Mixtapes for the digital generation

Most Complained about ads of 2007

This article by the BBC outlines the most complained about ads of 2007 ranked by number of complaints to the ASA. For me the Trident ad should have been banned for being terrible rather than causing offence and the fact that the NHS Anti-smoking was distressing is bang on brief I'm sure.

God, I wish i'd done this.

I am literally in tears.
More at passiveaggressivenotes.com

PACE AGM: Watch out Boris & Cuddly Ken!

More Unsuitable pats-on-the-back for the outgoing PACE President, Dean Lovett from McCann's in Solihull. I'm sure he'll miss the weight of that mayor-like chain of office around his neck. Still, now he's got a bit more time on his hands, he can go and bother somebody else about the state of their database!

PACE AGM: Well done 'Two Jugs'!

Big Unsuitable congrats go to Lucy Fletcher from McCann's in Solihull for winning the Chairman's Cup and the other Cup (the name of which escapes me but was voted for by other PACE council members) at last night's PACE Annual General Meeting. It was all very official with chains of office, gavels and everything. There was also some nice food and free booze. Top!

Profits slide for Microsoft Yet Apple sees an increase

This from the BBC website.

Computer software giant Microsoft has seen third quarter profits fall, but beat market expectations.

Profits fell 11% to $4.39bn (£2.22bn) in the three months to 31 March from $4.93bn a year earlier. Sales were stable at $14.5bn.

Sales in the division selling Office and other business applications fell, hit by lower demand.

The results come before a deadline the firm has given Yahoo to respond to its $44.6bn-bid for the internet firm.

One factor denting profits was a $1.42bn fine imposed by the European Commission for breaching competition rules.

While the firm predicted stronger sales for the year, its forecast for the current quarter was at the lower end of market expectations, contributing to a 5% fall in the firm's share price in after-hours trading.

On the plus side, the firm's Xbox 360 video game consoles showed a strong performance, helping sales in its entertainment and devices sector grow 68% year-on-year.

Meanwhile, I've found this about Apple:
Apple, the technology giant, has posted a 36 percent rise in quarterly profits after strong global sales of its Macintosh computers and solid iPod sales, but remains cautious for the rest of 2008.

The company surpassed analysts expectations and made a net profit of $1.05 billion (£0.53bn)

Guess the smart money is in hardware...for the moment.

If you like your pumps you'll love this

New Berocca TV spot.

now, i know that plagiarism is the sincerest form of art and all that, but this new TV ad for berocca takes the absolute biscuit:

now check this video out ('here it goes again' by 'ok go'):

i mean, come on? it's not just me is it? that's a joke.

Step away from the Mac. Do not attempt to design.

theregister.co.uk/2008/04/22/ogc_logo
Mind-boggling stupidity from government office.

Japanese Architecture

Following on from Jon's thoughts on the Dogfish store I saw this example of some awesome Japanese architecture on Freshome. Designed as a work/live space for a couple who are hair stylists it certainly exudes a strong sense of creativity and individuality.

Mapping Brum

Here at Unsuitable we are proud of our Brummie home so I was intrigued by Brum Guide which intends to get the people to map the streets of Brum highlighting their points of interest. A combination of Google maps and Wikipedia, users are able to edit and create listings for their favourite places in Brum.

I've already made a listing, can you guess where its for?

Mural in Dogfish store

I like this (I know it's all a bit skater boy for me but now Benny has gone, someone has to fill the void). It's an installation by Obey in the Norwich store of Dogfish. I'd like something like this when we get our new office.

My, there was a lot of likes in that statement.

Efficient builders shock.

Well, it's been almost a month since The Great Custard Factory Train Derailment of 2008. And I'm amazed to say that the damage has been fully repaired as of today. Efficient builders? Whatever next?

DIY ads

Okay, so there's no big strategic thinking (they haven't invented a programme that can interrogate a client's business/product yet) but it can't be long before some clients are taking this up. They can create their own artwork, book the publication and despatch the ad for less than a fiver (+ media costs). We may all laugh at it and say the results will be rubbish and any client that wants to go down this road deserves everything they get (a diminished brand and no response). But this is the first step down the road to some clients (and we've all got at least one that must spring to mind) doing it for themselves.

Free Nivea Balm

We've just been awarded a new bit of male grooming business (details coming soon) and in the spirit of this I've found this: FREE NIVEA SHAVE BALM

It costs nowt so why not?

There's money in finding stuff (and not just down the back of the sofa).

Google has reported a 31% profit surge for the first quarter of 2008. Its profits for the first three months of the year were up from $1bn (£507m) to $1.31bn (£664m).

Online ad clicks increased by 20% in the quarter, despite fears that a shift to fewer, more-targeted ads would harm the company. In the UK, travel and finance advertising contributed towards revenue of $803m (£407m) – 15% of the search engine's global income.

iPhone hits the bargain bin

mad.co.uk reports:

"Telecoms giants O2 and the Carphone Warehouse are cutting the price of Apple’s iPhone by £100 less than six months after its launch.

O2 said the offer would be available on the original iPhone tariffs which start at £35 per month.

The decision to slash the cost of the handset comes ahead of the expected launch of a new model from Apple this summer.

Both the Carphone Warehouse and O2 said the eight gigabyte phone would be available for £169 until the 1 June, while the new model, a 16 gigabyte, would be priced at £329.

Last year, more than 70 per cent of consumers polled by market research company GfK NOP said that the recommended retail price of £269 for the iPhone was too much.

thing is - if there's a new one on the way, why bother with the old one, which quite frankly, has failed to impress a lot of people who dove in. Mind you, it's still better than the rubbish Nokia that I keep dropping.

Blogger Dashboard Widget

Blogging made easy for Mac users with this widget for the Mac OS X dashboard. Get it here:

http://www.google.com/macwidgets

Peter Saville on 6music.

Design legend Peter Saville was on George Lamb's show on Tuesday. Just love the bloke and all he does. If you think likewise, you can listen again to him eulogise and pontificate here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/6music_aod.shtml?6music/6m_george_tue

Genius.

Turbo-charged Bears.

Nice work for Subaru from our friends at One Black Bear. 0% finance on the Forester Turbo.

http://www.subaru.co.uk/Subaru_co_uk/ViewMenu.qed?menuid=M0M0

The return of the blog.

Since the original blog disappeared up its own backside, its high time we got back on the blog tip. All comments, thoughts, rants, pleas, etc., welcomed.