The data delusion
We’ve now had about a decade of the “big data” craze. Data, we have learned, is the answer. It’s the ultimate competitive advantage. It doesn’t lie. The business of the future will be “data driven”. Businesses are obsessed with collecting our data, believing that if they get enough of it, the solution will surely present […]
The myth of visionary leadership
Very successful people tend to be surprisingly ordinary. The average millionaire entrepreneur you meet will tend to be highly competent, no question, and generally fairly talented in some manner too. However, they rarely match the image people have in their head of someone unusually insightful, or brilliant. Typically, in their role of management, they’re quite […]
Steve Jobs is a bad business role model
Choosing A Business Approach That Matches Your Company Don’t try and be like Steve Jobs. Don’t learn from his example, don’t try and copy his techniques, don’t internalise his philosophy. I’m not referring here to his famously aggressive, borderline-bullying, management style. If that floats your boat then go for it. No, here I’m specifically talking […]
Interview: how Mark Constantine made Lush the UK’s most admired brand without advertising
A recent study by consultancy Basic Arts sought to discover the most admired brand in the UK. Naturally, there was a decent presence from the usual suspects such as Apple, Google, and Nike; businesses whose brands have become so strong as to almost be cliches. However the identity of the top brand came as something of a […]
How to bring your people with you
To become the kind of inspiring business that wins friends and fans in the modern world is a team effort. We can’t just bring in a hot shot marketing director and expect them to “do” some great marketing for us – instead we have to make everyone marketers, all working creatively towards a perfectly defined and […]
How should we organise our marketing departments?
Sometimes the old ways are indeed the best. You might be familiar with the concept of the four, or latterly seven “ps” that comprise marketing – product, price, promotion, place, process, people, physical environment. Whilst this list has been around for a long time (the original variation cropping up around 1960), it actually represents a […]
How To Write A Tagline That Transforms A Business
The formula for creating a business that will succeed in today’s post-advertising marketing is pretty simple. Firstly establish a coherent purpose for your business (and contrary to popular wisdom this doesn’t have to be anything particularly worthy, it just needs to be reasonably exciting and unique). Secondly, take that purpose and use it to develop […]