Sometimes, when I'm driving, another driver will cut me up by pulling out in front of me or running a red light and I don't mind - simply because they have a beautiful car. This happened this morning when a stunning Jaguar XF pulled out in front of me (I don't care what the men on Top Gear say - it is a thing of beauty).
Strangely, I find the same goes in all walks of life - we seem to forgive beauty its indiscretions. In fact it seems the only negative emotion beauty is susceptible to is jealousy - and even that is exercised with a reverent acceptance that it is powerless in the face of this solid gold accident of birth.
In the workplace beauty is more likely to rise than mediocrity - whether you like it or not, this statement has a grain of truth. Last night's Oscars were a case in point. The celebration of intelligence, skill and craftsmanship was second only to the celebration of the beauty of those who undertook it. If you're beautiful, you're in, and beauty breeds success (and even more beautiful children - see the Beckham brood if you need proof).
The joy and the problem with beauty is that it is seemingly a randomly distributed 'gift'. It's not based on hard work or wit, but on a lucky combination of genes (unless of course you bring in the surgeons). So, what hope then for us mere mortals? Those not touched by the magic dust of good looks? Well you could befriend a beauty, and, if you're prepared to remain in the shadows for most of the time, you might occasionally be permitted to bask in a little reflected glory. Alternatively, you could spend your days chasing the dream of beauty by attempting to change yourself. Or, you could simply create a stunning avatar and live the good life in a virtual world.
Beauty is as dangerous an addiction as any drug. Lives have been wasted in its pursuit and its preservation. So here's my best advice on the subject - appreciate beauty from afar (or indeed a car), and then just give it a very wide berth...
Monday, 28 February 2011
Saturday, 26 February 2011
Why social networking isn't working...
Social networks are getting it wrong. They promise us unique connections with individuals, but what they really offer is broad-brush segmentation - a pile-em high sell-em cheap experience that has only a fraction of the richness of our offline relationships...and here's why....
Let's start with Facebook. One of the key problems Facebook has faced recently is dealing with its users' concerns about the privacy of their data, whilst balancing this with creating a service that's easy to use and works for the developers and advertisers who generate their revenue streams. To me this seemingly practical question about data privacy raises far more fundamental and philosophical debates about the multiple identities we construct online and their relationship to our social experiences in the physical world - and this in turn explains why online networks are failing us.
As human beings we're used to building and maintaining a range of relationships. Relationships of different types, in different contexts, and that offer us different rewards and challenges. The way we behave and communicate with our families may be different to the way we behave with friends, or colleagues, and at an individual level our one-to-one relationships are even more complex; they are multidimensional and ever changing. As you get to know a person better, you may feel comfortable revealing more information about yourself, or you may wish to withhold certain pieces of information. This is your right, and, although it can sometimes be awkward or uncomfortable, we are used to making such judgements on a moment to moment basis with people we talk to or meet in the 'real world' and adjusting our behaviour accordingly.
This level of micro-adjustment of relationships and behaviours is, however, not always possible online, and the way online social networks are set up makes this even more difficult and cumbersome to adapt and change our relationships. Even though they purport to be flexible and personal, the truth is these services are still just computer programmes, designed for mass-communication not mass-customisation. So, they stratify our relationships into broadly defined segments, assuming that all our 'friends' are the same and that we have the same depth and openness in all our relationships.
This forces us down one of two routes. Either we reveal more than we might wish to to some people, or we create multiple identities through multiple accounts across multiple networks (and this can of course be difficult and time-consuming in management terms). In practice I do the latter and have many accounts to manage my online networks. This is ok, and safer than a single account in my view, but it's certainly not convenient!
It is in taking the former approach, however, that I believe many people expose themselves to the most danger. In the scramble to gain more 'friends', more 'followers', more 'connections' (to use the Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn terminology respectively), they forget who and what they are subscribing to, and, in sharing information aimed at their close friends, end up revealing more of themselves than intended to people with whom they might might barely manage to make small talk if they met them in the street.
Take 'Branchout' for example. This company has just raised a significant amount of investment capital to deliver a service aimed at helping people use their friend networks on Facebook to get a better job. By helping people to identify friends who already work at the companies they would like to work for, Branchout suggest that they can help you find the job of your dreams.
What a swathe of assumptions they are making! Firstly, that it is possible to get a job by knowing somebody who works at a company. Secondly that you have a level of friendship with your Facebook 'friends' that would enable you to approach these people, and then put them in an extremely difficult position by suggesting they might get you a job! In theory it's a good idea, but what it fails to take into account again are the emotional and social complexities of human relationships.
For a social network like Facebook, cracking that complexity, making it easy to manage, and in particular enabling us to separate out parts of our lives on a person by person basis, is, in my view, the key to the future of online social networks. When Facebook lets me be a friend, an acquaintance, a family member, a colleague, an aunt, a sister, a teacher, and allows me to manage each relationship as I would in the physical world, that's when it will truly become a useful part of my life. Until then, I guess I'll just have to stick to multiple accounts, multiple identities, and a multiple 'me'.
Let's start with Facebook. One of the key problems Facebook has faced recently is dealing with its users' concerns about the privacy of their data, whilst balancing this with creating a service that's easy to use and works for the developers and advertisers who generate their revenue streams. To me this seemingly practical question about data privacy raises far more fundamental and philosophical debates about the multiple identities we construct online and their relationship to our social experiences in the physical world - and this in turn explains why online networks are failing us.
As human beings we're used to building and maintaining a range of relationships. Relationships of different types, in different contexts, and that offer us different rewards and challenges. The way we behave and communicate with our families may be different to the way we behave with friends, or colleagues, and at an individual level our one-to-one relationships are even more complex; they are multidimensional and ever changing. As you get to know a person better, you may feel comfortable revealing more information about yourself, or you may wish to withhold certain pieces of information. This is your right, and, although it can sometimes be awkward or uncomfortable, we are used to making such judgements on a moment to moment basis with people we talk to or meet in the 'real world' and adjusting our behaviour accordingly.
This level of micro-adjustment of relationships and behaviours is, however, not always possible online, and the way online social networks are set up makes this even more difficult and cumbersome to adapt and change our relationships. Even though they purport to be flexible and personal, the truth is these services are still just computer programmes, designed for mass-communication not mass-customisation. So, they stratify our relationships into broadly defined segments, assuming that all our 'friends' are the same and that we have the same depth and openness in all our relationships.
This forces us down one of two routes. Either we reveal more than we might wish to to some people, or we create multiple identities through multiple accounts across multiple networks (and this can of course be difficult and time-consuming in management terms). In practice I do the latter and have many accounts to manage my online networks. This is ok, and safer than a single account in my view, but it's certainly not convenient!
It is in taking the former approach, however, that I believe many people expose themselves to the most danger. In the scramble to gain more 'friends', more 'followers', more 'connections' (to use the Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn terminology respectively), they forget who and what they are subscribing to, and, in sharing information aimed at their close friends, end up revealing more of themselves than intended to people with whom they might might barely manage to make small talk if they met them in the street.
Take 'Branchout' for example. This company has just raised a significant amount of investment capital to deliver a service aimed at helping people use their friend networks on Facebook to get a better job. By helping people to identify friends who already work at the companies they would like to work for, Branchout suggest that they can help you find the job of your dreams.
What a swathe of assumptions they are making! Firstly, that it is possible to get a job by knowing somebody who works at a company. Secondly that you have a level of friendship with your Facebook 'friends' that would enable you to approach these people, and then put them in an extremely difficult position by suggesting they might get you a job! In theory it's a good idea, but what it fails to take into account again are the emotional and social complexities of human relationships.
For a social network like Facebook, cracking that complexity, making it easy to manage, and in particular enabling us to separate out parts of our lives on a person by person basis, is, in my view, the key to the future of online social networks. When Facebook lets me be a friend, an acquaintance, a family member, a colleague, an aunt, a sister, a teacher, and allows me to manage each relationship as I would in the physical world, that's when it will truly become a useful part of my life. Until then, I guess I'll just have to stick to multiple accounts, multiple identities, and a multiple 'me'.
Wednesday, 16 February 2011
Brands on a bench? Could ambient advertising help solve local government funding problems?
This week, Campaign magazine and the Outdoor Media Centre launched their 'Outdoor Hall of Fame' - a fascinating retrospective of the 'best' outdoor advertising created in the 20th and early 21st centuries. Unsurprisingly, the 20th century work is dominated by poster work - posters and billboards have been, after-all, the mainstays of outdoor campaigns for the bulk of their history.
Scrolling through the decades shows a fascinating progression; visually there is a clear movement from illustration, to photography, bold typography and then a focus on symbolic imagery as we move towards the turn of the new century. In the messaging there are increasing levels of subtlety and punnery - something which I'd argue is difficult to achieve an impact with in spots where dwell time is minimal.
What I find interesting (although perhaps unsurprising as the project comes from the trade body for outdoor media providers) is the lack of evidence of raft of alternatives to the billboard now available - particularly in the sections on the 90s and 00s. The last decade has seen an explosion of creativity in terms of outdoor communications - particularly in the creative use of urban environments (see below for some examples), but the space-sellers are finding it hard to keep up.
Media organisations who sell outdoor space are facing a direct challenge. In an age where ad clutter is at an unprecedented level and where it's increasingly difficult to stand out from the crowd, it's unsurprising that creative solutions are being found- but those solutions often mean that advertisers are using space over which media companies have no control - pavements, park benches, zebra crossings...
This may be a controversial view, but for me, in the context of a massive national budget deficit, this presents a fantastic opportunities. Local councils in some areas have been slow to wake up to the revenue generating assets they have in civic areas. A managed approach to generating revenue through ad space sales is a fantastic potential income source for councils and could have a dramatic impact on the regeneration of urban areas. I know there will be some who will argue that there is too much advertising around us already, but with careful management, licensing and reviews of the creative work I believe this could go some way towards alleviating local governments' budget woes without having a negative impact on our towns and cities.
Instead of bemoaning the cuts imposed upon them, I'd like to see local governments taking control by developing creative, enterprising solutions to the problems they are facing...
(steps off Persil branded soap box....)
Here are those examples I mentioned...
Scrolling through the decades shows a fascinating progression; visually there is a clear movement from illustration, to photography, bold typography and then a focus on symbolic imagery as we move towards the turn of the new century. In the messaging there are increasing levels of subtlety and punnery - something which I'd argue is difficult to achieve an impact with in spots where dwell time is minimal.
What I find interesting (although perhaps unsurprising as the project comes from the trade body for outdoor media providers) is the lack of evidence of raft of alternatives to the billboard now available - particularly in the sections on the 90s and 00s. The last decade has seen an explosion of creativity in terms of outdoor communications - particularly in the creative use of urban environments (see below for some examples), but the space-sellers are finding it hard to keep up.
This may be a controversial view, but for me, in the context of a massive national budget deficit, this presents a fantastic opportunities. Local councils in some areas have been slow to wake up to the revenue generating assets they have in civic areas. A managed approach to generating revenue through ad space sales is a fantastic potential income source for councils and could have a dramatic impact on the regeneration of urban areas. I know there will be some who will argue that there is too much advertising around us already, but with careful management, licensing and reviews of the creative work I believe this could go some way towards alleviating local governments' budget woes without having a negative impact on our towns and cities.
Instead of bemoaning the cuts imposed upon them, I'd like to see local governments taking control by developing creative, enterprising solutions to the problems they are facing...
(steps off Persil branded soap box....)
Here are those examples I mentioned...
Monday, 7 February 2011
Who needs a watercooler? Brandbowl 2011 - the winner is....
Chrysler's spine-tingling collaboration with Eminem has 'won' the race for top SuperBowl ad according to www.boston.com's Brandbowl. The system was set up to collate instant feedback on Superbowl ads via an app and Twitter mentions of the various ads as they aired. Not an exact science perhaps, (its measures of success are based on the level of online 'buzz' created and the instance of particular keywords expressing sentiment) but it does give an indication of which ads captured the attention, and sparked emotion amongst the masses. Who needs a watercooler moment when we have Twitter, eh?
So, opinions on the Chrysler ad? I loved it. It's a truly American piece of work that resonates brilliantly with the Chrysler brand - tough, inspiring, and with the ultimate motivational soundtrack. Touchdown.
The Star Wars inspired VW ad featuring a mini Darth Vader (see my earlier post for details), came in second, with, unsurprisingly, a higher sentiment score. (It is extremely heart warming for something inspired by an evil dictator...).
Overall, some great work, and some not so great work from the agencies (as predicted, Kia struggled in at number 30 in the ratings).
Oh, and can anyone tell me who won the match? I was a little distracted...
So, opinions on the Chrysler ad? I loved it. It's a truly American piece of work that resonates brilliantly with the Chrysler brand - tough, inspiring, and with the ultimate motivational soundtrack. Touchdown.
The Star Wars inspired VW ad featuring a mini Darth Vader (see my earlier post for details), came in second, with, unsurprisingly, a higher sentiment score. (It is extremely heart warming for something inspired by an evil dictator...).
Overall, some great work, and some not so great work from the agencies (as predicted, Kia struggled in at number 30 in the ratings).
Oh, and can anyone tell me who won the match? I was a little distracted...
Sunday, 6 February 2011
It's Superbowl Sunday - but forget the game...it's all about the ads...
This weekend sees the ultimate showcase for the top ad agencies and leading brands - the Superbowl - and this year it seems there is more online hype about the ads than the game. What's really interesting, however, is the way in which the experience of watching ads is being shared in real time via social networks, and the huge potential this has for transforming the way the advertising industry operates.
So, here's the situation...leaked sneak previews of a number of the key ads are all over the web, and many of them already have many millions of views. Twitter is abuzz with comment and, to harness this feedback, Boston.com has set up a real-time rating service 'BrandBowl' to allow app and Twitter users (hash tag #brandbowl) to collect and collate their views on the ads as they air.
This is a hugely competitive event - not just for the teams involved but for the big advertising agencies who are vying to outdo each other to create the ad everyone will be talking about the next day. So, this instant response will provide key information on who has 'won' the big game.
From what I've seen so far the spot below for VW by agency Deutsch is the pick of the bunch. Dramatic, funny, memorable and not trying too hard (unlike the OTT Kia 'Epic').
I predict that this ability to instantly share comments and reviews of ads, participating in the experience of viewing them online via social networks, will transform the way advertisers develop creative. Playing to a live audience is different than creating a movie, and I think we'll see agencies working with the live experience in exciting new ways in the near future.
More on the #BrandBowl tomorrow...
So, here's the situation...leaked sneak previews of a number of the key ads are all over the web, and many of them already have many millions of views. Twitter is abuzz with comment and, to harness this feedback, Boston.com has set up a real-time rating service 'BrandBowl' to allow app and Twitter users (hash tag #brandbowl) to collect and collate their views on the ads as they air.
This is a hugely competitive event - not just for the teams involved but for the big advertising agencies who are vying to outdo each other to create the ad everyone will be talking about the next day. So, this instant response will provide key information on who has 'won' the big game.
From what I've seen so far the spot below for VW by agency Deutsch is the pick of the bunch. Dramatic, funny, memorable and not trying too hard (unlike the OTT Kia 'Epic').
I predict that this ability to instantly share comments and reviews of ads, participating in the experience of viewing them online via social networks, will transform the way advertisers develop creative. Playing to a live audience is different than creating a movie, and I think we'll see agencies working with the live experience in exciting new ways in the near future.
More on the #BrandBowl tomorrow...
Tuesday, 1 February 2011
Too Terrified To Travel? Is this the year to stay in the UK?
These are turbulent times. Scenes of violence and terror in countries such as Tunisia, Egypt, and Russia have rarely been off our TV screens in recent weeks; but will it put you off travelling overseas for your holidays this year?
At the time of year when people traditionally book their holidays (after all, what else do we have to look forward to in these dreary months of austerity?), it would be easy to deduce from the stories in the news that the world outside this island is a dangerous place. And yet we are not immune to terror and violence here in the UK. The London bombings were a stark reminder of this.
Having travelled in each of the countries mentioned above, I feel a combination of sympathy for (some of) the frustrations, sadness at the violence and, if I'm quite honest, my own good fortune at having passed through in gentler times.
There may be many who would be put off travelling to other countries by what they see reported, but I am not one of them. Travel is a privilege and an opportunity to experience the unfamiliar that can teach you more about humanity than any lesson or video on YouTube. Our lives are at risk every day, no matter where we are and what we are doing. So why not stop worrying about it and do the great stuff? Why not have the life-changing experiences, see things from another perspective, let other cultures teach you things you didn't know you needed to know?
Of course, there's another factor at play here - and that's money. For those who have it, the option to travel is there; for those who don't, the borders are closed. Whether this is right or fair is a discussion for another day. One thing I will say is that here in the UK we have some of the richest and most diverse landscape, culture and history of any country, and I for one have not explored as much of it as I would like.
So, don't let the terror on your screens put you off travelling, but why not, just this year, keep it local and spend your holiday exploring some of the gems of the green green grass of home...
At the time of year when people traditionally book their holidays (after all, what else do we have to look forward to in these dreary months of austerity?), it would be easy to deduce from the stories in the news that the world outside this island is a dangerous place. And yet we are not immune to terror and violence here in the UK. The London bombings were a stark reminder of this.
Having travelled in each of the countries mentioned above, I feel a combination of sympathy for (some of) the frustrations, sadness at the violence and, if I'm quite honest, my own good fortune at having passed through in gentler times.
There may be many who would be put off travelling to other countries by what they see reported, but I am not one of them. Travel is a privilege and an opportunity to experience the unfamiliar that can teach you more about humanity than any lesson or video on YouTube. Our lives are at risk every day, no matter where we are and what we are doing. So why not stop worrying about it and do the great stuff? Why not have the life-changing experiences, see things from another perspective, let other cultures teach you things you didn't know you needed to know?
Of course, there's another factor at play here - and that's money. For those who have it, the option to travel is there; for those who don't, the borders are closed. Whether this is right or fair is a discussion for another day. One thing I will say is that here in the UK we have some of the richest and most diverse landscape, culture and history of any country, and I for one have not explored as much of it as I would like.
So, don't let the terror on your screens put you off travelling, but why not, just this year, keep it local and spend your holiday exploring some of the gems of the green green grass of home...
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