Archive for January, 2012

 

What makes an ad worth spreading?

Friday, January 20th, 2012

“An ad worth spreading is an ad that people truly want to see and share. It might be hilariously funny or stunningly beautiful or wickedly clever. It might encapsulate a killer idea or promote an inspiring cause, or tell a captivtaing story. Whatever it may be it is one that succeeds at elevating th ecraft of online engagement.” TED

We heard today that our “Cigarette that Saved Lives” ad made it onto TED’s “Ads Worth Spreading” challenge! This is wonderful news and a huge accolade to the incredibly creative team who conceptualised (FoxP2) and produced (EGG Films) this advert for The DNA Project.

If you think our ad is Worth Spreading then please click here to vote for:  An ad worth spreading

The votes don’t totally determine the selection of the top 10 ads, but they do let the organisers know what the crowd favorites are. They count all the votes and monitor the conversation across social media outlets and make their decision.  Whatever the outcome, TED is a pretty cool place to be recognised!

What is the competition all about? With this competition, TED is seeking to reverse the trend of online ads being aggressively forced on users. “We want to nurture ads so good you choose to watch. On TED.com, ads run after our talks, not before. This means they can run longer than the TV-standard 30 seconds. And that’s the key! In 2-3 minutes, there’s enough time to really tell a story, share an idea, make an authentic human connection, become unforgettable. Instead of ambush, they offer pleasurable, intelligent engagement. “

How do they choose the top ten winners?

TED’s six nomination teams are looking for campaigns in these areas of interest:

  • TALK: A straight-in-the-camera video of an individual giving a TED-like talk about a company or cause. This could be a CEO sharing their company’s idea to change the world, a technical expert sharing their knowledge or presenting research or a consumer sharing their enthusiasm.
  • SOCIAL GOOD: A campaign to right a wrong or change the world for better. A public service campaign that offers a socially conscious idea and deserves the passionate attention of the global community. This spot should engage the audience in solving a problem or answering a question and feature a moving call to action.
  • CULTURAL COMPASS: These are the campaigns that touch a cultural nerve; ads that capture or catalyze a cultural movement, moment or event. These campaigns may reflect the popular culture of the web, having gone viral, or celebrate specific regions or global diversity as part of their message. These are ads that are an active part of cultural dialogue in a connected world, crossing borders and cultures.
  • CREATIVE WONDER: Work that elevates the craft of the creative in advertising, that is ingeniously clever or technically brilliant, using technology in ways we’ve never seen. These ads showcase compelling writing, amazing musical compositions, cinematic art direction or high-impact design, and make information beautiful.
  • BRAND BRAVERY:Some brands have the courage to do it differently. We want to reward the brands that have reinvented their image, or even their industry; companies that have it hard because their business or product may not be flashy, but they stand out from the herd with an authentic, engaging, clever campaign; companies that are radically transparent in the face of difficult issues.
  • STORYTELLING:Ads with an unmistakably powerful central idea or story arc. These campaigns share a captivating story and speak authentically, producing quality content for a brand. Incredible examples of branded content, brand journalism are welcome.

About Ads Worth Spreading
TED’s mission is ideas worth spreading. The dream behind this initiative is to find companies that want to communicate ideas with their consumers in the same way that TED wants to communicate with its audience. What makes ideas powerful is that they have a life of their own; an idea can reset someone’s worldview and even begin a domino effect as they pass it on to friends.

An ad worth spreading is a short way of communicating an idea. The ad can be as long as it takes to communicate the idea powerfully, up to five minutes, whether that’s through state-of-the-art animation, lush imagery or an individual talking directly to the camera. What matters is the “a-ha” moment, the central idea.

Where did it all begin? Ads Worth Spreading began as a clarion call to the global advertising community in 2011, asking for ads that inspired and engaged audiences. TED received nearly 1,000 entries and picked 10 outstanding examples. For 2012, TED are combining expert curation, crowdsourcing and conversation to discover compelling work from around the world. The ad industry’s brightest thinkers will work with TED speakers to nominate brilliant ads.

If you think our ad is worthy of this challenge, vote here now.

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Interactive Lecture: Explanation of the new SAECK (Sexual Assualt Evidence Collection Kit) and the Buccal reference Sample Kit

Wednesday, January 18th, 2012

26/01/2012

SPEAKER: Colonel Kok (SAPS Forensic Sciences laboratory – Delft)


This  invitation  is  open  to  all  Clinical  Forensic  Examiners  (Medical   Officers  and  Sexual  Assault  Nurse  Examiners),  nurses  who  assist  in   the  Clinical  Forensic  and  Thuthuzela  units,  SAPS  (especially  Family   Violence,  Child  Protection  and  Sexual  Offenses  Unit  staff),   interested  NPA  staff  and  relevant  NGO  staff.

Lecture on new Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits – 26th January 2012

Start: 26/01/2012 6:30 pm
End: 26/01/2012 8:00 pm
Venue: Auditorium GF Jooste Hopsital
Phone: 0828081303
Address:
Google Map		 Duinefontein Road, Manenberg, 7764, Cape Town, South Africa

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South Africa Continues Work on Database Implementation

Tuesday, January 10th, 2012

The following abstract appeared in the latest Quarterly Forensic DNAResource Report
January 2012 For more information see http://dnaresource.com/


South Africa Continues Work on Database Implementation

Universally, one of the most difficult problems faced when integrating DNA databasing technology into any criminal justice system is finding adequate resources and laboratory capacity.    Even when attempts are made through the legislative process to anticipate the laboratory needs created by an effective database, few countries possess the infrastructure to immediately maximize the crime solving potential of DNA. South Africa is a notable exception. If South Africa manages to pass legislation this year establishing an offender DNA database, the South African Police Service (SAPS) will be ready with an automated laboratory system they have been developing for years.

Since 2002, SAPS has maintained an automated system for DNA analysis that is one of the most advanced in the world. However, the lack of legislation establishing an offender database has prevented South Africa from reaping the full benefits of a laboratory system envied by many other countries. With crime statistics showing South Africa to be one of the most sexually violent places on the planet, the SAPS laboratory has both the capacity and technical sophistication to hit back hard. But absent the legislation, tremendous potential goes unrealized.

According to the United Nations, South Africa ranks second for murder and first for assaults and rapes per capita. An average of fifty two people is murdered every day there and the number of rapes reported in a year is around 55,000. It is estimated that 500,000 rapes are actually committed annually in South Africa. In a 2009 survey, one in four South African men admitted to raping someone. Even more insidious, South Africa has one of the highest incidences of child and infant rape in the world. It is a country where it is believed that intercourse with a virgin will cure or prevent HIV/AIDS and where child rape is used as a method of retaliation against another for a perceived wrong. Children are murdered and body parts used for “traditional” medicinal remedies. And in a country also cursed with epidemic rates of HIV/Aids, rape takes on an exponentially tragic dimension.

However, after ten years, it appears as though the South African Parliament is poised to pass legislation in the next year which will unleash the power of DNA and stem the tide of sexual violence. Having taken a study trip abroad to the United Kingdom and Canada this summer, the Portfolio Committee responsible for developing the legislation has fulfilled one of its announced requirements before recommending the legislation to Parliament. They have also received significant input from victim advocates such as Vanessa Lynch, Executive Director of the DNA Project as well as testimony from Chris Asplen of Gordon Thomas Honeywell Governmental Affairs. Significant radio and television attention has also helped drive the Committee to forward the legislation to the full Parliament.

When passed, the South African DNA database legislation will create an investigative tool that, if properly implemented, could not only begin saving lives immediately by removing serial rapists and murders from the streets, but will also serve as a model for neighboring countries and ultimately all of Africa.

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