Author: Me

Labor ready for Costello coup, secret research shows

Left Field: Headline: Labor ready for Costello coup, secret research shows.

I clearly remember prior to the 2007 Federal Election calling into ABC 702's Breakfast Show with Adam Spencer. He had a professor of politics on who was rabbiting on about the Howard v Rudd situation. The conversation moved to alternatives to Howard as the polling was running about 99 to 1 at that point.

My question, which I thought was obvious, 'Do you think that Labor would be running internal polls on Costello?'

The expert was taken aback and responded in the typical manner of a cornered dog – and attacked. 'Of course not' was his very abrupt reply. So abrupt Adam thought it would be best ask a follow up question based on mine. This got the expert very upset and he changed the subject in an effort to deflect his obvious unexpertedness.

My point is; an expert need not be a know-it-all. In fact a relationship will be built if you are able to listen to your audiences' point of view and reflect upon it, rather than rejecting it outright or trying to belittle them.

14 April 2009
My mate wanted by the FBI

Mary Coustas' husband, George Betsis, wanted by FBI after taking son from Priscilla Dunstan | National | News.com.au.

George Betsis, in bloke world, is my mate. He is the guy who taught me everything there is to know about how to create an ad. He was my mentor and has long been an inspiration.

I last chatted with him at the TropFest 09 Red Carpet where he was a guest.

It's a strange experience to be browsing a news site and see a mate in trouble. In the surf or on the road you do all you physically can. But how do you help online?

GB, if you read this, all the love in the world from my family to yours, brother.

12 April 2009
How to Sell Your Soul on Twitter and Who’s Buying – ReadWriteWeb

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/how_to_sell_your_soul_on_twitter_and_whos_buying.php . Twitter is all about sharing personal experiences and thoughts to help
create personal relationships. If you start using the Magpie service
referred to in the the above link you will be DOOMED in your efforts
to build any kind of worthwhile relationships.

I think the thing that most people forget is that people are just like
you and me; and they are a wake up to being scammed and conned.

If I truly appreciate (even love) a product or service then you can bet all the
dollars in your pocket against all the dollars in my pocket that I
won't be getting paid a Zimbabwe $ to post/tweet/say it.

11 April 2009
Personal Domains

I sure hope you have all purchased your own domain name like
craigashleyrussell.com. They will be the most valuable piece of real
estate you own in the near future. For a couple of bucks, what’s
stopping you?

Ask me if you need help getting yours.

9 April 2009
An open response to a comment

Craig Ashley Russell: Me in the SMH – 11th Paragraph.

Hi Tom,

Thanks for taking the time to comment. I wish there was a magic button to getting a job, I really do. I wish there weren't a thousand clichés and tips.

There's a book written in the 70's by Richard Nelson Bolles called 'What Colour is Your Parachute?' and has just been updated for for the current economic crisis. It's a practical manual for job hunters. It is an interesting read if no other reason Bolles explains the way job seekers go about getting a job and the way employees go about filling vacancies – in short, the they are completely opposite. The job seeker thinks a CV is the best way, the reality is a employer will use a CV as the last way to fill a position. Firstly they will promote from within, second using proof of experience, third by referral, fourth via a head-hunter (ahhhhhh – but that's another story) fifth using an add and sixth from a pile of CVs they have received.

My interpretation of this is to get a foot in the door and work your way up. Use a portfolio of past work if you have.

I think where all these books and websites and tips fall down is in their generality. I don't know what industry you're trying to get into so maybe a portfolio is not relevant. I would suggest you keep blogging, use LinkedIn and check out this blog.

Apart from that all I can do is wish you all the best in your search and remember these three things (which may make me sound arrogant but wtf):

1) NEVER, EVER GIVE UP!

2) BE YOURSELF, PRETENDING FOR TOO LONG IS TOO HARD.

3) STAY FOCUSSED ON YOUR GOALS AND YOU WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. And if you need help with goal setting (I sure did) read Goals by Brian Tracey available from audible.com as a talking book via download right to your iPod.

9 April 2009
Hello, welcome and thank you!

Hi, yes I'm talking to you. I just noticed that the number of people reading this blog has jumped by 50% in the past week. So I thought I should say hello, welcome and thank you. I hope you enjoy or at least find interesting the posts.

I would however encourage you to comment, add your thoughts to my thoughts and start discussions on any of the posts you read here. If your already here you are amongst like minded people. So comment away.

Don't wait. Start now… just click the 'comment' link below….

9 April 2009
Advertising Judas Lays a Big, Fat Dookie!

Can Alex Bogusky Help Microsoft Beat Apple?

Apparently not.

I need not comment as enough kilobytes and pixels have been created about this story. In essence, Microsoft engaged Alex Bogusky of Crispin Porter + Bogusky to save them from the guys who have just 5% of the market.

The top link is to the May 08 story in Fast Company. The second link is to one of the hundreds of posts about why the new Microsoft campaign is rubbish.

2 April 2009
Who are you, really?

I spend a lot of time at LinkedIn and with Soloists, SOHOs and SME operators. One of the things that always intrigues me is the lack of thinking that goes into their professional title. 'Director' for example says nothing about what you do except that you have have a $2 shelf company. And for anyone who hasn't got an ACN, just an ABN then you are lying when you have 'Director' on your card unless you are a film or TV director. But I digress.

A compelling professional title is an essential part of triggering a positive gut reaction from a prospective client/customer/employee/supplier/associate etc

Look through LinkedIn and it won't take long before you see the soloists who are simply 'owner' or 'designer'. That leaves me cold and with no real interest to find out more.

But there is a flip side when soloists go to the other extreme. I think that a designer, working away by themselves is having a giant wank when they use a title like 'Chief Creative Officer'. This is a real title and reserved for those who really do all the tasks and have all the responsibilities associated with the title like Lee Clow of TBWA/Chiat/Day, who has now seen the title devalue to a point where he is now Global Director of Media Arts. How long before some soloist pinches that one?

My maybe-soon-to-be-former wife has a great title; 'Director and Chief Storyteller'. It speaks volumes in milliseconds. She runs a boutique PR consultancy, Left Field. When married together in a business card for example, or email footer, she is able to communicate a myriad of positive brand attributes.

In my careers I've had many titles including Senior Creative (which just made me sound old at 30), Associate Creative Director (which made me sound like a fill in CD) and other titles which were really just job functions and altogether unimpressive. These were when I was working for large corporations.

At Mister Big my title is 'XXL'. Get it? Everyone does and laughs. Relationship built. Memory made.

At Left Field we developed a formula for all staff titles; Job function (tells people what you do) 2 things you were good at (one semi-serious/one for fun). So Virginia Kim was Account Executive, Speed Ball Master and Phone-a-friend. Mine was Creative Director, Chief Swashbuckler and Know-of-things. At the very least we each always got comments on our cards when handing them out. Can you say the same thing? Does your card help to build relationships with prospects or just fall into the ho-hum yawn circular filing cabinet.

So think about your title. Think about your market. Think about how you can stand out from your competitors. In these tough economic times creating a laugh, making a memory and starting a relationship with a prospect is going to earn you serious kudos.

1 April 2009
Earth Hour 2009 Time Lapse

29 March 2009
Earth Hour 2009: Success or Failure?

2009 is the third year Sydney has participated in Earth Hour, an annual event where people are asked to switch off their lights (just their lights) for 60 minutes. I've made time lapse movies of the event each year from different locations. 2007 I shot the city from my balcony in Watsons Bay. In 2008 I ventured into Fleet Steps near Mrs Macquarie's Chair near the official Earth Hour function site. Both these shoots were west facing and showed the Macquarie street neons plus the neons on Castlereagh and Elizabeth streets.

The 2007 event was very impressive as many building owners and managers communicated with their tenants to turn their lights off for the hour. Now, this shouldn't be too hard a task really because many buildings have centrally controlled BMS (Building Management Systems). Of course some organisations do have late weekend shifts, especially those who deal with US or European HQs or the NYSE.

2008 was also pretty good.

This year I ventured to the other side of the city to shoot looking east, over Darling Harbour (the body of water, not the tourist destination). I found a great (secret) location, set up the gear and started shooting. Sounds boring? Not at all. I was joined by Chris Larson (Larso) and we both proceeded to 'gar up. Me; Monte Christo A – superb! Larso: Hupman Magnum. Must have been good because he went for another.

Coincidentally an Earth Hour volunteer happened by. The Lars and I were thinking that this year the result was no so great. We saw some lights go off here and there. The major neons were off. Not so we were informed by Sara/Sarah. Best year ever we were informed. More companies participating than ever etc etc.

However The Bond, Australia's first 5 Star Green Rated building was lit up like a Christmas tree. Or so we thought. Because when Earth Hour finished they somehow found even more lights on the top floor, north end to burn up. The Bond is a 5 story low rise on the left side of the shots below. It's right above the light of the harbour beacon which thankfully stayed on all night, unlike a certain passenger vessel with 5 drunk idiots on board that ventured into the main channel without any navigation lights on. Fools!

Below are 4 pix of the event. Now you tell me; based on the fact that Earth Hour is a symbolic event to educate the public and enterprise that even something as simple as flicking a light switch off can make a huge difference to global warming, was Earth Hour 2009 a success?

For my money – I don't think so. I think the environment still plays second fiddle to the economy and Earth Hour this year should have tapped that idea ie save money, save the environment, and would have much better buy in.

7.30 PM – 1 hour before the official start

8.25 PM – 5 minutes before the official start (that's a plane, not a UFO)

9.00 PM – The half way mark

10.00 PM – 30 minutes after the official finish

(Technical notes – these images were shot on a Canon 30D using a 10-22mm f/3.5 Canon EF-S lens @ 10mm. Each exposure is 5 secs @ f/8. The ISO was set at 1600. They have all been cropped from the standard 4:3 to 16:9 ratio. Next time, I'd shoot much tighter to retain more image quality at larger sizes)

29 March 2009