In My Atmosphere

20,340 All-Time Page Views, Wow.

2011-09-27T20:37:00.005+10:00

Pretty cool... thanks to everyone that ever landed here, from wherever for whatever reason.

Unfortunately, you're reading the last post I will make on this blog. For reals.

I started this project years ago to help me get a job in advertising. It worked. I've done a few jobs now, including the one I always wanted, even though it didn't last very long. In the end, advertising kinda made me not want to work in advertising anymore. It's hard to describe, but I feel somewhat liberated at the thought of starting again at age 30. I'm doing some exciting stuff now that is new and scary, and though I'm not sure where it'll take me, I'm enjoying the discovery.

In the future, who knows? But there seem to be more interesting things to learn about right now. Why didn't anyone tell me how much more awesome a Planisphere is compared to the Plannersphere?! Such wasted time...

In the end (which is now), I'm more appreciative of the immense people this blog allowed me to meet - often in real life. That is what really matters. People that have helped me out greatly, both professionally and personally. I'll be forever greatful to all of them and I hope in some way I've showed them and continue to show them that.

I had this long rant I was going to post about how to make it in advertising and the importance of remaining a good person, but I changed my mind about posting it.

Instead, I'll sign off with a thanks and bye.
Seeya hopefully in the real world...

Back For The Future

2011-09-09T16:57:00.002+10:00

Amazing, and for a good cause too...

Here's the auction results so far - they ain't going cheap.

One Of The Best Vimeo Movies I've Seen

2011-09-07T03:41:00.001+10:00

Amature shoot with only a Canon 50mm and GoPro... no tricks just amazing editing skills.

Ferias no Brasil from Javi Devitt on Vimeo.

"If You No Longer Go For A Gap, You Are No Longer A Racing Driver."

2011-09-01T19:10:00.003+10:00

It's hard for me to describe the impact this documentary has had on me. I watched it almost a week ago and it's been in my conciousness every day since. Staggering, emotional, amazing. It's as much about an attitude to living as it is racing.

Even if you didn't grow up watching Ayrton, Prost, Mansell, Berger, Hill and Schuey racing every second Sunday, it's still unmissable filmmaking. The onboard shots are simply astonishing.

Plus the soundtrack is awesome. Can't wait to cop both the DVD and OST in October.

Walking In front Of Camera

2011-08-19T00:29:00.002+10:00

The music makes this...

This Is Fucking Awesome.

2011-08-10T20:28:00.001+10:00

Beautifully awesome.

Santa Is A Tough Boss

2011-08-08T08:05:00.000+10:00

Borrowing From Borrowers.

2011-08-05T19:15:00.003+10:00

They say it's a way of saying "thanks"... to me it's more like a "you stole our shit, we're now going to steal yours."

Is This Real Life?

2011-07-27T20:27:00.003+10:00

The answer is no.

I really liked the Puma After Hours Nightlife stuff. It was something that I felt Puma could own. I particularly liked the tone of it. It felt unpretentious and real and something I could relate to.

The new work doesn't feel like that at all.

The new work feels like the agency "building" on an idea.

Why the fuck are they singing? What the fuck are they singing about? You're an athlete?! Before you were just a normal person like me. Show it don't say it dude, and especially don't fucking sing it.

Why does this look and feel like a gritty Hugo Boss commercial with "interesting ad-style" people in streetwear doing cliche things? When the fuck did an entire bowling alley of cool kids come together to celebrate my gutter ball? No. This is not my life anymore.

The whole concept is suddenly not real. I've become aware you're trying harder than you normally do to be authentic. In doing so you over-created something completely the opposite.

Shame.

Try Not To Laugh.

2011-07-15T00:41:00.003+10:00

You Failed.

Ever Notice...

2011-07-15T00:29:00.005+10:00

... how walls that have dedicated murals put on them seem to be respected and left alone by taggers and other shitface vandals?

Me too.

I went to a leaseholders and tenants meeting in my apartment block the other night. One of the issues they raised was people fly-tipping (dumping) rubbish on the street opposite the building. The solution to this was to utilise the long brick wall that runs the length of that strip of road and commision local artists and children from the area to turn it into a mural. The thinking is that by making it a place that evokes a small sense of community pride, it will deter locals from dumping rubbish in front of it.

I love the idea, and I think it will work. I'm looking forward to our street becoming much more colourful too. Good stuff.

Street art for good is good.

Setting The Scene.

2011-07-12T18:56:00.002+10:00

Two of my favourite one-shot opening movie sequences ever.

Can you think of yours?

Last Drinks

2011-07-12T02:43:00.002+10:00

I'm going to miss this show a lot.

Everything About This Is Perfect.

2011-07-08T19:22:00.001+10:00

Seriously, everything.

WikiLeaks Priceless

2011-07-05T19:54:00.002+10:00

Good spoof that is already gaining momentum online. Gotta say though, $500,000 added costs for house arrest... that's a shit load of Xbox Live and Doritos. Just sayin'...

See What's Wrong Here?

2011-07-04T22:24:00.001+10:00

There Is ALWAYS News

2011-06-30T23:46:00.004+10:00

Even when you think there's nothing to talk about, there is always SOMETHING to talk about. See, EA Sports know what I'm talking about...
(Click to enlarge)

Think Before You Don't Speak

2011-06-30T21:35:00.003+10:00

Rob wrote this as part of a training program he run to help out some of the younger, female Planners he works with; by empowering them with preparation tools and confidence to speak up in meehttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.giftings.

It's a pretty good set of hints that I think are more than helpful to anyone walking into any boardroom.

Nice stuff...

How to ask tough questions without it being tough.

View more presentations from Robertc1970

Vibrations

2011-06-21T19:04:00.000+10:00

Beautiful at 1,000 FPS

Zoo Kid

2011-06-21T01:46:00.000+10:00

From London, perfect for London.

Magic Is The Only Honest Profession

2011-06-15T03:25:00.005+10:00

He's no Dai Vernon, but still, this is pretty entertaining...

The Master

2011-06-10T00:56:00.002+10:00

I recently re-watched this fantastic extra on the Psycho DVD. Here it is; Hitchcock giving you a tour of the set. It ran as a trailer at the time (1960), and what I love about it is the comforting use of joyful music broken by the occasional orchestral hit, the harsh (read: safe) daylight, and the playful way Al recounts some horrid happenings with a sense of nonchalance.

These all come together to form beautiful contradictions designed to unnerve knowing audience members with subtlety, that something bad is on it's way.

Get It Fixed

2011-06-08T03:04:00.004+10:00

I love this series of ads because they're cast with true fans (that just happen to be famous), they're well scripted, well directed, and super funny. Most importantly though, they also show an insider intricacy of true fan knowledge and the way they interact with their rivals.

You have to respect a brand that demonstrates that they're PART of the culture, not trying to fit in for the sake of selling shit. Nice stuff...

Designed From The Inside Out

2011-06-06T22:46:00.003+10:00

Fascinating insight into the development of Nike Hyperfuse technology and the difference between seeing something as a challenge vs opportunity.

She.

2011-06-06T19:52:00.003+10:00

The Goblin album is dark as hell but I love the fact that (like Kanye), Tyler The Creator is bringing something fresh to hip hop outside of just "the block". For me, the album allows you to delve into subject matter that is a bit fucked up and wrong and it makes you feel a bit uncomfortable for a second before it's over and you disconnect and resume your normal life.

It's a similar trip I've always appreciated with films, mostly horror ones. You have a challenging experience and squirm in your set and then the lights come on and it's all just entertainment.

With the videos the momentary creepiness are really brought to life. Impressive too is that Tyler The Creator directs all of them himself. In addition to all the things he's been called, you can't deny he is a creative dude with real depth.

Outside Aperture

2011-06-02T02:11:00.001+10:00

This is actually quite a good story extension...

Gil Scott-Heron Tribute

2011-06-02T01:21:00.002+10:00

From the masters at Cookin' Soul.
This is ridiculously soulful. A nice way to remember the legend.
Click to download.

RIP.

"I Said No, Let The Boy Watch"

2011-05-27T20:50:00.002+10:00

I cried watching this...

It Has Brought You To Your Knees

2011-05-24T05:15:00.001+10:00

I love this show. It is INTENSE.

Break Out Of The Silos

2011-05-23T18:23:00.002+10:00

FastCompany x John Jay, W+K.

Props to the rad Gavrog.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Moody.

2011-05-22T23:47:00.002+10:00

I'm loving this track so much right now...

Accurate.

2011-05-19T20:30:00.002+10:00

Mayer Hawthorne - Impressions EP

2011-05-17T01:08:00.004+10:00

EP of covers you can download for free from Stones Throw records (no registration no nothin' required). Soul goodness to get on.

With The “The Godfather,” It Was Succession...

2011-05-17T00:58:00.003+10:00

There are some great lessons that can be applied to Planning from this Q&A with Francis Ford Coppolla.

Particulalry the need to be brave and take risks, how one or two words can help shape creative decisions, collaboration and leading with your best asset, and importantly keeping it personal/human.

Thanks to Stan for the linkage.

Monster!

2011-05-17T00:56:00.002+10:00

Crazy skills...

Props to Scotty Too Hotty.

Infiltrator

2011-04-23T17:22:00.002+10:00

So at Disneyland they have this junior Jedi Academy where young kids can spend an hour or so learning the ways of the force and getting all dressed up etc. The exercise concludes with the chance to each face off against Vader up on stage and play your part in defeating the Dark Side.

Well, this young girl went through the training with other plans...

Future undercover agent perhaps?

For Now.

2011-04-21T06:16:00.005+10:00

The last month has been too incredible. There's been sad goodbyes, big moves, bigger moments. Excitement. Fear. Loneliness. Amazement. Panic. Sheer joy. I've gone to sleep longing for an SMS in the night. I've woken to face some of the biggest tests of my life thus far. I've felt the rush of something new, and the desire for something familiar all at the same time. It's good. It's living and I'm having a blast and walking with a rhythm. I can already tell how much I've changed for the better.

I'm realising that in life there really is no beginning middle or end. It's just wherever you take every day. The idea of Running Changes is exactly where I'm at. I don't really know how else to describe how I feel... but this'll work quite nicely for now...

Daniel Is My Kind Of Guy

2011-04-21T06:04:00.001+10:00

Motherly Insight

2011-04-21T06:02:00.000+10:00

Tina Fey's Prayer For Her Daughter

First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.

May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the Beauty.

When the Crystal Meth is offered, May she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half And stick with Beer.

Guide her, protect her
When crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock ‘N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.

Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance. Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes And not have to wear high heels.

What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You, because if I knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit.

May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.

Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen. Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long, For childhood is short – a Tiger Flower blooming Magenta for one day – And adulthood is long and dry-humping in cars will wait.

O Lord, break the Internet forever, That she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers And the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.

And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it.

And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back.

“My mother did this for me once,” she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck. “My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental Note to call me. And she will forget. But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes.

Amen.

Source: Bossypants

Wowzers.

2011-02-16T16:28:00.002+11:00

It's been ages, I know. I come and go... you'll get used to it.
Things are happening. Awesome things.

More to come...

#vaguestpostever.

Lupe Fiasco - Words I Never Said ft. Skylar Grey

2011-02-04T13:20:00.000+11:00

This is gonna be huge.

Apparently It's That Time Again...

2011-01-28T09:53:00.000+11:00

It's All In The Game

2011-01-18T17:28:00.003+11:00

Some amazing skills on display in this video starring Kilian Martin for Man About Town magazine. I must admit, I had no idea who Kilian Martin was, but turns out he is one the best freestyle skateboarders in the world. Some of the things he does in this video are incredible. Nice style to the production too.

In My Eyes, You'd Already Won.

2011-01-11T12:06:00.006+11:00

I saw Luigi just before Christmas. He looked a little skinnier than usual, but really it was the same old Lui. He was arguing with my dad about how to fix something, he was calling my mum and sister "gorgeous", and he shared one of his new dirty sex jokes with me. He would deliver them and start laughing before he'd even get to the punchline - making me laugh prematurely too. Then he'd sit at the table having his coffee and catching his breath for a few minutes before him and my Dad went on another adventure to God-knows-where to collect metal scraps, or old hinges, or fibre glass, or the pot plants, or a second hand lawn mower 5 hours drive away that they were going to take the engine out of, or netting for the vegetable garden, or to the tip.

Vintage Luigi.

I remember as a kid learning to drive a car and then ride a dirt bike and even shoot a gun on his farm. I remember the smell of the abandoned sheep shearing shed in the far paddock. I remember hunting for rabbits with Roy the Pointer, who was so good that he would sneak up and catch them in his jaws before a single round had been discharged from shotgun. Regardless, I remember the old pool table in the farm shed littered with thousands of empty casings. Lui had invented a mechanism that would allow him to recycle the old bullets.

I remember the dog pen around the side of the shed which he'd created an automatic dog feeder which would feed the dog's every day when he wasn't at the property. It worked for a while but failed once and the dog's almost starved. Again, vintage Lui.

I remember the shower on that property wasn't tiled, instead, it was a huge collage of Playboy Bunny cutouts behind plastic to protect from the water. As a pre-pubescent young boy stepping inside, it was THE BEST shower ever. Still is.

I remember driving to that farm so many times in his big 4WD with the CB Radio and the big bottle of water on the dash that never get drunk. After many trips seeing the bottle there I finally asked him what it was for and he explained that sometimes when he's driving long distances late at night he gets tired; so he would take a mouthful of water from the bottle and swish it around in his mouth until he got home because "it's impossible to fall asleep at the wheel with a mouthful of water".

This was the kind of guy Luigi was. Inventive, intuitive, immensely practical, and genius. I probably won't know the full extent of the impact he had on my life for some time, but in the big wash up I know it would have been a hellova lot.

Above all it was his attitude to life. Lui has had cancer since I can remember. And I'm talking serious "loosing organs" kinda cancer. Yet like every time I saw him, like the last time I saw him just a week and a bit ago, you'd never tell. He always brought a big smile and infectious laugh, cheeky dirty sense of humour, incomprehensible energy, and that ingenius mind. I'm not exaggerating when I say people would have no idea just how sick he was because his attitude to life was so fantastic. He was a character, and a lot of people loved him.

On Saturday he went into hospital just like every other week but this time he never came out. Luigi died early on Saturday morning. It's a weird feeling knowing he won't huff-and-puff his way up my parents driveway next Saturday morning like usual. What I can't really find the words to explain properly is how I felt seeing (for the first time) my Dad cry. He's lost his closest friend of a lifetime. It breaks your heart.

Lui... it may have taken you in the end, but in my eyes you'd already won a long time ago, mate.

Thanks for everything.

Pace.

ohaithere 2011 bai 2010

2011-01-10T11:19:00.010+11:00

So I got tagged by Rob in a "look-back-at-the-year-that-was" kinda post a few weeks ago. I know this is late, but I wanted to de-digitize my summer. So here are my (lateish) answers...

1/ Best single thing [personal and or professional] you did/achieved in 2010?

Personally, it was finally finding a girl that is equal parts lover and equal parts best friend. I honestly started to doubt whether it would happen at all for me. We now live together in an awesome part of town, within walking distance to everywhere, surrounded by our kinda culture and our friends. We've got short terms plans and long term goals to share. Life is fucking rad.

Professionally, it was a really hard year. Probably the hardest. Adland really kicked me in the balls last year and then threw in some curb-stomps for measure. At a few points I imagined walking away and going back to Uni and studying something far removed from this bullshit game. Then I would have some amazing conversations with fantastic people from all around the world and feel alive and hungry and inspired and reminded why I want to be doing this.

2/ Most shameful thing [personal or professional] you did in 2010?

There's a few minor ones, but nothing too juicy. I generally suck at being shameful ;)

3/ Ad industry scandal or scoundrel of the year?

Nothing comes close to the Sam Ismail saga. I've not really commented on this here or on many other blogs because I kinda know Heather and Sam as well as some close friends of Sam... and in all honesty, it's really not my business. Actually, I don't think it's many people's business apart from those that were directly affected by it. And that's the main point. I'm unsure whether the whole online "cancer" campaign was worse for accuser or accused. That's pretty much all I'm gonna say on it.

4/ Your overall rating for 2010 out of 10?

Personally, it's a 9/10.

Professionally... I'd say a 5/10.

5/ What do you think will be the most overhyped advertising related subject of 2011?

More of those fucking annoying "(insert medium) IS DEAD!" claims. Nothing ever really dies, it just evolves.

Oh, and bad examples of big agencies trying to game brands. The "Reward Badge" is the new iPhone app is the new Facebook app is the new micro-site. Nike Grid gets it. Most sadly, will not.

Ok now that, that is done... bring on '11 and some new and exciting adventures.

Happy new year to all my commenters and lurkers!

[edit; I'm not really going to tag anyone else because everyone I would have tagged has already done this, or has been tagged already, or did their own version of a yearly summary. Just goes to show how fucking slow I've been... sorry Rob!]

2010 And I'm Done.

2010-12-14T10:44:00.004+11:00

/end

Life.

2010-12-13T16:59:00.002+11:00

Really, in the end this is all we have.

Thanks to Rob.

Theophilus London x Vashtie - I Want You

2010-12-08T09:20:00.002+11:00

New York's most stylish holding it down right now. I've always loved Theophilus so it's nice to hear some new music. This clip was directed by Vashtie, who you should know as one of Downtown NY's most creative and influential people right now, working with a heap of music artists and fashion designers (including Nike).

Props to Niko (again!)

Phenom

2010-12-08T09:12:00.002+11:00

This is what the NBA needs.

Fuck Farmville.

2010-12-08T09:03:00.003+11:00

With the amount of money up for grabs, it's no surprise that Facebook gaming is about to go to the next level.

I Am Playr is a glimpse at the future...

Creepy Hand Lady

2010-12-06T10:58:00.002+11:00

Buzzfeed hit the nail on the head when they described this video as "approaching a SNL sketch". It's hilarious in a completely scary way, and also a great example of how natural perfection can't save you from still being a freak.

Props to @adsdoherty.

This... Actually Makes Sense

2010-11-30T08:45:00.002+11:00

Play on, player...

(click to enlarge)

Can I Speak To You For A Minute?

2010-11-29T09:14:00.003+11:00

This photo comes from the wall of the men's bathroom in an engagement ring store. I like how you can be in a regular store environment and all of a sudden, the brand pulls you aside for a quick and insightful D&M. This is what can make brands feel real. Love it...

Ummmmm... Ok

2010-11-26T09:41:00.003+11:00

Can anyone explain the thinking behind this piece of outdoor?

No? That's cool, I don't have a fucking clue either.

The Stresses Of Modern Parenting

2010-11-25T10:53:00.001+11:00

*sigh*

Smirnoff Purified

2010-11-25T10:23:00.005+11:00

Not a bad effort for a local agency (JWT Sydney). Feels like an international ad should, which is a hard thing to pull off in this country (mostly due to lack of budget and balls, not talent). I think this was planned to go throughout the region anyways.

The idea of purity is executed clean and simply (as it should be) but it's also got an interesting film craft appeal that I like; which makes it easy and enjoyable to watch a few times. I'm not sure what the Manchester United link is though... feels like they paid a shit load of cash to leverage something unrelated (at least to me) hoping for a bit of internet traction. What's Ryan Giggs got to do with purity?!

Overall though it's pretty cool spot, just hope it's not a one trick pony and the rest of the campaign extends on this...

America's Army Level Mod

2010-11-23T14:27:00.003+11:00

Inception meets MC Escher... absolutely head-fuckery awesomeness. This mod twists your brain using non-Euclidean geometry; the study of shapes and constructs that do not map directly to typical line of geometry (n-dimensional Euclidean). There needs to be a full length game based on this, STAT!

The first section of the level is a 720 degree circle. It's basically a long hallway curled up into a double-circle-type shape, with the ends connected. Sorta like if you take a rubber band and double it up, except the whole band/hallway takes up the same small area.

The second area is the impossibly long hallway. At first glance it appears that it's just a small room with column in the center. Upon further examination, however, the "hallway" connecting the back of the room is many times longer than could ACTUALLY fit there. Imagine it as "squishing" a hundred feet of hallway into a one-foot space.

The third area is the room in a closet. The closet only appears to be a couple feet deep and wide, however the room inside it is about a hundred feet both ways. Now step into the closet. The room you just walked out of is now contained neatly in the same small area the closet originally occupied.

The fourth area is a long hallway with a small closet at each end. Walking into one closet causes you to walk out of the opposite one. Think of it as a little shortcut.

Hate That.

2010-11-23T12:56:00.002+11:00

P.N.G. Style & Reflections

2010-11-21T11:09:00.004+11:00

A mate of mine, David Fedele, recently graduated from a documentary school in London and then decided to base his first project in Papua New Guinea. Called P.N.G. Style, the movie follow's Dave's 3 month solo journey through Papua armed only with his backback, a camcorder and travelling guitar. It's a really interesting watch considering he managed to befriend and be welcomed into the homes of indigenous tribes in the middle of the jungle.

The doco recently won Best Documentary Award at the Portobello Film Festival.

You can watch Part 1 (of 4) of P.N.G. Style here.

As a teaser, he also produced the following little clip based on some off-cuts of the doco, and I think it's absolutely brilliant. Reflections came about from Dave turning the viewing screen on his camera around so that the subjects being filmed could see themselves. The reactions of these people living so isolated from the world in which most of us know is beautifully innocent and heartwarming.

"Reflections" from P.N.G. Style on Vimeo.

Damn Auto-Correct!!

2010-11-21T11:08:00.001+11:00

Gold.

Heaps more here.

José Parlá a x Incase

2010-11-17T11:36:00.003+11:00

I know it's totally vogue to be riding on José Parlá, but I can vouch I've been following his work for a while. Back in the uni days when I was bored in lectures I would write poetry, raps, notes to lovers and no-one in the blank pages of my exercise books. It was half about getting all the thoughts and emotions out of my head, half to battle the sheer boredom of class. I'd scribble and write a whole load of stuff and then continue to write over it repeatedly using the same words and letters over and over again, sometimes letting my pen drift before starting again so that eventually all that remained was a page of scribble that was illegible to anyone else but me.

It felt like beautiful, hand-written code for my mind only.

When I first came across José's art in '06/'07, that is exactly what struck me. It was deep, gritty and chaotic, an elegantly hand-written mess that only he could properly understand the true meaning of. Maybe this is the essence of a lot of art, but for some reaons - the "urban-ness" and street style of his work just appeals a lot to me. One day I'd love to meet him and hopefully buy one of his pieces.

Anyways, Incase have just teamed up with Mr Parlá to produce a line of products (#commercialism). I'm not so much interested in the gear rather than the film that was produced to help promote it via the interwebs. Like his art, it's all about colour, texture, sound and interacting with the real world... a great introduction to a great modern day artist.

More here is you're keen.

A Life On Facebook

2010-11-15T09:54:00.002+11:00

This is accurate.

Made me wonder if I'll still be using Facebook in 10... 20... 30 years time. With so much of myself already invested on there right now (contacts, messages, photos), what would it take for me to walk away? What will happen to all of our Facebook Lives once our generation passes?

LA Noire

2010-11-12T09:54:00.012+11:00

Not many people know this, but last year, I was in talks to move to NYC as part of Rockstar Games Product Strategy team, but for a lot of reasons (timing, life, love...) I had to say no to moving to New York. (it still burrrrrrrrns!)

The game I was going to be working on first up was a much hyped - but little seen - title called LA Noire; a dark and violent detective thriller set against the backdrop of post-war late 1940's Los Angeles. Being a film noir and cinema studies fan, and since hanging at the R* office talking about this project, I've always been excited to see this game come to life. Well today the Soho crew FINALLY released a trailer! The game looks ace, I'm especially blown away (but not surprised) at how great the music is too. I still listen to the Red Dead soundtrack.

As always, this looks like it'll be a great immersive gaming x film experience. Nice work as always R*!

Oh for you advertising folk and/or Mad Men fans... yes, the lead character in the game is played by Aaron Staton.

Life As A Fish

2010-11-11T13:45:00.001+11:00

Some new N*E*R*D for ya...

Contrast

2010-11-11T13:13:00.003+11:00

Kids are hilarious...

Apparently, Dick's House is totes awesome?!

How Planning Can Be Just As Creative As Creative

2010-11-09T13:37:00.008+11:00

I recently had to think about how I would define Planning as a job. It's an interesting question; I'm sure if you ask any of the hundreds (maybe thousands?) of Planners on the internet what their definition would be you'd no doubt get some contrasting responses.

It's about insight gathering.
It's about story-telling.
It's about inspiring creatives.
It's about simplification.
It's about effectiveness.
It's about becoming an indispensable part of your client's business.
It's about making sure the consumer is represented in the room.

All of these and many more are right in some way or another...

I've always had fun trying to describe Planning to those friends and family members not in the ad game - especially my Nonni - and I've kind of gotten it down to "I insert the secret messages into ads."

Yeah, yeah I know, it's lazy and not (quite) right... but from an advertising illiterate viewpoint, it works. And making shit work, THAT's what MY definition of Planning is.

Years ago I managed to shuffle myself into a Copywriting role and apart from writing letters for banks and long-copy brochures... it was pretty cool gig. Being a Creative is one of the most maddening jobs you can have. You're constantly having to keep your over-active imagination and ambitions under wraps... on brief... on budget... in line with multiple objectives... out of the way of the egos around you... etc etc. Add to that the fun of managing all of those things, only to have your beautiful idea be shot down with some sharp words from your CD or the client (or even a Planner, haha!). It can suck... but it's also hella fun. You act and feel young, you get to wear tees and Converse to work, you're allowed to do dumb shit like have a Nerf war in the middle of the department, and the client actually loves your tattoos and ironic hipster-isms because you're wacky and... well, not like them. Most of the best Creatives I've ever worked with are like this and they'll all fucking rad because the job allows them to be.

When I was between jobs, a few head hunters and even prospective employers asked me why I had chosen to move from being a Writer to Planner. The choice (in their experience) was against the norm. At first I didn't really know the answer to that question. My naive stock-standard (and attempted humorous) response was that I enjoyed "thinking about stuff more than actually doing it". But the more I thought about the experiences I'd had on both sides of the fence, the more clear the difference became... it's about "freedom from the start."

The start is in reference to the creative agency process. A Creative's work usually begins with some sort of briefing. Hopefully with a brief or strategic platform that's already been written by a Planner or Suit. The key part of that brief could be a proposition - a few words or a phrase or pictures or movies (or all of this stuff) that's sole purpose is to steer the Creative's mind into the right direction to craft and idea. If you break it down (crudely), the essence of any brief is to herd the Creative's ability to think into an area where you can control the outputs. Where that area is, is the part I find most interesting.

This is where the Planner comes in. The Planner's creative thinking starts literally with a blank canvas (whiteboard these days, maybe). They take all the things the client is making them think about, and then add more stuff like consumer research and/or their own extra knowledge/experience/intuition, and then try to solve the client problem the best way they can. The approach they take and where this process ends up could literally be anywhere; is it about breaking the rules? Maybe it's about playing by the rules? Is it differentiation? Or imitation? Do you focus on one thing over another? Or are we focusing on the wrong things all together? The Planner has the freedom to stand up and suggest crazy shit, like maybe the best approach isn't an ad at all... see Nike Grid or Tap Project.

That blank canvas, that freedom is why I was attracted to being a Planner. Of all the jobs in this business... it's the only one that starts from nowhere and can go absolutely anywhere. It's one of the only jobs where you'll be able to - no, expected to challenge people's point of view and have all the info to back up your point.

So for any of you young Planner peeps reading this; my advice is to draw THE SHIT ALL OVER that whiteboard. Embrace being the one person your Creatives, your Accounts guys, and importantly the client rely on more than anyone else to know what is what. Strive to be just as creative as the Creative's in your agency and you'll be invaluable. Oh, and avoid Microsoft Excel at all costs!

Influencers

2010-11-08T13:58:00.004+11:00

This short film is everywhere at the moment... including here. But what I really love is the quote from Doa-Yi Chow about the essence of coolness being "what are you made of when you're by yourself?". For me, this is one of the most interesting and thought provoking ways to start thinking about a subject (coolness) that is typically so hard to define.

Also, this whole video makes me miss NYC so badly :(

INFLUENCERS FULL VERSION from R+I creative on Vimeo.

No More Years

2010-11-08T10:55:00.004+11:00

So the other day was the birthday of a family friend of mine who passed away tragically earlier this year. There was a big party that I unfortunately couldn't attend but I would of been keen to see what the mood would of been like. Was it somber? Reflective? I imagine probably bittersweet.

It got me thinking about life and particularly death. I wonder in the afterlife (I hope there is one) whether our spirits grow old in tune with the people they left behind on Earth.

Then yesterday I went for a late afternoon walk through Princes Park which lead me along the back end of the beautifully old Melbourne Cemetery. It's there that I found this fantastic poem that someone had attached subtly to the outside of the steel fence. My question answered...

(click to enlarge)

Best Tourism Ad Ever

2010-10-25T12:50:00.002+11:00

Fuck your carefully constructed imagery, THIS is keeping it real...

Runaway

2010-10-25T10:42:00.003+11:00

Like, love or loathe... Kanye West is making art. And as long as he's spitting rhymes over beats like the one at 10:25mins then it's all good with me.

In the tradition of those short films MJ was making throughout his career, Runaway, which features music from Ye's forthcoming album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, is story of a phoenix played by lingerie model Selita Ebanks who falls down from the cosmos. She is rejected for her differences while on Earth and is eventually torn away from West and returns to her own realm. Album drops November 22nd.

Not Even Chuck Norris Would Dare

2010-10-05T15:53:00.004+11:00

Apologies for not updating in ages, I've started a new job and it's been mad hectic. So here's a quick one... One of my new clients is a big dairy producer so amongst other things, I've been working a lot on cheese of late.

One of the big problems with cheese is the 28-55 year old demographic. Particularly men. It's not surprising to see a drop off in consumption as men start to realise that they're not as young as they used to be [coupled with all this deep stuff] and begin cutting out indulgences - cheese being an easy one to forgo. Literally there are huge dips in consumption curves until they approach 50 and then blokes kinda have a "fuck it, I've worked hard for this" attitude and start enjoying the finer things in life again.

With that in mind, it's surprised me how much cheese fails to tap into these anxious-about-indulgence 28-55yo consumers. Most cheeses are portrayed as boring, stogy and traditional; hardly inspiring these dudes to stay in the category.

That's why I like this classic series of ads for Panda Cheese.

For me, it doesn't sell indulgence, it doesn't go for the "lite" angle [a big no-no in the eyes of these guys, they see through it and know the taste is too much of a compromise], so instead they build desire the same way Starbucks do - random humor drumming home product descriptors. I was crying (seriously) with laughter watching these. I dunno why, it's just got me at the right time.

Why this worked...

It's not confronting. It's not reminding these guys how much they need it. We deal with our demons internally. Sad but true. Either keep it to yourself or risk alienation.
It's not fake. It's not trying to "talk to them on their level". You're a fkn cheese, I don't want to have a discussion with you. I just want to like what you're about on a superficial level, then STFU and get in my belly.
It's Chuck Norris "cool". The Panda is a badass. Men respect strong. Old Spice saw this.
It's memorably differentiated. Without overplaying it, this cheese now has a personality that is completely category changing [at least it would in Australia]. Personality is one of the main deciders whether you want to be friends with someone in the real world - it's just as important from a brand perspective. Remember those other old stogy cheese guys? Who were they talking to?! Not me. At least there is Panda now.

Nice stuff.

Hella Sexy Baby Be Mine

2010-09-20T17:55:00.001+10:00

So dope.

In The Meantime...

2010-09-01T16:24:00.002+10:00

Been insanely busy of late... sorry. News to come.

In the meantime, enjoy this 2010 example of infinite regress...

Another Cool Car Ad

2010-08-24T09:36:00.007+10:00

I had a whole spiel written in my head about how this ad demonstrates Gondry-like creativity in the execution, but that it is almost devoid of any real strategic thought or positioning for the actual car itself. And how it shits me when agencies are arty just for the hell of it and how the best agencies (W+K, BBH, Mother etc) typically find the right balance between being creative, and also strategically effective.

Then I thought; maybe the car itself is just pretty average [in the context of the category] and there's really nothing interesting to say about it?

Then I thought; cars get sold in dealerships not on TV. A nice commercial just puts it on the consideration list, and typically to get on that you're looking at style, size/functionality and price range. Maybe this [fashion style] ad does enough?

Then I thought; I really should get on with this brief I have to write for my client.

So here's a cool ad for a car. Think whatever you want...

Planning?

2010-08-24T09:04:00.001+10:00

Tyson

2010-08-17T13:17:00.001+10:00

World Basketball Festival

2010-08-12T09:42:00.004+10:00

It all kicks off today in NY and Nike has been OWNING the city in the past few weeks - transforming the famous Rucker Park, Jay-Z hosting the launch party, doco's at The Apollo, pop up stores, block parties outside the NSW store on Mercer St in Soho, not forgetting plenty of actualy basketball at MSG, Times Square and Rucker Park.

Ohhhh, how I wish to be in NYC right now...

What I've particularly loved though is the content that Nike Sportswear has been producing as part of their 1LOVE campaign. Each 2-3 minute film aims to capture the essence of one of the 5 boroughs and the love that the residents have for their area. They're also accompanied by a special release AF1 shoe designed to reflect the borough and commemorate the festival.

The films are urban tribalism; gritty, brash, big-talking, and soaked in style... so New York.
Nice work.

Well Played Puma

2010-08-09T11:53:00.005+10:00

I'll be straight up... I don't really like Puma as a brand. They don't "mean" anything to me... secondly, I don't particularly think this EXECUTION is anything to rave home about.

But! In terms of the strategy, I think this is great thinking...

Coming from an Australian perspective... It seems that Puma are in this weird space of coming from a sports brand heritage, but not really acting like a sports brand. Think Nike and Adidas, Reebok, Asics, New Balance (for running), that's the kind of level it's at these days. Where does Puma fit in? Sponsorship wise, they don't really "own" anything, and their product range spreads more casual anyways. So are they more street wear? Well, no. Because most of their products and apparel are predominately found in sporting goods stores, their retail presence only goes to place them further into this cloudy abyss of a WTF-does-the-brand-actually-stand-for?! That question alone should be the number one thing you work out before ANYTHING.

That's why at least in my eyes, this campaign does well to make the best of Puma's pretty shit situation that they can't break out of. Until now. In the idea of "social street sport" they've found something unique that they can truly own against their competitors. I'm talking about other brands from the sporting category AND separately, those in the street wear category... at the same time. Because most of these other brands are so far down either the sports or street wear road, Puma's new position means none of the competition are well equipped enough to occupy that middle ground with the same level of balance.

[When I talk about balance I mean sporting heritage VS street wear creds. Adidas Originals and Nike SW for example seem to operate almost independently from their hardcore athletic product divisions with the promo mix of each rarely being in equilibrium.]

Puma's After Hours Athlete is real, yet unacknowledged. It captures moments and insights we can all relate to. That's why I think "social street sport" is a good move for Puma to help define it's place in the world. Keen to see where it goes...

There's Insights Hidden Here

2010-08-06T11:47:00.003+10:00

Some of these little moments of everyday had me grinning big time...

29 UNIVERSAL TRUTHS

1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.

5. How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6. Was learning cursive really necessary?

7. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

8. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

9. Bad decisions make good stories.

10. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

11. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection ... again.

12. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.

13. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this - ever.

14. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Damn it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What did you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

15. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

16. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

17. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

18. I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid " routing option.

19. Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the heck was going on when I first saw it.

20. I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.

21. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

22. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said?

23. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent an a ** from cutting in at the front.

24. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.

25. Is it just me or do high school kids get dumber & dumber every year?

26. There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.

27. As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers, but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.

28. Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

29. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I'd bet my behind everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time!

An Idiot Abroad

2010-08-04T14:12:00.000+10:00

This is going to be fantastic...

Herald Sun Journalism 101

2010-08-02T09:45:00.009+10:00

So I came across this article in the Herald Sun over the weekend and couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous it is. It's the PERFECT piece of fluff, constructed using the typical tabloid mix and match techniques.

(click to enlarge)

Ok, since when did bars ever lose their status as a way to meet people? Melbourne has one of the liveliest bar scenes in the world... bars are what we do best, here. Bars and sport.

Then there is this prime example of trying-to-be-clever-but-ultimately-just-ridiculous-journalism...

'A "range" of bars have opened in the city that are not designed to match-make, but it happens coincidentally. Those bars have become known as the "love bars".'

WTF? Lame. Firstly, which bars are actively "designed" to match-make? I would say probably none. Secondly, these bars are NOT designed to match-make? But they accept being filed into a new category of bar known as a "love bar" which clearly defines them as bars designed for match-making... right.

Everyone rejoice in the epic fail!

Then the author of this drivel moves to conceal their clearly flawed logic with obligatory statistics that help set up the rest of this pointless article that in truth, is most likely an undercover piece of advertising/PR from the bars or City of Melbourne themselves...

"A recent Galaxy poll found bars are a popular pass time with men and women"

Truly insightful. People like going to bars. Amazing. Bring on the "relationship expert" to help flesh out this article to the minimum word count required from your Editor, boss...

"If you don't have to scream over music and can talk easily, there is more chance of getting to know someone and see if you can like them."

Thank you expert. Thank you for making that aspect of every day living so blatantly clear to me. Do you have any other expert wisdom to share? Perhaps, some advice for the ladies on how to implement a "strategic move to find a long-term partner"?

"Don't get drunk."

LOL. Yep. Expert. Thanks for the lulz as always Herald Sun.

This Made Me LOL

2010-07-28T16:51:00.003+10:00

Amazing.

2010-07-27T17:09:00.000+10:00

I die.

Negative Desire

2010-07-26T11:29:00.011+10:00

Just once, I want to eat here...

And this is why...

Obvisouly the The Heart Attack Grill plays up to the human instinct to fight the system that is constantly telling you what to eat etc and indulge every now and then. [And maybe that some of us are just fat bastards!] But it wasn't till I saw just how blatant this was that I could piece together the really interesting human thought process that drives this behaviour...

As soon as you tell me something is bad, I will inherently think twice and potentially limit my usage of that thing. But what that then does is create novelty in the usage, and novelty grants occasional permission which then means I'll eventually end up using it.

[whoa... think of it like committing inception of the idea without even knowing!]

That combined with honesty and full disclosure ("I know this will be bad for me, but fuck it") cements the notion of novelty and subconscious permission.

Negative Desire. Take McDonalds as an example. Maccas know the majority of their food is bad for you. But they try to get you in the store to buy "Healthy Options" knowing you'll probably end up spending money on some of the bad shit whilst you're there. When they first launched their salads range, sales of french fries went nuts. Why? Because people felt like they permission to eat there because it was healthy, but still felt mysteriously unsatiated unless they also bought some salty chips with their salad. Maybe this was Negative Desire at work? Maccas steers you away from eating their bad food by offering you "good food" thus creating a sense of "treat" when you do buy their bad food - and we all love a treat... See what they did thurr? It's not honest but how many brands are as honest as the Heart Attack Grill?

What does this mean for food brands? Can they can plant seeds of desire into our minds through reverse reinforcement? For a brand that plays with the notion of "indulgence" this kind of inception [ok, obsessed] can be an interesting strategy that given time, could just work. Or maybe I've just seen the movie too many times?

Hrmm, I feel like a burger...

Important

2010-07-23T16:26:00.003+10:00

I think it's easy to draw case-studies from a brand like Nike (the Nike Ballers Club idea is extra rad though), but there's still some great advice here with regards to being "curious about technology, media culture and your audiences habits".

This Just Made My Day

2010-07-22T13:52:00.000+10:00

Never too young to enjoy life.

I KNEW IT!!!

2010-07-20T09:53:00.002+10:00

Props to Lester AKA Horse Puncher

Chill Wave Weekend

2010-07-17T08:28:00.001+10:00

Love this...

All Better And Shit

2010-07-15T10:24:00.006+10:00

The Atmosphere is looking bigger don't you agree? Mainly because I got my dude BK4D to get his HTML on. [He sees it like Neo!] I expanded the column width so now vids are in glorious cinema style for your wide screen viewing pleasure! Also, if you think this blog is rad and you too dream of being part of teh radness, then you can simply spread the joy of radness by clicking on the new "like" and retweet" buttons etc. Or, to capture an overarching sense of overarching radness, hit up the "like on Facebook" link at the top right of the blog.

Do it.

Click it.

Yessssss.

<3 uuu readers!

One 2 One

2010-07-14T09:13:00.007+10:00

Old Spice guy now uses YouTube vids to respond directly to fans who have posted about him on Twitter and Facebook.

Big brand.

Mass communication channel.

But one to one.

You can imagine consumers wanting to be one of the lucky ones to have a response filmed for them - so naturally social media mentions will go through the roof. This is how a great creative idea can evolve to work FOR YOU. Genius. Fucking genius.

And more...

No It Doesn't.

2010-07-09T13:01:00.005+10:00

[following on nicely from my last post about tricking consumers...]

Dear peeps at Coke,

Coke Zero DOES NOT taste like Coke. Dude, put your taste testing research down, it doesn't. I'm a Coke drinker, an original Coke lover. I'm telling you now... NO. If you really want to know, Coke Zero actually tastes very similar to Pepsi Max.

It's been clear from the start that Coke Zero feels it has a job to do to convince people that Zero tastes like Coke. I don't know why they feel the need to do this at all. I suppose the only other thing they can talk about is less sugar, but that would position original Coke as bad for you. If there's nothing else to talk about, one has to wonder why they bothered with this product extension in the first place...

Anyways, they continue to try and turn us around, and even though I'll always laugh at the claim, I still reckon this little cinema stunt is quite good...

Deception And Embarassment

2010-07-08T11:56:00.006+10:00

Overlord @benduxredux sent me this interesting video talking about Product DISplacement and it got me thinking...

With the notion of authentic and organic gaining mass market appeal, this is obviously a way for big brands to manufacture the "feeling" that they're something less mass produced. But are white lies really a way of crafting desire?

Coke is aiming to lure consumers with discovery (which I think if done correctly can work well) but the Starbucks example is just straight up deception. So what happens when that cute little coffee shop you've been going to for the past month unveils itself to be a mass chain coffee house you probably prided yourself on avoiding? Is there a risk that the consumer feels duped and backlashes? And why is Freshjive so embarrassed at their own brand that they're choosing to hide it?! If I bought a shirt that I really liked and then it was revealed to me to be Freshjive I know I would probably think less of the shirt [because I'm quite irrational about the brands I choose to badge myself with]. It's a weird experiment, but maybe I'm in the minority... Maybe in the end if the consumer is happy with what they've paid for the truth might not really matter?

What do you think? Would it matter?

October's Very Cold

2010-07-05T17:50:00.002+10:00

This Drake x Coldplay mashtape is pretty sweet...

Download the full 10 tracks at http://www.octobersverycold.com/

Participation Is The Point, Stupid!

2010-07-05T10:02:00.000+10:00

Clay Shirky explains how widespread education coupled with 21st-century technology has enabled what he terms "cognitive surplus," or the potential for large and cumulative creative endeavors. He argues that while it is responsible for inanity like Lolcats, "doing something is different from doing nothing."

It Fucking Prints Money.

2010-06-30T11:25:00.002+10:00

As I kinda touched on here... there's no talking sense into the desire driven, irrational consumer. Still, this video made me laugh my ass off...

Neo Knows

2010-06-30T11:06:00.002+10:00

In The Round...

2010-06-29T17:11:00.001+10:00

Sickly sweet cover of Billie Jean, by Aloe Blacc and The Grand Scheme. Remember MJ.
Love...

Taking Them By The Hand

2010-06-29T11:02:00.004+10:00

I find the ebb and flow of fashion quite interesting, especially because sometimes the the same laws can be applied to products/brands and even creative ideas - retro cool anyone? Point is, things move from "cool" to mainstream to "not cool" to forgotten to cool again to mainstream etc etc... Here's a great info-graphic that helps make sense of it.

What is most interesting is every time we come around the cycle the core element stays the same, but changes just that little bit. Maybe for something to move into mainstream, we can't be too revolutionary? Maybe the masses prefer evolution by inches?

Hot & Fun

2010-06-28T10:22:00.002+10:00

More nastiness from the masters of hypnotic basslines...

"How Humble Our Beginnings..."

2010-06-25T13:42:00.001+10:00

Simply beautiful...

This is Carl Sagan reading from his book, "The Pale Blue Dot". Director Michael Marantz shoots the timelapse for this piece, composes the music and edits.