The Moral Duty of Creation.

I'm trying to get my thoughts together, on this particular issue. I'm asked to do a talk on eco-design. Green design. Sustainability. You name it, it's that hip subject and my talk obviously comes as a result of our Ad!dict #28
on Eco-Research: World 2.0.
In that issue we talked about re-design, re-cycle, re-act & more.
We have 10 ways to create a better world, as I posted here.

I' m trying to think beyond the plain eco-message. Looking back at the different projects we have been doing with Addictlab, be it on our own, or for third parties, there is something that is popping up: there is a clear wish to create sustainable concepts. Sometimes, this is even an extra to the requested or commissioned deliverables. An extra filter and task we give ourselves, adding to the client's briefing.

I know that this might be a personal thing, a result of my personal drive. But what if this comes naturally with the process of sourcing and the methodology behind Addictlab? What if bringing people together in collaborative processes results in interaction, in surprising or out-of-the-box ideas, but also brings forward a clear wish to create 'for the community'?

Could social awareness be one of the outcomes of an addictlab-sourced project? Then maybe that is the most remarkable thing to be studied. Because that would mean that we play less 'individually' when creating in and as a group. So the methodology itself steers the result in a certain direction. We create differently in a group, and we add an extra 'social' layer to the filters we use to generate our concepts. Am I making sense? Let me make a quick sketch here.

1. a conventional creative process.



There will normally be a client, a company, most probably, that is spending some of its budget to start a creative process. This process should create changes for that company. That can be new products, a communication strategy, brand reflection, revenue, a new building, and more. What if we could quantify those 'changes', be it economical, brand-related or more.

• The blue part then shows the 'amount of changes' that are the result for the client.

• The red part shows the other party that will be involved in this process: the agency/designer/consultant. Changes as a result of this process for the agency will be primarily income, but one could also add field experience, for instance, or added value. (We did THIS for THAT client)

• Next to that, we can/should expect more income (or added value) for external and even internal creative resources. That's the yellow part.

• The Green part, is the social part: the PR value, the story to tell that can be picked up by journalists & media. Probably, and most of the time, this will be limited to the peer group of both agency & client. Both agency as client will probably get press in BTB media.





2. Addictlab process.





Now. Let's look at what I believe should be an ideal Addictlab project.

• The blue part stays pretty important: a client - any client - should get the changes they are paying for, and more.

• The red part then, is about quantifying the beneficial changes and/or income (but not necessarily only money) for Addictlab, as facilitator & methodology to create.

• The yellow part here, shows you the income/added value for Labmembers involved. These are how I call the creative resources, registered on Addictlab. Mark: the sizes of client/addictlab/labmembers are equal. Important, as we want to do anything but abuse the creative resources. This sometimes is completely opposed to how creative minds are treated/neglected by the agencies.

• The green part is for the lab's partners & sponsors. Addictlab's labpartners should be benefiting too. Labpartners can step in & tap into certain research fields. Addictlab's proactive way of working & global research fields demand research partners. The partners/sponsors should receive added value for any process done by the lab.

• Next to that, we are looking at changes for society. Why? I believe we shouldn't only create to earn money, or a company shouldn't pay us just to get added value for its board of directors. We have a moral duty when creating. This section is quantifying the social implication of the creative process. The result for our society, the people. Changes here could be heritage, regional branding, respect for social groups & more. the list is long.

• The orange field - I've called it 'Credibility Independent Lab' - is the authenticity factor. It's as important as the benefits for society, and it's what changes we are creating to remain true to the lab's independency and authenticity. If the lab is not authentic, the previous parts are simply just not possible. (This is why some political decisions to sustain the creative industries simply don't work. Politics is all from top down. Creative process is from bottom up.)

• If all those last elements are ok, we have come to the last part, the brown part on the chart, being the PR value of the project. The size is the same as the ones in the beginning. As important, because the story we now can tell, is a story that is authentic and very credible in view of sustainable changes. A broad selection of media should be interested in bringing the results of the process, generating PR for the company and the labmembers.

Now tell me. Addictlab has been a start-up company for the last 10-12 years (Or so it seems). It seems difficult to control, set up, steer in the direction wanted. Maybe it's just to naive an approach?


Jan Van Mol

Message to & on South Africa.

openlab4 speech

Message to & on South Africa.

(this speech was exhibited at the last OpenLab4.0 in Johannesburg)



I don’t do speeches. Not that I’ m afraid of facing a crowd: only this weekend I went for an interesting game drive to Lofters in Pretoria, where I witnessed a live kill and about 50.000 extraordinary blue-ish species.

It’s just that I learned that setting a time for a speech at an event like this is just not possible. Or you’re here and might not be interested in what I have to say. Or you’re not here, then you’ll miss out to what I would say anyway.
Hence this poster: it gives you the power to neglect it, or to dive into my mindset whenever it pleases you.

My journey here in South-Africa was planned for about 3 years. And those 3 years are coming to an end. I will be moving out, to a place where there’s more white snow and less black diamonds.

I am still amazed by the beauty and richness of both your country & culture. Of course, I’ve had some interesting downsides, anything from companies not being visionary, people not living up to their word, getting run over by a truck, your every day card fraud or gun against your head.

But I need to thank all believers in Addictlab. Marike, Dan, Haldane, Jabu, Sean, Niik, Snowy, Linel, Craig, Michaella, Joanna, Leila, Clive, Tim, Amor, Katrin, Waldo, Hildegarde, and the list actually keeps on growing every day.


These and other creative minds from South Africa & beyond are constantly inspiring me and giving me the drive to take on a naive project like Addictlab,
where we are discovering creative talent, accelerating it, generating innovation and, yes, some times, I actually think we are making some progress in creating sustainable changes for the community involved.

I need to call on all of you to help me in our next projects.
• The set up of a lab in Soweto to help discover and accelerate creative talent. ‘Sowetolab.com’ would be the most important project to proof me right.
• I want to create a new publication of a book on
South-Africa and 2010 : we definitely need more sponsors.
• The offering of creative processes for companies looking for innovative ideas and concepts. We need companies, but they definitely need us too.
• And above all, a clear open mind to set up collaborations.. To create what you might not have created.
This 4th OpenLab is an example and opportunity. Sit next to Kasi Custom Rides making their car , or Solomon designing a radio using ewaste... Chat to Clive Rundle or listen to one of the bands playing for you tonight.
It’s not just about what they create. It’s about their life, vision and dreams.

It goes without saying that this isn’t a farewell. I simple haven’t finished here. What am I saying.
Addictlab South Africa has barely started.


Jan@addictlab.com

When your agency wins in Cannes, please fire them.

I've tried to convince my friends and fellow colleagues of the advertising industry about how the business was changing and how one could react on that.
Well, I'm sorry to say... I failed.

At least, it's that what I was thinking when running around at the Salone del Mobile in Milan this year, where I obviously ran into a crowd of friends and people from the design industry, but apparently none from the advertising scene.

Has Milan turned into the center of branding? No, of course not. There are too many buyers and sellers and salesmen around that try to convince you of a new leather sofa.
But when you look beyond the dead cow covered sitting objects, you can see a parallel inspirational branding universe.

I admit: the abundance of chairs, tables and whatnot's is painful for the eye and the eco-friendly heart. Since who needs a new chair anyway? But when that chair comes with an added value, a story to tell, a function to add...

I realise I'm wandering through design heaven (or hell) with branded eyes, discovering gems of parasite branding and guerilla marketing tactics. Seeing inspiration for brands to get experiences across. That's why I can not understand that agencies are still choosing the Cannes beach in stead of the Zona Tortona.

Next time when your agency wins in Cannes, please fire them.
Don't get me wrong. They have proven their added value and we should honour them for that. On the advertising industry's funeral, we should speak with respect. The skills of the industry should be passed on by parent on child, and occasionally exhibited in museums over the world.

But a brand needs all senses to become a brand. In view of sustainable change, brand innovation and a holistic brand approach, you, dear marketer and/or CEO of a company, should look at other resources.

In fact, when using any creative resource for any project for your company, it should always be used with the bigger picture in view. This turns the advertising industry into craftsmanship and skills, and leaves a big space for true strategic and holistic brand consultancy, using a model of genuine collaboration, out of the box thinking and respect for the brand's surrounding environment.

I can be wrong and all the intelligent people in the advertising industry can still be right. In fact, I received yet another email from a big budget brand just now 'that we might be looking at a test project in 2010'. So when looking at what I earn today as compared to what I did when in advertising, I'm completely wrong.

Apparently it's waiting for the recession and it's fall-out to have companies realising the need for change. And if that doesn't do the trick, consumer behaviour will.

I hope I won't be painting sunsets in Namibia, by then.




Milan - some pics & thoughts.
-------------------------------


A female stand-up urinal. I'm not sure if this will make it to the market. What do you think? For me it 's a proof that tangible ideas can generate change.
In it's best, these concepts have a brand - and- social potential that can be enormous.




Ok, I was in Milan and I thought of recession when I saw this badly printed A4. (Chances are it's not the Mr Ferrari, but for the sake of my story, I need to believe it's the real one :-)




Our friends of .MGX / Materialise who will produce our Pine Cone light, had a collaboration with Renault. By far the most impressive work, tucked away in a small room at the Zona Tortona. Obviously deliberately anonymous, but with a potential to fill a complete hall.






A Retro-vintage ifoon.
For me this has brand relevance: dive into your heritage and past. It might need some tweeting and adjusting, but you'll have a unique story to tell and have a commercially successful project that goes with it.



The People Parking. Now here I saw a solution for the earth's global warming and a witty lounge concept, all in one. I also ran into a friend 'parked' there :-)



Diesel and Moroso. Combining fashion and design, and succeeding big time.



When looking at the following concepts, try looking beyond the physical object, but grasp the creative twist that makes up the story.








For more brand thoughts and help, a Creative X-ray or Brand Inspiration Shower, visit and/or contact www.addictlab.com

#recession? Addictlab takes over high value but empty shopspace.

As you may know, I have been working on the further development of Addictlab, here in South Africa. An interesting experiment, as it allows me to test certain processes, learn from mistakes and implement maybe later the best findings in other countries and creative regions.

Have a look at the OpenLab3.0, a physical yet guerilla style evidence of Addictlab in a public & popular shop environment. (pictures on facebook)

In short, this is doing the following:
• Select, discover and accelerate local creative talent (What we call LABINPUT)
• Collect stories & people for journalists in the different creative scenes.
• Educate a large audience about design, innovation and other cultures.
• Interact and marshal a large crowd for ideageneration, via interactive tools. (The difference with 'crowdsourcing' being that I think it's important to know everybody in the process - preferably personally. I'll do a blog one day on crowdsourcing and the difference with addictlab.)
• Create a physical space, as an inspiring lab environment, for companies that need to tap into our lab when looking for new ideas, coherent brand consultancy and innovation. (LABOUTPUT)

It's an amazing space and it has a pretty important commercial value. Yet it was empty. One of the evidences of economical change is the rise and fall of shop concepts, shopping malls etc. Consumers have an abundancy of choice. But when you're shop/product/brand falls out of their Top of Mind, you better hang on. In tough times as these, it immediately results in empty venues. Causing less people to come, causing even more shops to close down. Empty spaces are the symptoms of economic downturn.

Resurrection thanks to recession?
So these OpenLabs must be seen as a solution, turning those proofs of recession into a positive story, with PR, brand, marketing & inspirational value for everybody involved. The addictlab methodology could work, yet it requires a lot of collaborative power, energy, and dynamics. We need people, artists, brands, to really WANT. (I'm not mentioning budget. Money should not be an issue when everybody shares a vision.)
A physical space as a metaphysical definition of innovation and hope. I can be very lyric on it all.

There will always be incomprehensible things in collaborative processes. I offered a - free - space to Danone, to name but one. I need to calculate the value of my gift: the PR value of collaborating, the brand value in the space, the number of people who would be in contact with their brand & product. We're talking about an A location space, so lot's of traffic. We already had national radio doing an interview.
It didn't happen. Timing? Vision? Budget? Lack of Respect? Ignorance? - It's in those moments that I like to take over the company, and force it in the right direction. But it's ok. I'm over it. I understand you need two to tango. And I have other things to do then to win someone else's battle. Certainly when I offer it for free.

Then again, during last week's opening, I was touched by a whole bus of visiting Soweto based artists coming to the design mall. Read: rich environment. I need to be thankful to everybody helping out, like Marike, Jaylily, Sean, Dan, Joanna, Haldane, Clive, Michaella, Open. There was an interesting mix at the opening, yet I will be looking with the help of those great labmembers here to see if we can organise a specific brand/innovation related workshop.


Having this space now, opens up even more possibilities. From a content point of view, we could do this all the time. We have the great talents to showcase. And companies need now more then ever innovation to get out of the dangerzone.

Business Opportunity / we have extra lab-capacity for brainstorming sessions, workshops & innovation idea generation.

We have this space only temporary. If your company or others you know are in need for new ideas, we can bring in creative talent almost immediately to start thinking completely out of the box. This gives us a unique opportunity for our brainstorming sessions.

As far as the selection we made for this OpenLab, I believe all are very talented, and useful in most creative processes, but more specifically there are labmembers that can be very valuable for your company when you're active in :
- Automotive
- green-eco design
- womenslab
- branding & marketing
- business travel
- SouthAfrica 2010
- kids

When interested, do not hesitate to get in contact.

[Would an OpenLab in your region be a good idea too? Have a place? A network? An Empty space?]

Why big agencies need to be afraid of 3 guys in a township.

When you receive an email, stating that you would have 'a valuable input in clearing the path to our destiny in terms of developing the work we doing' then you most probably think it's spam. In this particular case, it was genuine.



Every now and then, I get completely blown away by human ability to create.
It's a rare yet strong emotion, that brings me happiness, since I realise the addictlab concept of discovering great creative thinkers from any culture or discipline is actually working. It makes me proud, and it makes me frustrated, all at the same time. Frustrated since I see the restrictions of what it is I can only do.
Even when it's my eternal Addictlab pledge that we need to do all - and preferably more - that is in our powers to push their talent.

Meet Sibusiso Justice Dhladhla, living in a township called Thokoza in Ekurhuleni, working in a group called Kasi Custom Rides, made out of three members namely Sibusiso Dhladhla, Jabulani Ngwenya and Enerst Sibeko.

They use paper and cardboard to build cars. The models are about 7Ocm, with perfect curves. The windows go up and down, the rooftop window slides in the roof, the seats can go out, the wheels turn when using the steering wheel. All out of cardboard in a perfect physical visualisation of autocad computer wireframes. Made by hand, not by processor.


When they arrive by taxi and humbly present me their concept, my brain activity is at its highest, my mind is in a thousand places. This is why I do what I do. If only they could benefit from the projects that I have been doing in the car industry. Visiting the design center from Rover and looking at the CAD and the clay models, when doing all campaigns for Daewoo in Belgium. Working on idea generation for BMW or Lexus, setting up projects with Chrysler or Renault.
They should have been involved. They need to be involved in the future. Any car company that is not busy getting broke and/or looking for innovation (I guess this covers them all) should call me now. PR or AD agencies working for car companies looking for innovative ideas, should see me tomorrow. Car manufacturers, call me now and invite them to come.


Because I don't see just a car. I see living proof of a much needed serious reshuffle of how companies should use their creative resources. It's time to stop showing creative respect to agencies who do not respect creativity.

It's time to have respect for authentic creative skills and use creativity in a much needed win-win system for all: client, brand, environment and thinkers.

Let this be yet another call to companies to use creativity for all the good purposes. For their own benefit, sure, but also for the benefit of the people and society that surrounds them.


As for now, I will do whatever I can to accelerate their talent. In case you wonder, no, no one is paying me to do this. And I'm not even sure what I will get in return. I will exhibit them in our Open Lab. I will post them on blogs, put them on our homepage and I will get frustrated when I don't get a call from car or design companies wanting to see how we could get that talent in for design, communication, PR or other projects.

I want them to be in Milan next year. I want journalists to write about them. I want companies to pay them the right amount of money for their skills. Christmas should come early this year.


You can see the cars at the OpenLab3.0 event in Johannesburg. Check www.Addictlab.com for more.

Now, even the cleaning lady can put her CEO out with the garbage.

Concept.
These wheelie garbage bins are turned into mobile sitting units, cupboards and more.

Recycling.
The eco-recycling concept is pretty cool for children, with customised designs, patterns, bright pillows. The objects will raise awareness related to eco-design, recycling and sustainability. They will love the mobile aspect of it, and the use of their own little space. Yet the Garbage Sofas can also serve perfectly for your board meetings.

Functional.
You are not disturbed or disturbing when using your cellphone, laptop or reading a book. When you want to take part in a conversation, simply roll your seat closer to the others.

Immediate solution for banks & board rooms.
The garbage sofa's are especially designed to be a direct solution for when your executive board is taking all the wrong and irresponsible decisions. Now, even the cleaning lady can put her CEO out with the garbage.

The Garbage sofa's will be shown at the Open Lab event in Johannesburg, South Africa. Graphic designers, artists and other creative minds wanting to customise a Garbage sofa, please get in contact.

jan@addictlab.com


Labfile addictlab:
LAbfile Garbage Sofa

Message to twelebrities.

Dear Famous celebrity twitterer.

I kind of get the hang of twitter by now. My job (and hobby and lifetime preoccupation) has taught me to look for new concepts, and try to capture its essence. I myself am small twitter-fish, though. Having about 300 or so followers.

With a bit of nostalgia I look back at the beginning of your and mine twitter career, some 190 followingers ago, when the novelty and mystery made us actually engage in twitter-conversations. I even believe John Cleese was or maybe still is following me as well.

Dear Twelebrity, don't get me wrong. I do am interested in your daily whereabouts, like following Demi Moore to a Berlin trip, or see her flirting with her husband via twitter, it's sweet. And this is really not meant ironically. I really think it's interesting to read about your life and your thoughts.

But that's the problem. Twitter gives me more then I can handle.
Before Twitter, I knew you existed, could admire your work (or not), and you were text blurbs - or preferably blurry pictures of you doing something nasty - in the global popular press. So we learned about your pregnancies, your Hollywood gossip, your addictions, your love lives and your court orders. Your illegal sex-video, though, I have never seen.

With Twitter, it's worse. The damn Twitter-thing gives me the impression that I can be closer to you. Read about you, directly from you, and - worse - interact with you. I have the impression that you would actually engage in a conversation.
Now, without any boasting to be done, I really believe that for some of you 'famous' people, I think my life and experience could actually be as good as an inspiration as vice versa. I truly believe that we should have a coffee, discuss life, creativity and more. I truly believe with some of you, I could get along.

Yet I can't get to you. The twavalanche keeps on growing, and makes me one of your zillion followers. 'Followers' meaning that I'm behind you, where as I believe any decent conversation is happening with someone next to you.

Of course I can retweet. Of course I can reply, as I see others do. I even see you react and reply back from time to time. But it's a lottery thing. It will probably make the retweeters their day, since you, their hero, has stepped down from your Hollywood cloud and has shown a beginning of human interaction. They will probably save your retweet on a usb stick and cherish it like a piece of a Saint's real bone relic from a bygone era.

I don't want to play the lottery. Or worse, lose myself in a Web2.0 equivalent of a religion. I've rejected other religions a long time ago, and at least he could walk on water.

So we have to stop meeting like this. And that's why I will unfollow you. You will not notice this, it won't hurt a bit. And I will at least have not the impression to be close to you. Unless, of course, you react. Retweet, engage. Then we can discuss. You can start following me on my twitter account.

http://www.twitter.com/JanVanMol

Generating Strategic thinking for companies: Danone.

Here is what was published on the Addictlab.com site.

Addictlab's brainstorming sessions offer Danone South Africa an important strategic eye-opener.



Children should have their daily intake of calcium, in order to have their bone structure developed appropriately. The innovation research led by Addictlab's founder and brand specialist Jan Van Mol therefor decided that it was important to focus on the regularity of the intake, rather then on the different tastes.

This is but one of the outcomes of the brainstorming sessions commissioned by Danone South Africa, for which Addictlab used it's own 'Creative X-Ray' methodology, using creative resources from diverse cultures and disciplines. The lab delivered a concept database, with about 20 ideas that could be implemented, ranging from strategical concepts, products, packaging, brand fashion, above & below the line communication as well as traffic builders and promotional items. All ideas were generated by an out of the box approach, followed by a Danino brand filter.

Now, over 6 months later, the 'every day your Danino' concept has been adapted to the existing 6-packs, and are on shelves in South Africa. In stead of communicating the different tastes, every little pot now has received it's day of the week, promoting and explaining the necessity of an every day intake.

The 6-pack version consists of the 5 weekdays and 'Weekend'. The packs are now sold with a Day of the Week magnet to emphasize on the changed concept. Regardless to say that this concept is beneficial for the kid's calcium-intake as well as for the volume sales of Danino.

This example shows that not all ideas for innovation imply long term research and high cost implementation. Addictlab , though, was not involved in the final packaging design, and the TV and Radio campaign, which raised an important question in the addictlab organisation. Jan Van Mol: 'We have all these executional specialists in the database, so much craftsmanship, we could offer this as well. With the benefit of high quality and low cost delivery, but the danger of becoming a more executional supplier in stead of a like minded thinking partner. The fact that this concept made it through the whole process, however, is a statement on both the power of Addictlab as well as the will to innovate from Danone'.

New... Labfiles - free downloadable online magazine

With these Labfiles, I wanted to honour the creative talent of some of your fellow human beings.
People who create thought-provoking and inspiring art work. No matter what creative field, no matter what origin, no matter what culture.
With these Labfiles, I also wanted to explain more about the Addictlab concept: about discovering that talent, and accelerating it.
Yet it’s also about getting to know you, so that we can bring you together in dedicated research programs to come up with innovative and sustainable ideas. When a third party or client is involved, like our ‘broom lab’ or ‘chocolate lab’ activities, those sessions are remunerated.
Of course, we can not print as much books and magazines as I would like, like our normal Ad!dict books. But I do believe in the power of leaving traces, hence this magazine concept.
Free downloadable, free to dispatch, free to share.
What to do to be in the next edition?
Join addictlab, register and upload new work on your labfiles regularly.



More? www.labfiles.org

Find the three differences.

The press release
With a new purpose and values setting a fresh direction, Kraft Foods also gave its corporate logo a facelift to more clearly deliver "delicious." Starting today, people around the world will begin to see the new identity that deliciously features a smile, the natural reaction to delicious foods and experiences, and a colorful flavor burst. It signals to employees, consumers and investors what the new Kraft Foods is all about.
— Press release

(O. The corporate kraft logo is the last one.)





Love this quote
"There really isn't anything good to say about this logo — if I had to dig really deep I would offer that the lowercase "k" is very pretty, but that's about it. This is such a wimpy logo for such a large corporation. The red "smile," the colorful burst, they are all hackneyed and friendly to a degree where they are just childish. And, ohmygod, is that Tekton in the tag line? I haven't seen that typeface used without sarcasm or irony in a long time."

And how does your brand stink?

Dear brands world wide,

Imagine that I am blind. God forbid, in the event there would be one.
Then I can't see you. I can't see your brand. I can't see how you communicate about yourself. I can touch your products, if I know where they are. I can smell your aroma, or your odor, yet you need to explain to me that that smell is linked to your brand.
I can hear you shouting, and I can even hear you whispering, as long as I know how to distinguish your audiostream from all the other noise.


Of course we live in a visual community. But it can't harm to, once in a while, omit the obvious brand experiences, and enhance parts of your brand spectrum you might forget about.

Imagine all your consumers are blind. You will need to change the codes and references of your language. You will need to work on your overall brand experience, and not rely on the visual bombing you're used to. Let's face it, for us, being not blind, it's a war zone out there.
You will need to create products that have a USP, but also a USF (Unique Selling Feel), a USO (Unique Selling Odor), a USA (Unique Selling Audio), and a UST (Unique Selling Taste).

Tip to do with a friend.
Blindfold and take him or her to a branded spot. Like Ikea, Starbucks, you name it. How long before your friend will realise where he or she is?

Tip for brands:
Set up a team of blind consumers. Your eyes will open.

Jan@addictlab.com


Thanks Pedro Alegria, for inspiring me on this topic.

Sensorial Lisbon on addictlab.com
Imagine what might be like to rediscover blindfolded the borough of Alfama: the narrow streets, the smell of grilled sardines, the sound of a Fado that can be heard from afar and so many others sensorial adventures… Walks on foot in the Alfama Borough in which the participants have their eyes blindfolded and are guided by a blind guide from ACAPO (Association for the Visually Impaired) who shares his sensorial experiences. There are also a Lisbon Walker Guide who sets the historical contextualization of the route, and 4 other elements who help the participants. The Project has two main goals: - to provide a sensorial experience which aims to gather new knowledge of the surrounding space through the stimuli of the senses of smell, tact, taste and hearing and absense of vision. - to bring awareness to the universe of the visually impaired, not as a limitation but instead in a positive and stimulating note in which the blind himself invite us to step into his own world of codes and references.

About a trip to Belgium and the food that goes with it.

So I did one of those trips again. As you may know, I live in South Africa. As you also may know, behind Addictlab is a Belgian company, with a Belgian office space. So from time to time, I need to fly in. The moments are selected based on emotion, ratio and above all... available budget.

Tuesday.
I arrived quite late, and my parents, sweet as they are, deliver a car to the airport, so that I can run around, drive on the wrong side of the road and get ticket fines. My parents can start a car pooling-bed & breakfast-restaurant kind of company, based only on my short visits.

I had decided to have an informal lunch with Imke and Jo from Imec: brought them some Amarula to thank them for the past years collaboration. We also discussed future projects.
# food: chinese duck, really good.

Rush to the Addictlab office, to prepare my two presentations for Wednesday. I end the day with a pretty nice diner at the Belga Queen in good company, discussing about addictlab activities, strategy, fashion and more.

Wednesday.
New business meeting in the Netherlands, near Eindhoven. And what a beautiful trip it is: all is white, and the orange sun comes up when I cross the border. This Dutch company produces African tissues for the West African market. They do have a shop in South Africa (at the Maponya mall), but their core business is in Nigeria, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal etc.
Will this be a new client? Who knows. I presented all the projects and contacts I made in the SA fashion scene, but of course, I realise West Africa is different. I sincerely hope they see a lot in a collaboration, what would allow us to open up Addictlab activities and discover new talent in Western Africa aswell.

In the afternoon, I needed to be on the other side of Belgium, to deliver the project & concepts of our broomlab. A nervous trip through Belgium, with a healthy diet. (At least the water in the car is. The whole pack of Chocolate Mellow Cakes I swallowed in the process, is, well, ... proteines.)
How I enjoyed this meeting. The board of the company seemed pretty happy with all the ideas presented, and the fact that 3 concepts already will be tested to a consumer test audience next week shows we did have some possible winners. For some concepts, we will need some years of nano technology research.

Wednesday night, it's my fathers birthday, and we decide for a spontaneous diner in a restaurant in the neighbourhood. When living in Belgium, in 's Gravenwezel, you MUST try this. They call themselves a brasserie, what must be the most underrated underestimated statement of the century. How else can you describe a restaurant that brings a dish of 'Lotte' (fish) with parmesan crumble and spinach ice cream... The name of the restaurant escapes me, but contact me if interested.

Thursday.
You have those crazy days. My day starts at 9 in the Pain Quotidien in Brussels, discussing about Addictlab & TV formats. Then I rush to the Carestel in Ternat to talk about our plans for the upcoming Womenslab. (Launch of www.womenslab.org on March 8th, International Womens Day)
A quick lunch in Mechelen at the Nick Brasserie (scampi dish, very nice, to be honest, and the South African wine is very good) with possible future partners, then meeting with a publishing house. Need some thoughts on the concept of me writing a book.
Short trip to the Addictlab space, to prepare my lecture and then off to Vilvoorde,for my lecture on branding, innovation for an audience of Mars Alumni.
Looking at the comments I got, it seemed the audience appreciated my presentation and the addictlab way of thinking. Will the big player from Germany really fire his agency and tap into Addictlab?
# food: walking diner.


Friday.
A trip to Cologne, to check upon the construction and final delivery of the booth concept we generated for a chocolate client at the ISM fair. I kind of like these construction days: most of the thinking is done, it's now all about execution and following a strict plan to deliver the right thing on the right moment. Pretty hands-on.
# food: I ordered sandwiches and a pasta for our team in my best German. What actually is a pretty risky thing to do, looking at my German and the Pakistan takeaway's responses, but it turned out to be alright. Well, we can discuss about my pasta carbonara, though.
I leave back from Germany to Brussels, back to the office quite late, to do some paperwork.

Saturday.
Family time. Before the birthday brunch at my parents house, I defeat the prejudices and go shopping at the Wijnegem Shopping Center. (I do have a rich hands-on shopping mall experience here in South Africa..) Brunch with family is exactly how brunch with family must be: warm and enjoyable.
Before going to the airport to dash off to Zurich , I deposit a signed commercial agreement in a companies postbox. It nearly made me miss my flight, yet I really wonder if the agreement will allow Addictlab to start flying high. Later more on that.
When I finally sit in the plane to Joburg, I fall asleep before I finish my inboard movie. Happens to me all the time. I wonder why.

Respect.

I have a lot of respect for people who use their creative talent to come up with ideas that actually try to change something. I do believe it's our task at Addictlab, as well, to point those out, and not yet focus on another creation of a fancy dress or hip design chair.
Not that those are not important to show a vibrant creative community. But let's face it, in view of global needs, there are more important aspects to be looked into.

Here is a new labmember from Portugal, Pedro Alegria, (and what a name that is) who came up with a really nice idea.
Of course, from a brand experience point of view, your slick bank director wouldn't like too much the presence of, well, not so well-dressed, not so nice smelling people in his ATM booth. Maybe we should throw in free Lancôme samples, and a small winter garderobe courtesy of Louis Vuitton or Chanel.
Let's keep on dreaming. It's the only way to create sustainable changes.

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According to recent news, there are around 900 homeless in Lisbon. On winter’s coldest days, to sleep on the streets is to take the chance of suffering of hypothermia. Several entities seek to re-enforce the distribution of blankets and clothes, hot food and drinks, an effort that reveals to be insufficient. But, in the city, there are indoor spaces likely to be used by the homeless on the cold nights. Those spaces are the ATM booths. These money containers, during the night, have hardly any movement, are constantly warm and can represent an almost luxurious shelter for the homeless. Consequently, we’ve created a golden ATM Hotel to be developed in partnership with banks, allowing homeless to access the ATM indoor spaces. The main goal of this project is to rise multiple questions regarding the homeless conditions and needs, the way we share space with these people evoking public and private space, and also the possibility to have institutional spaces playing more active social roles, even if only temporarily.

Go to labfile

ifashion.co.za

I'm not too sure about this headline, but I do am in good company.




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