Archive
Year: 2015
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Abstract Digest #5
August 21, 2015
Welcome to another edition of Abstract Digest, collating this weeks news, trends and creativity. Future Google's upcoming Nexus phone might look like this. Lurch to the left or the right? Where Labour and the Tories must position themselves to win in 2020. Facebook looks set to alter the platform to encourage long-form blogging. Aldi and Morrisons will pay farmers more for milk - smart PR move? Starbucks stores are transitioning to serve wine and beer...
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TechMunch: Artificial Intelligence: should we fear the rise of the machines?
August 20, 2015
Robots used to be a thing of the sci-fi world, but this is rapidly changing. Artificial intelligence (AI), the development of machines that can carry out tasks normally only human intelligence is capable of, has progressed a lot over the last few years, making robot technology much more advanced. So advanced, that it has been reported that Japan is opening its doors to a new robot staffed hotel, where robot humanoids (that blink) respond to...
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The end of the Labour Party as we know it?
August 17, 2015
As the Labour Party issues its leadership ballots today, Corbynmania is all anyone and everyone is talking about. The drawn out leadership race took another astonishing turn last week with Jeremy Corbyn emerging as the ultimate front-runner most likely to win the entire contest in a single round on the back of the most recent YouGov leadership poll, further fuelling the state of panic within the party. With the majority of members expected to cast...
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What the past three months have told us about the next five years, and beyond…
August 14, 2015
Earlier this week I found myself watching a C-SPAN interview of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown from 1993. Coming across as a new brand of Labour politicians, engaging and clearly economically competent, (even for this Conservative), one is left feeling safe, confident, even agreeing with what they are saying. But, to extend the phrase, 22 years is a long time in politics. The two modernising forces in British politics today resemble the Blair and Brown...
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Abstract Digest #4
August 14, 2015
Welcome to another edition of Abstract Digest, collating this weeks news, trends and creativity. Future Nano-sized 'yolks' should lead to longer-lasting batteries. How do you make voters interested in elections through social media? Spotify will soon introduce a premium-only "gated access" model. Labour bans 1,200 people from voting in leadership election over next couple of weeks. Hillary Clinton to turn over her private email server. This flip-phone concept of an iPhone 6 is really neat...
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TechMunch: How close are we to drones delivering packages to our front door steps?
August 12, 2015
In the past couple of years, drones have been the hot tech ticket. They’ve barely left the news and debate regarding their use – from security, to privacy, air laws, personal usage and safety issues - has been hotly contested and continues to rage on to this day. After 18 months since Amazon first announced it was testing drones to deliver goods to its customers, how close are we to seeing them speed across the...
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Story Telling In The New Media Age
August 11, 2015
Such a powerful image: thirty five women, beautifully photographed in black and white; sitting unapologetically in front of the camera. The image represented a bold and unquestioning stance by the magazine’s editorial team that challenged long-held perceptions of a TV and entertainment icon, Bill Cosby. There was much that fascinated me in this story. The bravery of the women involved is without question but also the editorial position that led to New York magazine running...
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Demand for Always-on Healthcare – can industry keep up?
August 10, 2015
New research in the UK Digital Health Report, published by Push Doctor, shows that one in four people in the UK admit to self-diagnosing their illnesses online rather than making a doctor’s appointment. The report found that 21.8% of people chose to diagnose their symptoms online because they were unable to get a doctor's appointment (11%) or because their GP wasn't available quickly enough (10.8%). It’s no surprise that ‘Doctor Google’ is often the first...
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Abstract Digest #3
August 7, 2015
Welcome to another edition of Abstract Digest, collating this weeks news, trends and creativity. Future 2016 could see the first HoloLens kits shipped to developers. Is it time to prepare for augmented-reality ads? Urban water slides, Ice cream pop-ups and giant ball pits: Top 75 Interactive Ideas in August. Siri could soon answer your calls and transcribe voicemail messages for you, reportedly launching in 2016. Labour MPs are queuing up to say they won't serve...
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What does underground music have to do with brand loyalty?
August 6, 2015
Although it’s almost 100% true that FleishmanHillard is my life, I have a passion most would think is almost entirely divorced from communications. After being an electronic music fanatic for close to 10 years, I co-established an independent drum and bass record label in 2011. Unlike the big global conglomerates that create cash-cows out of prepubescent boy bands, ‘indie’ record labels have to harbour the power of branding in order to exist in their murky...