Chris's blog

Green inspiration

So going green for a business means lots of legislation, more costs and less profit?

Not always so.

Jonathan Porritt, Eugenie Harvey and the Commercial Group recently demonstrated at a corporate CSR day I attended that with clear targets, small changes and a corporate 'can do' attitude, a well conceived CSR business agenda can really boost a company's sales and profits.

Porritt was illuminating, and expounded the view that the private sector is really making inroads in reducing carbon footprints. He gave many examples, including his direct experience with M&S and Sky. However he was less complimentary about the public sector, saying they just invented ambitious targets and 'hoped for the best'. This was confirmed today by the Policy Exchange . It makes depressing reading. (Click to read).

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How many people does it take to lift 128 fridge freezers?

From our Press Office

Thankfully, no one at Comet’s new distribution centre in Skelmersdale lifts such heavy appliances. Instead, Trans Lyft Lifting Technology, a company that specialises in lifting solutions for industry and commerce, designed and built 16 Translyft double decker scissor lifts to do the job for them. Each lift can hold over 6 cubic metres in volume, meaning that together, all 16 can lift the equivalent of 1024 microwaves, 256 washing machines, or 128 fridge freezers.

As Skelmersdale is one of Comet’s biggest and busiest distribution centres in the UK, loading and unloading goods as efficiently as possible is vital. Trans Lyft Lifting Technology worked in partnership with other contractors to provide scissor lift tables that can load and unload from double deck trailers in one rotation. Extra features such as bridging plates, and barriers fitted with sensors to keep the lift secure were also included. These small details ensure that docking is completed with maximum efficiency and safety.
For such a large and complex development, it was important that staff at Lifting Technology were involved from the outset. George Scholes, Managing Director commented ‘We get involved right from the planning stages of projects. We then talk to manufacturing and submit the designs we need and the lift tables are constructed specifically for the specified application’.

Lifting Technology’s expertise and experience in the design, installation and maintenance of quality lifting solutions has been recognised by Comet. The retail giant was so impressed with the finished lifts, that Trans Lyft Lifting Technology has now been asked to work on similar solutions at other sites.

Graeme Garside, Operations Manager at the Skelmersdale Comet Warehouse said, “ Partnering with Trans Lyft Lifting Technology helped improve operating efficiencies and meet all our safety requirments. Overall, they provided a first class design and installation service and continue to service and repair all our Loading Bay equipment. Their fast turnaround minimises downtime in our operation, particularly at peak times ’

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Europe's largest recycling centre to open in West Midlands

From our Press Office

Lawrence's Managing Director David Lawrence discusses plans with Conservative party leader David Cameron at the Kidderminster site.

Family waste management firm Lawrence is opening a state-of-the-art recycling facility in the West Midlands in Summer 2008. At a cost of more than £5 million, covering over 16 acres and aiming to recycle the majority of its waste, the Forge Recycling Centre will be the largest of its kind in Europe.

The centre is on a brownfield site in Kidderminster – a former forge works which will be renovated to create an indoor facility for cleaning and sorting waste and producing reusable materials including metals, plastics, sand and stone. Plans for the centre also include building a viewing platform so that visitors, including school parties, can see the recycling journey, in which something discarded as rubbish is transformed into a product ready to be used again.

Conservative party leader David Cameron, who visited the site last year with Lawrence’s Managing Director David Lawrence commented on the plans and processes, saying ‘It looks very impressive, and to have more recycling of building materials makes perfect sense. An initiative and enterprising scheme like this to recycle building materials can make sure that the gravel, shale, bricks and stones that we need to build new houses can come from recycled sources’

The Forge is the latest chapter in the Lawrence family business success story. Established as a small skip hire company 24 years ago, the business has grown to meet the demands of green consumers and government sustainability strategies to reduce, re-use and recycle waste. Opening the Forge will position the company at the forefront of recycling in Europe.

David Lawrence, Managing Director of Lawrence Recycling & Waste Management, says: “Over the last 20 years, the environmental landscape has shifted dramatically to address the way we use – and dispose of – our non reusable fossil fuels. The Forge Recycling Centre will reduce pressure on overstretched landfill sites, transform more waste into useful materials and help local homes and businesses to cut their carbon footprint.”

Environmental and transport assessments of the site praised the minimal environmental impact of the proposed centre, for recycling waste as near to its place of origin as possible on an existing industrial estate.
Once fully operational, the centre will create up to 100 jobs in an area with high levels of unemployment.

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The art of persuasion

Interesting article by Ogilvy honcho Rory Sutherland (apparently inspired by retro TV series Mad Men) in this week's Spectator about the value that marketing can bring to issues, problems and even politics, through its focus on understanding people rather than process, and its willingness to communicate and transact with them through their mediums of choice.

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Head First Marketing & Public Relations, Gloucestershire.

Read all about it! But where?

Visitors to online newspaper sites are at an all time high, and we know that it’s a viable route to market for advertisers-our clients can attest to it.

This is how Hitwise ranked them: -

(Source: Hitwise)

But interestingly is it editorial that is attracting traffic rather than hard news? Maybe the BBC could tell us?

Historically magazines online are a different proposition. We still prefer to stand and read in Smiths, Borders or a supermarket, and indulge ourselves in our favourites when we want a bit of ‘me time’.

A new site launched in the US could change that. Called Alltop it allows web browsers to pick and choose articles and features by interest category, from a virtual rack. Click here to see what you think.

It’s got a lot of hype over there-but I still need to be convinced. Give me the mag to browse every time.

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Head First Marketing & PR, Gloucestershire.

Online continues to grow despite tough times

E-marketer suggests online advertising will rise this year to £3.4 billion, and will enjoy double-digit growth to 2010.

They say ‘because online channels are more accountable and cheaper than television, print and other traditional media, they can help advertisers to boost brand and market share even when money is tight’.

Search takes the lion’s share. 50% of all online spend in 2006, increasing to 60% in 2007.

This data is released at a time when IMRG and Capgemini indicate that UK Internet users are spending more online than ever. £42 million in February, equating to £69 per person. 46% up on a year ago.

The current economic climate is challenging, especially in retail, however, online would appear to be one of the most resilient routes to market.

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Head First Marketing & PR, Gloucestershire.

(Photo hat-tip Morgue File)

'Artcetera...etc...etc'

Good friend and former colleague Joe Aronstein was inspired by James Surowieski’s book ‘The Wisdom of Crowds’ when he exited American corporate life just recently and opened his own gallery in Boca Raton, Florida.

Everyone in his extensive social network got to participate, suggest and challenge his ideas for store name, ranges, designs and display ideas, before he whittled it all down ahead of launch (and we got the benefit of many asides and jokes at Joe’s expense!).

Proof that a social network can be used as a powerful creative mechanic to develop ideas.

I was sceptical at the outset that it could be done so informally, but Joe took the ideas and made the decisions, and it worked extremely well.

Artcetera is the name, The Polo Shops the location. Online coming soon.

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Head First Marketing & PR, Gloucestershire.

Head First launches Zerostress spring campaign...

Our Spring campaign for premium German furniture manufacturer Himolla Zerostress launches this week with a website promotion, national door drop, and press campaign.

Working in collaboration with Acumen Partners, and Blue Moon Creative we've created an integrated national promotion for leading Zerostress retailers around the first special edition luxury leather recliner, the White Avon.

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Head First Marketing & PR, Gloucestershire. We get your news into the press.

Canine repellent alloy protection

IMHO this year's April Fool's Day BMW innovation isn't as good as last years, but it fooled someone I know!

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Head First Marketing & PR, Gloucestershire.

Telling vs. selling

Have you seen this site? ( Click here) It's a bit of fun. But it raises an important issue.

You could save yourself thousands!

How?

Historically many companies have been paying huge sums to agencies for years to come up with catchy slogans to sell their products. But how many can we remember?

‘Beanz Meanz Heinz’? ...then you start to struggle.

Tom Peters said that unless you can create a slogan of 8 words or less then you don’t have one.

It’s an advertising device that says influence is all about:

You (Advertiser) have knowledge
Me (Prospect) has empty head
You tell prospect what to believe and do (i.e. put knowledge into empty head)
Me-I will act on it and buy.

But consumers are savvy now aren't they? This is 2008.

Head First believes powerful stories are a more compelling way to build your business, your reputation (‘brand’), and service ( ‘experience’).

It’s said the best form of promotion is word of mouth- which usually takes the form of someone telling a good story about a product, service or ‘offer’ they thought was exceptional, and sharing it with friends, family or colleagues. I can talk for Waitrose, First Direct, the village electrician, local Apple centre and even BT -they talked me through installation of a product they don’t even support! Oh, and also my local farm shop.

So why spend big money on talking at people (the advertising strategy) when your business has compelling stories to tell (the PR strategy)? Stories that have the potential to influence more powerfully and effectively than an expensive advertising slogan?

If you still believe the advertising route alone is best, save yourself some money and go to this site ( click here). It’ll enable you to meet your objectives for a fraction of the cost of employing an agency and have a lot more fun.

And if you really want to engage and influence people, use a mix of marketing and effective PR.

Our expertise can get your news into the relevant press- and tell your stories more effectively than any expensive short-lived slogan.

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Head First Marketing & PR, Gloucestershire. We get your news into the press.