Russell Davies

Account Planning School Of The Web

So I was sitting and thinking yesterday. And reading The Big Moo and I had an idea.

I've always really liked doing training and stuff; poisoning the minds of young planners and bringing them over to the dark side, and I don't really get to do that in my current job. And I get loads of emails on this site from people looking to become planners or junior planners asking questions or for stuff to read, and I try to answer, but I don't really have good answers to that kind of thing.

So, instead I thought and try and launch a free planning correspondence course. Because it'll be interesting.

I'm thinking it'll work like this:

I'll set an assignment once a month. Posted on the first of the month. It'll be some strategic/creative/researchy issue or something. Anyone who wants to can submit a response. It has to be by the 15th of the month. (No more than 1,000 words, a Powerpoint or Word document, no more than 1MB.) I'll post all the responses on here (anonymously if you want to) with comments and thoughts and critique. And everyone else can comment too. Then we start again the next month. It'll give people something to think about, plus some feedback, which is the thing that lots of planners are starved for.

If it goes well and people want to play then I'll ask some industry luminaries who pass along my way to pose a problem and do some critiquing too. People are always happy to help out with this kind of stuff.

That's all it'll be. There'll be no certificate, no guarantees (or even possibilities) of employment, but just some practise, some fun and some helping each other out.

What do you think? Anyone fancy it? I'll post the first problem on Monday/Tuesday.

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draw a triangle

I'm in Portland, having a quiet weekend and this seemed a perfect opportunity to try a little experiment - doing some video-podcasting. Or whatever you might call it. The two links below lead to a five minute video of me doing a little tip for account planners about drawing triangles to look clever and impressive in meetings. (Inspired by an original idea by Dylan Williams).

Videopod version 28MB. This version's been optimised for a iTunes and an iPod.

Smaller version 12MB. This version's smaller.

account planning brands advertising

blimey

Can you imagine a worse combintion? Seriously. I tried to think of some more dreadful combinations in order to be funny, and I can't think of anything. Blimey.

beautiful complexity

It's long been my contention that simplicity is an over-valued currency in marketing-land. Many of the most captivating and compelling things (including brands) are, in fact, highly, beautifully, complex.

VisualComplexity is a site that gorgeously illustrates the joy of complexity. Visit, and make a donation.

All hail Clive James

I was listening to Radio 3's Night Waves last night and heard a great interview which reminded me what an inspiration Clive James is. Certainly there's an element of the unreconstructed old rogue about him but he's almost completely a good thing.

His TV reviews in The Observer probably set me on the path to doing what I'm doing. He showed that you could take pop culture seriously and that you could write and think about it without being disdainful and academic. Which is a lot of what being a planner's about. I guess.

And I like his restless approach to trying new things. His own website is full of great video and audio interviews, with fantastic people, and all sorts of interesting essays. Highly recommended.

Riflemaker window thing

I just walked past a gallery called Riflemaker. they're currently doing a show about 'The Unseen Art Of William S. Burroughs'.

There are these two magnificent revolving flip-book things in the video which had me hypnotised for minutes. Here's 20 seconds of video to show you what I mean. Not to sound crass - but wouldn't that make a great bit of POS? It's about 1MB.

(That is crass isn't it?)

Toy Of The Month - October

Zombie Kurt from Sigikid, via Playlounge.

Board Of The Month - October

Nick Jensen / Blueprint. It's nice to see something specifically British on a deck design.

Batman - woodland creature

We took Arthur to a birthday party in the woods today. (Well Anne did really, I just skulked about). The theme was supposed to be 'woodland creatures', so wih admirable and boyish ingenuity he decided to go as Batman. He's been practising his arms folded, looking stern pose from the opening credits of Justice League Unlimited. He's getting quite good isn't he?

Roald Dahl

Arthur and I went to the Roald Dahl museum last weekend with Malcolm and Sam. Small but perfectly lovely.

Very nice interaactive things which the boys liked and atmospheric exhibits which me and Malcolm liked. Very English. Spitfires. Pencils. Sheds. Witches. Chocolate.