ThoughtSpurs

When the Internet was in its infancy I caught the bug. I created a site called eMale - a men's interest site designed to be a Trojan Horse for men's health. It generated a lot of traffic but not a bean from advertising. When I joined Lion Nathan as creative director for their online brands I closed it down to focus on the job at hand. One of the ads I made to promote the site to advertisers read: "Will work for beer", hand written text on a torn piece of corrugated cardboard box. The objective was to promote the site as engaging and fun. I should have picked up the phone though. I had a target audience of exactly 2 people. Lion and Dominion Breweries. Ah the vanity…(the truth is I thought it would make a nice ad). Today I was driving through Auckland city. Went to the Auckland University Elam School of Fine Art's graduation show - fourth year and master's. I'll make a separate post about that. I have pictures to show you. At the bottom of town, by Victoria...

As it is Friday night. For entertainment purposes only: 1. The Duellists - Ridley Scott's first movie - because Harvey Kietel is better talent than a beer ad. 2. Moulin Rouge - For it's mad originality 3. Fight Club - Ditto and for the Pixies' track in the denouement 4. The Usual Supects - Because I didn't pick it 5. Big Fish - Because it was sweet without being saccharine Others I like: Goodfellas In Cold Blood My Life Without me Three Colours Blue Henry V (Kenny Branagh Version) It's a Wonderful Life My favourite song at the moment is the idiotic fun of the Barenaked Ladies "If I had a million dollars". I may be wizened and cynical at the best of times - but lock me up in my old Volvo and turn the volume up and the truth will out. When I get sick of playing it over and again I move onto Country Joe's 'Kiss My Ass', a light hearted protest song which I think he played at Woodstock . As I'm in the mood for listing things - my third choi...

I saw this poster for the New Zealand soda Lemon & Paeroa (world famous in New Zealand). It is interesting to compare the difference between how breast cancer (which is very well funded)and prostate cancer - which no self respecting man wants to know about - well, not the examination anyway. The approach to talking about uncomfortable topics with blokes requires acceptance that you'll have to be a little bit oblique. The Movember promotion is brilliant but I wonder if it is so oblique that the fun of it all overwhelmes the message. By the way I've raised a little money - thank you to my friends who've sponsored my pathetic mo-grow effort. Oh, and if you don't know what a pash-rash is - pashing is an antiquated form of kiwi vernacular for passionate kissing. Anyway… sponsor my personal growth …help fund cancer research and if you're a woman I'll throw in a kiss (though might want to wait until after Movember to redeem).

Over on the redesigned Idealog site you can read my reviews of Wikinomics and The Cult of the Amateur. I won't preempt your reading but I'd be interested in your feedback. Also on the site is a discussion about a German Building that Vincent Heeringa was impressed by on his recent visit to Europe. I found it looked horrible - bland modernism without the character of Norman Foster's 'Gherkin' in London or the Guggenheim at Bilbao. Another commenter has remarked that there will never be agreement on what kinds of buildings on the water in the city. Vince stepped back into the conversation with a remark that suggests that Auckland lacks vision. I disagree with that perspective. The interesting thing about 'vision' is that it must originate from an individual. Then the vision must be disseminated to a broad supporter base (one way or another). The design selected for Te Papa (the undisputed worst major public building built on an iconic waterfront location ever...

Some individuals and organisations can't afford to buy basic software like Microsoft Office. My daughter's school faced an enormous cost for installing the latest MS Office throughout every classroom and department. And that is before we even start thinking about regular upgrades. I came across OpenOffice.org recenly. It is a free, open source suite of products that is cross-platform. I have downloaded a copy and will give it a try. Hey, if it is good enough for the city of Vienna - it's good enough for me. I thought their banner ad was amusing:

If you're a sensitive wee soul I ask your forgiveness… Go make a cup of tea. Arrange some flowers. Waft. Something… just get the hell out of here! Ok, I assume we're all adults here. We should be. It's 11.42. Kids should be tucked up long ago. John Grant has sent out a heads up to Fuck It. The Ultimate Spiritual Way . I'm in the mood to like it. A number of my friends have been kvetching about the things that are going wrong in their lives. When the student is ready, the master will appear. So, if you've been looking for sympathy from me in the past couple of weeks then I have the book for you. '… Saying Fuck It feels good. To stop struggling and finally do what you fancy; to ignore what everyone's telling you and go your own way feels just great. In this inspiring and humorous book, John C. Parkin suggests that saying Fuck It doesn t just make us feel good, it is a spiritual act. Indeed, the highest spiritual act. Fuck It is the perfect western expression...

A little busy at the moment. Hence lack of fresh posts. And, to be honest with you, haven't felt especially motivated. Preoccupied with my cunning plan for the year ahead. I have developed a media concept that will be exciting if we can make it fly. All the indications are positive. My year of self imposed academic exile is over and I'm keen to crack on. I'm growing a moustache as part of the Movemeber campaign to raise awareness and cash for prostate cancer You can sponsor my efforts (bearing in mind that a)I don't do facial hair and b) I don't do facial hair). Mind you it's for a good cause and no worse than a digital-rectal examination - right? There are campaigns all around the world - visit the site to register to participate . So, in the spirit of lazy blogging here are a couple of useful links for you. The first (via BrandDNA ) is a very well thought through discussion of advertising writing techniques by Suzanne Pope , who's a CD at Toronto agency J...