Richard Madden

Richard Madden

Is strategy dead?

Richard Madden

I have been going through a bit of an existential crisis lately. I suppose it is only to be expected at my age. But my recent choice of bedtime reading has not helped.

Richard Madden

From insights beyond the obvious come results beyond the ordinary

Richard Madden

In my last column, I took a self-critical look at the discipline of planning. I asked some difficult questions about its role in the business of marketing communications. This time I feel compelled to issue something of a corrective: an unapologetic celebration of the role of the strategic planner in the communications process.

Middle management does contribute to the bottom line

Richard Madden

Middle managers are often the first victims of cost-cutting. But thinning-out this management layer can be a short-sighted move. Middle managers are figures of fun. It goes with the territory. The conflicted behaviour that results from being sandwiched between the needs of a team and the demands of a boss is natural comic material. Watch […]

Winning campaigns are fun, attractive and… available

Richard Madden

Winning awards entries teach us that good advertising not only makes brands more desirable, but also more available. The best awards ceremonies do more than give gongs to insecure and needy creative types. They draw together a database of best practice that practitioners – especially planners – can learn from. This sprung to mind when […]

The three bitter pills you need to take to restore brand trust

Richard Madden

Regaining the trust of consumers poses a tough challenge, requiring major behavioural change and a leap of faith in your staff. Over the years, Marketing Week has raised many weighty issues, not least the boardroom status of marketing, the future of curated media in a de-channelled world, and why the byline picture of Wally Olins […]