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23rd Dec 2004 - Mobiles are the new cars

Trendwatching.com had a look at the cultural role of mobiles recently, particularly versus that of the car. In a not-too distant past, cars were the ultimate symbol of coming of age: a way out from parents (and friends' parents), from siblings' prying eyes, from geographical constraints. But things chance: for hundreds of millions of consumers worldwide, "phones are replacing cars" (as the Economist pointed out earlier this year). Consider these similarities between the automotive and wireless/handheld industries:

• Model and customization define the owner
• Replacement is frequent
• Choice is massive
• Branding and design are key
• Competition is global
• Anticipation of new models is enormous
• Structurally, the industries are now very similar when it comes to production

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21st Dec 2004 - Internet deprivation

Yahoo and OMD recently carried out a big research study in the US, looking at internet deprivation ("Disconnected: life without the internet"). The results are pretty much as you might expect. Hey, Yahoo commissioned it! But they're interesting nonetheless (see here). What I did like though, was their handy survival guide for those so immersed in life on line that they don't know what to do without it.

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20th Dec 2004 - Seriously cereally

I covered this here a few months ago in FutureScope, when it was just a concept. Well now it's become a reality. And it's still great fun.

Cereality is basically a fast food restaurant dedicated to breakfast cereal (check out a guided tour round the store here). With 33 cereals to chose from, in any combination and all with the toping of your choice, it's a throwback to childhood for 20 and 30 somethings looking to escape from the stresses and strains of adulthood.

And this does seem to be part of a bigger trend, in the US at least, with many young adults (students in particular) eating cereals for breakfast, lunch and dinner - a diet high in comforting memories and sugar rushes...although maybe not that nutritionally great.

But Cereality are clearly on to something. And as they say on their website, "95% of Americans like cereal. 57% like sex. We've got cereal".

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15th Dec 2004 - iPod my photo

The iPod advertising looks like it's becoming a cultural phenomena to rival the iPod itself. Whether a vehicle for social comment or a way to jazz up your family photo album, the black and colour look is on the rise. Family photos? Yes, you can now have them iPod-ised courtesy of iPod-my-photo.

Why you would want to remains something of a mystery to me though.

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13th Dec 2004 - Pitches pitches everywhere

Seems to be a case of how many pitches can we squeeze in before Christmas at the moment, so I don't hold out much hope for interesting and insightful postings this side of New Year. But I'll try my best.

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5th Dec 2004 - Retro phones (I was right all along!)

This is my mobile.

It's a good five years old, doesn't do much beyond phone calls, and is rather large. However, it still works. All I use it for is to make calls. And I like a phone with a bit of heft behind it, rather than something the size of an After Eight mint...and seemingly just as robust. So why on earth would I want a new one? For technology I have no need of? Or to brag about how cool I am, which frankly I'm not...and way to old to be bothered about either.

Nonetheless, it does make my phone something of a running joke at work. My response (tongue planted firmly in cheek), has always been to claim that I am at the bleeding edge of mobile trend setting, and that retro was to be the next big thing...which, of course, no one bought.

So imagine my delight on discovering (joy oh joy) retrofone, flogging old phones to those confident enough in their coolness not to need the latest 3G gizmos. Apparently, I was out on the cutting edge after all. Retro IS a big emerging trend. Which I knew all along obviously!

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