links for 2009-11-17

Nabokov nominated Ulysses as his novel of the century, but he described Finnegans Wake as, variously, "formless and dull", "a cold pudding of a book", "a tragic failure" and "a frightful bore"

Most brand comms is played out like a series; a series of mini campaigns, each of which is quickly forgotten. Long term value is ignored in favour of short term results. Even “big ideas” are ditched for a new “big idea” very quickly. The reasons for doing this are clear. I’m more interested in the reasons for not doing it.

While it may suit some brands/companies to operate in this snacky way, many would be well advised to think in terms of serials, not series. That is, if genuine ‘meaning’ is more important than simply treading water. Just ask yourself, would you rather people flicked over to your brand like they do with the Simpsons, or would you rather they mourned your absence, like the Wire?

It's not easy to make up your mind when your mind consists of so many competing parts. This is why being sure about something can be such a relief. The default state of the brain is indecisive disagreement… certainty imposes consensus on the inner cacophony.. Being certain means you're not worried about being wrong.

"Looking on the bright side…Every Dail Mail front page will be a good news story to start the day with a smile on our faces." LOL