BBC Sport have unveiled their Gorillaz work for the Beijing games. There's all sorts of widgets, gizmos and irritants around the main characters Monkey, Pigsy and Sandy.
15 days to go - personally, can't wait. The sanctimonious whining of anyone from Spielberg to Konnie Huq can be parked to one side. Seeing China have its well deserved moment in the sun will be captivating, breathtaking and awe-inspiring. Londoners are about to get a big wake-up call.
My first ever blog post for all those irrational enough to want to listen to the mind of Proudlock, which takes me nicely into the topic of said blog post, irrationality.
This week I have been reading, Irrationally by Stuart Sutherland (link below) to save me from the mind numbing, retardation of free newspaper reading. And it is amazing how unbelievably irrational we all are and fascinating the lengths we go to justify our irrationality to ourselves.
Take this example:
"The rivalry between groups may be so irrational that each may try to do the other down even at its own expense. In an aircraft factory in Britain the toolroom shop stewards tried to preserve this difference, even when by doing so they would receive a smaller wage themselves. They preferred a settlement that gave them £67.30 a a week and the production workers a pound less, to one that gave them an extra two pounds (£69.30) but gave the production workers more (70.30)"
Unbelievable! But leads to the question "do we all compete with people to our own detriment?"
Are you competing with someone for that promotion or to catch the eye of a certain someone? Are you sure it is the path to success? Are you even sure that it is actually what you want?
Brands are you so busy fighting the competition on micro issues that you have lost sight of the bigger issue? Being the best! Or at least yourself.
If you are constantly looking at the competition and reacting to what they do, how can you really be yourself? How can you produce your best? And most importantly why would anyone take notice of you?
David Proudlock
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Irrationality-Stuart-Sutherland/dp/1905177070/ref=sr
_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215784326&sr=8-1
You could never accuse Burger King of being sanctimonious. Whilst McDonald's take the flak for forcefeeding fat down kids throats, BK crack on regardless. It's quite simple - give 'em what they want.
Heavy drinkers and fat boys have a new challenge with the news that Burger King is to launch 'the 6 Pack,' a burger designed for sharing. That's what they say - the real challenge is whether you can eat one yourself. It's one burger in six rolls which the fat eater is expected to tear off portions. £4.49 for the burger. £5.69 for a meal. Good luck to them.
As for McDonald's, they disgust me.
Is there any point in actually going to see Sex And The City? If you were to cut out all the pictures that have appeared in Heat, londonpaper and London Lite over the past 12 months, you could arrange them to spell out the entire 2 hour plot.
There's also a barrage of product placement coming your way - 8 brands in total - which didn't go unnoticed to the BBC News reporter at the premiere the other night. Hollywood isn't noticed for its subtlety in this area - but it will be sad to see Mercedes Benz getting the same treatment from Sarah Jessica Parker that Alan Partridge gave his Rover (courtesy of Norfolk Rover Group).
Sex And The City has a huge, and loyal fanbase, which quite clearly I don't fall into. (I'm knocking this post out before heading up to Lord's to watch cricket for fuck's sake). Nevertheless, I do feel slightly protective of all the female 30-somethings heading into cinemas across the globe this weekend. Hold on tight to your purse girls - your sistas are gunning for your cash.
The market for men's toiletries has risen by 800% in seven years, according to a not very interesting news piece in today's Observer. This isn't surprising. Pre-Beckham, anyone who rubbed anything other than mud, coal or Brut into their faces was obviously gay; or a 'poof,' a word you don't hear too often these days.
Let's be clear. This growth isn't driven by men. It's driven by 'guys.'
Who deemed it socially acceptable to use the word 'guy' or 'guys' to describe men?
'Guys definitely want to look younger and they're interested in having the tools to do so,' said Brian Boye of Men's Health, offering up a cheap quote in the piece. It's an utterly offensive term, applied to the most inoffensive of people. 'Guys.' The Lynx brand managers always used to refer to them, implying sophistication, a clutch of Coldplay albums, skinny lattes and a flat in Battersea. The sort that think it's acceptable to write 'hey,' to another man in an email.
In 100 years time they'll be no genitals left on the planet.
Throughout Asia, an 'instant noodle meal solution,' is an efficient, tasty and wholesome snack. Here in the UK we have Pot Noodle. Our and AKQA's latest work for them, with more than just a nod to Guinness...
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