Day 22: Being in motion is being in motion

(Emotion) Observation: When out and about meeting people, seeing new things and sometimes literally smelling the roses along the way is when I really feel like I am progressing. Learning, adapting and doing.

Opportunities:

- Often small business owners can feel isolated and end up in a spiral of working too hard and becoming increasingly isolated. They get exhausted. And no one is at their best when they are exhausted. When not start an entrepreneur's walking or running club? Efficient use of time, the opportunity to get out and making sure people stay healthy too. Similar to the Hash House Harriers, we could start and end at a pub so if people want to linger, they can.

- Its amazing how the environment affects you. Hanging out in SOHO makes me want to go faster, edgier. Mayfair makes me cautious and see the value of a great board. Why not create a series of movable co-working spaces, popping up for a month, each with its own feel and strengths. Why not pitch it to a restaurant, a hotel or even a car-park that during their down-time, they cam gain extra revenue, traffic and frankly kudos with the local community. Sponsored by a 'SME friendly' bank and with the occasional talk by business people, it could work really well.

- For professional societies - have old fashioned field days. Either curated or crowd-sourced, get out there and move!

Day 21: Give me a campfire

Observation: We're still using powerpoint.

People absorb information in different ways - visual, aural and through other senses. So, it makes sense that people still have visual aids when they speak.

However, I can't help being a little disappointed when the first slide comes up, particularly at a creative event.

Next time - give me a campfire if you are going to be telling stories!

Opportunities:

- Retailers - let your suppliers in. Let them hold meetings in your aisles to show their sales team and marketers exactly how things work in store, with customers. They can't help but understand your needs and those of your customers better that way.

- Start a small business called Raconteur. Specialising in...presenting the heart of your story. Imagine, you may be the numbers guy and need to point out some key issues. These people will for a small fee give you ideas or help you put together a killer communication to highlight what you need people to act upon. It might be a video from the shop floor, a gathering in the middle of the factory with the production manager pointing to the issues. Or it might be dressing all in red to get the point across.

- Say less.

- Create a game where by people participating they understand the key issues and opportunities you need them too and end up coming back to you with key messages and solutions.

What would you do differently?

Day 20: False Claims and fashion

Observation: Old fashioned brands could claim anything.

The rules are pretty strict nowadays, particularly around health claims. But it got me thinking...when everything is new and therefore fashionable, such as many social media tools and ever more Apps...could anything be claimed because no-one is quite able to see what's real?

Admitted unlikely in our uber-transparent world where even super-injunctions no longer work.

So - here are some Real Claims that I'd like to see brands living up to:

- A real estate brand, (Bullfreemen?) - the real estate agency that only tells you the truth.

- A cereal brand (Naughty but Nice?) - a sugary treat to start the day.

- A health foods brand (Cardboard?) - all the basic super healthy ingredients that you can use to make healthy dishes, but which by themselves, taste like cardboard.

- A bank brand, called 7% - guaranteed to only ever make 7% profit. Anything else they give back to customers or re-invest in services and benefits for customers and the community.

It's fun to imagine what could be possible as brands increasingly tie their brands to Real Claims and being real is increasingly fashionable.

Some great examples include: Another Bloody Water, Honest Tea, Kashi, Patagonia and Lonely Planet.

What Real Claim brands would you like to see?

Day 19: You did what at Bingo?

Observation: This is Bingo, but not as we know it. Pumping tunes, dance floor, texta everywhere and people looking like a new breed of child tattooists have gone wild. And some seriously sexy sassy people pumping the crowd. Welcome to the Underground Rebel Bingo Club.

These fabulous people have made the ordinary, extraordinary. In main part because they have the balls to do so.

There is so much mundanity around that could be made different with creativity, courage and a little effort. But just for fun, lets look at some of THE most mundane things.

Opportunities:

- Traffic jams - What if the highway company, just for one day, hired a team of themed "entertainment staff". Whilst in traffic they would dance, walk and skip through the crowd (safely) and introduce people to others in the car next door, do a dance routine or teach people funny phrases in other languages? What if we made it an everyday thing - putting digital screens up in the lead up to the toll booths with different things - one day it could be funny quotes, one day learn an italian word - or even for one month - with prizes for people most improved at the end of it?

- Putting out the rubbish - What if just for one neighbourhood, the dustbin quietly swapped all the bins as they were emptying them with personalised ones for that family, with an art series from a local artist or left a big herb pot plant beside each bin + a card with recipes for that plant? (similar to the SpainAir great example of delighting Christmas travellers)

- Cleaning - Why not make a new type of oven cleaner that smells like just-baked apple pie? Or do a gift with purchase promotion that has music from different kinds of holidays so at least you can dream of being elsewhere and enjoy the sounds of it whilst cleaning?

What is your most mundane thing? How could you make it better?

Day 18: I see you

Observation: Sometimes those dressed in the most severe or corporate ways let it be known that they are not the people they appear. To this girl - I see you. The real you.

Opportunities:

- Marketing idea for lingerie. Many girls (I can't really talk for men) wear lingerie that expresses how they feel on that day - be it sexy, playful or just comfortable in their own skin. Do a campaign based around these truths. You are the real you underneath, no matter what uniform you need to put on.

- Business idea - Daily change wrist jewellery for men and women - stylish enough to go with work wear but different enough to be noticed by those paying attention. Easily changeable elements to reflect what you want that day or that year - be it love, confidence, strength or protection.

- Corporate organisational culture idea - have a 'this is me' day. Be it in the office or off site, have a day where people dress completely as they would on the weekend. It could be ripped jeans and rock T-shirts, their pajamas or a ball gown. Facilitating people really getting to know each other and respect it.

- Marketing idea - A coffee shop or gym that allowed for very small personal lockers for girls work / personal shoes. Rather than having to lug them in each day, they could grab them with their morning coffee. It could be on a rotating basis for loyal customers. It could also work for a shoe store - imagine a shoe store putting in a coffee machine and opening for loyal customers to swap to their work shoes. They would be exposed to the latest range and have a chance to share their passion with other shoe lovers. Everyones happy!

Day 17: Seeking a connection

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Observation: Today's observation was an emotional one. In one day meeting with a recruiter, attending a wonderful female networking event (check out Ladies at 11), meeting a new recent professional contact for drinks and strolling back to transport past several beggars, 2 out of the 3 had company, be it a puppy or a companion.

In a day I felt the swirling push and pull of contacting with others in many different facets. It makes me wonder, how can this be made easier and more positive? Or is this trying to box a multi-layered phenomenon that cannot be boxed?

This one I don't have an answer for.

What do you think - how could we help people make connections?

Day 16: Prettify, don't just stand there

Observation: Hoardings, scaffolding. Essential but often ugly. As people pass by it is like it becomes an invisible part of the landscape.

Surely the upgrade is expensive enough, without losing all value from this clearly very expensive real estate?

Opportunities:

- Hoardings as advertising medium. Cut price hoarding rental in return for use as urban advertising media. I suspect there may be reasons why this doesn't exist already but it does seem a glaring opportunity.

- Of course the number one priority is safety, but why not use the chance to get creative? If entire communities can get colourful, why can't some hoardings and structs? Could this be the point of difference and major marketing vehicle for a forward thinking construction company?

- Be the construction company leading in environmentally friendly scaffolding - use alternate materials such as the bamboo very common in Asia, add in hanging gardens at each level to provide healthy food for the workers or use environmentally friendly scaffolding covers.

- Host creative events in the scaffolding with acrobats and artists - done safely but spectacularly. A great example is this event by Target and The Standard Hotel in NYC. Imagine what the spectacle could be at night and the PR opportunity it would present for that new property?

Why not turn an invisible opportunity into a spectacular opportunity?