Marketing to over 50s

Marketing to over 50s. Image is of woman with 50th birthday balloons.

Do 50 year-olds have the same needs, wants, preferences, attitudes, and behaviours as 85 year-olds? Some might, but most don’t. So why do some businesses group everyone over 50 into one “50 to 85” segment and market to them as if they are one homogenous mass? Would they adopt a similar approach to marketing to 15 year olds as to … Read More

Planning for success the British & Irish Lions way

Planning for success the British & Irish Lions way. Image is of a rugby ball.

There’s a lot to be learned from the military and the world of sport when it comes to good marketing strategy and planning. The ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu’s The Art of War should probably be textbook reading for all marketers. I remember wondering why my boss at Sony gave me a book (Moving Mountains: Lessons in Leadership and … Read More

Mind the brand gap

Mind the brand gap. Image is of London Underground platform edge with the words Mind the Gap.

These days the term brand is possibly even more misunderstood and misused than the word marketing. For many, it simply means logo. If you’re lucky, they might even think it’s about colour palette and fonts. As Rita Clifton, the doyenne of branding, has said: “to equate brand with such superficial cosmetics is the equivalent of saying that people are really … Read More

Is print dead in the digital age?

Is print dead in the digital age? Image is of a post box.

Is print dead in the digital age, or are printed materials still relevant in today’s marketing. Print is able to meet some of our senses that online can’t Too often these days people go for digital automatically because it’s ‘cool’ (and cheaper, and easier to measure) rather than because it’s the best channel to achieve their objectives.  But marketers should … Read More

Marketing and fundraising challenges for charities

Marketing and fundraising challenges for charities. Image is of a clock because time is one of the main challenge.

In conjunction with fundraising consultant Heather Stewart, I conducted a short online survey about the main marketing and fundraising challenges facing charities. A range of charities, including arts, heritage, community, voluntary sector and social enterprises, participated in the research. Key Marketing Challenges The top three marketing challenges were: 1. Finding enough budget for marketing. 2. Finding enough time for marketing. … Read More

Teaching retail marketing at Heriot Watt University

Teaching retail marketing. Image is of a fashion store.

Since my first Saturday job in a William Low supermarket while at school and summer jobs at Glasgow Airport’s Duty Free Shop, I have been involved in, and fascinated by, the diverse, every-changing retailing sector for my whole career. These  hands-on, customer-facing roles were an excellent foundation for subsequent retail marketing projects as well as many other aspects of working … Read More