Archive for February, 2010

Converted to Kindle

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

I’ve just come back from a week away at half term fully converted to the concept of the e-reader.

I am a voracious reader. The fairly long journey to New York and back, allowed me to really get used to and appreciate the Kindle I was given at Christmas. For once I didn’t need to carry loads of books and magazines with me. And, deciding to re-read a favourite book on the route home “The Great Gatsby” only required a couple of clicks of the button to get it downloaded in minutes.

(more…)

Alternatively Funded Content paves the way for new communication solutions

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

The business models for funding content are fundamentally shifting, and this shift will deliver a new paradigm in communication planning.

The traditional models for funding quality journalism via advertising seem under irrevocable strain especially in newspapers.

Programme makers on TV are for the first time beginning to whole heartedly welcome advertisers directly.

This was certainly the message of MediaCom Beyond Advertising’s first branded content conference last week. Jimmy Mulville, comedian and co-owner of Hat Trick Productions announced that he looks forward enthusiastically to the day when the producers of quality TV content come directly to advertisers and media agencies to discuss their ideas. Mulville wants rid of the term “Advertiser Funded Content”, because he says it worries some people on his side of the professional fence. They fear perhaps being asked to produce a ghastly hybrid of a public relations film and long and mediocre commercial.

(more…)

Do career dads make bad ads?

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

Glad January is over – cold, dark, not that inspiring.

My first day back at work was January 4th, and I nearly turned round and went home after I caught sight of the OAA campaign emblazed on a busside: “Career women make bad mothers”. It was my first awareness of the campaign, and it made me feel fairly miserable.

This week I received a personal apology from the authors of the campaign in the lovely persons of Garry Lace and Robert Campbell… That’s just another several million working mothers to go then.

(more…)