Brand Aid Blog
Richard Taylor of Simpsons Creative offers the inside track on the importance of brand and hot topics in marketing.
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Fast forward to the future of TV advertising
In the ad world we work on the rule of thumb that you have three seconds to arrest attention with a print advertisement. One, when the reader looks... Read More
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From mad men to best buddies: Brands that want to be your friend
Brands and branding have been with us for a long time (ever since the first rancher burned his initials in the hide of a steer) and you’d have... Read More
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Sex still sells - even though it's not allowed!
It’s been a good few decades since you could get away with gratuitous sex or sexism in advertising. Remember the glory days when Fiat could run an ad... Read More
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Don’t try to gatecrash the party – throw your own!
Perhaps the most interesting thing about Damien Hirst’s formaldehyde -preserved shark is its title: ‘The physical impossibility of death in the mind... Read More
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Social media specialists – back in the bottle?
I’ve never tried to get a genie back in a bottle. In fact anyone who knows me well could tell you that I’ve never tried to get anything back into a... Read More
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A bargain isn’t a bargain if it’s not your size!
A bargain isn’t a bargain if it’s not in your size. It’s a truism, but it’s a demonstrable fact that greed often puts common sense on hold. And... Read More
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“SO THEN, TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF”
Imagine you’re interviewing a candidate for a job. You usher them to a chair and after the usual formalities you lean forward expectantly and say “So... Read More
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For today only – save £4m plus on your rebrand!
Branding is big business, so it’s no surprise to discover that the creation of a brand identity often comes with a hefty price tag. The branding of... Read More
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Out with the old?
I was sitting down at the weekend with a charming little ‘Vino Collapso’ (just to help with the creative process you understand) and my laptop to... Read More
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“This time next year we’ll be millionaires!”
Yes, well, we all want to believe, but as you watched the re-runs of Only Fools and Horses over the holidays, I hope you remembered that Del Boy’s... Read More
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Mumsnet and Littlewoods ‘Little Darlings’
It’s a horrible thing the Littlewoods Christmas ad. A group of children singing the praises of mums who buy expensive presents in a quasi-... Read More
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Branding shouldn’t be set in stone
I’m not sure whether the immortal lines “Titter ye not”, “Just like that!” or “Tea, Ern?” (Catchphrases, as if you didn’t know, of Frankie Howerd,... Read More
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Rebranding: Time to swap the safety pins for a suit
Getting older is a fact of life. Growing up is optional. Occasionally you come across an unreconstructed punk or hippie, but for most of us our... Read More
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The more I practice…
What do you think might happen if you took all of the self-proclaimed social marketing or branding experts in our region and sealed them in a dark... Read More
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Outdoor media goes out of this world
The science fiction world of interactive advertising imagined in Stephen Spielberg’s film ‘Minority Report’ has taken a step nearer reality at Tesco’... Read More
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Will Australia buck the Marlboro cowboy in the end
The Marlboro cowboy and his stablemates could be in for a rough ride in the coming months as the Australian government enacts new laws that will... Read More
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I’m sorry Barbie, baby, but it’s time to grow up!
Poor little Barbie, the ubiquitous Mattel toy, must be searching through her accessories for a miniature bottle of Valium right now. She who could... Read More
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You may not hear from me again…
If I have to suffer another ‘how to get rich quick with (buzzword to go here)’ pitch it will definitely result in a “Geoffrey Bernard is unwell” type... Read More
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Brand leader - or Elvis lookalike?
A brand is more than a badge. Simply changing the name of a product does not alter its essential content or character.I could change my name to Elvis... Read More
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All change on the marketing merry-go-round!
I’m old enough – though probably no wiser than ever I was – to have lived through some seriously business-life changing developments. I can remember... Read More