The anatomy of an ad: Kiehl’s

More so than any other consumer packaged good, grooming products carry enormous expectations among users. Kiehl’s – a much-loved cosmetics brand for those in the know, understands that the relationship between consumer and the product is personal, and is one that’s inherently related to self-improvement. For many, the journey undertaken to find your version of…

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Under the influence of role models

I’ve spoken a lot about personal branding in my posts. But one of the areas I haven’t really explored is the connection between the brand you build and how this lends itself to being a role model for others. There’s been plenty of talk this week regarding Serena Williams’s post-pregnancy comeback. And so there should…

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How to build the right Marketing team

I was recently asked my thoughts on what to look for when building a Marketing team. While there are countless attributes that should be considered when deciding on a hiring strategy (role objectives, person specification, needs gap, organizational hierarchy, company trajectory, et al), my personal tip would be to focus on two aspects of your…

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Sorry, You Just Don’t Measure Up

I recently read an interview in Monocle magazine, where a senior columnist of one of the main broadsheets in Turkey offered the following advice to journalists who were just starting out; ‘Young journalists need to broaden their horizons beyond simply attending journalism school. The events of the last year, from Gezi to Syria, demonstrate that…

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In Pursuit of an ‘Ideal’ Self

As marketers, we relentlessly focus on putting forward the best public image of the brands we represent. We attempt to attract consumers by pitching the virtues of an ideal, must-have solution that taps in to vulnerabilities. We pitch these products as the be-all, end-all answer to our needs i.e. the ideal home, or the ideal…

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