The performance later that evening was superb.  The conductor had understood that he did not need to say anything: his choir would recognise the major shortcomings, and sort it out for themselves.  A lesson in conducting, and in situational leadership.

I get a very clear message from this: we’re French, we might be sexist, we don’t understand how name and address data work outside our country, and we don’t really mind what you put in our data capture form.

Just because you’ve translated the copy, doesn’t mean you’ve got a cross-border campaign.

I’m going to an exhibition in London tomorrow called mediapro, whose website headline is ‘the future of integrated communications’.  Not sure it believes its own copy though.  First it says that “integrated marketing communications is finally at the tipping point of becoming a realistic ambition” – so, erm, not quite with us yet then?  And then it admits that the exhibition is “divided into four sub-events”.

You’ve not really grasped this one chaps, have you?  Do let me know if I can help …

picture: Dan Zen

I read on, and find there are two categories in the competition, based on the age of the baby.  Go on, tell me that nobody thought of how that might relate to purchase data too?

Worst of all, there’s no acknowledgement, anywhere, of the possibility that this might not be directly relevant to me, or why it’s been sent.

Great example of how to use a nice creative idea to disenchant and alienate your customer base.

What you could do is create a unique QR code for point of sale material in each of the locations.  Bingo – point your camera at the QR code, and it will log in and check in as a single process.  Job done.  Well, assuming you have the right kind of mobile device …

picture: centralasian

Here’s the dropdown list for Titles that you see when you register on the Royal Opera House website.  I wonder how many Dowager Marchionesses there are on their database?  And what exactly is ‘W Baron’?

An interesting job for the data quality team.  Excuse me, are you really a Princess?

I love the way it explains itself, and there are some delightful touches in the later part of the letter (at the bottom of page 3 “The fact you’ve chosen to read this far, says a lot about you …”).  I like the acknowledgement of the reader’s intelligence (and by implication, of their involvement).

At the same time I wonder if this existential, self-aware approach might not work quite as well with the audience as it did with the marketing team? I’m guessing this is a test, and it would be very interesting to see how it performs.

Picture: net_efekt

Launching quietly today, a new kind of marketing database developed for UK charities.  It’s software as a service, so no upfront costs, no long-term licenses or commitments.  It’s aimed to help small charities to communicate effectively with their donors, to give them the marketing functionality they need, at a price they can afford.  For the very small and the start-ups, it’s free.

This is based on work we’ve been doing for SolarAid, so we think the need is there.  We’re about to find out.

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is full of outstanding musicians.  Watching them play, I realise that a distinctive common feature of the players is that their beautiful sound, virtuoso dexterity and sheer musicianship, are executed in almost complete stillness.  Watch the first horn play a difficult line, and the only detectable movement is from the three fingers that touch the keys.  Excellence does not need showmanship.  Sometimes excellence demands stillness.

picture: digitalART2