Telegraph newsroom photo by victoriapeckham on flickr I’ve been ranting about Creative Spaces, open plan and working-where-you-work-best for a couple of years now. I stumbled on a piece in the Wall Street Journal today which reported that the average new workstation designed by global architecture firm HOK Group has shrunk from 64 sq ft to 48 in … Continue reading Packing ‘em in – today’s open plan means shrinking space
Category: trends
Precision Shoppers (but possibly imprecise research)
Sitting in the hairdressers and flicking through Grazia magazine this weekend, I was surprised to read that they had commissioned an ‘exclusive survey’ into shopping habits. In fact the article doesn’t actually reveal any kind of audience, sample size or methodology (my best guess is that they slapped a survey on the Grazia website), but … Continue reading Precision Shoppers (but possibly imprecise research)
AgencyLand – nearly broke and we need to fix it
I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s becoming extremely difficult for a medium sized UK agency to actually make enough money to stay afloat. Factor in a desire to produce creative and effective work (and of course, the two things are connected) and it’s a seemingly impossible task. Why? 1) Work has massively shifted from … Continue reading AgencyLand – nearly broke and we need to fix it
I can’t predict the future, but I’m fairly sure about Staycationing, Staying In and Savvy Shopping
cartoon by Tom Fishburne I keep being asked at work to have a stab at predicting consumer attitudes and behaviours in three, six or even twelve months time. Since no-one seems to be sure whether we are in a W or V shaped recession, this is a tad challenging to say the least. I am … Continue reading I can’t predict the future, but I’m fairly sure about Staycationing, Staying In and Savvy Shopping
the New Normal #3 – shifting values
In my last (at least for now) series of observations about the New Normal, we come to consumer values. Yes, I know there’s an online movement to eradicate the term ‘consumer’, but to be honest I’ve yet to hear a better alternative – ‘commonalities among people generally, who aren’t customers, but then again might be … Continue reading the New Normal #3 – shifting values
The New Normal #2 – if it moves, research it
So, after looking at the New Normal of measuring client’s bravery and budget we move on to part two – attitudes towards market research. Desk research tools like TGI and Mintel are becoming increasingly unhelpful as we slide deeper into this recession. Data that was collected twelve or eighteen months ago in happier economic times … Continue reading The New Normal #2 – if it moves, research it
the New Normal – measuring how far client’s bravery (and budget) will stretch
Firstly, apologies for the lack of activity here in the last week or two, the result of being manically busy at work combined with a horse-so-lame-it-has-to-go-to-the-horse-hospital crisis. Anyway. I’ve been thinking a lot about what is the New Normal, by which I mean what has shifted as a resulted of the downturn economy, but isn’t … Continue reading the New Normal – measuring how far client’s bravery (and budget) will stretch
Crafting nostalgia for traditional skills
The theme of home crafts making a comeback keeps popping up at work. Using newly-acquired but very traditional skills to create unique items for yourself or your home seems to be enjoying a real revival. I don’t think its just that we’re all feeling the economic pinch or cocooning madly, there does seem to be … Continue reading Crafting nostalgia for traditional skills
Diet another day
While wading through the Sunday papers this morning I came across this shot in the Sunday Times from a 1964 bond girl photo session for Thunderball: The thing that immediately struck me is while all three women are undeniably beautiful, they are also (gasp!) normal sized. Compared to this shot of Halle Berry as Jinx … Continue reading Diet another day
Bring on the Summer
So 2009 is apparently going to be the Year of the Staycation, with people staying at home to avoid travel and accommodation costs but still behaving in holiday mode and enjoying what the local area has to offer. This year is also being heralded as the return of the Great British Summer Holiday, with caravan … Continue reading Bring on the Summer