https://www.theverge.com/2020/9/3/21420383/animal-crossing-sylvan-esso-music-video-nintendo The shoot was on. The script was finally agreed and the storyboard signed off. The Creative Director was already practising his awards acceptance speech or at least the soundbites he’d use at the next conference. Probably something like “the New Normal calls for abnormal creativity” or something about purpose. Negotiations with the ‘talent’ had … [Read more…]
https://adage.com/article/digital/agencies-partner-unlock-data-and-get-smarter-about-amazon/2278111 The panel in the anonymous door slid open. Dark eyes scanned him. It slammed shut and the door opened. The corridor was dark but there were sounds coming from the windowless room at the end. Cooling fans and keyboards. They sat around the table, tablets glowing. Each of them had their minder. Just behind, … [Read more…]
https://www.adweek.com/digital/facebook-to-lease-all-730000-square-feet-of-office-space-in-the-farley-building/ I’m old enough to remember long lunches and longer nights of client ‘entertainment’. I remember Christmas parties and summer picnics on my island. Our business has changed. Since we moved from headsets to glasses, we’ve had a home on our network. We’ve delivered work and we’ve entertained clients thanks to our head of Account … [Read more…]
https://newatlas.com/robotics/origami-inspired-microbots-change-shape-heat/ They were everywhere. Almost invisible until they unfolded. Children tried to catch them like falling leaves, Some tried to swat them like midges as they settled on a watch or glasses and laid their message. The Adblockerz had seen off the first robots through vandalism. They’d hacked the holobots’ projectors until they too were … [Read more…]
https://www.engadget.com/ai-recreates-painting-techniques-of-famous-artists-022923128.html The package wasn’t bad. Lump sum, pension, even options. Bearing in mind the numbers he’d seen ‘let go’ with less ceremony and security, he wasn’t grumbling. He’d been thinking about that novel anyway. The Zoom farewell party was set, the courier had been round for the Aeron. All he had to do was spend … [Read more…]
https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/22/21266251/nvidia-ai-gamegan-recreate-pac-man-virutal-environment Some of my colleagues get the cool gig: Cannes, watching hours of case studies, reading entries. They don’t have a glass of rosé, but they do get to hang with the creatives and then pitch their ideas. Even my colleagues in the studio get to show off. They watch and listen to the teams … [Read more…]
https://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/news/theageofthedigitalpitchishereandadagenciessaytheyreready/43448 Don shared his screen and began: “Technology is a glittering lure…” The other windows fell silent apart from the occasional toddler’s cry in the background. Across the city, laptop screens lit the faces of the men and women in corner ‘offices’ claimed from spouses and home schooling children. Slide wipes and sounds echoed the … [Read more…]
https://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2020/03/13/mental-wellbeing-within-agencies-flexibility-and-stability It popped up in the lower right corner. Two googly eyes on an animated clip. “Hello there!” Cheery chirruped, “just checking in.” It raised an animated eyebrow and nodded at the time. “Now you’ve finished with the client, let’s Cheerypause (™),” it said. She sighed. Since home had become office, the laptop had become … [Read more…]
https://www.thedrum.com/news/2020/02/24/singapore-based-dark-kitchen-uses-ai-craft-menu-based-consumers-needs https://adage.com/article/advertising/brands-line-respond-burger-kings-moldy-whopper-campaign/2238481 They called it a Dark Agency, but the screens and dataflows gave the container an eerie glow. When teams swapped shifts they blinked as their eyes adjusted. The Order came in on one screen. She turned to the Creative Intelligence (™) feed and read off datapoints. ‘Suggested’ CI (™) assets flowed onto her … [Read more…]
https://www.adweek.com/digital/why-ces-has-become-a-must-do-for-marketers-and-agencies/ Memo to all staff. This was a very disappointing CES. We failed to win any of the major Advertising Awards and were too slow with Technsponsive Advertising (™). Our tech-centric entries showcased technologies brilliantly (and sometimes even worked for our brands). To fail to be recognised for that focus is disappointing. The real failure … [Read more…]