Steelso V6.0

Yes, its been a been a while and yes I am very ashamed. The reason is as boring as ever, work. Work has been crazy but it has been very, very cool. We’re doing some work I’m really proud of for Dunfermline Building Society and some fantastic, jaw dropping work that Beth did for a pitch that I can’t talk about. Yet.

I’m also working on Cosmopolitan magazine of all things looking into the murky world of social media. I’ve been loving it, it is so interesting though I do have to agree with the most wise Steve Rubel that all media is media is media, social or otherwise. I like his style.

Social networks though, that’s an interesting place. We had a chat today at work, the first of many great debates,  about social networks. It’s a selfish space, a place where people are nosy and all trying to find out about each other’s friends and acquaintances. It’s not a place that suits brand advertising unless it can help connect you. That’s the interesting part. How can brands connect you with people you care about? Do you want them to?

So. Social netorking. Lots and lots of places to do it. Who has the time to check all these feeds from Flickr, Facebook, Bebo, Digg, Mixx, Hi5, etc, etc, etc. It’s basically a hassle. I’ve been beta testing friendfeed for a while. It’s a website that brings all these strands together. I like it but I do feel that I’m getting overloaded with info and actually piling it all together is a real help but is too much. Also it doesn’t have an iPhone interface and one of the reasons that I’m blogging less is that my iPhone is really now where I spend most of my free knowledge time. I pick up tweets and do all of my RSS feeds from Google reader on the iPhone. It’s just easy.

The next debate at work is probably going to be about something on how advertising is dead. Online and offline. Is it?

Steelso :: Mar.31.2008 :: Clients, Creative, Equator :: 5 Comments »

Obviously new job, new design, new server, new pretty much everything. Let me know what you think of the new look.

I was quite amazed at all the different themed themes that you can get for Wordpress now. They seem to cover all types of niche areas so if you want a blog for your environmentally themed blog, no problem. You want one that deals with your Hobbit fetish, away you go. There seems to be a lot more specific themes for niche groups than there was a year ago or so when I last looked for a design. Which is interesting given that blogging allegedly is dropping off in favour of more micro media.

So does this mean that blogging is going more niche rather than mainstream or is it that it is just easier to create themes?

Anyway I decided to go as neutral as possible. I’ve not finished yet but I’ve been itching to write for a while so I need toget that out of my system first.

Steelso :: Nov.22.2007 :: Creative :: 4 Comments »

Saw this post in the new NYT Freakonomics blog. The article I found interesting, the comments are amazing. My favourite is….

“I find your decision to brainstorm fictional scenarios to be highly offensive. Down with creative thought! What we need is more *true* patriots that exercise their failure of imagination.”

I wish I’d written that. Go on!

steelso :: Aug.08.2007 :: Creative :: 1 Comment »

Martin and I off to London for the ever-so-fancy-pants IPA Health Awards. I’m kilted up, they’ll never know what hit them. We’re up for a few awards with the Bebooks website but I’m not sure we’ll win. We’ll see. Free bar though, either way I can drown my sorrows or celebrate our win. I’ll let you knowhow it goes, probably through Twitter. And possible Flikr too. Ooooooo, look at me, aren’t I all oh-so Web2.0!!!!

steelso :: Jul.04.2007 :: Awards, Creative, Team, Travel :: 1 Comment »

i love this and the rest of the site. It’s just so perfect and special. It brightened up my whole day. That’s right, my whole day. In a good mood this morning.

Thanks to the Opinionated Sod.

steelso :: Jun.14.2007 :: Cool, Creative :: 3 Comments »

More congrats to Mark and Martin who won a Yellow Pencil at the DA&D’s. This really is the Oscars of the design world and it’s a great honour to be on the winner’s list.

It doesn’t end there. At the IPA Best of Health awards we’re up for six awards including a few for the Be Books’ website. Which is exciting. We’ll see what happen in July!

steelso :: May.31.2007 :: Awards, Cool, Creative :: No Comments »

My blogging has been seriously curtailed of late. This isn’t due to lack of things going on, far from it. I’m trying a couple of tools to help me write offline then send it up when I get connected. This helps me try to find the time to get write about things I enjoy wherever I want to and not be constrained by the lack of an Internet connection.

I am enjoying my Wii. Not loving it. Enjoying it. Though it does prove the tact that Nintendo set on as Sam has embraced her inner Wii with a vengeance. Which is another way to say I am fed up being beat by all that handle a Wiimote. A five year old humped me at boxing!

Things that I’m currently into: Twitter, scenario design, networking and how your online persona kisses with the real world, Yahoo! mash up, Modest Mouse, models, really good uses of the web that make me inspired, my camera, Guitar Hero II, Halo 3 Beta (I’m actually better than I remembered. At dying often), citizenship and the web, models (have I mentioned that before?), engineering mash ups.

Love that bull.

steelso :: May.22.2007 :: Cool, Creative, Thoughts, Wii :: 4 Comments »

I’ve been playing with Oblique Strategies. I’ve been finding them useful in pushing through certain creative blocks when I’m doing documents. I’ve never been particularly natural in doing docs, I’m a better talker than writer. This little Mac widget is useful just to help think about an issue or problem on a different way.

steelso :: Mar.18.2007 :: Big on Small, Creative :: 5 Comments »

Show this yesterday spray painted to a wall. It’s on quite a busy wee path between Kelvingrove tube station and Gibson Street. It got me thinking who wrote it, why and who is it meant for? Me? You? What do you think?

I imagine someone has to walk that route everyday. They may not know that it was written for them but it gives a great pleasure to the artist.

I dunno. But I can’t imagine a better use for pink paint.

steelso :: Mar.12.2007 :: Cool, Creative, Glasgow, People, Pictures, Questions, Thoughts :: 4 Comments »

It’s been a while but I’ve been rushed. Went to Disneyland Paris with the kids and my ex last week for a few days which was hilarious. It quickly became about me rather than the kids. I met the main man above and could obnly say, “I love you”. Danny gave me kudos for this saying that I was the only Dad that got his pic taken with his new friends. Damn straight.

Various rides taken, many queues stood in but altogether a fantastic time. I hate the feckin dumbo ride that said 30 min wait but actually was 1hr 15min. And the kids loved it. Whatever. Pics on my Flickr.

Got back to Glasgow and went to see the Hold Steady at the Cathouse. Went with Sean, Sally and Sam. Way, way too many ’s’s to deal with and some considered it the worst Valemtines evah. I rocked out anyway. Which was odd. Then Bier Halle for poshness.

Friday and Gareth, Julia, Sam and I went to some fantastic Morrocan restaurant. Awwwwww. Then to Steph’s (not the Steph, another Steph) leaving party. I had never met her before but I think I left an impression.

Saturday was cool, watched a week’s worth of TV inc the brilliant Life on Mars. Happy that’s back.

Sunday went for sushi then cooked a fucking incredible carbonara that went down very well. I was like a real world fucking tv chef!

Today Sam and I went to see Hot Fuzz which is just so, so, so, so much fun. I implore you all to see it, it’s hilarious. Timothy Dalton is amazing and the action sequences… well. Kick arse. This shit got real. See it.

Then we went for the noodles, Sam went home (rubbish) and I met up with the lovely Neil McKinven for a quick chat then I headed home.

We also launched a website today. Sexual health website no less. With Miss Hoolie doing the voice over for the books. I was sick in Miss Hoolie’s bath once after drinking the classic combo of Blue label vodka and pineapple juice. Swish!

Since Saturday I have left in taxis my wallet, camera and ipod. I have also got them back. That luck will run out soon enough…

steelso :: Feb.20.2007 :: Creative, Gigs, Glasgow, Kids, People, Pictures, Web Launches :: 11 Comments »