Nationwide should try to be more interesting

Until now I’ve been “slightly interested” in the debate (MW December 8) concerning Nationwide’s decision to come out of sports sponsorship and return to mainstream advertising (while swimming against the rip tide of brands coming the other way). But it suddenly struck me (better late than never), it’s a very simple issue that has nothing to do with sports marketing vs mainstream advertising. It’s about being interesting.

Whether sports marketing is the best thing since advertising in the 1980s (which it seems to be), the Nationwide brand has not used the medium of sport to win over hearts and minds. A logo slapped onto a person, product or event is never enough. So what makes the Nationwide decision maker think that changing “medium” is going to get people to notice them? The company should really think of something interesting to say and say it in an interesting way.

Chris Borton

Managing partner

9 Yards Marketing

Bath BA2