Last Monday evening was spent in the impressive surroundings of the House of

Commons Debating Chamber, with many bright and opinionated members of the marketing community. It was The Debating Group’s CIM-sponsored forum exploring the motion: “Social responsibility claims made by business amount to little more than posturing to gain commercial advantage”.

Arguing in support of the motion was Keith Weed of Unilever, seconded by our very own Hamish Pringle;

against the motion were Mark Lloyd-Davies of J&J, seconded by Liz Bingham of Ernst & Young. The debate was chaired by the very entertaining Lord Hastings of Scarisbrick.

Weed began the debate by articulately setting the scene, laying out the facts to stress the degree of change the world needs, and the extent to which business is failing to lead the way. His key point being that CSR of the school painting and donkey grooming sort is doing nothing for serious issues faced globally apart from to draw a veil (a thin one at that) over the self-serving interests of those corporations claiming to care.

Lloyd-Davies framed his objections around the notion that ‘commercial advantage’ somehow neutralised the great CSR initiatives that many business engage in. Rather, he suggested, the win/win nature was something that should be striven for. So long as a business was going about its CSR initiatives with conviction and authenticity, why begrudge using that to steal a march on the less socially minded?

Pringle was next up, calling attention to the recent outing of ‘socially minded businesses’ and their manipulation of the UK tax system. Can we really believe that organisations like Google and Starbucks have our interests at heart when they are exploiting legal tax loopholes? For these organisations, their claims of fair-handedness and altruistic ambition, do look like an attempt to disguise their true nature.

Bingham observed that we had so far thought only about B2C enterprise and Big B2C at that. How about the small businesses that are the back bone of our societies? Are we suggesting that every family-owned bakery that raises money for the hospice in their town does so just so that they can sell more bread than their neighbour? And what of the large B2B enterprises for whom, Bingham suggested, CSR couldn’t be just about commercial advantage because their clients didn’t care (a depressing and, hopefully, falsely held belief)?

The debate that followed was lively and heartening – such a lot of conviction from everyone about the value of CSR, even if the way in which it manifests created divide. Along the way ethics, philanthropy and individual responsibility were all thrown into the mix, with many people feeling that corporate behaviour in the broadest terms is what we need to examine.

Contributions from both sides of the room came with accusatory and defensive examples, highlighting to some degree that CSR might be in the eye of the beholder. One of the most telling things was the number of contributions that seemed to back the motion but which were presented in opposition.

Lloyd-Jones and Weed were both convincing, but the nuances of their argument were fairly easy to miss. Though Weed and Pringle were narrowly the winners on the night there was ultimately agreement from all sides that business, not Government, can and should be the catalyst for change. That we (as consumers and as part of industry) should be unwavering in our pursuit of a better way to work – one that supports society now and fifty years from now. And that CSR has to be more than just content in a brochure: it was to be the real and significant partnering of business and society in a way that benefits both equally, and in a virtuous and sustainable circle.

Today is the launch of Change4Life’s Be Food Smart’ campaign, a ground breaking new campaign exposing the ‘hidden nasties’ in everyday foods.

The focus of the launch will be a ground breaking partnership initiative which we dreamt up 4 months ago and have been busy trying to pull together ever since.

We’ve succeeded and tonight, on ITV 1, during Coronation Street (7.30-8.00pm) the first ever healthy ad break will air.

The ‘ad takeover’, will feature a new ad from Change4Life, made by Aardman studios as well as ads from Asda, Quorn, Uncle Ben’s, the Co-Operative Food and Cravendale.

For the first time I’m looking forward to watching Corrie!

We’ve also been busy securing activity with retailers too, so please keep an eye out for hundreds of offers on healthier products at ASDA, ALDI and the Co-Operative Food stores and if you’re near one of the stores, please go in and take some pics of any instore activity.

The objective of the campaign is to get people to think more about what’s inside their food and importantly to sign up to Change4Life.  All new sign ups will receive a tool the original idea of which came from 23red – a ‘Food Smart Meal Mixer’, full of quick, easy, healthier recipes with enough combinations to eat a different daily menu every day for six years and a range of offers to help buy some of the ingredients featured including a FREE 2 Litre bottle of semi or skimmed milk.

For the latest on the Change4Life campaign please have a look at www.nhs.uk/Change4Life there’s some really interesting stuff on there, including a Be Food Smart IQ quiz so you can test what you think you know about eating healthier.

You can also read more about the campaign on the Marketing Magazine site.

Post by: Rachel Tattersdill, Business Director, 23red

 

23red’s belief in the power of Do.Feel.Think. even extends to Christmas cards!

This year we decided that a really good fun ‘do’ would be to make our own cards based upon a unifying template featuring our ‘circle’ logo, which everyone could use their creativity to decorate.  Thanks to Steve at ABC Imaging for a great little print job!

Take a minute to see the video of our card-makers in action.

Now here’s a fitting Do.Feel.Think. example from the excellent book ‘Rip It Up’. In it Professor Richard Wiseman recounts an experiment by Scott Wiltermuth and Chip Heath of Stanford University which showed how doing something can affect the way people feel and think.  They recruited groups of students and asked them to do different things before playing a game in which people could either help or hinder each other.  For example, one group were asked to walk around the campus as they would normally, while another had to walk in step, army-style.  One group had to just listen to the national anthem, while another had to sing along and move in time with the music.  When they played the game, those who had marched in unison and sang together bonded quickly and were more helpful to each other than those who had behaved independently.  So if you want to build up team spirit, remember that acting in unison helps people bond!

Post by: Philippa Dunning, Creative Services Director, 23red

 

 

P.S. If you’d like to do a card, just draw a red circle on a piece of paper, decorate it, add your name and address, and send it to me at 23red by Friday 21st December.  Who knows you may win a prize of a copy of ‘Rip It Up’!

In his book ‘Feelings. The Perception of Self’, James D. Laird quotes from the Rogers and Hammerstein song “I Whistle a Happy Tune” from the musical ‘The King and I’. Singing is another example of a simple ‘do’ that can create feelings and thoughts immediately, and that’s why the soundtrack to a commercial is so important.
So often the music is added on at the last minute and the opportunity to get the audience humming along is missed. This is one of the reasons I really like the Christmas animation for Bluewater which is set to a theme from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, one of the inspirations for the campaign.

Bluewater Radio Ad

We’re always on the look-out for ways to get people to do things, especially close to the point of purchase or behavioural decision, and singing along in the supermarket aisle is definitely one of them!

Post by: Sean Kinmont, Managing Partner and Creative Director, 23red

 

 

“I Whistle a Happy Tune”
Whenever I feel afraid
I hold my head erect
And whistle a happy tune
So no one will suspect
I’m afraid.

While shivering in my shoes
I strike a careless pose
And whistle a happy tune
And no one ever knows
I’m afraid.

The result of this deception
Is very strange to tell
For when I fool the people
I fear I fool myself as well!

I whistle a happy tune
And ev’ry single time
The happiness in the tune
Convinces me that I’m not afraid.

Make believe you’re brave
And the trick will take you far.
You may be as brave
As you make believe you are

You may be as brave
As you make believe you are
Rogers and Hammerstein, ‘The King and I’, 1951

Please push your coffee mug away from you. Doesn’t that make you want it less?

You’re proving that if you do something it makes you feel and then think.

Many brands have had considerable sums invested in them to create a positive and desirable image. Unfortunately, being a desirable brand doesn’t necessarily mean being one that everyone has tried.

The conventional solution is to invest more money in thematic advertising designed to change the attitudes of these recalcitrant prospects so that they feel better about the brand, then think about putting it on their mental shopping list, and then hopefully make a purchase.

Perhaps there’s a better way?

What about getting these doubters to come forward and actually give the brand a try? And why not make it a really easy first step, rather than a major hurdle? That’s “Do.Feel.Think.™”

For example, if someone says “accountant” to the owner of a small company when they’re looking for business advice that could well be the last word on the subject. This is because, in the eyes of many SMEs, accountancy firms are limited to carrying out audits and filling in tax returns.

Instead you could give the entrepreneur the opportunity to have a free initial meeting via the ICAEW Business Advice Service. Having had a wide-ranging consultancy session the owner realises how much more value an ICAEW Chartered Accountants can add.

Next step a coffee and chat about the firm’s terms of business?

 

 

Post by: Jane Asscher, Managing Partner and Chairman, 23red

The client brief was ‘A twist on Nutcracker’ and ‘Toy Story’ is a favourite film of mine, so when the creative team Nick Cooper and Tom Mann presented the whole look and feel for Bluewater Christmas they were pushing at an open door.  Take 30 seconds to see our charming rocket man (and woman) fly.

Thanks to Thomas Hoefnagels at Premier, and Keeley Sheppard at Nevs for being athletic astronauts, and to Producer Ru Warner and Director Shay Hamias at production company Th1ng in Soho.

P.S. Much as I love the movie I’m pleased Buzz Lightyear didn’t get the gig!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Post by: Sean Kinmont, Managing Partner and Creative Director, 23red

Please pick up your mobile phone and pretend to throw it in the waste bin.

Didn’t that make you feel awful, and think what a pain it would be to lose your phone?

Now clasp it to your chest with both hands.  Isn’t that a relief?

This is Do.Feel.Think.™ in action.

Let’s re-think how to get your customer prospects to feel good about your brand and think better of it.  Should we spend another few million on image-building advertising, or should we just get them to give it a hug?

We suspect all those people dismissing the value of Facebook ‘likes’ are ignorant of the Do.Feel.Think.™ principle.  We believe that a person ‘liking’ the Champions Drink Responsibly Facebook page (463,344 ‘likes’, and rising) is taking a small easy step towards modifying their drinking behaviour for the better.

For us a ‘like’ is someone enjoying a digital ‘sample’ of a cause, an issue, a product, or a service.  Moreover the act of ‘liking’ gives someone a good feeling and makes them think more positively.

The beauty is that by producing a continuous stream of engaging content we can get people to ‘sample’ a brand online much more cost-effectively than was possible in the days of physical-only marketing.

Of course real world product sampling, couponing, and demonstration still have a big part to play in the marketing mix, and it’s at the junction of offline and online that some of the most dynamic brand activation can happen.

That’s something to take to heart.

Post by: Sean Kinmont, Managing Partner and Creative Director, 23red

 

This year we all need a break from the tough economic climate and what better way to transport people into the magic of Christmas than by toy rocket!

Bluewater have put together a seasonal look and feel which plays on childhood fairy tales and fantasy but brought bang up-to-date with photography by David Venni styling by Kenny Ho and makeup by Gary Cockerill. It was great fun to do and we have high hopes for a cracking Christmas experience at Bluewater.

Only problem is our agency mascot Ron the Rooster who feels a bit upstaged…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Post by: Sean Kinmont, Managing Partner and Creative Director, 23red

 

How timely to receive this book of scarily good ideas on Halloween!

‘Goodvertising’ by Thomas Kolster

Scarily good for three reasons: firstly because it’s packed full of what we call ‘Great Good’ ideas, secondly because each of them treats its audience with respect, and thirdly helps them do something to make a difference.

There are 120 campaigns featured in the book, so it’s so hard to choose just one, but I do like “Donated ad space” by Ogilvy South Africa for VW.  This used the idea of pro bono ‘ads within their ads’ to help communicate their low emissions BlueMotion technology while enabling relevant NGOs and charities to get otherwise unaffordable media exposure.

 

Post by: Sean Kinmont, Managing Partner and Creative Director, 23red

 

 

In Jane’s Think BR article she makes the key point that so many brands can be guilty of overthinking and underdoing.

Hence our mantra is “Do. Feel. Think.”

Client management can use it to be super-clear on which competitors are going to be the losers of market share to the brand we’re promoting, and why.

Planning focuses on what we want particular people to ‘do’, and this is a great direction-finder through the flood of data which client marketers are wading in.

A creative brief which defines the ‘do’ provides an inspiring jumping-off point to a solution that changes people’s behaviour quicker than slow-burn attitude-change.

With the creative expression of the ‘do’, it’s so much easier to configure the media mix and put it in the way of the particular target audience to best effect.

Positive thinking is good, but positive action is better.