A pretentious blog

United State of Texas (1/4)

anna rose — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 21:33:08 +0000

FIRST DAY

Fights went better than expected, I listened to Barack Obama read his book “Dreams from my Father” and managed to get some sleep. At SFO I meet a girl who looked like Bex Radford, turns out they are friends! Made my connecting flight with a few minutes spare.

I touched down in Austin and after a wee bit of airport confusion managed to get a shuttle to my hotel. (I don’t like being alone in taxis). As expected the hotel looks nothing like the photos, and the photos weren’t great to start with. It is spacious and cleanish even though there’s a strange humming sound and a motorway outside my window.

The internet here is patchy, so I decided to go for a walk in the rain. I stumbled around a suburb filled with fairy lights for awhile. Then found the gorgeous Frost Bank Tower in the skyline and headed towards it which lead me into the city, finally.

I found an upmarket Mexican restaurant which was filled with large groups of SXSW attendees. I sat down by myself and ate some delicious fajitas. So much for networking though, I tried to strike up a conversation with the table next to me but they were more interesting in some TV show.

Walking back to the hotel I was hollered by a young man with a pedicab. It was freezing cold, I had no idea where I was, and he promised to get me back to the hotel for $10. Seemed like my no taxi policy was trumped in this instance so I hopped in.

We ended up horribly lost on the other side of Austin. So I’m stuck with this strange man who I don’t know in the middle of some place I don’t know with no cash and no phone. And for all I know he has a gun on him, like a good Texan should. He graciously took me back to where we started and gave me some vague directions. Three hours after I set out for my little walk I have made it to bed.

SECOND DAY

Today I have consumed a Starbuck’s coffee, a grilled cheese sandwich, two glasses of champagne, two Recees Pieces, a Jack Daniels and half a delicious taco.

I took a cab out to the Apple Store this morning and the cab driver warned me that the taxis were crazy busy and I was best off catching a bus back. I have not successfully hailed or been able to call through to a cab company since.

The mall was not officially open when I watched the mall walkers for awhile. One group of moms were gossiping about some freak in their neighborhood who made a pie with meat. Honestly meat in a pie? Finally I got what I was looking for, an iPhone and a prepaid simcard. But there was thunder and lightening and I couldn’t bring myself to walk to the bus stop. And as mentioned before cabs were not ago. I struck up a conversation with a guy in the Apple store and he offered to give me a ride back into the city. Noticing a theme where I miraculously don’t get kidnapped?

I got back into town with an hour spare to pick up my badge. The second day-changing event was the line for registration. Over two hours long. At the half way point (the end of the convention center where the line looped around and went back the whole length again) we literally high fived everyone around us. Almost everyone in the line could have come up with of a better way to run the registration. Honestly, we’re at a technology conference and we have to wait two hours to swap one piece of paper for another?

AFTER THIS I RAN OUT OF TIME TO BLOG BUT…

…If you want to hear about SXSW you can read some of the things I’ve written on blog.droga5.co.nz and Campaign Brief and SocialMediaNZ.

What happened to that gamer being sent to a “warzone”?

anna rose — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 00:44:02 +0000

Read about it on Stop Press >

Experience ASB

anna rose — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 00:55:08 +0000

Late last year we launched experienceASB.co.nz as part of a campaign where New Zealanders could test drive the bank before deciding to switch. It was a hugely successful campaign with record numbers of people switching their banking to ASB. Well we’ve just relaunched the site with even more videos and interesting things to click.

You can Experience ASB here and watch the Droga5 case study for it here >

All the important things I wish people had told me about #sxsw

anna rose — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 14:56:05 +0000

So I’ve been writing about stuff happening at SXSW but none of it has been published yet. I thought by now I would have links for you. But I don’t, sorry. You can follow my ramblings on Twitter and my photos of chandeliers on Instagram (which is now on Android and apparently that’s big news).

But here are the things which I have discovered and wish I’d known about earlier:

- For all the cool panels you need to turn up 30mins in advance to get a seat, but if you don’t get a seat just go to whatever is on next door and try to sneak into your preferred panel midway through. Oh and if there’s something you really really want to see you’re best off just going to whatever is on before it and staying in your seat rather than risk missing out.

- Sockets in meeting rooms are always busy. But no one chargers their phone in the bathroom. Probably because it’s creepy, but you gotta do.

- The R&R busses are a sham! There are free busses which go to all the main venues, and taxis are cheap. So I don’t know why you’d shell out $70 for a bus pass (unless you’re staying in the middle of nowhere).

- It’s hip to be a square. People who turn up fashionably late to parties miss out on all the free cocktails. Get there early, start drinking. And for parties you have to RSVP to, try to get in before they even announce they’re having a party or you’ll have no chance.

- Most people who strike up conversations with you are either looking for a job or trying to sell their startup. It’s sad but true.

- People don’t ask interesting questions, in fact most of the time they just want an audience to tell their life story. Get out when the Q&As start unless you have a question yourself.

From the “friends” folder in my RSS reader @andrewbprice @coreychalmers @laurajane_J09

anna rose — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 01:06:53 +0000

I’m working on another blog project at the moment which you’ll find out about soon. Unfortunately it’s been drawing my attention away from this and the hiatus may last a couple more weeks because I am also going to U S of A! next week. Seems like a good opportunity to introduce you to some other bloggers who I think are pretty neat.

Lobpass to Abercrombie

After several unsuccessful attempts at blogging, Andrew Price finally found a topic he liked enough to consistently post about. Basketball. Not something that I am particularly interested in, but I admire the effort he has put into this project. So much effort in fact that The Breakers coaches approached him for help! I don’t understand exactly what he’s doing for them, but it’s something like making complex Excel spreadsheets to help them make tactical decisions about players and competing teams. I love hearing about people falling into their dream jobs, especially if it comes out of something as simple as creating a blog about something you enjoy. I’m so proud of you Andrew.

Corey Chalmer’s BeepLog

As our creative directors move on to their next job, I will be keeping up to date with their new projects via this blog. For the past year and a half Corey has been my creative director in the first instance, but also a teacher, coach and friend. He’s always encouraged me to do better work, have bigger goals and read more books. When David Droga came to Auckland, Corey managed to invite me to an exclusive dinner being held for him. I got to speak one on one with Droga himself (mostly about raccoons if you wanted to know). Honestly one of the most amazing nights of my life. When I agreed to babysit Corey’s adorable kitten, he joked about how he was going to pay me back. But after everything he’s done for me (especially at this crucial stage in my career) it’s definitely me who will be forever owing gratitude. I will really miss you Corey!

Neat Stuff with Laura Jane

My friend Laura had been a blogger since way back, but recently moved to Tumblr. As a result her blog has shaped up to be a delightful collection of images and video. As such I won’t spend too long talking about it, just go have a look for yourself!

Laura and I have also started up a monthly “club” with a few other nerdy girls. It’s called Nerd Soiree. We basically just get trashed on a Tuesday night and talk about what’s happening on the internet and in advertising. It’s proven to be rather fun and a great way to meet other likeminded people in Auckland. You’re more than welcome to join us via our Facebook page >

My impression of the #megaupload case being heard in NZ court

anna rose — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 19:23:30 +0000

I was shocked when I heard Kim Dotcom et al were in custody and Megaupload had been shut down. When I realised it was the NZ police who had made the arrest, I was outraged.

My standard reaction was to find out as much as possible about the circumstances. During my search I found out some details about their court appearance that afternoon. By the time they were due to appear I decided to drive over to Albany and exercise my right to watch from the public gallery. The only other times I’d been in a court was voting (at Auckland High Court) and jury service (at Auckland District Court) where I was never selected on a jury. So I walked into the building not knowing where to go or who to talk to, but quickly spotted a bunch of cameras outside one of the courtrooms. A couple of reporters from TVNZ explained to me what was going on and that I could just walk into court and sit down.

There were about thirty seats in the gallery, almost all of them were occupied. There were quite a few journalists and then a bunch of supporters who all seemed to know the accused. Two teary eyed woman in the front row appeared to be partners of Dotcom and van der Kolk. I was sitting directly behind them and caught a wink (from Dotcom) and a blown kiss (from van der Kolk) which were no doubt intended in their direction. There were also a few Americans who we speculated to be musicians. I tried to strike up a conversation with a couple of them, and found out later that one of the guys, known as Printz Board, is part of The Black Eyed Peas. This is him in the Mega Uploads song:

The actual hearing was surreal. The Judge was clearly quite irritated by all the people in his courtroom, and took his frustration out on the press. He told them to stop taking photos before he’d even allowed them to start. (In today’s session, which I did not attend, he ordered press out of the public gallery.) I imagine it would be nerve-wracking for a district court Judge to preside over such a high profile international case, but if he felt uncomfortable why didn’t he hand the case to someone more experienced? I still can’t work out why the expedition hearings are taking place at North Shore District rather than Auckland High Court. It’s one of many questions I’m planning on asking a lawyer friend when I get the chance.

The Judge, who took about an hour to arrive, put the bail hearing off until Monday because it was late in the afternoon. It seemed apparent to me at the time that his intention was to lock the four of them up over the weekend. Afterwards I learned Dotcom had a lavish birthday party planned for Saturday, and this was the reason for the police acting when they did. Unfortunately for the NZ police by acting so hastily the only managed to arrest 4/7 accused. The others are apparently in Europe, where the courts likely won’t extradite them to the USA.

I don’t think Kim Dotcom is a “good” person – he’s made millions of dollars through questionable business practice – however he deserves more respect than he’s been given. The NZ government accepted $10Mil from him to apply for residency so it’s unfair for NZ authorities to treat him this way while he’s still innocent (until proven otherwise…). We’re talking about New Zealand police arresting a German/ Finnish citizen who is accused of breaking American laws in Hong Kong.

Without coming across as a hacktivist sympathiser may I also remind you that the British police are still holding an Australian citizen who was arrested [update] for alleged sexual molestation in Sweden. When it’s widely believed the real reason is the USA was trying to mount a case for rendition on national security grounds. [/update] Julian Assange has been under house arrest for over a year. Goes to show there’s nowhere for netizens to hide from American law.

It’s unlikely I’ll find the time to stalk any of the other Megaupload court dates, however if you’re interested in the case I suggest you read some of these articles:

Megaupload defendants in court today

Dotcom birthday party targeted

Megaupload’s Kim Dotcom bail decision reserved

From Rogue To Vogue: Megaupload and Kim Dotcom

Merry Chrischmitz or Merry Hell?

Filesonic Kills File-Sharing Service After MegaUpload Arrests

Prosecution: Gun in Kim Dotcom mansion was loaded

Kim Dotcom volunteers for electronic bail

When I grow up I want to run a boutique hotel

anna rose — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:27:33 +0000

Because so many of my friends are still determining their ideal careers the “what do you want to be when you grow up” conversation happens often. I’m already doing what I’d want to be doing, so I like to think about what I could do once I’m too old for advertising. With the prospect of our generation living well into our hundreds there is a chance I’ll lose touch with technology trends too.

Luckily I do enjoy things other than these young people’s pursuits. I love art history, (particularly early renaissance and pop art), weddings, politics, discussions with intelligent friends, sweet foods, mid century furniture, listening to podcasts and animals (especially furry and feathery ones).

There are a few retirement options which have crossed my mind, which I have discussed in this blog previously. To recap:

- Host a radio show which would tackle current political issues. Assuming my voice gets less annoying/ more British as I mature.

- Design wedding cakes.

- Open an art gallery in Hobart. Location chosen so I could nurture injured Tawny Frogmouths.

However this week I have discovered a new, improved retirement pursuit for myself. Running a boutique hotel which of course would be filled with amazing art, interesting books and beautifully restored mid century furniture.

The idea came about when staying in Wellington over the weekend. The whole city has this retroness about it which appeals to me. Photo on the left is from Chow, which is a cute restaurant attached to two very cute bars called Motel and The Library. The photo on the right is from a Barkers store. I walked in there with my BF not paying attention to what men’s clothing store we were in and was astounded when I realised even their chain shops have record players and armchairs very similar to my own.

These photos are from Ohtel where we stayed.

The place was very charming and there were a number of nice pieces of furniture however it made me think about how much better it could have been done.

Firstly all the rooms had a kiwiana retro sameness, which felt like a lost opportunity. I can’t stick to one style for my own apartment so my dream for a hotel would be to have a unique interior for every room. Already a lot of the art I own clashes, this would give me an excuse to buy anything I loved without having to worry about whether it sits well with other art I have hanging.

Secondly I hate minibars in 4-5 star hotels, it’s so tacky. The only place I’ve seen it done well was a hotel we stayed at in Paris where there were only non-alcoholic drinks in the fridge, everything was free and it was stocked up daily. That’s the way it should be! I’ve already paid for the room, stop trying to sell me tiny bottles of jagger. Oh and in addition to my complimentary selection of juices and soft drinks I would have the kind of toiletries people want to steal. Branded of course.

Finally I would do away with the imposing TV hanging right in your eye line as you try to get to sleep. Perhaps instead I would have tablets which can be used to browse the net or control a media center which connects to a projector. Also proper independently published guidebooks for the city… As endearing as the folder full of local takeout menus (which most hotels have) is.

I have a few more ideas which I think I’ll keep up my sleeve. But if anyone wants to beat me to it please steal those suggestions and make hotels a more pleasant experience for the rest of the world.

A different kind of game design than what I’m used to

anna rose — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:12:16 +0000

I’ve just got back from my short summer holiday in Paihia with a couple of close friends. A lot of my BF’s friends are really into gaming which includes video games as well as card and board games. They make anything competitive. So on this trip, particularly because it was raining lots, we played games.

One that I enjoyed was called Dixit. It involves storytelling and beautiful playing cards featuring surreal drawings. It was perhaps not the mechanic of the game that I liked so much but rather the versatility of the cards. We could write our own rules.

It got me thinking about a great gift idea for our friend. This particular friend has an outdated opinion that I’m a terrible gift giver, so this little project is my attempt to prove him wrong.

What I am making is a series of playing cards which are small enough to take with you anywhere and versatile enough to play multiple games with, and of course create your own. There will be 52 cards (if moo.com allow me to print two cards in addition to their standard 50 pack of business cards). Each one will have a number, suit and a large picture.

It has taken me hours to come up with 52 images which are unique but can fit broadly into a set. There is a range of lowbrow art, interesting photos and a couple of references to geek culture. I can not imagine how long it would have taken the illustrator of Dixit (or any elaborate card game) to not only come up with the individual concepts but draw them all as well. I have infinite respect. All the images I’ve used are borrowed, but even though I cheated the task has been difficult for me.

“Oh I already have a card with a red balloon on it.”

“As much as I love this image, maybe he won’t.”

It’s also quite hard knowing that this friend is a perfectionist when it comes to design. I can’t work out whether a red or black stroke looks better on the red cards and if the bottom should be opaque or solid with a square picture above it. Given all the other projects I was meant to complete over this break I think at some point I will have to stop spending time worrying about these details and just get them printed.

Here is a random selection of what the cards look like at the moment:

UPDATE: Moo are letting me print an additional 10 cards free of charge. The downside is they are straight edges, not rounded like I was originally going to do. The upside is the deck is now complete and I even had enough cards to make jokers. A couple of the final cards below:

Christmas lols from @droga5 & @mcgarrybowen NYC

anna rose — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:49:03 +0000

Every year agencies (read: junior creatives) struggle to come up with a quirky new way to send out holiday cards. This year Droga5 NYC simply sent out this press release saying:

NEW YORK, NY – December 19, 2011 – Droga5 today announced its selection of McGarryBowen as the advertising agency of record for its holiday card business. The hard-fought win caps a stellar growth year for Dentsu-owned McGarryBowen. The agency will handle lead creative duties for the Droga5 holiday card account.

“We’ve decided to go with McGarryBowen,” said David Droga, Droga5’s Creative Chairman. “After a lengthy review, we simply couldn’t ignore the strategic insights into holiday cheer that McGarry brought to the table.”

- Full press release here >

This is funny because in the past year McGarryBowen has won a ton of new business, some of which Droga5 pitched for. For a long time we have been considered the best independant advertising network and now the Dentsu group is starting to challenge that.

McGarryBowen responded by posting this photo of their offices:

“New Biz: Droga5, welcome to the mb family!”

Looking forward to seeing the cards they come up with!

Mispredictions for 2012

anna rose — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 22:58:29 +0000

It’s that time of year where everyone makes predictions about the year to come. So instead of that I’m going to debunk the three most popular predictions.

1. Mobile taking over the internet
For the fifth year in a row everyone is predicting this year will be the year of mobile. I’ll believe it when it happens. Sure there will be more and more mobile devices coming into previously untouched markets. Asians and Africans who may never in their lifetime see a computer will have access to smartphones. However the people who create the internet are still doing it with their iMacs and digital SLRs. We won’t see mobiles taking over the world until typing, reading and cameras on them are drastically improved. Until then all they’re good for is Instagram photos and showing off which restaurant you’re at.

2. End of the world
Ok this could happen, as the SNL skit below demonstrates. But most likely the world won’t end with the Mayan calendar. It seems likely there will be more natural disasters and unpredictable weather in the coming year. With a slew of conservative governments being elected across the world there won’t be much money or time going into humanitarian or environmental causes. The morbid truth is we won’t see the end of the world but we will see more animal species becoming extent and more human suffering in 2012.

3. China will over take USA as world power
Who are we kidding? China owns USA and has a military which could kick it’s butt and now they have an American drone too. I’m not trying to say that China won’t take over USA, I think they are already there. But what have they done with their power? Fuck all so far. Throughout history China has lead the way and let other nations steal the glory (think paper or the carb diet). The same thing is happening now; they perpetuate the illusion of the West being in control. Maybe they will take over the world with their military force next year, but I think they’ll lay low for awhile yet.

So that’s my rather negative mispredictions. Here’s a collated list of other 2012 trends, many are advertising / digital related. I thought this slideshow from Millward Brown was quite good:

12 Digital Predictions for 2012

View more documents from Millward Brown