digital demolition derby

Here's something Rich (innocent founder/ brand director) said when asked about innocent's social media strategy recently. Have a listen it's quite interesting.



And here's my metaphor of the day: Classic marketing and digital strategies used to be formulated like Formula 1 strategies. Create a great team, buy yourself the best resources, go super efficient and remove a much potential for risk or loss as humanly possible.

The way things are going right now it's turning into much more of a demolition derby in my mind. No one can really define the way things are going or what will happen next, new trends and channels quickly grow through existing boundaries and rules like those trees through fences. The only thing you can do is get out there and learn, take the hits and win the ground that you can. Get in the arena and let people cheer you or boo you.

boundless adaptation

Two things I've come across in the last 24 hours and have mindlessly strung together.

A train running through a Bangkok slum which quickly re-adapts itself (from this TED talk that our Andrew D put me onto).

And trees growing through fences, I overheard one of those curator tours at the Serpentine saying this was the inspiration for Jeff Koon's new show.

The vague conclusion? Human kind is part of nature hence our society and social manifestations are also now part of nature. And society/ nature will keep growing, moving forward and adapting no matter what previous barriers or conditions are put around it or through it. 

Good eh? Well at least you got to watch a video of a train driving through a market.

public/ private commenting

The comments table at the Wellcome Collection provides a nice metaphor for the phycology of commenting. Some people like to comment directly in private, some in public. Public commenting provides a much richer social interaction and documented narrative though, making the process of commenting and reading comments a reward in itself.

It also extends to the nature of their latest exhibition, Bobby Baker's Diary Drawings: Mental illness and me. What was once a series of private thoughts contained in these sketch books.

Has now been made public for visitors to learn from a unique window into the largely undocumented world of mental illness. Which is kind of what art is all about for me, visualising and representing stuff that was otherwise uncaptured.

barriers to entry

When coming up with clever new engagement campaigns I always think it's worth considering what the barriers to entry are and how they can potentially be lowered. Just think if you put this in front of 100 people how many people would you not be able to get to because the barrier to entry is too high or not relevant. If the campaigns just for people with iPhones you rule out everyone without an iPhone, if it's for young families you rule out everyone without children.

Here's an example I came across yesterday.

I thought this A board outside Starbucks looked interesting so I went in, no barrier to entry, successful conversion so far.

The second step in the process involves a £15.95 book purchase barrier to entry however, too high for me.

Then the third step involves having to ask a cashier for a flyer hidden by the till, not too high for me but too high for most I'd imagine.

the old fashioned way

The old fashioned engagement techniques are often the best. Let's take it back to the school fete. As seen in Hummus Bros.

2009 growth strategy update

Growth has really taken off now since the last update.

The pumpkins have even had to be relocated and are making advances on the sweet peas.

working process & multivariate testing

I went to see Daniel Kitson at Battersea Arts Center tonight. He's doing this thing where he's signed himself up to a slot at the Edinburgh Festival in a few weeks without having a finished show, just an idea. 

So he's writing the show at the same time as rehearsing it in front of an audience as a work in progress for the next three weeks. It gives him a reason to keep adding to the script everyday (he added another 1,000 words since last nights show but it still stopped dead far from the end) and his audience a chance to see a unique work in progress for just three quid. And then give him feedback and ask questions at the end. It also lets him test out what works and what doesn't, in a real life multivariate testing exercise.

If you've got a few spare quid and can get to Battersea in the next few weeks I'd heartily recommend dropping by. Work in progress: The Interminable Suicide of Gregory Church. He's probably one of the most talented comedians and story tellers in town at the minute in my opinion.

Vaguely related post: taking to the stage

progressive stories

This is a nice little presentation.

Especially this slide.

going in for service

I keep on reading and hearing things about 'digital spaces being far better use as service channels rather than marketing channels' at the minute. Like this. Seems to be one of those ideas that's in the air.

positive power

A while ago I went on about being positive in the global down turn, the colour yellow and my new watch. So it's kind of nice to see some positivity coming through at the minute.

Aslam told me that the recession's over today, "didn't you get the email?" he said.