Marketing Begins At Home

Sensationalism and Responsibility

The BBC headlines and story about the recent car crash where 3 people died and one remains in critical condition makes me sad. I wouldn't normally be a big defender of the police. But we seem to be heading towards more sensationalism, more twisting of the story. Why isn't the story titled "Three die in escape attempt from police"?

Sadly it seems that our news media have learned too much from advertising copywriters. The more sensational the better. The body of the story tells us that the police pulled over a vehicle, the vehicle stopped, then it took off again. From the reported facts so far, the people in the car have no one to blame but themselves for the tragic outcome. But somehow the focus of the headline is on the Police, not the actions of the people in the car?

I'm sad about the loss of life. I'm more sad that somehow the culture is heading towards wanting to blame anyone but themselves for the messes that people get into. It's not the fault of the people who sped away, it's the fault of the police chasing them. It's not the fault of the Northern Rock business model, it's the nasty bankers who wouldn't lend to them any more. It's not the government economic policies, its the nasty short selling investors that cause a run on the pound.

Chocolate Messenger gives the wrong message

I thought it would be nice to send my Dad some chocolates for Christmas. After all, what do you get a man of 89 who gets most everything he needs in his very nice retirement residence? So I placed an order on the CHRISTMAS page of Chocolate Messenger. Even added a nice Christmas message as the site suggested.

By the time the tax and delivery charges were added, they were pretty expensive chocolates. So I was really upset to discover that my CHRISTMAS gift had been delivered on the 5th November. Do they not know when the holidays are?

Worse still, they haven't bothered to answer any of my emails. If you are going to have an online presence you better do it right. And all I wanted was for them to say OOPS! We're sorry. We have changed our procedures so we won't do that again. Perhaps the offer of delivering another box to my dad on the right day at a discount, or even free of charge?

Good thing he really liked them. Shame that Chocolate Messenger has NO chance of a repeat order.

Some things change, but the emotional resonance of photography is still powerful

  Today I have been going through some of the pictures that I have taken since getting my new digital SLR. I count as a very occasional photographer. I like the idea, and sometimes the muse strikes. And photos do make the strangest connections sometimes.

In reviewing this photo of a park bench, for example, I was taken back to my high school days and my role as team member, sub editor and then editor of the yearbook. Its something I haven't thought about for years, yet really was a formative experience.

Digital photography has changed the picture experience. First, the possibility to edit and post process the image really changes and makes plastic the experience. Second, the way that the internet has changed the publishing environment makes some really great photos and photographers available. I want searching for a couple of extra photos for a website recently and came across a real treasure trove of photos that had been taken by really talented people and made available. Third, it has changed the way people can make use of content and repackage photos for their own purposes. If you are trying to make a living out of photography, all these amateurs publishing their stuff makes it more difficult. But it also shows how much talent there is out there.

But what hasn't changed is the power of pictures to really create an emotional context for both memory of events, but also evoking something to people who weren't there. And now the publishing platforms mean that you can see all the talent out there. Some great photographers, some great emotions. I aspire to be a fraction as good some day.