art of conversation

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

This year for the first time we are forgoing Christmas cards and giving the money saved to charity instead. Our chosen charity is Kids Company.

Kids Company (reg charity number 1068298) was founded in 1996 to provide practical and emotional support to children and young people. These are children who love their parents but live with worry for their well-being. Often the role of child and parent is reversed and the child is left surviving their experience of childhood alone.

The organisation delivers a preventative and reparative therapeutic service to children. It currently supports 11,925 clients, of whom 800 are parents and teachers. In excess of 95% of the children refer themselves or their peers to our services. Their services are delivered through 33 schools across London, a children’s centre in South London and a post-16 educational site.

You may like to come along to Borough Market for mulled wine and carol singing and join Kids Company by the Christmas Tree on 21st Dec – 2pm to 5pm, or 22nd Dec – 1pm to 3pm.

Incidentally, here is Carol.

Not singing, in this instance.

Surprising Sausages

Speldhurst is a small village in Kent that produces some very tasty sausages. It also happens to be the village where I grew up.

The other day, about to order food in a local pub, the words 'Speldhurst Sausages' leapt off the page. There were various 'SKUs': lamb and mint; lamb with herbs; pork with leek.

So was I overwhelmed by a ‘Lovemark’ experience, as I overlooked the rest of the menu and ordered Bangers & Mash, Speldhurst-style (scrumptious, if you're wondering)? I was quickly aware how my ‘love’ for the new-found Speldhurst 'brand' had driven my product choice.

And this from a man who used to work at Saatchi’s and who suggested that Lovemarks should be replaced by ‘Skidmarks’.

However, this example of Lovemark ‘brand loyalty’ is the exception that proves the rule - that people do not usually give a monkey's about brands. So, Speldhurst does not have a “Future Beyond Brands” and I don’t feel “they’re owned by” me either as if I had just bought a lovable puppy from a pet-store. So, maybe I’ll get over it. Normal rationality will be resumed shortly.

Simon

ALL TOGETHER NOW

As world leaders meet in Bali to talk about talking about targets to reduce carbon emissions, scientists are saying that unless we act together soon, it’s about damage limitation rather than prevention. Global carbon emissions have increased by 20% since the Bali summit was scheduled. Even if a limit of a 2% annual increase is achieved (a big if) there will be some very real effects of climate change to deal with.

(Collage by Donna Deestea)

So, it’s serious. We shall all be affected, one way or another. But, as we have asked before, how to persuade people (in Europe/the west) to change their behaviour?

A little anecdote. Sunday afternoon, central London. This guy’s been sitting in his parked car with the engine running for about half an hour. I made a ‘switch off ignition?’ gesture to him. What followed was not an edifying conversation. But it suggests that ‘collaboration’ is not that easy to achieve …

Me: I just wondered if you might switch off your engine? You’ve been there for ages and you’re not going anywhere and…
Him: What!? who the **** are you?
M: I’m a passer-by. I just noticed …
H: what’s it got to do with you?
M: I’m breathing your car’s fumes as I go past and …
H: … well cross over the street then!
M: do you not want to switch off your engine?
H: (angry) look, who are you?
At this point he got out his mobile phone took a picture of me and said
H: you’re a marked man!

"PASSPORT, DRIVING LICENCE OR IDENTITY 2.0?”

It would seem there’s a new conversation on the block - Identity 2.0. (Visual from Ulikleafar)

Russell Davies in last week’s Campaign, Notes From the Internet, Sxip and the CRM world are all talking about it; Wikipedia has recently added a new entry on it (watch Sxip’s CEO's impressive presentation on the subject - click below).