Pepsi is working hard to attach their brand to popular fast food choices. The #BetterWithPepsi campaign is backed by a blind taste test claim that their fizzy drink goes better with Big Mac or Whopper burgers than rival Coca-Cola. Recent creative work has been superbly distinctive and provocative. Showing wrappers for Burger King, McDonald’s and... Continue Reading →
Pret a Manger has been a very unlucky business. Just two years ago the fresh food and coffee chain was purchasing rival Eat with the aim of faster store expansion. Quick to expand vegan and gluten-free choices it has been able to capitalise on the growing appeal of plant-based foods and healthy eating. With around... Continue Reading →
Octopus Energy has achieved 'double unicorn' status with a valuation in excess of $2 billion in just five years. It seems to be on track to be the world's leading renewable energy business. The foundation for this remarkable success is clever and agile business model thinking and here Octopus offers inspiration for start-ups and established... Continue Reading →
One of my most rewarding projects of late has been helping the Unilever ice cream business accelerate growth across delivery platforms such Uber Eats, Grab or Deliveroo and food-chain partners. Teams are dotted across the globe and manage digital communications to drive sales from their own virtual stores, grocery partners or from food-chain orders. Collectively... Continue Reading →
Claims influence. Consider the infamous Brexit claim that linked a misleading payment to Europe to an opportunity to fund the UK's national health service. Or perhaps Oatly, who have distilled their climate advantage to a nine word claim that explains a swap to oat milk saves 73% in carbon emissions. Imagine where Oatly would be... Continue Reading →
Oatly makes it emphatically clear that you should be drinking Oatly and not (dairy) milk. The side of the carton invites you to join the post-milk generation, the website informs you that the milk lobby think you're stupid and advertising suggests dad's drinking milk have a bit of a problem. This confrontational, zealous anti-establishment communication... Continue Reading →
My local team Norwich City are doing a lot of things right. They currently lead the race for Premiership status, are holding onto players chased by bigger clubs and have found themselves worthy of an article in the Financial Times. Collectively it shows the club has navigated the journey from a very precarious financial state... Continue Reading →
The return of Lifebuoy to the UK in the midst of a pandemic looks like a case of the right brand at the right time. Introduced in 1894 its mission and early advertising still makes some sense today. Today's challenge is establishing Lifebuoy as a major hand hygiene brand in a growing but crowded category.... Continue Reading →
Back in 1985 I saw the Talking Heads concert film 'Stop Making Sense' in a cinema in Newcastle Upon Tyne. I can't remember who was with me, but I vividly recall the film. It was distinct, difficult to categorise and dominated by an energetic and eccentric David Byrne performance. 1985 is a long time ago,... Continue Reading →
The assault on the US Capitol will hopefully prove to be the low point in the divisiveness of US politics and self-inflicted damage to democratic credibility. The biggest risk for 2021 identified by the Eurasia group is now vividly clear and the Democratic party's mandate to deliver a more inclusive alternative much stronger. Deservedly, the... Continue Reading →
