Oink Oink!!

This is hilarious! It's nice to see that the creative skills of packaging designers is not going to waste in these challenging times. Also it's good that the media is now getting hysterical about something else rather than the downturn.

Don't do it Ann - only 3 days to go!

As I prepare for the Easter Break by brushing the hot-cross bun crumbs away and trying to resist eating the Creme Egg (Carl’s just bought) until the end of lent on Sunday. I feel the need to make a comment about how quiet recruitment can be at this time of year.

There is a lot of talk about the recession effecting businesses and recruitment at the moment.

BUT it is traditionally quiet over Easter, for a couple of reasons:

Firstly: Year End 5^th April 2009. Business budgets are decided including marketing and recruitment spends. When I’ve worked in other sectors I’ve known companies scramble to recruit through March to make sure they spend their recruitment budget to prevent cuts in the next financial year. Unfortunately I’ve not seen this trend in the Creative & Marketing Sector but companies tend to reassess business including shortfalls they may have in their staffing requirements. I think this will be particularly beneficial for candidates with digital experience whether creative, marketing or technical.

Marketing spends – there should be some clearer indications of how much has been allocated. I don’t think for one minute that everyone is going to spend huge amounts through 2009 but there has been so much uncertainty this year, that some guidance should see some decisions been made about campaigns. This should have a knock on effect – as agencies and studios are briefed with work, those who have consolidated, will need extra staff to complete work, whether freelance or permanent.

Secondly - the kids are on holiday so parents take time off. It’s the first major break in the year and lots of people take time off, whether it’s the same as the schools or tacking a week either side. This includes decision makers, making it a difficult time for general business & recruitment.

So I’d like to think that towards the end of April, we will see more marketing budgets been spent and more freelance & permanent vacancies appearing.

Back to Easter and my cravings for Chocolate... just how many calories are there in a Crème Egg?

Hope you all have a lovely Easter Break.

Ann

ann@stevecooper-crs.co.uk

Interesting rates!

As interest rates remain at 0.5% for a second month you may be 'interested' to read this about the highs and lows of interest rates 1694-2009

21st Anniversary Red Dwarf on Dave – Smeggin’ brilliant!

To celebrate the 21^st birthday of the excellent Sci-Fi cult comedy, Red Dwarf Dave are screening a new 3 part special over Easter.

As a one time singleton the pleasures of Dave helped me through many a lonely evening. While relaxing on the couch in my boxer shorts eating Doritos, drinking Stella and farting I whiled away the hours watching re-runs of Top Gear, Mock the Week, Never Mind The Buzzcocks and of course Red Dwarf!

If you’re not familiar with Red Dwarf here’s a quick run down…Curry loving Dave Lister is the last human being in space, with only his spaceship's senile computer, Holly for company – until Holly provides a hologram of his dead room mate, Arnold Rimmer who he detested. There’s also a humanoid creature that evolved from the ship's cat and a cleaning-obsessed robot called Kryten. That's the lot of Dave Lister, trapped aboard the mining ship Red Dwarf in this clever and sometimes poignant cult sci-fi comedy. 



The amazing thing about Red Dwarf is that it always triumphed over its TV sitcom budget. Reverse universes, exploding spaceships, genetically engineered life-forms and ruthless killer mutants – over eight series the makers took us across the universe, three million years from home…yet never left their earthly characters behind.

So now - much to my girlfriend’s disgust I will be slobbing on the sofa over Easter in my boxers watching Red Dwarf – Back to Earth on Dave. Maybe I can persuade her to do the same! - Steve Cooper