If only it was as easy to motivate people into actions of social responsibility as it is to motivate them to a mass pillow fight.

Sigh.  Can we have a world where random acts of kindness are not extraordinary jestures? 

Sigh. Can we mobilize people to the streets to show support for injustices around the world and from our own governments as easily and with as much enthusiasm as we can for a water fight?

Are we are so comfortable in comfortable worlds and so spoon fed from our governments that we don’t have the fight in us anymore?  That we think we sign up to a Facebook group and make an impact on a complex global issue, or change a lightbulb or decline a plastic bag and think that’s all our contribution needs to be to save the environment?

Are we not taught to think and to be interested and to care and to act anymore?

Is writing a blog post going to make a difference?  Almost certainly not. So I’m off to sort out a random act of kindess and try and engage my brain.

Now I don’t want to speak to soon but I think I might be thinking again.

There was a time when I thought blogging was a totally ridiculous idea.  Now I have three blogs, including this one, which seems a bit over the top.  But each serves a different purpose.

Finding I have ideas and snippets of things I’d like to comment on and share it seems like Dizzy Sky is the place to do that.  A personal blog covering all sorts of oddments.

Let’s see what happens.

I’m putting Dizzy Sky blog on hold for the forseeable future, having not blogged for along time.

Originally I wanted a place to post all the inspired ideas I have and to comment on some of the ridiculous (and good) iniatives I hear about.

But my thinking is dulled and what is still sharp is directed toward other things.  Dazzling ideas are a little thin on the ground.

After watching this weeks episode of The Apprentice on BBC 1 it got me thinking about how I would have approached the trainer branding excercise.

The teams were given a blank white training shoe and told to brand it and create print and tv adverts. They had two days.  I thought this up in under half an hour.

Let me introduce you to Pumps - the limited edition trainer collection.  Pumps advertising uses the old fashioned name for trainers ‘pumps’ but with the urban spin of being ‘pumped up’, ‘get pumped’, ‘it’s pumped’.

We commission street artists, illustrators, graphic designers, contemporary artists and celebrities to create quirky, bright, fun and edgey trainer designs.  These are produced in limited edition runs and the price is pitched according to collectability, number produced, design etc.  Each comes with a certificate of authenticity and our Pumps tab.

We also sell our trainer blanks (complete with our Pumps tab) and encourage our clinet base to produce their own one off designs.  We offer advice and inspiration on our web site for creating your own unique Pumps.  We also have a trading section on our web site where you can buy and sell these one off creations.  We encourage our ordinary customers to create their own, but we also offer incentives to artists, musicians and other creatives/high profile people to produce one off’s to sell on the site. We offer this service for free to encourage purchase of our blanks, and offer upgraded accounts for specialists and desirable creators.

For the less creatively inclined, those on a budget or for collectors the limited editions will be desirable with new editions coming out on a regular basis.

We are looking to build on the success being seen currently in the vinyl and plush toy scene like RobotLove and on the editions idea used by Adidas and the customising of Doc Martens that was common in Britain’s 1990’s - but to be as accessible as Pokemon Trading Cards and as cool as showing off your I-Pod playlist.

As the brand grows we will attract higher profile names and become more collectable.  We have the opportunity in the future to carefully expand our product range with different shapes and styles.

Our adverts focus on the ideas of limited editions, rarity and individuality.  Not all your mates will be able to get their hands on these particular Pumps - and with the different designs and the opportunity to create your own you can really express yourself. 

Oh, if you’re not keen on the name Pumps (which I’m not sure about) I thought we might use Daps (slang in Wales for trainers/shoes).

Also - Mr Sugar these trainers have to ethically produced and at the very least sweatshop free.  It’s just unneccessary to have another brand killing people for the sake of fashion.

Maybe I should put myself forward for the next series of the Apprentice … Though I expect the quality of the other candidates on my team might throttle my creativity