What is brand, and how are brands built? Our founder, Julian Kynaston, answers these questions and more in this no-holds-barred, fast-paced account of how he launched and grew Propaganda into one of the UK’s most successful brand consultancies.
Available now from Amazon and all good book shops.
In a campaign stimulated by Propaganda, February the 14th shall forever more be know as Ann Summers Day.
Since the launch of the campaign, on the 3rd of February, Ann Summers have been taking the Ann Summers Day message to the lovers of Britain.
Starting with the launch of the new Ann Summers shop window campaign…
Then came, the launch of The Ann Summers manifesto which takes a stand against the traditional Valentines Day messages. Which insists Valentines Day is not about being sentimental; it’s about being sexy!
Featured in The Sun, The Metro and Fabulous magazine, Ann Summers are taking their message to the British public.
So boys, remember…
“A Bunch Of Roses Belongs In The 80’s”
“Chocolates Are For Hospitals”
And this is exactly the message we took to the streets of London. By projecting it on the front of a famous store, you may have heard of it 😉
Not only did we give Liberty’s of London the night of their life… But in the early hours of Friday morning, over 30 pieces of “green” Ann Summers graffiti appeared on the streets on London.
Targeting the usual Valentines hot spots, such as: Le Maison Du Chocolat, Liberty’s of London, Paperchase, Victoria’s Secret, Colombia Rd Flower market, Marks and Spencer and many more…
We hit the streets (literally) with our Happy Ann Summers Day message…
The Ann Summers Day disruption tactics have been a huge success. We’ve created a stir in the Ann Summers shop windows, in the national media, across Twitter and Instagram as well as on the streets of London.
So all that’s left to say is Happy Ann Summer Day, and remember be sexy, not sentimental!
In 2009, Neil Capstick approached Propaganda to bring to life an idea that would shake up hairdressing businesses everywhere – a capsule collection of products to redefine luxury hair care for salons. Four years since Propaganda helped to develop and launch the brand, Neal & Wolf is a thriving success; used and retailed in over 1700 salons and available in 7 countries.
To help him create his brainchild in the early days, Neil chose Propaganda for its watertight Brand Discovery process and proven successful track record in the hair care industry. His brief was simple – to create a simple, effective brand of hair care products that would stand out in a market place swamped with complicated, overpriced ranges, and stand the test of time.
It was through a robust Brand Discovery process that, working closely with Neil – who has over 20 years experience in and endless passion for the professional hairdressing industry –a brand and proposition to capture the imaginations of salon owners and their clients was born: Neal & Wolf; Indulgence Redefined.
It was this proposition, which invited hairdressers and their customers to enjoy an indulgent experience, every single day that underpinned the development of the range; from the name and look, to the distinctive, luxurious fragrance of the products, as well as a brand strategy that offered attractive profits for salons whilst enabling Neal & Wolf to thrive on a long term basis. The focus always remained on bringing an affordable yet uncompromising indulgent range of 10 gorgeous products into women’s everyday hair care routine – and a tidy profit to the salons selling it!
Propaganda now works closely with the brand, ensuring it’s still front of mind for the trade and consumers through PR and social media activity, as it continues to grow its distribution and product range. With 6 new products being introduced to the range this year & hundreds more salons lined up, the future looks bright for Neal & Wolf.
Today sees the launch of The Ann Summers’ Day Manifesto, which declares that Valentines day is not a time for wilting flowers, soppy cards or cheap chocolates.
In a campaign developed by Propaganda, Ann Summers have a dig at traditional Valentines gifts and say February 14th should be sexy, not sentimental. A day where women should get what they really want. To this end they’ve decided to give this famous day a new name: “Ann Summers Day.”
So as things hot up towards the sexiest day of the year, keep an eye on our blog for some cheeky campaign updates.
Propaganda has launched its first campaign with pleasure retailer, Ann Summers. Launched on the 20th of January, The Ultimate Campaign focuses on the triple boost bra- the bra that promises three times the lift. Plus the new Ultimate G Vibrators – the vibrator range that promises a third level orgasm, yes ladies, they do exist…
The Ultimate Campaign features a bold new visual identity and for the first time, Ann Summers have used an image of a sex toy in their shop windows. Starring The Ultimate G Vibrator, alongside the triple boost bra, Ann Summers’ very own Jacqueline Gold, tweeted images of the new campaign windows.
Prior to the campaign launch, the Huffington Post’s 43,200,000 monthly unique users felt the vibrations of The Ultimate G range, which was reviewed on the website. Later, Arianna Huffington tweeted about The Ultimate G vibrator to her 1.45 million followers.
Big news spreads quickly, The Mail Online have featured the triple boost bra. The bust-boosting benefits bounced their way in front of the potential 168 million plus unique hits the mail online receives everyday.
Consequently, sales have seen a triple lift with The Ultimate G reaching a climax and selling out after only four days. The Triple Boost Bra sales have also seen a 50% bounce in the right direction.
This is the start of an exciting year of brand evolution for Ann Summers. Watch this space for more exciting (naughty and risqué) campaign updates….
We’re delighted that our work for long-standing client FMG has been shortlisted for this year’s Management Consultancies Association, Business Strategy Award.
But, why MCA?
Propaganda is the only marketing agency to be granted membership of the Management Consultancies Association and this shows just how different we are. Our membership doesn’t just serve to make us feel special – it’s to provide value for our clients and confidence to our prospects.
After all, our membership was secured on the basis of serious results. And as an agency, Propaganda has been delivering tangible business benefits and insight based results over the past 20 years.
During the nine years we’ve been a member of the MCA, we’ve won a series of awards, for marketing, strategy, innovation and customer engagement, across a range of sectors from logistics to cosmetics. Two Propaganda directors have claimed the title of Marketing Consultant of the year, Kirsty Birks (2007) and Julian Horberry (2009). Propaganda has also won the award for Best Small Consultancy Firm (2009).
Entering the MCA awards is a robust and comprehensive process, starting with a written entry of 2000 words. If shortlisted, the consultants and a client representative are required to attend an interview in front of a panel of industry leaders.
Other companies shortlisted for this year’s Strategy award are Boxwood with Travelex, KPMG with Philip Morris International and Prederi for the Department of Health. As a business, we’re often judged by the company we keep, and with the caliber of consultant/client entries in our category, we can be assured that our work is of the highest standard.
Sitting alongside the likes of Accenture, Deloitte and PwC, as MCA members, it’s easy to see why our clients are so confident in our abilities to transform their businesses.
Keep your eyes on @Propaganda_uk for updates on our progress.
For the entire month of January, The Car People has taken over, the MEN… http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Propaganda has carried out a Brand Discovery™ audit for Telecommunications Network Operator 24 Seven Communications Ltd, to help guide future direction. Following the consultative process, we’ve been appointed to implement an insight led strategic marketing plan, to position the business for future growth.
24 Seven, which owns and manages its own network in its entirety, has earned a reputation for reliability and technologically astute customer solutions. The company handles in excess of 150 million voice minutes per month, through a fully resilient multi-site network, serving a wide range of business sectors.
David Samuel, Managing Director of 24 Seven said: “We work in a highly competitive sector, and this process has identified the need to communicate our differentiating messages. We’ll look to engage with new and existing audiences in different ways, by offering innovative products and services. Through providing strategic advice and support, Propaganda will help us implement these changes.”
Craig Harrold, Client Services Director at Propaganda said: “By working together with 24 Seven and all its internal and external stakeholders, we’ve been able to gather an honest view of the business. We’ll use these insights to help strengthen the brand, and build a cohesive strategy for growth.”
With predicted global growth in online retail, more UK retailers are looking for a truly ‘cross border’ logistics solution, that takes cost, complexity and risk out of the supply chain process. Clipper’s recent acquisition of German logistics specialist, Geist, has strengthened their position in the European arena and is part of the roll out of Clipper’s pan-European growth strategy.
To articulate Clipper’s leadership position in European logistics, Propaganda has developed a campaign that echoes the ‘cross border’ supply chain process. The campaign includes advertising, which features hybrids of UK and European city names, such as BirmingHamburg, BerLincoln and TouLondon, with the underlying message that Clipper brings the UK and mainland Europe closer together.
A separate campaign promotes the newly developed service proposition ‘Boomerang’ designed to provide multichannel retailers with an efficient multichannel returns management process. This has been developed specifically to meet the growing demands that product ‘returns’ are placing on retailers.
Propaganda has also secured some great coverage for Clipper’s, recent acquisition of Geist, which has been featured in the Yorkshire Post, Yorkshire Evening Post, The Business Desk, Business Insider and key trade press.
Designer and manufacturer of contemporary commercial furniture, Connection, has appointed Propaganda to discover the key to business growth and improved brand equity.
Connection, which has headquarters in Huddersfield and a strategic showroom in London, has been manufacturing innovative and contemporary furniture for nearly two decades, during which time the market has changed significantly. The company has seen a trend develop for more informal office solutions, which it has responded to, enabling businesses to meet these changing demands.
Propaganda will be developing a strategy to leverage growth and move Connection to the next level, through our unique Brand Discovery™ process. This will look to gather business insight from all of Connection’s stakeholders, to build a strategic plan for future success.
Annabelle Hill, Director at Connection said: “We’re looking to build on our history and position the business for significant growth. Our workforce of 60 people are some of the most skilled in the industry, and the average length of service of ten years is testament to the importance we place on investment in people. This process will allow us to discover brand truths and identify the best avenues to achieve our strategic goals.”
Craig Harrold, Client Services Director at Propaganda continued: “Connection are looking to build their brand impact and grow their business with a market leading proposition. We’ll use Brand Discovery™ to gain insights into current trends and future opportunities. By using our expertise in business transformation we’ll look to develop their proposition for the future benefit of the brand.”
FMG has raised £2000 for Children In Need and broken a new world record for the most recoveries carried out in 24 hours!
Propaganda, working in conjunction with Illamasqua Creative Director, Alex Box, were on set last week at the photoshoot for the cult British beauty brands next campaign.
Working with a team of the industry’s finest, here is a brief sneak peak behind the scenes, with more details set to be revealed in the new year.
