The art of negotiation is one that Theresa May has had to quickly learn over the last few months, as she plans the UK’s role post-Brexit. But when it comes to negotiating, politicians may not be best in class. As bid strategists and writers, we know all too well just how important strategy, creativity and
The term ‘experience economy’ has gained traction in recent years, as more consumers shun material possessions in favour of unique, multisensory experiences. What is the experience economy? It was American Authors Joseph Pine and James H. Gilmore who came up with the term ‘experience economy’ when they published a book of the same name in
Just a few months ago our founder, JP, wrote about the implications of Pepsi’s controversial ad, hoping that we’d see a real shift in the workplace diversity debate and encourage a much more inclusive business mindset. Unfortunately, Dove’s latest ad disaster is proof that the world’s biggest brands aren’t engaging with what D&I really is
If you find yourself wishing for the creative freedom of a campaign when you’re writing your bid, you’re not alone. The RFP process is, at best, limiting. At its worst, though, it’s stifling. Many bid teams we work with struggle to bring their value to life in a prescriptive Q&A format that seemingly offers little
If a brand can’t adapt it won’t survive: this is and has always been the case. But it’s no longer enough to take your evolutionary cues from new circumstances as and when they crop up. Successful evolution in 2017 requires a healthy dose of contextual awareness, future-gazing and, yes, risk. Constantly assess your relevance Preempting
Nobody would have been surprised to read that nine of every ten business executives feel brand purpose matters, according to a recent Harvard Business Review article. The fact that only 46% believe their company has one, however, is more than a little worrying. Any brand that fails to determine their motivation outside profit, and share
Dennis is a person, just like us. Not everyone aligns their pens perfectly on their desk or religiously wraps their bananas in clingfilm like Dennis does, but we can all relate to him on one level or another. When a brand understands this concept and, better yet, markets according to it, they can connect with
‘Highly annoying, misleading or harmful’. That’s how Google referred to digital adverts while announcing their move to punish over 1,000 online publishers who contribute to the bulging mass of product ads and pop-ups. It’s difficult to disagree with their assessment, but with the all-powerful Amazon planning to expand even further into the world of digital
A couple of months ago we spoke about why, despite more people in work, the economy is suffering due to a surplus of ‘bad jobs’. Employees are ending up in jobs they aren’t right for and don’t like, and employers are saddled with a disengaged and unmotivated workforce. While it’s probably a bit optimistic to
Marketing’s curiosity about millennials – “Who are they?” “What do they buy or not buy?” “How do they buy?” – has long since given way to animosity. Marketers are increasingly anxious about connecting with an audience segment they claim has no brand loyalty but nonetheless lives for the launch of the next Apple product. As
It’s not news, but I still find it shocking to consider the ease with which a business can ‘get to know’ their clients. As soon as the modern marketer steps foot outside their metaphorical front door, they’re beset by an amalgamated horde of analytics tools, metric systems and algorithmic programmes. Take a few more steps
Hold your hats and hallelujah! Protein World’s morally languid Beach Body campaign has actually done some good. After a year of formal discussions, the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) has announced they’ll be implementing a crackdown on adverts that promote offensive or false stereotypes. Before you start celebrating though, here’s a little rain for your
Customers enjoy memorable experiences (cue the gasps). It shouldn’t come as a great surprise that the ‘Peak Stuff’ theory really has been vindicated lately. It points out that a good live event can be more valuable to the consumer than a product on its own. And it’s right. A storytelling device for today’s customer Since
Providing you haven’t just emerged from a few years beneath a rock, it probably hasn’t escaped your notice that a few political tectonic plates have been shifting recently, both in Europe and across the pond. Setting aside any reservations you may have concerning the outcomes, there can be no doubt that millennials – particularly the
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]A genuine, if somewhat tempered, applause should be rippling around the business world following the integration of Amazon’s Prime Video on Apple TV. The joint venture of the two industry giants demonstrates some shrewd thinking. With so many different services from a mind boggling number of different companies on offer for consumers, lack of compatibility
Thought leadership is a position of power. As a thought leader you’re an influencer and a market commentator rather than solely a vendor – it’s a very different position, and one that brings with it credibility and responsibility. The best thought leaders play a key role in the conceptualisation of new business ideas, trends and
New research by Edelman and Linkedin has shown thought leadership to be a decidedly two-sided coin. Their study, which surveyed over 1,300 Business Decision Makers (BDMs) on the extent to which their B2B purchase process is influenced by salient thought leaders, confirms becoming a thought leader as being worthwhile, but also highlights some worrying consequences
Listening to Tom Loeffert of SAP speak yesterday at TechXLR8 — the last day of the week-long London expo — I was struck by something strangely unfamiliar: an outlook on AI that doesn’t centre around speeding processes or creating a new digital workforce. Or ending the world. No, instead Loeffert spoke about AI’s ability to
If your house kept getting burgled because you’d been leaving the key under the same flowerpot, you’d probably think deeply about why it happened and how you’d make sure it would never happen again. Why have so many businesses failed for so many years to think deeply about their cyber security strategy? You might blame
Your bad jobs are hurting the economy You may take issue with the above statement. After all, with unemployment going down, surely you’re doing something right? In theory, but as is often the case, the numbers don’t tell the full story. More people are in work, but fewer people are enjoying their jobs. And as
[vc_row 0=””][vc_column][vc_column_text 0=””]In light of IBM’s decision to repeal their famous ‘work-from-home’ policy, I hope you’ll forgive me for asking the question: have they completely lost the plot? According to Geoffrey James of Inc., they may well have. He writes, ‘You’d think that IBM’s executives would realise that the company’s unparalleled record of financial growth
