Kylie does Heineken…
I love Heineken…
In my humble, no trip to Amsterdam is complete without a visit to the Heineken Museum.
Being a bit of an ad geek, wandering round the zone dedicated to their historic ads was just spectacular. Not been in a few years, but do remember it being a very interactive experience, fingers crossed they are still breaking boundaries…
Anyhoo, they do seem to have lost their way of late. This certainly isn’t standout work compared to some of the historic highs the brand has reached, but it’s brilliant to see some of Kylie Minogue’s backing dancers can find work when she’s not touring…
Iain G. Morrison is a senior marketer in the British Tourism Industry. And is off to pluck a feather boa…
How to build financial loyalty when the system is broken…
Never been much of a cat person?
It’s a tough one.
The financial system buckled fast. Institutions on their knees in a heartbeat.
So, the one question on many financial marketers lips; how to we rebuild lost trust and loyalty.
Fast…
Well, Great Eastern (a financial brand in Singapore), took a somewhat novel approach, when some investment funds they were running nosedived some 40-80% .
Rather than saying, ‘sorry, here’s 40% of what you paid us’, and move along swiftly, the brand decided that 18,000 customers who took the product between 2005-07, could get all their money back, plus a nominal amount of interest (between 3.5 and 4.9% per annum).
At a time where corporate losses hit the press daily, this will cost the institution some $250 million.
But what they stand to gain in terms of goodwill and brand equity cannot be undervalued, at a time where some of the ‘safest’ and most reliable institutions are losing customers in their droves.
They exhibit all the signs of understanding the long game. And isn’t the long game what we are told investing is all about?
If I were to invest over here, I know who I’d be recommending…
Iain Morrison is a senior marketer in the British Tourism Industry, currently working in Singapore. And would advise Blighty’s financial institutions to take note!
Cause and effect…
thank you HBOS
Today, it’s Halifax vs. Shelter…
Halifax (one of the worst affected banks largely owned by the British taxpayer), have binned Howard. Hurrah cry most adlanders!
But what staff oriented treasure do we have in its place? Roll VT…
An interesting choice given the near collapse of the banking system which has caused the wider economy untold grief; BoE base rate cuts not passed on, businesses struggling for credit, first time buyers still frozen out given the large deposits required, I could go on…
It’s great to see a bank moving heaven on earth to give a little back to its customers (if a little contrived), but take one of those links out at the bottom of the pyramid, one little person falls, and the whole formation comes crashing down around us. Then, everyone loses out. Not a smart move, the agency (DLKW) should know better…
And now, to Shelter. Practically demonstrating what will sadly happen to many homeowners this year . Roll VT…
Beautifully shot, and incredibly poignant. Plaudits to Leo Burnett London, for producing a truly moving campaign, that works effortlessly through the line. But a truly beautiful script…
Not to mention, a truly magnificent coup in getting an agreement from Radiohead to use one of their tracks in the ad. A first for Radiohead, they abhor bands ‘selling out’ to the admen. Shelter clearly represent a cause they believe in.
Cause and effect. Shelter vs. Halifax. I know which of the two some of my money will be going to this month…
Iain Morrison is a senior marketer in the British Tourism Industry. And will be donating some pennies come pay-day at http://england.shelter.org.uk/donate
Going cold turkey
My lifeline
So, Starbucks are to cut some 6,700 jobs, two thirds of which are in the USA. Another bad news story that sees yet more good, hard-working people suffering as the global economy continues to shrink.
It’s sad.
I use to start every day with my skinny, wet, venti latte (extra hot with an extra shot). But when it comes to the painstaking decision on where to economise, as with most others, its life’s little luxuries that are always the first to go. It was a painful goodbye…
For the first few weeks, I did feel as though I was coming off heroin. But if I can do it, the most ardent coffee addict can.
I just hope those companies who specialise in life’s little luxuries have the foresight to bed down, innovate, and come through the other side of this recession leaner, meaner and with a stronger focus on what the customer wants.
Fortune generally favours the bold, so Starbucks, don’t lose faith. And let’s face it.
Instant coffee sucks…
Iain Morrison is a senior marketer in the British Tourism Industry. And an ardent coffee lover…
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