Just recently I have been knocked out by a really innovative event called The Big Chair Project.
This charity event is the brain-child of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver who does a huge amount to educate kids about food standards and get them into worthwhile jobs in the food industry.
The big idea is that a selection of people from the arts and fashion worlds were asked to decorate or ‘personalise’ a classic Arne Jacobson ‘Ant’ chair.
Tracy Emin, Burberry, Julien MacDonald, Paul Smith, Cath Kidson, Quentin Blake, Liberty, Sarah Burton are just a few of the designers and artists who accepted the challenge and produced a chair.
Lots of other people were asked to contribute to this event including Franz Hansen (supplied chairs and venue), David Loftus (photography), Christies’s (auctioneer) and countless others who all gave their time and energy to make the project work.
So how did it work? – all the chairs were then auctioned off at a special evening at the Franz Hanson shop with all the proceeds going towards Jamie’s Better Food Foundation. There was a chance to bid online beforehand and a raffle on the website to win one of three chairs for a very reasonable GBP5 entry.
On the night the auction raised over GBP15,000, with one chair alone (the Tracy Emin one) going for GBP7,000.
Looking around the room that night, every face had a smile, people were so enthusiastic about the idea, the incredibly creative approach to both the chairs and the event itself, the money was almost a by-product of a great initiative.
That made me think.
These chairs are a visual manifestation of the designer or artist, you didn’t need a label to know who did it, all the chairs were completely ‘on-brand’ and that’s what made them so good.
People saw the qwerky style drawing and knew straight away it was a Tracy Emin. Her brand needs no explanation – people love this and are prepared to hand-over a very fat cheque to own it.
I think the same applies in our business. Building a strong brand with highly memorable visual ‘tags’ immediately differentiates us from our competitors, it works as a sign-post to help people navigate through all the ’noise’ out there and, given the choice will buy the brand they know and love. There is almost a quality assurance, an unspoken trust in the brand that negates any risk. This makes an easier sell and allows leverage of price – I could have done a technically far better chair than Tracy Emin but nobody would have paid GBP7,000 for my chair
It also demonstrated the power of a great idea. People gravitate towards them and are happy to give time and money towards making them work – it’s not an obligation, a pain or a distress purchase …it’s a joy.

I can’t believe that EMI are considering selling off the legendary Abby Road Recording Studios to raise funds and pay off debts. Being in St John’s Wood, one of London’s most affluent suburbs, it would be more than likely that a property developer would buy and demolish the existing building to erect some extremely plush and expensive apartments. I have been to the famous studios and stood exactly were the Fab 4 recorded some of the best music ever made and it sent a shiver up my back. Please go on to the National Trust website (www.nationaltrust.org.uk) and let them know you want them to buy it for the nation!

During a business trip to Plzen in the Czech Republic last week I had a day to myself to wander around this beautiful European city. Among many visually stimulating sights was this Poster Point of which there are several dotted around the main thoroughfares. This ‘totem pole’ is specifically for local arts and music organisations and venues to advertise their forthcoming attractions. A riot of colour and graphics, they look fantastic and draw you to them, even though I don’t understand a single word of Czech somehow I got the basic idea of what they were all about and spent quite a few minutes walking around it. The designers of the posters have their work cut-out to make their own stand out from the others which leads to some amazing visual treatments! A really simple idea that keeps other walls in the city clean, provides an information point for visitors and a really interesting item on the street. Love it!

The Prime Minister has commented that he views access to a fast broadband connection as important to home-owners as electricity, gas and water. But isn’t that just a bit-over-the-top? We all take access to the internet for granted now and, when we can’t get a mobile phone signal, curse the network provider but the digital world is still a very young one and it wasn’t that long ago we managed fine without it. The digital revolution was supposed to make books obsolete and shops just showrooms however, things haven’t turned out like that. People like to shop, it’s a leisure activity and part of our culture and books are treasured possessions which will never be replaced by a screen.

There is no denying however that the internet has become a major part of modern living and has added positively to modern life but what we must not do is rely on it to fulfil our lives. We must still get out there and interact with people, express ourselves through our actions and embrace challenges that this amazing world offers us. These actions define us and broaden our outlook or put it this way – who would you rather sit next to at a dinner party, someone who spends all their spare time sat behind a computer screen or someone who gets out there and lives life to the full?

I am often asked what is the most important marketing action to take during an economic downturn such as the one we are experiencing now. Obviously they want to know where to spend what little budget they have on the most important area that will bring a return. Obviously there is no easy answer to this as it all depends on the activity of the company but there is one thing that consistently needs monitoring very closely – how your customers perceive you.

Many companies have a strong idea about how they see themselves and their offer and consequently how they fulfil their customers needs however, if you go and ask those customers the same question they often reveal something completely different. This gap between perceived and actual can mean a disslocation which can have a negative effect the relationship.

My advice is to get closer to your customers, ask them what they need and how you can help them. It doesn’t have to cost anything, maybe some advice, a bit of time or a favour to get something done. Remember they are all probably going through the same pain and if someone shows them a helping hand now they may just put a contract in it when things get better later on!

I took time out over the weekend to walk my dogs through a wood near where I live. Having not been there for a while it was magical to see a carpet of bluebells weaving through the trees. Set against the green backdrop it was really stunning to see such a splash of vivid colour. Enchanting! – The shot was taken with my iPhone so not great quality but it should give you rough idea.

Bluebell Wood

One of my absolute favourite things to do is to while away a few hours in a gallery, soaking-up the creativity and craftmanship used to create stunning images and objects. I usually grab these infrequent opportunities between meetings in London however, I have just visited a brilliant little summer exhibition at Barnacre Gallery in my own village of Wargrave in Berkshire. In the grounds of a gorgeous house set on the banks of a tributary of the Thames, Kirsten Jones has set-up several little studios and potting sheds to display some of her own work as well as several other artists from around the local area. It’s amazing how much talent is under your nose! Really nice paintings bursting with colour and optimism – If you are anywhere near I urge you to pay a visit – It’s on until 25th May and is open late until 8pm on Thursdays and Fridays.

Full details can be found here www.barnacregallery.co.uk

Everyone seems to be obsessed again with the new series of The Apprentice. Is it me or is this format getting a little tired? – Surely by now they could have come up with some new ideas and moved it on a bit and why do they pick the biggest bunch of no-hopers? – Must be just to make good telly or is it?!!

My beloved Southampton FC are on the edge of financial ruin, can they be saved? Can they stay in the Championship? I have my fingers crossed…

Hi

Along with the re-design of my website, or should I say the DESIGN of my website, I have instigated a blog to log all my thoughts, research and inspiration. Here I will post new research I have undertaken, glimpses of new projects, information about my creative partnerships and and inspiring photography or design I come across that I would like to share with the world.

Watch this space..!