Technique

A lesson in interactivity from Tipp-Ex

2010-09-02T15:12:12Z

These days web users are savvier than ever. Chances are that when you're surfing, you'll ignore banners and other online advertising so much that you hadn't even realised what they were trying to communicate - or possibly that they were even there. This, of course, makes the role of the online advertiser a lot more challenging.

Interactive banners are an attempt to stop this happening and catch the user's attention. They're capable of expanding, containing input fields or even interacting with the content within the page. And they're becoming more and more elaborate as their capabilities extend much further than an animated gif within a letterbox banner.

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But in terms of interactivity in online and banner advertising, Tipp-Ex has gone one further. Upon landing on their YouTube page, you may suspect you're about to see a viral video about a hunter and a bear. There is, however, much more than meets the eye.

The ad immerses itself within the well-known YouTube page layout, and the video title even becomes editable. Users can also discuss the content via the page's comments section.

I don't want to say too much about it because it will stop you from enjoying discovering it for yourself. But, be warned, if you're anything like me, you'll probably spend a good seeing what it can do2.

Click here to see the Tipp-Ex ad for yourself.

NB: there is a little bit of swearing in the video so you might want to wait until you're out of the office before you watch it.

Anger for sale - my top 10 most infuriating TV ads

2010-08-18T16:00:46Z

It seems to me that nearly every ad on the box these days tries to annoy you into buying their products. Whether it's irritating jingles, weird puppets or damn right nonsensical industry jargon, ads seem to be more ridiculous and unbearable than ever before.

Before you start shooting me down, I'm well aware that for many advertising agencies this is exactly the intention. They want to invent situations so ridiculous or so grating that you can't possibly forget them or their brands in the future. They become part of your subconscious so that the next time you come to get insurance, sell your gold via mail(!) or use a search comparison site, their logo is etched well and truly into your brain. Whether you like it or not.

But this has got me wondering: does this mean we're more likely to buy their products? I, for example, dislike Gio Compario, the star of the Go Compare ads (see above), so much that I would rather pay more to use another brand that doesn't make me want to kill.

I admit I'm probably fighting a losing battle because I'm sure they're here to stay. They're obviously working because there are more and more. So, instead, I'll give my top 10 most hated TV ads. And if there are any that you think I've missed, let me know using the comment form below. Enjoy.

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1. Go Compare

When this ad comes on the telly, a chemical reaction in my brain systematically makes me reach for the remote and mute the volume. In fact, it's a good job I don't own a cat; otherwise it'd be in orbit. The annoying jingle, the bad jokes and the awful acting make this the undisputed number one. Thousands of people agree with me, as this Facebook group confirms.

2. We Buy Any Car

That jingle. Like 1,000 mosquitoes eating away at you. It's like they've appointed Crazy Frog as creative director. The words don't fit the melody, yet it sticks in your head somehow, like a horrible virus simultaneously eating away at your brain and your will to live. So painful that, if there is a hell, I think the DJ would be playing this tune on repeat.

3. Swift Cover

You'd be forgiven for thinking that the main reason I dislike this advert is because Iggy Pop, once an icon of punk music and the anti-establishment, has sold his soul and image for a quick buck. But you'd be wrong. My hatred is derived from that hideous and obnoxious little puppet that plagues them. It would give me great pleasure to boot the mini-Skeletor off a bridge. For Iggy, I can only imagine that he cries himself to sleep in the arms of his puppet, wondering what on earth he has become.

4. Injury Lawyers 4U

Daytime ads are littered with injury claims ads but this is probably the pick of the bunch, if you know what I mean. Companies with "4U" in their name already scream tackiness, but this one's extra special. "We are 100% lawyers," he says. No, you're not. You're an actor who used to be in the Bill. And 100%, as opposed to a 50% lawyer? One who presumably spends half his time stacking shelves? Nonsense.

5. Compare The Meerkat

OK, so it was a clever concept initially, if somewhat annoying. Now, however, it's been milked till it's as dry as the Sahara. At first you thought, "Oh, look, how cute and quirky: a little meerkat with an Eastern European accent. And look how disgruntled he is." Now, though, they've tried to develop his background and character, mistakenly thinking we cared and, to be honest, he's well overstayed his welcome. Not only that; the ad has spawned one of the most annoying catchphrases of recent years: people saying "simples" at the end of any explanatory sentence. (Please don't say this to me. Ever.)

6. Churchill

I love dogs. When I walk through a park on a nice day and see the pure joy in their faces as they run uncontrollably, exploring anything and everything, it really brightens up my day. The smug-faced nodding Churchill dog, however, envokes the opposite reaction. Not even a series of washed-up celebrities such as Eddie the Eagle, Roy Walker and Rolf Harris can do him any favours.

7. WKD

"Do you have a WKD side?" No, because I'm a bloke so I don't drink girls' drinks. No matter how much you want to model your brand on Danny Dyer, WKD will always be a girl's drink. The ads were never funny, but now they're really scraping the bottom of the barrel for the lads' "banter". Now just being fat, Welsh and sat in a sauna is the height of the japery.

8. Halifax

I don't know whose bright idea it was to get 'regular' Halifax workers to star in their TV ads, but they were wrong. The regular folk have (perhaps wisely?) given up trying to run a building society and have instead taken to radio DJing and destroying pop songs with painfully tenuous links to Halifax products. Thankfully, I'm not one of their customers, but for their sake, I hope they're not as patronising in-branch as they are in their ads.

9. BT Vision

BT Vision don't get all the perks that you get if you're a Sky Sports customer; that's why it's so much cheaper. So maybe it's no surprise that for a second-rate sports package you get second-rate footballers promoting it. Three of the four footballers are well on the downward slope in terms of ability and three (Wes Brown, Shay Given and Michael Owen) can't even get into their team's starting eleven. Not even goofy Kris Marshall, star of the BT Adam and Jane ads, can save them.

10. Lloyds

This wins the award for the most annoying background music. It sticks in your head and, hours later, someone near you asks what that pesky little tune is that you're whistling. Not only that, the animation focuses on some rather creepy-looking, long-nosed weird families. It's like Pinocchio grew up and had kids. And, as Gepetto or any biologist will tell you, that couldn't have happened.

Website Usability - a typical testing day

2010-08-17T07:33:50Z

Today we're running lab-based user testing with our eye-tracking equipment. We have four participants booked to come in this afternoon and to run through a series of tasks comparing different homepage designs. Here's how a day of user testing breaks down.

]]> 8.30am
First up we need to check that the site is working properly. As we're testing three versions of the same page the content needs to be up to date and the same on each page. All links need to be tested and going to the same location for each page.

9.30am
Confirm with participants that they're still attending. There is usually at least one drop out on the day so it's good to know as soon as possible as it may be that a replacement can be found at short notice.

10.30am
Updating and personalising testing documents. Pre-test surveys, consent forms and thank you letters all need to be reviewed, updated with client information and printed ready for participants arrival.

11.30am
Check test set up - having set up the test on our eyetracking equipment earlier in the week this is the last chance to make any changes and be sure that everything works as it should.

1.00pm
Review test protocol. The easiest way to put participants at their ease to ensure they know exactly what's expected of them. Explaining the format of the testing and making it clear that it is the site that's being tested, not the participant, is very important. There is a standard protocol but it may need altering slightly for different tests.

3.00pm
Final testing. Grabbing a colleague to run a full final test is the last stage. Everything is checked from protocol to technical issues to content.

4.00pm
The client arrives. It's always nice for the client to watch at least some of the testing first hand. Most clients are new to user testing and so it's usually an eye opening experience.

4.30pm
The first participant arrives. They are talked through how the test works and asked to "think out loud", as even the smallest comment can be revealing. Testing starts!

5.30pm
Unfortunately one of the participants has cancelled at the last minute so we're left with an hour to spare before the next one arrives. This time is quickly filled with discussion of the first test; what was surprising, what wasn't, issues that need fixing, design that needs reviewing and questions that should be asked to the remaining participants.

6.30pm
Participants 2 and 3 arrive and run through the set tasks. Already trends and the major barriers users find frustrating are starting to show themselves. With each participant the urge to run off and start fixing simple issues straight away grows but it's important to collate all the data before recommending changes.

8.30pm
The last participant has gone home and discussion turns to the second set of testing and what we hope it will achieve. But for now it's time to lock up the lab and go home. Tomorrow is another important day as there are notes to be written up, footage to be reviewed and data to be analysed...

Copywriting and unmissable plagiarism

2010-08-09T17:26:23Z

Sometimes, a competitor just comes up with the best line. The best, smartest, most creative way of saying something. And when they do, you have to either live with it, or try to go one better. The worst thing you can do is copy it. Not only does it admit that they were the best, it reminds everyone that they got there first.

The example that springs to mind is the BBC's great line they used for iPlayer, their on-demand, online TV player. "Making the unmissable, unmissable". You can argue that the comma is not strictly accurate, but splitting grammatical hairs is not the point. It's a great line. Succinct, witty and memorable. So what do ITV do when they - belatedly - launch their iPlayer equivalent? "Amazing telly you can't miss". Come on ITV - that's just paraphrasing your competitor. It's the same pun, but not as well done.

Now this was a little while ago, and it annoyed me at the time, but I would not have been compelled to write a blog had Sky not joined in with their recent poster campaign. Huge pictures of Eric Cantona along with the line - wait for it - "The unmissable should be just that". Awful. The same joke - again - but a clunky, graceless construction that the writer should be ashamed of.

Come on guys! This is a creative industry. The ad writers at Sky and ITV should hang their heads in collective plagiaristic shame.

Or maybe it just confirms what we always knew, and what everyone subconsciously feels compelled to confirm, ie that BBC are just better at being creative than everyone else in the TV world.

From B2C to B2B: Making the Creative Leap

2010-08-06T10:08:32Z

Can't Jump? Won't Jump.

So the image of b2b marketing is still generally seen as straight-laced and stuffy.

*Yawn*

It doesn't have to be like this. Hell, it shouldn't be like this.

No room for a windbreak, even

But it's because of this perception that b2b still offers great opportunities for Creatives to make a big splash - far more visibly than on the overcrowded beaches of b2c, where even great creativity is drowning, not waving. But as far as attracting more creative talent goes, b2b marketing's image needs rebranding. Because the opportunities for b2c Creatives in b2b are many.

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So why is it that b2c Creatives aren't really jumping into these enticing waters? Because if there are thousands of people on a beach, it must be good, right? Because you can only do great work at one of the big shiny agencies with the big household brands, surely? I know; because of the chance to snaffle a D&AD award and everlasting fame. Or maybe they simply must work on those enchanting FMCG briefs. For ever.

The message - not the method

The problem is, b2b doesn't 'do' TV. And because TV ads are still (at least for now) the dominant global arbiter in judging 'good' creative, it's why great creative b2b brand work rarely features in all those Top 20 Creative lists. And it's probably the biggest single factor that deters many b2c Creatives from making the jump into b2b. Which is a great shame. But for those Creatives who are truly focused on creativity, and not on the medium of its delivery, then it should be a non-issue; it wasn't for me.

We have feelings too, you know

You see, businesses are people-driven. Really. I've seen them. And I'm baffled as to why that simple fact is overlooked. We're not marketing to faceless businesses. We're marketing to people. 'Consumers', if you have to. Just like the b2c boys and girls do. Our (business) people may be more smartly dressed than when they're at home - but it's not as if they leave their emotions at the front door when they go to work. And I'm amazed that many in b2c don't appreciate that fact and see the creative opportunity in it. And being at Base One has certainly opened my eyes to the intriguing possibilities and increasing importance of social media - an area in which alarmingly, my b2c colleagues and I just weren't exploring.

So...what?

b2b clients need to have a bit more confidence in their agencies and not favour creative executions that will see an immediate ROI at any cost. Agencies need to push the more creative strategies on their clients a bit harder. Because when you build a brand that engages with their market by saying interesting things in interesting ways, the ROI will naturally follow.

So what's holding you back, b2c Creatives? Come on in, the water's lovely - and there's plenty of room on the beach.

Word of emouth

2010-06-09T08:14:07Z

I've just seen this recent cross-industry survey into B2B Buyers use of Social Media which compares how decision makers use various types of media through the process of making major business purchases. Good to see some solid research in this area. You can see a quick description of the research here. It revealed that word of mouth was second only to visiting supplier websites when identifying and selecting a supplier. Everyone knows that WoM is important - it was the level that surprised me - it was used by 45% of those surveyed for indentifying potential suppliers and by 40% for actual selection. Around 70% of these people considered WoM to be very influential. It struck me that, since social media is effectively 'word of mouth' and its usage for business is increasing - especially in the up to 30s age group with around 25% already using Twitter and blogs, there is a strong case for believing social media will soon become a key method for B2B purchasing decisions as more buyers seek the opinions of others on line. Businesses adopting a marketing strategy that encompasses social media will increasingly reap the rewards as late adopters' share of online 'voice' decreases.

One note of caution - the report also revealed business users' concerns about the accuracy and reliability of information gathered through social media along with the increasing volume of information to wade through. It seems certain that buyers will become more selective in where they look online. I think it's true that many companies/brands are putting out information and opinion based on existing information found on the social networks and expecting it to work for them. It's a reasonable approach up to a point, but me-too content is as weak as me-too products. I bet the biggest winners in social media marketing will be the ones who put a big effort into creating original content to become valued voices in their industry.

Words For The Web - your free, downloadable PDF

2010-06-03T14:30:28Z

Last week I attended a one-day training course in “Writing For The Web”, as part of Nielsen Norman Group’s Usability Week, a six-day event covering all aspects of web usability issues.

As a copywriter with lots of experience writing offline material, I found it extremely worthwhile to find out more about the difference between online and offline copy and what makes words more accessible for an online audience.

Most of us use the web so regularly these days we’re probably aware of the conventions that are now commonplace on the web without consciously learning them. Most people would know where to find the navigation bar or the search field, or a rough word count for a homepage just by using the web every day. We’ve learned what to expect through osmosis.

As the web has developed and grown, these conventions have appeared for a reason. And, although it can be easy to ignore them because many boil down to common sense, you should still acknowledge these conventions to ensure you’re making your user experience as comfortable as possible for your audience.

So if you’re thinking about writing for a website any time soon, you may appreciate this guide, Words For The Web, that I compiled detailing some of the techniques covered on the Writing For The Web course.

Although the day gave a complete overview of usability, including writing for search, accessibility and how to organise content, (as a copywriter!) I’ve focused more on the writing style you should employ to ensure your readers find visiting your site informative - and enjoyable.

Download your free Words For The Web guide.

Want the latest news? Just tweet.

2010-06-02T16:00:18Z

A while ago I wrote a blog post about the effect Twitter has had on news reporting. In this blog I said that Twitter had increased the speed of information transfer so much that online news services that were once seen as the speedier upgrades to newspaper reporting had now become the slower alternative to Twitter.

Yesterday, the day that England football team manager Fabio Capello named his squad of 23 players, summed up my sentiments perfectly.

Capello was due to tell seven players who had been training with the provisional, 30-man squad that they would no longer be needed. All the news agencies and broadcasting companies were expecting a low-key FA statement, probably on their website, that would list exactly who would be on the plane. It was predicted to be a very stark contrast to the all-singing, all-dancing, overblown news conference that previous manager Sven Goran Eriksson delivered for the World Cup in Germany, four years previously.

What we got was neither, really.

Instead, we were drip-fed player names from journalists, player agents and their clubs telling us whether their players had made the cut or not. And Twitter was the primary means of communication.

Matt Law of the Daily Express was one of the first to break the news of Theo Walcott’s shock omission. “Walcott out of England World Cup squad,” he tweeted. “Gutted for him.”

Then Neil Ashton of the News Of The World told us that Michael Carrick, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Jermaine Defoe had made the cut. “Relief for Carrick, he’s in the England squad,” he tweeted. “Shaun Wright-Phillips in squad, Defoe in too.”

In the Sky Sports News TV studio, it seemed as if the reporters had given up trying to contact the FA for the latest news, or, at the very least, continuously hitting the F5 button on the FA homepage. Instead, it seemed as if they were now using their Twitter network to find out from players or people close to the players whether they were going or not.

It wasn’t until 4pm that we were all finally put out of our misery and an official announcement was made. But by this time we pretty much knew all seven names of those who wouldn’t be on the plane to South Africa - it was old news.

The FA certainly didn’t do themselves any favours by acting so slowly and perhaps it was naïve of them to assume that they could be so unprepared and get away with it. The longer they delayed the official announcement, the greater the chance that leaks would surface.

The fact is that online communications platforms like Twitter have completely changed the landscape of mass communication. Like it or not, any unofficial, transient word spoken intended to be disclosed information can be made public knowledge within a matter of seconds, with just one tweet. In this digital age, large organisations with public relations at the top of their agenda need to ensure they can adapt - and fast. And making sure they understand the way that digital communications platforms like Twitter work is fundamental to their success in doing so.

Time to dust off your flags - the Nike ad is here

2010-05-24T13:25:21Z

The World Cup is fast approaching - and there’s no hiding from it. For weeks before a ball is even kicked, the free wall chart promotions, the media hysteria and St George’s Cross flags hanging out of every other car make sure that, when it eventually begins, everyone with even the slightest interest in the national sport is struck down with football fever.

And in the same way that the build-up to Christmas wouldn’t feel like the build-up to Christmas without the Coke adverts, the World Cup wouldn’t feel the same without a big-budget, overblown Nike TV advert.

First they gave us Eric Cantona saying au revoir to the devil, then they treated us to some Brazilian flair in the departure lounge. And now we have the Write The Future ad, created by ad agency Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam and directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, previously responsible for Hollywood blockbusters Babel and 21 Grams.

A main ingredient to these Nike ads is usually a selection of the world’s best footballers, and this ad doesn’t disappoint. Ronaldinho (who, amusingly, didn’t even make the Brazil squad), Wayne Rooney, Franck Ribery and Cristiano Ronaldo all star.

The full-length version was aired during the Champions League final and, despite being more entertaining than the final itself, has already drawn criticism from some quarters. The Guardian saw it as more of a triumph of huge budgets than creative talent. A big budget helps, but there’s no denying it’s another very impressive ad.

The way it draws on the thin line between success and failure is an interesting concept. One mistake can certainly define a footballer’s legacy. (Unless, of course, you’re David Beckham, who successfully turned from pantomime villain into national hero.) Similarly, one moment of skill, or perhaps fortune, can not only elevate that player to god-like status, but also have a massive effect on all elements of popular media - from traditional print media to digital platforms like YouTube.

The ad successfully avoids feeling overly sentimental, and despite being action-packed, is also quite funny. (Perhaps solely because one would suspect that if Wayne Rooney wasn’t a multi-millionaire footballer, he probably would be slightly overweight with a wild ginger beard.)

Write The Future goes social

If the TV ad doesn’t float your boat, the Write The Future campaign has spread to social media. Nike are running a competition in which fans can write a message that will be stitched to Wayne Rooney and Ashley Cole’s boots in South Africa. Supported by both Sky Sports and The Sun, it uses a Facebook app to let fans see what their message would look like on their chosen player’s boots.

Will those words have any effect this summer? We’ll have to wait and see.

Chatroulette. The new Wild West.

2010-03-23T17:33:35Z

Cruising around online, I recently came across a website called Chatroulotte.

Created only last December by a 17 year old student in Moscow, Chatroulette pairs random strangers for webcam-based conversations. Visitors to the website randomly begin an online chat using video (with audio and text) with another visitor. At any time, either user may leave the current chat by initiating another random "spin."

And as with most new, unregulated and free internet technology, a lack of censorship and structure brings the worst "parts" of people to the fold, and my Macintosh screen.

However, once I was over the initial shock, many other aspects of the site really surprised and intrigued me - it was such an effective, exciting and seemingly simple idea.

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Why had this not been done before? Webcams are old news, built into most computers and in common use through applications like Skype.

I believe the potential and implications for this basic software is incredible; Chatroulette might just be the start of something big.

For example, if a simple search refinement tool was added, allowing users to meet like-minded people with similar interests or problems, then it could be used by everyone, for almost anything. From dating to business discussions, it could mean a new age in online socializing, actual face-to-face encounters with anyone anywhere, from the comfort and safety of your home or office.

(Advertising could be done similarly to free music sites, such as Spotify, where every third or forth sound byte, or video chat, is a short commercial.)

And that's just what needs to be done, already I've read that celebrities have been found on Chatrouelette and look what this musical entrepreneur has done to get 800,000 views.

Prank marketing? Beer, football and some fiendish conspiring

2010-03-22T11:04:58Z

Many male readers will sympathise about having to miss an important football match because of other engagements. (If you’re as sad as me, you’ll have all the fixtures in your diary so you check before you agree to do anything). Those less keen on football find it hard to understand how missing a football match can be such a big deal.

JWT used this common disagreement to their advantage in this very clever campaign for Heineken.

Over 200 accomplices were used to trick 1136 Italian students, boyfriends and journalists into missing a vital Champions League fixture: AC Milan versus Real Madrid. Much to their annoyance, they would spend an evening watching a combination of poetry and classical music. Little did they know that they would be in for a big surprise - and it would be broadcast to 1.5 million people.

Watch the video below to see the results.

Ad attack! The creepier side of marketing

2010-03-12T17:13:14Z

Spring is (supposedly) here and, if you’re anything like me, you’ll be fantasising about all the things you can do outside, just as soon as the weather becomes bearable and we’re treated to lighter and longer days. Right now I’m thinking about the joys of cycling around Richmond Park in the sunshine followed by a nice pub lunch and a cold beer. I’m so excited about it that I’m thinking about getting myself a new bike for the summer.

I’m not one to impulse buy. For me, part of the excitement of buying something of any great expense (I’ll be riding it to work every day, so I intend to get one that will last) is reading up about it, speaking to a couple of ‘experts’ and trying to hunt down the best price. I may spend days - weeks, perhaps - working out which one I’ll buy and how to get the best deal. I’ll visit retailers, go Google shopping and hunt around for any sales.

I’m sad, I know, but me admitting that is not the point of this blog.

Days after trawling through cycle shops’ websites, hunting for the ideal bike, I was minding my own business on a non-bike-related site when a banner ad caught my eye. Nothing unusual about that, you’ll say, but this particular banner ad was about the very bike I had my beady little eye on while ‘on the hunt’ - the bike at the top of my shortlist. Coincidence, I thought. But then this happened on another site. And another. I started to think I was going a little crazy…

After speaking with the web geniuses in the project management team at Base One, I realise that I wasn’t crazy (or, if I am, that it was unrelated). It was in fact a clever targeted banner that stored what I had been looking at in a cookie. It could then find me wherever I went in the future. A stalking banner, if you will. Very clever, huh? Well, is it? Or is it just creepy?

Then something similar happened. I was also looking for a cookery book on Amazon later that week. Lo and behold, I get an email a day or two later with a few alternative suggestions for cookery books I should consider.

In this instance, I wasn’t as spooked because Amazon has used a cookie to store your search history for as long as I can remember using the site. (I know this because I get recommended some lovely Cath Kidston kitchenware and kitchen wear each time I visit just because I bought some for my mum one Christmas.)

But, for me, there is a line that can be crossed between clever marketing and an invasion of privacy. That banner ad was like a little voice in my head that seemingly said, “Go on, buy me. Go on! Buy me. You know you will eventually because you’re weak.” Did it cross the line? To be honest, I’m not sure. Yes, I realise I can turn cookies off on my browser to stop this happening again, but I suppose my biggest worry is where it’s heading…

I remember a university lecturer telling us all that sooner rather than later the GPS feature found in many mobile phones would soon be used to advertise ads for a certain product or store as you walked past them in the street. Imagine walking past a KFC and your phone flashing an ad for their latest Mega Chicken Twister Tower Wrap thingy - I’d be huge within a year. At the time, I thought this lecturer was a little bonkers. Now I’m not so sure. After all, something not too dissimilar may already happen if you turn on your phone’s Bluetooth.

If this were to come true then surely the line between clever marketing and invasion of privacy has been crossed? When does an ad become a message that you can selectively filter and when does it become obtrusive and annoying? I’m afraid I’m too busy to tell you - I’ve got to go buy that bike.

Stars of CCTV

2010-03-11T09:16:25Z

It’s time to reveal something we’ve kept a bit of a secret over the past few months.

For Powwownow, one of our clients, Base One created - and starred in - a series of viral movies aimed at creating a buzz around the Powwownow brand.

The videos were filmed as if they were real CCTV footage retrieved by Powwownow, depicting office workers using unique ways to ‘repurpose the meeting room.’

One video showed a clumsy secret golfer putting the end of his golf club through a wall, one starred some sneaky office workers playing table tennis on the meeting room table while another starred a couple having a romantic liaison under the meeting room table.

So far the videos have had thousands of downloads on video sharing sites such as YouTube, Daily Motion and Facebook - and view counts continue to grow, months after they were uploaded.

They’ve even sparked up a bit of debate on the comments section of YouTube and on Twitter. The more web savvy viewers weren’t fooled: they were quick to point out that videos were all viral marketing, not real CCTV footage. Others weren’t so sure. And whether they thought the clips were real footage or not, judging by many of the comments and the amount of views to date, the viewing public certainly found them amusing.

And that’s what they’re about, really: a bit of fun.

But as well as being great fun to make, the videos go to show that you don’t need a big budget and a host of stars to make waves online. Just a simple concept backed up by some well executed and edited video recording made this viral campaign such a success. People who hadn’t previously heard of Powwownow started talking about the brand and traffic to the Powwownow site steadily increased as the popularity of the videos grew.

So watch out, Hollywood! The time of the viral stars has come.

Watch the videos for yourself on Powwownow’s YouTube channel.

Designers Block: a collection of design work good enough to inspire a whole industry

2010-03-10T14:23:00Z

Download the latest Designers Block here

Why Designers Block?

Well, you've heard of writer's block? Well, designers get it, too - or something very similar. After all, although we may call ourselves 'creatives,' it doesn't mean we can be a conveyor belt of ideas for 365 days of the year. Sometimes it just won't happen, no matter how hard you force it.

I find the best way to overcome designer's block is to take a while to appreciate what has gone on before. Usually just enjoying someone else's work is enough to give me that 'lightbulb moment' of my own.

Which is why I started Designers Block, a collection of all the work that from one time or another has inspired me and opened my mind to brand new ways of working.

What can you expect to find in Designers Block?

Anything and everything, really: all different media, styles and brands. I'll look at print, online, mailers, business cards and guerrilla marketing, from right across the globe, in the realms of both B2B and B2C.

Want to feature in Designers Block?

If you have any design of your own that you would like me to feature in Designers Block, please email me.

Or maybe you've seen someone else's work which has inspired you? By all means, send that to me, too. I'm always looking to find out more about design and how others work.

It doesn't cost anything. It's just got to be good.

Download the Designers Block PDF

Are iPhones replacing good manners?

2010-03-10T10:07:30Z

Now, I admit that I am a little behind in the world of mobile technology…being in the non-iPhone-owner minority - for which I am regularly sneered at, I might add. But I am up there in the world of Social media - I have a Facebook page, I’m on LinkedIn, I have a page on Twitter (which I’ll admit I don’t use) and I am a regular email and web user. However, I am wondering when and why the use of all of these combined became acceptable within meetings or formal situations?

It’s something that has been increasingly bugging me over the past few months. I realise, in this day and age where every second of business time is precious, that the use of mobile technology has enabled us to keep in touch with colleagues/clients whenever required - but how is it ok to continue this mobile communication within meetings? It used to be bad form to take your mobile phone into a meeting unless there was a specific, urgent requirement to have it there. It was certainly bad form not to have it on silent. But the iPhone seems to have made it ok for old fashioned etiquette to be thrown out of the window. It has become acceptable to respond to the beep of an email or text message in the middle of a meeting - it has become ok to pick up calls. At a recent conference (granted, the subject was the use of online communities within B2B marketing), delegates were ‘twittering’ throughout. Which was fine - they were interacting with people unable to attend. But I couldn’t understand how they could genuinely give the speakers their full attention - I also wondered how off-putting it was for speakers to be presenting to people glued to their phones. At this point, I might add that the delegate in front of me spent a large amount of time checking his emails throughout the conference.

Perhaps I need to move with the times - I realise that having everything - emails, phone, calendar in one handy device is convenient - I even think that the apps you can buy are cool, but I still don’t like the fact that the iPhone seems to be taking away manners. Unless it’s a matter of life or death, is it really a problem to leave it for an hour? After all, surely productivity levels and efficiency are being compromised because we’re trying to do too much, too often? Is there too much expectation to multi-multi task thanks to the technology available? I’d be really interested in your comments - do I just need to get with the times and accept that all forms of communication are acceptable at all times?