It would seem this year that Jack Frost hasn’t yet returned from his summer holidays as once again this weekend we bask in double figure temperatures. With only four weeks till Christmas, the poignant reminder of this impending celebration falls to our good old friend of advertising and marketing, (oh and our calendars!).  Whether it’s the influx of emails promoting Black Friday, the ad break during ‘I am a celebrity’ or a mailer promoting the latest Christmas deals on a frozen turkey, the Christmas spirit seems to have finally arrived with an almighty bang.

The Bupa Great South Run is one of Europe’s fastest and most popular 10-mile road races. It is a fast, flat and scenic course set through Portsmouth, beginning and ending on the picturesque Southsea coast.

However, this year it would be a little different.  I, Jamie Richards would be taking part amongst the other 21,000 runners on what was a cold drizzly Sunday morning.  With next to no training under my belt, I was wondering why I was taking part?  Everyone looked so prepared and “Ready” for the run.  I sadly wasn’t.  However, by the end of the run, the race had changed my perception of running and the training involved.  First, Let me take you back a year or so ago.

Who would have thought we could ever see the end of the Road Warrior?  Sales Executives have been helping companies grow for generations and have introduced products, educated markets and created need through their efforts. They have been the driving (literally!) force for some of the World’s greatest companies like Microsoft, GE Capital and Glaxo Smithkline. Many of our most successful business leaders started their careers in sales, but today there is a growing school of thought that the days of on-the- road sales professionals are numbered.

First things first, I don’t own an iPad and I probably won’t unless something remarkable happens (if Apple offer me a free Spotify account for life and a pair of tickets to see the Chicago Bears play at Soldier Field with half time entertainment by Prince it may sway me, possibly!).

Before you think that I have gone all nostalgic for a minute think about the role of design in today’s world. Lets take the example of music, I can remember the time when buying a record or CD was an event.