I must remember to use this blog test bed more frequently as must everyone here at the agency especially as we're going all web 2.0 by the end of the month...
But anyway, the reason for the post is that I discovered Street View on Google maps which is fantastic for seeing all sorts of fantastic things - the effort and resources that went into it must have been phenomenal. Intriguingly, if you view Kirby Street (EC1N 8TS) from Greville Road you get a glimpse of the agency front door with an individual forever frozen in time in the process of strategising... or maybe not!
Wednesday, 17 March 2010
Friday, 30 October 2009
Ever felt naked without it?
I was reading an article the other day (yes in the printed media) which got me thinking. How did we all used get by in our daily lives without mobile phones? The Chief Executive of Ericsson (the world’s largest maker of telecoms network gear) reckons that the number of people with a mobile phone has risen to 3.6 billion out of a current world population of 6.7 billion. The mobile phone or not so mobile ‘Portable bricks’ as they were back in the mid 1980’s have now become such an integral part of our lives. Used for all manner of applications from straightforward phone calls and texting to surfing the internet, satellite navigation and applying for jobs on the move. The very next day after reading the article I managed to leave home without my phone and have to say felt rather naked without it.
Colin Gilby
Tuesday, 20 October 2009
Wake up and smell the newsprint!
Whilst we're on the subject of newspapers, I'm constantly amazed by the local press's Canute-like attitude to advertising rates. On the one hand we hear daily of the decline in advertising revenues - especially from classified and recruitment advertising - yet publishers continue to increase rates and force advertisers to buy 'packages' of papers rather than the one title they want.
From memory this started over 15 years ago, when big publishers started buying up the independent titles and smaller groups, as well as publishing more weekly free titles. Once they had an area monopoly they then hit on the cunning wheeze of putting these papers into 'packages' with bigger circulation figures and covering wider areas - and doubling the price. That may have worked for a few years, but with many viable on-line alternatives now, surely it's time publishers to hit the reverse gear and GIVE THE ADVERTISIERS WHAT THEY WANT - and maybe helped themselves into the bargin?
Mike Jefferies
From memory this started over 15 years ago, when big publishers started buying up the independent titles and smaller groups, as well as publishing more weekly free titles. Once they had an area monopoly they then hit on the cunning wheeze of putting these papers into 'packages' with bigger circulation figures and covering wider areas - and doubling the price. That may have worked for a few years, but with many viable on-line alternatives now, surely it's time publishers to hit the reverse gear and GIVE THE ADVERTISIERS WHAT THEY WANT - and maybe helped themselves into the bargin?
Mike Jefferies
Friday, 16 October 2009
The King is dead, long live the King (hopefully…)
So the news that London's Evening Standard became a free newspaper on Monday came as a bit of a shock. In ending 182 years as a paid-for title, it is the first quality daily newspaper to go free, but in these depressing times for print media everywhere, I suspect that it won’t be the last! It claims to be a bid to boost its circulation from 250,000 previously to over 600,000 copies, but I have to wonder at what cost?
It’s losing c£125,000 of paid sales a day, so presumably that will need to be made up by increased advertising revenue? In my own opinion, I’m not sure how well received rate increases will be or how good a strategy that is in the present climate. After all, if Murdoch couldn’t cut it with the Londonpaper which closed last month after it suffered heavy losses, and with its former free stable mates at Associated Newspapers, the Metro (morning) and London Lite (afternoon), now seemingly well established… it will be interesting to see what transpires. I wish them well!
It’s losing c£125,000 of paid sales a day, so presumably that will need to be made up by increased advertising revenue? In my own opinion, I’m not sure how well received rate increases will be or how good a strategy that is in the present climate. After all, if Murdoch couldn’t cut it with the Londonpaper which closed last month after it suffered heavy losses, and with its former free stable mates at Associated Newspapers, the Metro (morning) and London Lite (afternoon), now seemingly well established… it will be interesting to see what transpires. I wish them well!
Tuesday, 4 August 2009
Credit Crunch - an every day tale....
This came into my inbox which I found quite amusing:
"It is the month of August, on the shores of the Black Sea. It is raining, and the little town looks totally deserted. It is tough times, everybody is in debt, and everybody lives on credit.
Suddenly, a rich tourist comes to town. He enters the only hotel, lays a 100 Euro note on the reception counter, and goes to inspect the rooms upstairs in order to pick one.
The hotel proprietor takes the 100 Euro note and runs to pay his debt to the butcher. The butcher takes the 100 Euro note, and runs to pay his debt to the pig grower.
The pig grower takes the 100 Euro note, and runs to pay his debt to the supplier of his feed and fuel.
The supplier of feed and fuel takes the 100 Euro note and runs to pay his debt to the town's prostitute that in these hard times, gave her "services" on credit.
The hooker runs to the hotel, and pays off her debt with the 100 Euro note to the hotel proprietor to pay for the rooms that she rented when she brought her clients there.
The hotel proprietor then lays the 100 Euro note back on the counter so that the rich tourist will not suspect anything.
At that moment, the rich tourist comes down after inspecting the rooms, and takes his 100 Euro note, after saying that he did not like any of the rooms, and leaves town.
No one earned anything. However, the whole town is now without debt, and looks to the future with a lot of optimism. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is exactly how the World is doing business today."
"It is the month of August, on the shores of the Black Sea. It is raining, and the little town looks totally deserted. It is tough times, everybody is in debt, and everybody lives on credit.
Suddenly, a rich tourist comes to town. He enters the only hotel, lays a 100 Euro note on the reception counter, and goes to inspect the rooms upstairs in order to pick one.
The hotel proprietor takes the 100 Euro note and runs to pay his debt to the butcher. The butcher takes the 100 Euro note, and runs to pay his debt to the pig grower.
The pig grower takes the 100 Euro note, and runs to pay his debt to the supplier of his feed and fuel.
The supplier of feed and fuel takes the 100 Euro note and runs to pay his debt to the town's prostitute that in these hard times, gave her "services" on credit.
The hooker runs to the hotel, and pays off her debt with the 100 Euro note to the hotel proprietor to pay for the rooms that she rented when she brought her clients there.
The hotel proprietor then lays the 100 Euro note back on the counter so that the rich tourist will not suspect anything.
At that moment, the rich tourist comes down after inspecting the rooms, and takes his 100 Euro note, after saying that he did not like any of the rooms, and leaves town.
No one earned anything. However, the whole town is now without debt, and looks to the future with a lot of optimism. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is exactly how the World is doing business today."
Thursday, 23 July 2009
Where have all the good ones gone?
As we continue to weave our way through the worst recession in years, one of the biggest challenges we face is how to help our clients find those elusive 'passive' candidates.
Despite the economic climate, there are companies and organisations that are recruiting and there are jobs that need filling, but understandably there are very few people who are currently working that want to risk moving jobs at the moment. That's a lot of people that are rarely looking on job boards and have no need to register their details with consultants; That's a lot of passive candidates.
Surprisingly one recent campaign we've run suggests that 'old school' methods are worth considering. Whilst the recruitment pages of newspapers have dramatically shrunk, they are often read by non-job hunters 'browsing' through their paper (unlike job boards). Add in a spot of editorial and perhaps a teaser in the ROP section and it becomes a viable option to reach that allusive passive audience.
It is exactly what we did recently for Whitbread in the Daily Mail (remember them?) and it does seem to have worked (apparently the conversion rate is around 25%).
Now clearly it doesn't signal the end of the remorseless advance of on-line as the primary attraction platform, but it does suggest that a little lateral thinking can work wonders in today's extraordinary market.
Mike Jefferies
Despite the economic climate, there are companies and organisations that are recruiting and there are jobs that need filling, but understandably there are very few people who are currently working that want to risk moving jobs at the moment. That's a lot of people that are rarely looking on job boards and have no need to register their details with consultants; That's a lot of passive candidates.
Surprisingly one recent campaign we've run suggests that 'old school' methods are worth considering. Whilst the recruitment pages of newspapers have dramatically shrunk, they are often read by non-job hunters 'browsing' through their paper (unlike job boards). Add in a spot of editorial and perhaps a teaser in the ROP section and it becomes a viable option to reach that allusive passive audience.
It is exactly what we did recently for Whitbread in the Daily Mail (remember them?) and it does seem to have worked (apparently the conversion rate is around 25%).
Now clearly it doesn't signal the end of the remorseless advance of on-line as the primary attraction platform, but it does suggest that a little lateral thinking can work wonders in today's extraordinary market.
Mike Jefferies
Thursday, 16 July 2009
Welcome to the WDAD blog!
This provides us with a casual forum in which we can communicate with our clients the day to day experiences/treasures that we all come across.
It's a place where the whole agency can contribute, and our first entry is from one of our interns, as she experiences her first taste of the recruitment advertising arena.
We hope you enjoy and visit us regularly ;)
WDAD Communications
A first taste of recruitment advertising (and London!) by Sarah Butler - Intern)
When I decided to intern in London this summer I had no idea what to expect. Not only had I never been to the UK before, but I was also about to experience my first internship. I choose to interview with WDAD pretty randomly. From what I saw on their website they seemed creative light-hearted, and professional. I knew nothing about employee recruitment advertising but when I was offered the job I immediately agreed.
Working at WDAD has definitely been an experience I will take with me for the rest of my life. The people here are very friendly and accepting, which I am ashamed to admit surprised me because I pictured British people to be a little conservative!. The field of employee recruitment advertising surprised me a lot too. I was expecting the ads to be serious, copy-driven jobs listings, but instead the creative team comes up with a full array of ads - even the more serious ones have a lot of flare.
I have had the opportunity to experience both the creative and the account services sides of the agency. It has been interesting to see how everyone’s strengths play a huge part at WDAD. The time I have spent in the creative department has further reinforced my decision to pursue a career in advertising (since I aspire to eventually become a Creative or Art Director). I’ve had the opportunity to sit in on briefings, design my own campaign based on a mock brief, and work on the art direction of current ads.
Unfortunately, my time here is almost up and I will be leaving in a week. While it will be nice to see my family and friends again, I know I will miss London terribly. I am, however going back to my life in the States with a much more educated view on England, advertising, and the employee recruitment field.
It's a place where the whole agency can contribute, and our first entry is from one of our interns, as she experiences her first taste of the recruitment advertising arena.
We hope you enjoy and visit us regularly ;)
WDAD Communications
A first taste of recruitment advertising (and London!) by Sarah Butler - Intern)
When I decided to intern in London this summer I had no idea what to expect. Not only had I never been to the UK before, but I was also about to experience my first internship. I choose to interview with WDAD pretty randomly. From what I saw on their website they seemed creative light-hearted, and professional. I knew nothing about employee recruitment advertising but when I was offered the job I immediately agreed.
Working at WDAD has definitely been an experience I will take with me for the rest of my life. The people here are very friendly and accepting, which I am ashamed to admit surprised me because I pictured British people to be a little conservative!. The field of employee recruitment advertising surprised me a lot too. I was expecting the ads to be serious, copy-driven jobs listings, but instead the creative team comes up with a full array of ads - even the more serious ones have a lot of flare.
I have had the opportunity to experience both the creative and the account services sides of the agency. It has been interesting to see how everyone’s strengths play a huge part at WDAD. The time I have spent in the creative department has further reinforced my decision to pursue a career in advertising (since I aspire to eventually become a Creative or Art Director). I’ve had the opportunity to sit in on briefings, design my own campaign based on a mock brief, and work on the art direction of current ads.
Unfortunately, my time here is almost up and I will be leaving in a week. While it will be nice to see my family and friends again, I know I will miss London terribly. I am, however going back to my life in the States with a much more educated view on England, advertising, and the employee recruitment field.
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