The future of NEWS.....

How to stay relevant in a changing world? With the BBC announcing more job cuts in its news depts - the future of news is closer than we might think. Tip to Blaugh.

Marketing technology to Women ...it's simple

 

Went to an interesting all female ( well a couple of token males ) evening at a very well known ad agency talking about marketing to women. Lots of chat and light hearted banter. But the essence of what people were saying was, what I have been saying for a couple of years now.....

"Please tell me how this product or service is going to improve my life".

Please make sure it does what it says on the tin. Clear instructions would be nice.

Please give us great design.

And not all of us with breasts want it in pink ( some will and that's ok )

That's it - job done - sold.

 

I've just bought a great heart rate monitor. Told me it was going to get me fit and lose weight if I worked between 70 and 80% of my maximum heart rate. Told me what my max HR is and how to easily set the alarm on the watch part if I worked too hard or not enough.  Went out on my new bike today and worked perfectly. Not only that, it is so cool that it only has one button - if you want to get time, stop watch and HR - you just bring the watch bit really close to the chest strap and it just changes - you don't touch anything! At the end of your workout it tells you your average HR. Brilliant. Easy. £29. The only thing it doesn't do for you is the exercise. Go buy one today!

Oh - did I mention its blue?

Hoax TV kidney competition

Even I thought the idea of a reality show whereby a terminally ill woman got to choose who she would donate her kidney to - was going too far. In fact,  it was all a hoax to highlight the fact that 200 people in the Netherlands die each year while waiting for a kidney. The average waiting time is more than 4 years.  

 

Everyone filming the stunt was in on the hoax - but the three "contestants" are indeed all in need of kidneys. Does it matter? NO because no one really got hurt as such and the shortage of kidneys and donors was highlighted. But also YES because it erodes our belief systems about who we can and can't trust. We can trust our friends and family but how much do we trust the world outside of that cosy ring? It makes people more cynical and it's a stunt that can't be pulled too many times. 

Maybe the real winner in publicity terms is Endemol.?

Technorati tags: media, endemol, tv

Hang up your troubles

I'm really loving Gimundo at the moment. They are trying to spread a little happiness and positive thought in what can be, a cynical world.

This latest video reminds us what we already know but sometimes choose not to do. Its 2 mins - go on jump in! You know you want to.

Poetry...

There are many beautiful partnerships in this world but just take a couple of minutes out of your grinding schedule to appreciate a real super team in action. Stunning.

thanks to Oli Barrett :) 

TV - your flexible friend.

Sony has released footage of a 0.3mm foldable display which, it says, could be used to install television in clothing

Very cool. Very Sony. Very interesting.

4 billion mobiles by 2009

yes folks - you read that right. From Auntie - it must be true.

By 2009 more than 4 billion people in the world - out of a population of 6.3 billion - are expected to have a mobile phone connection in their lives.

Hugh usually has a card for all occasions and think this one neatly fits the bill.So where is mobile phone design heading? Will they get ever smaller, perhaps becoming part of our clothes rather than as a single unit?

Jan Chipchase, principal researcher at Nokia Design says :   

"the important consideration is how people behave, not what the latest technology can do."

 "Human Behaviour changes very slowly; technology very quickly"

Two thirds  of the entire world population....just think about the possibilities. Does your product or service have a mobile element?

What is a strength?

Reading the wonderful "Go put your strengths to work" by Marcus Buckingham.  Apparently just 17% of the workforce believe they use all their strengths on the job.

"A strength looks like consistent, near-perfect performance"

Marcus says people don't work on their strengths because they believe certain "myths":
1. Your personality changes with age.
2. You will grow most in your areas of greatest weakness.
3. A good team member does whatever it takes to help the team.

"Truths" are :

1.as you grow, you become more of who you already are

2. you will grow the most in your areas of greatest strength

3. a good team member deliberately volunteers his strengths to the team most of the time.

A strength is combined of several ingredients:

1. Talents - can be found via personality profiles such as Myers-Briggs.  Talents are innate.

2. Skills - are learned.

3. Knowledge - is learned.

More importantly, a strength is when you do it - you feel effective. Before you do it, you actively look forward to it. While you're doing it, you feel inquisitive and focused. And after you've done it, you feel fulfilled and authentic.

Some online materials including a video and an interview with the Today Progamme about how the strengths approach was being taught in schools.

lots more to come on this subject....hope you're playing to your strengths most of the time....

Yoof Media

Caught up with DK from MediaSnackers at a recent Ch 4 youth education event In the Wild.

Great day and great presentation from DK  and Ewan McIntosh about the benefits of IT for the younger generation. Thanks guys for talking to me ....

Oli has a great post on the event - it was a day of happiness or indeed how we attain happiness. Its all about beautiful partnerships apparently.

"Beautiful Partnerships.  By that, he means the space between two people.  Real connection, and space in which they can touch, kiss and hug each other.  And on a day when several hours were given, quite rightly, to the future of technology and the web, this came as a breath of fresh air.

Nine Big Workplace Myths

I like the sentiment behind most of these so called "myths" but would feel much happier if they were phrased in the positive. "Job hopping will help you to learn valuable skills and gain experience quickly".

1. You’ll be happier if you have a job you like.

2. Job-hopping will hurt you.

3. The glass ceiling still exists.

4. Office politics is about backstabbing.

5. Do good work, and you’ll do fine. .

6. You need a good resume.

7. People with good networks are good at networking.

8. Work hard and good things will come.
9. Create the shiny brand of you!

From Guy Kawasaki. Worth a read