the art of conversation

Fancy a Cwoffee? Or a Tipple?

 

What's your poison? A Cwoffee or a Tipple?

Well, if you're looking for either, and for it to be related to work, then there are two events running that may be of interest.

'Cwoffee' at Lantana, Charlotte Place (just off Charlotte Street in AdLand) runs alternate Fridays. It is a meeting of Planners and Researchers over an early morning, piping cup of coffee. It's a chance to meet informally with other like-minded people, chat about  ideas on projects / initiatives; exchange blog IPs, Twitter IDs and business cards etc etc. Started by planner  Will Humphrey, it has been running for a year or so and attendees can drop in at any time between 8am until 10am.   

If early morning coffees don't suit, then an alternative event is happening during the evening. Aimed at mid-level and junior researchers (from all qualitative agencies), the aim is to share a drink (or more), but also to have a research focus on bettering qualitative thinking by  sharing / discussing examples of 'good qualitative thinking' (e.g. from articles, papers or personal experience).

The first meeting is in Roxy Bar, 6:30pm-8pm in London Bridge on Monday 10th May. It will be a kick-off  social event, whereby we get to know each other over a tipple and chat about what we want to get in detail from the following events. And that includes a name. Perhaps 'Tipple Tattle'...

So, drop me an email if you would like to come along to either at simonl@wardlemclean.co.uk (or just leave a comment below). 

Would be pleased to see you.

Simon

In Praise of ... Magners adverts

We've been impressed by the current Magners ad campaign, 'There's Method in the Magners'.

Developed by Red Brick Road, the campaign plays on the cider-making idiosyncrasies of the community of Clonmel, Tipperary, where founder 'Willie' Magner began making cider in 1935. The two TV ads, 'Straight' and 'Catch', are stories that have a 'quaint Gaelic charm' and a quirky odd-ball style. Kind of Father Ted meets Napoleon Dynamite meets Jack Daniel's.  The campaign even brought one viewer to tears who left the following comment on YouTube:

    "I just watched this on TV. Don't ask why but it made me cry. Such a beautiful ad ... and believe me, I don't go looking for adverts on YouTube just to compliment them"

This is a noticeable step from Magners 'Time Dedicated to You' advertising where the current campaign positions the brand as different and premium  compared to its competitor ciders (e.g. Strongbow, or Blackthorn ). Interestingly, Scrumpy Jack have launched a campaign about Scrumpyshire in print and online, which also plays on setting, 'local-ness' and expertise - although arguably with less charm and humour.

Magners also seem to think about  their customers online. We are told that Magners' master tasters, including Billy who has been with us for 35 years, keep constant check on the whole process to  ensure each sip of Magners cider is as grand as the last.

    Magners' recent tactical print ads sticks two fingers up to the Treasury and nobly informs its customers that Magners have taken the financial hit on the increased alcohol duty itself, instead of passing it on to the customers. 

So a hearty thumbs up to cider-that-cares with an impressive campaign.

Magner-ifique. As they don't say in Clonmel.

Simon

The Planning Fallacy

 

 

If a group of people aim to get the same plane, they will arrive at the airport at different times. Some will be early and some will be on time; others will leave it until just before the check-in desk closes. 

This doesn't just happen when catching flights, of course. The completion of the new Wembley Stadium was delayed by over a year, from a March 2006 opening date until May 2007 ready for the FA Cup Final. Even the Sydney Opera house was planned for a 1963 opening, but opened 10 years later.

Why is this? Why do things take longer than we want?

In Kate Fox's 'Watching the English', she calls this 'the Planning Fallacy": people underestimate the time it takes to complete a task. Fox suggests it is because we have an emotional bias that leads us to wish for a goal that in practice is unrealistic. We may want to please someone or be under pressure to meet somebody else's deadline. Or we may not take in (or want to take in) all the external factors (like staff holidays or traffic jams) that may delay our plans.