Letter from the editor
We set out to create an alternative to the rather corporate, stale and pompous creative industry mags already out there through a heady mix of in-depth industry piss-taking and original funny stuff that we think will make you laugh. Life’s too short for bullshit, so let’s work together to drive it back up the arses of the bullshitters and keep it up there for good. We include games and exercises to help you de-bullshit your life.
End of the World New Product Development Team: Brexit
Brexshit is here with a no-deal knuckle duster. But fear not, the NPD team has been sweating hot new ideas like an August holidaymaker in a Spanish Beach port-a-loo and has ideated some cracking new products to help you get through the worst of it.
Director General Quarterly Trends: 9 Must-Have Agency Artefacts
Once every three months, we pull DG from the boot of his Jag Shirley, to give us his quarterly low down on the hottest trends around. This quarter he turns his sights on the trends in the all-important agency paraphernalia market. The DG shares his 9 must-have agency artefacts.
HOW TECHNOLOGY MADE EVERYTHING FASTER, RUINED EVERYTHING...F#@K LITTLE MIX
If things have gotten less faffy, and producing things have become faster, then why isn't there a ferocious stream of banging work coming at us from all directions? Cosmo Soave-Smith shares why technology has ruined everything.
Transformation Interview with Les from BetGreg
Les, 52, manager at BetGreg in Bow, East London, tells Cosmo Soave-Smith about Big Barry’s toilet habits, how technology killed the old days, and the unseen consequences of the smoking ban…
Death of interruption advertising
(& the birth of opt-in always-on partner advertising brand experience moments)- a future history.
The secret diary of an ecd
This diary chronicles the emotional dialogue of a giant of industry, known only to us as the ECD. Any views expressed within this diary belong to him/her, and him/her alone. As such we’ve decided to protect their identity so as not to restrict their creative spirit. This week, our beloved ECD has had enough of meetings and the day to day of work, and is eyeing up a trip to a Buddhist retreat where he is sure a new award-winning idea will manifest itself.
The MICKEY’s resident business uncle, Jamil Qureshi, helps Helen with her dying organisational culture
Helen, CEO of a large multinational with over 50,000 employees and offices in 45 countries reaches out to our business uncle. From the outside, they look like your archetypal successful corporation with a strong brand, a product customers love, and extremely happy shareholders. But inside, they are dying. Jamil shares his top tips to ensure they will still be around in 10 years' time.
DG RANTS: Skin in the (end) game
The MICKEY’S very own Director General (DG) rants about agencies that take no risks and put profits before standing up for what they believe in and the communities they represent. He also finds some interesting directors in the coming breakdown of society.
End of the world new product Team: Zombie Apocalypse
No one understands how we got here, but the fact is that Zombies are real and are knocking on our office windows as we try to get some real ideation work done. Very distracting. Anyhow, we’ve come up with our top 3 new products which we think will really help.
The LA weed experience by Cosmo Soave-Smith
Cosmo is in LA to experience the legal weed buying experience so you don’t have to.
Director General Quarterly Trends: 7 key agency types
Once every three months, we pull DG from the boot of his Jag Shirley, to give us his quarterly low down on the hottest trends around. This quarter he turns his sights on the trends in the agency. The DG is breaking down the 7 key agency types.
The secret diary of an ecd
This diary chronicles the emotional dialogue of a giant of industry, known only to us as the ECD. Any views expressed within this diary belong to him/her, and him/her alone. As such we’ve decided to protect their identity so as not to restrict their creative spirit. This week, our beloved ECD is contemplating the very essence of professional nomenclature in an attempt to clarify the job title, once and for all.
TRANSFORMATION INTERVIEW WITH MAZ, CEO OF PERFICT CHICKEN
Maz, CEO of Perfict Chicken, muses on chicken shop tech trends and the impact of vegetarianism on fried chicken.
DG RANTS: Oh the horses, the horses
The MICKEY’S Director General (DG) has something to say about banks and their shit brand purpose advertising.
Memory foam by Cosmo Soave-Smith
Cosmo Soave-Smith spends a year testing out mattresses in order to save humanity.
Director General Quarterly Trends: Trends of Trends
Once every three months, we pull DG from the boot of his Jag Shirley, to give us his quarterly low down on the hottest trends around. This quarter the DG is breaking down the trends of trends.
What the F#@k is going on
The three horsemen of macro flux have arrived. Geopolitical, economic and environmental change have coincided beautifully to create what many philosophers of our time have called ‘a major clusterfuck of shit’. Some days it feels like 1939, and others like 2049. A fascist past combined with a dystopian future to create a truly bullshit present.
Sorry guys, I can't help you here
Dave Trott is a creative director, copywriter, and author. Trott studied at the Pratt Institute in New York City, majoring in advertising before going on to found the advertising agencies Gold Greenlees Trott, Bainsfair Sharkey Trott and Walsh Trott Chick Smith. In 2004 he was given the D&AD President’s Award for lifetime achievement in advertising.
Peak Digital & The Death of the Death of the Physical
Is digital going to destroy the sensuousness of our physical world by replacing many of our loved physical objects with ageless digital substitutes?
Transformation Interview with Darren, a budding estate agent from WTF PROPERTY
Darren tells Cosmo Soave-Smith about the nightmare of a big bunch of keys, and why tech like VR will mean everything will be self-serve and he can just stay in the office pissing about on the internet with Gary.
End of the world new product Team: Nuclear Winter
This week, the team’s gone nuclear, tackling all things apocalyptic. It finally happened. We’re not going to dwell on why or when or who said what about who’s mother / mental capacity, but the long and short of it is Trump pressed the button...and then so did Kim, then Vlad and so on...I know, just as we were getting out of regular winter we now have to contend with a nuclear winter. Still, you know what they say? In every crisis, there’s an opportunity. So let’s take a look at our top three.
The MICKEY’s resident business uncle, Jamil Qureshi, helps Ronda with millionarnials
A successful and proud 100-year-old business struggles with 'the kids' (those customers and employees in their 40s and below) - or, as some call them the millionarnials.