Category Archives: brands

We are fundamentally ignorant about most of the facts of our society

This slide from a quantitive survey by Ipsos Mori came via slideshare The full presentation is worth a read – it’s an easy read This is a worry – as most politicians will seek to trade on these perceptions rather that take a stand for the truth. They have learnt to go with the grainContinue reading “We are fundamentally ignorant about most of the facts of our society”

Thoughts at Frieze art fair: artists can be as predictable as admen

Some – like Tracy Emin, Damian Hurst and GIlbert&George- have been in ad business for while. Their styles are so distinctive you know them immediately like a pack of Persil. They have mastered the art of effective branding – with “added value” prices to match At modern art shows the same ‘big’ themes come upContinue reading “Thoughts at Frieze art fair: artists can be as predictable as admen”

What value does a “like” have on Facebook ?

Now that Facebook and Twitter are public companies they are of course hungry for a bigger slice of the advertising pie. But-and it is a big but- they did not fundamentally start out as commercial spaces so they are have to innovate and come up with new advertising formats like “native ads” and “Likes” toContinue reading “What value does a “like” have on Facebook ?”

Austerity Branding comes of age

For most of my career people have aspired to buy premium brands and just wanted an affordable way to buy into them – think of the Mercedes A class, Waitrose essentials or a tie from Armani. Premium brands used to “reach down” But something has shifted in the culture – Value brands have captured theContinue reading “Austerity Branding comes of age”

Matisse cut outs at Tate Modern

Matisse is the perfect artist for Tate modern. He already adorns a thousand pieces of merchandise from greetings cards to mugs so he is a good generator of  extra revenue through the well-positioned and well-stocked gift shop that (with Ikea like ruthlessness)you have to pass through as you exit the show. He is joyfully easyContinue reading “Matisse cut outs at Tate Modern”

What does the internet of things mean for you ?

Much hype in the media about how the things we own (cars,beds,fridges,boilers,mobiles,wearable devices yet too be invented) are going to make our lives better. The revolutionary nature of the change becomes apparent when you examine what the benefits to people might be at market by market level. Easier – because things automatically happen -such asContinue reading “What does the internet of things mean for you ?”

Bad language

I have just had an out burst in this quarter’s Market Leader (quarterly journal of the Marketing Society-subscribe here) about the use of jargon in marketing – which my daughter read and described as pompous. Perhaps I have reached a pompous age – must do something as an antidote See Cword It was inspired by Orwell’sContinue reading “Bad language”

Please, please, please can we ban the C word?

Words get stripped of their meaning if used too often. There is a phrase for this- semantic satiation: a word progressively loses its potency through over repetition. The marketing business positively over flows with such words and phases as Brand, Engagement, Target Audience, Core Values and, my particular bug bear, Content. The C word isContinue reading “Please, please, please can we ban the C word?”