I make no excuse for harping on about the importance of values (see my previous blog http://ed.throughcreative.com/?p=17) and it seems that the RFU is severely lacking in the most basic foundation you find at the core of successful organisations.

The resignation of Martin Johnson is not going to solve anything – the issues go deep into the organisation. The men at the top need to have a long hard look at themselves rather than finding a scapegoat to keep them in a job.

Values define an organisation’s people, its culture and should guide all thoughts and actions and act as the benchmark for behaviour (as a strategic marketing agency we emphasise this with all our clients and use values to inform the creative direction in which we take brand identities). Sure this was severely lacking in the trip to the World Cup in New Zealand but the values of an organisation need to be set at the top and then leaders need to lead by example.

Had the values been clear then the England players would have known what was acceptable and the whole trip would have been a lot more enjoyable and successful.

It’s time to get back to basics gentlemen of the RFU and stop making excuses.

As a creative and branding agency we’ve always harped on about brand guidelines and the importance of recording them and using them to ensure a consistent brand experience.

And a vital element of a brand’s make-up is colour palette.

So reading that Cadbury has been granted a trademark for the distinctive colour purple (pantone 2865c to be precise!) and in doing so has secured exclusive rights to its use, we were delighted with the exposure the news gives to such a vital aspect of brand identity.

And like Cadbury, the importance of brand identity (and colour) has not escaped Nestle either. They have been challenging the former for over three years arguing that the colour was ‘not distinctive enough to receive a trademark’.

Many of the general public may stand and scratch their heads in disbelief and ask why two household names would go to such lengths over a colour?

The answer is quite simple really. Everyday consumers are exposed to literally thousands of promotional messages all vying for attention with the ultimate aim of securing a greater share of the market.

Brand identity is the visual expression of a brand and creates emotional triggers and helps consumers make sense of the abundance of choices available. So standing out and being remembered and recognised has never been so important.

Think of a brand and you will experience feelings and associations towards it. Think of the colour purple and you think of Cadbury.

Values are vital to a business. They define its people, its culture and should guide all thoughts and actions and act as the benchmark for behaviour (and who knows, if some business leaders remembered this then maybe, just maybe, we wouldn’t be in this mess).

So imagine my reaction upon reading that William Hill, the bookmaker, is offering 16-1 on England’s friendly with Spain being called off due to the poppy row? Is this a good bet or a bet too far?

It could be a good bet as all proceeds from sales of novelty ‘poppy on shirts’ will go to the Poppy Appeal (a fantastic cause) but does it not leave a bitter taste in the mouth? Is this not taking things a step too far?

I’d be interested to hear what the veterans make of it. Surely this goes against the values of our nation and the bookmaker itself? Have we not learnt from our mistakes?

Free, chocolate and sex. They used to be the three most important words in marketing (who knows, maybe they still are). But there is one that is head and shoulders above the others at the moment.

And that’s sex!

The organisers of Erotica 2011, to be held next week at London’s Olympia Conference Centre, have managed to attract 150 companies to sell their ‘wares’. And they’re also reporting strong ticket sales (I’m not amongst them I hasten to add).

Does this make us a sex mad nation? I think you can over analyse these things and I tend to agree with Erotica’s chief executive: “People are looking for a little escapism at the moment.”

And what better place for them to indulge!?

Interbrand last week issued it’s annual top 100 brand listing: http://www.interbrand.com/en/best-global-brands/best-global-brands-2008/best-global-brands-2011.aspx

Coca Cola is once again at the top as it has been for a number of years. In fact the first seven top brands haven’t moved in position. The one which has made an outstanding leap up the rankings however is Apple which now comes in at number 8 with an incredible 58% change in brand value! Will this change next year with the sad news about Steve Jobs or will the brand go from strength to strength? What does make depressing reading is that the first brand in the list from the UK comes in at number 32 with the list dominated by brands from the US.

The metholdology used to value brands makes intersting reading: http://www.interbrand.com/en/best-global-brands/best-global-brands-methodology/Overview.aspx

So all in all some good information.

What’s in a name? How do we identify names as a creative agency? Names for products, companies, services? Well there are several naming strategies that we use – Founder, Invented, Experiential, Acronym, Descriptive, Evocative and a combination of all these. These categories help to give some structure to our brainstorming sessions and do guide thoughts and ideas. When you’re thinking of name options it’s vital to consider: what the company stands for, what your values are, what the competition are doing, your tone of voice, what you want your brand to say etc.

But sometimes there’s nothing better than just throwing this structure out of the window and just doing some free thinking! We’ve just identified a new name for a PR company today and have done just that. And what we’ve identified is so different that it will stand out when it comes to the launch. And best of all it was enjoyable doing it and seeing how people reacted.

This worked well for this company because they wanted something different but it’s not always the best way forward. So we adapt our approach depending on the client and the challenge.