I’ve been working on a lot of retail projects recently. So I’ve inevitably been in a lot of shops. And it keeps striking me that as agencies we devote so much time, effort and creativity to trying to get people through store’s doors – and not nearly as much on persuading them to buy something … Continue reading why the instore environment is still the same marketing brief
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Bettakulcha 8
The eighth Bettakultcha was held in Leeds tonight. One tweet called it a middle-class variety show, which actually sums it up rather nicely. You could also say it's a bit like Interesting, but an evening 'do with more beer and less geekery. I had one of the 5 minutes / 20 slides / 15 seconds … Continue reading Bettakulcha 8
When does Research cross the line and become Pitch Fodder?
I was talking to a client recently about a one-off focus group they wanted me to moderate to support a pitch and possibly went slightly overboard emphasising how I wasn’t prepared to simply produce pitch fodder and therefore wouldn’t tolerate agency people sitting in observing the group, being ‘encouraged’ as to what the research recommendations … Continue reading When does Research cross the line and become Pitch Fodder?
Matalan’s Spring TV ad – looks lovely, but who was it for again?
I can’t say I’m mad keen on the new ad I saw for Matalan last night (by BBH I think). I love the idea of Feel Good Fashion, I’m just not as keen on a 60sec ad that leaves me feeling a bit queasy and is devoid of branding until 50secs in. If you’re going … Continue reading Matalan’s Spring TV ad – looks lovely, but who was it for again?
my radical suggestion for dealing with difficult respondents
The past couple of weeks have seen me tearing up and down the country moderating focus groups as part of an insight project I’m working on. Writing a feedback note to the recruitment agency I use, it struck me that there’s nearly always one respondent in the group that you’d rather had stayed at home, … Continue reading my radical suggestion for dealing with difficult respondents
peeping at Zizzi
On the way back from Leeds Central Library yesterday I nipped through The Light en route to my car and saw this window wrap for opening-soon Italian Restaurant Zizzi: Every few yards there was a hole in the wrap: and yes, I peeped.
Top Tips for Account Planners doing their own focus groups
I’ve been freelancing as a Planner for for nearly a year now and I’m doing a lot more qualitative research than I did as an Agency Type. I think partly this is because I no longer sit in a room full of quallies ready to head off to Milton Keynes with a discussion guide at … Continue reading Top Tips for Account Planners doing their own focus groups
Dear Johnnie Boden
Dear Johnnie Boden, Your fashion empire is one of the Top Five Brands I Want to Work On, but mainly because your DM strategy seems to be a bit flawed, at least from a customer’s point of view. In the past 12 months I’ve bought three items from you, which hardly makes me a Top … Continue reading Dear Johnnie Boden
great minds think alike – two Frankensteins in search of new audiences
So I went to see Frankenstein last night, as part of National Theatre Live, the idea being that instead of schlepping down to London and forking out megabucks for a theatre ticket you can watch the show at your local cinema instead. It’s a genius idea really – if your ‘product’s’ audience is constrained by … Continue reading great minds think alike – two Frankensteins in search of new audiences
is your research being subverted by its subjects?
I sent a load of old Uni textbooks off to the charity shop the other week and one called ‘Compensation’ included lots of cautionary tales about compensation schemes that were supposed to boost productivity/quality/customer service but ended up having the opposite effect. Like the vegetable processing plant that started paying their quality checkers extra for … Continue reading is your research being subverted by its subjects?