Dan G.

During this packed summer of sport, here's why a sport podcast advertising strategy could be the perfect way for your brand to get in front of fans this year. Download our white paper now: https://lnkd.in/e6DbywRY

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When your client drops you a line to say that your Meta Ads work has contributed to their brilliant sustainable British vodka achieving its highest ranking on Amazon since launch...cheers to that! 🍸 Me: celebrates, then immediately starts to think about how we can push this product even higher up the ranking and get it to No.1! Brands: keep telling your employees/freelancers/agencies they're doing a good job. Positive feedback keeps a workforce happy and boosts innovation and motivation. It's a win-win. #MetaAds #PaidSocial #PositiveFeedback

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Ahead of England's knockout contest tomorrow, today we're reading: could the Jude Bellingham brand be bigger than the Beatles? Sportspeople have a long history of brand success, but @The Drum argues that he could be a billion-dollar brand in the making. While immediate success may depend on what happens tomorrow night, over the coming years he's certainly one to watch. Read it here: https://buff.ly/3xVQdVD Wondering how you can translate this to your SME? Head to our website to read our blog: The Evolution of Influencer Marketing (and how to get in on the act). #Sponsorship #Influencers #Branding

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Have you seen our latest report? In Burning Platforms, CMOs from BT, Halfords, HSBC, M&S, Samsung and Tesco share perspectives on research from AAR and The Drum exploring the ‘burning platforms’ of the modern marketing ecosystem. As the role of the CMO becomes more challenging and complex, this is essential reading. Discover more below. #MarketingOperatingModel #MarketingOperations #MarketingReport https://lnkd.in/eKrYY4bH

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Time, please Government statistics show that on average 50 pubs a month in England and Wales closed their doors for the final time in the first half of 2024. Pubs have a long and storied history in the UK, stretching back over a thousand years. They are a central part of British culture and identity. Their origins can be traced to Roman taverns and Anglo-Saxon alehouses, where locals would gather to drink ale and cider. By the Middle Ages, these establishments had evolved into inns and public houses, where travellers would rest and refresh themselves. Over time, pubs became a cornerstone of community life, serving not just as places to drink but as venues for socialising, exchanging news and conducting business. As Britain industrialised, the number of pubs grew, particularly in urban areas where they became a focal point for working-class social life. Local pubs became part of the fabric of communities, often tied to specific trades, sports clubs or even political movements. The pint is as much a part of British pub culture as the pub itself. A pint has been a legally defined unit of measure since 1698. It is though much more than a unit of measure. There’s something distinctly British about ordering "a pint"—it’s not just about the volume, it’s the ritual of sharing a drink. The glass itself - sturdy yet simple - is there to be held, clinked and refilled. A pint is part of what makes a pub a pub. While many countries serve beer in smaller or varied sizes, the British pint (568 ml) is a symbol of consistency and tradition. Its continued use underscores the enduring appeal of pub culture and the importance of preserving age-old customs in a rapidly changing world. Pubs and pints remain a defining part of British identity. Even in an age of global chains, homogenised high streets and modern bars, the traditional pub—with its wooden interiors, cosy corners, and familiar faces—remains a beloved British institution. And though pubs are closing at an alarming rate, it’s too soon to call last orders.

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When I was consulting for IMG, my old pal Lewis Wiltshire would often share articles with the staff that he thought were interesting. It was part of a sharing culture designed to improve the knowledge and performance of staff and something I first encountered under Richard Ayers prior to Seven League being absorbed into IMG's network. The Daily Coach was one of those newsletters that was shared and something I still subscribe to today. This piece on feedback is well worth a read. Here's a sample: "When we give feedback and suggestions, we sometimes pull punches out of fear of coming off as too harsh or simply not wanting to ruffle any feathers. "But when we sugarcoat, we don’t point out what really needs to be improved, and then mistakes repeat and compound over time. "As leaders, we have a duty to recognize quality work and to give praise when it’s deserved. "But we also have an obligation to keep demanding and pushing when the standard isn’t met. "Confrontation may be a bit uncomfortable initially, but it’s usually what’s best for the group and what will help the individuals improve the most in the long term." #feedback #coaching #leadership https://lnkd.in/eGUR549B

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A fascinating read about a key moment in the history of advertising self-regulation, thanks to Sue Eustace and the team at History of Advertising Trust.

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Repositioning the UK’s No.1 outdoor sock brand was no walk in the park! The Bridgedale® brief was our first major undertaking of a strategic rebranding project. Not sleeping much was also a major factor – fun, exciting but terrifying in equal measure. We repositioned the brand with a new logo, strapline (Enduring Comfort), branded experience, product packaging, FSDUs (free standing display units), POS (point of sale), advertising and literature for both consumer and trade – retaining and growing their market share in the UK and European markets as well as the US. In North America sales increased by 60% in the ski sector and sales across the entire range rose 30% year on year post launch.   Initially, we undertook qualitative research to inform and underpin our thinking: > Online consumer surveys with the likes of Trail, Country Walking and The Great Outdoors consumer publications > Retailer & distributor visits in the UK and Europe (Netherlands and Germany) > Exploring the fells of the Lake District brainstorming and engaging with consumers on the way > Exit polls on the high street > Pre-launch testing on the high street at Cotswold Outdoor, London store.   Our findings reinforced the WoolFusion® technical story (mixing high quality wool with high performance microfibres to deliver comfort and durability) – and that consumers were ‘not inclined’ to ask for technical assistance on sock sales – hence the packaging had to do all the work. Consumers wanted to understand the purpose, touch and feel of the socks, retailers needed a robust pack design that would not deteriorate at the first moment of contact. Additionally, maximising ‘peg space’ on slatwall displays was critical – as more peg space = max sales opportunity. Our silver bullet really was the packing and we utilised a spot silver on the sock packaging with a gloss laminate – which made them ‘ZING’ under the often-dim store lighting. This was backed up by a trial wall at Cotswold Outdoor in London, Piccadilly. We were kindly given access to their sock wall – where we re-racked the product – Bridgedale existing brand vs competitor vs Bridgedale new brand vs competitor. The results were astounding – over a busy morning and lunchtime over 70% of all packs chosen in-store that day were the new Bridgedale brand. #brandsburnbrighter #vivid25 4/25   With special thanks to: Giles Polito - Brand Director, Bridgedale Peter Holtmeyer-Cole - Buying Director, Cotswold Outdoor Darren Brown BSc (Hons), FCIM - Brand Consultant Dan Lindley - Creative Director, Vivid

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As part of the launch of our 'Team Pulse' report, in which we explore the vital elements for high performing teams, we wanted to take a look at famous examples from the past. Today we're taking the PULSE of the England Women's Football team, better known as the Lionesses who are famous for winning the Euro 2022 Championships. PURPOSE: ✅ So many meaningful milestones achieved by this group of players, not least making history as the first major international trophy for an England Women's Football team but also the positive impact it's had on the women's game in this country and the example it's set for all aspiring players (I still get emotional every time I hear 'Sweet Caroline'). UNTIY: ✅ The Lionesses were well known for their sense of unity not only through trusting in each other's ability on the pitch but also recognising the important contributions from the wider squad and people behind the scenes. A lovely demonstration of this was the team's insistence that all members of staff appear in the winning photo after the final. LEADERSHIP: ✅ In 2021, the FA hired the new coach Sarina Wiegman who quickly started to instil a winning mentality. Whilst she certainly inspired the players and staff to new achievements, she was not alone in helping the team to success. Other leadership examples included the team captain Leah Williamson, who famously connected with the rest of the team by being open and authentic, whilst goal keeper Mary Earps used her years of experience to help mentor younger players. The point here is that the responsibility for winning or losing was shared across the group and is a major factor for their stunning achievements. SYSTEMS: ✅ The Lionesses broke many records during the Euro 2022 campaign but their ability to beat other teams was certainly no lucky accident. Their performances were a result of many carefully thought out protocols and endless hours of practice. An example of this was the comprehensive training plan that set out everything from nutrition and fitness programmes through to team tactics and player roles and responsibilities. EVOLUTION: ✅ Whilst the plaudits rightly go to the 23 player squad, it's also worth reflecting on the wider England Women's Football operation. Firstly the English FA unveiled their ambitious new strategy for women's football back in late 2020. This was the catalyst for the appointment of Wiegman and the building of an infrastructure that supported the squad's development. Added to that, the team obsessively reviewed their previous matches to allow them to adapt their style of play and perform at their peak when it mattered. If you want to know more about what makes a high performing team have a look at our recent report that brings together the latest research as well as our years of experience working IN and WITH teams. https://lnkd.in/d8HV4jrd #team #teamdevelopment #highperformingteams

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Really proud of this PR activation. Great brand awareness but more importantly it actually makes a real difference: https://lnkd.in/egAKM_r3

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Discover the Magic of John Lewis & Partners Gifting Trilogy Dive into the latest Marketing Week article exploring John Lewis' innovative approach to holiday gifting campaigns. Learn how their ad trilogy sets new standards in creativity and consumer engagement. #Marketing #Advertising #JohnLewis #HolidayCampaigns #CreativeMarketing Read the full article https://lnkd.in/gTvCR2YY

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Really enjoyed sharing insights with CIM | The Chartered Institute of Marketing on how to align your brand with upcoming sports events… Here is a snapshot of the thoughts I shared: ‘Don't shoehorn your brand if your offering isn't appropriate. Ensure your brand is relevant and shares an audience with the sporting event.’ ‘Ensure you always measure relevancy against your planned campaign.’ What advice would you add? Read the full article for more tips on creating impactful campaigns… Link to article in the comments! 👇

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💡We've been fortunate enough to have some amazing guests on Status Update since we launched the podcast last year, and our latest episode with Toby Addison is without doubt one of the most unique and insightful conversations we've had. 👉🏼 We set out to answer the question: "Are brands doing enough in their diversity and inclusion efforts, or is merely just a tickbox exercise?" It also allowed us to hold a mirror up to our own activity at Disrupt Marketing. 🔗 Links for the podcast in the comments - available everywhere! #statusupdate #podcast #creatoreconomy #dei #influencermarketing #digitalstrategy

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Copywriting at its best.

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There's a new advertising campaign from Barclays UK that has caught my attention. You can watch it here https://lnkd.in/eHTawgnG. It is built on a very simple to understand insight from a report by The Money Advice Service that states "our relationship with money is formed from the age of 7." One of the reasons this resonated with me is that if this is the case when it comes to things like bank accounts and pocket money then it stands to reason that it will apply to charity and philanthropy too. But, at the moment, we don't look to embed these values in children from a young age. As a trustee of First Give it is something that we discuss a lot. What is the best way to ensure that giving to charity is not seen as exceptional or a one-off? How do we make sure that charity is not just "what rich people do" but is accessible to everyone? And how do we get people understanding that the £94bn that charities in the UK spent in the past 12 months isn't just a 'nice-to-have' but is essential in keeping hospitals, the arts, in fact civil society as a whole, afloat. (To give it context, Income Tax raised £277bn over the same period. Make no mistake, the third sector is of huge significance.) And yet, 'giving' is not ingrained in us as children. The First Give programme has impacted on over 200,000 Year 8 pupils in hundreds of schools across the UK. But we know that one intervention is not enough - and Year 8 might also be too late a starting point. Why's this so important? A functioning democracy that is diverse and inclusive cannot be fully funded by the State. The truth is, it never was. Our hospitals, galleries, schools etc have long been funded by philanthropy. Our challenge is to create the next generation of givers. To do that we'll need to start them young... #charity #philanthropy #ad #giving #creative #thirdsector Creative & Commercial

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As ever an insightful article in The Media Leader regarding the GB News and Ofcom situation from Ray Snoddy There is a possibility that GB News are actively undermining the right wing vote by adding to the split between the Conservatives and Reform, thus helping Labour. The presence on GB News of Nigel Farage, a vocal critic of the Conservatives, will reinforce this rift. If so, the losses that Ray refers to in the article will have been even less well-spent.

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👏 Today PRWeek x People Like Us shared the results of their fourth gender and ethnicity pay gap study for the PR sector. They secured their highest number of entrants to date, though with a notable continued resistance from the largest agencies to take part. With the help of Labour’s plans of new legislation to make ethnicity pay gap reporting mandatory, they may not have a choice. Good. Well done to Sheeraz Gulsher, Mike Levaggi and John Harrington for their tireless push to help make our industry more inclusive. 👀 We’re so proud to be a part of this initiative to allow agencies to demonstrate their yearly progress. We like to be transparent so here's how Shape History did: - Gender: Women are paid 100% of the mean average, and account for 68% of senior staff and 67% of the workforce. This has given us a 2024 score of 100/100, compared to 97/100 last year. - Ethnicity: Those from ethnic minority backgrounds are paid 96% of the mean average, and account for 37% of senior staff and 43% of the workforce. This has given us a 2024 score of 96/100, compared to 97/100 last year. Transparency around pay gaps is such a crucial step in addressing race and gender equity in the workplace. If you want to chat/brainstorm about any of this - initiatives that can help or challenges and how to overcome them - let me know! https://lnkd.in/eZPjUKmb

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Ignore briefing snobbery - you don’t need to be Mark Ritson or one of those fellas to get an agency brief right. Take a look at our tips for getting the most out of your campaigns here: https://lnkd.in/dACm5C3J #b2bmarketing #marketingagency

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