so tomorrow is finally really tomorrow - another hotly anticipated launch of Apple’s latest game changing device. Inspired by a project last week and the recent work we’ve been doing with Random House publishing, it seems that the world of ‘entertainment’ is about ready to explode - and whether it’s the fabled iSlate or some other e-reading digitally loaded multimediarised connected handheld jutebox portal, the whole ‘verb’ of discovering, purchasing, enjoying and sharing entertaining content is transforming. Which got me thinking about ‘apps’ for the home. Imagine turning on the flatscreen and instead of a sky menu or tv show, you had a window full of ‘apps’ much like the iphone screen - and each was the portal through to either stored, cloud based or stream accessed on call personally selected entertaining content - I’d buy that right now - that truly would be you and me in control. The messaging challenge would then simply be exactly as it is now; how do I know it’s out, who is recommending I watch/listen/read/view it and thru which ‘app’ should I go get it. Actually it’s not the only challenge - I know ‘consumers’ would go for this kinda thing, we’ve been out there all December taking to people about these kinds of thing - it’s the gate keepers of the content that have to get on board; the production houses, the Labels, the studios etc.  Maybe finally this new iPad thingy really will change the game again.

I am absolutely convinced tha tall this green guilting does absolutely nothing to help the urgent need for us to get changing our carbon consuming ways. Business need to innovate new ideas to help us, in fact more than just help they need to make it easy, and they need to make sense - exactly the kind of ideas that the crew at Kenwood are getting their heads around. Check out there new energy sense kettle we had delivered. We’d been using a gas hob kettle for ages, cos we like the old worldyness of it. But having read about gas supplies over the winter etc it became clear that using gas to boil the kettle must be v v inefficient use of resources. And so to John Lewis and Kenwood’s new energy sense kettle. My rationale goes like this - we want to be able to make lovely cuppas at home, and that takes energy. And that energy is delivered via a plug. So the main control we have over power use, and trying to be more efficient, is what we plug into. So here’s to you Mr Kenwood, a kettle that helps us use up to 35% less energy. Brilliant. Others makers of plugged in things take note - this. is. the. way. forward.

Last week I helped Sony Music craft a pending fresh release from the 1 time genius that was Jimmi Hendrix. Without diving into the creative details, one thing it inspired in me was the nature of ‘rebellion’ or more specifically ‘cultural rebellion’. You might recall that Jimmi Hendirx is kinda synonymous with the 60’s and specially that period of turmoil around 68′ and 69′ with the anti war period etc - see any clip of Vietnam and chances are it’s soundtracked by a Hendrix guitar riff. That’s not to say Hendrix was a rebel, he was just doing his virtuoso thing. But his fans, the times, the cultural mood was one of rebellion and it seems they chose Hendrix music as part of their playlist. Which got me thinking about ‘today’ - what or who is a rebel today? And what are they rebelling against? And how are they doing it? What is todays modern expression of that kind of rebellion? It’s an intriguing question that actually doesn’t have a lot of answers or icons…which is either slightly depressing or a massive creative opportunity. Hmmmm.

Who’d have thought London would go all alpine this winter!! The soup companies must be doing a roaring trade, as nothing warms the cockles so well as a steaming bowl of soup for lunch. To wit, I was dashing thru the snow on route to an early afternoon meeting down Holborn way and I thought of hunting down a quick lunch. I passed an Itsu and thought no, sushi is a summer thing. However, they had news of new menus on the windows so I dived in - and very pleased I did. They’re doing this hearty new range of noodle soups (well new to me!) which sounded great - but what really attracted me was the ’slurp’ thing - eat it with chopsticks, a fork or simply slurp. Now, who could say no to boldly slurp your soup with such stated permission. Tremendous Itsu, brilliant copy writing that made me smile and made me purchase. I’ll be back very soon (or here’s an idea, maybe you guys could open in W10? or deliver? )