Retro-Creativity

After last week's interesting marketing lesson at the hairdresser, I was thinking about how important marketing is in our day and age. Furthermore, how much of it is a play on our emotions to make us buy something - such as fear, love, self-consciousness. Subtle as it may be, those subliminal messages just push us over the line to fork over our hard earned cash to ease that emotional spike we feel at that particular point in time.

Recently, I was also browsing through a number of sites (including eBay and some independant sites) and there is a market for just about everything out there. The sites were varied in content and messages - I have to admit that I was very interested in the sites which were graphically impressive and were tastefully done. Each of the different sites had marketed themselves differently to target themselves at a different niche within the overall market. It has really started to get me thinking about selling items online...definitely worth a thought I reckon.

Impressed by the quality of the sites which grabbed my attention, it got me thinking about exploring my creative side. I can honestly say that I am not exactly the most creative, but from now on, my plan is to explore different areas and opportunities to be more creative. First on the list is to learn how to take awesome photos....so expect more photos to be going up! Watch this space!

On that note, I have been working late and sitting at home watching TV. One of the items which has been rather interesting is a reality show called "Project Runway" taking 12 up and coming designers and putting them to the tasks and then eliminateing one person each time. Pretty much like the "Apprentice" and the last three get to perform a full fledged fashion show. It was a delight to see the different characters come up with their different interpretations of the tasks at hand. That's something quite inspiring - to own a big label!

From a TV perspective, some old school stuff has caught my attention including:

• a HK TVB series from 1986
• Episodes of "The Nanny"
• 1966 World Cup played in England
• an advertisement showing the evolution of F1 cars

Watching these made me think about how quickly thing schange and evolve and how sometimes these vintage items can make a big comeback. Is vintage back in? So much retro is making a comeback - such as the Mini Cooper, the VW Beetle, fashion such as flares, the thin knits and cardigans, the thick rimmed glasses - heck even "Basic Instinct". Everything can make a comeback. How some things just come round...

Thinking about it, it has been such a long time since I finished high school as well as uni. When I was back in high school and uni:

• "Friends", "Ally McBeal" and "The Practice" was showing. "South Park" just started.
• I remember first starting to use the internet over a 33.6Kbps modem - that was heaps fast back then....and the jump to 56K was substantial.
• Michael Schumacher was with Bennetton.
• Manchester United were really making a breakthrough with their new generation. A boy with a name of Beckham really took off.
• Nintendo went through Super Famicom and then the Playstation just came out

....this is really showing my age! Anyway, time flies so fast, since I can remember all that with so much detail!

Reflecting on my thoughts and values some years ago, to now, I realise that things have changed substantially. I think I weigh up what's important to me and work hard for it - no matter what it is. The main thing is satisfaction and getting to a particular milestone.

Looking around me, I can see a significant number of changes happening and I know I, for one, am committed to making doing things differently and thinking about treating all the different things as being learning experiences. I can't wait to see what's out there!