OnBD with ALF (Ultimate Content)
Explore every episode of OnBD with ALF
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Mar 2021 | 'Deepen, don't dilute.' | 01:00:14 | |
Recorded live at MAD/Fest Anywhere Virtual Event, Rory chats to Shamil Thakrar, the co-founder of restaurant brand, Dishoom. Shamil explains the importance of creating a brand experience, why the launch of their Indian breakfast menu proved to be an unlikely success, and how the pandemic forced the company to diversify their offering into delivery and at-home food kits. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 24 Sep 2020 | 0 to 6% of the market - the energetic charge of the disrupter brand BULB | 01:05:52 | |
BULB founders Hayden Wood and Amit Gudka talk to Rory about their meteoric rise from 0 to 6% of the UK energy market with their fair price, green offering. They have truly disrupted the market and have built a strong and growing customer base with a clever marketing strategy based on their core offering and performance promise. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 19 May 2021 | Building emotional connections between people and brands. | 00:31:56 | |
Rory chats to Eddy Edwards from Dead Happy about how the brand is disrupting the life insurance market and trying to change attitudes to how we talk about death. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 16 Mar 2020 | Refreshing your brand and establishing trust | 00:53:56 | |
Rory chats to Mark Evans, Managing Director of Marketing and Digital for Direct Line, about their new 'We're On It' campaign, the importance of establishing trust in advertising and the benefits of neurodiversity in the workplace. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 08 Feb 2021 | 'How to motivate people to give money for nothing in return' | 00:59:30 | |
Rory speaks to Meredith Niles, Executive Director of Fundraising and Engagement for Marie Curie, the UK's leading end of life and bereavement support charity. They discuss the behavioural science of charitable donations and explore the wider question of attitudes towards philanthropy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 18 May 2020 | Being a challenger brand | 01:01:17 | |
Rory is joined by John Schoolcraft, Global Chief Creative Officer for Oatly, and Jen Charon who is Co-Founder of LoanHood, as they discuss creative strategies and how to influence and encourage behaviour change. Plus, they chat about how Covid-19 has changed the way we work and whether it should instigate a future reform of our working practice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 20 Nov 2020 | "Real change happens when we roll up our sleeves and get dirty", Tati Lindenberg, Unilever Home Care Products | 01:04:58 | |
Ogilvy's Rory Sutherland rolls up his sleeves and gets down and dirty with Tati Lindenberg, Vice-President of Marketing for Home Care at Unilever. Tati reveals the thinking behind Persil's shift in emphasis to a more ecological advertising message and Unilever's green agenda as a whole. The pair discuss the sophistication and nuances of the global home care market. Rory reveals his penchant for a top loader whilst Tati rejoices in her front loader now that she's moved from Brazil to the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 16 Jul 2021 | How Oven Chips Changed the Insurance Industry - Jimmy Williams of Urban Jungle | 00:56:38 | |
In this episode of On Brand Rory Sutherland talks to Jimmy Williams, founder of the insurance industry disruptor Urban Jungle. Set up to help people who’d just poured coffee all over their Mac Book and focusing on insurance for young people ironically they’ve also become a niche insurer in care homes. Urban Jungle set out to make insurance cheap and easy and after four successful years they’ve just received an £8m investment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 21 Sep 2021 | How James Averdieck went from chocolate pudding GUru to Coconut Collaborative King | 00:44:08 | |
Rory Sutherland welcomes James Averdieck to the On Brand Podcast with ALF Insight. James now runs the Coconut Collaborative, a range of sustainable, non dairy products which seem to be doing as well as his previous invention GU chocolate desserts, a company he sold for around £170m. James and Rory talk about the marketing of Coconut Collaborative products, the growth of the non dairy sector and the importance of sustainability. Find our more about ALF Insight at https://www.alfinsight.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 04 Oct 2021 | Annie & Jonny spoon feed Rory the story of the remarkable Spoon Cereals launch via Dragon's Den | 00:53:28 | |
Spoon was set up back in 2013 by sister and brother-in-law Annie Morris and Jonny Shimmin. Inspired by Annie's healthy addiction to a bowl of cereal at all times of the day, the pair decided sell their fresh homemade bowls of cereal to busy and hungry commuters from their pop-up cereal bar. The founders soon found themselves pitching to high profile investors on the BBC TV programme Dragons' Den. Deborah Meaden and Peter Jones, who saw potential in their brand vision and have been a significant part of their business journey. Spoon is now well established in top retail (and digital) shelves nationwide. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 01 Nov 2021 | Who Gives a Crap? Simon Griffiths tells Rory why he does | 00:56:00 | |
In July 2012, Simon, Jehan and Danny launched Who Gives A Crap with a crowdfunding campaign. Simon sat on the toilet in their draughty Australian warehouse and refused to move until they had raised enough pre-orders to start production. 50 hours and one cold bottom later, they’d raised over $50,000. The motivation to start Who Gives A Crap came when they learned that 2.4 billion people don't have access to a toilet. That's roughly 40% of the global population and means that around 289,000 children under five die every year from diarrhoeal diseases caused by poor water and sanitation. That's almost 800 children per day, or one child every two minutes. So they donate 50% of their profits to build toilets. So far that’s £5.3m On Brand is brought to you by ALF Insight - essential data for the marketing community. www.alfinsight.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 23 Nov 2021 | Pip & Nut - Rory talks to the Chief Squirrel - Pip Murray | 00:48:56 | |
Pip Murray loves nut butters. She used to re-energise herself after running marathons with peanut butter on toast - great protein and healthy fats. Pip started mixing her own and then started selling them at outdoor markets. They sold well and a business was born. The recipes and mixes were important but the branding, marketing and distribution were vital to the on-going success of the business. Selfridges was the first big win quickly followed by Sainsbury’s and many independent stores. Pip talks Rory through the marketing ingredients of this nutty story! On Brand is brought to you by ALFInsight - for more information about this comprehensive marketing data and information source visit www.alfinsight.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 06 Dec 2021 | Rory tackles Ben Wright, Chief Commercial Officer of the English Football League | 00:58:20 | |
Ben Wright discusses the opportunities open to all sports but in particular football. How does he balance the traditions of the sport and the expectations of the consumers (fans) with the commercial realities? Why do brands want to partner with football? It used to be simply a logo on the team shirt and a perimeter advert but advances in technology have opened up many possibilities. Fans consume the game in many more ways than simply attending the match. How important is the role of media rights holders and how might that change in the future? Rory fails to convince Ben that the goals should be made bigger! On Brand is sponsored by ALFInsight. More more details about the marketing data and information available from ALFInsight visit www.alfinsight.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 18 Jan 2022 | Can we all do more to Live Kindly? Rory meets Jodi Monelle, Founder & CEO of the online, media platform. | 00:47:49 | |
Rory Sutherland chats to Jodi Monelle, Founder & CEO of Live Kindly, an online media platform designed to promote the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle. The conversation includes discussion on what is driving an increase in vegan foods, the importance of inclusivity and whether a plant-based lifestyle is truly scalable across society at large. Alongside these considerations, Rory and Jodi look at the wider question of long-term sustainability. Jodi also explains why consumers are demanding more transparency about their purchases and what impact that will have on how companies innovate or steer towards more ethical, consciously produced products, whilst Rory asks whether there's a Darwinian limit to our human wants and how that might affect consumption. On Brand is sponsored by ALFInsight. More more details about the marketing data and information available from ALFInsight visit www.alfinsight.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 17 Feb 2022 | Reshaping E-Commerce with Klarna. Rory meets David Sandström. | 00:48:57 | |
Rory chats with David Sandström, the Chief Marketing Officer for the ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ giant, Klarna, who have over 90 million global users and perform two million transactions a day. They discuss the misconceptions around the business model, the challenges of marketing to an expanding and diverse customer base and Klarna’s plans to reshape the future of e-commerce. Plus discover why Rory thinks his postman is so great. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 22 Apr 2022 | Beelivery: Rory explores the phenomenon of the grocery home delivery service | 00:43:15 | |
Yazan bin Mohammed, chief executive of the grocery home delivery service Beelivery, talks Rory through this fast growing trend and explains why some of the protagonists will prosper but not all will survive. It's all about the business model. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 22 Mar 2022 | Digital-first brand Trinny London's CMO Shira Feuer talks about Trinny Woodall's beauty brand. | 00:51:43 | |
Trinny London has been a digital-first brand since it launched. Shira Feuer, Chief Marketing Officer talks to Rory about building Trinny Woodall’s beauty brand in a sector where the customer base usually want to be able to test or try first. Shira talks about the brand’s online try-on and product recommendation tool, Match2Me. Trinny London came into its own when the pandemic hit as they were able to offer a level of service when some other brands were having to play catch up. Social media communities obviously play a huge role in the marketing strategy, not least the Trinny Tribe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 31 May 2022 | The $1 billion tomato: how 150 years of history drives new innovation at Heinz | 00:47:51 | |
Kraft Heinz is the fifth-largest food and beverage company in the world, and home to a global portfolio of household brands, including eight which are worth more than $1 billion each. Rory chats to their New Ventures Director, Caio Fontenele, about how his team can continue to honour the traditions of the Heinz brand whilst embracing and exploring new products. They also discuss where he sees the potential for the biggest areas of growth in the industry, the company's goals for increased sustainability and why established brands have the luxury of being able to scale up new trends in order to be a force for good. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 18 Jul 2022 | Emotion By Design - Greg Hoffman just did it for Nike | 00:57:19 | |
Rory chats to former Nike CMO, Greg Hoffman, about his extraordinary career with one of the biggest brands in the world. They discuss why you shouldn’t ‘chase cool’ and how to make memorable marketing campaigns even when resources are limited. Greg shares insights from his recent book, ‘Emotion by Design’. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 16 Aug 2022 | Rory gets a taste of Tony's Chocolonely with The Countess of Cocoa Nicola Matthews | 00:53:14 | |
Nicola Matthews UKI Head of Marketing at Tony’s Chocolonely joins Rory to explain that Tony's Chocolonely is more a mission than a chocolate company. Almost everywhere in the world, chocolate lovers are provided with a wide range of flavours to enjoy. Big chocolate companies make a lot of profit. Nothing wrong with that. Without profits a company will go bankrupt. So far, so good. However, less good is how those profits are made - by exploitation at the start of the value chain, where people live in extreme poverty. Have you ever considered how much a cocoa farmer makes per day? 78 Euro CENTS! Tony's Chocolonely is dedicated to levelling up in a real sense. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 11 Oct 2022 | Rory sources an expert in product development and sourcing - Kian Golzari | 00:53:15 | |
Kian Golzari is one of the world's leading product development and sourcing experts. He's personally sourced over 2,500 products for the likes of Bed, Bath and Beyond, Procter & Gamble, Visa, Panasonic and even Google. Rory quizzes him on all aspects of his work including working in China. If you're thinking of developing a new product Kian is your go-to guy. You can find out more at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcnsghoDG2AObm8l-lGzxCQ?sub_confirmation=1 and remember On Brand is brought to you by https://www.alfinsight.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 01 Nov 2022 | Milking the humble pea, with Nikki Garg from the Good Pea Co. | 00:47:51 | |
Rory meets Nikki Garg, Co-Founder of the Good Pea Co, a disruptor brand producing plant-based milk made from pea protein. Nikki shares the background story to the product, discusses the challenges of being a start-up during lockdown, explains why sustainability and health is at the heart of everything they do and reveals why peas might just save the planet. On Brand is brought to you by https://www.alfinsight.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 12 Dec 2022 | A Slice of the Beauty Pie | 00:53:14 | |
Marcia Kilgore is a serial entrepreneur, having successful launched companies such as Bliss Spa, Soap & Glory and FitFlop. Her most recent company is Beauty Pie, which she describes as her 'best idea yet'. In this episode Rory Sutherland chats to her about the idea behind the brand, the benefits of operating a membership model, how they reach new customers and the biggest challenges facing Beauty Pie and the beauty retail industry at large. If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 04 Jan 2023 | How Primark Cares with Director Lynne Walker | 00:55:34 | |
With a distinguished career in textiles and fashion retail, Lynne Walker is Director of Primark Cares. Lynne talks to Rory about the phenomenal high street success of Primark and how the brand approaches marketing, the environment and sustainability. If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 09 Feb 2023 | How Nokia phones new 'Circular' subscription service is combatting e-waste. | 00:48:48 | |
Lars Silberbauer has been named as one of the most innovative and influential marketers in Europe. Before joining HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, as Chief Marketing Officer in September 2022, he held positions with the International Olympic Committee, MTV, Viacom and Lego. Rory talks to Lars about 'Circular', the new subscription service for Nokia phones which is looking to revolutionise the relationship we have with our handsets and provide a sustainable solution to e-waste. Plus in the Top Two Challenges feature, Lars shares what he thinks is the biggest challenge for Nokia phones moving forward and for the mobile phone handset industry as a whole. If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 08 Mar 2023 | The Challenger Brand Cleaning Up Home Care | 00:39:06 | |
Rory meets Tim Keaveney, Co-Founder of Homethings, a challenger brand offering sustainable household cleaning products delivered direct to your door. As a winner of Sky’s Zero Footprint Fund, Tim reveals their plans for their first TV campaign and discusses how perceptions are changing about the efficacy of ‘green’ products. Plus, in the Top Two challenges, Tim shares the biggest issues facing both Homethings and the home care sector in general. If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 12 Apr 2023 | Harnessing the TikTok Boom | 00:44:43 | |
Rory Sutherland is joined by Khartoon Weiss, Global Head of Agency & Accounts at TikTok. Since launching in 2016, TikTok has seen a meteoric rise to success, currently boasting 1.2 billion monthly users across the globe. Rory and Khartoon discuss the unique elements of the platform that make it so appealing and examine how brands can harness the existing creativity and community to engage users and achieve the ultimate goal of marketing - changing behaviour. Plus in our 'Top Two Challenges' feature, Khartoon shares her thoughts on the biggest hurdles facing both TikTok and social media in general. If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 10 May 2023 | Pasta Evangelist Finn Lagun tucks into the challenges of going from letterbox pasta to retail | 00:55:46 | |
In 2018, Finn Lagun went on Dragon's Den but failed to convince Peter Jones & Co to invest in his home delivery pasta business. Now the business has a multi-million pound turnover and is majority owned by the pasta giant Barilla. Rory quizzes Finn about moving from 'pasta through your letter box' to a business which has now expanded into retails outlets and offers fully prepared takeaway delivery. Plus in our 'Top Two Challenges' feature, Finn shares his thoughts on the biggest challenges facing Pasta Evangelists and also the direct-to-consumer food industry in general. If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 15 Jun 2023 | Getting Paid - Rory finds out how GoCardless is helping companies get paid more easily | 00:52:32 | |
Nicola Hamilton, Senior Director of Branding & Communications at GoCardless, outlines how businesses can get paid more easily and conveniently by using their service. She outlines that the challenge for GoCardless is the inertia of companies not realising how much money and time they can save by moving away from outdated, manual methods to automated, online payments. As someone who's worked in the industry for over 15 years Nicola counsels that fintech companies now need to focus on profitability more than growth. If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 12 Jul 2023 | Rory talks "wonky" vegetables with Oddbox's Emilie Vanpoperinghe | 00:55:50 | |
Rory chats to Emilie Vanpoperinghe, CEO and Co-Founder of Oddbox, the subscription box company that saves imperfect and surplus fruit and vegetables from going to waste. Emilie explains how the idea for the business came about, why pricing 'wonky' vegetables can be challenging and the company's plans for the future. In the Top Two Challenges, Emilie shares her thoughts on what is the biggest challenge for Oddbox and the most pressing challenge for the grocery industry as a whole. Code ALF will give new Oddbox customers 50% off their first box. Offer excludes the fruit booster box. Valid until 31st August, 2023. If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 09 Aug 2023 | Leading the Charge. Rory meets Nic Thomas from Nissan. | 00:59:36 | |
As we head towards one million electric cars on Britain’s roads, Marketing Director Nic Thomas discusses Nissan’s drive towards a totally electric range in 2030. Nic addresses the ‘charging’ challenge faced by the whole EV industry and why he’s calling for destination charging to be legislated. Nic also discusses some of the exciting engineering and design benefits of Nissan EVs - imagine your office on wheels! - but also why timing is proving to be the main marketing challenge for Nissan. Plus, Nic and Rory talk about the cost of car batteries, ‘range anxiety’ and single pedal driving - who knew? If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 13 Sep 2023 | Turning online dreams into reality with Pinterest | 00:46:50 | |
Rory is joined by Milka Privodanova, VP Head of EMEA of Pinterest to talk about the online platform which they describe as 'personal media' rather than social. Milka outlines how the user experience of Pinterest is a positive and natural environment for advertisers and how almost everything you see on Pinterest is available to buy. Food, beauty, fashion and home décor are all hugely popular but the company is also experiencing success in the areas of travel, financial services and entertainment. In the Top Two Challenges, Milka shares what she believes is the biggest challenge for Pinterest and also the most pressing issue for the online media sector as a whole. If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 11 Oct 2023 | The buzz around Pension Bee with Jasper Martens | 00:51:47 | |
In this episode, Rory meets Jasper Martens, the Chief Marketing Officer at Pension Bee. Pension Bee launched in 2015 after CEO and Co-Founder, Romi Savova, who had previously worked at Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, had difficulties transferring her own pension. Jasper reveals that many of their over 1 million new customers didn’t realise the tax benefits and contributions that come from having the right pension arrangements and why Pension Bee is now on a mission to make the process easier to understand and keep track of. With brand awareness in the UK now over 50%, Jasper explains the biggest marketing challenge for Pension Bee and why they've sponsored a Premier League football team. In the Top Two Challenges, Jasper talks about the future challenges for Pension Bee and the pension industry as a whole. Quite apart from the marketing insights revealed, this conversation will give you food for thought about your own pension arrangements. If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 15 Nov 2023 | Putting the partnerships into John Lewis - Charlotte Lock | 01:03:01 | |
Charlotte Lock has had an illustrious career embracing the BBC, Tesco, Co-op, Asda, McCann and now the John Lewis Partnership where her experience in behavioural economics and partnerships is helping to develop the group’s offering. In this episode she joins Rory to discuss data driven customer insight and brand experience, along with segmentation in a variety of areas.
Plus, Charlotte talks us through this year's John Lewis Christmas ad, their first created by Saatchi & Saatchi.
And in the Top Two Challenges, Charlotte reveals what she believes is the biggest challenge facing John Lewis and the most pressing issue for the retail sector as a whole.
If you want to do business with the UK's leading brands. Request an ALF Insight demo.
To nominate your business development heroes and attend the ALF Awards 2024, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 13 Dec 2023 | NBCUniversal's Yusuf Chuku talks content with Rory | 00:56:26 | |
Yusuf Chuku is Executive Vice President, Strategic Planning & Commercial Impact at NBCUniversal. The guys explore how clients can best tap into the content-audience relationship and discuss partnerships, storytelling, branded content and the constant pressure to innovate and stay relevant to audiences. Fandemoniums? How does NBC Universal grow and access fandoms?
Yusuf also responds to our regular Top Two Challenges - what is the biggest advertising challenge for global television & media companies? And what is the most pressing challenge for NBC Universal?
If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands Request an ALF Insight demo. Now you can nominate your business development heroes and attend the ALF Awards 2024 click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 10 Jan 2024 | air up® Co-Founder Lena Jüngst leads Rory by the nose - to the water! | 00:53:45 | |
Lena Jüngst explored product development at University in Germany and turned a bachelor thesis into a product - air up® - non-flavoured water that tastes flavoured. Lena explains how it works to convert Rory and reveals that around 80% of what we perceive as flavour is actually derived from what we’re smelling. With this relatively new drink product, while you drink plain water, you experience taste. No sugar. Just science! The brand, initially launched direct to consumers in Germany, is becoming available globally. Rory and Lena discuss the marketing strategy for the product and Lena reveals how they are slowly moving into above the line advertising. There's no rush however, because the product is doing remarkably well as a D2C brand. If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands Request an ALF Insight demo. Now you can nominate your business development heroes and attend the ALF Awards 2024 click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 15 Feb 2024 | Haleon global marketing VP Simon Peel consults with Rory Sutherland on healthcare & data | 00:59:57 | |
Simon Peel has worked for, among others, MediaCom, Mindshare, 20th Century Fox and Adidas. Now he's Vice President of Global Marketing for the healthcare brand Haleon born out of GSK, Novartis and Pfizer. In our Top Two Challenges, Simon describes the challenges facing both Haleon and the sector as a whole as being similar; through advertising, the need to create an emotional connection between the consumer and the brand in order to differentiate from retailers' own brand. As Rory says, price is key and sometimes you don't wake up with a 50p headache it's a £2.80 headache! The guys discuss marketing procurement and testing. Has the spreadsheet taken over? Also under consideration, placebos, the dumb principal (sic), Sir Patrick Valance gets a shout as does RADIO with Rory saying he never heard a radio campaign that didn't work and yet it's often the bit that gets cut from the budget. If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands Request an ALF Insight demo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 13 Mar 2024 | Greg Jackson of Octopus Energy in powerful conversation with Rory | 01:07:08 | |
Having read Economics at Cambridge, ex-Procter & Gamble marketer, Greg Jackson, explains the success behind Octopus, recently certified as a Which? Recommended energy provider for the 7th year in a row. Innovative technology, great marketing and superb customer service are integral to the Octopus success story. Among the many amazing revelations in the chat with Rory, Greg points out that 65% of UK households have a car, an increasing number of which are EVs, and the battery in an EV can power a house for between 3 and 5 days. You'll hear about the Octopus Power Pack and the Fan Club - technical and marketing ideas that have helped Octopus achieve around 8 million customers in 18 countries. This is an essential listen. If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands Request an ALF Insight demo. To book your seat at the ALF Awards 2024, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 10 Apr 2024 | EE & BT's Christian Thrane is bringing home the bacon since the merger and rebrand | 00:55:39 | |
Christian Thrane is the Managing Director of Marketing at EE and BT's Consumer Division. The merger of the two companies in 2016 has opened many opportunities. Christian, who joined just before lock-down, has been charged with setting out the new offerings for both existing and new customers. Service to the consumer is at the top of his agenda and on his watch this has improved on every level since the merger. Rory quizzes Christian about the focus of EE’s service with four areas addressed, Home, Game, Work and Learn. He also asks why, after a decade, they have stopped using Kevin Bacon in vision on their commercials. He’s still doing the voice overs. If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands Request an ALF Insight demo. To book your seat at the ALF Awards 2024, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 08 May 2024 | Morrisons' Rachel Eyre talks shop with Rory | 00:55:23 | |
Rachel Eyre is Chief Customer and Marketing Officer at Morrisons, a heritage business in the UK, celebrating 125 years in 2024. Rachel explains how the Market Street proposition in Morrisons with its fresh, British sourced produce, appeals to traditional older Morrisons customers, but is now resonating with younger shoppers. Although big trolley shops are still popular, Rachel outlines how smaller, more frequent basket shops are becoming the norm. Rachel and Rory discuss Morrisons' vertically integrated business model, with it's own manufacturing businesses giving it a point of difference to competitors, a story which needs to be told to customers through brand marketing.
Although there have been a lot of changes in loyalty programmes in recent years, Rachel feels that the recent update of the MoreCard scheme with its "Fivers" has enabled Morrisons to avoid some of the pitfalls of loyalty schemes and leapfrog ahead in terms of innovation.
Competition for every pound is intense in this sector and despite the offers and discounts Rachel explains that still the biggest driver of choice is convenience of location.
If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands Request an ALF Insight demo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 12 Jun 2024 | AO - let's go - with John Roberts founder of Appliances Online | 01:12:50 | |
John Roberts started Appliances Online for a £1 bet in the pub on Christmas Eve 1999 with his mate. Today it's known as AO.com and it's a huge success in the provision of white goods and now tv and entertainment, smart tech, computing and more. John tells Rory how the company has focused on superb customer service to differentiate itself from its competitors and he outlines the thinking behind their sponsorships and marketing. Interestingly, having started by mailing brochures and then moving totally online, they are beginning to mail mini-brochures again. AO is now a totally vertically integrated business and John envisages a time, not far away, when they will be able to recycle every element of a piece of white goods into something brand new. AO also operate as a white label delivery business for a number of well known brands. This is a phenomenal 21st century success story. If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands Request an ALF Insight demo. John Roberts supports the national youth charity, OnSide, find out more here... https://www.onsideyouthzones.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 24 Jul 2024 | Going for Gold with NatWest CMO Margaret Jobling | 00:50:13 | |
In this episode of 'On Brand', Rory Sutherland welcomes Margaret Jobling, Chief Marketing Officer at NatWest. They discuss the challenges and successes in marketing across various sectors, with a focus on NatWest's transformation in its marketing approach. Margaret delves into the importance of understanding customer needs, leveraging data effectively, and experimenting to build knowledge. The conversation also covers the impact of fintech, the role of technology in banking, and NatWest's strategy around social purpose and sponsorships, particularly the partnership with Team GB for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Additionally, they touch on flexible work, its benefits for employees, and how NatWest is investing in young people's financial education through the NatWest Thrive programme.
If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands Request an ALF Insight demo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 07 Aug 2024 | Jordan Brompton, co-founder of myenergi isn't just zappi! | 01:01:46 | |
Rory says Jordan Brompton is the best advert for not going to university. He reckons she's had a free MBA! Jordan started working life on a market stall and has worked in restaurants and bars but when she had a chat with plumber turned electrician, Lee Sutton, they decided to go for it and set up myenergi. Lee is the technical side of the business but it's quite clear that Jordan is the marketing and sales powerhouse although, as she points out to Rory, she has been known to get to work with the soldering iron.
Innovation and sustainability are the cornerstones of their business and manufacturing their products in the UK is a USP for them. myenergi manufactures a range of eco devices which manage energy sources. The zappi fast charges your EV, the eddi helps you maximise self-generated solar and/or wind power, the libbi stores your solar energy and cleverly manages your use of the grid, and the harvi enables you to install zappi and eddi wirelessly. As you'll hear, Jordan is knowledgeable and innovative. The business is expanding worldwide with business across Europe and now in Australia. There are challenges however. Britain has 1.3 million homes with solar power, but Germany is way ahead at 4 million homes. Jordan feels the EV market has softened recently but she expects it to bounce back.
In our Top Two Challenges feature Jordan says that "boots on the ground" explaining and selling the products is what is needed for both myenergi and the industry as a whole.
If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands Request an ALF Insight demo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 11 Sep 2024 | Samsung's Benjamin Braun on the Olympic sponsorship and minimax marketing | 01:04:58 | |
In this episode of 'On Brand with ALF and Rory Sutherland,' host Rory Sutherland, Vice-Chairman of Ogilvy UK, sits down with Benjamin Braun, the Chief Marketing Officer at Samsung Europe. The discussion covers a range of topics including Samsung's creative use of their Olympic sponsorship, marketing tactics and digital transformation. Braun highlights the success of gifting special edition gold phones to Olympians, which led to a 23% increase in demand for Flip 6 phones. They also explore Samsung's innovative products like foldable phones, AI-enabled ovens and eco-friendly initiatives like solar-powered TV remotes. The conversation delves into the importance of user-centric design and dual-purpose products, and how Samsung balances premium offerings with affordable technology to democratize access. Rory and Benjamin further discuss the future of AI, the impact of aesthetics in consumer choice and effective marketing strategies that blend minimax (minimal resources for maximum output) and maxmax (heroic marketing efforts). If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands Request an ALF Insight demo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 09 Oct 2024 | Soup-er Successful Marketing with Ruth Snowdon-Gough from Hain Celestial | 00:43:26 | |
In this episode, Rory interviews Ruth Snowdon-Gough, CMO of Hain Celestial, a company known for its ‘dawn to dusk’ portfolio of brands including Sun Pat, Covent Garden Soup, Linda McCartney Foods and Ella's Kitchen.
The discussion covers Hain's multi-year strategy for global growth, the meat-reduction trends influencing food consumption, and the evolution of vegetarian food toward flavour-rich offerings without taste compromise. They explore insights into educating children on cooking, whether soup deserves a bigger share of the portable meals market and the success story of Ella’s Kitchen.
In ‘Top Two Challenges’, Ruth talks about balancing product sales with ethical goals and how the company manages the reputation of the McCartney family name when it comes to product development for the Linda McCartney range.
If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands Request an ALF Insight demo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 11 Dec 2024 | We're all going on a TUI Holiday - Global Brand Director Toby Horry talks to Rory | 00:56:47 | |
Exploring Travel and Advertising with TUI's Toby Horry and Rory Sutherland. In this episode of On Brand with ALF and Rory Sutherland we hear from Toby Horry, Global Brand and Content Director at TUI. Discover Toby's career journey from a production manager at an indie film company to his current role at TUI. Learn about TUI's dynamic history, the impact of COVID-19 on the travel industry, and the evolving trends in holiday booking. The discussion also explores the influence of digital transformation, the role of subscription and dynamic pricing models, the increasing importance of experiential travel for Gen Z, and the creativity in advertising. Join us for an insightful conversation packed with anecdotes and valuable industry insights. If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands Request an ALF Insight demo. Chapters:- 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:19 Guest Introduction: Toby Horry 01:31 Early Career and Family Influence 02:42 Advertising Anecdotes and Insights 08:46 Dynamic Pricing in Travel 17:36 COVID-19 Impact on Travel Industry 19:11 Repatriation Efforts During COVID-19 21:13 The Future of Package Holidays 23:31 Changing Trends in Travel and Leisure 29:08 Vacation Policies and Economic Impact 30:58 Economic Rationality in Travel 31:28 Flexible Working and Consumer Behaviour 32:09 The Case for Flexible Work 34:52 The Impact of Technology on Work and Travel 39:48 Marketing Strategies in the Travel Industry 48:08 The Role of Video and Social Media in Travel 49:46 AI and Its Implications in Travel 51:17 Consumer Trends and Travel Recommendations 56:05 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 15 Jan 2025 | Exploring Nutritional Science with ZOE: Insights from Jonathan Wolf & Sharlene Lopez | 01:11:30 | |
Join Rory Sutherland in this episode of 'On Brand' with special guests Jonathan Wolf, CEO of ZOE, and Sharlene Lopez, founder of Medifesto. They delve into the world of nutritional science, the significance of the microbiome, and the innovative personalised nutrition programme by ZOE. Discover how ZOE's research is transforming health through food and learn about the evolving role of branding and marketing in the health technology sector. With discussions on behavioural change, the impact of ultra-processed foods and the future of health tech, this episode is packed with insights for anyone interested in health and nutrition. All views expressed are those of the participants, listeners should consult a medical expert before following any of these views or recommendations.
00:00 Welcome and Guest Introductions 01:29 Jonathan Wolf's Journey to Founding Zoe 04:36 The Science Behind ZOE's Nutrition Programme 07:01 Impact of Diet on Health and Mood 22:47 Challenges and Successes in Health Tech Branding 29:47 The Role of Marketing in Health Technology 34:20 The High Stakes of Scientific Validation 34:43 Disconnect Between Scientific Proof and Market Impact 36:40 Brand Influence in Health Decisions 37:43 The Role of Advertising and Brand Partnerships 41:26 Challenges in Sustaining Behaviour Change 44:58 Technological Advances in Health Monitoring 47:08 The Importance of Messaging in Health Campaigns 49:21 Rethinking Food and Health Guidelines 01:02:58 The Future of Food Labelling and Consumer Information 01:09:32 Conclusion and Final Thoughts If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands Request an ALF Insight demo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 05 Mar 2025 | OnBD with ALF - New series coming soon! | 00:00:49 | |
Welcome to ALF Insight’s brand-new series focusing on everything you wanted to know about business development. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 06 Mar 2025 | What makes a ‘GOOD’ Business Developer ‘GREAT’? | 00:41:41 | |
In this first episode of the new series, 'OnBD with ALF', host and General Manager of ALF Insight, Amanda Rosevear, delves into the intricacies of successful business development with guests, Rich McHardy, founder of The McHardy Collective, and Jody Osman, Chief Growth Officer at Propeller Group. The pair are also known for being the founders of The BD100. The episode explores what differentiates a good business developer from a great one, through the lens of The BD100—a community and annual awards event recognising top-performing business developers. Rich and Jody discuss the evolving nature of business development roles, characteristics of standout professionals, and the significance of creativity, strategy, and personality in sales. Plus hear what advice our guests would give their younger selves and what they’d name a movie about their life, as Amanda tasks them with answering the OnBD quickfire questions. The episode concludes with insights on future trends in business development and information about the upcoming BD100 Awards event at The Drum Labs. 00:00 Introduction to OnBD with ALF 00:47 Meet the Guests: Jody Osman and Rich McHardy 01:18 The BD100: Origins and Purpose 02:01 The BD100: Nomination and Judging Process 03:21 Key Traits of Top Business Developers 04:55 The Importance of Personality in BD 17:35 Recognising Rising Stars in BD 20:44 Evolution of Business Development 22:49 The Expanding Role of Business Developers 23:58 The Evolution of Business Development 24:23 Balancing Stress and Support in Business Development 26:07 The Importance of Research and Personalisation 27:23 Building and Leveraging Relationships 28:40 Advice for Aspiring Business Developers 31:24 Quick Fire Questions: Insights and Reflections 39:12 Upcoming BD100 Event and Conclusion If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 09 Apr 2025 | Adapting to Change with The Standard’s Steve Cording | 00:42:44 | |
Host and General Manager of ALF Insight, Amanda Rosevear is joined by Steve Cording, Head of Culture, Sport and TelCo at The Standard, the long-established regional newspaper for London.
Steve shares his journey from sports journalism to media sales, the evolution of The Standard, the importance of storytelling, and the need for adaptability in the changing media landscape.
Amanda and Steve also chat about navigating redundancy, the impact of AI on media, the future of audience engagement and the importance of multi-platform strategies.
00:00 Introduction to Steve Cording and His Role 06:06 The Evolution of The Standard 08:49 Adapting to Change in Media 11:55 Team Dynamics and Learning 15:02 Skills and Adaptation in a Changing Environment 18:07 The Impact of AI on Media 21:07 Future Predictions for Media and Audience Engagement 26:30 The Importance of Affiliate Partnerships and Loyalty 27:18 Multi-Platform Strategies for Modern Brands 29:47 Adapting to Change 30:35 Support and Optimism for the Future 32:03 The Role of Sports in Media Engagement 32:57 Navigating Redundancies in the Media Industry 36:10 Transitioning from Editorial to Sales 39:06 The Role of Video in Sales Communication 41:03 Advice for Newcomers in the Industry 42:12 What Makes a Great Salesperson? 45:30 OnBD Quickfire Questions
If you want to do business with the UK’s leading brands, request an ALF Insight demo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 19 Jun 2020 | Creating a culture of innovative marketing | 01:00:55 | |
Rory Sutherland hosts a live episode of the ‘On Brand’ podcast. His guests are Nishma Robb, Marketing Director at Google, who discusses the opportunities and challenges that have faced Google during the COVID-19 pandemic. Plus Aron Gelbard, CEO and Co-Founder of Bloom & Wild, explains how they used innovative technology to become a major disrupter brand in the UK’s flower delivery market and why ‘thoughtful marketing’ matters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 18 Aug 2020 | D2C - the marketing challenge of convenience vs. commitment | 01:04:18 | |
Ogilvy UK Vice-Chairman, Rory Sutherland is joined by Matt Hiscock, Vice President of Harry’s and Franky Athill, Marketing & Brand Director at Patch Plants. Harry's shaving products and Patch Plants both specialise in direct to consumer sales. The guys reveal how they have both grown their brands impressively in the last year and discuss the rapidly expanding D2C sector. Rory applies his unique marketing expertise to the subject. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 22 Jul 2020 | Being driven by creativity, not spreadsheets | 01:01:41 | |
Rory chats to Rak Patel, Head of Sales for the UK and Pan-EMEA at Spotify, and Ian McCulloch, the Managing Director for Silent Pool Distillers. Their discussion includes how packaging design played a key part in the early success of Silent Pool Gin and how voice activated ads are leading the way on the future of digital advertising. Plus, why it's important for companies to have a sense of 'mission'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 16 Dec 2020 | "The leaders aren't the boss - the consumer is the boss". Tom Moody VP & MD P&G Northern Europe | 00:58:01 | |
Tom Moody is VP & MD for Procter & Gamble Northern Europe. Rory quizzes him about 2020's biggest challenge - COVID. Tom explains how P&G's long tenure in the Fortune 500 is because the leaders aren't the boss, the consumer is the boss. Listen on and you'll hear how everyday there's a group of men in Reading shaving in front of a two way mirror! P&G's Gillette product developments must score a 2:1 preference ratio. Also, find out about the life-saving product that P&G makes and gives away for free. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 12 Apr 2021 | How far will you go with a Volvo EV? Kristian Elvesfors, Managing Director, Volvo UK reveals the facts | 00:48:09 | |
Kristian Elvesfors, Managing Director, Volvo UK talks to Rory about the EV revolution and Volvo's move into the electric vehicle market and their plans for online purchase of Volvos. The programme is produced by Ultimate Sound and Vision with ALF Insight - for more information and data go to https://www.alfinsight.com/contact-us/. If you'd like more information about the cars Kristian is talking about check out https://www.volvocars.com/uk/about/human-innovation/electrification/pure-electric Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 02 Jun 2020 | Boots - 10 Years Change in 10 Weeks | 00:45:15 | |
Rory talks to Helen Normoyle, Marketing Director of Boots, about the changing face of the high street. Coronavirus has had its effect but things are changing anyway and the pandemic has clearly speeded up the evolution of retail. Helen talks about Boots' 'prescribed kindness" philosophy. The chemist has been involved with the health of the nation for 172 years - much longer than the NHS. What are the changes happening now and the changes to come not only for the health and beauty brand but across the spectrum of high street retail. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 12 Feb 2020 | Why the Best Ideas Don’t Always Make Sense | 00:43:19 | |
How can we influence consumers to make choices based on desire rather than logic? Rory is joined by Gary Davey, CEO of SKY Studios and Tristan Thomas, VP Marketing of Monzo Bank to explore their commercial successes and debate why data and reason don't always result in the best creative ideas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||