Here is our round up of the news stories and industry articles that caught our eye during May 2023.
Colin vs Cuthbert Round 2
In an advertisement that pits M&S rival Cuthbert against Aldi competitor Colin, Aldi has rekindled the caterpillar cake wars.
In the advertisement, Cuthbert, Wiggles (from Sainsbury’s), and Morris (from Morrisons) sample cakes from M&S and Aldi before concluding that they enjoy both. The caption of the advertisement then shows that Aldi’s cake costs £4.99 while the M&S counterpart costs £8.50. This is the newest incarnation of the bargain retailer’s long-running “Like Brands” campaign.
Read the article in Marketing Week.
Royal Mail stamps to commemorate the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla
The four Royal Mail stamps released to commemorate the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla were created utilising pictures that depict thematic wood-carved scenes.
According to Atelier Works partner Ian Chilvers, the Royal Mail-selected rostered firm followed “a compressed timescale” while working on the project. Chilvers claims that he learned about British artist Andrew Davidson after reading King Charles III’s book Harmony in order to learn more about his interests and career. Davidson had produced a wood engraving for the book jacket. Chilvers then hired Davidson to work on the stamp project.
Read the article in Design Week.
CMO tenure falls
A CMO’s average tenure is getting shorter and shorter. According to Spencer Stuart’s annual survey, CMOs at the top 100 US advertisers had only been in their positions for an average of 39 months (3.3 years) in 2022.
This is down from an average duration of service of 40 months in 2021 and represents the lowest level in more than a decade.
Read the article in Marketing Week.
British railways are looking for timepiece designs.
In collaboration with Network train, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Design Museum, London have opened a design competition for a new clock to be utilised throughout the British train network.
The competition is open internationally to artists, designers, engineers and/or architects. The brief encourages collaborative groupings between people and organisations “of different size, expertise and experience” as well as students from these fields to submit applications.
Read the article in Design Week.
Eurotunnel rebranded as Le Shuttle
With a new “progressive” logo and “innovative” colour scheme, the service, now known as Le Shuttle, aims to position itself as a simpler, more environmentally friendly option to flying.
Le Shuttle is a train shuttle service that connects France and the UK and transports both people and vehicles. The modification is a part of a larger plan to revamp the Channel Tunnel journey over the following ten years.
Read the article in Design Week.
Senior marketing salaries increase ahead of inflation
In comparison to marketing directors and heads of marketing, senior marketing managers received an average compensation increase of 15.4% between April 2022 and April 2023.
Inflation has increased over the past year, placing pressure on businesses as they deal with rising prices and a downturn in consumer spending. Despite these financial difficulties, research indicates that many companies are raising their marketing wages faster than the rate of inflation.
Read the article in Marketing Week.
Which? rebrand
The UK company Which?, renowned for its product evaluations, reviews, and suggestions, has undergone a significant makeover.
The goal of the new identity is to change people’s impressions of Which? as a brand from being only a source for product reviews and white goods to one that “has a much bigger role to play in providing answers to everyday questions.”
Read the article in Creative Review.
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Jonathon Bright
Jonathon is the DWH marketing guru and handles all marketing, copywriting and social media duties. With over 25 years experience working with clients and agencies across the globe, his role is to provide all things marketing from lead generation strategies right through to writing blogs and press articles. With two Marketing degrees and a successful track record of working with sole traders, SME’s & FTSE 100 companies his full mix experience can deliver results whatever the budget.