Go Font Urself

‘Go Font Urself’- was pretty awesome. My inner typography addict was completely satisfied. I took some pics which I’ve compiled here for keep sake and to share on tumblr.

The immediate above is my favourite work out of all the ones I saw tonight. White on white (reminds me of Mondrian), typographically stunning, with meticulous attention to detail and pressure. Also it is quirky. Unfortunately in my state of appreciation I forgot to take down artist names and for that I apologise. Hope you guys enjoyed this compilation.
 

Knock On My Head

That's right, pay attention!

1. START TELLING THE TRUTH
To each other. To our clients. About our brands.

2. STOP THE BLOODY POLITICS
Because we're an industry run by bankers, it is the conniving crowd pleasers rather than the cream that tend to rise to the top. A general rule: in most agencies, those with vision who 'get-it' are bullied and undermined at every turn by those with no vision, who don't.

3. START HAVING FUN AGAIN
We used to be the envy of the salary-man. Why have we let it become so serious and dull? The greatest work ever done in our industry, has always come from places where people like each other and enjoy...really enjoy... playing and partying together as a team.

4. STOP OVER-THINKING EVERYTHING
What we make doesn't really matter. If we accept this, we get somewhere immediately! It is also true that what we make matters less when we over-analyse it in order to appeal to lowest common denominators.

5. START DOING SOMETHING!
Instead of taking 8 months to do 1 thing...we need to be doing 8 things in 1 month. Many of these things may fail. Allow. Today, one in ten meetings are necessary, one in ten people at those meetings actually get it, one in ten jobs get made, and one in a hundred are any good.

6. STOP THE INCESSANT RESEARCH
Put ten industry professionals who know what they are doing into a room, ten people who know what makes people tick, and who understand a good piece of communication from a bad; and whatever comes out of that room, can and should go straight into the media. We absolutely do not need to waste time obtaining prior validation from a postman, a bus-driver or a housewife.

7. START DOING GOOD
We need to bring our clients to CSR programmes...all of them...not just the cigarette boys, the oil companies and the huge conglomerates who make sugary, cheesy comestibles...all of them...doing it cos they want to, not cos they feel they have to.

8. STOP BANGING ON ABOUT "DIGITAL"
There's no such thing. We are all one and the same now and have been since the start of this century. Agencies need to start walking the talk because right now, clients are leaving.

9. START UPS AGAIN, PLEASE
Go out there and do your thing. Don't suffer it...change it. Make it better. You've learned how not to do things...now put that learning into practice. Be ethical. Be creative. Be nice to other people. Protect and care for your staff. Be the next Clow or Hegarty or Chiat. Be brilliant.

10. STOP USING ANIMALS IN COMMERCIALS
Ads with chimps, dalmatians, koalas, ostriches, mooseseses, rhinos, warthogs, water buffalo, lizards, clydesdales, horses that aren't clydesdales, dolphins, the list goes on. These are today's equivalent of Two C's in a K. And we really can do better folks.

Thanks to Campaign Brief and Wassim Kanaan for dropping this on my head.

The GFC Explained

Very neat video.

Short Film? Ad? No..?

Watch this!

Following the success of Underbelly, Victoria Tourism thought it might hit the iron while it’s hot and indulge on the fantasy of the Australian public, let’s lead a ‘double life’ it said. Ok, maybe not entirely, but that was my immediate connection in my search for meaning with this particular spot, and yes, I know, gangland warfare? Of all things Katie! *Sigh

Upon first viewing this ad I was torn in all directions, searching for the ‘right’ emotion to feel and cue of my next ‘action’ that is supposably the aim of any ad. But I was left stranded with the infectious A cappella tune echoing between my ears. ‘What double life?’ my brain squealed as the sexily soaked Isabel Lucas stared into the depth of my soul. Word ‘Daylesford’ fades into clarity. What the hell?

Beautifully shot, this ad had the hallmark of the indie, artsy and sultry signature of elegant Melbourne art direction. As a short film, it is most intriguing. Stalking the character as she switches between personas and engage in behaviours that might suggest she hosts a split personality or have bipolar. (Ah ha! there’s the ‘double life’ line finally clicking.)

What was mind-boggling to me was the juxtaposed scenarios. One flash she is an innocent village girl wondering through the dusty old road, golden fields and luscious woods. Then like Gretel having an acid trip, the girl turn into the child of Cruella De Vil and Angelina Jolie soaked in mysterious seduction. Off we go on the adventure where she digs her nails into a mini mountain of blueberries, hooks up with a guy and ends up at the bottom of the lake…(signifying spa)

I don’t know how effective this ad will be. All I can say is that it is an art in its own right and indeed, very Postmodern. Yes, the eternal debate. What makes an ad, an ad? And to where do we draw the line when it is no longer an ad but a mysterious short film that has alienated too many audiences with its ‘art-ness’ to maintain general appeal.

Com’on Victoria! We’ve gone through ‘Loose Yourself’ and ‘Lead a Double Life’, why can’t we just visit your state lucid? Don't get me wrong I am a fan of the two campaigns.

I have gone and Tweeted this ad as well as send it to a couple of people for feedback, here are some interesting ones:

Wiebe (Netherlands): Only Caucasian people in Victoria? In Netherlands you always see different races in promos.

Ella (Australia): I don’t know if it communicates tourism, but it makes me want to have sex in a pool.

Michelle (Australia): I found it beautiful and easy to appreciate artistically, but it was very disjointed somehow.

Tourism campaigns have always had two key components ‘unique, breathtaking scenery’ and ‘large audience appeal’… yep, that’s it. The fill-ins in between can range from using an internationally iconic character (Crocodile Dundee/ Paul Hogan) or very clever marketing strategy relating to distribution, pricing or partnered package deals. There is no doubt the recent success of ‘Best Job in the World’ has got every tourism-reliant state or country gunning to replicate the same scale of impact. Unfortunately, I think it was just a one hit wonder.

What we need to have our eyes on more than ever is how people consume communication material. What matters to them now? What makes them want to pass on your message?

The repetition of the same formula with different images slotted in, is getting stale. One thing I’ve noticed is that people like grappling on to anything that is weird, quirky and totally relative to them, in a secret way that no one knows. Stealth campaign perhaps? Poke fun at the everyday Joe who turns out to be extraordinary. Exploring how to sub-consciously affect their next holiday destination decision? You never know. Just don’t use any invasive pop-up, roll-over or ‘you have no choice but to sit through this crap while I use up your bandwidth’ ad, because I might just cross the state line and make the double life happen while I loose myself.

Information and strategy overview of this campaign can be found here: Click

7 & an 8th Thing(s). Two Days. My life.

1. Searched For Inspiration: Creative Depart & Vince Frost Blog.

oh man... A typography room?!! That's sheets, pillows, painting on the wall... everything. I could die in there :)

2. Brainstorming & Mind-mapping on my closet: Working on something really really great with a bunch of aspiring young marketers. Job-hunting is going to hell for us so it's time to just do what we love.


3. Found a New YouTube Channel to watch: Check it here...


4. Learning jQuery: I want to kick butt at this.

5. Building the Travaganza Website: I'm loving every second of it <3


6. Celebrated Keely's 21st Birthday: Yes... that is me in a dress. Stoned bartender who made me extra strong mojito.


7. Seek.com: Job-hunting. I'm staying optimistic :) Immune to rejection, not taking anything personally. It's tough out there, I know.


8. Looking Forward to...: An awesome week to kick start the business plan (which I have put off for way too long), hopefully getting that lucky call, finishing the website and find new topic to post on here.

My parents are making their way here to Australia for my graduation in 4 days. They're making a big deal about it, but I really just want to get it over an done with. I have to clean the house to the 'I want to be able to eat off this floor' standard. Anyway... Graduating! Woohoo!

Classic, Self-Expressive Asian Ladies

Talking to a friend the other day, and for some reason, this classic ad for Yellowpages popped into my head... and I just started laughing by myself, same thing happen this morning in the shower. So I hunted it down and replayed it over and over. That's my attempt to cure my spontaneous laughing fits that seems to occur for no apparent reason, to others anyway.



It's old I know, but oh so good. I mean who can top 'Thai Harder'?

What I like about it, is that it tells a story, there is a progression and as audiences we're given characters to get to know. I love that. The two ladies are played to the stereotypical, self-expressive and over-the-top Asian ladies that bring about this memorable moment...



I'll take this opportunity to salute all self-expressing and 'take no shit from no one' cute Asian ladies. You've got to give them credit for having the guts to do what we often hesitate to do when reacting to injustice or situations of extreme, personal urgency.

Stereotypes unfortunately are, at most time, true. I mean, the 'rage' is totally relative to my mum when she's yelling at my dad cuz he is hungover. Don't worry, my family is normal like that, it's how we roll... ha.

Mixed Bag: Internet, Digital Economy... Marketing?

Businesses today are trying to grasp an understanding of the internet and what it can do to help them reach their potential. Like the little nerd that I am, I went to a talk this week held by the federal government broadband initiative, about 'future of the digital economy'. There were business people there trying to see what they can milk out of this presentation, but I don't think anyone got much out of it, including me. I expected ideas for eCommerce, show and tell of the companies that are leading the digital economy and little 'crystal ball' moments regarding customer service revolution via the W's. However, it plateaued after he started talking about linking systems, measuring broadband quality and hit rock bottom when the topic sank into measuring traffic conditions and controlling cars... what the heck?

It wasn't all bad though, I got the gist of what they future holds for the internet, but digital economy? not so much. Other than 'internet is going to be in our lives forever and we better get use to it'. Highlighted in this talk were the urgent and 'must-have' for the building of Australia's broadband network, with a hint of KRudd propaganda (I didn't mind it, but some people walked out). Also, emerging trend of cloud computing, RFID Tags, and mobile content and applications. He also raised concerns over usability and user interface (UI) of future systems, in my minded I uttered, 'Market Research and Design!...is the answer'. There's no doubt transition into a digital economy is the logical next step for Australian businesses but the challenge would be convincing companies to throw in a few million dollars to get on the band wagon. Doubts are born from time and money spent on integrating systems and onotology... long way to go it seems.

But I had stuff I wanted to find out!..more marketing related, even though this was a tech talk, I got inspired nevertheless. So I went looking for it when I got home and I thought I'd share it. It's not so much about the 'digital economy' but something that businesses should pay attention to, in terms of communicating with a growing, internet-bound society. The integration between life and virtual presence, community and online interaction, we can't ignore either identities. Whole new social codes are beginning emerge, and adaptation is inevitable. Understanding even just a fraction, would help transition into an eBusiness model, at the centre of course, is customers. Know them.

I found this great video, and it makes clear a few things.


(This was written out of impulse, courtesy of an array of influences that's pounded me this week. Hope it gets better now uni is nearly over, and that I've finally had some sleep)