Kevin Harrington // marketing // blog

Tough luck if you're a marketer with T-Mobile

2008-11-13T23:16:00.005Z

I like the T-Mobile ad campaign on the London Underground. It extols the virtues of the Google G1 phone. I guess they would like to sell them. Unfortunately their marketing is far from joined up to their sales activity!

My wife has been with T-Mobile for years. She phoned up to enquire about an upgrade to a G1. She struggled getting through and eventually selected the option for "thinking of leaving" to get a human.

The summary of the advice she was given was:

1. If you upgrade now it will cost you £51.

2. I'd leave it until the new year if I were you as you've been a good customer and there will loads of good deals then.

3. And I wouldn't recommend the G1 as it is a bit big and not all that good.

4. Get the LG Viewer instead.

5. No, I don't work for T-Mobile. We're outsourced telesales.

Marvellous! I wonder how much effort went into the T-Mobile/G1 deal?

Carrier bag wars

2008-11-09T22:28:00.004Z

Sunday 9 November, from Bond St underground to Marble Arch, Primark won the carrier bag war by a country mile on Oxford Street, London.

The number of people carrying the new, brown paper Primark carrier bags, bulging with shopping was amazing. Based on this highly scientific bit of market research, they will be the high street winners this Christmas.

The bright yellow Selfridges carrier bags were dotted about but few in number.

Strangely I didn't notice any Marks & Spencer bags. Then I noticed they had changed to a red, seasonal carrier. A bad mistake as the high street impact is lost.

Saab, award winning direct marketing

2008-11-08T17:28:00.004Z

Saab UK has just sent me an excellent piece of direct mail. The small lumpy envelope contained an 'honorary employee' badge on a lanyard.

The hook to the offer is the opportunity to buy a Saab at Saab employee prices. These presumably wonderful prices aren't stated. To find out more I need to go to my local dealer, Saab Reading.

A simple, compelling and clear message. Well done to Saab and whoever their agency.

Coca Cola product quality

2008-11-07T22:52:00.003Z

Earlier this week someone told me that the biggest issue Coca Cola are dealing with in the UK is parallel/unofficial imports of their products. These apparently are undercutting there own trade prices.

I would beg to differ. I think their biggest issue is an appalling lack of product quality, consistency and delivery. My experiences this week:

1) Sofitel, St James, London. The best glass of Coke I’ve enjoyed for a long time. It may have been £5.06 but it was from a bottle, on lots of ice, with a slice of lemon and served in a perfect glass.

2) Oxford/Welcome Break Services. Luke warm plastic bottles at £1.40. Revolting.

3) The Glebe Hotel, Barford, Warwick. Syrupy, flat post mix. The second glass was better, but I’ve never been a big fan of post mix Coke. Price unknown.

Terminology land grab

2008-11-07T21:58:00.003Z

So, can I lay claim to being the creator of the term B2A? I've started using this term to
describe the marketing of business to (marketing) agencies. There are also the standard extensions to this: B2A2C, B2A2B etc.

Also back in 1998 I retaliated on the financial community by developing 'marketing for non-marketing managers' workshops. These were enormously successful and were a very successful collaboration with my colleague Andy Hedge from the HR team. Was I first to use the term 'marketing for non-marketing managers'?

Historically finance people have been assisting the rest of their colleagues by running finance for non-financial mangers workshops. The educational value of these sessions often masks how finance set their agenda out to the listening audience.

Isn't it time that marketing directors in all businesses introduced marketing training for all disciplines across their organisations?

Data Strategy errors

2008-11-07T20:37:00.004Z

I did chuckle...before I unsubscrided to the emails. I would rather have hoped that an email to me asking me to re-start subscriptions to the magazine Data Strategy would have been addressed to me. Wrong, it was addressed to Ms Ramsey.

I didn't notice that error at first. Actually I was marvelling at the bad email. Not a single mention of any benefit to me if I did subscribe. Here it is for you to enjoy.

starts

Re-start your free subscription

Dear Ms Ramsey,

Reference Number: 3920515

Over a year ago, you registered for free copies of Data Strategy. At the time, we might not have explained that, to continue receiving complimentary copies of the magazine, you need to re-register every year.

Please follow this link to re-start your free copies >>

If you are NOT the person named above, please use the following link instead:

New reader application >>

Alternatively, you can print out a free application form at:http://applynow.centaur.co.uk/pubpdf/ds/Browse.view Please complete this and fax it back to 020 7970 4099.

I look forward to sending you your copies for another year.

Yours Sincerely,

Ed Tillotson Publisher

P.S. Do you have any colleagues whom you think would benefit from receiving their own complimentary copies? If so, forward them this link: http://www.data-strategy.co.uk/apply

ends

Things that are making me smile today

2008-10-31T10:00:00.003Z

From the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) events guide:

Shape the Agenda - Marketing and the Olympics THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED

I want to know if this is the seminar or the Olympics!

And from the same source:

Innovation in times of uncertainty - THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED

and:

Celebration evening - celebrating Cumbria becoming a branch - THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED

and to finish up on another Olympic themed, cancelled event:

Ensuring South West England secures a lasting legacy from the 2012 Games. THIS EVENT HAS NOW BEEN CANCELLED

2008-10-30T13:59:00.003Z

It appears that the Daily Telegraph shares my enthusiasm for the Google G1 phone.

Link to my orginal post on this subject.

Say Cheese: unifies experiential and online marketing

2008-10-30T13:30:00.003Z

I rather like this business - Say Cheese. According to their own blurb they “unify experiential and online marketing”.

They are delivering a simple but successful event and brand marketing service. Personal photos rather than useless giveaways sound good to me.

Also their own marketing is very good. The full page advertisement in Marketing magazine and their website are perfectly in line and deliver a very clear message.

My only criticism was that went from http://www.saycheese.co.uk/ to the gallery area and clicked on home to end up at http://www.saycheese.eu/, the Dutch website.

Yamaha brand assumptions

2008-10-19T21:21:00.006Z

It's funny when you spot a brand. We all tend to make assumptions based on our experiences.

When I saw Yamaha West London I immediately thought it was a keyboard or guitar shop. I then wondered why there was an MOT sign on the front of the building. It turned out it was a motorbike retailer.

Full marks to Yamaha for the consistent presentation of their brand.

How many consumer brands have product ranges as diverse as guitars and motorbikes? Loads when you start thinking about it: Hitachi (nuclear power stations to clock radios); GE; Sony. I think the difference with Yamaha is that they hold such strong brand positions with consumers in vastly different sectors.

BTW ... West London Yamaha can be found at 138 Twickenham Road, Hanworth, Middlesex, TW13 6HD. www.westlondonyamaha.co.uk

Logopedics Phoniatrics Vocology...now there's a title!

2008-10-19T19:42:00.005Z

There are times when mergers don't deliver just benefits. When a Swedish and a British magazine/journal merged they ended up with a title with this snappy name: Logopedics Phoniatrics Vocology. Imagine trying to order that in WH Smith on a busy Saturday morning!

Logopedics Phoniatrics Vocology is the official journal of the British Voice Association. The Journal is an amalgamation of the former journals Scandinavian Journal of Logopedics & Phoniatrics and VOICE.

The intention is to cover topics related to speech, language and voice pathology as well as to normal voice function in its different aspects. It works on a non-profit basis. The Journal covers a wide range of topics, including: phonation and laryngeal physiology; speech and language development; voice disorders; clinical measurements of speech, language and voice; professional voice including singing, bilingualism; cleft lip and palate; dyslexia; fluency disorders; neurolinguistics and psycholinguistics, aphasia; motor speech disorders; voice rehabilitation of laryngectomees; augmentative and alternative communication; acoustics; dysphagia.

Surrey mums like MAD activities

2008-10-16T21:46:00.005Z

We all know that word of mouth (WOM) is very powerful marketing. Therefore it was very pleasing to see the comment below on Surrey Mums about one of my wife's businesses.

"I've recently started taking my little girl to MAD (music and Dance) academy, and it's brilliant!

"The first group we attended consisted of the children dancing like penguins and horses, playing drums and tambourines, singing songs about cars and frogs and my daughter shouting "more, more, more!” and now we're nearly half way through the term and it hasn't lost its magic.

"It's a fantastic activity for the very energetic to the very shy as they're not pressured into doing anything they don't want to do. I would highly recommend a MAD session to anyone who wants to put a smile on their little ones face.

"To find a class near you please visit www.madacademy.com"

Petrol down to 99.9p per litre

2008-10-16T21:21:00.005Z

Petrol was down to 99.9p per litre in Reading, Berkshire today. Fabulous. Just two days ago it was 105.9p. It cost me £3 less to fill the tank.

We are all happy enough to moan at the speed prices increase. So I'm giving praise to BP for the rapid deflation.

p.s. the petrol station mentioned is the BP Connect one at the Three Tuns crossroads, Wokingham Road, reading.

Feature: Vouchers and gift cards: Where next?

2008-10-15T19:45:00.005Z

"Kevin Harrington, research and development director at Sodexo Pass - the company behind SayShopping vouchers and SayMotivation Pass - looks to the future of vouchers and gift cards." - Sales Promotion.

Read the full feature.

Originally printed in Sales Promotion magazine September 2008 issue.

The G1 Google Phone may be for me

2008-10-07T19:46:00.005Z

I'm rather excited by the pending arrival of the Google Phone, G1. But it will be a quandary for me.

Out of principal I would not buy an iPhone as I find their distribution approach offensive. I don't want to move to O2 and I don't want a new phone number. These are both things that were demanded at the UK launch of the iPhone.

This resulted in me finally abandoning Sony handsets (having worked for them in the 80s and 90s there was a bit of a loyalty) to get the functionality I wanted. I migrated to Blackberry Pearl 8100.

But the Google Phone is looking very exciting. That said, there are mixed views about the launch. Do I depart from Blackberry in favour of Google?

The difference between B2B and B2C agency approaches

2008-10-06T20:01:00.008Z

At a guess 40% of my marketing career has been B2B and 60% B2C.

Recently I've been casting the net to find new suppliers/partners for a broad range of activities that are absolutely in the B2B area. And I'm thrilled to say that I've been meeting some very interesting people. Some of these were on the Marketing Forum 2008.

I've been amazed at the difference in styles. The B2B folks have been very considered, narrow focused and tentative. By contrat the B2C people have taken more of a broad, we can do anything, full service approach.

These are of course sweeping generalisations, so apologies if I've offended anyone. The thing is I cannot really understand why the agency approaches are so different. From my perspective the steps that need to be followed are the same.

In fact my intention now is to work on delivering the B2B project that I am dealing with by utilising a healthy layer of B2C. I'm sure I'll upset someone on the way but 1) sorry and 2) hey ho!

This post is not an invitation to suppliers/agencies to pitch their wares and services. Comments are more than welcome though.

TV's Worst Adverts

2008-10-05T22:17:00.003Z

I tripped across this fun site, TV's Worst Adverts, just now.

It's nice to know so many other people think the Picture Loans, Injury Lawyers and Glade adverts are pants.

Have a look for your self http://tvs-worst-adverts.co.uk/ and you can comment and vote.

Google's new Zurich offices

2008-10-05T18:54:00.000Z

I rather like the new Google offices in Zurich:

Are Chef's Table dinners the best word of mouth (WOM) marketing?

2008-10-05T14:56:00.007Z

Are Chef's Table dinners the best word of mouth (WOM) marketing? You pay for the best then go off and tell everyone about it. Restaurant wins at both ends.

I raise this subject as a compliment having just had the most wonderful Chef's Table dinner at L'ortolan, Shinfield, Reading, Berkshire. My daughters Jo, Sam and Katy conspired to book the night for me as a birthday present.

The evening was a magical 12 courses accompanied by 12 different wines. Interlaced were conversations and chats with Alan Murchison (the boss, executive chef and all round good chap), Elliot (the sous chef) and the rest of the team.

But the visual theatre of the team delivering plated perfection for the restaurant guests was most engaging part of the experience. A truly fantastic evening.

The result: here I am doing the PR and marketing for Alan and L'ortolan. And it is a pleasure to do so. If you are looking for a unique experience and enjoy excellent cuisine, try and book the Chef's Table.

Satnav market research

2008-10-05T14:26:00.010Z

Just as I was saying that compulsory satnav in cars would solve more jams than government initiatives two things happened. Firstly my wife phone up to say she was stuck in a non-moving jam in Hammersmith...and she was using satnav. Secondly I saw page on the AA website that seemed to support my thoughts:

1. Satnav market research indicates that drivers using satnav make 25% less stops than those driving without a satnav system.

2. If you're using a satnav, you're likely to spend 35% less time in a stationary vehicle stuck in traffic.

3. Research also indicates that drivers using a satnav drive 16% less miles and spend 18% less time at the wheel than drivers without satnav.

Side of an Iceland lorry

2008-09-30T19:35:00.005Z

I saw on the side of an Iceland lorry the statement: "We were the first supermarket to stop selling GM food."

So what? Others have stopped selling GM foods. And, this all presupposes that GM food is bad in the first place.

For a brand that is predominantly price led the lorry's message stuck out. At the time of writing their website is leading on 75p freezer essentials and planning a party for £1 a person.

Comments?

Direct Line - the number one insurer

2008-09-19T19:58:00.001Z

It is rather nice when an insurance company exceeds expectations.

Plaudits to Direct Line who recently dealt with and settled our burglary claim with no fuss or bother. From my experience they are head and shoulders above their competitors.

Don't get burgled, but if you do, cross your fingers your household insurers are as good as Direct Line.

I love you, Dad

2008-09-09T19:51:00.002Z

We make all sorts of assumptions about communication media for different age groups. Recent examples that help me keep a broad focus:

1. Charlie, my 6 year old son, not only now uses Outlook for his personal email account he is also sending me messsages with images embedded. The one on the left arrived the other day.

2. My mother, who has enjoyed free bus travel for some while now (to people outside of the UK: that means she is over 65), sends me texts littered with text speak. You know the type of thing, cu l8r and similar abbreviations.

3. I actually found someone in their late teens that doesn't use Facebook/Twitter/MySpace. I am sure he is not alone.

The lesson to me was useful: don't make assumptions. I'm sure I'll need reminding of this again very soon!

Environmentally friendly Saab

2008-08-15T12:21:00.003Z

I received two sets of the same piece of direct mail about the new twin turbo Saab this morning. Is this a play on TWIN turbo or just simply shoddy de-duping of data? Identical names and addresses on both envelopes.

It made me chuckle as the key message seemed to be about the low running costs and Saab's green values.

KFC and the internet

2008-08-14T20:33:00.000Z

Everywhere you go people invite you to visit their website. Often you wonder why on getting there.

I was very surprised today to note that the URL http://www.kfc.co.uk/ was not visible, to me, anywhere in the Bracknell KFC. Is this good or bad marketing?

Mind you, aside from the store finder, there is not a lot of real use on the site. The 'charity' section was report on an October 2007 event. Where are the competitions and games? That's all at http://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/.

Of course I was there at the request of the children. But I did have to enjoy a Zinger while I was waiting for them!