Rob C

Corporate Gaslighting Inflation … A few weeks ago, on one of the social media platforms, I wrote the word ‘idiot’ in a comment. It was a statement about something I’d done but it triggered the platform to immediately put up a messa…

Why the best trick social media companies have pulled off is making us believe we can reason with a narcissistic sociopath:

Did The Titanic Sink Because Of An Iceberg Or Because Of Too Much Middle Management? There’s a company I work with that has 14 employees. Of that 14, 4 are specialists and the remaining 10 are very smart, informed, experienced, generalists. And they make US$100 million dollar…

Why one of the biggest threats to a companies potential is middle management heirarchy.

Hidden Behind Hair … Yesterday I wrote a post overflowing with love for my son and my desire to alway be there for him, even when I’m not. Today, I am ensuring he can’t wait for me to get on with buggering …

How AI made me the best advertisement for going to Turkey and getting a hair transplant. Except on your face, not on your head.

Never More Than A Click Away … Recently I heard an interview with the Led Zeppelin singer, Robert Plant. Of course, Led Zeppelin is a long time off – but as I wrote here – his and the bands place in musical history is cemented. …

How Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin helped me realise why I’ve continued writing my ridiculous blog for almost 2 decades … and why I think parents will get it. Albeit with a slight frown on their face.

When Coffee Leaves A Very, Very, Very Bad Taste In Your Mouth … It’s been a while since I’ve had a real rant, but this is going to be one. So if you need a peaceful start to your week, look away – otherwise strap yourself in. One of my real wo…

Why Maxwell House will leave a bad taste in your mouth about where marketing is going and what marketing is doing. Down to the last drop.

Why We Need To Remember Every Family Is Weirdly Perfect … Including Yours. A few years ago, I wrote about how some people think they have the right to judge your kid. And your parenting. I also noted how I’d been suckered into validating their commentary. Until I came to …

If you think Linkedin is full of judgemental and condescending critics … try being a parent.

Hopefully.

How Creativity Turns Pain Into Pleasure … Music has always played an incredible role in my life. I get most people on the planet would think that way, but what’s interesting – at least to me – is that lyrics rarely impact…

Why we need to respect, protect and honour the arts … because it’s one of the only things that can take any pain and turn it into something beautiful and valuable. For humans, for society or for business.

My first weekend in as long as I can remember where I have zero work to do & I feel ill. So ill I had to do a Covid test - which has been so long since I did one, I had to ask how to do them again. And it says I’m OK … which must mean my symptoms are down to one thing. Nottingham Forest trauma.

If You Want To Increase The Odds Of Creating Something Commercially Iconic, Be Transparent … Once upon a time, a man – who lived and worked in Newcastle, England – got a phonecall. When he picked up, he heard a woman with a German accent on the other end, who asked “Are y…

Why anyone who needs to know the commercial and creative power of transparency, should talk to AC/DC singer, Brian Johnson.

Be An Astronaut … One of the members of my wonderful gang of misfits – James [Bennett, not Tucker] – recently showed me a website that is a testimony and celebration to the best of humanity. Not because …

Why the best way to rediscover and reconnect to the best of humanity is to become an astronaut. And I’m going to help you become one wherever you are:

Making Extra Dough Out Of Bread: The Commercial Value Of Repurposing And Making Old, New Again … Isn’t it funny we talk so much about the environment, and yet we are producing more stuff that fucks the world than ever before? That said, while companies aren’t great at living up to what they st…

What agency planners can learn from M&S about creating practical and applicable strategy.

(AKA. Why we need to stop praying at the alter of strategy complexity and ego)

Who Is Taking Who For A Ride? I come from a family of lawyers. My Italian Uncle was a prosecutor against the Mafia and my Dad was a Human Right’s barrister who specialized in fighting corporations and governments who chos…

Why Uber are a great inspiration for teaching kids how to read. Allegedly.

Sometimes Good News And Bad News Are The Same Thing … I appreciate that in the first month of 2026, I have enjoyed 2 national holidays … which is on top of the almost ONE MONTH Festive Holiday than many in NZ get to enjoy. Which leads to the tit…

Given it’s ‘celebrity pension and sponsored joke’ day – oops, I mean Super Bowl ad time – what better time to write about how to make people care, feel and believe they’re part of something bigger for more than 30 seconds. Maybe.

Let Musicians Show Us How To Embrace AI … A few weeks ago, I had a conversation with a very successful musician. It was a fascinating chat because – quite frankly – their career is fascinating. However, there were 3 things that…

How I realised AI and humans may be more complimentary than adversary when a very famous guitarist told me:

“Technology offers musical consistency, humans offer musical interactivity”

Read more about our conversation, here.

Stop Making The Problem About What Is The Problem … We’re only a few weeks into 2026 and yet last week, a planner in London reached out to me to ask for some advice because they were already feeling burned out by work. Obviously I’m not …

Why, in these days of efficiency, we may need to consider it’s the tools, systems & hierarchies that are making the process of creativity more complex, costly & challenging.

We All Are Going In Our Own Directions … Without wishing to sound like a stalker – or a pervert – but I recently spotted this couple walking down Ponsonby Road … I don’t know who they are. I never saw their faces. …

Why we need to stop blindly worshiping systems, efficiencies and brand assets and get back to looking up to people and audiences.

If You Want To Differentiate, Be Generous … Oh my god, we’re in Feb already. Well, of course we are because I didn’t re-start this blog until the middle of Jan, so what the hell do I expect? Anyway, over the festive break –…

Why the easiest - and arguably, most powerful - way for a brand to be distinctive and differentiated is to be generous:

The Secret Of Success For People Starting Out … As we approach the end of the first month of 2026 – and I have to be up very, very early – I thought I’d drop this now and end ‘January’ on a rant. Except it’s a…

For anyone starting out, or in their job for just a few years, this is for you:

The secret to success in advertising, creative, or strategy — from someone who shouldn’t have (but kinda has)

Why Too Much Marketing Theory Lives In An Ego Filled Vacuum … Once upon a time, I was asked to help a client based in Thailand. They were very successful – having made Thailand the most profitable market in the World for their particular brand. Anyway, …

Why the biggest danger for brands is when they believe customers have an endless desire to spend all of their time and money only with them.

Either You’re Stupid, Or You Think Audiences Are … One thing I’ve always hated is the arrogance some companies/agencies have towards their customers. Blindly believing they are so important and clever, that society will do whatever they want …

Why nothing shows how little companies think of people than the rise of AI-generated ‘customer endorsement’ ads.
 
(AKA: If you have to invent a person to talk about the qualirty of your product, you are inventing the quality of your product)

Truth Over Harmony, But Not All The Time … One of Colenso’s beliefs is ‘truth over harmony’. By that, it means nothing shows respect like being transparent. That doesn’t mean you have to be an asshole, but it does me…

Why we need truth over harmony. Unless you’re 8 years old:

It’s What Makes Us Different That Makes Us The Same: The Case For Diversity, Not Enemies. Following on from Wednesday’s post … One of the great pleasures that walking has given me is listening to podcasts. To be honest, prior to walking I never really enjoyed them. Sure, par…

Why nothing shows how out-of-control the Linkedin marketing/advertising/research communities have got than hearing rival Rockstars being less egotistical, less arrogant and less, errrm, Rockstarry, than us.

Anything Is Easy When You Don’t Have To Do It And You Have No Intention To Be Guided By It … On the Friday before Christmas, a friend of mine got made redundant. After 17 years of service. 17 years of highly productive, highly respected service. What makes it even more disgraceful is he wa…

Why companies need to remember, to gain employee loyalty, you have to do more than just provide a pay cheque.

When Winning Means You’re A Loser … As many of you know, over the past 2 years, I’ve got relatively fit. Or said another way, I’ve lost 54kgs. And while diet has played a huge part to play in this achievement, it’s …

How this Christmas I won at being a loser. (And why McKinsey are petrified about it)

Integrity Is About Actions, Not Words … First of all a huge thanks to all the people who got in touch about my good eye news yesterday. Given how much your support through the challenge of last year meant to me, you just added the icing …

Why integrity is about consistency … even when there’s a chance to make an extra dollar bending it a little bit.
(AKA: What business can learn from playwright, Tom Stoppard)

A Lot Can Happen In 12 Months … It’s Monday. In the first few weeks of going back to work after a longish break. And all we are hearing in shit, depressing news from all over the World … so you would imagine today&#82…

Why this Monday is a great day. At least for me. And with thanks to you.

My Dad Is Dead … OK, so we got to the end of the first week of 2026. Or should I say the 3rd week … but you know what I mean. Anyway, I started the TWENTIETH year of this blog with a couple of nice posts. Then I fo…

Why my Dad is dead. Not passed.
(An ode to grief, 27 years in the making)

If It’s Not Accountable, It Will Do Whatever It Wants … This post kind-of follows on from yesterday’s. You see, recently I saw this image from the IBM training manual of 1979. Interesting isn’t it. That even then, they both saw the power and…

Why AI has become the Vivian Westwood dress average companies put on, without realising everyone can see it doesn’t fit or suit them.

We Are All Complicit To All We’re Complaining About … OK, I’ve given you a couple of days of niceish posts to help ease you into the new year, so I think it’s time I write some stuff that lets out some of my seemingly endless frustrations …

Why we can't complain about the impact of AI, when we - driven by many of the companies we work with/for - are all complicit in 'the experience illusion'.