I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions. Mainly because then I can’t be depressed by (however inadvertently) breaking them. But I thought that maybe the advertising/marketing/communications industry could do with making a few resolutions for 2011. Might I suggest: - Stop insisting Digital is some kind of holy grail, first stop, catch all solution and start … Continue reading a few New Year’s Resolutions for the ad industry
Category: Marketing
An ode to list writing – and why FMCG ad men should take note
If I ever get asked to speak at anything like an Interesting un-conference again and have to talk about another of my secret obsessions, I think I’d choose Lists. I love lists and I love list making. The mere act of writing everything down on a piece of paper makes me feel calmer and more … Continue reading An ode to list writing – and why FMCG ad men should take note
The twelve month marketing plan vs. real agency life
Over the last few years, I’ve worked on several campaigns where the objectives and/or the budgets shifted substantially between the insight and planning process and execution. In some cases, we were communicating to a different audience, or with a different message, or with a quarter of the original budget. How can you build anticipating that … Continue reading The twelve month marketing plan vs. real agency life
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
I’ve been thinking a lot about how agencies are organised and subsequently reorganised recently and about how their systems work (or in some cases, don’t). Looking back at the agencies I’ve worked for, I’ve seen a LOT of different approaches to the organising and running of an Integrated Northern Marketing Agency and none of them … Continue reading Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Harder, better, faster, stronger
by gaptone on flickr Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger is my predication for what AgencyLife is going to be like – no, HAS to be like - if the industry is to adapt to the realities of life in 2010. Harder After 2009’s redundancies and cost cutting, there will be less people around to do more … Continue reading Harder, better, faster, stronger
the New Normal – measuring how far client’s bravery (and budget) will stretch
Firstly, apologies for the lack of activity here in the last week or two, the result of being manically busy at work combined with a horse-so-lame-it-has-to-go-to-the-horse-hospital crisis. Anyway. I’ve been thinking a lot about what is the New Normal, by which I mean what has shifted as a resulted of the downturn economy, but isn’t … Continue reading the New Normal – measuring how far client’s bravery (and budget) will stretch
public service by committee
This has been winding me up on my way in to work for weeks. First Bus in Leeds promises a regular service on their special UniLink service, every 10 mins. Well actually, that’s not true. It’s really up to every 10 mins most of the day I'm willing to bet this was a classic case of … Continue reading public service by committee
The Good Shopping Show
I popped down the motorway to the Good Food Show in Birmingham on Wednesday on a bit of a spying mission to see which brands were putting serious money into the event. The surprising thing was how few of the big brands had turned up. Nescafe Collections had some great experiential activity going on (and … Continue reading The Good Shopping Show
Those important dates can be tricky to remember
An informative booklet as spotted on a restaurant table today – just in case you weren't sure which month Christmas fell in...
Not from the minimalist school of marketing
I think this pub might have taken my regular reminders via The Publican to ‘make the most of your external signage’ a little too literally…