BUILDING BLOCKS FOR THE FUTURE
- Hans Ebert
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
People have short memories. It doesn’t matter one iota what one did or might have done. All or any of that is something for Wikipedia. It’s only about today.
Tomorrow is very probably too late. Sometimes, today is already too late, so, who has time for things like 3-5 year plans?
One does the maths and things seldom add up, especially when these plans are drawn up by octogenarians, who, let’s face it, most likely won’t be around to see any plans turn into reality.
This is why I have always said that timing is everything, how time waits for no one and the importance of time management.
For myself, it’s about giving up my time to invest in the next generation and trying to ensure that they inherit a good future.
How? Not by more empty talk and networking and “nutworking”.
I’ve heard this rubbish long enough and it’s just another saucer full of nonsense and waffles with some extra curry gravy thrown in for effect.
The baton that’s passed to the next generation must be TANGIBLE Hope through inspiration and evolution and art and music and always knowing that whatever you’re DOING must be relevant to where the world is at today- and laying down the groundwork for where it might be tomorrow.
It’s about offering this and the next generation with the BUILDING BLOCKS for the future.
This leads me to brands and products like Lego and Sesame Street and the Muppets and how all this can interact with positivity by partnering with us humans- adults and kids and always remember to sometimes stop and think like a child.
For myself, watching my daughter Taryn grow up having fun learning about the world she was going to inherit gave ME Hope.
Where did much of this learning come from? Kindergarten, yes, but to me, the best and most entertaining school she attended was in this magical place called Sesame Street.
I learned so much from Sesame Street and everything that the brilliant Jim Henson and the Children’s Television Workshop created by watching the relationship between Kermit and Miss Piggy, how The Count made numbers so interesting.
This was where we met Big Bird and his imaginary friend Mr Snuffleupagus, humans would drop by to visit and which led to the groundbreaking and muppetitious Muppet Show.
Still in and out of Hong Kong and a longtime Hong Kong Belonger, I see a city often asleep at the wheel, and slow when it comes to actually doing things relevant for these fractured times in which we live.
When in advertising, we were happy to do pro bono work for the Samaritans, the Right Of Abode, AIDS Awareness, the Government Information Services, the KELY Support Group and others.
Why did we produce so much Public Service Announcements? Maybe we just cared more, and working with us were media partners to help shine a brighter light on what really matters?
Where’s this light today in Hong Kong and helping in bringing attention to those battered and bruised and suffering silently?
Wouldn’t this be just a wee bit more worthwhile than having the HKJC tell us to “Love Racing” or that oddity called @hkjcentertainment with mysterious reels like the one below.
There’s then the Grand Hyatt Hotels who have a mascot named Chef Wyatt. It sells for HK$300. And?
Couldn’t there be an animated version of Chef Wyatt seen to be doing more for Hong Kong and throughout the hotel?
It’s like having the relatively unknown and talented pop group from different parts of the world called Now United in Hong Kong for quite some time and wondering what they can bring to the table.
Couldn’t the group be seen in at least some meaningful PSAs where they accentuate the positive and motivate a somewhat moribund Hong Kong?
Couldn’t Lego have its own channel and bring all this good stuff and families together as The Home Of Happiness?
Though always believing in the magic and power to bring people together, surely it’s time to change the tune and be more creative with how music can be used and not just aimlessly streaming down that river of no return?
Do we really need more incoherent nonsense like this in a misguided attempt to be seen as being hip and humped?
We are living in a world of enormous change, and which cannot happen in a new and positive way if in the hands of the usual suspects past their Use By dates and their sycophantic boffins.
Just as the major music companies learned, you’re only as good as your last hit, and so, Beware The Ides Of March and get ready to welcome in the Age of the Independents.
Dedicated to the memory of Terence Stamp.
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