This is one of the best music videos so far this year and one of the coolest ever, so it needs to be on Stylewalker.net. Being a huge Sirius Mo fan myself, I was happy to know he is releasing a new album on Monkeytown. This is his first signal and it’s a perfect fit.
We see Roman Geike aka MC Ramon aka Romano as a starring character, playing: himself. Roman is an entertainer by heart, be it as a rapping “cornerboy” or be it as German chansonnier (“Schlagerstar”) as you see in this video – he always takes it very seriously. This enthusiasm is infecting. In the video Ramon is walking the streets of Berlin, dancing in a washing saloon and visiting people in their gardens: everybody falls for his charme.
The video is also about Moritz’ aka Sirius Mo’s home, Berlin-Friedrichshagen (I think!), close to the lake Müggelsee. It’s a great contrast, the home turf and the rapper who used to be a Schlagerstar and the fusion electronic music which can easily appeal to anybody who is into grooves and melodies.
This is a story of either a bold theft of creativity or a big big coincidence. It is a story of a blogger and a multi million dollar company, a story of an idea and its name, a dream and a campaign. Read the full thing.
Adecco is the “world’s leading provider in HR solutions” and currently running a competition called “Around the world in 80 jobs” as part of the initiative “Adecco way to work”
The problem is: “Around the world in 80 jobs” is also the name of a website by blogger Turner Barr from Washington. He is actually doing what the title depicts: Travelling the world and working in different jobs and blogging about it. Turner has been doing this since 2011. Adecco registered applied for the trademark in April 2013.
Barr is upset: “Recently, I was both astonished and demoralized to find that my entire brand, image and web personality was swiped for use in a marketing campaign … without ever being asked for permission or acknowledged. The video for their marketing campaign was particularly creepy for me, as even my age and personality didn’t escape the level of detail spent on creating this doppelganger”
Right now, the story is trending online, from Twitter to Reddit and Adecco’s Facebook wall is full of idignant accusations.
I mailed Adecco’s German press office to get a statement, explicitly asking if they were knowingly using somebody else’s idea. Here is the answer (in English, find the German original at the bottom of the article):
“‘Around the World in 80 Jobs’ is just the name of a competition as part of our initiative. With ‘Adecco Way to Work’ we want to give young people perspectives and inspiration, especially considering the difficult situation in Southern Europe. We are aware that there is a conflict in the use of the name ‘Around the world in 80 jobs’. We are trying to find a solution. Today we do not see the necessity to take legal steps against Mr Barr. We did communicate to him that he may use the name in the US and beyond. The initiative is about the perspective of young people, not about the name.”
This answer left me puzzled. It did not help to clear the accusations. If it was about the “perspective for young people”, not about the name, why would they register a trademark? And if they registered, why would they not decide to take it away from Turner Barr? Why would they not answer the question if they copied the idea or why it would look so similar? And how is this initiative helping young unemployed people?!
It does not create jobs. It does not create perspectives. The information about finding a job on the website are the same you can find anywhere else. The free coaching sessions can be found in one Southern European country, Italy, at least. Not in Spain. Not in Greece. Not in Portugal. The link to the Chilean offer leads to a pure informational website.
I adressed these questions in my reply to Adecco. I also asked Turner Barr for a statement. I’ll post an update as soon as I have answers.
According to the blog of the the agency Simplyzesty, the agency Mortierbrigade is behind the execution. It would be easy for Adecco to blame the agency and claim they had no idea about the original blog. But that would be too easy.
Here is my personal opinion: I don’t think everybody involved knew it was a copy. But some did. Which is why they registered the trademark to be safe themselves.
As a blogger I would feel the same as Turner, abused and then ignored by a very big company. As a marketer and agency creative, I feel ashamed. Do we not do our job because we like to develop ideas and come up with new exciting stories? To innovate?
Everybody is still waiting for an official statement and offer by Adecco. I am curious how this story unfolds. Especially since I suspect Adecco had planned to release some great videos showing the winners of the competition working in exciting jobs.
The original German statement by Adecco’s German press office:
“Die CSR-Initiative, die seit April läuft, heisst „Adecco Way to Work“. „Around the World in 80 Jobs” ist lediglich der Name eines Wettbewerbs innerhalb unserer Initiative. Mit „Adecco Way to Work“ beabsichtigen wir jungen Menschen Perspektive und Inspiration für den Arbeitmarkt zu vermitteln, besonders angesichts der sehr schwierigen Situation in Südeuropa. Wir möchten junge Menschen motivieren, über die Grenzen hinauszuschauen. Wir sind überzeugt, dass jede Initiative, die jungen Menschen eine Perspektive geben kann, in dieser schwierigen Situation eine kleine Hilfe sein kann.
Wir sind uns Bewusst, dass es einen Konflikt über die Verwendung des Namens „Around the World in 80 Jobs“ gibt. Wir bemühen auch weiterhin um eine Lösung. Aus heutiger Sicht sehen wir keine Notwendigkeit, rechtlichen Schritte gegen Herrn Barr einzuleiten. Wir haben ihm kommuniziert, dass er den Namen „Around the World in 80 Jobs“ auch über die USA hinaus verwenden kann. Uns geht es in dieser Initiative um die Perspektive für die jungen Menschen und nicht um den Namen.”
I used to play a lot of fluffy house music back in the days. And I still have a heart for warm, groovy and sunny 4-to-the-floor tunes. So here are 60 minutes of easy get away which would fit well on a rooftop in Barcelona, a bar in Thessaloniki or a ship in the Adria.
It would also fit well for a sunny weekend to listen during the daytime. Make a coffee, open the windows, get a book and relax in the sun. Which is what I am going to do right now.
Includes music by Sirius Mo, Oliver$, Bonobo, Cosmin TRG, Mathias Kaden, Martyn, Cut Copy, Sbtrkt, Rooflight, Martin Buttrich, Justin Martin, Veitengruber ao.
I saw them yesterday at a shop opening which is not really the greatest environment for a band to perform. Yet, they did very well, filled the room with atmosphere and played a really good performance. “Schwarz Don’t Crack” is the name and the band consists of Sebastian Kreis and Ahmad Larnes. Ahmad’s singing is definitely a trade mark, with his deep expression and variety of details and mixes well with the electronic RnB sound floor which Sebastian creates underneath. Very slow disco beats and lots of pop samples create a style which sounds familiar yet unique. They are about to release an album on B pitch records and Melt booking already have them in their roster. So the future is bright for this likeable odd couple, watch them grow.
It’s a revival of the classic golden era sounding rappers. You know the Underachievers, here comes Dillon Cooper. He is 19, from Brooklyn, music student, pianist, rapper. Good flow. Smart.
His latest single gains some interest, even in Germany. Take a double bass, take some warm drums, a hypnotic rap, a good production, here is State of Elevation. It’s a hit.
Before he did justice to Mobb Deep on “Survival of the fittest” from january.
He’s not really a lyricist but he has a great flow and his videos definitely help with his popularity. In which he also appears as a director. So he is talented in many ways and he’s young and he seems, as said, smart. I think he’s a guy to watch (but he should definitely get a website).
Die großartige arte-Dokumentation “Die wilden Wurzeln des World Wide Web” verlangt vom Zuschauer einiges an Konzentration. Denn sie macht die ganz große Kurve von den Anfängen des Netz als Underground-Hacker-Hippie-Spielzeug bis zu den heutigen Verteilungs- und Regulierungskämpfen. Freie Software, Hacker Spaces, Politik, 3D Drucker, Überwachung, Internet of things, Urheberrecht, es kann einem ganz schwindelig werden. Aber sie ist sehr gut gemacht und unterhaltsam, auch wenn man noch nicht so tief in die Thematik über die Freiheit des Internets eingestiegen ist. Schaut diese Doku!
Sie führt sehr deutlich und gut verständlich vor Augen, warum ein freies, dezentrales und unzensiertes Internet in den Händen der Nutzer so wichtig ist. Was Netzneutralität bedeutet, die an den tiefen technischen Ebenen des Internets ansetzt. Warum freie Software und Open Source Verschlüsselung Voraussetzung für Überwachungsfreiheit und freie Meinungsäußerung ist. Und wie Wirtschaft und Staat daran arbeiten, das Chaos und die Freiheit der Nutzer unter ihre Kontrolle zu bekommen. Ein interessanter Nebenschauplatz, der diese unheilige Allianz sehr gut illustriert, sind Firmen wie Amesys und CSM, die Überwachungssysteme an Staaten wie Syrien und Iran verkaufen, mit denen die Kommunikation von Dissidenten kontrolliert werden kann.
Und wem das zu schwer und politisch klingt dem sei gesagt: Immer wieder kommen lustige Rage Faces und Lolcats zum Einsatz, gemischt mit Science Fiction Klassikern und Nachrichtenmaterial aus den letzten 30 Jahren. Schaut diese Doku, sie ist großartig!
Zu Wort kommen die “alten Helden” des Internets, die alle aus einer sehr versierten und persönlichen Perspektive erzählen, welche Bedenken sie bei den gegenwärtigen Bewegungen haben, das Internet durch große Konzerne zu monopolisieren und durch Regierungen zu regulieren: John Perry Barlow, der Grateful Dead Frontman und Autor der legendären Unabhängigkeitserklärung des Internets, Richard Stallmann, der die Freie Software Bewegung geprägt hat und Phil Zimmermann, der die freie Verschlüsselungssoftware PGP schrieb und dafür natürlich mächtig Ärger mit der CIA bekam. Julien Assange kommt zu Wort, genau wie Rick Falkvinge, der Gründer der ersten Piratenpartei in Schweden und Stephan Uhrbach, der aus Deutschland die syrische Freiheitsbewegung unterstützt und Mitch Altman, einer der ersten Hackerspace Gründer.
Schaut diese Doku, ich sehe sie jetzt schon zum dritten Mal!
I am very looking forward to next weekend’s highlight here in Berlin: The XX’s festival “Night and day”. Taking place in the legendary Spreepark, an abandoned theme park with many historical fun rides which are slowly breaking apart. What a great scenery for a festival!
Sizarr shot their entire video to “Run Dry” here:
The festival has, not surprisingly a great line up: The XX, Jessie Ware, Chromatics, Mount Kimbie, Kindness, Mikky Blanco, Dixon and many more DJs.
The official tickets are sold out but you can still get some on ebay.
New favorite hip hop crew: the Underachievers. They are young but their sound is somewhat timeless. A little Golden Era, a little conscious school, some reduced modern effects. Very laid back, very lyrical, very simple but very compelling. I’ve been listening to their mixtape “Indigoism” several times and it’s become a good friend, like someone you know well but always hope to find out more about.
The Underachievers are two kids in their early 20ies from Flatbush, Brooklyn and got signed on Flying Lotus’ label Brainfeeder. Their background is clearly Flatbush, Brooklyn and the Carribean communities there. Their lyrics often are about mind travelling and perception of things and one of them, Issa Gold, likes to anser philosophical questions like if evil really exists on his Tumblr.
“Licht ins Dunkel” ist ja immer eine schöne Metapher für alle möglichen karitativen Anlässe. In diesem Fall ist der Spruch aber gut gewählt, denn es geht um ein Fotoprojekt, das mit Porträts in der Dunkelheit arbeitet. Die Meta-Ebene ist eins der größten Probleme der Welt: Sauberes Wasser.
Dahinter stecken der Fotokünstler Kai Effinger und die Organisation Viva Con Agua, die zusammen ein Fotobuch und eine Ausstellung mit den oben beschriebenen Porträts machen wollen. Die Erlöse aus dem Verkauf sollen Wasserprojekte fließen. Außerdem dabei sind eine Reihe Künstler, wie die Orsons, Samy Deluxes Tsunami Band oder Ganjaman, die sich alle schon fotografieren ließen.
Das Projekt ist ein Crowdfunding-Projekt, das man auf Startnext unterstützen kann um das Buch zur Veröffentlichung zu bringen. Ich finde die Bilder klasse und auch die Idee, ich bin dabei, ihr auch?
I get a lot of music submissions for this blog and often I know from the way the mail is written that I am not going to be interested. This case was different. The mail was personal and concise and by the producer himself. His name is Kensaye and he writes: “My name is Kensaye, I am a French producer based in London, UK. I focus on soul/hip-hop/electro/chill music and I release material from time to time. I’m unsigned and independent.”
I had no idea what to expect but this super relaxed, soulful and diverse remixes really caught my ear and heart. Listen to Nicolay & Kay, the Roots, Ellie Goulding, Aaliyah and Notorious BIG stuff remixed. Sometimes it’s very minimalistic and reduced, distorted and distracted, but always hypnotic and room filling. I like the stuff and recommend to follow Kensaye on Soundcloud.
Here is a little video from London with the rapper Innocent who got a beat for his birthday. A bit long in the beginning but a good vibe of cruising around in the end;
“Licht ins Dunkel” ist ja immer eine schöne Metapher für alle möglichen karitativen Anlässe. In diesem Fall ist der Spruch aber gut gewählt, denn es geht um ein Fotoprojekt, das mit Porträts in der Dunkelheit arbeitet. Die Meta-Ebene ist eins der größten Probleme der Welt: Sauberes Wasser. 
