Making Better Smaller Ideas

Interesting discussion out at Edward Boches Creativity Unbound blog on how important it is these days to get smaller ideas working better. In an age where many people are writing off big ideas (This is a great read from BBH Labs) as irrelevant, Ed feels that there’s not a brand out there that does not think it is important to have a big idea. But since they are so rare and elusive, maybe we need to get really good smaller ideas that build into the big brand thought. It was Russell Davies who started this debate in 2006, in a post called the Tyranny of the big idea, where he wrote that the first and foremost thing a brand needs to do is to be interesting. And interesting by saying new things or old things in new ways. So you go out and create smaller ideas that build into the big mother theme. In fact reading Russell’s post again, I discovered an interesting nugget that could become a whole post by itself. The politics of a big idea, on how when agencies and marketing departments think they have nailed a big idea, they just get stuck to it as if it is gospel and by the time they discover the big idea isn’t working anymore, it’s all too late for the brand. Russell has some advice on how to constantly create a bunch of small ideas. There are lots of interesting bits on ideas big and small and how maybe we could go out and get them right. Also don’t miss out on the comments under each of these posts. We think questioning the big idea is like shaking up the foundations of our business and many people have extreme views on this one. As we discovered on Ed’s post.

Advertising Award Shows Like Women’s Fashion Shows?

Interesting thinking on Rory Sutherland’s blog on why advertising award shows have plummeted to the depths they have. Like women’s fashion, he writes – possibly the greatest example of misdirected human effort since the Germans lost 3m men invading a country I don’t even want to go to on holiday. A pointless industry which pollutes the high street of every town in the country, leaving little room for essentials such as curry houses, ironmongers and pubs. A battleground for peer-group intimidation rather than having any surviving intrinsic purpose. His solution: Restrict entry to one international awards show and one local one. Bank the money you save. Use it to create fabulously generous rewards for creatives who win these awards for existing clients. And also fabulously lavish rewards for non-award-winning work which is remarkable in some non-formulaic way – or for work which is startlingly effective. Make sure that the work rewarded is always remarkable but often unexpected. Reward the huge and good alongside the small and great. More on BrandRepublic Blogs.

Testing The Web

A lot of effort is being put into identifying what works online. And this little story on NewYork Times is one of the many we have read. How in a secret lab run by Disney researchers are trying to understand how people look at ads, what works, what doesn’t and how are people navigating the many screens that populate their lives. More here.

Xbox’s New Avatar Marketplace

Not new really, but here it is. A big-game brand creating a marketplace for stuff people want for their favourite in-game characters. From Kottaku.

Viral Marketing. Does Uk Get It Better?

Interesting post on AdAge Digital on why some of the best viral marketing efforts that we have seen in the recent past have all come from the UK? What is it in the water that makes advertising from this part of the world so good to pass on? Cadbury’s Eyebrow Dance, T Mobile Dance, Samsung’s LED Sheep, Evian’s Rollerbabies, and of-course the ones that started the trend, Sony Balls and Cadbury Gorilla. Are all of them good cases of viral seeding? The act of posting videos in such a way that they are seen and passed around? Some of the early exponents of viral seeding are also companies based in the UK. As Unruly Media’s Scott Button says about content that goes viral; "You can buy your way into 1 or 2 million views, but beyond that you need content with an emotional power to connect with the end user. The afterlife is only as good as the content will permit." Also, it’s been generally held within the creative community that British advertisers tend to be edgier and more eager to push envelopes than their American counterparts. Don’t agree? Click here to leave a response on AdAge Digital

Attention, Interest, Desire, Action

As direct marketers we all know how important these four words are in creating communication that works. AIDA, the acronym for attention, interest, desire and action is revisited on Copywriting.com, at a time when getting people’s attention is becoming increasingly difficult all the time. Get the reader’s attention by playing up an emotion. Once you have the readers attention, you move on to create interest by telling the reader, how the advertised product is relevant in her life. Move ahead and create desire in the product and finally trigger an action by giving an offer. A bonus along with the purchase, a compliment, something that will make the reader act now! Read more at Copywriting.com

Generations Apart And Together

Pew Research has an interesting report on how 40 years after the Woodstock and the rebellious sixties, the generation gap still exists, albeit differently. Yes, there are big differences between young and old today, says the report, in their values, attitudes and behaviors, but no, these differences haven’t created conflicts between the generations. To borrow a phrase, the generations appear to have found a way to disagree without being disagreeable. Only about a quarter of the public (26%) says there are strong conflicts these days between young people and older people. Despite this spirit of generational rapprochement, overwhelming shares of the public say the young and old are different in many aspects of their lives, including in the way they use new technology (87% say very or somewhat different); their taste in music (86%); their work ethic (80%); their moral values (80%); the respect they show others (78%); their political views (74%); their attitudes toward different races and groups (70%); and their religious beliefs (68%). Download the report here

What’s on Google’s Mind?

Business Week Magazine has a short interview with Google’s CEO, Eric Schmidt, where they ask about his departure from Apple’s board, the phone Vs PC debate, mobile search and location based targeting. Interesting glimpse into the future here

World Best Presentation Contest’09

The world’s best presentation contest is back on Slideshare

A Twitter Taskforce

Imagine an army of volunteers on Twitter ready to help your customers if they have a questions. BestBuy just set that up… BestBuy Twelpforce, involving over 1000 BestBuy employees who have come together under the hash-tag #twelpforce, their messages will automatically show up under the twelpforce handle with a credit to their proper Twitter account. Staffed by Best Buy employees from across all operations, including BlueShirts and Geek Squad, Twelpforce will answer product questions, troubleshoot technology challenges and solve customer service issues. Visit the Twelpforce page on Best buy here. The Twitter account is here. TV Spots that introduces the effort here. Corporations are still finding ways to engage in the conversation with people. While the effort is commendable, what will be interesting to note is if a noble effort of genuinely trying to help and provide advice to people in need will end up in a cacophony of voices that confuse, as much as they communicate. Some 7000 followers have already been seen, so maybe there is some genuine advice going.