Indecent in Flint
Originally uploaded by idahostudios

What, another meaningless blogging award? Yes, it’s an award (I think), but no, it’s not meaningless. 

In fact, it got very excited after reading Tom Peters' post on ‘Creativity Award in Tough Times’ and got me thinking of the possibilities.

In his post, Tom recognises Hyundai’s creativity during the current global financial crisis. Tom said “My top award to date (I'm late on this) goes to Hyundai, for its program of allowing a purchase to be returned within a year if the purchaser becomes unemployed.”

I read that and nearly fell off my chair.

A car company with imagination, creativity and DECENCY – STOP THE PRESS! Has the world gone mad? Did the world turn upside down last night?

Hyundai’s marketing team should be given a Nobel Prize for something. My faith in marketing and advertising is back, but will other companies’ catch on to Decency Marketing.

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Jesus! vs Darwin!
Originally uploaded by The Searcher

Reading one of my favourite blogger’s, Julian Cole prompted me to run to my mini library (A Shelf) and reread a chapter in one of my favourite books ‘Focus’ by Al Ries. The chapter is titled ‘The Driving Force of Division’.

In his Julian’s blog, my good blogging buddy, all round great guy and brilliant talent recently mentioned the big ‘C’ word in a post – Convergence.

Julian said “at the moment we are going through a phase of a converging of traditional marketing journalism meeting the marketing blogging community.”

Call me pedantic, but I slightly disagree with Julian’s assessment. Rather than a convergence, I see what’s happening within the blogging world as more of a Darwinist evolutionary divergence. Have I lost you yet?

As a species, Journalists are really going through a massive evolutionary crisis with their traditional source of revenue, the printed newspaper, struggling to compete with cheaper and quicker online new sources.

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I am very much interested in what people think of Cricket Australia’s marketing strategy?

cricket ball – 74/365
Originally uploaded by arcticlamb

Normally, I would say classy marketers look to grow market share through expanding markets or creating new marketers where none existed before.

If I’m right then, I really don’t understand Cricket Australia administrators attitude that have gone out of their way to ignore Twenty20 cricket, a juggernaut currently dominating world cricket. A new product revolutionising the way cricket is seem in the marketplace.

Since its conception Twenty20 has attracted big crowds around the world, but here in Australia crickets administrators are continually limiting its impact on the longer One Day and Test Cricket games just to appease cricket’s traditionalist.

Recently, a crowd of more than 60,000 Victorian’s watched Australia beat South Africa in a game of Twenty20, a week later only 39,000 watched the same two sides play in a One Day International.

So why not give them more?

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I thought it was a good idea to share with you a Seth Godin's pesentation, I found on YouTube. 

I think iIts good food for the brain.

As senior executives across the globe scramble to find answers to the current global crisis, I would highly recommend they find a few minutes to listen to Al Ries' latest video Whither GM. 

Urinal Chat Poster
Originally uploaded by soupmastergeneral

I’ve just read Seth Godin’s book 'Ideavirus' and I came across a quote by Bill Bernbach that I’d like to share with everyone:

“You cannot sell a man who isn’t listening; word of mouth is the best medium of all; and dullness won’t sell your product, but neither will irrelevant brilliance”

Advertisers…sit down and think about it!

Power Demonstration
Originally uploaded by Fractal

Hurrah, it’s January again! Marketing’s traditional season for reflection, renewal and STRATEGIC THINKING, so that you can devise that killer strategic marketing plan.

But, don’t make that common mistake of confusing operational with strategic planning. A lot of people do it and a lot of people don't know the difference.

If you don’t have the right strategy, you’re brand is STUFFED.

What’s more, January's a  good time to take a closer look at your advertising agency’s performance. Remember, strategy is also about reality and survival.

Paul Hogan
Originally uploaded by snoobidou

Another year…another year of predicted doom and gloom. Yes, the celebrity bureaucrats from Tourism Australia have predicted the number of foreign visitors will plummet this coming year, even after they spent tens of millions of dollars on another failed advertising campaign. Not to mention that MOVIE or its massive tax relief.

Is branding Australia that hard? I don’t think so. If you look at the bare facts, Australia’s lack of visitors has nothing to do with being seen or heard. Our key brands SYDNEY and AUSTRALIA are continually being voted as number 1# travel destinations.

So what are the celebrity bureaucrats doing wrong? Well, my own cynicism says it’s something to do with our tourism elite wanting to move away from our low brow beach culture of sun, sea, surf and bronzed Aussie’s. It must be too crass for them…

I have the impression they’d like to remove the cringe factor by repositioning Australia as a sophisticated destination for the middle aged adventurous traveller who is into natural, cultural and spiritual awareness.

Travellers willing to climb aboard a white 4WD, drive through hot deserts and beautiful bushland, roughing it in green tents and being at one with happy aboriginals.

Let’s face it people, most foreigners visiting Australia are looking for a coastal paradise with beautiful beaches, long sunny days, big surf and lots of bronzed Aussie guys and girls saying "G'day mate."

Just think about it, fat middle aged Yank’s, Brit’s, Jap’s or Chinese with fat wallets aren’t going to travel half way round the world in there millions to spend three weeks roughing it in a rent-a-tent with no amenities just outside Dungog or Cessnock? Nothing wrong with Dungog or Cessnock…

Australia’s real point of difference is its modern beach lifestyle.

Remember people, its near impossible to change someone’s mind that’s why Paul Hogan’s 1984 "The Wonders Down Under" TV commercial was so successful…

Bring back Hogan! Pity about his problems with the tax office.