Spacebarspeeds

I noticed this advert in the Metro this morning. The beauty brand Simple have branched out into shoes. Using materials such as organic cotton, hemp, recycled rubber and carpet padding, they aim to provide us with sustainable shoes that you can live with. With the current market feeling over saturated with ‘credit crunch’ type messages, each brand screaming for attention, this is a welcoming breath of fresh air.

Their visual style is clean and fresh with a colourful, contemporary twist. They even make sure their selling space is as sustainable as possible with polished concrete floors, low VOC paints, tables made from compressed paperboard and screen prints on stretched organic cotton canvas. And with earthy, organic touches like bike wheels, wicker chairs and bamboo adorning the sanded floorboards, it’s mouth-wateringly good.

On Sunday as London was once again indulging in the glorious spring sunshine, i was witnessing a very special concert. The last surviving and oldest grand music hall in the world – Wiltons – opened it’s doors for Schubert – from start to finish.

I know what you’re thinking. Classical music? Me? Well firstly, i’d like to point out that although i have an impressive  share of festivals under my belt, it doesn’t mean i can’t appreciate this incredibly clever and talented composer’s work. And secondly, after a sneaky glimpse of the venue i was itching to see what all the fuss was about.

And the venue – oh the venue! Hidden away in the depths of the city, this gem of a hall is bursting with character. From 1859 – close on 30 years – Wilton’s was alive with the magic of entertainment. It’s noticably seen better days (a piece of the ceiling even fell down when the conductor was taking us through Schubert’s story) but this all adds to it’s loveable charm.

Luckily (for me), we were treated to a brief synopsis of Schubert’s life – especially around the time he’d written and composed the pieces of music in question. Now, i’m not an expert when it comes to classic music, but this man could definately move people. During the hour and a half concert i went through a wealth of emotions. If ever there was a piece of music needed to accompany me running through poppy fields – this would be it.

So next time you find yourself in near Aldgate with a few hours to spare pop along for a coffee at Wilton’s. You’ll love it.

There’s an interesting article in the Royal Mail’s magazine for marketers this month on how Direct Mail is often overlooked as the most straightforward form of communication. The hint is in the name – a letter from one named person to another. It shrewdly points out that if you run an advert apologising for a problem, there’s always a danger people will see it as just another form of marketing. However, a well-written letter can carry it off. Similarly, what is true for ‘sorry’ is also true for other messages – ‘thank you’, ‘welcome’, Happy Birthday’ and ‘Merry Christmas’. Everyone loves getting a letter or card from someone they care about. So when you think about it, the things that really matter are best put in the post.

I love, love, love the Google logo today. Marking the first day of Spring, it’s a great idea and looks cute too!

So everyone knows that Dubai is obesessed with shopping. You just have to see the size of The Mall of Emirates to believe it. Y&R Dubai have taken this passion as the inspiration for their brand new Harvey Nichols campaign. I wasn’t too sure what to make of it at first – but its simplicity has won me over.