Simon Middleton commented: “This survey confirms my belief that consumers are increasingly able to detect the subtle messages given off by the actual behaviour of big brands and that brand choice is a highly emotional decision.”

“Apple dominates the favourites list in our survey because its behaviour in terms of product design and quality matches up with its claims and its attitude. John Lewis and Waitrose come of this extraordinarily well too, standing apart from other retailers in terms of brand promise and fulfilment,” added Middleton.

“I am not at all surprised to see people saying that brand is more important now than pre-recession or that it will become more so. Brand is the great distinguishing factor in the market place, but this survey underlines that brand is about what you ‘are’ not what you ‘say’,” said Middleton.

Date posted: Monday 11th January 2010Back to news home page >

BBC covers Hemsby ‘Eden of the East’ vision

See BBC’s coverage here http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/norfolk/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_8439000/8439826.stm

Date posted: Tuesday 5th January 2010Back to news home page >

Build A Brand In 30 Days

Created by the excellent Scott Poulson, owner of Norwich’s own Special Design Studio, the cover design perfectly conveys the intention behind the book: to enable small brand owners and entrepreneurs (and even would-be entrepreneurs) to create a compelling, authentic and distinctive brand from scratch, regardless of not having much or any marketing experience or training.

It’s DIY branding if you like: but using sound principles, cool thinking, and real passion.

It’s available to order now direct from the publisher, here eu.wiley.com

Date posted: Friday 1st January 2010Back to news home page >

Eden of the East: a vision for a world-class Norfolk tourism destination

The so-called “Eden of the East” (just a working title of course, not a brand name) would be an 800 person holiday centre, located on the site of the former Pontin’s holiday park in the resort, which closed at the end of the 2008 season. But this would be a very different experience from the popular image of conventional holiday parks. Based around two carbon-neutral sub-tropical domes: one for camping and one for recreational activities.

There have been domes before of course, most notably at Tim Smit’s wonderful Eden Project in Cornwall. But the difference with Hemsby is that the major dome would be in effect a very high quality all-year campsite, always warm, always dry, and very eco-friendly. The landscaped camping dome would accommodate around 200 campers, whilst there would be room for a further 600 visitors to stay in environmentally-designed lodges around the park.

A second dome would provide a dramatic environment for recreation and eco-themed activities. The remainder of the site would offer a mix of outdoors activities like canoeing, rock-climbing, adventure play for children, and a large area devoted to learning skills related to sustainable living: from eco-friendly building techniques, to raising chickens, growing foods, understanding solar power, and art using recycled materials.

This project would provide a fantastic base for a superb Norfolk holiday with a real difference. Hemsby itself has a magnificent sandy beach combined with a terrific characterful traditional resort. And the village is wonderfully close to everything The Broads national park and the rest of the county has to offer too.

The old Pontins camp had accommodation for 1,300 people and this project, as envisioned at the moment would provide only about half that. But the Pontins experience was based on low cost and an approach going back to the 1950s. This new vision is for a premium price holiday that’s massively relevant to our times and packed with interest and experience. Sustainable tourism is growing fast and this project could be a flagship for Norfolk, encouraging higher-spending visitors to the area.

This is the second major vision announced this year for the resort of Hemsby & Newport. The first was to propose a Scandinavian and Viking Festival to celebrate the village’s Viking origins from 1,200 years ago.  The villagers enthusiastically backed the festival plan, and the inaugural Hemsby & Newport Viking Festival takes place on 18th, 19th and 20th June next year, celebrating what has been dubbed 1,200 years of seaside fun.

Norfolk’s media are already excited by the Eden of the East concept, as can be seen from this article in today’s Eastern Daily Press.

Date posted: Wednesday 23rd December 2009Back to news home page >

Is the Tiger Woods brand permanently damaged?

1. On the Tiger Woods brand itself. I think he and it will recover, and frankly I don’t think it will take more than a year or so. He’ll recover as a brand because he is not just a high profile sportsman, but one who is genuinely liked and admired by millions of people the world over. He has, you might say, put a lot of brand in the bank, which is what brands need when they hit a crisis. If he’s careful and sensible now then all that stored brand value will see him through, as long as he doesn’t do anything else to mess up. His actual income in terms of sponsorship and so on will suffer for a while, but brand Tiger is far from finished. He’s just too great a sportsman and too admired a figure for that.

Actually I would go so far as to say that, whilst I’m not condoning his actions, he is now clearly a more rounded and more ‘human’ personality. If his brand had a weakness before it was the weakness of perfection. He was perhaps a bit too good to be true. Now we know he’s just a bloke with flaws. That’s sort of reassuring. I think, if anything, in the long run he will prove to be a richer brand as a result, especially if he can reflect on and accommodate this new aspect of his character.

2. On the response of sponsors. America is the kind of country where a moral response is expected from companies, so he is bound to have sponsors dropping him, reassessing contracts etc..  but I think the smart ones will try to look long term rather than short and to be careful not to try to look holier than though by disassociating themselves. He didn’t kill anyone after all. We have admired him because he’s a great sportsman. Now he is being judged by different standards.

3. On the whole issue of high profile celebrity brand sponsorship… I think both the corporates and the celebrities can be accused of wanting to have their cake and eat it. The companies want the glamour by association with the celeb hero but they also demand a kind of inhuman perfection. They therefore always run the risk of their chosen people turning out to be human after all. Shame on them for their hypocrisy and moralising I say. Meanwhile the celebs want the money that the sponsorship deals bring, and they doubtless know exactly what’s expected of them when they take the cash… but of course they then ask for ‘privacy’ and to be treated as ‘people’. So my sympathy for the celebs doesn’t stretch very far. Both parties think they can have everything their way. I think the reality of commerce and life is that they can’t.

In summary, the high profile celeb brand endorsement game is a dangerous one. Not so much a pact with the devil, more a pact with flawed human beings.

Woods will recover, but it’s going to be messy and hypocritical and rather horrible to watch for a few months to come. Of course the real winners here (in the most unpleasant way) are the tabloids of the world, whose stock in trade is shame.

Date posted: Thursday 10th December 2009Back to news home page >

Confessions of a brandaholic

My confession is that by nature I’m inclined to just continue tweaking, trying to improve things a bit here and a bit there. There’s nothing wrong with a degree of that and I remain a strong advocate of continual nurture of your brand. But there is a line between nurture and obsessive meddling. It’s a line that workaholics like me can cross too often.

Healthier for you the brand protagonist, and indeed for the brand itself, is to leave things alone for a little while. Let things settle a bit, maintain a weather eye of course, but avoid the temptation to keep adjusting. Instead take some time out to reflect on what you’ve created. Genuine reflection (which takes time) is not frequently practiced in the heady rush to bring a brand to market, nor in the day-to-day battle to keep your brand ahead of the pack. But I have discovered (against my obsessive nature) that reflection is not only healthy but vital. It is also enormously productive.

This seems contrary to common sense, and indeed it might be called uncommon-sense. When I’ve taken time out (proper time, not minutes, but hours and days) to reflect, to muse, to ponder, to meditate (call it what you will) on my brand and business then it has invariably been the case that a new and powerful idea has emerged (often fully formed) from the apparently random meanderings. Take some time out, for your brand’s sake and you own.

Photograph: Sally Blackburn at Energi Technical

Date posted: Friday 20th November 2009Back to news home page >

Tell me what you think about brand today?

It’s quick, it’s easy, and it will be very revealing. Please do take part in the Brand Strategy Guru survey and share what you think about brand today. Many thanks. Just click to begin the survey.

Date posted: Monday 9th November 2009Back to news home page >

Brand class of 2009: Google on top.

Google has notched up the biggest rise in brand value, which grew 25% over the past year to reach nearly $32bn. In growth terms, it was closely followed by Amazon, which saw its brand equity boosted 22% to almost $8bn.There were double-digit rises in the technology sector for BlackBerry and Apple, which made it into the top 20 global brands for the first time. Meanwhile, retail brands Zara and H&M also experienced brand value growth, despite the recession. The economic climate has, unsurprisingly, led to declines in the value of brands in the banking sector. UBS is this year’s biggest faller in the list with its value halving over the past year, while financial firms including Morgan Stanley, HSBC and American Express also saw double digit falls.

Date posted: Wednesday 7th October 2009Back to news home page >

Can brands ever be welcome at the social network?

These social media sites need to offer brand-friendly business solutions to increase their own revenue and profitability but not at the cost of user experience. There is a danger of popular platforms like Twitter – and the brands that use them - alienating users with heavy handed promotional attempts. A recent report told how Ford has recruited 100 ‘agents’ who are rewarded with free use of a car in exchange for spreading the Ford Fiesta gospel throughout social media. Two basic principles underlie the difference between effective and clueless use of social media by brands: the content has to be engaging, and it has to be authentic. Paying bloggers to promote a product will be quickly seen through, and sending followers corporate-speak marketing messages is likely to alienate them. Brands must remember that ‘social media” means two-way communication so they must listen and respond, not just broadcast.

Date posted: Wednesday 7th October 2009Back to news home page >

Tories take networking lesson from Obama

The Tory party is launching Myconservatives.com, an online campaign network to help drum up support from non-members that inspired by the digital marketing techniques used by US president during his successful election campaign last year in the hope they can match Obama’s success.

Date posted: Wednesday 7th October 2009Back to news home page >

The rise and rise of own label

The evidence is very powerful that in the last two and a half years the percentage of shoppers’ budget spent on own label (also called private label) products has started shooting up. This would appear to be great news for the supermarkets, who make higher margins from selling own label goods, whilst being potentially very bad news for the branded goods companies where volumes and pricing are both under attack from own label goods.

Own label has evolved dramatically over the past few years. Taking Tesco as an example, own label accounts now for around half their UK sales. And it’s a zero sum game of course: every pound spent on own label goods means a pound less on traditional brands. But own label hasn’t always been the powerhouse it is today. Turn the clock back to 1970s and own label really meant low quality generic products which were purchased only because of the price advantage they offered: groceries as commodities. The value ranges of the supermarkets, in their simple (deliberately downmarket) packaging still offer that option of course. The product quality is still not great but those value products have a place in everyone’s shopping basket depending on circumstances. The price difference is still the main driver. A Tesco own label, value range, cereal can cost as little as 70p compared to around £3.00 for the equivalent size leading brand product from, say, Kelloggs.

The next step in the evolution of own label were the ‘copycat’ products. These products mimic the major label products in packaging design and colour, name, and even in features like associated cartoon characters. You only have to compare Tesco’s equivalent to Kellogg’s iconic Rice Krispies product to see just how sophisticated is the brand imitation. Of course there is still a big price difference. In this case the own label imitator is around half the price of the Kelloggs product. It’s a pretty compelling alternative, with excellent product quality. Couple this with the fact that it’s the supermarkets that control their own shelf space and you can see a pretty formidable competitive threat to the traditional brands.

Own label comes of age

The third and most recent development in the growth of own label is typified by the Tesco Finest range, and its equivalents from Sainsbury’s (Taste The Difference) and from the other leading supermarkets. What has been achieved in these cases is something quite sensational in a brand sense when youconsider the very humble origins of the own label concept. These premium own label ranges have become aspirational brands in their own right. Remarkable I think, and a phenomenon that demonstrates how own label has truly come of age.

Of course we’re talking primarily about the UK and western Europe here. Penetration of own label in the USA is actually a lot lower than in the UK. This may be partly attributable to US consumers being more brand conscious than UK consumers, but the main reason is probably more to do with a combination of a more fragmented supermarket sector and the fact that there’s never been a really big retailer in the US championing the rise of own label.

That difference across the Atlantic notwithstanding the trend in own label sales is still inexorably upwards. There has been a steady increase in market share and this has accelerated recently owing to consumers becoming a little more price conscious in the recession. In the USA the market is reaching a more serious stage of development where the big players are beefing up their own label ranges and expanding their range of offerings. Wal-Mart for example has just revamped its own label brand and is dedicating a lot more shelf space to the category.

The same trend can also be seen in lots of economies, both developed and developing. But part of this trend could be to do with the recession we’re all in at the moment, so what happens when we’re through the recession and the economy is growing again? Won’t customers just ditch the cheaper private label products in favour of branded products? Well the figures would indicate otherwise. In fact own-label products have outgrown branded products in 9 out of the last 10 years in the US. It’s true that the recession has boosted growth of private label, but the evidence suggests that most of the people who switch to private label during leaner times stick with it: partly at least because the stigma associated with own label has largely disappeared, and the products are of much better quality than in the past.

How real is the shift in power?

All this represents a huge shift in the balance of power towards retailers and away from the brands. Or does it? Are consumers really deserting the famous brands that they’ve known and stayed loyal to for so long? Well the figures would indicate that there are two answers to that question. For a start the gains in market share of the own label ranges don’t appear to have come at the expense of market leading brands. It’s the brands outside the leaders’ pack that have suffered. Market leaders would appear to be as strong as ever. And coupled with this, there is a marked difference in own-label success depending on sector. Some products, such as staples like milk and cereals, seem to be more easily conquered by the own-label onslaught than others.

Spirits, like whisky for example, are still very much the territory of brands. As are confectionery products. A brand that’s been around since 1937 in the UK, created by Joseph Rowntree and now owned by Nestle, and licensed to Hershey in the US, KitKat has survived wars, generational shifts, and healthy eating concerns. Now approaching it’s 75th anniversary, KitKat seems as popular as ever. In Britain we consumed about 700m KitKats last year. That’s a slightly scary 12 each! The own label equivalents of KitKat don’t come even close to threatening the branded product.

Is there any immunity for brands?

So why do some brands seem immune to the own label phenomenon? Well nothing is immune to change of course, but the brands which seem to be surviving and thriving seem to me to be those which have managed to continue to ‘mean something’ to consumers. Because brand, as I always say, is ultimately about meaning. KitKat has come to mean taking a relaxing break. Heinz baked beans (as opposed to the own label equivalent) means something to do with family, with comfort, with trust, and with childhood. And so on.

Find a brand that actually means something (or to put it another way find a brand that has made an authentic emotional connection with its public) and you’ll find a brand more likely (far, far more likely) to survive the apparently unstoppable rise of own label. As in the supermarket so also out in any other field of branding. In a world where everyone has a cheaper price, or a two-for-one offer, making a real emotional connection with your customers (through providing meaning) is, I believe, the most powerful way of all to survive and thrive.

With thanks to the investment management team at Baillie Gifford who provided much of the material for this article.

Date posted: Wednesday 7th October 2009Back to news home page >

The Brand Effect DVD available now

Episode One of this TV series, a first for British TV, explains how brands work and why they are such a critical component of modern business. Episode Two visits Sweden and examines the nation brand of this remarkable country, packed with interviews with representatives of Volvo, Visit Sweden and other extraordinary Swedish brands.
Produced primarily for conference audiences, the DVD is also available to my newsletter subscribers for £11.50 including P&P. If you’d like a copy please do drop me an email to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Date posted: Wednesday 7th October 2009Back to news home page >

FTSE 100 bosses get poor reception

New mystery caller research announced today reveals that only one in four companies excel at making a good first impression with callers. The FTSE First Impression Index, commissioned by outsourced reception provider Moneypenny, has revealed a new look FTSE listing where only the friendliest and most helpful companies top the charts and share price is meaningless. 

The independent survey, carried out in August and September, assessed the country’s most recognised companies against strict criteria to test telephone etiquette and build ‘First Impressions’ scores. One thousand calls were made to the 100 companies over a four week period by trained mystery callers who rated companies on speed, friendliness, clarity and knowledge.  Key findings were:

First Impression Winners – The top five scorers topping the new ‘index’ were (in order) Experian, Friends Provident Group, Invensys, BHP Billiton, and Associated British Foods

Bottom of the pile – Bringing up the rear was Next, followed by Anglo American, Thomas Reuters, Scottish & Southern Energy and Foreign & Colonial Investment Trust

Quick but unfriendly – 74% of receptionists at FTSE 100 listed companies are answering calls within five seconds but only in 44% of calls were staff cited as ‘very friendly’

Retailers forget their manners – Despite their customer service ethic, the Retail sector gave one of the worst first impressions of all

Dial ‘U’ for Unhelpful – Only 56% of receptionists knew the CEO’s name and only 8% were able to answer to simple enquiries directly

“Our experiment shows that share price means nothing when you have a bad telephone manner,” said Rachel Clacher, co-founder of Moneypenny.  “The bulk of our finest companies are distinctly average when it comes to making a first impression in those vital first few seconds to mystery callers.  They might be quick and there might be a person, not a machine, at the end of the line but they aren’t oozing friendliness and often don’t have the most basic information.”

Encouragingly more than three quarters (89%) of calls were answered by a human being, rather than a pre-recorded or automated system, while in 97% of calls the receptionist identified the company immediately, although only identified him or herself on 15% of occasions.

When comparing different sectors on their ‘First Impressions’ score, Financial Services came out top followed by Pharmaceuticals and Telecoms.  Propping up the list were Oil companies, Retailers and Tobacco companies who all scored badly.

Clacher added: “Banks and financial institutions seemed to have turned on the charm and despite the flak they are getting generally in the media, they give callers a feeling that they care.  Retailers on the other hand were poor, and their customer service ethic definitely doesn’t translate from the cash till to the switchboard.”

Clacher concludes, “All too often, if a CEO called their own switchboards they would be shocked.  With our index we want to send the message that getting your first impression right on the phone plays an important part in what you sell and the money you make.  By highlighting the best and the worst amongst British household names we want to start the debate on what businesses can do to improve.”

Brand Strategy Guru says:

Perhaps the biggest surprise in the survey is that retailers don’t seem to put much effort into how they deal with phone enquiries. Of course the great majority of their customers are dealt with in store rather than by phone, but the phone impressions may be worryingly indicative of their attitude to communication, which is a crucial aspect of brand.

Overall I think that poor scores in this survey have to be laid squarely at those responsible for training. All staff in any organisation should have core knowledge of their company, from their boss’s name to info on complaints procedures. A receptionist, even for a company which doesn’t get that many phone enquiries, is one of the front line brand representatives for the company.

Date posted: Wednesday 23rd September 2009Back to news home page >

Hemsby is first British seaside resort to use instant customer-feedback scheme.

The resort, which recently called-in brand expert Simon Middleton, known as The Brand Strategy Guru, to help improve its brand reputation, is now focusing on demonstrating its commitment to excellent customer service by becoming the first British resort to use an advanced customer-feedback scheme.

Under the new scheme, visitors to cafes, food-stalls, shops and attractions in the resort will be invited to pick up a postcard carrying the slogan: “Tell the Viking what you think”. The Viking refers to the resort’s new logo designed by Scott Poulson at Special Design Studio, based on Hemsby’s 1,200 year-old Viking heritage.

On the back of the postcard simple instructions and a phone number encourage the customer to text instant feedback to the business owner about the service they have just received. Customers can give a score out of 10 and add a more detailed comment if they wish. Customers also have the option of entering their comments on a special website branchadvisor.com

Visitors can also use the system to comment on their general views and experience of the resort as a whole.

The postcard-text system, known as branchadvisor.com is the brainchild of Martin Kentish, the Norfolk entrepreneur who runs a specialist customer feedback business Free Range People.

Martin explained: “It is great to see our branchadvisor.com product being used in this way to enhance customer experience in Hemsby & Newport. Although the system was actually designed for large high street retail brands, it’s good to demonstrate how branchadvisor.com could be deployed to help retailers within entire villages, towns or even cities!”

Simon Middleton, who put together a team of volunteer specialist experts to work pro-bono on the Hemsby re-brand campaign, is delighted with the customer-feedback scheme.

Simon explained: “I think it shows courage and determination for small businesses like the traders in Hemsby to pout their reputations on the line with an instant feedback scheme like this. And it’s a win-win for everyone. Praise will boost the traders’ morale and encourage them to stay focused. Any criticism can always be learned-from and improvements made. And visitors to Hemsby & Newport will know that this is the only resort in the UK to take its customer experience so seriously. I wish every holiday business in Norfolk used the scheme. It would help to build the reputation of the county very fast.”

The picture shows Martin Kentish of Free Range People with the customer-feedback postcard.

Date posted: Monday 3rd August 2009Back to news home page >

Booing at Beckham: why Brit brands find it tough to crack America

In The Times today Luke Leitch examines the brutal truth about trying to succeed in America, and his piece contains a short interview with me about Beckham’s recent mawling by LA Galaxy fans and why other brands like Tesco’s Fresh & Easy have struggled to gain the trust and support of American shoppers. You can read the article at The Times Online here.

Date posted: Tuesday 28th July 2009Back to news home page >

Yoga meets Sport Science to train elite athletes in Olympic 2012 build-up

A Norfolk-based yoga and sport science expert is set to make a major impact on athletics training programmes in the build-up to the 2012 Olympics.

Hayley Winter has combined the ancient tradition of yoga with the latest sport science techniques to create a new training science which has won the support of leading sports figures including Graham Gooch, Sir Clive Woodward and Tim Newenham the Performance Sport Advisor to UK Sport.

Now Hayley, who has also trained professional footballers, including working at Norwich City and Ipswich Town, has called in a brand advisor to help raise awareness of her revolutionary training techniques for elite athletes.

Hayley, who has been practicing yoga for 25 years and teaching it for 12, calls her unique approach ‘Yoga Sport Science’. Using expert knowledge of both disciplines Hayley trains yoga teachers, sports coaches, physiotherapists and fitness trainers, as well as individual elite athletes and sports teams.

To help establish the new business, Hayley has engaged Norwich-based brand advisor Simon Middleton, known as The Brand Strategy Guru.

Ms. Winter explained: “Simon immediately recognised that my approach and my brand Yoga Sport Science were very distinctive and strong, and I am very excited that together we can ensure that the benefits of Yoga Sport Science are explained to athletes of all kinds as we approach the Olympics”.

Mr Middleton commented: “Hayley is hugely experienced and deeply knowledgeable. She has successfully trained major football teams and athletes, and her credentials are impeccable. But the really exciting thing is that a Norfolk expert has created a unique approach which really could have a dramatic impact on the performance of British athletes in 2012.”

Hayley is currently training a number of yoga teachers, physiotherapists and sports coaches through her unique training course.

Hayley Winter biography:

Hayley works closely with Tim Newenham, (National Strength & Conditioning Coach for the English Institute of Sport and advisor to the Olympic Legacy Committee for 2012).

In 2003 Hayley was invited by Ipswich Town FC to work with their first team and academy squad, and worked closely with the physiotherapists, sport scientists and management for three seasons. The statistics at Ipswich Town FC showed a significant reduction in soft tissue injury amongst the players who had consistently practiced yoga.

In 2005 the Football Association became interested in the results at Ipswich and Hayley was invited by the Football Association to present her techniques to all their coaches. Hayley also presented to the Medical and Exercise Science Department at the FA and received their full support and approval for her training course designed to support coaches within their association.

In 2006 Hayley was invited by Graham Gooch to provide the players at Essex cricket team with their own individual programmes. In the same summer Sir Clive Woodward engaged Hayley to join the medical team at Southampton FC, creating successful results in pre-season training.

In 2007 Hayley was invited by Sports Coach UK to deliver workshops in the eastern region, to their coaches and with individual athletes.

In April this year Hayley launched her training course at the National Badminton Centre at Milton Keynes. Tim Newenham also delivers training on the course, and is now a member of the Yoga Sport Science team.

Hayley is a former editor of the British Wheel of Yoga national Magazine and has an MSc in Sport & Exercise Biomechanics from Roehampton University.

Date posted: Wednesday 22nd July 2009Back to news home page >

Welcome to Scrivener

Scrivener, created in Cornwall, UK, by a writer unsatisfied with standard word processing software, is designed for anyone engaged in a long writing project, fiction or non-fiction, including novels, plays and screenplays. It’s based on the observation that long writing projects are not usually linear projects. They don’t usually begin at the beginning and go to the end. So Scrivener is designed to let you start anywhere and to organise your thinking, research, drafting and re-drafting in a non-linear fashion. You always have the facility to see and organise the whole as well the parts. Brilliantly intuitive and a joy to use. I recommend it to all long-project writers.

Just click the logo for more details. But a word of warning, and a disappointment for some: SCRIVENER IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR MACS!

Date posted: Monday 20th July 2009Back to news home page >

Too many Starbucks?

In response the global coffee giant is said to be planning a new range of ‘neighbourhood’ stores: which will be branded according to the place they are located, and may not carry any Starbucks branding at all. Is this a cynical attempt to fool the stupid? Or a genuine attempt by the brand to re-embed itself in real localities: places where it is losing out to authentically local small-brand coffee shops? It’s not for me to judge, at least not yet: though it doesn’t instinctively feel like authenticity to me. I guess it depends on the actual experience of using the new stores. Meanwhile though it is clear that Starbucks no longer holds the brand kudos and attraction that it once did. I had a conversation the other day with a former brand marketing guy from Orange, who said much the same thing about that brand’s sad fall from its place of grace as the most compelling and distinctive brand in mobiles to the unimaginative tariff-fixated high street ‘just another phone shop’ that it is today.

Why do these once great brands lose the plot with such seeming inevitability? Why can’t they realise a great brand is only worthy of the name when it captures our imagination and our emotion a well as a share of our wallet. It feels like a very long time since Starbucks and Orange came close to doing that.

Just as an indicator of where Starbucks is at right now, take a look at this little video. It’s not brand analysis: but then again it is. And hilarious into the bargain. When your brand growth is likened to the end of the universe and that comparison has gone crazily viral round the web, it’s time for someone somewhere in the higher echelons of the organisation to start listening and acting (and I don’t think white labelling the shops is going to do it).

The comedian is Lewis Black. And I’m grateful to Dennis Van Staalduinen at www.begtodiffer.com for giving me the story and the video tip. Den’s analysis of the Starbucks brand situation is thorough and fascinating: recommended.

Date posted: Monday 20th July 2009Back to news home page >

Gordon, David and errmm.. Nick: are political leaders really brands?

Well my answer was yes. And yes. Of course politicians can be brands. Because brand is about meaning: and a brand is just a shorthand term for the collection of meanings that we carry around in our heads and hearts about any given service, product, company, organisation, political party or individual.

Beckham, Jackson, Obama and JFK

There are two elements which distinguish a brand from anything else that we might have shared views on. The first is intent: does the subject wish us to share certain meanings and does it therefore try in one way or another to manage those meanings (through communication or interaction of some kind). The second is critical mass: your family or friendship group may have a shared set of views about you (good ones I hope), but that doesn’t make you a brand. If on the other hand you set out to develop those meanings with a larger and more disparate range of people, then you can be a brand.

David Beckham isn’t a ‘brand’ to his family and friends. Nor was Michael Jackson. But they are both ‘brands’ to the wider world. And death does not intervene. In fact, with pop stars of course it can be quite the opposite.

Likewise with politicians. Barack Obama is clearly a brand as well as an individual, and arguably the first major politician to understand the power of branding and to use it consciously and creatively. Sure, many leaders have utilised reputation and myth. JFK for example. But Obama is the first to become a world-class brand in the modern sense.

Gordon, David and errmm Nick

So, to our own, somewhat less glamorous political heads: well Gordon Brown, in my view, is indeed a brand, and quite a strong one. We can all picture Gordon, and and we all share some views about him. Most people I have heard use terms like ‘decent’, ‘serious’, ‘troubled’, ‘miserable’, ‘principled’, ‘poor communicator’. Some have attributed darker labels about Mr Brown’s mental state. It’s a mixture. And it’s a strong one. But it’s not (for the moment at least) a positive enough one.

With David Cameron the brand meanings are quite different. People say things like: ‘good performer’, ‘clever’, ‘dynamic’, ‘informal’, ‘direct’, but they have also said ‘slimy’, ‘ruthless’, ‘unclear’, ‘Blair-like’, ‘ambitious’, ‘no policies’. Another mixture of meanings of course. I don’t think Cameron has won the brand war against Brown, yet. But positive messages always outweigh minor negative ones, and on balance Cameron’s positive brand attributes are greater than Brown’s.

This isn’t a political view: it’s a brand one. Labour supporters face a brand challenge as much as a political one. Either Brown has to re-invigorate his personal brand, or Labour has to find a leader who has strong brand attributes.

Oh, I’ve left out Nick Clegg. Trouble is, when you ask people (which I have) to describe the brand attributes of Nick Clegg, they have an unfortunate tendency to say: “Who’s Nick Clegg”. And that’s a different kind of brand challenge. (That’s him in the picture by the way)

Date posted: Thursday 9th July 2009Back to news home page >

Bradford entrepreneurs hear from Brand Strategy Guru in September event

In a content-packed session delegates will learn: the essential truth about branding; simple strategies to identify your unique brand essence; how to create a brand that punches way above its weight; and how to make your marketing efforts work harder for your brand without spending any more money.

Simon Middleton is one of the UK’s leading specialist brand strategy advisors, and is the writer and presenter of ‘The Brand Effect’, the first series about branding on British television.

Tickets to this event are only £65+ VAT per person and includes a free DVD including the first three episodes of ‘The Brand Effect’, a memory stick with the slide material and a bacon sandwich for the morning session.

To book your place call City Training Services’ conference centre on 01274 728316. Payments can be made over the phone by credit card.

E-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

The Bradford Telegraph & Argus has also covered the event. You can read their story here.

Date posted: Monday 6th July 2009Back to news home page >

First e-newsletter from Brand Stategy Guru

The newsletter is free and will bring you a monthly digest of what BSG is up to, as well as thought-provoking opinion pieces, articles and news-in-brief from the world of branding. You can sign up on the front page of this website… so if you haven’t received your newsletter today, sign-up now and you’ll receive July’s edition straightaway and the next one at the beginning of August. And remember, you can unsuscribe easily at any time, and I promise never to share your data with any third party, or with other subscribers.

Date posted: Wednesday 1st July 2009Back to news home page >

Sweden strikes again: with engaging intuitive Spezify search engine

They were there before no doubt… but once you’re attuned to something I guess you see it everywhere. The latest example to cross my desk is www.spezify.com, a new search engine designed to provide an antidote to linear listings.

Try Spezify and I can’t guarantee you’ll find what you’re looking for listed out in a neat Google sort of way, but it’s fun, intuitive and visually engaging… a refrshing change on the web.

Date posted: Wednesday 1st July 2009Back to news home page >

Brooklyn Fare demonstrates the fine art of engaging brand behaviour

Brooklyn Fare from Mr. Mucca on Vimeo.

Sent to me by Scott Poulson at Special Design Studio, this little promo by Mucca, is visua;;y arresting, carefully thought-through, refreshing and elegantly informal. The tone is just right… not too crazy, just charming. Enjoy.

Date posted: Wednesday 1st July 2009Back to news home page >

Brand Strategy Guru will throw down gauntlet on Norfolk brand at charity dinner

Mr Middleton explained: “Norfolk is a wonderful county but it is not yet a brand. To thrive in a rapidly changing world Norfolk leaders must embrace the idea of communicating on a global scale and they must show imagination and commitment in crafting a compelling brand story that will make Norfolk known right around the world.”

“To date Norfolk’s efforts at branding have been timid, functional and unimaginative. They have been marketing-focused rather than brand-focused and they have not been based on an inspiring, authentic story about the county. There are two great opportunities at our feet: to create a proper brand for Norfolk, and to work on a global stage. Students come to UEA from all over the world. Now we must demonstrate Norfolk’s appeal as a destination for every kind of visitor: because tourism is the most effective way to draw interest in a destination. And it isn’t a question of money. It’s a question of brand strategy and brand leadership,” Mr Middleton added.

The dinner, which Mr Middleton will chair, also features speeches by Dr. Andy Wood, Managing Director of Adnams; Jeannette Wheeler, Head of Norwich Team at Birkett’s LLP and Chris Starkie, the Chief Executive of Shaping Norfolk’s Future.

The dinner, organised by MBA students from the Norwich Business School , University of East Anglia and managers of Dragon Hall, Norfolk and Norwich Heritage Trust will raise funds for Dragon Hall.

The evening will feature in-depth analysis of the prospects for continued growth of the concept of globalisation against the back-drop of protectionist moves already made by governments of several leading world economies since the financial crisis broke out.

The event will also feature a charity auction to be hosted by Mr. Mike Gamble of Irelands, UK. There will be extensive business networking opportunities already designed by the organisers as part of the evening’s proceedings.

Simon Middleton is an independent brand strategy advisor and broadcaster and is the first Fellow in Brand Leadership at University of East Anglia.

Footnotes

Ticket Price: £50.00/seat includes a three course meal, canapés and wine.
Date: 17th July, 2009
Time: 6:30 pm- 10:00pm

Ample opportunity for business networking exists with Norfolk’s business and political elite on the evening.

For general enquiries, please call Debbie on: 07920768197 or Nabia on: 07545316753

Masaki can also be mailed on M.Takeno@uea.ac.uk

Tickets can be paid for at the Dragon hall and your ticket and dinner options will be subsequently mailed to you.

The promotional flyer for the event can be downloaded below.

Date posted: Friday 26th June 2009Back to news home page >

A new brand for Norfolk : an opinion piece

It’s been said over and over again that Norfolk has it all: scenic beauty and variety, and a fantastic balance of city, town and village life. We know it has its challenges too: including its problematic transport infrastructure and its areas of deprivation. But there is a bigger-picture challenge facing Norfolk, one which has yet to be addressed properly.

There are several organisations trying to promote Norfolk, to attract visitors to Norfolk, to attract inward investment and to promote business success within the county. But not one of these bodies has yet tackled the elephant in the room, which is that Norfolk does not have a strong, coherent, positive brand. And before I go further, let me just reiterate what I mean by brand. Brand is not logo, or marketing, or PR. Brand is the set of meanings which your audiences and stakeholders hold about you in their heads and hearts. Your brand, in short, is the sum total of what people think and feel about you. And if there isn’t a critical mass of people sharing a positive set of meanings about you, then you don’t have a brand (at least not a positive one).

Protective and simplistic ‘do different’ postures outdated

There are some people who adopt a protective posture about the ‘brand’ of Norfolk. They want to keep Norfolk unspoiled, unchanged, unpopular and secret. There are others who believe it is enough to describe Norfolk as ‘different’. And there are still others for whom ‘branding’ Norfolk is simply a matter of promoting the county’s assets to the outside world in a functional way: as though a brand were simply a collection of measurable ‘messages’.

I can’t argue with the protectionists, except to urge them to acknowledge that the world is changing at an exponential rate and that Norfolk must change too (always protecting its heritage and its natural environment). Those who think of the old idea of Norfolk being ‘different’ as sufficient are simply out of step with the world we live in. That stance is just too simplistic to achieve the inward investment (of brains as well as money) which Norfolk needs to thrive in the long term. And to the functional marketing lobby I would simply say that they must understand that intellectual argument, facts and other rational ‘stuff’ can only ever do a part of the brand job. Data of this kind will never be more than reassurance and box ticking. Nobody is drawn to holiday in Norfolk, or to move to Norfolk, or to invest in Norfolk, by facts alone.

Serious deep-branding approach required

That will only be achieved when Norfolk has developed a coherent, positive, compelling and distinctive brand: a brand which cuts through prejudice, ignorance, pre-conceptions and out-dated information to re-present Norfolk with emotional impact and lasting sweet aftertaste. In short, we need to make the world fall in love with Norfolk. To achieve that needs a serious, in-depth and properly managed examination of the county’s brand in all its aspects.

Then it requires a crafting and shaping of a brand story for Norfolk which is authentic, compelling, unique, full of character, and forward looking.

Then I believe it requires a pan-organisational brand champion to lead and evangelise the Norfolk brand everywhere.

It might well also require the usual tools of marketing: but the cart and the horse must be put in the right order. Get the brand story right and the rest knows where to follow. Get it wrong and any marketing efforts will be a waste of time, effort, goodwill and money.

Norfolk is already a wonderful county. Now it must face up to the challenge and responsibility of becoming a great brand.

Simon Middleton, The Brand Strategy Guru, June 25th 2009

Date posted: Thursday 25th June 2009Back to news home page >

Exhibition of unique Hemsby portrait collection

The exhibition, called Hemsby By The Sea, will be seen first on Thursday June 25th at a special event at The Forum, Norwich.

Following that Ian’s collection will be on show in Norwich at the Fabulous Frames gallery on Upper St. Giles Street, from July 3rd to July 10th.

The exhibition will also be on show concurrently at the headquarters of Visit Britain in Regent Street, London from July 6th to July 11th.

For those people in or close to Norwich, Ian’s private view is at Fabulous Frames on Friday July 3rd, from 6pm to 9pm. Anyone interested in Hemsby and the brand project going on in the resort is invited to attend.

More information from .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Date posted: Thursday 25th June 2009Back to news home page >

Radio Norfolk visits Hemsby & Newport

Radio Norfolk ‘man about the county’ Wally Webb visited the resort to find out about Hemsby’s Viking heritage and how that heritage is forming the core of the resort’s rebrand, including plans for the major Scandinavian Festival in Hemsby on 2010.

You can see a film of the interviews here.

Date posted: Thursday 25th June 2009Back to news home page >

Brand Strategy Guru sponsors ‘Holiday Here’ category of Norfolk Tourism Awards

The Eastern Daily Press has been running a ‘Holiday Here’ campaign throughout the year, encouraging Norfolk residents to take at least of their holidays in the county. In support of the campaign, which has focused on exploring different aspects of Norfolk as a holiday destination, the paper has created a new category in the popular Norfolk Tourism Awards.

The Holiday Here Award is a special category which is open to any reader of the Eastern Daily Press. The Award launches in July so full details will follow soon when entrants will be invited to demonstrate how they would explain Norfolk’s attractions as a holiday destination to someone who has never been here.

Entries will be judged by Simon Middleton, The Brand Strategy Guru and Pete Waters, Deputy Editor of the Eastern Daily Press.

Date posted: Friday 12th June 2009Back to news home page >

Diss in Norfolk stands in for Stockholm

In fact we chose the Norfolk market town of Diss to stand in for Stockholm to shoot some of our links. We wouldn’t have made a fuss about this, but local paper the Diss Express rumbled us and did an interview whilst we were filming. Flattering for Diss I hope that it is standing in for one of the world’s most beautiful cities! Ssshh… don’t tell the Stockholmers.

You can read the Diss Express story here.

Date posted: Friday 12th June 2009Back to news home page >

Hemsby brand story to be aired at Stockholm tourism conference

Simon Middleton, The Brand Strategy Guru, who is working on raising the brand profile of Hemsby, has been invited to tell the story of his work with the resort at a conference on destination-branding in Stockholm, Sweden,  organised by the European Tourism Commission and the UN World Tourism Organisation.

The organisers invited Simon to demonstrate that successful branding is not dependent on a big marketing budget, but on developing an authentic and compelling ‘brand story’.

Simon will also be commenting at the conference on the brand of Sweden itself, having just completed filming of a special Swedish episode of The Brand Effect, his TV series on Sky 171.

Simon explained: “I’m very flattered that these European tourism leaders want to hear about my work with Hemsby, and also that they value my views on the brand of Sweden. Branding a place, for tourism or for any other reason, is quite different from branding a product or a service. It’s more subtle and more complex, and the vitally important element is to be authentic.”

Simon’s business, The Brand Strategy Guru, specialises in advising companies, charities and even individuals on how to develop coherent brand strategy and compelling brand stories. Current clients include The Anthony Nolan Trust, The Northmoor Trust in Oxfordshire, and Norfolk singer-songwriter and recording artist Jess Morgan.

The photograph, by Ian Aitken, shows James Bensly, proprietor of The Beach Cafe in Hemsby.

Date posted: Friday 12th June 2009Back to news home page >

Santander kills off British building society brands

The answer is that the process was inevitable, entirely predictable, and long-planned. From the moment that Santander, the world’s fifth largest bank, started to buy up ailing British banks, their fate as brand names was sealed. Anyone who thought that the Spanish giant would happily run its businesses under several different brand identities to appease the sensibilities of the British public was just being naive.

Whether that makes the decision right or wrong is another matter entirely. Is it right for Santander? Well it certainly makes economic and marketing sense, for a host of blindingly obvious reasons. But there’s more to brand than simple cost-effectiveness, or even clarity of communication. It’s too early to judge whether the Santander brand carries enough positive meaning to which a UK banking audience can relate. I think, once the dust settles, we will simply accept it on the high street along with other international brands like HSBC, providing that it gives us good enough service and value for money. Banking is one of the few areas of purchase where we don’t get terribly involved emotionally.

There are exceptions to that of course. People do seem to make emotional connections with First Direct (superb, personal phone service) and Co-operative Bank (ethical banking), but there is little other affective interaction between us and our financial services providers (apart from our tendency to grumble about them, or in recent months to pour vitriolic scorn upon them).

Local and regional mutual building societies did engage us emotionally, partly because of their local roots, and partly because we had a sense that they were honestly and ethically looking after our money, rather than trying to fleece us while smiling sweetly. There are still mutuals in the picture of course and for many people they are becoming attractive homes for money which do offer a different ‘brand’ experience from the banks. They feel like something of a sideshow at the moment: but I can’t help hoping that they will rise again to play a more significant role in our banking lives.

Of course the rebrand to Santander will also mean inevitable staff redundancies as duplication of branches is dealt with. That’s a ghastly outcome for hundreds, possibly thousands, of staff, at a deeply difficult time. There’s no way to comment positively about job loss and it always makes you question whether there isn’t a better way to run things. I don’t know the answer to that, but I do believe there is a real gap in the market for a new model of banking brand which is ethical, supportive of its customers and rooted in communities (and perhaps therefore less inclined to the hire and fire cycles of the large institutions). Micro-banking, credit unions and other models point the way to a possible future where we can once again be proud of our financial services brands.

I was heartened to read very recently about the creation of a ‘Bank of Essex’ which is designed to support small businesses in the county with attractive credit facilities and other proper banking services. A great idea, rooted in a place, designed to play a positive role in the economy of that place. But the money and infrastructure behind ‘Bank of Essex’? You guessed it, our new name on the high street, Santander.

PS: Brand Strategy Guru created a workshop a year ago about the brand behaviour of fictional banks (partly based on my so-far correct prediction of the Santander story would pan out). The workshop used a series of imagined press cuttings telling the story of the takeover of a regionally based English bank by a rapidly growing European one. If bank branding is your thing you might find the set of press cuttings of interest, and I’m happy for anyone to use them as a training or discussion piece. You can download the material from the link below.

Date posted: Tuesday 9th June 2009Back to news home page >

Coming soon, The Brand Effect ‘Swedish special’.

Meanwhile episode two is in final editing stages and an on-air date will be announced very soon. This special second episode examines the attributes that make Sweden such a powerful nation brand.

Sweden is consistently rated as one of the world’s favourite countries, usually appearing in the top five in global brand surveys (with Swedish people frequently rated even higher at number three). Yet Sweden is a thinly populated country of only nine million people. How does Sweden punch so far above its weight? Well episode two of The Brand Effect finds out.

The programme features unique interviews with UK-based nation branding expert Simon Anholt, as well as with senior brand protagonists at Visit Sweden, Scandinavian Airlines SAS and Volvo, plus advanced music technology brand Tonium and archetypal Swedish style brand Svenskt Tenn.

Any entrepreneur or business manager who cares about making their brand stand out from the crowd and achieve real brand meaning can learn from The Brand Effect Swedish special. Coming soon!

PS: the attached video isn’t part of the show, but gives you a taste of the remarkable Tonium Pacemaker portable DJ device featured in the programme.

Date posted: Tuesday 9th June 2009Back to news home page >

The Hemsby & Newport fightback begins

You can read James Gray’s story here.

Date posted: Thursday 4th June 2009Back to news home page >

Appointment of new Chief Scout is brilliant brand move

Someone in The Scout Association has a powerful understanding of brand, and of its key elements of authenticity, values and narrative. The appointment of popular, youthful, edgy, explorer and adventurer Bear Grylls as Chief Scout is a brilliantly judged piece of brand behaviour.

It’s already won the organisation more media coverage than in its whole history, and it looks set to re-establish the Scouts as a powerful ‘brand’ with real appeal to young people. The importance of the appointment is its appropriateness. Celebrity alone is not enough to make a success of this kind of role, but Grylls is a fully paid-up member of a very exclusive club of genuine adventurers. And because he’s also a little ‘dangerous’ (as you’ll know if you saw the Justin Lee Collins interview on Friday 22nd May) he will also appeal to the rebelliousness of youngsters who might otherwise see the Scouts as stuffy and old-fashioned. The full story is in the BBC Breakfast video here or at http://scouts.org.uk/news_view.php?news_id=187

The Brand Strategy Guru says: “Bear-rilliant branding by the Scouts!”

Date posted: Saturday 23rd May 2009Back to news home page >

Three key building blocks of brand strategy

Building block number one is authenticity. I believe that great brands are built on the truth and it’s an important principle which is easy to forget when we mistakenly think of branding as a subset of marketing. Branding isn’t a subset of marketing. In fact it’s the other way round. Marketing is a subset of brand. So when you set about turning your business, or organisation, or even yourself, into a brand, look deep into what is true before you begin.

Look into your history, into the quality and integrity of your product or service or behaviour. Or look into your customers’ lives, needs, desires, hopes and aspirations. There you will find the authentic truth on which you can build a brand. By way of example, my client Hemsby, the little traditional seaside resort in Norfolk, was settled by Vikings 1200 years ago. Were it not for the Vikings this little resort on the eastern edge of England wouldn’t exist.

That’s its truth and its uniquely authentic foundation. It’s on that truth that the Hemsby brand can be built. Authenticity doesn’t always lie in history of course. It might lie in ingredients, or skill, or an aesthetic, or a philosophy. Wherever, it’s important that you find and identify it: because that will be the bedrock of your brand. Without it you have only marketing!

Building block number two is values. It’s so easy to talk about values and so hard to make them the core of what you do: incredibly easy to pay lip-service to them in other words. But a small (very small) set of absolute values are crucial to a great brand.

Interviewing Swedish brand leaders recently for The Brand Effect series I found that every one spoke with utter conviction about values. With Volvo for example the simple value of ‘safety’ has been their guiding light for more than 80 years. Everything that Volvo does is guided by an obsession with safety. And this wasn’t created by a marketing team: it was a stated passion of the founders in the 1920s. Now Volvo has extended the meaning of safety to embrace the safety of pedestrians, to cover active as well as passive safety (i.e. accident prevention not just protection) and to embrace the safety of the environment.

A strong simple value is like a puppy: for life not just for Christmas. But like a puppy it grows and becomes stronger if you nurture it. So choose your values very carefully: and if they don’t have the power to motivate and guide your behaviour then choose again. For my clients in Hemsby the value is simple: community. Because the traders of this resort know that it is impossible for one of them to succeed while the others fail: they all must succeed together. That simple understanding is driving their brand efforts.

The third building block of great brand is narrative. Humans love and need stories. Stories are how we make sense of the world, how we comfort and thrill each other, how we teach our children. Great brands have great stories. Think of brands that you really admire. Apple, Innocent, Oxfam, Virgin, The Co-op Bank, whoever are your favourites. You’ll be able to tell a story of some kind about every one. Something about their origins, their triumphs and trials, the personality and reknown of their founders, the way they treat their customers, their great advertising, their shops, their ethical stance etc.. Great brands have a way of creating and communicating compelling stories that affect our emotions as much as our intellect. And that way lies brand success.  Think of the brands that you take for granted or actively dislike (I won’t list any here): and ask what do they have in common? No stories. It’s counter-intuitive perhaps when we have learned to mistrust spin. But I’m not talking about spin, I’m talking authentic, values-based story. I’d go so far as to say never trust a brand who doesn’t have a good story. Chances are they have no soul.

That’s the three key building blocks of brand then, but what of the fourth piece I mentioned, the strategic action. I learned this most clearly from Simon Anholt, the nation brand expert, who talks of a concept called ‘symbolic action’. A symbolic action isn’t the be all and end all of brand of course, and it must come after the establishment of authenticity, values, and narrative. But a symbolic action can focus the attention of audiences and galvanise the people in your team with great power. A symbolic action is not a PR stunt, but something more significant and lasting, something meaningful which indicates through a brand’s behaviour, what it is about and what it intends to mean to the world.

For Hemsby the symbolic action which marks the resort’s new attitude and new confidence is the foundation of East Anglia’s first Festival of Scandinavian Culture, which marks and celebrates the strong links between our part of England and Scandinavia which go back 1200 years. This festival, which launches in 2010 will put Hemsby on the map because it is something of authentic power and value, sustainable and compelling and with a great story. What symbolic action can your brand undertake?

The Brand Strategy Guru says: “Combine Authenticity, Values and Narrative with brilliant Strategic Action to form the basis of a great brand.”

Date posted: Friday 22nd May 2009Back to news home page >

The Brand Effect and Hemsby: premiere and exhibition launch

I’m delighted that Norfolk Network is hosting this event on my behalf: at which members and special guests will get an exclusive look at the Hemsby branding project.

The full series of The Brand Effect will air on Sky in late summer, but at this event you’ll be able to see the first two episodes on the Curve’s superb HD screens at the Forum. These two episodes of the show will be of particular interest to Norfolk Network members, featuring the Norfolk village resort of Hemsby and an exclusive look inside the Lotus factory at Hethel.

And linking with the Hemsby theme the event will also be the private view for a major new exhibition of photographs of Hemsby and its people created by awarding winning Norfolk travel photographer Ian Aitken: a collection soon to be seen in a major London venue too.

We will also be revealing a new brand visual identity for Hemsby, to be used on all sorts of marketing materials.

There will of course, be plenty of opportunity for enjoyable networking over a glass of wine. If you’d like to attend, the evening (which starts at 6.30pm) is free to Norfolk Network members and invited guests, and £15 (plus VAT) to non members. You can register at www.norfolknetwork.com.

The pictures, from Ian Aitken’s exhibition, shows James Bensly, proprietor of The Beach Cafe, Beach Road, Hemsby.

The Brand Strategy Guru says: “Hemsby is in the process of re-establishing powerful brand meaning: come to this event and inspire your own brand.”

Date posted: Friday 22nd May 2009Back to news home page >

When work = passion = brand = meaning

Three guys who are completely committed to their craft, to making an honest living, to enjoyment of their activity, and to each other. There is so much for more modern businesses to learn here about the emotional quality of work and enterprise.

The Brand Strategy Guru says: “Inspiring brand authenticity of the very best kind.”

Date posted: Wednesday 20th May 2009Back to news home page >

The Brand Effect airs tonight

To see the first episode of the show (produced in association with the MSc Brand Leadership at University of East Anglia) select Sky 171 (MyChannel). You can of course record it with Sky Plus too. Second episode on brand-Sweden coming soon. Do let me know what you think.

Date posted: Monday 18th May 2009Back to news home page >

What exactly is nation branding?

With filming of the next episode of The Brand Effect in Sweden, and interviewing nation brand expert Simon Anholt, the concept of nation branding has been much on my mind. And lots of people have been asking me to explain what nation branding really means. This short news feature from World Business goes some way to explaining. This piece also features Robert Jones, a brand expert from Wolff Olins and course leader of the new MSc in Brand Leadership at University of East Anglia, which is an associate sponsor of The Brand Effect TV series.

Date posted: Monday 18th May 2009Back to news home page >

Can a clever viral movie change perceptions of Blackpool?

We know we’re being fooled from the outset. The enjoyment is in suspending our cynicism for 90 seconds. The viral has certainly done part of its job already, spreading fast and garnering huge amounts of coverage and comment. As far as the agency who made it, job’s a good un.

But strategically speaking, from the ‘brand’ perspective, I’d say it’s only skimmed the surface. Marketing is not the same as brand. This little movie is brilliant marketing… but I suspect it won’t do much to change ‘brand’ perceptions (i.e. deep rooted meanings and responses) about Blackpool.

That requires something quite different: something that no amount of clever ads, posters, slogans or leaflets can achieve.

Brand perceptions can be altered but only by authentic ‘behaviours’.

Date posted: Friday 15th May 2009Back to news home page >

First episode of The Brand Effect

The episode is being shown again this coming Monday May 18th at 9.30pm on Sky 171 (MyChannel). You can record it on Sky Plus. Here’s what the local paper in Norwich had to say….

Date posted: Tuesday 12th May 2009Back to news home page >

The Brand Effect now has its own website

The website will, as time goes on, feature clips from forthcoming episodes, and more. You can visit the site now at www.thebrandeffect.tv

Date posted: Monday 11th May 2009Back to news home page >

Hemsby and Big Skies of Norfolk

From paddling an inflatable dinghy through the muddy creeks of Blakeney, to soaking up the bright lights and glitziness of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk always seemed to be full of the promise of long adventurous days and exciting stay-up-late evenings.

I only holidayed in Hemsby once as a child, and it seemed to offer then, as it does now, a microcosm of all that was best about Norfolk holidays. Acres of sand, a sense of fun and excitement, and a kind of comforting timelessness.

To a child of course this manifested itself as a vague awareness that the grown-ups were at ease here too. And for a child to really enjoy a holiday, he or she has to be confident that Mum and Dad are enjoying it as well.

When I was approached by the traders of Hemsby I had no hesitation in getting involved. Here was a small but to my mind highly significant resort, looking for support in raising its profile and reminding a forgetful nation just what a traditional British seaside holiday could offer. 

Of course Hemsby is no more or less significant as a location than numerous other seaside resorts of different character around the coast of our county. Raising Hemsby’s brand profile isn’t about competing with other resorts: it’s actually about Hemsby stepping up to the challenge, which all of us involved hope will raise awareness of Norfolk itself as a rich and varied holiday destination.

And I don’t want to change Hemsby either. Instead I want to help the people who run the holiday businesses there to be able to articulate what Hemsby stands for, and to communicate that story compellingly to holidaymakers, weekenders and day trippers across the country.

It’s a journey that we’ve only just begun together but I’m convinced that the Hemsby holiday story is one well worth crafting and telling and I’m very proud to be working on it.

Brand Norfolk: what does Norfolk have to do to compete as a holiday destination?

There are two schools of thought about brand and branding. One believes that brand is all about logos and slogans and ‘marketing’. The other one (which I belong to) says that brand is actually just another word for ‘meaning’.

In my definition your brand is the sum total of everything that your audience thinks about you , feels about you, hears, sees, believes, suspects and hopes about you.

So on the one hand a brand is a very intangible thing. On the other it’s not only powerful, but it’s all you’ve got.

Strong, positive brands are those that have strong, positive meanings: meanings that can be grasped confidently in the hearts and minds of the people you’re trying to communicate with. The trouble is of course that things can get pretty complex and difficult to summarise easily when you’re talking about something as big and varied as a whole county: Norfolk for example.

The other crucial characteristic of a strong brand is that it must be substantially, recognisably and unarguably different from other brands.

Those, like me, who love Norfolk, and who would urge others to visit the county have a real challenge. We know how fantastic and fantastically varied it is. We see that as the county’s great strength. But is that a compelling brand message to those from outside? I don’t think so. ‘Varied’ is not a heart-stirring message, no matter how logical and accurate it might be.

We can turn ‘varied’ into some kind of marketing benefit perhaps. We can say Norfolk is a kind of ‘one-stop’ holiday destination with every kind of holiday experience you could hope for. But that won’t wash in brand terms either.

France is varied. But people don’t go to France because it’s varied. They go to France because it is so powerfully associated with a certain quality of relaxation and attitude to life (whether that is manifested in wine, food, rural gites or just indefinable Frenchness, and because it is different to Britain).

No, varied won’t do. Norfolk must nail its flag to a more distinctive mast than that. To attract more visitors to Norfolk we have to tell a story which is authentic but inspiring, rich but essentially easy to grasp.

It’s tempting to argue that Norfolk is just plain different. ‘Do different’ has been an oft-used local motto after all. But different won’t do either. Yorkshire is different. Cornwall is different. We’re all different.

If you think I’m heading here for a glib slogan, don’t worry. I’m not a fan of those. I don’t want a Norfolk equivalent of ‘Glasgow Smiles Better’.  But I do want to try to reveal what is about Norfolk than people outside can grasp and be moved by.

I’m willing here to stick my head above the parapet and suggest a thought about Norfolk which is authentic, distinctive, ownable by the county and which (literally) encompasses the county in all its variety. It’s also an idea which is in fairly common parlance in the county.

That thought is simply: big skies. It’s not an original concept of course. Norfolk’s big skies have been celebrated by writers, artists and thinkers since time immemorial. But that’s its strength. We don’t need something new or clever. We need something true, compelling and inspiring.

The big skies of Norfolk are like no others, whether you’re standing on the beach at Hemsby, or in Breckland, or on the Broads, or in Hunstanton, or in Norwich. They are reflected in the still waters of a broad at twilight and in the glass frontage of The Forum in the sunshine.

And under those big skies is a big county laid out like a fabulous tapestry, of villages, market towns, resorts, woodland, farmland, beaches and a unique city. And those big skies which have so inspired artists are also symbolic of the freedom, adventure, freshness and invigorating relaxation of a Norfolk holiday.

If it was me in charge of brand Norfolk I’d explore this route in detail. The Lake District is fells and lakes. Cornwall is fishing villages, cream teas and surfing beaches. Yorkshire is dales, moors and seaside. The Cotswolds is impossibly quaint villages and gentle hillsides.

But only Norfolk is big skies, from fen to coast. The first job of a brand is to inspire, and big skies is a concept capable of inspiring. To do that of course it needs to be accompanied by imagery and ‘action’ which bring that concept to life and underline its truth.

To give one simple example of what I mean by ‘imagery and action’, imagine the world’s largest hot air balloon event. Hundreds of balloons from all over the world, coming to fly in Norfolk on one awe inspiring occasion. What could symbolise big skies better than that? Worldwide publicity guaranteed with a single striking and memorable mental image of what Norfolk means. That’s just one example.

Another might be some kind of landmark sculpture which celebrates the big skies of Norfolk. There are infinite possibilities. What’s required is imagination, boldness and a belief in Norfolk’s uniqueness.

So let’s not try to sell ‘varied’. And let’s not try to market the lame ‘one-stop holiday shop’ idea. Tell Britain and beyond about Norfolk’s own magnificent treasure: the big skies which reign over the fabulous tapestry beneath.

And before we leave the topic, remember that the big skies concept isn’t restricted to tourism either. Big skies inspire big ideas. Big ideas make great business. 

Norfolk? Oh yes, that’s the big sky county isn’t it?

Published in Eastern Daily Press, May 1st 2009

Date posted: Saturday 2nd May 2009Back to news home page >

First episode of The Brand Effect airs May 11th

The first programme airs on Monday May 11that 9.30pm on MyChannel which can be found on Sky 171. The first episode takes an introductory look at brands today: what they are, how they work, and why they matter. The full series will air from July (date tbc). We are currently shooting the second episode, focusing on the branding of places, using the village resort of Hemsby in Norfolk, and the nation of Sweden, as case studies.

Date posted: Friday 24th April 2009Back to news home page >

Is zagging enough?

Neumeier argues (very persuasively) that the fundamental difference between successful brands and the rest is precisely that: fundamental difference.

To Neumeier, radical differentiation (what he describes as zagging when everyone else is zigging) is the crucial state that any business or organisation has to achieve in order to cut through all the marketing clutter.

ZAG is a fascinating and helpful little book, which could be very valuable to anyone starting out on the journey of building a brand, or at a stage of re-assessing their business strategy. It’s short, it’s easy to follow, and it takes the general reader through a series of exercises (Neumeier calls them checkpoints) which are thought-provoking and rewarding.

The principle of radical differentiation is a powerful one and I am in broad agreement with it: the author cites some compelling evidence of highly differentiated brands achieving greater long term performance than others. Differentiation from the competition is absolutely crucial for brand success, but I was left at the end of the book feeling a little unsatisfied, because I don’t think that differentiation on its own is enough.

I believe that differentiation has to be woven into a more complex fabric which also includes an authentic and compelling narrative, a values base which customers can relate to and trust, a strong communications strategy, and the ability to connect with customers’ hearts as well as their minds, among other things.

Having said that, Neumeier (who has a very impressive career in brand and visual identity and is also the author of another brand best-seller The Brand Gap) has honed in on one of the most important aspects of brand, and the one which so many businesses seem most reluctant to pursue (for fear of being different, when it’s actually being different that matters).

Overall ZAG is an easy read, refreshingly short and to the point, and one that you can return to as a reference again and again. Recommended.

Date posted: Thursday 26th March 2009Back to news home page >

Hemsby and the great British seaside holiday

In recent years traditional British seaside holidays have taken a knock. The idea of the British seaside is less understood by younger generations, and cheap flights have lured families out of the UK in search of affordable sunshine vacations.

But the old-fashioned values of fun, friendliness and fish & chips, combined with sandcastles and paddling are still alive in numerous seaside resorts around the coast of Britain.

One resort, Hemsby in Norfolk, just thirty miles east of my home in Norwich, is determined to lead the fight back for the British seaside holiday, and has engaged me to help them do just that.

I’ll be working with the businesses and people of Hemsby and its close neighbour Newport, to help them raise their profile in the minds of holidaymakers and day trippers from all over the UK.

For Hemsby it’s not about big budget advertising, but about creating an authentic story about the place which appeals to people. This is a fantastically friendly and enjoyable little resort, with a truly magnificent sandy beach and all the ingredients you could possibly hope for in a family holiday… like they used to be.

I believe there’s still a market for this… as a nation we’ve just sort of forgotten about the idea. Hemsby’s going to remind people.

I plan to help put Hemsby in the public eye through a strategic intervention which might well include the revival of the traditional Longshore Herring Festival and other major cultural as well as leisure events.

Part of the plan is also to let big holiday companies know that Hemsby is a terrific location. Pontin pulled out of the village last year, which I think was a mistake. So there’s a vacancy in the village for a holiday accommodation provider with real imagination and commitment,

I have lived in Norwich most of my life and I’ve long been a champion of all things Norfolk. That’s partly why I’m so excited to be working for Hemsby of course: it’s another Norfolk gem, waiting to be rediscovered. More news later.

Date posted: Wednesday 18th March 2009Back to news home page >

Seven things I’ve learned about marketing

1. You’re not in control of the output, only the input

You can, and should, take control of your complete marketing effort. You should control your channels, your messages and all the aspects of input. That’s where you should put your energy and funds. and remember that the ultimate input is your authentic brand behaviour. You cannot control the output though: ultimately the people are in charge of your brand, not you.

2. It’s more effective to create brand gravity than brand noise

Noise might get attention (but then so do sub-bass speakers in passing souped-up Vauxhall Corsas): but it doesn’t make people like you, or even do business with you. Brand gravity is about attracting people to you, rather than you having to chase them. And you do that by focusing on telling authentic and compelling stories.

3. There’s never enough information, and there’s always too much

Whatever marketing initiative you undertake could arguably have been improved with a little more information about your audience, about the market tendencies or whatever. Arguably. But in my experience the challenge is usually that there is so much information that you don’t know what to believe. Not enough information (or the fear of it) can stop you in your tracks. So can too much.

4. A great story beats a great product, but great stories about bad products are just lies

Your product or service doesn’t have to be the best or the newest, or the cheapest: because great marketing is about great stories. But don’t take this as permission to spin. If your product or service is poor then a great story might get you noticed for a while, but it’s ultimately unsustainable. On the one hand the world won’t beat a path to your door just because you’ve made a better mousetrap (you need to tell the world a great story first), but if you lure them to your door and your mousetrap doesn’t catch the pesky creatures very well, then all your efforts will be worse than useless.

5. Your brand isn’t your logo, or your advertising: and that’s why it matters

Your brand is everything that people think, feel, believe, know, suspect, hope, hear, read, see, imagine, understand or misunderstand about your company, organisation, product or service. In a sense your brand is just a collusion, and if you don’t have a ‘critical mass’ believing roughly similar things about you then you don’t have a brand at all. In one sense brands don’t exist at all, and in another sense they’re all you’ve got. Treat your brand with the respect appropriate to this dual truth.

6. The internet has changed everything, and nothing

If you’re not embracing the power of the internet then you aren’t really marketing. And I don’t mean the internet as it was five years ago, or two years ago, or even a year ago. I mean as it is now and as it will be in three months. It changes all the time. Fast. Marketers need to to do the same. There’s only one way to understand it, and that’s to dive in. And yet, though all the rules of communication have changed because of the web: the fundamental need to create positive and compelling stories which your customers can identify with and believe in, remains the same. Net or no net, marketing is about meaning.

7. Marketing will not solve all your problems, and yet…

Classical marketing concerns itself with product, price, place and promotion (the 4 P’s). That’s all about about the process of doing business with your customers (including development of something they want to buy). The other ‘big’ issues in companies (strategy, human resources, finance, operations etc..) have never been part of the marketing remit. Yet marketers can lay claim to a powerfully influential territory, what might be called the fifth P, that of ‘purpose’. Marketers, through their understanding of customers, communication and brand are perhaps uniquely well placed to examine and help influence any company’s ‘purpose’ (i.e. what is the company in business for, what’s its reason for being). It’s this sense of ‘positive purpose’ that customers are increasingly looking for. Marketers have a new and powerful challenge, to influence ‘purpose’.

Tell me what you think: disagreement just as valuable as agreement! And of course, as soon as I’ve published this post, I’ll think of seven more lessons. I’m sure you will too. As I said, nothing is definitive.

Date posted: Saturday 14th March 2009Back to news home page >

Simon Middleton show reel now available

If you are considering a speaker for your next conference in a topic related to brand, marketing, and creativity in business: you’ve come to the right place. The film was made by Nik Coleman Films, with original music by drum and bass producer DJ Impact. The film is also available on DVD and on my YouTube channel.

Date posted: Saturday 21st February 2009Back to news home page >

Six counter-intuitive ways to survive in a recession

1.  Don’t let your people go

Many companies claim that “our people are our greatest asset”. Yet when the going gets tough it’s this great asset that gets the push first. Before you start jettisoning staff: consider whether they could possibly be engaged in new and different activity for you, perhaps in a new business opportunity (see point 2).

2. Don’t stick to the knitting

Recession is not a time for sticking doggedly to what you’ve always done, but for innovation, radical examination of what you’re trying to achieve, and for seriously considering reinvention. In recession use the down-time to experiment, try new products, examine your brand. But see point 3.

3. Don’t mix up your strategy and your planning

Strategy is about where you want to go. The big picture. Planning is about the steps to get there. Too many people mix them up, especially under pressure of recession. If you truly believe in the big picture hold fast to it, but be prepared to radically change the plans to get there. And if you have doubts about your strategy, take time out now to really examine where you want to go.

4. Don’t throw good marketing money after bad

But don’t slash your marketing in a knee-jerk response either. Instead look at what you are trying to communicate and to whom. Then tailor your marketing accordingly. Be crystal clear in your communications, but never forget that you need to capture customers’ hearts not as well as their heads.

5. Don’t forget that brand is not the same as marketing

Your brand is your most powerful and most fragile property. It’s everything that people think, feel, hear, say and believe about you. Your brand is what you mean to the world. Examine it carefully. Nurture it now more than ever.

6. Don’t waste energy trying to sell to people who are trying to sell to you
I believe in networking. But I don’t believe in card-swapping festivals. If you want to network, do it in new and interesting places that challenge you, extend your brand network and lift you out of the ‘usual suspects’ melee.

Date posted: Thursday 19th February 2009Back to news home page >

How to get to Carnegie Hall… Malcolm Gladwell’s new book ‘Outliers’

This story doesn’t feature in Malcolm Gladwell’s compelling new book Outliers, but it would not have been out of place. The powerful notion that long and serious practice makes for success lies at the very heart of the book. If you want to know why some people are more successful than others says Gladwell (in any field, and by virtually any measure), then the question to ask is not ‘what is special about the individual’s talent?’, but rather ‘where do they come from, what is their background?’.

Gladwell, as in his previous books The Tipping Point and Blink tells a great story. Never dry and never dull. His particular talent in fact is in finding narrative in the research of others and bringing it to life for the lay reader, and in Outliers he takes us on thrilling journey through talent and success, from the ice hockey leagues of Canada to the birth of Silicon Valley and from the Jewish rag-trade of early 20th century New York to the rice-paddies of China.

It’s fascinating to learn for example that the vast majority of top ice hockey players in Canada were born between January and March. It’s engaging to discover too that all the key players in the micro-computer industry, including Apple founder Steve Jobs and Microsoft’s Bill Gates (and numerous others) were born within a year or so of each other.

What’s more important of course is why these things matter. And Gladwell’s simple answer is: opportunity. Computer boffins born just a little earlier (a year or two is all it takes) than Jobs or Gates would have headed into careers at IBM or similar old-style (main-frame focused) computer companies. Those born just a couple of years later (and thus graduating later), missed the Silicon Valley boat setting sail. They could apply to join the fast-growing little companies that were beginning to change our world, but they couldn’t start the revolution: it was already underway.

Similarly with Canada’s hockey players. The reason for the clustering of talent in certain months of the year is actually nothing to do with ‘talent’ but much more to do with size. Initial selection for school hockey teams are made late in the school year. The ten-year-old boys who were born in January, February and March are naturally slightly taller, slightly heavier and slightly stronger than boys just a few months younger in the same year. And these slight physical advantages (which wouldn’t be noticeable if they were just a year or two older) give them a tiny advantage in the hockey team trials.

Coaches don’t set out to select older boys. They’re looking for ‘talent’: but an illusion of talent is created by the minor age variations.

And this is where the Rubinstein story comes in. The boys selected by the coaches all over Canada get to play many more matches, and have many more hours of coaching and practice than those not deemed to be the potential stars. The extra practice of course makes them better players and thus the self-fulfilling prophecy of talent is fulfilled.

Is this a problem? Well yes, argues Gladwell. For one thing if you’re born in the summer or autumn in Canada you can forget your dreams of hockey stardom. And Gladwell cites numerous other examples of this type of selection mechanism at work, in education, in industry and business, in society as a whole.

The principle behind it all is that we think (all over the world) that ‘winners’ are special, whereas (if Gladwell is right) ‘winners’ are more accurately described as those who make the very best out of the right combination of circumstances. And the idea of ‘making the very best of’ is just as important as having the right circumstances. Gladwell cites research which strongly indicates that this ‘making the very best of’ idea can be measured: it amounts to approximately 10,000 hours of practice.

Rubinstein was dead right it seems. Whatever your starting-level of ability, whatever your apparent ‘gift’ (or lack of one) it appears that 10,000 hours of serious, concentrated effort on one skill will make you a world-class expert at it. So, if you’re feeling left behind in the talent race. If you want to be an overnight success, don’t lose hope, just put in 3 hours a day for the next ten years and you’ll be a star!

There is way too much in this book to do justice to here. Suffice to say that for anyone interested in creativity, talent, training, people-development, education or social reform, this book is a must-read. It’s easy to read: the challenge is in learning from it.

Date posted: Monday 9th February 2009Back to news home page >

The demise of the restaurant car, and the National Express brand with it

I think the National Express decision is a staggeringly stupid and shortsighted bit of crass anti-brand behaviour, and I’m writing about it for a second time for two reasons. First because as each day goes by I get crosser and crosser about it. And second, because the decision to end the restaurant car service (part of a cost cutting exercise which also causes numerous redundancies in a Norwich call centre), was followed within just a few days by the train company’s announcement that it is putting up fares again, this time by 6% (well ahead of inflation), with the pitiful and deeply ironic claim that they need the additional funds to improve services.

Insult heaped upon ineptitude. It is, as my father’s generation were given to saying, “no way to run a railway”.

The blandest of bland spokesmen appeared on regional television to explain how (in the Wonderland logic that only self-justifying big company spokespersons seem capable of) ‘customers’ would be better off as a result of the combined price rise and service slash. In a press statement the company said (defying logic to an almost awe-inspiring extent) that ‘changing customer needs’ meant that the restaurant car service was no longer required.

This despite evidence that the service is not only popular on the morning services to London and the evening services back to Norwich, but also that it actually makes a profit.

Why do I regard this a ‘brand betrayal’? Why do I take it so seriously? Simply because I take the act of being in business very seriously. I believe in the market and in the prinicipal of enterprise. I believe in profit and I believe that on balance it is a more efficient and effective system than a state-dominated alternative.

BUT, BUT,BUT… it’s a system which relies not only on the exploitation of opportunity, BUT ON THE FULFILMENT OF OBLIGATION… AND ONE OF THOSE OBLIGATIONS IS NOT TO TEAR UP AND THROW AWAY A PRODUCT OR SERVICE WHICH IS VALUED BY (EVEN A FEW) PEOPLE WITHOUT DAMN GOOD REASON.

There simply isn’t a good reason for National Express to scrap this part of the service. They are privileged (not too strong a ward) to have the management of parts of our national railway system within their remit. It’s a fabulous business opportunity for them, and I don’t have an issue with that. But they have forgotten the responsibility that goes with it.

The restaurant car, whether it sounds anachronistic to you or not, was a successful service. Enjoyed and praised by its regular and occasional users. Widely acknowledged in the industry as an excellent service. Probably the only genuine bit of excellence in the whole service. And profitable to boot. Ending it is a crass, unimaginative and brand-ignorant decision and I loathe the company for it.

Date posted: Monday 9th February 2009Back to news home page >

I’m with the brand as, it seems, we all are

Or is there something much more complex than status at work when we not only choose brands, but actually seek them out. According to Rob Walker’s I’m With the Brand there is something quite fundamentally human at work.

In this fascinating journey through what he calls ‘murketing’ (murky marketing) he not only demonstrates that we are attracted irresistibly towards brands, but that this is a core part of what makes us human. We seek meaning, we create and cling to narrative, we have always fashioned and communed around symbols, totems and mythologies.

Walker sums up his premise thus: “I found it tempting at first to conclude that consumers reach for these commercial symbols because we live in a world riddled with logos. But eventually I realized that maybe I had the cause and effect backward. Maybe we live in a world riddled with logos because symbols are something we enjoy, desire, and even need.”

That doesn’t make all brand-behaviour admirable or even ethical of course: but it certainly undermines the all-too-easy notion that brands are necessarily a negative.

From trainer-hunters to the beer-choice of students, from the blank canvas of Hello Kitty and the strange (apparent) anti-marketing behaviour of Red-Bull, to the white headphones of the iPod, Walker travels the contemporary brand world trying to figure out why we make our meanings this way.

Whether you’re interested in advertising and marketing, or in contemporary culture and trends, I’m With the Brand is one of the year’s most stimulating and refreshing business books.

Date posted: Monday 9th February 2009Back to news home page >

How Benefit and Bewilderwood stand out from their crowds

Californian cosmetics brand Benefit has captured the hearts of women of all ages because they have gone way beyond the normal parameters of what is expected of the sector. Instead of just focusing on glamour, or sexiness, or tedious old skin-care, or even age-regeneration-nonsense, Benefit have turned cosmetics into a Wonderland of wit, charm and desirability. And if that sounds odd coming from a curmudgeonly middle-aged bloke like me, then you need to understand the spellbinding effect Benefit product branding has on my wife and 21-year-old daughter.

Benefit has followed the magic formula of appealing to hearts as well as minds. Seth Godin might call them a Purple Cow. Chip and Dan Heath would say they’ve created a ‘sticky’ story. Kevin Roberts would say they’ve combined mystery and sensuality.

Just look at their packaging. Every product looks different and beautiful. Every box looks like it holds some tiny and irresistible treasure. Everything is designed with humour and sassiness. And the product names are a delight: inventive, funny and engaging (which is pretty good going for a facial-scrub).*

At the other end of the budget scale, and in a very different field (or wood perhaps) is Bewilderwood, the Norfolk tourist attraction. Bewilderwood could be just another adventure playground in a nice woodland setting: but the for the power of the imagination of the small team behind it. Check out their great little website to see how they have brought outdoor adventure play to life with characters, new fairy-tales and real drama. Then visit the real thing (borrow children if you have to): it’s very, very good.

Whatever business you’re in: if you can bring half the inventiveness and narrative power of Benefit and Bewilderwood to play on your customers then you’ll be standing way out in front of the pack. And in today’s climate what could be more important to a business?

*Honey: snap out of it is a great product name is it not? Not to mention The Realness of Concealness, Primpcess, Powderflage or Justine Case. This brand employs some seriously good designers, copywriters and brand managers. If you’re a man and you just don’t understand what I’m on about, just talk to a girl. She’ll know.

Date posted: Monday 9th February 2009Back to news home page >

What’s in a name? Norwich Union becomes Aviva

It tells us that Ringo is under the illusion that his name-change made his fortune (he doesn’t mention the role that Messrs. Lennon, McCartney and Harrison played). Sure the music industry and entertainment in general is full of successful name changers (Elvis Costello, David Bowie and Bob Dylan spring to mind).

But beware of drawing rash conclusions: why did Declan McManus choose Elvis as his new first name? Because of Elvis Presley of course (which was the King’s given name). For every Ringo who has changed there’s a Springsteen who hasn’t. It’s not a sound argument, and it’s a shame Aviva has chosen to make their case this way, because there is actually a much more intelligent and interesting case to be made for the re-brand. But perhaps we’re not bright enough to understand it: so instead they throw celebrities at us (and mainly B-list ones into the bargain).

Meanwhile (and somewhat confusingly) they are running a simultaneous campaign under the Norwich Union brand-name using the ridiculous ‘Happy’ idea. ‘Quote Me Happy’ was a fatuous campaign first-time around. They wisely withdrew it, but now, as they have proudly been telling us, Happy’s back. Well I for one wish Happy would shove off and that NU (Aviva) would let their ad agency AMV come up with something genuinely engaging and confidently brand-building.

And speaking of brand confidence: Aviva take a note of the ballsy, cheeky and delightfully OTT ad from Virgin Atlantic, celebrating 25 years of sexy air travel with a wit and attitude that Aviva can only dream about. And don’t tell me it’s easier to be creative with air travel than financial services: that excuse won’t wash in this economic climate.

Come on Aviva: I’m not agin’ the name change but you need to explain it properly and tell us why we should believe in it. The mortal danger for the new brand is only just over the horizon, so watch out… unless you engage your public you’ll just bore us to death and what seemed like good corporate brand strategy will end up just looking ‘corporate’. Aviva could mean something interesting: but we won’t know it unless you tell us.

Date posted: Monday 9th February 2009Back to news home page >

Barack Obama and the power of authentic brand purpose

I’ve been heard to talk a great deal in the last year, during brand consulting engagements, about the concept of ‘purpose’ and the act of ‘purposing’. I’ve argued that this concept is what separates great brands and businesses from the rest, and that the idea of purpose is more fundamental and more powerful than that of brand: in fact that authentic purpose lies behind all great brands.

But there’s far more to Obama than brand: it’s much more than an understanding of how brands work that has led to Obama’s extraordinary victory.

Obama won so convincingly because he exhibits all the elements of ‘authentic purpose’. I describe authentic purpose as having seven key elements: Context, Desire, Creation, Intent, Talent, Narrative and Resource.

Obama and only Obama matched the Context of this election (the context of economic meltdown, of war, of America having lost its status in the world) so perfectly that it seemed to be a matter of destiny for him to win.

From the start Obama demonstrated the Desire to win an historic victory (the energy and the belief) in such a way that gave him the very appealing qualities of hope and optimism (starkly contrasting with the attitude of his opponents).

Obama used the power of Creation and creativity from the start: conjouring up the picture of a new and more postive and prouder America. An image which won over even those who were anxious about electing the first black president.

Obama’s campaign utilised Intent in the most disciplined way. The campaign was strategically conceived and executed, its emotional underpinnings notwithstanding.

Obama mustered and inspired the largest campaign team that an American election has ever seen: a remarkable utilisation of Talent (not just his own, but that of thousands of supporters and party workers).

Obama utilised the huge power of Narrative, and he utilised it authentically. John McCain is a remarkable man in his own right with an amazing personal narrative. But this could never compete with the narrative of African Americans from the 17th Century onwards, culminating in the vision of Obama’s election success.

Finally Obama knew perfectly how to use his Resources: his personal talent and charismatic personality, his family’s support, the vast financial money that was able to attract (to the point where the Republicans were heard to complain about being underfunded), the energy and will of African Americans (whom he persuaded to register and to vote in unprecedented numbers).

Barack Obama is much more than a brand. He is a lesson par excellence in the power of Authentic Purpose.

Date posted: Monday 9th February 2009Back to news home page >

The Brand Effect TV series

The working title was Simon Middleton’s Brand Bible as you’ll see on this trailer, but it’s actually going to be broadcast as The Brand Effect. We’re now busy shooting and editing the half-hour pilot of what should be a six episode series. For now there’s not much to show apart from a 48 second trailer, which you can view here. Please feel free to make a comment, or to suggest brand topics, and/or specific brands that you’d like me to cover in the series. And watch this space…

Date posted: Monday 9th February 2009Back to news home page >