This is a highly personal list. It’s not based on impact, scale, uniqueness or anything like that. It’s just a list of Italian brands that I love. Brands that sum up what my homeland means to me. So, in no particular order, here goes.
The Stanley Tumbler Story
The Stanley Tumbler phenomenon was brought to my attention by my daughter. I’d never heard of it, so decided to explore it further. It’s an amazing story of how a brand emerged from nowhere to dominate its category.
Over the past couple of years, the ‘Adventure Quencher Travel Tumbler’ - to give it its full name - has become an object of desire. In 2023, sales were around $750 million vs $70 million in 2020.
So why has it become so successful? Here are the key reasons.
There's Nothing New in the World
In a recent workshop I gave the example of the Playlist feature being a key reason behind the success of Spotify. This sparked a conversation around how original this idea was. Someone said, ‘well of course, the Spotify Playlist is just a modern version of the mix tape’. Spotify subsequently made the iPod redundant.
'Brandsplaining'. A Must-Read for Marketers
9 Brands On a Mission To Change the World
Brand Purpose is a hotly debated topic in the world of marketing. To add to the discussion, I wanted to share my favourite purpose-led brands. The brands that I feel are doing a great job in articulating and delivering a mission to change the world. To help narrow down my choices, I thought I’d focus on relatively new businesses vs brands that are part of multi-nationals.
Seven Ways to Sharpen Your Research Skills
Your Truth is Not My Truth and What This Means for Marketers
I share a love of football, cycling and music with an old friend of mine from university. We live in different parts of the UK, but keep in touch via WhatsApp and meet up when our paths cross. He’s funny, outgoing and has a lovely family. However, our politics are very different and we hold conflicting world views. I really don’t understand why an otherwise decent guy can hold such opinions. I’m sure he thinks the same of me. Luckily, this doesn’t stop us being friends.
How To Spot a Great Insight
Developing a deep understanding of consumer behaviour is one of the most important tasks a marketer needs to undertake. We’re always on the look out for that big, fresh insight that can unlock growth. Whole departments have been set up to generate insights. We go on training courses. We attend conferences. We learn the lingo.
How to Get Fresh Insight Without Spending Any Money
Fresh insight is the foundation of any successful organisation. However, if you’re a fledging or small business how do you get real consumer understanding when you don’t have deep pockets or dedicated experts? Well, all you need is curiosity, a nose for commercial opportunity and a good dose of empathy. Here’s how.