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If you are having a tough week (cause you hurt your knee real bad, for example) this precious piece is just perfect for you. It's like zen: It will help you to channel your pent-up aggression and focus it on Mr. Keen. At the same time it will make you laugh.



I am not assuming Mr. Keen is condescending enough to read this, but in case he does (solely for research of course): Yes, I am writing that I consider your tirade unconsidered and embarassing. Nobody forces you or anybody else to do anything online. There is a lot of nonsense or things you would probably consider nonsense and even more sex on the internet. But it's out there in the real world, too. I know that this might be a shock for you, but some people actually like that kind of stuff. The internet doesn't create itself, it just reflects. And as you probably know from your own experience, there are a lot of offline-idiots.

Who do you suggest should control (i.e. censor) the web and tell users what they should know and like? Journalists? Government? Corporations? You? I highly doubt that facebook and co killed your always neutral, up-to-date, high-quality neighborhood newspaper. Maybe you wanna live in North Korea: Free from the Internet. Free from that annyoing idea of democracy, where everybody gets to participate in the way they please. And free from free market, where services and products that people actually use and like are the most successful.

Mr. Keen, if you are reading this, please don't be offended and send the forces of moral hell or legal prosecution my way. You know better, you are better, for I am just a dumb, unconsidered blogger. I don't even understand what I am writing here and neither do the readers of this blog (except you, Mr. Know-it-all, of course). Now, if I would say those sentences out loud on the radio it would be a completely different thing. But even in that case, I would advise you to make no attempts to morally convert or legally accuse me. I live outside your lawyers' and your moral's jurisdiction.

Out of this world campaign

"Today, we are all Americans" - this September-10-2001-sentence is once again true on this November-04-2008. The American election has been the number one news topic for quite a while, real and fake experts constantly present their views and there are public and private debates all over the place. You probably know what I mean. It's your country, after all.

The election hype is quite unbelievable - and we can't even VOTE! Well, actually we can vote. Just not in this election. We have this fancy democracy thing going on over here, too. Every once in a while there are European elections, for example. Only problem is nobody cares about them. The turnout has been steadily declining and is especially low in the new EU member states.

In an attempt to change that in the next election in June 2009 some geniuses in Brussels Germany came up with a mind-blowing idea. The European Union aimes for nothing less than the stars: A ballot box will be send into outer space to make voters interested in the process and create election excitement from Britain to the Balkans. In May, a Belgium astronaut is set to take the thing on his trip to the ISS. The box will show us Europeans that we can vote everywhere (no, still not in the US today). I supposse the Eurocrats learned from our American friends that every vote can count. Long lines in front of extrateresstial polling places have long been a major problem and many potential voters were err... alienated by that.

It's all part of a 33 Million dollar PR campaign to enhance the European Union's image amongst its citizens. Cause, you know, it's doing all sorts of tangible, effective and generally great stuff with our tax Euros. Next June, we will all be Europeans. Even those Martians out there.

Obit for a summer spot

This commercial made me cry every time I saw it. With this tear-jerking spot the Deutsche Telekom, Germany's biggest telecommunications corporation, introduced its new company-wide line "Experience what connects (us)". The copy translates: "Life presents us with extraordinary moments. How wonderful that we can share them with others."

I loved the original Paul Potts video. I forwarded it to many of my friends and watched it all over again and again myself. Perhaps I even cried once or twice. And then came the Telekom and ruined it all forever. I just don't see the "connection."

Maybe it’s because all summer long the really long spot bombarded me during every commercial break on every channel, before every movie I watched in theaters and even online (oh yes, singing banner ads). Your very own special moment – 20 times a day. That heavy rotation could have killed it even if I would have loved it in the beginning.

Maybe it’s because I didn’t like the timing. Paul Potts’ “Britain’s Got Talent” performance was back in June 2007 and his video became a youtube hit shortly afterwards. Somebody at Telekom should have listened to Nessun dorma (Italian for “None shall sleep”) much sooner. Besides, the spot always felt more like Christmas to me - too much opera and emotions for hot summer days.

Maybe it’s because the Telekom tried too hard to create a “real” Lady-Di(e) moment - everybody in Germany remembers what they did when they heard that Princess Diana was killed in a car accident. Many also remember what they felt when they first saw Paul Potts on “Germany’s Got Talent”. Oh no, wait… So, I wonder are all those people in the spot British? It’s kinda like if AT&T would air a Superbowl spot with Herbert Grönemeyer. See!

So us Germans either knew Paul from youtube - but then the whole clip with background story, uncut aria and real tears was much more moving then the commercial. Or we have not heard about that chubby, Welsh guy before...but without the Cinderella story, there is not much of a story. Thankfully, the Telekom presented us with a number of deeply-stirred people so even the dumbest Kraut must have realized that it’s time to be moved. You know, we are an uncaring people, so you better not trust us when it comes to feelings and all that crap.

But probably I don't like the spot because sweet emotions and the Telekom don’t fit. They supply wires and contracts, not content and contacts. The former state-owned company is notorious for its bad customer service and high prices, and recently it had to face a number of serious scandals. Hence their effort to improve their image. The question is: Would I like the commercial if it was for a likeable brand? Or are real-life wonder and authentic magic simply too big to be pocketed by any brand?

Undoubtedly the spot worked great. For Paul Potts at least - his album became an instant top hit in Germany. And the highjacked viral spot became a viral itself. For days, the blogosphere talked about nothing else –with mixed results. Even I love one thing about the spot: The fact that a crappy telecommunications company tries to improve its image with a guy who obviously was NOT very happy selling mobile phones!

For anyone who feels like they're not good enough...

Ever get down because you haven't won a Lion, Clio, or a Pencil yet? Don't fret. At least you're not making this shit:



Just wanted to cheer up everyone. :) Yaybia!