In New Zealand, you know you’ve made it when someone commissions an Ant Sang (Bro’ Town) illustration of you. From Idealog, March–April 2007. The outfit is based on something I had in 2001, and the mannequin supposedly shows I am involved in the fashion industry—at least I’m not wearing the dress. More here.

This home page has had two introductions: one written in 2003, the second in 2006. When you have a fairly consistent point of view, there seems to be little point for constant revision.
   However, as of September 2009, I have a reason to re-write it. As a mayoral candidate entering local politics, this site will likely be the subject of scrutiny. So here I am, warts and all. A blog which has both posts that I am proud of, and a few I am embarrassed about. But it’s transparent, and I’m willing to be challenged.
   It’s what I expect if elected as Wellington’s next mayor in October 2010. The council has not embraced the ’net as I had once expected, when Wellington showed promise in becoming one of the most wired capitals on the planet. Yet we have what is arguably the most creative city in the nation, if not the region, if not the world. There is so much potential to embrace a digital future without losing sight of our essence.
   I should know. In 1987 I started a virtual company. I designed typefaces and turned them into digital fonts at a time when New Zealand wasn’t seen as a type-producing nation. I started web publishing in the early 1990s. I was talking about the need to look after the environment early this century—and remember all the puzzled looks I would get when I spoke about carbon neutrality. I’ve tried to be ahead of the curve in all I do—partly thanks to luck, and partly because I believe someone needs to be a trailblazer.
   As a self-employed businessman, of course I am passionate about my work. But I am equally passionate about my city and my country. With the mayoral election on October 9, 2010, I believe it’s time for Wellington to get a real voice. It’s not about politics as usual. It’s about listening to people, hearing what they have to say, and having a servant’s heart to realize that they are your bosses. It’s also about giving the 18–45 group—one that feels under-represented at local elections—a voice from “their own”. This is about building a city for the better, so I welcome your feedback about the issues at yourwellington.org. My campaign site is now up at jackyanformayor.org.
   This site is a record of my claims. Rather than set up a blog three months out from the election, and use it just for electioneering (we can think of more than a few people like that), you can go back to 2006 here. And there are links to blog posts at Beyond Branding—the title of a book I contributed to—that go back to 2003. I cover ethics, human rights, globalization and other pressing issues connected to branding, media and my other areas of work. I also cover this city.
   By the very nature of this site, there isn’t much room for humility. However, I hope that my papers and my work help you decide on your voting decisions next year. Hopefully, they will help you decide on a few business ones, too.

Copyright ©2002–10 by Jack Yan & Associates. All rights reserved.