For me pictures are easily the most important asset on the Internet. In fact, I make the majority of my decisions by looking at the pictures available,  isn’t that what most people do?

Products, hotels, houses, places, experiences and dare I say people … most of the important things and choices in our lives are determined by looking at pictures (and you can’t have too many).

In fact I have become so disillusioned with transactional websites that when I want information, I actually go directly to Google pictures. Generally it’s much easier and quicker to find what I’m looking for. read full post »

Cross-posted from DigiCynic

As I’ve said before, I love the Internet. I’ve been working 8 years in digital. I’m curious and I try most things out. Or at least, I make sure I’ve got a pretty good understanding of what it is and how it could be used. I have never been on Second Life but I get the gist of what it is and (how little) brands can do with it.

But, I’m not a geek. I use the Internet to get what I want and shop like most people. I understand the point of twitter but refuse to be on it. Out of work, you’ll rarely find me on it. read full post »

Cross-posted from DigiCynic

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I re-read the creativity-online article, the next creative revolution from Nick Law, chief RGA’s creative director. And I realised I had got it completely wrong the first time I read it.

Here’s my understanding of what he was trying to communicate to us, in Plain English or Franglish as you may say … read full post »

In a world 2.0, is our industry not losing its focus?

It seems to me that everyone is now focused on trying to find the next cool spectacular stunt or the best Facebook application, forgetting that one of the most powerful advertising tool is still… a good story.

And I believe advertising needs good storytellers more than ever. read full post »

All virals are Black Swans.

Or why the use of past references and case studies might make you less likely to come up with the next big viral phenonemon.

I’m talking here, of course, about real virals. The ones that have been seen by millions of people, that everyone talked about, that have changed pop culture and redefined the way we advertise.

I’m not restricting my thoughts to online virals, as seems to be the trend to do, as any piece of communication can become viral; the Internet is just the facilitator.

I’m also not just talking about ‘advertising’ virals, but phenomena that have ended up becoming viral eg. Chocolate Rain, Mentos and Diet Coke, Blairwitch etc.

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I was given a Blackberry by my company a couple of months ago. Due to the the obvious ‘always-on’ problem but more due to its addictive quality, I noticed another change in my behaviour. My Blackberry usage was cutting into some very precious ‘thinking time’.

You see, most of my ideas normally come from random moments. In the lift, smoking a cigarette outside, waiting for the tube… Moments when you are not in front of your computer, directly facing your problem and desperately trying to find the next award-winning solution. Well, I wasn’t having these moments anymore, as soon as I was in these situations to let my mind wander, I would automatically reach for my precious Blackberry and start toying with it. Checking and replying to emails, checking the BBC website, even playing the brickbreaker… Everything but letting my thoughts flourish.

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