This Sunday will see the ‘Run For The Kids’ take over the streets of Melbourne (much like the weather did last weekend).

The race, conducted annually to raise money for our Royal Children’s Hospital, takes competitors on a rather scenic 14.6 kilometre (that’s right folks – 14.6 kilometre) course starting at Kings Domain, through the Domain Tunnel over the Bolte Bridge back into the city via the Docklands, past the Arts Centre and finishing up where they started.

This year’s run sees National Pharmacies step up as a major sponsor and anyone that knows CUBED knows we’re always up for supporting a client – particularly when it’s for a good cause. In fact it’s the sixth children’s charity we’ve helped out in the last 12 months.

So joining 29,996 other runners will be The CUBED team, consisting of Production Manager Brendan “Lone Wolf” Hanrahan, Art Director Daniel “The Kid” Gretch, Account Manager Laura “Bunny” Campbell and Creative Director Dave “Old Man” Scott.

Though Laura is unwilling to state publicly what time we should expect from her, Dan and Brendan are a safe bet for no more than an hour 15, whereas Dave is already making excuses in case he’s still not finished until next Tuesday.

If you’re in the area, pop on down and give them a cheer, or if you’d like to donate a couple of dollars to the Royal Children’s Hospital yourself and support a great cause without having to get blisters just click here.

On Saturday, February 27, CUBED Business Director Chantelle Warren walked down the aisle and became a Lane (badda bing!).

Our Chants married handsome Maori songster Adam Lane on Torquay beach in a fun ceremony where Adam promised to buy her a coffee before every road trip and Chantelle promised to never say he had too many guitars.

After a long and lively reception, the bride and groom made it home. At 4am.

Congratulations from all of us to Mr and Mrs Lane.

If you’re an Aussie direct marketer, you may have recently received our little pack of oats in your mailbox.

It was created to promote ADMA’s Guru Breakfasts – a series of presentations delivered by various direct marketing experts. For this morning’s kick-off breakfast, Alan ‘Dr Direct’ Rosenspan flew in from America to explain how to get more from your marketing dollar. (And, perhaps, to track down a decent cup of coffee.)

We’re pleased to report that the Guru Breakfast series is off to a very healthy start. Less than a week after the mail pack hit desks around Victoria, the event had completely sold out.

So if you managed to secure a place at the breakfast table this morning, we hope you found the presentation enlightening, the breakfast delicious and the coffee hot.

And if you missed out this time, keep an eye out for the other Guru Breakfasts ADMA will be serving up throughout the year.

The Tipping Point in action

One of the most fascinating videos I have ever seen has hideous camera work and a God-awful soundtrack.

You’ll be tempted to turn if off after 2 or 3 seconds, but this one rewards you for sticking with it for the full 3 minutes and 6 seconds, because it shows something we mostly only ever read about.

A tipping point.

For those who haven’t read Malcolm Gladwell’s book, the tipping point is the moment where a product, service or an idea suddenly becomes  popular. It’s described as ‘the level where the momentum for change becomes unstoppable’. It’s the brand that was unknown yesterday and is now on everyone’s lips.

Like Twitter.

It tipped after being featured at the 2007 South by Southwest Interactive Conference. Before the conference, the number of tweets a day was 20,000. During the conference, it jumped to 60,000, and now it’s up around 3 million tweets a day.

Or the ‘Twilight’ series, which was first published in 2005 to the delight of teenage girls, but now seems to be on everyone’s bookshelf and, with the movie release, has entered popular culture and spawned terms such as ‘Twilight Moms‘.

But back to the video (below), taken at the Sasquatch Music Festival in 2009.

While everyone sits and chats on picnic blankets, a lone man (very possibly under the influence of something illegal) starts a crazy little dance and is quickly joined by his mate. At that point their idea – ‘let’s dance’ – is not something anyone else wants buy into. Most ignore them, some look a little embarrassed for them. But these two are having a grand old time while the crowd just sits and stares.

Now it’s gotta take guts – or hard drugs – to swim against the current like these guys are.

In front of hundreds of people they’re flying in the face of the status quo. They’ve just launched a new idea and nobody is quite sure what to make of it. And we humans tend to prefer the safety of numbers. Socially, it’s much safer to do what the majority of the crowd is doing.

But look at what happens at the 1:20 mark.

Another 8 people join the group.

This idea just tipped.

Now in that group of 8, there was very likely one brave (and popular) soul who not only decided to get up and dance, but convinced 7 of his closest friends to do so too. No longer are we watching a couple of weirdos dancing in a field, we’re at a small dance party. And that clearly makes all the difference.

At 1:30,  people are running – literally running – to join in.

At 1:50, the dancers have taken over from the picnic blanketers. Get up and dance, little fellas, or you’re gonna get trod on.

At the end of the video, at least 100 people are on their feet, waving their arms in the air. We’ve gone from a few picnickers on blankets to a swarming, dancing crowd.

New ideas work this way too. They don’t necessarily take off immediately.

We have a quote on the wall here, readying: “Don’t worry about people stealing your idea. If it’s truly original you’ll have to ram it down their throats”.

But if you get the right few people behind it, it’ll take off faster than you can believe.

xk

Like this piece? Think Kate’s full of it? Let us know by adding a comment or emailing her here

Recently we welcomed Nik Shetty to the CUBED fold.

Nik joins us as Account Manager after a 5-year stint at Samuelson Talbot where he worked on The Age, Brown Brothers and Swinburne University. But he’s not just an account manager. Oh no, he’s a man of many talents.

He studied IT, majoring in eCommerce and Management Information Systems, so he’s got plenty of digital smarts.

And he’s also an accomplished cook. In fact, last Friday he brought in several bunches of home-grown sage and tempted us all with some droolworthy menu suggestions.

Nik says that it was CUBED’s ethos of giving something back that attracted him here, as he shares the same philosophy.

Just quietly, we’re hoping that means we’ll be seeing more sage in the kitchen – or maybe some of his white wine duck breast risotto.

How ’bout it, Nik?

Dear Romantics,

Flowers wilt. Chocolates melt. Teddy bears are, well, just plain naff.

So booking a V/Line trip to the country – particularly if the weather is half-decent and you’ve brought a fully-loaded picnic basket – is a perfectly romantic way to spend Valentine’s Day.

So that was the message we sent last week with a Valentine-themed eDM and banner ad for V/Line. It was also good timing for a tactical message – with this year being the last time Valentine’s Day will fall on a weekend until 2015.

(And, yes, it was tough to resist the urge to use Ralph Wiggam’s classic ‘I Choo-choo-choose you’ card.)

What the?

Valentine’s Day is this Sunday?

THIS Sunday?

OK, don’t panic. Take a deep breath and check out this Valentine e-kit complete with suggestions, links and tips – created for all those who’ve left their Valentine’s Day preparations until the last minute.

Or forgotten entirely.

Print your own card

If you’re feeling crafty, make one of the cards below. Just click your favourite design, print the pdf, cut along the (very pale) dotted lines and and make your own Valentine’s Day card. Remember, you get bonus points for home-made these days and everyone loves getting something special in the mail. And why not find some nice paper to run through the printer for an extra lush look.

Send a Valentine’s e-card

If you don’t have time to send your Valentine’s Day card, you can send it as an e-card to anyone with an inbox.

	Print out your PDF
	Send it as an e-card

	Print out your PDF
	Send it as an e-card

	Print out your PDF
	Send it as an e-card

5 last-minute gift ideas

If grabbing a bunch of flowers from the local servo isn’t your style, here are a few fun (and fast) ideas for Feb 14.

1. Magazine subscription.
   Nip down to the local newsagent, pick up a magazine and arrange the subscription online.
2. Handpicked flowers.
   They’re more personal than a store-bought bunch. Tie ‘em up with some twine for a home-made look.
3. Heart shaped cookies.
   Spend a couple of hours baking your own and you’ll really get into the good books. Here are some of our favourite recipes.
4. Book of poetry.
   Get to Borders this weekend, or tonight – most are open until 10 or 11pm.
5. Max Brenner Chocolates.
   Sure you can get a box of choccies from any old place. But Max Brenner chocolates are truly lush and come beautifully packaged so you don’t have to wrap them. Win-win.

Hope this helps you enjoy a happy (and relaxing) Valentine’s Day.

Our new favourite CUBISM. Thanks Chants.