Present Generation

Shirky's Post Industrial Journalism Paper - in 21 Quotes

2013-03-19T14:45:47-07:00

It's challenging wrapping your head around today's media landscape - not because there are too many changing dynamics, rather rarely does one exhaustively explore the subject.

Earlier this year the Columbia Journalism School and Tow Center for Digital Journalism released a 122 page paper called Post Industrial Journalism: Adapting to the Present. Written by C.W. Anderson, Emily Bell and the seemingly omnipresent Clay Shirky.

The paper is a serious, exhaustive and joined up inquiry into what is the role of journalism today and what are the models that may exist tomorrow.

It is an exceptional piece of work. A sober review of the state of the industry pulling together the full picture of what we each know in pieces. A picture that only an outside party free from commercial/proprietary interest can clinically pull together devoid of salesmanship and jargon-ism.

The histories and functions of journalism and advertising have long been intertwined. Thus it is imperative any self respecting advertising professional takes a proper look at the shifting dynamics. It is too easy to look at the dynamics in fragments or superficially.

As it is an exhaustive look at journalism it is also exhausting to plow one's way through it. It has taken me weeks (though I've done some other stuff too during that time...)

Thus I've concentrated the 5 hour read to 5 minutes with my selection of the 21 most important quotes in this PDF:

Download Post Industrial Journalism in 21 Quotes

What is compelling when reading the paper is any time they reference a journalism term, say newsroom, and you replace it with an advertising equivalent, such as agency, or journalist = creative, the points couldn't be truer.

The most resonant point that comes through repeatedly is that adding some digital technology to your existing process doesn't make you digital, you have to fundamentally rework your workflow to reap rewards. Additionally, and lastly, at a time when many are just winging it you do need a workflow but allow the system or practice of its use to be hackable when benefits ourweight the restrictions of the workflow.

Critics, the Opinionated, and Proofers Wanted

2013-03-06T09:55:24-08:00

I've written a book titled Everyday Paris.

It is a cultural briefing on how to "do Paris as Parisians do."

I seek a few more people to give it a read and help me understand what is and isn't working before formally sharing with agents & publishers.

Why did I write Everyday Paris?

I've been a Francophile long before transferring in 2010 to one of Europe's top creative ad agencies - DDB Paris.

Cultural observation has always been an obsession of mine and living in Paris is an “observaholic’s” nirvana. It was a hobby and compulsion to endlessly share things I noticed or thought interesting as a sort of guerrilla ethnography, which people seem to quite like.

What compelled me to actually follow through with the idea for this book was a discerning friend advising a leading global luxury brand borrowed a passage of mine (without my knowledge) discussing Brie cheeses. One evening he decided to read it out in Versailles Palace's Hall of Mirrors.

Frighteningly, the occasion was a grand dinner marking UNESCO naming French gastronomy an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, packing together 650 of the good, great and Michelin starred of French gastronomy in rightful self-congratulation.

Surprisingly, rather than laugh, they applauded.

So I've since written a cultural briefing that can be read on a plane or train to Paris. It fits between your typical laundry list guide book/website/magazine and a breezy but individualistic expat novel.

Why does the world need this book?

There is a generation seeking to be informed and mindful travelers who have no shortage of tips and lists but struggle to break through the sterile bubble of passive check-list tourism to become authentic participants in the city and experience how its inhabitants live any given day.

In other words, they seek to become temporary Parisians, and thus when in Paris wish to "do Paris as Parisians do."

Interested?

If you are interested in reading the manuscript before it is proves to be the next great publishing empire, or a glorious failure, send me an email or Tweet.

Contact me by Sunday March 10 ideally as my ambition is to have input by April 1-ish.

If not you, please forward to someone you think might be interested.

Reward:

I can't offer much other than being part of the journey. I did much the same for Alex Bogusky and John Windsor when they published Baked In, which was rather interesting.

If you are in the UK I will hook you up with some wine. If elsewhere I'll arrange some suitable consideration/inspiration. Of course once published you will brush with glory and get some special rewards if and when it takes off.

TED Vancouver. Why not us?

2013-02-08T08:43:53-08:00

TED is moving to my hometown Vancouver in 2014. That is pretty cool, but why Vancouver?

One of my favorite memories of the first Interesting Vancouver was meeting the artist David Young when planning the event. He had recently moved to Vancouver from the US and remains absolutely convinced Vancouver today has the right ingredients to become the world's next great creative hub.

As a born and raised self-loathing Vancouverite it seemed equally ridiculous and addictive this provocation of his.

"Why not us?" he challenged me.

In his Interesting Vancouver 2008 talk he dissects the great cities and creative eras of human history to build his argument why the present generation's Vancouver is potentially the next great creative culture.

I fully agree with David and part of my reverse migration to Europe is to experience and study more closely how other cultures - be they local, national, regional or global - operate with success, mediocrity or failure.

Having left Vancouver, I increasingly identify the reasons why Vancouver already is one of the planet's leading thinking hubs of the moment.

1. Hard Natural Resources - wealth of the land is helpful. Traditionally hard natural resources timber, minerals, agriculture and fishing have provided the wealth of the region and a financial backbone of a community.

2.Soft Natural Resources - have created new opportunity and financial resource - such as near perfect natural light conditions to create the largest film production centre outside L.A. and NY. Technical knowledge from logging built one of the most technically advanced rigging expertise centers for big budget action films (eg. the X-men films) or early computer pioneers driven by an economy that only knows technical progress (and a bit of local sci-fi rebel rousing from William Gibson types.) These are soft resources developed in one area that then jump laterally to areas like video games with EA who develops most of their sporting titles in Vancouver.

3. Collaborative - while a big city it is not so big that individual business sectors never cross over. Each sector has a handful of players (take advertising where there are maybe 5 meaningful agencies today) such that they naturally cross paths with many other areas. Likewise, two large but excellent universities and the top notch Emily Carr art school who have departments but never the entrenched silos of old world institutions.

4. Curiosity - Vancouverites tend to be more introverted than elsewhere but certainly are curious types seeking stimulus from all sources. It is one of the world's few genuinely multi-cultural cities. Many great cities like London or Paris are international but their government and self-image remains caucasian male with barely a handful of exceptions despite the factual demographics and thriving ethnic communities. A strong world life balance mantra of work hard play hard also keeps people fired up and full of interests fueling curiosity.

5. Pioneer spirit - over 90% of the population moved within at most two generation to the region in pursuit of a better life. It is hard wired to think that however something is done today it can be done better tomorrow - change is always better than not changing. A few quick examples being Greenpeace for the environmental movement, Lululemon for modern sportswear and Vancouverism to embrace a new model of mixed use urban planning transforming downtown over two decades.

David, who attended TED before the Chris Anderson buyout and subsequent commercialization noted that Interesting Vancouver felt very much like the free exchange of the early TEDs.

TED has become something completely different, and very bloody good at what it is. But why bring it to Vancouver?

Why not?

Now, is there still room for Interesting Vancouver? Or course, they are brothers of the same mother after all, just growing up to be very distinct people contributing each in their own way to the world.

New Media New Year

2013-01-10T10:13:47-08:00

As we purge the old to start anew in 2013, it is an ideal time to also revive one's media diet. Media habits settle easily and lazily, as any habit does.

Here is some wide ranging media that may be notable enough to displace any tired media in your life.

Watchable

Two continents, two eras, two dramas, one environment - the newsroom:

- The Hour - post WWII investigative news drama set in the BBC produced by the BBC. Unfairly compared to the heavy shadow of Mad Men, as all dramas of this era now must be, The Hour stands its own with dignity, pace and surprise in a time when integrity was rife in the news room.

- The Newsroom - Aaron Sorkin's take on the tensions and conflicts of the modern newsroom where integrity swims against the current. Jeff Daniels, while a great actor who will always be most noted by this writer for his stellar performance in Dumb & Dumber, is stellar as the jaded ego maniac with a deeply buried yet strongly burning moral compass.

Both timely given the ongoing debate of eroding journalism, a decline English language France 24 and its plucky young crew refutes. Well informed and concise coverage of the news stories that matter - that many networks don't think deliver ratings. Particularly good for Africa and Middle East affairs free of hype, agenda and hyperbole. An informative tabletop tablet app over your morning coffee.

Listen

Here's the Thing hosted and produced by Alec Baldwin is 40 minutes of your life you cannot believe didn't cost anything. He is an interesting man interested in a wide range of subjects and people, getting under the skin of what makes them tick, revealing what makes himself tick.

The Menu - the casual and welcome pretension of uber media brand Monocle is at its finest in The Menu. A weekly podcast bringing the world of food to your ears. For some reason I listen to it at the gym...

James Chutter Mixtapes - an oldie but goodie by an old friend - while I'm not sure of the legalities and I am sure of the listenability of these newschool mix tapes by actor/ad man/entrepreneur extraordinaire James.

Read

Rouleur - much more than an elegantly designed bike magazine. Rouleur is a tribute and asset to the culture of cycling effortlessly mixing the personalities of yesterday with the practitioners of today. Optimistic, transparent and celebratory of the sport without being naive or caustic.

Giles Coren - hidden behind Rupert Murdoch's Times paywall is a critic of culture, Britishness and society in the disguise of a restaurant critic. Informed provocative priggishness dished lavishly in hearty laugh out loud helpings.

Foreign Affairs - as the doctrine of globalism - one planet, one nation, one culture - exhausts its remaining breath big questions with big facts and big implications rumble underfoot. Though a bit America centric and at times military focused the informed and well written readible essays take you out of the trees to see the forest of global concerns.

Collect - an Australian upstart focused on the culture of entrepreneurs. As we live in the new era of entrepreneurship Collect packs together the best of this world while unintentionally encapsulating the modern global esthetic of the "indie" brand.

Fricote - a bilingual journal about food that is in fact an eye wateringly fresh take on visual magazine design. Playful while never letting polish get in the way.

Obama Not So Lucky This Time

2012-11-09T07:02:06-08:00

Another edition of the reality show the globe can't stop watching has concluded.

Obama stays on as commander in chief.

As the campaign teams scramble for new jobs, livery is removed from jets and attention returns to the plodding task of governing many have noted this US presidential election felt a little flat versus 2008.

Yet, record sums of money were invested in advertising. Social media went from novelty to mastery. Rhetoric from both sides flew constantly.

Nonetheless, the great emotional drive, the uplift of a generation and mobilization of the indifferent didn't arrive.

Why not? They did all the right things.

Hundreds of pieces of creative were produced, maybe thousands, millions even if you count every banner and placard made by supporters.

What if in 2008 Obama simply got lucky?

Lucky that a street artist made a rogue poster. Allegedly stealing an image and giving it his artistic flair.

A poster that turned a politician into an unusually iconic figure, for a politician.

A poster that said what many wanted to feel.

A poster people at first discovered, rather than were broadcast.

A poster whose tone meshed with the personality of the leader.

A poster cool enough for a non-fanatic to put up in his office, dorm, storefront or car back window.

A poster perfectly designed for the digital age, appearing on Facebook feeds, twitter icons and the first generation of iPhone back when only Amercans and Canadian's like me had them.

A poster that Obama was lucky an artist woke up one day and decided to make.

-----

What if the reason this election fell a bit flat is simply neither candidate was lucky enough to have that rare creative expression that taps the moment, its people and its mood unexpectedly and inexplicably.

They probably tried, maybe too hard, too many hands, too many opinions. Maybe.

There certainly were some very interesting pieces of creative and design, that met the brief and achieve the objective.

We can only speculate the 2008 outcome if Shepard Fairey's Hope poster wasn't created. But, the debate over why this election fell flat does leave one clear conclusion - in this world of near infinite knowledge and un-consumable volumes of information people still want to feel moved.

EU vs. America Social Media Smackdown

2012-10-23T13:25:03-07:00

Got an interesting email today from an old colleague. We worked together in the legendary halcyon days of the term "social media." Same agency, different departments, working together to help get our social media practice up and running (yes back in 2007 it was started organically, without acquisition.)

The point of the email was exploring the differences between North America and EU social practices. Very interesting query. Something over nearly 3 years living here, working with a bunch of brands and meeting lots of interesting people outside my agencies.

Thought it worth posting the points for posterity. I apologize in advance for the excessive of pragmatism and lack of dogma.

It seems like EU is where social was a couple years ago in the US.
- Everyone was aware , a few had tried but were underwhelmed as expectation weren't in line and brands got a little shy.
- But then consumer behavior ran ahead and suddenly brands had massive scale so that it became a core part of the marketing mix rather than novelty.
- I would say there is a place for proper grown up social business and strategy - I struggle apart from AKQA to identify to many agencies at an international level here in EU killing it.

The dynamics causing this:
- It is a huge area of responsibility that has mostly been left to the hands of media agencies - which makes sense as companies like Facebook set up sales offices long before development teams.
- Given the scale of media businesses, they went social early but brands have been slower to uptake partly as they haven't needed to as Pan EU business growth could be delivered through emerging markets like the East
- Additionally budgets are being hit hard, 20 to 30% year on year for a few years now, even growing brands
- Olympics are a great example of this - the media owner social was amazing. Brands really didn't use the space to inspire, even those with aggressive "innovation" strategies like Coke
- It is a lot tougher over here as everything is so much more fragmented and complex with deeper cultural variance between and within nations. At the moment it is also really risk adverse given the financial crisis that is still working itself out. Heavey oversight. Very siloed. People still commonly talk about ATL and BTL as though they are still different worlds.
- But some markets, like France have great isolated successes now (see the McDonald's work DDB has done for example)
- To get social through the door most agencies did a cost arguement rather than quality of engagement.

Opportunity
- It seems to me the opportunity to bring proper grown up experience is needed.
- One things euro's don't begrudge is if you don't live down the street.
- Be really sharp where in the market you fit in between brand agency, activation agency, PR, the remaining digital silos, etc, as budgets tend to be far more fragmented and protected by different hands than in the US as politics often carries more strongly over merit comparatively
- Direct to product teams rather than through marketing teams is where the budgets are shifting. Curiously, product teams are proving more creative and innovative than many brand teams - evidenced a lot in FMCG lately. Baked in social I'd say has huge potential, though that is a feeling not fact

The Test of Social Time

2012-09-26T06:43:25-07:00

It's social media week in London.

So the same old types are telling social stories where the disbelievers are rediculed as not getting it.

The smartly designed glass wearing tellers of the stories are written off by the disbelievers as undisciplined hacks unable to prove any causation of "Likes" on improving grown up business metrics.

All a bit sad and tragic really.

I stumbled accross the Bill Bernback Said site today - always worth a reminder of Bill's old work. My goodness, it must have been fun with that new medium nobody really new how to measure and no codified rules or MBA manuals of how to advertise formulated into people's heads. So wonderfuly irresponsible they must have seemed.

Also, D&AD celebrated their 50th. Lots of reports of people looking at the 70's and 80's work blown away by how simple, single minded and powerful it was, and still is.

But the best was the President's award to Dan Wieden, that made reasonable no sense, but for doing outrageous work for outrageous clients.

The scary thing about all this is at the time none of them realising the greater impact of what they had done or were doing. They knew it had to be different, but didn't know exactly how.

There is something about the people doing the work social media week is all about, that over time will likely prove to be powerful. But, we just don't know what it is yet. We know a bit, but not really that much, even amongst those who claim they do know it all already.

Funny how the most unreasonable things at their time stand the test of time as being exceedingly reasonable.

Digtally Fueling Nike

2012-08-11T04:18:11-07:00

Nike gets held up a lot in marketing meetings, conference and articles.

Less for their advertising these days. Arguably it's not as profound, insightful or compelling as it once was. Though that view tends to come from middle aged advertising people not teen aged target markets who are rather engaged.

However, what is certain is that what they are saying is getting relatively less interesting over time to what they are doing. They are doing some increasingly really interesting things.

Nike+ has been out for five years, which feels really old. A standard feature in most running products.

The Fuel Band had a nice boom on release. Strong release amongst the keeners, still a question if it's big with the regular people yet but that's just an observational conclusion.

No matter, two things are very interesting.

1. The are doing real social not formulaic social. Communicating and celebrating across the entire brand and all its touchpoints. Giving people something to talk about (the product) and then incorporating that naturally and honestly into comms. I loved their consumer facing Fuel Band dashboard even before they asked to feature me on the front page following a little jog with livestock in Spain. The ongoing football academy reality like saga on their France football fanpage or any one of hundreds of other micro-narratives across all their owned media.

2. Their front sales staff are getting skilled up in new ways. In the Covent Garden running store the other week I noticed an employee with the role Digital Specials on his name tag. Basically, given the technology products starting to come out they are installing retail floor experts to teach fellow staff and consumers on what the products are and how they work in regular language for regular people. Seems obvious but it is amazing how few retailers communicate well, in the frontlines, with real customers. Retail seen too easily as purely as cost centre or topline revenue driver rather than brand experience lynchpin.

The second point is really interesting as Nike seems on the verge of becoming arguably the first retail goods company to incorporate technology deeply and meaningfully into their products. The Nike+ Basketball product blows my mind, and it seems smart clothing after years of promises is coming out soon too.

The future is distributing itself a little better in sport these days.

My Summer of Run

2012-07-22T07:12:51-07:00

It is a grand summer of sport in Britain this 2012.

Amidst the watching, supporting and cheering for me is a lot of running. Well, not as much as I need but a fair bit.

When arriving in a new city, as a visitor or new inhabitant, two feet gives a sense of the scale, variety, inhabitants and general air of a city.

Rather than precisely mapped out routes I embrace the likelihood of getting lost by picking a destination to run to, and ultimately see where I end up. Oyster and Visa cards on hand for escape if needed and on many cases they have been.

This September my wife and I are running for Chateau Pichon's team in the Bordeaux Marathon. Not the most serious of marathons given the fancy dress, wine sampling and restorative oyster stations. Nonetheless 26.2 miles through the greatest vineyards of Bordeaux is still 26.2 miles under the clock.

So for me, it has been the summer of run. These are my 10 favorite so far.

1. A regular route along Regents Canal - usually to the concrete bound East and periodically to the vacant green West.

2. The Dutch seaside outside Den Hague. Yes, the dutch have a seaside. No, it's not worth going out of your way to see. Unless you like running on brutally soft sand with bitter unrelenting sand filled wind pummeling your face.

3. Amsterdamn on Queen's Day - run ended at 10am with streets filled with kids performing their talents (not all with imposing dads looking and texting for record contracts.)

4. Primrose Hill track - old school narrow track in leafy ambiance for speed sessions (which generally aren't that speedy.) Chariots of Fire soundtrack should be on loop.

5. Running of The Bulls - Pamplona, my shortest run, about 200m into the stadium, of total chaos. Nobody told me that once you've survived the bull run, they close you in the ring and release 5 more bulls for recreational goring.

6. Richmond - the old royal herds of red deer for hunting are much more tame yet still wild.

7. Montmartre - my old route around Sacre Coeur when I first moved to Paris, still worthy of a lap around the hill each visit. Though I no longer slip on the tricky reverse camber paving stones on dewy mornings.

8. Canal du Midi - outside Revel in the South of France, technically a feeder canal from Bassin de St.-Ferrol that gave 10 miles powered by the previous nights frog's legs and Gaillac. This was a good one, really good.

9. Cairngorm - not a run but hike atop the Cainrgorm range for skiing in May. The world offers many peculiar experiences.

10. The Olympic Torch - I didn't run with it, I did run 6 miles to view it with all the middle aged hipsters of Shroeditch.

With the Olympics starting Friday more runs of note are expected. Bring it.

My Time Is Meow

2012-05-23T10:27:29-07:00

Thank you internet.

Sorry, no tunnels.

2000 Push Up Challenge - It's On

2012-04-18T06:37:58-07:00

Following a social media frenzy accross the Northern Hemisphere over the past 24hrs an official 2000 Push Up Challenge has crowdsourced itself.

Tonight, it's on. 20:00 GMT.

Offical rules as sanctioned by the 2k-PUCA (aka the 2000 Push Up Challenge Association) are as follows:

1. 2000 pushups in two weeks, wherever, whenever

2. No cheatsies

3. Participants post progress daily on Twitter with hashtag: "@macfarbt 0/2000 #2000pushupchallenge"

4. Eligibility period - 20:000 GMT Wednesday April 18 through 19:59 GMT Wednesday May 2nd

5. Lagards can enter any time up completion - no cheatsies

Eternal glory for all finishers. Maybe a badge or something too.

2000 Push Up Challenge

2012-04-17T08:04:56-07:00

There has been an awesome challenge around the agency lately. You know, the type of thing the pre-professional blogging world would have loved - the minutia of life.

The 2000 Push Up Challenge

It was a pretty big deal, we even discussed making an app to adjudicate and make sure nobody cheated.

Or better yet - a head mounted RFID system integrated with a GoPro camera to enable a real time gamified rewards system synergized with the open API for our Nike Fuelbands. But the APIs not really available yet.

Instead, I just made a logo. Using the immensely powerful graphic design platform everyone is talking about: PowerPoint.

Rules are easy - over two weeks complete 2000 push ups.

Do them when you want, at your pace.

Averages out to 143 per day.

It's a lot more than you think.

I finished yesterday.

Others are doing it today.

Pretty sure this will become the next big thing.

Hemingway: 10 Lost Lessons for Young Writers

2012-04-01T03:45:38-07:00

One damp, dark and bone chilling winter day in Paris last year I ducked into La Galcante. Possibly my favorite shop in Paris. Hidden in the middle of the heart of Paris' 1ere arrondissement on Rue de l'Arbre Sec. Tucked behind the oft visited Spring Boutique where I'd stock up on and learn about wine during my time living there.

La Galcante's reason to exist is historic journals and ancient documents. Newspapers, engravings and magazines from the past couple hundred years. Equal part museum and treasure hunt. Most all from "mechanized" eras focusing on culture, war and politics.

In La Galcante are collections of boxes labeled by theme - a person, place or event. A functional way to collate clippings and publications devoted to an individual.

Buried deep in a box shared by Earnest Hemingway and Orson Welles was edition number 662 of Artes published March 19 to 25 in 1958. A seemingly since deceased publication.

Hemingway, the man and his myth are as closely intertwined with Paris as any other artist. A vicarious window for many into Paris during its most recent truly golden age. A vision into the modern construct and lore of the lifestyle of an American writer.

The article lists his 10 punchy pieces of advice for young writers. Loosely translated as follows:

1. Be in love.

2. Apply yourself to writing with force.

3. Watch the world and mingle closely with life.

4. Intermix with upcoming writers.

5. Don't waste your time.

6. Listen to music and look at paintings.

7. Read constantly.

8. Don't look to explain.

9. Listen to your pleasures.

10. Shut up. The sense kills the creator of words.

While Hemingway wrote a lot, he rarely wrote about how he wrote - though writing did feature in a number of his semi-autobiographical fictions.

The accompanying article also chronicles exactly how he writes in his Havana flat. 450 to 1,250 words a day, every day. Not the most prolific but not so much as to get in the way of living a life that gives one something to write about.

Great tips for a writer, and for life in general.

Agile Combat Storytelling

2012-03-25T13:06:11-07:00

Humans tell stories. We are really good at it. Both the telling part and the receiving. A good story says so much more than the volume of words or visuals used.

While stories fills much of my day the greatest storytellers I respect are those on the front lines of combat. People enduring real physical risk to tell stories that need to be told. Rather than the stories somebody wants to tell.

The Imperial War museum currenlty has a powerful exhibit by iconic war photojournalist Don McCullen - Shaped by War.

On Saturday fresh off the plan from six months in Afghanistan British Army photographer Sergeant Steve Blake along with the head of photography at the museum talked about covering 21st Centruy Conflicts.

His story of covering modern conflict is one of the most compelling stories I've heard in recent years.

Firstly, with extreme forensic distance the head of photography chronicled the shift int he past 20 years from film to digital photography and its moral and operational implications.

Followed by Steve pragmatically detailing the team structure and how despite being a photographer he is a soldier first. A soldier who must engage a population with a thing most have never seen - his camera.

Most interesting to me is their team structure. Steve works in a group of three. Himself on stills, another on film and their leader, a superior, who serves as the official media voice and is responsible for all radio content.

These three, with their individual equipment adding 50 points to each's back and a shared satellite uplink operate as a self contained mobile news room that delivers against every single possible medium.

Some stuff they shoot goes on TV, some on Facebook, some in newleters and some in magazines. They don't worry about the medium, just getting the story.

I loved the brutal simplicity of three people getting all possible required content for any medium.

When lives are at stake, no time for messing around.

Oh America, You're Still Here

2012-02-05T05:02:15-08:00

As the world jelously salivates over the swift riches of 'newly' minted Facebook millionaires this week goverments and pundits equally initiate the deafeatist toned debate of why wheir nation doesn't generate companies who generate such grand wealth so quickly.

At the same time is a great series by Jonathan Meades delving into the deep cultural influence of America on France. A deep cultural influence of minimal recognition and even derision. In Fance, as depicted by image above snapped at the museum of technical arts, America is treated as a contained silo rather than pervasive incons and constructs.

On Monday, the world's advertising professionals will dissect Super Bowl advertising. From big idea films, executional excess to integration with the latest trends, theories and technology.

America holds an exceptional outward cultural force. One few acknowledge and seems perceptually diminished at a time of more deft footed foreign policy.

Cuturally, America remains by far the planet's greatest force. Yet, fascinatingly, so few nations can shed their nationalistic pathways and mentalities to learn or at least take on the attitude of necessary calculated risk acceptance inbred in America's "ever forward at all cost" mentality.

There are some great ads playing out tonight online and on TV. Worth a moment to think less about the tools they use or celebrity they hired and more about the mentality that enabled the best stuff.

Advertising Theory Deadlock

2011-12-20T08:50:00-08:00

It seems there are new battle lines drawing up in the world of advertising. Simplisticly, they followed a journey that went like this:

1. Model A is no longer relevant. It is replaced by Model B.

2. Oh wait. Actually, we didn't move from A to B, but now models A though Z can work.

3. Hold on, all that stuff in Model A still works. I did some of that Model B and then M stuff, not sure if it was any different or better. So Model A still works and is therefore the focus of most efforts supplemented with a smattering of other stuff.

4. No, you didn't actually ever commit to B nor anything one thing C through Z. Actually, you tried to do them all, at the same time, badly. Just as I can buy personalised Nike I want personalised ads. Stuff for me, only when I want it where I want it. This is the post industrial mass advertising revolution damn it. Don't you get it? A revolution!!!

And there you have it. Two factions lined up behind Stage 3 or Stage 4. It's not communism, or socialism nor even anarchy. In fact, it looks a lot like the US Democrat Vs. Republican divide. Two parties closely fighting every election collectively representing most of the country.

One for big government, the other for small government. One about the individuals, the other about the macro economy.

Each are a system of governing. Each with different values, personalities, divergent self interest and ways of working. Both kind of do the same but to different ends through different means yet still with a lot of overlap at the macro level.

If I was creating a business from scratch today I would almost certainly look to work in a way aligned with point 4. That would be so fun.

If I was handed one brand/category in a conglomerates portfolio of brands in a commodity category used by 75% of a country's population and no discernible beneficial historic perceived differentiation or spastic inconsistency I would probably align with Point 3. Can still do some amazing stuff such as what 98% of Old Spices activity is, stuff under Point 3. I would try to do Point 3 really brilliantly and break all the rules inside that model as much as I can get away with inside the machine of super conglomerate company culture.

Hyper Island Founding Principles

2011-12-14T08:23:01-08:00

Came accrosse these today from the Hyper Island folks.

They call them principles but are also kind of rules.

1.Remove silos, subjects, barriers, titles

2.Active lifelong team learning

3. Challenging open-‐ended projects

4. Immersive technologies

5. Agile working methods

6.Build on the work of others

7. Reflection and evaluation

8. Change is constant

I like them. Partly because some stand the test of time and others are rather philisophical statements around how to approach the type of work that seems to increasingly work really well. Specifically the importance of teams working together, being agile with each other and egalitarian.

These principles don't guarantee great work but are a great way to work. In this day and age it also problably creates more and more of the great work out there. Presumably.

Interesting Vancouver Notes

2011-10-18T09:00:00-07:00

Interesting Vancouver happened. It was different than prior years, as planned. As always.

I am rather proud of how Lauren, Mark, Jason and James have grabbed the event, stayed true to its ethos, while enlivening each year. This year, found a new venue, brought in some other great volunteers.

I was rather gutted not to be there. They again humoroured me and asked for a video to participate from abroad.

I am not an innately interesting person, hence why I first organized the event to celebrate other people's interestingness. Nonetheless, rather than just say hi the obligation to attempt interestingness led me to ramble about something increasingly of personal interest:

Unreasonable people.

I like unreasonable people, because unreasonable people do unreasonable things.

This doesn't mean they are rude, nasty or hatful. In fact, many are lovely, warm and compassionate people. Though that's not always the rule.

Rather, as a rule they all don't do the reasonable and usual thing.

For those there last Friday, following is the promsied links/notes. For those not there, the video will be up eventually on interestingvancouver.com, but you’re probably better off watching the good speakers.

Walter Bornnetti

- Reasonable people don’t accomplish unreasonable feats

- Especially when it comes to climbing mountains, cliffs and hanging glaciers, never climbed before, with traditional gear

- Read My Life in the Mountains

Peter Marino

- Luxury architect, who in his motorcycle fetish uniform and black leather pants 365 he designs the most striking retail spaces of our time

- Even if you do not buy into luxury goods, when in Tokyo, Paris or Milan steal the experience of walking into his shops (Dior, Louis Vuitton, Ermengildo Zegna, etc) for overwhelming luxe

Woody Allen

- Some say it's unreasonable he still gets to make movies

- Watch Midnight in Paris his recent film worth it because of his amusing depiction of Earnest Hemingway

- Few have more consistently written such striking and true, yet accessible prose as he, much is being revealed as the Cuban government opens up his final studio. Read The Paris Wife or Vanity Fair's tale of first expeditions to his work

Robert Capa

- Known best as the first photo journalist on the beach on D-Day

- Read Slightly Out of Focus

- Telling, revealing and brisk tale of the mold maker of today's vision of a war correspondent.

- Would you risk your life for an unproven profession?

John Jay

- A Chinese kid from Ohio who grew up in the back of a laundromat and became the creative director of Bloomingdale then the man behind Nike's golden era at Wieden & Kennedy

- Eat at Ping in Portland - honouring the Chinese heritage of the Pacific North West

Stumptown

- Why is a daily indulgence to indulgently terrible?

- Why can't coffee reflect a terroir?

- Why can't a decent coffee be served in a rock and roll vibe without pretension?

- Drink at Stumptown in Portland, Seattle of New York. Beans might be available in Vancouver to experience Dwayne Sorenson's answer

Douglas Coupland

-      I recently visited Picasso’s rarely open only intact studio at Cahteau de Vauvenargues

-      Picasso was a great multi-diciplinary artist, probably only truly on display at this, his last studio

-      I realized there, Douglas Coupland, is Canada’s equivalent – from books to sculptures, to park designs to art installations, to historian

-      Celebrate this wandering around his Vancouver scuptures or his non-fiction

Obsessing & Making

2011-09-30T08:00:00-07:00

Teen targeted creative is tough. Always has been. Less to do with short attention spans or some hackneyed assumption like that. More because of how obsessive teens get about something they like and satisfyingly fueling that obsession.

Many times on teen work to frame the creative/strategy with clients or internal teams we'd first talk about just how obsessive you get about stuff when you are young - when you're not sure about yourself and figuring out your place in the world. That hat, that car, the dance, a new track, the skate deck, Walkman/Diskman/iPod, the game that weekend or whatever else that consumed every non studying moment of your life. Total bloody obsession.

Thinking whether something was obsessible helped make better work rather than something superficially, ahem, "cool."

As people get older they forget what it was like to be so obsessed about thing. We forget the feeling, in your gut, front of the brain, of obsessing. Reading and re-reading the magazine, replaying the song, logging into some form of email. Over and over again.

As a child I obsessed about making stuff - specifically drawing comic strips or clay superhero figurines. However, I never had the tools to do it well. I had a great upbringing but it just wasn't in the family culture (engineers, lawyers, etc) to buy specialized art supplies. But still, I obsessed,and tried, badly, to draw comics and attempt figures of Flash. It just never worked out.

I worry with so many lame and formulaic "social engagement" campaigns and the lazyness of BuddyMedia type tactical tool we are turning away from so much potential never before available.

I love that kids, and everyone else, today can obsess and get so deep into their obsessions to actually make stuff with a possibility to make it great because there are so many tools at finger tips. I love that.

This Coke Zero Make It Possible thing seems kind of cool in that regard. It's not another lazy be in our commercial as an idea because there actual is no idea. It is an outlet for obsession with dance or music. I like that. A lot.

Death of a Revolution

2011-09-28T06:29:52-07:00

The word revolution is regularily frivolously used. Especially in advertising. However, no matter the hyperbole revolutions do happen. Rarely though do they come to a finite end. Sure a regime may be toppled but the values and philosophies of the revolution morph the moment what the revolution revolted against dissolves. Often the instigating revolutionairies are left behind.

A book on wine was the last place to expect insight into revolutions. Noble Rot detailing the dramatic changes in Bordeaux going from over priced garbage wine in glut to high priced low supply high quality was painful for many, instigated by a few, at the mercy of large global forces.

The author William Echikson sums up the Bordeaux revolution, and all other revolutions, quite nicely.

"Bordeaux's revolution was coming to a close. Most monumental political, economic, and social changes overstep and devour their instigators, provoking an almost inevitable reaction. The comings years looked tough for Bordeaux. Many garage wineries would close up. Many ambitious new wavers might well go bankrupt. Even the well-established estates also looked set to struggle... ...But the rovolution's work would leave a positive legacy."

In other words: the dream doesn't die, just the dreamer.

Image: Montmartre cemetary taken on a walk home January 2011.

Things the British Say, A Lot

2011-09-07T03:33:31-07:00

Every country has things they say that are said so often nobody realizes really they are saying them all the time. They in fact are little codes that evolve a language to a social group. To outsiders their repetition stands out and sparks curiosity. Following are a bunch of things I've noticed people say a lot. All lovely little words or phrases. Might start using them a bit more:

Whilst

Boring

Please

Proper

Populist

Ambition

Golden Ticket

Who's to blame

Great British... (pub, cheese, bunting, ale, hound, etc)

yallrite (Translation: Hello. Are you alright and is everything good today?)

Paris' Spring and Retail as a Cultural Entity

2011-08-30T08:53:02-07:00

One of the many special experiences living in Paris was getting to know, and in a way grow up with, the team at the restaurant Spring. A small kitchen putting out a simple dinner nightly. Suddenly they are one of the most heralded and internationally acclaimed restaurants in Paris. While becoming the NYT's Paris poster-children is great for them what I really loved how they became part of the culture of their little nighbourhood as told by this video.

Lots of little shops I frequented to and from the Spring boutique or waiting for someone to join for a glass of wine. The ancient presse guy mostly. Stirs my nostalgia for his nostalgia. I'd explore this neighbourhood often with the uninhibited spirit of curiosity an expat in Paris becomes endlessly adicted to.

One of the reasons I loved living in Paris was studying first hand the fabrics of rich and deep communities. Understand what makes a real community from people that have loved and hated each other for centuries. Living myself as part of a small multi block neighbourhood where inhabitants, businesses, local government (even for my sub, sub, micro, sub region of Paris), community organizations, unions, busybodies, the three homeless people, my barber, the team of youths who hanging out late night at the local Place St. Lazarre, prefecture police, the weekend CRS riot police visits and our street cleaners served a inter-related and mutually respected (with continuous paradoxical distrusted) community.

Mostly, I loved seeing how an individual business seeped into the fabric of the immediate neighbourhood. Most businesses in the developed world have become little more than the immediate square footage of their retail outlet and maybe a bit of a contrived "community" activities department to help "strengthen bonds" with local community through a few activities outlined in the binder from head office.

One day I will open a retail entity but I am not too sure exactly what it will sell. I'm actually not too worried about "what" just yet. What I observed, noted and lived in Paris was individual businesses as cultural entities - that is much more interesting. Proprietors whose existence seeps beyond the walls of a lease and deep into the pores of the local neighbourhood and more deeply into the fields, factories and workshops of the producers.

A great business strengthens the community every day through what it does as a mainline pursuit driven by the humans behind it.

I learned a lot about this by getting to know the team at the restaurant Spring. Though they suddenly have become THE restaurant in town it is actually a very simple place. You just come, sit down and have dinner. No menu, no fuss, just brilliantly aligned to the seasons and what intrigues the chef Daniel at any given moment or a surprise dropped off by a local supplier. Better, go the the wine boutique for a great recommendation from 8€ to a modest mortgage. It's all very real without being REALtm - without the obligatory chalkboard and heritage furniture, vintage tea spoons, typwriter in the window or irnonic anything.

Marcus, Bloggers Drinks and Bubble Bobble

2011-08-19T09:09:00-07:00

Last Friday an internet worm hole opened up landing me in Shoreditch of East London. A "Bloggers Drinks" event instigated by the presence of The Kaiser himself - Marcus Brown.

I have internet known Marcus for about 5 - ish years - amidst all his extensive commenting, conspiring and publishing enable by the power of the internet.

It was about time our paths crossed in the analogue world. Partially to snuff my curiosity whether he really exists or is an elaborate post-digital trans-media ARG narrative invented and curated by an idiot savant holed up somewhere deep in the axis of evil.

In fact, Marcus exists, and refreshingly was just as one would exist. There were discussions of Bubble Bobble, meta-media, trans-gender-media, jukebox functionality and WAM respectfully. The Truman's Beer at Ten Bells was brillaint.

It is always fun meeting folks you know from the internet, like chatting with someone you grew up with for a period in life. You have mutual reference points and a shared interest. It only gets weird when someone inevitably mentions how weird it is - which was Marcus' one obvious fault.

See you again Marcus.

Multi-Plane Camera - Retro Craft Week Redux

2011-08-18T09:12:00-07:00

Back in the halcyon days of blogging and the fraternity of the web I did a series called retro craft week when going on vacation or feeling lazy. It celebrated the great craftspeople who make great things - and have for a long time before the world of 11's and 00's.

In that spirit here is a video of Walt Disney introducing the multi-plan camera and how it gives cartoons three dimensions.

Truth, Lies and Rioting

2011-08-12T04:52:07-07:00

Walking through London streets this week a plywood magnate must cautiously smile. Though certainly not with pleasure. Jogging the 6 miles from Fitzrovia to our temporary home in Chiswick Tuesday, the night after wide-spread violence, streets were vacant but for police officers and crews boarding up shops with fresh plywood.

From the small independent shops who form social fabric to the corporate behemoth Universal records who form culture - scale and ownership structures didn't matter for rioters looking to steal and destroy. Up went the defensive plywood on shops big and small.

The pundits, academics and politicians are promptly stating grand theories and reasoning while jockeying for air time and headlines. Sensational videos aside, the stories from average people in the wrong place at the wrong time are compelling for the insightful balance of terror and calm. Mixed with the odd voice of reason from surprising places, such as Russell Brand in The Guardian, enlighten the truth and complexity behind what the riots are symptomatic of.

As with most things increasingly are these days, the causes and fixes are too complex for a snappy headline, overly crafted slogan or simplistic reductionistic PowerPoint slide.    And while theories are of necessity one must recognise we are in an age of learning new social behaviours. Hundreds of kids filmed knowingly by CCTV camera, hovering police helicopters, roving news helicopters and their friend's Facebook Feeds partake in criminal behaviour leaving a trail of unprecedented evidence.

While every nation has its ills, England in all truth is on a relative basis a comfortable place to live. As the rioters wearing 100£ trainers transmitted photos and plans to each other on their smart phones the layers of cognitive dissonance stack high.

It is a great time to park theorisation of the events and observe evolving behaviours at a broader level.

When friend's iPhone photos become evidence in court leading to a conviction does it induce more law abiding behaviour or make image capturing events socially unacceptable?

Does the public shaming of 'thieves' on the front pages form a more effective deterrence and form of justice or an enticement for fame?

As social media becomes an easy pariah for governments to attack, what ways of communication will inevitably fill the void if restrictions are put in place?

Does the mix of class and race rioting shoulder to shoulder (and today line up one after another in courts) reinfice and tear apart multi-cultural unity?

Brands, who love to talk about how much they are loved must wonder what they have done. Are the really loved? Is it love if someone goes to the extent of breaking the law to get their hands on a product for free or the greatest disrespect when one will go to great length to not part with their own money in exchange for it?

Well, it will take a while to figure it all out.