I was grateful to receive many responses and I did promise to report back with a few examples, so here goes: first pet hates.
Jonathan Tasker of Blow Up Media:
"Over-elaborate ring tones, regularly updated to signify their modernity and tragic low self-esteem.
"Also, those people on trains who fill the seats next to them with their living room contents to block my sitting next to them."
JD: You may be media's grumpiest old man.
Mike Parker of Channel 4:
"The 'reply to all' buttons on e-mails. PAs who want to know the 'nature of the call'. Journalists who ring for mindless 'gossip'."
JD: I so agree about the reply to all buttons. I was out for three days and had 244 e-mails - 207 were not really to me.
Roberta Burns of Concorde:
"Made up words like 'impactful'. Holiday notes for the office. Fifteen MB e-mails that clog it all. Long voicemails."
JD: Who could disagree with these?
And now some embarrassing moments.
Phil Georgiadis of Walker Media writes:
"When pitching to an Indian client who asked whether the media plan was costed out in pounds sterling, I said: "Of course. What do you think, rupees?'"
JD: I remember it well. It was an innocent comment which was a presentation jaw dropper.
David Cecil of Pawson Media:
"Pitching a new TV script to a client with a creative director who wanted us to act it out, based upon the children's show Bill and Ben. I was cast as Little Weed and had to whine 'weeeeeeed' between their 'Blobberlobs'".
The Japanese clients, who spoke no English, were incredulous, inscrutable and uncomprehending."
JD: For those of us old enough to recall the series, we salute you.
Thank you to all those readers who have taken the trouble to respond to my columns. I really appreciate it.
Jonathan Durden is presidetnt and co-founder of PHD, jonathan.durden@haynet.com
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