Fifty Shades of Black Friday
The bandwagon - it can be the marketers nightmare or dream. Do you jump on it? Do you watch it sail by filled with potential and brilliant marketing ideas? Do you jump in head first and come up smelling of roses or smelling of...hay?
When any major date, film or cultural happening takes us by surprise do you react and risk damaging brand identity for the sake of a cheap, cheeky joke - or do you resist temptation and hope that it's another flash in the pan and doesn't end up as the worlds biggest news? Do we react when an ageing pop star stumbles on stage in a totally unrehearsed fall?
How many of us will be ignoring Black Friday 2015 fearful of little old ladies being trampled over in our stores for the bargains we've promoted? Will there be a big market in the 'Anti-Black Friday' campaigns? "We're not taking part but here's so great offers".
What about film releases - should we be seen to be doing witty Fifty Shades campaigns to show we're 'with it' or are customers bored of all that 'cashing in'? Should the rule be 'If you've got nothing useful to say, then don't'?
I'm not sure there is an answer, but I do know that I'll be watching next years' Brit awards much, much more closely with Twitter and Facebook primed!
Labels: Marketing
Wii
I have a wii!!!! A lovely shiny new exciting wonderful nintendo wii!! It is soooooooooo good. I only have Wii Sports and Cars at the moment but wii sports is so fantastic! It's unbelievable how the controller works for the games!!
Wii is wow!!
oh yeah, got promoted to Acting Manager of Nuneaton Countrywide too.
We're online!!
For all your country based needs please get to
www.countrywidefarmers.co.uk now!!! (or tell other people or just have a poke around....please!)
Welcome Home!!
What a lovely holiday I have just had! Many thanks to all who came along for helping it to be such fun. Jon with his £30 drinks of champane; Greg with his red ski-socks/sandal/pants combo; Paul and his fires; Jen and Mark for their alcoholism; 'Princess Laura' for her divaism and Neil and his long chats into the early hours!! Mention must go too to Cathy for a crash worthy of Top Gear!! He he he!!
I do have other photos so plead with me if you want them posted (alternatively plead if you don't!!)
Long Live Mr Eko!
I have a little kitten! He's 6 weeks old and lovely. And I haven't posted in an age so thought I'd best. My lifes full of cute things right now, eh!!
RIP Crocodile Hunter 1962 - 2006
Well this is, by now, a 'Everyone else has posted it so I will too' post. But I did think of doing before I saw that everyone else had!!
Anyway, It is a day in History the man who every day looked 'Danger' in the eye, poked it with a stick, made it angry and skipped away from it, has died.
Given a snake as a 6 year old he became obsessed with Animal Welfare and breaking down the taboos of Natural History, he made it his mission to show the world that these 'evil' predators should be respected and revered not feared and hated. He would show you just how amazing some of the scariest and ugliest creatures actually are.
I can't believe is is 14 years since he bounded onto our screens wreatling Crocs and Snakes.
Ironically one of the most placid animals he dealt with was actually the one that killed him, but sad as it is he really went in style and in the true manner of his life.
My thoughts, and clearly the thoughts of many others, are with his wife and young children.
I can see that in a few months he'll be on GODtv poking the devil in the eye and wreastling him by the horns screaming 'Look how angry the little mite gets, if he really wanted to kill me - he can't!'
There were 9 in the sky and the little one said....
You've got to feel some kind of sympathy - put yourself in this place. You're busy doing what you have been doing for the last 76+ years just floating around in the sky just missing Neptune as you circle the Star that you've spent all your days running round and round and round when suddenly BAM!! some b**tard goes and tells you you're not a planet anymore!! What a bummer!! Only a few days ago you were thinking that not only were you going to be allowed to still be one but your mate Charan, who's been circling you for ages, some blokes called Ceres and 2003 UB313 were going to come along too. Now 3 of you are being told to pretty much f*ck off and given a consolation title of 'Dwarf Planets' (Ceres was told to P*ss off totally - not welcome!)What do people think Pluto should do? He's likely to appeal the sentance but with little gaurantee of success, I think he should star a rival solar system myself. Whatever he chooses to do I wish him all the best in the future - God bless you Pluto, it was nice knowing you!!(Wow I got all the way through this post WITHOUT a crap inneundo about Uranus!!)(D'oh!)
V Festival 2006
Got back yesterday from V2006. It was a fantastic weekend made better by good friends and new aquaintences. 
Jon Got drunk and was unable to stand up without stumbling. In thiis Photo he is waiting for some size 8 Pink Wellies to try on!!
Laura and Greg took the oportunity to use this weekend to try out new fashions!!
These people are using the state of the art toilet facilities. Notice, too the lady in the corner of the cubicles squatting like only a true lady would!!
The tent was huuuuuuuuge. On this photo you may just about make Greg out right at the far end of the tent. Can you see? He's wearing a hat.
And despite popular belief the sun shone over the festival.
I intend to review the bands when I have more time so keep watching. But in the meantime may I take this opportunity to wish Tom from Keane all the luck in the world in his recovery from drug addiction.
R.I.P. Tibby
Tibby 1989 - 2006
WOOOO HOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just a quick note to say that I am really really happy as Melton Mowbray Countrywide Store (where I work) Has just been announced as the MOST IMPROVED STORE 2006 and THE SECOND BEST STORE IN THE COMPANY 2006!!! Might not sound a lot to you but out of 40 stores it means a HELL of a lot to me!! This is the happiest day of my working life!!On another note:- just watched Superman - it's good.
Paintballing
Today I offer up proof that Paintballing does not hurt:-
Some shots are slightly 'below the frame', if you know what I mean!! I think there are are something like 25 red rings on my body. If you stare at them long enough you can see patterns!! At least i was victorious - i got that Flag from right under the stupid red teams noses and dived in the stinking, poorly-defended 'base'. Hah! In your face Red Team!! Who's laughing now!!
Right I'm off to rub more cream in....
Something to watch....
Keep Watching...
Soon you'll have something to watch.....
Come on - Take That AND Party.
On Friday the 28th of April 2006 at the NEC, Birmingham Could it Have Been Magic? I can only Pray that it wasn't as I will Never Forget it. You can Do What U Like, Babe - Sure - but A Million Lovesongs couldn't make me think that Love Ain't Here Anymore. It Only Took a Minute of Promises but Everything Changed and I found Heaven! You can ask me How Deep my Love is, or ask why you Can't Wake up with me - but nothing can detract from the fact that Take That Relit everybodies Fires and are Back For Good! (Or at least for this tour - and then again in 10 years.)
Some of us were VERY excited! (And wearing 11 year old clothes!)
The Boys entered in a very demure way!
Then had a little prayer before the show.
A Beatles Medley.
Then it began to rain! Which sadly made the boys all wet and cold.
I have no picture of the oversized, overhyped and unnessesary Robbie Hologram. Sorry.
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Jon Got drunk and was unable to stand up without stumbling. In thiis Photo he is waiting for some size 8 Pink Wellies to try on!!
These people are using the state of the art toilet facilities. Notice, too the lady in the corner of the cubicles squatting like only a true lady would!!
And despite popular belief the sun shone over the festival.
The Boys entered in a very demure way!
Then had a little prayer before the show.
Then it began to rain! Which sadly made the boys all wet and cold. 
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