Marketing Meetup Podcast

In this episode, we’re joined by Stephen Kenwright — co-founder of Rise at Seven and now a consultant and non-exec to agencies across the UK. Stephen shares lessons from a career spent building, scaling, and exiting agencies. We cover:The biggest challenges facing agencies today — and whether it’s the model or the momentHow to build an inbound engine that consistently brings in qualified leadsThe role of positioning in standing out in a crowded marketHiring your first employees and managing agency growth stagesPractical advice on pricing your services and balancing client relationshipsIf you’re thinking about growing your agency or making it more resilient, this one’s packed with wisdom.

Dive into the world of idea evaluation in marketing! Discover the common pitfalls that hinder great ideas from taking flight. Learn practical tips for enhancing creative decision-making and the necessity of clear communication between marketers and agencies. Uncover the challenges faced by small teams and how AI can aid creativity. Explore the importance of trust in partnerships for sparking innovation. This engaging discussion mixes psychology with actionable strategies to nurture impactful marketing ideas.

🪂 Welcome to The Chutes 🪂The marketing awards for brands and agencies of all shapes and sizes where, uniquely, the work that works, is the work that wins.Today we’re proud to announce the second winner of The Chutes is Ginsters with ‘Taste The Effort’. Congratulations to everyone involved, including the agency partners Truth, Kantar & TBWA.To hear more about how the work that worked was made, Emma Stower joined Joe Glover and Giles Edwards for a 25 minute masterclass. We hope you enjoy!The objective After speaking to consumers and uncovering how Ginsters was perceived, Emma Stowers experienced quite an awakening. Misconceptions about poor quality were creating a barrier for the brand, making it difficult to shift public perception. Ginsters set out to change this, aiming to showcase the quality and craft behind both their brand and their products.  This dedication to care and craftsmanship inspired the creation of Merryn, a devoted Ginsters potato farmer who became the heart of the campaign. The resultsAfter pre-testing and refining a rough cut storyboard with System1, Ginsters achieved an impressive 4.0 Star Rating for their final cut. By leveraging humour and strong brand codes, they secured high brand recognition and cut through the category noise. Taking a bold and unconventional approach, Ginsters established a unique and distinctive identity to reinforce one simple message: great taste, great quality. Merryn injects the brand with fun and has become a consistent part of its identity, and thankfully, she is here to stay. Ginsters aim to build a distinctive asset with Merryn, a smart strategy backed by System1’s The Magic of Compound Creativity. Data from the IPA shows that over five years, brand characters grow in effectiveness, increasing by an average +1.0 Star Rating. But it is not just the brand that is pleased with the campaign’s success. Within the first 12 weeks, the campaign drove a significant uplift in value sales and added over 1.5 million households to the brand. Real consumers even called Ginsters after the ad aired to share how much they loved it, expressing their appreciation for the way it highlighted British farming. 

🪂 Welcome to The Chutes 🪂The marketing awards for brands and agencies of all shapes and sizes where, uniquely, the work that works, is the work that wins.It’s time to announce the inaugural winner of The Chutes awards which goes to…The Woodsman Whisky & Mr President for ‘Well Earned’.And now, for an acceptance speech that’s a bit more acceptable, we're here with Jaimie Anderson from Whyte & Mackay and Lillie Price from Mr. President to explain exactly how they created the work that worked.The objectiveTo attract a new audience of consumers and bring fresh energy to the category by positioning it as fun and sociable. Designed as a Scotch that behaves like a bourbon, Woodsman whisky was uniquely placed to stand apart. It offered something different to the category, appealing to a younger audience of drinkers who enjoy mixing their drinks. Traditionally, the whisky category is known for adhering to familiar tropes, often leaning into a more formal tone rooted in heritage and seriousness. Woodsman set out to break that mould, injecting a sense of playfulness and modernity to resonate with a new generation. Enter Barry the Beaver: a rugged puppet character who, after a long day of gnawing trees and building dams, kicks back, relaxes, and enjoys a glass of The Woodsman whisky. Defying all category conventions, The Woodsman faced a polarising challenge: they had something new, creative, and completely distinctive within the whisky category, but would consumers respond with the positivity needed to drive long-term commercial growth?The resultsOn System1’s Test Your Ad platform, The Woodsman achieved an impressive 4.8-Star Rating and exceptional short-term sales potential, ranking it among the top five spirits ads of all time and the number one whisky ad in System1’s Premium database. This campaign’s success in testing translated directly to commercial impact, propelling The Woodsman into the Top 10 blended whisky brands and exceeding its 20% growth goal by an additional 15%. Driven by data, insight, a clear strategy, and emotional resonance, this campaign stands as a testament to a brand that is both market-oriented and unafraid to challenge the status quo. Despite Barry’s “gnarly” appearance, he is a beloved character who resonates deeply with consumers. System1’s emotional FaceTrace© reveals that his presence evokes surprise and joy, leading to a notable increase in positivity. This positions the Woodsman perfectly to continue leveraging Barry in their communications. A distinctive and well-received brand character is truly one of the most valuable assets a brand can have!  Extra resources:Write up: https://system1group.com/ad-of-the-week/barrels-beavers-brilliance-the-worlds-best-whisky-adSystem1 report: https://report.testyourad.com/report/23122294-7b86-474c-8c3c-9dff36db228dWatch the ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQPELZriAs0

Dan Fleming, Country Lead at Tracksuit, dives into brand marketing's nuanced terrain. He shares how to make brand efforts quantifiable, emphasizing practical KPIs beyond just reach or impressions. Fleming discusses strategies to track brand impact on budgets of all sizes, and why understanding brand awareness is crucial for performance. He also reveals insights on navigating budget cuts while maintaining brand trust and effectiveness. His expertise shines through real-world case studies, showcasing the powerful link between brand efforts and bottom-line success.

Max Hopkinson, co-founder of The Keynote Club and ex-Head of Marketing at Iceland Foods, shares his inspiring journey from panic attacks to public speaking success. He unveils a powerful framework to identify speaking topics based on lived experiences and audience connection. Discover how to structure an engaging talk, from grabbing attention to leaving a lasting impact. Max emphasizes that everyone has a unique story worth sharing, encouraging listeners to embrace their narratives and support others on the path to becoming confident speakers.

What happens when you combine a cereal brand, surreal humour, and a copywriter who isn’t afraid to admit when he’s just “crapped something out”? You get one of the most delightfully strange and insightful hours of marketing chat you'll ever hear.In this episode, we’re joined by John Thornton, the creative mind behind Surreal’s surreal tone of voice (and ex-Innocent word-wrangler). We chat about:Finding your brand’s voice—even if it’s a bit unhingedWhy humour, honesty, and even typos can win hearts (and views)How to stay weird and do your job as a marketerIt’s honest. It’s smart. It’s surreal in the best possible way. Come for the laughs, stay for the strategy.

Nishma Patel Robb, founder of Glittersphere and former Senior Director of Brand & Reputation at Google, shares her journey from corporate to entrepreneurship. She discusses the motivations behind launching Glittersphere, aimed at empowering women through personal branding. Listeners gain insights on building authentic brands, the power of storytelling, and the unique advantages smaller businesses have. Nishma emphasizes resilience, curiosity, and the importance of self-promotion for freelancers, making it a must-listen for anyone looking to elevate their brand.

Dave from Doodle Juice shares simple, actionable design principles anyone can use—even if you're not a designer. Learn how balance, contrast, hierarchy, repetition, white space, and alignment can instantly improve your visuals, helping your messages land better and your designs look professional.

Join Sarah Robb, co-founder of Rebrand Right with a rich background in brand leadership, and Rachel Fairley, also a co-founder and former chief brand officer at Hewlett Packard, as they tackle five widespread branding myths. They challenge conventional wisdom, arguing against starting with strategy and over-relying on experts. Instead, they promote a collective approach to brand development, stressing the importance of creativity over rigid guidelines. Discover how to build a confident brand that drives growth and avoids common pitfalls!