NORTHERN PLANNER

Over at Brand New Gareth Kay has found a New Zealand agency called The Department of Doing, one of the best names I’ve ever heard.I love the fact that their philosophy is about actually getting on with it and making things happen, as opposed to the usual agency ‘ideas’ mantra. I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently, espescially in the light of choice, but even one great idea is useless if it never sees the never see the light of day. Thank god foraccount handlers.

If you want a short, sharp relevant critique of today’s advertising, take a look at The ad – pit. It’s honest, genuine and totally without ego, everything that Campaign’s Private View isn’t (he dares to give DFS an OK review). Even better, he’s Northern.

They’ve painted frescoes on train station ceilings. It doesn’t feel like interruption, since they’ve worked so hard to get your attention. Does it reinforce ‘Impossible is Nothing’ though?

BT has commissioned itsfuturology department to predict some of the advances that will soon change the world. They may look fanciful, but the experts are adamant they’ll happen. One that stood out was a team of robots beating the england football team by 2051. Here’s a selection from the 2011 predictions:

Tooth regeneration

Return to the high street for personal service

Insect like robots for crop pollination

Chips in packaging to control cooking

Kitchen rage caused by gadgets

Full voice interaction with PC

DNA storage service

Robot gardeners

Computer enhanced dreaming

There’s loads of stuff to find out from National Men’s Health Week. For example, men, are more likely to die from skin cancer because they refer themselves too late. In general, men don’t take health as seriously as women, as they’re mentally programmed to take more risks. That said, much illness is gender specific according to the Men’s Health Forum. Women are more likely to suffer from depression and connective tissue problems, while men are more likely to have circulatory problems and developmental disorders such as Tourette’s syndrome.

This is Anthony Gormley’s ‘Field for the British Isles’. He’s used over 40,000 identical clay men to raise questions about individulity and community.

It’s also a great picture to use when you want to talk about a large target audience.

Jeff in the studio likes to collect album covers.

This is a fascinating article from the Observer. Geraldine Bedell argues that despite women having more choices than ever before, they’re not as happy as they should be. It’s actually the sheer scale of choice that’s the problem. We’ve lost sight of how to be happy because we’re always worrying about the alternatives we didn’t choose.

This has implications for lots of things. You only have to consider a trip to the supermarket and the time you waste deciding between the thousands of lines on offer to see that. I went to a financial services  conference a while back and a big theme was the shift in responsibility onto the individual. People have to make their own decisions on things like pensions and mortgages like never before. They have never been given so much choice, yet the quality of information to let them make a decision isn’t there. So they make bad decisions quick, or just put it off.

It’s certainly an argument for brands, what are they if they are not a way to help people choose? Maybe the brands themselves should be considering offering a simpler life. 

It gives me pause for thought when I think about my job. I’ve always liked talking to people who have lots of ideas, but sometimes they don’t know when to stop. It’s easy to change your mind and do something else just because your bored, instead of working on what you already have. It’s hard to pick one thing and do it well. Perhaps I should talk to more people who find it hard to get an idea, because if they get ideas rarely, they’ll make sure they work.

That’s my nickname at work. Ever since I noticed a few extra hairs in the plughole at the age of 23, I’ve suffered the slow decline of my once thick and lustrous mane. I don’t really care anymore, especially since I’m married and don’t have to worry about meeting women. My wife reckons I look better hairless anyway (or that’s what she tells me).

Coincidentally, I think being bald helps you as planner. Here’s are five reasons why:

1. People take you seriously. Looking older and cleverer than you really are gets attention. Since planners have to find a way to be heard amongst gregarious suits and flamboyant creatives, this is useful,as long as what you’re saying isn’t utter twaddle.

2. Bald people learn to be self effacing. Before anyone else pokes fun, you learn to laugh at yourself first and be generally good natured. This makes you quite approachable which can lead to you being a non-threatening sounding board for creatives, suits and anyone else that needs a friendly, objective ear.

3. Just like blind people develop a highly developed sense of hearing, bald people become very good at conversation. In the hope that it will make up for their looks, they work very hard on being interesting, good at listening and knowing lots of stuff. Since planners only  get invited to meetings if people think they’ll be interesting, good at listening  and know lots of stuff, this is fortunate.

4. At some point, bald people stop fighting the inevitable and stoically accept their fate. Life as a planner is full of disappointments and setbacks. You’ll make mistakes, but accepting this means that you’ll use failing to teach you what to improve.

5. It’s difficult to be vain and bald. Since planners need to be generous with their ideas and let other people take centre stage, losing your vanity can prove invaluable. It also means you get ready quickly, giving your other half more time to endlessly change outfits and make you late. Patience and persistence are also good skills to have.

My cat, Kato (she tends to jump on you’re lap when you least expect it) had better things to do.