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Presentation Zen: PowerPoint abuse in Japan: we can learn a lot from the Japanese bento

This post all the way back from 2005 caught my eye…wow. This is why I do what I do……

- Yorkali

PowerPoint abuse in Japan: we can learn a lot from the Japanese bento

One of the greatest things about living in Japan (at least for me) is coming back from Tokyo on the Shinkansen (”bullet train”). Successful meetings in Tokyo behind me, I boarded the super-fast 6:03pm Nozomi bound for Osaka complete with my “Ekiben” (”bentos” sold at the station, or “eki”) and can of Asahi Super Dry (that’s beer). Sure, there are trains in many countries, but few things seem such a quintessential “Japan experience” as zipping trough the Japan countryside aboard cutting-edge technology while sampling Japanese delicacies, sipping Japanese beer and catching glimpses of temples, shrines, and even Mount Fuji out the spacious side window.

Badslides
While in the midst of eating the contents of my bento, I glanced to my right across the aisle to see a “salary man” reviewing a printed version of his PowerPoint slides. Two slides per page, one page after another filled with slide boxes crammed with Japanese text. No white space. No graphics. Just slide after slide of Japanese text. Were these slides used in a stand-up presentation? If so, I sympathize with the audience. Or, were they merely a document printed in PowerPoint? If so, I pity both the author and the reader: PowerPoint is not a tool for document creation.

What a contrast in the presentation of great content: the beautifully efficient, well designed “ekiben” which contains nothing superfluous, and the poorly designed, ugly, difficult-to-understand PowerPoint slides across the aisle. Hmmm, should the design of your slides be more like the Japanese bentos sold on the bullet train? Yes. An “ekiben” contains great content which is arranged in the most efficient, graceful manner. The bento is presented in a simple, beautiful, balanced way. Nothing lacking. Nothing superfluous. Not decorated, but wonderfully designed. A delicious, inspiring way to spend 20 minutes. When was the last time you could say the same about a presentation you saw?Bento_2

January 24, 2005 | Permalink

Presentation Zen: PowerPoint abuse in Japan: we can learn a lot from the Japanese bento

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Tags: bento, powerpoint, japan, bullet train

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Super cool laser etching

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Tags: laser, etching, laptops, mac, macs, mac laptop

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Is it time to ditch Powerpoint?

Wonderfully written article on the use of Powerpint and how it seeps into our conscience and messes up our noggin. read it here

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I read this article by Bob Garfield on Advertising Age. Excellent passionate commentary, just up my alley. As he whittles the grand Saturn/GM ad down to size I can see why brands like Oldsmobile eventually went belly up and why GM is in the financial mess that it’s in.

Mediocrity.

For decades whimpy design got pumped out of Detroit, now they have some fresh thinking but they are serving it up on cliche driven visuals and copy. The same thing is happening with Panama’s real estate advertising.

I am getting sick and tired of the same visuals and same copy EVERYWHERE. The low angle shot of the building, the infinity pools, the rolling view of Panama city. It’s nauseating! Then every other paragraph is genorously sprinkled with the word “lifestyle” Just typing it now gives me the hibby-jibbys. And of course the overtly repeated marble dripping luxuriousness of the apartments.

Now, let me be fair, not all develepors have this constrained, myopic approach to their ads. A few are actually quite uplifting, they draw you into the design and the use of the branding material is top notch. Makes me wanna call! My faves are Buena Ventura, Isla Viveros , Tucan Country Club, Valle Escondido and most recently Embassy Club. Well targeted, well designed and millenia away from the prevailing mediocrity. The remnant I hope though will become the majority soon. As the party becomes more crowded and Balboa Avenue starts to look more like Biscayne Boulevard, with the signal getting drowned in the noise of sameness, I look forward to the attitudes of the developers evolving and embracing a more mature, focused imaginative approach to thier advertising.

What most local promoters are having a problem with is transitioning from developing ad campaigns for the local market to focusing on a more design-savvy audience.

The baby-boomer.

Yes they have all the stats on how many are retiring and yes they are coming here in droves and are snapping up condos and villas at an alarming pace. Which is great for Panama and I hope it continues. BUT as the amount of projects escalate into the heavens and more Donald Trumps invest in the country, the developers will have to focus on a more powerful differentiator than just location and the “new concept” design that emblazons thier current collateral. They need to write more tantalizing focused copy. Words that speak to people at this very special time in their lives. Not just an endless list of features and amenities. It’s time to be more creative. It’s time to use our noggins to escape this sea of mediocrity. Hopefully GM will do the same.

Yorkali
Just some thoughts from my Imaji Nation

disclosure:
i. I have worked on print design for Tucan and web design for Valle Escondido.
ii. I have decided not link to or show the ads. I think it’s best to
simply mention the names of those who in my mind are doing a good job.
iii. You be the judge. Pick up a couple real estate magazines while here in Panama and you will see what I mean.

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