A message to everyone working in a marketing related field - expect to fail.  Why?  Because if you do not fail, you will not learn and will become complacent.  Companies and people need to embrace this notion.

Here is a quick case study on how expecting to fail can lead to success…

In the early ’90s, the BBC was getting killed in the market by the competition, funding was being cut, staff were leaving for bigger and better opportunities, and the near future was very grim.  Enter a new CEO with a pioneering spirit who created a “Gambling Fund”.  No, this did not mean creating a bunch of successful Texas Hold ‘em players, but a fund that would only be given to projects that were destined to fail.  In a time where budgets were short, they recognized that they first had to fail to become a success and focused financial effort to do just this.

Guess what came from it?  Only the biggest hit in BBC history, now a world-wide phenomenon, and one of my favorites:

Catch a clip or two here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/theoffice/

Creativity week is almost here and we will have another opportunity to rejoice around our mistakes, I’m looking forward to it.

We recently pitched the business of a client who has very strong values when it comes to health and the environment.  We felt we needed to cater as much of the media plan with sustainable media as possible and thus was born “The Living Board”.

Don’t get the wrong idea - the board is really not alive, it is not organic in anyway.  The concept is simply that the material is a recyclable vinyl and then transformed into shopping bags and given out to consumers when the campaign is over.  It is also bio-degradable for the time down the road when the shopping bag is no longer needed.

Great idea Michelle and Jonathan.  No word yet on if we won the assignment, stay tuned.

I just stumbled across this on Trendhunter, which follows the above to a degree - recycled movie posters.  And no, I don’t nor do I ever plan to own one…

These pretty bags will delight many environmentally conscious women and if they happen to be film buffs, they will be doubly delighted. The bags are made of recycled movie billboards. Films such as Mission Impossible, The Bourne Ultimatum, Pride and Prejudice and a whole lot more, are featured on these unlikely canvases.

Outfitted with an inside zippered pouch and an elastic-over-metal closure, the Billboard Bags are one of a kind according to Ecoist. They sell for $48.00 and if you’re curious about which movies are represented in the gallery, here’s the breakdown:

1. Thunderbird
2. Pride and Prejudice
3. Bourne Ultimatum
4. Superbad
5. Mission Impossible

How will you be reducing the carbon footprint of your next marketing campaign?