On-Brand

This Russell Brand clip chipped up on Ben Kay's blog.

 

Brand makes some really good points here regarding advertising today. I know many a creative or planner will be screaming "he just doesn't get it". Well I think he kind of does.

As mood films become advertising more and more all ads look more and more alike.

And  people in advertising will work harder and harder to explain that these emotional pieces work best, even if the consumer can't remember a) who it was for and b) why they should buy the stuff.  

I'm not sure what to say about Bob Dylan in the Chrysler ads. Maybe the answer is blowing about somewhere.

But then Russell has made some ads before for HP and I don't think they are too bad actually. Not earth shattering but in the same way Chrysler has the legend Dylan in them that will help re-call so HP had Brand to make their ad memorable. The ads are product demos really, what's so wrong with that? As long as they are done in an entertaining and cheeky way,as Brand does best.

Advertising Needs A Big Slap Across The Face With A Large, Wet Fish

This is adapted from a comment I left on Martin Weigel's brilliant blog in reply to another commenter...

Advertising needs a big slap across the face with a large, wet fish.

We have become confused about what 'craft' or creativity is in advertising.

Advertising creative craft at its best isn't merely styling, or thinking up a funny or entertaining thing with the product somehow involved – yes they are things that many amateurs or "kids in Australia" [reference to a Doritos ad] can do.

But that isn't good advertising creative craft, and probably that Doritos ad isn't really good advertising, it's just funny, or entertaining.

Proper, great, advertising creative craft is about searching for that thing in the product or service that will mean something to the consumer, it is about understanding what the consumer wants, what will motivate them, understand how people work, how they decide, and putting all this together in compelling ways that show the consumer what's in for them, in ways that are engaging, interesting, unexpected, relevant, intelligent and memorable, that are robust and enduring, that build companies and grow brands over time by getting more people to buy more product or service more often.

That is advertising creativity. It is only because we underestimate and misunderstand what real advertising creativity is, that we think "anyone can do it".

Proper advertising creativity isn't just creativity.

But the industry has downgraded a whole generation of creatives to merely being being stylists and producers of branded entertainment.

Advertising will not get itself out of the confusing fug it is in until we reverse that trend and remember what proper advertising creative craft is, and understand and re-engage with the value it can give to business, be proud and confident about it, and put that thing back in the centre of the business.

Thinner Than A Slice Of Cake Served In A Yorkshire Teashop

Paddy McGuinness has never struck me as a man burdened by an overflow of good material. And to his credit, he doesn't appear to let that worry him. After all, he's managed to get through seven (yes, seven) series of Take Me Out with a single joke.

But this video reveals something new. A chink in the armour of Paddy's previously impenetrable front. There is definitely something in the eyes that gives away that he's thinking what we're thinking - namely that the material in this is thinner than a slice of cake served in a Yorkshire teashop.

So this is Branded Content, is it? The brave new world of advertising. The thing that people like The Drum, the Sunday Sport of advertising news, keep crapping on about.

 

And the worst thing is, there's more of it. What were they thinking?

Here is the news again, for all of those brand loonies, brand managers and me-too marketing idiots: people don't care. They don't care about your brand, they don't care about what you care about, and they certainly don't give two shits about your crappy debate.

Wearable Technology Is Pants

Wearable Technology. Wearable Technology. Wearable Technology.

We're going to be seeing and hearing a lot more of those words in the coming months. Especially now that's there's even a specially dedicated Wearable Technology store on Amazon where you can buy revolutionary things like watches, pedometers and a smart sports vest that can monitor the amount of cheese you eat.

I'll reserve judgement on whether this will be the next big thing but I can't help feeling that Microsoft are one step ahead of the game with their "phone charging pants".

Yes, folks. They've invented what you've always wanted. A pair of trousers that can charge your phone.

God knows how much time and money they must have put into this project. I'm sure it'll be seeing a payback some time in 2675.

This wasn't some kind of spoof story on The Onion or one of those irritating corporate April Fool's Day jokes. It was actually written up as a proper story here on Forbes who've clearly got their finger on the pulse on current trends in the world of business/got nothing better to write about.

Now, I'm very well aware of the pitfalls of asking people what they want from technology because they just don't know. The Henry Ford quote of "If I'd have asked people what they wanted, they'd have said a faster horse" being a neat summation of this case in point.

However, smart people at the forefront of technology do sometimes get things wrong.

Watch this space.

And keep your eyes out for Nokia's heat sensitive socks that can translate menus into Klingon.

Jimmy Chin

North Face + National Geographic Photographer Jimmy Chin is one of the most accomplished and sought after in his field. He is also incredibly humble. A rare and inspiring combination of qualities.

Listening to him talk about Photography is so refreshing, and a giant leap from the over sincere wannabe-profound bullshit that gets frequently spouted nowadays.

World Cup Stamps

This collection of stamps created for the World Cup is a lovely little project by Maan Studio. 

Now That's Not What I Call Music - Volume 1

Apparently, in the late '80's, a UK record company once put together a compilation of the worst demo tracks they had ever been sent.

Worth a listen for its hilariously sheer awfulness.

You'll never think of Nothing Compares 2 U in the same way again. This version will forever banish Sinead O'Connor from your mind.

Brace your ears.

Via Robert Popper or is it just him pissing around?