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.
The Inside Story
‘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.
‘I thought it would be a one-year thing’: Inside the launch of The Marketing Academy
Sarah VizardAs the academy celebrates its 10th year and prepares to welcome its 11th intake of scholars in the UK, we explore how it came about and hear from those who have benefited from its programmes.
‘I want people to lick the telly’: Inside the launch of M&S’s ‘This is not just food’
Matt BarkerIn search of a distinctive idea to reignite its business, Marks & Spencer unwittingly kicked off the trend for ‘food porn’ with the release of its 2006 campaign ‘This is not just food’.
‘We’re not shy of a bit of controversy’: How Diageo’s corporate brand was born
Charlotte RogersMore than two decades since the merger that formed drinks giant Diageo, the company’s corporate brand continues to strike a chord with employees and shareholders alike.
How Budweiser’s ‘Whassup?’ ushered in the era of viral ads
Matt BarkerBudweiser’s ‘Whassup?’ ads weren’t just part of a hugely successful campaign, they also helped usher in a new age of viral hits and the arrival of urban culture in the advertising mainstream.
How Lastminute.com hustled its way into travel’s top flight
Matthew ValentineThe Inside Story: On a mission to break the mould, Lastminute.com’s guerrilla-style marketing and fierce challenger brand mentality, laced with lashings of humour, helped disrupt the travel industry forever.
How Channel 5 joined forces with the Spice Girls to build a TV brand
Charlotte RogersFrom getting the Spice Girls to cut the ribbon at its debut event to pioneering an integrated approach to marketing, the launch of Channel 5 was all about challenging norms and channelling creativity.
From chip shops to viral sensation: How Tango pioneered ‘punk rock’ advertising
Molly FlemingTango’s punk rock spirit changed the face of advertising with its ‘You’ve been Tangoed’ campaign, but it was an uphill battle to get the industry to respect its anarchic style.
‘We were pinching ourselves’: How ‘Priceless’ helped Mastercard save a brand ‘in a mess’
Sarah VizardIn the late 1990s, Mastercard needed a long-term marketing platform to help reboot the brand, which was on a “burning platform” in the US. But while Mastercard knew it was on to a winner with ‘Priceless’, no one foresaw it still being part of the brand’s DNA 22 years later.
From midlife crisis to plane doodle to pink gimps: How Giffgaff turned a ‘hunch’ into a mobile success
Ellen HammettGiffgaff almost didn’t make it past its first birthday. Now, it is one of the biggest mobile virtual networks in the UK. The people behind its success explain how.
‘There was no silver bullet’: How Change4Life tackled childhood obesity
Erin LyonsWhen the Department of Health launched its colourful Change4Life campaign in 2008, childhood obesity was at alarming levels. How has the campaign evolved over the past 10 years and has it really led to a change in attitudes and behaviour?
‘People were bemused’: How First Direct shook up banking with its ‘radical’ launch
Lucy TesserasAs the UK’s first ‘virtual’ bank, First Direct knew it had to take a radically different approach to marketing, to ensure it not only stood out but was trusted by consumers.
‘It was a piece of magic’: How Levi’s ‘Laundrette’ ad led to an 800% sales boost
Russell ParsonsThe Inside Story: The classic 1985 Levi’s ‘Laundrette’ ad by agency BBH is admired for its craft, but like most great marketing it was grounded in insight, and boosted sales of a struggling product in a moribund category.
The making of Dave: How UKTV turned a ‘ridiculous idea’ into an award-winning channel
Charlotte RogersThe Inside Story: Over the past 12 years, UKTV’s Dave has gone from a channel scoring just 2% spontaneous awareness to a media brand attracting 20 million viewers a month.