Reactive marketing: why timing is everything

What do Sainsbury’s and Beyoncé have in common? Until recently, not very much. But, thanks to a stroke of reactive marketing genius, this unlikely association brought Sainsbury’s a surge of engagement on social media. What can marketers learn from it in order to capitalise on other brands’ publicity, turn a PR disaster into a PR triumph or score serious engagement from a single post? One thing is clear: when it comes to reactive marketing, fortune favours the fast.

Teaming with creativity

There can be few more encouraging votes of confidence than an industry award. And when it comes to awards there are few better than a Cannes Lion.

Value your brand? Then take IT security seriously

For most people, IT security is a bit like flossing: you know you should do it regularly, but somehow you never get round to it. We all know we should have a different password for every app, service or site – and that we should change them every few months – but how many of us actually do?

You’ve got mail (that you’ll actually want to read)

How often do you bother to read marketing emails? Like many others, you may wonder why marketers are so keen to keep e-mail communications alive. Put simply: they work. Why? Because we all still keep a close eye on our inboxes every day.

Pick a partner: why working together is the key to success

When you think of Tom and Jerry, it’s likely the first thing that springs to mind is their natural rivalry – each episode erupting into mayhem because of the comedic competition between the two characters. But if you think harder you might remember that, from time to time, the pair set aside their rivalry and defied nature to pursue a common goal. Although cat and mouse were created to be enemies, deep down they were always friends – “frenemies” before the term became mainstream.

A brand worth living: hoping for new wave of celebrity brand ambassadors

Back in 2014, Kelly Slater, an 11-time world surfing champion and one of the greatest athletes of all time, made the surfing community question whether his brain was waterlogged when he parted ways with his long-term sponsor Quiksilver to pursue his own clothing brand. Walking away from a 23-year, multimillion-dollar partnership that had him made the face of surfing for three generations looked like a strange decision, to say the least. It was the equivalent of LeBron James leaving Nike or Lionel Messi dumping Adidas to start their own sports brands.

Why you may need to think again about thought leadership

A couple of years ago we were asked to make some strategic recommendations about how an established B2B brand could gain quick traction and momentum in an industry sector outside its traditional sphere of influence. Specifically, we were asked to consider how “thought leadership” might play a part.

In for a penny: what the world can learn from the UK’s fintech industry

I recently celebrated three years living in the UK, having moved here from Tokyo in late 2013. I wanted to see another part of the world and seek out opportunities that I might miss if I stayed home following my graduation. So I secured a visa and headed west in search of work.