There are countless stories in history about great leaders who would stroll anonymously among their people to find out what was really going on. It seems many of the best leaders did this Sadly, nobody teaches history any more except …
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The logic of the carthorse – and more of the joys of BT
The Trades Union Congress has been a figure of fun since my childhood, when its stubborn stupidity inspired the great cartoonist Low to portray it as a carthorse. It was a carthorse with a kick. In 1970 most of the …
Read MoreWhy does the internet breed so many lying bastards (and bitches)? – And by the way, here’s what to do with your precious mission statement
This morning whilst recovering from a quick jaunt to Athens (don’t envy me: it was pissing down with rain and I saw nothing except a good view of the Parthenon) I went through my emails. One headed “Re: Conference call” …
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Read MoreJerking off at Cannes … and British Telecom’s brilliant new “fuck the customer and lose money” service
I see there is to be a “global debate on creativity” at the Cannes Lions Festival – the ad-luvvies giant exercise in mutual masturbation avec cocaine that occurs every year. Perhaps they can discuss the French Connection ads which won …
Read MoreBig surprises and strange miracles in a small country – and my friend the stand-up comedian
Slovenia, where I am now, is one of the smallest and most beautiful countries in Europe. Great skiing (and cheap). Its people – about 2 million – must also be one of the most knowledgeable about marketing, largely because of …
Read More“We’re better, connected.” No, we’re not. We’re bloody livid. Plus a rather nasty couple of hours
When I first started writing copy nobody – as I noted a few days ago – had the vaguest idea what I did and trying to explain to someone normal like Tommy Cochrane, the barman at my parents’ pub, that …
Read MoreMy big fat gorgeous Greek rip-off: Amnesia rules at AOL … and Arianna laughs all the way to the bank
Many years ago there was a highly articulate, pretty little blue-stocking at Cambridge called Arianna Stassinopoulos who went on to appear on TV and lived with one of Britain’s best and funniest journalists, Bernard Levin. They parted and off she …
Read MoreGeorge Bernard Shaw was funny – but not always right – and news about the Great Mystery Branding Event
Over 40 years ago my first book was published. I sent it to Bill Melton, one of my old teachers at Trent College, with thanks for his help in shaping me. Modestly he quoted George Bernard Shaw: “Those who can …
Read More“Don’t tell my mother I’m in advertising – she thinks I play the piano in a brothel”
I think that title, from Jacques Seguela, is the most entertaining of any book about advertising, closely followed by Jerry Della Femina’s “From those wonderful folks who gave you Pearl Harbor”. But when I inveigled my way into the ad …
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