…and welcome to Foundation. Yes we have a new starter, part-timer Dolly is a 6 day old Herdwick Texel lamb. She’s due in the office some time next week – her duties aren’t yet finalised but suspect she’ll be mostly keeping the grass in the garden nice and short!

It’s a sad story really, or is it? Apparently this massively adorable snow-white bundle wasn’t rejected by her mother, but was actually the rejector! And, can you blame her? She now has the run of Sandi’s acreage, has got private use of Polly’s wendy house (which was rapidly cleared of all of Polly’s toys and converted to a deceptively spacious, hay-filled accommodation, the envy of all the other farm animals). Her warm, snugly residence even has electricity, which means that she has lighting and a power supply for her banging sound system and hair straighteners. Sandi’s currently hand rearing her, taking her for walks and cuddles her to get to sleep…………. so, taking all things into account, Dolly’s quite a smart cookie! It’s all part of Dolly’s master plan, and now that she’s actually going to be coming to work (pending license from the local council of course) she’s certainly got Sandi twisted round her little hoof . And what about poor old Biggins – he now has a rival for Sandi’s affection – in fact Dolly reminds me of the lodging penguin in Wallace and Gromit’s ‘The Wrong Trousers’, but in this case Dolly may quite literally be pulling the wool over Sandi’s eyes. Watch this space!

Subject: General by Liz

Press Release

BEST WESTERN, the UK’s most unique portfolio of independent hotels, is advertising on television this April for the first time in its 30 year history. This comes as the group relaunches with new positioning ‘Hotels with Personality’, developed by Ilkley based agency, Foundation, which sets the Best Western’s unique portfolio of independent hotels aside from the boring old, formulaic chains offering generic hotel stays in the UK.

This positioning is part of a fully integrated marketing strategy including direct mail, PR, social media, experiential activity and a total relaunch of www.bestwestern.co.uk along with small but all important changes to the hotel experience.

Tim Wade, marketing director at Best Western, said: “The positioning is not just about marketing strategy it is about the whole experience offered by Best Western from booking your hotel to the stay itself and our campaign hopes to reflect all of the unique qualities and personalities that make a stay in an independent hotel special. A Best Western experience is about the passionate people who work in the hotel, the local produce and knowledge on tap, the unbeatable views and history and that feeling that you are at the very heart of a community.  To communicate this we are putting together hampers of unique, local produce that the hotel’s produce individually such as freshly made Lemon Curd from the Best Western Lyndir Hall and beer brewed by the Best Western Selkirk Arms to share with media, agents and other partners.”

The campaign will also see a partnership with Visit England to communicate the rebrand message to the 600,000 people interested in travel on their database.

For more information about Best Western visit http://www.Bestwestern.co.uk or http://www.hotelswithpersonality.com.

Subject: Design, General by Liz

Don’t get me wrong, I love chocolate as much as the next man (but not the next woman, if she happens to be Sandi!), but Easter these days means lots of chocolate, packaging and hugely disappointing contents.

On the flip side, for me, it’s still a time of tradition. My dad’s Ukranian, so at Easter we have a basket filled with food staples – a little salt, butter, bread, cheese, egg, pork and sweetcake (Paska), which is blessed on Easter Saturday and shared between the entire family for breakfast on Easter Sunday.  We have on occasions shared a single boiled egg between 14 people  - a skill in itself – but it’s not about filling your tummy, it’s about being grateful for the food at the table and the people to share it with. It all sounds a bit worthy and a little righteous – don’t mean too, it’s just a lovely tradition.

But don’t go thinking my family starve on Easter Sunday – quite the opposite – my Mum’s Italian, so you guessed it, she has a tradition too, and it’s to do with food. Our lunch is a massively gluttonous affair where we crack in the region of 140 eggs and have every variety of omelette (Frittata) known to man.

So, Easter Monday’s generally a time to hide those scales, pat yourself on the back for being such a slave to tradition and generally think about giving up dairy products for at least two months!

Subject: General by Liz

Dom takes his job very seriously – give him a brief and he delivers – in fact, he’s the agency’s Golden Balls! So when his brief was to get the ‘Who the f*** are Foundation?’ t-shirt photographed on his holidays, where bigger or better than on the big screen in Times Square, New York? Evidence attached.

LIZ. So Dom, tell us what you did on your holidays (in voice of uninspiring Year 3 teacher after February Half Term)?
DOM. Well, I saw a potato in a puddle – look, I took a picture of it (and so he did).
LIZ. Dom, you were in New York and the most exciting thing you saw was a potato.
DOM. But it was in a puddle!

At this point, perhaps I should have walked away before he’d remembered the carrot in a corner or the broccoli in the bin – but versed in the ancient art of water torture I was able to extract from him that he’d spent a bit of time with Jennifer Aniston, Daniel Craig, John Travolta………………….and none other than Salvador Dali! OK so it was Madame Tussauds, but when you see his pics and you squint and cover your left eye, they look like the real thing – I do think though that the arm round Salvador’s neck, and proper hug is just a bit too needy!

Ok, so Dom did some cool stuff too – jazz clubs, Tim Burton exhibition,  arty stuff, tattoo studios  -   but it’s good to know that the humble potato is capable of making such an impression on him – it’s no doubt due to the fact that his brain has a massively overdeveloped right hemisphere, something that me and my logical brain can only dream about!

Subject: General, The T on Tour by Liz

Having stolen a couple of days away from the office in order to take in a little Roman culture one felt obliged to promote the mothership. Hopefully Childline will not take exception to one using one’s offspring as an ambient medium. (For any Roman virgins out there…..on location at The Spanish Steps).

Any of our friends willing to borrow a T-shirt and send us promotional shots taken in exotic locations will be appropriately rewarded!

The second shot is of Loretta, Polly’s new best friend. Anyone wishing to visit Rome should visit her hotel. The service was amazing.

Subject: General, The T on Tour by Sandi

Don’t be alarmed, I’m talking social networking here, not some Nostradamus style prophecy. I thought I’d post news of the wake-up call that’s taking the marketing fraternity a little by surprise. After being swept along on a social wave for the past few years to the point where brand champions unquestioningly believe there’s a direct relationship between market share and social media presence – questions are being asked such as ‘Who will be the first brand to have a ‘NOT ON FACEBOOK’ logo on their website?’

It will certainly take a Marketing Director with steely balls and perhaps even a slight deathwish, to take this bizarre step. But should, said Marketing Director find themselves having sleepless nights wondering what sense it makes to drive potential customers away from their own brand’s website and onto a site used by all possible rivals, to a point where they start losing control and engagement, perhaps a courageous move like this is on the cards!!! Particularly when that very same director after eventually falling asleep, finds themselves waking up in a cold sweat asking ‘Why should I care that we have thousands of non-targeted ‘nobodies’, sitting in their bedrooms ‘following’, ‘connecting’ or ‘being friends’ – it’s not really marketing is it?’

So let’s push social media where it respectably belongs, into the PR camp. There’s no denying the massive potential it has in affecting outcomes (finest example being the pre-Christmas Rage Against The Machine Facebook campaign) – but perhaps its greatest value is its ability to raise awareness and action for social or charitable causes. That’s a much more worthy use of everyone’s time and creativity.

Subject: General by Liz

…I had taken the time to invest in a tape measure and get to grips with the enormity of Neil’s cranium. It may be somewhat of a snug fit but I am sure you’ll agree that Neil is quite the dandy in his jaunty hat and colourful scarf.

 
Inspired to take up a pair of needles and get knitting yourself? Well visit this link for a truly startling idea!

http://www.drpetra.co.uk/blog/knit-your-own-knickers/

Subject: General by Sandi

This week we’ll mostly be ………….. knitting! Not in office time of course, but in the seclusion of our sitting rooms and Knit & knatter groups. It is apparently, the new sex . Even Harry Hill’s giving it Saturday night prime time airtime!

We’re knitting one and purling one to make hats, scarves, coats for dogs and blankets for laps. We’re working with cashmere, merino, undyed, organic, you name it, we’re using it. But despite all this, it would appear that we are still knitting lightweights! Apparently, to be considered uber serious we need to religiously subscribe to the knitters horoscope and get a personal ‘spin’ on what each week holds for us in terms of knitting.  What’s that about then? Beware the stranger offering advice on how you cast off, their motives may not be what they seem??? Then there are the knitting holidays , tours and breaks – nope, don’t intend to go on one of those either. And finally, the slightly weird knitting patterns, giving instructions on how you knit your favourite vegetable (ok, well there might be some use for a woolly aubergine), or a not- very- realistic -looking body-part (you do have to wonder, why?) or finally, you may need to sit down for this one, an imitation designer clutch bag. I’m sorry, but enough’s, enough – the prospect of a knitted handbag!!!!  Call the Fashion Police.

Subject: General by Liz

Foundation has a dog! Strictly speaking it’s Sandi’s and Polly’s dog, but as the 8 week old cocker spaniel pup is going to be in the office for the next couple of months, I think it’s fair to say we’ve all claimed a little ownership, apart from Henry that is!

He’s called Biggins and was born on Christmas Day.  Just take a look at him, soooo cute!  As an office junior he’s getting familiar with the ropes. He’s learnt how to shred paper, lots of it, into very tiny pieces and although currently he can’t take messages, he has learnt to leave them, all around the office! And, after swallowing a whole baby wipe on Monday, we understand that the last of it has made its protracted and very messy way out. Bless! Henry, what’s not to like?

Subject: General by Liz

OK.  Imagine the situation, you work your socks off for 6 solid days and nights to deliver in a pitch winning solution and what do you hear: “ Sorry, but it’s not on brief!”  So, why is it that in other walks of life we’re not happy to respond in the same way?

Let me give you an example. The other day Aaron was given the task of going to the artshop to pick up, and I quote, “a black oversized A3 artcase”. What did he bring back ? Well, see for yourself what Sandi’s carrying in the picture below. Who on earth buys a baby pink artcase to attend a serious presentation (apart from Aaron that is)? The bag had obviously been in the shop, collecting dust as a special order that was never picked up………… until Aaron spotted it, couldn’t resist it and thought he’d improvise. Bless!

Why didn’t we send him back to the shop, shouting “ Sorry, but it’s not on brief”, instead, we laughed, we hugged the case and even took turns to carry it. Does that make us pushovers or is it just that sometimes a little stretch of the brief doesn’t actually hurt?

Subject: General by Liz