Marketing and Design Milton Keynes

Blunt... but it works.

2011-06-22T12:21:00.008+01:00

Sometimes advertising tries hard to be clever.
But sometimes blunt just works better.

Liverpool go blue

2011-06-16T08:52:00.001+01:00

When a particular colour IS your identity.
When that connection is so strong, people even refer to you as 'the red men'.
When that colour is a clear point of difference against your closest rivals in blue.
When your 'customers' are unbelievably respectful to your history.
When that colour is what you are.

Why?

Because brand values matters.

Think Inter Milan? Blue. AC Milan? Red

Celtic? Green. Rangers? Blue.

O2? Blue. Vodaphone? Red. Orange? Err, orange.

It might only be a third kit, but it's the same as Vodaphone changing their branding to blue on their less popular stores.
It doesn't happen.
Because brand values matter.

Google Doodle - Les Paul

2011-06-09T09:15:00.001+01:00

The best Google Doodle so far?

Visually it's simple (and effective), but its interactivity and element of surprise makes it special.

Your call is important to us. No really.

2011-05-06T16:14:00.000+01:00

Some bananas. Recently.

I made a phone call yesterday to the Eden Project box office to buy some tickets for their excellent Eden Sessions. As is often the way with ticket hotlines, my call was held in a queue. And every so often a voice would cut in.

But unlike the usual "your call is important to us"or some dull, generic sales messages, a Cornish sounding voice cut in and told me that bananas are indeed Britain's favourite fruit. I was taken back by both the accent (not the usual, unspecified region corporate voice) and the message itself.

Next up he explained how indigo dye is in fact yellow until it touches denim at which point it turns blue.

Then... hemp can create four times as much paper per area grown as trees.

And... If you stacked all our annual household waste up it would reach the moon.

By now I was actually looking forward to each new interesting fact, each message interesting and aligned to the Eden Project's values, and had forgotten about being held in a queue until a nice, helpful lady answered my call.

It made me wonder why so few companies use any imagination on their telephone hold systems. After all, it's another customer touch point and an opportunity to reinforce your brand.

I’m feeling sick… quick, call an artist…

2011-04-05T07:48:00.003+01:00

Art is what you can get away with - Andy Warhol

The recent cuts in Arts Council funding provoked predictable arguments on radio phone ins, with opinions either totally for or against the value of the arts.

One caller didn’t just want cuts in funding, he wanted ALL the arts money to be spent in the NHS on saving lives. This was followed by a pro-arts caller who responded by stating “the arts saves people’s lives too”.

Now I believe the arts are an important part of every culture, but can we really compare their restorative powers with those of a kidney dialysis machine?

Leaflet door drops on the increase

2011-02-04T18:35:00.000Z

Interesting to read that figures for more traditional marketing methods – unaddressed advertising in particular – actually rose in 2010. ‘Leaflets’ as they are more affectionately known and the use of them amongst the UK’s biggest companies rose by a whopping 43% (increase spend of £11.6m to £38.8m).

So what has caused this shift to traditional methods of marketing when the current push is towards the more sexy digital methods? Much of it is down to more advanced Geo-targeting tools that allow marketers to target to individual postcode areas and align to the demographic cluster required, thus improving response rates and reducing costs. And that old concern of "how do I know my leaflets won't all end up in the canal" is a thing of the past too. Distributors now wear GPS tracking devises, so their managers know exactly where they have been.

So are door drops the way forward?

Yes.

Or No.

As with any marketing activity, it depends what you are trying to achieve as to what the best tools to use are. And that's where a great marketing agency earns it's corn.

Simple, yet effective websites

2010-10-28T15:30:00.006+01:00

I was looking for a locksmith in Milton Keynes. One Google search and I found this website on page one.

Simple but effective website

It told me everything I needed to know on one page.

Okay, perhaps the graphic design isn’t going to win any awards, but it gets the message across simply and effectively. And sometimes that is all that’s needed.

*PS… for the polar opposite approach, check out this cracker….

Ryan Giggs' First Car

2010-10-07T11:10:00.000+01:00

I came across this old magazine titled 'Drive On' recently. Must be from the mid-nineties and appears to have been given out to people when they passed their driving test.

The design probably didn't win many plaudits, but what fascinated me was the article on Ryan Giggs first car from Manchester United - a J-reg Ford Mexico.

It shows the speed with which football has changed in 15 years, as I can't imagine many of today's rising stars would be quite as impressed as Ryan seems to have been.

It makes me feel old just reading this!

Lady Gaga - Marketing Genius

2010-09-15T09:54:00.001+01:00

A few weeks back we made a pitch to a new client. They are a small player in a crowded marketplace with many established competitors. Their budget is small, so out-spending the competition is not an option.

But they do have 100% confidence and belief in their own service, a thorough grasp of 'why' they do what they do, and know 'how' to deliver 'what' the customer wants. A perfect starting point. So now they want to make an impact and take on the competition.

So they invited a couple of agencies to come and present how to do it.

So we showed them the way beanwave would do it. The same way Lady Gaga does it. Because we think Lady Gaga is a great challenger brand:

Gaga is bold and confident with 100% belief.
Gaga knows what she stands for and more importantly, what she stands against.
Gaga competes on her own terms, creating a game she can win.
Gaga takes risks.
Gaga isn't afraid of fame.
Gaga differentiates herself from the competition.
Gaga is not afraid to polarise opinion, and knows that this inspires devotion from those who 'get it'.
Gaga has a clear identity.
And of course, Gaga produces a great product for the target audience.

Now, we knew our pitch was a risk. We could have played it safe.

"What if they think we're mad?"

But we knew the client has what it takes to be a challenger brand, and it really is the only way to achieve the goals they wants to achieve with limited resources. So we'd be cheating them and ourselves if we had told them anything else.

We won the pitch and have just started work on the project.

Happy days.

Why businesses should invest in a sprat...

2010-08-31T08:57:00.000+01:00

Online is convenient, but people still value the look and feel of printed literature.

Itʼs because you've taken time and great care to create it.

And you need to be able to hand out something to prospects and people you meet, leaving a big impression that gets you remembered.

So ask an expert to create something for you. Tell them to make it interesting, guarantee an impact and get people wanting some of what youʼve got to offer.

For example, you could tell a great story about your business, service or products, and create a serious ʻwowʼ with an A5 book. It's something that the recipient can't fail to be intrigued and impressed by. Or produce an imaginative mailer that really grabs attention (here's one we did recently for Startech which gained them plenty of attention, sales and return). Or run a campaign that creates an impact in your industry, setting you apart from your crowded marketplace.

There are loads of ways to do it (if you know how). And yes, it may cost a couple of quid, but this is one part of your marketing activity where you should put a little time and money in and grab the initiative. Think of it as a small investment.

Itʼs your sprat to catch a mackerel.

Customer Service - don't just Twitter it, deliver it!

2010-08-26T16:53:00.000+01:00

I recently bought a Breo watch. They're cheap, but I find them comfortable to wear and I like the design.
After a couple of weeks I noticed it didn't keep time very well, slipping by around 20 mins a week.
Now, it may have only cost about £8, but that's not the point. Surely keeping reasonable time is something even the cheapest watch should be expected to achieve? It's a core competence.

So I sent it back for repair/replacement.

After 5 weeks of radio silence, I sent an email.

No reply.

A week later I sent another email.

This time they replied, said they had a backlog, and that it would be dealt with within 2 weeks.

After 2 weeks, nothing.

I sent another email. But this time I also Twittered about the poor service I was receiving from Breo.

Within minutes Breo had replied to the Tweet saying a replacement been dispatched at lunchtime (lunchtime was several hours previously, so they must have been dealing with it all along, and not simply reacting to my complaint?). Funnily, I then received an email reply saying a replacement was being dispatched the following day (contradicting their Twitter statement, but I won't dwell on that point).

What this demonstrates is the power of Twitter (and online networks), where the last thing a brand wants is negative public comments damaging their reputation. A consumer can tell hundreds of people within minutes when a product or service fails them, and bad news travels faster and further.

However, any business that spends more time monitoring their Twitter feeds than dealing with their customer service won't last long. So yes, businesses should be aware of what's being said about them online, and use the opportunity to engage and communicate with their customers, but never forget that this should be in addition to delivering a great experience, not instead of.

What legends are made of

2010-08-25T15:22:00.007+01:00

Now, the words 'legend' and 'genius' are often overused when describing sporting icons, and sometimes come back to bite you (think Tiger Woods and Thierry Henry), but when it comes to the 16 time Grand Slam (maybe 17 in a couple of week's time?) winner Roger Federer it's almost an understatement to call him a legend. While the other two Gillette amigos (nee stooges) fell by the wayside, mainly through cheating of sorts, the true cream has risen to the top.

A friend sent me this and said he saw it and thought of me...flattered but my serve is nowhere near as accurate nor fast!

What can I say except Roger is a pure genius and total legend! Enjoy.

And if you, like others, doubt the authenticity of the Gillette video, you can't question this expression of his genius: Round One of this year's US Open!

Creative imagination

2010-08-13T09:56:00.001+01:00

I was tipped off about this great blog called Mila's Daydreams full of imaginative photos taken by Mila's mum Adele Enersen. They're simple, playful and utterly charming.

As Adele says "This is what you get when you put a work-a-holic creative mind on maternity leave".

Black man with the white face

2010-07-28T07:41:00.001+01:00

What set the BBC's World Cup coverage apart from ITV was the excellent short documentaries they showed in relation to the host nation, including the history of the Spion Kop.

But the one that blew me away was the story of Sir Stanley Matthews, who it turns out was a regular visitor to South Africa for 25 years after the English season ended, where he spent his time coaching local footballers.

It is a truly inspiring story, and one I had not heard before. At the time of writing the film is still on the BBC website and well worth 5 minutes of your time.

A good example of what makes the BBC unique and something to cherish.

Office mugs

2010-07-27T14:32:00.003+01:00

In a nod to a well known colour matching system and having a bit of fun with the more unusual colour we chose for our own branding, we produced our own beanwave office mugs.

If you'd like to win one, simply "Re-Tweet" on Twitter (mentioning @beanwave) or "Like" on Facebook by clicking the social sharing logos below before 4 Aug 2010.

Pantone Hotel

2010-07-26T18:29:00.001+01:00

The Pantone Hotel in Brussels is definitely going to appeal to graphic designers everywhere. I'd be interested to know what people who don't know what the Pantone colour system is make of it. But for 69 euros a for double room on a friday night, it's good value (Milton Keynes Premier Inn on the same night is £61) and so will appeal beyond a relatively small 'design literate' market.

i like to like things

2010-07-23T12:24:00.001+01:00

i like to like things

Early for Christmas?

2010-07-19T19:55:00.017+01:00

The news of Selfridges Christmas range being launched on 2 August - which worked perfectly in provoking a reaction and gaining publicity - reminded me of the importance of a great Christmas card to send to clients.

Last year's beanwave Xmas card (pictured) is still remembered by people and was indeed mentioned to us in a meeting just last week, so the impact and value gained from a little thought and creativity cannot be underestimated.

And now is the perfect time to think about Christmas plans. After all, it was a sweltering hot New York in July 1973 when Slade recorded this classic Christmas anthem.

If it's good enough for Noddy, then it's good enough for me.

BBC 6 Music Saved (or perhaps promoted?)

2010-07-19T09:54:00.000+01:00

When it was announced that BBC radio's 6 Music was being reviewed with a view to closing it down, there was a groundswell of online support from listeners and artists.

As a result, the audience figures rose dramatically (by 50%) as lapsed and new listeners started tuning in in large numbers.

This is a great example of the power of mobilising a passionate fanbase. For example, 180,000 people joined a Save 6 Music Facebook petition. Indeed, I was one of them.

A more cynical view is that threatening to take it away is also a great example of a PR move that gained 6 Music the best free advertising possible.

Surely not?

The Film Place

2010-07-13T15:46:00.000+01:00

When we sent out a call for local charities and non-profit community projects, we had no idea there were so many initiatives based around us in Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire. Thanks to everyone who responded by email, Twitter, Facebook and even the phone (you gotta love this 21st century!).

Our aim was to find an interesting charity/project to support. We wanted to find something a bit different, that we think is a good idea, and which benefits people locally. The final consideration was to choose somewhere our skills (marketing and design) could be put to good use.

We think we've found all these things in The Film Place.

Set up in 2005, The Film Place is a volunteer run community cinema in Buckingham.

They aim to give two film showings per week with a varied programme of films covering mainstream and specialised films such as foreign language films. They also organise special events such as shorts nights (the film kind not the trouser kind) and talks before films by film directors or producers. In the last 5 years they have given about 260 film showings to over 12,500 people... but are still falling short of the numbers required to break even.

Competing for an audience against the multiplexes is not easy, but that's what makes this project more attractive and anyway, who says big multi-screen cinemas have got it right anyway?

We're now going to get stuck into grabbing The Film Place a bigger audience and helping them bang their drum a bit louder.

and... ACTION!

Hanging Tough

2010-07-07T12:17:00.008+01:00

As a sports fanatic, the last month has been unbelievably exciting for me; MotoGP at Silverstone, Wimbledon, the World Cup, One day Series vs the old enemy, Tour de France, and so it continues with F1 at Silverstone this weekend, the World Cup Final and a Test Series vs Pakistan.

But for me personally next Friday marks the start of my own marathon of tennis. Now, I hope that I don't emulate Isner vs Mahut and spend 11 hours and 5 minutes on one match, but 22 matches in 8 days will most certainly amount to a serious number of hours. I'll keep tally and providing I have the energy will post a blog with the final figure.

This sort of challenge takes its toll on not only the body, but also the mind. A strong mental approach is key to succeeding in 22 matches. A friend of mine, and former mixed doubles partner recently blogged about his own experiences on the court, stating that it's not about the mistakes it's how you deal with them, and likened his experience and anticipated response to that of Robert Green: "I thought his reaction both in the moment and in front of the media was absolutely World Class. Effectively he said "it happens, I prepare for handling it, I learn from what happened and move on." It does happen, we do deal with it and have to move on."

Having played doubles with Matt on many occasions, I can appreciate that his serve often broke down (he'll thank me for that comment!), but he is a tough competitor and always bounced back, and thankfully so am I. An asset we have both found invaluable in our respective careers.

Mental toughness and competiveness is not only a requirement in sport, but also business.

Everyone's a critic...

2010-06-28T12:24:00.000+01:00

It was interesting this weekend to see people were posting reviews on Twitter of Gorillaz headlining at Glastonbury while sat at home watching it on television.

Interesting because one of the great things about gigs and live music is the atmosphere. This of course doesn't come across on television in the same way.

Would you trust a review of a holiday destination by someone who has looked at lots of photos of a resort and watched some video clips on YouTube, but not actually been there?

Thought not.

beanwave charity appeal

2010-06-21T14:29:00.000+01:00

After getting beanwave up and running and celebrating our first year in business, it's time for us to put something back into the local community.

Therefore we are starting an appeal to find a Buckinghamshire charity to support.

Here are the three things we're looking for:

1. A registered charity / not for profit community project.
2. Based and providing a benefit in Buckinghamshire.
3. Doing something interesting that makes us think "wow! what a good idea"

Send us your suggestions by replying below, via Twitter or on Facebook.

Big Dave

2010-06-19T14:28:00.000+01:00

Great video, made even greaterer as the wrestler is Dave 'Big Dog' Stewart - a colleague from my past life in the world of fish. Nice one Dave.

Greener Marketing - Startech Mailshot

2010-06-16T17:54:00.001+01:00

Startech Productions asked beanwave to create an attention grabbing mailshot to be sent to heads of drama and event organisers at schools, colleges and universities across the region, to promote a selection of audio and visual equipment kits for summer productions and events.

We came up with a concept based around an 'Access All Areas' backstage pass - an image any event producer can relate to - containing an 8 page A6 leaflet. As well as grabbing attention on arrival, because of its usefulness we knew the recipients would also keep the lanyard, ensuring the Startech name stays with them long after the offers have expired.

Ideas are always the quick and easy bit. The bigger challenge was how to adhere to Startech's environmental policy (and our own). After all polyester lanyards and plastic holders aren't particularly environmentally friendly.

With the bit between our teeth, beanwave sourced lanyards made from 100% sustainable, natural and biodegradable bamboo fibre, replaced the plastic lanyard holder with a recycled paper alternative and posted the finished passes in bubble bags made from recycled and recyclable polythene. All the printing was done by a carbon neutral printer using vegetable based inks on a waterless offset press. The paper for the holder and its insert is 100% recycled and FSC-certified.

We're not saying it's all perfect. We looked and looked but couldn't find FSC address labels, and there is a carbon footprint created by the posting of the mailers (though it's good to see Royal Mail are committed to the 10:10 campaign).

As for its purpose, we're pleased to report that Startech started getting enquiries the morning it landed and later that day their driver saw the first client using the lanyard. Instant impact.

What this shows is that businesses can generate sales in a responsible way, while maintaining their environmental commitments and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy.

So, if you need help giving your sales a boost in a creative, but environmentally responsible way, you know who to call...

E is for England...

2010-06-11T13:37:00.000+01:00

With the World Cup about to kick off, remember the glory of Italia '90 and World In Motion by New Order, in particular the classic sleeve designed - as with most Factory 'product' - by Peter Saville.

Anyone suggest any other examples of good football design?

Innocent Marketing

2010-06-08T13:17:00.000+01:00

Much has already been written about Innocent and their marketing.

It's widely admired, and rightly so.

This is possibly why we have been asked a couple of times by other food businesses "how can we be more like Innocent?". This is understandable, as there are good things to learn from the Innocent story, but here's the first step we advise (assuming there is already a killer product of course!):

The Innocent brand is the Innocent brand - not yours. So first you need to define your own brand, what it stands for, what is says, who it says it to and how it says it. A brand is your personality. You can't fake it, it's in your DNA. Defining it both internally and publicly though is a skill, and therefore best done with help from someone with experience. Innocent had an advantage - their founders have marketing agency backgrounds. If you don't, then get someone who does (insert a shameless beanwave plug here!)

So you have a killer product and a well defined (but very young) brand. Now it's all about innovative marketing, sales and growing the brand. This free marketing book for small businesses will help give you some direction and ideas. And of course, you can always get in touch with us.

After all, it's what we do best.

Become Instinctively Successful in Business

2010-05-28T13:03:00.003+01:00

The World Cup is upon us. Who do you think is going to win it?

I'm going to stick my neck out and tip Argentina.

Why? Because sometimes genius/madness just somehow... works.

Much has been written and said about Diego Maradona over the years. Some of it was even about football. On the pitch he was always unpredictable, exciting and capable of anything. I doubt he could ever describe 'how' or 'why' he did what he did, he just did it instinctively. And he seems to be taking a similar approach to management of the Argentine national team. Take Lionel Messi, build the team around him and let him play instinctively. It will either work brilliantly or fail miserably. There is unlikely to be any in-between.

There is a lesson for businesses here.

All too often, agencies or clients (or both) deliberate and over-think their marketing instead of trusting their instincts. This invariably leads to inoffensive, sterile and bland campaigns which don't fail, but don't exactly set the world of fire either. Nobody wins, but at least nobody loses. A score draw.

It is a ever-crowded marketplace for small-medium businesses (SMEs). Perhaps it's time to ditch the risk adversity, be bold and trust in instinct?

Marketing Small Businesses On A Budget

2010-05-21T16:48:00.004+01:00

Following a presentation I gave on marketing for small businesses, I was approached by a photographer who was looking to get some business cards. He wanted to make an impact, but had a (very) tight budget. I love a marketing and design challenge, and with a business named 3D Photography, a solution was obvious - make the business cards three-dimensional.

But how? Surely that will cost even more?

Embossing. But not just a logo, emboss the whole thing, all the type, and use no actual printing. This kept the cost down while bringing the impact up. A win-win.

So the client got a very subtle business card, perfectly reflecting his brand and guaranteed to grab attention each time it's given out.

Creativity doesn't have to cost big money.

British Ingenuity

2010-05-20T10:36:00.003+01:00

When it comes to complaining we the British are pretty good, but you don't always see much action from it. Which is why this story really caught my eye.

Residents of rural Oxfordshire have finally had enough of speeding along a single carriageway between Wheatley and Waterperry (current speed limit 60mph, but the road is quite a quick road, so it's not adhered to!) and done something about it. They've gone to the trouble of making and putting up a road sign, that looks the real deal, and encourages drivers to slow down in a slightly different way:

It was spotted by a member of the RAC Foundation, but no-one knows how long it's been up there. Brilliant. Well done people of Oxfordshire. I hope the sign gets to stay up!

Does anyone know whose ingenuity this is?

Election 2010 - Quote for today

2010-05-11T18:47:00.002+01:00

"In the end, who among us does not choose to be a little less right to be a little less lonely" ~ Robert Brault

Mr Brault meet Mr Cameron.

Size Matters?

2010-04-27T10:36:00.004+01:00

So the Conservatives have massively outspent Labour and the LibDems, and guess what? A survey by Marketing magazine has shown that the Tories have achieved a higher level of consumer awareness. Genius.

This is the sort of statistic that gets (mis)used to show how important marketing spend is.

With the Tories struggling to hold on to a slight lead in the polls, what it really tells us is that if the product isn't good or the message doesn't connect, then spending big on marketing will not fix it.

Or, as the saying goes, you can't polish a turd.

Tattoo Branding

2010-04-27T07:23:00.000+01:00

I read an interesting piece recently by The Ad Contrarian. It talks about how brands cannot be built by short cuts, that they are built over time through the company culture and the marketing and selling of products, not by branding exercises. All good, sound principals that we at beanwave believe in too. But it was the analogy he used that stood out:

"It’s the Dennis Rodman* school of marketing: if you don’t have a personality, get some tattoos"

*If you don't follow basketball, substitute Rodman for David Beckham.

I just think this sums up the point beautifully.

Photo ©MissAgentCooper

My Vote Matters

2010-04-20T19:42:00.001+01:00

The brief from Milton Keynes Make A Difference organisation and MKCVO was:

We are inviting you to make a short 3 minute film around the title"My Vote Matters". The film could be animation, a series of interviews, a documentary – anything you like as long as it's no longer than 3 minutes.

This inspired us at beanwave to make our film shown above. The only cost was a little thinking time combined with some no-budget filming and cut'n'paste editing. From start to finish it took a couple of hours, and gets a simple message across. Goes to show you don't have to spend a fortune in time and money to get a message out there.

To watch all the entries and vote for a winner, go to the Make A Difference website.

The right person for the job...

2010-04-20T12:21:00.003+01:00

Why leave an important job to chance through inexperience? Ensuring you have the right resource for the job is imperative in any walk of life.

Take Formula 1 for example, on the whole the drivers and their teams play by the rules, however, as we saw in China this past weekend, sometimes the drivers can push the rules a little...well ok quite a lot (was it me or were the drivers more naughty than usual this time?!). When the need arises there is a team of stewards to adjudicate on the level of infringement and assign appropriate punishment, but in the past these stewards have had little or no experience of racing, let alone in an F1 car, and have been criticised for not understanding what a driver is going through during a race. So, in a move aimed at bringing a driver's experience to some of the decision making processes, the FIA have put in place a team of ex-drivers to work with the permanent team of stewards at each race in the 2010 calendar. Smart move huh?

So, why do businesses continue to assign activities (such as marketing) to anyone who can make the time? It makes sense to bring in the experts to work with your business, at the end of the day experience counts for a lot in business, you wouldn't trust the cleaner with your end of year accounts, so why leave your marketing to chance?

Contact beanwave and bring in the experts!

Thinking on your feet

2010-04-18T12:32:00.001+01:00

Not everyone can think this quickly...

New Perspectives

2010-04-13T15:59:00.004+01:00

It seems that things are changing in the marketing world, for the first time, spend on TV advertising has been overtaken, and it's been overtaken by online advertising. That said, those surveyed in a recent undertaking by Marketing Week and SAS UK believed their companies are average or worse at managing websites or email marketing. Even more important to note is that websites are now the single most important, most-widely used and most spent on channel, scary isn't it?

And so it goes on, despite proclaiming that social networks are an important part of their marketing strategy, the majority of them are unsure how well these are managed by their company.

Which begs a question about the gap between expectations and capability.

From an agency perspective we should be rubbing our hands with glee at the prospect of a skills gap which we could fill, but the danger is that while there is a resource in-house, regardless of ability, why look anywhere else, utilise what you have already?

Spare a thought for direct marketing, the third most used channel, and the second highest budget allocated, in a world of online the humble mailer is becoming more impactful...if done well.

Which points back to the utilisation of an external resource. So, for the most successful marketing strategy and execution of that strategy, bring in the experts with a new perspective.

It is worth noting that of the companies surveyed, over half had marketing budgets of less than £500k.

Principals and profits in business

2010-03-28T22:50:00.002+01:00

The celebrated 3-star Spanish restaurant El Bulli is an interesting proposition. For a start, it's only open eight months of the year, and not in a major city. But to get a table is nigh on impossible, with every reservation taken in a single day after the close of the previous season. In fact for 8,000 seats they receive over 2,000,000 requests.

But incredibly, it doesn't make a profit. Despite the easy opportunity to do so, owner Ferran Adrià has resisted increasing prices, as he doesn't want the restaurant to become elitest.

Nice principals, but if it makes a loss, how does he afford to eat himself?

That comes from the knock-on effects of having what various polls show to be the best restaurant in the World. Ferran Adrià makes his money from his chain of restaurants Fast Good, books, consultancies etc.

Therefore, through being recognised worldwide as the best in his field, he can afford to maintain principals no matter how unprofitable his restaurant. What an incredibly strong brand value to have, and one which will encourage greater loyalty in a very tough market. It's a brave strategy, but as someone once said "fortune favours the brave".

So El Bulli has got me thinking - can you think of any other businesses out there that don't make a profit, but act as a loss-leader (or brand ambassador) to enable a secondary, profitable business?

Photo ©Charles Haynes.

Randomiser

2010-03-26T10:37:00.005Z

The Word magazine do this Randomiser feature, which is right up my street...

Go to your iPod/iTunes/generic MP3 player set it to random (or whatever) and then enter the first five tunes it comes up with. Here's mine:

Rein Ne Ve Plus - Funk Factory

St Petersburg - Supergrass

The Importance of Being Idle - Oasis

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised - Gil Scott-Heron

Faith - Boy Least Likely To

Usual rules. Anyone fudging it in order to make themselves come up to some arbitrary and unconvincing notion of "cool" is disqualified. The same with arch references to how embarrassed you are that it's popped up with Chicory Tip. It's music. It's supposed to be fun.

Add yours below...

Brazilification

2010-03-21T21:12:00.003Z

Brazilification = "a widening of the gap between the rich and the poor"

General Election Online

2010-03-17T18:39:00.001Z

In previous general elections, the power of billboard advertising was the key factor in winning floating voters. Remember the Saatchi "labour isn't working" poster?

The 2010 election will not be won on a billboard. It is going to be won (or lost) in online conversation.

Within minutes of David Cameron's "we can't go on like this" poster going live, there were spoof versions flying around online across all the social networks. Any potential impact was lost immediately amongst the chatter.

It's ironic that it was Cameron, a former PR man and supposed moderniser who, on the subject of Twitter, made the comment "too many twits make a twat", whilst old-dogs like John Prescott have learnt new tricks and are Twittering away, getting Labour's message out there and chatting with the general public.

And chatting is the key word here. It's no good just broadcasting. Twitter is a two-way communication tool, a bit like the old fashioned talking on the doorstep MPs used to do. And being a more fluid, two-way medium is a good thing for a public tired of polished spin, as Twittering MPs can easily go "off message" as they say, and actually speak their minds. I imagine this induces great fear amongst party whips, but can only be a good thing.

Currently 56% of Labour MPs are using Twitter, compared to 23% of LibDems and 15% of Conservatives.

However when it comes to blogging, the Conservatives have invested far more time and money, and are acknowledged leaders in this online area. The only danger here though, is that political blogs are mostly powerful within grass roots, preaching to the converted. They still need the communication tools and skills to push that information out and engage. This is where email can play a part.

Email communications (linked to social media tools) are probably the most powerful part of the online battle, and were a vital part of Barack Obama's campaign. But you need to be organised and have done the ground work. For a start you need good data, and then a strong campaign which engages people, encouraging them to act. Not easy, and certainly not possible without that ground work.

So with the polls narrowing, it's going be the party that engages with the widest online audience that will swing those floating votes. So the technology may have changed, but it's still the same principal as MPs going house-to-house knocking on doors and talking to people.

Why cheap media requires greater effort and love

2010-03-17T17:26:00.001Z

New Media (Green Thing) from eatbigfish on Vimeo.

Creative Wedding Invitations

2010-03-06T18:43:00.007Z

Wedding invites are not something beanwave have been asked to do before, but when the brief was "we're getting married... in the Ice Hotel in Swedish Lapland... there's also a second reception/party in England a week later for those that can't make it to the Arctic Circle... we need invites... and they can be as creative as you like", then that's the kind of job that gets the juices flowing at beanwave. And the client? Well that was me and the soon-to-be Mrs Bristow, so they had to be good.

An invitation to any event should set the tone and give recipients a sense of anticipation and excitement. Our idea? Let's create an invite that reflects a 'wedding of two halves', and post it in a box of snow. Simple.

So in October 2009 each of our guests received a box through the post. The outside address label contained the quote:

"A snowflake is one of nature's most fragile creations, but look what they can do when they stick together"

Upon opening the box, each recipient received an avalanche of snow-like polystyrene balls over-spilling from the box. Then inside, under the 'snow', they found an invitation card with a photo of a heart carved from ice.

On first opening, the card revealed two sides - one for the Ice Hotel Wedding the other for the Woburn reception. The card then opened out again to reveal a montage of bride and groom photos from childhood through the years.

The other detail was using appropriate lyrics from Beatles songs. These were subtly printed on the cards using spot varnish so they could only be seen when light catches at the right angle. The reason for this was that we had booked a Beatles tribute band for the reception, but wanted to keep them as a surprise. (This theme was also carried through to the reception where the table names were Eleanor, Sadie, Rita, Lucy, Prudence & Martha!)

Although they cursed us when still finding little balls of snow for weeks later, the reaction was great, recipients really loved this unusual, modern wedding invite. Both days were fantastic occasions, the Ice Hotel was an amazing place, and the Upbeat Beatles were a massive hit. Happy days indeed.

Click here for a closer look.

And if you would like to make a big impression with your wedding invites (or any other occasion), get in touch with us at beanwave.

Photographers - Marketing For Success

2010-03-04T18:44:00.000Z

I had a good day yesterday presenting to a group of photographers at the SF Photo School 'Business of Photography' seminar at Calumet, London.

beanwave were asked by Uzair Kharawala from SF Photo School (pictured above) to deliver a top 10 must-do marketing plan designed to help photographers market and grow their businesses.

It's always a pleasure helping small businesses discover the value and benefits that great marketing delivers.

Now will they go off and put it into practice I wonder...?

Terry's Not Gold

2010-03-01T19:40:00.000Z

Whatever your opinion on the John Terry/Wayne Bridge story, from a marketing perspective Terry has damaged his brand in a way that other big name players have avoided.

While I hate talk of footballers as 'brands', there is no escaping the fact that in the modern game that is what they have become.

Brand Beckham is based predominantly on his looks, fashion and celebrity. Brand Rooney is all about pure passion and desire to win. Both suffered alleged indiscretions, both weathered the storm and recovered. Because their brand values weren't too badly tainted by their respective scandals.

But Terry's brand values are based on a true-brit style of camaraderie, spirit and leadership. Getting caught playing away with a team mate's partner destroys those values. Baring blinkered Chelsea fans, I can't honestly see the public ever forgetting this episode. Therefore his brand becomes toxic.

Unless he were to score the winner in the World Cup final, of course.

The Buffalo Theory

2010-02-27T10:03:00.000Z

A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first.

This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members.

In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine.

That's why you always feel smarter after a few beers.

The Church of Holy marketing

2010-02-22T09:12:00.000Z

A few weeks ago my (then) fiancée and I found ourselves stood before a vicar, in a village church, for a traditional wedding ceremony.

Except that the village was in Lapland.

Some of the traditions were Swedish.

And the church was made from ice taken from the River Torne.

The reason for our unusual choice of venue was simple. We'd always wanted to visit the Ice Hotel, but never managed it. So when it came to choosing a wedding venue, and on discovering the hotel also had an Ice Church, there was only one option. I won't bore you with all the details except to say it was an amazing day, I managed to lose my ring (and, luckily, find it again) and the bride wore white, but here's the relevant bit...

The day after our ceremony we discovered more about the history behind the church itself. It was first built at the request of the parish vicar. His idea was that instead of trying to encourage people to go to church, take the church to the people. So by using the river’s water - a source of life itself - he had a church built out of ice next to the hotel, and reached a much larger audience while retaining Christian traditions.

The church now holds over 100 weddings and ceremonies each winter and spring, and then each summer, that year’s church melts back into nature. Just leaving behind special memories with all who visited. Could anywhere be as pure?

As well as being a beautiful celebration of belief in nature and humanity, what a genius way of reaching a wider market.

So not only did we enjoy a very special day, we also discovered a church with a first-class approach to marketing. Now that's unusual.

Budget 1 - Creativity 0 (Creativity wins on agg)

2010-02-12T09:17:00.004Z

Avatar is estimated to have cost £200-300m.

But most importantly, the producers also spent around a further £100m on marketing.

Now I haven't seen it, and nor do I wish to. Why? Because life's too short, and there are many other films I'd rather see.

But what is fascinating is to see how the marketing of Avatar got a bandwagon rolling. People are flocking to see a film many would have had no interest in unless they were bombarded with messages telling them how this was the "biggest film of all time" and "the future of movies" etc. It demonstrates the power of marketing - regardless of the product.

In contrast, one movie I did see recently was Moon. A superb film, driven by an engaging story, strong visual appearance and an Oscar-worthy performance by Sam Rockwell (sadly overlooked by the Academy who were swept along with the hype, nominating Avatar for 9 awards).

That £100m marketing budget spent on Avatar succeeded, propelling it to record-breaking gross ticket sales roughly 250 times as big as Moon. I guess this is a triumph for short-term aggressive marketing. As a marketeer I should be singing their praises.

Moon cost £3m to make. About 1% the budget of Avatar. Without a huge budget, Moon's creator Duncan Jones relied on creativity. Used model making rather than CGI to make a film that looked fantastic, yet was still driven by human performance and emotion, not whizz-bang effects. When asked what he would have done with double the budget, Jones said:

"The majority of it would have been spent on giving me and the crew and Sam more to have more camera coverage and more takes. So it wouldn't have been a hugely different film, I don't think. The story was largely contained anyway. There wasn't a natural way to expand it just by throwing money at it. It was what it was. More money just would have given more time."

So what's my point? That you can polish a turd? No. It's a lesson for brands and businesses that the rewards from creativity are more valuable to a smaller, but more discerning audience. An audience far less transient, who will stick with you for the long-term, allowing you freedom to develop new ideas and the permission to market them.

So if you can't spend really big, get really creative instead.

Keeping you occupied

2010-02-11T11:11:00.007Z

We all receive many emails, forwarded on by our nearest and dearest with jokes, chain mails and heart tuggers (thanks mum!), most of which prompt the response "yeah, very good", or a simple "tee hee", but this one is a little different and caught my eye.

Bored at work?

1. Kill a few flies.

2. Put them in the sun to dry for a few hours.

3. Once they are dry, pick up a pencil and paper...let your imagination flow.

Here are a few examples:

So, what can you come up with? (and keep them clean!)

Genius - Whale skeleton made from garden chairs

2010-01-29T00:09:00.001Z

Thinking differently

2009-12-21T11:12:00.006Z

Another fine blog from Dave Trott at CST, this time talking about how thinking differently and using different sides of the brain (or 'bean') can solve problems in a more effective way. Going against the grain of the logical, expert response is often the only way to stand out and connect with people. But it also requires a bravery and freedom seldom found in agencies and clients.

We have a similar approach here at beanwave. By blending the required proportions of intelligence and creativity or logic and emotion we work to create effective solutions (or beanwaves as we like to call them). It's not rocket science.

The Christmas Card Debate

2009-12-18T10:49:00.003Z

This old Volkswagen Christmas Card was a bit special. Can't imagine anyone who received it failed to be delighted, impressed, surprised (and a whole host of other positive responses).

I heard the annual questions about printed cards vs email cards again this year. Is there really any case for e-cards?

I doubt many e-cards generated the same range of emotions as this VW card.

And nobody really believes the line "we're being more eco-friendly by using email". Do these people think like that before they send out post the rest of the year? Of course they don't. So at the one time of the year when over-indulgence and spreading good cheer is socially acceptable, that's when they choose to rein in their excesses?

Email is a great tool for communication 364 days of the year. But spare me the green-wash. People can make greater environmental choices that are far more significant, but it's more convenient to make a token gesture at Christmas. Businesses only switch to e-cards to save time or money (or both).

Surely not the smartest message to send to your valued clients at Christmas?

Sibling rivalry

2009-12-17T09:18:00.014Z

Celia and I often get asked what it's like working with a sibling. So when it came to a bit of office decoration, these seemed appropriate.

The Art of Negotiating?

2009-12-07T17:59:00.004Z

The British Grand Prix at Silverstone is saved...for another 17 years! With the apparent (as publicised) stumbling block being the negotiations between 5 and 10 years, to get a staggering 17 year deal is amazing!

So, is Damon Hill, President of the BRDC, an amazing negotiator, or did Bernie Ecclestone climb down and give in to both the fans and F1 team's pressure?

Well the latter is unlikely, so well done Damon! Please tell us what your secret is.

On a marketing note, are we starting to see a swing in brand Formula One? With the return of Spa Francorchamps to the Calendar, the securing of the British GP and the return of the Canadian GP it would appear that customer desire is winning the battle over money, and some clever positioning is start to emerge. Well, even if it isn't a planned change it's keeping fans engaged, and that is successful marketing in itself!

2009-11-11T08:02:00.004Z

Seeing Steve Martin playing banjo on last night's Later with Jools Holland (yes, THAT Steve Martin!), reminded me of the business cards he used to give out to fans. I don't usually find him that funny, but his cards however, are...

Dessert Island Books

2009-11-09T18:25:00.004Z

Just doing research on a branding project, and saw this book cover on t'internet. Classic piece of design, and the book is only 49 cents, too!

Putting the 'selling' into counselling

2009-11-03T17:20:00.002Z

The brief was to create a website for Diane Young, a professional counseller based in Bletchley, Milton Keynes, to compete locally in a crowded marketplace. With the counselling market full of formulaic off-the-shelf sites, we set out to give Diane's site a clean, simple style based around a striking, positive image.

This meant the choice of image was crucial. We deliberately avoided the over-used 'person just climbed a mountain' style shot, instead reflecting the warm, happy, relaxed feel desired by potential clients. Age and profile of the people in the image was a key consideration too. While we could have tried to cover all bases by having a Benetton-esq montage of people of all ages, we decided the power of a single image targeting the most common demographic had greater value.

Check it out at: www.counsellingformk.co.uk

Think about the PR campaign first?

2009-11-02T11:35:00.004Z

This is taken from Dave Trott's blog...

Advertising Doesn't Work Like We Think It Does

A couple of years back, I noticed a lot of stories in the paper about a split in the Church of England.

Apparently, the C of E had run a campaign that had caused a controversy amongst bishops.

I was quite surprised the C of E had such a high profile.

This story was at least half a page in all the national daily papers.

Plus it made the TV news, and interviews on radio programmes.

It just shows you, Christianity is still a big topic in a lot of people’s lives.

It must be to be capable of causing such controversy.

If it’s such a big deal in the papers. It’s obviously still relevant to the majority of people.

At least that’s what I thought.

Then I met the PR guy who worked on it.

He told me the C of E had come to him with a brief to get their profile up.

And they had no money.

So his start point was, we need to start people talking about them.

Create a controversy.

But if we have no money, we have no media.

No, but we do have a lot of churches, 13,000 in fact.

And at least half of those churches have bulletin boards in front.

And each bulletin board is a potential poster site.

And a national campaign of 6,000 posters is a big campaign.

So we do have media after all.

And so they briefed a campaign of posters that would fit this media (about 3 feet tall by 6 feet wide).

I saw one of these posters up.

It said “Crucified. Made to wear a crown of thorns. Speared in the side. Now that’s what you call a bad-hair day.”

I didn’t like the poster.

But what was brilliant was what the PR guy did with it.

He sent copies of it to all the bishops and asked them what they thought of it.

Naturally, some of them liked it and some of them didn’t.

He then called up the papers and told them there was a split in the C of E over whether they should be advertising or not.

He said it was the old guard versus the modernisers.

He said it was a rift that went to the heart of how the C of E saw itself in the modern world.

He created the story and gave it to the papers.

The editors always need a story, they’ve got a paper to fill every day.

And one that comes to them is better than one they have to go looking for.

So they ran his story.

The Church of England got massive national coverage.

Their profile went up, as briefed.

They got millions of pounds of media for the cost of a few small posters.

That’s real creativity.

The same guy was telling me about the Sony ‘Balls’ commercial that was shot in San Francisco.

He said the PR company got involved before the commercial was shot.

They went to the local papers in San Francisco and told them about the shoot.

They said it was quite a feather in San Francisco’s cap.

Of all the places in the world they could have chosen to shoot, a UK company was coming all the way to their city to shoot a commercial that would run all over Europe.

For the local papers this was a big story.

So they ran lots of articles and pictures of the shoot.

The PR guy then took all these stories and sent them to all the English newspapers.

He said, “Look, this commercial isn’t even running in the USA, yet it’s so big even their newspapers are giving it all this coverage.”

The UK papers then ran stories about the Sony commercial before it had even run on our TVs.

Including spot times when it was on, so you could look out for it.

The effect of this was to magnify the commercial into a big event, like a movie launch.

Way beyond the media the client was paying for.

Now that’s real creativity.

Which is why Alex Bogusky says that, often when Crispin Porter Bogusky get a brief, they don’t start by thinking about advertising.

They start by thinking, “If we had a PR campaign running after the ads broke, what would that look like?”

Then they work backwards from there.

TV advertising is just the trigger for the PR.

Which is how they came up with their Burger King campaign.

They thought, “What would you be prepared to sacrifice for a Whopper?” would make an interesting story.

Then they thought, how do we make that happen?

So they did the promotion, “Sacrifice ten friends from your ‘Facebook Friends’ list and we’ll give you a free Whopper.”

And, to turn it into a controversial story for the media, it then became, “Which ten friends are you prepared to sacrifice?”

And of course, they got many times the media they were paying for.

Which is what advertising should be doing.

Even if it isn’t always advertising.

Great word-smithery...

2009-10-27T08:52:00.001Z

...can be found everywhere. Check the opening rhyme of NWA's Express Yourself: "I'm expressin' with my full capabilities, and now I'm livin' in correctional facilities" - pure genius.

Mail Art - address as a puzzle

2009-10-23T06:59:00.005+01:00

Okay, final one for now (see previous posts here). This was a latter one, with a mixed up velcro address to re-arrange. As you can see, by this point the postman didn't really need to bother working out the address, he was getting used to our little game. Nice piece of franking too!

Mail Art - Wholly Holy

2009-10-22T12:40:00.002+01:00

Mail Art - Foam over function

2009-10-22T07:37:00.003+01:00

Mail Art - Cheat's guide

2009-10-21T07:33:00.004+01:00

Why pay for a 25p stamp (this was 1995 remember), when you can just use a 2p and a 5p? Cheeky, but worked a treat.

Mail Art - God Save The Queen

2009-10-20T09:39:00.004+01:00

Mail Art - blow up address

2009-10-19T07:08:00.002+01:00

Surprisingly, somebody at the post office really did blow up the balloon to read the address. After 15 years, the balloon has gone a bit manky, but you can see where the postie wrote down the address on the bag they put it in. Goes to show that people will engage in things if you inject a little fun into their day.

Mail Art - no licking allowed

2009-10-16T07:33:00.003+01:00

The self-imposed challenge? Attach 19 stamps in 19 different ways. I was particularly pleased with my sewing skills on this one!

Mail Art - Note to postie

2009-10-15T07:26:00.002+01:00

Mail Art - Munchies

2009-10-14T07:55:00.006+01:00

Mail Art - Love-a-rubber-glover

2009-10-13T07:53:00.002+01:00

Medium: rubber glove stuffed with tissue. Yes, this really did get through the UK post!

Mail Art - defiance

2009-10-12T16:42:00.001+01:00

Mail Art - stamp licking

2009-10-12T12:15:00.003+01:00

When it comes to licking stamps, there's only one tongue for the job...

Mail Art - washing line

2009-10-09T17:26:00.008+01:00

As I wrote on a previous post, at design college in the early 90's we were introduced to 'mail art' from a past student who had gone on to work at Carter Wong Design. Mail art is simply posting an object or some form of material in an imaginative way, and it inspired myself and my friend Katy Etherington to send each other our own correspondences over the summer holidays. It was challenging coming up with a new idea every couple of days, but we had great fun (even the postmen enjoyed it - though I did get a visit from a Royal Mail Fraud Squad chap who wanted to know what I was up to!)

I'll be putting up the 'greatest hits' from my collection. Here's the first. Enjoy!

The first marketing agency based in a school

2009-09-28T07:52:00.001+01:00

This is us - Celia and James Bristow - outside the entrance to our new office. Okay, admittedly it's not all ours, we will be running beanwave inside the Business Hub in The Milton Keynes Academy, sharing the building with 1,500 children aged 11 to 18 at the stunning new Academy school.

As business-in-residence we receive free office space in return for two-three hours a week helping students with enterprise-related projects. The decision to base a company inside the Academy was part of the school’s pledge to give students the skills and training necessary for their later working lives.

The rest of our time is spent specialising in working with dynamic businesses of all sizes that understand the value in marketing led growth.

To find out more, get in touch and come and see for yourself.

The marketing mix explained

2009-09-25T09:37:00.006+01:00

It's on oldie, but a goodie....

You see a fabulous girl/guy at a party. You approach them and say, “I’m fantastic in bed.” That’s Direct Marketing.

You’re at a party with a bunch of friends and see a fabulous girl/guy. You have one of your friends approach them, point at you and say, “She’s/He’s fantastic in bed.” That’s Advertising.

You see a fabulous girl/guy at a party. You approach them to get their telephone number. The next day you call and say, “Hi, I’m fantastic in bed.” That’s Telemarketing.

You’re at a party and see a fabulous girl/guy. You get up, straighten your clothes, walk up and pour them a drink. You open the door, pick up their bag after it drops, offer them a ride, and then say, “By the way, I’m fantastic in bed.” That’s Public Relations.

You’re at a party and see a fabulous girl/guy. They walk up to you and say, “I hear you’re fantastic in bed.” That’s Brand Recognition.”

I'd love to say beanwave wrote it, but we didn't, so we can't, so we won't. Get in touch if you know who did.

It's back to school for beanwave

2009-09-15T09:31:00.005+01:00

Okay, so we haven't hit the Beckham/Jordan levels of self publicity, but there's a nice piece on beanwave in today's business section of The Daily Telegraph.

Although true to form, the journo spelt Celia's name wrong, and there are actually separate entrances to the building for visitors and students. Still, no such thing as bad publicity apparently (although 'brand Katie Price' might be an exception?!)

It's official...the world has gone crazy!

2009-08-31T20:57:00.007+01:00

Social media is a superb communication channel, we can't deny it's value and uses, hey I'm here talking to a wider audience through a blog! Twitter has become an everyday part of so many people's lives, celebrity and non-celebrity alike, so why should the tennis players at the US Open have their tweeting regulated?

Corruption and Match fixing apparently! I mean really, how can twitter messages 'violate anti-corruption laws'? Would anyone be so stupid as to send a message into the public domain containing inside information on a match?!!!

The most amusing part of it all is that the Tennis Integrity Unit goes on to say that tweeting is not allowed on court during matches...how do you play tennis AND tweet?

Andy Roddick, a fan of Twitter responded to this on his page "I understand the on-court issue but not sure they can tell us if we can or can't do it on our own time.... we'll see.

"I definitely respect the rule about inside info and on court, but you would seriously have to be a moron to send 'inside info' through a tweet. Not very subtle/smart .... come on."

Success

2009-08-09T09:48:00.008+01:00

The beanwave route map to success is now available.

It's an invaluable guide to getting your business to where you want to be.

You can view it here, or get in touch and we'll post you a printed copy.

Wordle

2009-08-03T22:09:00.004+01:00

click here to see the blogwave wordle, and also create one of your own...

Our new office (so far!)

2009-07-30T13:14:00.004+01:00

Here's a sneak preview of our new office! Okay, it's not all going to be ours, just a little bit at the top, but hey, we're still very excited!

Now, can anyone guess it's secret location?

Keeping it Real!

2009-07-26T13:41:00.004+01:00

Well, when I set off for Eastbourne on Sunday I didn't think that we'd be playing alongside Andy Murray, but that's what happened. County Week is an annual event that pits men's and women's counties against each other for 3 matches a day over 5 days with the title, relegation or promotion at stake. My county, Buckinghamshire, are in the top group in the ladies competition, and as such play at Eastbourne alongside the top group of men, of which North of Scotland are one.

Andy Murray pitched up on Wednesday morning after calling the non-playing captain on Tuesday evening to see if he could help the cause! Every captain must dream of being able to pull in the World Number 3 to their team, and I have to say that Andy Murray was a consummate professional, got stuck in to matches for his team, supported the others when he was finished (which didn't take that long to be fair!), called his own lines and bought his own lunch. Somewhat different to life on the Tour for him, but for one day at least Andy Murray was keeping it real!

(We were playing on the courts behind Andy Murray in this photo, but thankfully you can't see me!)

Customer is King 2

2009-07-24T07:27:00.001+01:00

Having had the displeasure of United Airlines poor service on several occasions (including one memorable night spent sleeping in arrivals with no heating, in a sub-zero ice storm, on army camp beds in Chicago airport), this struck a chord.

But the important thing to learn here is not that some airlines treat their customers with contempt (which won't surprise anyone), but the damage that just one dissatisfied customer does to your reputation through word of mouth.

For example, over 3 million people have watched this clip on YouTube. This popularity has led to further coverage as global media such as the BBC picked up on the story, and so it goes on.

United may well use this for future staff training, but it's going to take more than a bit of fluffy PR spin to reverse this damage.

Social commentary in Madrid

2009-07-21T17:37:00.001+01:00

Lost Minute...

2009-07-16T21:28:00.003+01:00

Would you believe this guy is a tennis coach? Just goes to show, we all have hidden talents! Download this track and see if we can get Lost Minute into the Top 40! It's really quite good, live they are even better!

beanwave love people who go that extra mile to create something special

2009-07-08T23:45:00.003+01:00

A Child's View

2009-07-02T21:09:00.004+01:00

I love the way children see things. Could a copywriter create something so innocent?

The Moonwalk - A True Purple Cow

2009-06-26T07:48:00.003+01:00

Seth Godin talks about creating the Purple Cow - something truly remarkable in a crowded (yet profitable) marketplace.

Michael Jackson's moonwalk must rank as one hell of a Purple Cow.

Lokida logo

2009-06-24T19:56:00.003+01:00

Here's a logo beanwave created as part of a branding project for a new business start-up called Lokida. The client loves it, her customers like it, and Lokida is starting to grow, which tells us everything we need to know really. More details here at Funky Angel, where Claire Burdett has been mentoring the new business.

Great brand extension...

2009-06-22T22:24:00.003+01:00

Funk Bunk

2009-06-18T13:49:00.005+01:00

If you love TV show The Wire, funk and happen to work at the Funk Bunk, you'll possibly find this amusing. If not, it won't make the slightest bit of sense.

A good example of a "niche market" if ever I saw one.

Is your logo your 'brand' ?

2009-06-12T07:49:00.002+01:00

NO.

A logo is simply a fingerprint - a way of identifying something.

A brand is the personality of that 'something'.

Defining branding is far more complex subject - who would like a go?

(add your definition below...)

Creative or analytic, which lights first?

2009-06-09T20:29:00.012+01:00

So, how do the creative and analytical sides of the brain work in practice? We had a perfect demonstration a couple of weekends ago...

It's time to light the barbeque. Creative created the perfect platform including all the elements for lighting while Analytical watched...and contemplated. The bbq lights without too much drama, but how to get it hot enough and stay hot for long enough?

Analytical steps in, and blows gently, enough to make the bricks glow and distribute the heat evenly. Creative muses, rearranges the bricks and consequently the heat, and the bbq is up to heat and it stays that way long enough to keep us warm when the sun goes down!

When creative and analytical get together it simply just works (despite what you might think from the photo!).

"Are you the creative or analytical one?"

2009-06-08T07:56:00.007+01:00

I was asked this the other day.

There is a general assumption that people are either one or the other, but the makeup of the magical human brain (the bean!) is far more complex.

And when it comes to marketing, anybody who claims to be one or the other is not going to get results. A successful marketing practitioner needs to be able to wear both hats at different times (and wear them well). Analytics are a vital part of establishing the intelligence, but never provide the solution - that's where creativity comes in. And creativity without a need is art, which is never about profit. So next time an agency tells you how brilliantly creative they are, also check whether they have the smarts to turn their creativity into your ROI, and vice versa.

The beanwave ethos - blending intelligence and creativity - the two halves of the bean.

Customer is King

2009-06-02T21:07:00.008+01:00

In the 80's and 90's we all chanted the mantra "The Customer is always right", now that sentiment has evolved to "The Customer is King". Slight change in premise but at the end of the day the relationship between Company and Customer should remain the same.

I can think of too many instances lately when I, as the customer, have been treated as anything but royalty! And you know what? I vote with my feet, I'm not their customer any more, and I'm sure I'm not alone. In the current climate no company in the world can be that complacent about customer satisfaction or retention.

Ensuring you satisfy and exceed customer needs, wants and expectations is imperative to success and should form the cornerstone of any company strategy. Let's face it, we all know that the cost of acquiring customers is significantly higher (and harder to achieve!) than the cost of keeping existing customers.

Easier said than done? Probably, but there is always a solution, don't be afraid to ask for help (beanwave are here to treat you like a king!).

It's tough out there, and exceeding customer expectation can be the only goal. It's time to invest in customer focused activity, put yourself in their shoes and think how you would like to be treated in the same situation. That's what you'd do in a normal every day social situation, so why not apply it to business?

MINI United

2009-05-24T13:00:00.007+01:00

This weekend's MINI United festival was a great example of brand loyalty.

Thousands of fans and owners from all over Europe descending on Silverstone for a weekend devoted to the mini past and present.

Interesting that there appeared to be way more "new" minis there than the classic original, though this example designed by Sir Paul Smith looked amazing, as did David Bowie's mirrored mini.

Inspired choice of headline act in Paul Weller too. As with Paul Smith, a classic British icon perfectly in tune with the mod-ish style that the original mini represents. Shows that brands and artists can work together, providing it's a genuine affection for each other and not just selling your soul (is John Lydon really that passionate about Country Life butter?). Mr Weller was on great form too, even dipping his The Style Council past for Shout To The Top. Happy days.

Sound advice pt.1

2009-05-19T22:58:00.002+01:00

"Life moves pretty fast. If you you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it"

Ferris Bueller, 1985

No excuse for poor punctuation and typos

2009-05-16T21:18:00.007+01:00

Typos and misuse or abuse of punctuation are fast becoming more irritating than a politicans expenses! I can see what inspired Lynne Truss to pen her wonderful book Eats, Shoots and Leaves. Having just dusted off said book following a living room reshuffle at my house, I thought I'd rekindle my enjoyment of the piece. As a 'pedant' or 'stickler' as Ms Truss puts it, I struggle to visit anywhere without proof reading literature, signage or most things written and feeling frustrated at mistakes or plummeting standards of punctuation, although I don't recall ever missing a bus (or two) as a result of my frustrations as Ms Truss claimed!

In particular I feel sorry for the poor maligned apostrophe...

My advice, ask advice! If you're not sure, ask someone that knows, such as those lovely people at beanwave!

In the meantime, does anyone know how I can get a hot tub approved through expenses?

Free samples - a beanwave promotional offer

2009-05-12T20:33:00.009+01:00

We now offer a free marketing advice service for small-medium businesses.

Simply Twitter us with your marketing problems and questions, and we'll give you our free advice*.

No catch, no obligation, no wucking furries.

*Offer valid and stocks vast.

Leave 'average' to the big boys

2009-05-10T16:12:00.008+01:00

Despite the fact that they account for 99.9% of uk businesses and make up 52% of uk business turnover, small-medium businesses (SMEs) often feel that they don't get the share of voice that the big boys get. And do you know what? They're right.

So how does big business get the lions share of the airtime? Marketing. On average, big businesses invest 4-7% of their turnover in marketing spend, especially around building their brand.

But this is the SME danger - aiming to be average. For small-medium businesses it's simply not financially sustainable to try and spend the 4-7% average, and frankly, who wants to be average in business anyway?

What SMEs need to compete, is simple and effective marketing, designed to give an above average return on investment. Know the value of every penny spent, and make sure every penny is working hard for you. It's not rocket science, and it doesn't have to be expensive.

simple. effective. beanwave

On a ragga tip

2009-05-08T06:48:00.001+01:00

On a strategy tip

2009-05-04T07:55:00.000+01:00

"56% of marketing directors of blue chip companies believe that a downturn could be the best time strategically to re-brand".

Good advice, and just as relevant whatever the size of business - small, medium, large or blue chip (or if you're in the coffee business: "short", "tall" and "grande" and "vente")

*source: The Survey Shop