Digital marketing conferences are hardly rare. But the recent Digital Marketing First in Brussels was an opportunity (for me at least) to get a feel for the fast-moving market. First off, this was a busy day for most of the participants. The visitors had a non-stop selection of presentations to choose from, with the inevitable […]
M, copywriter in Brussels
Make Facebook reflect your values, not the other way round
Now that a huge number of companies are on Facebook, a whole generation of marketing departments, copywriters and social media practitioners are discovering the joys of creating content. When it comes to Facebook, of course, it is probably just as important to relay existing content as it is to create it – particularly given the […]
The process of irritation by imitation
Anyone that runs a website knows how irritating spam can be. Since the early days of just posting links, the systems that spammers use have gotten increasingly sophisticated, aiming to imitate human speech (or writing) as closely as they can. Without having to write the actual garbage themselves, of course. I spoke to a client […]
Nike re-defines greatness
If you’re tired of watching CGI footballers and sportsmen bouncing balls across the neighbourhood/plane/planet, you are probably ready for Nike’s wonderful new ad (which I was not involved with, by the way – I’m simply celebrating beautiful work). It’s incredibly simple and, I’d venture to say, inspiring. It brings the whole issue back to personal […]
Belfius: 2 reasons this name is wrong
It’s not often that a brand name generates so much interest. Belgians woke up March 1 to discover that the retail branch of the troubled bank Dexia is now called Belfius. The reactions were instant and entirely predictable as people began looking for the hidden meaning. Jokes ranged from it being a contraction of “Belgians […]
Are your communications aligned with your mission statement?
Coincidentally, I’ve worked on a number of corporate branding projects recently that threw up a similar problem. Although the brand statements and guidelines were developed with intelligence and insight, their implementation was haphazard at best. Put bluntly, the disconnect between the two is a disaster. Why spend so much time and resources on re-branding if […]
Writing Christmas wishes with a wish
If you’re struggling to come up with an original idea for your Christmas wishes, I have a word of advice: don’t. Let’s not forget that Christmas and New Year wishes are a little opportunity to tell someone that you are thinking about them. This is one time when you can put your marketing pen aside […]
Levis, riots and teenage aspirations
This ad, surely one of the most evocative for a jeans company, has become iconic in a way. Just as the turbulence of May 1968 fueled a new mythology and counter-culture, will 2011 be remembered as a turning point in youth movements? I’d say it’s a pretty safe bet. But typically for our age, […]