A sackful of stuff and things today as will be away for Christmas.

God bless your brand (thanks to Bo Hellberg)

Fancy attending a Jedi bootcamp? These people exist.

Star in a soap by uploading your photo to check if you’re hot or not. (source: popbitch)

Get fed up with those inane, circular questions about having content above the fold? Use this as ammo to wipe the floor with ‘em. And this as a fabulous creative example to put the knife in. (thanks to Karen Gwyer)

Fabulously weird story about coffee bukkake.

A year of ideas.

Physics get all web 2.0 and funky (thanks to Mel Ferguson)

Ever get stuck trying to find logos to dump into slides. Here’s a load. Free. (source: Drew’s Marketing Minute)

Not content with advertising Snickers, Mr . T turns his mohawk to World of Warcraft

Martina @ Adverblog has taken user generated content to heart and asked a number of her network to collaborate on the Adverblog Advent calendar asking everyone the same 5 questions. I would recommend reading through them as they give an insight into different campaigns and thoughts on the year ahead from a wide variety of peers. As well as picking up some new bloggers you may be interested in. Here’s my blurb.

1) Which is the (European) digital project that impressed you more this year and why?

I love the VW Night Driving campaign as it’s a great example of the “360″ brand experience but also capitalises on and openly embraces user generated content: creating your own edit of the excellent TV ad using jumpcut and also creating or looking at great night drives from around Europe with a Google Maps mash up. Really taps into the brand promise of the Golf.

2) In your job, which is the most important thing you learnt this year?
That being part of the social media landscape is a fundamental basic before you even start to help clients with strategic direction. How can you have a sensible conversation on the merits of the big shiny object syndrome if you’ve never experienced and participated in Second Life, Twitter, the blogosphere etc. As Kevin Keegan once said, “you can’t win the raffle if you don’t buy a ticket.” Don’t just talk, act.

3) As a digital marketer/creative person what’s on top of your agenda for 2008?
Turning good words and intent into action. Although digital is regarded as important and budgets are shifting, consumers are still ahead of (most) brands in the digital space and corporate barriers and behaviours are, a lot of the time, still rooted in the old school and governed by risk rather than innovation. I love the quote by John Hegarty of BBH which should become our mantra: “from learn and do to do and learn.”

4) What, in your opinion, will be a killer application / key trend in interactive marketing in 2008?
Widgets. Content that educates, entertains and informs will drive the emotional connection between brands and consumers, ultimately leading to ROI. As the atomisation of the space continues, destination sites will still play a role but the content we create must be able to be detached and distributed to wherever the consumer is and wants (especially mobile).

5) Which book (about marketing/advertising/creativity/inspiration etc…) would you give as a Christmas present to Adverblog’s readers?
In my time out before I joined Ogilvy, I re-read these two books by Paul Arden which were originally recommended to me by the lovely Becky Power, now creative director at Full Six. Every page has a great insight into life in general not just our world. And it is still true in these digital times. I particularly love the two words that he pinned above his desk when reviewing work. In times where a lot of work is churn and burn, we should have this as our mantra alongside Mr Hegarty’s words above: “Astound Me”.

And here’s a pic from Durban airport in SA where I was scribbling my notes accompanied by a pint of Castle.

So my first week wasn’t really normal considering the trip to SA and approx 4hrs in the agency whereas this week was more like reality. And as a newcomer I can honestly say there’s been a great deal of effort put into the induction process. Lots of information, lots of documentation to take away and a definite impression that this is a grown up company who know what they’re doing. I seem to have joined at a good time too as this week OgilvyOne were named as Campaign Direct Agency of the Year 2007 which is a huge accolade. I knew they were in the hunt during my interview process but it gives an extra feel good factor to my reasons for joining. Even the end of year company meeting was fun with the one and only Rory Sutherland showcasing coprophilia reaction videos from You Tube. Most unexpected.

So I’m getting to know the place, the clients, the projects and the team a bit better. I’ve decided to give the team some homework this weekend to understand them a little better and to hopefully get a great team dynamic. Looking back in time the best team collaboration I had was when running the financial services portfolio at TMW using this technique. So I want to try that here too. Updates to come.

So all in all I’m actually feeling at home already. I like the place, the people and the projects. Happy at work? So far.

I like the fact my boss has a blog too and participates in this crazy digital world. And that my account manager was Janine in Eastenders as a child actress. Seriously. Here’s a compilation video. “You fat cow!!!!!!!

Picture up top from here.

The EMR Group have released their 2007 salary survey. Download it here. Some highlights which will sound familiar if you’re in the industry:

• Only 6% of marketers had been in their current role for 5 years or more
• 73% had been in their current role for 2 years or less
• 69% of responders claim they work over 40 hours a week compared to 39% who think they should

And of you’re thinking of moving, check out how much or little extra you’ll get.

Cartoon image above found here.

And here’s some pictures from where I was staying and where we had our meeting in South Africa this week. I will write more on the various experiences, observations and learnings when my head doesn’t feel like travel-mush but in short it was a great trip on many levels.

Today I start my new role as Business Partner at OgilvyOne Worldwide in London. I am so excited by the opportunity and particularly impressed by the people I’ve met so far. I’m looking forward to working with some great people on some truly world-class brands in an agency that I’ve always wanted to work at. And today is not your usual first day at school as I’ll be flying out tonight to Durban, South Africa for a global brand team meeting. Blimey. More to follow. Wish me luck.

As it’s December 1, it’s now officially Christmas season in the Gill household. And you can track Santa this Christmas! Download Google Earth to follow the fat man with beard.

And because it’s Christmas, we’ve been getting sprouts in our veg box delivery. Euurggghh!!!!! Evil, vile things. Smash the buggers here.