livingbrands

Christmas with Sufjan

Getting fed up with Bing Crosby and Slade? Well here's a little something for you. The low-fi indie folk of Sufjan Stevens has made him a bit of an alternative muso fave this year (and a personal one of mine as well). He's probably best known for his plans to make an album commemorating each of the US states (so far he's covered off Michigan and Illinois, so he has a way to go!)

   

But he has also produced some never released Christmas tunes, which you can download here, if you fancy getting a bit folksy around your tree.

FutureScoping 39

Just to let you know, the latest edition of my trends newsletter is now out: "emerging trends, new ideas and general thought stimulation"...or so it says on the cover.

The shape of information

How to make what you have to say interesting? It's a central part of what many of us have to do. When it's a concept or idea, being creative is easy (theoretically!). The data and information that convention says should precede your idea can often be a bit dry and stodgy tho. You end up losing people before you even get to the creative bit. For some inspiration on making data look cool and creative, check out Information Aesthetics.

A quick example, the London tube map, represented to reflect journey times...

Fit for a king?

My least favourite advertising of the moment? The UK campaign for Kingsmill bread. Let's imagine the moment back in 2004: "hmm, the brand's called Kingsmill... why not say it's the bread of kings... no, not just kings ...Elvis' 70th birthday is coming up ...let's say it's the choice of the King!". It's like something out of a bad ad-land sitcom. Or the (very good) ads Orange do to support their movie promotions.

In some feverish creative brainstorm, it may have all made sense. But it's RUBBISH. The original commercial invented some story about Elvis coming over to the UK and setting up The King’s Mill. And there’s now a second film about the man from Kingsmill who followed Elvis everywhere to make his sandwiches.

A brand should have a story to tell; something it’s consumers feel they want to be part of. But unless you are extraordinarily clever, you can’t just invent this and expect people to go “oh, aright then”. They are more likely to reject you for insulting their intelligence.

And even the defence that it’s a spoof doesn’t wash. It’s so crudely done as to be unbelievable: no one could ever be taken in. And then it falls down by not even being funny. Finally, in apparent ignorance of the digital age in which we live, it misses the target again by (as far as I can tell) failing to take the idea through-the-line and on-line: where’s the seemingly true website etc.

In fact, the only thing happening online, is a campaign against the brand on the part of Elvis diehards (now this might be the ironic online presence, but I think not). “What better tribute to the great man”, said someone from the makers of Kingsmill, Allied Bakeries. The fans don’t agree obviously. And even if you write them off as the nutter fringe, for the conceit to work, surely they had to be on side. But as one JWT staffer apparently said: “I don’t care what Elvis fans think”.

What happened to fostering relationships between brand and consumer? Slagging people off rarely makes you an engaging brand.

All in all, a bit of dog’s dinner of an idea. And anyway, who wants to be associated with someone well known for their limited discernment when it came to food.

Well it seemed like a good idea at the time

Some 18 months ago I started writing a DIY blog on my website (Living Brands). It worked fine, but was a tad labour intensive. Which is why I've allowed myself to be swayed at last by the blogging playground that is Typepad. All the old posts will still be available but, from now on, this is where I'll be having my say.