tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84835644586799777512024-03-05T08:14:49.364-08:00Rich ThinkingOccasional insights, thinking and observations from inside the world of Gyro:HSR.Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483564458679977751.post-89716333606265799782011-08-15T06:09:00.000-07:002011-08-15T06:11:01.866-07:00An Expensive Shave<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS_-6XFfelWV-7-5ZrCMP9jKuX2bcFbqOQN8uOMzgJjF5k1ukgbvWhZ-B4aYYwGTIoW45Q_IXacXbmVBdhnIh1Mu5Ea95gyuWW0MrRbOlQ5n_Bjwduu4lgyhwzVASTWPuItXJGJmwYKx8R/s1600/nasa.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 187px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS_-6XFfelWV-7-5ZrCMP9jKuX2bcFbqOQN8uOMzgJjF5k1ukgbvWhZ-B4aYYwGTIoW45Q_IXacXbmVBdhnIh1Mu5Ea95gyuWW0MrRbOlQ5n_Bjwduu4lgyhwzVASTWPuItXJGJmwYKx8R/s200/nasa.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641069507718525842" /></a><p class="MsoNormal">NASA spent $25 billion to get to the moon.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">So are a few minutes shaved from my train journey to our Manchester office worth £32bn?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">That seems to be the rather high price to pay for the proposed High Speed 2 project that is now in its official consultation phase.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Rory Sutherland wrote about HS2 in his Spectator column recently. Firmly in the ‘no’ camp, he argued that time on a train is actually rather pleasant and a better use of public finances would be to focus the bit between his house and Euston.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The ‘for’ camp argue that we should see the £32bn as an investment that will deliver a fantastic return in terms of jobs, economic growth and progress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Rory is of course correct that time on a train can be pleasant (especially in first and not on the last off-peak train before rush hour on a Friday). That time is also valuable and productive for business people who by the miracles of modern technology can make and receive calls, catch-up on emails and even think about stuff. Which causes somewhat of a hole in the economic growth argument you would think? </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The story about economic connections and growth also falls down by the fact that it about a few minutes less on journeys between London and Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The latest GDP figures show the Birmingham area ranked 14th in a European league table. London is in the top 2 and looking a little further south the Randstad area in the Netherlands along with the Cologne, Dusseldorf and Hamburg area in northern Germany are both in the top 5. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p>So wouldn’t it be better to pool our resources with our European cousins and figure out how to bring London closer to these areas?</o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">That and get a decent taxi lane between Euston and Rory Sutherland’s house. </span></p> <!--EndFragment--> Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483564458679977751.post-30322390624544595362011-06-26T00:26:00.000-07:002011-06-26T01:32:03.067-07:00Everything you say or do ...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSPhh7x4gjkaUaTrKIzsyfTqjWu73D36lKRPj7fca0-5dRSFqUBl9hFOw8kEZFS3jolPAIwbrLgSZ_6_1rPrBpyOxIoDzB9lj35TeEu0Dm7F-t8d1eYC-ih1VWYbGu72hJXECV0aLSS_Oi/s1600/Unknown.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 110px; height: 96px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSPhh7x4gjkaUaTrKIzsyfTqjWu73D36lKRPj7fca0-5dRSFqUBl9hFOw8kEZFS3jolPAIwbrLgSZ_6_1rPrBpyOxIoDzB9lj35TeEu0Dm7F-t8d1eYC-ih1VWYbGu72hJXECV0aLSS_Oi/s200/Unknown.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622442424930773090" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Courier;font-size:medium;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Sofa.com present themselves as the Innocent of sofa brands. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I've never met them but after 12 minutes on their website I have an insatiable desire to hang out at their H</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Q and consume 'lashings of ginger ale'. </span></div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">So attracted by the promise of a stylish sofa bargain and a free barbecue, we headed off yesterday morning to the sofa.com warehouse sale. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ouch!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">We arrived at a rather functional warehouse near Heathrow which contained 30-40 sofas and around three times that number of confused AB1s. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The root of that confusion was the fact that 90% of those sofas on display had large 'sold' stickers on them. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The obvious next step was to question one of the sofa.com staff to check what the 'process' was. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Unfortunately they were all busy. Customer confusion can be a time consuming business you see. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The obvious next step was to eves-drop. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">And from this tactic we discovered there was a bit more stock and a 'master list' of sale items in the office. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">So off we went to the office. Excited again. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">But unfortunately the queue to investigate the list was put at 2 hours and news quickly filtered through that all the popular styles had gone. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The barbecue (what else to do) was perfectly pleasant if a little off brand (sainsbury's basics range and coke not ginger ale). </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">But the toilets were taped off presumably so those pesky customers couldn't monopolise them. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">So all in all a pretty average brand experience. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">A painful reminder that EVERYTHING you say or do effects your brand. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">And an example of when it's not a good idea to let your customers see behind the brand (image) veneer. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Advice? </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Use your very good website next time. </span></div><div><br /></div><div> </div></span>Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483564458679977751.post-32622608047196927942011-01-27T14:07:00.000-08:002011-01-27T14:22:40.790-08:00W+K To The Power 3<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0thwhSPUe7W57iQoRDGaWOQ7APOKdus5dGikys7XD6w-vxH0X6TF3Q_oOyntj0E4xKbxwg0KmSVAUOiGAm4ddaiqFIZv9bsuXbNMDOi2_Xxr7ZRwbfRmMuvZXEsC_7u4kQo-JeNoH0Jx3/s1600/3-logo.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0thwhSPUe7W57iQoRDGaWOQ7APOKdus5dGikys7XD6w-vxH0X6TF3Q_oOyntj0E4xKbxwg0KmSVAUOiGAm4ddaiqFIZv9bsuXbNMDOi2_Xxr7ZRwbfRmMuvZXEsC_7u4kQo-JeNoH0Jx3/s200/3-logo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566993471310970066" /></a><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It’s a long time since TBWA first presented that idea to 3. Eight years in fact.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In that time the business has been on a hell of a rollercoaster. From initial excitement about the possibilities … to realization that the technology and handset manufacturers hadn’t yet got out of bed … to the wonderful world of Korean cowboys, singing cherry charts, Agent Provocateur parties and record contract sales … to the recent malaise of an opportunity seemingly lost.</span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">As an ex-3er I still retain a certain emotional attachment to the brand so I was pleased to see W+K pick up the business. It feels like the brand needs to be in new, hopefully strong hands.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I don’t know why the business went from Glue. I can only assume the work didn’t work. Getting a brief to tell people you are working hard to improve your network is understandable but fundamentally flawed. People don’t need to hear it, they simply need to experience it.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So I hope W+K get to take the brand back to its true opportunity, away from an existence as a channel for handsets + cheap tariffs. It can play in a youthful, positive, uber-innovative space. Doing things differently, living on the edges of the mass-marketing mobile norms, understanding what the people who care, care about and building its image around that.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">That of course is much more than just a communications task. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">And that is something I hope everyone involved both realises and is up for. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Otherwise another agency will simply end up being judged as having failed to deliver the dream. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483564458679977751.post-55111715335921497212011-01-22T06:51:00.000-08:002011-01-22T06:56:49.235-08:00Friendly Little Coppers<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemyiSF3lnH8we9BjBj3AQimFnyhnBD9lVx1sKlk-_RUsoenXzvrSm1T9lVcF7cz1CK8NIrekKVqQ64ViKRdHSTOj1_eIemwylzz0tOkJLrZW1p9R25LoWh6RJqZaMPX_-QIu4yQ8qq9JK/s1600/IMG00404-20100723-1948.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemyiSF3lnH8we9BjBj3AQimFnyhnBD9lVx1sKlk-_RUsoenXzvrSm1T9lVcF7cz1CK8NIrekKVqQ64ViKRdHSTOj1_eIemwylzz0tOkJLrZW1p9R25LoWh6RJqZaMPX_-QIu4yQ8qq9JK/s200/IMG00404-20100723-1948.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565023883525417458" /></a><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Now there’s an ignition point….</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It didn’t quite soften the blow of my first £1.35 a litre diesel experience but I thought my local Esso’s ‘Penny Pot’ was a nice touch when I filled up last week.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">A simple idea – admittedly only relevant when not paying by card – where I can leave a few coppers to brighten my fellow man’s day or equally benefit from his or her thoughtfulness before me.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We rightly search for the big ideas and platforms we believe can transform and propel brands forward but it is sometimes worth remembering – especially in a category like fuels - that the little things can also have a positive effect. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483564458679977751.post-293832118962175532010-10-21T14:31:00.000-07:002010-10-21T14:37:51.179-07:00Behaviour and Context<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihR_gReCsVU1b2XhDy67_rwoPnv1v8Kz6Pzs5hhpWlieuv2MeB4nW1cZjUcZ7Gw_bBXYYvUmWQlDQcNvd4Y6MwX57Xm-6FfnwHceEyl0GRW_j9JCPkyYfFp94rGeVhEkBtoVhJJli8hTT-/s1600/simpsons.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 156px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihR_gReCsVU1b2XhDy67_rwoPnv1v8Kz6Pzs5hhpWlieuv2MeB4nW1cZjUcZ7Gw_bBXYYvUmWQlDQcNvd4Y6MwX57Xm-6FfnwHceEyl0GRW_j9JCPkyYfFp94rGeVhEkBtoVhJJli8hTT-/s200/simpsons.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530616434705470642" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; font-family:Arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">As advertising has changed, so have the roles of strategists and planners.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; "><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">We must go ever deeper in pursuit of human understanding, past traditional approaches to customer research and segmentation, beyond understandings of demographics, lifestyles and attitudes. We have to understand why individuals and groups behave as they do in different circumstances and in different contexts. To gather real understanding and insight that can fuel ideas to truly ignite our clients’ businesses.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; "><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Luckily there are tools, frameworks and research which allow us to do just that. Some of them much in vogue at the moment. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; "><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Behavioural Economics for example, that tells us why social, cognitive and emotional factors mean people don’t behave as rational Economic models suggest they should.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; "><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Whilst, Identity Economics explains why people – facing the same economic circumstances – make different choices based on their own identities and the norms they encounter in the contexts of their social, family and working lives.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; "><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Academic research in both areas throws up fascinating potential for marketers.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; "><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Take the example of consumers in the US and Italy who were asked to either scale up from a plain pizza base by adding toppings or scale down from a fully loaded pizza by removing toppings. In each country consumers ended up with more toppings and a more expensive pizza in the scale down scenario than in the scale up scenario. A result explained through the behavioural principle of ‘loss aversion’.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; "><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Or take the experiment that showed consumers who paid a discounted price for an energy drink positioned as increasing mental agility, derived less actual benefit from drinking it (measured in ability to solve puzzles) than consumers who purchased and consumed the exact same product but paid its regular price. Thus showing how the actual efficacy of products – not just the way they make us feel - can be changed by marketing actions such as discounting.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; "><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Just a little lateral thinking tells you that such behavioural insights have a plethora of exciting and profitable applications across sectors. From the car industry to retail, software and beyond.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt; "><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">And how, by understanding the role of behaviours and contexts more deeply, it becomes easier to identify where marketing and marketing communications can play a role, and have the biggest impact in today's world. </span></span></p></span>Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483564458679977751.post-52079995241346358822010-10-10T05:07:00.000-07:002010-10-10T05:15:23.523-07:00Behavioural Guilt<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO2mzm-_4Y0oJf7y9jFZGjg58NvRE8fqF9f29yw-bRjeqsf6vhgV5ojo7AfZF9Lb5Uh0UBxcmpjYs74FNIx3aWpl_rP1zpnbFx14nYXU8LXBkfA2xHImqBHN58MBtdcc5wdcR65PoqVlAy/s1600/(RED)logo_JPG-500x400.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 122px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526389456642073618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO2mzm-_4Y0oJf7y9jFZGjg58NvRE8fqF9f29yw-bRjeqsf6vhgV5ojo7AfZF9Lb5Uh0UBxcmpjYs74FNIx3aWpl_rP1zpnbFx14nYXU8LXBkfA2xHImqBHN58MBtdcc5wdcR65PoqVlAy/s200/(RED)logo_JPG-500x400.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">As I travel back from Paris on the Eurostar I find myself in reflective mood. </span><br /><div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">I have an American Express Red card. It’s a great product for a great cause. Trouble is I have yet to use it. </span><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">The problem is I have this fantastic Virgin Atlantic black card too. I spend £1, I get two Flying Club miles in return = my miles balance rockets = I get upgrades into Upper Class once a year. </span><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">You see my problem? It seems my good old Reflective System wants me to be charitable but my Automatic System (or own self interest) stops me doing it in the moment of payment. And the issue is now compounded as I have not set up a direct debit on the Red card and have forgotten my PIN. Thus making using it in the future even more unlikely as I have added a whole other hassle factor into the mix. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">I suspect I am not alone in exhibiting such behaviour, which got me wondering how the Red proposition could be adapted to counter the problem and generate more revenue for the charity. </span><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Personally, I think that when I signed up for the Red card I would have agreed to pay a small monthly ‘fee’ - maybe £2 a month, maybe £5 a month - designed to cover the costs associated with the card whilst guaranteeing a donation income for Red even if I didn’t spend on it. I wasn’t really buying into a credit card at the time so that feels eminently plausible. Hell, I might even have agreed to a ‘Save More Tomorrow’ type mechanic where the ‘fee’ could increase slightly year on year. </span><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">I also think that would have acted as a nice little ‘nudge’ to make me more likely to use the card today. The direct debit would have been set-up and a barrier removed. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">But as it stands I am not spending on the card and despite the best intentions I am sure my holding the card is costing someone, somewhere some money. So what to do? Well, as I am now through the channel tunnel perhaps I should stop this self-reflection and switch back to a good old Anglo-Saxon mindset for starters. And when I get to St. Pancras I could always just bloody spend on it! Now what was that PIN again .....</span> </div></div>Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483564458679977751.post-38155157451311999322010-09-30T14:27:00.000-07:002010-09-30T14:33:58.727-07:00A New Agency Model<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Xvu5yqg8VVEWnTkB7OfrDu96G6Eli57qMJUAg8b5sn8jNr8VEhkT-hYN4rJbiIL5js3WGmxPjhlKe1zslEJvA3I9yStsHQzFxOcsirYYm6nVm6mbrzRhOyvmkD-Gtzn0vVJp9Bhq-PYN/s1600/images.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 156px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Xvu5yqg8VVEWnTkB7OfrDu96G6Eli57qMJUAg8b5sn8jNr8VEhkT-hYN4rJbiIL5js3WGmxPjhlKe1zslEJvA3I9yStsHQzFxOcsirYYm6nVm6mbrzRhOyvmkD-Gtzn0vVJp9Bhq-PYN/s200/images.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522822562685547778" /></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">As I posted a few weeks ago, we’ve been working on a piece of research (to lead into a book) investigating the views of top marketers on the make up of the ideal agency of the future. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The views and opinions we have now gathered been really interesting and we’re taking many of them onboard as we evolve and adapt as an agency network. And so it was good to hear Daryl Fielding, VP of Marketing at Kraft Foods in Europe speaking on the same subject at the recent Marketing Week Annual event. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">From our research and the insights Daryl shared, it is clear that as we all strive towards great ideas the collective dynamics of channel proliferation, digital consumption, globalisation, recession and etc etc etc throw up a host of challenges that clients and agency types are working through today. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">To name just a few that come up: </span></div><div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Is there a lead agency? A good question to start with and if so what is its expertise, experience and remit? And if not, then who is best placed to manage the ‘integration’ process and curates ideas? </span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">How many people and what kind of people should be given the responsibility for driving out great ideas? We all know it doesn’t work when there are twenty people in the room but if small teams are best how can that be made to work across agencies? </span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Is the ‘big idea’ still, too often, born of an old advertising model? Daryl spoke about ‘supercharged TV ideas’ (read Gorilla or Old Spice) versus ideas where advertising becomes the servant of the idea (read Spots and Stripes). </span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">And fundamentally, do current agency engagement (commercial) models foster the right approach and the best ideas? </span></li></ul></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">So whilst the end goal for most of us remains the same - namely great ideas that create the desired human behaviours and feelings - the way clients and agency partners will get there continues to evolve. </span></div><div><br /></div>Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483564458679977751.post-10837870185948594842010-09-30T12:00:00.001-07:002010-09-30T12:02:32.660-07:00On The Inside<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbq84XDU4sNQcyY_y7txGS8UR5FlY8cOM5brlr4z91AHK-jew_4NQOwtYaFxJbHWQTiuswesiAcbr0knwcWZIxoowdO_WaISb6D4F2TfV40nnFnQHnb4_unb-pYRAqK1jDlarxS7meb5Zg/s1600/pumpkinspice1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbq84XDU4sNQcyY_y7txGS8UR5FlY8cOM5brlr4z91AHK-jew_4NQOwtYaFxJbHWQTiuswesiAcbr0knwcWZIxoowdO_WaISb6D4F2TfV40nnFnQHnb4_unb-pYRAqK1jDlarxS7meb5Zg/s200/pumpkinspice1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522783674169533906" /></a><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I heard a presentation this morning by Brian Waring, VP of Marketing and Category at Starbucks. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">He touched on the brand’s roots and heritage but focused in on more recent initiatives to open the brand up to its customers and enable them to direct the future of the company. </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">His words reminded of a recent email I received as a result of signing-up for My Starbucks which informed me that the Pumpkin Spice Latte was again available in-store (in the ‘third place’). </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Nothing special in that you would say, a straight selling message? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It was of course exactly that but the ‘magic touch’ in the email was that the Pumpkin Spice was not being promoted or available ‘over the counter’ on the menu. The promise was that those in the know could ask for it and with a nudge and a wink the barristers would create it for you. </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">A ‘nudge nudge, wink wink’ kinda product, only available to those on the inside.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">As I said once before, it’s the little things …….</span><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483564458679977751.post-8188228366164802502010-08-18T14:48:00.000-07:002010-08-18T14:52:36.875-07:00Twitter Utility - For Mum<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOw1fkOLKWwd7ixwi-yikTMyjU53GGdvqbuZbfhjn2pS1seR2EpadLoPGmTRWlr4WRT5gj7UUD31pyNtXLc7BqRGlYN97YkZxwJGO7461zsQ2vfoe0I_-M93VY0eouOXrRFHsj7P4fiZD_/s1600/twitter.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOw1fkOLKWwd7ixwi-yikTMyjU53GGdvqbuZbfhjn2pS1seR2EpadLoPGmTRWlr4WRT5gj7UUD31pyNtXLc7BqRGlYN97YkZxwJGO7461zsQ2vfoe0I_-M93VY0eouOXrRFHsj7P4fiZD_/s200/twitter.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506870679411975618" /></a><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My mum was down to see her new grandson a couple of weeks ago and asked me what I thought of twitter.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">She had read about it in the Daily Mail and couldn’t understand why anyone would need to know that anyone was at Tesco, or that Stephen Fry was following Delia Smith.</span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I couldn’t really argue with her on those two but I did find myself explaining how it could actually be very useful.</span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The examples I gave her?</span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I still love Baker Tweet but that’s an obvious one and probably says something about my consumption of warm bread.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">During the recent England – Algeria game the electricity went off in my house and twitter helped me work out where the nearest unaffected pub was still showing the game. Unfortunately space was limited:</span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://twitpic.com/1zb0ym"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">http://twitpic.com/1zb0ym</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">After the recent England – Algeria game the water went off in my house and twitter helped me work out that I was not alone, the electricity cut had caused it and Thames Water were on the case (and blaming the electricity people).</span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And then of course there was the twitter snow map last winter that helped me see who was bunking off work due to half an inch of the white stuff and who needed food supplies airlifting in due to 6ft of drifting.</span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><a href="http://www.benmarsh.co.uk/snow/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">http://www.benmarsh.co.uk/snow/</span></a></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The whole area of social media and networks as utility is clearly nascent and fascinating. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It would be great to see people share other personal examples of twitter utility here …. </span></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483564458679977751.post-66448504234810429702010-07-17T14:47:00.001-07:002010-07-17T15:02:31.138-07:00Big In Japan<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-iDofGn-Hwowb-Y6PQ7U9SSkQHZVTTAONfckhFhD0FgLNMEHxPfwB2FeXMTyQMY3YT7RMwihzQVP1KFggtGXC8aeScrGA8Dhy5RLWZ83ACQWIOy9jiW1bDBEXsdQuuK4gBSUuQtHFZz4G/s1600/bigmanjapan11.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 122px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-iDofGn-Hwowb-Y6PQ7U9SSkQHZVTTAONfckhFhD0FgLNMEHxPfwB2FeXMTyQMY3YT7RMwihzQVP1KFggtGXC8aeScrGA8Dhy5RLWZ83ACQWIOy9jiW1bDBEXsdQuuK4gBSUuQtHFZz4G/s200/bigmanjapan11.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494996475121135202" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap; font-family:Arial, Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Good to see our Fujitsu brand campaign getting good reviews this week. The teams have worked hard on it. </span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap; font-family:Arial, Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">It’s a campaign designed to kick off the process of building the Japanese company’s profile to better reflect its market position. Fujitsu is the fourth largest IT company in the world - up there with the likes of IBM, HP and Accenture – but does not get the credit (read brand awareness / consideration scores) it deserves. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap; font-family:Arial, Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">It is a tough time for many of their CIO customers, something we learned all about when we spent time with a number of them earlier in the year, We saw budgets under massive pressure, too much resource and energy being spent on day-to-day maintenance and operational tasks and as a result those technology leaders who aspire to be viewed as more strategic, business leaders becoming increasingly frustrated. They feel stifled. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap; font-family:Arial, Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">So, this was a nice insight and what also became clear is that this feeing is driving the beginnings of a sea-change in the category as people begin to search for new models of IT and technology delivery that take out cost whilst enabling IT to have a more strategic influence on the business rather than being an internal service function. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap; font-family:Arial, Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;">Fujitsu’s technology leadership and service innovation differentiates them in many areas, especially in the emerging area of cloud technology. As a result, we realised that they could lay claim to the promise of enabling the CIO to get away from his frustrations and reach his ideal future sooner. Hence the campaign idea of ‘Get There Sooner’ that has been executed solidly in print, outdoor, digital outdoor and online so far with more to come. </span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap;font-size:12px;"><br /></span></span></div></div>Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483564458679977751.post-54790862082832699712010-06-14T14:03:00.000-07:002010-07-17T15:02:06.285-07:00Love the Vuvuzela. Hate the Generic.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWLMww8v6fpiJkL8iaq_WIVmOW4g_2fx2kiSpnUdKIYd5i_ZkBHpiY6lGzhOdY41UUiREMvzUvbTk0B-Y1Enyd1w-30whQFp-0QPpviGyGjfXVTaPkL4tMkDDAF4HhpSLU56-0-xp1yP3k/s1600/vuvuzela.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWLMww8v6fpiJkL8iaq_WIVmOW4g_2fx2kiSpnUdKIYd5i_ZkBHpiY6lGzhOdY41UUiREMvzUvbTk0B-Y1Enyd1w-30whQFp-0QPpviGyGjfXVTaPkL4tMkDDAF4HhpSLU56-0-xp1yP3k/s200/vuvuzela.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482739185518715522" /></a><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I am not sure if the consistent droan of the vuvuzelas annoys me anymore. Or in fact if it ever did! But listening to colleagues today and Five Live on the way home this evening I know I’m not speaking for everyone.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The BBC team in particular was lucky enough to encounter some very passionate advocates of a complete ban on these most exotic of wind instruments.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“They’re annoying ...” said Mick from Bristol.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“It’s like a mosquito in your ear...” said Tony from Leeds.</span></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“It sounds like a schoolboy international...” said Matt.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And my particular favourite: “I can’t hear the England fans singing and chanting on TV ...” said Fabio (OK. I didn’t quite catch this chap’s name).</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Now I live close to the Heathrow flight path in TW1 so I probably get used to background noise quicker than most BUT surely, surely, surely the noise and atmosphere created will be one of the key elements that will make this World Cup what it will become –special and unique.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The alternative - to ban the vuvuzela - is to celebrate the generic. To long for a World Cup just like the last one and the one to come.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Think about it. Ban the vuvuzela? Where would we go next? Or perhaps more pertinently, what would our memories be made of if we had previously thought like this?</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Let’s take to our time machines, go back to Buenos Aries in 1978 for example and outlaw ticker tape. We could then set a course for the Azteca stadium in 1986 and stop people from standing up and throwing their arms in the air.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Yes it’s a simple point yet I’m amazed to see the volume of counter arguments running rampant on twitter and the wires.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This World Cup will be great in spite of global brands that sponsor it and the global media owners that cover it. It will be great because of a 30-yard pile driver from someone we least expect, a dazzling piece of artistry from a Messi or Kaka, a crazed celebration from Maradona and inevitably a penalty shoot-out for England.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">But more than that it will be great because of what Africa and African culture brings to it. It will be great because of the vuvuzela!</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483564458679977751.post-20877644636377328072010-05-14T03:20:00.000-07:002010-05-14T03:23:38.142-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYmZH7uTvxVkYzXzq-GeVRW66RE9h4nv8VRABlg4XdlIo2X3QdSR9uuFk2ec1H0LhM-RNyaqsfFsVakmQ5K03X4MJxL3CbsJ73NfhdffaT-5DFqzkquVvKBVAMLLDposYe_nwCLmRK1BZ/s1600/lv-legends-1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471069075926197186" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 106px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYmZH7uTvxVkYzXzq-GeVRW66RE9h4nv8VRABlg4XdlIo2X3QdSR9uuFk2ec1H0LhM-RNyaqsfFsVakmQ5K03X4MJxL3CbsJ73NfhdffaT-5DFqzkquVvKBVAMLLDposYe_nwCLmRK1BZ/s200/lv-legends-1.jpg" border="0" /></a> A little over two weeks ago I stepped on to one of Stellios’s flying Orange machines and left these fine shores for a two week break in Crete (where, just for reference, cash is king and restaurants on the south coast have a lower propensity to show pictures of the dishes on their menus).<br /><br />Reflecting on a few of the things that happened whilst I was away:<br /><br />> Ash cloud returned, blew over, returned, blew over …<br />> Greece went bust<br />> Greece was rescued<br />> The UK voted<br />> The UK was thrown into political turmoil<br />> The Eagles sent the Owls down<br /><br />Oh, and one other thing - The World Cup bandwagon got well and truly rolling!<br /><br />Back in London this week and I feel I can’t move for brands getting in on the act of hyping both the event and England’s chances (2nd round exit to Germany?).<br /><br />For some brands the link to World Cup 2010 is clear. Adidas? Check. Carlsberg? Yes I can see their relevance to the competition too and the “teamtalk” execution is certainly rousing if it fails to quite get the hairs on the back of my neck standing as high on a second viewing.<br /><br />But Kit Kat and Mars though? C’mon! Give me a break …. (sorry!)<br /><br />Anyway, the brand that has executed a World Cup idea most beautifully has to be Louis Vuitton. It’s here and it’s cool. It has Zidane, Pele and Maradona in it so how could it not be? Even if their link to the beautiful game is tenuous at best!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.louisvuittonjourneys.com/legends">http://www.louisvuittonjourneys.com/legends</a>Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483564458679977751.post-20270089280343237092010-03-13T12:27:00.000-08:002010-03-13T12:35:13.771-08:00The Planner’s Psyche<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuFQxacWRy8EAL11hPiXFrVtA-6fbIWwg86Htwf4OcHeOOjDUkZOmlSl3KsGittBjfE3BScCsEyS2ttggrMD7T3zUohAv7tLlBwaPxfXxAXge5SNNsG0eiBX5xC5mjgHcV_EWvInY5-1M1/s1600-h/help_wanted.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 183px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448219613698052146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuFQxacWRy8EAL11hPiXFrVtA-6fbIWwg86Htwf4OcHeOOjDUkZOmlSl3KsGittBjfE3BScCsEyS2ttggrMD7T3zUohAv7tLlBwaPxfXxAXge5SNNsG0eiBX5xC5mjgHcV_EWvInY5-1M1/s200/help_wanted.jpg" /></a> A couple of weeks into a search or a new Planning Director for our London office I am already tired of hearing that ‘planners just aren’t moving jobs at the moment’.<br /><br />It’s a cool role with a great team, great clients and a generous package for someone doing a similar ATL / Integrated / Digital role today (or wanting to step up from a Senior Planner position) but the CVs just aren’t flying in.<br /><br />Apparently it’s all down to the economic environment and a natural tendency of planners to be more cautious as a result. Really? I thought Sir Martin had called the bottom?<br /><br />Anyway, the hunt goes on ……. <a href="mailto:richard.mabbott@gyrohsr.com">richard.mabbott@gyrohsr.com</a>Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483564458679977751.post-59436435711355388432010-03-02T12:54:00.000-08:002010-03-02T14:16:02.987-08:00Brand v Demand - Summit, Research and Lord Heseltine<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz_5CsfhJuU0_gxbTmmqweWhdXBB7sZ8R_3yy2iNK-aer-_8GroMcI1TBfKXO2Kx-i5iqofngqPlAEtvwMqHV4HiEi4aft8wR5v-7C_LG-e79pRaHfZz_ymtYHR4efqDCf12DAx9vGhH5-/s1600-h/31_brand-or-demandpage1.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444163742978020786" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 142px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz_5CsfhJuU0_gxbTmmqweWhdXBB7sZ8R_3yy2iNK-aer-_8GroMcI1TBfKXO2Kx-i5iqofngqPlAEtvwMqHV4HiEi4aft8wR5v-7C_LG-e79pRaHfZz_ymtYHR4efqDCf12DAx9vGhH5-/s200/31_brand-or-demandpage1.gif" border="0" /></a> Last week over 100 delegates attended our (Gyro:HSR's) first B2B Marketing Summit in the UK.<br /><br />The event was held in Manchester Town Hall, a fantastic venue which – Danny our Manchester MD assures me - harks back to when the city was last a commercial power house. We had some fantastic speakers from some great brands including Fujitsu, Google, HSS and Pearson along with our own Rick Segal and the legend that is Michael Heseltine.<br /><br />I had the pleasure of sharing the stage (albeit a good hour or so after he spoke) with Lord Heseltine to host a panel debate on the theme of the event:<br /><br /><em>Brand v Demand – do brand custodians too often disinvest their brands in favour of short term demand generating activities?<br /></em><br />We had conducted qualitative research with clients and contacts through 2009 and used the findings to stimulate the debate. In my mind the question is somewhat of a false dichotomy but there are still interesting views from both sides of the fence.<br /><br />We have produced a summary report of the findings which people are welcome to download at:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.brandordemand.com/">http://www.brandordemand.com/</a><br /><br />There is also the opportunity to share your point of view should you fancy.Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483564458679977751.post-31226333069110415362009-12-28T07:42:00.000-08:002009-12-28T07:51:02.144-08:00Ten things ....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzya_McDtuyWdjuGsv7wSK_sqrN_fdtzAH6Craxk78s7hQ_jqJtRelOKZSNzrIwbUHwvEFqOlvzMEMWUb1j2RVd3vpP8Oc46bKIQM6ZD37lHibfUyF_pCWdp1QhOvr9JKZ645SWWJ8N-uB/s1600-h/rabbit.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 124px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 93px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420314443008734626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzya_McDtuyWdjuGsv7wSK_sqrN_fdtzAH6Craxk78s7hQ_jqJtRelOKZSNzrIwbUHwvEFqOlvzMEMWUb1j2RVd3vpP8Oc46bKIQM6ZD37lHibfUyF_pCWdp1QhOvr9JKZ645SWWJ8N-uB/s200/rabbit.jpg" /></a>As the Sunday papers clamour to provide us with their predictions for the year ahead, I had a think about a few things the past 12 months have taught us / me.<br /><br />Here are ten to start with:<br /><br />1/ 0.02mm is interesting in the right hands. Especially if those hands are the D&AD award winning team behind Sagami’s ‘Love Distance’ campaign <a href="http://awards.dandad.org/2009/categories/onln/online-advertising/25046/love-distance">http://awards.dandad.org/2009/categories/onln/online-advertising/25046/love-distance</a><br /><br />2/ Markets can behave irrationally. How else can we explain UK bookmakers making England second favourites for the World Cup? (Yes I know, it’s the punters not the market that are behaving irrationally).<br /><br />3/ We’ve gone real time. We’re texting, twittering, facebooking like …. It’s all about ‘Now’. Admittedly Vodafone cottoned onto that a while ago but Samsung tapped into that nicely with ‘impatience is a virtue <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8tWLEsLpxs">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8tWLEsLpxs</a><br /><br />4/ Hash can be bad for your health - hash tags that is - as Habitat found out earlier in the year when trying to use coverage of the Iranian election to sell sofas. <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/twitter/5621970/Habitat-apologises-for-Twitter-hashtag-spam.html">http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/twitter/5621970/Habitat-apologises-for-Twitter-hashtag-spam.html</a><br /><br />5/ The success of a campaign can be judged on recall of a TV execution? That was the argument some experts made to explain why an ad by ‘Confused.com’ had performed better than one by ‘Compare the Market’. Missing the point I think when you see that Mr. Aleksandr Orlov now has well over 600K facebook fans.<br /><br />6/ That being said, TV advertising is far from dead. Comcast proved that without question – simply genius <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYAOLKSAaBM">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYAOLKSAaBM</a><br /><br />7/ There is more than one way to skin a cat. Or launch a new car. As VW showed with the Golf GTI in the US <a href="http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/golf-gti-iphone-usa-2009-10-29">http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/golf-gti-iphone-usa-2009-10-29</a><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">8/ You really are only as good as your last burger. See Fallon + Sony + Balls.<br /><br />9/ Baku is interesting the first time you visit. On each subsequent trip it is blustery, dusty and a long way from home. Bakcell were doing well when we left them though.<br /><br />And finally, one other thing that I now know all too well.<br /><br />10/ Nappies are easy. Not pleasant, but easy. Thanks for every one Avie x.</span> </span></div>Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483564458679977751.post-30697439147546360012009-10-08T04:18:00.000-07:002009-10-08T04:23:16.522-07:00<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390188144559019842" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 198px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlG1dKil4r5PPVf4nycJ6NFZEDYpga4tGd-vt5k8Oi9shE9YYUwfEuys9daQGaBMTDpy_FaA1zSnT9mXblhTK-WO_U02FFkAsxAgwninJLJRhbcBI2GWI04jJWxncU5NvLGmqNVNhk9BXY/s200/The+Jam++3.jpg" border="0" />The Jam used to tell us that the bitterest pill was hard to swallow.<br /><br />But as I watch the political landscape here in the UK develop it seems our current and future political leaders no longer feel that holds true.<br /><br />As the parties set out their respective stalls ahead of next years’ contest, I wonder if ever before an election has been contested on the basis of ‘vote X, it’s going to be much worse with us’!<br /><br />It tells us something about the world we live in today I guess. That the levels of trust we have for our leaders have fallen to such a low level that they now feel the only course of action is to be honest with us.<br /><br />Research Gyro conducted a year or so back showed that in the midst of the credit crunch less than 17% of us (believe we) trust advertising…. . if you’re a bank brand I doubt things have improved.<br /><br />Marketers of course know all this. They also know that consumers are savvier, more informed and – in theory at least – should have more control over their choices.<br /><br />And as such the best brands and agencies are responding. Day after day we see, dream up and argue over various brand attempts at collaboration, co-creation and participation.<br /><br />So as we move forward into 2010 and beyond, we will undoubtedly see more and more stunning ideas in this area as we all become used to these changing times.<br /><br />We’re going to see more openness, more honesty and less spin. And personally, I think I look forward to it. It can only be good for the soul.Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483564458679977751.post-68117670341908769912009-09-20T08:07:00.000-07:002009-09-20T08:10:12.088-07:00The Real Thing?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrRIMsfWT6irpa_3VbpbrgEZU3ZkaC7XqJg8z9XNZ71LI-TeNRPzoVISeJW7p-z5pjiwGPJ3EADPccAGDe14cVVdBrlBfy6bD1rTIVH-gG2eR9UvMBp49SaoG5mmgcGwrE06HuYNOK1hf2/s1600-h/corsica+cola.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 176px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383567032411681090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrRIMsfWT6irpa_3VbpbrgEZU3ZkaC7XqJg8z9XNZ71LI-TeNRPzoVISeJW7p-z5pjiwGPJ3EADPccAGDe14cVVdBrlBfy6bD1rTIVH-gG2eR9UvMBp49SaoG5mmgcGwrE06HuYNOK1hf2/s200/corsica+cola.jpg" /></a> Coca Cola’s lawyers obviously need a holiday … to Corsica.<br /><br />On a recent trip there I discovered the locals have their very own version of The Real Thing – Corsica Cola - and they haven’t been shy in using the Coke packaging as the inspiration for their own e.g.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.fractal-angel.org/photo/img/photo0829.jpg">http://www.fractal-angel.org/photo/img/photo0829.jpg</a><br /><br />At first I assumed that Coke must own or license the brand but I am reliably informed that the Pietra brewery on the island actually launched it in 2003.<br /><br />So how have they managed to create something so similar to and seemingly ‘get away with it’? Of course I’m no lawyer so maybe there simply isn’t a case to answer but if there is then what could the story be?<br /><br />Well what became very evident whilst travelling around was the fierce pride in being Corsican. Road signs are presented in both French and the local Corse language but the French version is almost always painted (or sometimes shot!) out. Advertising celebrates a ‘made in Corsica’ sentiment. And restaurants delight in serving up all manner of traditional and very local delights.<br /><br />So one theory has to be that a judgement call has been made at Coke HQ that the newspaper headlines created by tackling Pietra in the courts would do the brand more harm than good on this very proud island.<br /><br />Maybe. Maybe not. Either way one final question remains.<br /><br />Does Corsica Cola taste like The Real Thing?<br /><br />Simply, no! Though certain other brands sold by the Pietra brewery do come recommended.Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483564458679977751.post-64901774203429383242009-07-30T13:38:00.000-07:002009-07-30T13:42:53.550-07:00U2 Love Blackberry .... and Apple<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimz8mV77TtZgX6yk3-gsKJNDYNnfRTWvqZm3IB63c0lF6MpvHbICSnsShFz_mru-d9jXTG7FRdClOMDADvYfr3Cbzv5-4Nz_6E5-vGBJnYUOZ7KWImC71RVjTbe74f-sMlp4AzuwLYVgUS/s1600-h/BlackBerry-Loves-U2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364355900940642914" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 115px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimz8mV77TtZgX6yk3-gsKJNDYNnfRTWvqZm3IB63c0lF6MpvHbICSnsShFz_mru-d9jXTG7FRdClOMDADvYfr3Cbzv5-4Nz_6E5-vGBJnYUOZ7KWImC71RVjTbe74f-sMlp4AzuwLYVgUS/s200/BlackBerry-Loves-U2.jpg" border="0" /></a>I have always been told to Zig when your competitors Zag … or Zag when your competitors … you get the picture!<br /><br />I’ve just seen the new Blackberry ad, “We Love U2”.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qx_wdg-BSaY">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qx_wdg-BSaY</a><br /><br />I like it … but it reminded me of something …<br /><br />What was it … of course, the iPod U2 ad!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nljs4kzpebU">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nljs4kzpebU</a><br /><br />A mistake? An oversight?<br /><br />No, I can’t believe it’s anything but a conscious effort to take a leaf out of the iPod book of marketing.<br /><br />After all, if you want to emulate them and beating them is not really on the agenda, why not copy them? Mmmmm ….Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483564458679977751.post-17682734143172516862009-06-27T12:40:00.000-07:002009-06-27T12:49:54.728-07:00Wally<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf1eFI93iAbEamCb6K51XYFsTHh_utGJ5FHLGPVTfHqElfnSPU9YThtLMcJNk3yN-0c2mYP5MvLquzAfI8yL1oPeIhFcQzeKUxvMGfgwuxQaWwZz5olGkS63pCzsJrtk35ftWBaPDWfgHn/s1600-h/YellowPencil.jpg"><span style="font-size:130%;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 180px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352095794490290066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf1eFI93iAbEamCb6K51XYFsTHh_utGJ5FHLGPVTfHqElfnSPU9YThtLMcJNk3yN-0c2mYP5MvLquzAfI8yL1oPeIhFcQzeKUxvMGfgwuxQaWwZz5olGkS63pCzsJrtk35ftWBaPDWfgHn/s200/YellowPencil.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-size:130%;"> <span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">It’s awards season and over the last couple of days I’ve found some time to look through a selection of entrants and winners from both the D&ADs and Cannes Lions. </span><br /></span><div><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:130%;">There are plenty more to look through but I’m currently dothing my cap to a couple of nice uses of outdoor and one barnstormer of an idea that blasts through all channels. </span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Virgin Trains and the guys at Spike did the talking billboard which, no matter how often I see it, still gives me that envious, ‘why didn’t we think of that’ feeling! </span><br /><br /></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><a href="http://www.spikeuk.com/vtposter.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#00008b;">http://www.spikeuk.com/vtposter.html</span></a></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The next bit of outdoor magic comes from Australia and it’s a beauty. It’s a fantastically simple, fun and engaging way to get money out of people’s pockets (via their phone bills) and improve the lives of Sydney’s dogs and cats. </span><br /><br /></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://awards.dandad.org/2009/categories/mmkt/mobile-marketing/20776/throw-us-a-bone"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:130%;color:#800080;">http://awards.dandad.org/2009/categories/mmkt/mobile-marketing/20776/throw-us-a-bone</span></a></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The last one is a BIG IDEA. And it’s a little more hardcore. In fact you might want to look at it first and then use the previous two to relax. </span><br /></span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:130%;">If you haven’t seen this before I won’t spoil the fun. Just hit the link below to Meet Wally’s Heart. </span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://awards.dandad.org/2009/categories/intg/integrated/18822/meet-wallys-heart"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:130%;color:#800080;">http://awards.dandad.org/2009/categories/intg/integrated/18822/meet-wallys-heart</span></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:130%;"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div>Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483564458679977751.post-79216548375415242242009-05-20T14:54:00.000-07:002009-05-20T15:05:37.457-07:00Just A Little Bit Better<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJI8uwetDHkgWvLRNv-IQsvsvhYTymdtejDbtzl7L7wNEy0PzlA4tlmG56Le_Za7ir4A8NQM4FicVxvWy8__WaavWvPGDQqd-GIAVktlFAv_IuSV4scXKHwOMFewrR8pA4VVeLuB7iezjl/s1600-h/starbucks_480x360.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338030208513111058" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJI8uwetDHkgWvLRNv-IQsvsvhYTymdtejDbtzl7L7wNEy0PzlA4tlmG56Le_Za7ir4A8NQM4FicVxvWy8__WaavWvPGDQqd-GIAVktlFAv_IuSV4scXKHwOMFewrR8pA4VVeLuB7iezjl/s200/starbucks_480x360.jpg" border="0" /></a> I did an interview in Starbucks this morning before work. “Why Starbucks?” asked Janet when I arrived at work?<br /><br />Her inferred point was right. I wouldn’t have dreamed of doing it at Costa or that blue place even though it’s a little closer to the tube. So why Starbucks?<br /><br />Of course there isn’t a single reason. They’re just ‘a little bit’ better in every aspect.<br /><br />The chairs are a little more comfortable. The tables are a little further apart. The barristers are a little friendlier. Their sustainability initiatives are a little more interesting. Their loyalty cards are a little cooler. Their coffee is a little better. They are a little bit better at making a dry cappuccino. Their digital work is a little more engaging. And the whole experience just feels a little warmer.<br /><br />Here’s to being that little bit better. It’s on the margins that brands win and lose.Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483564458679977751.post-56418843382337228932009-04-27T14:17:00.000-07:002009-04-27T14:19:46.589-07:00Loyalty and Pigs<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUhakcgKDGxSMO8FnaxkfcZrzTknsTVE9XN830KygvKYObX_u1waVq4yeQUzpqCsHJD_QFEaEdCjYXbIt2p8BoFCAmj0-xRH3Tq8JVvoOBiGIWLGLxbKmIAcVHxnse86XHi7U1oVHuRKb/s1600-h/Virgin-Atlantic-Black-200.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329483892254820162" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 128px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUhakcgKDGxSMO8FnaxkfcZrzTknsTVE9XN830KygvKYObX_u1waVq4yeQUzpqCsHJD_QFEaEdCjYXbIt2p8BoFCAmj0-xRH3Tq8JVvoOBiGIWLGLxbKmIAcVHxnse86XHi7U1oVHuRKb/s200/Virgin-Atlantic-Black-200.jpg" border="0" /></a> This post might be seen as a blatant plug for one of our client’s products but it genuinely didn’t start as that.<br /><br />It started with an email this morning – 7.20am - which informed me I had accrued enough Flying Club miles for a free return trip to the US in the Upper Class cabin of Virgin Atlantic.<br /><br />Now, for those who don’t know, Upper Class is V nice so I was naturally delighted … especially as this seemed to vindicate my decision around 18 months to pay for the black fee-based credit card that VAA had launched (double miles per £ spent) rather than the free white card.<br /><br />So, given it was only this weekend that we decided we needed a holiday, I thought I would have a look at where to go (availability of reward seats permitting).<br /><br />So off to Google - 7.25am – to look at the weather in the US only to find that the EU health minister has advised against non-essential travel to the US due to swine fever (a H1N1 strain of flu apparently) hitting 81 people out of a population of 109 million in Mexico.<br /><br />An over reaction? Or a reason to head to Wales for a break instead?Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483564458679977751.post-5450275231057964822009-03-28T13:16:00.000-07:002009-03-28T13:29:05.397-07:00Brand or Demand<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhchFifGqwJp1BlT9hQgRaRUH5a8sJiVB4XlqbY5BKa3OpcGbJVP2aX2uSzUpB4qAPqaMdFhcDbEUbk6uOeq3Brd3S4Bb12lTPQLo16IzvZkpKXN9pmtPMNez7goLqvoHlLvkpjHC8DRsap/s1600-h/recession1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318337878060332322" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhchFifGqwJp1BlT9hQgRaRUH5a8sJiVB4XlqbY5BKa3OpcGbJVP2aX2uSzUpB4qAPqaMdFhcDbEUbk6uOeq3Brd3S4Bb12lTPQLo16IzvZkpKXN9pmtPMNez7goLqvoHlLvkpjHC8DRsap/s200/recession1.jpg" border="0" /></a>How should I spend my communications budget in the current economic climate? Do I continue to invest in brand building activities or slash the lot and spend every dollar I have on demand generating activities driving enquiries and sales?<br /><br /><p>I’m paraphrasing of course but this is a question we have been asked to consider on a number of occasions in the last couple of months.<br /></p><p>We’ve decided to conduct research to gather different evidence and opinions on the subject for the clients concerned, all of whom happen to be B2B brands. For them the question is actually simpler. They want to know whether they can justify advertising or if they would be better shifting budget into direct and digital channels. </p><p>Already I have heard from several commentators arguing that brand building in B2B markets is an ineffective use of budget. I guess those SAP, Accenture and Oracle ads I saw as I came through Heathrow a few weeks ago are all a waste of time and money then?</p><p>The same commentators see the B2B purchaser as a purely rational animal, buying and making recommendations to peers based on price, product and service features. I expect us to also challenge that. Isn’t there also a role for more emotionally led communications in B2B marketing? </p><p>Some areas we are exploring in the research include: </p><ul><li>Understanding decision making networks and how to deliver an optimum mix of brand and selling messages</li><li>If appealing on an emotional level to the target whilst giving them the rational arguments they need to appeal to their peers / boss is a valid approach </li><li>Understanding the different stages of the buying process and when to deliver emotional vs. rational selling messages </li><li>Understanding the role of different channels and how to use them to deliver emotional vs. rational selling messages </li><li>Understanding the difference between reputation, relationship and brand</li></ul><p>Any ideas / comments welcome. I suspect the answer to the original question will of course always come back to the individual client objectives. I am sure we will find historical case studies that support putting $$s into advertising in a recession and equally case studies that can be found to support a shift into direct channels. </p>Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483564458679977751.post-22104656843711831132009-03-28T12:51:00.000-07:002009-03-28T13:15:26.811-07:00Away for a while<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7b3bHXJ_np02LCzZ84Hsfa5uxp4XbiC9flbIz7Qx3VSwVstPxXmm7nqQ4l3VUMUlHjnDKTe1-nQFKsP4OnnfR8oFm6wLL1MjhMv59Ky-rKzaApERAOqyeskDXdR_6dcu_ELD5SN2PmzoG/s1600-h/DSC00824.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318329602298551282" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7b3bHXJ_np02LCzZ84Hsfa5uxp4XbiC9flbIz7Qx3VSwVstPxXmm7nqQ4l3VUMUlHjnDKTe1-nQFKsP4OnnfR8oFm6wLL1MjhMv59Ky-rKzaApERAOqyeskDXdR_6dcu_ELD5SN2PmzoG/s200/DSC00824.JPG" border="0" /></a>Time to add to this blog has been a little limited since News Years Eve.<br /><br />The reason?<br /><br />The arrival of Aveline Stella Mabbott shown here!Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483564458679977751.post-33403576945609877742009-01-30T08:39:00.001-08:002009-01-30T08:43:14.937-08:00Will We Be Green in 2009?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS8o7biiApzKLiGSZeMCN-zcXVrhZxQWAX0bkqKEM64QttQ7aqQULqSIPYnWuIf1XPwLL0qKkzk2as44oQ5Qq2jT0mRxuKe6M5qFZfaDpppaTJ9pMtcX6smwUa5q3pd7cPDlYbigtRq4AH/s1600-h/green-car_2314jpg.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297128176227764530" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS8o7biiApzKLiGSZeMCN-zcXVrhZxQWAX0bkqKEM64QttQ7aqQULqSIPYnWuIf1XPwLL0qKkzk2as44oQ5Qq2jT0mRxuKe6M5qFZfaDpppaTJ9pMtcX6smwUa5q3pd7cPDlYbigtRq4AH/s200/green-car_2314jpg.jpg" border="0" /></a>I mentioned a month or so that we were looking into the relative importance of sustainability, CSR, green and the whole environmental debate for our clients. We were hearing in the media that 2009 will be all about thrift and as such our green consumer values will go out of the window. We wanted to see if this was true.<br /><br />So with this in mind Gyro has just completed research with close to 2000 consumers and over 150 Marketing Leaders in 8 countries. The objective behind this 2 pronged research was to understand the above question and also to discover whether the people behind the brands fully appreciate the buying motivations of their customers. The results show a considerable disparity between what brands are communicating and what their customers actually care about.<br /><br />A selection of highlights includes:<br /><br />- Marketing Directors significantly underestimated the role green issues can play in the purchase decision of consumers. Even in current economic times.<br />- People see themselves living increasingly green lives over the next 24 months.<br />- The UK significantly lags other major European countries in green attitudes.<br />- Around half of consumers do not trust the claims of green brand advertisers.<br />- People want to see evidence of companies’ progress in ‘green R&D’. They are not interested in hearing about car sharing schemes. This is about real technological efforts and breakthroughs.<br /><br />We jointly hosted a roundtable with The Times this week to discuss the results. The Shadow Environment Minister and representatives from P&G, Coke, HP, Shell, BT, Adobe, Google, Nokia Siemens Networks and The Carbon Trust all contributed towards a really interesting debate.<br /><br />Drop me an email - <a href="mailto:richard.mabbott@gyrointernational.com">richard.mabbott@gyrointernational.com</a> - and I’ll be happy to send you a copy of the report.Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8483564458679977751.post-39041260984574431242009-01-09T09:18:00.000-08:002009-01-09T09:24:01.549-08:00Social Enterprise – Why Wouldn’t We?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVGEm2LEgU0quNiozC65w8T5JMDgv5j-BYGOOqhYGnA7hctbYp9TBgz_TH5-X4P7UyGg4LTSoUnpMHuOuZYaEffHck9inHV_F3GDAGwtH-_FL2uh2Zq7uo8hLANMzzPsztoDaxsLZN4mBv/s1600-h/madikwe_01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289345682988374466" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVGEm2LEgU0quNiozC65w8T5JMDgv5j-BYGOOqhYGnA7hctbYp9TBgz_TH5-X4P7UyGg4LTSoUnpMHuOuZYaEffHck9inHV_F3GDAGwtH-_FL2uh2Zq7uo8hLANMzzPsztoDaxsLZN4mBv/s200/madikwe_01.jpg" border="0" /></a> This time last year I wasn't changing nappies, I was in South Africa, rising at 5.00am each morning to go out on an open top 4x4 looking for lions and other hungry residents of Madwike game reserve.<br /><br />The animal highlight was the sight of a female leopard taking down an antelope, only for three hyenas to effectively mug her of her dinner minutes later. Away from the game, the other highlight was the hospitality of the local people who run a number of the lodges on the reserve.<br /><br />Accommodation options include the Madwike Collection, a group of fabulous lodges that in most cases are ‘community owned’. <a href="http://www.madikwecollection.co.za/">http://www.madikwecollection.co.za/</a><br /><br />This means they are run and operated by the local communities with private capital and expertise being used to get them up and running. After a period of ‘a few years’ the lodges are handed over to the communities which means that your tourist $$s have a better chance of going to the people who really need them.<br /><br />I thought this was a pretty cool idea and it played a huge factor in our decision to stay there. It is also just one example of a fast emerging sector of the economy that I hope defies the current economic downturn.<br /><br />UK consumers seem to agree. A recent YouGov poll showed that social and environmental values of business are as or more important than before the onset of the credit crunch.<br /><br />Only 13% of respondents said that they believe that social and environmental values of business are less important since the credit crunch began, whereas almost three quarters (71%) believe that they are as or more important than before the economic upheaval.<br /><br />According to Government figures, there are 55,000 social enterprises in the UK that contribute £8.4 billion per year to the UK economy. YouGov’s poll also shows that people want more social enterprises in the UK. When asked what we need more of to ensure a sustainable economy for the future, 42% of respondents chose social enterprises, ahead of government institutions, charities funded by donations, and traditional business.<br /><br />So it seems that in these tougher times, people in the UK not only want to see vibrant businesses contributing to the economy, but they also want those businesses to consider the communities and the environment in which they operate.<br /><br />If you had been to Madwike and seen the impact the venture is having there, you’d find it hard to disagree that there is even greater need in countries outside the UK.<br /><br /><em>My tips on Madwike by the way: Stay at Thakadu River Camp for a couple of days and then move to Buffalo Ridge. You’ll get the warmest of welcomes and see more of the park.</em>Richard Mabbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01811445542548862372noreply@blogger.com0