How to make a teaser.

Yes, i'm getting it. No, i'm not ashamed. And Ruddi, if you're reading this, i'm still not a geek.

If Felix Baumgartner had jumped here...

How would that have played out? Well just randomly, off the top of my head...

T-1 hour: Meteorological service confirms that we have excellent weather ahead. 

T-43 minutes: It begins to rain. Obscenely. Meteorological service is stunned. This wouldn't be the first time.

T-41 minutes: Countdown suspended because ECG has intervened.

T- 34 minutes: Countdown restored by back up generator

T- 32 minutes: Countdown suspended as we switch back to main power. ECG restored.

T-30 minutes: Countdown interrupted as ECG fails. Again.

T-29 minutes: Committee formed to determine whether to wait for ECG to restore power or fuel generator and proceed.

T-26 minutes: Countdown resumes as mission control committee decides we carry on with generator power.

T-15 minutes: Vice President's motorcade arrives

T-13 minutes: Cultural display begins

T-10 minutes: Minister of space jumps takes podium to deliver speech on how current government is dedicated to boosting the economy with more space jump initiatives backed by funding from UNESCO, WHO, and China. Also there will be free SHS.

T-2 minutes: He's still going.

T-1 minute: Bola Ray takes over countdown... "alraaa, are you readey?" "i said are you readey!?!"

T- 30 seconds: Feedback from the mic over the PA system

T- 9 seconds: Bola reminds us that this jump is brought to us by MTN. Everywhere you go.

T-3 seconds: Lift off. Someone hadn't synchronized their watch properly.

Felix's Felix's balloon rises slowly and elegantly for a while. Then suddenly begins to drift towards Labadi Beach.

Mission control assures him that all is well, It's just the north-east trade winds.

Sure enough, the balloon rights its course and soars into the atmosphere. We can still hear Felix loud and clear. Bola interjects that communication is sponsored by MTN.

10,00 ft... 20,000.... 50,000... 

"Mission control: Hello Felix... can you hear us" No response.

Mission control redials. Over the PA system we hear "Everywhere you go, there's always sky big beautiul... " Felix picks up "hello, hi Ghana, i'm still here... still rising... such a wonderful view... i can see... " Call cuts.

Mission control redials: " We hear Jessica instead. The MTN number you have dialled canot be reached at the moment..."

At 100,000 feet, Felix is floating high over accra. Unable to reach mission control for some reason he sits tight hoping that once Mission control realizes, they will abort the mission and you know, send the Airforce in or something. Oh sweet, sweet Felix.

So he continues to soar in faith. Unaware that he's about to be introduced to another particularly African concept. The concept of "efie fuo... house people." As it turns out, his "House people" have been looking for him... ahem.

 

Nah. You know I'm just playing. Of course it'd have gone perfectly. 

 

 

 

 

Integrated Advertising explained.

Like only Saatchi can.

Grunt.

Tastes are changing, flavourless broth.

Used to be effort came forth to create content,

But now it comes fourth,

Effortless mediocrity over a beat keeps us content.

 

Production standards drop a jaw

Fruit drags us to the dance floor.

But what are standards for

When one about a presidential banana

just came thru the door?

Nothing. I guess we'll swallow raw.

 

Music and media used to reek of creativity

But now there's no accountability,

no old-fashioned responsibility

Spit it, ship it; that's productivity.

Audiences ingest mediocrity,

Screw craft and consistency,

Ignore anything near memorability,

F**k posterity.

...or maybe this is just me, wallowing in subjectivity.

 

 

#SaveSesameStreet.

 

 

 

MC-Bama

I really like this. And if you think about how much time went into the editing, you can't even hate. 

 

Apple doesn't care.

The iPhone5 is out, and everyone has an opinion. Even you. Many have taken royal pisses at it. But hate it or love it, it sure got your attention. Probably still does - and that's all it really needs. 

Regardless of the taunting most notably from Samsung and Nokia (or some really huge fans of theirs) who released ads that stack up specs and attempt to portray theirs as the better phone, it seems the guys at Apple cant be bothered. And for good reason.

There's this theory in marketing, that if a challenger brand can get the market leading brand to notice it enough that the market leader feels the need to retaliate or defend themselves, then the audience considers the challenger brand as the market leader's equal.

Apple doesn't need to prove anything to anyone, maybe in the 80s they did, but not now. And surely not to you and your list of stacked specs. Here are guys who don't do consumer research, remember? They decide what you need - like hawkers in Lagos - and it turns out they're getting better at it, because the pre-orders are being made and come the 21st, the lines shall form. Profits will be made. 

So, now i wonder: what if we decided as individuals to not need to prove anything to anyone? What if we just plowed on, totally confident in ourselves and abilities? What if we all just decided to.. how do i put this eloquently... F***k the haters? It seems once again Apple is showing us the way. 

Siri, how do i f**k the haters?

The Fear.

Nothing that ever changed the world happened in a comfort zone. Even Newton took a risk by sitting under the apple tree on a windy day. Risk fascinates us. It lures us. But we fear it.

Mafia capos have such a reputation because they take risks everyday that present life threatening hazards. But it's their seeming immunity to the fear of retribution that comes along with it that we eulogize. "What the worst could happen? i could get whacked... it's a possibility, but i'm okay wth that." And once you're okay with that, nothing else seems really threatening.

Many of us long to be equally brave and in control of our own destinies. But we're stranded by fear. Nothing as profound as death. No. Things more important. Like... the fear of losing the monthly salary, for example. The fear of what society thinks - and sometimes society consists of your boys and the girl you're dating), and of course the fear of failure. And those are just a few of many. So we stay in our comfort zones too scared to move.

But like a baby that lets go of her walker for the first time, could mastering our fear be the key to discovering our purest potential? I don't know. But i'm certain comfort zones kill. Even yours.

You okay with that?