Well Rob, Andrew and I realized it was about time we did another APSOTW assignment. Here goes.
This is an exercise in the often overlooked art of defining the problem to be solved and therefore the role for communications. It's a simple challenge we're setting:
Imagine you are at your desk and your phone rings.
It's the new CMO of Kiehl's, a wildly successful brand of stripped down cosmetics. Retail stores around the world. Acquired in 2000 by L'Oreal.
Success has been built through great word of mouth and their habit of giving free samples for you to use or pass along to friends and family.
There has been little, if any, 'traditional' paid advertising.
But sales have slowed. The CMO believes it's time to invest in marketing communication. He wants your agency to tell them - and the management team - if you believe they should invest in marketing communication and why.
You have no more than 10 minutes on a conference call to make your case. Your answer to this question will determine whether conversations continue. They are talking to 12 more agencies. What would you say?
The assignment is to share your talking points/argument in no more than a one page document. We will be looking for clarity and conviction; interestingness and rigor. Send entries by the contact address on this blog by the end of June. We'll pull together a group of judges (hoefully including Rob, Andrew and David from WARC) to get you feedback soon after - this will be posted!
To help you, the kind people at WARC (one of the best resources of intellectual capital about brands and advertising) have offered up free access to some useful articles. You can access:
Peter Field and Les Binet on short term and long term effects here
A piece on L'Oreal embracing digital here
And a piece on the briliant BBH Yeo Valley campaign here
Thanks to David and the team at WARC for these.
Good luck!
This should be fun!
Posted by: Tokumoto | June 04, 2013 at 10:11 PM
Genius task, genius
Posted by: northern | June 05, 2013 at 11:38 AM
thanks to Kiehl's and Man of Steel, the task just got a little harder.
Posted by: Paulo | June 07, 2013 at 01:48 PM
Hey - does anyone know where the contact address is on this blog? I can't seem to find it anywhere. Thanks!
Posted by: Ella | June 16, 2013 at 05:35 PM
Hi Ella,
I think it's the one toward the bottom right of the page: [email protected]
Posted by: Pierce | June 17, 2013 at 12:16 PM
Thanks Pierce
Posted by: Ella | June 18, 2013 at 05:03 PM
Is this for Europe, Asia or the U.S.?
Posted by: Kristin | June 20, 2013 at 10:22 PM
If this assignment pertains to the U.S. have sales actually slowed, or is this a hypothetical problem? If so, are you looking to see how we would define the role of communications for a company that has relied soley on word of mouth and is now looking to boost sales through advertising?
Posted by: Kristin | June 20, 2013 at 10:43 PM
It's hypothetical decline and global in nature.
I used the phrase 'marketing communications' deliberately.
Posted by: Gareth | June 27, 2013 at 12:56 PM
All feedback will be available to the public?
Posted by: Tokumoto | July 05, 2013 at 05:11 AM