As a PR Consultant it's always interesting for me to work on projects that resonate with something of topical interest.  I'm currently working on the announcement of the roll out of the SaniPost, an environmentally friendly unit which is free to use and provides an invaluable hand sanitation service - stick your hands under the sensor operated device and alcohol and scent free foam squirts on them.  Rub it in and 10 seconds later you've got clean and germ free hands.  So far the units are in a few shopping centres but rolling out to more over the coming months.  The units also provide an opportunity for brands to advertise their services and benefit from all the positive associations that SaniPost will offer . . . with the very real possibility of a Swine Flu pandemic on the cards how timely that the SaniPost (Foam Box as a name would have been better I think) is arriving.  You don't have to be totally paranoid to use it and actually  a quick 'squrt' to freshen you up while you're out and about can be no bad thing.  Something like this taps into the consumers' subconscious as an easy way to help keep themselves safer . . . makes a change from press releasing banner advertising campaigns anyway!

I've been working within the creative industries (advertising, digital, direct etc) for over 20 years.  What I love about it is the people and in particular the creatives.  I've worked alongside many different types of creative from advertising creatives to digital creatives and most recently I've begun working with creatives within film, one of whom is a Director called Mal Woolford (www.malwoolford.com).  Mal's been critically acclaimed for his short films (including RedBlack and ARK) and he is currently working on his first feature film.  Many of the most brilliant creatives I've had the pleasure of working with are sofly spoken and quite unassuming - for some reason you'd expect them to be gregarious and show offy but not true of many of them.   Part of the charm of the creative-type is their ability to be unpredicatable.  Mal is one of this ilk of humble creative and, while I play catch up to his extensive knowledge of the film world, he quietly feeds me information on what he's up to, his innovative approach to film making and his aspirations for the future of his 'baby' . . . his first feature.  He'll be down in Cannes for the film festival and will, I hope, meet people who appreciate and invest in his brilliance.  Sadly I can't be down there to meet more creatives like him but then I doubt there are any.  He's unique.