking idiot … but believe it or not, over the past few years I’ve got much, much better grip on my ‘stupidity spending’. Even Jill said so – which is the ultimate proof, because she’s been an innocent victim in so much of it.
But what’s even more amazing is that I’ve started to gain an objective viewpoint, which is my way of saying that not only would I never buy this item, I acknowledge it’s fucking pants.
What item? This item …
A one handed pepper mill.
A ONE HANDED PEPPER MILL!
What the absolute fuck?!!
Yes, I appreciate there may be some people – like the elderly or those who deal with disability – where it has merit, but the photo doesn’t show that.
In fact, based on the pic, it’s been designed for middle class, psychotic males who need to control every aspect of their wives lives … right down to how much pepper they can put on their food, even though they made it themselves because their husband won’t let them leave the house IN CASE THEY TALK TO OTHER PEOPLE IN THE STREET AND THAT WOULD BE AN ACT OF DISRESPECT.
It’s not just over-engineered … it’s over-thought … the equivalent of a planner who has convinced themselves they can position cereal as the family antidote to the economic crisis.
Or should I say, a multi-millionaire, delusional CEO.
Look, I’m all for over-engineered nonsense. My car is a perfect example of that. But over-engineered nonsense for the ‘psychotic bully in your life’ is another thing altogether … even though I can see a perfect partnership with the re-release of Sleeping With The Enemy.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Attitude & Aptitude, Communication Strategy, Creativity, Devious Strategy, Experience, Food, Marketing, Packaging
I’ve always been fascinated by the art of the upsell.
The ways different companies attempt to psychologically increase the average order size of their customers.
One of the most famous is McDonald’s … who basically have kept the classic ‘small, medium and large’ sizes but over the years, have changed the volume of what each represents. So what is now McDonald’s ‘small’ was once McDonald’s large, meaning they get more liquid into their customers mouths, even if the customer is continually buying the ‘same size’.
But where I get the most intrigued is how companies label their small, medium and large sizes.
That doesn’t have to always be in terms of portion size, but also proposal.
One of the most common approaches is ‘Gold, Silver and Bronze’.
Even though the intention is so transparent, it is amazing how often it works because ultimately, the goal is to upsell people from bronze than downgrade people from Gold.
But the best one’s tend to be in Asia – where they tap into all manner of cues to influence the decision making process.
One of my favourites – if that’s the right word – was this Valentine’s Day ad in Hong Kong from years back.
Positioning the ‘wife’ as worthy of only the smallest sized jewellery and the mistress the largest – with mothers in-between – was definitely a unique approach. Though arguably, it may also have been the most honest given the proliferation of mistresses in certain parts of Asia.
But recently I was in Chengdu airport and I saw a worthy new competitor. This.
Vintage, Rare, Precious is all kinds of genius.
Because unlike other approaches, you don’t feel you’re being a complete cheap bastard regardless what version you buy.
Of course, that could also be seen as a flaw, however given in China, everyone knows everything you do says something about you – and the underlying message of these options is old, limited edition and show-off – I think it works in ways other approaches can only dream of.
Which means, as often is the case, China leads the way and maybe … just maybe … Western companies and brands could start giving them credit for stuff they’ve been doing longer than we have been a civilisation.
[Which I covered off years ago in Sydney when I spoke at the Mumbrella conference. You can be bored by watching parts 1, 2, 3 and 4 here]
So we’re halfway through November.
November!
How the hell did that happen?
Oh my god, 6 weeks and we’re in 2024 … where we can look forward to a year of price increases, mortgage rate increases … but not pay increases.
I’m almost in awe at how companies have seized the economic downturn as an opportunity to charge more for their product. To come up with all manner of reasons to justify why their prices are going up, despite [1] making good profits [2] paying their CEO squillions and [3] not innovating their product or service … meanwhile doing everything they can to not be so open-minded when others try and do the same thing to them.
Crazy.
As crazy as it being halfway through November.
And I’ll tell you another thing that’s crazy … I’ve been on a diet since September.
OK, I didn’t choose to be, it was because of a medical condition they’re investigating … but in essence, I’ve had to radically change how I live my life.
Few carbs.
Few sugars.
Less sodium.
Fewer calories.
Given I am a kebab and chips loving fool, you’d think it would have been a nightmare, but I am quite surprised at how quickly I embraced it.
That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t kill to ram that greasy magic into my mouth – and don’t get me started on how much I miss pasta – but because I have HAD to do it, my mind basically adopted the same mindset I had when I decided I didn’t want to drink … which is radical rejection and exclusion.
So for the past 2 and a half months, I’ve been eating a lot of Weetbix … a lot of chicken … too much lettuce and copious amounts of black tea.
Has it been hard?
Yeah … mainly because everything has to be pre-planned, but once I found ways to get flavour into the blandness being shoved in my mouth, I felt a lot better.
Whoever created ultra-low sugar ‘buffalo sauce’ deserves the Nobel Peace Prize.
And do I feel better for it?
I don’t know to be honest.
Obviously there’s parts of me that does … I’ve lost 18kg for a start … but it’s not like I suddenly have tons more energy or sleep better, as all the cliches go.
But one thing I do feel more informed about is how much sugar there is in absolutely everything.
For possibly the first time in my life, I’ve had to look carefully at the labels of the food I buy/consume and Jesus Bloody Christ … it’s everywhere.
OK, I know everyone knew this.
I probably knew this.
I just didn’t know how much of it was in every teeny thing.
So that has been a revelation …
Will it change me when these tests are done?
I’d like to think yes … but I fear no.
But what has been really fascinating to me is that my real love of dodgy food is the anticipation of eating it and the first 2 bites.
That’s it.
It’s why after I’ve eaten my latest chickenweetbixlettuce combo, I feel a bit confused.
Not that I’ve been able to eat the same thing for the 1000th time, but that I feel OK after it.
That my body seems OK being given fuel rather than taste.
Or said another way …
I feel just as fine after scoffing bland as I did after chips.
Of course I miss those salty vinegary pillows of crispy delight – it sometimes gets so bad that I’ve found myself watching all manner of food related stuff on Youtube from best burger hunts to most pizza slices eaten – but as long as I have had some food in my stomach, I’m over it.
Hell, I’ve even started to appreciate taste.
OK, not in my dress sense or music choice, but definitely in terms of what I put in my gob.
It’s all so bloody mind-blowing.
And while I’m under no illusion that as posts go, this is one of the worst I’ve ever written – and let’s face it, there’s a lot I can compare it too – I’ve written this less for you and more for me … so should I ever feel I cannot live another minute without a big bowl of cheesy pasta, I can read this again and remind myself I’ll survive.
Maybe only just. But I will survive.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Advertising, Ambition, Aspiration, Attitude & Aptitude, Audacious, Brand, Brand Suicide, Brilliant Marketing Ideas In History, Cannes, Collaboration, Comment, Confidence, Context, Creative Development, Creativity, Culture, Devious Strategy, Differentiation, Distinction, Emotion, Fast Food, Food, IMU, Innovation, Marketing, Marketing Fail, Packaging, Paula, Planners, Provocative, Qantas, Relationships, Relevance, Reputation, Resonance, Smell
Over the years, I’ve written a lot about collabs.
The good.
The bad.
The ridiculous.
But recently there has been one that has somehow achieved all three. AT ONCE.
That’s right, the glorious, overpowering flavor of Pickled Onion Monster Munch and Heinz mayo.
It’s the combination no one asked for … no one expected and no one imagined could work.
And it doesn’t, and yet it does.
It’s possible the unhealthiest and most unpleasant thing you could ever put in your mouth and yet – if you’re like me – and love Monster Munch, it’s something you could not possibly resist from trying.
Hell, when we moved to London back in 2018, it was literally the first ‘British’ food item I got Otis to try – literally the morning after we arrived – and the fact he liked them [at least he did, then] made me burst with so much pride, I could overlook his development of an American accent. Just. Check it out below..
But here’s the thing, similar to when the Absolut Disco Ball packaging made me buy alcohol, despite having not drunk anything since I was FIFTEEN YEARS OLD, this collab made me go to absolute lengths to get it into my hands.
You see you couldn’t buy it in NZ so I had to adopt different means.
I wrote to Heinz.
I joined their ‘fan club/DTC’ service.
I explored supermarkets in both America and Australia.
I contacted courier services about getting it and delivering it to me.
In the end, a plea on social media was answered by the incredible thoughtful Jestyn on Twitter/X … who not only got it for me, but sent it to me as well.
And while I would not get it again … the fact is I was not only more excited about it than 99% of brands out there, but I went to greater lengths to get my hands on it than I would for 99% of brands despite the fact I knew it was overtly bad for you and I’m Mr Healthy these days so I was perfectly aware that I’d only ever taste it once.
While there are many possible lessons we could learn from the creation of this, albeit, novelty product – be if fandom, communities or unexpected relevance – the real lesson is to follow, and then protect, the excitement.
The stuff that captures the imagination.
The stuff that changes the conversation.
The stuff that keeps people on their toes.
The stuff everyone keeps referring back to, even when logic tells them not to.
Because as Paula, Martin and I explained at our Strategy Is Constipated, Imagination Is The Laxative talk at Cannes back in 2023 … the greatest strategy doesn’t start from a place of logic, it finds the point of most excitement and works back from there.