Bargain Booze's reaction to the overwhelming surge of discount supermarkets

I'm not sure if I've ever noticed any adverts for Bargain Booze before, certainly none that have made me chuckle as I left the M4 and drove past one of their outdoor adverts on the side of a phone box. However, I thought these adverts were absolutely great and really made me like the brand, especially as the brand had been so far back in my recall.

Aldi's comparison adverts were widely successful and showed their own brands against competitors for a hugely discounted price. However, Bargain Booze does exactly the opposite! They have ALDI's unheard-of alcohol brands against hugely well-known brands Calsberg and Smirnoff quoting the exact same prices! It's almost like 'Brands Fight Back'! 

I love the ballsy headline 'Aldi Shmaldi', it's so captivating and certainly caught my attention! I only since noticed the Who? and I think it's a great joke and no doubt Carling and Smirnoff are benefiting from these adverts too!

Bargain Booze have insisted they are not trying to knock ALDI nor imitate what they do- after all ALDI are brand less yet as you can see Bargain Booze's slogan 'For People Who Like Bargains and Brands' which suggests they are putting the public's faith back in to branded products and conveying their quality! Which is what all we marketers like to hear!

Bargain Booze have begun a print and outdoor campaign with the social media campaign launching in the next few weeks and I wish the best of luck to them as it's a great idea- one from a totally unexpected brand too! Good luck taking on the Germans!!

Steph

Did Alton Towers use crisis management successfully?

We've all heard about the devastating crash on the 2nd June in which an Alton Towers rollercoaster crashed, causing 4 people to be seriously injured, with one even having to have her legs amputated. There has been incalculable media coverage and the Merlin brand is in absolute tatters. This of course is a crisis that not many brands ever have to deal with, however can Alton Towers ever recover from this tragedy and operate as the brand they used to be?

I think, from a branding perspective, due to what the Alton Towers brand used to stand for- fun, happiness, family-friendly and exhilarating. It is going to be phenomenally difficult for Alton Towers to ever build this image back in people's minds due to the instant association to the crash that the brand will acquire.

However, it's not as though we haven't seen brands cause tragedies previously and recover their brand successfully and with the right crisis management strategy in place- it can be done.

Quick reaction

Public relations absolutely is the key to any brand reform or crisis and other brands like Tesco and BP have made huge errors in the past by not reacting publicly to situations soon enough. However, Alton Towers were very efficient in releasing statements and keeping the public informed.

The park updated their Facebook and Twitter pages soon after the event and gave information and messages consistent with those they gave to the press, this meant messages across all channels were clear and not conflicting one another. They were quick with announcing that the park would be closed and then being open and honest about their investigations in to the accident etc.

Senior executives at the heart of the issues

Nick Varney, CEO of Merlin, headed to Alton Towers soon after the event and gave live television interviews and was at the heart of any decisions being made. This demonstrated the severity of the incident and how serious Alton Towers were taking it. He was able to give accurate and well prepared statements and take hold of the situation.

He also demonstrated his compassion, understanding and concern for those involved as well as outlining the immediate steps the business was taking which made him come across a lot more positive.

Accepting fault

In crisis management, accepting responsibility can make the difference between gaining the publics' trust and losing it. Alton Towers never tried to shift the blame or deny wrongdoing, which is where many brands have gone wrong when dealing with crises in the past (e.g. Thomas Cook).

Alton Towers must now reassure the public of their commitment to safety and work to improve on whatever they find to be the fault of their mistakes that clearly caused this disaster. I would also work to consider taking legal action/ investigation to the designers/ engineers of the ride.



All in all, I believe that Alton Towers initial management of the crisis was good and they built the foundations to restore their brand image, regain customer trust and convey their safety and integrity. However, the Merlin share price is dramatically low and therefore they must continue to work hard to make sure they stay on track.

Steph

There's no bed like home- IKEA's new campaign

Storytelling marketing is literally everywhere and with so many brands trying to compete for customers' attention on the ridiculously long videos they produce- say goodbye to the short and snappy ads of the past.

IKEA have released their new 'There's no bed like home' campaign which features a sentimental story about a husband who works away in the Arctic and has a pregnant wife at home who misses him dearly. You can watch it below:


Don't get me wrong I think it's a lovely video, but for me it lacks a bit of substance and the same emotion runs throughout the whole four minutes. Even at the end when the couple are reunited, I didn't feel happy or relieved or any type of emotion really. I think a lot of brands are trying to create these heart wrenching adverts and I'm afraid to say there are a lot better that IKEA's attempt.
The ad is a spin off to their wider campaign- but to me it really doesn't feel IKEA. The IKEA brand is friendly, budget, accessible to all and down-to-earth. This ad seems a little pretentious, dull and lacks energy and enthusiasm. I really do not believe it fits in with their brand image and I'm not even sure really how it fits in with what they are trying to sell. The idea of his uncomfortable beds and then coming home to his own bed is fair enough- but I'm not sure how it appeals to the majority of the population who sleep in their own beds every night any way. 
I'd love to know your thoughts on the ad- tweet me with your opinions on IKEA's latest ad.
Steph @stefclarkx

How to get a first class degree!

So as I have been working hard all year to finish my degree- I am delighted to say my hard work has paid off as I have achieved a first class in all of my third year modules and therefore will be graduating with a First Class Honours Degree in Marketing!

If you're just starting university or even if you are in your first or second year- here are my few top tips on how I think you can do well at university- these things are truly why I think I did well.

How to do well at university

1. Make the right friends

At first, on your course you might think it's a good idea to make friends with the people who go out partying a lot or the guy you see in your favourite club week in week out. But when it comes to it- surrounding yourself with people who also do really well and want to achieve the best results, will also encourage you to do the same. Not only can you share tips, revise together and compare answers- you can also introduce a little bit of healthy competition and encourage each other. 

In addition, these people are much more likely to attend lectures- hence you will have friends to sit with and you will be much more likely to go too!

2. Make friends with the lecturers

Sounds a bit cringey- but this literally is one of the most important tips. I was even told by a lecturer that they bend the rules for students they like and know well. Just be nice to them and they will be nice back. I even managed to convince a lecturer to help me in the evening over Easter break once, sometimes they might say they have no time to see students but if they like you- they will make time. Getting extra tips, help clarifying things and sometimes having them check your work is the thing that can really push your grades up!

3. Don't leave things until the last minute

I know its easier said than done but start your assignments as soon as you get them! In third year this is a little bit more difficult as you have so much to balance- but even planning out a schedule for when you are going to do things and setting your own deadlines helps. Sometimes I didn't factor in that I would have thousands of words to delete from the word count and ended up spending a week doing that- which ate in to the allocated time for the next assignment! Planning is fundamental and unfortunately I had to work a job at the same time which meant for me it was even more critical- however if you can start early and do a couple of hours an evening over a few months, you will be a million times less stressed.

4. Reading and research are your best friends

I have never read a journal article page-to-page. I find them ridiculously boring and hard to read- however, knowing how to skim read them will really help you write assignments. The literature review and findings chapters are all you really need to focus on. Use cited authors to find more papers and then your research will snowball. You don't have to read a whole textbook- half of it won't come up in the exam anyway- but use the index pages to find relevant topics and usually I would make a point before I found a reference- it makes you more determined to find the reference!

Read around a topic- especially for your dissertation and know the key theorists and their ideas and points, then work from there. Before you start an assignment, I would say you need to allot around 2-3 days just to reading so that you don't have to keep starting and stopping to do more research once you are in the flow of writing.

5. Find what works for you

Personally, I hated working in the library and although all my friends were always working in there, I found it distracting and I would get really bored. I knew that I could only manage 3-5 hours a day of solid work and that I needed lots of breaks (and even naps!!). However, staying at home and working meant I got lots done even and I was much more relaxed.

Don't just follow your friends and what they're doing- we all work differently.

6. Attend MOST of your lectures

I know everyone says this but seriously- I didn't miss one lecture or tutorial in second year and in third year I only missed a couple to go to job interviews/ one particular seminar which was totally pointless.... but even if you think the content or structure is a bit pointless, it will give you chance to network with the tutors and the quieter the seminar, the more they will remember you and be more likely to answer any questions you have or help you with your assignments. It will also give you chance to chat through ideas with your course mates.

I also found that a lot of tutors gave coursework help in the tutorials- tips which helped me in my coursework and that people who didn't attend couldn't benefit from. I know it's tough to get up early/ not go out the night before- but try and attend as much as you can!

7. DO internships

Luckily, with my course I was able to complete a placement year, which I truly believe was the main reason for me getting a first- it helped me grow up a lot and helped me put my degree in perspective. Even if you don't have the option to take a whole year in industry- summer internships/ part-time work can help. I even based my dissertation AND a piece of branding coursework on two internships I did, which made it a million times easier to write about as I drew on my own experiences- it also cut my research times down considerably!

8. Keep an eye on the industry

The more you read, research and take an interest in the industry- the more relevant your learning will seem and the more you can draw on in your work a.k.a extra marks... For example, whilst I was studying political marketing I would try and keep an eye on what was going on in the political world and then draw upon it in class. If you take an active interest in your chosen industry- you can apply theoretical knowledge to it far more easily.

9. Have a life outside university

Sometimes you just need to take a few hours or even a day off university work. Having an escape or two can be really beneficial. For me, luckily I had quite a demanding job which I loved, which allowed me to put effort and time into it. But a hobby, friends outside of uni or a part-time job can help to clear your head too.

10. Be motivated

At the end of the day, unless you go in to it with a burning desire, complete motivation and determination- you aren't going to achieve a first class. I found a lot of the people who had breezed through GCSEs or A-Levels with As or A*s thought they could take a step back and not try hard- just at they did at school. But you really do need to work hard to get a first- it isn't an easy ride and you need to be 100% committed!!

A First Class in an awesome achievement and one which everyone can achieve- it is much more about the mindset and hard work rather than intelligence or knowledge. I really believe I turned things around from my A-Levels which I didn't do so well in, so now a 1st from UWE really is better than a 2:2 from Bristol!!!

Steph

@stefclarkx