E-Toll Angst

Well, the E-Tolls are here, and with them, a strong drive to a civil disobedience boycott campaign. The vast majority of people in Gauteng refuse to accept them, and aim to make SANRAL work hard for every penny, if at all. Somewhere in the dark hole that is the existence of the South African consumer, there is a niggling hope that something will change, that something will happen to undermine and/or challenge this new law. And the noise from the unions, from certain opposition political parties, suggests that something may change if we as a society stay the course of non-adherence with E-Tolls.

There are obvious reasons as to why there is such mistrust:

Firstly, South Africans don't trust that the money from e-tolls will be used to better the province, and have a feeling that the money exists only to the line the pockets of the corrupt government officials, and overseas businesses who introduced the scheme to Gauteng.

Secondly, that it impacts the pockets of an already over-exerted consumer in a tough local economy, with a shocking rand/dollar exchange and low consumer confidence.

Finally, the lack of consultation with the Gauteng constituency resulting in what appears to be a unilateral decision taken without care for the plight of consumers and businesses. 

I know that the E-Tolls are wrong. But i'm confused as to how to respond in my personal capacity.

I won't buy into the rhetoric on social media who are saying that by submitting to E-Tags,  to direct quote from bytes I have seen on social platforms - "you are getting raped", "the government will steal your money and your house will be burgled". An alarming one that i've heard is "A friend with an e-tag is not my friend".

I am concerned that reducing the discourse to online bullying and intimidation in the name of a non-compliance campaign is indicative of a broader problem amongst the South African middle class. We are hopeless about the fact that the ANC as our leadership seems immovable, that we are destined for another 5 years of worsening corruption and abuse of power, and if not, then we can expect ultra left wing parties such as Malema's EFF to grow in power. So what do we do? We refuse to buy E-Tags, refuse to comply with the law, moan about it around our dinner tables, tweet our anger, instagram photos of gantries. In my opinion, this approach is a futile resistance that will have no constructive outcome.

It's an election year. This is why these scandals are all going down and there is such outcry. Why don't we harness our anti-government and civil disobedient behaviour into actively supporting the political party that we believe will make the changes we want to see in South Africa? Why don't we expend our energy in furthering South Africa's legacy as one of the most miraculous democracies in the world by driving change where it really counts - at the ballot box? I would rather get an e-tag but attend a DA driven anti e-toll rally, then not get an e-tag and pay a fortune in unpaid tolls down the line, while not impacting any meaningful change

In short, avoiding the e-toll payments, while no doubt a noble and righteous cause, is potentially dangerous road that will hurt you where it counts most - in your pockets. Focus on the elections, support a political party that has a chance, and actively drive a profound change in government in 2014. Don't give up on democratic means just because you've lost hope in democracy. We as a society need to be optimistic that what's right will eventually win, and we need to learn as individuals to be more forceful in driving and supporting the process of meaningful democratic change.

So what will I do? I'm not sure yet. All i know is that i'm definitely not voting ANC in the next election, and that maybe I will do more than just passively support my political party of choice in the run-up. I want E-Tolls out as much as the next person, but i'm not going to be a criminal or waste my hard earned cash in unpaid tolls to get rid of them. I may very well get an E-Tag in the next week. And if you that makes you not want to be my friend, that's your prerogative. 

Thor: The Dark World

6.5/10

I've gone through my old blog and the trend tends to be that I always review comic book movies. Most of those reviews are positive, and I am always pretty much showing mad love to Marvel, as I appreciate the amazing work that they have done in translating the Marvel Universe on screen in a way that builds a meaningful continuity and an interweaving story-line that brings to life all the amazing characters and stories that we have grown to love with the Marvel Universe. That being said, I can be critical of Marvel movies, and i will prove it with a semi-scathing review of Thor: The Dark World.

 

So, there's a lot thats good about Thor. It's entertaining from a narrative perspective, coherent, broadens the universe and, of course, the obligatory film-stealing turn from Tom Hiddleston as Loki. There's also a substantial amount in the movie thats somewhat dissappointing: excess cheesiness in Thor's interactions with Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), a really irritating subplot with Darcy (Kat Dennings) and her intern - a sub-narrative punctuated by weak dialogue and bad acting, and then one shocking scene when one of the Warrior's Three gives Thor a cheeky salute. This salute shot was almost as cheesy as Spiderman's notorious hop in front of the US Flag in Spiderman 3.

That all said, I have to be true to my fanboy nature. Did Thor: The Dark World broaden the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Yes. Did Marvel hint at a super exciting future and begin planting seeds for the Avengers: Age of Ultron and Guardians of the Galaxy? Yes. Was the action cool? Yes.

In short, Thor: The Dark World ticks all the boxes of Marvel Comic Book movie, which makes it passable. The film just doesn't do much more than that, and is pretty lame at times. You're inevitably going to watch it anyway but its not, in my opinion, a memorable film.

Soundtracks

For the past year, I've been working on a side project with my buddy Matt Klawansky to help him position himself as a composer in the South African film and advertising landscape.

We've put together Soundtracks, which is a blog that aims to provide creative inspiration through music, and hopefully connect people to Matthew's fine tastes and musical ability. 

Visit the Blog here and like the Facebook page for access to constant updates.

Let me know your feedback. Do you think this is an effective content marketing platform? What tips or suggestions do you have that can make us really take this to the next level?

Gravity

10/10

Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity is pretty much my favourite movie of the year. This film, which follows the quest of a rookie astronaut (Sandra Bullock) as she survives a freak space disaster, is visually astounding and action packed. Gravity features brilliant acting by Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, and a directorial tour-de-force by director Alfonso Cuaron.

The best thing about Gravity is that the visual experience is so immersive that it almost makes you feel as if you are in space with the protagonists. Camera shots that move around as if they are in zero gravity, and probably the best use of 3D in history, punctuate this intense ocular overload. The narrative is strong with quick-paced storytelling that never stops for a moment.

I’m not sure if Gravity is a Science Fiction or if it is just an action-drama in space. But regardless of this quandary, the film is superb and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Podcasts are the Sh*T - My Top 5

I never realised that Podcasts were so awesome. They're totally free and unbelievably useful to me in my daily life and career. I'm not kidding. They give me a real advantage. I'm sharing this with you cause I wish more people had this advantage. Trust me on this.

Here are my Top 5:

1) Six Pixels of Separation 

This podcast by Mitch Joel, president of Twist Image, is probably the premiere digital marketing podcast (that i've listened to). Every week, Mitch interviews a quality guest dealing with another subject of digital marketing. The breadth and intellectual nature of the discussion really impresses me. I recently listened to a piece on the Collaborative Economy, which really opened my mind to this exciting new trend. Recommended for anyone, but especially useful for marketers.

2) The Art of Wrestling

Colt Cabana's podcast about professional wrestling is probably my favourite of the lot. Yes, it demands that one is interested enough in professional wrestling to listen, but whats really great is that it tells the amazing stories of pro-wrestlers from across the industry in an adult, mature and non-kayfabe (wrestling jargon for not-fake) manner. I really enjoy wrestling, i'm not ashamed at all, and Colt Cabana's awesome podcast reinforces my love for this sport.

3) Planet Money

A series of vignettes or stories that speak to an economic reality in the world today. Fascinating topics, global in perspective - i've really gotten into this form of podcast - short to the point, and highly interesting. Recommended for anyone who wants to learn more about the world and the different economic challenges that countries face.

4) The Engaging Brand / Marketing Smarts by Marketing Profs / Social Media Marketing Podcasts

I'm bunching these podcasts together as a total package for marketers. They are all extremely useful resources for marketers, and open up a variety of doors or new ways of thinking for the common marketer. I think the essence of what i'm trying to say about marketing podcasts is that i feel that listening to a variety of them gives me a real advantage in my career.  All 3 of these are really excellent quality shows that I recommend to marketers.

5) 1ESAMP (First ever South African Music Podcast)

These podcasts are produced in South Africa by Matt Klawansky of Othermother Productions. They offer a really interesting take on a variety of musical genres in South Africa, with the stated intention of exposing new artists and musical trends. It's also great to listen to and support local podcasts.

So how do you go about downloading podcasts?

Google them / or find them on itunes, and download them for free. It's that simple, and I promise you it will change your life.

DO EEEET!

The Marketing Apocalype - A thoughtstarter

My experience in the US has given me a new profound insight into the world of marketing. Looking around in this mass of consumerism, I see opportunities... but rather opportunities that require marketers, wherever you stand in terms of ATL, Digital, Activations etc, to take cognisance of a critical truth about our business reality.

Marketing as we know it is dead. As a doornail. As a doorknob.

We live in a world of unbelievable consumer choice, a world of unbelievable consumer power. Touching the customer at every point of their journey is not going to work anymore as consumer's are becoming overwhelmed and disinterested with marketing messages. They've evolved and become adept at tuning us out. No one cares about your marketing anymore. Brands that have not accepted the reality of the evolving consumer. Consumers are becoming hostile to brands, and are finding ways to monetise/publicise their own content on platforms such as Pheed.com. Direct Mail is pretty much finished, and E-Mail marketers are going to have to look to new ways to navigate around the new Gmail format that almost instantaneously places all marketing messages into a tabbed folder (also known as a spam folder). Getting the customers attention has never been more challenging and it's only getting harder.

This total apathy of the customer tied into the fact that marketers have to go to new levels of spin doctoring to prove marketing R.O.I to business executives, and are not succeeding. A 2011 study from the Fournaise Group have shown that a majority of CEOs (73%) feel that marketers do not have business credibility. This is a damning insight that has ramifications for marketers everywhere.

So if businesses don't see the value of marketing, and consumer's are tuning out of marketing messages, what can we as marketers do? Is the marketing apocalypse nigh?

(To be continued....)

A Workation in NYC #1

So I'm currently visiting in New York City on a 2 week work experience hosted by Wunderman New York! So far, so amazing. New York really feels like the centre of the world, and its a real experience to be immersed in the daily experience of this amazing city.

Here are some quick snaps:

An interesting poster I discovered upon entering the Wunderman New York Office, and something that I think ties up with the role of the strategist in a modern agency. One needs to be gutsy, brave and speak truth in a way that makes sense for clients.

My desk in New York. Was really cool to see that they had gone to the effort of printing my name out, and had left me a couple of cool gifts, which I will tell you about below....












I got a Wunderman water bottle, a purple ink pen, branded USB stick and Sunscreen with a purple bike lock! Very cool - really chuffed at the effort the guys went to in order to make me feel welcome!

The View from my desk. P-I-M-P-I-N-G.













A Nokia Billboard in Chelsea, which I spotted on my way to a meeting at Google's Office at the Chelsea Market. Cool to see Nokia trying to put its name out there, but interesting to discover how small a player they are in the US market.








A cool picture of PSY and Google Chairman Eric Schmidt. Can you spot Stephen Colbert as Captain America?

Google New York has a slide! This is officially the best thing ever. They also have razors (scooters) that people use to get across the office space. Really a super cool office!

Pacific Rim

9/10

A couple of years ago, I was trawling Wikipedia, as I was wont to do back before the days of Reddit, when i discovered an article for an upcoming film called “Pacific Rim”. It had two major ingredients that got me really excited: Firstly, that it was directed by Guillermo Del Toro, one of my favourite directors, and Secondly, that it was about Giant Monsters vs Giant Robots, based on the greatest of anime traditions. So I waited patiently, and when the opportunity came, I grabbed the chance to win tickets to the pre-screening so I could see this movie before anyone else. (Thanks M-Net Movies – whom I must commend on their very interesting social strategy – maybe worthy of another piece).

Pacific  Rim is everything that I hoped it would be. An amazing visual spectacle, incredible action, awesome monsters fighting against awesome robots. The movie was chockful of moments that made me whisper “coooool” under breath and say “oh shit”, and to be honest, I haven’t had this much fun at the cinema since the Avengers – and that was a lot of fun. The whole film transported me back to when I would sit and watch Saturday Morning cartoons. A kid’s movie for adults!

I also appreciated the world building and this post apocalyptic world where these Jaegers and Kaiju live, but i would’ve appreciated a bit more effort in expanding the universe more. I would have liked to have seen more about how other parts of the world dealt with the Kaiju War. Also, sometimes the acting was a bit wooden, particularly Charlie Hunnam the male lead. But honestly, any criticism is just nitpicking – Pacific Rim is probably the most fun you will have at the cinema this year.

Yo.

Welcome to Journal. 

This is not a mission statement.