Possibly my most favourite ad – ever.

Good on Fiat UK for being brave enough to produce an ad that’s clever, catchy AND contains lines like ‘orgasm faker’. Plus the way they have incorporated the actual product is so subtle you might not realise it’s a car ad at all.

One of the few ads I’ve watched and hoped it wouldn’t end.

Not yet experienced the sensational Sweet Brown? You definitely have time for this.

If the initial news interview isn’t amusing enough (in a good way), the creative brilliance of purchasing the original footage and running it through “Autotune Remix” for one’s own amusement takes this to a completely new level. Thank you Warren Wilding.

Warning: it’s catchy

A film that restores your faith in human nature and demonstrates the power of social media.

Caine Monroy is a talented 9 year old who built an elaborate cardboard arcade inside his dad’s used auto parts store in California, however passing trade was slow and he had no customers.

Then by chance, Nirvin Mullick  discovers Caine’s Arcade and sets about getting Caine some customers using a Facebook event to organise a flashmob. As you can expect, this more than makes Caine’s day.

Caine’s creativity, ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit (at the age of 9) has to be seen to be believed.

Nirvan made a short film of the event which has gone crazy online and as a result a scholarship fund for Caine was set up and now has over US $150,00 from donations.

A short film by Nirvan, produced by Interconnected.

Like Caine’s Arcade on Facebook

Follow Caine’s Arcade on Twitter

For more info head to http://cainesarcade.com/

This is brilliantly done, and still makes me laugh.  I’m keen to do a follow up and style it out in London town – let me know if you want to be involved!

Amazing rap of the usual pre-flight safety announcement! This is a very talented and creative way of standing out from the crowd – a great example to inspire any business. Take a few minutes to watch, it’s well worth it.

This is fantastic! A must watch, especially if you’ve seen the ‘Golf Sale’ sign holders on Oxford St – I love how he calls himself a ‘Static Outdoor Information Technician’.

This film was also the winner of Virgin Media Shorts 2010. I’m not surprised.

Sign Language – a short film from Oscar Sharp on Vimeo.

(Thanks for the heads up @ilicco)

This is really interesting – Johanna explains how traditional use of demographics is no longer applicable in marketing and explores how women are leading the way in social media.

While I was out and about in London last week I had the pleasure of reconnecting with two valuable business services that I think are well worth mentioning.

1. British Library Business & IP Centre

It’s well worth registering for a British Library Reader Pass (a business pass is free and lasts for three years) so you can get access to the Business & IP Centre.

Once you’re in, the Business & IP Center opens up a world of opportunity – networking events, seminars, access to publications (often from around the world), a ‘Fast Growth Club‘, a business funding clinic, a walk-in business surgery, access to expensive industry reports, dedicated research staff – the list goes on.

There are also cafes and desks within the library with free wi-fi so it makes a great central London base to get some work done between client meetings.

2. Mail Media Centre (Infobank Resource Centre)

This hidden gem (up a small lane in Holborn) is brought to you by the Royal Mail. The Mail Media Centre is the ‘central  source of intelligence and innovation for the direct mail industry’ and has Rory Sutherland as a key contributor which is nothing to be sneezed at.

It’s free to register and provides you with the latest marketing insights from industry experts, marketing masterclasses, tools for multi-channel marketing campaigns, brand-building research and events.  Their Infobank Resource Centre gives you free access to highly sought after (and expensive!) Mintel reports and TGi surveys, along with competitor analysis, consumer insights and trend forecasting – all amazing resources for any business.

I hope you find these useful – I’ll let you know if I uncover anything else!

This post is in response to a question I was asked recently. “I’m so busy and only have 30 minutes to spend on LinkedIn each day – what are the most effective things I can do in this time?” So the following are some primary areas and activities that I believe will make your time well spent.

1. Freshen up your profile

Is your current and past experience relevant and up to date? Do you have a link to your website and Twitter profile? Are your contact details correct? Include your email address, phone number, Skype details etc. Have you uploaded a photo? Preferably a professional one of you smiling!

2. Connect with more people

Do you have a large pile of business cards you haven’t done anything with? Invite these contacts to connect with you on LinkedIn and use LinkedIn as your business database – when the time comes to contact someone from a specific company or industry, you can easily get in touch.  TIP: Always personalise the invitation message.

3. Write a recommendation

Have you worked with someone fabulous?  Surprise them with a glowing recommendation.

4. Ask for a recommendation

Hover over the Profile tab within your account and select ‘Recommendations’. Choose ‘Request Recommendations’ in the top centre of the page. Keep your request short and let the person know if there is anything specific you would like to be recommended for. Don’t hesitate to remind them if they forget.

5. Join a group (and connect without the need for an email address!)

Search for groups of interest in the ‘Groups’ area.  TIP: If you would like to connect with someone outside of your network – join a group they belong to.  Once you both belong to the same group you can send them an invite to connect without having to provide their email address.

6. Ask or Answer a question

LinkedIn has a special section for people to get their questions answered, called Answers.  Hover over the ‘More’ tab in your account and select ‘Answers’.  Ask a question or find great questions that you can answer.  TIP: This is great for adding value to others, attracting new clients and positioning as an expert in your field.

7. Connect LinkedIn with your Twitter account

Hover on the Profile tab and select ‘Edit Profile’.  Towards the bottom of the main blue box click ‘+ Add a Twitter account’.  Connect with Twitter and your Tweets will automatically appear on your LinkedIn account.

8. Reconnect with an old contact

Click on the ‘Contacts’ tab and send a message to someone you would like to reconnect with.

As always, I welcome your comments, feedback, ideas and suggestions!