2 Paragraphs On - Smelling good.

I've always believed in the importance of smelling good. I've been known to use this example: You could be one of the most attractive people in a room, dressed in the finest or latest fashions, but smell bad, and that's the main memory you will leave with people—"something about that guy was a little foul, but his shoes were nice." Alternatively, if you smell amazing—in spite of your looks or character flaws—you have a pretty decent chance of being remembered as an appealing, quality person. When you smell good, people not only treat you more favorably, but a positive impression of you will be burned into their memory forever. Science backs this up.

The sense of smell is closely linked with memory, probably more so than any of our other senses. Bad smells were designed to repulse us because they could be a sign that something could be seriously wrong and a threat to our own health. Pleasant smells ensured us relative cleanliness and safety. Because of this, how you smell can either increase or decrease your social value—whether you feel it's fair or not—permanently. Some even believe that the best way to find your perfect match could be through the nose, such as this fascinating new dating site that uses smell instead of looks to find you a date. 

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2 Paragraphs On - Enjoyment Matters

When I first arrived in Taipei, I did a small amount of work for Worldshare, a small creative agency who's Clients BenQ and AUO were my first experience working with Taiwan brands. At the time, BenQ's slogan, "Enjoyment Matters" struck me as ridiculous—this bizarre video helps illustrate that feeling. It doesn't seem to pack any punch, or deliver any insight. It just feels like a statement of the obvious, which might be why it is in fact, such a good slogan after all. 

After writing the article on The life-changing magic of branding, I've come to realize how much enjoyment actually does matter. Of course, we should choose to do those things and interact with those products that honestly bring us a sense of enjoyment. But even the process is important. My boss, Mark Stocker, once reminded me—during a particularly frustrating project—to "enjoy the process." It's good advice, because enjoyment does matter, even where it seems to be completely absent. So many times I find myself simply going through the motions of an activity, interaction, task, or day, without really enjoying the minutiae of the moments. Enjoyment matters, it just sometimes takes a while to realize it. 

2 Paragraphs On: Moving

This week, we at DDG moved into our brand new, yet not-quite-finished offices near Bo'ai rd in Taipei. The bathrooms don't have water, the tables don't have tops, but we're here and excited about the new location. Less than a few months ago I personally moved from the Songshan area to a new apartment near Guting station as well. It's closer to friends and work and has a patio area that can actually accommodate more than two people; unlike my previous place. 

There's something really wonderful about moving. It's a brand new beginning. A chance to start over and make some changes in both your environment and your life. It allows you to clear out clutter and reassess those things you may or may not need. It allows you to enrich the lives of others by passing on those unneeded items to friends or strangers who can put them to better use. It forces you to shift your perspective a bit by changing environments, interactions, and daily expectations. Moving gets you moving in a way unlike any other experience in life. it's exciting to be experiencing moves both at work and home this year.

2 Paragraphs On: Barbie

Today I read – via Twitter – an extensive article on Barbie's new body, and the expected controversies to follow. Maybe it has something to do with being a man, but I just don't understand all the controversy. So there's a "plump" new Barbie? Cool! ( and like, so what? ) I personally think the "plump" Barbie looks more attractive, but I really don't think they're making her for me, or are they?

My little sister was a "plump" little kid, who had a mountain of Barbies. I never thought about it before, but I wonder if she had played with the bigger Barbie if it would have impacted her in a more positive way. We'll never actually know. But she also played with tiny rainbow-colored ponies, which don't even exist in reality, and somehow managed to grow into a very realistic woman. I think the new Barbie body types are just fine. If I had kids, I'd probably buy them the "plump" version.  But do kids need dolls to show them how humans should look in the first place? Maybe kids should be spending more time interacting with actual humans than tiny plastic replicas.

2 Paragraphs On: The New Coca-Cola Slogan

Most of my friends know that I rarely drink soda pop. But once in a great while, I do, and when that happens it's usually a Coca-Cola. My desire for a Coke tends to be ignited by the sight of those vintage glass bottles. They just give me that–feeling. You probably know exactly what I'm talking about and so does Coca-Cola, who just wrote one of the best slogans I've ever seen– "Taste the feeling."

The slogan works so well because it literally sums up what many of us now experience when we drink Coke; memories of good feelings we had while Coke was present. I think about when I was 10, watching a movie in the theatre, a party at a friends house, a backyard bbq, skateboarding after school, Friday night board games with my parents. I now avoid sugary drinks like the plague, and I'm not sure if Coca-Cola is a company I feel comfortable promoting–which isn't my intention here–but I have to admit, with one simple phrase Coke just ignited a little desire inside of me. I think I'll go taste some of that feeling this week.