I’ve spent the vast majority of my working life creating, working on and working with brands. Much of my experience lies in the beauty and wellness sector, having worked on and with No 7, Champneys, Soap & Glory, Marks & Spencer and Ted Baker amongst others.
I’ve worked in cosmetics, skincare, body care and fragrance. I created the legend that is No 7’s Protect & Perfect serum, a product that went from being on a discontinuation list to having people queuing round the block in the space of 12 hours.
Why?
A great story.
A great story that had been built for two years, layer upon layer, until it got a big break. The rest really is beauty industry history, and it all started with a great story.
Well, that and a truly great product.
After over 20 years in the industry, I also wanted a way to explore my two other great loves: food and drink. I started The Foodie Gift Hunter blog back in 2009 and have been telling the stories of great products ever since.
I’ve also told stories of brands getting their stories wrong, brands not quite understanding how to maximise their story, or not thinking about their story in a way that will tell consumers how it’s going to make their lives better or easier.
I’ve also done some weird things, like working on creating a space in Second Life. It was 2007, everyone was doing it. It’s amazing how technology has moved on in 10 years, although what I learnt from that was the importance of building your tribe, your community.
And that’s what excites me about creating stories with brands, it helps your tribe to have a legend to buy into, to gather around. That’s what makes a brand standout, and what gives it longevity.
If the story of your business, your product, doesn’t make people want to join your tribe, then your product is entirely replaceable in their lives. I’d love to help you find ways to make sure it’s irreplaceable.