500 Biggest Brands in the World

As a copywriter who has worked with many different ad agencies, I have to concede that sometimes a picture is worth a thousands words...okay...maybe a thousand characters (without spaces).

Here is a perfect example. Compare BusinessWeek's useful and interesting Top 100 Global Brands versus this new graphic by Business Management magazine...



http://www.busmanagement.com/news/newsbuilding-a-successful-brand/



Stay inspired!

Cheers,
Maurice
Voice One Oy
www.voiceone.fi

Revolving door energy

This was a cool simple idea. Using revolving doors to generate electricity. I think it's very much like the creator suggests: "it's a duh idea". Meaning: Why didn't we think of this already! Good stuff!



Stay inspired!

Cheers,
Maurice
Voice One Oy
www.voiceone.fi

Best Ads of the Week

The first ad for this week is by San Fran outfit, Venables Bell and Partners for Intel. I'm always amazed at what you can squeeze into a 30 second narrative. This ad is aptly called generations as it showcases significant steps in Personal Computing and wraps up with Intel's latest chip. I'm not sure I'm sold, but I am definitely curious.



The next one is for the Canadian company, Bombardier, by TAXI, Toronto. It is to celebrate their work with the Olympic torch. (Go Canada!) I must admit I was initially thrown by the curious placement of the narrative in the Andes (I think). But it does give the ad a warm international feel which is exactly what the Olympics is about. So generally, I think it's well executed.



The last one comes from Wieden + Kennedy for Coca-Cola. It's a Nascar themed ad. That's a bit off-putting, but it really makes you smile when they break into the classic Harmony song. Good stuff!



Stay inspired!

Cheers,
Maurice
Voice One Oy
www.voiceone.fi

Music of the Week: Cookie Mongoloid

OMG, these guys are so funny! A Cookie Monster metal tribute band. Absolutely brilliant!

COOKIE ROCKS! Something about the gutteral growl of cookie monster makes it perfect for thrash metal.

Me Lost Me Cookie in the Mosh Pit



Stay inspired!

Cheers,
Maurice
Voice One
www.voiceone.fi

Creativity Technique: Edward de Bono's Six Thinking Hats

Edward de Bono is the creativity guru. If you can get past his arrogance, you'll discover he has some great things to offer. However, it takes a strong stomach to get past the opening line to his book, Six Thinking Hats:

The Six Thinking Hats method may well be the most important change in human thinking for the past twenty-three hundred years.

Essentially, Six Thinking Hats is a useful method for groups to coordinate and focus their thinking in one direction at a time. Useful, yes. Earth-shattering revelation, no.

In short--

White Hat: give Information or Facts.

Red Hat: give your Emotion or Feeling on the matter.

Yellow Hat: point out the positives. Think Optimism

Black Hat: point out the negatives. Think Pessimism.

Green Hat: Creativity! Brainstorm!

Blue Hat: guides the meeting. Chairperson.

Concept: The chairperson (Blue Hat) guides the meeting firmly. And participants focus their thinking strictly according to the Hat they should be (figuratively) wearing. Ie. The chairperson tells the participants: "Put on your White Hat. Give me all the information on our problem." He/She writes that down.

The most important aspect of this method is that it stops the negativism from creeping in. Everyone's seen it. Someone gives an idea. Good or bad. Immediately, someone will jump in to say why it's not good. The idea is killed without exploring its potential. Secondly, it seriously speeds up meetings. People don't comment on ideas until they are asked to wear the Yellow, Black, White or Red Hats.

According to de Bono, IBM saw meeting times reduce to 25% of previous. ABB cut their multinational project meetings from 30 days to 2.

Stay inspired!

Cheers,
Maurice
Voice One Oy
www.voiceone.fi

TED lecture of the Week: Derek Sivers

I wanted a short TED talk this week. Naturally, even the short ones are interesting.

Here Derek Sivers discusses how there is a different way of looking at even the simplest of things.



Stay Inspired!

Cheers,
Maurice
Voice One Oy
www.voiceone.fi

Comedian of the Week: Sarah Silverman

I really like Sarah Silverman. She has a very warped sense of humor. She's always pushing the edge of good taste. I think the only comedian with a remotely similar style might be Sacha Baron Cohen (Ali G, Borat, Bruno) albeit she says the unnerving things, he acts them out.

Story behind the clips for non-US readers: Jimmy Kimmel has a US talk show with a running gag that he is going to have Matt Damon on every show, but there's never enough time.

Sarah Silverman, Kimmel's girlfriend at the time, made this song and video with Matt Damon called "I'm f**king Matt Damon". Pure Classic comedy.

Now, as a publicity stunt, this was pure marketing gold. It became an internet phenomena making Sarah a household name.



Kimmel extended the punchline by creating a spoof counterattack song and video called: "I'm f**king Ben Affleck".



Stay Inspired!

Cheers,
Maurice
Voice One Oy
www.voiceone.fi