Written for current and future MBA candidates by Justin O'Brien in his role as MBA Director for Royal Holloway University of London full time and distance learning MBA programmes.
One of the benefits of being a forty something is that you don't have to worry about being cool any more, but you aren't so old that you've forgotten what it's like to be young. In fact as my oldest boy edges towards those potentially difficult teenage years, I am being reacquainted with youth culture without having to experience it all myself. I must say, previous experience does have some intriguing advantages.
To the matter in hand today: Skyfall. With Brits and Oscars awarded for the first time in the franchises 50 year history, it is hard to have missed that even the film industry thinks this particular film is a cut above the previous 22 or 24. So, I missed my family visit to see Bonds action adventure when everyone else did, and instead waited for the DVD launch. (See 'confidently uncool' comments above) Hence coming to the table rather late in the day, but hopefully with something interesting to say too.
My interest was particularly piqued because several of the Royal Holloway Management with marketing undergraduates chose "outraged" media coverage at the over commercialisation of the latest Bond movie, particularly concentrated on the product placement issue for an assignment earlier in the year. The dramatic fall in commercial TV advertising revenues has seen UK TV regulations relaxed to allow ITV and others offer up opportunities for sponsorship. Clearly for the media, product placement is a hot topic.
All paths for me currently appear to involve beer. In Bond, of course the story was Heineken taking the place of James' regular tipple. I was profoundly surprised, therefore, that Bond's beer guzzling moment didn't even let you have a good look at the label. We all know that global brands of lager pretty much taste the same. You need to see the label to imbibe all the benefits of a beers brand personality. Heineken surely don't think that a green glass bottle communicates its brand ?
Unlike recent films (packed with gratuitous shots of mobile phones and luxury cars) I entirely missed coverage of Bollinger, Omega, Swarovski, Sony and Virgin Atlantic, all sponsors listed in the credits.
Bollinger relies on beyond film marketing to establish its Bond credentials
I'm told the ultra tight fit Tom Ford suits are fashionable, although hardly sensible for an action hero. Aston Martin were playing a long game, using a classic model from a previous Bond feature with a clever low tech twist, perhaps, because the next model isn't quite ready ? In fact, the only two brands (aside from Brand Britain) that seemed to get the biggest plugs were VW Beetle, benefitting from a full, slow and deliberate brand name check, whilst being totalled by the second, big hitter, a bold, yellow digger from CAT(erpillar).
Screen product destruction: Good for awareness development ?
It is not quite apparent quite how VW's name check will help reposition the Mark III 'new' Beetle. Perhaps in a loose sense of being cool enough to be featured in an overtly masculine Spy movie ? For the last decade and a half the new Beetle has developed a 'middle aged woman's car' imagine in the UK once the launch, halo, retro buzz effect had warn off. Priced at a discount to the Golf power train it shares, most buyers saw it as very much a fun, but not very practical (cramped rear seats, tiny boot space) second car. The recently launched, third model is very much benefitting from an attempted VW marketing positioning sex change, with a flatter, slicker profile and a product range emphasising powerful engine options. However, I shall be very surprised if the re-positioning initiative works out.
Visit Britain, the UK's tourism body, in fact rightly decided to get on board as a sponsor, given the extensive and unusual use of British sets (Scotland, London, and London as Shanghai), forced by budget cuts when the holding company hit financial difficulties.
Brilliant movie - but you know that already !! Good hearabout, wanna see.
As a life long student of marketing, I am always looking out for creative examples to capture and be used to engage a future group of like minded students. My wife despairs of me at times, because out of nowhere, she will have lost me as I have stopped dead and quickly look to whip out my camera and capture the memory of an inspiring vignette for a yet to be determined class. (It has got better - I used to teach lots of aviation related topics, including a module on airport terminal design, and this meant arriving an hour early at each airport, not to avoid traffic delays and the stress of rushing to the airport, but so that I could explore the entire airport more completely and pick up as many brochures and leaflets as I could find.)
Recently I have captured a number of images of products or companies that I feel are particularly clever names. This idea of "Doing exactly what it says on the tin" is one what has been rather relentlessly used by a certain varnish/coatings brand (Ronseal), to an extent that this phraseology has entered the common UK vernacular. Rather annoyingly for Ronseal, their brand name is often the omitted element. Take a look at an example (above) of their straight forward approach to advertising, one of many advertising executions that have a certain appeal. Lasting too, just like it says on the tin !
We moved house recently and rather reluctantly I agreed to the buying of a new mattress for our bed. I was particularly grumpy about the whole exercise until after we had secured the (rather heavy) item on its iron frame. My face lit up the moment I spotted the manufacturers label. Instantly, it evoked a powerful, highly memorable, fairy tale of old. But, at the same time, in line with effective advertising approaches, a single minded proposition that suggested that the huge expense was going to be worthwhile, years of comfortable sleeping lay ahead.
And sure enough, the mattress is very comfortable. Unfortunately for me, it is so firm and straight, -all-the-way-to-the-edges-, that my duvet keeps dropping off the bed in the middle of the night. Sublimely comfortable, but cold.
On my way back from a days meetings in Bloomsbury, where the University of London offices are, my eye was attracted to a bold, large and particularly prominent sign.
PDFprint@btclick.com is the only visible sign in this central London print shop, drawing more attention to the sign using clean white font on bright red background. Perhaps the outlet was limited by planning regulations from putting this sign on the outside or windows. Apologies for the poor photo (I was on the run, with only my camera phone to hand). I particularly liked this banner, as it clearly explains what you have to do within the confines of an email address. You need to send PDF (not word or any other text file format, to this email address and this print shop will have it done for you...) Why pdf ? I guess to ensure that the spacing and pagination is not altered in any way. It is a shame that the strategic branding team at valiant UK champion of airline deregulation British Midland, in its final years re-branded as bmi (all lower case), did not think about their naming conventions more carefully. When they wanted to give birth to a baby (a popular strategic notion in the 1990's and noughties) and repackage their predominantly price sensitive, leisure oriented UK regional flying they called it bmibaby.com. Warning: the Google search for be-my-baby is remarkably similar, and not to be undertaken using a company owned computer.
"Can I have a pint of T.E.A please ?"
I recently attended a stag (noram: bachelor) party that saw an illustrious gang of fine, middle aged men take a slow walk around a local Surrey brewery, whilst sporting Hawai'ian T-shirts and traditional lei garlands. T.E.A (Traditional English Ale) from Hogs Back Brewery is a very clever name, a gag that sees public house patrons order "a pint of tea, please", a talking point that will no doubt make the brand more memorable. The clever visualisation of the brewery on the ridge of a male pig another pun. More anon on this particular pet project I promise.
I try always to bring in a sense of my work place into these blog postings. My own Alma Mater, Warwick University, benefits from a bit of creative naming. With part of the campus in Coventry (the closest city) and part in Warwickshire, the foresighted decision makers went with Warwick University (pronounced Warrick, not War-wick). With a pounding from German bombers in WWII and an economy reliant on manufacturing, Coventry did not have a great reputation in the twentieth Century. I imagine still today, as my undergraduate days, each September new students pitch up to Warwick train station and find themselves some 10 miles from the prestigious university's campus.
Royal Holloway, University of London
Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL) is the trading name of a much longer legal entity (so long I don't dare try to write it out fully, lest I get it wrong) that evolved after the merger of UK's first and second higher education institutions that were open to women. Most of the central London property that came with Bedford College was sold and the funds used to build luxurious student halls of residence that boast bright airy communal kitchen spaces and individual rooms with their own toilets. The remaining central London footprint enables meaningful use of the umbrella 'University of London' (as most students study at the Egham campus, set in the leafy, Surrey suburbs a short train journey from central London) which has a strong brand resonance globally. The 'Royal' title comes from the association with Queen Victoria, who opened the College and is recognised with a large, white marble statue in the northern quad of the signature Founders building. 'Holloway' is the last name of Thomas and Jane, the childless benefactors on whose fortune the College is founded. I like to think of 'RHUL' as being multi-faceted, that helps establish a strong, vibrant brand for our College community.
The Age of Digital CRM has (finally, eventually) arrived !!
"How odd !" I thought this morning when I logged onto my PC. The day was not going well. I had to clear my busy diary and work from home, nursing #1 son, whose sore throat and general illness prevented him from going to school today. An experienced parent, I have learnt when one of my boys is really, genuinely sick.
I am also reminded by my ever-so successful and terribly busy fellow working but active parent chum H (vs. rarely seen upgrade v2.1) not to over share personal details on social media. LoL (it doen't mean 'lots of love' any more...)
This week I commented on a (good) draft of a literature review on mCRM, having recently given the "over promise, under delivers" CRM lecture for second year Management undergrads. With a culture of 'always on' mobile devices supporting push email, huge data processing warehouses and web 2.0, all the esential ingredients would appear to be in place for some genuinely individualised, appropriate and effective 121 marketing to be coming our way (or Customer Relationshp Management if you will.)
For several years I have been using this YouTube clip from the Tom Cruise movie Minority Report (Cruise plays a pre-crime policeman, whose role is to intercept criminals just before they commit the deed) to bring alive the idea of the ultimate personalised, automated shopping experience. Whilst retina scanning remains the preserve of passport authorities and airports (it is slower to catch on than most envisioned based on the technology deployment at Heathrow airport) the mobile device, technology convergence and wifi/bluetooth provide tech savvy entities with the opportunity to lead the implementation of contextually relevant mobile advertising. Think of the 'Around Me' ap. Never thought this would be useful, how wrong can you be ? Spy on your family members location using the mobile fone tracker, lovin' it, to appropriate a McDonald's tag line.
I've had three inappropriate direct mail executions arrive at home (H advises not to be too detailed here) in the last week.
(1) Someone claimed to have serviced our boiler before we moved in.."Dear Homeowner"..not going to use them, British Gas gave me a list as long as my forearm of issues around the rather cowboyesque instalation that will see me digging a drainage trench and filling it with little limestone chippings when the weather lets off. I've already lagged an outside pipe, tried to fill a void that sucks all the heat out the house and spent £5 on a little, bendy, plastic, valve thing that will squirt over-flowing boiling water on your feet rather than spray you in the face.
(2) VW thanked me for my recent inquiry. You know I love my Beetle. How did they know I'd been looking at a Volvo V40 Cross Country ? I certainly won't be buying a VW next unless they start manufacturing a 21st Century camper van, with a flat front and circular lights. I hadn't actually made an inquiry with them. My boys and their chums need more leg room than the Beetle can provide, however macho the new Beetle mark III is.
(3) Johnnie Boden (once a close personal friend, whose annoying behaviour is nearly seeing him put on my barred friend list). I need say no more. Every week he offers me 20% or 25% or free something. Or season sale. Or pre-season special sale. I am a free clothes peg for his XXL flowery shirts. He can't bring them out quick enough. I like them so much I even pay full price some times. I wear them at campus on show pony days to illustrate my non-conformist yet conformist credentials.
Collar, but not corporate.
Unfortunately the offers are coming so thick and fast I don't believe them any more. The designs I like are rarely featured in the sales in my size. Come on little people - S and XS - help Johnnie out and buy your share of his ranges so I don't keep getting bombarded with enticingly empty offers.
This kind of slack marketing gives the profession (errm) a bad name like PPI mis-selling cold callers.
Anyway, back to Google. I don't recall telling them when my birthday is, but so many logins require this data as part of your sign up (great for marketers to analyse the socio-demographic of their audience) I guess they know. I never asked them to send me a birthday message, in fact, I don't think I would welcome such an intrusion. Hence, my wry smile at seeing the Google cake logo on my search engine page. This rather perfectly hit that balance of plesant surprise, but not uncomfortable leaning over your shoulder and gauping.
I had to go back and check (lest it be some momentus world leaders birthday too), my hovering mouse had a subtle yet perfect text within it "Happy Birthday Justin !".
They had even spelt my name right ! mCRM - bring it on....
Many of the Royal Holloway MBA programme, actually most candidates, have not studied under the UK university system before starting their studies. One source of anxiety is always around meeting the expected academic writing style.
Edited below are a few bits of advice I share with students.
Harvard Referencing
It is often called the
(Author, Year) method, where the author's last name is used in text and page
number only if a quotation is used. After the first instance it is acceptable to use the Latin 'et al' after the first author's name in text for succinctness. Every new idea is expected to be referenced to its original source. Students are encourage to read academic journals to experience this writing style.
Bibliographies (at the back of a paper) should not include bullet
points or number lists, and be sorted by Author's last name from A to Z. You list only the sources
you have read yourself and use 'op cite' if it pertains to older work in a newer
text. Note: class lectures are not usually recognised as published sources. Full guidance is provided in the student handbook, but it is surprisingly often forgotten about in the pressure of an assignment deadline.
Attention to detail
Think about walking into an interview - what impression does your first
glance make - do you leave toothpaste on the side of your mouth and a bit of
toast hanging off your beard ? Presentation is very important, more so in the
early pages when key impressions are being formed. A good UK spell checker helps ensure that words are accurately spelt - but it is important to proof read all assessed work, spell checker does not pick up wrong words and poor sentence structure.
Too much description detail and a lack of analysis
New and returning students have a tendency to be overly descriptive and miss out on critical analysis. Many students like to start with a general 'background' paragraph, which eats word count and generally does not earn marks.
At MBA level, descriptive content (re-working of ideas already presented) carries little or no
credit (however well written). Critical analysis is expected.
A great starting paragraph explains the SET question and provides clear sign
posting on the structure of the paper that follows. This can be concise. Students get poor marks sometimes because they do not really refer to the question at all, others decide
to re-write the question into something different. There are zero marks for beautifully
answering a different question.
Points for top enders
Fully understanding how to reference
effectively, craft powerful arguments using published expert opinions and weigh
opinions effectively using an academic tone is the academic writing challenge. The very best way to develop a strong writing style is to read
(you read for a degree !) widely across a variety of academic sources (text
books and e-journals - accessed via EBSCO, Emerald and Science Direct). Students can access our impressive range of e-resources on their own computers from listerally anywhere in the world (with an internet connection). For the past couple of years Royal Holloway MBA candidates have benefited from a personal Economist subscription, which is also a great source of analytical writing, even if it does have a strong, right leaning political agenda.
Note from the Editor
Extra care was taken in seeking to minimise spelling errors and ensuring the text reads well, given the nature of the post ! As a touch typer with a can do agenda, spelling and grammatical conventions have never been a personal strength and I always took great care in proof reading all of my own University assignments.
As you would expect from a leading MBA programme, at Royal Holloway we like to expose the student group to a variety of external speakers where ever possible, in what is frankly speaking a very packed and demanding schedule. Thanks to our leading research reputation and long history as a place for thought leadership we are lucky to boast a rich and wide variety of guests who are keen to share and learn from interaction with RHUL staff and students.
A strong supporter of the MBA programme in recent years has been Peter Schonbeck who brings over 25 years work experience in the fashion industry, which includes senior positions with global brands such as Levi Strauss, Timberland, Tommy Hilfiger and Barbour.
During Peter's guest lecture slot he covered the changes in the nature of the industry, with examples from high fashion companies such as Burberry, Levi Strauss, VF, Superdry, Inditex and Uni Qlo. The sector that has been remarkable for experiencing strong growth, despite a challenging economic climate in the west since 2008, thanks to impressive sales in Asia, and the emergence of a cadre of people keen to show their wealth and status using luxury fashion clothing and accessories. Many students find this phenomenon very intersting and it is a popular dissertation topic.
Peter introduced the concept of fast fashion using the example of the highly successful Spanish fashion brand Zara, part of the larger Inditex group, which describes itself on its website Inditex.com (2013) as "One of the world's largest fashion retailers," with "eight store formats -Zara, Pull & Bear, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Stradivarius, Oysho, Zara Home and Uterqüe - boasting 5,887 stores in 87 markets." The fast fashion model breaks away from the traditional seasonal collections model by offering an ever evolving range of clothing with monthly updates of lines, seeking to reflect the latest innovations. Staple classics (a little black dress or navy polo) are bulk manufactured with long order lead times and shipped using the lowest cost option to offer consumers strong value for money options. Added to these are shorter runs of quick turn over items that might reflect an "in" colour or design that might be considered temporarily as high fashion, which are able to command the price premium their local (quicker) European manufacturing process carries.
Steve McQueen TM Barbour Waxed Jacket
The market push towards fast fashion and premium brands sees the middle market squeezed, according to Peter. This seems to fit with Porter's concept of generic strategies, which identifyies just three key strategic options; low cost (fast fashion), differentiated (luxury) and focus. Traditional brands such as privately controlled Barbour, who have historically benefitted from a conservative position in the outdoor clothing market, might be seen as a good example of a focus brand.
Historically unencumbered by shareholder driven requirements to grow revenues and profits, the Barbour brand has been happy operating with relatively stable sales to traditional market segments. However, this is now changing. Inspired by uncovering worn wax jackets from an elite forces veteran found in the archives and in good marketing style re-cycling an old idea but giving it a contemporary twist, conservative Barbour launched a new line recognising the iconic movie legend Steve McQueen. As a keen biker, McQueen chose to wear a four pocket, belted variant of the traditional wax jacket, a design that pushes rain away from the legs whilst allowing freedom of movement. The further development of quilted jackets and lighter summer apparel enabled Barbour to address the seasonality in its business and open into warmer climate markets such as Italy and Japan.
One of the dangers Barbour has clearly considered is the risk attached to moving away from being an iconic, timeless brand and the potential roller coaster ride that can see fashion brands experience on a fast ride that includes twists and turns, highs and lows, and the danger of been seen as being out of fashion, rather than transcending it as Barbour did successfully for many years.
I found myself in B2B marketing a couple of weeks ago identifying the price (and product) taker position for most customers in the B2C context, which is often different in a B2B context where some proposition tailoring or development might reasonably be considered on both buyers and suppliers.
One of my favourite brands, McDonald's, came to mind to as an example. Whether you love the gherkin or not, I doubt very much if you will get McDonald's to leave out the spicy green slither of pickled vitamins. When you work with groups of truly global students it is always helpful to have a range of familiar global brands to use when you want to invite students to draw on their own experience.
As a truly global traveller (I have visited McDonald's in more than 45 countries worldwide) I know that Mickey D's offers a pretty similar (but not identical) short order menu everywhere. Okay - strictly speaking Burger King did promote a customisable burger experience (along with flame grilled burgers and toasted buns) with a tag line along the lines of "Have it Your Way" allowing choice of ketchup and onions. Fortunately, this didn't come up.
Randomly I then picked on a Snickers and suggested it would not be reasonable to ask a confectonary retailer to increase the amount of nuts in the bar, nor change the mix of fluffy mallow and chewy caramel.
Imagine my surprise and quite frankly speaking, embarassment, when a week later I noticed strange labels on my favourite chocolate bar. What's this I thought ? More Caramel, More Nuts ? Limited Edition.
Does 'Limited Edition' engender a sense of urgency "buy me now or regret it forever" ?
Clearly following the current trend (possibly initiated in UK by Walkers crisps) for engaging consumers and putting out new product development into production, allowing consumers themselves to influence the final decision.
Clever, thought I. (I'm going as an oversized Yoda in an authentic Jedi dressing gown to a fancy dress party soon, needing to adopt his sentence structures, am I). They can assess the produce sales speed and figure out if consumers prefer a mixture that has more of either of the key ingredients. But, engaging my logistics/supply chain management MBA learning, it soon dawned on me this was going to be less clear. Assuming even numbers of product delivery and identical point of sale display might see the more popular item put on reorder and result in sales demand pulling through the more popular product (our B2B Marketing class voted for more Nuts, I was up for more caramel with a sizeable minority). However there are a number of potential pitfalls in this methodology. What if consumers preferred the (not available) original formulation ? What if (as happened in our College shop - packed full of sweets and very popular with students) most popular option sold out, and the reorder didn't happen until the rest of the stock was also sold ? Or worse still - what if boxes were put on special offer (2 for 90p) down the back and withdrawn from the regular point of sale.
Being different - not an obvious brand attribute ?
Indeed, the samples I bought for inclass consumption were found nestling with the current Kit Kat promotion - four flavours, the strongest consumer vote sees it reach mainstream production (if only for a limited period). This heavily promoted TV advertising campaign seeks to encourage consumers and fans to vote using Facebook. Rather than tapping into actual consumer behaviour (n.b. issues with Snickers research methods) they are looking to engage the market and express their feelings towards the brand and register their attitudinal preferences. Of course, facebook can enable a 'fair' vote (one person, one vote) except we know that professional bloggers and alike have been known to have multiple online personalities. And of course, a single vote does not allow for differentiation by numbers of servings - surely it is important to consider the views of heavy buyers more that those of infrequent consumers. It is dissertation proposal deadline tomorrow, I've clearly been far to focussed in critiquing possible methodologies.
Obviously Mint is in there as a decoy - the only time chocolate should be consumed with mint is after a very good dinner party and a glass or two of wine. The idea of Chocolate fudge again is a bit of a personal no-no. Anyone born outside the world of Cadburys "chocolate flavoured coating" as the EU requires the labelling of our high fat, low on cocoa formulation will question just how much dust from the coca bean is present. "Yum, yum ! - cardboard and brown dust." So the choice is clearly Coconut (unusual) or Hazelnut. I went Coconut & it was ok - but not amazing.
Wasabi: zingy horseradish taste similar to chilli chocolate
Kit Kat have done this kind of democratic, virtual-and-digital market engagement before I'm told, with peanut butter winning out. It's clever, it appears to work. I'm not sure it really is about creating new product formulations or clever brand extensions, merely putting in place a change for a while. But I wonder at what point will these kinds of actions just become just random noise and lack traction ?
Personally I prefer the Japanese duty free specials, four fingers (not the chunky) in a boxed set - Sakura or my most favourite - the green coloured, wasabi flavoured Kit Kat. (pictured above right).
At this point, I've come to my senses and recognised that I've entered marketing geek territory and time to get stuck into something else.
Royal Holloway, University of London MBA candidates 2012/13
MBA programmes are renowned for being intense and particularly challenging. Opportunities for taking a break and having some fun are relatively rare.
This movie was shot and edited by MBA candidate James Wang as some of the group, from warmer climates, experience snow for the first time in their lives.
The back drop of our historic theme building 'Founders', a Victorian take on a French chateau, and the ultra modern Windsor buildling, where some of the MBA lectures take place. The campus looks even more stunning when covered in a thick blanket of snow.
Thanks to James Wang for allowing his video to be show cased here.
