Jonathan Trimble

🎮 How does a small city like Dundee go from industrial roots to being a global gaming hotspot…? Find out in our latest #PlayableFutures article - in partnership with Ukie GamesIndustry.Biz and Amazon Web Services (AWS)

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I'd like to take Sedge Beswick and raise her one: Web3 projects and brands targeting Web3 users. Like Chris H., these users have an interest in sticking it to the system, are mostly male, are interested in doubling their money and are targeting projects that can craft a narrative that resonates with them but also to have fun (betting is fun), be part of a tribe and the opportunity to get in on the ground floor. What if we started targeting web3 users in more sophisticated ways rather than just based on the same old alpha of NFTs, points, farming and airdrops? Web3 needs to evolve beyond being Snoop x Sketchers when it comes to targeting. Let's build customer acquisition strategies that offer more than hype and future token drops.

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N. 1 Marketing Hazard.    A couple of years ago, I took a small team  through a very involved brand planning process for a small (2% of market) brand.   Very different to what we’d done before. We did it alongside different brands for the first time.   Loads of people on Teams. Multiple agencies. Lots of market data. Lots of dissecting. Breakouts with people that didn’t know each other and not enough time to finish tasks we didn’t understand.   New words - ones you would NEVER use if a customer walked into your shop —> Leverage —> Anchor space —> Demand space —> Consumer recruitment   “In what particular part of the morning  was a particular type of consumer  who cares about one particular thing at a particular time in their life  going to drink one particular type of drink?”   Over Engineered.    I didn’t think that saying “I don’t know, they can drink it when they bloody want!” was allowed. So I tried to work it out.    You see, I’d been sucked in.  Maybe this was the grown-up way to do things. The ‘right’ way.   I questioned everything I thought I knew.  Moved all the thinking we’d done around  until I had some words on slides  that the people running the show started to nod at.   But when I presented the new strategy to the board  I had to keep looking at my slides to keep track. Because the words - were not mine.   And when I presented it back to my team, I felt myself sinking because I realised… and then a trusted peer confirmed it:   “You sound like you’ve disappeared up your own arse” 🎤 Words people don’t really say on a page in a format “everyone” puts it in does not a strategy make. The following year, we kept it simple.  Started from what we knew.  Reminded ourselves where we wanted to get to. Decided the most important things to do to get there. Wrote that down. Reviewed it monthly. 🚤 🚤 🚤 Small businesses are like speed boats, not ocean liners, or container ships, like the big ones. Do not look at them. You don’t need the kind of engineering that makes them move. I am not convinced they do but that's another story. Look at your boat. And what it needs to go faster. You know. It’s your boat.   * Do you have someone who will grab you if you start to disappear? * Day 11 of 30 days on #smallbusiness and #startups #challenger #founders #brandstrategy #freelance

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HFSS guidance update from the Committee of Advertising Practice this morning. 🗨️ "So, for advertisers, our revised guidance is likely to clarify that – even if your ad does not explicitly refer to or feature an LHF product – it may still be restricted under law, where persons in the UK could reasonably be expected to be able to identify your ad as being for an LHF product or LHF products." Thoughts? https://lnkd.in/dhPmbvRX #LHF #HFSS #Advertising #CAP

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Can a spa session build brand love? 🍺 Carlsberg Group’s beer-themed spa in London—featuring beer baths and unique treatments—became a viral sensation. This quirky, immersive experience captured media attention and showcased Carlsberg’s playful brand identity. Takeaway: Stand out by turning your product into an experience. Creative concepts that surprise customers can drive engagement and buzz around your brand.

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A brilliant talk by Mark Kirkham and Mauro Porcini of PepsiCo at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity on 'The Human Side of Growth'. My key take-out? Human-centricity means we must widen the lens to see the whole human and then sharpen the lens to get granular. Both spoke passionately about how PepsiCo has embraced seeing people as humans - not just consumers. As we say at Brand Genetics, 'You're a consumer of a brand for a fleeting moment, but you're human 100% of your life'. Too many businesses zoom in on the so-called 'moment of truth' - purchase and consumption. However, true insight lies in understanding the human journey leading to that choice and the underlying goals. By uncovering human motivations and the human jobs-to-be-done, we can discover richer, deeper opportunities. Mark and Mauro both spoke to how how being truly human centric could unlock growth by helping brands become more creative, more innovative and more experiential. They made a compelling case. Mark and Mauro showed that being truly human-centric can unlock growth by making businesses more creative, more innovative and more experiential. They made a compelling case for the power of people in love with people. #HumanCentricity #CannesLions #BrandGenetics #Creativity #Innovation #Marketing

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I don’t say I organise phenomenal  events, Saskia Roskam 🍪 does! Spill the Beans, UK’s only event for Black/ethnic minority FMCG producers to get in front of supermarket  buyers. WHAT TO EXPECT? →2+ hours of innovative, industry content full of gems →Live pitching to panel of buyers i.e. Ocado Retail, Sainsbury's, Waitrose & Partners, Nisa Retail, Macknade , + loads more →Receive live feedback from industry experts to improve your product, packaging, + pitch. →Learn from expert talks, panels, and discussions on what it takes to succeed in the FMCG space. Secure your ticket →https://lnkd.in/ekcQVfPe 🎯 Use discount code:STBMATES 🎤 Manon GALIZZI, MIFST Patrick Wright, Claire Roper, Mike Williams + more 💰 Crowdcube 🎥 Jeffrey Oyinlola, Toyin Said, Natalie Rogers 🥘 Dawn Burton Natasha Orumbie ❤️ Saskia Roskam 🍪 📌 P.S. Promo code ends:31.12.24 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 👋I’m Colin- the food scene’s Kanya King, London-based food and drink Content Creator🧙‍ 📚Helping foodie brands promote themselves via storytelling. 🎤Founder, Spill the Beans - UK's sole event for Black/ethnic minority food producers to meet supermarket buyers 💻Connecting foodie brands with their target audiences via social media 🗣 Wanna chat? 📲Connect with me, and we can talk about your projects😁

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I’m excited to be leading Leopard Co’s "Mastering Brand Growth for Scale-Up Success" workshop this morning at the incredible STEAMhouse Birmingham! Over the next few hours, we’ll be diving deep into Leopard Co’s ROAR Framework, sharing practical strategies to help ambitious scale-ups define, activate, and amplify their brands for sustainable growth. Here’s what we’ll cover: 🛠️ Diagnosing your brand with the 4C Model. 🎯 Prioritising focus areas to maximise impact. 💡 Crafting campaigns that resonate with your audience’s Category Entry Points (CEPs). 🚀 Building marketing funnels to guide your audience from awareness to action. 📈 Setting SMART Objectives to measure and optimise success. It’s going to be an inspiring and action-packed morning! Looking forward to connecting with so many talented scale-up leaders who are ready to take their brands to the next level. If you’re not joining us today but want to learn more - I’ll be sharing insights from the workshop tomorrow. https://lnkd.in/eZrX4r-B #ScaleUpSuccess #BrandGrowth #MarketingStrategy #ROARFramework #LeopardCo #STEAMhouseBirmingham

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“People need to stop trying to sell as efficiently as possible, and start trying to sell as effectively as possible” The words of Rory Sutherland. I speak a lot about the need for #CPG and #FMCG manufacturers to get good at creating demand again. My belief is that, over the last two decades, creating demand is an art form that has been lost in favour of creating ‘effeciencies’. But seriously, after almost two decades of price increases and volume decreases resulting in tepid growth or stagnation, when are we going to admit there are no more sizable efficiencies left to be had? When a strategy isn’t working it is not those that stick with it that succeed, it is those that pivot, pivot early and try a new approach. ‘Effeciencies are as efficient as they can efficiently get. Let’s create some demand again.’ How? Here is a place to start, as Rory said, start trying to sell effectively instead. (Potential) customers have needs, missions and journeys. Effective selling begins with understanding those needs missions and journeys, and then creating products, services, advertising, marketing, promotions and communications that speak directly to what you target audience is looking for, where they are looking for it. Added bonus, selling effectively is way more fun than selling efficiently. #digitalcommerce #ecommerce #creatingdemand #digital #efficiency #effectiveness #cpgindustry #fmcgindustry

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Impact is our output. We talk about modern marketing being able to deliver two types of impact - cultural and commercial. How do we move beyond the brand purpose debate and into a more grown up and nuanced conversation about the different types of impact we all create as marketers every day? Come and join us to find out.

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Tesco’s tips for marketers on how to use retail media (The Grocer): At Tesco Media, there are a variety of channels available across on-site, in-store, and off-site. It’s a truly ‘sofa to store’ offering – one that gives brands the ability to reach customers at every stage of the shopping journey. Tapping into channels that help build brands and drive awareness and consideration also helps improve performance […] #DOOH #digitalbillboards #digitalsignage

365 days of connecting brands with their customers IRL with Spacefor, while growing DEPARTMENT LTD 22% YOY. It's been a busy year with plenty of wins, challenges, lessons and observations. Some key insights and 'truths' from this journey: - Focus & energy are more important than time - Plan effectively and create routines - Delegate more - Say no - Make unconventional decisions - Include people on a journey 'Need to explore further' - an outtake from my weekly highlights back in May 2021 - is how it all began.

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The Ordinary, with their latest OOH campaign, has shown remarkable trust in their product being the only star they need for marketing, and I find it absolutely brilliant! There are no celebrities, no flashy ‘clear skin’ promises, and no glossy imagery, which is typically unconventional for a brand in the beauty industry! Their billboards simply maintain a clean aesthetic with a clear and direct message. One particular copy makes a witty remark about how they couldn’t find a celebrity with a biochemistry degree to appropriately convey the brand’s message. I find this understated approach extremely relevant today where customers are growing conscious about the products and brands they choose. #OOHCampaign #TheOrdinary #AuthenticMarketing #BrandCampaign

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Jellycat, the beloved stuffed toy brand, has injected a delightful twist into the brand – which is baking up something fresh at their pop-up store exclusively in Selfridges London. Their creative approach to engage customers and continually revitalize and reimagine the brand is one of my favs. The Fish & Chips collection features cuddly characters inspired by the classic British dish. Thinking of going? Place your order for a plushie-filled chippy and watch as staff prepare and package them before your very eyes! How fun is this? And a stroke of genius for many reasons… What do you think about it? This activation taps into... 1. Nostalgia: It celebrates the classic British takeaway dish—fish and chips! The familiar comfort of this childhood favorite instantly resonates with visitors.🎈 2. Interactive Experience: Visitors can place plushie orders and watch as staff prepare and package them like real food – from vinegar and salt bottles to fried fish pieces that are then wrapped in newspaper. It’s like a behind-the-scenes tour of cuteness! ✨ 3. Influencer-worth content: Here we are, trying to cut through the visual clutter while Jellycat’s visual appeal is a scroll-stopper, enticing visitors to snap photos and share stories, tagging Jellycat and Selfridges for audiences to then double-tap and share the cuteness — this creates buzz. 📸 I’m having a FOMO, are you? #marketing #selfridgeslondon #jellycat #brand #socialmediamarketing

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I finally had the opportunity to watch the full video Headline Media posted of a panel we hosted in London with LocalGlobe a few weeks back featuring insights from some of the best marketers we have worked with over the years such as Lauren Berkemeyer from YuLife, Yael Wissner-Levy from Lemonade, and Matthew Jones from Cowbell. It’s a true masterclass. Will try to share these great insights as they pop up.   Below is Yael Wissner Levy discussing how storytelling was a key element in Lemonade's GTM strategy from the ground up long before product hit market.    I get asked what the 40 or so unicorns we have been lucky enough to play with have in common. First, they are overwhelmingly second timer founders. As second timers, they know where to put their investment of time and resources right out of the gate for the best long-term outcome.  Almost all of them put storytelling at the top of the agenda early in the lifecycle of the startup. I promise you, these are hard-core tech guys so they don’t instinctively gravitate towards, or even like storytelling or marketing. BUT they do know that making “Phuking A” hires to run marketing or brand as early as possible and well before the product is ready increases the chance of adoption, and a massive ROI on their investment down the road.      Faye Co-Founder Daniel G. shared a similar experience with me at the event described, but gave credit to Viola Ventures Omry Ben David for encouraging them to grab the incredible Lauren Gumport during early days.  Needless to say, it is clearly paying off (Lauren and the Faye team are crushing it...).   Point is…dealing with storytelling and marketing is indeed a nightmare before product is ready, but the people with the most experience and success know that it is twice as hard to play catchup down the road with your positioning. Without building a significant brand narrative out of the gate, you will end up leaving money on the table. Enjoy.

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