Stephen Ross Scott.com™

Charlie Brooker writes a biting piece (no pun intended) on the fast food industry in the UK. Well worth reading, Charlie's key part that got me hooked (as if I needed to be) was this corker:

I sat in the window of a McDonald's tucking into a sausage-and-egg McMuffin. It was a bit like sinking my teeth into a small, soft woodland creature with a light dusting of flour; one which thoroughly enjoyed being eaten and responded to each bite by gently urinating warm oil down my chin.

Mmm...Burger time!

Disclosure: I got free tickets to see this movie. Thanks to Contagious and Madmen entertainment!

Billed as extreme horror, the description is for once pretty spot on. 'The Loved Ones' is certainly not one for the squeamish, but it has it's tongue super-glued firmly to it's cheek.

The emphasis on fun has been there from the start with this movie, with horror theme emails on the run up to the movie. Then on the night of the screening it kicked off with prizes for best dressed.

A 'ghoulie' (read 'goody') bag was given to all with sweets, movie stickers, streamers, a complete DVD of the directors previous release, and what I thought was the best item in the
bag.

A movie postcard.

Why?

Because it showed even more how much passion, planning and love the team behind this movie had, and I think they deserve an award for all their work. On the reverse of the postcard was a 2 for 1 ticket to give to friends to see the movie, along with a link to download two free tracks from the movie soundtrack. Simple stuff to many but excellent attention to detail that took foresight.

Top that off with a Q & A with the director, a great host who really knew the audience, free food, drinks, and an after party and DJ afterwards and you have how a movie should be marketed!!

Unlike other movie screenings I've been to where your made to feel like dirt, there was no huge line of scrutiny to make you feel like your a pirate or removing your mobile. Hell these guys want you to get the word out big time, and all the staff were smiling, happy and friendly.

A real breath of fresh air, with everyone loving the movie and having great fun, and just really nice to see passion for customers and fans in movie marketing. been a long time since the experience was as good as this. This movie deserves to reap rewards just for all your hard work

Oh yeah, the film was excellent! 8D

Saw this the other night and have to say better than the trailer or I expected.
Worth every penny just for the little girls and her 'fluffy' obsession.
Brilliant.

Okay lame title I know.
I'm waaay behind on this one though and only just managed to catch up and 'kill' the first season. (Just checking your reading with these bad puns)

Now in filming it's fifth season, it sounds like it will take forever to catch up, but thankfully only twelve (long) shows per season, instead of the normal twenty two or four, making it much more likely I'll be up to speed soon.

Not for the squeamish or those with a blood aversion, but Michael C Hall as Dexter, a serial killer (with a heart?) and the cast do a great job of keeping this highly entertaining, and one I definitely recommend you 'cut' out some time to watch. (End of the painful puns)

Buy Dexter: The First Season now

I've listened to his podcast with Leo Laporte every week for a year, but finally got round to listening to this book by Jeff Jarvis. Really enjoyed it.

As much as about the change in the Internet and our thinking as it is about Google, Jeff makes excellent points about they way work, and how it isn't working for some companies. (The title of another good book!)

And from that stand point shows they way Google have been handling these aspects of work or life. Say what you will about Google, they have transformed our world, and have done it generally on the whole more transparently than any other organisation.

Millions of dollars are paid to blogs and sites for ads, YouTube Partnerships and more. All being shared where fat cats like Microsoft in the past would, and did keep the lot.

It's no love affair, as Jeff points out the flaws and issues where Google have stumbled, but who doesn't?

Insightful, interesting and the book read by the author which is really enjoyable with Jeff's sense of humour chiming in. Great fun, and one I put off for too long.

Buy What Would Google Do? By Jeff Jarvis now

Another beautifully drawn, deep and powerful (I think) talk that affects everything we are, were, and do. Empathy, and our fellow humans, and what we aim for, can be just as important as what we have achieved.

Love how even Star Wars comes in to this Psychological debate : )

Got some preview tickets to see this (thanks Film First!) and off we went to what turned out to be a real gem of a movie.
Directed by Taika Waititi who also plays the dysfunctional dad. It's excellently acted and just full of warm, sunny, happy days, just like when you were a kid- when playtime was king, and everything was an adventure.

James Rolleston plays 'Boy' and between him and his dad, and New Zealand settings, they steal they show along with a few other great actors, all many young kids.

A real breath of fresh air from run of the mill rom-coms and some of the dross from Hollywood. Sad things is it'll probably get a tiny release, but worth a DVD or a trip to the non multiplex if you see it.

I posted about this subject a few weeks ago but it's only getting bigger. So if your a business or have something to promote and you've established your facebook presence, then here's what you should be looking at next.

Like peacocks on display, many companies are showing off where they can with what some call a vanity page, fan page, or an FBML page (facebook markup language page), or as I call it a 'welcome' page. It certainly seems to be the current hot potato in what to do next in your social media space.

The wall will still rule for info updates, but this can be an effective entry point and welcome mat for new customers, and much less confusing and welcoming for parents and older non FB users.Therefore certainly part of the customer experience, and to show more effort in this space and have a presentable tabbed 'welcome page'.

Smashing magazine lists as usual and amazingly detailed selection of pages and examples with top tips. Essential reading for facebook marketers.