Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club

Last evening I went to Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in Central London. Renowned globally as one of the worlds best Jazz Clubs, I experienced what it is about this venue and type of performance that engages with customers so powerfully and why so many hold it in such high regard. As soon as you walk in the venue the atmosphere takes you back. Dark lighting, pictures of past performers, a main stage and seating all very close to the live set, you feel part of the make up. This club isn't about selling lots of tickets and making money, it's about delivering a form of entertainment that the audience is very much part of. Performers, workers and customers build relationships with one another throughout the evening’s activities as communication seems to be one of the uniqueness’s of this place. The music itself is unbelievably involving. Emotions are continuously flowing within each person, which aren't always feelings of goodness but at the end of the evening become very satisfying as you feel as if you've been on a journey. Everyone within the club seems to be pointing in the same direction as respect for each other is felt. The talent of the performers is applauded by the audience, and the performers applaud the involvement of the audience. Having a good time and taking in a unique experience is what the main aim seems to be. From the seating plan design creating involvement, to the lighting creating an immediate atmosphere, to the workers, performers and audience all respecting one another so that everyone gets the feelings and treatment that they want. Having gone to the event I’ve taken an experience which I won't forget, with communication being the key to this success. This is why it has gained the reputation it has.

Bournestuntsimulator.com by Volkswagen

There has been an awful lot of media coverage and advertising surrounding the latest James Bourne movie, The Bourne Ultimatum. As a fan of the past two movies, I was certainly going to go and see the third due to the intense action that it brings to the viewer. When I saw an advertisement telling me to 'Go beyond The Bourne Ultimatum' I was drawn in and curious. Volkswagen the providers of vehicles for the movie, have used digital media to produce what I feel is one of the best movie tie ins I have come across.
The website is action packed as you would expect, with exclusive behind the scenes footage that shows how the stunts were put together and captured. Once seeing how the professionals do it, the viewer is then able to plan, direct and create there very own 3-D action stunt. A simply rendered yet highly effective simulator allows the user to perform a variety of features such as adding cars, effects, props and even the location of camera angles and editing. This last feature was definitely the most impressive for me.
Through the website Volkswagen quietly convey there brand values of innovation, engineering excellence and fun in a truly in an obtrusive yet thrilling way. A further quality of the site is that it's not a one dimensional experience as it engages the customer through competitions, ratings, send to a friend, link and UGC public gallery as well as data capture to register interest and CRM opportunities.
Coming away from the site I feel as if I've fulfilled one of my school boy dreams. Volkswagen gain the attention of the customer without having to 'hard sell' the product, which car salesman tend to do.

Sky Eco-Warrior Poster

With many firms now trying to jump on the band wagon of being greener and more economical, Sky have now followed suit to make sure people know that they are doing there bit. However, I don't get the feeling that Sky is trying to throw this message across at the customer, but are trying to do it in a much more lighthearted tone of voice, which I feel works. Whether or not this is a new tactic by Sky to gain an advantage over Virgin I don't know, but from a tone of voice point of view I like it. It's simple, clear cut and informative.
Sky fully admit that by having this power saving scheme in place it won't make a huge difference to the economical crisis, but will over time. They seem to shadow Tesco's line, 'every little helps'. What I wonder is whether these little schemes will work to save the world, or do companies need to bite the bullet and deal with the issue head on?

The X Factor

What is it that has made this TV show so popular? Louis Walsh? No Kate Thornton? I don't think it really matters about them, the reason I feel that the fourth series is as popular as ever is due to the same reasons as we always watch it. The dedication, determined and somewhat deluded performers we see audition for the X Factor show every single year. The first episode didn't disappoint as we saw some contestants make us feel inspired as well as others that made us cringe. Having Louis Walsh on the panel was probably the icing on the cake for many.
X Factor has grown through the years from something huge to something that beats TV rating records. It has successfully taken over ITV1 and also ITV2 with Xtra factor as well as further brand extensions. Each series introduces new rules, new faces but something without doubt that makes the show what it is, is Simon Cowell. He's the judge that brings the most entertainment, even if staged at times, its fantastic TV. The judging panels personalities bounce of each other so well, which adds a further dimension to the show.
Even when the show isn't on TV on a Saturday night, X Factor has a YouTube channel as well as an official Facebook group. With the ability to upload your own auditions tape, it attracts an even larger audience to participate in the programme. Constant news in the tabloids and girls magazines, people are continuously kept up to date with what is going on in the life on X Factor.
There’s definitely a Marmite love, hate relationship going on with this show, but no one can deny the success of this programme. Finishing at Christmas, there’s no question what the Christmas number one will be this year.

Odeon Cinemas to show Rugby World Cup

With the Rugby World Cup fast approaching, 20 Odeon Cinemas including Liverpool, Bath and London will show live games of the rugby. This is to be showed for free as the Rugby Football Association and National Sports Federation seek to attract people to uptake the sport.
All England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa games as well as the knock out stages will be shown.
Watching the new film, The Bourne Ultimatum, ads were shown before targeting rugby players. The ads tried to attract past rugby players by reminding them what they are missing.
I think this a great idea socially as it increases awareness of rugby, and will nationally increase children and adults in sport participation. With there being no fee to watch the games in the cinemas, it is a free form of entertainment. Sport participation is something that the government is desperately trying to achieve, and with this type of option I feel it will certainly help the cause. Some feel that rugby is quite a specialist sport, but by opening the doors to everyone, there will be a much better chance of rugby being something that ‘jo public’ understands.

Gavin Turk 'Me as Him'

When looking at this image and others at first glance, I thought it was Warhol’s. However, Gavin Turk has reworked Warhol’s self-portraits in order to challenge and haze the limits about who the artist is, who the subject is, the familiarity of the image itself and how the authorship and ambiguity affect the value of a work.
With an exhibition entitled ‘Me as Him’ at the Riflemaker gallery, the layered patterns of colour are in fact pictures of Gavin Turk himself, taken in the same style as the Warhol prints.
Continuing his manner of using other artists work as the starting point for his own, the screen prints appear in 2D with the colour work layered over the top. Each original print is the same, but with different coloured patterns over it, this following in the style of Warhol.
The combined effect of colour and pattern make the portraits of Gavin Turk personal and distinctively different, with each piece expressing a different aspect of personality. A great exhibition as it questions Warhol’s work as well a make a statement of Turks.

It is a free exhibition which is on viewing till September 8th.

Impressionists by the Sea

'Impressionists by the Sea' is currently on show at the Royal Academy of Arts in Westminster. The exhibition shows a number of seascapes and beach scenes by artists of the 1860s and 1870s such as Monet, Manet, Boudin. Prior to this period, pictures of the sea had focused on the romance of stormy weather, or on picturesque coastal landscapes. However the Impressionists work captivates the ordinary intersections of sky, sea and sand. The sea off France's northern coast offered infinite opportunities for the artists to express there fascination with colour and movement. Many of the paintings are studies of how light glimmers off the sea and sand, whilst others illustrate tourists enjoying themselves, or the work of local fishermen finding a simple beauty in there daily routine. Coming away from the exhibition, I found it interesting how over time an artist’s style of work can change so much in the contemporary beach scene. Skill wise, a much firmer understanding of how light and movement can be used was obtained.