Charles Dickens' fantastical talents deliver a massive slap in the face for most copywriters, editors, content marketers, dramatists, journalists and authors. How could one man deliver 20,000+ high quality words a month, shift huge volumes of books, promote important social causes and still find time to walk an average of 10 miles a day around London? Kathryn and Nick have been battling jealousy of Dickens for years and eventually decide to walk in his footsteps in a last ditch attempt to see if anything rubs off... … [Read more...]
Chasing Charlie: Why Dickens Makes All Journos, Marketers & Copywriters Seethe with Envy
September 12, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Song: Stand by England by Stella & the True Blues
September 6, 2013 by 1 Comment
Stella has been commissioned to put together a campaign song for her local Conservative Party... a job's a job we suppose, but we preferred it when she was working for evil pharmaceutical companies. Sometimes you'd love to leave this Island Living costs have just got out of hand Fresh food's pricey Future's dicey So you must now live on all things canned Its damper, duller; there's places warmer There's no chance in hell that you'll stay tanned And though you earn less 'Cos we're in a mess You must still stand behind England Love your England Downturns hurt your MPs too We need your tax to pull through You can trust us totally Trust your England, We're all in this together We will desert you never Trust your England Stand by England The Queen and all us Tories Keep giving all the cash you can Stand by England … [Read more...]
Tolkien: 40 Years’ Dead But a New Career?
September 6, 2013 by Leave a Comment
This month marks the fortieth anniversary of Tolkien's death, yet despite an intervening digital revolution, the publishing industry is still struggling to keep up with his legacy. We investigate the future of publishing... and why the world is still chasing Tolkien. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, born in 1892, was often photographed in his study dressed in a tweed jacket, waistcoat and tie, with a pipe clamped firmly to his lips. Behind his head antiquated looking tomes line the old fashioned bookcases. For 34 years, he was an Oxford don. He specialised in Anglo Saxon, a subject which sounds as dusty and dull as it comes, yet through a brilliant mind and in-depth knowledge of language, he brought whole fictional universes to life. For many people Middle Earth is easily as real as London. … [Read more...]
Interview: What Not to Say to Sir Walter Raleigh
July 19, 2013 by Leave a Comment
We got the call late... far too late to do any proper research. With just a few hours grace to get to the venue and meet one of the most famous explorers the world has ever seen, we were a bit daunted to say the least. As we charged out of the tube station a slim ray of sunshine peered out jauntily from behind the Orange Tree Theatre. The White Swan pub was only a few minutes away and we are already late for our appointment to meet Sir Walter Raleigh. … [Read more...]
Song: P45 by Stella & the UB40s
June 19, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Our favourite singer, Stella, has been branching out. She's just sent us her first ever protest song and it's a belter. It's all about unemployment and Government cuts. Watch out Billy Bragg... Stella's coming. Tumble outta bed, I'm already in the kitchen, Fleas in my bedsit got my face itchin, Scratchin', bleedin', can't believe my life. Unemployed six months, So I had to downgrade. All the banks foreclose, When you aint getting paid, And all you've got to show's a P-45. My P-45, After 20 years of service, My P-45, And I swear I don't deserve this. My P-45, Now I'm counting on the Tories, I'm sure they can't be as bad as all the stories. Benefits, Have now got all my focus. You would think that this, Is a fairly simple process. Now I need some help, But the council just won't give it, My one room pit costs too much for their budget. Government job, Not too much tension, Government cuts, Took away my pension. And now they're gonna take my hovel … [Read more...]
Art: From New York to Moscow – Theft, Forgery & Death
June 18, 2013 by 2 Comments
Tom Goode, Managing Director of global art empire, Vitruvius, sits comfortably in the upstairs room of private members club, High Road House. His latest exhibition, 'Silence: An Exploration in Noise', produced by the unknown artists who make up the Vitruvius brand has just opened at the Tate Modern. The show is already sold out, following press attention which has bordered on the vitriolic. "I'm going to let you in on one of the worst kept secrets in the art world," says Tom, leaning forward conspiratorially. "Last year a forger died in Moscow. Young fellow, liked the drink a bit too much, didn't do anything of note with his life. Who cares right?" Without waiting for a reply, he continues, "Well his mum cares and right now she's in advanced talks for the rights to his diary. If she gets her way, soon a lot more people are going to care..." … [Read more...]
Interview: A £2.99 Mask from Tesco & a Final Fling With 1928
June 18, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Kathryn and Nick meet 20s pianist Robert Johnson, the tempo setter for the most lavish parties in Chiswick House's history As we trooped embarrassedly along the edge of the dual carriageway, gaggles of locals were swarming from their homes to form a steady flow of foot traffic towards Chiswick House. A swathe of groomed be-suited males waddled carefully alongside brightly coloured ball gowns and elevated hair. Expensive looking masks were firmly secured to the face of each marcher... we must have looked stupidly under dressed by comparison. … [Read more...]
The Big IF: Hyde Park – Our First Activist Rally
June 17, 2013 by 1 Comment
Kathryn and Nick attend their first rally in Hyde Park on 8th June - it wasn't like the books, news reports or videos... It was a glorious sunny day as we joined the 45,000 people (according to most media reports), congregating in London's Hyde Park to demand that world leaders take action against global hunger at the G8. Last weekend's gathering wasn't as flashy as 1985s Live Aid, or as far reaching as the Live 8 events of 2005, but the aims were similar and comparisons have inevitably been made. However, unlike its predecessors, there was no career making bluster from the likes of 'uncle' Bob. This gathering was a grass roots affair, albeit with some very impressive supporters. The IF coalition consists of numerous charities including Save the Children, Oxfam, Unicef and Christian Aid. … [Read more...]
Song: P.R.I.V.A.C.Y by Stella & the D.E.L.E.T.E.R.S
June 16, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Stella, our go to singer, has just unleashed another protest song. This time she's demanding the return of her data footprint... and she's not doing it quietly (please don't delist us). My Facebook page is six years old and knows all about me It's been my friend through thick and thin, I'm sure we'd both agree I share things like L.O.V.E and what's for my T.E.A But I realise now I've said too much It's time to call it a day My P.R.I.V.A.C.Y is important today Me and my D.A.T.A will be going away I love my friends and all their P.I.Cs, uploaded on the fly, But Facebook, I'm taking back my P.R.I.V.A.C.Y I'll be lost at Christmas time And on my next birthday Now that D.E.L.E.T.E is swiftly underway You monetized all our details And most people cannot tell So Zuckerberg and his smug face Can rot away in hell My P.R.IV.A.C.Y is important today Me and my D.A.T.A will be going away A ten year data footprint is enough to make me C.R.Y And now I must delete it for … [Read more...]
Outbrain Marketing Review: A Fictional Cape Wearing Lunatic & the Unusual Truth About Content in 2013
Businesses are increasingly turning to content, and more specifically, Content Marketing, to maximise brand engagement, but do they really know what consumers want? After all, 33% of organisations surveyed in the IMN 2013 Content Marketing Survey state they don’t even have a strategy in place. Kathryn and Nick trial Outbrain’s PPC content discovery system for two weeks and discover a, perhaps not so surprising, appetite for fiction... In October 2008 Greg Goode burst into cyberspace with a bizarre omen, rhyming poem and story about how his retirement dreams had been crushed. By April he was dressed in a 16th century cape, a wig Elton John would laugh at and firmly believed he had founded a new society. This was Greg’s fictional blog, Rebellion, run online, in real-time over six months and promoted using a range of digital marketing and social media. … [Read more...]