Monday, October 19, 2009

RE:VIEW - BIS Show - inspiration vs. perspiration












Captions:

1. Lights, camera... cancel! My 15seconds of fame dropped as footage of a reality star comes in.

2 & 3. Big media draws.

4. The BBC surveys a major exhibit.

5. I decide an empty stand deserves the Junkk treatment.



I once wrote a song entitled 'The Buffet of Broken Dreams'.

It was when we were at a music event in the USA, and I came across a table strewn with CDs and tapes that various attendees hoped an A&R guy or radio station would snatch up.

In reality, they were either ignored or merely taken by others vaguely interested in what the 'competition' was up to.

All the choice stuff was already long on its way, pre-determined by the needs of the organisers, the dark arts of paid promoters, and the need of the media for something interesting and, outside of radio... 'visual'.

Don't mess with the FO

It all didn't start well. Not for me, I hasten to add. I was on a little to lose mission at worse, though events did manage to conspire and collate as the days progressed.

For a start the stands were not ready to take their charges until the last minute, which resulted in much scrabbling by many. Fortunately my design was free-standing and so I had it up and active to insert when ready. But one huge aspect blighted the whole hall, and throughout, and that was the empty stands of those from overseas who had failed to gain visas in time. Some visitors did ask me why they were coming if it was 'The British..', but I really didn't have a problem. So long as the ideas were solid and as well displayed as travel restrictions impose. However there was a certain sense of 'you scratch my show's back, and I'll come to yours..' that tended to shape the way folk were treated. Money talks. Not great, therefore, being a charity case.

Quantity vs. quality?

But soon we were off. The weekdays were a bit disappointing. Few punters, and not many media, who seemed to be more guided by the time-honoured investigative technique of going to the press room and being told who was worth looking at. I lost count of the times various peripheral stand Morlocks like me would try and rugby tackle a passing camera crew or scribe with a notebook, only to have determined PR Eloi ladies run very effective interference.

But breach defences I did, and when I managed to do so the signs were good. Even if luck was not often with me.

The weekend was much more fun, if potentially useless business-wise. But I did meet many, many nice members of the public who did go round all the stands and ask for a demo. None had a problem with RE:tie, understood its function and potential and wished me well as guaranteed users once on the shelves. With luck a few have relatives in high places.

The Gong Show

Awards are great. If meaningful they can be a hell of a boost, both personally and in certain influential places. Even if not so meaningful they can still be used, if with a certain amount of creative licence, to drive some PR.

I had/have no axe to grind this time. I have one of the top awards from an International Show, and have merely added some functionality to that base design. Though I have to say most public visitors were much more interested in that over the 'green' aspects, maybe due to the age ranges that comprised the majority of visitors (quite mature).

But I did find the judging system a bit odd. Basically you needed to be assessed by 3 in total. However, it was just who happened by your stand first, and with no tilt to expertise. And as one judged loved the idea I was at first quite encouraged, until at the end he produced a flyer for his funding service and asked me to sign up. Not, IMHO, the most objective or disinterested way to be judged by your peers.

Hence I was as intrigued as much by what won small (everything won something) as won big. And I really felt for those who had paid a lot, from money to time to emotion, behind some truly great, innovations/inventions, who had lost out to what was often either just a reworking of an old idea, nice prototypes or, frankly, stuff that has been done better by a lot of folk who really have better things to turn up to such shows to promote their wares. And are working in hugely complex areas with decades of research behind and ahead of them, all leading to peer reviewed papers at truly international levels.

One thing I have to give the organisers full credit for was the gala dinner... quite stunning, from venue to layout to food to entertainments.

Concluding

Would I do it again? Doubtful, at least with the kind of invention that really excites me.

But I do have a few that I think may see value in the possible exposure this can lead to. Namely forking out for a stand to stand a better chance of having a tabloid crew swing by to stick a blonde (if I do not supply one myself) next to it and pen 'Cop a load of that' in a jaunty piece about barmy ideas to fill a page. Or to possibly tickle the fancy of Dragon's Den producers looking for fresh meat to throw to their ratings-above-all 'professional' employees.

In short, pretty disappointing, though I did meet some nice folk , some of whom my prove helpful as well. And one is all it needs. It's the digging for the gold dilemma... when do you stop, as that rich seam may just be a few feet further?

The trick is not to invest too much... time, money or emotion... unless you have fully appreciated how the game is played.

Not a lesson I have yet fully mastered, but I am getting better. Or is it just more world-weary?

For all those who suffered at last week's BIS show's 'media day'

Greenbang: We’re all about news, not nonsense

And here's some other thoughts on that:

Gordon Kelly
(via ShinyKatie) What pompous anti-PR self important journalist crap: "If it’s not news, we’re not interested" [thx genius]

As one who can see both sides of the coin, especially having been at and trying to promote a show, I tend to err on the notion of 'if you can't say anything good, shut the heck up', but will try and be more productive with : 'If it grabs you, great. If not, there is always the delete key'.

What I mostly witnessed last week by way of the great and good of the media world at 'work' was enough to reduce one to tears, and not just in frustration.

Our 4th estate is mainly just in a state, and for one to try and presume they have a higher ground above others, especially those simply trying to work with them in the cause of sharing a story with a potentially interested audience is... 'quaint'.

I can see Greenbang are trying to correct the fact that most 'news' is anything but, and most reporting is press releases rebranded or tat that will get ratings, and all with near zero thought from 'reporters' or 'editors', but I'd say they have chosen the wrong targets and in the wrong way.

And are now reaping the 'benefits'.

Addendum:

Didn't take long for the first example of our highly professional modern 'news' media at work to arrive:

Girls and Boys were not so alone in Channel 4 reality show

Junkk - ANSWERS

You may know that Junkk.com has a prominent 'Answers' section.

It occurs to me there may be value in listing as they come along (and I am reminded to upload from the archive) various sources of potential information...

Times - Green and Confused - via Environment - accessed via greenandconfused@thetimes.co.uk

Treehugger - Ask Pablo - Send your questions to Pablo(at)TreeHugger.com

CATEGORY - POOH CORNER

There has been one waiting on the site since its genesis.

Can't believe I haven't added a blog complement to collate them 'til now.

Warning - Eat lunch afterwards.

Articles

Greenbang - Dung: It’s not waste, it’s fuel

Hepune - NEW - The Scoop on Poop

Suppliers

Ellie Pooh

Talking the talk, walking the dog

A few decades back, a Unipart commercial scrolled up my TV screen and then, at the end, proudly exclaimed: 'The answer's yes... now what's the question?'.

Now I return to these shores after a career spanning the world, it would be 'The answer is no, as it might go wrong and I'll be blamed'.

And after waaaay too many sessions (funded by the taxpayer) with various quangos and their employees, despite their being in an ideal position to matchmake complementary talents, they all still give me 5 half days just to drop dosh on me so long as I tick a box, and totally fail to understand that what makes innovation pay is a team that takes creation to sale; and not every good idea is generated by a person capable of, much less skilled in drawing up 10 year projections that suggest targets that need to be set but never met once signed off.

RP - BOGOF (later)

SIR

Tesco wants to help prevent food wastage by allowing customers to collect their “2 for 1” offers on separate days (report, October 17). Why not just reduce the price of one packet?

Marketing, my poor Ms. Lamb, marketing. It's all about selling, not saving. And if looking like you are saving sells more, then so be it.

That said, I grudgingly concede this 'BTN' (better than nothing) status.

Too many rotting apples at the bottom of our BOGOF barrel.

RP - Junkk Male reposts Junk Mail

SIR

Ninety-four per cent (by weight) of the mail I receive is unsolicited junk. I am threatened with fines and a criminal record if I do not spend my time correctly sorting this rubbish, which adds enormously to landfill and recycling.
The Government could easily require all junk mail to bear a mark, so that those who do not want it could “opt out” from receiving it, while still receiving genuine mail. Of course, the Government won’t do this because the Royal Mail depends on junk mail for its survival. It is one vast, ecologically unfriendly rip-off.

Which is why what comes out of the mouths of most of our pols and WUVI media remoras in their thrall, is hardly worth the paper it's wasted on.

BLESS

Patrician Scotland

Truly, a 'Government Of All Talents'

I guess we get what we pay (though the nose) for.

It... was... good to be back

Gordon Brown to warn of heatwaves and flooding if climate change deal fails

I already have a problem with this new reporting trend of telling us what folk 'will say'.

And hence, when I switched on a wee while ago to hear him saying it, I was even more crushed by the clunkiness of the message than its mere delivery managed.

The man is the kiss of death to any decent message on any worthy topic.

Telegraph - Forget Al Gore: Gordon Brown is the new Scaremonger in Chief - at least Al Gore has been concerned consistently for decades. As opposed to the last few sound bites.

Ch 4 - NEW - an email intro: CLIMATE CHANGE

Having saved the world from economic disaster, Gordon Brown has set forth to save the climate change summit in Copenhagen.

He has hijacked an economic forum of leaders gathered in London to deliver a speech in which he declares "there are 50 days to save the climate".

It comes at a time when the possibility that America might just manage to come up with some serious measures in time for Copenhagen, is becoming stronger.

Tonight, the chances that Copenhagen will either be scuppered or succeed. We will be talking live to Washington for an assessment of where the critical votes in the US senate now lie.

PM warns of 'catastrophic' climate future: http://bit.ly/1OZ0MB
Copenhagen: deal or no deal?: http://bit.ly/1nYnM8