Paul Whitehead’s Post

An interesting new function.....only contacts can comment..... Well, I'm not a connection so we need to do the old fashioned share! #Cazoo have been an unmitigated disaster from day one, spending other peoples money (literally) like it was going out of fashion. They bought everything they saw... Football sponsorships Snooker sponsorships Darts sponsorships Just to name a few..... Then they changed tack to buy car sharing and subscription services. One such service they bought for (I am told) a reported £75m had a mere 1500-ish monthly subscribers. So, £50,000 per contract holder. How many 'rinses' of a traditional retail customer would you need to get £50k of gross, never mind the acquisition costs of that business. They sold this in the fire sale. I am sure if I am wrong someone will correct the numbers. And then they started hoovering up physical premises, they bought (or leased) a fleet of custom built transporters and trucks, prep centres, dealerships.....nothing was out of reach. One post on LI was their recruitment Team telling people to visit their stand "for free merch!", no mention of careers, just giving stuff away! In simple terms they spunked circa £750m to get to where they are today.....nowhere! ("can we sponsor Nowhere?") Now the spin is that it has been an incredible journey (£750m down the pan, I'll fecking bet it was!!) and they have one million 'customers' a month, and the trade should immediately jump into bed with them and their incredible offering! Where they get the one million customers from beats me, its more likely one million hits on their website from people googling 'who sponsors the Bethnall Green Ladies Gin Rummy Team'! I think that as much as #Autotrader are seen to be expensive by some, they are 'expensive' for a reason! They know exactly what they are doing! So, can Cazoo pull this off and pull off the biggest resurrection since JC rolled the stone away, well......it is nearly Easter, so who knows! Time will tell 😁 Reject My Car - Cazoo aye or naw? #consumerprotection #consumeraction #automotive #disputeresolution

How many times have I told you that Cazoo would never make it for the long haul? How many? Very many, that’s how many. And so it has come to pass with the news today (6th March) that founder Alex Chesterman has given up all hope of seeing Cazoo become a global (at birth) and when that didn’t work, a UK-only market leading purveyor of used cars. Here’s the plan. Cazoo is to run a fire sale of all its stock starting today and then turn itself into a pale imitation of Autotrader as a pure-play marketplace. What could possibly go wrong? And along with turfing out the stock goes CEO Paul Whitehead, who took over the top job from Chesterman in March 2023. He was previously Cazoo’s COO since its founding. No replacement has been announced – apparently Cazoo will be run by committee. That’s should work well, shouldn’t it! And just to top it all off, Cazoo will inevitably delist from the NYSE, which it joined in 2021 as a ‘back-door johnnie’ through a SPAC (aka weapon of value destruction) deal. Be reminded that Cazoo has never, ever made a profit. Frankly, I don’t think Cazoo will survive the transition. Give me a while to bask in the glory of self-righteousness and then I’ll rake over the ashes in a future post (sorry, I never put ‘humble’ in my LinkedIn profile). PS I do have to thank Chesterman, though, for his unerring support of the world's greatest sport, #snooker, for which Cazoo has been a loyal sponsor in recent years. No maximum break for him, I'm afraid. #usedcars

I mentioned last week that we had been on a Shipnet strategy day with Dominic Monkhouse. Dominic helps businesses stay on track for the growth they have forecasted. He asks the questions that ensures you are still going in the right direction. How easy is it to get derailed in business when you live it every day? Derailed by: Leads, pipe build, customer feedback, HR issues etc … it’s easy to look in the direction where the most noise is coming from, instead of continuing on your path and looking at the horizon. If you stop walking towards that goal and look at your feet, you’ll fall over – Dominic basically makes sure your laces are tied and your head remains up. Our heads are up, our laces are tied, and we have chartered our course – we are holding our nerve and making smart decisions. The number of leads will fluctuate, that’s business…. the pipe will slow as quickly as it builds again and there will always be a member of staff who thinks that sending everyone a pair of Shipnet branded adidas is a brilliant idea … Me?…. No…. yes ok, me. Heads up everyone.   #shipnetgoals #businessgrowth

In an era of super-apps where everyone wants to be everywhere, the concept of 'value proposition' has been greatly diluted. This concept determines a customer's affinity for a brand by forming associations in his/her mind. bigbasket.com has clearly rocked this and communicated the essence in just two words: Bigger Savings or Quicker Delivery. When I joined Daimler India Commercial Vehicles as a marketing manager (Buses Division), the Bus organisation brought together 2 brands positioned differently. While 𝗠𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗱𝗲𝘀-𝗕𝗲𝗻𝘇 is an iconic brand in the premium segment catering to intercity travellers, 𝗕𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗕𝗲𝗻𝘇 is an economical passenger brand catering to schools, colleges, and offices. My first initiative was to create a campaign communicating the identity of Daimler buses among commercial vehicles. With a strong belief in research, we had focused discussions with dealers, mechanics, drivers, buyers, and the end users (school kids, parents, college students, and office goers). The three key needs that emerged from the discussion were 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵, 𝘚𝘢𝘧𝘦𝘵𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺. Bus travellers are comfortable at their homes and destinations. They need that level of comfort on the bus journey as well. The bus journey should be as good as a cocoon to pupa. Based on this understanding of customers, we wrote the creative brief. The innovative concept "𝗥𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆" was ideated and scripted in line with the brief. The brand film can be watched here: https://lnkd.in/gXDzwfqK

Happened to Come  across a recent brand collaboration news , wherein the brand  attempts  to shape the customer behavior. The news is about the  partnership between  Hero MotoCorp  and ThumsUp  for the launch of the mid weight motorcycle “ Hero Maverik 440 Thunderwheels”. Traditionally, motorcycles fall into the “informative purchase” category (high involvement, high thinking) where buyers focus on rational decision-making, product specs, and long-term value. Customers invest time in researching, comparing alternatives, and carefully considering their choices before making a purchase to minimize the risk associated with purchase. But this collaboration with ThumsUp, is cleverly attempting to shift the buying experience towards the  “affective purchase”  category (high involvement, high feeling). By aligning with Thums Up’s values of  “ boldness, courage, and adventure” , and infusing a  thrilling emotional connection  with the youth, the campaign taps into emotions of excitement and empowerment. With bold visuals, celebrity ads, and a limited edition appeal, it is obvious that the attempt is  to create a strong emotional pull, making the purchase not just about specs, but about how it  feels  to own a piece of this adventurous spirit. It's a fascinating strategy where “ rational meets emotional “ ,  redefining how customers engage with brands But a billion dollar question still remains. Can Brand Collaborations actually Shift Consumer Buying Behavior ? Any thoughts ? #Brand #Marketing #branding #communication  #ConsumerBehavior #HeroMotoCorp #ThumsUp #MarketingStrategy #Purchaseinvolvement

It's easy to get bogged down in a brand's product launches, but what good is that when people don't know or trust the brand? That's where CarSauce comes in. CarSauce was the second most video-viewed new car Aussie automotive platform in 2023, with close to 50 million video views across our three major platforms: YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. At this rate, our 2024 will be even better. We also consistently rank among the highest - if not the highest - for engagement and car reviews. Jacob Brooke and I recently travelled to China with Chery Australia, and as we do with all international launches, we vlogged the entire process. This 1+ hour vlog, within 24 hours, is sitting at close to 20,000 views, with some of the highest engagement we've seen from our community to date. Not only has Chery Australia allowed Aussie buyers to see behind the curtain and the human side of their business, but we've also released five other full-length YouTube videos and accompanying vertical videos posted across all of our platforms. All up, Chery (shoutout to Tim Krieger) has received over 1 million views from a mostly Australian audience for simply bringing CarSauce along for the journey. And we can see the effects, with CarSauce.com/Buy - our car buying service - being flooded with Chery product inquiries. Other smart PR teams have noticed this too. I'll be traveling to China with ZEEKR Australia and Korea with Hyundai Motor Company Australia over the next couple of weeks, taking our audience with me and capturing bucket loads of other high-performing content. Although the biggest challenge for us is still gaining legitimacy in a traditionally stale, old-school boys' club industry; when we're pulling in scary good figures like we are - those who don't see the extraordinary value we provide really do miss out. And I'm proud of that! 😉 https://lnkd.in/g65Zi8xC

I love the way its founders are using storytelling to build their brand. They are - Super fun - Always busy sharing behind-the-scenes, struggles and wins - Always promoting their “why” - And honestly broke sales records at Costco earlier this year. The name of their company is Mid-Day Squares and its founders are Jake Karls, Lezlie Karls, and Nick Saltarelli During my MBA days, I read case studies about how Nike and Apple have won the market with storytelling. But seeing this in real-time with Mid-Day Squares? I can’t stop watching their journey. (And honestly, can’t wait for you to launch them in India super soon 🇮🇳!) It’s raw, it’s real, and it’s authentic. If you are a founder looking for inspiration to grow your personal brand. I can’t honestly suggest checking them out enough :) As co-founder of Mid-Day Squares, Jake says, “Hershey's and any other company can create what we are making but they can never make you feel the way our product does.” Love witnessing such brands! Who’s a founder you’re admiring right now? Share in the comments below, I’d love to know! #branding #marketingexamples #contentwriting #personalbrand

A year ago, while working part-time at Aston Villa, I couldn’t escape the CAZOO logo—it was everywhere, from jerseys to stands. I thought, “Wow, what a powerhouse!” Fast forward to now, and I was stunned to read that CAZOO had called in administrators. It was a sharp reminder of how quickly fortunes can change, even for a company that seemed unstoppable just yesterday. Next thing I know, I was deep into research about the rise and fall of the company.
Here are five crucial factors I believe contributed to its collapse: 1. High Dependency on the COVID-19 Scenario  The pandemic created a surge in demand for buying used cars online as people stayed home. However, this spike was short-lived. While many prefer to research cars online, purchasing a car is a significant decision that most consumers prefer to finalize in person. Cazoo's belief that they could permanently change buying habits underestimated the resilience and adaptability of traditional car dealerships, which quickly matched Cazoo’s online offerings with their existing infrastructure. 2. Massive Marketing and Administrative Expenses  Cazoo spent tens of millions of pounds on sponsorship deals in football, snooker, and darts. In 2022, they shifted focus to performance marketing and cut hundreds of jobs in an attempt to revive revenue. Despite these efforts, the company never achieved a profitable breakeven from its heavy marketing expenditures. 3. Supply Chain Issues and the Cost of Living Crisis  A global semiconductor shortage increased demand for used cars, but low production led to a shortage of used cars as well. The resulting rise in prices made cars unaffordable for many consumers already struggling with the cost of living crisis. 4. Rushed Expansion in Europe  Driven by ambitions for rapid growth, Cazoo expanded into France, Germany, Italy, and Spain despite declining sales. Supply chain issues and the cost of living crisis soon halted this expansion, resulting in significant redundancies. 5. Changes in Management  In January 2023, CEO and Founder Alex Chesterman stepped down after the company lost 97% of its market value. His successor, Paul Whitehead, also stepped down shortly thereafter. Several changes in senior management created instability and a lack of consistent leadership within the company. These factors combined to create an environment in which Cazoo could no longer sustain its operations, leading to its unfortunate entry into administration. Note: The views expressed in this post are my personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of any organizations I am associated with. This is not financial or business advice.

In order to further strengthen its connection with Gen Z consumers in India, Crocs India’ ‘Splash Your Style’ campaign focused on the core values of self-expression, individuality, and cultural relevance. By leveraging the monsoon season and blending it with music and dance, Crocs reached 150M+ users. Follow the link in the comments to know more! #advertising #marketing #casestudy

Unleashing the Power of Synergy: Marvel, Disney, and a New Era of Branding The upcoming release of Marvel Studios' Deadpool & Wolverine is more than just a movie; it's a cultural phenomenon. Disney Consumer Products India is masterfully leveraging this excitement by partnering with 25 diverse brands to create an immersive fan experience. From apparel and accessories to food, beverage, and technology, these collaborations are set to create a wave of excitement among fans across India. 🌟 Key Collaborations Include: adidas: Sporty and stylish apparel that embodies the energy of Deadpool & Wolverine. boAt Lifestyle: Cutting-edge tech accessories to keep fans connected in style. The Coca-Cola Company: Limited-edition cans and bottles featuring Deadpool & Wolverine, complete with AR experiences to bring the characters to life. Myntra, Nestlé POLO, The Souled Store, and WROGN: A variety of themed merchandise catering to the diverse tastes of Marvel fans. As a digital solutions provider, Digiexcel is inspired by this level of innovation. We believe in the transformative potential of digital experiences to elevate brands and build lasting connections. How can Digiexcel help your brand harness the power of synergy? Ignite your e-commerce growth: Our data-driven strategies will propel your products to new heights. Create content that captivates: Our creative team will craft compelling stories that resonate with your audience. Build lasting customer relationships: Our marketing expertise will turn customers into brand advocates. Embrace digital transformation: Our tech solutions will streamline operations and enhance customer experiences. Let's collaborate to create extraordinary brand experiences that leave a lasting impact. #Marvel #Disney #Deadpool #Wolverine #Branding #Marketing #Partnership #ContentMarketing #Digiexcel