We are delighted to announce that our director of branding Giles Lury has been published in this month’s Admap publication. In his two page article called ‘Probe deeper than in-depth’, Giles argues that the current focus in insight identification is in danger of becoming one-dimensional and puts forward a range of tools and techniques to help overcome this.

To download the full article as a pdf. please click here. Alternatively, you can view the paper here online.

In honour of Ned’s now legendary Quotations Quotient I am delighted to continue his weekly quotable column on our blog. 

The power of quotations is that they cause us to pause; they challenge, question or confirm the way we think by using eloquence and brevity as their tools.  Quotations summarise a whole way of thinking in just a few words and are often inspiring as a result.  Successful marketing is similar in its success: it communicates a clear message in a memorable and sometimes interrupting way.

I hope that this section continues to inspire and interrupt your weekly thoughts…it seemed right that this week’s theme begins with “change.”

• “There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction” (Winston Churchill)
• “Change is inevitable – except from a vending machine” (Robert C. Gallagher)
• “If you don’t like something change it; if you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.” (Mary Engelbreit)
• “Thought has been constantly evolving and we can’t say when that system began” (David Bohm)
• “The art of progress is to conserve order amid change and to preserve change amid order” (Alfred North Whitehead)

Borrowed with pride from all over the place.

Disney recently reported that the top 5 everyday pleasures were:

1. Finding money
2. Freshly washed bedding
3. Not having to queue
4. Someone smiling at you
5. Helping someone

Obviously we couldn’t take this at face value and decided to conduct our own research in the office – we’re obviously a very happy bunch because this generated a very long list!

So read on to find out what makes Value Engineers tick (and perhaps some will bring a smile to your face too!). Some of these are more ‘free’ than others though…

• Someone offering you a cup of coffee when you are busy
• Random acts of kindness
• Sound of leather on willow on the village green
• Seeing a dog leaning out of a car window, loving the wind in its hair
• The beach
• The first signs of spring – the first snowdrop
• Wafts of other people’s BBQs
• The smell of freshly cut grass
• The perfect picnic spot
• Kicking a pile of leaves
• New born baby
• Eating cheese
• Walking around for fresh air even with a Ferrari in the garage
• The relief that comes after visiting the loo!
• The wind in your hair dinghy sailing on the Thames at Hampton on a beautiful sunny day
• The view from Waterloo bridge at sunset
• The sound of a wine cork popping / beer cap hiss
• Pottering around the garden
• The paper, cappuccino, Andrew Marr’s paper review and porridge with banana in bed on a Sunday
• Cooking anything nostalgic – pancakes, scones, Christmas cake, sponge cake
• The sensation of Life!
• The cold side of the pillow
• The Today programme on Radio 4
• The smell of rain on warm concrete
• The taste of a cold beer to quench a thirst, (‘free’ if someone else is buying. A perfect ‘Ice cold in Alex’ moment)
• The sound of waves exiting a pebble beach
• The sight of the first migrant spring arrivals
• The four seasons of the year: The colours of autumn, the joy of people in summer, the first signs of spring and the first snow of winter
• Fresh and pure air
• A nice dawn at the beach
• To enjoy a good dance
• The smile of child
• To meet and old friend and realise that nothing has changed between each other
• Your first kiss
• To fall in love
• To laugh
• To love someone and being loved
• The first smell of the day of coffee brewing
• Stepping on a perfectly crunchy leaf
• Unexpectedly bumping into an old friend
• Coming into a warm house from the cold outside
• A hug
• Your head touching the pillow after a really long day
• Taking off a pair of killer heels
• Being the first person down a freshly pisted or snowy run
• Reading a book by a log fire
• The first waft of a glass of heavy, red wine
• A freshly brewed cup of tea