The Bones of Advertising

A weekly ramble down the rabbit holes littering
the brand and advertising landscape.

Join us as we look for new perspectives and
something meaty to chew over.

BONE TO PICK #16

UNORGANISED & UNPREPARED

FEATURING: CRAIG M^CLEOD & JOHN DOUGLAS

The podcast we were completely unprepared for, ironically, about turning up for a meeting unprepared. Is it possible to add value while totally flying blind? Let’s find out…

BONE TO PICK #15

DISTINCTIVE BRAND ASSETS

FEATURING: CRAIG M^CLEOD & JOHN DOUGLAS

15 entertaining minutes on distinctive brand assets. Like high horses and rabbit holes, we take a 15 minute romp through the landscape of codes in advertising. Two opinions and a bucketload of different perspectives. What could possibly go wrong?

BONE TO PICK #14

OPTIMISM

FEATURING: CRAIG M^CLEOD & JOHN DOUGLAS

Lockdown 2.0 and the need for optimism. Watch our intrepid duo take what should have been a clear path through a jungle of chaos and confusion and turn it into a superhighway of stupidity. We get there in the end. But only just.

BONE TO PICK #13

DEADLINES

FEATURING: CRAIG M^CLEOD & JOHN DOUGLAS

Two brave souls try to conquer Deadlines. We discuss the balance between productivity and fear. The difference between the Manager and the Creator. The glorious tyranny of productivity. All in 16:33 minutes. You can set your watch by that.

BONE TO PICK #12

THE BIG IDEA

FEATURING: CRAIG M^CLEOD & JOHN DOUGLAS

Join our intrepid adventurers as they journey in search of the big idea: where does it come from, how do you get there and what do you do once you find one. Be warned: there are dangers here. And rabbit holes.

BONE TO PICK #11

ARGUMENTS IN AGENCIES

FEATURING: CRAIG M^CLEOD & JOHN DOUGLAS

Is there an argument for having better arguments? Join us this week as we journey up the River of Insults in search of a better way to reach a better idea. Does hierarchy matter? And what would you know anyway? Come along. It’s a bumpy and enjoyable ride.

BONE TO PICK #10

THE FREE CREATIVE PITCH

FEATURING: CRAIG M^CLEOD & JOHN DOUGLAS

An industry bone of contention indeed, this week we open up the conversation on the free creative pitch.
This week we pick at:
– Is it ludicrous to ask people you’ve never met to work for free?
– When did it start?
– How effective is the free creative pitch?
– To pitch or not to pitch?

BONE TO PICK #9

LABELS

FEATURING: CRAIG M^CLEOD & JOHN DOUGLAS

Please join the King of Possibility and the Clown Prince of Enthusiasm as we take a quick-ish romp through the dangers of dodgy definitions.
This week we look at:
– The need to look beyond what people claim they can do.
– Why “digital” limits your effectiveness
– How titles can be sort of right and completely wrong, at the same time
– Writers who can’t spel (mispelt on purpose)

BONE TO PICK #8

YOU ARE NOT YOUR CUSTOMER

FEATURING: CRAIG M^CLEOD & JOHN DOUGLAS

Another week. Another juicy bone. Join us as we take a shallow dive into the pool labelled, “You are not your customer”.
Conversation starters include:
– The need to talk the customer’s language not your own
– Your media choices are not your customer’s choices

BONE TO PICK #7

AGENCY RELATIONSHIPS

FEATURING: CRAIG M^CLEOD & JOHN DOUGLAS

Another week, another bone. Join us for a juicy mouthful of client/agency relationships, great insights and bad impersonations.

– What should you look for in an agency?
– What should an agency look for in a client? How to spot the one that’s right for you.
– What’s the number one secret to choosing the right agency?

BONE TO PICK #6

RESEARCH

FEATURING: CRAIG M^CLEOD & JOHN DOUGLAS

Join us as we take a few meaty chunks out of the rump of advertising research. 20 slightly manic minutes mingled with some more carefully considered perspectives on the value of research.

– Where should research be used?
– Where should research be avoided?
– How research can make advertising more effective. Or not.

BONE TO PICK #5

PERSPECTIVE

FEATURING: CRAIG M^CLEOD & JOHN DOUGLAS

How do you stand out when everyone’s yelling the same thing? Join us for 20 lighthearted minutes on perspective as we chew over:

– Triggering senses to encourage re-purchase.
– The fourth quadrant of business impact.
– Why businesses can profit from doing things 1% better.

BONE TO PICK #4

PROSPECTING IN ISOLATION

FEATURING: CRAIG M^CLEOD & JOHN DOUGLAS

Another 20 minutes of banter and observation – chewing over the bone of business prospecting.
How do you find new business, and how do you find new business in isolation? We look at:

– The two most visible personality types observed at this time.
– Is it OK to talk about making money in lock down?
– The importance of resilience.
– When “No” means “No, not now” not “No, not ever.”

BONE TO PICK #3

MARKETING AND MARGIN

FEATURING: CRAIG M^CLEOD & JOHN DOUGLAS

This week we explore the notion that if you don’t need margin you don’t need marketing. Reducing price leads to reducing margin, reducing margin leads to a business that is no longer viable.

The relationship between sales and marketing is so important, if both teams are connected and working from the same data set we see a far greater propensity for business success. Marketing creates the promise, builds value and can deliver the opportunity and sales needs to continue the ‘on brand’, nurtured journey through to the sale.

Pipeline and Funnel are the same thing.

BONE TO PICK #2

RELEVANCE IN ADVERTISING

FEATURING: CRAIG M^CLEOD & JOHN DOUGLAS

Why would brands be advertising a message that has nothing to do with their purpose? Sense check, be relevant and think before you advertise! Don’t throw out your marketing plan, don’t think you’re not allowed to make money, and stay the course and aim to influence consumer preference.

BONE TO PICK #1

MARKETING IN ISOLATION

FEATURING: CRAIG M^CLEOD & JOHN DOUGLAS

Marketing in isolation can run the very real risk of your world view becoming ‘the only’ world view. Without colleagues around you to bounce ideas off or to test the sanity of new ideas brands can become a misaligned extension of yourself.