Poke Me!

I have a sneaking suspicion that Facebook randomly pokes people on my behalf. Either that or I am marginally more popular than I thought. The random pokes I get engender a feeling of belonging, general wellbeing and often initiate a conversation with someone I had not spoken to in a while. All in all a good thing.

Imagine what would happen if everyone on Facebook poked each other simultaneously. The result would be brilliant - 30 odd million people feeling better, more connected and loved, fancied or just remembered.


Anyone have a client or organisation that this would work for or does anyone fancy building an app. that randomly pokes 10 friends every week?


Tags: facebook giles rhys jones poke social

Creative Evolution: From Gemini to Hydra

In Greek mythology, the Lernaean Hydra (Greek: Λερναία Ὕδρα) was an ancient and evil serpent-like chthonic water beast that possessed numerous heads.



Odd then that RGA pick this analogy to describe the creative team changes required in how we solve clients marketing challenges. On second thoughts, aggressive, mystical creatures... especially after lunch is about right, only joking Bo. And does that make planners Heracles?

I agree that the old linear model of insight, creative, studio, production and distribution followed, slowly if at all, by measurement is however dying.



There is a need to have a circular, amorphous development cycle that involves creatives, experience planners, designers, tech and media in constant dialogue.

Maybe a Three-Ringed Circus might be a better analogy.


Tags: creative hydra giles rhys jones rga future of advertising

God to Pygmy In One Click

On an daily basis I go from feeling pretty smart to feeling like an idiot. Now this is not anything new, its just in the past I had a least a little warning and time to prepare myself; going to a conference, the walking into the creative floor or settling down to read a book.

Now I might be waxing lyrical about the changes that technology is having on how brands and people communicate with each other to a room of enthralled (no really) staff or clients then BAHMM! I am sideswiped by a Twitter update from a HK grad who in 140 characters blows away my carefully constructed opinion.

"Ideas can come from anywhere" is a much touted phrase but we still often think that those ideas will come within the time frames, process and hierarchies of the ad machine/news reports/consultancy papers.

Sign up to twitter, read a blog, get pownce and bugger me, so much inspiration, so many different views, so much disregard for traditional approaches, such a keen spirit of companionship, community and openess to find stuff out, find a better way that you can't help to be utterly inspired. Literally anything, anywhere, anytime and anyone.

Then PING! a mail arrives from a client: "We had a brainstorm and reckon we should be in Second Life...". Sitting on a cloud can still be exasperating.

Tags: giles rhys jones

Experience Planning: Advertising's Newest Discipline

A simple chart from RGA that makes sense. The movement from Campaigns to Experiences and the associated disciplines required to deliver. One thing that everyone seems to miss is the need to influence staff, process and systems. Digital does complete this loop to a certain extent and agencies are comfortable operating in this space. Offline however agency only scrape the surface of these areas, if at all.

The more we are required to deliver a total experience across all touchpoints the more agencies will have to offer change management and process designer to ensure that the customer experience matches the promises made in communication.

Via Vincent

Tags: experience planning giles rhys jones rga future of advertising vincent thome trends