I often try and take a trip to our local shopping mall. I hate shopping malls, but they're bloody useful for getting a feel for real people, rather than the fake ones in segmentations.  As it happens, today, I had to go to the Apple store, in said shopping centre, to get a new phone.…

I got into this business in 1997. A lot has changed since then. We were all wondering if Ross from Friends would get back with Rachel (do not pretend otherwise, you were). The X-Files was still on and it was still good. Heat magazine was aimed at blokes. We were hopefully, hopelessly excited about the…

I've liked Original Source shower gel for a long time. I even worked on it once. I liked the zing the experience gave, I liked the distinctive, natural, outdoorsy feeling the brand gave off (maybe because I was partly responsible for it). But I don't buy it very often. Because my local supermarket doesn't stock…

  "The truth? You can't handle the truth" Colonel Jessup The problem with research is that most people, intentionally or not, don't tell the truth. Sometimes they can't articulate how they feel. Sometimes they tell you what they think you want to hear. Or what is socially acceptable. For example, most pollsters think that in…

When it comes to connecting with people, persuading them to do stuff for you, similarity works. It doesn't matter if it's how you dress, speak, background, age, religion or what, we like people who are more like us and find them more persuasive. Now let's be honest about the main challenge of planning. Planners have…

One of the problems with planners is their love of powerpoint. Scratch that, it's a problem with agency folk. Endless stressing over the precise words that go into chart after chart, when, actually,  a great presentation swings on people listening to what you're saying, not reading over-written charts. For what it's worth, here's how I…

One of the challenges of being a planner is having impact in any meeting where most will see you as a necessary evil  – or unnecessary evil. Creatives think (rightly in many cases) they can do strategy. So do suits, who like maintaining control of client meetings – many see you as a threat to…

A long time ago, 1988 to be precise, there was a great TV movie about the Roger Bannister story- you know, breaking the four minute mile.   The actor that played Bannister, Richard Huw was an OK runner, but had to train to look credible and copy Bannister's precise running style. What was interesting was…