Because I’m not very good at the job I read a lot. Mostly stuff that has little to do with planning, brands or marketing. Partly because everyone else reads the same industry books and such. Mostly because ideas are really re-combinations of existing things. So, the wider the raw material, the better chance of an…

You may know I love cycling, I’m a MAMIL (middle aged man in lycra) To the eternal dismay of the people I live with, I also watch it Tell you what, it’s in a bit of a golden age After years of the likes of Team Sky grinding other teams down With one boring strategy.…

Once upon a time I used to be a swimmer (I may have mentioned this once or twice). My biggest failing was controlling adrenalin. I used to start training sessions like a lunatic, crying in agony by at the end of two hours. Because I'd used my energy far too soon. I used to go…

I hate gyms, I 'd rather be outside or in water, but I have been in them from time to time. One of the species of gym bunny I used to find amusing was all the all the gear no idea types. You know, high on expensive kit, light on actual exercise – usually doing…

If you read this blog more than once a year you're probably sick of me telling you I used to be swimmer and cycle a lot. When I was a teenager being an athlete used to define me, maybe too much  if I'm honest. But when I swam I felt powerful and capable, I felt…

The worst thing you can do in research is ask people about your brand or product. Because they really don't think or talk about it in real life. Ask stupid questions, get stupid answers.   Just as when people can, and do, pay to avoid advertising. Asking them to talk about it in research, is…

The biggest challenge with being a planning/strategy type is that everyone things they can do your job.  But like many things, it's easy until you actually have to do it. Let's be honest actually, it's not that hard to be an okay planner these days. Since many places prefer a process being ticked, rather than…

The title is a poor bastardisation of that famous line. Sorry, I'm not David Abbot.  'A poor workman always blames his tools'. The idea that it's the skills, craft and effort of the person that makes or breaks a project. This is true, up to a point.  But while tools can't cover up lack of…

I was in a pitch recently, it went well. Some of that was the thinking, the work and the things you might expect. Most of it was down to the conversation. From the first minute, the meeting was a conversation punctuated by conversation starters, also known as 'slides'.  Chemistry magically emerged from positive friction. Now,…

When I was growing up, people used to say "I loved that ad for whatsisname"No matter how good the ad was, it really wasn't good if didn't build the brandYes, I know, low involvement processing etcBut that always struck me as a lazy excuse to not make the logo biggerContent, PR and social strategists should…