Marketing to go..

I so agree with Sir Paul McCartney on this issue. Of course his record company should have been able to hit him with a raft of ideas within a couple of days of being requested for that - particularly by someone of Sir Paul's sales calibre.

I know businesses who take 5 days to decide on a really very minor matter. That's often a detachment from instinct and passion:

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22923669-1702,00.html

Test your knowledge on Tudor times

I've very impressed with this site when I clicked to it from Cardinal Wolseys blog. Great game. Informative and yet not too long and a great package for what it sets out to advertise. I had hoped to save the beheading..but....
Before you run and gets your kids to play it too, watch the site in it's entirety as it advertises The Tudors tv series and so has flashes of sex scenes after the game though you need to click forward:
http://www.tudorsdvd.co.uk/game/

You know you're living in a poorer suburb when...

Local shops sell cigarettes individually. True. People here can literally go in and buy one cigarette from a packet. It's a service.

Please, show others their lives mean something.

You're a seventeen year old boy. You have no family to go to at Christmas. You live on the street. The Salvos found you one day and gave you a card to go to a hall for a lovely Christmas lunch. It's great you have a lunch.

You have no gift. There's no-one to tell you that to them you mean something. That your presence on this Earth is important.

You're an 86 year old lady with no family. You have made yourself a little Christmas lunch.

No-one has come to show you that you life has really meant something to them.

***

Please, go buy two Hoyts movie tickets and ensure they will be given to a 17 year old on Christmas day.

Please, go buy some soap and a washer and a lovely book and ensure that they will be taken to the 86 year old lady on the day.

Please, show others their lives mean something.
Check with your local Salvos or St Vincent de Paul or similar and find a way to show someone in need this Christmas that, to someone out there, their lives mean something and they are not forgotten.

Open Letter to Mr Sol Trujillo

Without Prejudice

Mr Trujillo, since you took over the pivotal role with Telstra:

1. Costs are up

2. Services are very much reduced. Across the board. Don't look to broadband successes, or provision of services to the outback (only), or profits, or shareholder happiness or your own salary et al as your benchmark of Telstra success Mr Trujillo. Become a basic customer of your own company and see what it is like at this point. It's not a happy engagement.

3. Errors are multiplying. Errors, errors, errors. In connections and in advice and it is people like me Mr Trujillo that have to make up the slack on these matters and often out of our own pocket. For the last two years I have experienced repeated Telstra errors. Don't worry, not in billing. The bill is generally correct even though I am probably paying almost double what I should be because your staff have failed to put me on the right plan, despite calls from me about the issue.

4. Telstra workers are demoralised. You might not have 'got' Australian culture Mr Trujillo but there was a time where, even if Telstra's company's policy was a bit wanting, you could generally get great service from the technicians. Your policies have effectively removed this and drained away client satisfaction.

5. The public face has become highly problemaitc. Your company appears to have shown problematic decisions and responses to do with social responsibility both in your advertising and in your services. Only these week we have the 'soft porn' issue re the Telstra site. Why is your company failing on these issues? How about only worrying about the bells and whistles on your website once you've got basic service 'right'?

Perhaps it's hard to see that good basic service reaps profit. It does.

6. Impractical processes are encouraged that multiply unnecessary costs.

With all this you still have the confidence, or the ego, to fight the new government. How do you feel you are serving the interests of the public, your clients Mr Trujillo with your sarcastic humour and 'tude?

We've not got a telecommunications carrier Australians can generally be proud of Mr Trujillo. Your governance has not improved service and pricing conditions. And still you argue free market pricing.

Embrace the Kumbaya (if you will) Mr Trujillo as, on your own, you're letting the fire go out.

I call upon the Labour government to do what they can to end Mr Trujillo's contract with Telstra.

Susan Plunkett

I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!

I loved this piece from the Vicar of Dibley when I first saw it and now I have the DVD I've been able to watch and enjoy it again. I was recently reminded of this material in a conversation with Drew McLellan. I'm sure some clever advertising bunny out there somewhere will adapt this one day:

Top Ten Views Around The World

I saw this pictorial via news.com.au today. The site invites other nominations and I hope people send in and celebrate the beauty of this incredible world we live on and in:
http://www.news.com.au/travel/gallery/0,23607,5028064-5007153,00.html#

Grab the Pencil and Play

For anyone who hasn't come across the Leo Burnett site please do take the time to have an explore and see what you think of the pencil device. I'm often an impatient site explorer and even I was willing to sit and adventure via the pencil:
http://www.leoburnett.com.au/

When You're Told You're Doing Too Much For The Clients#2

The clients will end up loving YOU too much rather than our service.

How about:

1. The business decides to investigate just-what-it-is that generates such good feelings towards the staff member and works to replicate this in a) other service centres in its organisation (and to train in-coming staff), and b) potentially within the organsational ethos.
2. Determining whether the staff member is actually making up for a short-fall in the business product or service.
3. Recognising that the connection is worth harnessing for research purposes.

Unless a business feels a staff member is being somehow subversive and swinging client perceptions to the negative re the business service, I'd treat a staff member well liked by the client base as if they were a valuable resource, rather than a problem child.

When You're Told You're Doing Too Much For The Clients

I raised this issue on another blog and received some very supportive comments. What does it say about an employer who tells an employee that they are 'over-servicing' the client?

Wouldn't you think an employer would be delighted to have attentive and comprehensive staff, given of course that other clients are not made to wait unduly?

Not necessarily.

Two rationales from employers I've heard:

The clients will end up loving YOU too much rather than our service.

Other staff cannot or will not give the same service as you and thus you set unrealistic expectations in clients for the general service they will receive at this business.

Are some of you folks blinking reading this? Let me assure you, both these examples are real.

I've love to hear some comments on this but I'm going to take one of the issues to the next topic in a day or so.

Industrial Spam

I'm sure the folks at morpheusmedia won't mind my copying a post on their recent industrial spam blog. Great topic.

Hi, for confidentiality sake I won’t put my name up but you can see my email of course ;)

Industrial spam really concerns me. I completed a freelance job recently for someone who is sending thousands of emails out and apparently, in many cases, sending them over and over to the same people. I was really uncomfortable with this when I heard about it.

I gather the idea is to both give people a heads-up about their service, but it is also a war of attrition. If I am correct about who their target audience for this spam is, the primary reason they are getting away with few complaints is that the recipients have indicated in another forum an interest in the topic that the business service caters for. It’s a good guess many would be intrigued or at least sympathetic enough with the theme not to object.

Those who will violently object in a reply email rarely follow that up by making a formal complaint to a governing authority.

So, this comes down to an issue of ethics in part. Is the company branding as socially responsible? If they are then how do they justify their industrial spam against the known backdrop of increasing consumer resistance and objection to the practice.

Just because they can?

Vale Bernie Banton

A hero of the rights and health of workers and indeed the general public. Despite the ravages of his illness Bernie was never swayed from his path. A 4 billion dollar fund for victims of asbestos and, perhaps more importantly in the immediate term, ensuring various medications were placed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (and were thus affordable for the average family). In his acceptance speech on Saturday evening, our new PM praised Bernie. Our thanks must also go to the Banton family and of course our deepest condolences. It's bitter-sweet that individuals must work so hard for justice and then lose their lives however I am so very grateful Bernie saw justice finally achieved before he passed away. What courage and commitment he had to hang on those last days until he could be assured. Please rest now Bernie, you deserve it.
http://www2.skynews.com.au/news/article.aspx?id=203393

Film Buff's 100-1 Countdown

What incredible attention to detail the film buff who made this film had. The film shows clips that literally contain the numbers 100 down to 1. There are some intriguing twists. It's a longish film so be prepared for that or watch an excerpt. I can think of several interesting applications that could creatively utilise this film in episode form. Oh, and great film quality also:

Cheap Look Ads

I really cannot stand these style of ads Google have developed particularly when they are found right in the centre of vision across the middle of the site page. They lack design style and look cheap to me and definitely 'add on'. I'm actually surprised Google ran with these. They're like a 90's flashback for me (italics mine):

Trading Cards
Check out our list of huge range of of trading cards. Visit now
www.Indexmeonline.com

The lament of the external staffer

Many business hire freelancers and consultants. Many hire part-time staff. Many of these work at distance.

One of the problems 'at distance' workers experience is not being treated as part of the fold. Now, for most this isn't a problem unto itself. Many freelancers are so used to being independent you come to enjoy it and you're more than happy to do without the occasional lunch spread or morning tea festival. However, one should not be invisible to management when it comes to feedback.

No situation should ever exist of in-house staff being celebrated for tasks that external staff also do; but the latter group are ignored.

Management also needs to recognise that in-house staff wind up knowing about each other's lives and this can generate empathy and greater tolerance. I regularly observe a manager giving grace to an in-house staffer, and happy to give that grace, but then become tight and annoyed when an external employee needs time off. If managers want to develop strong bonds with external staff they need to look at what they provide to internal staff and see exactly the same is offered to those external. Dare to think creative and, [I added this later] socially sustainable.

Tis the season...

Yes I'm a critic of the Lovemark concept as it applies across all sectors of the populace. I don't agree that people on low incomes seek mystery, sensuality and intimacy from their shopping experiences as such. Sometimes yes but all the time, no.
That said, I did nominate the Salvation Army.

In my letterbox today came a flyer describing some of the items the Sallies would welcome distributing to people for Christmas. There was a stock array of food items: puddings, jelly, soft drinks, cereals, tinned foods and meats, longlife milks and custard and so on; christmas crackers.

There was also a list I'd like to offer here:

Deodorant
Conditioner
Toothpaste
Disposable Razors
Shampoo
Soap
Toothbrush
Children's story books
Teenage story books
Fiction

When you are next at the supermarket might I encourage you to select one or all of the toiletry items and take them to your local Salvation Army Office or similar charity who offer such items to families at Christmas. I always find discount stories have a decent array of kids books.

No preaching, just if you'd like to.

K-Mart here also has a Christmas tree at stores where wrapped gifts for people can be left. You choose a tag from the tree and buy a gift to suit the age group and gender.

Ad Content and Social Responsibility

Sadly I did not retain a copy of my post however it was "interesting" to have a post of mine on this topic removed from a marketing company site recently. Perhaps one of the examples I offered touched a sore spot? Perhaps the potential of any kind of critique of advertising was a no-go area.

I think it a shame when corporations commence blogs (fashionable to do so?) and then shy away like frightened horses from the most conservative of critiques. If that's the way they want to run their blogs I suggest they make them staff only or invitation only.

The points I raised in the post were:

a) How could individual advertisers make such incredible social gaffes at times - indicating a lack of research and social knowledge savvy (being 'out of touch'), and

b) Should marketing companies strive to include social responsibility within their corporate philosophy and in all the ads they compose?

I gave two examples. One was an ad when a woman hops out of her car and punches a guy in the nose in the car behind her. I don't find that ad funny but concede it was the sort of humour appreciated in the 50's (I Love Lucy). However, in an era of road rage and some very sad events arising from this social problem, should an agency steer away from using any violent actions such as the one I described, in their campaigns?

I believe "yes".

Bouquets to a lady called Lisa...

Some time ago I spoke on Kevin's blog about issues to do with service and response to product or service flaws. I had bought two DVD's on two occasions from the same major retailer and twice had to go back because they had put the wrong disks in the packs.

From that very same retailer I bought a packaged DVD set.There was usual blurb on the case about content in the episodes (including guest appearances) and indeed certain images were imprinted on the disks themselves. However, in viewing the disks it became obvious that certain content was missing. I didn't have the wrong disks: content was simply missing.

I personally went to the store and discussed this. My name and number were taken. Nothing. I was again in the store and raised this. THIS time one of the staff did call the distributor but rang me later the same day to say they (retailer) could do nothing about the issue (vis it's not our fault so we can't do more than this). I rang the distributor myself and wound up with a branch of the distributor and a lady called "Lisa".

Lisa was aware I wasn't seeking my money back and that I was simply trying to advise about a problem issue. We discussed the nature of the problem and I was offered two new DVD's gratis for having been "disappointed" with my purchase.

I mean...YAYYYYYYYYYYY. NOT for the freebies per se but because of the RESPONSE.

In these times of such focus being placed on service and connection, I rarely am given the kind of response Lisa offered me. That response shouldn't be a rarity in my life.

Oh, and why do I go to that retailer in the face of my disappointment? Because I am pressed for certain choice where I am. If I locate a suitable alternative I will move on.

Image of roses from http://www.rogersroses.com/

The "Conversation Economy" according to Armano

I came across this article from Business Week and thoroughly enjoyed the sense making of it. I could relate to this piece because David's comments make sense of my own focus on 'village' and my belief that 'village' is what people seek and long for (and naturally gravitate towards).

His comments about Bud interface with repeated comments I have made this past 12 month about the hundreds of thousands of dollars corporations are pouring into the technical sides of sites without anything outlaid on understanding how people use sites, read them, respond to them and so on. I simply do not understand this imbalance.

I have written a book on social life online (or rather a slice of life online) and there is a wealth of literature that can readily inform corporations on the very matters I outline - yet............................

David's article can be found @ http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/apr2007/id20070409_372598.htm
Image of David copyright of that site.

Grow One for Movember! Sponsor?

Here in Australia (and hopefully throughout the world) men's health issues are becoming as well known and profiled as women's health. Movember is a simple and fun way to raise funds for Prostrate Cancer Research and to support beyondblue and issues of male depression.
Depression is a highly problematic societal health issue and suicide rates in the male population are so terribly high.
My son is participating in Movember and would welcome sponsorship. He is in a workplace team and their employer will match dollar for dollar to $2K:
http://www.movember.com/au/donate/donate-details.php?action=showrego®o=86628&country=
Moustache image from http://moustache-enthusiast.deviantart.com/art/Moustache-Avatar-Pack-36004227

Heavy Metal in Baghdad - Band on the Run

With no place to now call 'home', Acrassicauda (a Latin name for a type of scorpion) tell an impassioned tale of youth and musical genre in the midst of war. This site shares elements of the film on Acrassicauda that premiered at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival http://www.heavymetalinbaghdad.com/
(Image used found on http://www.myspace.com/wwwacrassicaudas5com)

Luuverly Online Happenchance

It's great to be broadly surfing a topic and to come across a site that leads you to appreciate and respond. The two images are the work of Jaime Jones however they were perhaps the 'soft option' pick of Jamie's gallery work. If you love some sharp sci-fi creatures take a look through his gallery. Did I forget to tell you that the work is all digital?








I wanted to add that I also very much like Jaime's home page for its colouration, the pirate and the page setup/format.
http://artpad.org/?page_id=6

I am finding many many people I connect with online are wanting quality, creative sites and go out of their way to give credit to people who aim high in presenting their work ' well'. I welcome growing awareness and appreciation of quality in online 'offerings'.

Creature Comforts - Countryside Code

I thoroughly enjoy Creature Comforts and applaud the talent that goes into claymation production. I love the concept of this ad however wonder whether it's a little long and benign? Then again, perhaps a superb ad in children's tv viewing time:

Happy Birthday October 20th, Kevin Roberts

This short video was developed by Piotr and myself in recognition of Kevin and his birthday on October 20th. We invite you to leave a birthday greeting for Kevin who will be invited to come and read contributions. This will also appear on Piotr's blog @ http://piotrj.wordpress.com/ so please visit there and comment also.

With thanks,

Susan and Piotr

Interactive Coffee Table

I've enjoyed hearing from Kevin Robert @ KRConnect about sisomo and his enjoyment of 'screens' - BIIIGGGGG screens! - and his perception of their role in generating a lively community. I like to think about the hardware and fitout and the fact that screens and signage - particularly signage - is becoming a blur in front of the eyes. Consider moving to a signature piece or pieces and allow for forms of interaction where the consumer can imprint back on the aesthetic. Here a coffee table but screen interactives, so often found in science and art museums to great effect, are poorly utilised in the marketplace. We do see them in consumer driven photographic facilities however, interactives could be more ingenious and design flexible:

How long has it been since you contacted home?

If you are a CEO or manager, how long has it been since you have rung your own switchboard and listened to how the phone is being answered? How long has it been since you have read a work related email and checked the wording for tone, informational assistance and spelling/grammar? How much do you depend on the filters of management for your knowledge on communication2client quality? I suggest a few of you ring home. Check for chewing, a business name said so rapidly that the client has to ask for a repeat, colloquial greetings (if you like "G'day" fine but ensure what you hear is what you are happy with), impatience before the client or caller has even begun their dialogue, being asked for the same information repeatedly (like your name!) and so on.

Businesses should have a lot of pride in quality reception staff and PA's. Seek standards and know they exist, personally.

Ask differently of perspective. Surprise the consumer. Vice Versa.

http://pablobarra.deviantart.com/art/I-must-delete-you-of-my-head-47993002

David Byrne and Talking Heads

My friends and I really got off on the Stop Making Sense album - and still do :) This is a rarer piece and I just love the I Zimbra style get down jive with the woven hints of the celtic (can you hear where that is?). I wish my knees and hips could get into David's snake like trance sway :) Oh, and clock Letterman in '83.

Mr Trump Down On The Farm...

I recently nominated TV's Play School for a Lovemark. One of the reasons I always loved the show was seeing adults willing to be silly. Plain silly and sometimes a little off key and sometimes wearing goofy hats and clothes. I also loved the show Green Acres when I was young. I just have to smile at this Donald Trump sketch.

Music Vid-to-Ad : Alert-2-Options

I love the energy of this. Marky Mark is an exemplar of the new wave of young male fitness out there. Transpose him and he'd be a great WWE apprentice! Take the small funky elements used in this clip like the oh so sassy male vs female team dance competitive and drop the same into a short ad and there you have the vibe to sell anything 'street'. Sex, fitness, power, being oh-so-cool...
I think it pays to be on constant alert for creative ideas and knowing that what makes you feel funky is likely to do the same for others...
It's the pick and choose and twists of the tail that's the art form.

Joe Jackson - You Can't Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want): Live

The embedded script for this vid has been disabled on YT so I can't offer it directly but do consider the double click thing here and watch this fabulous live performance from Joe Jackson. It has everything SO funky; big band, men in suits vs working class man, jazz, rock, late 70's bass and a happening message:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GasFKkVkgSI&mode=related&search=
Image Joe Jackson from his official site: http://www.joejackson.com/index.php

Freelance

You undertake some interesting tasks and roles as a Freelancer. I enjoy Freelance work enormously because of the chops and changes between ideas and application of technique. It's dynamic and enervating. I get to work primarily from home-base and geography isn't a limitation.

There are of course significant benefits to Business having a solid posse of full time knowledge creatives. I think that's where the big gun works gets done. At the same time a good freelancer can backfill and support in multiple niche areas such as devil's advocacy, supporting community based social responsibility issues, advising on themes and values that are important to the populace, monitoring government funding potentials and so on. Sometimes its as good as a quality assurance process (if one buys into such terms).

I look at someone like Kevin Roberts and I am amazed at who he is in a sense. I could never do what he does despite the fabulous lifestyle his articles imply he has. I don't have that way of absolutely mosh pitting life like Kevin has. I am too tremulous and I enjoy terra firma like you would not believe!

So, we each fly in our own way. For one a global flightdeck position, for another the kitchen to the right, for another the university hallways and darkrooms of photography, for another the financial models and socio-political persuasions :)

Image copyright *hotburrito2
http://hotburrito2.deviantart.com/art/how-to-annoy-barry-66052408

De Beers - A diamond is forever

I grew up with the phrase "a diamond is forever".

I have been wondering whether, when all is said and done, the thrust of advertising is that much changed from the earlier last century; let's say the mid 1920's.

Take this 1924 Ford ad. Ahh..the fun of pulling up in your own vehicle and receiving service at the door! How different to pulling up at Maccas and strutting the car circa 2004?

When you compare advertising images used in the cosmetic industry, there is very little difference in either visual or caption between the 1920's and now. We are sparser in text now but the singularly beautiful face posing with a logo and product visual has been standard.

Aside from the introduction of high tech digital imagery that has hurled new opportunities for presentation and message power, are core message values of 'beauty is valued', 'convenience is important', 'status is good' et al really what there is and what will always be?

Diamond image sourced from De Beers www.debeers.com

Heroes and Adventurers

We need them. We need their risk factor and their courage. Their positive role modeling. Their selflessness.

At the time, I was tremendously touched by the story of hero Robert Cook, the young parachute instructor who, knowing their plane was about to crash, wrapped himself up around his pupil, constantly reassuring her and in the end saving her life while ending his own. In the image, Robert is with his father teaching him how to skydive.

Then you have Steve Fossett who simply describes the phrase "daring do".


Source of image of Robert Cooke:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/my-son-the-hero/2006/08/03/1154198252268.html
Source of image for Steve Fossett: The NY Times.

Stories surround us

I had a mature aged student in a creative writing class a few years ago and he had served time in Iraq. He had the cohort in his thrall as he told stories about his service experience in the war zone; what is was like sitting behind a US pilot who had the Beatles loudly playing through the ear phones of his helmet as he raced across the sky on a mission. Of men forming bands and howling noise in former palaces. Of the shouting and fervour when certain military leaders entered a packed room. He led us into the culture and showed us the bridge between escapism and reality. Powerful and evocative stuff.

Don't be a victim

The Deviant art site has been a favourite of mine for a while. A great universal resource for people to showcase their work and to interact. This work from *alanbecker is an intriguing movement into using animation with application interface. In Alan's words the theme is "resourcefulness versus power". Click on square to commence.

Animator vs. Animation by *alanbecker on deviant

I love street art - Featuring the 3D art of Julian Beever

I do. I really love seeing good street art. For me the 'good' is simply longing that the art could remain in situ or be transposed elsewhere and enjoyed with the same longevity as a painting. I've always enjoyed sidewalk chalk artists but am blown away by the 3D arts works of several including the gent I feature here Julian Beever. I find my mind and eyes arguing with each other as I view some of the works. I know they are flat but I can't believe that! And that total suspension of sensory belief is what I think fundamentally fabulous. http://users.skynet.be/J.Beever/index.html

Now, look at how Aveeno used Beever's artistry for an ad image. Here we're seeing the art creation of course:

Youth activism - Affirmation in action

A small yet powerful story emerging from Canada this week. A story worth celebrating.

Bless these school students for saying NO to bullying and doing what they did in a classy and supportive manner. Young activists to be proud of.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/09/18/pink-tshirts-students.html

Our children are not born bullies, we create them. What role does marketing and media play in either maintaining isms or defying them and championing individuality?

Flying with Genius

If you've never met the work of Theo Jensen you'll be glad to finally receive the handshake. The video is a South African advertisement for BMW that features Jensen's inventions. For me, pleasure and goose bumps.

Be daring in your passion! Declare proudly. Kevin Roberts rides again in inspiration.

Firstly, the still image and topic concept is a 'borrow' from Tony on http://tonysideaspage.blogspot.com
however I hope to be forgiven simply by way of the shared excitement.

I'm sure many of you have seen the efforts people go to within Grand Final fever to express their love of their team. Shops develop special window displays, people wear face paint and clothing in team colours, cars fly flags and trucks sport faces on the front of their engine casings. But how about going to the length of changing the name of a building and then wrapping the visitor in the embrace of the passion as they journey said structure. Props to you Kevin Roberts. Pride & Passion.

Ka mate! Ka mate! Ka ora! Ka ora!
I die! I die! I live! I live!

Fluid Control - Imagine the Application in an Advertisement

This marvellous image is created by using magnetic forces on a substance called ferroliquid. The two vids I have chosen show two variations of application. In the first, an interpretive and interactive piece, magnets are used to draw and pull the material but then personal intervention can also create movement. In the second video, note how the intervention of the metal spiral creates the ferroliquid flower. You can make ferroliquid and it is fascinating to have a small amount in a sealed container and to run a magnet or two slowly around that container to see the material shape shifting. How might you use the liquid and the effects it is capable of in an advertisement? As you watch the spirals and listen to the music (second video) where is your imagination taken? What do you see in the depths of the liquid?

Changing Practice - Better Business, Better Social Responsibility

Initially I was taken aback. Then I thought: terrific!

The co-owners of the South Sydney Rabbitohs team, Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes a Court, are dumping the club's 160 poker machines in their current refurbishment. They consider it good business even though on paper they will be at a financial loss. The Salvation Army, amongst others, have rushed to congratulate this move labeled in some quarters as courageous.

What I so welcomed was Mr Holmes a Court's comment that they realised most monies taken in from the poker machine trade come from welfare recipients. From http://au.news.yahoo.com/070918/2/14gh7.html:

"What we are saying is it's better business.

"Frankly, not a lot of my friends want to go out and have a cold beer and watch someone go past who has just seen their last dollar go into a machine.

"That beer tastes a bit bitter; that's not a good night out."

Mr Holmes a Court said pokies were not in line with his club's goals for improving its community."
-----------
Social responsibility and turning new corners. Well done. I'll join the club.

Panoramic Views - What marketing can borrow from geographic imagery and application.

I've always enjoyed the 360 degree panoramic visions one can locate online. I often just throw a search term into a web engine and see what I can locate and then seek examples of creative work that may have stemmed from a concept. This is a lovely 360 of Mt Everest:
http://www.panoramas.dk/fullscreen2/full22.html

On the Everest page is a link to a new magazine called Arounder. Free and the first edition focuses on Milan. I embrace and cheer on the notion of using the 360 degree imagery in both cultural and commercial contexts and the Milan edition is a good example of this. Second edition leads us into European museums:
http://aroundermagazine.com/

Bitter sweet consumerism

I love book stores. As a child I used to wander and wander them and still enjoy roaming past shelves and seeing the incredible array of topics on offer. However, I've not yet Lovemarked a book store. The reason why? Poor database-to-client-request and associated poor service.

I have edited my original post on this topic choosing to remove direct references to two business and to replace that with general points.

If I want to buy a CD that a music store doesn't hold, I can almost always order that in and receive the same ahead of the business receiving their usual order package. In other words, my individual need is catered to.

Not so the book selling business that these days also holds rights to say the sale of BBC DVD's. You can order but you will not receive until the business receives their own orders. This can mean waiting for up to six weeks.

What maintains my interest in the interim? In both the store and the product line?

After being told the wait time, do the sales staff guide you to similar DVD lines they DO currently hold on shelves?
Do they express empathy with your thwarted desire?
Do they explain what 'release dates' actually mean thus generating your greater patience (shared knowledge can be a good thing)?
Do they guide you to celebrating the time delay rather than being rueful about it?
Can they turn a potentially negative experience around?

One well known book store has an archaic database and simply cannot tell you whether a product is released or not. Their world begins and ends with a faulty database system. Another business can tell me if a product has been released, even if they don't have it in stock or on their usual order system. The first business cuts me off from the potential of ordering; the second offers potential.

A customer bind when you love the product but not the store the product comes from. Bitter sweet consumerism.

Antarctic Sculpture Garden

I have a great fascination with sculpture gardens and so enjoy the notion of the Antarctic Sculpture Garden. Click on the link hereunder to see the poignant first-ever-sculpture put in place at Davis. To understand the context of the development of the garden a quote from the site:
"In the summer of 2002-03, Stephen Eastaugh was artist in residence at Davis, a position made possible by the Australian Antarctic Arts Fellowship. Every year, through this program artists and writers have a chance to visit Antarctica, and to apply their particular skills and perceptions to our understanding of this wonderful place." http://www-aadc.aad.gov.au/default.asp?casid=9685

Black Violin

These guys are a blast with their hip hop violin and supremely talented mixture of performance genre. I love their site and the ability to play musically across the links. The image of the two guys comes from www.blackviolin.net
What a tribute to high school music programs.

This You Tube vid is really a doco on them and has some brilliant excerpts of their music capabilities. Prepare to sit back and be enthused!:

Who do you really want to go to bed with? (Virgin ad)

'The un-named' Lovemark.

A few years ago an Australian bought a significant war medal on auction - a Gallipoli Victoria Cross - and donated it to our War Museum. Without his or her intervention, the medal would have potentially gone overseas and/or into a private collection. I think of this person at least once a month and I thank them. I am grateful and fond of them for that act.

We come across such acts in life and these acts inspire us. They often provide the role model and leadership that catalyses others to step forward to also act with passion and humanity. To act nobly.

Some time back I posed a new category on the Lovemark site. I called it 'The Invisibles' however that wasn't the best term really and what I meant more was people who you know have done something outstanding, but you don't know their name.

Does not knowing alter the effect of the act and your memory? I would argue not. I'm sure we all remember images of war or hold faces or scenes in our mind long past the forgetting of the names and dates and location details. When we remember back our heart/mind tweaks a little. It doesn't surprise me that the very elderly often remember, in vivid detail, scenes and actions from their youth and their 20's.

For me there are a clutch of un-named Lovemarks that I hold dear, and regularly I cast a thank you in my mind towards them and what they have inspired in me.
--
Postscript: At this stage I believe I know who donated the Victoria Cross - but it doesn't matter who it was - it is the act that leads me to write.

Piotr's Suggested Sisomo in Response to Lady Vegemite hereunder

Artpad on Art.com

This is a funky little enabler. If you click on the link you will see all the brush strokes I did in order to create the example. You can experiment, exhibit on the site and share the art with friends. If you create a piece, the url your friends will receive will also show them all your brush strokes used to create your work. Great interactive for all ages.

http://artpad.art.com/gallery/?jlqfyxs5xe0

Light and heat in your eyes..... Music - an emotional toolkit.

I love Peter Gabriel's music and it's always a fascination to see how people interpret music in image; what additional evocation they may draw out. The phrase "emotional toolkit" came from Peter.

Peter is a great human rights supporter and has played with the Zawose family and supports them via his own website. The Zawose Foundation aims to support musicians and artists in Tanzania and recognises the enormous toll AIDS has claimed in Africa.
See http://www.zawose.org/
Peter will be honoured as an icon at the BMI Awards in the UK in October for his influence on generations of musicians. See realworld.co.uk/

The works of Peter Callesen

Half Way Through (detail) , 2006
Acid free A4 115 gsm paper and glue


On The Other Side, 2006
Cut and folded from one piece of 350 gsm paper
Wedgewood Commission, Nottingham Castle, Uk

Peter's site is well worth a look. His finely detailed papercraft pieces are superb: also look out for his installation work. The site is very easy to navigate:
http://www.petercallesen.com/index.html

Vegemite Sisomo

A musical and artistic tribute to both Vegemite, creativity with simple media and perfectionism!

Would we love manufacturers having this sort of humour or what!

Credit for this video to: http://www.photoshopuser.com/

Loveact - Loveacting - Loveactioned (Susan Plunkett's terms)

I offered a Lovemark to Giesen wines - www.giesen.co.nz - on Kevin's/Saatchi's Lovemarks site.

I had taken the sentiment to the winery some months prior to knowing that Kevin's Lovemarks existed - and in ensuring the winery knew of my enjoyment and appreciation I made a Loveact.

I'm a person who believes in Loveacts because I believe in giving positive feedback on product. I also believe in working to ensure the employees on the factory floor hear about the Lovemark and I encourage management to pass my Lovemark on . To my mind, Lovemarks and Loveacts are owned by everyone in the business and are not the sole property of management.

I have Loveactioned to other firms and so am interested to hear where you may have acted similarly. I'd like to think there are more Loveacts out there than we may know. Hearing about them helps us celebrate and further the Lovemark concept.

If you haven't done this, can you share why? Do you feel too distant from the business? Shy? Don't believe they would hear your single voice?

In Loveacting towards Giesen, I have developed a gentle ongoing interaction which I enjoy. Not just an isolated act but an ongoing sentiment and response.