FEATURED POSTS
The Future of Marketing

The Future of Marketing

What is the Future of Marketing? Marketing is on a collision course with the future. Our current marketing paradigm is inextricably linked to the driving of consumption and the creation of habits of consumption. Economic growth has been the single minded outcome upon which we have built our brands, our ...

Read More...

See me speak at the 3rd European CMO Conference, Zurich

See me speak at the 3rd European CMO Conference, Zurich

It's just been confirmed that I'm going to speak at the 3rd European Chief Marketing Officers Conference in Zurich on the 30th September. I attended last year and you can read my thoughts here. It's a really great conference and this year the headline act is Jim Stengel who was CMO for ...

Read More...

Welcome to my new site - RE:Thinking Marketing & Brands

Welcome to my new site - RE:Thinking Marketing & Brands

Welcome to my new site and the integrated RE:Thinking Marketing & Brands blog. After many late nights its ready. Simpler, easier to use and more content rich. Sign up to the RSS or email feed. Thanks for reading. Justin

Read More...

Punk your brand

Punk your brand

Malcolm McLaren was the marketing genius that propelled the punk movement into the spotlight and amplified its effect on our society and consciousness. He did such a good job that even now we all still hold a visceral understanding of the feelings and motivations behind the punk movement. So how do ...

Read More...

Answering the call for Marketing Leadership

Answering the call for Marketing Leadership

I read with interest Mark Choueke’s call for Marketing Leadership in this week’s Marketing Week. Mark and I have discussed this topic before and I am delighted that he is taking up a theme with which I have been concerned for a long time. However I would push even further ...

Read More...


The Future of Marketing

September 1, 2010
Thumbnail image for The Future of Marketing

What is the Future of Marketing? Marketing is on a collision course with the future. Our current marketing paradigm is inextricably linked to the driving of consumption and the creation of habits of consumption. Economic growth has been the single minded outcome upon which we have built our brands, our marketing models and our rasion d’etre. But unabated growth cannot continue. My hunch is that the future of marketing is not merely, or even, a “more consumer focused / digital / growth oriented / sustainable” (delete as appropriate) future but a complete reversal of the current paradigm.

Read more…

See me speak at the 3rd European CMO Conference, Zurich

August 26, 2010
Thumbnail image for See me speak at the 3rd European CMO Conference, Zurich

It’s just been confirmed that I’m going to speak at the 3rd European Chief Marketing Officers Conference in Zurich on the 30th September.

I attended last year and you can read my thoughts here.

It’s a really great conference and this year the headline act is Jim Stengel who was CMO for Procter & Gamble. I remember meeting Jim once whilst I was at P&G (although he won’t remember me!)

I’m going to speak on re-thinking marketing as a driver of humanity in business. If you’ve got any ideas on this then please drop me a line!

Read more…

Welcome to my new site – RE:Thinking Marketing & Brands

August 26, 2010
Thumbnail image for Welcome to my new site – RE:Thinking Marketing & Brands

Welcome to my new site and the integrated RE:Thinking Marketing & Brands blog. After many late nights its ready. Simpler, easier to use and more content rich. Sign up to the RSS or email feed. Thanks for reading. Justin

Read more…

Answering the call for Marketing Leadership

August 9, 2010
Thumbnail image for Answering the call for Marketing Leadership

I read with interest Mark Choueke’s call for Marketing Leadership in this week’s Marketing Week. Mark and I have discussed this topic before and I am delighted that he is taking up a theme with which I have been concerned for a long time. However I would push even further than Mark suggests.

I believe the future of marketing can be at the centre of a new approach to business that is built on balanced positive human outcomes. “Putting the human” back into business is where the leadership businesses, brands and marketers of the future will win.

Read more…

Natwest/RBS Customer charter – don’t make promises you can’t deliver

July 14, 2010
Thumbnail image for Natwest/RBS Customer charter – don’t make promises you can’t deliver

I’m a Natwest customer of long standing, around 30 years in fact, ever since I took out my first bank account. Together with their stable mate, RBS, they have launched to much fanfare of posters and advertising their “Customer Charter – 14 commitments to make them Britain’s most helpful bank”. I blogged about it here. 

Yesterday in a comedy of errors I spent 25 minutes in a Natwest branch in London. So let’s see whether my experience and those of my fellow customers matches up to their commitments:

Read more…

MBNA Making hay whilst the sun shines

July 7, 2010
Thumbnail image for MBNA Making hay whilst the sun shines

This morning MBNA sent me a mailer to extol the virtues of their card proclaiming:
“We’re changing your credit card to offer even better value”

How are they doing this? They are changing my terms so that payments pay of the highest interest rate balance first.

Read more…

Restoring Trust in Financial Services

June 23, 2010
Thumbnail image for Restoring Trust in Financial Services

Yesterday I followed Lord Currie’s keynote speech at the Reputation in Financial Services Conference 2010, in London, with some reflections on Trust in Financial Services.

Read more…

The Natwest/RBS Customer Charter – hot air or real delivery?

June 16, 2010
Thumbnail image for The Natwest/RBS Customer Charter – hot air or real delivery?

This week Natwest and Royal Bank of Scotland rolled out their Customer Charter and lots of marketing in support. Full page ads in papers up and down the country. According to these adverts they are now making 14 commitments to help them become “Britain’s most helpful bank”.

Read more…

Shocking copy cat advertising (if true)

June 11, 2010

My friend Dan Burgess (@dansolo) just shared this site with me alleging that Adam & Eve ripped off the John Lewis ad that I like so much. Have a look at this…. This was discovered via a blog called Copy C**ts which can be seen here: http://copycunts.blogspot.com/2010/05/ben-tollett-emer-stamp-steve-wioland.html#comments There is some profanity on this blog – you have [...]

Read more…

Rare example of advertising that really connects proposition to creative

June 11, 2010

A friend of my was raving about this advert from John Lewis (it made her cry!) And she is quite right this is a special piece of advertising. A rare example of a good idea, brilliantly executed and bringing to life the brand and the message fantastically. Good job –  John Lewis and Adam & [...]

Read more…