Comments on: Welcome to Heathrow. Now sit down, be quiet.

By: Chris West

Chris West — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 17:31:10 +0000

hi Nick
thanks for the message. Couldn’t agree more about doing it differently. There’s something called the Semmelweis Reflex observed by Behavioural Economists…basically, people don’t change because they think everyone else would’ve changed if it was necessary. The most dramatic example of this unfortunately was when the first doctor identified that the simple job of washing hands before surgery could lead to fewer deaths from infection. All the other doctors said, “If it were that simple, we’d all be doing it.” And did nothing…Change is good.

By: Nick Green

Nick Green — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 16:45:40 +0000

“BA’s sign reveals how the brand is struggling to understand an informal, less hierarchical world.”

I work in insurance and have some (but not much) sympathy with BA – I can vouch for the fact that this issue isn’t uniquely theirs. Problem is you can’t be all things to all men (and all women, and all children).

Realising that ‘that’s how we’ve always done it’ is the best reason not to do it any more is the first step. The second is having the courage and conviction to make it happen.

But that’s easier said than done, of course…

By: Jane

Jane — Tue, 22 May 2012 21:11:35 +0000

Thanks Chris. Love the idea of a dual sign – maybe even on the walls! Will let you know how we go.

By: Chris West

Chris West — Mon, 21 May 2012 11:43:21 +0000

hi Jane – I love Society Cafe, Bath. And I love your question.
It’s a challenge for somewhere which is a Third Space – not office, not home – to balance authority with hospitality.
Get it wrong and you lose customers. Do nothing, and you lose customers.
At Verbal Identity, we like to say that questions about a brand’s tone of voice are usually questions about its commercial and operational issues. But when we say that, our clients like to throw things at our heads.
Perhaps you could recognise the conflict of different users with a small sign something like this,
“Share the love, share the space.
(We’re happy to be a break from the office and a break from the nursery, as long as everyone else is.)”
You could get one of your regular artsy-office types to design one version of the sign. And get a persistent child-offender to draw another version (though not on the walls).
Good luck. Let me know how it goes.
C
x

By: Jane

Jane — Mon, 21 May 2012 09:55:52 +0000

This is funny. We’re having a Very Hard Time (Adrian’s temples are throbbing) with Mums and Dads who ignore their own children in the café. Screaming, drawing on walls, scraping furniture from one end of the basement to the other, ripping up books, it’s pretty hard to deal with and we are losing customers. The customers who are actually paying for things.
We have to construct a sign to ask parents to encourage their children to be more aware of the impact of their behaviour but should we actually be more egalitarian and ask EVERYONE to get on board with the community vibe and necessity for mutual respect for fellow coffee-drinkers and their own personal space/time/peace??
Help.

By: chris

chris — Fri, 18 May 2012 09:10:43 +0000

I also think that sentences which are sanctified with a capital letter should be honoured with a full stop. Copywriters should be accompanied at all times.