As Studio Manager here at Stink Digital, it’s my job to notice things like messy offices… and when you work with only guys, it can get pretty bad! I’ve been nagging for weeks now for people to clean up after themselves around the place… this isn’t due to me being a neat-freak, but more because of the family of mice that live in the building.

When I brought it up in the weekly meeting yesterday, Mark had the idea of introducing a “naming and shaming” scheme. The premise is simple: clean up after yourself, or you have to wear The Hat of Shame.

Said Hat is a funny looking colourful piece of apparel that someone apparently brought us back from China. It looks like the plastic thing that melons come in. The joys of getting to wear The Hat of Shame include hat hair, itchy ears, and strange looks from passers-by… one of the sub-rules is that if you are caught leaving dirty dishes lying around, and you have to wear The Hat of Shame, then you have to wear it everywhere. And we do mean everywhere. That includes cigarette and lunch breaks, and even meetings.

Despite the big sign that went up in the kitchen, and the email I sent around explaining the rules, not even an hour after this scheme was decided we had our first defaulter! Tim went off home for the day, leaving his used coffee mug on his desk. Naughty naughty! So today he had to attend a meeting here in the office (thankfully the agency guys had a sense of humour!) and go out for lunch at Spitalfields wearing The Hat of Shame! Although, much to Marcel, Mark and my surprise, he didn’t get that many odd looks in the street… I think it must suit you, Tim!

The mug is discovered... and what's that? A glass too!

Tim's sad face is used as a warning for all future defaulters

Even the mouse thinks it's funny