this is my happy place
I’m trying out the new Nokia 808 PureView at the moment and, while there’s a full review to come very soon, I thought I’d share these long exposures I snapped just as we were leaving the runway a week or so ago for Cape Verde –
I am in love with the camera on this phone.
Enjoy –
Click through each image for the original Flickr uploads…
We’ve been talking about running different themes here at the ‘heads of late and one that continually pops up over and over is that of Travel and Tourism; who’s engendering positive word of mouth and who isn’t.
Not one to focus on the negatives, I thought I’d kick this session off with a focus on my favourite social-airline; KLM.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (to it its full name) has been playing around in social for a few months now and their activities to date really are quite interesting. Rewind back to December last year and you’ll find this delightful ‘social (media) experiment’ around putting smiles back on the faces of KLM’s travellers.
I’ve talked about ‘Surprise and Delight‘ before and how brands (big and small) can reap success in this area; believe it or not, creating smiles and happiness is a fantastic way to build both customer loyalty and positive conversation.
The great thing about KLM is, they didn’t stop there. After testing the water with the above marketing campaign, they then added social to the care side of the business – with their ‘Extended Service on Social Media‘ initiative.
To quote:
“Want to get that seat by the window, rebook your ticket, or find out how to bring your surf board? Tell us on Facebook, or send us a ‘tweet’!
Ask your question on any day of the week, between 8:00 and 23:00 hours, and we will reply within the hour.
Requests such as rebooking your flight, we try to arrange for you within 24 hours. By using “instant messages” or private messages, your personal data remain protected.”
Good job guys.
Finally, to top it off, last week they launched this neat little viral video to demonstrate the new space available in their business class section.
Being charming, funny, informative and coming in at 1min 40s precisely, the video hits the sweet spot just right. So that’s Marketing, Care and now Comms; all covered off with smart use of social media.
And why? To create positive word of mouth, brand loyalty and of course, ultimately – an uplift in sales.
KLM – we salute you.
Are we over water now? I think so. At least, we should be. I guess we’ve been up for an hour now, maybe longer. My toes hurt.
Damn shoes.
I love my job. Six seats to my right a couple of competition winners sit happily drinking beer, looking forward to their prize; two VIP red blue carpet tickets to the Tron: Legacy ‘World Premiere’ in Hollywood.
I was at the London one last weekend. That was cool. Although Patrick probably nailed it best when he said “Premieres are fun but it’s essentially like going to the cinema with a suit on” – Yes Pat, just like that (if you ignore the Hollywood superstars arriving around you and of course the free popcorn.. that’s always a winner. Let’s not forget that).
LA. Again.
I’ve been there before y’see, although last time was a holiday, this time it’s for work. I think I’ve managed to wangle some down time over the coming week, with both Sunday evening and Monday daytime currently cleared for catching up with some of my favourite Californians. Matt & Jen namely and probably Jeb too, if there’s time.
I love the internetz for stuff like this. Having such a large global network means that more often than not there is always someone to see or meet. Some might see that as an annoyance (and to an extent, I can understand why), however if I ever want to completely escape… utterly switch off… then I know how to do that too.
Obviously you wouldn’t know when those times happen because I don’t actually talk about them. But they are there. Gently. Flowing back and forth. Slowly. Like a soft breath on the wind…
But I like people. I love people. Even the inconsiderate German chap in front of me on this flight (seat thrown back, feet pushing against the wall in front) I love them all.
Well, I try… 🙂
Moleskine entry: March 16th, 2010
A strange sense of calm is over me… and I can’t quite work out if I like it. Last year I had my fair share of luck and it’s still keeping me smiling.
I’ve hit 30 and I’m happy about it. What happens next however? I’m not so sure. Marriage and children should be on the cards and, to a very large extent, they are. I’ve been looking forward to fatherhood for some years now. One might argue since my little brother was born. But I think in reality, it’s more since meeting someone who really could be the future mother of my children that the feeling, the broody feeling, really came over me. I can’t wait to be a Dad.
But.
Something is holding me back. Right now, for the first time in such a long time, I am truly happy. I have stability. A great job, a warm home and a beautiful girlfriend whom I adore… and right now? I just want to enjoy them.
I’ve never been here before and I quite like it. I’ve been through pain, I’ve been through sadness and, today in my life, I have happiness. Good friends, good life, just goodness.
I just want to enjoy it for a bit, is that so bad?
___________________
I’m in Washington D.C. and this is the final entry in my first Moleskine.
Onwards.
Moleskine entry: Dec 15th, 2009
What day is it today? 15th? I think so. That’s right, ten days ’til Christmas, I remember.
It’s been a fair while since I emptied my thoughts into this moleskine of mine, but excuses I have none. Instead I have nearly three months of hard work to look back on. 1000heads is treating me well, very well.
It’s hard work, challenging even, but in the best of ways.
I can’t talk about any of of the stuff I’ve working on, obviously. However, let’s just say I am in exactly the right place at the exactly the right time; I’ve seen the future, and it’s very bright indeed.
It strikes me that it might be some months until this entry makes it out onto my blog. So apologies in advance if this seems out of time at all.
I wonder if, in time, I will be able to talk about what I’ve actually worked on, i.e.: projects of the past. I’m finally getting to grips with how fast this place moves; last Wednesday I helped out with creating an invitation for the Ovi Daily App Awards. Between us we nailed the copy, design, look and feel and just for good measure, a comedy QR code to boot.
They were signed off, printed and sent out within 24hrs and, by Friday, blog posts were already springing up. Amazing.
I understand that this might just be par for the course for some of you but, coming from a veritable behemoth of an organisation, this is not how it’s done ‘client side’.
I’m yawning as I write, I must be boring myself.
Writing from a plane (again), we’re headed for Helsinki. There’s a man two seats away who spoke at OpenLabs. Remember that?
Seems like such a long time ago now…
Moleskine entry: September 18th, 2009
Six hours ago I was landing at London Gatwick, fresh from the Lucozade Challenge of Yacht Racing around the Caribbean. Now, as I write, I’m on a flight back out to New York (from London Heathrow mind, that was interesting) with my darling girlfriend and I am happy. Tired. Exhausted. Travel weary. But ultimately, for the first time in such a long time, truly happy.
You might scoff if I were to tell you “it’s been a long, hard summer” given the adventures I’ve been on, the places I’ve seen and the things that I’ve done but really, as much as all that that has been awesome, it’s the bits inbetween that have been hardest.
Being away from home every other week for just shy of ten weeks creates a strange instability around things. Plans are harder to make, promises harder to keep. A constant state flux one might say.
Not counting the stress and strains that places on any kind of loving relationship, there was the whole work mess to deal with too. Halfway through the challenges, all that additional…. worry was not helping the situation at all. The time I was actually at home, I was spending the whole time working. Leaving me tired. So so tired.
Rest soon. And sleep. Sleep, beckoning so sweetly.
Sleeeeeep.