I’ve blogged before about how we just can’t fit everything in our brains anymore - you can access far more knowledge if you remember how / where to find it rather than the information itself. But the problem comes in deciding exactly where we should store all this information (or at least bookmarks that will … Continue reading The storing of stuff
Category: trends
printing the internet out and squirting it into things
From the Lift Conference (via @rooreynolds) comes Russell M* Davies’ talk ‘printing the internet out and squirting it into things’ (can't embed here, sorry). Really worth watching, especially for his thoughts on analogue friction, information design, the ubiquity of screens, turning data into physical things, exploring the recently easy and other phrases with which to impress … Continue reading printing the internet out and squirting it into things
Does schooling interfere with education?
I’ve been feeling rather under-done on the formal education front recently, with my BA being trumped by friend’s, colleague's and client’s MAs, MBAs, MScs and even PhDs. But then I remember how my insistence that there was more than one right answer, tendency to put random magazine articles in my bibliographies and to ask ‘why’ … Continue reading Does schooling interfere with education?
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
I’ve been thinking a lot about how agencies are organised and subsequently reorganised recently and about how their systems work (or in some cases, don’t). Looking back at the agencies I’ve worked for, I’ve seen a LOT of different approaches to the organising and running of an Integrated Northern Marketing Agency and none of them … Continue reading Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
If it’s Elle, it must be Tuesday
It’s been a real week of hanging around for me – on trains to and from London, in GP’s waiting rooms, in the MOT garage’s reception and so on. Which means I’ve been reading a lot of women’s magazines to pass the time. By the third or fourth glossy mag (I’m a fast reader) I … Continue reading If it’s Elle, it must be Tuesday
The naming of things is a googlable matter
Time was, when Susy Simpkins married Mr Smith she became Mrs Smith. Except that the right ‘Susy Smith’ (9,750 results) is a lot harder to track down on google than ‘Susy Simpkins’ (3 results). And if you thought it was a hassle changing the name on your bank account, passport and driving licence, try adding … Continue reading The naming of things is a googlable matter
You owe it to your country to treat yourself
I’ve just had some feedback from an attendee at yesterday’s IGD/Asda Trade Briefing. It seems that premium food is back in growth in the UK. People want affordable treats. Preferably edible ones. With continuing economic uncertainty and an accompanying general unwillingness to engage in full-on luxury consumption, the ‘little treat’ might turn out to be … Continue reading You owe it to your country to treat yourself
back to basics on the phone front
Via trendwatching’s February briefing comes ‘functionall’ - 'the phenomenon of simple, small and/or cheap products and services designed for low(er)-income consumers in emerging markets, with cross-over appeal to consumers in mature consumer societies'. Trendwatching recon that goods and services especially designed for emerging markets often incorporate one or more of the following characteristics: - Smaller … Continue reading back to basics on the phone front
Harder, better, faster, stronger
by gaptone on flickr Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger is my predication for what AgencyLife is going to be like – no, HAS to be like - if the industry is to adapt to the realities of life in 2010. Harder After 2009’s redundancies and cost cutting, there will be less people around to do more … Continue reading Harder, better, faster, stronger
P-p-p-pick up a festive trend
Trend fans, I can report that this Christmas its all about Penguins. As of this morning, my haul of Christmas cards had penguins outnumbering robins 3 to 1. Pablo the Penguin is apparently going to be the new Percy Pig at M&S: Santa even took his penguin friends with him to open the Harrods Christmas … Continue reading P-p-p-pick up a festive trend