Day: September 8, 2010
Marketing to the Bottom of the Pyramid
Seth Godin uncharacteristically has written more than just a couple of lines in his blog tonight. Hmmm. Something is floating his boat! Read all about it here: the paradox of marketing and the “Bottom Billion”.
He draws upon his work around tribes, and the distinction in world view between someone who is keeping up just surviving, and someone who is pursuing happiness wrapped up inside the latest box of something for sale.
And here’s the kicker: If you’re a tenth-generation subsistence farmer, your point of view is different from someone working in an R&D lab in Palo Alto.
A nice little segue to join three posts from this evening: this one, the previous video about social enterprise (provided courtesy of Seth), and the previous reflection of Peter Singer’s considerations about a nudge.
Inspired?
Training log: 8 September. Unscheduled rest (brought forward)
Decided to bring forward the rest day scheduled at the end of the week. Spent a good period of time at the gym stretching.
Thanks to Fiona Parker, Deb and Paul from Ashtanga Yoga Space above the Verona Cinema, Oxford St in Paddington for all of their wonderful love and care over the past few years- I have been a far too irregular attendee, but gained so much especially in picking up my own routine.
Feeling fresh and well rested for the week ahead.
Nudge
Peter Singer in his provocative book The Life You Can Change raises the phenomena of a gentle nudge to slowly help shift community trends to overcome apathy. He mentions this in relation to a culture of giving.
Singer argues that even when we are choosing in our own interests, we often choose unwisely. So his writing here is about informing better decision making.
If major corporations, universities and other employers were to deduct 1% of each employee’s salary and donate the money to organisations fighting global poverty, unless the employee opted out of the scheme, that would nudge employees to be more generous and yield billions more for combatting poverty.
He writes that while the idea might sound odd now, but if a few corporations or institutions adopt it, it could spread.
Is this part of the solution? More money? If so, how should it be distributed and spent?
What other changes might be introduced through giving it a bit of a nudge over time?
‘Fun Run’- Oxymoron? Go on, come and run 2.4 km for the global launch!
A friend of mine emphatically swears that the expression ‘fun run’ is a non sequitur…he claims never to have experienced a run yet that was fun. Poor soul!
Join us for the Global Launch of the 10 City Bridge Run this Saturday where 100 people will together run 2.4 km from right behind the Sydney Opera House across to Milsons Point, via the Cahill Expressway overpass and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Arguably the most picturesque route for a short course in Sydney, and so while the running might not be ‘fun’, it will be a pleasant view. Besides, what have you to lose? Let this be the start of your personal ‘get fit for summer’ regime!
RSVP here through Eventbrite.
Bring a camera and it would be great to see how you saw the event.
More details are on the Eventbrite page. Please leave a comment or contact me directly with any need of clarification or questions: phone 0438 007 770.
Building Bridges 