Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, America, Attitude & Aptitude, Camera, Colleagues, Creativity, Culture, Curiosity, Emotion, Empathy, Fast Food, New Zealand, Perspective, Photography, Planners, Planning, Relevance, Resonance, Social Divide
A few weeks ago, I bought a camera.
To be honest, I never imagined I’d buy one again … but after my ridiculous 12 US/Canadian cities in 12 day tour, where 2 of my colleagues were using one, I realised the images they captured felt – not just looked -better than the images I’d taken on my, albeit impressive, iPhone 16 pro.
So I off I went and got one.
A compact SONY one.
And it’s lovely.
But while it has features galore – features I’ll never know, let alone use – it has the 2 things I wanted most.
1. A viewfinder.
2. A good lens.
The viewfinder became strangely important to me.
Sure, the camera has a big LCD screen I could use, but the viewfinder forces me to focus – literally and metaphorically.
The viewfinder demands I am present … insists I am aware of the moment I want to capture, even if it is for as long as it takes me to press the shutter.
It’s been wonderful because on top of everything else it’s let me experience, it’s reminded me the value – and importance – of patience and sacrifice.
The ability to be able to wait for what I want, rather than get whenever I can have.
God, I sound like the most spoilt only child don’t I … but in this technological world, abundance is at our fingertips. And while that can also happen with a digital camera, the viewfinder tempts you to play by its rules rather than have you make it adhere to yours.
And you know what? It makes you notice more.
Despite being closed off from the world when you look through the viewfinder, your eye sees more.
More of your context.
More of what you’re surrounded by.
More of what draws your attention and emotion.
The photo above is an example of that …
[You can see it in all its glory, here]
I took it on one of my daily evening walks..
I really like the way the Macca’s ‘M’ is peeping above the tree. As if it is ashamed to be seen near the KFC logo. Like it’s trying to hide from view. Worried how it must look to passers-by.
It’s different to how this scene would look if it was in America.
There, fast-food logos are all chest out, screaming “look at me … I’m important”.
A tussle for attention.
But where I live in NZ, it’s a bit different.
Not just because NZ is a very different place to America – though if truth be told, NZ bloody LOVES fast-food – but because these places only opened about a year ago.
Where I live it’s all family restaurants and small businesses, so when Maccas and KFC turned up, the kids in the neighbourhood saw it as the ultimate symbol of ‘progress’. Hell, the Maccas is open 24 hours – which even by general NZ standards – is a revelation.
And maybe that’s what I love about the photo …
The way it captures the tension of change.
Showcasing how fast food restaurants try to look like part of the community it invades.
Wanting to fit in but unable to help itself in wanting to tempt people into its temptations.
The bright coloured logos standing out against the evening blue sky.
I’ve probably passed this location at least 50 times, probably more … but I only noticed what it says about where I live, today.
Because of a viewfinder.
And a camera that doesn’t just let more light in, but also the imperfections.
Because vision isn’t about the ability to see everything, it’s the ability to notice what matters.
Which is a pretty good metaphor for both the art of strategy and the true definition of creativity.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Attitude & Aptitude, Canada, China, Colleagues, Context, Culture, Empathy, Friendship, Happiness, Jill, Otis, Paul, Relationships, Relevance, Respect, Travel
I’ve written a lot over the years about the gift of living overseas.
I’ve talked about how I totally understand why people worry about what they’ll miss … but they should also think about what they’ll gain.
I’ve highlighted how I owe everything in my life – bar my relationship with Paul – to me living and working overseas.
Everything.
My wife.
My son.
My cat.
My career.
My whole life.
I don’t say that lightly … and I don’t ignore the fact I’ve also faced things I’ve missed and miss … but overall, it’s an amazing gift the World has given me.
Recently I was given another reminder of how wonderful it is.
I was in Edmonton, in Northern Canada.
It’s the most northern city in the World with a population of 1 million.
I’d never been there before. I’d never even heard of it before. But there I was … in a wonderful restaurant called Ridge Rd, with some clients … when I received this:
It’s a message from someone I knew in China. Someone I last spoke to probably 10+ years ago. But here I was, in a city I’d never been to – far from pretty much every other city I’d been – having an old friend say they were there too. I can’t tell you how lovely that was. How wonderful that an isolated city had brought me closer to someone from my past.
Now you may think that’s kinda-crazy, and I guess it is … but it’s happened before.
It happened when I took my Mum to the North Pole to see the Northern Lights.
It happened when I was in a small town in Brazil.
It happened when I was in Russia.
It happened when I was in Finland.
It has happened a lot because I’ve lived in a lot of countries … and every single time, it’s made me feel incredibly fortunate for the experiences, places and people it has brought into my life.
I get it’s a privilege and I don’t take that for granted.
But that privilege is far more than simply being able to live in different countries or earn different amounts of money – if you’re lucky. It’s about the ability to connect to different people, cultures and contexts. Their backgrounds, their viewpoints, their ambitions, their fears, their issues, their opportunities, their hopes, their references, their perspectives … that’s what the privilege is really about.
It makes you a bigger and better person for it.
Not just in terms of your own knowledge, but your own place in the world.
Which is why, when I got that random SMS from someone I knew in China while sat in a small restaurant in a small city in Northern Canada, I was so happy. Because that could only happen because I said ‘yes’ to opportunities when arguably, it would have been easier to say no.
I get it’s hard. I get not everyone has that chance.
But if you do, grab it. Because nothing lets you feel you’re living life than hearing from people you would have otherwise never met in places you never imagined you would ever go.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Apathy, Attitude & Aptitude, Complicity, Content, Context, Creativity, Culture, Curiosity, Effectiveness, Egovertising, Emotion, Empathy, Mum, Mum & Dad, My Childhood, Parents, Perspective, Point Of View, Positioning, Provocative, Purpose
In many ways, this post is a continuation of yesterdays … except this was written 3 weeks ago and yesterdays – in an alarming moment of relevance for this blog – was written yesterday.
So let’s get on with it shall we?
Oh the 80’s.
The decade of excess.
Excess living.
Excess spending.
Excess movie stars.
Excess fashion styles.
Excess exuberance. Excess. Excess. Excess.
But as is always the case, too much of one thing causes a correction and different nations and generations have been dealing with the byproduct of that for the last 40 odd years.
However, over the past few years, there has been a narrative coming from the industry that suggests all this economic instability has changed attitudes and behaviour.
More frugalness.
Less materialism.
Higher levels of thrifting
Greater emphasis on life more than work.
Increased importance on values and purpose.
And while this is absolutely true for millions, to suggest everyone on the planet thinks and acts this way, highlights how the marketing and advertising industry loves to jump on bandwagons and then conveniently ignore – or fight againt – any voice that challenges their view.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’d be less annoyed if people acknowledged there were multiple segments but they were deliberately choosing to focus on one for reasons that suit their values/product/ego … but I am amazed how many orgs and experts talk in absolutes and not even acknowledge there are other groups/ways/approaches.
Nothing highlighted that more to me than this …
Yes, it’s a company that will take your everyday credit/debit card and make it look like an AMEX Centurion – also known as the AMEX ‘black’ card.
For those who don’t know what the Centurion is, it’s a credit/charge card for AMEX’s most wealthy customers.
And while it comes with a host of ‘perks’, you only get to apply for it if your annual spend/payment on another AMEX is US$500,000 per year … and even then, you have to pay thousands of dollars per year as an annual fee.
Except this isn’t an AMEX Centurion is it. It’smore likely a Natwest Debit card with an overdraft facility of £500 … so you may well be asking why would anyone do it, especially because when you use it, I imagine it tells the retailer it’s absolutely not an AMEX card whatsoever. Add to that, more and more people are using their phone to pay for goods, which means no one even see’s what card you’re using and you have to wonder what’s the point. Except it doesn’t take much looking around to see there’s millions of people who see the fake [reframe: replica] and/or toxic [reframe: alt/anti-woke] materialism lifestyle symbols, an investment.
An investment in their ego.
An investment in their belonging.
An investment in their status.
An investment in their ‘in-the-know’.
An investment in their delusion.
An investment in their taste.
An investment in their ambitions.
An investment in their quest for equality.
An investment in their need to not feel being left behind.
An investment in their connections.
An investment in their truth.
An investment in who they are or want to become.
And while we may not understand all of them … agree with all of them … even like all of them, it doesn’t mean they don’t exist or that their views and opinions don’t have any validity [even if it’s just to them], so dismissing them, ignoring them, judging them or being deliberately ignorant to the reality of them doesn’t help anyone, including yourself.
Because nothing sets you up for failure than only choosing to see, relate or value the people who are the same as you, which is why I find it so funny that for all the research companies invest in, so many of them only focus on what lets them them feel better about themselves rather than what reveals the truths and reasons they need to know.
Or at least acknowledge.
And that’s why the older I get, the more grateful I am to my Mum for instilling in me the importance of “being interested in what others are interested in”.
Not because you’ll always agree with them … or even end up liking them … but because when you make the effort to understand how – and why – they see the World, you better understand how you see it too.
We could all do with more of that … because being blinkered often stops you seeing who you can be, not just who others are.
Don’t get me wrong, taking a position is very important … but it only has value if the journey towards that point of view has come from understanding, rather than arrogance and ego.
Talking of 2024 being like the excess of the 1980’s …
There will be no posts next week as I’m off on a ridiculous trip.
Los Angeles.
Sydney.
Melbourne.
And errrrm, Hobart in Tasmania.
I know … I know …
But as I pointed out at the beginning of this post, for every action there’s a reaction … which in this case means you’re free from a week of my blogging rubbish, so if anything should highlight the benefits of acknowledging the different sides of situations, it’s this.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Attitude & Aptitude, Authenticity, Brand, Business, Collaboration, Confidence, Content, Context, Contribution, Creative Development, Creativity, Culture, Emotion, Empathy, Loyalty, Management, Marketing, Marketing Fail, Mediocrity, Music, Point Of View, Relationships, Relevance, Reputation, Resonance, Respect, Strategy, Stubborness
As many of you know, over the past 8 years, I’ve found myself working with a number of artists/musicians/bands on a whole bunch of projects.
The Black Keys.
Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Journey.
Metallica.
Muse.
Massive Attack.
Some have been one-offs assignments … some have been more long-term collaborations … some have been direct with the artists … some have been via their managers/record labels/third parties … but overall, bar the RHCP/Kiedis ‘experiment’, they’ve all been creatively challenging, fascinating, and fulfilling.
Now to be honest, there are many things I love about working with artists, however a couple of the things I love most are the questions they ask and the attitude they have towards what they want to do.
Their questions are never with an underlying agenda. Of course, I don’t doubt they’re capable of doing that … but I’ve never personally experienced it. Yet. Hahaha.
Personally, all I’ve ever heard are questions expressed with a genuine sense of curiosity behind them … a real desire and willingness to explore something that’s in their head and on their mind.
But more than that, there’s an openness to hearing what you think in response.
A willingness to discuss, debate and talk it out.
I think I’ve written about the first time I did a project for one artist who, frankly, hated what I’d done. Actually, hate is probably not a big enough word for how much they loathed it.
Not because it was wrong, but it was wrong for them in terms of their specific values, beliefs and approach to what they did.
Anyway, at the end of the meeting – thinking they were going to tell me this wasn’t working and we were going to ‘part ways’ – I asked, “so what should we do next?”
You can imagine my surprise when they responded with: “Well, now you’ve heard why we don’t like it, we assume you’ll take that into account with whatever you suggest we should do in your updated reccomendation .”
I was stunned. Not just by how they answered, but the impact their response had on me.
Because while they had made it very clear they didn’t like what I’d done, they made sure I understood their comment was purely in relation to the specific task I’d done rather than a judgement on my overall ability or approach. In fact they went further than that … through their choice of words, they actively showed their belief and support in who I am, what I do and what I could do for them that they may otherwise not be able to see or pull off.
Now let’s face it, it could have been so different.
We’re talking rockstars here, so its not hard to imagine that they could …
Dictate what I had to do.
Demand how I had to do it.
Dismiss my involvement and opinion.
… after all, we see clients try and pull that shit every single day. But instead, they let me walk away from a pretty bad meeting feeling confident, encouraged, inspired and ambitious.
For someone who has been doing this job for a very long time, I can tell you that meeting was up there with the very best experiences I’ve ever had with the very best clients I’ve ever worked with.
A sense of shared transparency, responsibility, ambition, expectation, standards and support.
And it’s a sense that has continued to this day, even though there’s been some more awful meetings in-between, haha.
But that’s not the point of this post …
You see I’ve recently started working with another artist.
An incredibly successful solo musician. A singers, singer – so to speak.
Anyway, I was involved in a meeting with them recently where they were discussing an opportunity, they’d been presented … and watching their thought-process as they decided whether they wanted to do it was amazing.
Halfway through the conversation, they said: “I don’t care if the audience are bored, I want to make sure I’m doing something that doesn’t bore me”.
Now I get that on face value, that can sound incredibly arrogant … but that isn’t the tone they said it in, nor was it what they meant.
What they were saying was they needed to find a way to make what they were being asked to do, interesting for themselves, because otherwise they could not work out why anyone would find what they did interesting.
In many ways, they could just turn up and people would be thrilled, but that’s not their approach, attitude or standard.
Of course, part of this explains why they are where they are … but it was a beautiful thing to witness.
Where so many brands seem to have an attitude of ‘minimum viable satisfaction’ [MVS], here was someone who felt praise was only worthy if they knew they’d done something they felt had been truly valuable to them too.
Not for ego.
Not for arrogance.
But for growth, fulfilment and expression.
Imagine if companies adopted that same attitude in what they did.
Some absolutely do. Most, sadly don’t.
Seeing effort as an obstacle rather than a door to incredible rewards.
Not just financial, but personal.
And while money makes the world go round, the key thing I’ve learned from the artists I’ve worked with is if you play repeat, you satisfy everyone but yourself.
Then you don’t even satisfy them either.
And that’s why for all the processes, systems, models and marketing practices being peddled and pushed, the foundation for a fulfilled future is being open to challenging yourself, rather than always playing to where you’re comfortable.
Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Attitude & Aptitude, Colenso, Comment, Emotion, Empathy, Internet, IT, Security
One of the things I love about Colenso is our multitude of owners tend to leave us alone.
Literally, alone.
And when I say multitude, I mean it, because we have more than a Cannes Grand Prix credit.
Now part of this is because we’re in NZ and they have more pressing things to deal with, part of this is because we only have one global ‘shared’ client and our work with them is arguably the best in the network [hello 2024 Cannes Grand Prix without thousands of names on the credit list] and part of this is because we’re very, very good to them – in terms of global creative reputation and business – so they’re smart enough to let us get on with things on our own terms and own devices.
That is, except for IT.
Where IT is concerned, we are bombarded with stuff.
Security stuff specifically.
A week hardly passes by without some sort of ‘training’ to adhere to.
I get it, it’s very important and we don’t take it for granted … which is why the situation that happened to me a few weeks ago just felt so weird.
So I was in NYC when I got a phone call from someone I had never spoken to before.
Or heard of.
They said they were a security partner of one of our ‘owners’ and – as one of my team had lost their password – I had to give them permission to send it again.
Now I knew this was true as the colleague in question had told me it was going to happen, so I said yes … except they then told me that wasn’t enough and they would email me a link where – having entered my credentials – I’d have access to a password that I could then send to my team mate so they could get back into the system.
To which I laughed and said no, that wasn’t going to happen.
And they asked why, to which I laughed some more before pointing out this was the exact ‘phishing’ scenario I had been bombarded with security videos about.
For 3+ years.
Now to be fair, they did acknowledge it did sound dodgy, but they reassured me it was just how their system worked and all was OK.
But as nice as the guy sounded – and he did, so I was careful not to be too rude – I told him that I was sorry, but this just was not going to happen.
So, then they tried to subtly guilt trip me into doing it by saying my colleague couldn’t work without my help.
To which I replied, “I’m their boss, so if anyone can tell them to be OK with not working, it’s me”.
I did ask what alternatives there were to solve this situation and at first they said there wasn’t any, then said I could tell them to contact my boss to get approval.
Maybe they thought that would scare me into agreeing to their request, but I went, “Oh that’s good, go for it and please send her my love”.
It was at this point they gave up and wished me a nice day.
Except while that individual had given up, the ‘company’ they worked for hadn’t and they started sending me messages.
They went through the same script and I went through the same responses.
And while this may all sound like I was being an asshole, it’s not as assholey as a system that needs you to break the very rules they’re there to supposedly protect.
A rule that is very limited in its scope and application.
I appreciate the company in question was trying to help. I appreciate this was a very specific situation – made more difficult by me being in another country. And I accept the company in question is one of the best in their specific field of operation.
However, not only do they need to change their protocol to ensure that – in certain circumstances – they don’t ask their clients employees to do the very opposite of what they are told to follow each and every day … they probably also need to teach their ‘customer service technicians’ how to talk with humans. Especially non-IT security expert humans.
Because not only is ‘practice what you preach’ the most basic of basic brand reputation rules, the best way to get people to do what you want, is to understand how they think and behave.
More evidence that you can be smart, but also be a bit daft – of which nothing proves this more than the interface of Microsoft Teams, but that’s a post for another day, but here’s a hint.
