Back to life

I haven't posted for some time. As is always the way with new buisiness pitches my life has been on hold for the last three weeks as I've spent every waking hour trying to deliver a brilliant strategy and assist the creative teams doing what they do best. Last week it reached its natural conclusion in Dublin where we pitched for the global digital black stuff account. Sadly we've since found out we were unsuccessful. Whilst obviously a bitter disappoinntment I feel the idea we presented was both visually stunning and a perfect reflection of the brand's values in the digital environment. The commitment and energy from the wider team was fantastic and it was a privilege to work on the project with everyone involved.

The only other event of note in the last two weeks was attending the launch party for a new Mac cosmetic range. The principal attraction was their spokesperson Dita Von Tees who performed a ten minute burlesque set during which she straddled a massive bucking phallic lipstick. I had a fantastic night truth be told but I also left feeling a little jaded by Dita. The party was full of London's most beautiful people (or so it seemed to me) the cocktails were free and there was a smattering of celebs both real and fake...Steve Tyler in particular looked startlingly handsome- a sort of half man half woman horse with a mouth like the Joker's? Anyway like I said jaded.

Dita's performance, her stage presence and her props were all flawless...much like her hair and makeup. However it seemed pretty clear to me that this once famously curvy woman had lost much of what little weight she once had, what is more her tastefully pastie covered breasts seemed quite fake to me. Now I have no issue with anyone altering their own body for self esteem reasons or otherwise, far be it for me to criticise another person's choices. I think what irritated me was a sense that Burlesque should be about powerful confident women owning their bodies and sensuality. Part of that surely is being entirely comfortable with one's own shape and having the brio to commant your audience's awestruck attention. As one woman said to me without a hint of irony "its about cellulite and curves". There was a piece of me that felt Dita who as the high priestess of Burlesque should be above feeling the need to adjust her body in order to enhance her act. It smacked of authenticity having collided with Hollywood and the latter having triumphed. I think this saddened me slightly.

I also went to a private screening of Die Hard 4.0. It was brilliant....no really. The perfect mix of outrageous stunts, knowing humour and parody. Willis wasn't bad either but his co-star stole the show.