Dave Trott breaking it down nice and simple. I think everyone - 'professional' or otherwise - could do with watching this.
National Geographic Found Tumblr
Today, you lucky people, I'm going to share with you one of my very favourite places on the internet. The National Geographic Found Tumblr. If you don't already follow it, you are in for a treat: FOUND is a curated collection of photography from the National Geographic archives. In honor of our 125th anniversary, we are showcasing photographs that reveal cultures and moments of the past. Many of these photos have never been published and are rarely seen by the public. It's updated very regularly, the images are of an unbelievable standard and breadth, and every time I go there, they blow me away. Pure photo-porn. Here are a few examples to whet your appetite...
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| Westinghouse demonstrates an electric razor using x-ray technology, May 1941. |
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| A man and his dog on the Overhanging Rock in Yosemite National Park, May 1924. |
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| Three adolescent Jewish boys, their heads traditionally covered with skullcaps or top hats, sitting in front of school lockers in Brooklyn, June 1982. |
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| Original William Henry Jackson print held in the collection of the Colorado Historical Society. This is a hand-tinted print. |
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| Botafogo Bay and Rio de Janeiro at night, September 1920 |
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| People watching a solar eclipse squint through smoked glass or film on Rebun Island in Japan, March 1949. |
Unpredictable
"This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us." 1878 Western Union Memo
"The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to no one on particular." - David Sarnoff's associates in response to his urgings for investment in the radio in the 1920's
"The horse is here to stay but the automobile is only a novelty - a fad." - Michigan's Savings Bank advising the lawyers of Henry Ford
"The cinema is little more than a fad. It's canned drama. What audiences really want to see is flesh and blood on the stage." - Mr C. Chaplin.
"Television won't be able to hold on to any market it captures after the first six months. People will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night." - Darryl Zanuck
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home" - Ken Olson
Now, what do the above quotations tell us?
On the one hand, you could say that they remind us to ignore the advances of our technology at our peril.
However, on the other hand, I think they more powerfully demonstrate the futility of so-called experts making predictions with about what will or won't happen in the future.
It's something that the advertising business, to its detriment, has become obsessed with in recent years.
Armies of ridiculously named 'futurologists' and 'trend-hunters' telling us that 'everything has changed' and falling over themselves to convince us that there's a pot of gold at the end of some mythical rainbow.
Nest-feathering, militant digital evangelists parroting "TV is dead. TV is dead. TV is dead" without any facts or substance.
Conference upon conference dedicated to new ways of thinking. New ways of doing things. Conjuring up new buzzwords and brainwashing the easily influenced and simple of mind.
It's a sad reality that there are far too many people working in the business today who are more focused on doing something new than doing something good.
If all the energy put into obsessing about the future of marketing was channelled into doing some better work in the here and now, then I'm convinced the overall quality of advertising would improve and standards would rise.
Less talking, more doing.
Because, to misappropriate a famous Keynes quote;
"In the long run we are all dead."
"The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to no one on particular." - David Sarnoff's associates in response to his urgings for investment in the radio in the 1920's
"The horse is here to stay but the automobile is only a novelty - a fad." - Michigan's Savings Bank advising the lawyers of Henry Ford
"The cinema is little more than a fad. It's canned drama. What audiences really want to see is flesh and blood on the stage." - Mr C. Chaplin.
"Television won't be able to hold on to any market it captures after the first six months. People will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night." - Darryl Zanuck
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home" - Ken Olson
Now, what do the above quotations tell us?
On the one hand, you could say that they remind us to ignore the advances of our technology at our peril.
However, on the other hand, I think they more powerfully demonstrate the futility of so-called experts making predictions with about what will or won't happen in the future.
It's something that the advertising business, to its detriment, has become obsessed with in recent years.
Armies of ridiculously named 'futurologists' and 'trend-hunters' telling us that 'everything has changed' and falling over themselves to convince us that there's a pot of gold at the end of some mythical rainbow.
Nest-feathering, militant digital evangelists parroting "TV is dead. TV is dead. TV is dead" without any facts or substance.
Conference upon conference dedicated to new ways of thinking. New ways of doing things. Conjuring up new buzzwords and brainwashing the easily influenced and simple of mind.
It's a sad reality that there are far too many people working in the business today who are more focused on doing something new than doing something good.
If all the energy put into obsessing about the future of marketing was channelled into doing some better work in the here and now, then I'm convinced the overall quality of advertising would improve and standards would rise.
Less talking, more doing.
Because, to misappropriate a famous Keynes quote;
"In the long run we are all dead."
Ad nauseam by Adam Corner
If you do any reading today (I won't be, it's friday for god's sake) read this arrangement of words by Adam Corner on cynicism and anti-consumirism in advertising.
Designers touching their faces
I don't think I'd enjoy the internet as much if it wasn't for silly Tumblrs.
This weeks silly Tumblr is designers touching their faces.
This weeks silly Tumblr is designers touching their faces.
Indoor League
Another blast of nostalgia to brighten up a chilly day. You can keep your Sky Sports Super Sunday nonsense. Televised sports doesn't get any better than Fred Trueman introducing Shove Ha'penny with pipe and pint in hand. You know he's deadly serious when he says it's "the biggest bonanza of sporting skill I've ever clapped eyes on". See for yourself and watch that bonanza of sporting skill right now.
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