Advertising & Marketing Trend Forecasting

CURRENT EMPLOYMENT

Of all the creative industries, Advertising and Marketing has the greatest percentage of employees being embedded creatives as at 2011 (Valuing Australia’s Creative Industries, Final Report, CIIC, Dec 2013 page 52).

Embedded creatives are those employed within industries whose primary service or product is non-creative or outside the creative industry categories. This imbalance of the workforce in 2011 was estimated at 83.4% of creatives in Advertising and Marketing being embedded creatives.

This fact is important when considering employment opportunities within this sector.

Source: http://www.searchenginejournal.com/rise-content-marketer-role/90925/

   While data on the creative industry prior to 2000 is scarce, from my own experience there has been a gradual increase of embedded creatives, from the last century.

The technological changes that have occurred in the last twenty years are a major contributing factor. Desktop computers and the evolution of user friendly software have made it viable for larger corporations and government departments to take control of their advertising and marketing initiatives.

For the foreseeable future, this trend is likely to prevail and possibly increase further, ensuring embedded creatives remain an integral component of business and government structures, while specialist design studios are left to grapple over the small to medium sized businesses. Fortunately a common trend across all sectors of business is that the vast majority can be classified as small to medium sized.

MEDIA TRENDS

Although print media is a long way from being dead and buried, there is an ever increasing swing from print to digital advertising.

Content viewed is now controlled by the consumer. The popularity of the internet and the mobile devices used to view such content has enabled the user to be more selective of the content viewed.

This has increased the proliferation of Programmatic Advertising. Programmatic Advertising is an automation of how digital ads are bought and sold with end user appropriate targeting criteria used to optimise and select ads with real time bidding (RTB).

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthof/2014/06/11/still-cant-figure-out-how-programmatic-advertising-works-watch-this-video/

The ability of the consumer being able to access the internet from anywhere at any time on mobile devices, presents advertisers with the unique opportunity to specifically target individuals at a time when maximum return on investment (ROI) can be achieved.

Research shows that 2 out of 3 Australians now own a smartphone and at least 1 out of 3 own a tablet, equating to more than 40% of our media being consumed on mobile devices.

Further to that, Google advises that a third of all mobile searches are for local information and that as high as 94% of smartphone owners have conducted a local intent search.

Locating a device is possible as most mobile devices are equipped with a GPS. Alternatively, the IP address from WIFI connections serve to locate a device. This information combined with the demographic data available from mobile carriers, enables advertisers to supply subject and location specific content to users.

This mobile trend of consuming media will increase exponentially. The use of Big Data, location and subject specific targeting by advertisers, I expect, is set to skyrocket over the next 5 years. There is also the anticipation that programmatic buying and selling of advertising will extend to print media in the future.

DIGITAL DESIGN TRENDS

ACCESSIBLE, QUALITY CONTENT

Although not necessarily a trend, it stands true that quality content that is easily accessible has been and will always be integral to ignite and maintain user interest and interaction. While its equally true that websites are a business presence on the internet, it is also accurate to say, that for many users, a website is an advertisement for a business’ products and services. 

Source: http://www.visioncritical.com/blog/emerging-trends-contributing-to-advertising-consolidation

The following, describes trends in web-design with an advertiser’s perspective in mind.

CARDS

One of the biggest design trends, that targets mobile devices in particular, is the use of cards. The increase in popularity of mobile devices with a variety of size and shape of screens, is steering the internet away from multiple pages linked together to individual snippets of content aggregated into one experience.

Twitter is moving to cards, Google is moving to cards, Pinterest is built around cards, Spotify’s discover feature is built around cards, a lot of Facebook now represents cards, many parts of IOS7 are now card based and so on.

Source: http://blog.intercom.lo/why-cards-are-the-future-of-the-web/

Cards have been around a long time, in various forms, giving bursts of information in a compact handy format. Classic examples are sports trading cards, business cards, cards in games such as Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit and more recently the series of collectable cards on various subjects, distributed with every shopping at Woolworths. Then there are playing cards, birthday cards, greeting cards, debit cards and the list goes on.

One begs the question then, “What is so new about cards?”. The answer is technology! When designing for screen we can take advantage of the versatility of the manipulation of cards and combine that with multimedia content, photos, videos, music and so much more to invent.

Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mobile_devices_DSC_0988.JPG

Cards are the perfect size for mobile devices and varying screen shapes and sizes. With social media rapidly becoming the source of choice for internet interactions and their propensity to the card design format, cards are set to be the next big design of advertising and marketing on the internet.

CUSTOM ILLUSTRATION

Illustrations, vector graphics and hand-drawn images offer a uniqueness to a website serving to make the website experience more memorable.

Source: http://brandigaluzzi.com/category/all-posts/page/4/

    They also are able to convey a message quicker and easier than words can, as cliché as that sounds.

BIG AND BOLD

Again driven by the increase in usage of mobile devices, big, bold messages are becoming more popular with designers. They are actionable across all platforms and screens, can be set over a related photograph, and are quickly digestible.

Source: https://aliceovolk.wordpress.com/2012/11/15/web-2-0-workshop/

A single typeface set large, telling a succinct short message about a company or organisation, on a subject related image as a landing or home page is increasing in popularity. 

VIDEO

Motion graphics have been around for a while usually created with video editing software. However motion graphics are moving into  a new era via HTML5 Canvas Video. When you consider a picture is worth 1000 words, one wonders the value of a video.

Source: http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/313824/file-1446012816-png/blog-files/screen-shot-2013-08-21-at-5.56.39-pm.png?t=1415312642371 Website: https://www.kickstarter.com/team

PARALLAX SCROLLING

Another form of animated motion graphics is Parallax Scrolling, created with HTML5, CSS3 and Javascript. Parallax Scrolling in computer graphics is where background images move at a different speed to foreground images, creating an illusion of depth in 2D images. This movement can be responsive to a mouse pointer position.

Source: http://www.kitkat.com/android/#/home

While websites like www.designyourway.net play down the trend, many more websites applaud the innovation. thevarguy.com, highlights Parallax Scrolling as being one of 5 design trends to dominate website design in 2015.

FLAT DESIGN

On the other side of the coin is flat design. No shadows, no textures, just clean simplicity and clarity using large typefaces in short concise messages, crisp images and bright colours.

Source: http://designyoutrust.com/2013/06/8-portfolio-wordpress-themes-that-use-flat-ui-design/

Straight lines, square corners, no added effects, minimal elements, good typography and unique colours, has risen in 2013 and 2014 and is anticipated to flourish through 2015.

PRINT DESIGN TRENDS

TYPE-ONLY

Clean looks are also being portrayed in print. Minimal type without the clutter of embellishments and with brief concise messages are making inroads in print design.

Source: http://www.coroflot.com/klaracu/typography

IMAGE-ONLY

By the same token, image only designs are offering clear messages that are not lost behind words.

Source: http://www.coroflot.com/rjfrick/advertising

These last two trends appear to separate words and images into stand alone messages.

AUGMENTED REALITY

Augmented reality is the successor of QR codes. In a nut shell, Augmented reality merges the offline and online worlds to create a real time 3D experience on hand held devices.

Accessing the camera facility, which most mobile devices feature, and using an Augment app available for IOS and Android devices, you are able to identify markers which then superimposes 3D content in real time on your device.

Source: http://marvel.com/comics/issue/50537/scarlet_spiders_2014_1

For example you can watch a video summary of the story in this Marvel comic by scanning the AR marker. 

DESIGNER SKILLS

In order to take advantage of these trends, designers quite obviously need to acquaint themselves with the software required to build or produce the various features.

The Standard for visual design for many years has been the Adobe Creative Suite. Although many have created cheaper replicas, they lack the in-depth ability of the Adobe Software.

Source: http://diginomica.com/2014/03/25/adobe-set-pass-major-cloud-milestone-creative-suite-licensing-ends/#.VF7AVCgm5FQ

Additionally a designer should become proficient with the ever-evolving HTML (currently HTML5), CSS (now at 3) and Javascript. They should know the limitations of the common browsers used, the differences between them and make HTML adjustments accordingly. Also to ensure their designs are equally adaptable to mobile devices.

As future advances in coding are realised, these should also be embraced in order to capitalise on future trends.

WHERE TO ACQUIRE SKILLS

Colleges and institutions continually keep abreast of technological advances and offer courses for experts and novices alike.

Source: http://www.createawards.com.au/2011-winners/catc-design-school-branding/

Lynda.com is always adding tutorials to its already massive database and is an excellent resource for keeping up-to-date with technology.

Source: http://naptimeismytime.com/2012/08/learning-with-lynda-com.html

Personally I have always found Google useful when searching the internet on how-to subjects. The internet, as a whole, is an inexhaustible resource.

SUMMARY

Every new trend attempts to embrace advancements in technology, analyse the pros and cons and determine the value of real-time application to their own purpose and function.

Clearly ROI’s are expected to increase with the change to direct targeting as opposed to the more traditional wide net being cast. This will only become more singularly targeted with cost effective automation.

Design of the appearance of material goes through phases. While the clean unencumbered look is coming back into vogue, once many jump on this band wagon, the tend will once again enter a new phase in an attempt to stand out from the crowd. Multiple messages and multiple images may very well once again emerge.

Though for now the Card metaphor is likely to prevail for some time, given their propensity to mobile devices. One thing is certain however, the future is full of exciting changes.

REFERENCES

12 South Music, Web Trends: Parallax Scrolling, http://12southmusic.com/parallax/

Ad Exchanger, Define It - What Is Programmatic Buying?, http://www.adexchanger.com/online-advertising/define-programmatic-buying/

Creative Industries Innovation Centre, Valuing Australia’s Creative Industries, Final Report, December 2013

Design Your Way, How The Web Design Trend of Parallax Scrolling Has Faded, http://www.designyourway.net/drb/how-the-web-design-trend-of-parallax-scrolling-has-faded/

Digiday, WTF is programmatic advertising?, http://digiday.com/platforms/what-is-programmatic-advertising/

Forbes, Still Can’t Figure Out How Programmatic Advertising Works? Watch This Video, http://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthof/2014/06/11/still-cant-figure-out-how-programmatic-advertising-works-watch-this-video/ 

Forbes, What Is Programmatic Advertising And Is It The Future?, http://www.forbes.com/sites/marketshare/2013/03/20/what-is-programmatic-advertising-and-is-it-the-future/

Interactive Advertising Bureau Australia, Mobile Trends Report, September 2013.

Interactive Advertising Bureau Australia, Programmatic and RTB, http://www.iab.net/prgrammatic

Interactive Advertising Bureau Australia, State of the Video Industry, 2014

Inspired Mag, Print design trends of 2014, http://inspiredm.com/print-design-trends-2014-presented-cubicle-ninjas/

Intercom, Why Cards Are The Future Of The Web, http://blog.intercom.io/why-cards-are-the-future-of-the-web/Just Creative, 7 Web Design Trends To Look Out For in 2014, http://justcreative.com/2014/01/21/2014-web-design-trends/

Marketing Land, Get With The Programmatic: A Primer On Programmatic Advertising, http://marketingland.com/get-programmatic-primer-programmatic-advertising-94502
Marketing Profs, Print’s Not Dead: Print Marketing Will Thrive in 2014 and Beyond, http://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2014/24084/print-marketing-will-thrive-in-2014-and-beyond

Media Pace, World trends suggest Internet ads will outsell magazines and newspapers by 2015, https://abmmediablog.wordpress.com/014/01/22/fipp-trends-report/

My Ink Blog, Parallax Scrolling in Web Design: Hot New Trend with Examples, http://www.myinkblog.com/parallax-scrolling-in-web-design-hot-new-trend-with-examples/

The Var Guy, 5 Website Design Trends to Dominate 2015, http://thevarguy.com/value-added-resellers-channel-marketing-solutions/110414/5-website-design-trends-dominate-2015

Back from the Abyss!

After a 6 month hiatus to reassess the goals of my freelance business, I'm back. My immediate goal is to earn enough money to purchase my first block of land. So if you want to help a middle age man with a family of 6 kids and a wife realise his dream of buying land and building his first house, then I'm the man you need to talk to.

To this end I have updated my profile page on ....

Feel free to visit this site, and see why you should hire i-Imagination for your next project.
Cheerio for now

Prices Plus Integrity

I would like to thank David Fielding of Prices Plus for seeing my worth and granting myself an audience in an interview for the career position they have available. He renewed my faith in the value that the skills I have achieved still have to the industry that I am so passionate about ... Graphic Design and Marketing!

Even if Mr Fielding should choose another for the position, my experience is worth enough to be considered, and that is worth commenting about here.

With the company behind Go-Lo, Crazy Clarks and Sam's Warehouse going into receivership recently, I see this smaller, yet strong player in the market, being Prices Plus, with the opportunity to develop an ascendancy in this niche market.

Obviously, I would relish the chance to be a part of this growth potential, nevertheless, I wish David and his team all the best in the future, and once again thank David for granting me the opportunity to create a first impression.

Position available only if you ...

Position available only if you ....

If you are what I ask?

Since winding up iImagination in June of this year, I have been seeking to gain employment within the Graphic Design industry here in Brisbane where I now reside. After numerous applications outlining my wide range and exhaustive experience, eloquently presented, probed to be error free, with some of my best work attached as samples, you would think I would have offers being thrown at me.

You only have to look at my record. 5 years, yes 5 years in an advertising company from 1995 to 2000. The only reason I left was because the business was taken over. I've held positions of Graphic Designer all the way up to Art Director (2007), and yet my applications, one by one, are being knocked back.

I'm more than efficient with the Adobe Suite of software, Internet software, sound editing and film editing software, as well as the despised Microsoft Office software. I've had experience being the lowly indian, and the responsible chief. And yet, I still am unable to gain employment within my chosen field of expertise.

Is it because I'm now 51 years young? What, a 51 year old can't have fresh ideas? Bollocks!

Is it because my reproductive organs are on the outside and not the inside? Well I'm not about to change that! Why mess with perfection!

Honestly. You are not going to find a person capable of doing some jobs unless you look to someone with the experience, and lets face it, experience comes with a drawback, it takes years to earn it.

To be fair dinkum, What do they want? I am more than qualified to fill a position from graphic designer to art director. All I ask is to be paid according to the position I am filling, not as a reflection of my experience or age.

However I think most of these so called boutique art studios are looking for a breed of person that just doesn't exist.

Good luck with that. Meanwhile expect to see my application in your email box!

You have the Audacity?

You may be confused by the heading as to what this entry is about, suffice it to say I'm not discussing an emotion or attitude.

In fact this entry is about a great little FREE software called, wait for it, "AUDACITY".

If you are like me and have decided to convert all those Vinyl Records and worn out Tapes into MP3s rather than try and purchase CDs or visit the i-Tunes store, then you will find Audacity an invaluable tool to clean up those scratchy, old tracks.

I thought I might just mention a couple of pointers that work for me in the clean up though. Hence the purpose of this entry. Initially I record the tracks using a great little record and tape 'record to mp3' unit made by Fission and bought for under $50 at Aldi. When playing it sounds rather ordinary, but that is due mainly to the speakers, which appear to be El Cheapos! The recordings through the logitech speakers attached to my G5 is more than acceptable.

I then switch to Audacity! Open the software, select new file and drag and drop your mp3 recording. The first thing I do, with recordings off vinyl anyway, is run the Click and Pop removal effect through the whole track. It's amazing!

I then identify if there is any unwanted buzzing from the needle contact to the vinyl. If you check at the beginning before the song starts you may notice tiny little vertical lines. Select a portion of this, then in the effects drop menu, select 'Noise Removal' then select the button "GET NOISE PROFILE". After you've done that, select the whole track "Apple A", go back to the effects drop menu and Noise Removal effect and click the OK button. Magically the noise is gone!

The next step, with the whole track still selected I go back to the effects drop menu and select Normalize leaving the default setting at -1.0dB.

The next and last effect I run is BASS BOOST. Really only needed for vinyl records which seem to come across a little tinny.

And your done! Export as an mp3, I use the option of Insane at 320, but this makes for a bigger mp3 file. No real need to save the .aud (Audacity) file unless you want to play with it some more.

At i-Imagination, we can do all your conversions for you as well as many other things. Drop over to our Website and check us out.

Cheers

i-Imagination's Write Up

Out of the blue, Ashley Jones, the business editor at the Queensland Times, calls me up offering to run a feature story on the Better Business page with i-Imagination being the subject matter. Of course I leapt at the prospect and below is the end result.

If you can't read it here, visit our website at i-Imagination and click on the thumbnail image in the feature section.

Just for the record the first 'i' in our name stands for 'information' giving us the catch phrase 'Information with Imagination'.

Former Work Colleagues

Now at 50 years old, I look back at all the companies I worked at in my past only to recollect some fond memories of former colleagues. It occurred to me to try and locate some of these people on the internet, unfortunately, due to multiple names the same, this became quite a difficult task.

So I have resorted to my blog to see if by chance anyone else, or indeed they themselves, may do a search of their names, and this blog might just appear.

If you know, or you are:

Matt Bailey, former production manager of the now defunct Auburn Advertising in Leichhardt, Sydney, who grew up in Wagga Wagga (I think) feel free to contact me on 0421 669 877 or email phil@iimagination.com.au.

Greg Jones, former production manager of the now defunct Auburn Advertising in Leichhardt, Sydney, who grew up in Coffs Harbour, feel free to contact me on 0421 669 877 or email phil@iimagination.com.au.

Astro Cabrera, current owner of Adstream Media & Marketing, former Art Director of the now defunct Auburn Advertising in Leichhardt, Sydney, feel free to contact me on 0421 669 877
or email phil@iimagination.com.au

Auburn Advertising was one of the longest stints I had in one place during my working life, and feel that I formed not only a strong colleague relationship with these guys, but also a strong friendship. As I was also a mobile DJ, I recall DJ-ing Matt's Brother's wedding reception, as well as other functions that Astro, Matt and Greg attended.

Come on guys, give me a call and let's catch up.

Visit my website at www.iimagination.com.au and maybe give me some creative input (I can take criticism) .... that's an in joke!

Cheers
Phil

Internet chat abreviations

Ever sat in a chat room on yahoo or facebook or twitter or msn and someone types 'BRB' or 'ROFLMAO' and you've looked blankly at the screen? Well I have! Fortunately my wife is more versed with the anagrammical way in which messages are conveyed through chat rooms. I hope the following definitions help any readers to better understand what they are reading! (Included are some common anagrams that have been around for some time now, and not just on the internet):

A/S/L or ASL = age sex location
ASAP = as soon as possible
B4 = before
BBS = be back soon
BF = boyfriend
BFN = bye for now
BRB = be right back
BTW = by the way
CYA = see you
CRAFT = can't remember a f@#king thing
DH = dear husband
DW = dear wife
FB = facebook
FML = f#@k my life
FUBAR = f@#ked up beyond any repair/recognition
FYI = for your information
GF = girlfriend
HB = hurry back
HTH = hope this helps
LOL
   1 = lots of laughs
   2 = laughing out loud
   3 = lots of love
LMAO = laughing my ass off
NE1 = anyone
NFW = no f@#king way
NM = nothing much
NP = no problem
NW = no worries
OMG = oh my god
PITA = pain in the ass
PLZ = please
PPL = people
R = are
ROFL = rolling on the floor laughing
ROFLMAO = rolling on the floor laughing my ass off
ROFLMAOPIMP = rolling on the floor laughing & pissing in my pants

RU = are you

SNAFU = situation normal all f@#ked up

THX = thanks

TMI = too much information
TTFN = ta-ta for now
TY= thankyou
U = you
WB = welcome back
WBU = what about you
WTF = what the f#@k
WTG = way to go
WT? = what the ....?
YW = you're welcome

Hope this clarifies things a little or should I say:

HTH and BFN but BBS PLZ and THX for viewing.

Translation:
Hope this helps and bye for now but be back soon please and thanks for viewing.

Don't forget to visit i-Imagination for all your graphic design requirements.

Phil

Living In the 70s

In the 70s, I was a mere budding teenager whose only goal was to get his licence (a story for another entry) his own super leaded guzzling car, (Unleaded was a loose dog), so he could cruise around and be cool like the Fonz, yes I even had a motorbike or two. But this entry is to give a 70s spin on terms in common use today.

For instance, the mobile phone. Thirty to forty years ago a mobile phone had a range of about 4 feet from the wall or bench top. Unless you pulled the chord from the wall and tossed it across the room in disgust, acka Russell Crowe style. Mind you, if it didn't break from the impact, you wouldn't be able to talk to anyone until you plugged it back in again.

Then there is the PS. Kids today would know this to mean Play Station, but when I was young it was the bit you put at the end of letter because you forgot to say it before, and speaking of letters, they were handwritten or typed, hence the PS (saved you re-writing the whole letter), put in an envelope, a stamp stuck on the front, dropped in a mail box (not an e-mail box) and you waited 6 weeks for a reply! PSP is a jumbled up version of PPS, the second forgotten comment on a letter.

The only X-box I remember from the 70s was the black and white warning in the bottom corner of Playboy or Penthouse or the ilk.

When it comes to the Wii, we did that in the toilet, but we didn't spell Wii that way!

Microwave was a young long blonde haired wanna be surfer's nightmare!

A computer system, if you were lucky to have one, usually had its own building the size of a warehouse and stored a massive 4 kilobytes of information and needed ducted air conditioning to stop it from overheating.

The web was built and maintained by the spider outside your bedroom window, in the corner of your room, under the house, in the bush etc.

Colour TV was the new fad which we didn't get till the old HMV black and white finally gave up the ghost. Plasma was a term used in Star Trek TOS, LCD was an error of letters by someone who was on LSD and the TV took up a whole corner of the lounge room (not much has changed there).

We were pretty oblivious to events going on around the world and usually didn't find out about anything important until days, neigh weeks, after the event. These days we can find out what happened 60 seconds ago, just about anywhere else in the world.

A laptop, clearly is self explanatory. It obviously was the top of your lap, where the fur ball cat could be found, or the lap dog, depending on your fancy. A desktop amazingly was where you put your pens/pencils, assorted stationery, telephone and writing pad.

An iPod referred to your experience with a group of whales, of which there were more of because the Whalers couldn't or wouldn't travel this far away from their home ports. And an MP3 player was a boom box that took about 15 size C batteries to work without being plugged into a wall.

The DS was the initials of an obscenity that you bellied at someone you didn't like.

We didn't have remote controls, we actually had to get out of our lounge chair walk over to the TV and change the channel, turn up the volume, adjust the brightness and contrast (that's about all black & white tv's had). When remote controls made their first appearance in the 80s, they were still attached to the unit by a chord which meant the lounge chair could only be about 4 feet from the TV.

We have progressed from seeing the Movie of the Week on a Sunday at prime time, once a week or going to the cinema or one of the many drive-in theatres to get our special dose of a hollywood blockbuster TO video players and Video hire shops, TO DVDs and now Blue Ray movies that we can buy at will in many shops, watch at any time of the day on any day of the week on Pay TV, or if we are really brave, download off the internet. Don't even think about going to the drive-in, most of them are now car parks or places for markets to gather.

I could go on, but I'd be here all day, But then I am anyway, since I freelance from home. Next entry I might concentrate on internet jargon and the many initials we use to abbreviate what we want to say.

Don't forget to check out iImagination's website and feel free to employ my services.

Phil

TIME IS RELATIVE

I know that time is time, and passes by at the same rate all the time. 1 minute is 60 seconds, 1 hour is 60 minutes, 1 day is 24 hours, and so on.
SO WHY IS IT WHEN YOU ARE WAITING FOR A DAY TO ARRIVE SO THAT A CERTAIN THING CAN HAPPEN THAT YOU ARE ANXIOUSLY LOOKING FORWARD TO, DOES THE DAYS SEEM SOOOOOOO LOOOONNNNNGGG!
You see we are waiting for the house we are moving into to be finished being built. Only a few little things left to do, but we can't move in till this coming Friday. We've known this now for over a week, and I gotta say this last week and these last few days have been the longest days of my life. And yet I know that is not possible! I did the math! It's illogical to feel this way. And yet, probably like a lot of other people in similar situations, I do!
You know, I can arrive at a train station up to an hour before my train is due. I grab a newspaper, read the horror stories, do the crosswords, maybe a brain teaser or two, patiently waiting for the train to pull into the platform. But the minute, NEIGH THE SECOND, that that train is late, I start pacing back and forwards, wearing a pathway in the platform surface, and going through another pair of cheap joggers.
Perhaps people should lower their expectations to avoid disappointment, but if we did that, then technological advancements, indeed advancements in any field would stagnate.
Finally, to put in the token plug, If you have high expectations, don't want to wait any longer than you have to, because your TIME IS MONEY than i-Imagination is the Graphic Design Studio you need to be contacting for all your design needs.

THE FOOTBALL PSYCHE OUT

It wasn't enough that the weather gods in Queensland decided to turn on the worst day of the week for the day that the South Sydney Rabbitohs flew in for their round 25 clash with the Brisbane Broncos. The teaming rain that brought visibility to mere metres. Driving rain that stranded an already stressed Rabbitohs football team on the airport tarmac.
They then had to negotiate, the torrential rain in a vehicle competing with space on the road with the hoards of traffic headed for Suncorp Stadium to witness the Wallabies and All Blacks come head to head, while the tired, stressed, wet and cold bunnies tried to honour their commitments to meet with their dwindling fans who had already waited some 60 minutes, who also got wet and cold.
But then, to top it all off, the hotel staff where the Rabbitohs were staying decided to prematurely wake the already worn out team with a 6.00am fire drill. I mean really, if this wasn't a ploy by hotel staff to help psyche out the Bunnies from the ensuing clash on the field, then the easter bunny really does lay chocolate eggs.
That's my take on it anyway. Needless to say, the resting of Nathan Merritt and John Sutton didn't help. And lets face it, and I'm sure Fetuli Talanoa is a lovely bloke, but when it comes to First Grade Rugby League, he just isn't up to it!
The Brassall Bunny, (formerly known as "Casino Rabbit" on Talkin' Sport).

Great Email

Darren Taylor, from Merriman Controls, one of our valued clients had this to say about the recent trade magazine advertisement we designed for him today. This response came after just ONE (1) proof! (to view it bigger click HERE)

So if you would like a no fuss FIRST and ONLY proof of your advertisement or any project that you require, you should visit iImagination's website to see how we can help you and if you need Industrial piping and fittings you should visit Merriman's website today!

New Projects Completed

I would just like to announce that iImagination has recently completed two (2) projects for different clients giving them their own unique internet presence.

Merriman Controls in North Wyong, New South Wales, required their products pages to be updated to a site that we also created. I'm pleased to advise that those pages are now live for all to see.

My mate Andrew Oakeshott at Kodiak Data Cabling, has finally requested a full blown site instead of the one pager that we threw together some years ago. His site has now gone live, but we are still awaiting content for the testimonials page.

If you have any requirements needed to be done by a professional team of designers, then be sure to contact us at iImagination first.

TV stands for Total Void

You are probably asking what the hell is this guy talking about! Where do I start. First the powers that be canned Stargate SG1, after 11 seasons, that doesn't seem so bad. What was bad was that they replaced it with Stargate Universe. An epic failure that drifted right away from its ever successful predecessor into a format that was more of a cross between Star Trek Voyager and the new version of Battlestar Galactica. The writers lost the plot with all the drama and seriousness in SGU where the actual Stargate was the least used hole in the series. The tragedy in all this is that when the long awaited and desired decision to can SGU finally came, they also chose to shelve the planned Stargate Atlantis movies which we were looking forward to with baited breath.

There is now no decent SCI/FI not scyfy, as they now call the channel, anyway no decent Sci/Fi series left to watch notwithstanding reruns of SG1, SGA and Star Treks.

Add to that, my new favourite series, NCIS, is in hiatus until the northern hemisphere's fall, and our southern hemisphere's Spring. Again we are left with re-runs.

It is my opinion, and only that, that Television programs, and their respective writers, have hit an all time low, where there is nothing worth watching emanating into our living rooms. We have these you-beaut widescreen LCD or Plasma televisions and they are dishing up crap to watch on them. It's almost enough for you to sell your big expensive TV set and return back to the bored, I MEAN BOARD games.

So now I have all this idle time, visit my website and contract me to do some work for you. I have plenty of time to spare, plenty of time, really A LOT OF TIME!!!

Sheets and their sizes

Here is one of my random thoughts. I have often wondered why sheets don't have their size on their tags.

When you buy clothes you buy them by size, right? And throughout the life of the clothes, or until the tag falls off and/or fades, the size is always there for all to see. But not so for sheets.

The size of a sheet is clearly marked on the packaging, when you first buy it. But what about when you've used it, washed it, folded it, and put it in the linen closet with all the other same colour sheets. Then you go to use it again, but wait! I have kids who use single sheets too, and they are all grouped together. WHICH ONE IS WHICH? You can't look at the tag, because there is no "DB" or "QB" or "KB" (if you are that lucky) or "SB".

You end up having to UNFOLD the sheets till you find the one you want, then REFOLD the sheets and put them back. It gives me the Sh@$ts.

When will manufactures add those all important 2 letters to their tags so we all know what size the sheet is WHEN IT IS FOLDED!

Please!

A twitter here, A twitter there!

iImagination has joined the many millions of people on twitter. Still not really understanding how it all works, suffice it to say, I selected various talents, who I admire, to follow, who I might add, are yet to follow me, but that's OK, I'm nobody special, although I could offer them Graphic Design services, should they need them.

For example, my mate Russell Crowe, who I have met and is a really nice bloke, despite what some concierges might say, could utilise my services for our South Sydney Rabbitohs.

However that is not the purpose of this blog entry. I merely wished to point out that in the days of "low-tech" when mobile phones were only on Star Trek. When computers took up a room the size of a house and needed air conditioning to keep the air clean of dust. And if you wanted to play a computer game, it was off to the Arcade with a pocket full of change.

Well back in those days, famous or talented people were admired from afar and perceived as someone to aspire to, to strive to be like, to imitate and so on. But technology such as the Internet with Facebook and Twitter, mobile phones with the increasing number of apps you can get for them, has brought those famous stars back down to earth as we realise that in a lot of ways we are already akin.

Russell Crowe tweated about a 5 km walk which included an encounter with a red belly black snake, which reminded me of a time when walking at a beach not far from Russell's home of a similar experience.

Pauley Perrette tweated a picture of her and her significant other with a face full of pizza. I mean who of us has never dived head first into a delicious disc from the mediterranean.

Soon to be mum, Alyssa Milano is often tweating about every day events that happen in her life.

It's not as I first thought, a vehicle for each to push their own barrow, but it is an insight into the everyday events that happen to us, but it's happening to them, who at the end of the day, are just like us.

I guess you can say I am officially a twitter convert. Just keep twittering, just keep twittering.

Religion or not? What was the question?

Now before you think I am some raving religious fanatic, or bent on starting my own cult following, I would like to dispel those fears in the very first sentence, so DISPEL already. The fact is this age old question has caused more fights over history, spilled more blood and disunity between neighbouring countries, neighbours in general, even family members, than any of us would care to remember. So I thought I would have my 2 bob's worth on the subject.

Having been baptised as a baby and then been force fed religious doctrine all through my childhood and teen years, as an adult, seeing all the bad in the world, I began to question all that I was asked to believe. Naively I came to the conclusion that earth was hell, and we all needed to go through hell to get to heaven. A valid thought, but maybe misguided. Then a book fell in my lap (not literally), and I started to read. No it wasn't the bible, nor a book on scientology. The book was called "The Celistine Prophecy". Now although a novel and as such was fiction, it lead me to, ironically, a revelation.

Imagine this scenario: Suppose Jesus did exist at some point in time, for arguments sake, let's say from 1 A.D. to 36 A.D. (I think it was). Jesus was born in a period of time where there was little understanding in the sciences. A period where running water was down at the creek, and night light was in the immediate vicinity of an open flame. The only engine was the "American injun", and the only ones that were buried in a tomb were the Pharoahs (and their mummy's). And yet they could still purify, melt down and mould Gold and other precious metals. Go figure!

But what if Jesus was just a man? Now before you start labeling me a blasphemer and the like, what if he was a very astute man and saw not just the world but the universe for what it is? Energy. A tree is energy. Millions and billions of atoms moving at a certain rate that enable us to see touch and utilise the woody growth. But there is other energy that we can't see, that we can't touch, taste, or smell. Just because it's not tangible, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Isn't that what they taught us about God? This energy is all around us, even in us as we respire and expire the very air that surrounds us. So it's everywhere, even inside us. Hey, that's what the priest said about God too.

In Jesus' day, few things captured the imagination of the populace, but God and/or Gods always got them talking. I believe Jesus thought by explaining his philosophy as it is set out in the bible, the people of the day would embrace and understand his ideas better. And so it was. Parables of good will, and outlandish tales that easily explained the way of the universe. I mean you can't really believe we all came from two people, "Adam and Eve". Of course Adam is symbolic of males and Eve symbolises women. Well it wasn't Adam and Adam. (That one will get the homosexuals ranting).

What if God is another term for the Universal Energy, of which we are all apart, and as such it is all around us, inside us, and we are it's image! At communion we partake in the consumption of it, in prayer we talk to it, at night we imagine the stellar skies are representative of it. This make sense!

Another confusing thing of religion was ages. We are lead to believe that Moses was some 500 years (or whatever term for time they used old). But how exactly did they tell time in those days. It's not like you could buy a wristwatch from the local gold moulding factory. Were there any Swiss around back then anyway? I'm guessing that calculating the passing of time, was done with the sun rising and setting, and the moon going from a whiter shade of pale, to a full blown light globe over the lunar 28 days. Ahhh a starting point. Say Moses was 500 new moons old, that would make him, going by today's calender, around 38. A pretty long beard for 38!

Well I'm sure I have raised a few eyebrows with my little slice of philosophy, I'm still trying to come up with a way of having my money and spending it too. Perhaps you can visit my site at iImagination for all your graphic designing needs. Cheerio and GOD Bless!

Santa's Not Parading

The New South Wales government, the Federal government and the Business Managers in and around Sydney, through their combined lack of support, has forced the Sydney Christmas Parade in to hibernation for the second year running, maybe even extinction, as the man trying to bring some christmas spirit, and charity awareness to the greater community of Sydney, is now verging on bankruptcy after pouring millions of dollars into a dream that only a tiny few believe in.
Now I have always voted labour, but it seems that the Sydney Christmas Parade Trust gained more support from the Howard Coalition government, then either the labour state or federal governments.
Because the entity was registered as a Trust, it is deemed as a "For Profit" organisation, although in the years of it's existence, it is yet to show a profit. As such is required to pay an enormity of bills to the state government in order to proceed. For example, there is a requirement of paying in excess of $80,000 just to have the police present. I mean, really, Pay the police force TO DO THEIR DAMN JOB.
I am furious at the government for not helping stage this gala event that heralds in the biggest retail period of the year. And yet, the GAY AND LESBIAN MARDI GRAS, are allowed to parade their lewd and in some cases (such as 2009) naked bodies AT THE TAXPAYER'S EXPENSE. There seems to be a lapse in judgement here, and one questions as to where the priorities of the "powers that be" really are.
Macy's has had a christmas parade since the 1930s. It is now an event that draws a massive crowd every year. WE COULD'VE HAD THE SAME. Adelaide have their annual event, from which we were to feature some of their floats this year. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
Once again I and iImagination are appalled at the lack of support for an event that brought charities to everyone's attention, at a time of year when they need to be recognised.
To you Anthony Mead I tip my Hat, and congratulate you on what you tried to bring to Sydney. I sympathise with your plight, and pledge iImagination's support to you in your future endeavours.
MERRY CHRISTMAS (or as the state and federal governments and the businesses in Sydney would say BAH HUMBUG).

To Advertise or not To Advertise, Why even ask the question

It seems to me these days that business managers and owners are more inclined to cut costs and/or expenditure in order to raise their bottom line. This knee jerk reaction is doomed to failure and has finite results, as eventually any increases in profits will once again flat line, leaving no breathing space for future increases.

Manufacturing profits through price hikes and layoffs is detrimental to the economy and to the quality of services and products. MARKETING is the only true way to increase profits through increased awareness leading to a broader client base. Instead of reducing expenditure in the area of advertising and marketing, business managers and owners should INCREASE, yes increase expenditure in advertising and marketing.

If all businesses adopted the tactic of reduced costs/expenditure coupled with increased prices, then the businesses that use each others products and services would lose again, having to pay higher prices for their consumption.

iImagination can show you how you can utilise your marketing dollar affordably and effectively, aimed at your target market.

Don't back yourself into a wall leaving you no where else to go, rather broaden your catch net and outplay your competitors with lower prices. Make your profits through the quantity of clients rather than asking your current clients to pay more forcing them to look elsewhere for comparable products and services at cheaper rates. Contact iImagination now, visit our website or email Phil.

About iImagination

i-Imagination is the name of my business and we are located at Casino in the Northern Rivers district of New South Wales Australia. You can view my business website at http://www.iimagination.com.au and find out more about the products and services we offer. One particular product I am very keen about is our Planner series. It includes "My Shopping Checklist", "My Holiday Checklist" and "Moving House Checklist". They have been researched and designed to be ascetically pleasing while performing a very useful function of time and money management. Check it out at http://www.iimagination.com.au or http://www.iimagination.net