MARK TAYLOR

How to Sell Brand to the CEO 💡 In Agencyland, teams receive briefs with clear challenges. They whip up proposals and get sign off within 2-3 days. The Head of Brand and the CEO are fully aligned. The confirmation is handwritten and delivered by flaming phoenix in a gilded envelope sealed with unicorn tears. Clients don’t live in Agencyland. In reality, everyone has a different challenge they want to solve. And different metrics. There’s a pitch between agency and client; but there’s often a pitch internally between “brand people” and other key stakeholders, too. For those situations, read Sonder & Tell's tips for selling brand to the CEO ⬇️

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We have partnered with Mi3 to survey Australia's top marketers, gaining valuable insights into drivers and obstacles to growth. Follow the link to download the report. Let us know what you think. Jen Davidson Anthony Gregorio Paul McIntyre

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Brands and Prof G Jon Evans spent some quality time with Prof G, and it was a good show. Scott is entertaining, smart, and pulls no punches when conveying his beliefs, especially regarding social media. He clearly believes in brands- he’s a brand himself, values the importance of storytelling, and understands that products and experience are key to brand success. He challenges that brand advertising is how to build brands in 2024 because people have better ways of getting information. He doesn’t acknowledge that advertising has helped many brands grow in many categories. For many others, it has transformed their businesses. He also doesn’t get that the big agencies do far more today than make ads- he’s stuck in Don Draper’s Mad Ave. Those points aside, he’s a compelling listen. It’s just that brands aren’t dead—far from it.

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Your loyal customers are your best customers and that's why understanding what creates, sustains and motivates that relationship is so important to any business. As someone who has long pioneered and adovcated for the importance of involving behavioural science in marketing, I was pleased to contrbute to Mailchimps new guide "The Science of Loyalty". It's free and includes my insights and those of several other thought leaders and is well worth a read. I hope it helps you with your own marketing efforts! https://lnkd.in/eKMisHDX #emailmarketing #emailstrategy #mailchimp

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On the 2nd July at 12.10 on the ATTENTION STAGE at MAD//FEST, please join me to hear about my first public appearance discussing Momentum - the topic of my new book. 📙 In case you can't read the image, the agenda for the talk I will be giving reads as follows: BRAND MOMENTUM - THE #1 GROWTH METRIC FOR EVERY BOARDROOM For the first time, Tony Lewis will reveal a few highlights of his forthcoming book Brand Momentum and the new Brand Velocity ScoreTM metric. His book highlights that many companies aren’t focusing on the right questions. They don’t fully understand the rules for success and often focus on changing the wrong things, ignoring the fundamentals of growth. Brand momentum is the public’s perception of a brand's performance and success. It measures the energy and influence of a brand on the customer and market. Momentum combines two of the most powerful factors shaping brand perceptions: a brand's size and velocity. These factors drive a positive brand image, create loyalty, and add value. They offer a glimpse into the future for many brands, and this predictive quality is unique to brand momentum theory. Momentum offers a simple-to-apply strategy and the secret to doubling growth. Vision One Research, Charl Baird, Alex Brown, Kendra Alexandra F., Adam Lunt , Dan White, Helen Lewis, Mark Rogers, Alex Tuckwell, Jenny Bevan, Sophie Rix, Karen Parsons, Heather Carr #marketing #branding #marketresearch #business

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Imagine speaking to some of the most Lion-awarded creative directors, chief marketing officers, agency leaders, copywriters and all-round creative legends from across the globe as part of your regular Friday diary for nearly three months. What would you ask them? How would you try to extract all their creative genius, wisdom and insights in the call? I had the privilege of figuring that out as the course leader of the first Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity cMBA cohort. Always happy to be the nosiest person in the room, I was lucky enough to host these conversations over 10 weeks and speak to creative folk I have admired for many years. In a strangely intimate setting for an online call, we heard refreshingly honest, heartfelt insights and learnings from their incredible creative careers, which at times felt like confessions rather than a Q&A with industry legends. Now the first cohort has graduated 👏 I’ve been revisiting the live calls. In doing so I’m stunned to discover that the transcripts run to over 200,000 words. Having written a book (80,000 words that took most of a year) and with the average novel running at around 90,000 words, it dawned on me that this cohort, and our speakers, have effectively contributed to two novels and probably a cheeky novella 📓 That’s a LOT of conversations about all things creative. There are so many valuable takeaways and an embarrassment of quotes from our incredible speakers which I can't begin to do justice to, but I wanted to share a taste. One of the skills often referenced by our Lion-winning creatives and marketers, was something perhaps surprising and under-rated - the power of listening: 👂 Really listen to each other: The inimitable Josy Paul, CCO and Chairman BBDO India: "You're always listening. You're always processing. You're always cross-synthesising. You're feeding off each other. I am not an influencer. I don't want to be an influencer. I'm an influencee. I'm an antenna. It's like, just throw things at me. I try to receive all the time so that I can be influenced.” 👂  Listen to your inner wisdom: Retrospect founder and Design Jury President Quinnton Harris told us to trust our gut and said "Keep listening to your heart." 👂  Listen to the hard things: Wieden + Kennedy's Susan Hoffman urges us to "have the courage to really handle the truth," even when it's hard. 👂  Listen to the world: Havas London CCO Vicki Maguire reminded us, "You can find inspiration anywhere, and if you can't, you're not looking hard enough." Thank you to every one of our panellists, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity team for the opportunity, and of course congrats to the grads of 2024! If you want to find out more https://lnkd.in/eDZHSi57 🦁 More extracts from the course on the blog https://shorturl.at/9LEJP Jenni Middleton Steve Latham Eunie Jang Kat Kononenko Josh Thompson-Persaud #CannesLIONS #LionsLearning #Elearning #LIONScMBA

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DIFFERENCE MATTERS TO MARKETERS If you've heard that Difference is an out-dated concept, that it doesn't exist, or that all you need to do is to be distinctive - think again. In the UK energy sector, between 2022 and 2023, we found that customer perceptions of Difference predicted 82% of the change in customer numbers. Utility brands that customers felt were very Different showed strong growth. Brands that customers felt lacked Difference all declined. We found the same thing in financial services: customers who felt experiences made a given brand seem more Different were twice as likely to say they had no interest in exploring alternative banking providers. Utility brand data below:

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At a time when agencies are looking to be responsible and comply with the spirit of having material authorised it is disappointing that the rules do not seem to apply to some advertising campaigns. At a time when trust is a vital ingredient in communication we collectively need to apply the rules fairly so that community expectations of what is real are maintained. This article looks at just some of the problems.#marketing #creative #agency #media #advertising

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So... another business podcast? Not quite. Welcome to The Consultancy Edge🎙️ You know the drill. Most business podcasts give you surface-level tips and half-baked ideas. We’re not here for that. On The Consultancy Edge, we’re talking real strategies, the ones that get results. I’m bringing in experts who’ve navigated the challenges of building, growing and selling consultancies – leaders with insights that actually matter. Each episode, I’m asking the one question that matters: What’s your edge? 👉 Curious? Check out my quick intro video https://lnkd.in/eppBdXMc and listen to the first three episodes of The Consultancy Edge https://lnkd.in/ex_x-Cg8 #TheConsultancyEdge #consultancy #podcast #b2b

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It’s complex. You set up a creative agency. And then you launch a separate creative awards programme, a few years later. That your creative agency can’t enter. Jeopardy everywhere! Agency helps run the awards. Curates the judging panel. Manages the event. Drives sponsorship. Liaises with partners. But can’t enter themselves. This is the unusual situation we have with Launch - a creative PR agency I founded in 2001, and The Creative Shootout - now the UK’s leading done in a day creative for good awards, that I also founded, back in 2015. I know some of the Launch team feel a bit robbed they can’t enter – maybe one year! But, if you step back, it’s an incredible thing for Launch to help stage, is The Creative Shootout. The agency has become a bit of a poacher turned gamekeeper. Awards organisers. Creative for good champions. Talent managers. Purposeful people. Whatever you want to call us. And is a big reason Launchers often tell me why they joined the agency in the first place. So, the relationship is unconventional. But that’s the beauty of it. Creative solutions shouldn’t fit the norm – or structures. They should look to break them, in pursuit of change. Entry to this year’s Creative Shootout awards is now OPEN, all in aid of the extraordinary charity, Epilepsy Action. Head to www.creativeshootout.com for more information on how to enter, as well as details of an epic new creative training programme on offer, run by some of the industry’s best. Society needs new ideas, especially the third sector. And The Creative Shootout supports a charity through the power and decency of the creative community, every year. It’s become big and transformative. And that’s got to be worth celebrating. Especially by the organising agency. https://lnkd.in/excQ7N8X

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Cheap as chips advice. Ritson bangs on about stuff he’s been banging on about for a while now. IPA Effectiveness winner McCain applying the known and proven fundamentals of marketing. Advice on a plate. It’s not rocket science. It’s available to all. It’s as easy as chips. It works. Just needs a little dollop of secret sauce. #strategy #creativity #humanity Chapter Brand Leadership

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My debut book launches on Kickstarter on 1 July and the campaign planning is in full motion. I've been experimenting with the book cover... Which one do you like the most? 🤔 1 – I chose GREEN as the main colour of the book as the colour of the Heart chakra, the most healing energetic centre that gently embraces the PINK, which is symbolic of the Inner Child! 2 – The Dragon theme came into the picture while I was setting up the campaign and I love that it brings a sense of play and imagination into the mix. 3 – Finally, the DARK book cover feels appropriate for it is in the darkest corners of our subconscious mind where we find the keys to our liberation! What do you think? Should I stick to the original cover or go for the Dragon-themed options? 🐲 Join the campaign: https://lnkd.in/d2PyKzJy Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dN_xtPqM #book #booklaunch #kickstarter #innerchild #storytelling #storyteller #higherself #bookmarketing #marketing #creativeprocess

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✅ Distinctive brand assets ✅ Consistency ✅ Bravery ✅ Results Brands take note. @tim.naki is the only case study we need to prove taking a punt pays off. Also helps if you’re entertaining.

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Unlike a fleeting advert or social post, outdoor advertising is different. People see your brand, product or promotion multiple times, reinforcing the message. Repeated exposure to your brand builds familiarity and recognition, making your business top-of-mind.

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Even though Jeni Ashdown is looking up to me in the photo, the expression "looking up to" describes me to her. Jeni, Amy Moore and Rob Key invited me to talk about the only thing I know; "Agency Business Development" through the lens of Resilience at their FANTASTIC The Agency Collective | B Corp Certified Future Proofing Conference yesterday and whaddayaknow? I took myself to my discomfort zone and found the warmth of a superbly engaged audience, the brilliance of Jeni as facilitator and the expertise of my panelist compadres Katie Street and Ben Potter cooking up something unexpected...enjoyment! My first words into the mic were; "I f**king hate this" and the first words I said to Jeni on leaving it were; "I loved that". So stage nerves and swearing addiction both conquered in the space of 55mins. The summaries of the event from the likes of Andy Nolan Kitch Silvia Del Corso Nikki Gatenby Donna O'Toole are excellent and the speakers Marcus Thomlinson MLIA dip CIC Marc Convey Kate Dawkins Debby Penton Fran Vižintin Abb-d Taiyo Barrington Reeves Arlo West Nic Marks Mo Kanjilal & Rob Pierre are so worth checking out, but if you want a summary of some of the stuff I prepared, here it is with full credit to the smarter people who's quotes I nicked... For people working in #businessdevelopment roles; "Silence the imposter syndrome - it's in your head! The company that hired you did it for a reason." from Sherilyn Shackell, The Marketing Academy For agency leaders; "Calm seas don't make good sailors" courtesy of Jason Foo, BBD Perfect Storm | a B-Corporation and “Business Development is a form of navigation, what we win today is the agency we will become tomorrow” by Sam Conniff, Author of 'Be More Pirate' "Don't chase, replace" by my business coach, Chris Evans And from my own playbook to close... 1. Trust your gut. 2. Put some faith in karma and make serendipity your friend. 3. Que sera, sera. #agencylife #leadership #sales #businessdevelopment #newbusiness

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https://lnkd.in/ec2u5EYH Quite a few creatives choose to join our Wise Goose coach training to broaden their skills and offers. Though coaching isn't mentioned, this article gives a pretty good summary of reasons why coaching can support people working in the constantly changing landscape of creative industries. #coaching #creativeindustry #coachtraining #wisegoosecoaches #creatives

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In a world where trust is currency, leveraging our executives' voices is one of the most effective ways to build it. Executive profiling allows us to put our leaders front and centre, sharing their personal stories, lessons learned, and industry insights.   When our audience sees the faces and hears the voices behind our company, they see the human side of our brand. This approach not only builds trust but positions our executives as thought leaders and authentic voices in our industry.   But to do this we have to go beyond the brand. In our analysis of 100 executives profiles, we found 24% spoke about the brand 4x more than non-brand stories. To drive success, executives should have a mix, they should talk about industry, society and personal thoughts to take them beyond just company updates.   Don't hide behind the brand—let’s lead with the people who drive it. Give your executives the platform to share, inspire, and connect.

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