Xavier Adam Blog

Surprise News

25 April 2010 – 9:32 am

We like a good pun here! Fortunately this is also a good headline. When someone called the other day from Land Rover, I had to quiz them on why sales were up? Is this just good PR?

Admittedly, like for like sales broken down by month, should show an uplift in 2010, as 2009 was generally a tough year across the motor sector. Government incentives in some regions did help particular manufacturers with their sales.

With the cost of purchase, high fuel prices and an unfair ‘Showroom Tax’ in the UK. There is no doubt a buyer in 2010 has to be a car fan.

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Peugeot Updates

6 April 2010 – 11:14 am

This is the slightly updated Peugeot logo with new tag line. A somewhat under rated marque in the UK. This brand update reflects the sleek lines of the French makers’ cars. Definitely a hit.

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BMW what we expect

3 April 2010 – 1:06 pm

This was London Waterloo Station recently. BMW had wrapped a significant part of the station with its advertising; to brand build and demonstrate its precision engineering. Unlike the fun colour campaigns which follow. This is much more what we expect of the Munich based motor manufacturer.

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BMW has some fun

3 April 2010 – 12:20 pm

BMW usually runs very factual and teutonic style marketing. Talking about the vehicle and what it can do. In this fun press advert from last week, they offer different coloured badges for their cars. Based on the three main UK political parties. This is quite a diversion from their usual approach, and can maybe be tracked back to an equally fun and colourful marketing campaign for the BMW Z4.

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Nearly Man

1 November 2009 – 1:27 pm

A while back my friend’s father in law labelled the 2009 Formula 1 Drivers World Champion, Nearly Man.

As my friend recently said, he was nearly right.

Having had an accidental drink with Jenson Button one afternoon in Chelsea, I felt this was a somewhat unfair title.

Working with a number of motor manufacturers and race teams, I have more insight than most, and most of the time considered Jenson worthy of his F1 seat. The Honda withdrawal of late 2008 looked like Jenson would be left high and dry.

Since Jenson and Brawn GP won the Championship recently, it would appear many now agree. He is a bona fide sportsman.

Isn’t it amazing how attitudes change towards a winner?

The above snapped in London’s Savile Row.

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Simplicity and regularity work

1 November 2009 – 12:34 pm

I have always said communications need to be consistent. A quick blast of PR may make the Chief Executive feel good, but is a quick spike in marketing spend really the way to go.

Back in 2002, I remember being near the Tate Modern on London’s Southbank and first seeing the Starbucks Red Cup promotion. Really simple, red cups for Christmas. That is it.

Every year Starbucks does a low level push of the red cups. This simple idea gives Starbucks some variation on its usual product range and helps to bring customers to the coffee shops. As well as the feel good factor of the brand getting in on the seasonal action.

Marketing does not need to always be about the big ubiquitous idea.

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Can a bus look good?

29 October 2009 – 2:32 pm

Being based in Central London, there is never a shortage of buses and their sometimes interesting livery to admire from my window. All day buses trundle past in a non-descript fashion. Single and double deckers, Routemasters, Ken’s reviled bendy bus, coaches and mini-buses.

Despite this malaise of traffic, once a month an advertisement jumps out. This month it was the one pictured above, for Swiss airline, Swiss. Not Swiss Air, for which it is commonly mistaken, they were one of the first airlines to go out of business at the start of the decade. As a result, one time magazine editor and creative, Tyler Brulee, cleverly turned Swiss Air in to Swiss. I digress.

What we really want to talk about here is using the media. Working with raw material and doing something eye catching and different. Some clever creative has thought, how do buses in ski resorts look, and painted (well stickered) a rack, skis and poles to the back end of this number 9. Eye catching and simple. The creative idea is a 10/10. Now will it sell more flights?

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Guest Blogger, the first

6 October 2009 – 7:58 am

When I set up this blog a while back, the idea was to feature some guest bloggers. Some of the people at work, were less forthcoming about the idea!

Here we have our first skilled author. The likeable solicitor from Soho based law firm, Matt King of Simons Muirhead Burton.

“Back in spring, Courtney Love became the first celebrity sued for Tweeting. A libel (or “Twibel”) claim was brought against Love for a message posted on Twitter in which Love accused a clothing designer of being a “lying thief” and a “drug addict”.

Last month, Chicago resident Amanda Bonnen was sued when her landlord, Horizon Group Management, filed a claim for $50,000 against her, alleging that one of her Tweets resulted in damage to the company’s reputation. Jeffrey Michael of Horizon declared to the Chicago Sun-Times, “We’re a ‘sue first, ask questions later’ kind of an organization.”

Twitterers beware: it can be very easy to slip into complacency where the likes of Twitter and Facebook provide us with a means of instant publication. It is only a matter of time until a similar suit is brought in England. Users should be reminded to think first, Tweet later.”

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Not media, marketing or public relations!

15 September 2009 – 8:49 am

Latest article written for ski website, PlanetSKI.

It may be only September but PlanetSKI reader, Xavier Adam, has just booked his first ski trip. It’s going to be in November, but he doesn’t know where. He’s got a few other plans too.

“I don’t know exactly where I’ll go in November. I have the flight booked and will simply see where the snow is falling.”

In reality, being an avid skier from 5 years old , my thoughts are never really far from winter and this summer I have been doing some serious (ish) training in the gym and swimming pool and what has kept me going is imagining how fit I’ll be for the winter!

Last season was awesome, the best ever with amazing conditions across Europe from November onwards, so I’m off again in November.

Maybe to Verbier as I spent a lot of time there last season.

The skiing, restaurants and nightlife were excellent.

I also visited Zermatt, Formigal and Port del Compte and made many, many new friends.

From the Spanish junior ski champion I spotted taking a Friday off school for training, to retired jovial friends, with lots of ski experience between them, acting as if in their youth again.

I hadn’t skied in the Alps for over ten years prior to last season.

Being part Catalan and based in Spain, it’s easier to throw the gear in the car, and just drive two hours to Baquiera,Taull, La Molina or Val d’Nuria up in the Spanish Pyrenees.

All fantastic ski resorts, if a little overrun like everywhere, at the peak time of Christmas and New Year.

Being based in Europe makes it possible to track when and where the snow is good and just head off. Very, very easy.

Having spent a lot of my youth in the Pyrenees, for me they are one of the most beautiful mountain ranges.

The Savolyeres area in Verbier has a Pyrenean aspect with fir trees and flowing, rounded mountain tops. The added bonus of it being quiet and off the badge collector ski trail, means it is a very tranquil and picturesque environment.

Ski-wise it can also be challenging too, if you know where to look.

Last November, I upgraded my skis, boots and various other bits of gear, going for quality over aesthetics.

The new skis were so radically different to what I was used to, I hated them at first, and it seemed they hated me but perseverance and the fact they cost nearly £1000 saw me get them dancing after a few weeks.

Going back to my old skis now is like hopping in a steam driven vehicle c1900.

This season again, I will be partly based in Verbier, with plenty of trips planned to the Pyrenees.

What a flight Geneva-Barcelona is in winter, the snow capped Alps merging quickly from the air with their Pyrenean cousins.

Breathtaking and worth it for the flight alone.

In Spain, I am hoping to go back to Baqueria after a six year break, try Formigal on a good weather day and explore La Molina, with the local Barcelonenes.

Austria is another option, having been to Kitzbuhel for a mountain party pre-season, it must look even more beautiful with a picture postcard dusting of snow.

The opportunities are endless…… roll on November.”

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Growing Business

12 August 2009 – 9:19 am

The Editor of Growing Business, James Hurley, contacted me and asked if I could answer one of his reader questions, you can see the question and my answer below.

Q. My business-to-business logistics firm has been holding its own in the recession, but cashflow remains a concern. I’m keen to reappraise costs, particularly in advertising and marketing. I’ve spent a fair bit on public relations, but it’s hard to measure the impact on the bottom line, so I want to invest in more measurable campaigns. Are there any risks associated with reducing or even completely cutting out PR?

Xavier Adam writes:

I would advise you to question whether you really want to put your PR and marketing on ice. No doubt you’ll have heard something similar banded around by the industry, but it’s true. As a business owner, I fully understand where you’re coming from. However, my organisation, AMC Network, is currently doing more marketing than we have in the last 10 years. Advertising, sponsorship, digital communications and PR are all on our shopping list.

Marketing works – we have tangible enquiries coming in as a result. If you’re a good client, treating your suppliers with respect and paying bills promptly, I’m sure they would want to help you. Have you spoken to them about your cashflow predicament? If you are straight and tell them how it is, they may be able to accommodate you, perhaps with temporary reduced payment terms, delayed billing periods or some added HR from your firm.

In terms of effectiveness, you can measure all you like, but have you straw-polled your audiences? I certainly do this on a regular basis, to ask them how they have heard of ‘things’, from campaigns to events and new products. This may not be very scientific, but it is effective, and you hear it from the horse’s mouth. It’s fine to back this up with research centre data, but getting a first-hand feel for your customers’ reactions is a good solid activity at any time, and one engaged in by most major retailers, for example. They will get on the shop floor and see what their customers are doing. All marketing is quite cost-effective right now, as demand is weaker than it was 18 to 24 months ago, but note that good operators will only price cut marginally. While there may be fewer buyers, there are still plenty out there for good suppliers.

A presumptuous approach, as we have experienced a couple of times, will not work in your favour. So talk to your suppliers to see if there is middle ground, and gauge effectiveness by polling your contacts. Remember, your suppliers and customers want you to succeed.

Xavier Adam runs PR and marketing firm AMC Network, which operates in six countries and is often engaged in wider global campaigns. www.redamc.com

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