Blog Line

If anything illustrates the new global economy and the impact of technology on our everyday lves it is yesterday’s dramatic drop in world markets driven by stock tumbles in China The old saying when the “US sneezes the rest of the world gets a cold” now applies to other growing world economies as well The Wall St Journal is reporting today that part of the dramatic drop can also be attributed to technology glitches that hampered the calculation of Dow industrial averages Basically the system got overheated and couldn’t keep up. It should be an interesting day today to see if what any type of correction might look like and also likely more reporting and commentary regarding the technology failings

Last week GCI London launched its new site and its great! The URL is www.gciuk.com. Be sure to check out GM Mark Cater’s accompanying blog www.gciuk.com/gci-blog. It gives you a great sense of what’s going on PR-Wise across the pond.

For those of us who live in Toronto, we are likely familiar with Fashion Cares, the major fundraiser for the AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT). Fashion Cares is an amazing event for a great cause. The evening is pure spectacle and great fun. This year, GCI is very proud to be one of the event’s sponsors. We believe in ACT’s work and are proud our time and talents can be applied to such a worthy cause.

This year, GCI introduced a social media component for the first time to Fashion Cares’ outreach. There is currently a contest running on Youtube (type in “Fashion Cares 2007″ and you will go right there). The “whyACTnow” winner will receive a makeover anda ticket to Fashion Cares regardless of where they live in Canada.The Youtube contest invites entrants to post a video as to why ACT’s work is important. Because ACT’s work is so important Erica Ehm, Adam Ruggiero of “DeGrassi”, and CBC’s George Stroumboulopoulus have posted videos of support to the ACT message.

Check it out!

GCI Academy is the company’s internal professional development program. There is a North American version as well as a Canadian one that we design and deliver to the team here.

For this week’s North American session the topic was “Trendspotting” delivered by Robyn Fried of our NY Consumer Team and she did a great job.

Robyn’s presentation highlighted some interesting observations. The speed of change continues to accelerate. New technologies have made it possible to analyze history (societal changes and cultural evolution) and sales in greater detail than ever before. And up for debate perhaps, that traditional consumer research has its limiitations. Robyn used a quote I loved by American auto inventor Henry Ford, “If I had asked consumers what they wanted, they would have said faster horses”. We sometimes impose our own restrictions on what we believe to be possible.

Very few of us are actual trendmakers like Apple’s Steve Jobs who can see beyond conventions. This means being a “fast follower” is probably the best alternative for most of us. Plus, having the ability to differentiate between a fad like the pet rock and what seems to continue to be a trend such as tattoos.

One of my New Year’s Resolutions was to be a more effective blogger, meaning I would be making daily or multiple postings through the day on my many profound thoughts or observations. Since this is my first post of 2007 and it is February 4 obviously I am not doing so well! And, I have increasing respect for those that can continually make postings and even better, postings that are engaging and provocative. That’s the real skill. I can’t imagine anyone is particularly interested in what I had for breakfast. I’m barely interested.

But, you have my renewed commitment to being a better blogger in 2007.