I allude to this a lot. Here it is for those of you who don’t know what I’m on about (I think the pertinent bit is a minute or two in):
(Thanks, YouTube!).
Ignoring the specific political view being put forward (it’s not a helpful debate to have here), here’s two questions to ponder:
Okay, so that’s probably three questions. Sorry.
Drawn on the last day, when just a few of us were left. Maybe we should have one for each member of the company:
There’s a rubbish TV ad running for “Level Crossing Safety”. It’s coy and vague and confusing. I didn’t get it. My wife had to explain it to me. Now in my life it’s not uncommon that my wife has to explain things to me, but this one set me thinking: when I was in school, we had a train driver come and speak to us. He’d run over someone whilst driving a train, and his emotion while he described that is something I remember 20 years later. Lets say it had an impact.
If you’re making an ad to help people avoid behaving in ways that will harm, maim or dismember themselves or others, be explicit, and use a story, and portray characters we’ll connect with, believe, and remember.
In the interests of public safety, here’s something with a bit of impact that you might remember about level crossing safety (Clarkson’s reaction is memorable).
On the other hand if maiming is what you’re looking for, let me recommend Dude Corp.
Team Rubber now officially have a 6-a-side team!!
Select members of Rubber have been playing for a renegade team for a couple of months and have now successfully mutinied and taken over!
With direct orders from the boss to win, we’re doing it right so far (see league image below). Watch this space…
Keep abreast of the Team here: http://tinyurl.com/6p4tx3
Goals Goals Goals
I’ve just come back from the election celebrations outside the Whitehouse which were absolutely crazy – a kinda mix between a Take That concert – crowds of adoring fans screaming uncontrollably – and a football match – with choruses of chants.
The chants and screams seemed largely dictated by the presence of TV cameras. Every time a camera light was switched on the baying crowds erupted on cue with either “Yes we did”, “U – S – A” or “Get the f*ck out”.
To borrow a cliche the atmosphere really was electric – and given that 90% of thousands of people gathered were under 20, it was clear why Obama won – having successfully mobilised the youth vote.
[I've tried to post up some photos from the Whitehouse rally, however they don't seem to be uploading. The wonders of WordPress! Anyway, here's a link to a photo from ireport.com from a guy who seems to have been standing right next to me and uploaded his photo more successfully!]
126 Photos Worth Freezing | Yeeeeee
Have a look. No more need be said.
Voter abstention may not be the issue during this United States election. Unlike Kerry/Bush, McCain/Obama present a clearer polarisation to the electorate. There are evidently fewer converged political ideologies to disengage ‘powerless’ voters, brought to light through a myriad of infotainment virals in the past months.
Will the issue be how hundreds of thousands of people in crucial states may be blocked from their right to vote? The brilliant investigative journalist Greg Palast believes so. (see part 1 of his documentary above)
The Internet with its interactive capacity is delivering on the promise of remaking a public sphere in which universal participation in debate and decision making is at hand. The public is no longer the faceless mass whose aggregated opinions have been ‘polled’ by MORI, ICM or Gallup for the mutual convenience of media and politicians. Just see Delib’s work on helping to open the National Dialogue to witness the value and prolificacy of opinions tracked in various forms of social media. Of course, citizens cannot form rational opinions on which to base electoral decisions if the extent of information is minimal. As a liberal pluralist would argue, public opinion is worthless if not derived from a multitude of sources (see the depths that the Opinion Tracker reaches). There’s perhaps at least another Web something zero to go but there’s been clear indication in this election that citizens are becoming less passive receivers and more active and influential participants in the dialogue of democracy.
The Internet is staying true to Marshall McLuhan’s assertion that “Instant information creates involvement in depth”. The ability for social media to provide top to bottom and bottom to top political conversation over social media sites lays down the architecture for political participation, particularly with politicians and parties having a strong presence on such sites and continually delivering new content through these channels.
We’ll be hoping it’s time the voting system delivers on its democratic promise otherwise those who have helped shape a plethora of public spheres and have no faith in the democratic system will create ideologically wider ones too.
I allude to this a lot. Here it is for those of you who don’t know what I’m on about:
THE WIND and the Sun were disputing which was the stronger. Suddenly they saw a traveller coming down the road, and the Sun said: “I see a way to decide our dispute. Whichever of us can cause that traveller to take off his cloak shall be regarded as the stronger. You begin.” So the Sun retired behind a cloud, and the Wind began to blow as hard as it could upon the traveller. But the harder he blew the more closely did the traveller wrap his cloak round him, till at last the Wind had to give up in despair. Then the Sun came out and shone in all his glory upon the traveller, who soon found it too hot to walk with his cloak on.
“KINDNESS EFFECTS MORE THAN SEVERITY.”
(Thanks, Bartleby!).
2 (rhetorical) questions:
1. How good an example of pithy story-telling is that?
2. Was Aesop an ad man?
