Recession Hit Logos

Fresh from my morning e-mail oven:-)

Experience Design and the 'Future of Cornflakes!!'

Was reading an article on Experience Design in the last issue of Contagious magazine.
Archiving some learnings...

1. The definition of what actually constitutes branding is increasingly broad. Branded touch-points now include everything from an online presence to a smiling customer representative and the band-aid solution of an advertising campaign is no substitute for a holistic, positive experience. If advertising is the end of the chain, Experience Design is the chain! - 'Jess Greenwood'

2. In today's world, any company that is working within products or services of any kind needs to stop this notion of expertise. the idea that they know best what the customer wants - quite a missionary stance, actually - and start creating with the very people they want to build products and services for. - Anna Kirah, a design anthropologist.

3. I have no idea whether the chemicals in Toilet duck are any good. I just like the fact that it's shaped like a duck. - Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman, Ogilvy Group,UK

4. I'm convinced that some sort of Experience Design will become the master discipline for businesses that want to be good at selling stuff. - Russell Davies, freelance planner/ blogger

5. Looking around the work-arounds and self generated solutions that consumers create to navigate certain problems is infinitely more inspiring than sitting in a room with a one way mirror and saying "What's the future of cornflakes? - Paul Bennett, Creative Director, Ideo

Suddenly this reminds me of a packaging research amongst kids( I attended some 6 years back) where a fairly persistent researcher wouldn't leave the poor kid before he replied what story he remembered on seeing the Dabur Honey label...phew!!

These last two months I have tried to dig around a little(with my planner hat) in the conversation, social media space, the next two hopefully would be in Experience Design...

Time-Poverty : Jame Raho!!

Got an early morning mail from Jo who now works for the Henley Centre Headlight Vision(the WPP global trends and insights company).

Anyways, few clicks later I was reading this post by Josh Hunt on the HCHLV site on time-poor consumers! Read the post here...

Marketers/ advertisers often lament about consumer time-poverty but the fact is most often clients and agencies are equally time-poor. Of course this is largely a case of self-infliction.

We have a chk-list in our minds and we want to tick-them off asap! Whither listening, whither deep probing, whither better questions:-)

Kas Ke Joota Kas Ke Belt, Khons Ke Andar Apni Shirt
Research Ki Chali Sawaari, Planners Pe Bhaari Zimmedari

Haath Mein Brief Man Mein Dum, Insight Nikaalke Rahenge Hum
Har Eyeball Se Takrayenge, Tas Se Mus Na Honge Hum

Research Ka Naara Jame Raho, Boss Ka Ishaara Jame Raho
Planning Ka Naara Jame Raho, Clients Ka Ishaara Jame Raho

Ye Sote Bhee Hain Attention, Power-point Ki Hai Tension
Mehnat Inko Pyari Hai, Process Bilkul Sarkaari Hai

Ye Research Par Hi Jeete Hain, Ye Insight Saare Peete Hain
Deadline Pe Sote Deadline Pe Khate, Taan Ke Seena Badhte Jate

Research Ka Naara Jame Raho...

(Sincere apologies for bastardising TZP lyrics...But hey it's UGC and I can surely get a reprieve and a laugh:-)

Day 4 - Boot Camp Bytes

And today, finally the meat of the boot camp. The often mis-understood, mis-managed, and 'black-box' subject of digital creatives...

Just came back meeting my college friend and his cute 3 year old son Yash. He reminded me of Neo!!My friend's adorable son - Yash. High-point of the day- Yash's squeal of delight upon seeing his new toy car...

Back to the workshop...Some of the key observations/ learnings of the day, in no particular order...

1. Digital creative, UGC, content in general forces us to ask the question - what business are we really in? Or more specifically what business do we want to be into...

These convergence days are exciting times. Bollywood meets MTV meets advertising meets Web 2.0 meets mobile content meets UGC meets PR meets something new every day! So, where do we want to go today:-)Paul and Brian from RightClicka, the social media experimental lab epicentred on music!!

2. As an industry and as my specific discipline(account planning), we have always been obsessed with the study of popular culture. But now with digital technology and democratisation of creativity, there is this huge opportunity of inventing popular culture...But are we ready as an industry to harness it. Don't think so:-(

3. The digital creative companies of the future need to be open-sourced. Their structures must be more collaborative and experimentative. And they must model themselves on software companies - projects, teams, constant learning and open to out-sourcing!

4. Digital Creative also demands that many of us wear multiple hats. Strategy and creative hats, project management and IT hats, strategy, creative and tech guru hats, project management and story telling hats. Successful models will have to burn their silo walls is what I feel.Our two Chinese interpreters for the day(at the back). I am liking the multi-culturalness of this boot camp...

5. We need 'cool scouts' - guys who are constantly on the look-out for 'cool content' & 'Cool Inventors'. And many of our current agency creatives may not be the guys who can invent 'cool'. These guys are scattered in music, movie, gaming industries...We need to hire/ work closely with them on digital projects.

6. I also strongly feel that 'the One Line proposition' led thinking has to give way to 'Multiple line/ context conversation' led briefing...Small ideas will coalesce to form the Big Idea! Digital Creative might also be of a 'Shoot-then-aim' mould!

This is the most complex topic as any real change demands structural changes in our business without disrupting the regular work and revenue streams. Balancing deep change with quarterly revenue targets:-) Tough task because as an industry, with all the back-slapping and PR around new tools, our fundamental structure( am restricting myself to mainstream agencies/ networks) hasn't changed in decades...

But if we need to change our core/ DNA to digital then we will have to disrupt our work, thought and administrative structures...Else the smaller, nimbler, smarter 1st generation digital shops will always enjoy a lead over the agency...

Of course much of this change might be messy, evolutionary, revolutionary...or forced upon by business imperatives...

But whatever be the outcome, digital content/ creativity/ market/ business model is an exciting playground. I am loving it!!

Boot Camp - Day Three - UGC & Digital Media

Digital Sparks

I have maintained for some time now that 'digital' is less about the technology and more about the psychology(client's, consumer's, etc.)

And today's session was mostly about this. The morning UGC session by Ajit was quite kick-ass...Some of the main carry-away thots were:

1. If you really love your brand, find out your way of letting it go...

2. Brand thinking must accommodate non-linear thinking. The best ideas have an element of surprise. Strategy is tactics today!

3. UGC insight : None of us is as smart as all of us.

4. English is no longer the dominant language of blogs/ expression/ conversations on the web!More of our Digital SparksBetter lunch than yesterday:-)

5. Interestingly 'Letting go of content control' also sits with massive control of traffic/ content through web 2.0 tools and other technology.

6. The new media signals a shift from the age of deference to an age of reference.

7. Ad agencies need to be prepared for the fundamental shift from 15% commission to 15 minutes of fame of their consumers!!

8. Media is social currency. if it isn't worth forwarding it, it isn't worth much:-)

9. Kids/ audience don't need another web-site! They need content and applications to make the digital space their own.
Ajit in Action

10. We had a very interesting talk by Ian Stewart, the Sr. VP, Viacom as the guest speaker for the day! He made a crisp presentation on the new digital generation!The impressive 'sensor-based interactive display' at the Funan Mall.

A packed day ended at the Brewerkz...The local micro brewery-in-a-restaurant where we downed beerJohn and his indecisiveness:-)...

Followed by a round of beer at Crazy Elephant...and another in John's room...

10. The 1% rule is all pervasive. 1% of the guys create content, 90% are passive viewers. The film maker, the critique and the viewer: the rules haven't changed much...Maybe they will never!

It's zzzzztime again!!

And Now User Generated Packaging

While the cola company is facing trouble in India, internationally it's embracing a design over-drive...Read a report in the ET today. Some pointers from the article!

1. Pepsi has changed it's design a mere 10 times in the last 109 years but it's ready to change it 35 times in the next 12 months!!

It reminds me of Alex Bogusky's comment that today the strength of brands is driven not by consistency but by surprise.

2. The designs include images relating to cars, music, fashion. the work being inspired by consumer 'passion points'.

3. After UGC(user-generated-content) now it's the turn of user-generated-packaging. In the US, Pepsi is launching a 'Design our Pepsi can' contest. Consumers get to submit their designs and even judge the designs of others based on a set of criteria set by Pepsi.

Packaging has always been one of the neglected, rigid and under-tapped areas of marketing. Hopefully, things will change fast. How will it impact the design companies though:-)

And what will happen to the Sacred Brand Manual? And clients and agency guys whose sole job was/ is to ensure the strictest adherence to the logo regime!!

Looks like in the future many logos will have the elasticity, the quirkiness and the topicality of the MTV logo!