Times ten
Welcome to Idealog Weekly, the free email newsletter for New Zealand commercial creatives, entrepreneurs and anyone rich with ideas.
In this week’s issue: Idealog times ten, don’t believe the hype, must Reid, heavenly horror, it’s in the water, happy mid-year New Year and quote of the week.
Idealog, times ten
Issue ten—Idealog sure is growing up fast. And to celebrate reaching double figures, the issue that will hit newsstands on Monday is our biggest yet—128 pages of ideas, inspiration and insight.
So what’s in all those pages? Mic Dover meets the Kiwis who are reinventing what we eat, including creating personalised foods targeted to your DNA and functional foods based on natural ingredients that most of us haven’t heard of—yet. Gena Tuffery looks at 8 Tribes, a new book that examines the differences and similarities among us Kiwis, and Aaron Smale profiles Andy West, the man charged with upping the value of our exports and giving Kiwi farmers a scientific edge. And although we’re not the first to write about our cover gal, the inimitable Hollie Smith, Russell Brown has put Smith’s story through the Idealog filter to draw out the story behind her creativity, how she found her artistic voice and why she turned down a contract with the legendary Blue Note to sign with one of its subsidiaries. Smith has the star quality; she also has the smarts to make sure her talent isn’t squandered.
There’s plenty more—Karen Walker, Peter Urlich, a peek at Apple’s top-secret design process, a swag of up-and-coming products, ideas and inventive people, and Vincent Heeringa updates his widely-read article on New Zealand’s economic under-performance with reader feedback and some useful suggestions. And there’s a special bonus: IdealGear, a 24-page supplement of design-led delight for lounge lizards, fashion buffs and lovers of all things innovative. Idealog #10 will be posted to subscribers tomorrow and will appear on newsstands around the country on Monday.
Don’t believe the hype
… so reads the first page of a new e-book from sometime Idealog contributor Andrew Dubber. The 20 Things You Must Know About Music Online is packed with great advice and insights. I’d recommend it in the bookshops but Dubber has given you the earliest Christmas present ever and made the book available for free download and distribution.
Although the book is written with indie music labels and artists in mind, most of its content applies to anyone who wants to get to grips with emerging new-media distribution and marketing. This isn’t pie-in-the-sky bullshit about some magic business model that will emerge any day now; Dubber keeps his feet firmly on the ground and makes sure the bases are covered, down to the content of your email signature. Highly recommended. Grab a copy and send it to your friends. Dubber’s The Wireless blog is a great read, too, especially for anyone who wants to keep track of what Kiwi musos are up to in the UK.
Must Reid
Meantime, local music and travel writer Graham Reid’s website has become an essential weekly destination. Graham updates his Music From Elsewhere pages every week with a wide, wired and weird collection of music from home and abroad, with a sample MP3 from each album so you can decide whether you agree with his review (sign up for his email newsletter to hear about new articles and reader offers). I’m still enjoying the awesome Tinariwen album that Graham first plugged in February … check out this YouTube vid for a sample of Mali’s most musical rebels.
Had enough free stuff? No? Then browse your way to the website of Auckland author, journalist and poet Chris Bell, who has put his writings online and made them available for free. Why? “Being wilfully profligate with my words is my differentiator, my competitive advantage,” he says. If you like what you read you can buy his books in hardcover form, too.
Heavenly horror
Dr Martens, manufacturer of fine bootwear, dumped its UK agency recently after learning about some unapproved ads featuring dead rocker Kurt Cobain in heaven clad in the company’s finest. The agency responded by finding the employee responsible for distributing the spots and firing his sorry ass.
But it’s hardly the fall-guy’s fault, says our senior writer, Gena Tuffery. How does she know? Because the Docs ads were scam ads, she says—and she’s created a few of those herself. Won awards for them, even.
It’s in the water
Xerox has some suggestions for making your office more productive—and it isn’t what you probably expect.
Happy mid-year New Year
If your original New Year’s resolutions aren’t working out for you, here’s the chance to cook up a fresh batch. Hangi, singing, dancing, culture, hangi, hangi, hangi … Matariki, the Maori New Year, is here. Oh yeah. The new moon on the 16th hails the beginning of celebrations that will be executed in style Aotearoa-over. A prime example is Tuhonohono, a group of seven musicians performing works by Laureate Award recipient Gillian Karawe Whitehead. Sedately described as “music of our land, our waters and winds, our forests, our birds and insects and of our Maori people,” you’ll probably have more luck making sensible resolutions to this than to Forget about the last one, get yourself anuthah!
Alternatively, if you’re in need of a bit of compassion and kindness after a tough week in the business world, buy a bit off the Dalai Lama. The cloaked one is in town again and 20 bucks gets you an entry to enlightenment—or at least a seat in the Auckland’s new Vector Arena.
Check out Idealog’s events guide, Agenda, online and in print. Anyone can add an event to Agenda—just fill out the form on our website.
Quote of the week
“With most young singers, you can still see some of the scaffolding—the influences, the insecurities, all the bits and pieces that make up who they are on stage. With Hollie, you just get Hollie—entirely centred in her craft, and entirely sure of her reasons for being there.”
—Friend and mentor Don McGlashan on Hollie Smith
More at Idealog online
Read more on our website: web exclusives, opinion, Idealog IP, the Idealog blogs and the Idealog podcast. See you at idealog.co.nz.
Matt Cooney
Editor
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