BlogFonk

This Link Of The Week (LOTW) is the favourite bookmark of Swedish Creative Director Peter Viksten.

Link: www.google.com
Why: Because it helps me find everything.

posted by BlogFonk: Monday, November 29, 2004 [#]

Interesting newslinks...

Welcome to Chanel No. 5

Antigay ad

Ads too sexy for Israel

New TiVo pop-up ads

Reuters debuts new ads

Church ad campaign

Agencies need self-promotion

Rather: 'Time to move on'

Nike ads spark row

Attackers strike using Web ads

Ads making Overtures in RSS

'Rapist' removed from taxi ads

Automotive ads shifts gear

New Nintendo TV ads

New TV ads palmOne

Bush's ads helped win election

posted by BlogFonk: Sunday, November 28, 2004 [#]

Effective Creativity

Internet is a great tool for effective creativity...

Ad campaigns are becoming more and more multi-medial: teasers on radio or TV followed by long commercials on the internet.

This development has not only impact on the 'format' of for example integrated ads which show the power of advertising combined with entertainment, but also the 'content': ads are not showing the product in specific, but the vision of the brand more in general. This is called 'concepting'.

The idea behind the new Volvo 'Life on Board Project' for example is quite simple: give a number of interesting people a Volvo, wheel them on an interesting journey and let them talk with each other concerning their life. The conversations are lifelike and reflect the values of Volvo related to the positioning of the several models.

Stills Volvo ad: lifelike conversations.

Or take the Diesel Dreams campaign. Diesel hopes to inspire people to create their own world. And dreams create the best adventures and fantasies! In this context, the campaign contributes to Diesel's innovative and creative way to show dreams as a surrealistic form of escapism.

Diesel ad: dreaming.

So what does this mean for advertising?

Well, ad agencies will get new competitors like concepting agencies, internet, communication and design companies. These organisations will not be competitive in 'size' but in 'quality': they are actually more 'creative' than traditional ad agencies.

In general companies are seeing the communication opportunities of the internet. Dutch companies like Lost Boys, TPG Post en Clockwork use corporate and business weblogs for their corporate communication: it's becoming an intranet for employees and external relations.

Microsoft is trying to build a connection between people and technology, changing the idea of being a company whose technology everybody has to use to the technology everybody wants to use. According to Microsoft audience marketing manager Bas Paumen it's about bringing back the emotion and personality to the brands of Microsoft, showing the customers and technology enthusiast that Microsoft creates its technology with passion, vision and not only to generate revenue.

The internet is a reservoir of information and input for new ideas and concepts. New technology atracks new business: in this respect entrepreneur Guy Kawasaki, one of the individuals responsible for the success of the Macintosh computer, proved his skills.

Weblogs collect, select and arrange information on the internet. And because of it's dynamic format and content, these weblogs are very useful for creative professionals.

posted by BlogFonk: Friday, November 26, 2004 [#]

Fonk for Thoughts: Guy Kawasaki

US "empower-er of entrepreneurs" Guy Kawasaki is one of the individuals responsible for the success of the Macintosh computer. What are his Fonks for Thoughts?

Photo Guy Kawasaki: "Don't let the bozos grind you down."

BlogFonk: Who is Guy Kawasaki? And where are you from?
Kawasaki: I was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. I moved to California to attend college and have never looked back. I've been an evangelist for Macintosh, entrepreneur, venture capitalist, investment banker, author, and speaker. This sure sounds like I can't hold down a job.

BlogFonk: Do you love your work? Why (not)?
Kawasaki: A seemingly simple question for which there is no simple answer. In a perfect world, I would just hang out with my family and place hockey. But this isn't a perfect world, so I work as a venture capitalist, write books, and make speeches. This "work" isn't so bad, so don't shed any tears for me; I have a pretty great life. When I die, I want to be remembered as a great husband, father, and empower-er of entrepreneurs.

BlogFonk: What is your book "The Art Of The Start" about?
Kawasaki: About USD 25.00. Seriously, it's for anyone starting anything.

BlogFonk: What are the latest important developments you've noticed in your business?
Kawasaki: What new developments? In venture capital, writing, or speaking? There are few developments in these businesses. Entrepreneurs create the new stuff, not VCs, writers, or speakers. Our job is to spot them and empower them.

Maybe you have mistaken me for a creative type. I'm not creative. I just work like a dog. If people think writing is about releasing the creative muse with a fountain pen on a windswept beach while sipping cappuccinos, they're on drugs.

Writing is about editing, and editing is about grinding it out. Speaking is the same. Speaking is about repetition and polishing, working on a speech and giving it dozens of times until it sounds spontaneous.

BlogFonk: Is there difference in mentality of creative professionals in the countries you've worked?
Kawasaki: "Creative professionals"? Isn't that an oxymoron? The creative people that I've worked with from countries all over the world are more similar than they are different: energetic, energized, trying to change the world, and picky about aesthetics. They use Macintoshes. This is true whether they're in London, Shanghai, or Palo Alto.

The "professionals" are also similar, but in less desirable ways.

BlogFonk: Which work for a client are you most proud of?
Kawasaki: I am second-most proud when someone reads my books or hears me speak and then goes out and changes the world. I am most proud when someone compliments me about my kids.

BlogFonk: If you'd be given the chance to do something over again, what would that be?
Kawasaki: I should have taken up hockey at six, not forty eight. Unfortunately, "winter in Hawaii" is also an oxymoron.

BlogFonk: Finally, what is your motto, your "Fonk for Thoughts" (inspriration to be creative)?
Kawasaki: Don't let the bozos grind you down. Because the bozos will try to grind you down, they'll tell you that you can't do something, that something won't work, or that something isn't needed. The only thing worse than a bozo is a person who listens to a bozo.

posted by BlogFonk: Friday, November 26, 2004 [#]

Integrated Ads

Giant advertising companies like American Express are losing faith in tradional 30 seconds ads. So what's going on?

Television audiences are watching fewer ads. The networks are losing viewers to cable and new digital technology allows viewers to skip ads for programmes.

Old advertising models are starting to break down and advertisers are pursuing countermeasures. But these new techniques are blurring the boundaries between content and advertising.

So, why not go into programmes?

Photo: Sean Penn in 'I am Sam'.

This interview shows the integration of advertising with entertainment. People are engaged with products in 'an entertaining way', they are getting used to them. They will even search on the internet for these 'integrated ads' which are actually little movies. They are (still) accepting them.

Photo: Tom Hanks in 'Cast Away'.

So why bother?

Well, there is a fine line between advertising and art. It's called 'sales'. When advertising becomes a main part of our culture ('we're selling consumption'), this culture is in danger.

Example: Kill Bill saw Uma Thurman sport a pair of Onitsuka Tiger sneakers as part of Tarantino's homage to martial arts master, Bruce Lee. That's called 'product placement'.

Photo: Uma Thurman in 'Kill Bill 2'.

Singing about 'Pepsi', paintings signed by 'Ronald McDonald' or action motion pictures starring 'Dr Pepper' just isn't all that...

posted by BlogFonk: Friday, November 26, 2004 [#]

Fonk for Thoughts: Bas Paumen

Dutch Microsoft audience marketing manager Bas Paumen is involved in corporate brand building. Time for his Fonk for Thoughts...

Photo Bas Paumen: 'Bringing back the emotion and personality to the brands of Microsoft.'

BlogFonk: Who is Bas Paumen? Where are you from?
Paumen: Bas Paumen is a Dutch marketing dude, surfed the internet bubble waves, now working at Microsoft in the field of community marketing/management. Trying to build a connection between people and technology, changing the idea of being a company whose technology everybody has to use to the technology everybody wants to use.

BlogFonk: Do you love your work? Why (not)?
Paumen: Working in the field of community marketing is a great place to be in right now, online community tools are maturing; people are looking for offline and online recognition of theirs skills and knowledge in comparison to their peers, and are very willing to show their expertise to colleagues. Using this in the field of marketing and position Microsoft as the glue in their community and being the enabler of their careers is a challenging job.

BlogFonk: What is 'building a community' around the brand Microsoft all about?
Paumen: Bringing back the emotion and personality to the brands of Microsoft. Showing the customers and technology enthusiast that Microsoft creates its technology with passion vision and not only to generate revenue.

BlogFonk: Is there difference in mentality of creative professionals in the countries you've worked?
Paumen: I think it's not easy to make these kind of generalisations. In this current job I work together very close with all me peers around the world, the solutions and ideas generated among these people are less depending on geographical location then on personality of the individual, but you can say that especially in the field of community marketing the cultural background of the market you serve is very influencing on your thinking.

BlogFonk: What are the latest important developments you've noticed in your business?
Paumen: If you define 'my business' as community marketing, the audiences very heavy into technology have always been very active in building communities to keep themselves up to date and knowledgeable about the ins and outs of the cutting edge developments. This for instance has even resulted in development of new technologies of their own (Open source). Technology companies start to understand more and more what role they play in these communities and in what way we can support and enable them to make it easier and more fun and grow the reach beyond the groups who were already participating.

BlogFonk: Which project are you most proud of?
Paumen: I think we can be proud of the fact that we can see already a slight change in the perception of the technical audiences towards Microsoft by adding personality to the brands and being open and willing to listen, and being responsive to their needs. Using games to communicate valuable content and training and let the audience show their skills and expertise to their peers has shown to be successful too. A good example of how Microsoft can be the glue in the community.

BlogFonk: If you'd be given the chance to do something over again, what would that be?
Paumen: All the instances where we were not able to provide a good follow up, instances were we provoked interaction but where we were not able to use it in our advance due to scalability of the used tools and techniques.

BlogFonk: Finally, what is your motto, your 'Fonk for Thoughts' (inspiration to be creative)?
Paumen: Will get back on this...no inspiration today!

posted by BlogFonk: Friday, November 26, 2004 [#]

The Power of CNN Under Your Command

New promotional commercials show a different perspective on CNN hosts, reporters and programme makers.

Photo: Dr Sanjay Gupta is getting full attention...

A way to give attention to CNN icons like Lou Dobbs, Wolf Blitzer, Paula Zahn and Anderson Cooper is to star them in commercials.

Scot Safon, senior vice president of marketing and promotions for the CNN News Group said to TimeWarner that the new ad campaign allows them to promote an aspect of their brand that differentiates CNN in the marketplace. Safon: 'This is a fun, clever illustration of how millions of people actually interact with CNN on a daily basis.'

The Power of CNN Under Your Command show these CNN personalities in humorous promotional spots. The interviews, outtakes and 'behind the scenes' are also worth watching.

The advertisements will appear on CNN/U.S., CNN Headline News and on other Turner networks. Some of the ads will run in Regal Theaters nationwide from Dec. 12-31, 2004.

posted by BlogFonk: Tuesday, November 23, 2004 [#]

SideNews week 47 update

Interesting newslinks...

Nike Co-Founder Knight Steps Down As CEO
Knight's resignation is effective Dec. 28, 2004.
USA Today

New Wendy's Ads Feature Deceased Founder
The ads will reference Thomas' business philosophies such 'Just be nice' and 'Don't cut corners.'
MSNBC

Advertisers & RSS
RSS is becoming more and more popular.
Wired News

TiVo To Offer Ads That Can't Be Skipped
The services include 'fast-forward tags,' which will allow an advertiser to pay for its logo or another image to appear on part of the screen when viewers fast-forward through its commercials.
New York Times

Buy.com, Google Partner For Advertising
Buy.com provides a selection of online stores, ranging from electronics to sports equipment.
socalTECH.com

Europeans Devote 20 Per Cent Of Media Activity To The Internet
While 83 per cent felt that TV has too much advertising, less than half felt the same about the internet.
DMeurope.com

Nike Jordan Brand
The Jordan Brand joins a prestigious group of charter Martin Luther King Jr., weekend corporate supporters including Lexus, AutoZone, The Hyde Family Foundation, The Grizzlies, The City of Memphis, and Nike.
nba.com

Hard-Hitting Face Of Amnesty Ads
London commuters are the target of a hard-hitting poster campaign from Amnesty International aimed at countering complacency about domestic violence.
MediaWeek

TV Ads Push Arnie For President
It marks the first large-scale drive to generate public support for allowing Schwarzenegger to run for president.
iafrica.com

posted by BlogFonk: Sunday, November 21, 2004 [#]

Google Scholar

Google Scholar enables you to search specifically for scholarly literature, including peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, abstracts and technical reports from all broad areas of research.

Google Scholar also automatically analyzes and extracts citations and presents them as separate results, even if the documents they refer to are not online.

Use Google Scholar to find articles from a wide variety of academic publishers, professional societies, preprint repositories and universities, as well as scholarly articles available across the web.

posted by BlogFonk: Thursday, November 18, 2004 [#]

Enhance Creative Brain Activity: #16

Use Fonkstra's '20 Ways To Enhance Your Creative Brain Activity' when your brain can't get in over-drive anymore. Get a closer look at #16 'A good night's sleep'.

Photo '20 Ways' #16 A good night's sleep: Catch enough sleep!

Research shows that a good night's sleep is important for the complex brain circuitry. 'We think sleep deprivation probably signals a need for additional calories,' says senior researcher Eve van Cauter, PhD, a diabetes researcher with the University of Chicago. Her study appears in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism: here a webcast 'The Effect of Poor Sleep on Health' with Eve van Cauter.

posted by BlogFonk: Thursday, November 18, 2004 [#]

Introducing Bloglumn

We, The People at Fonkstra, are proud to introduce Bloglumn, a new column at BlogFonk with our own views on advertising, communication and related areas.

Starting December 1, 2004, Bloglumn reflects almost everything that might inspire creative professionals. So buckle up, Dorothy!

posted by BlogFonk: Wednesday, November 17, 2004 [#]

Honda's Hit Song

It is an advert like no other. 'Can hate be good? Can hate be something we don't hate?' says the mystifying animated song.

Photo: Wieden + Kennedy London have created the new Honda ad. However, the CD on it, Richard Russell (from the UK), now works for Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam.

Grrr, Wieden + Kennedy London's latest ground-breaking ad for Honda, may be hitting the music charts any day now. Richard Russell, CD on the ad and now CD at Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam says:

'We are recording a demo version of the soundtrack to the ad this month. I'm on lead vocals and chief whistling! Its in response to an overwhelming interest in the theme tune to the ad. We're writing some extra verses and making the lyrics more general, about the trials of life rather than about diesel fuel. We're trying to persuade Garrison Keillor to do the singing again, on the released version. Who knows.'

posted by BlogFonk: Tuesday, November 16, 2004 [#]

SideNews week 46 update

Interesting newslinks...

Sold To eBay: Dutch Classified Site
Founded in 1999 and based in Emmeloord, Marktplaats.nl boasts more than one million listings at any given time.
internetnews.com

Nike, NBA Sign New Marketing Agreement
Under the extended agreement, Nike will also be allowed to use NBA players in marketing its Converse brand, one of Nike's recent acquisitions.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Net Eclipses Newspapers
Europeans now spend more time online than reading newspapers or magazines.
journalism.co.uk

NIKE 'More Go'
The commercial, entitled Hot Dog, was created by Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam and will be complemented by a web-only 'sequel'.
nikeshox.com

180 Wins Versatel
The independent advertising agency 180 will act as Versatel's lead agency for the development of their brand strategy and communication concept as well as handling their advertising in The Netherlands.
180 Amsterdam

Microsoft Search Tool
The new service is available in 11 languages at beta.search.msn.com.
Reuters

Campaign Ad War Was A Billion-Dollar Draw
Despite the massive advertising in swing states, the evidence is that ads didn't work in the 2004 US presidential elections.
The News-Press

Ads Can Harm
Ads promoting quick, easy, exercise-free weight loss can be as harmful to adolescents battling obesity as junk food ads.
Herald Sun

Firefox Ignites Demand For Alternative Browser
Consider this: Hundreds of millions of people use Explorer to surf the Internet.
USA Today

Changes And Challenges For Advertising
Senior US advertising executives are beginning to acknowledge the likely effect of digital video recorders.
Daily Research News

Red Sox Starring In Ads
The ad, by BBDO Worldwide in New York, part of Omnicom, shows a baseball under a four-line headline: 'Faith over doubt. Guts over ghosts. Destiny over dynasty. Sox over Cards.'
Oakland Tribune

Nortel Launches New Ad Campaign
Based on the theme, 'This is the Way. This is Nortel,' the new ads will appear in business and news media around the world.
Canada.com

'Read Books, Get Brain.' ads pulled in New York
'Get Brain' is slang for oral sex and the ads deliberatly played on the meaning.
Allhiphop.com

Tesco Launches Music Download Business
Songs will be available at www.tesco.com/downloads and its service will be compatible with more than 70 different music players.
Reuters

Spyware Killer Displays Its Own Ads
Spyware got its name because many of these ad programs keep track of a user's Internet habits and relay the information to the advertising company.
Boston.com

posted by BlogFonk: Sunday, November 14, 2004 [#]

8till9 No.16: Land Rover

8till9s contain a 'fonk' (direction, strategy) for communication and are created by The People at Fonkstra between 8 and 9am in the morning.

Photo: 'Land Rover, you'll find them everywhere.'

Fonk: Communicate all locations where you can find Land Rover.

Read 8till9 no.16: Land Rover.

posted by BlogFonk: Friday, November 12, 2004 [#]

Relaunch 8till9.com

E.F. Fonkstra relaunched 8till9.com with 'fonks' for new directions and strategies which help to develop ad campaigns and effective creative communication.

8till9s
It all started on a foggy Monday morning between 8 and 9am, when a creative lightning strucked E.F. Fonkstra. In less than one hour, he produced 84 highly creative ideas in a row.
After intensive research on this phenomenon we, The People at Fonkstra, concluded that everyone at The Fonkstra Centre experiences these creative impulses every morning between 8 and 9am. To take advantage of this situation, these ideas are offered to companies and ad agencies in 8till9s.

Facts
The People at Fonkstra don't put all their ideas online, but 8till9s are available at 8till9.com. All rights are reserved by Fonkstra.

8till9s:
- are short;
- contain a 'fonk' for communication;
- are yellow;
- are made by The People at Fonkstra;
- are created between 8 and 9am in the morning;
- are sent to companies first;
- not always contain detailed examples;
- show pro-active creativity;
- are worth reading every morning;
- can even better be used by your company;
- are our morning exercise;
- make good creative directions for briefings;
- represent Fonkstra's transparant idea database.

Sketch Bianco Footwear: Get your company an 8till9 and see what Fonkstra can do for you!

Still want to know more what 8till9 can do for your company?
Mail your 8till9 request to hello@fonkstra.com.

posted by BlogFonk: Tuesday, November 09, 2004 [#]

LOTW: istockphoto.com

This Link Of The Week (LOTW) is the favourite bookmark of US entrepreneur Guy Kawasaki.

Banner: iStockphoto is the world's largest growing royalty-free stock photography community.

Link: istockphoto.com
Why: "I love to add pictures to my PowerPoint presentations, so iStockphoto is a favorite site of mine. You can get great pictures, for USD 1.50 royalty free. Think Getty for the rest of us."

posted by BlogFonk: Monday, November 08, 2004 [#]

New: BlogFonk Archive

Read all 'Fonk for Thoughts' interviews now!

Go to the new 'BlogFonk Archive' to read all 'Fonk For Thoughts' interviews, 'Behind the Idea' articles and 'Link of the Week' items.

posted by BlogFonk: Sunday, November 07, 2004 [#]

Fonk for Thoughts: Peter Viksten

Swedish Creative Director Peter Viksten shares his 'Fonk for Thoughts'.

Photo Peter Viksten: 'Always ask yourself the question: Why?'

BlogFonk: Who is Peter Viksten?
Viksten: A 30-year-old Swedish advertising guy who believes that curiosity is the solution to everything. I also think that we quickly need to develop a sustainable society where the economy, the ecology, the social structure and the individual are equally important.
Sounds boring but if we don't, we're fucked. I'm raised in a small village at the north of Sweden.

BlogFonk: Do you love your work? Why (not)?
Viksten: Yes. It's a great challenge running an advertising agency that tries to mix ethics and consumption. I'm very proud every day it works out and that helps me through the days when it doesn't work out.

BlogFonk: After working in Amsterdam and London, you went back to Sweden to start your own ad agency Vardag. Why?
Viksten: Working at Mother, W+K and KK was a great experience that thought me a lot and felt that it would be interesting to apply some of that thinking on smaller companies based in the north of Sweden. But to be honest, mainly because I missed my friends. Plus having people understand what I was saying.

BlogFonk: What is your book you're writing on design theory for your students all about?
Viksten: I'm starting to doubt that I'm ever going to finish this project, but I am hopeful. The first section is about taking responsibility for the effect of your work as an art director, graphic designer, copywriter and everyone else trying to make people buy crap they don't really need. The second part tries to explain the creative process and how we can develop the skill to produce ideas. Finally it talks about the relationship with the client and the challenge to sell a new original idea to someone who isn't a creative.

BlogFonk: Is there difference in mentality of creatives in the countries you've worked?
Viksten: I think it's a bigger difference between agencies. Mother was hyperactive, W+K London was business and KK was creative madness (in a nice way).

BlogFonk: What are the latest important developments you've noticed in advertising?
Viksten: That people hate arrogant companies that don't respect the consumer. Companies like H&M, Mc Donald's and Scandia are being attacked by the new generation.

BlogFonk: Which project for a client are you most proud of?
Viksten: Most of all I like the mix of projects that we're working on right now. The development of a more accessible guide to Agenda 21 (here more about Agenda 21, United Nations plan for sustainable development) has been really interesting. It's also nice to see that our own clothing labels, T-post and It's so fucking fresh, are starting pay off. Colette in Paris just bought It's so fucking fresh. That combined with our new music videos for Mando Diao and the EPK for The Knife feels inspiring to us.

BlogFonk: If you'd be given the chance to do something over again, what would that be?
Viksten: I should have asked for help doing all the boring papers a lot earlier.

BlogFonk: Finally, what is your motto, your 'Fonk for Thoughts' (inspiration to be creative)?
Viksten: Always ask yourself the question: Why?

posted by BlogFonk: Friday, November 05, 2004