livingbrands

Your own private jetpack

Want one. Now!

(Via PSFK)

How Megasharks catch planes (UPDATED)

Because science has an answer for everything...

 

(Ffffound)

UPDATE

Forgot the obvious opportunity to introduce those who haven't yet had the privilege, to the full B-movie glory of Megashark vs Giant Octopus, starring (rather bizarrely) top 80s pop moppet Debbie Gibson...

Jamie Oliver: teach every child about food

Jamie Oliver won this year's TED wish prize.

His wish: "for everyone to help create a strong, sustainable movement to educate every child about food, to inspire families to cook again, and to empower people everywhere to fight obesity".

I know we all get a bit cynical about our Jamie and his tub thumping (it's easy to be healthy when you're that rich and a chef), and to laugh at his mockney geezerness. But his heart is definitely in the right place, and he does put his money and action where his mouth is.

Watch the talk: passionate, and actually rather moving...

10 things we didn't know before the 7th week of 2010

1. The Dalai Lama has met every serving US president since 1991.
2. The Barbie doll has had 125 careers since 1959.
3. There is a Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain.
4. 10 possible endings were written and rehearsed for the EastEnders live episode
5. Pregnant women do not need to eat for two.
6. Winning the lottery really does make you happier.
7. Australia has never had a saint. Until now.
8. The Battle of Bosworth actually took place more than a mile from where we thought.
9. Goldie Hawn runs schools.
10. King Tut broke his leg shortly before his death.

(Borrowed from the BBC)

What makes things go viral

So I know we're not meant to use the V word, but at least everyone knows what I mean!

Anyway, this is a possibly 'teaching people to suck eggs' film on the qualities that make an ad go viral on-line, that I put together with my own fair hands for a client presentation (with no apologies for making full use of our own Up Your Viva commercial).

All thoughts and suggestions welcome...

I have also done a little something that looks at why our recent film for Haribo has picked up a bit of a following on line (mainly, because it ticks a lot of the boxes outlined above - who said never work with children!)...

For those what are interested, I put these together using TrakAxPC which, at £20 for the fully functioning version, is a pretty damn fine piece of kit.

Unless you use a Mac, then it doesn't work ;o) 

Digital Muppets

Loving that the Muppets have been reinvented for a digital age. And that they re doing it so well...

They've been away too long!

(Thanks to Johnnie for pointing out this particularly gem)

10 things we didn't know before the 6th week of 2010

1. The Frisbee was originally called the Pluto Platter.
2. Fast-moving elephants run with their front legs but walk with their back legs.
3. Parents in Japan swear by KitKats when their children are taking exams.
4. High-end cars have radar-based cruise control.
5. At the 1964 Innsbruck Games the Austrian army transported 20,000 blocks of ice for the bobsled and luge.
6. The United Arab Emirates recently held the largest camel beauty contest ever.
7. "Karaoke rage" has claimed more than a dozen lives in the Philippines... usually for Frank Sinatra's My Way.
8. Birds may use their feathers for touch, like cats use their whiskers.
9. Nearly 400,000 people still watch every episode of Friends on Channel 4 and E4.
10. In Japan, a bow's humility is determined by its deepness and duration.

(Borrowed from the BBC)

Red Kites in the Chiltern Hills

Exploring a second career in nature documentaries :o)

Brand Archetyping: some conference pontificating

One of my amateur passions is an interest in Jungian psychology, archetypes in particular, and how they can be used to help develop more rounded and emotive brands.

Which all sounds a bit navel gazing blah I know.

Back in the day, I wrote articles, spoke at conferences,and even road-tested a workshop approach with a few clients.

For various reason (disinterest of agency I was working for at the time; too many ideas…not enough time to work out which were any good; the fact I couldn't quite decide if it actually gave actionable direction any way) a few years ago I decided to put it all in the box marked ‘revisit when self employed’.

But every now and again I get said box out, dust it down and have another look. Before putting it back in the bottom drawer.

This time tho, I thought I would first upload some conference wibbling I did at the time, with a few tweaks and updates. Seems quite long in retrospect, so I probably didn't present the whole thing. May be of interest to someone tho...

Introduction To Brand Archetyping

View more presentations from Jon Howard.

Dropbox: great tool for remote working and file syncing between computers

At the recommendation of another agency we work with, I've just started using Dropbox. And it's brill.

Very simple: register and download, and Dropbox sets up a folder on your computer - a 'box' you can 'drop' work into (inc. as many subfolders as you want).

This then mirrors with the same folder on the Dropbox site.

Install Dropbox on another computer, and you folders/files will automatically sync: make changes on a file at home, and the up-dated doc will appear on your system at work. Neat!

You can also access the web-based folders from anywhere you happen to be working.

And folders are sharable with others, if you're working collaboratively on a project...or just want to show your mum some photos.

There's even an iPhone app, for those who can't do without.

Anyway, sign up here.