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Our Monthly Round-up of the key pieces in Marketing for April – we’ve chosen six key articles, and two podcasts, which we hope helps ‘keeps your finger on the pulse’ of Marketing. All our monthly reviews are available on our website. www.haiconsulting.com

Our April highlights:

1. Our top pick this month is a piece by Ivan Fernandes, on ‘The one lever you should pull in the next 90 days’ to build momentum beyond motion – and this is ‘prioritise’. We highly recommend  following Ivan on LinkedIn for his commercial analysis pieces, marketing and advertising overviews. – one to follow.

Here is the link: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7325796870096601089/

2. Secondly, we have picked a piece from Sherilyn Shackell (Founder of the Marketing Academy) on lbbonline, ‘CMO’s must worry less…’ sent to us, by Nina Chande. What a great line: “If you are not prepared to be fired for the thing that you are trying to get that board to elect you for, then I’m sorry that you do not deserve that role, and you certainly will not deserve to become a CEO – because they risk being fired every single day.”

Here is the link: https://lbbonline.com/news/cmos-must-worry-less-about-being-fired-worry-more-about-being-a-good-leader-doesnt-matter-how-crap-you-are-as-a-marketer?

3. Thirdly, we pick a piece from Mckinsey from last month on how organisations are rewiring to capture value. Organizations are beginning to create the structures and processes that lead to meaningful value from gen AI. While still in early days, companies are redesigning workflows, elevating governance, and mitigating more risks.

Here is the link: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/the-state-of-ai?

4. Fourthly, clients in many cases are looking for: – better – cheaper – faster with AI. Hugo Loriot, part of the Brandtech Group  writes on the 3 steps to get your data ready for Gen ai

Here is the link: https://www.adexchanger.com/data-driven-thinking/is-your-data-gen-ai-ready-here-are-3-steps-for-shaking-up-your-data-strategy/

5. Fifthly, we pick a piece form the Harvard Business Review – ‘How is your team spending the time saved by Generative AI. Generative AI is changing how we work. Tools like ChatGPT and Copilot help people write everything from emails to blog posts to plans for internal analyses 40% faster than they used to, according to a 2023 MIT study.

Here is the link: https://hbr.org/2025/03/how-is-your-team-spending-the-time-saved-by-gen-ai

6. Sixthly, We have been working with a few food brands most recently, notably Rana. We liked this piece from Forbes on transforming staple foods into brilliant new brands.

Here is the link: https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisoncoleman/2025/04/09/transforming-staple-foods-into-brilliant-new-brands/

Media: Well the news is out – and GroupM moves to WPP Media with client servicing brands and a single P&L. https://www.bandt.com.au/conflict-concerns-reliance-on-big-clients-but-a-boon-for-indies-industry-reacts-to-groupms-reported-global-consolidation-plans/

AI: David Jones CEO and Founder of the Brandtech Group covers the idea of real-time creativity as a result of Gen AI in this AdExchanger podcast. Better – faster – cheaper using the latest technology, but not to replace jobs or make the human potential redundant. Jones advises ‘Ask for a login’. https://www.adexchanger.com/adexchanger-talks/real-time-creativity-with-brandtech-ceo-david-jones/

Podcast: Whilst some have time to listen, some don’t. We pick a podcast each month and here is The IPA’s Ellie Olliff and Tina Fegent.https://ipa.co.uk/knowledge/adtalk-podcasts/business-growth/new-business-diaries-ellie-olliff-and-tina-fegent/

Time for the Work: It’s congrats to PG Tips and NCA Commercial Arts this month for continuing PG Tip’s Monkey’s Media career. ‘Live life one tea at a time’ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/subways-ikea-parody-monkey-returns-pg-tips-very-cmn7e

Back to Henley: Early Summer in Henley – the HRR booms are going back up on the river. Our fortnightly column in the Henley Standard continues where we interview local entrepreneurs. It’s called Let’s Get Down to Business. We were delighted this month to interview Henry Day, Founder  of the Henley Pub co. If you are heading here in the Summer for Regatta or Festival, then The Duke is definitely one for you to book. https://www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/home/196294/henry-day-founder-of-henley-pub-co.html

If you’d like to discuss how these insights can apply to your organisation, or have any questions, we’d love to re-connect. Feel free to get in touch.

Kind regards

Will

Our Monthly Round-up of the key pieces in Marketing for March – we’ve chosen six key articles, a piece on Media, AI, and a Podcast, which we hope ‘keeps your finger on the pulse’ in Marketing terms. All our monthly reviews are available on our website. www.haiconsulting.com

Our March highlights:

1. Our top pick this month we pick a great piece from Karen Martin, the incoming IPA Chairman, reaffirming the power of creativity. It helps when you have the power of BBH behind you, but this is probably the best reaffirmation of creativity we have seen. Martin sets out the critical need to put creativity back at the core of business. Her manifesto also highlighted key challenges facing the ad industry today, including short-term thinking, over-reliance on AI, and a disconnect from the very thing that drives the industry forward: human creativity. Just keeping walking!

Here is the link: https://ipa.co.uk/news/karen-martin-reaffirming-the-power-of-creativity/

2. Secondly, we have picked this piece from Ivan Fernandes on who’s winning in 2025. Three players, three winning formulas. The three winners are all agile, tech-driven, and aligned with business outcomes.

Here is the link: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/who-winning-2025-three-players-formulas-ivan-fernandes-vabnf?

3. Thirdly, Rex Woodbury has an excellent substack – called Digital Native. In this piece he captures in 10 charts how the world is changing. So here is his top 10 in one go: Revenue / Employee, Online vs. Offline Commerce, Market Update: Profitability vs. Growth, Secondaries and VC Distributions, New York’s Tech Hiring Spree, AI Web Traffic + Clickthrough, The Power Law of Spotify and YouTube, Guinness’s Viral Boost, DoorDash Dominance, Gen Z Homeownership Rates.

Here is the link: https://www.digitalnative.tech/p/10-charts-that-capture-how-the-world-c68?

4. Fourthly, we wanted to highlight this piece written by Les Binet, on marketing measurement and specifically how econometrics is shaping the future of marketing. Les has moved on from A&EDDB and now runs his own consultancy.

Here is the link: https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-emea/marketing-strategies/data-and-measurement/les-binet-marketing-measurement/

5. Fifthly, we’ve picked a piece from Michael Farmer on what agencies must do to restore success. It isn’t about “winning new clients.” It isn’t about “being more creative” or “reducing costs.” It’s also about committing to help clients grow their brands — and helping CMOs become successful again.

Here is the link: https://michaelfarmer.substack.com/p/what-agencies-must-do-to-restore?r=abf7r&triedRedirect=true

6. Sixthly, we’ve become a bit of a fan of the Creative Salon. Here Stephen Lepitak looks at The M&A Surge Forcing Advertising’s Bold Future. How will the M&A deals shape the future agency landscape?

Here is the link: https://creative.salon/articles/features/what-m-a-trends-tell-us-about-ad-industry-2030

Media: Nick Manning gives his view on Media Agencies: the present and the future. The future swim upstream! https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/media-agencies-present-future-nick-manning-lz9ae/?

AI: We attended the Advertising Week Europe conference at 180 Studios this week in London – AI and Learning from the future, it was amazing to see how many companies are making tangible benefits in AI. Iconic brand leaders like Lego, McClaren, and Samsung discussed how they are using Ai to target different audiences. The conference showed the intersection of brands, technology, audiences and innovation.

Podcast: Our Podcast pick this month is an interview with Crispin Reed and it’s a really good listen – on adland and the perception of younger talent.  https://www.thedrum.com/podcast/does-adland-have-a-perception-problem-with-younger-talent-with-crispin-reed

Time for the Work: Well it’s our top pick this month for her manifesto in ‘Our Monthly Review’ – but it’s also our pick for the creative work – it’s congrats to Karen Martin & the IPA “The woman who walked around Soho” created by BBH London and Creators Inc. https://campaignbrief.co.nz/2025/04/01/bbh-london-creators-inc-recreates-iconic-johnnie-walker-ad-to-launch-ipa-president-karen-martins-manifesto-to-revitalise-uk-advertising/

Back to Henley: Spring in Henley – the view from Hambleden lock thanks to our hard-working lock-keeper Simon Shepherdson. Our weekly column in the Henley Standard continues where we interview local entrepreneurs. It’s called Let’s Get Down to Business. We were delighted this month to interview Kate Waddington, a farmer from Fawley. https://www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/business/195443/let-s-get-down-to-business-kate-waddington.html

If you’d like to discuss how these insights apply to your organisation, or have any questions, we’d love to connect.

Kind regards

Will

Our Monthly Round-up of the key pieces in Marketing for February – we’ve chosen six key articles, a piece on Media, AI, and a Podcast, which we hope ‘keeps your finger on the pulse’ in Marketing terms. TLDR: All our monthly reviews are available on our website. www.haiconsulting.com

Our February highlights:

1. Our top pick this month we pick a great piece from Rishad Tobaccowala on the four keys to leading today. We have entered an age of de-bossification. In many industries, particularly “White-collar” ones, the era of “bosses” is in decline. Less of a clamouring for boss like traits of controlling, managing, measuring, allocating, evaluating and checking in. There is a rise in the need for leaders and their traits of being guides, coaches, mentors, role-models, creators, pioneers and builders. It’s a great read.

Here is the link: https://rishad.substack.com/p/the-4-keys-to-leading-today?

2. Secondly, we have picked this piece from the Drum written by Andrew Tindall of System One on the Adidas new positioning. It’s not often a brand makes such a bold positive move, will it continue to thrive.

Here is the link: https://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2025/02/19/impossible-nothing-was-winning-hand-adidas-its-bold-new-direction-will-be-too

3. Thirdly, we’ve chosen a piece from Ivan Fernandes, on the relationship that holding companies will have with AI, efficiency, and redundancies. What will be the optimum and most efficient holding company size be of the future.

Here is the link: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ivanfernandes1_ai-wont-save-holding-companies-redundancies-activity-7297927587928928256-6BMd/

4. Fourthly, we wanted to highlight this article by Mark Ritson in Marketing Week. Ignore anyone who tells you to forget about targeting. Targeting is the start of strategy, yet many marketers are being told they no longer need to bother with it. We’ve given him our podcast slot below as well.

Here is the link: https://www.marketingweek.com/ritson-ignore-anyone-targeting/

5. Fifthly, we pick a piece from the HBR on how your team is spending the time saved by AI. Tools like ChatGPT and Copilot are helping employees complete tasks much faster—cutting the time it takes to do them by up to 56%. But a new study shows that many people aren’t putting that newfound time to good use. Here’s what managers can do to get the most out of the time savings.

Here is the link: https://hbr.org/2025/03/how-is-your-team-spending-the-time-saved-by-gen-ai

6. Sixthly, we had to pick this piece this month on R\GA – as it goes Independent again. We visited R\GA year on year with Adforum for a super executive view of brand and marketing futures. They were always cutting edge, they mastered scoring more ‘Tens’ than any other agency – chaired by Bob Greenberg, with thought leaders Barry Wacksman & Tom Morton. From behind that fence, every seven years they re-invented themselves in line with those trends. All long departed, we wish the new company all the very best.

Here is the link:  https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/some-ruminations-sale-my-beloved-old-company-rga-barry-wacksman-rt5te/?

Here is the link:  https://www.lbbonline.com/news/rga-goes-independent-in-management-and-private-equity-partnership?

Media: Simon Davis the CEO of Walk-in Media writes for the Media Leader this month. The big media agencies are damaging the outlook for UK broadcasters through opaque trading practices that do not give them a fair share of client spend. https://uk.themedialeader.com/mr-bates-vs-the-big-agency-networks/

AI: We attended a Panel discussion – Learning from the past to lead the future – at WPP organised by the Marketing Society and Design Bridge. It included the very impressive Tati Lindenberg Chief Brand Officer of Unilever, and WPP AI Chief Daniel Hulme. Daniel also gave a presentation to the Drum. https://www.thedrum.com/news/2025/01/30/how-does-wpp-think-about-ai-here-s-the-framework-its-chief-ai-officer-uses

Podcast: Our Podcast pick this month is an interview with Mark Ritson – How to mess up your brand. What marketing looks like in three words and why simplicity is everything. https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/how-not-to-mess-up-your-brand-with-mark-ritson/id1786600621?i=1000691464145

Time for the Work: We felt we should pick something from the Superbowl this month, and so it’s congrats to Goodby Silverstein and Partners for Mountain Dew and a totally bonkers ad. With thanks to Troy Ruhanen for sending us the new OAG LinkedIn newsletter – Cornerstone – a great selection of global work to pick from. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QPLoTLAdh8

Back to Henley: Our weekly column in the Henley Standard continues where we interview local entrepreneurs. It’s called Let’s Get Down to Business. We were delighted this month to interview John Swift from Lawlor’s, a small craft bakery based in Henley.  https://www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/let-s-get-down-to-business/195327/lets-get-down-to-business-john-swift.html

If you are looking to review your agency relationships and resourcing structures in 2025, please do get in touch, we are here to help, and answer your queries.

Kind regards

Will

Our Monthly Round-up of the key pieces in Marketing for December – we’ve chosen six key articles, a piece on Media, and a Podcast – as well as our regular Back to Henley slot. We’ve spent Christmas in Santiago, Chile, so this review comes to you from 38,000 feet passing the Andes on our way home. A lot to Round-up in terms of Year reviews, Leadership, & Christmas ads. TLDR: All our monthly reviews are available on our website. www.haiconsulting.com

Our December highlights:

1. Our top pick this month is a good presentation from Mark Ritson who highlights the Top 10 Marketing moments from 2024. We like Mark’s banter – he simply says it ‘as it is’. In the poker game of Marketing he states how System One is capable of giving the Campaign journo’s a run for their money when it comes to scoring the new AI Coca-Cola ad. It’s an hour long piece, packed full of goodness where he highlights some key findings from McDonald’s and McCain, the short and the long, and ads that work. His key summary, ‘If you’ve got a good ad, keep running it.’

Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpwdwr5SRcM

2. Secondly, it is the list of the Top 10 Most popular/read articles from Mckinsey which they published last week. Generative AI has sparked a renaissance in business innovation—and this year, the boldest leaders have started to realize value from it. There’s room for more to blaze a trail. CEOs, boards, and top executives across industries can transform their organizations with gen AI as their copilot. To get started, explore the most-read AI piece of the year.

Here is the link: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/year-in-review

3. Thirdly, we pick a piece from the Marketing Week reporters on the Marketing trends of 2024. From the growth of ad-funded streaming and winning the argument for pre-testing, to gen AI entering the mainstream, 2024 has been a good year for committing to consistency.

Here is the link: https://www.marketingweek.com/2024-year-in-review-good-year/

4. Fourthly, it’s a ‘Pepp talk’ – we had to include it this month. Jon Peppiatt writes on Culture, Strategy, and Industry Change and given he is now working in and out of the Growth House in Henley, we look forward to catching up with him soon.

Here is the link: https://www.lbbonline.com/news/the-view-from-both-sides-of-the-table/?mc_cid=7dd190abb1&mc_eid=b087a45a16

5. Fifthly, we pick a report produced by System One on consistency and familiarity in Christmas advertising. According to creative effectiveness platform System 1, the 2024 festive season is set to be the most “consistent Christmas for advertising” it has seen to date. The consultancy has published its 2024 Test-Your-Ad scores highlighting how campaigns from six major brands – Cadbury, Amazon, Lidl, Sainsbury’s, Aldi, M&S Food – have already received its highest available score of 5.9 stars.

Here is the link: https://www.marketing-beat.co.uk/2024/11/08/system-1-christmas-ads/

6. Sixthly, Rishad Tobaccowala is back this month, and this is his piece from the Christmas break on ‘Paradox.’ The world is changing, setting up a situation in which organizations must learn to take two seemingly opposite actions – in order to be profitable. As we move to distributed work, as technology advances, and as other trends transform society, a set of opposing but connected forces have emerged: Fragmentation and Integration.

Here is the link: https://rishad.substack.com/p/paradox

Media: A good perspective - 2024 was a difficult year for many media agencies. 2025 looks like being a tough year too, a transparent, responsible and accountable advertising environment is needed, as this piece in the Media Leader explains. https://uk.themedialeader.com/2025-wont-be-business-as-usual-so-we-must-change-with-the-times/

AI: Enterprise technology’s next chapter: Four gen AI shifts that will reshape business technology from Mckinsey. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/enterprise-technologys-next-chapter-four-gen-ai-shifts-that-will-reshape-business-technology

Podcast: Jon Evans produces the Uncensored CMO series, in December he interviewed behavioural science guru Rory Sutherland of Ogilvy – ‘Jaguar: Madness or Marketing Genius?’ https://uncensoredcmo.com/bonus164

Time for the Work: Well with so many good Christmas ads to pick from. We had to pick one and say congrats to John Lewis and Saatchi’s as our pick. Here is the link to the free System One report. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/andrew-tindall_system1-have-tested-the-new-john-lewis-activity-7129732156246913024-8TXR/

Back to Henley: Our weekly column in the Henley Standard continues where we interview local entrepreneurs. It’s called Let’s Get Down to Business. We were delighted this month to interview Chloe and James Brownbill, who own and run the Marlow Cheese Company. https://www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/let-s-get-down-to-business/194213/lets-get-down-to-business-chloe-and-james-brownbill.html

According to a Uk based Intermediary, following a study of 500 Senior Marketers, 98% of brands are planning to either, definitely, or probably initiate a pitch for some or all of the marketing within the next twelve months. If you know someone who is looking to review their agency relationships and resourcing structures in 2025, please do recommend us to help them.

Kind regards

Will

Our Monthly Round-up of the key pieces in Marketing for November – we’ve chosen six key articles, a piece on AI, Media, and a Podcast – as well as our regular Back to Henley slot. A lot to Round-up this month – Christmas ads, Retail woes, Ritson, Jaguar, the future of media. All our monthly reviews are available on our website. www.haiconsulting.com

Our November highlights:

1. Our top pick this month is an interview on ‘Understanding Marketing Effectiveness’ with Les Binet. Balancing short-term wins with long-term growth is crucial in the fast-paced marketing world. In this interview, Coen sits down with Les Binet, Head of Effectiveness at adam&eveDDB, to discuss how brands can navigate this landscape. Les has profoundly influenced modern marketing strategies, primarily through his work on “The Long and the Short of It,” co-authored with Peter Field.

Here is the link: https://www.alpha.one/blog/understanding-marketing-effectiveness-with-les-binet And he also has an Apple podcast out this month. https://podcasts.apple.com/cy/podcast/les-binet-uncovered-surprising-secrets-of-ad/

2. Secondly, a piece from Marketing Week – with a continuing focus on effectiveness – Brands shouldn’t leave it to their agencies to prove marketing’s impact, but working closely with them creates a virtuous circle of learning and improvement.

Here is the link: https://www.marketingweek.com/who-owns-effectiveness-culture-brands-agencies/

3. Thirdly, with a bit of a retail feel this month, we have picked two retail pieces, the first written by Mark Ritson on Brand of the Year – Marks and Spencer.

Here is the link: https://www.marketingweek.com/ritson-marks-spencer-brand-year/

The second by Ian Shepherd who writes his own substack called Moving Tribes – Reading the runes of 2025

Here is the link: https://open.substack.com/pub/movingtribes/p/reading-the-runes?

4. Fourthly, we like the WARC feed and there are several great articles in here. We particularly like the Marketer’s Toolkit for 2025, the fourteenth edition of the report draws out five major trends that will define strategic planning, based on an extensive global survey of practitioners.

Here is the link: https://www.warc.com/content/feed/PGs_threestep_formula_for_meaningful_insight/

5. Fifthly, we had to have a piece here this month for the Jaguar rebrand, but as an Intermediary we never negate new work, we try to help clients and agencies develop better work.

Here is the link: https://www.attitude.co.uk/life/how-hate-and-homophobia-made-a-genius-of-jaguars-rebrand-476326/

6. Sixthly, we pick a great substack that has been gaining momentum all year. Written by Sir john Hegarty – its called the Business of Creativity, and there are some great musings here. And a free subscription.

Here is the link: https://businessofcreativity.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Media: Who better to give you this report than Nick Manning on the future of media and the arrival of tech innovation. One media highlight this month we must mention, that we attended was the Goodstuff Media showcase – a fantastic view on upcoming media tech. https://uk.themedialeader.com/the-future-of-media-agencies-is-long-overdue-innovation-on-its-way/

AI: Love this, Saneel Radia talking from Proto New York on AI on growth, these guys are super smart, a great listen. AI could be the first technology revolution that better serves client incumbents and established players, than it does the startups looking to disrupt them.  https://vimeo.com/1030917474

Podcast: We’ve picked the Uncensored CMO and this version by tradition is the episode with Mark Ritson. Mark Ritson is back for a review of the most read stories this year. He debates if Liquid Death is more than just water in a can, why Nike’s focus on DTC was a mistake and what we can all learn from KitKat’s perfect positioning.https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/mark-ritson-on-the-fall-of-nike-kitkats/id1486335987?i=1000676731785

Time for the Work: A difficult choice this month with so many good Christmas ads. Cadbury, Coca-Cola, Tesco and John Lewis, even Waitrose, creatively very worthy contenders. But in the end, we like an ad that tugs on the heart – so its congrats to Apple and TBWA\MediaArtlabs for producing this fantastic ad for their AirPods – it’s Apple Heartstrings. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvnJhwIwqds

Back to Henley: Our weekly column in the Henley Standard continues where we interview local entrepreneurs. It’s called Let’s Get Down to Business. We were delighted this month to interview Liz Darran, the Chief Brand and Creative Officer at Fortnum and Mason. Time to do your Christmas shopping folks. https://www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/henley-on-thames/193556/lets-get-down-to-business.html

According to Campaign, almost half of marketers plan creative or media agency review in next 12 months. If you are looking to review your agency relationships and resourcing structures in 2025, please do get in touch now, so we may plan ahead and help you.

Kind regards

Will

Our Monthly Round-up of the key pieces in Marketing for October – we’ve chosen six key articles, and a podcast. Additionally, this month, we bring you ‘Our Eight Observations from last week’s Adforum Summit’ which took place in Paris. Curated for you – to enhance your marketing performance – all our monthly reviews are available on our website. www.haiconsulting.com 

Our October highlights:

1. Our top pick this month is a compelling and concise report on ‘How to Grow your Brand’. It’s an Intuit Mailchimp report of 47 pages, well chaptered, that can be downloaded here. With multiple authors, this is a must read for mid-market companies.

Here is the link: https://downloads.ctfassets.net/yzco4xsimv0y/4YncvZliOguzZGlrnh5DdB/6235e72c372b9257b366f957a9569075/TL_How_to_Grow_Your_Brand.pdf

2. Secondly, we have picked Mark Ritson’s piece this month on brand consistency. Mark has written a number of articles this month, we picked his best. Consistency is the Marketer’s secret weapon.

Here is the link: https://www.marketingweek.com/ritson-consistency-secret-weapon/

3. Thirdly, we pick an article from the magazine version of Harvard Business Review – on ‘Is there a better way to link sales and marketing’. For companies that are inhibited by siloed customer data – digital customer hubs can help.

Here is the link: https://hbr.org/2024/11/a-better-way-to-link-sales-and-marketing

4. Fourthly, we like what Charles Vallance, one of the founders of VCCP has to say in ‘the longer and the shorter of it’, he talks about the industry meeting the plateau of productivity, yet we are just about to see the next AI shift in advertising development.

Here is the link: https://www.vccp.com/news/2024/oct/charles-vallance-in-campaign-the-longer-and-the-shorter-of-it

5. Fifthly, there is a good report out on Advertising Production this month entitled – What Clients Want From Advertising Production Today, by the APA, it covers how clients should engage production and why.

Here is the link: https://www.a-p-a.net/2024/10/news/apa-in-house-report/

6. Sixthly, whilst the Guinness Rugby is now in full flow. There are many that are opting for a lighter tipple. I am actually a fan of the Guinness 0.0 as a rugby session drink, but is there a rise in the non-alcoholic drinking culture.

Here is the link: https://creative.salon/articles/features/the-rise-of-non-alcoholic-drinking-culture

Media: 

We attended a McCann Central/UM seminar this month which included a presentation by Richard Shotton on Applying Behavioural Science. He has an excellent book out called ‘The Illusion of Choice’. A really good session and a good read for your next long flight. https://ss-usa.s3.amazonaws.com/c/308496593/media/1943670fc5841654e87598582545248/1356867_Media_Event_EAST.pdf

Podcast: Whilst we may all be time constrained – with post-election overload – this Podcast is definitely worth a listen – with Nils Leonard – on the task of building brands that people actually wished existed. https://open.spotify.com/episode/2ioO3tPqTRlJKDcHEoZxfK?si=798f9c5dabf94bef&nd=1&dlsi=5db68da037c447fc

Time for the Work:  It’s congrats to McCain’s and AdamandEve/DDB this month. The IPA Effectiveness Awards winner is a case study in the marketing fundamentals that most brands ignore or forget – and it’s brilliant because of it. https://www.marketingweek.com/ritson-mccains-teach-nothing-new/

Back to Henley:

Our weekly column in the Henley Standard continues where we interview local entrepreneurs. It’s called Let’s Get Down to Business. We were delighted this month to interview Louise Jackson from the Highwayman. https://www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/community-news–all-districts-/192877/lets-get-down-to-business.html

 Our Eight Observations from the Adforum Summit in Paris:

An amazing Adforum week – meeting with key European agencies in Paris – leading consultants were brought together from the UK, US, Europe, Latam, South Africa and Australia, to hear from the leaders of the holding companies, global networks, branding, design, luxury and comms agencies.

1. There is a paradigm shift, in the economics & effectiveness of advertising – new orchestrators of marketing growth are being driven by AI, machine learning and human input. We saw an abundance of new digital transformation technologies.

2. Fast and first, – innovation and speed is being led by digital transformation AI enablers who are showing how AI is wrapped into everything. Holding companies are not moving fast enough when it comes to AI.

3. Ideation is key, AI ideas are more important than agency fee efficiency at the moment. AI gets you to a good creative starting point, but creativity still needs a human touch. The robots are not taking over everything.

4. Advertising creative work would appear to have become functional rather than blockbuster. Ideas need to exist in more than 50 channels, 9/10 people see social media as multi channel – it’s a mindset. There continues to be a drive on ROI.

5. Agencies are building internal management systems to ‘weaponise’ agency deliverables and marketing effectiveness – including the AI tools to share work and function better internally together.

6. No more WFH – four day weeks – or hybrid work – winning agencies are leaning hard into pitching: investing – inputing – prompting – sharing – and delivering outstandingly in multi channels.

7. The best way to be different is to be yourself, there are choices that fit different client aspirations between holding company operating models.

8. Holding companies are financially shaping for the future, some media transparency issues remain.

With an ‘Adforum Intermediary’ running a ‘perfect pitch process’ we can be the orchestrators of change. We are here to help you, or quite simply help answer any of your questions.

Kind regards,

Will

Our Monthly Round-up of the key pieces in Marketing for September – we’ve chosen four key articles, two substacks, and a new podcast. Curated for you – to enhance your marketing performance – all our monthly reviews are now available on our website. http://haiconsulting.com/category/views/

Our September highlights:

1. Our top pick, we pick a piece from the Boston Consulting Group. Marketing, sales, and service organizations are going all in on AI. Company leaders are making sizable investments and launching pilot projects based on the expectation that AI- and GenAI in particular – will be a cornerstone of re-shaping those functions in the coming years.

Here is the link: https://www.bcg.com/publications/2024/bold-ai-ambition-for-b2b-marketing-sales-service

2. Secondly, we’ve gone for a piece from McKinsey and it’s on B2B this month. Titled An unconstrained future: How generative AI could reshape B2B sales. Sales is one of the oldest known professions. The fundamental expectations of a seller’s role – building trust-based relationships, finding opportunities to create value for customers, and creating experiences that minimize friction – have remained constant over time. What’s new are the tools available to help sellers become more productive, especially with the rapid emergence of generative AI (gen AI) in recent years.

Here is the link: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/an-unconstrained-future-how-generative-ai-could-reshape-b2b-sales

3. Thirdly, we have picked an interesting piece from the Harvard Business Review, October /November Magazine edition on the new rules of Teamwork. Not that long ago, teams were typically composed of people with similar skills working in the same place. Their efforts were based on the idea that by working together in a well-managed process, they could deliver replicable results. Today, companies of all types are called on to demonstrate integrated, cross-functional, project-based teamwork in their operations

Here is the link: https://hbr.org/2024/09/new-rules-for-teamwork

4. Fourthly, we like the Moving Tribes Substack, it is always a good barometer for UK Retail performance, written by Ian Shepherd this blog covers the current mixed signals in the UK Retail market.

Here is the link: https://movingtribes.substack.com/p/mixed-signals

5. Fifthly, from the Harvard Business Review digital version this month, on why people will pay a premium to complete a task sooner. Traditional economic theory holds that people should always prefer to receive money as soon as possible and postpone paying debt as long as they can. Yet, a recent series of studies found that people are often willing to pay more money if it means they will finish a goal sooner. This is because the mental cost of an unfinished task can outweigh financial gains. The researchers offer insight into how to use their findings to boost motivation on your team.

Here is the link: https://hbr.org/2024/10/research-why-people-will-pay-a-premium-to-complete-a-task-sooner

6. Sixthly, we like the Creative Salon Substack and the weekly updates which are gathering momentum. This piece focuses on the levers of effectiveness. The chief strategists at adam&eveDDB (‘maestros’) know a bit about building brands. Here they debate the levers for effectiveness.

Here is the link: https://creative.salon/articles/features/salon-conversations-a-eddb-effectiveness  

Media: We attended the Future of News presentation at Stagwell last week, hosted by Goodstuff, and chaired by Mark Penn and James Townsend it was a fantastic journos panel event. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Z8MiPcSHjo

Podcast: Whilst some people question whether podcasts are fully listened to the end – this one hosted by Ben Fennell, is another belter from the Growth House here in Henley, its a good series, this one is on cheerfulness and adversity. https://shows.acast.com/thegrowthhouse/episodes/cheerfulness-and-adversity

Time for the Work: It is congrats to Virgin Media O2 and VCCP for their work creating the third chapter of its ‘To Better and Beyond’ campaign ‘Walrus Whizzer’ in a bid to highlight the freedom that better broadband brings. Love it, a boating theme, humour and memorability in one. https://creative.salon/articles/work/vccp-virgin-media-o2-walrus-whizzer

Back to Henley: Our weekly column in the Henley Standard continues where we interview local entrepreneurs. It’s called Let’s Get Down to Business. We were delighted this month to interview Emerald Brown, who is a Mother and Entrepreneur and runs a company called ODD manufacturing luxury garden furniture. https://www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/let-s-get-down-to-business/192164/let-s-get-down-to-business-emerald-brown.html

We are here to help you with your agency ecosystem, agile growth plans, resourcing structures and benchmarking to improve your marketing performance – do let us know, if we may set up a catch-up meeting in your diary.

Kind regards,

Will

Our Monthly Round-up of the key pieces in Marketing for August – we’ve chosen four key articles, a blog, and a new podcast. Curated for you to enhance the performance of your marketing – all our monthly reviews are now available on our website. http://haiconsulting.com/category/views/

Our August highlights:

1. Our top pick this month is from Mckinsey on ‘The versatile leader’: How learning to adapt makes   CEO’s better. Leaders benefit from seeking out diverse experiences, displaying deep curiosity, and knowing when to speak up, it’s a good read.

Here is the link: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/the-versatile-leader-how-learning-to-adapt-makes-ceos-better?cid=eml-web

2. Secondly, Sir John Hegarty, and Orlando Wood of System One delivered an insightful presentation on the Next Creative Revolution – with host Jon Evans.  Last year brands spent upwards of $750 billion globally on advertising. It’s estimated that only 6% of it is truly effective. As an industry, our creative output seems to be in decline.  They address the need for change in creative output? It’s evidenced from System One, they highlight salesmanship & showmanship, the grasp of left and right brain thinking. It highlights a course titled Advertising Principles Explained, creative work that will work harder for you. Their seminal point – cut budgets by 10% – and try to be 30% more effective.

Here is the link: https://youtu.be/8DioAGZSNLE

3. Thirdly, ‘Keeping Strategy Simple’, it’s a great piece from the Harvard Business Review. Few companies have a clear idea of where strategy making ends and execution begins. As a result they develop strategic plans where they’re not required and fail to develop strategic plans where they are. To help prevent this happening to you Graham Kenny offers a few do’s and don’ts.

Here is the link: https://hbr.org/2024/08/keep-strategy-simple

4. Fourthly, we like a Retail flavour for our clients, and we pick an unusual piece on a retail shopping trends report from TikTok on ‘bending reality.’ Thanks to Simon Andrews and our colleugues at Fix Lite.

Here is the link: https://issuu.com/tiktokforbusinesseu/docs/what_s_next_shopping_trend_report_-_eui?

5. Fifthly, given it was August – the Digital Native substack took a well earned break, however their top 10 most read essays of the year are definitely worth a another read, authored by Rex Woodbury, it’s a great substack to follow.

Here is the link: https://www.digitalnative.tech/p/top-10-most-read-essays-of-2024-so?

6. Sixthly, we came across this new Blog by Tim Mason, the CEO of Eagle Eye and the former CMO of Tesco. Treating people the way they would like to be treated.

Here is the link: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/blog-5-applying-golden-rule-business-lessons-from-team-tim-mason-xxuwe/

Media:  As people return back to business, what’s in store for the rest of 2024, buckle up…beyond a painful Budget – Creative Salon has a very well written feature including all the key industry metrics. https://creative.salon/articles/features/september-2024-back-to-business-marketing-advertising

Podcast: We continue our theme with a monthly Podcast – this one is on how to incorporate Influencers into your Marketing Strategy. https://hbr.org/podcast/2024/08/how-to-incorporate-influencers-into-your-marketing-strategy?

Time for the Work: It’s congratulations this month to Guinness and AMV BBDO for their new Premier league sponsorship for Guinness 0.0. Great work from a great client, they have be consistently good at what they do. https://www.thedrum.com/news/2024/08/16/ad-the-day-guinness-rolls-out-global-campaign-mark-premier-league-sponsorship

Back to Henley: Our Weekly column in the Henley Standard continues where we interview local entrepreneurs. It’s called Let’s Get Down to Business. We were delighted this month to interview Hugo Loudon, Founder of Heritage Tree Services. https://www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/let-s-get-down-to-business/191840/let-s-get-down-to-business-hugo-loudon.html

We are here to help you with your agency ecosystem, growth plans, resourcing structures and benchmarking to improve your marketing performance – do let us know, if we may set up a catch-up meeting in the diary to help you.

Kind regards,

Will