JKR

Phil Rumbol

Rediscovering our entrepreneurial roots.

Every month a group of us get together at an event called Platform to hear first-hand from some of the business world’s leading innovators and learn a few secrets of their success.

On Tuesday, we heard from the man responsible for ground breaking marketing campaigns including the successful re-introduction of Wispa and the multiple award-winning 'Gorilla' film, Cadbury UK Marketing Director Phil Rumbol.

Phil encouraged us to rediscover our entrepreneurial roots and reminded us that brands started out as the mark of the people behind the product. Too often marketing today becomes painting by numbers, at the expense of instinct and judgment.

So here are Phil’s 6 suggestions to help entrepreneurial spirit flourish in a big company:

1.    Put yourself in the consumer’s shoes

Seemingly obvious but it’s very easy to lose perspective of how little time most consumers spend thinking about brands. Linear thought and logic can never account for the fact that ultimately, we all make decisions subconsciously and irrationally.

2.    Lead don’t follow consumers

Most big companies spend millions on research, often exposing the same insights. As a consequence, they often converge on the same propositions. Invest time translating those insights into something distinctive and interesting that consumers haven’t told us they want.

3.    Aim to win big

And accept there will be failures. Many big companies seek certainty on everything, which creates a culture where it’s better to do nothing than try something and fail. Take risks and strive for genuine differentiation.

4.    A healthy disdain for the internal machine

The only thing that matters is what the consumer sees. The powerpoint doesn’t reach the consumer so focus on the expression of the work that does.

5.    Don’t accept ‘no’

Be tenacious and bloody minded about what you believe in.

6.    Get the runs on the board

Nothing breeds trust like success. The best way to get more space and autonomy is to get results. The more trust you create, the more able you are to tell people what you’re doing rather than ask their permission.

There’s a high demand for membership but if you’d like to attend the next Platform, please e-mail Amy at amymaw@jkr.co.uk and she’ll do her damnedest to get you on the list.