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Get insights, ideas & thought pieces across Marketing, Creativity & Venture.
How Far Should Brands Push the Boundaries of Change?
Minimalism in design is like "a little black dress." This analogy caught my attention—it’s simple, timeless, and universally appealing. But as I reflected on this, it struck me that many brands today are stripping back so much that they risk losing their essence entirely.
Read moreHow to create Christmas advertising campaigns that cut through and drive sales
The festive season is one of the most competitive times of the year for advertisers. To stand out and drive sales, your campaigns need to combine creativity, strategic targeting, and the holiday spirit.
Read moreThink marketing is just fluff and fun? Think again. It's time to talk money.
Think marketing is just fluff and fun? Think again. Marketing isn’t just about catchy ads and creative campaigns – it’s a critical driver of revenue and growth.
Read moreOSER X talk at The Business Show London
n today’s competitive landscape, standing out as a startup or scale-up is more challenging—and crucial—than ever. One of the most powerful tools for driving growth and differentiation is brand strategy. It’s the often-overlooked discipline that can fundamentally change the trajectory of your business, allowing you to attract loyal customers, gain market share, and, for investors, ultimately achieve a meaningful return on investment.
Read moreThe power of a strong brand: Insights from The Business Show London
At the recent Business Show in London, OSER caught people’s attention. Whether it was the buzz around our stand, our sponsorship of the Launchpad Scheme startup competition, or my talk on brand strategy, one thing was clear: a strong brand is one of the most valuable assets a business can have.
Read moreHow to create a customer journey that converts
In today’s competitive landscape, businesses must focus on creating seamless, customer-centric experiences to drive conversions and long-term loyalty. During my recent webinar with Enterprise Nation and Vodafone Business, “How to Build a Customer Journey That Converts,” we explored actionable strategies and insights that SMEs can leverage to map out effective customer journeys from awareness to conversion.
Read moreAs a startup, how much should we spend on marketing?
As a rule of thumb start-ups (1-5 years old) should spend 12-20% of gross or projected revenue on marketing. Bear in mind that the total marketing budget will need to be split across strategy, creative ideas, marketing subscriptions and media.
Read moreWhy Marketing and Sales Need to Talk
Investing in a strong alignment between marketing and sales isn’t just a best practice—it’s a competitive advantage. When both teams are on the same page, the customer wins, and so does your business.
Read moreFrom Blind Spots to Breakthroughs: Boost Your Strategy with a Social Media Audit
In this blog we explore how a social media audit is vital for standing out against the crowd. From a comprehensive evaluation of your current social media strategy, we will refine your online presence, uncover blind spots, and identify growth opportunities to help you propel your business forward. Whether you're a startup or a scale-up, B2B or B2C, our social media audit service provides a straightforward way to evaluate your current social media strategy.
Read moreSlide into a more creative outlook: taking inspiration from Louboutin 'Pool' at Paris Fashion Week.
In the world of fashion and business, few names shine as brightly as Louboutin. The iconic brand, known for its red-soled shoes, has made a lasting impression on the industry. Its success goes beyond mere style, showing how creativity can drive business growth and set a brand apart in a crowded market.
Read moreBest AI tools for Startups and Scale-ups to help with their brand and marketing.
AI tools have become highly valuable for brand building and marketing, especially for startups and scale-ups. They can automate, personalise, and scale marketing activities. We'll look at some essential AI tools and how they can be leveraged.
Read moreKey challenges startups face and how to solve them with brand and marketing.
Startups face numerous pain points as they seek to establish themselves, scale, and compete in a crowded market. I will take you through the key challenges we see and how to overcome them through brand and marketing solutions.
Read moreWhy Brand Strategy is Crucial for Business Success
A brand strategy is essential because it provides a clear direction for your business to grow and evolve in a competitive market. It goes beyond design assets (like logos and colours) to define your brand’s core identity, purpose, messaging, and the overall experience you want to deliver to customers. While design assets visually represent your brand, the brand strategy ensures that everything from messaging to customer interactions aligns with your long-term goals.
Read moreWhen was the last time you tried out your consumer sales journey?
When was the last time you mystery-shopped your own business? Your digital touchpoints are your modern storefront. In today's digital-first world, every click, scroll, and interaction shapes perceptions and influences decisions.
Read moreWhy a one-stop shop approach to marketing services drives growth and ROI for Startups and Scaleups
Startups and Scaleups > Discover how a One-Stop shop approach to agency partnerships can streamline your marketing efforts, ensuring consistent messaging, evoke more creativity and create a holistic strategy that maximises ROI—all while saving you time and headache
Read moreBarbie: A Brand and Marketing Masterclass for Startups & Scale-ups
My recent visit to the Barbie Exhibition at the Design Museum in Kensington got me thinking about Barbie's evolution from a simple doll to a global brand. Barbie's journey highlights crucial lessons for startups and scale-ups eager to carve out their own niche in a competitive marketplace.
Read moreAI in Marketing: Are you losing the human touch?
The future of marketing lies in this synergy between AI-powered insights and human creativity. By embracing both, you can create campaigns that are not only highly targeted but also genuinely resonate with your audiences.
Read moreMarketing growth strategies to propel Your startup's business growth
As a startup founder, you understand the importance of growth for your business. But in a competitive market, how do you ensure that your start-up stands out and achieves sustainable growth? The answer lies in implementing effective marketing growth strategies.
Read moreMy top tips for an effective MarTech implementation
Implementing MarTech effectively requires careful planning and execution. As the ex-COO of NGX, I have a proven track record in scaling businesses and optimising MarTech strategies. Here are some of my best practices to ensure successful MarTech implementation and scaling for your e-commerce business.
Read moreUnleashing the power of a well-designed pitch deck: insights on how to captivate startup investors
Statistically, only about 1 percent of pitch decks attract investors and land investment money. Of course, part of this equation is finding the right investors, whom your idea will resonate with, but even when you've found them, expect that your pitch deck will get less than three minutes of their time.
Read moreIs brand important for growth?
This week I did a Keynote exploring the question: Is Brand Important for Growth? I thought it might be useful to share some of the key points in a blog post, so here it is.
Read moreOSER x The Business Show London 2024: Brand Strategy to Drive Business Growth
Join OSER at the UK's leading business event to learn how effective brand strategy fuels growth. Don’t miss our Founder, Laura Derbyshire’s session on driving sustainable success through branding. We’re also offering £10K in brand services as part of the £100K Launchpad competition!
Read more5 Mistakes brands make when targeting Gen Z
Targeting Gen Z? You need to look beyond surface-level trends, assumptions and personal biases. Otherwise, you risk creating a disconnect between your brand’s marketing strategy and the authentic interests of Gen-Z consumers.
Read moreHow to choose the right MarTech for scaling an e-commerce business
With the ever-expanding digital toolbox at our disposal, it can be quite bewildering to determine which marketing technology (MarTech) tools best suit your business. However, by harnessing the right MarTech stack, you can fine-tune your e-commerce operations, simplify processes, and drive your business towards profitable growth.
Read moreWe've shaped the virtual world, is it shaping ours?
Showcasing a cross-section of companies from different industries, all of which are blending our realities with the virtual for the better. From art to charity to biology, these brands work in many ways to improve the world around us or, at the very least, entertain us
Read moreWhy a fractional CMO is the best idea for VC startup portfolio growth
The pay-as-you-go model for marketing strategy is a smarter way to inject some highly experienced and quality thinking into your startup portfolio, without the huge price tag, strain on resource to find the right people, or commitment to full-time hires.
Read moreCan early-stage VCs get a new lens on startup deal flow for more informed decisions and faster ROI?
Early-stage VCs often make decisions on investments based on cold hard facts and figures. But what if there was another lever to evaluate startups that could give additional insight into the conviction of marketing plans and ROI, by seasoned marketing experts, who have spent half their lives working in ad agencies?
Read moreWhat is the metaverse and are we living in it?
The metaverse hype is dead. When Mark Zuckerberg first announced Facebook would be renamed to Meta in October 2021, interest in virtual worlds skyrocketed. Now, in 2024, it’s safe to say that interest in ‘the metaverse’ has been entirely eclipsed by AI.
Read moreThe power of Generative AI: unlocking creativity and efficiency
In today's digital age, the possibilities seem endless when it comes to leveraging technology to enhance our lives. One such technological advancement that has been gaining significant attention is generative AI
Read moreBeing brave: the art of brand v performance marketing
If you’re looking to grow your start-up and gain a competitive edge, it’s not enough to focus solely on performance marketing
Read moreThe rise of AI in startups: A look into the growing trend of VC backing
Artificial Intelligence has rapidly emerged as a disruptive force, transforming industries and revolutionising the way businesses operate. This transformative technology has not only captured the attention of entrepreneurs and innovators but has also become a hotbed for VC investor backing.
Read moreWhat makes a good investor pitch deck?
Over the last 3 years, I have reviewed more than 100 startup pitch decks from seed to Series A and anything from HealthTech to Audio apps. Here are my insights on 3 key indicators of a strong pitch deck
Read moreDefensibility for startups: why building your brand is important
In today's competitive business landscape, startups face numerous challenges. One critical aspect that can set them apart from the competition and ensure long-term success is building a strong brand. Branding goes beyond just creating a logo or tagline; it encompasses the perception, reputation, and recognition of a company in the market - it is crucial for its survival and growth.
Read moreHow do you find and pitch the right early-stage VC firm?
Identifying the right early-stage VC firm for your startup is a strategic decision that can significantly impact the trajectory of your business. Understanding the investment thesis and portfolio of a VC firm can provide insights into whether the firm is the right fit for your startup's stage of development and industry vertical.
Read moreFuelling innovation and growth: the crucial role of creativity in business
Creativity is the ability to think and act in ways that are original, imaginative, and innovative. It involves connecting seemingly unrelated ideas, thinking outside the box, and finding new solutions to problems. It is the spark that ignites the fires of innovation and fuels growth in businesses.
Read moreThe power of agile leadership and marketing in startup growth
In the fast-paced and ever-evolving world of startups, having an agile leadership and marketing team is crucial for sustainable growth and success. Startups face numerous challenges and uncertainties along their journey, and the ability to adapt quickly and make informed decisions can make all the difference
Read moreMastering the art of persuasion: a pitch deck fit for Sequoia
As an entrepreneur, mastering the art of persuasion is crucial for securing investment in your startup. One of the most effective tools in your arsenal is the investor pitch deck. To get it on point, you need the knowledge and insight to create a persuasive and compelling investor pitch deck that will captivate potential investors and propel your startup to success.
Read moreUnveiling the secrets of what early-stage VCs look for in a startup
Early-stage Venture Capital (VC) funding is a critical source of capital for startups in their initial phases of growth. Understanding the motivations and expectations of early-stage VC firms is essential for startups seeking funding
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