Christian Barnett

Digital Branding's Lack Of Experience

2011-12-25T21:51:00.000Z

Why do the supermarkets and the banks and travel companies and a whole host of other companies with the resources to make a really good experience online serve us up boring transactional sites?

We have the technology and creativity at our disposal to improve things. There is also a good business case, I would presume, that as websites become increasingly functionally good that other things come into play to drive preference. The overall experience of the site for example, not just its functionality. If Google can turn looking at maps into a truly interactive and augmented experience, you would have thought the supermarkets could do better than a blank white background with the products on, or the airlines could do better than the ubiquitous front page series of drop downs.

This is the subject of a paper I wrote in 2011, originally whilst planning director at Coley Porter Bell, that was published in Market Leader June 2011. This is an evolved version presented at the first anniversary of Hot Source, a forum that promotes digital creativity in Norwich.

The paper is called 'From builders to architects'. Enjoy.

Do Something Interesting With Cliches

2011-09-18T15:10:00.000+01:00

This is 'By June The Light Begins To Breathe' by Keith Jacobshagen. It hangs in the Denver Art Museum. It's a great piece. What gives it something extra, though, is what the artist had to say about it, below.

And in many ways, what we, in the creative communications business, are dealing with time and time again, is exactly this; doing something interesting with cliches.

Adidas Detox

2011-09-07T12:25:00.001+01:00

Adidas has joined Adidas have joined Nike and Puma in the face of Greenpeace's campaign to eliminate hazardous chemicals in their production cycles. It's a great result. For more, click here.

Detoxing Nike

2011-08-18T19:03:00.000+01:00

Yesterday Nike agreed to detox. Nike agreed to officially commit to eliminating all hazardous chemicals across its entire supply chain, and the entire life-cycle of its products by 2010. Puma has already done so. Of the big three, only Adidas to go. It is only five weeks since Greenpeace launched their campaign. There has been a short, ad-like Detox film, a consistent 'logo' for the campaign (the Chinese symbol for water), some stunts (retail mannequins giving up their day job, stripteases outside Nike and Adidas retail), a ribbon for facebook or twitter profile (a twibbon), ring tones, pc wallpaper, a poll and petition, PR coverage, and of course the science in the Dirty Linen report.

To take only five weeks of activity to get Puma and Nike to change policy is some doing. A great communications effort. A focused idea in many different touchpoints on a limited budget that has already achieved considerable success. Let's hope Adidas follow suit soon. Go petition.

This is the Dirty Linen film:

Amy's Bread

2011-08-04T03:09:00.004+01:00

I went to Amy's Bread shop at the weekend, in Hell's Kitchen, here, to pick up breakfast. I took a seat in the small cafe section of the shop, at the back. It was a great experience. Not just because of the great food - I had a walnut twist bread and a semolina twist with seeds, butter and jam which was delicious - but the vibe. It was tight for space, which helped to create a sense of friendly, chatty, almost familial intimacy, and the baristas/servers had this ongoing chat between themselves which maintained the feel of low level bustle, occasionally punctuated by the squeaks of delight as the most obviously gay server revealed which guests he would marry - the state law has recently changed - a few seconds after they had left.

If you tried to work out using research what worked about the Amy's Bread breakfast experience I'm not sure you could. Say you wanted to create the 'ideal' breakfast experience - and Amy's wasn't far off it - and used research to establish the key drivers of the 'restaurant' style breakfast choice, I doubt if you would end up with a cluttered seating area (with no windows to look out from), noisy staff (commenting on which customers they fancied) or a ridiculously limited menu (bread).

It reminds me a little of Komar and Melamid's 'People's Choice' series which Jon Steel has spoken of. Komar and Melamid are Russian artists, now resident in New York, who commissioned research in 11 countries to find out what people wanted in their ideal work of art. This is the United States' 'most wanted' work of art:

There is an outside scene, traditional in style. There are deer frolicking at the edge of the lake. There are three people, normal folk, in the picture and there proudly, in centre stage is George Washington.

I don't think it even works as a picture in its own right, let alone something that inspires us like a great work of art should do. And perhaps it also shows us why market research is not likely to come up with an Amy's Bread.

Cola Coca Design

2011-07-29T20:06:00.001+01:00

I saw this pack design on a plane recently. It is brilliant: engaging and witty. There are a series of them, but this is my favourite. By Turner Duckworth. Limited Edition 2010.

Detox Campaigning

2011-07-26T04:00:00.001+01:00

Nice to see the Greenpeace Detox campaign gaining some 'on-the-ground' momentum. A synchronised dance and strip in 29 cities. And within two weeks of the campaign beginning, Puma, the third largest of the globals sportswear companies, has publicly committing to eliminating all releases of hazardous chemicals from its entire product lifecycle and whole supply chain by 2020. Read more, here.

This is the Greenpeace Twitter feed.

Detox

2011-07-21T23:31:00.007+01:00

I am honoured to say that I made a very small and early contribution to this initiative. I have always had a lot of respect for the organisation and admired them from afar for many years. It wasn't a disappointment close up either. It's important that the Greenpeace voice continues to be heard. Please sign the petition.

Here is the link for more information.

New!

2011-07-17T10:28:00.002+01:00

Welcome to new shiny blog to go with new shiny website. The old blog served a different purpose - experimental bits and bobs - and got a little sloppy over time so it will be retired soon. So bye bye barnettblog, hello christian barnett blog.