BJK&E

While I listened to Kelly Clarkson’s “Since You’ve Been Gone” on the tube on my first day of work, I found myself happy to be returning to BJK&E.  Last summer I was fortunate enough to intern for them in an internship program I learned about through my university in the States.  Proudly named ‘the American intern’ last summer I was now a university graduate and returning as ‘the American ex-intern’ and could not be more excited about it.  No longer the intern, I was somehow more excited about being able to work longer hours and have more responsibility….I might be a glutton for pain.
      The great thing I’ve noticed about the media industry, and most likely the reason why I returned, was that everyone you work with is amazing.  Whether it is helping you understand something or being able to go out for a drink and be completely relaxed.  Then again, this just may be the difference between the American lifestyle and the British lifestyle.  I am American by the way……in case you missed that.  It might just be me but I feel that there are very few people who dislike working with media.  I imagine every person will say this about their industry, however, I can think of a few accountants who dislike their work but only work for the fact that they are earning a lot of money.  Does money really buy happiness?  I think it gives you options but not happiness.
      Anyways…..since I’ve been gone I have noticed: Facebook has changed its format, a lot of those digital screens on my way down (and up) to the tube,  screen projectors on the tube walls, much better cell phones (the Nokia N95 8GB is amazing), less rain this summer, tons of new business, and lastly even MORE road construction.
      It is good to be back…Magic Friday has made an official return.

Did anyone see the new TV ad for Heinz? It features two men kissing! HOW SHOCKING!!! That’s not me speaking, but the 200 people who complained the over the next few days. It seems most complaints (according to the Daily Mail, naturally) were from parents who were subsequently forced to explain same-sex relationship to their children. A tricky job, but then isn’t it a case of sooner rather than later? You can only shield children to an extent from the world around them, and wouldn’t this have to be explained at some point anyway?

Despite deliberately creating this potentially controversial advert, in response to these complaints Heinz quickly buckled and removed the ad. But you can’t please everyone. By removing this ad they have aroused the wrath of the gay community, with gay rights group Stonewall, and Gaydar condemning the brand as “gutless” and “homophobic”. The two groups are now calling for a gay-boycott (never has the phrase felt so appropriate), amongst the 3.6million strong UK community.

The ASA is now in the tricky process of deciding whether the ad is offensive or unsuitable for children enough to be banned.

But hang on, I think we need to get our priorities straight here! There’s something in this debate no one has mentioned… BEANS MAKE YOU FART!! Isn’t that just so much more offensive?!

To quote Jean-Paul ‘off-of’ Hollyoaks last night: “Gay is the new black”

Isn’t it strange how we seem to spend most of our lives attempting to classify the various things, people, places around us.  Its almost as if we require this process in order to fully understand, to put things into perspective as it were.  Racket sports as opposed to motor sports, dairy products, horror movies…

However as media planners and buyers will agree, there are certain classifications that are imperative to our work.  Geographic segments, income brackets and of course demographics generally.  And its the latter of these three that I think deserves some inspection.

According to NRS the Social Grading classifications were born from a survey dating back over 50 years.  They also claim “it remains a highly effective way of classifying readers of different publications”.  Certainly the natural hierarchy of Doctors and Lawyers still holds true, but surely there must be instances of social migration; leading to a shift in the traditional running order?   For example, teachers (according to NRS) are classified as B, whilst Junior Managers come in at C1.   Subtleties aside I think it’s fair to assume that teachers are generally considered underpaid for their efforts and that it’s certainly not the desirable austere profession it was some 50 years ago.

More obvious discrepancies include skilled tradesmen (sparkies, plumbers etc) that can demand a very high premium for their services now that they’re seemingly in short supply.  Then there’s musicians, celebrities, and sports personalities… where do they fit into this antiquated rank?   

In my opinion it no longer ‘remains a highly effective way of classifying readers of different publications’ but rather an old fashioned way of doing business that’s no longer relevant to today’s consumer.

I saw an editorial piece on the BBC programme ‘Click’ this weekend and it scared the hell out of me.  It described and even showed the next generation of what they called pedestrian satellite navigation.  It will allow consumers to receive information whilst on the move.  It came in the form of……wait for it….. contact lenses!  Yes, small pieces of technologically advanced film that you stick on your eyes!  What you see with your normal vision is then recognised by the chip inside your lense, analysed and information is displayed into your line of vision.  An example it gave was one for tourists e.g. you’re in a new city, your vision lands on an impressive landmark and you wonder what it is. The contact lense recognises this building, displays its name, its use, when it was built and any other pieces of historical or cultural information. 

Now, I wear contact lenses so the insertion of a lense is not what scared me, it was more how close we are to the Minority Report age!  If this can truely be done, then where will this take advertising?  Can we really expect to be sending special offers to people’s eyes?  Will we blink into the epos system at WHSmiths and receive 20% off the purchase of our favourite magazine?  Or will it give us reviews of restaurants as we pass them?  I can see it happening within the next 5 years.  In fact it may not even take that long but my only question would be this.  What next?  Chips to be embedded in our brains? 

On one hand we get told how we are becoming an ever more unshockable society, desensitised by ever increased violence, sex, drugs (and of course rock n roll) in the media around us. Yet 2007 experienced the highest ever number of advert complaints (a total of 14,080) according to ASA.

Coming out top was the Department of Health with their “Get unhooked” advert aimed at getting people to quit smoking, which prompted 774 complaints. Running on TV, press, internet and posters the campaign was unmissable, and certainly seemed to create a stir! Those who complained said the adverts were offensive, frightening and distressing. Don’t worry - you won’t be chased by a real fishing hook piercing your cheek! They just want you to drop the cancer stick! I have to admit it made me shudder and feel uncomfortable, but then don’t we need more shocking tactics like this when it comes to changing people’s perceptions and behaviour on topics like this?

On a lighter (and rounder) note, the 10th most complained about advert was awarded to the Sun for their bus T-side campaign, with page 3 girl Keeley promoting the new 20p cost of the paper. I actually worked at CBS outdoor at the time, who surprisingly have a rather stringent copy approval process. The 10p pieces were originally considerably smaller when copy was first submitted… these complainers should be grateful that there are these measures in place - I’m sure the original nipple-clad buses would have ranked this ad higher in the complaints chart!

After bouncing balls, exploding paint, plasticine rabbits now it’s foam. Exactly what this has got to do with cameras and camcorders is pretty much anyone;s guess but it looks like someone had a lot of fun filling a few square blocks of miami with foam and letting it all float about a bit.

Guess it’s not something you see eveyday so probably worth a picture

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpP_BlSDBgc

Tobermory calling 911, Womble Tomsk asking ‘what’s going down in the hood?’ If this seems almost like treason to you then PACT are doing the job with their new clip intended to highlight how British Kids TV is under threat.

British cult classic, The Wombles has been given an American makeover to highlight the need to invest in British children’s TV as just 1% of all new programmes are made in the UK.  Check out the clip at http://www.britishkidstv.com/ and then register your views on the petition!