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15 minutes minus 3

I had a very interesting chat this morning. With Marc Michils, CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi Belgium and one of the Master Marketeers within the Belgian Marketing Foundation to be precise. We talked about working in advertising, the love of the job, future trends, the importance of higher education,... Nothing special? True, if it weren't for the fact that our little chat was recorded for television.

Why on earth would anybody ask a nobody like myself for a television appearance? To be honest: I was equally surprised when I got a phonecall some weeks ago to tell me "I had been selected." Selected? At last year's Marketing Congress I had participated in a contest for 'young wolves in marketing' who could win an opportunity to talk with one of the leading marketeers in Belgium (one of the activities for the foundation's 25th birthday). The talks were to be recorded and broadcast (one conversation per month between 13 May and 5 December, every time there is a full moon - the 'wolves', get it?) on  the Belgian business channel Kanaal Z.

I never thought they would ask me (I am 35 - a young wolf?) but apparently they liked the topic I had suggested (about the relationship between higher education and the communications branch). Naturally, I did not hesitate to accept the invitation. A great experience, and like Andy Warhol said: "In the future, everybody will be famous for 15 minutes".

Mind you: Kanaal Z is only doing a 3 minutes' broadcast (albeit in a loop, so several times a day). But that's fine by me: that means I still have 12 minutes left!

10 years ago today

[photography Kurt Vansteelant]

20 years ago today

No reason to celebrate, but more than enough reason to commemorate.

Chewing gum for the eyes

TV is the single most significant factor contributing to violence in America. No, that's not my opinion. They are the words of... Ted Turner. Even if Ted was slightly exaggerating, surely there must be better things for kids (and adults!) to do than hang in front of the TV all day. "All day? Come on - now you are exaggerating." I can hear you think it. Perhaps you're right. But allow me to give you some statistics:

- In an average US home, the TV set is switched on for 7 hours and 40 minutes a day.
- The average American watches over 4 hours of TV per day (or more than 28 hours a week).
- The average American parent spends 38.5 minutes a week in meaningful conversation with his kids.
- 45% of American parents admit that they switch on the tv to occupy their kids while they have something important to do.
- The average American youth spends 900 hours a year in school.
- He spends 1,023 hours a year watching television...

Yes, I could go on for a while. No, I do not believe the situation here in Europe is that much better (according to some recent figures I found in Bizz Magazine, the average Belgian watches TV 164 minutes a day, which amounts to an average of roughly 19 hours a week). What are we going to do about it? Good question. I must admit I was brought up with the TV in the living room as well. And yes, I have spent quite a few hours in front of it. No, I do not believe those hours were all wasted. But let's be honest: there are times when we or our kids are just gazing at some mind-numbing BS, aren't there? And with reports about child obesity increasing, we should all get off our butts and do something about it.

So, why not try and use our TV in a more controlled and/or sensible manner (I am not sure I'd be able to ban it alltogether)? A good way of starting is to introduce, just once a year, a TV turnoff week. This year, TV turnoff week is from 24 to 30 April. It's all about "empowering people to take control of technology and not letting technology take control of them so they can live healthier lives." (Blimey, reading this, we might want to introduce a PC turnoff week too...)

A commendable initiative if you ask me. Besides, I tend to agree more and more with Groucho Marx. One of his famous quotes was "I find the television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book..."

Recognise the feeling? So: why not join? Give it a try. You and/or your kids might even like it. Just ask Benjamin Loxley, a second-grader from Lewisboro (New Jersey), who, after an earlier edition of TV turnoff week, announced: "I had a great time. My only question is: if this is so great, why don't we turn off the TV for the other 51 weeks of the year?"
  

Alumnicious

  [Photo via Flickr]

As a lecturer I cannot help but wonder at times what happens to the students who graduate each year. Fortunately, some stay in touch. Others can be found on the net. I recently discovered Piet's blog: apparently, Piet is working in Finland nowadays as a trainee area sales manager for Western Europe with a company called Idesco (if he's not boarding on some Finnish slope, that is). Way to go, Piet!

[Photo via OSNI, credits Sebastien Gosset]

Another former exchange student from France, Sébastien, also has a site. Or at least, his band OSNI has. And you know what: I actually think they're pretty good. The "sixties garage rock'n'roll" by these four "kool psychosexy surfing punks" (I quote) actually reminds me of  the time I was listening to bands like The Cramps. Should you be around: they're playing at the Oxford Café in Béthune on the 20th of May...   

Push him

Cruel to a certain extent, but brilliant in its execution. Talking about using the medium... Grey,the agency behind this guerilla in India is probably ready to reap metals. The effort is for Childcare India (the website of which I do not seem to find immediately), that aims to help more than 20 million Indian children who beg on the streets each day.

[via creative criminal]

The Great War for Civilisation

[photo Indymedia/Hannes Coudenys]

On Thursday 23 March, Dr Robert Fisk, the world-famous journalist of The Independent, was in Ghent to receive an honorary PhD and to give a lecture at Vooruit about his most recent book 'The Great War for Civilisation: The Conquest of the Middle-East'. Fisk has been a war correspondent in the Middle East for thirty years now and has always been the critical voice in the desert. Literally, but sometimes otherwise too. Being a witness to many crucial moments in history, Fisk is somebody who is worth listening to.

I did not manage to attend his lecture, but I was really glad to notice it can be listened to on Indymedia (the lecture is divided into part 1 and part 2). It is strange to discover yet again that what is presented as news is not always a true picture of reality. But then again: did we need Fisk to know that... Still: definitely worth a listen!

IAOC First International Conferences

Philippe asked all the people who read his blog to help promote the IAOC's first International Conferences in March and June of this year. I guess that's what I am doing right now... So check it out!

The story behind the figures

UPDATE: only a few hours after this post, the unions at the Hoegaarden brewery announced they would stop undertaking industrial action and start negotiating what is called a "social plan" to see how the employees can be laid off in the, well, best possible circumstances. There also was an item on one of the national news broadcasts this evening in which the anchorwoman (link in Dutch) complained about InBev simply refusing to come into the studio to explain recent decisions. When asked if this was plain rude, the communications expert which had been invited instead, answered: "It certainly is not smart to say the least." How about cowardly? Or churlish, boorish, asinine, inane, ...
"PR? Never heard of. And we don't care about what the public thinks either." That is the feeling most of us have when it comes to InBev's communication 'strategy'. No wonder an otherwise gentle and well-mannered 90-something inhabitant of the town of Hoegaarden (who had known the brewery all his life - apparently, it was around already somewhere in the 14th century!) told a reporter doing some on site coverage that InBev could "go stuff it"...

According to De Standaard, sales of the pretty famous Belgian white beer Hoegaarden have dropped 60% over the past seven months. According to Ho.Re.Ca Vlaanderen (a Flemish branch organisation for the hotel, restaurant and café industry), this trend has been going on for some time, but has increased tremendously over the last months. What a coincidence: that is exactly the period after Hoegaarden owner InBev (who used to call themselves 'The world's local brewer' - yeah, right) announced that the production of Hoegaarden would no longer take place in the town of Hoegaarden, but in another plant in Belgium.

This announcement not only led to the loss of jobs (232 in Belgium due to the entire restructuring, 59 of which in Hoegaarden), but also to quite a stir-up among the public (for example: some 3,000 people protested in Hoegaarden not so long ago - link in Dutch). In the Hoegaarden area, of course, but also in the rest of the country.

Personally, I have always enjoyed a Hoegaarden from time to time, but there has been a bitter taste to the relatively sweet white recently. I know: the beer will probably not change, but the story behind it has shifted completely. What a pity.

Emotional branding is something the InBev management have apparently never heard of. And my advice would be they might read All Marketers are Liars; the subtitle The Power of Telling Authentic Stories in a Low-Trust World alone should be enough to open their eyes just a bit. Also: I wonder if InBev realise they are having a growing  image problem in what used to be their home country. But then again: for a global holding such as InBev (the fusion company of Belgian Interbrew and Brazilian AmBev), Belgium is probably quantité négligeable...

The devil inside Boonen

[photo via Bill the Buffalo]

It's not scientific proof, but apparently, Belgian beer is the success factor behind  Belgian cycling in modern times. Just read what Tom Boonen has to say about having his Duvel the night before his last race of the season start:

"I was de-motivated on Monday, but last night there was a big celebration because it was Kevin Hulsmans' birthday, and when we were drinking, we said we would go full gas one more time. So it was the Duvel [Belgian for devil but also a strong beer, even by Belgian standards - ed.] that did it!" he joked. Whether it was the water, malt, hops or yeast - the basic ingredients of that golden fluid Belgians consider so precious, yet drink in such large quantities - is anyone's guess, but this new blue train ripped the peloton to shreds after less than half an hour's racing."

Convinced?