By Sam Collins 

Lego vs. WiFi

I’m starting to doubt whether people even read these. If they do, I’d like a sign from God, or a handwritten letter of thanks.

So, one week working on a brief for the scum of the earth Chelski FC and a telecommunications brand. The next, one for one of the world’s most renowned brands – Lego.

Just another exciting week at the SCA I’m told. A fortnight of two halves more like. 

Downloading a high res Chelski logo was a real low point of my year so far. And it’s not easy picking yourself back up creatively after working on such a defunct, characterless, spineless joke of a football club. But, we go again. 

It’s half term and although I’m still leaving deadlines late, I’m working in half an hour bursts, which has revolutionised my productivity. SMART goals and quadrants too. I have very little to reflect on right now so this is going to be a bit scattergun. 

Maybe that should be the topic of this reflection – not having anything in particular to reflect on.

It’s awards season, SCA has moved buildings and the weather is apocalyptic – a bunch of change right there, I guess.

It’s very liberating being given the freedom to choose our own briefs at last – there are some real juicy ones at New Blood this year – it’s a toss up between one of the obvious ones – Durex, Burger King bla bla bla and some edgier, lesser known brands like Yula and Audible. I’ve set myself a bunch of unrealistic targets for D&AD but am putting that blind hope down to inexperience. 

I actually don’t want to talk about awards anymore because I’ve just seen the sad news about Caroline Flack. Whatever you think about Love Island, the way the media and social media rises up, calls out and bullies people is such a shame – and devastating when it contributes to a young person taking their own life. I suppose we will never know exactly why she chose to do it but there’s no doubt the media scrutiny was in some part to blame. 

The media shouldn’t take all the flack however. People that read those newspapers are also to blame. If you get a kick out of reading about someone else’s personal life on a regular basis, I’m pretty certain you’re unlikely to have one yourself. And that’s a real shame. 

I’ve found this whole gossip culture grotesque for years. Why are people so obsessed with celebrity? As a species, sure, gossip is an important social tool, but surely the richness of the human experience demands the object of our attention be placed across disciplines other than gossip. You certainly shouldn’t be paying to read about someone else’s life. It’s weird.

I hate the tabloid press with their salacious headlines and unchecked remarks about real people who are not on hand to defend themselves. These bottom-feeders that spend their lives chasing down famous people are such a stain on our society. As for the people that consumer their content so veraciously, do something better with your time. Water the garden, make an omelette. Just leave other people alone if they ask you to.