Thoughts on Writing

Embarrassing busybodies

Channel 4's latest 'Mirror on the Industry' report is diversity-by-spreadsheet from a clueless, self-appointed authority. Advertisers should reject it…

Oct 6

36

15

August 2025

Genes, memes and manufactured dissent

The story of a Gen Z backlash that never was, a right-wing backlash that eventually was, a left-wing-influencer-academic backlash that definitely was…

Aug 1

26

11

June 2025

The motte-and-bailey fallacy, and a response to a decent response

(Not a full-on post, more an extended LinkedIn reply)

Jun 16

9

10

May 2025

Stengel and a strange purpose autopsy

Despite omissions, a recent purpose conversation on the CMO podcast was at least 50% sane—and might be the closest we get to closure

May 23

29

12

December 2024

My inherently problematic Christmas ad diversity audit

This year's crop of Christmas ads is ethnically and gender diverse to a fault. But there's a weird reluctance to admit it in adland.

Dec 17, 2024

22

16

November 2024

The post-purpose election

If the 2007-2008 financial crisis marked the start of the purpose era, the 2024 election might just mark its end.

Nov 19, 2024

23

5

October 2024

The billboard backlash

Too many advertisers have forgotten about the social contract that allows billboards to exist in the first place

Oct 7, 2024

22

15

September 2024

Truthiness isn't beauty

An extract from my new book The Road to Hell, in which I examine the case of Dove, hailed as the exemplar of purposeful marketing, but based on…

Sep 9, 2024

17

4

August 2024

Social media, social purpose and social unrest

Facing concerns that social media is fuelling social unrest, a purposeful advertising industry is keen to step up – in any way that increases its power.

Aug 9, 2024

8

5

July 2024

The story of why

An excerpt from my new book The Road to Hell, examining the case of influential purpose pioneer Simon Sinek.

Jul 9, 2024

63

19

June 2024

Notes not from Cannes

On 'post-purpose', empowered judges, devaluing creativity, alt text facepalms, diverse juries, progressive ads, Musk, and all the creativity never…

Jun 24, 2024

10

4

May 2024

Come say hell-o

An invitation to the book launch, some social proof, a prod for shares and reviews, and my venture into the lions' den of WARC.

May 24, 2024

8