day in, day out

I've just read a really interesting article on Northern Planner (In a world where everything is available, is accessibility a sensible strategy?) which is far more balanced and coherent than the ramblings below. 

Really valid insight - buying things used to be a difficult process, and thus when you found what you wanted - record, gig tickets, films, clothing etc - it was a magical experience. 

You had to save. You had to travel to town or city. You had to rummage. Que up if there was going to be demand. Go to the cinema because if you didn't, you'd missed it anywhere else. Hope they had your size, and that it fit. Hope that you look great and hope that a record. It wasn't just about owning something at the end; the whole process of difficulty, hope, fear, the sense of achievement, made what you got in the end more special. And the experience of getting it right all the more magical. 

We all know that everything is now throw away - everything is accessible and you can get everything you want, whenever you want. Music no longer seems as special. Vintage fashion isn't a new phenomena, but does the initial drive in a love of Vintage hark back to the desire to find something magical and unique - by a difficult means - if it's gone it's gone. 

We're bombarded with messages about the ease of everything Nothing stands for anything anymore. There's no sense of endeavour. No taking a punt. You can't take a band and love all they represent, and be willing to stand in the rain for a day waiting for tickets. Somehow that has become the purveyor of the computer game geek - they are the hardy boys outside a shop waiting for the release of their favourite product. 

Christmas 2011 with John Lewis. 

DEC campaign parodying Media Lunches. 

As O2 storms ahead in our minds, contracts and sponsorships now a days you do forget what an innovative brand Orange was back when they launched in 1998.

This fantastic case study, The FTSE’s bright, the FTSE Orange, showcases how the launch campaign built and additional £2.9 billion of share holder value and lead to Orange being sold for £29 billion, back when they were making merely a million a year in profit.

The case study is fascinating and shows how Orange and WCRS, back in their prime, captured the zeitgeist, created a phenomenal copy writing slogan and helped build a business largely from advertising and media.