Paul Geddes on turning Direct Line into a brand-driven business
Jonathan BaconThe CEO and former marketer is committed to creating differentiation in what many consider a commodity marketplace.
Analysis
In-depth features, interviews and insights into marketing’s biggest issues.
The uncomfortable truths about marketing: agency siloes, image problems and data obsession
Leonie RoderickWhile brands and agencies love to celebrate their successes, there are certain issues such as an over-reliance on data and a siloed approach to work that too many marketers are avoiding talking about according to top marketers from Sainsbury’s, Unilever and Travelex.
How Leon got maximum value from minimum spend
Jonathan BaconRestaurant chain Leon has increased its outlets by 50% over the past year and grown breakfast sales thanks to a carefully orchestrated campaign done on a minimal budget. In the second of Marketing Week’s shoestring marketing series, marketing manager Saskia Sidey explains how.
Airbnb’s marketing boss on polarising brands, mass tourism and why it wants to offer a ‘complete experiential proposition’
Leonie RoderickAirbnb is rapidly expanding its service away from just offering accommodation to provide a full travel service as it looks to lure holidaymakers away from “mass produced tourism”. The brand’s CMO Jonathan Mildenhall talks to Marketing Week about being a polarising brand, maintaining its “millennial cool” and its plans for the future.
How Pret used customer insight to shape its new veggie pop-up strategy
Thomas HobbsAfter leaning on insight from a customer poll, Pret A Manger is set to launch a standalone vegetarian shop and group marketing director Mark Palmer believes more brands should crowdsource ideas from the public to ensure new launches are successful.
How Under Armour and Coca-Cola are overcoming ‘brand laziness’ in marketing to women around sport
Leonie RoderickBrands are too “lazy” when it comes to marketing to women through sport but marketers that have worked for Coca-Cola, Under Armour and Heineken say there are plentiful opportunities for better storytelling and grassroots community work if marketers can ignite a conversation.
How the Tesco brand recovered from crisis
Sarah VizardA year ago Tesco was in crisis having just reported a £6.3bn loss and with its brand trust rapidly eroding. Yet CEO Dave Lewis claims customers are now returning as his focus on “what makes Tesco unique” and communicating that to customers helps turn around the business.
Why Mars’s cautionary food labelling can only ever be a ‘short-term fix’
Leonie RoderickMars Food, the company behind Dolmio and Uncle Ben’s sauces, is putting advice on some of its products stating that they should only be consumed once a week due to high salt, sugar or fat content. But some fear it only offers a “short term fix” to a deep-rooted problem.
Why the ad industry needs to start shouting about its exporting prowess
Leonie RoderickThe advertising industry is positioning itself as a significant contributor to national exports as it looks to raise its economic profile. But the whole industry, both agencies and clients, will need to start shouting about its contributions if advertising wants MPs and policy makers to take it more seriously.
Why offering rewards outside your core product offering could increase loyalty
Nicola SmithAs brands continually look to differentiate from competitors, those that incentivise customers with rewards outside of their core product offering could do better to build loyalty in the long-term.
What does ‘digital transformation’ really mean?
Mindi ChahalBusinesses frequently use the term, but what does it actually entail and who should be responsible for its execution?
Dixons Carphone’s CMO on what it takes to succeed following a merger
Thomas HobbsMergers often cause more difficulties than synergies, but Dixons Carphone is swiftly growing profitability and its new group CMO Gary Booker is confident its disruptive approach to marketing will set it up for long-term success.
What brands should consider before jumping on Facebook’s chatbots
Leonie RoderickFrom ‘chatbots’ to social VR experiences, Facebook’s new features seem like an exciting way for brands to connect with consumers. But what should they consider before jumping in head first?
Dragons’ Den brand Enclothed on scaling up personalisation and investing in growth
Lucy TesserasFashion ecommerce business Enclothed, whose founders will be speaking at Marketing Week Live on 28 April, rose to prominence last year following an appearance on the BBC show Dragons’ Den.
Three brand benefits of working with startups
Mindi ChahalEstablished brands stand to learn a lot from disruptive startups but in order to gain maximum value from any relationship they need to embrace innovation, think differently, fail fast and iterate quickly.