Hill+Knowlton Strategies

I got a chance to attend my client Tata Communications’ two-day Global Media and Analyst Summit in Dubai at the end of March. A lot of hard work went into the media outreach and organisation of the summit, but the effort the whole team put into it was all worth it, as the event turned out a great success with 34 journalists from all over the world including the UK, Germany, France, India, Singapore, South Africa and Hong Kong, as well as 38 analyst attendees from all corners of the globe.

The two days were jam packed with presentations, roundtable discussion and one-on-one briefing with Tata Communications’ executives, but we got the opportunity to chill out too and take in the sights and sounds of Dubai. It was my first visit, and I was blown away by the architecture and general grandness of everything in the city. My friends who had been to Dubai before had told me about the ice rink and underwater zoo with a shark tank – inside a mall – but all that Dubai has to offer exceeded my expectations. The feedback from the attendees was hugely positive, and in addition to the ‘official’ parts of the summit, the highlight for me was visiting the Atmosphere bar at the top of the 830-metre Burj Khalilfa, the tallest building in the world. From the 122^nd floor, a tennis court all the way down looked like a postage stamp!

For more on our recent client trips, head to Twitter! www.twitter.com/hk_techlabs

- Kersti

Howdy folks. How’s it hanging?

Yes, we’ve got another edition of your favourite neighbourhood blog post – Three For Free! I’m actually quite interested in seeing if anyone’s actually gone to check out the creativity freebies we at The Spark have recommended. Pop us a comment below and let us know how you got on.

1. PINK LADY FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR EXHIBITION @ MALL GALLERIES, 25-29 APRIL

• My favourite photoshoots to manage have never been the flashy celebrity ones. I much prefer a day taking shots of food, glorious food. There’s something rather zen about it and I truly believe the most creative photographers are food photographers. For example, did you know that the lovely vanilla ice cream photo you’re drooling over is likely mashed potatoes? Trust me, I once spent an entire afternoon trying make a sausage not look like, well, a limp… sausage. Anyways, go get inspired and check out the Food Photographer of the Year awards at the Mall Galleries. Just don’t go with an empty stomach.

2. COLOUR IN SNEAKERS @ DRINK, SHOP & DO, 25 APRIL, 8PM

• Calling all sneaker freakers – check out this cool event at Drink Shop & Do. It is technically free (you need to buy a cocktail) and it’s a night full of doodling! It’s inspired by this new trend of colouring books for adults, you’re invited along to investigate the art of sneakers. If you’re the type who likes to customize your kicks, definitely check this original approach to sneaker culture.

3. HELLO WORLD (or How I Learned To Stop Listening and Love The Noise) BY CHRISTOPHER BAKER @ SAATCHI GALLERY, ONGOING

• I’m not sure if this is creepy or creative (or both?), but it’s definitely an interesting exhibition by Christopher Baker. Basically, it’s an installation of thousands of online video diaries to showcase the human desire to be heard. You can either go close up an hear the individual videos or take a step back and immerse yourself in the noise. Baker is quite interested in our interconnectivities and how it impacts our highly networked lives. Would be far more interesting if he used live Chat Roulette videos instead…

That’s all folks. Enjoy

-Kat

Working in a ‘creative’ industry has its upsides and downsides.

On the one hand, we get to work with our clients and colleagues to conjure up big ideas that change opinion, spark conversation or simply amaze. We work with our minds and we see the fruits of our labour on TV, in print or unfolding online – it’s a glamorous place to be.

On the flip side, we’re always looking for how we can do it bigger, better and smarter – under pressure to improve on the past, innovate the present and change our future direction. We’re mined for our brainwaves and more often than not we force our creativity to meet deadlines and expectations.

As anyone who has ever tried to solve a problem or come up with an idea will know, the best solutions often come to you unexpectedly, in the shower, out with friends or walking alone – rarely on the spot.

Using this Creative Inspiration blog, I’d like to champion unforced creativity – natural inspiration that only comes to you when you manage to switch off and let your mind wander.

The Harvard Business Review blog suggests you should schedule a time each day to take a break to think more creatively and strategically, even changing your environment to induce more open-ended thinking. Do Nothing for 2 Minutes encourages you to, well, do nothing for two minutes, and Calm.com lets you escape, albeit using your computer screen. Personally, I’m a big believer in taking some time out and completely switching off – no BlackBerry, emails, just you and your thoughts.

Even in our new immediate society, it’s important to get some perspective and dare I say it, indulge in some digital downtime.

The next time you need an idea, take a step back and walk away from your desk – it may just inspire you.

- Dan

Millions of people around the UK are getting ready to welcome the world to London in 100 days time. 70,000 volunteers are already a significant way through the million hours of training they will receive ahead of the eight million hours of volunteering they will deliver;  over eight million people have said in a recent survey they are getting ready to line the streets and cheer the thousands of community heroes carrying the Olympic flame around the UK;  two million school children are learning about the values of the Games and the countries and cultures of the 10,000 plus athletes from over 200 National Olympic Committees coming to the UK and eight million Olympic and Paralympic tickets will be in the hands of British sports fans by the Summer.

Whilst the UK gets ready to host the Games, LOCOG announced today that the world-famous aerobatic display team the  Red Arrows will perform a nine-ship flypast in Big Battle formation across the UK to mark the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games (27 July), providing a stunning curtain raiser to the show. Flying over London 2012 Live Sites in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London before the Opening Ceremony begins, the iconic Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team will herald the start of the Games, and welcome the world in quintessentially British fashion.

LOCOG also today unveiled the motto for the Games – ‘Inspire a generation’.  Reflecting the promise made when London bid for the Games, the motto will appear on branding and publications in the run up to, and during, the Games.

Today sees the latest ‘spectacular’ installation of the Olympic rings unveiled – at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, west London. The rings, which are 50m long, will be made up of 20,000 plants and will be visible from the Heathrow flight path.  The flowers were planted over a period of five days by a team of volunteers and Kew staff.  They will be in full flower for the summer.

LOCOG, and its delivery partners, are getting ready for the Games – 31 out of 42 sport test events have been successfully completed, with the biggest test event to come in May, involving over 80,000 people on the Olympic Park for six events. In total, around 250,000 people will have attended the London Prepares series of test events.

Finally, preparations are well advanced for the London 2012 Festival – the country’s biggest ever arts festival which will see over 1,000 events held across the UK to welcome the world as part of the Cultural Olympiad. There will be 10 million free opportunities to take part in events across the UK.

Across the UK, thousands of people will be marking 100 days to go.  At Weymouth and Portland, the venue for the Olympic and Paralympic Sailing competitions, a giant sandcastle has been built featuring the Olympic Rings.

IOC President Jacques Rogge said, ‘Organising the Olympics is a team effort and over the next hundred days, people from all walks of life and from all around the world will play their part in helping to make London 2012 a Games that will inspire a generation. From the athletes refining their technique, to the volunteers learning about their roles, to the torchbearers carrying the Olympic flame and the people supporting them as they go, each and every one of them is playing their part in making these a Games to remember. Around the world, the excitement is growing and expectations are high but I am confident that Britain and London will deliver a great sporting event and a warm welcome too.’

LOCOG Chair Seb Coe said, ‘With 100 days to go to the start of the Games, millions of people  are getting ready to do the best work of their lives and welcome the world this summer.  There is a groundswell of support and excitement, not just in the UK, but internationally as the final countdown to the London 2012 Olympic Games begins. Whether it’s the competing athletes or people getting ready to join their communities in supporting Torchbearers on the streets of the UK, the whole world is getting ready for London. Expectations are high, and we won’t disappoint.’

Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport Jeremy Hunt said, ‘The London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics are within touching distance now and there’s something incredibly exciting about that. The country is getting ready to welcome the world this summer, and it’s set to be an amazing celebration that we will never forget.’

We’re excited that we are at the 100 days to go marker and we’re getting ready to celebrate the biggest event in the world coming to London.  How are you planning to mark the Olympics in a hundred days time? Are you volunteering, hosting Olympic parties or getting involved with the torch relay in your local community?  We’d also love to hear your thoughts on how you think the Olympics will ‘inspire a generation’ too.

Today, P&G launched its first ever global advertising and marketing campaign for the corporate brand which went live in markets across the world simultaneously. The global ‘Thank you, Mum’ campaign is the first Olympic Games themed activity from P&G which has a global 10 year partnership with the International Olympic Committee.

The activity forms part of P&G’s ‘Proud sponsor of Mums’ campaign which recognises and celebrates the dedication and sacrifices mums make for their children every day.

The highly emotive advert titled ‘The Hardest Job is the Best Job’ brings to life the hard work and dedication of mums across the world every day to help their kids to achieve their dreams. It culminates with that once-in-a-lifetime moment when each child first competes at the London 2012 Olympic Games, interspersed with authentic clips of mums supporting their kids from the stands.

The campaign kick’s off on P&G’s digital and social media platforms to coincide with 100 days to go until the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games. The majority of the company’s brands – including Gillette, Pampers and Oral-B – as well as P&G’s corporate brand in all regions will activate the ‘Thank you, Mum’ campaign.

Inspired viewers can then go to www.facebook.com/thankyoumum on Facebook where, through the ‘Mum Thanker,’ they can then create their own ‘Thank you, Mum’ message by uploading personalized content in the form of a video, still image with caption or text-based message. Users will then be able to encourage friends and family to do the same, spreading the word to thank and celebrate all mums.

Irwin Lee, Managing Director and Vice President, P&G UK and Ireland, says, “Launching our first global P&G campaign allows us to shine a light on the amazing work mums do every single day in raising their children. At P&G, our business is all about supporting mums across the world with products like Pampers, Ariel and Fairy. Through our partnership with the IOC, we are using our voice to celebrate mums for everything they do, and to inspire people everywhere to express thanks to their mum or a mum that they know.”

Paula Radcliffe, athlete and Pampers ambassador for P&G says, “I am very proud to be part of this campaign as I know that I wouldn’t be where I am today without the unconditional support of my mum and family. Thank you Mum.”

P&G’s sponsorship and marketing activity for London 2012 is an important step in a decade-long, global partnership with the IOC spanning the next 10 years until 2020. The partnership begins with London 2012 and continues with the subsequent four Olympic Games: Sochi 2014, Rio 2016, Pyeongchang 2018 and the 2020 Games.

Since stepping out from behind its brands for the first time in March 2011, P&G’s ‘Proud sponsor of Mums,’ campaign has delivered outstanding business and brand-building results in the UK. P&G’s corporate brand has increased +20% in familiarity and +10% in favourability with consumers in the UK[1]. A single gondola-end display in one of P&G’s leading retailers delivers +12% higher sales with the IOC association than an identical display without it.

As part of its ‘Proud sponsor of Mums’ campaign in the UK, P&G has partnered with the BOA and BPA on a ‘nearest & dearest’ support programme for the friends and family of Team GB and ParalympicsGB leading up to and during the Games. As part of the programme, P&G has guaranteed two tickets per opening session each athlete competes in for their nearest and dearest. P&G is giving 95% of its corporate ticket allocation away to consumers.

Tell us how you would thank your mum on P&G’s Thank You Mum Facebook page

Hi everyone – happy Monday is over?

I feel a bit deflated at the moment and my own creativity is suffering. It seems like everything I’m working on is launching at the exact same time, so the indulgence into creative thinking tends to take a back seat to ‘get it done, get it down fast, get it done well.’ However, I’ve engaged myself in creative problem solving. I can give you a plethora of solutions on how to super glue blue velvet to a box without it looking like it was done by a primary school student. Anyways, here’s the three to get your creative juices flowing…

1. BOB CARLOS CLARKE @ THE LITTLE BLACK GALLERY (IMPERIAL ARMS), UNTIL DECEMBER

• Fancy a bit of erotic art at your lunch break? Well, head down to the infamous Little Black Gallery to check out some stylised erotica prints by Bob Carlos Clarke. According to Le Cool Mag: “From now on this traditional Victorian Chelsea tavern will display prints from the gallery, all available to buy, alongside the best of the capital’s street food as the first official west London site for acclaimed street food collective Eat Street. Treats include gourmet meatballs made from free-range British produce called things like ‘Great Balls of Fire’ and ‘Bjorn Ball’. Indulge.” Mmm, food and erotic art, sure this will get your creativity – amongst other things – stirring.

2. FASHION PLAYGROUND @ THE VILLAGE IN WESTFIELD MALL, 18 APRIL

• Calling all creative fashionistas, join Vogue and GQ as they transform Westfield’s The Village into a circus. Literally. There will be fortune-tellers, magicians, acrobats, face painting and professional performers. Expect live music, complimentary beauty touch ups, and personal styling consultations with Vogue and GQ fashion editors. For the ladies there is a Vogue photobooth and for gents there is a GQ men’s lounge. The best part – there are DISCOUNTS GALORE. I wonder if they’ll have clowns that look like Anna Wintour (yeah, yeah, it’s kooky Gaga).

3. REMOTE CONTROL @ THE INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ARTS, UNTIL 10 JUNE

• To be honest, the descriptor on the ICA website makes this exhibition sound fabulous: “Remote Control surveys the enormous impact that television has had upon contemporary culture through a range of artistic engagement with the medium and offers a look at how the next generation are responding to digital convergence. The exhibition includes many important works that reveal the power and influence of television broadcasting on politics and society. Remote Control coincides with the digital switchover in the UK and marks the end of analogue broadcasting, representing a milestone in the evolution of the medium.” Or perhaps, it’s just great writing. Nevertheless, even with the power of digital, TV seems to continue to be a powerful force in shaping society and discourse.

That’s it from me! Enjoy…

- Kat

Today young people from Aberdeen, Hull, and London celebrated their two year participation in the London 2012 Young Leaders Programme, with LOCOG Chair, Seb Coe and Olympic champion, Jonathan Edwards in an event at the British Museum. They will all take up roles as Games Makers this summer.

The programme, supported by our client BP, has seen the Young Leaders take part in a training programme designed to improve their inter-personal, communication and leadership skills. They have been involved in a number of volunteering opportunities delivered by vInspired, the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust and Aberdeen Foyer. They have also received one-to-one leadership coaching from BP employees.

Seb Coe, Chair of London 2012, said: ‘As part of our original bid for London 2012, we made a commitment to deliver a programme that would engage and inspire young people. It is hugely encouraging to see these young people graduate from the Young Leaders Programme today. We are proud to say that the volunteers will play a pivotal role in making London 2012 a great Games.’

Ian Duffy from BP commented: ‘As a London 2012 partner, BP is enormously proud to have been involved so closely with this excellent programme. It has been a wonderful experience for the BP coaches who have taken part.

‘We are delighted to have been a part of a programme which aims to spread the spirit of the Games in a very practical way so that London 2012 will not only be a great sporting success, but will also will have been an inspiration to a new generation of leaders.’

Katie Lowe, Young Leader from Aberdeen said: ‘I have more confidence since taking part in the Young Leaders programme, and I’m more punctual and tolerant too. While I’ve always been a natural leader, I’ve learned that I don’t need to be in control all the time in order to lead a team well.

‘The prospect of being involved in London 2012 as a Games Maker is so exciting and I’m really looking forward to putting all the things we’ve learnt as Young Leaders into practice when I’m meeting spectators from all around the world.’

In theory this should be one of the most creatively fertile weeks of the year; we should all be relaxed and mentally supple as we bask in the joy of a second consecutive four-day week. In reality, of course, we’re shaking wrecks – clammy-handed and bulging-eyed (though that may just be me, on reflection) as we detox after near-diabetes-inducing levels of processed sugar consumption over the Easter weekend.

To help you get over your post-holiday comedown, below are a few things that have inspired us over the past few days. Perhaps they will do the same to you – at the very least, they might distract you from your cravings for 10 minutes or so.

Our first example this week comes from Cornish teens’ favourites Quiksilver, who’ve put their money where their mouths (surfboards?) are by using hydroelectric energy to power their manufacturing facilities. Not only is this A Good Thing in environmental terms, but it’s a great example of CSR activity that links directly back to a brand’s roots and ethos – not only doing A Good Thing, but doing it in a way that continually reemphasises the brand’s heritage and core constituent audience. The clothes are still hugely overpriced, though.

Next we have this piece of activity from car manufacturers SMART in Argentina. Over the course of several days, the brand used its Twitter feed to create the world’s first animated advert delivered via social media – you kind of have to look at the feed to get how this worked (or, alternatively, watch the video below). This is brilliant largely because it exploits the blank canvas that is Twitter – you really can do almost anything with the platform (other recent examples of this include O2 UK’s campaign last month).

Ze Frank has been around on the internet for aaaaaaaaages. On Saturday, he posted this video which is a little bit odd but also a really inspirational call to action about all sorts of stuff. It contains swears, so wear headphones:

Minimalist posters have been an online ‘thing’ for a while, but it’s surprising how few brands have used the trend for their own purposes, taking iconic advertising or similar and repurposing it for a meme-hungry internet audience (like these, by design collective We Are Dorothy). The one below’s part of a great collection of revised Disney posters – this set, referencing the films of Pixar, is also lovely.

Click the image above for more

And finally, below is the story of Caine’s Arcade, which will inspire you to tears, no matter how dry and shrivelled your heart may be. Guaranteed to give you a warm, fuzzy glow, we promise:

Hi everyone – I gather we all had a very lovely, extra long Easter weekend?

I, for one, am stuffed with all sorts of deep fried Spanish delicacies from my recent adventure in Santiago De Compostela – a beautiful medieval city where I experienced the wonders of percebes (or goose barnacles). Talk about creative inspiration in nature. Anyways, before I go off on a complete tangent, here’s this week’s edition of free events to check out to get inspired and explore your creative thinking.

1. Lana Del Rey @ The Jazz Cafe, 10 April

• I’m sure you’re thinking this is a weird choice for a “creative event”, especially since Ms. Del Rey’s recent performance fell flat on SNL. However, despite what you think, this indie pop chick has a bit of a je ne sais quoi about her. I’ll be the first to admit I’m not exactly a fan, but her career has been managed by some of the most creative producers, stylists and directors in the music industry. Having worked in music promotion before PR, I was always fascinated in how they market these so-called pop princesses. Rihanna was always an artist I never bought into, but was impressed on how they’ve transformed this little Bajan island girl. Anyways, if anything, the Lana Del Rey gig is free and if it doesn’t float your boat, grab some pints in good ol’ Camden Town.

2. Kokoro: The Art of Horiyoshi III @ Somerset House, until 1 July

• Are tattoos art? Well, you can make that call if you visit the Horyoshi III exhibition at Somerset House, who are showcasing this world famous tattoo artist’s silk paintings. The exhibition promises to “lead you on a journey where the typical japanese nature and legends take life in silk paintings and photographs.” Whilst tattoos have a tendency to spill into the world of tacky and commonplace within the Western world, the Japanese use skin as the canvas to tell an evocative story and Horyoshi’s silk paintings are just an extension of that.

3.  Film in a Week @ Southbank Centre, 12 – 22 April

• The Southbank Centre have taken on the challenge of filming an entire Bollywood movie in the span of one week. Part of the Alchemy Festival, the crew will be working with dancers, actors, writers and musicians across London. Poet and playwright Nikesh Shukla has created a new script celebrating the very best of Bollywood cinema directed by Aneil Karia and choreographed by actor and choreographer Shobna Gulati (yes, from Corrie). Way cool; I’ll be busting out my sari and Shakira-esque dance moves for this one.

Enjoy!

- Kat

In recent days we’ve probably all become familiar with Samantha Brick – the 41-year old writer who claims that women hate her because she is so beautiful. Samantha claims to have received bottles of champagne from airline pilots when boarding flights as well as having bunches of flowers thrust into her hands from strangers in the street who apparently couldn’t help acting on impulse. Clearly this is a woman who was not brought up to believe that you shouldn’t take gifts from strangers!

Samantha has achieved considerable exposure in the press for espousing her view that ‘the sisterhood attack beautiful women’ and refusing to concede that women’s apparent dislike of her could be linked in any way to her character, or her personality. It’s fair to say that this is a woman who has made some controversial boasts, purposely perhaps, including her assertion that she has ‘always dressed with the express intention to please and gratify my male bosses in the workplace.’

You can form your own view as to whether Samantha is indeed a fine beauty but surely it is her inability to consider the concept that beauty IS only skin deep that really captures the attention.

In what I’m calling the ‘fox and crow’ syndrome,  Samantha’s main failing is her refusal to see her plight as anything other than a reaction to her, I quote, ‘lovely looks’. I’d like to venture an alternative. Consider this well-known Aesop’s Fable…

A fox wandered by a tree.  A crow was sitting on a branch. She  held a piece of cheese in her beak.  The fox wanted the cheese for himself. “What a pretty bird,” the fox said softly, as if speaking to himself. “If only crows could sing.” The crow was flattered to be called a pretty bird. To show the fox that she could also sing, the crow began to caw. The cheese dropped from her mouth and fell to the ground. “So you can sing,” the fox laughed. “If only your wits were as sharp!”  The fox snatched up the cheese, and ran off.

Samantha might be wise to consider that bottles of fizz and blooms are all very well but ultimately, the champagne will lose its bubbles and the flowers will fade. Will her ego have suffered the same fate?

(This post was written by Elise, who you can follow @HK_TechLabs)