Cannes Lions

21 Things Advertisers Must Know in 2009 and Beyond

I'm in Cannes right now, just finished up with my panel at the Cannes Lions conference (Big thanks to Digitas for the invite). I had a lot of discussions around advertising and marketing on the web. Overall, I was surprised at how still, in 2009, so many people just don't get how the web works and how the old rules DO NOT apply. I found myself silently stewing during one of the panels I sat in when I kept hearing ideas that clearly came from people who were playing it safe and boring. So here are some of the tips and pointers I picked up from my past few days here:

Dear people advertising on the web,

1. Do not look back, you will turn into a pillar of salt.
We are pushing the biggest, reddest reset button in modern history. The old way of doing things does not apply. Not here on the web.

2. Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid.
Next time you (or your creative) has a GREAT idea -- one that you know in your gut is awesome -- do me a favor, DO NOT run it by everyone else in the goddamned building. Go with it. A point of view has focus. Too many points and that vision becomes dull.

3. STOP calling people consumers!
People are not mindless drones waiting to consume. We are all people hoping to connect and you are hopefully facilitators of conversation. As soon as we change the language we will change the action.

4. It is not professional vs. amateur. It's crap vs. quality in COMMUNICATION.
Just because something is polished and created by someone who has dozens of filmmaking awards does not mean it will communicate what you need it to communicate. It does not mean they understand the language.

5. You better care what you're talking about, otherwise I wont.

6. Stop trying to be cute. Be useful. Inform, don't just entertain.
There better be a very good reason why I need you in my life. I can't tell you how many commercials I've seen where I remember the character, or the funny thing that happened, but can't for the life of me remember who the advertiser was. Tell me how you're useful to me. If you are a serious product or service, why are you trying to be cute?

7. An unexamined life is not worth living, neither is an unexamined idea.
Do not be lazy. What's the point?

8. Have a conversation!
Open up. Stop trying to control the message. When you talk to someone, you don't muzzle them, do you? Do you have your lawyer meet every person you speak with? Establish a relationship. Establish understanding. Keep your doors open. Invite people in. Show us your human face. It'll be okay.

9. React.
Having a conversation means you take turns.

10. To thine own self be true.
Play to your strengths. If you're X company why in the world would you create a bland fictional web series about a bunch of people doing silly shit? When I'm searching for X on the web a few months later, guess what, you won't show up. And I was looking for you!
(this deserves another blog post about funding & sponsoring fictional content)

11. Play the match game.
If the show I'm about to watch is shot one camera, raw, non-fiction, why in the world would you have an ad that doesn't match the tone? What you are saying is that you do not care about the creator or the viewer, only about getting your self-important message out. It does not reflect well.

12. Stop it with the 15/30 second glossy prerolls.
Seriously, is that the best you can do? It just ends up pissing people off.

13. The web is a new language, take time to learn it!
Understand the web! It is NOT TV, stop treating it like it is. Take the time to learn the medium otherwise you deserve to fail... so you can learn.

14. Speak less, listen more.
A general truth: if you don't know what to do, if you can't find the answer, it's because you're not listening. Stop being arrogant and listen. The answer and the first step is usually a very simple one.

15. Information fatigue is a real thing.
Keep your message simple and direct.

16. Step down from your tower. Go where the people are.
You are not better than your community. You are providing a service. Never forget that.

17. Jack be nimble, Jack be quick.
Or you will be burned by the candlestick. That strategic plan you had six months ago is too old. We're in a constant state of acting and reacting. Taking months to make a decision is not going to cut it on the web. Cut the bureaucracy.

18. It's not the height, it's the weight.
What people carry away is more important and long-lasting than the amount of number of people reached. Which is better? Telling your story to one person who will be moved enough to retell your story to other like-minded friends, or expanding your story to cater to five people who will find your story amusing, but not impacting, and therefore ultimately forgettable?

19. Aim for the bulls eye: right place, right time, right person.
Stop throwing spaghetti against the wall to see what sticks. Good communication means that you have an understanding of your environment, the social climate, and the person you're having a conversation with.

20. The web is global. Global is the web.

21. The web is that last checkbox.
It's the one everyone has checked throughout the history of surveys, the one that says "heard about it from a friend." Our friends and acquaintences are our filters, our trusted sources, our new networks. PEOPLE are the new media... and medium. Be real. Just talk to us and stop trying so hard. We'll either be friends or we won't. Easy as that. :)

This past weekend, North Korean government sentenced Current TV journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee to 12 years of hard labor for crossing the Chinese border while investigating a story about refugees. The two were arrested on March 17th and were charged for committing "hostile acts."

The last time I saw Laura was a few days before her departure. I was in San Francisco and she looked busy at work, perhaps in the final stages of planning her trip. I just remember her zipping back and forth from office to office. She looked in the zone. I didn't stop to say hello.

In 2005, I sat down with her to talk about Current TV for Rocketboom. I remember trying to find a quiet place to talk -- which didn't work out so well. We ended up making the choice to just go with it. Watching the video today makes me sad.

Currently, the US government is working to release Laura and Euna, who many speculate are being held as pawns in a very high stakes chess game.

If you'd like to support Laura Ling and Euna Lee, you can:

Join the Facebook group

Follow news on Twitter

Sign the petition for their release

Subscribe to their blog

The 26 Bikram postures

The other day I decided to give Bikram Yoga a try. It's the hot yoga you've heard about, and by hot I don't mean Paris Hilton "that's hot," I mean 110 degree balmy, curly-hair-be-damned hot. Now, I've heard the horror stories - people passing out in the middle of class, puking, dizziness, dehydration - pretty awesome, right? The thing is, with me, if you say something's difficult, the more I'm tempted to do it. So I decided to ask a friend to join me, in case I did pass out, there would be someone who could at least get a viral video out of it. Off we went.

Now, rather than going into a long spiel about my experience, I'm going to list a few first-hand pointers for those of you who are curious and may be interested in exploring Bikram.

1. Bikram is HOT. I mean really hot. As soon as you open the door to the studio, your face will slam into a wall of hot air. Get to the studio 10 minutes early so your body can adjust to the temperature.

2. Bikram STINKS. Yes, it stinks. If you don't pass out from the heat, you may pass out from the musty stench. It's because Bikram requires that all studios use carpeting - no wood flooring. Why? Because it's the only flooring approved by Bikram... and because they're crazy. But let's continue, it gets better...

3. Bring WATER. Drink lots of water before, during and after your session. You're losing a lot of body water so you want to make sure you're constantly rehydrating.

4. Bring a YOGA MAT. They'll have extras if you forget yours or don't have one, but they'll charge you for it. Also, someone probably sweated all over it and who knows how often they wipe those things down.

5. Bring a LARGE TOWEL. Lay the towel over your yoga mat, aligning the top of the towel with the top of your mat. This is so it catches your marvelous yoga sweat.

6. Bring a HAND TOWEL. Keep it beside your yoga mat and use it to wipe down if you need to.

7. Wear VERY LITTLE CLOTHING. Clothes get in the way with Bikram. No large shirts or long pants. They'll be a soaking mess five minutes in. Keep it light.

8. DO NOT EAT three hours before class. At least nothing heavy. You'll be twisting, turning and flexing those stomach muscles. If you're storing too much food in there, it may want to make an exit. Some crackers or a piece of fruit is okay.

9. TAKE A BREAK when needed. Seriously, if at any moment you feel dizzy, faint, weak or like you're about to hurl, just sit down on your mat - no matter what the instructor tells you. You know your body better than anyone else.

10. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. After you're done, relax. Take it slow. Drink a lot of water. Take a cool shower. Eat something. The most important thing is to take care of yourself. If that means never taking another Bikram class ever again, then that's okay.

After my first session, I felt completely wiped out. I also felt like I had removed a layer of residue and toxins from my body (which is what it's suppposed to do). After my second session I felt like the process had been easier, but still felt just as wiped as the first time.

Bikram is not for everyone. In fact, I've mentioned it too a few of my friends and gotten responses like "uh, uh, never doing that again" to "you're nuts" to full-on "ugh, I hate Bikram." Yes, it has its problems, and I wonder if perhaps it's the antithesis of what Yoga is supposed to be. But, something about the intense stretching and sweating put me in a state of mind that was peaceful and clear and centered. It slowed me down, which was exactly what I needed.

Also, your experience will very much depend on your instructor. The instructor I had for my first session was militant and loud, which didn't make for the most positive first experience. The instructor I had for my second session was gentle and kind, which made all the difference.

With that said, if you don't practice basic yoga on a regular basis, taking Bikram is like jumping into the deep end of the pool before knowing how to swim. I might just take a couple of steps back and make sure I'm well versed in basic yoga before venturing back to Bikram... we'll see. ;)

jinx.com / photo by the bui brothers

Check out the Jinx site! I recently got initiated into their "Get Into It" program. If you haven't heard of Jinx, they're a motley crew of misfits who run a very cool clothing company specifically for gamers and geeks.

I've known about Jinx for quite some time, so it was pretty awesome to be part of their new campaign. Even more awesome, and the reason I decided to participate was because they're doing it right. The entire motto of the campaign is supporting people who are passionate about what they do. So it's not just about supporting Jinx, it's about them supporting and highlighting us. If you go to the page, you'll see twenty things about me, links to where you can find my work and descriptions of the projects I'm involved in. I love that it's reciprocal and that there's a natural fit - advertisers can learn A LOT from this indie crew.

From the Jinx.com site:

We've been doing this clothing thing since 1999. What started in a 10' x 10' bedroom has now grown to a veritable force to be reckoned with (so don't even think about reckoning). We are expecting an invite to begin attending the United Nations meetings, but so far, we've heard nothing.

I love that they started out in a small bedroom. I'm all for supporting independent business! Rock on Jinx!

The image above will also be in the August issue of Geek Monthly, so make sure to check that out. We're also in the midst of working together on a project. More info on that as it comes! :)

Rohit Bhargava, SVP of Digital Strategy & Marketing at Ogilvy 360 Digital Influence and author of Personality Not Included, recently asked me to participate in a ebook compilation where he asked twenty female entreprenuers to share their stories of success and how personality influences their work.

Some pretty intelligent ladies from all across the web are highlighted in the book and they give some terrific insight on how personality has had a role in building their business. The tips and experiences that are shared hopefully inspire future female entreprenuers. You can read it here or download the PDF and read it at your leisure.

Oh, and I'm on page nine. :)

You can get Rohit's book, Personality Not Included, here.