« May 2006 | Main | July 2006 »
coffee morning one
Coffee morning was a great success, though my photography doesn't really do it justice. Since I took bad photos and failed to even photograph most of the people who turned up. Sorry.
I was very prepared for no-one to turn up, that would have been fine, I'd have done some email and written a presentation, I was very worried about 30 people arriving, that seemed unlikely but would have been startling. As it was numbers were just right.
No-one at all until 11.20 when Will arrived with a very nice Canadian chap who's name escapes me (very sorry, isn't that bad of me?). He reminded me how much I like Canadians (a lot) and that it's Canada Day tomorrow (Must do some kind of celebratory post). So we chatted for a while and I probably patronised them like crazy which is what I do to anyone under 39.
Then, just as they were leaving, David, Tony and Jon all arrived. More pleasant chat ensued. Picklin Paul briefly showed his face and brought me some free piccalilli which frankly has justified my entire three years of blogging all on its own. (Currently enjoying the piccalill in front of Germany v Argentina. Delicious). Definitely come back next week Paul.
Then Patrick and Carol arrived. More pleasant chat. Then everyone went off about their business. Brilliant. (I've not missed anyone have I?)
Next week, same bat time, same bat channel. All are welcome. No agenda. Just pleasant chat.
IT conversations on Thursday 7
This is a bit of pre-listening for anyone who might be coming to Chris Forrest's WARC thing next week. And it should be of interest to y'all too. It's an interview with Robert Scoble and Shel Israel, authors of Naked Conversations, about 'The Corporation in a Blogging World'.
books are good
People are always asking me (you know, maybe twice a year) what books they should read about planning and stuff. And I always say Eating The Big Fish and Truth Lies and Advertising. Because they are both brilliant, and they basically tell you how to do the job.
But now I'm also, probably more usefully, going to refer them to this great post at the Fallon Planning Blog. Great job Mr Aki Systems 2600.
Get these books, read them, especially How To Plan Advertising and Why We Buy.
Maybe if I'd read some of these books when I started out I wouldn't be so frightened of focus groups.
As you can see I've gone a little crazy with Spell With Flickr.
bonfire of the bathroom
I met Neil Boorman of Bonfire Of The Brands fame today. What an excellent fellow. He's going to let me record an interview with him to post on here sometime so if you've got any questions or thoughts for him stick them in the comments.
Talking to him reminded me of a thing I did once - take a picture of every brand in our bathroom - it was up on the blog in the early days but I took it down for some reason. So, for any newcomers who are interested here it is again. With over 70 brands in such a small room it really makes you think about how pervasive they are. (Sorry about the photo quality, this was a couple of cameras ago.)
rest day
No football today. My football mug will have to remain in the cupboard. It's not right.
an idea idea
People often tell me that they'd like to do a blog but they can't think of anything to blog about. Psshhaw I say and point them at a blog like Niazipan. He's just set himself the task of coming up with an idea every day and blogging about it. (And these are advertising type ideas, since he's an ad creative, he's not formulating new technologies for nano-tube fabrication.) It's not easy but it's do-able and it's great discipline.
This is the kind of simple little hook you need to get you going. Something small and do-able and regular. Every day, every week, whenever, whatever. Just something that you know you're supposed to do. And before you know it you've been blogging for six months and its easy.
(And it adds to the charm that there hasn't been a new idea since Friday. Come on Martin!)
By the way, doesn't it seem remarkable that there aren't more blogs by UK ad creatives? I only know of this and Scamp, which is also good, but shouldn't there be more? Or am I missing something?