Tweeting @sweden

Image Source: @sweden

Swedish tourism officials have relinquished its Twitter account. To its people.

To generate interaction and breakdown perceptions about its country, Swedish officials are handing over the reins of its Twitter account to a different Swedish citizen each week. For seven days the person who has control of @sweden can recommend things to do, places to see, share opinions and offer insights into their lives. So far an advertising executive, a truck driver, a Bosnian immigrant, a Gen Y blogger and university student have all shared their viewpoints on their Sweden to the world, making for very interesting reading.

The project is being billed as the “world’s most democratic Twitter account” and has so far attracted over 24,000 followers.

The project is rich in Lovemarks elements that make campaigns successful. There is mystery – you don’t know who the next person in charge of the Twitter account will be; innovation – this ‘freedom’ is pushing the boundaries; participation – people are encouraged to interact with the tweeter and the account is recording a huge number of tweets with people engaging from all over the world.

@sweden twitter account. #interestingsocialmediaexperiment.

What do Riyadh, Amsterdam, Cannes have in common?

Image Source: Billabord Biz Photo: ©360 Medias/Image & Co

What do the Global Competitive Forum in Riyadh, Amsterdam Fashion Week, and the Midem Music Industry conference in Cannes have in common? You guessed, I visited them all in the last 7 days, as a guest and keynote speaker. The large fantastically-well convened and organized conference at the Global Competitiveness Forum in sunny Riyadh was all about freeing the spirit, a region learning to take its hands off the wheel a little and drive development through an entrepreneurial spirit and an unshakeable belief in the future. The range of inputs from speakers was incredible. (Thanks Rasha and Richard). It was great to be back in Saudi Arabia again, it had been 20 years since I visited.

Sanoma's reception at the Amsterdam Fashion Week was full of brave, positive people with cutting edge insight and innovation celebrating their industry. The cocktails made the conversation flow further, and the irrepressible Dutch were on fine entertainment form.

Rounding the week was the Midem conference in Cannes. If ever the music industry needed the optimism of Nothing is Impossible, it's now. As record labels cede space to tech start ups and new ideas about distribution, and brands are hunting the next big partnership in music, I spoke to a large audience on music and branding. Making Lovemarks through music. Music is the fastest way to make that connection in the consumer. Music is a shortcut to the heart. As humans we want to be smile; and we love music; it's a simple equation.

At every venue the one constant was a hunger for ideas, creativity, and emotion. Riyadh and Amsterdam had it, and I felt stirrings amongst the fearless in Cannes. Cynicism withers resolve quickly; optimism is its own reward.

There was just one more thing I noticed these three locations have in common: at all three, everyone knew how to dress in black, with plenty of style!

Nuggets of Now

Image Source: Learn Fitness

I've been diving and delving further into the ‘Age of Now’ lately, today’s warp speed living which affects everything from health and happiness to marketing and real-politick. The Now is the tech-generated, always-on, 24/7/365/forever lifestream, channel-agnostic, hyper-convenient, screen-powered, impulse-driven, location-aware, instant everything, rush (phew!) away from yesterday’s regrets and tomorrow’s fears into the brightest light of the moment.

The Now is where life happens. It’s where we really live. Most importantly, it’s where we feel good in a hard-hitting world that takes no prisoners. On that note here are five recent instant developments that made me blink:

• Baby strollers are now available with LCD dashboards, cell phone chargers and power-folding features (remove baby first).


• Fiction is up from 67% of the titles in USA TODAY’S weekly top 150 in 2007 to 78% last year – as people push the ‘escape’ button.


• “Creative” came out as LinkedIn’s ‘top overused buzzword’ people use to describe themselves last year in Australia, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, the UK and the US. The year before, it didn’t even make the U.S top ten.


• TV viewers can now make impulse purchases of products they see with their remote controls. The History Channel goes super present.

Life lived to the full in the moment.

Tom Peters has the edge, literally

Image Source: Tom Peters

I’m a big fan of the rock’n roll school of business initiated by Tom Peters. The guy is a human dynamo who has infectious energy and a relentless flow of ideas, revelations, and wisdom. I gigged with Tom in London in 2004 soon after Lovemarks: the future beyond brands was published. Now it can be revealed that Tom and I share an inspiration: the country of New Zealand, edge of the world. His blog reports this week that “Tom and his wife, Susan, have fallen deeply in love with New Zealand. Each year they spend several months there. Right now, they're making their way to the near-literal antipode of Vermont to begin their 2012 respite.” Some pretty interesting people have made New Zealand their home over the decades, from philosopher Karl Popper to painter Frederick Hundertwasser to The Peddlers Roy Phillips (who tours NZ in March with Georgie Fame). Have a great New Zealand summer Tom; remember that change happens first on the edge of the species, so I look forward to what you produce during your sojourn. And if you’re in Queenstown on February 23-24 where I’m speaking to the Entrepreneur’s Summit, the beer’s on me.

AdAge Accolades

Fabio Fernandes, Pablo Del Campo and Cynthia McFarlane

Three Saatchi & Saatchi agencies in our Latin American network have been recognized for outstanding creativity and innovation in AdAge’s Agency A-List this week.

F/Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi, Brazil, is International Agency of the Year runner-up in recognition for work on Nike, Carrefour and Olay. The agency has consistently created inspiring movements that bring people together – whether through their love of sport, or efforts to fight hunger. Their work is always full of emotion and a sense of Now.

Del Campo Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi, Argentina, listed as one of the 10 most creative agencies in the world. This is the second consecutive year the agency has listed on the A-List; winning International Agency of the Year last January. Their brilliant and entertaining ideas continue to surprise and delight. Watch their campaigns for BGH and Andes Beer. Who wouldn’t want a musical microwave or an intelligent beer cooler?

Conill, Saatchi & Saatchi’s U.S. Hispanic agency, was highlighted as a standout shop for double-digit growth and a reputation for creative use of non-traditional media. Their campaign for T-Mobile’s family plans featured a telephone call that lasted for the entire duration of a telenovela episode. An example of integrated TV and digital advertising that really hit the spot with its audience.

Congratulations to Fabio, Pablo and Cynthia, and all their people on this tremendous result.

Celebrate Happiness

Image Source: Happy Movie

The search for happiness is one thing we all have in common – something that binds us together as a species. We could all do with a bit more happiness in our lives, so perhaps the time is right for World Happy Day which is coming up on February 11^th.

That Saturday thousands of people around the world will come together to watch the premier screening of the new documentary, Happy – filmed everywhere from the deserts of Namibia to the villages of Okinawa, this documentary delves into the mysteries of our most treasured emotion. The latest creation from Academy Award nominated director Roko Belic, Happy seeks to answer the big question about happiness: what makes us happy?

To me happiness is about making connections, creating moments, and living in the now. So what better way to celebrate a global day of happiness than by coming together as and enjoying a film about the sensation we are all searching for? Screenings are happening in countries around the world so find one near you, head along and get happy!

The New York screening is being presented by Shirley Moulton’s Academi of Life, Saturday, 7pm February 11, Society for Ethical Culture, 2 West 64th Street, NY 10023