The Future of Shopper Marketing

The Sam Walton Business School at the University of Arkansas is on our
calendar every October because of the superb annual conference run by
the Center for Retailing Excellence. Andy Murray, Global CEO of Saatchi
& Saatchi X, was a founder of the conference, and this year a keynote
speaker. His subject was "the future of shopper marketing" - which
should apply to anyone and everyone who wants to sell something to a
customer.

The presentation featured five key points (and a whole bunch of
arresting stories, insights, and examples):

• Put yourself at the heart of the customer (most companies try it
  the other way around)


• Navigate the experience of your customer from the "shelf back"


• Create ways for customers to participate and be involved in your
  brands and store experiences


• Explore the fringe/edge/margin for new ideas (Wal-Mart was a
  fringe idea, it came from Bentonville, not Chicago)


• Find new ways for manufacturers and retailers to collaborate
  authentically based on trust, transparency and shared goals

This is a special presentation and will be viewed in five years time as
a definitive statement about the world's biggest activity: shopping.

The Future of Shopper Marketing from Andy Murray on Vimeo.

Where The Wild Things Are

Only ten sentences total, written almost fifty years ago – and yet Where The Wild Things Are continues to capture the collective imagination. It goes without saying that Maurice Sendak’s book is a Lovemark (it’s currently sitting at #28 in the Lovemarks.com rankings).

Like all great picture books, Wild Things is high on Intimacy – it’s perfect bedtime story material after all – looking with great empathy through the eyes of a rambunctious young lad to show a world both tremendously exciting and a little scary. But it’s also a tale doused in Mystery – tapping into the powerful dream of running fearlessly into adventures much bigger than you are, and providing the iconic figure of Max in his wolf-costume, staring down the monsters.

The long awaited movie adaptation from Spike Jonze looks like it’s heading in the Lovemarks direction too. From what the trailer reveals, there’s been great thought put into the preserving the magic of the book, without grounding it in the past. And while the otherworldly landscapes and beasts bear true to Sendak’s legendary illustrations, the soundtrack songs – all rousing indie-rock anthems from the likes of the Arcade Fire and Karen O – couldn’t be more modern and they fit perfectly. Talk about past, present and future!

The creative team behind the movie have got the Participation Economy down pat. Check out the very cool fort making competition they ran - fans of all ages were invited to take up Max’s mantle and turn a humble bedroom into something much more wild and mysterious. And through a collaboration with US label Opening Ceremony, those who want to wear their Wild-Thing love loud and proud can pick up inspired shaggy coats, talon rings, and – the ultimate – Max’s wolf suit.

Lost At E Minor

The Participation Economy is about conversations. Lots of them. We’ve been through the Attention Economy, which was a conversation of one to many. We morphed into the Attraction Economy, which brought more pull than push. Now the Participation Economy has joined the circle: it’s many to many. Everywhere we go online, we can talk to everyone and everyone can talk to us. You might say that real democracy is finally at hand.

Someone who understands this is Zolton Zavos and his brother Zac at a great site out of Newcastle, Australia, and Brooklyn, New York, Lost At E Minor. Zolton, the son of my friend the venerable Sydney rugby journalist (and Kiwi) Spiro Zavos, has created a community of conversations that showcases the zeitgeist - new creative projects and emerging culture sourced from the most diverse corners of the Internet, in all flavors – Twitter, Facebook, and Free iPhone app; and is spiced with free downloads, guest writers, a cool online store including the Dosh wallet, and much more.

A few years ago Zolton invited me to speak to his team mates on a previous gig, the New York-based online publishing company, Flavorpill. I talked pretty much about how to create a Lovemark, and clearly something stuck because Lost At E Minor has become a Lovemark. At least that’s what his readers are telling him in a recent survey:

“What I really love about E MINOR is the unexpected .. I love random moodbrowsing, and E MINOR is pure sensory indulgence!! I love all of the amazingly gorgeous art in all its forms presented on E MINOR. Thanks for the bottomless pit of inspiration.” Tambo

“I love the movement of Lost at E Minor, it goes from funky design in Prague to Diners in Nowhere USA. From creepy craigslist reenactments to cute funny commercials to awing murals.” Hayley

“It’s so refreshing knowing that there are so many people in this world that have such passion for what they do and create. Thanks for the constant supply of outstanding, shock, horror, beauty, talent.” Hannah

“There are a lot of websites that pull together the miscellany that I love, but Lost At E Minor has survived all others for a spot on my bookmarks bar.” weatherjam

Read here for more reasons why Lost At E Minor’s readers think it’s a Lovemark.

Let Mana Grow

I was the closing speaker at the United States – New Zealand 2009 Partnership Forum in Washington DC last month. As a believer in soft power, I talked about the power of language to create frameworks of freedom, freedom based on metaphors around family, creative edge and a higher role for business. I finished up with two observations. The first was on rugby (naturally!*). The second was on youth justice, a subject I feel strongly about and support through TYLA - Turn Your Life Around – which runs programs for at-risk youth in Auckland.

New Zealand and the US bear some resemblance as big-time human lock-ups. The US is world leader in incarceration and New Zealand is in the top quartile. New Zealand is the 125th most populated country in the world out of 258, yet the 57th most incarcerated. This gives new meaning to the cliché “punching above our weight.” I outlined three things New Zealand could offer to the US in this area: learnings about our system of restorative justice (with its emphasis on “repairing the harm”), our Maori-Pakeha experience of biculturalism, and an appreciation of the development of mana, that special Maori concept denoting personal bearing, presence, and character.

The point of this post is a story that came out of this. A few days later Roy Ferguson, New Zealand Ambassador to the United States, sent me an email with a story that underlines a more inclusive approach to accountability. A couple of years ago the organization American Humane gave an award to New Zealand for what they called "New Zealand's gift to humanity." This was for the Family Group Conference System of justice. Roy received the award on behalf of New Zealand along with our Chief Social Worker and the Chief of our Family Court. New Zealand first introduced this system into legislation around 1988 and it is now regularly used when teenagers get into trouble to see whether the extended family can take action rather than use the criminal justice system. It has been adopted by about 20 countries around the world and about 30 or so States in the US. Roy said how moving it was, after the President of American Humane had made a presentation, to have a Chief from the Lakota tribe of North Dakota come up and present Roy’s delegation with blankets. This was to show their gratitude for the fact that introducing family group conferences on to their Reservation had prevented a number of their young people going off to jail. A great example of how sharing ideas can make the world a better place for everyone.

Ps you can read here a paper ”Restorative Justice in New Zealand: A Model for US Criminal Justice”, 2001, written by American (Indiana) prosecutor Donald Schmidd, who came to New Zealand as an Ian Axford Fellow in Public Policy.

*The rugby references in my Washington speech were to:

• Acknowledge the close relationship between DC’s Hyde Leadership Public Charter School and Auckland rugby.
• Preview two movies that will putting rugby on the big screen – “Forever Strong” and “Invictus”, the story of Nelson Mandela (played by Morgan Freeman) of the 1995 Rugby World Cup final, with Matt Damon as Francois Pinnear, directed by Clint Eastwood.
• Pump up the American Eagles’ for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand – our qualification hinges on matches against Uruguay on November 14 and 21.
  

50 People, One Question

Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/heynathan/2960100865/in/set-72157608245821789/

Dreams are where the soul takes flight, but the greatest dreams are those that are real, and happening every moment. Looking at these beautiful pieces filmed in London and New York, how great is it that so many people answered the question with “my own bed.” But what’s the question? http://fiftypeopleonequestion.com/

This is an idea by creative studios Crush + Lovely from NY/SF and Deltree, from New Orleans. It’s a sisomo showcase all about Mystery, Sensuality and Intimacy. The directors are Kenneth Chu (Brooklyn) and Benjamin Reece (London).

Facing The New Forty

Many years ago I read a poem called “Facing 40 Without Fear.” I was in my 20’s at the time and had just lived through a generation of Pop Culture telling me “I hope I die before I get old” (Roger Daltrey), and “Never trust anyone over 30.”

The poem was progressive and optimistic and offered some hope. I thought about this last week when I turned 60.

I checked out of my life for a couple of days and headed off to Grasmere and the comfort of my Lancaster home where it all began.

I spent two days thinking about growing up in Lancashire, friends I had then, the relationships that have lasted a lifetime, and remembered how great it was to be part of the 60’s revolution in the UK. Truly we felt nothing was impossible; a recurrent theme which has been the foundation of Saatchi & Saatchi since its inception. A classic case of work life integration.

There was only one place to be on my 60th birthday. I went into Lancaster and pounded the old streets for a while checking out my birthplace, primary school, and childhood neighborhood. A lot of people have been reassuring me that 60 is the new 40. They might be right. As Bob Dylan said, “I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now.”

Returning to a rainy but comforting Grasmere the afternoon of my birthday, I opened a bottle of 2000 Haut Brion, looked around at the photos of my heroes of the era, and slowly opened the presents piled up in my study. I was overwhelmed by the cards, emails, texts, phone calls, and gifts I received from friends and family.

There were two common themes running through every message; the 60’s and Love.

I guess these milestone birthdays are times when everyone reflects on what was and what will be. What was heightened when I opened up a large container which turned out to be a beautiful Perspex box covered in original 60’s music and scenes, and recordings of many friends reflecting on moments we shared in the 60’s (including two great LRGS teachers, Doug Cameron and Peter Sampson. Who said teachers have no soul!). Following then was over an hour’s worth of classic 60’s music video clips from Ready Steady Go, Top of the Pops, and other US and UK sources. The music is still great. The fashions are still liberating and fun. The production values are a sight for sore eyes!

Thanks to my friends and family I was reminded of this great period of creativity and freedom and was reassured by all of them that “All you need is love.” Not bad.

I’m facing the new 40 without fear.