Logo showgo #7: 5/10

Clumsy. For a depository of better Google holiday logos, check this. Good fun.

People are comics

Ultimatum Marketing

If you're looking for a spike in the sales of a product connected with a famous person, encourage that person to commit suicide. It's the ultimate move in marketing. Research points to it.

Logo showgo #6: 7/10

Fight at the museum

Human beings are so interesting. I was surfing through the message boards for the movie 'Night at the Museum' on the IMDB when I came across a 200 message argument on why Robin Williams' comment about evolution should be expunged from the movie. It amazes me how something so insignificant can get so many people so steamed up. Pray, what on earth does this have to do with advertising? Well, if you don't find human beings interesting, in an objective sort of way, you won't do very well in advertising. And why do some people have a problem with evolution? The same reason Windows has a problem with Macs? Hmm.

Logo showgo #5: 7/10

A colourless logo for a company that's all about colour. Great idea.

Logo showgo #4: 5/10

There's something clumsy about this logo. And something nice. It could have been so much nicer. When you have a product like the Burn Foundation, there's so much more you can do.

Blog of mouth

Blogs feed off one and other. Here are some ways to make your blog more widely read:

1. Take on a big name.
2. Take pot shots at big media.
3. Scratch a big blogger's back.
4. Keep scratching a big blogger's back.
5. Link. Link. Link.
6. Go blocal. (That's blog+local)

Speaking of point number 6, is that why this list of marketing and related blogs put out by The Godin has no blogs from one of the two biggest markets in the world? What gives? I guess a marketing blog from India just cannot make much sense to the people who gave the world Marketing. Sorry.

The funny side of advertising. Sad.

People in advertising

Cases in point #7: Tirupathi hair salon

The practice of Hindu pilgrims shaving their heads has created a £3.7m business for temple that sells tons of hair to Westerners. Now this is what you call an interesting business model and a wonderful brand extension of the Über brand that is religion. To cut a short story long, dissect.

Things we buy #10: Christmas card

Now what kind of person would buy a card like this? This Christmas card, dated 1895, might be the oddest ever.

Cases in point #6: James Brown

It's no fun doing boring case studies. Duh! What's the point in stating the obvious? Fine. Here's a case study that's not so obvious. James Brown was/will remain one of the biggest brands in Soul. Apart from the fact that like all good brands the man had a whole lotta soul, what else made him such a big brand? James Brown is dead. Long will live James Brown. But whyyy? Timing. Colour. Smarts. Formula. Hmm? Did I just say colour? That's right.

Kid rocks

Just a reminder that if you want to be in advertising, you must never forget the child in you. Just don't let him/her control you. (Just a reminder.)

Deja boo!

The problem with movies like Deja vu is what makes for successful advertising. Given a choice, movies like this will always plump for the safer option. It's what makes them successful. If and when you watch Deja vu, think about the way it ends - happily. It'll teach you a lot about what advertising looks for.

Note how the 'mainstream-ness' of the movie also reflects in the 'standard issue' style of the poster.

30-second Spot Na-na

"Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes - the ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules and they have no respect for the status quo. You can praise them, disagree with them, quote them, disbelieve them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing that you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things." More from Timothy L. O'Brien

Logo showgo #3: 7/10

In a film, the poster is the logo. Is it?

The human side of advertising

If you are in advertising or want to get into advertising or wish to understanding advertising or just want to connect with humans, something which advertising endevours to do, watch Babel. It'll teach you how to talk to people no matter which language you're trying to communicate in. And yes, don't just watch it.

The inhuman side of advertising

I think the reason a film like Apocalypto works is because the Director understands how much human beings love watching fellow humans suffer. We're a perverted race and the sooner we, the practitioners of advertising, understand it, the better we will be at offering redemption. Through advertising.

Things we buy #9: Organic cigarettes