Writing a radio ad is one of the few opportunities a copywriter has to work in a completely unique medium, and I love it. Radio ads can be really effective too, if you get it right. And really annoying, if you get it wrong. So when we were briefed to create an attention-grabbing radio ad to entice tall or large fellas into High and Mighty stores we knew there’d be some big challenges… excuse the pun.

The problem is, the kind of chap that needs extra long trousers or XXXL size t-shirts can be a little bit coy about his ample dimensions. This initially came as a surprise to me, but then I am the daughter of a 6ft 7 scouser with hands like bunches of bananas who’s very proud of his stature… and his ability to reach things on the highest of shelves. I suppose their self-consciousness can be likened to the way that long tall sallies like me shy away from describing themselves as having a ‘boyish’ figure because of its unfeminine and unflattering connotations.

Read more…

How do you feel when you see an established brand name baffle you with a new product? One that’s not associated with the infamous brand name you know and love?  Well, you either trust the brand name enough to love the product, or you’re completely baffled, wondering how on earth the product has anything to do with the brand name!

Sometimes, even the most tenuous link between brand and product can actually work rather well – who would have thought that a musical instrument manufacturer Yamaha could become such a successful motor vehicle company?  Or that Coca-Cola lip balm would really take off?  But with every successful idea that sends a product soaring off the shelves comes another brand’s dismal failure at extending their name into a new field – welcome, reader, to the fabulous world of brand extension.

Read more…

Following a 3 way pitch and 5 months work the new website for the iconic AGA cooker brand designed and built by Red C has gone live. The website building involved a complete redesign to reflect the style icon of the AGA heat-storage range cooker while enhancing the usability of the site and bringing in social media aspects such as Facebook.

The project that took just over 5 months was a challenging one for all involved but Kathryn Lowe, Marketing Manager of AGA commented that “Red C researched, designed; built and facilitated the project brilliantly keeping every aspect under control making the experience a lot less painful than it could have been!” Red C even went so far as to test the site with their Eye Tracking equipment before the live date, comparing the old site against the new site with AGA owners and prospects to make sure that nothing in the process had been missed.

Read more…

This is a book about companies/brands that deliver a great brand experience.

I have read the book before, but had forgotten how interesting and useful it is. So when I was working on a project for Asda recently, and needed a bit of inspiration, it was the first place I looked.

Read more…

Is it just me, or is advertising more irritating these days? All you want to do after a long day’s work is to come home, put your feet up, and relax by watching a little TV. But just when you’ve gotten comfy and begin to unwind, suddenly you’re assaulted with blasts of ‘GO COMPARE! GO COMPARE!’ and you know you just have to get up and go to the trouble of making yourself a brew, just to avoid the whole experience.

Sound familiar?

And it’s not just Go Compare. Thickly accented meerkats plague our screens; break-dancing newsreaders promise to buy our cars from us. Excitable people in coffee shops tell us that a computer system was their idea. Are you irritated yet?

Read more…

When Build Center (one of our clients at Wolseley) called us with an urgent brief to spread the word about their £3 loft insulation plus free delivery promotion, we knew we had a real challenge on our hands. Not only did we have just over a week to develop the campaign and roll it out… they wanted us to deliver something a little out of the ordinary to maximise the impact. Cue one Mini, one woman, 17 rolls of loft insulation, a 56-link chainsaw and a 2 minute viral advert. Read more…

As we all know, in any relationship, it’s the small things that matter. Yet what many people don’t realise is that it’s not only in our personal relationships that small things can have a big effect… they can also have a similar result in the relationships marketers, brands and companies have with their customers or business partners.

And why do small things matter? Well, as anyone who has ever bought a girl flowers knows; something small but effective can have a kind of result that is absolutely out of proportion to the cost.

Read more…

We’ve all got a cupboard or a drawer that we fill with random bits of junk or those items that you never throw away, just on the off chance that one day you might need them.  I was sifting through my very own cupboard of this type last weekend when I came across my old A-Level Media Studies ring binder amongst old toaster instructions and dead batteries.  The temptation was too great so I took a gander.  I was quite impressed.  I was quite the academic.

Anyway, whilst sifting through the binder I came across a project entitled “My favourite advertising campaign”.  The campaign I had chosen was the United Colours of Benetton.  Within the report I had showcased some on my favourite ads and to be honest with you, I was blown away all over again.

Read more…

Over the past few years we’ve all had to tighten our belts. People want more for less and supermarkets have reacted to this by focussing their advertising on pushing cheap, value products. In contrast to this being a ‘foodie’ has become more fashionable than ever. From our love of TV programs like Come Dine With Me to the adverts made sexy by that highly annoying M&S lady, everyone is wanting a piece of this pie.

Granted, there have always been fads but now food has a cultural significance of its own. We’d love to be known for being an amazing cook and throwing the best dinner parties around. We feel the need to buy organic products rather than bog-standard own brands and if like me when you get to the counter at the supermarket you probably find yourself checking out the neighbours trolley in a keeping up with the Jones’ style.

The brands that have picked up on this trend have done it with gusto. By making a stylish alliance with their brand they are appealing to women like me who love both fashion and food.

Read more…

It’s fairly obvious how Coca Cola, Pizza Hut, BBC and Schuh came about their monickers. But have you ever wondered how some of the familiar brands, shops and technology you see everyday derived their identities? Maybe you’re looking for inspiration to create a new company or product name? Great, here’s an A-Y of some of the easier to find explanations. If not, Steve White’s blogs are always worth a read.

Read more…