Freelance Brand and Creative Strategist / Strategic Planner and Fractional Strategy Director
So pretty much every retailer has shown their hand now in The Great Christmas TV Ad Showdown. Judging by online views and my friends with kids, Sainsbury's Mog is by far the most popular. And the grocery gurus I follow on twitter say that cuddly Mogs are flying out of stores. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuRn2S7iPNU But it's actually not … Continue reading Sainsbury’s might win The Great Christmas Ad Showdown on views, but Lidl and Asda nailed it
Whenever you open a marketing magazine or head over to a marketing website these days you’re inevitably greeted by an article about the Internet of Things or Digital Content. Since 44% of UK the £14.7 billion UK media spend in 2013 went on ‘Internet’ (including PPC, display and content) the focus on all things shiny … Continue reading don’t forget that it isn’t all about Digital
Krow recently launched a lovely campaign for Pets at Home aimed at upping their warm brand fuzzies KPIs. The real-life clips seen in the ad below were all crowd sourced through social media and the campaign activity runs across TV, online and instore. It makes me want to a) rush out and buy a puppy … Continue reading lovely work from Krow for Pets at Home
There’s been a bit of a hoo-ha in the press today about UKIP’s new outdoor campaign, some executions of which, it’s been suggested, could be interpreted as racist. Rather than paid for by UKIP itself, the media and creative has been funded by Yorkshire entrepreneur and long-term Euro-sceptic Paul Sykes. But is the campaign racist? … Continue reading a view on UKIP’s posters
I've always struggled to understand why business owners feel that their reputation will be somehow enhanced by becoming the focus of a fly-on-the-wall documentary. BBC2's Life in the Freezer Cabinet did nothing for Iceland's positioning and made CEO Malcolm Walker look like an idiot. Which according to a mutual friend is a misrepresentation. the Chief … Continue reading documentaries – is all publicity really good publicity?
I've been working on a project for a category recently that I had to politely refer to in client meetings as "a low interest category for shoppers instore". Jon Steel in his Planner's bible Truth, Lies and Advertising recounts the story of a 1980's client who, flushed with excitement that their new chocolate biscuit bar … Continue reading how do you turn questionable product features into relevant differentiation?
A few things recently have made me question exactly what qualifies as a ‘good’ ad. Is it one that the client likes? The best job the production company / director / creative team could do? How about award winning? Well reviewed? That got the client and/or AD promoted? That kept the client’s account with the … Continue reading what exactly IS a ‘good’ ad?
My favourite Superbowl ad this year has got to be from Radioshack. It neatly addresses all their brand perception problems, while also managing to position their ‘refreshed’ stores as a less scary, more human version, all-manufacturers-welcome version of the Apple Store. There’s loads of 80s references that today’s tech-hungry 30-somethings will love and to top … Continue reading Radioshack and Bud are the Superbowl champions
I've seen a quite enormous number of bad ads over the festive break, mostly from furniture retailers. But one ad stood out, possibly because it was practically the only one that wasn't urging me to head down to my nearest retail park and spend, spend, spend. Sky's ad is beautifully shot and uses Harrison Ford … Continue reading Sky provides relief from bad post-Christmas ads
I worked on a pitch last Spring that I was really pleased with. I like pitching, it's like Old School Planning but with the whole process set to fast-forward and this particular pitch prep went pretty much swimmingly with a talented team producing IMHO what was a very strong pitch. The research was robust, the … Continue reading do clients get the creative they deserve?