Everyone Loves Music (And Podcasts)

There may be violin. I just don't know. Thanks GBST Ron, usual rules apply.

Eh? Don't you?

Well, you can't say that this blog doesn't live to give from time to time.

Yes, it's that time when I bore you with music (or excite you?).

Anyway, happy Wednesday, because here are all of my podcasts for you (including the newest, the 7th):

Oh No Cucumber Sandwiches 1

Oh No Cucumber Sandwiches 2

Oh No Cucumber Sandwiches 3

Oh No Cucumber Sandwiches 4

Oh No Cucumber Sandwiches 5

Oh No Cucumber Sandwiches 6

Oh No Cucumber Sandwiches 7

You can, of course, just scroll down and click on the little men who drum to listen to it from this webpage, if you'd like. But if you want one to take home with you, click on the links. I think there's a limit on the amount of downloads you can make in a day - but hell, surely too much music means you don't appreciate it? Heh.

Also, if you want to know the tracklisting, here it is...(but it is a little like finding out what you got for Christmas, eh?)

Mellifluous Musical Meanderings..

It's been a while since I've done a mishmash of music, so Oh No Cucumber Sandwiches returns for a sixth outing.. download it here, or scroll down and click on the last little drumming man to play in the blog (probably the best way to do it, as esnips will try and make you sign up - though it's a good service).

As Blogger is a strange beast, my first PSFK write up can be found here (and is out of order...strange) or by scrolling down.

Also, I have a musical request...if anyone, anyone, anyone knows of someone who has spare tickets to the Smashing Pumpkins gig in Shepherd's Bush, could they shoot me an email at the email on the blog or triggerhappy12@hotmail.com?

Much appreciated, as I'd dearly love to go (and so would one of my housemates).

More musical nonsense and cucumber sandwiches

Yada yada - thanks Dextr

It's all about more podcasts. Boo yah.

Check out the sidebar - you can now play them straight from the main page, which is nice.

An American Tune..

Just before I go, I've decided to leave you with a couple of things. The first is a podcast, which can be downloaded here.

It's very Americanised, with good reason - if you are a regular reader, you'll know why.

Hope you all like it.

Aspirational Advertising. Oh, and a Podcast..

When trying to tap into human emotions, advertising often has a difficult task.

Making people laugh through comedic stuff like the Pot Noodle campaign or the recent Burger King spots sometimes runs into problems simply because there's no way of knowing precisely what certain people will find amusing.

I love the Old Spice/Burger King work; I find it hilarious - yet for every one of me, there'll be a few who are completely alienated by it and dislike the brand.

There's also probably evidence to suggest that people are becoming more unshockable. However, that doesn't stop those who advertise for the COI attempting to amaze and horrify us with cautionary tales of how it doesn't pay to drink and drive or to take drugs.

So...with that in mind (and with more than a nod to Maslow, thank you Mr Colman), why don't more brands try the aspirational approach in their work? I'll show you an example below which I don't think quite pulls it off - though I love the strategic thought:



What did you think of that? Personally, I think the strategy would have been far stronger if the ad had interspliced 'real' people with the kids; showing just how imaginative the children can be, and how they are far more creative and aspiring than the adults.

I think a lot of brands don't paint their products in aspirational terms because it is very difficult to get people to go along with you for 30 seconds, or even longer. Also, given that the public are quite cynical, and that most brands have the subtlety of Johnny Vegas attempting to be a prima ballerina, it's often a very difficult task.

Now....the challenge becomes to make your brand aspirational without ever directly saying so. All of the world class advertising is able to do this, either via its execution (Sony 'Balls'), its line ('Happiness is a Cigar called Hamlet' / 'At 60 miles an hour, the loudest noise you can hear in a Rolls-Royce is the electric clock') or its positioning (The Economist, Innocent, John Lewis).

Aspiration should be the fist inside advertising's velvet glove. More often that not, it's a poorly aimed and ill-disguised blow with a knuckle-duster.

Oh, and podcast 3, 'Oh No Cucumber Sandwiches' is up. Enjoy.

The great debate/more podcasting..

(NB: Photo is from Assbach's collection - let me know if you want me to take it down)

Just to draw my readers (those that don't already read one of the best ad blogs on the net) to this debate at Adliterate.

Is blogging killing planning? Well, as a non-planning blogger (but someone who wants to become one, by hook or crook) that reads a helluva lot of ad blogs, I don't think it will.

There is a risk that those on the outside looking in (such as myself) overvalue opinions of those people who we 'read on the internet', regardless of whether they are Planning Director of United, Darth Strategist or unwashed oiks like myself with no planning credentials.

Also, there's a concern that we forget about the role of 'proper' qual research in the planning cycle. Well, I very rarely read blogs for their statistical content, unless they are the brilliant Indexed. Looking at stats makes up a proportion of my current job, and I think the role of reading blogs for me is to (first and foremost) unwind, and secondly to improve the amount of opinions and advice I have at my disposal. Others may have it t'other way round, but hey - I like to learn and relax.

Essentially, if someone really is junior and trying to get into planning, I think they'll have realised that the job isn't just about reading blogs for a living, and certainly won't take blogs to be the gospel truth - more a place to store thoughts and act as stimuli/a forum for debate, depending on your point of view or requirement for the blog.

Also...

Download my second Podcast here if you don't want to scroll down - it's in the sidebar. Featuring more random tuneage. For some reason the link auto plays the tunes, but just click 'stop' and download it normally.