Mad Men, a simpler time of real men, real problems and lots of sex on mid century design classics. Image courtesy of Slate.
Unfortunately much advertising is self indulgent nonsense that simply serves to waste the client’s money and the consumer’s time.
Ferret racing in the rain at this year’s Innocent Village Fete in London. Image courtesy of fimb
How many companies can get thousands and thousands of people to pay £7.50 to immerse themselves in the brand’s experience for a day even when it pours with rain. This brand goes from genius to utter genius.
Charlotte Street, spiritual home of London’s ad land. Image courtesy of Chaz Folkes
Its always nice to see some ads occasionally on a blog about advertising. So I have put together some more of the recent work from Saatchis in London.
Image courtesy of Kenny & B.
Ohhh look we’ve gone researchtastic.
Hot in the heels of the IPA Strategy Group’s UK strategy community research comes the forth annual Global Planners survey from Heather LeFevre. Of the 798 participants surprise surprise the place planners most want to work is Wieden & Kennedy (apart from ‘where you are’ which came top in the survey).
The default disposition of strategists. Image courtesy of Traci Bunkers
According to new research by the IPA we are overwhelmingly happy with in our jobs and optimistic about the future.
The definition of irony. A British Red Cross ambulance paid for by the workers of the Bristol cigarette manufacturers WD & HO Wills 1914-18. Image courtesy of brizzle born and bred.
As a life long non-smoker and rabid anti-smoker, no one has appreciated and enjoyed the progressive decline in smokers’ freedoms than me.
It is time to get unreasonable in support of truly great work. Image courtesy of Antar.Ellis
Returning to the world of advertising after a short break, I am reminded of the fundamental truth of our business. To paraphrase the advice given to Bill Clinton during the 1992 Presidential Campaign, it’s the work, stupid.
Image courtesy of M&G
Time for a quick rant.
I have long felt that the one of the guiding principles for advertising is that it should do some good in consumer’s lives even if they chose to ignore or avoid it.
The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo, part of his scheme for the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel completed in 1512. I may be wrong about this but as far as I am aware he wasn’t asked to present three different options for the ceiling to go into research.
Once upon a time in a land far away come the appointed hour of the creative presentation, agencies recommended one idea to their clients.
Image courtesy of Fiat Luxe
The start up plays an almost mythical role in the world of advertising. Start ups are not simply an outlet for the professional and material ambitions of the best in the business, they are absolutely essential to the health and vitality of the industry. If advertising has managed to adapt to the changing business, consumer and communications landscape over the past century it has been largely because of its start-ups.
Image courtesy of Liquidrosephotography
Monday this saw the IPA Strategy Group’s fast strategy conference here in London.
All in all a rather splendid occasion.
The high point was the victory of the marvellous Richard Storey in a live head to head fast strategy challenge from the UK Government on Dog Registration. It was a good reminder, if anyone needed it, that Richard is one of the most accomplished creative strategists in adland. The Planning for Good team (Mark Earls, Jon Leech, Ian Tait and Chris Forrest) came second and were outstanding, if not quite as sharp as Richard’s M&C team (here is the wiki they built that morning to help them). CHI was rather out-classed and brought up the rear.
Anyway, the event made me think about my top tips for getting to strategy fast so I thought I’d share them with you. I’ve done 17 since it seems such an unfashionable number. Some stuff will be familiar to regular readers – but when you are creating fast strategy it doesn’t do to reinvent the wheel.
Image courtesy of Combined Media.
This is a little piece I did to publicise the
