By We All Need Words on April 10, 2012
When we hear the words ‘stakeholders’, ‘engagement’ or ‘buy-in’ at the start of a project our hearts sink. On paper it makes perfect sense to make sure the people who should be involved have their say. But in practice, the process often takes over at the expense of any good ideas.
Posted in How To..., Strategy | Tagged branding, buy-in, buy-in workshop, consultation, employee engagement, engagement, engagement strategy, Jonah Lehrer, marketing, Naming, public engagement strategy, stakeholder engagement strategy, stakeholder workshop, Susan Cain
By We All Need Words on March 12, 2012
Here’s Rob talking about stopping brand slop in Selfridges at an event set up by It’s Nice That. We were tickled that the soundbite flying around afterwards on Twitter was: ‘If you feel like a berk saying it you shouldn’t write it down. – Rob Mitchell’. We’re determined to bring the word berk back into [...]
Posted in Showing off | Tagged brand language, brand slop, branding, brands, waffle
By We All Need Words on March 1, 2012
Once upon a time stories weren’t called ‘narratives’ and we didn’t need a process, archetypes or rules to help us tell them. And most authors of books, plays, films and the like (ie real stories) didn’t use them either. So why have so many agencies started banging on about the power of storytelling all of [...]
Posted in Strategy | Tagged archetypes, brand slop, branding, engagement, marketing, narratives, stories, story development, storytelling, strategic storytelling, waffle, words
By We All Need Words on January 9, 2012
Spot the difference between these two boxes of Teapigs tea.
Posted in Naming | Tagged brand naming, brand slop, branding, food writing, marketing, Molton Brown, Names, Naming, Naming strategy, Naming system, Teapigs
By We All Need Words on November 18, 2011
Hello Richard, A lot of newspapers this morning are talking about how you’ve bought Northern Rock for a bargain price at the expense of us taxpayers. We’ll grumble to the chancellor about that. But seeing as you (and some private equity suits) have bought it, we hope some good will come of it. Richard, this [...]
Posted in Strategy, What's different about you | Tagged banking, banks, brand values, branding, brands, marketing, Northern Rock, Richard Branson, Strategy, Virgin Money
By We All Need Words on October 20, 2011
Sales are down. Research shows you’re squeezed on all sides. It’s getting harder to pigeonhole your customers into a neat ABC1234 PowerPoint. Meanwhile, brighter, smaller, more nimble companies are snapping at your heels and stealing your thunder. So what do you do? Outwit your competitors and start developing newer, shinier products? Or do you edit?
Posted in Strategy | Tagged brand, branding, brands, Topman, Topman General Store, Topshop
By We All Need Words on August 25, 2011
How to describe your brand in a few words. How to make it really, properly, actually different. How to sell it in.
Posted in How To..., Strategy | Tagged big idea, brand descriptor, brand positioning, brand purpose, brand values, brand vision, branding, brands, core thought, positioning, positioning statement, purpose, purpose statement, Strategy
By We All Need Words on July 21, 2011
‘Proud to be part of local life’ – that’s KC’s slogan. They’re a phone and broadband company in East Yorkshire. We’ve been helping them make these seven words into more than a line, so they can show how proud they really are to be a local company (without having to say it all the time).
Posted in Showing off, Tone of voice | Tagged brand language, branding, brands, copywriting, KC, Plusnet, Tone of voice, tone of voice examples, tone of voice guidelines, verbal identity, Writing, writing examples, Yorkshire
By We All Need Words on May 24, 2011
DEAR VALENTINE, THIS IS TO TELL YOU ARE MY FRIEND AS WELL AS MY VALENTINE. AND THAT I INTEND TO WRITE YOU YOU LOTS OF LETTERS… (From the Olivetti Valentine user manual.)
Posted in Tone of voice, What we like | Tagged brand language, branding, brands, copywriting, Ettore Sottsass, marketing, Olivetti Valentine, Tone of voice, tone of voice examples, typewriter, writing examples
By We All Need Words on April 18, 2011
Here are two ads from ING Direct. One’s from London’s Underground, one’s from New York City’s Subway.
Posted in Tone of voice | Tagged brand language, branding, brands, copywriting training, marketing, Tone of voice, tone of voice examples, words, Writing, writing examples
