I recreated all my favourite TV tropes, from crawling through pipes to being two kids in a trenchcoat
Carrot or stick? For Aldi and Lidl, equal pay goes hand in hand with commercial success December 13, 2018 Kevin the Carrot, who once again features in Aldi’s Christmas advert, is proving a bigger hit with shoppers than even Elton John, star of the John Lewis ad. Soft-toy versions of the animated vegetable sold out at 4am on the day of release in some areas and have reportedly provoked fights among customers desperate to [...]
Mixed bag for Britain’s grocers as market cools despite record Christmas spending forecasts December 11, 2018 Shoppers have been taking fewer trips to the supermarket in recent weeks after a bumper summer of demand, according to new data that suggests Britain's grocery sector has slowed to its lowest rate of growth in more than a year. Despite projections that spending this Christmas will break UK records, the supermarket sector grew at two [...]
A change is as good as a repeat in the supermarket Christmas ad run November 28, 2018 Retailers are continuing to battle for ad supremacy as we approach Christmas, but which brands in the supermarket sector have been most successful in grabbing viewers’ attention? YouGov brand tracking data indicates that Aldi currently has the highest level of Ad Awareness (whether someone has seen or hear an advert for a brand in the [...]
Aldi’s Kevin the Carrot festive advert toy causes shopping hysteria November 23, 2018 Sales of Aldi's Kevin the Carrot plush toys have sent UK shoppers wild ahead of Black Friday, with the toy selling out online and in stores up and down the country less than a day after being made available. The release of Aldi's Christmas advert this year saw the return of Kevin the Carrot and his [...]
John Lewis, Sainsbury’s, or M&S? Whose Christmas ad was best this year November 20, 2018 So this is Christmas. And what have you done? Another year over, and the festive ads just begun. Yes, ’tis the season for brands to splash the cash on fancy holiday-themed adverts in hope of attracting that sweet Christmas shopping revenue. Retailer John Lewis has been the reigning champion of the season for the past [...]
John Lewis risks looking old hat as Iceland nails ad virality November 13, 2018 John Lewis’s Christmas adverts always provoke a huge reaction – generating the sort of headlines and cut-through that are the envy of marketers and company bosses everywhere. However, as we await this year’s effort, it is worth looking back to last year’s ‘Moz the Monster’ campaign. YouGov BrandIndex data from Christmas 2017 showed that while [...]
Iceland’s banned palm oil advert could win over middle class shoppers as supermarkets prepare for Christmas November 13, 2018 Iceland could get a shot in the arm from its banned Christmas advert by appealing to middle class shoppers, according to consumer research firm Kantar Worldpanel. The supermarket's advert, which caused a storm on social media when it was deemed “too political” to be aired by Clearcast, could be exactly what the store needs to reach out to [...]
The Conservatives must not be afraid to stand up for free markets November 12, 2018 Today’s younger voters were born after the Berlin Wall had fallen and the battle of ideas over economics and the role of the state had been won for a generation. Since then, the world has changed. The Labour party has fallen under the control of people who do not believe in markets, free enterprise, or business. [...]
Sainsbury’s and Asda merger could cut hole in shoppers’ pockets, Waitrose warns November 8, 2018 The proposed merger of Asda and Sainsbury’s will cause substantial harm to customers, rival chain Waitrose warned today. It said the merger could force independent retailers to close in the face of competition from the new giant, leaving shoppers with fewer alternatives, while prices could rise. In comments to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which [...]
Shareholders need to hear more than just contrition if they are to believe in the future of M&S November 8, 2018 Another day, another bleak set of results from a struggling high street retailer. This time it was the turn of M&S to take centre stage, reporting falling food and fashion sales and pledging to leave “no stone unturned” in its bid to restructure the business. Blighted by rising costs, more competition, and major changes in [...]