The Lords’ Brand Saving Feast

The BBC’s radio program Business Daily (its a great podcast) recently ran a story on the move by Lords Cricket Ground back in 2005 to cancel its catering contract and take catering in-house (or in-ground as the case may be) to ‘protect the brand’.

To me, it’s probably one of the most telling accounts of how to change a product/service strategy to stay true to a brand’s ‘values’ and to its ‘promise’.

Obviously, to the world’s cricketing fraternity, and those beyond, Lords is much more that just another place to play cricket, it’s the spiritual home of cricket. Even to parochial cricket mad Australians, Lords is the cornerstone in the history of cricket itself.

So it’s not surprising that Lords recognised the limited supply options provided by the multinational catering contractors was cutting against the grain of what the Lords brand was about and damaging public perception. So, they moved away from outsourced catering to ‘cooking from fresh, onsite’, which clearly fits with what we’d all expect from the spiritual home of cricket –“scones made and cream whipped onsite? Yes please".

The Lords board decided to cancel its contract with French multinational caterer Sodexho and take catering in-house, allowing it to source its own ingredients, bring in local food businesses and source its own chefs to man the onsite kitchens.

With the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, and evidenced by the fact that the ground’s Food and Beverage (F&B) income has grown from £4.7 million to a whopping £11 million, the decision smacks of a masterstroke in reinforcing a profitable brand position in the face of the many naysayers who said it wouldn’t work.

There is no doubt the decision was a brave one, with F&B income reported to add up to almost 50% of an event’s income, the move to taking responsibility of ingredient logistics, staffing and management of the reported 78-100 chefs onsite daily, was undoubtedly a risk. But, clearly, far less a risk than letting the service of bland food, soggy chips and ‘cookie cutter’ hospitality deteriorate the Lords brand experience.

Mind you, as an Aussie, I dare say that even with the tastiest morsel in hand, there was probably very little my countrymen could stomach during this recent Ashes series.

The Lord experience provides an important reminder that service brands of all descriptions need to differentiate in ways that are valuable to their customers, reflect the values inherent in what the brand stands for, and stay true to the brand’s promise.

As a lover of cricket, there’s nothing more ‘on brand’ than a scone with jam and cream lovingly ‘home made’ by a dedicated chef somewhere behind row 15…sounds exactly like the home of cricket to me.

The proof, as they say, is in the pudding.

DRUNKEN CULTURE

When recently the government's Preventative Health Taskforce came out recommending that alcohol advertising and sponsorship of sport be banned, or at least ruthlessly curtailed, I remember instinctively jumping into my ‘strategic-marketer-action-hero' suit (visualise a Power Ranger shopping at Coles) and began formulating plans as to how the alcohol companies (we’ll refer to them as ‘Big Booze') could counter this potentially disastrous legislative grenade.

I fumed over the governments’ messing with our cultural right to watch, celebrate and participate in (from the lounge chair) our favorite codes with players emblazoned with beer brands within an inch of their whites! What would cricket be without Punter Ponting’s shield of honor - the VB logo - so close to his heart? "It's just not cricket", they shouted!

While the reports' overarching agenda is to de-normalise alcohol intoxication and reduce the incidence of alcohol-related-harm, one of its recommended key objectives in achieving this outcome is the staged phasing out alcohol promotion, and in particular promotion associated with sports events and sports stars.

In response, the Australia Federation of Advertisers counter punched with a media release asserting that the banning of alcohol sponsorship, among other things, was "far too important to be the subject of emotive decision-making" (like the kind I personally described above). I agreed, it was clear we were under cultural attack from a band of tea totaling lefties. Load your tinnies - we’re going to war.

My mind was racing .... How would VB and its brand mates be affected by the proposed ban? What strategic alternatives could they employ to counter this? How could they redress the inevitable lost sales? What could they do to fill the void left in the wake of their outrageously successful $359 billion annum spend on Aussie sport sponsorship and endorsements?

I knew i was reacting instinctively and on autopilot. After all, this is the kind of strategic thinking we do for our (real world) clients every day; it's constantly about how to realign marketing strategy to combat or exploit the opportunities and threats brought on by changes in the external environment.

It was only after a cup of tea and a lie down did I realise that I may have jumped too hurriedly to protect our national symbol - the VB logo. I'd given little (read as ‘no’) consideration to why the Preventative Health Taskforce (hint: the clue's in the name) needed to 'Reshape the Drinking Culture In Australia' or to reduce the harm caused by alcohol, surely it wasn't all that serious. So I decided to read the report. The penny started to drop...

• Over half the serious alcohol related road injuries occur among 15-24 year olds.
• Kids (up to age 25) are highly vulnerable to the effects of alcohol and the report concludes that reducing exposure of alcohol promotion to young people is an essential element in reducing alcohol related harm.
• One in five Australian +14 drink to high risk levels at least once a month; adding up the 42 million occasions of binge drinking in Australia each year.
• The cost to the Australian community of alcohol-related-harm in 2004/05 was estimated at a staggering $15 billion. This includes lost work productivity ($3.5 billion), Road accidents ($2 billion), crime ($1.6 billion) and lost productivity in the home ($1.5 billion).

Even the World Health Organization (WHO) chimed in on the act, recommending that governments be supported “To effectively regulate the marketing of alcoholic beverages, including effective regulation or banning of advertising and sponsorship of cultural and sports events, in particular those that have an impact on younger people."

It was at this point that I realised I didn't give a hoot about the loss of revenue and the strategic issues that were going to confront Big Booze, they could, and would look after themselves - I need to look after me and mine.

It suddenly dawned on me that I'd been developing brillant ficticiuos counter strategy for the WRONG SIDE! This stuff was going to effect me. Just look at my situation -my daughter will turn 14 within 13 short years, I was already a tax payer, a driver, an employer and a victim of crime (some drunken lout keyed my car on his way home from the pub!) - i was already getting hit from every angle yet i was oblivious to the sting.

I needed to get this thing under control. so I swapped sides and started batting for the Taskforce! I immediately feel better.

I didn't beat myself up over jumping in too quckly, I'd learn't a valuable lesson and afterall I'd finally come around.

I realised my own process was all part of what we strategic marketers call the 'insight phase' - the first part of the strategic marketing process where you gather data and turn that data into information, and use that information to generate insight. It's from this insight that opportunities are identified and strategy is developed. Sometime, like in this case, the insight phase tells us and our clients to leave something well enough alone, to go down a totally different road, or to close a business unit or put an end to whatever they're doing - quickly.

For me, the insight process led me to realising I needed to switch camps and, unadorned by beer branding, walk over to the visitors dressing room and ask politely if I could join the team.

I want to see Craig not sea containers.

I'm afraid folks it seems to be true. Long serving TV campaigns for carpet companies will never be the same again. Yes 'Craig' from Rugs-A-Million has gone off the airwaves. Disappeared behind a pile of heavily discounted carpets and hall runners. Never again will we hear the 'Owner' telling us he's 'Massively Overstocked' (cut to staff members stroking rugs and pretending to be customers) or 'Being forced at gunpoint to slash prices'. No more 'Sea containers' (cut to footage of sea containers just in case we don't know what they look like) will have 'Just arrived'. Course I'm hoping it's all just a cunning marketing plan by the agency who are giving the carpet retailing brand a new look. That Craig's indentical twin brother El Craigo from Mexico (Craig wearing a big fake tache and an oversized novetly sombrero)will be back to tell that once again he's going out of business. Craig Please come back. I miss you already!

There’s nothing childish about brands; except of course when you’re shopping for toys with an 8 month old, and then it’s all kids play for grown-ups. But please, pardon the play on words (opps,sorry... can’t help myself)

We, Sarah and me, being the parents, realised we were bad (I often hear people talking about ‘bad’ babies – but never about bad parents, so I’m wondering if one leads to the other, or visa versa?) by neglecting to maintain a routine of consistent toy buying as Lola progressed through her developmental stages (where each of these begin and end still has me stumped). By the time Lola had reached 7 months, all her toys were still soft, big eyed and developmental only to the extent that, at the point earth was invaded by soft, cuddly, big eyed aliens of limited stature, our child would be able to converse wit them - effortlessly!

Anyway – the real value of brands and great brand packaging struck me when, faced with what seemed liked no less than 1 million toys in the ‘0-12 month’ isle at Toyworld, I gravitated to boxes that ‘looked’ like they’d fit Lola’s demographic.

It was only after I’d walked out with a heavy bag and a wallet somewhat lighter for the experience, did I realise that it was in fact me, her designer jean wearing father with his limited edition Nike trainers, who'd fallen in love with the packaging and had the good sense to buy the toys.

So what can i say, Mr Tolo, Mrs Fisher & Mr Price , Mr Munchkin and others - great packaging does work -I'm living breathing proof, and I stand once again convinced that great brand packaging is critically important.

Lola’s Dad purchased sophisticated, well rounded developmental toys by companies who understood what design and intelligent brand packaging can do. It impact us, allows us to feel a certain way, and sometimes, when it connects with who we are, leads us to choose one product over another.

A case in point is my very own automotive engine (which l lurve). It just so happens to be wrapped up in a package we all call an Audi TT. So, just like her Dad, I supect our Lola will continue to play laugh and grow (up)

Nirvana smells of teen spirits

Saw this spot via a recent Tweet. Clever, delightful concept and beautifully shot. One of a series not too distant from Carlsberg’s long running ‘Probably the Best Lager in the World’ campaign where these utopian worlds would exist if their particular brand of booze was running the show. Course reality is spend five minutes in any city centre late on a Friday or Saturday night where alcohol IS directing proceedings and it’s a stretch to believe you’ll see the kind of charm filled world seen here! More likely get threatened or vomited on by some ‘Absolut’ drunken youth. But then it’s not about the social problems caused by alcohol abuse it’s just an ad right? And a very good one at that.

UNDERSTANDING WHAT MATTERS

UNDERSTANDING WHAT MATTERS

Frustrated by his inability to explain to the market what he has to offer, a packaging client this week pleaded with me "How can we tell our clients everything we can do for them?" It’s a fair question and one that we hear often.My response was probably not what he was initially after. I suggested that he sit down and talk to his clients, find what they want and what really ‘matters’ to them. Then work out how to meet their needs and wants better than the competition.

I suggested that only by understanding what his customers really need and then meeting those needs, would he be granted an opportunity to build the client relationship to a level that will allow him to connect with the client.From this position, because they’d already have explained what was important to them, he'd then have a much better chance of being able to tell his clients what he could do for them. This simple, direct, customer focused thinking is at the heart of strategic marketing. Unlike marketing communications (or marcoms), strategic marketing answers the strategic questions of when? where? and how? a company should compete.

As for my client? He said I’d given him something to think about.

Thin Blue Line

Whilst away in the UK during the Northern Spring it was hard to avoid all the negative police coverage in the media regarding the death of a protester at the G20 riot in the ‘City’ in London. So it was pleasing to see the Greater Manchester Police helping counter this via billboard campaign. The concept envisages how two recently imprisoned high-profile criminal gang members will have aged upon release. Coupled with some valuable PR in acknowledging the general public for there support with these type of prosecutions. Chalk one up to the boys in Blue! And in a rather bizarre postscript the familles of the convicted criminals featured are apparently taking legal action against the GMP as they feel the ad infringes their human rights! Ad's. You just can't win sometimes....