We’re The Brand Union, and this is a stick-up.
Do what we say and nobody will get hurt.
Follow us on:

The Poker

May 2, 2013

image

Image credit: Roman Coppola, Nokia Lumia 920 Ad

A bride and groom stand at the altar, eyes gleaming, before we are introduced to the wedding party separated by aisle and choice of phone – Apple or Samsung.  Arguments turn to aggression, giving way to a full on fight, in which every prized feature of iPhones and Samsung smartphones are mocked. I challenge even the greatest fanatics not to bear a grin, regardless of what they own.

Read More

“Less is more…

May 1, 2013

image

Image Credit: fuseproject.com

… or is it a bore?” That’s what the head of creative services at Braun once said to me when I presented some stripped back Dieter Rams inspired pack design concepts for a men’s shaving range to her. Did she have a point, in our pursuit of a clean minimal aesthetic had we gone to far, had we lost some emotional engagement?

Read More

Audience in Context

April 29, 2013

image

Last week I went to see the sold out production of ‘The Audience’ starring Helen Mirren as the Queen in London’s West End. A ticket I had bought months in advance, and on a day that just happened to be the eve of Margaret Thatchers funeral.

Read More

A sad week for the design community last week with the news that Storm Thorgerson, one of the most influential album cover designers of all time, has passed away aged 69. The designer behind Pink Floyd’s iconic album covers, he pioneered the design of the LP sleeve into an art form, so much so that he was known as the sixth member of the band because of his close friendship and collaboration with them through the late sixties onwards.

Read More

Every Little Helps

April 19, 2013

image

UK supermarket giant Tesco has just announced a £1.2 billion hit from its venture into the North American market which has crashed and burned and sees them closing close to 200 Fresh & Easy stores on the West Coast. Just like Robbie Williams and Marks & Spencer before them success in the UK and other international markets is no guarantee that you’ll make it big in the States. 

Read More

My name’s Rory McIlroy. Did you know that I earned about $15 million last year and got an MBE. I’m only 23 – amazing. I know a few things about buying a house – my manager sorted me out with a couple that I paid for in cash, so if you’re hard up and want any financial advice, I’m the man. Can you tell I’m looking at the autocue?

Read More

Feel(ing like a) Virgin

April 11, 2013

image

A recent research adventure saw me in Istanbul for a day. The only site I had a chance to take in was ‘Kiler’ supermarket next door to the focus group facility. 

Read More

Can you dig it?

April 10, 2013

image

Margaret Thatcher’s demise has made me a little nostalgic for the brands I consumed and experienced when she first came into power in ’79.

Read More

Bold face of childcare

March 28, 2013

image

It appears that Mamas & Papas has had a face-lift, but post-op I’m not sure whether I see a fresh face or something over-worked?

Read More

Has the latest expose of Boris Johnson, following that fateful Eddie Mair interview, finally brought about the death throes of the ticking time bomb that is Brand Boris?

Some would say it was inevitable,

Read More

image

Okay, so I’ve missed the boat on the horse meat scandal; it’s old hat and cat milk is about to break, but what really got my goat was the missive that Tesco published in the wake of the outcry.

Read More

image

Finally, a savvy bit of sports sponsorship. Unilever’s decision to partner with Lotus F1 for the next three years has paid instant dividends, with victory in the very first race of the season giving their Sure for Men antiperspirant prominent exposure. 

Read More

image

Image: TheMetaPicture.com

A recent academic paper written by researchers Cambridge University claims to be able to predict personality based on Facebook Likes.Data was collected from over 58,000 volunteers in the US. The Likes were then fed into an algorithm, which aggregated various categories such as music, and TV shows, and matched with the personality trait information provided.

The predictive power of ‘likes’ is startlingly accurate and capable of providing highly sensitive personal information,

Read More

Special K.O.P.I.

March 12, 2013

image

There’s been a lot of buzz around the breakfast occasion in recent months, and not just because the porridge market is booming thanks to a chilly winter!

Read More

imageImage: ‘Some passengers thought Ricardo had taken the ‘Little Red’ theme a little too far’

BA and Flybe…watch out, you’ve got a contender on your tails.

Read More