Biggest drawing in the world

Alerted by the Guardian Viral Video Chart, I quite liked this, creatively, if being a tad unsure environmentally.

Even the route it sometimes took seemed... odd, even in the cause of art

But mostly I was intrigued by loading a battery and switch in a briefcase on a plane.

Addendum -

TrendHunter - Mega Hoaxes - Biggest Drawing is a Fake - Ah, well

Green washes...um.. dirtier?

TOP TEN GREENWASH LINES

Hard comment to follow, that, if not in glowingly positive terms.

But it is a suggestion with some merit, if the critique on a post on Greenwashing seems a little po-faced, especially on a blog (not an entity oft noted for wall-to-wall thumby-uppiness in my experience. I am prepared to bet a few posts of late have even used the word 'hate' if I recall) on this topic.

So, Mark, your starter for, um, ten? Fresh ideas (and what's not to like if they are?) showing brands are making genuine efforts and sharing them in their comms appropriately and creatively.

I was going to pop a few down (and I'm sure there are some), but honestly will have to have a ponder and come back.

I agree with Chris on bags and booklets (just got an insert from one outfit who had commissioned the Guardian and an eco-expert. Being they are online I thought that was choice), but whilst most certainly a cliche a long life (if they are), low energy bulb is better than most. And hence welcome (would even save the PM a red face on the old receipts).

RIP..er

BEN & JERRY'S PEACE WASH-OUT WITH LENNON

You can never have enough awareness. Apparently.

I'm actually getting quiet interested in this disconnect on what gets spent on 'awareness', and what it actually achieves, vs. spending the immense amounts of money involved more directly on actually addressing stuff.

I'm not really being fair as there is no incentive whatever for a brand to do anything if they don't get brownie points for kicking in, but by lordy the sheer proliferation of rubbish coming out in the name of something that simply becomes Overwash is frankly astounding.

Least thee and me are talking about it. Revel In Peace, man.

For me, a fever usually just means feeling nauseous

This reminds me of all those No 1 best sellers, that have that emblazoned on the book even though it has only just hit the racks.

Sex and the City fever breaks out in the UK

I'm intrigued my such headlines, which often make me wonder whether they are reflecting reality on the ground, or an ideal yet to be realised, but hoped for in more rarified places. They can often look more like they have been copied off a press release.

There is no doubt a lot of money has been spent, and the return on that investment if/when the public responds will be a useful validation of the power of advertising and PR.

As in other blogs I am starting to see some obits on the trend to more modest behaviours as climate and credit bites, the beneficiaries of all the fine examples of such lavish lifestyle choices, and their cheerleaders, have much to be proud about.

Escapism is all, but here's hoping some realities are reflected along the way as well. Maybe it could be a case of 'Look, but don't feel you need to go into hock to emulate'?

I guess I'm just not the target. Sorry, Manolo.

All the angles

Great to pitch in on a silly debate. Let's see what I can stir up.

How can some using one creative technique 'ruin' anything?

Are 3-D logos ruining or revolutionizing logo design?

It's just another tool in an evolving communications armoury.

And at the end of the day, all that matters is... does it do the job?

Stand out. Convey the right message. Be remembered for the right reasons.

...but I don't know which half.

If you don't know what precedes that statement, this blog may not be for you.

I kick off with this: Why cutting ad budgets will come back to bite Boris

Gotta love the certitude of that 'will'.

Thing is, I quite like a lot of public service advertising, and think it is effective. I have also personally gained as a result of some messages, usually by not dying thanks to a wee voice in the back of my head courtesy of an ad.

But some... a lot... is utter cack. And beyond the execution, there is the distinct suspicion that mnay of these ads are cranked out more to build, or support empires, and are racked up and up by an unhealthy level of navel-gazing between various 'professional' practitioners for self-interest more than any real aim of, or success at making the public's lives any better. I'm am not sure what falls under the remits of the GLA and TFL, but it will be interesting to see what vital messages are left in... or out. I have to say the sheer number of press officers alluded to makes one wonder who the heck is/was doing what. In fact, though horribly tricky, I think a lot of public service stuff needs much more of a microscope on what it sets out to do, why, with what budget, and to what value.

So before whacking out a rather Mandy Rice Davis 'well they would say that' snipe, I'd say it ill behoves any industry to get too political too quick, when perhaps a wallet closer to home is playing more than a small part in comparison to one's moral outrage on behalf of the tax-paying public.