brain bilge water

or something.

In Brier-style, I'm going to squeeze out a few bits and pieces from some recent reading and that.

First, this from Cory Doctorow on not judging new media by old rules. It's a simple thought but a great one. I often think that the expected format of something (wrongly) dictates its conception. I.e. brands liking to do big campaigns with certain channels pre-determined. It also reminds me of a rant I had ages ago about simple insights being stretched to fill a book. I'd like to think that instead of publishers asking "can you turn that into a book?" the writer might ask herself: "should I turn this into a book?"

Next up, some eggy thoughts from the excellent Katie Chatfield. I'm firmly behind her thoughts on perfection stifling personality and appeal in brands:

You could never be friends with anyone that doesn’t have doubts, make mistakes, have cracks and the ability to laugh at those moments in life when things have gone significantly broader at the base.

Structure, process and rigour. shudder. It's a tough one though isn't it. I'm all for brands being really experimental, trying stuff, getting it wrong and apologising. The most interesting stuff is such because it didn't come off the tried and tested shelf. Easy to say. Harder to persuade.

Actually that reminds me of a bit of Eddie Izzard when he talks about telling the truth. He says how, as kids we deny everything, but as we get older we realise telling the truth can get us laid:

Then when you're more mature,
you start telling the truth.
              
"I've broken a glass. Is it expensive?
I'll pay for that. I'm sorry."

You do that so people might go,
"What a strong personality.
I like to have sex with people
with strong personalities."

"I broke other things,
I smashed that.
That's gone and I've just
thrown the cat out the window."

Ahem. Here's a few other random bits:

- the Yo-Yo that charges an iPhone.

- Adrian's "influence is the social media equivalent of market share" (I like)

- And a bear on a trampoline (is it me or does he bounce pretty much as high as the tree anyway?):


P.s. Sorry to put you between a trampolining bear and a yo-yo Adrian. Such is the nature of brain bilge ramblings. I also need the loo and I'm trying to wrap this up really quickly.