Twenty lessons from 2020 – Part One: Marketing

Well here we are, the start of a brand new year, although for many of us the only evident change is the number on the bathroom scales…  Ever the optimist, I wanted to look back at some of the events of last year and see what lessons we can learn as we head bravely into 2021.  So here’s part one of my 20 Lessons from 2020, starting with a game on my home turf, marketing. 1. [...]

By |2021-01-11T15:04:35+00:00January 11th, 2021|Marketing Strategy, Customer Service & Experience, Interim Management, Brands & Branding, Advertising, Digital Marketing & Social Media, Management|Comments Off on Twenty lessons from 2020 – Part One: Marketing

Who’s Menu Is It Anyway?

We’re all creatures of habit, apparently, regularly ordering the same coffee, lunchtime sandwich or even dinner at a smart restaurant. But how annoyed would you be if your favourite item wasn’t available anymore? Would you just order something else, or feel that your day had been ruined? A New York Times writer recently lamented the demise of her favourite sandwich at her regular lunch spot, fondly remembering her husband making a special trip to get [...]

By |2017-01-04T19:51:26+00:00December 15th, 2014|Retail & Hospitality, Digital Marketing & Social Media|Comments Off on Who’s Menu Is It Anyway?

PR and Marketing. Time to Bury the Hatchet.

The November issue of Business MK featured a piece by the owner of a PR firm which was entitled “Good Cop, Bad Cop: Why PR and Marketing Must be Kept Distinct”.  It so exasperated me, I immediately wrote this reply to the paper… Painting two complementary disciplines of the communications industry as polar opposites is at best, utter nonsense, and at worst, damaging to the industry as a whole. The writer seemed so rooted in [...]

By |2017-01-04T19:51:29+00:00November 25th, 2014|Marketing Strategy, Advertising|Comments Off on PR and Marketing. Time to Bury the Hatchet.

It’s The Summer Holidays! Where Are We Going?

Now here’s a funny story.  Recently, I was discussing a brand strategy project with a client and one of their (non-marketing) board members - who wasn’t directly involved in the project.  As I outlined how a marketing strategy must to be aligned to the broader business strategy to be fully effective, he turned to his colleague and said, “What is our strategy, anyway?” Aside from the *ahem* obvious concern that a board member was questioning the existence [...]

By |2017-01-04T19:51:29+00:00August 1st, 2014|Business Strategy & Development, Marketing Strategy|Comments Off on It’s The Summer Holidays! Where Are We Going?

Who Are You Calling Socially Stupid?!

Marketing Week’s Mark Ritson was at his provocative best last week in a piece entitled ‘Why Marketers Are Socially Stupid’, following Waitrose’s recent #Reasons campaign on Twitter. He makes a lot of valid points, although I strongly disagree that their “middle class shoppers will feel a little less enthusiastic about entering the store now, and store traffic will decline”. This was a storm in a teacup, which poked fun at what Waitrose is already known [...]

Trust me, I’m an honest marketer

If brands were honest... Marketing magazine recently carried an interesting piece entitled ‘Face it, your consumers hate you’ which talked about rising consumer distrust of advertising and marketing.  It quoted a survey by the brand agency Promise, which found “consumers are ready to assume the worst about brands, and have fallen out of love with them.” I’m not surprised.  Back in February, I posted a blog arguing the case for a return to [...]

By |2017-01-04T19:51:36+00:00April 29th, 2012|Digital Marketing & Social Media, Marketing Strategy, Customer Service & Experience, Brands & Branding, Advertising|Comments Off on Trust me, I’m an honest marketer
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