I’m not a mac hater. In fact, I’m a mac lover, player, congratulator (to quote Derek from G-Field). Now that’s out in the open I can say… I’m disappointed in you Apple. All of that waffle was to say, why Mr Job’s, why? Like John Stewart, I was disappointed when I heard of how Apple went all big brother on the Gizmoid employee who revealed the prototype iphone to the world. But, my disappointment began back when the PC vs Mac campaign hit the airwaves. Those clever guys at Crispin put my misunderstood disappointment into a campaign for Microsoft when they launched ‘I’m a person’ a year or so ago. Even though this campaign is a year old it recognized the move at Apple from the creative advocate to just another big corporate. The rot had begun and Crispin bared it to the world. In hindsight, the incident so well publicized on the Daley Show was just a natural progression. The one learning for the rest of us in the business of communication is, don’t do comparative advertising. It may seem like a good idea at the time but it’s addictive and you won’t know when to stop until it’s too late and you have to go into brand therapy or make an uncomfortable Rodney Hyde apology. (Hey, no one wants their brand to take lead from a politician). How do you know you’re at risk of being a comparative advertiser? Well, some would argue that we’re all at risk. Every morning I get up and think wouldn’t taste good to just put a dig in at his service or point out how woefully inferior the other guy’s product is. Then I remember, branding is about relationships and likeability and no one likes a moaning sourpuss. A note to those who may have already started down the road of comparative advertising, here’s my advice, stop now! Only a universally accepted underdog can point out the shortcomings of a market leader. If you’re advertising works, that position won’t last. If you don’t stop, there will be a time when it abruptly stops working and receives a backlash of sympathy for your competitor. Perhaps it would have been better if Apple had taken their Mother's advice - 'stand on your own merits. Don't put others down in order to elevate yourself.' I agree, nothing unites people like common hatred. But, even though Hitler had great success with this philosophy, it’s not a long-term strategy and one that’ll get you in the end. I wonder if Whitakers chocolate will take their Cadbury bashing too far? Only time will tell. Continue reading

one of my undergraduate lectures in foreign policy once said, globalisation will strengthen cultures not break them down. In a way he was right. But, in a way he was wrong. I am being a little unfair to my lecturer. Since the early 1990's, when I was at Uni, a great deal has changed. The change in technology has meant unprecedented access to information and an ever changing shift in power from corporates to brands to people and, in some cases, back to corporates. It's bloody hard to follow! Technology has driven globalised change and broken down some traditional cultural... Continue reading

For as few years now I've been growing increasingly dissatisfied with the world of advertising. A risky confession I admit. We in Adland are now at a stage where we need to be different. Not just say we're different but think and behave differently than we have before. It's not because the world is changing and traditional advertising is no longer enough for brands to succeed, because that's not a rule that can be applied to everyone. TV is still big business, even in the UK according to the recent write up from Les Binet in the edition of March... Continue reading