Inside the winning marketing formula behind London 2012
Molly InnesA commitment to data, combined with the campaigning spirit of the Obama administration, helped the marketers behind the London 2012 Olympics build a lasting legacy.
The Inside Story
Sir Frank Lowe on the birth of Stella’s ‘Reassuringly Expensive’
Charlotte RogersFrom flower sellers to ice skating priests, the two-decade long campaign propelled Belgian beer brand Stella Artois from sluggish sales into a market leader with a place in advertising folklore.
‘It was a risk’: Lidl on its quest to conquer the UK by surprise
Charlotte RogersFrom grocery minnow with a perception problem to stealing chunks of market share from the ‘big four’, Lidl flipped the script in 2013 by ditching its established leaflet marketing strategy in favour of long-term creative idea ‘Lidl Surprises’.
‘Tested on real curves’: How Dove made us see beauty differently
Matthew ValentineRewind 17 years and having faced up to the beauty industry’s “dark side”, Dove knew it needed to break down barriers within the company and wider society if it was serious about championing real beauty.
How Team GB rewrote the rules of Olympics marketing on a shoestring
Matthew ValentineA strategy of hijacking sponsors’ media budgets helped propel the Team GB identity into the national consciousness and unite the UK Olympic team ahead of the Sydney Games in 2000.
How Green Flag’s ‘game changing’ England sponsorship put the brand on the map
Charlotte RogersDespite getting off to a bumpy start thanks to a riot in Dublin, Green Flag’s £4m push to become the debut sponsor of the England football team paid off in brand awareness during Euro 96 and beyond.
‘Inconsistency will be our consistency’: How MTV’s logo smashed the old world order
Matt BarkerWhen the iconic channel launched 40 years ago this summer it didn’t just change popular music, it also helped pave the way for a new visual language in advertising, marketing and beyond.
‘The last of its kind’: How Smirnoff’s ‘Sea’ ad made a splash
Matt BarkerAmid stiff competition from the wider spirit sector, Smirnoff decided to pull out all the stops with a big-budget, old school shoot that brought together helicopters, cranes and some very angry fishermen.
‘You’ll be out of business in six months’: How EasyJet proved the doubters wrong
Molly FlemingTwenty-five years on, EasyJet’s third employee looks back at how a mixture of bombastic ads and guerilla marketing helped the airline overcome its ‘David versus Goliath’ struggle.
How social media helped save the i newspaper from a premature pulping
Matt BarkerLaunched 10 years ago to bring in extra ad revenue for the ailing Independent, the i’s loyal readership provided the launch pad for a much-needed marketing push.
‘A radical vision’: How Sony Bravia’s dazzling ‘Balls’ ad changed the game
Matt BarkerA logistical nightmare but a creative triumph, the ad turned around the fortunes of a troubled multinational and launched the career of one of the industry’s leading talents.
‘He’s a brand icon’: How GoCompare’s Gio Compario struck the right note
Charlotte RogersWith the ambition to grab consumer attention, GoCompare decided to take on the meerkats by creating a jingle and brand icon that – 11 years later -are still going strong.
How a high concept BT campaign convinced us ‘It’s Good to Talk’
Matthew ValentineBig ideas, human truths and Bob Hoskins came together in this IPA award winning campaign to help BT put itself at the heart of communication.
How ‘Should’ve gone to Specsavers’ sealed its place in pop culture
Matt BarkerFirst introduced in 2002, one of the most successful taglines in recent ad history began life as a snippet of dialogue.
‘Hello Boys’: How Wonderbra caused global fever and won the bra wars
Ellen HammettWonderbra’s Hello Boys campaign from 1994 is considered one of the most iconic ads of all time. But it almost didn’t happen – until Eva Herzigová walked into the room.