Although Purple Pilchard is a small brand specialist that likes to compete down all aisles of the supermarket, there's no mistaking a recent leaning towards confectionery and sweet-tasting treats.
What began in autumn 2009 as a rebranding exercise with posh choc specialist James Chocolates to reinvigorate their packaging whilst bringing the company's charismatic founder (James Hutchins)more to the fore, has quickly expanded into copywriting for Wicked Fruit, a PR and repackaging push for pocket-sized treats specialist Chocca Mocca, a new soon-to-be unveiled in 2010 website and tone-of-voice for Cocoa Loco (The Times Newspaper Organic Hero of 2008), a new 2010 identity (and packaging) for local top notch chocolate pretzel purveyor, The Big Yum and a small PR push with everyone's favourite nostalgic pudding producer, The Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding Company.
According to Purple Pilchard's founder, 'It's fair to say that we're pretty excited about the way things have worked out but would stress once again that we're just as happy championing cream crackers as we are cream eggs, we already have a number of 'better-for-you producers under our fin, including the UK's finest organic soup and vegetable box supplier through to cordials, stews, savoury snacks and organic cereals.'
Tuesday 12 January 2010
Wednesday 6 January 2010
Food & Drinks Marketing Does Rock!
Was interested to read Rob Ward's (The Food Marketing Network)assertion that food and drinks is one field where good marketing has failed to consistently make its presence felt.
A tad harsh in truth because you only have to think of the likes of Ben & Jerry's (pre Unilever mugging), Innocent, Higgidy Pies,Gu, Yeo Valley, Rod & Ben's and Firefly (to name but a few) to see that 'forward-thinking' fmcg marketing is truly alive and kicking. These are brands that have either cleverly out-thought their lumbering multi-national competitors by redefining their niche and playing to their strengths or better still creating a new category for them to not simply inhabit but attack other less inspiring food & drinks categories.
For me the problem isn't so much food and drink but the many insipid multinational propositions that keep letting the side down. When was the last time you can remember a major brand doing something truly surprising?
Of course they're more than happy to make a nice ad, throw a wad of money at whatever the latest marketing gimmick that's doing the rounds, (e.g. the fluff that is experiential) but when it comes to leading from the front, doing the basics right, inspirational new product innovation or simply not taking their customers for granted they lag sadly behind.
Today's consumers expect (& deserve) more meaningful, trusting two-way relationships with the brands they love. They like to be approached, engaged and occasionally amazed.
Whether it's the mind-numbing bureaucracy that surrounds so many big brands, a curious obsession with calculatingly cold yet symmetrical international strategy that neither alienates or ignites imaginations or a simple lack of adventure, who knows?
Fortunately there are now more & more smaller fleet-footed agencies like PURPLE PILCHARD who are on hand to prevent big agency mediocrity from stifling the ambitions of genuine eager-to-evolve brands
A tad harsh in truth because you only have to think of the likes of Ben & Jerry's (pre Unilever mugging), Innocent, Higgidy Pies,Gu, Yeo Valley, Rod & Ben's and Firefly (to name but a few) to see that 'forward-thinking' fmcg marketing is truly alive and kicking. These are brands that have either cleverly out-thought their lumbering multi-national competitors by redefining their niche and playing to their strengths or better still creating a new category for them to not simply inhabit but attack other less inspiring food & drinks categories.
For me the problem isn't so much food and drink but the many insipid multinational propositions that keep letting the side down. When was the last time you can remember a major brand doing something truly surprising?
Of course they're more than happy to make a nice ad, throw a wad of money at whatever the latest marketing gimmick that's doing the rounds, (e.g. the fluff that is experiential) but when it comes to leading from the front, doing the basics right, inspirational new product innovation or simply not taking their customers for granted they lag sadly behind.
Today's consumers expect (& deserve) more meaningful, trusting two-way relationships with the brands they love. They like to be approached, engaged and occasionally amazed.
Whether it's the mind-numbing bureaucracy that surrounds so many big brands, a curious obsession with calculatingly cold yet symmetrical international strategy that neither alienates or ignites imaginations or a simple lack of adventure, who knows?
Fortunately there are now more & more smaller fleet-footed agencies like PURPLE PILCHARD who are on hand to prevent big agency mediocrity from stifling the ambitions of genuine eager-to-evolve brands
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