I’ve just taken a couple of days off to get a few non-work related jobs done. One of these was kitting out the horsebox for overnight trips (Side Saddle Camp here we come), so I found myself at Asda with a basket that contained the following: Inflatable mattress and foot pump Tin opener Plastic tray … Continue reading does my kind of shopping disrupt the data?
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is it a Conflict or a Specialism?
AgencyLand has always struggled to know what to do when they’d really like to work with two businesses in the same category. Do they decide that they’re cars or house building specialists and work with lots of brands in that sector – or do they decide that would be a conflict and only work with … Continue reading is it a Conflict or a Specialism?
the Planner’s technical toolkit
When I went freelance, one thing I hadn’t really considered was just how much technology and equipment I’d need. You take for granted grabbing a Dictaphone from the cupboard or hunting down an artwork bag from under someone’s desk. And there isn’t a handy Planners Shopping List you can download anywhere with a list of … Continue reading the Planner’s technical toolkit
stereotypes in both AdLand and HorseWorld
The marketing industry is choc-full of stereotypes. The boozy 50-something agency board member who contributes little but has a contacts book to kill for. The ambitious 23 year old account handler who will do whatever it takes to claw and clamber his way to the top. The young, blonde secretary with a surprisingly large collection … Continue reading stereotypes in both AdLand and HorseWorld
what goes around comes around in the marketing village
I’ve had a lot of ‘small world’ moments recently, from crossing paths with media types from three jobs ago to working on projects for an ex boss and bumping into old colleagues in the park. Which brought me back to an idea I’ve touched on before – that the marketing world is basically one big … Continue reading what goes around comes around in the marketing village
What do you do when your clients want to do what they’ve always done?
When the Big Thinkers in AdLand talk about clients I think they must be thinking about the kind of clients that have enormous budgets and even bigger creative parameters. Want to roll balls down a hill to illustrate our colour telly? Great! Babies rollerblading to communicate refreshment? Where do I sign? Then there are the … Continue reading What do you do when your clients want to do what they’ve always done?
Integrated agency? Need a specialist? Do you buy, recruit or hire?
With two of the UK’s top grocers headquartered in West Yorkshire the marketing community up here tends to keep a close eye on both Asda and Morrisons – after all most of them work for one or the other. So there was discussion last week about the news stories naming Morrisons as a possible buyer … Continue reading Integrated agency? Need a specialist? Do you buy, recruit or hire?
another sample of feelgood
To sit alongside the uplifting recent bout of sunshine, royal weddings, multiple bank holidays and whathaveyou, I'd like to share with you the smiliest instore promotions lady I’ve ever met, on behalf of Walkers Crinkles in Tesco yesterday: It would be fair to say that the poor folks from Walkers’ agency who were trying to … Continue reading another sample of feelgood
taxis get a pizza the action
At the end of a night out over the bank holiday I called my favourite taxi company Amber Cars to take me home. They’re my favourite as they have a fancy computer system that sends you a text to say your taxi is waiting outside (so no hanging around outside the bar trying to avoid … Continue reading taxis get a pizza the action
an imaginary person loves our products so you will too
Catching up on last weekend’s Sunday supplements, I saw this ad for Wickes which included this copy: It strikes me that the whole ‘talk to second person in order to list product benefits’ is a fairly lazy and old-fashioned way of doing things (although it depressingly probably ticked off all the boxes on the client’s … Continue reading an imaginary person loves our products so you will too