Win over the board with an earthquake – and then a climax
Secret MarketerThe professionalisation of marketing has brought many benefits – but that innate ability to spin a yarn to capture the attention of the board has been left in the past.
Can we really ‘create’ demand – and does it matter?
David van SchaickMarketers never truly know their influence over demand, but for B2B brands what’s more important is choosing the types of revenue to go after.
Copy KitKat on your quest for ‘double D marketing’
Mark RitsonTight positioning, a respected brand heritage and refusal to overcomplicate things means when it comes to uniting distinctiveness and differentiation, KitKat has it licked.
Where are you on the rich/poor staircase? Let’s find out
Andrew TenzerResearch suggests most marketers grew up in a household where the highest earner was social grade AB – to better represent people of all walks of life the industry needs to diversify.
It’s not always easy but there are ways to win over the board
Secret MarketerFrom setting the context to being clear on the question you are answering, our marketer on the inside shares how to ensure board level conversations go to plan.
The idea is the bullet, data is the gun
Grace KiteIdeas generation is a job for people, not data. But when data is paired with good ideas it can be powerful.
Powering through is no longer an option, it’s time to make change happen
Helen JamesLast year was dubbed the ‘Year of the Girl’ but with marketing’s gender pay gap stuck at the 16% mark and women revealed to be taking on more additional responsibilities than men for no extra pay there is clearly still work to be done.
Bluey and Bunnings’ tie-up demonstrates all the benefits of co-branding
Mark RitsonThe best bits of both brands rub off on each other, while playing with brand codes makes them more salient – but only because they’ve laid decades of groundwork.
Häagen-Dazs and BBH rekindling their flame has got me excited
Mark RitsonThe ice cream brand and its famed agency achieved one of the great UK product launches 30 years ago. Will they have the same chemistry again?
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Are we witnessing the end of the CMO? No, and stop asking
Mark RitsonMarketers should cease pontificating about the validity of CMOs and their time in post, and start focusing on how to do the job better.
Make this the year you innovate
Helen EdwardsCompeting priorities will hold you back in this time of budget pressure and economic stagnation, so focus only on creating an offer that meets customer needs.
It’s time The Body Shop became exciting as well as ethical
Helen EdwardsThe Body Shop pioneered ethical beauty, but that positioning is no longer unique and its owners need to inject life into the brand to arrest its decline.
Too often marketers forget their customers are people, not ‘targets’
Helen EdwardsBrands’ internal language dehumanises customers and lacks respect, which risks causing costly errors as with NatWest’s treatment of Nigel Farage.
Brands have a duty to defend women’s rights as Roe v Wade is overturned
Tanya JosephRoe v Wade is not just a US issue, nor can brands assume it doesn’t affect them. Now is the time to stand up for your workers’ and consumers’ rights.
When faced with seismic political events, the rule is ‘deeds, then words’
Tanya JosephBrands should look first at how their business and people are impacted by social and geopolitical issues, and only speak publicly when their actions are already making a difference.
Marketing must get better at supporting women’s careers
Tanya JosephIf brands really are serious about closing the gender pay gap forever, embracing full flexibility – not just hybrid working – would be a good place to start.
To build a future-proof marketing team, hire ‘batteries included’ marketers
Colin LewisWhen it comes to hiring, skills are less important. Instead focus on mindset, character, attitude and a ‘batteries included’ mentality that means they are up for the challenge and able to get things done.
How to survive and thrive as a marketer in a startup
Colin LewisMarketers see startups as glamorous but are often made scapegoats for their failures. Here’s how to avoid that trap and set yourself up for success.
The perils and pitfalls of a startup career
Colin LewisPeople imagine working for a startup will make them rich and free them from the shackles of corporate servitude, but the reality is very different. Here’s how to go in with your eyes wide open.
Only people can give the gift of effectiveness
Grace KiteHaving the right people at the heart of effectiveness programmes is the difference between succeeding and failing.
Rising costs mean TV’s payback advantage is now in question
Grace KiteThe price of TV ads has risen much quicker than the price of other channels over the past few years, while viewing has also declined, meaning it could be time for brands to change the channel.
Justify budget requests with a solid set of projections
Grace KiteRunning the numbers through different scenarios enables you to identify the budget that’s needed to reach your targets and will make it more likely to be approved.
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