girl power

I'm writing this up simply because I think it's a lovely bit of data and I'm sure I can find a use for it somewhere.

Since the late 1960s men have improved their record marathon times by 3 minutes - but women have improved theirs by 31 minutes.

Ok so it's off a much lower base but still.

timber

I've just had one of those moments when you recognise exactly what it is that you do for a living and how odd this seems to the outside world.

Working on something for nike women my PowerPoint chart is full of terms like inspire her, make it interesting, digital hub, intimate comms etc.I was suddenly aware of the chap next to me looking at my screen a bit disdainfully and then looking away again - classic behaviour of somebody reading over your shoulder. The air was thick with "what the hell are you guffing on about, get a proper job boy" vibes without a word being spoken.

Slightly distracted I glanced over to see what he was reading. Materials in Construction. The book was open at Chapter 8. Timber. There's no grey area with timber is there? Good, solid, hard as trees timber. No destinations, barriers, consumer insights, uniting brands and people, looking at things from audience perspectives. Just a fuck off bit of timber. And sometimes you just need that clarity.

Disappointingly his book now seems to be differentiating between hardwood and softwood. Can't they just keep things simple? What's the matter with these people?!

Big Brother beats, er, Big Brother

Thanks to Anthony for this link from The Register - interesting on about a hundred levels.
Perhaps not actually surprising - it's just human nature to want to find out what's going on around you isn't it?
I think the point is one about relevance - if it's personal and relevant then people will be interested.

Thank you Don

Don has brilliantly shown me how to do the link thing with the name. Thanks Don.

Facebook 'fans'

Nick has done some interesting experiments with becoming a 'fan' of brands on facebook (given the new app fb launched this week which allows advertisers to create profiles.
I must learn to do that thing where I can change the text above so it links to it anyway from Nick's name or by saying click here - Don, how do I do that?!

UPDATE - Don has obviously now taught me to do this (see above) so I have gone back and changed the link so that it looks like I had managed to do the name-link thing from the start

More FOTC

Brilliant

installation day

working from home today and I'm pleased to report that Virgin Media have been - the telly is working, broadband is up and running (with a small hitch) and phone has been swapped over from BT without a glitch. I am absolutey elated - well out of proportion to what has been achieved. I think it might be that NTL's reputation is so bad that I was fearing the worst but I have been nothing but impressed so far. The courtesy call the other day, the installation took an hour and was very good, they explained how to use stuff and broadband was easy to install. At one point I had to phone their technical support (at 25p a minute for a 20 minute call) but at the end of it he said "I'm not charging you for this call as it wasn't your fault". Very impressed all round so far.
One small thing that saddens me only a little is that my email address is @ntlworld.com rather than @virginmedia.com - I know this is slightly ridiculous but goes to show the power of brands. I would probably never had done this if they were still called NTL. And where does this liking for the Virgin brand come from? Virgin Atlantic.

we don't have to take our clothes off, to have a good time. oh no.

Somebody at the station this morning got a call while waiting on the platform and this was his ringtone. I've rarely seen somebody reach for their phone so quickly. I strongly suspect he may not have been entirely sober when he chose to download it. Also Lindsay mentioned this week that she was going to see Meatloaf at Wembley having bought the tickets when "a bit drunk". It's got me thinking about brands or products that rely in part or entirely on people being under the influence for their success. I can think of a few - ringtones, ken's kebabs on the Albert road, pay per view porn channels probably, hula hoops (is it just me?) but it's interesting that e commerce has thrown up so many more opportunities to buy or do something that seemed like a good idea at the time (ebay I suspect does well out of this) but more rational purchase decisions such as concert tickets or even holidays can now be made pissed - just so long as you can function enough to type in your card number. Any other examples?

a courtesy call from virgin media!

Very promising ahead of Friday's grand installation! A call on the train home last night from Virgin to confirm they were coming and to remind me that Virgin Media installers always carry id and I should ask to see it.
A nice touch. A small thing but the small things count. And I've seen press reports this morning that Virgin attracted more new customers last month. Which combine to make me think I made the right decision.

Flight of the Conchords

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY8jaGs7xJ0

I absolutely love this.

2 things are quite interesting about this in my opinion,

First of all how I got to hear about this content, purely word of mouth (thanks to Anthony who had been to LA). Within 5 minutes I'd viewed several clips, knew when it was on in the UK (9.30 pm on BBC4)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/conchords/
and was wondering about when they might be touring.

Secondly this is the sort of content for which youtube was invented - short, sharp, funny, shareable and something you want to watch again and again. Just perfect. No conincidence it has over 1.6m views surely (and there are shedloads more clips out there).

Well done to New Zealand's 4th biggest folk band.

Shame I can't get the imbeded video to work but link is well worth clicking on

Nana

I just wanted to very briefly mark the passing on my nana on Friday. She was 92 and had been poorly for a few weeks.
A happy release as they say. And off to be reunited with her husband of 68 years.

I will remember a phenomenal woman, her spirit, her sense of humour, her amazing togetherness right until the end, her affection for Trevor Brooking, hundreds of games of newmarket played with her and Grandad when we were kids and her ability to serve deep dried chips for tea at 4 o'clock.

And is this is very loosely a marketing blog I should also note that the Daily Express have lost a loyal reader and Emmerdale's audience will decline by 1.

An amazing woman - bye Nana and god bless x

in praise of the AA

Let it be said that the AA is a brilliant breakdown service.

18.15 Last night on the way back from visiting Mags and Rob in Farnham.kids in car in their pyjamas, off we go, should be home by just after 7 and transfer the kids straight to bed, brilliant. But as I'm driving along thinking it's a bit dark I realise my headlights aren't working. Pull over, into Birdworld randomly, phone the AA, they say they'll aim to have someone out by 7. 5 mins later I get a text (brilliant) saying they will be with me by 18.40. And then at 18.35 van turns up. Sorts out problem (needed to change 2 lightbulbs), £16 for parts, a brief cameo from Lydia who wanted to get out of the car and see the "enormous torch" and away we go back on the road 20 mins later.

The AA are absolutely brilliant at breakdown service in my humble opinion.

It could be said and it has been argued in the past that this is the service I want them to deliver. Not home insurance or pet insurance. Stick to what you're good at.

But this isn't the time or the place for such a rant.

Well done AA. You're just like the 4th emergency service.

who said the people of haslemere were posh?

Greying distinguished looking chap in blue shirt, yellow tie, very loud pin striped suit to his mate opposite him
"would you be interested in going to the Barbarians game against South Africa"

His mate, dressed similarly, looking the same as him
"when is it?"

Original chap "December 1st"

His mate "well if it doesn't clash with shooting"