The advertising world has been all of a tizzy of late over the news that Procter & Gamble plan to reduce their advertising budget to focus more on social media.

There’s no doubt that P&G’s Old Spice ads were something of a YouTube sensation. But was this because people loved the ads or the product? How many people would have viewed them had they not been supported by the “traditional” media that P&G are rumoured to be cutting back on?

We believe there’s little doubt that for some small companies and emerging brands, clever use of social media can be a great way of raising awareness on a limited budget. We know of one Edinburgh eatery that has built up a considerable client base using nothing more than well-planned Facebook promotions and carefully considered engagement with their online followers.

We believe that digital media not only offers a wealth of new opportunities for engagement, but can also be a key part of a brand building or marketing strategy. That’s why we offer a range of digital services to our clients, along side the traditional design services you might expect from us. It’s partly because that’s what many of you want and need, but also because we believe that, nine times out of ten, traditional and digital approaches should be integrated to get the best R.O.I and results.

2012 is quite the year for big occasions – the Queen celebrates sixty years of ruling over us in a happy and glorious fashion, the Olympics are taking place in London and it’s the two-hundredth anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens.

All very jolly and worthy of note we’re sure you’ll agree, but here at Taste Towers we’re celebrating something that, for us at least, is even more exciting – our fifth birthday!

The year we first fired up the Taste Macs, Rihanna was singing about her Umbrella (ella, ella, ella…), Apple had launched a fancy new gizmo called the iPhone and a drumming gorilla enthralled the nation.

2007 also saw the birth of Tumblr*, the Mac vs. PC ads with Mitchell and Webb, and the launch of Windows Vista. Our telly screens were treated to the debuts of Skins, Outnumbered, and Gavin and Stacey.

Like us, you might be a bit surprised to realise that so many of the aforementioned things happened half a decade ago. Time does, indeed, fly. The last five years have been a great experience and we’re proud of all the branding, digital, design, advertising and print work we’ve done for our clients since we started. Here’s to the next five years – and even more great work for our lovely clients…

* As we’re the same age, we’ll try to send them, and the iPhone people, a slice of our cake – in fact, we might even have a car shaped cake in homage to the Skoda ad that ran in the year we all came into being.

We love the fact that the child in it instantly indentifies Apple and associates the Starbucks logo with coffee – must be the fact her dad’s a designer! Plus we think some of her literal descriptions of the logos are nothing less than adorable. (Our faves are her takes on Google Chrome and X-Box.)

It’s not the first time we’ve heard of a pre-schooler connecting logos with brands either. When Toy Story 3 was released a chum of one of the occupants of Creative Corner took their toddler to see the film. Unused to the big screen experience the baffled tot fidgeted and griped throughout the trailers and ads. The embarrassed parent was all set to abandon the trip, when the film started. As Pixar logo appeared on the screen the child simply said “Oooooh, Buzz!” and settled back happily to watch the film.

The fact that a child who – possibly – can’t yet read can identify a company based on nothing more than a logo, we think, speaks volumes about the power of branding. And while getting it right isn’t always child’s play, investing the time and effort to do so can be pretty rewarding…

Sometimes an ad campaign moves pretty fast. Only last week this ten-second teaser (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xPALQJbTOA&feature=related) sent the internet into a veritable tizzy of speculation. Was there to be a sequel to beloved 80s’ movie, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off? Was it an ad? And if so what for?

“Save Ferris” (from being rehashed as an ad) many cried. Others were curious to know what the story would be – would Mr. Ronney’s predictions for the school skipping student be realised? Meanwhile, here at Taste Towers at least one resident of the creative corner saw it as an excuse to spend most of the weekend re-watching the movie (purely in the name of research you understand).

People had barely had chance to react to the teaser before word hit the web that it was most likely an ad for Honda. And hardly had that tidbit circulated before it was confirmed to be true earlier this week with the release of the full-length version (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhkDdayA4iA) of the Ferris themed Super Bowl ad online.

We have to confess we were a little worried that the ad would be a sequel of some sort, so were rather relieved to see it’s a homage to the original, with Matthew Broderick playing himself in an ad that’s packed with references to the movie. This, we think, is how nostalgia ads should be done, and we far prefer it to Star Wars themed ads for a certain electrical retailer…

It seems that Heinz Beanz (as they’ve been officially know since a revamp of the label in 2004) are on a lot of people’s lips right now – or at least their advertising strap line is.

In a recent poll among readers of Creative Review, the long running – 45 years and counting – “Beanz Meanz Heinz” slogan has topped the charts. And not for the first time either; back in 2000 it was voted the Best Slogan of all time by a panel of advertising professionals.

Looking at the rest of the top twenty – only a handful of which aren’t advertising strap lines – it’s interesting to note that the most recent line on the list is 15 years old. It’s one of just three from the 90s, suggesting that a good line can not only stand the test of time, but become embedded in everyone’s memory.

Think about how many times you’ve heard someone describe something as a “Ronseal job” – their “Does Exactly What It Says On The Tin” was third on the list, incidentally – or you’ve seen an online comment expressing bewilderment include the phrase “confused.com”. That’s how easily a line or brand can sneak into the collective mind*. Irrespective of whether such phrases have you reaching for a baseball bat or smiling in recognition, you can’t deny the people behind them are probably pretty pleased to have had such an impact. And who can blame them?

The list also included Nike’s “Just Do It”, Tesco’s “Every Little Helps”, Coke’s “It’s The Real Thing” and L’Oreal’s “Because I’m Worth It”.

If you’d been given a vote would Heinz have bean (sorry, been) the toast of the town? Let us know below.

* A lesser blog would probably have included the word “Simples” here just to prove a point.

Gap. Starbucks. Microsoft. Apple. Heinz. Orange. Ford.

After reading that we’re willing to wager a chocolate Hobnob that you’ve got at least one logo flashing through your brain right now. We’re even willing to risk a second biccie on the fact that as well as a visual image you also – albeit briefly – pondered your perception of that company. And that – assuming your thoughts were vaguely positive – is the magic of branding. Sort of.

Of course, it’s a bit more complex than that in reality, but in basic terms that’s what branding’s about – creating a warm and positive feeling about a brand, and conjuring up a personality for it in people’s minds.

Take Ben & Jerry’s for example, if you’re at all familiar with the ice-cream brand, not only will you now probably be thinking of your favorite flavour, but also how your image of the brand in general. And the chances are those thoughts include a mental snap-shot of the eponymous pudding producers and a vague – or possibly not so vague – sense that they’re a couple of nice guys who are probably quite laid back. (OK, if you’re lactose intolerant or on a January diet, your thoughts may be a tad different, but you get the idea.)

But how did that image get into your head? Well, it’s down to their branding. In other words, if you thought of a couple of nice guys making ice-cream, that’s because that’s what they’ve worked hard to make you think.

That’s because branding isn’t just the about the visual aspects – like the logo – of a product. It’s about the perceived image that people have of the brand. And that’s what needs to be planned out and established as part of the brand development. It’s about more than making people think about your company, it’s about how you want them to think about it.

Confusing? A little, yes, after all the word branding is bandied around a lot these days and is often used as a cover all word to refer to everything from advertising to PR. But to be effective branding has to happen far earlier in proceedings, in other words it’s not your marketing, it’s what drives your marketing. And that’s why it needs thought, planning and careful consideration. It’s not enough, just to have people talking about you – you need them to be saying good things when they do.

It was the year that saw the seven-billionth human arrive on the planet, Hallmark launch a range of redundancy cards and baking become somewhat chic. It was also the year that several big name brands opted for a bit of a rethink.

We’d hardly tidied up after our Hogmanay party when Starbucks unveiled their revamped logo. They dropped their name from the logo, leaving just the siren staring back at us from our cappuccino cups. We confess we weren’t impressed at the time, but as the year’s gone by we’ve got so used to it – perhaps due to our addition to lattes – that it’s already become part of the furniture. Our verdict? Rather too subtle a revamp that seemed pretty pointless at the time, but which has slipped neatly into the collective subconscious. In other words, we no longer want to throw our Frappuccinos at someone’s head every time we see it.

2011 also saw us bid farewell to one of the most iconic – and overused by lads down the pub – strap lines ever, when just shy of its fortieth birthday, “Carlsberg don’t do…” was consigned to the history books. While we recognise that every concept will, eventually, run out of steam, we reckon there was still life left in this one and its replacement “This calls for a Carlsberg” hasn’t really been a worthy successor.

One iconic bit of branding that DID make it to the big four-oh was the Nike Swoosh, which clocked up its fourth decade this year. This stunningly simple device is recognised around the world and instantly associated with the brand. It’s remained largely unchanged for longer than anyone in Taste Towers has been alive and looks as fresh today as it ever did. Now that’s what good branding is all about.

Also celebrating a milestone anniversary this year was Nirvana’s Nevermind, which turned 20 in September. Even if you can’t name a single track on the album, we’d bet our last bag of chocolate coins you’d recognise the sleeve artwork with its iconic swimming baby. A veritable design classic we’re sure you’ll agree.

2011 was the year that ads for dairy products become the cream of the crop. Yeo Valley launched their own (farm) boy band, while Cravendale warned us about the potential dangers of over-evolved cats. Brilliant campaigns and marvelously memorable – truly the crème de la crème.

Social media continued to rule – although some uses of it were more successful than others. We’re still disproportionately angry about BT’s wedding planner Facebook page and remain unconvinced that Google+ is going to topple Twitter any time soon*, despite the initial excitement association with its June launch.

So, as we stand on the cusp of 2012 we all have to ask ourselves some questions. Big questions. Questions that will shape the coming year. Questions like what will the dog de jour who chases Fenton from our hearts be doing? Is Essex really the only way? Can scientists find a cure for Beiber fever? And do you want another cup cake?

Whatever else the New Year brings, we hope it brings you health, happiness, prosperity and success. Happy 2012 from all at Taste Towers.

* We freely admit this could be our version of Lord Sugar’s infamous iPod comment…

(To be sung to the tune of “Merry Christmas Everybody” by Slade – Noddy Holder style vocals optional.)

Are you cursing at your sore and aching feet

As you fight your way through crowds on Princes Street?

Seeing kids dressed up as reindeer

As they ride round in their prams

And their mothers curse the chaos of the trams

So here it is Embra Christmas

Everyone’s on the big wheel

Don’t have a gluhwein first

Or rather ill you’ll feel

Are you waiting for the postman to arrive

Maybe playing Slade and having a wee jive?

Do you truly keep on watching, hoping for a card from us?

Signed with seasons greetings, Claire and Gus

Well, here it is, Merry Christmas,

We’re not sending any cards

We’ll give the dosh away

Don’t think we’re being hard!

We know we shouldn’t really make a song and dance about it but this year, instead of sending cards we’ve decided to make a donation to St Columba’s Hospice. You can find out more about our chosen charity here: www.stcolumbashospice.org.uk

We admit that here at Taste Towers we haven’t, of late, blogged quite as often as we’d like to. But now our new website is up and running it’s time to get back to blogging. And where better to start than with an episode of our fave show? Especially when it’s an episode devoted to branding, packing and advertising. So, for one week only, the Taste Apprentice blog is back…

Challenged to brand, package and promote a deodorant, Zara and Blond Harry were appointed team leaders, and given their bossy approach to leadership, it didn’t take long for several contestants to kick up a stink.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Blond Harry took Team Leader to be mean “what I say goes”, and before you could take the lid off an aerosol he was ignoring sensible suggestions and pushing his team in the direction he felt was best. Unfortunately that direction wasn’t terribly clear, unless “zany clichés” is, in fact, a brand strategy. *

Not that Zara was much better, as soon as we saw her saying “I’m not going to pretend I’m a specialist” we knew that she was going to be impossible to reason with when it came to making the ad. Sure enough, she was later seen sulking outside the editing suite huffily saying “I would hope she (Hayley) appreciates that I’m the one who has more knowledge in this area”.

But what about the design and branding? As ever on The Apprentice it was a little less than impressive – we do sometimes wonder if the candidates have ever seen packaging before. Luckily, some of Blond Harry’s suggestions – I Love My Deodorant and Sweat Doctor – were rightly pooh-poohed by his team, leaving them with the slightly random name Vanity for their brand.

Mind you, even that was less peculiar than Zara’s team’s choice of Raw. A prime example of why when naming a product you should always, always think about all of the meaning of the words you opt for – and then double check them in a dictionary and thesaurus while thinking a bit more about it. As Lord Sugar pointed out, the name conjured up images of allergic reactions – but that’s what happens when you make rash decisions.**

As ever, there were some classic Apprentice lessons to be learnt:

1. When targeting teens it’s not in the least bit necessary to have a focus group made up of people whose teenage years are still in progress. We can’t be alone in not having seen such a mature looking bunch of teenagers since we re-watched Grease at the weekend.

2. If you wish to convey that a character is geeky, simply supply them with a pair of Harry Potter specs – were we the only waiting for them to complete the cliché and tell her to remove her glasses and shake her hair out once she’d used the product?

3. Anything in an orange and grey can will look like either fly spray or spray tan. Equally, dark grey cans with faux gothic mirrors on them make your product look like random pound shop brand hairspray.

4. The Harry that isn’t Blond Harry looks a bit like Russell Tovey.

5. Princess Anne is apparently a style icon among teenage girls, well one teenage girl at least.

*It isn’t.

** Sorry, we know it’s a stinker of a pun…

Like the sound of Slade screaming from shop speakers, the annual airing of festive ads is a sure sign that Christmas is coming. *

Back when we were still writing to Santa, Christmas ads were simple affairs – just images of toys and reminders of special seasonal deals. If you were lucky you maybe glimpsed some recently retired footballers singing about aftershave, but that was about as exciting as it got.

In recent years, however, certain stores’ Christmas ads have become eagerly awaited big budget productions that generate more press coverage than Lady Gaga.

The ad hitting the headlines hardest this year is the John Lewis spot. On the off chance that you’ve been helping the elves at the North Pole for the last month and have yet to see it, it shows an impatient young boy counting down the days to Christmas. It’s all set to a cover version of a classic Smiths’ song – one of the many reasons it’s hit the headlines – and features some of the best fed-up faces we’ve ever seen, just two of the reasons that we’re rather fond of it. Our pint-sized hero tries everything, including wizardry, to speed up December, but it’s only when the longed for day finally arrives that we discover the reason for his impatience is linked to giving not greed.

Within days the ad was being parodied and blogged about – some cynical souls have even suggested the badly wrapped parcel contains something sinister – but it’s not the only ad that’s got people talking. M&S must have thought they were onto a winner when they signed up the X-Factor finalists to provide a sweetly sung Disney ditty for their annual advent ad. Unfortunately, they hadn’t anticipated that Frankie would be sent home in disgrace and the choice of who appeared in the final frame of the ad would prompt speculation that the contest was somehow fixed. We suspect that there’s more than one lesson to be learnt here about not only matching your brand with celebs your core audience will relate to, but also with people who aren’t going to embarrass everyone before Boxing Day.

Another ad clocking up some comments that are somewhat lacking in good will is Littlewoods’ offering. At first glance we sort of liked the reworking of Terry Scott’s My Brother as performed by rapping Christmas trees and lisping fairies. Then we got a bit fed up with it. Then the press decided that it was spoiling Christmas by telling tots that it was Mum, not Santa, who was responsible for the provision of MP3 players and it all got a bit bah humbug. Our verdict? You’ll either think it’s adorable or horribly cynical, but the chances are that the song will still be in your head long after Queen’s Speech has been broadcast. (This may not be a good thing.)

Of course, any big name store worth its salt has a special festive ad out – it’s becoming as traditional as turkey – and, as is always the case, some are better than others. For us, a great Christmas ad should capture the essence of the celebration and what it’s like for real people – let’s be honest, very few of us are driving home to enjoy a hoisin duck Christmas tree in a house that’s putting serious strain on the National Grid (sorry Stacey!).

We like the ads that everyone can relate to far more than the glitzy, glittery ones that look like a remake of Wham’s Last Christmas video. We want something to smile about, not something we’ll be sick of before we’re half way through our advent calendars. That’s why the Lewis’ ad is very much on our “nice” list – please, please, please can all Christmas ad directors take note for next year?

*OK, both of these things have been in evidence for a fair few weeks now, but here at Taste Towers we try not to get our tinsel in a twist about Christmas until December.