Heads up

Since I was a nipper I’ve been aware of a gap in my character where most fellows have a football. Or at least an abiding love of that game. I grew up in Nottingham in an era when Nottingham Forest couldn’t sneeze without winning a trophy. By all accounts, they were the most accomplished club in Europe for a couple of years – and of course, they were managed by the city’s beloved, adopted son Brian Clough. All my friends were captivated by the team’s success and reveled in each new glory. I, on the other hand, didn’t give a monkey’s. I could see nothing remotely inspiring or heroic in the kicking of balls in fields and was moved not one iota by the achievements of my local side, preferring Hammer horror movies and latterly Sex Pistols records.

Period drama

From the off, I am happy to acknowledge I am male and therefore not necessarily best qualified to judge the merits or flaws in advertisements for ‘sanitary protection’. But, as media planners have yet to find a platform completely invisible to men, I glimpse such campaigns from time to time. Ever the critic, I also tend to form opinions on the work.

Torrential reign

“As things stand now, digital music has failed.”

So says Forrester Research analyst Mark Mulligan. Of course he doesn’t mean digital music isn’t being consumed – just glance around any train carriage – what he’s pointing to is an abiding anxiety that the MP3 revolution is almost over and the record companies still aren’t across it. Not that you’d find many industry executives echoing this sentiment. Most will tell you that, as long as they can continue to bear down on piracy and intervene to make it almost impossible to download music illegally, their fortunes will rally.

It's not what you think ...

I work in advertising. I’m also something of a writer. And in a way, I’m a radio presenter. These are all quite enjoyable and satisfying things – at least from time-to-time – and I’m pretty lucky to do them for a living.

I know, because now and again somebody will contact me asking how he or she can get started in one or other of these fields. I’m happy to give what mediocre advice I can (most of my jobs I happened upon by accident, so I’m no expert) and always reply. But often, I am struck by the distance between the impression these correspondents have of creative media work and the reality.