Imitation - the greatest form of flattery ....

Newspapers in Sydney this weekend ran a story about a new ad campaign being planned by an Islamic group called 'My Peace'. Their ads (see billboard left) will carry slogans such as ''Jesus: a prophet of Islam''.
The article claimed that: "CHRISTIANS in Sydney will have their core beliefs challenged by provocative advertisements due to appear on billboards and buses in the next month."
The Islamic campaign follows a series of campaigns run throughout Australia from 2005 - 2010 in Adelaide, Tasmania, Canberra/ACT, NSW/Sydney and WA/Perth by Christian churches and facilitated by Bible Society. The 'Jesus. All about life' (JAAL) campaigns used billboards (pictured), television commercials and encouraged local churches in each city or area to support the campaign by reaching out to their local community.
I was actively involved in developing the first three campaigns and laying the ground work for the fourth one. (For media reports, etc - click here)

The news that 'My Peace' are copying the JAAL model (but not the message of course) is not surprising, given the amount of coverage our campaign received by the secular press.
'Jesus. All about life' was favourably commented on by the Gruen Transfer and is also studied in marketing and theological courses. However JAAL varied in one key area compared to this most recent use of modern marketing techniques to promote religion. Our campaign was strongly linked to the 'brand', ie - Jesus. We chose not to denigrate or comment on other religions. We simply stated our position and then encouraged people to find out more by way of a web site or phone call.
My Peace have taken a different approach, claiming that Jesus is a prophet of Islam. Whilst I don't think this will 'challenge the core beliefs of Sydney Christians' it does 'position' Jesus as something other than who he is, in the hope maybe that those who aren't Christian, might want to find out more.
It's a bold move and one that takes the 'battle' if you like, right up to the Christian frontline.
As Bishop Rob Forsyth said, 'it was ''complete nonsense'' to say Jesus was a prophet of Islam. ''Jesus was not the prophet of a religion that came into being 600 years later.'' But the billboard was not offensive, he said. ''They've got a perfect right to say it, and I would defend their right to say it [but] … you couldn't run a Christian billboard in Saudi Arabia".'
I agree with Rob - imagine a 'Jesus. All about life' banner in the middle-east!
That My Peace have imitated our campaign is in one sense flattering, but all we did was use modern marketing techniques, backed by research to encourage people to find out what Jesus said about life. 'I have come to give life and life to the full", he said.
What do you think?

talhotblond ...

No, I haven't started producing inappropriate videos - talhotblond is the name of an award winning documentary about an on-line love triangle which ends in murder. It's a superb piece of film making and the producer/director, Barbara Schroeder, has won a number of awards.
It's the true story of a 47 year-old man who pretends to be an 18 year-old marine in an on-line chat room with an 18 year-old girl. However, all is not what it seems and there are devastating consequences for all involved.
The documentary uses a narrative structure that includes interviews and the actual chat text over muted images. Having one of the main characters narrating his own story is used to chilling effect.
It raises all sorts of issues to do with on-line chats and the inability of the law to deal with what can happen when it all goes wrong.
It's on ABC iView for the next week or so and is well worth a look.

Finding those great locations

Today I enlisted the services of a former employee (when we were both a lot younger). Brett worked for me when I ran Wesley Mission Sydney's Communications department.
Brett Odgers Photography is now one of Sydney's leading wedding photographers who also does PR for showbiz personalities and pop stars. Not sure how I fit into that portfolio, but getting somewhat frustrated with my web site and how it looks, figured it was time for an update - starting with some proper PR pics of me, the owner.
We shot in Sydney's Prymont area, just west of Star City Casino overlooking the revamped wharfs in Jones Street. Great spot.
Interesting that its now about the personality behind the organisation or company that becomes the spearhead of modern marketing.
Results on-line soon - see what you think.

The Apocalypse that didn't happen

As someone actively involved in PR and with a work background in (and personal commitment to) the Christian faith, I was amazed at the response by Australian Media to the pronouncements of a US religious TV show host.
Harold Camping, 89, head of Family Radio, a Christian radio network in the US and with some international stations, spread his message of an approaching doomsday on his stations and by spending a reported $100 million (US) on PR.
Camping spent the money, financed by the sale and swap of TV and radio stations, on a campaign of caravans and billboards touting the end of the world.
Sadly - some people believed Camping and resigned their jobs and waited for the Lord to come and take them home.
In discussing Camping's predictions late last night as the 21st rolled around in the US, I was asked why would anyone believe such a prediction?
Whilst not a Christian, Seth Godin writes a very insightful daily marketing blog and today he captured some of the key reasons why people believe such things:

"If you're reading this blog, then the world didn't end, at least in my time zone. How does one market the end of the world? After all, you don't have a big ad budget. Your 'product' is something that has been marketed again and again through the ages and it has never worked. There's significant peer pressure not to buy it...

And yet, every time, people succumb. They sell their belongings, stop paying into their kid's college fund and create tension and despair. Here's the simple lesson:

Sell a story that some people want to believe. In fact, sell a story they already believe.

The story has to be integrated into your product. The iPad, for example, wasn't something that people were clamoring for... but the story of it, the magic tablet, the universal book, the ticket to the fashion-geek tribe--there was a line out the door for that. The same way that every year, we see a new music sensation, a new fashion superstar. That's not an accident. That story is just waiting for someone to wear it.

And the some part is vital. Not everyone wants to believe in the end of the world, but some people (fortunately, just a few) really do. To reach them, you don't need much of a hard sell at all.

Too often marketers take a product and try to invent a campaign. Much more effective is to find a tribe, find a story and make a product that resonates, one that makes the story work. That's the whole thing. A story that resonates and a tribe that's tight and small and eager. I hope you can dream up something more productive than the end of the world, though." (From Seth Godin - click here)

Good stuff eh?

The Maine Coast - new video site

If you've never been to Maine, in the top right hand corner of the US, you can now through a new web site started by a buddy of mine.
Rob Draper of VisionMill has developed the Maine Video Magazine web site, with some great videos of the Maine lifestyle.
From beautiful images of Maine Lighthouses - shot at 'magic hour', through to Bagels, Coffee and Pasta, there's something for everyone.
Check out the tobogganing videos from the Camden area - love the dismounting style as they finish their run onto Hosmer Pond.
Once you've checked out the site, make sure you visit this beautiful part of the US.

iMovie for Final Cut Pro editors

I've been editing for over 30 years. I started on a Steinbeck, editing 16mm mag stripe positive film for a local news service. I graduated to the Editec system on an Ampex Quad videotape machine, onto CMX in a one inch suite and finally onto Final Cut Pro.
It's great to now be able to do High Definition editing on my laptop - compared to the room full of tape gear that was needed in the old days.
This week I have taken the plunge and delved into iMovie. I had to buy the book to help - but I think I have a handle on it. I've written a Word document that compares FCP to iMovie to help fellow editors get to grips with a program that obviously wasn't written by an editor.
If it helps - let me know. Plus feel free to add to it. It's here. (Click to download)

Video 101 Podcast One

This is the first in a series of Podcasts from my Video 101 Seminar presented at the CMA in May, 2011.