Forever young...

Roxanne McAnn has just shared a rather good blog article with me called, '10 Old Brands That Managed to Stay Modern.' Enjoy...

Brand survival

Well - on the news is the fact that News of the World is closing down. A remarkable action to try and put right some wrongs. It is/was 168 years old, and apparently the most read English language newspaper. But now it's a damaged brand.

On You & Yours this morning a contributor (sadly I missed his name and can't 'listen again') gave good advice for brands facing a crisis, "act transparently, clearly, honestly and quickly." News of the World is part of a brand architecture where the damaged reputation of one part can seriously affect the rest. NewsCorp has acted to attempt to save their brand, and possibly News International. They have certainly acted quickly. With famous brands pulling out from advertising in the paper, public opinion was never going to come back. And I don't think James Murdoch's statement really captures the horror everyone else is feeling, "The good things the News of the World does, however, have been sullied by behaviour that was wrong. Indeed, if recent allegations are true, it was inhuman and has no place in our Company."

There's a thought that it's a political move to demonstrate they are taking this really seriously (well I should think so!) and therefore still a contender in the BSkyB deal. Really?

But I think with words flying round like "toxic" and people saying, "I think the country after Sunday will be a better place," there doesn't seem any place to hide. Zac Goldsmith has just described it as, "a sinister and bad organisation" with, "widespread corruption and criminality."

To say the discussion will run and run is rather an understatement - but I'm pretty sure it will be on the GCSE History syllabus in 20 years. And I'm not sure transparency, clarity or honesty will feature highly in the analysis.

ps I'm not going to put in a link to the News of the World website.

Screw up your business card

The coolest business card?

Martin Lindstrom's recent article in Fast Company challenges everyone to consider their business card as a vehicle for the essence of their brand. His rule of thumb for a well-managed brand states, "If a brand can describe its core values and philosophy on its business card without resorting to a detailed description, then the brand becomes a full representation of its vision."


In order to create such a compelling brand ambassador you need to 'crack the code of creativity.' We are absolute advocates of the use of creative thinking, problem solving and excellent design skills to fulfil the brief of the business card as brand billboard, making it stand out from the crowd, be remembered and convey the very heart and soul of the brand.

The business card designed for Swanswell by johnson banks as part of our branding project is just such an example of creative genius. The cards arrive in a little pad. When a Swanswell person wants to hand one out - it involves a little performance: they remove a card from the pad, scrunch up one end, then hand over a half-crumpled business card. A physical demonstration of their logo and their brand vision, 'change and be happy'- uncrumpling lives.


Brand success is, to paraphrase Lindstrom,  all about staying on message and maintaining focus on your core vision - all the time - in every situation - predictable and unpredictable.

Summer Fair Wars

Every year the quality of estate agent boards advertising (and sponsoring) school summer fairs seems to get better and better. And each year the rivalry between the schools, the sharp elbows of the PTA and the competitive creative streak gets greater and greater!

These three fine and tasteful examples are all up in my road now. All quite delightful. I will try to attend them all even though Greenside and John Betts seem to have been scheduled on the same day (heads will roll...)

A Brand Icon

Television Centre. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

I admit I was upset when I heard Television Centre was to be sold. And I am conflicted about my feelings. I see the logic - I can't separate my emotional connection. I live near it, I love going by it, my memories of childhood are imbued with it, my kids have performed there, my dog has performed there, I've done work there. But I suppose it is just a building...

That's the thing about brands though. They aren't just places, or things, or stuff. They are a bagful of emotional content that gives each of us a personal connection with a brand. How a brand fits into your personal and individual life. Often those brands are made up of some significant iconic objects: the Coke bottle, the Levi's red tag, the Disney castle. They act as anchors to connect us with all the feelings that make the brand.

Charlie Brooker's article in today's G2 expresses excellently his/my frustration about the TVC development. I love his reference to Glaswegian comedy writer-performer Robert Florence (Burnistoun) who wrote that telling an aspiring comedy writer that TV Centre won't be around any more is like telling a budding astronaut the moon has disappeared. Read it and weep...