P.S.

I’m just back from a visit to the Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising in Notting Hill, London. 10,000 household products and shopping basket favourites are on view in a brand evolution timeline, decade by decade, from the Victorian era to the present day.

Jam-packed with curiosities, this is the collection of Robert Opie, who kicked off his empire with a packet of Munchies at the tender age of sixteen.

The displays cover all aspects of daily life – toys, magazines, technology, travel, souvenirs, fashion and design.

Not so much about advertising, but definitely an Aladdin’s cave of branding and packaging, this is a huge social commentary and a massive nostalgia trip. Ah, Biba. Ooh, Aqua Manda. Mmm, Cadbury Icebreaker.  Faced with some emotional touch-points, I felt the years stripped away.

Last month, boxes of Shreddies from the ‘70s were discovered in a village shop in Hertfordshire. They’ve been selling for £160 each on eBay.

Somewhere, in the back of a cupboard, I have a rather old Colman’s mustard tin…………

Britain’s very first TV advert for dogs has high-frequency noises above 17,000Hz, which can be heard only by man’s best friend.

The TV commercial for Bakers dog food is based on ‘The Italian Job’ and features whistling, barking and a bell ringing designed to interest our four-legged friends and make unsuspecting owners think they’re interested in the products.

In 2007, a US TV ad for horror film ‘The Messengers’ used the same technique but on teenagers. The commercial contained a high-frequency noise that only their tender ears could discern. Over ghostly images in creepy settings, a voiceover spookily asked viewers, “If children can hear this, imagine what they are seeing.”

Call it subliminal messaging, call it Pavlovian reflex, or simply call it barking up a new tree – whatever will they get away with next?

Working as a freelance copywriter can be a lonely existence, so it’s always a cherry-on-the-icing feeling when feedback is received.

I produce corporate newsletters, case studies and brochures for the lovely marketing team at the St Ives Group, such as this recent brochure for one of their divisions: Pragma Consulting which you can download or view online here.

Wait Whitman said, “If you done it, it ain’t bragging” (but we all know it’s infinitely better when someone else blows your own trumpet). So I’ll end on these kind words from Rob Kelly, Marketing Director at St Ives:

“Caroline is smart and intuitive, two great assets for a top notch copy creator. I have worked with her on quite a few projects and her approach is excellent: she always starts with what the goals and aims are for the projects and what the subsequent client benefits are. She is quick to “get it” and usually spot on with first submissions. Apart from this, Caroline is fun to work with and I would recommend her wholeheartedly.”

Toot toot, for now.

It’s a title after my own heart – ‘Words Words Words’ is Selfridges’ latest event, showcasing the power of the written word.

The UltraLounge on the Lower Ground floor has been transformed into an interactive library space. Here, you can have your handwriting analysed, learn the art of storytelling, muse over your favourite tomes in a series of one-off book clubs at the Penguin Book Club.

Workshops and lectures will be available from The Idler Academy (they’re even giving a lecture for Valentine’s Day on the art of love letters) and It’s Nice That. And to use my old school motto, ‘Non verba sed facta’, you can brush up on your Latin too.

Enjoy a game of Scrabble on interactive screens. Look out for the Word-A-Coaster window display, which is an incredible fortune-telling machine. And be tempted to part with money on a variety of word-related goodies in store. The event is on for seven weeks.

Oxford Street too far to go? Grabba a cuppa and find out how I can help you with some words words words of my own.

What does 2012 hold in store? Let’s take a brief look:

1. Facebook faces up: The public loves Facebook, with over 800 million users, and this year it goes public. in 2012, we’ll see even more focus on media and entertainment consumption, with Timeline, and greater growth in social games.

2. Grab that popcorn now: Your living room is about to be invaded. Apple’s is taking a bite into TV while YouTube is investing in premium programming and designing user experiences for the screen.

3. Stars in your eyes: Celebrities have wise up to the fact that their loving fans can become users of the products and services they invest in. Lady Gaga and Kanye West invested in Turntable.fm: (only available in the U.S.) that lets you rate music with friends by clicking “Awesome” or “Lame” buttons or spin tunes with other DJs on the site.

4. Social media gets even more sociable: clients will increase their social media budgets. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn will continue find ways to integrate marketing messages and advertisements into their platform.

5. Digital careers are where it’s at: Digital jobs will outnumber traditional advertising ones: taken a look at BrandRepublic.com lately? If you’re a graduate considering a job in advertising, think again and go digital.

6. Advertising goes for gold: The London Olympics will save the UK advertising industry next year. My former flatmate, Adam Crozier, now chief executive of ITV, reckons we’ll see a definite uplift in TV ad revenue. (Watch out for my TV commercial for Panasonic and the Olympics!)

7. The mobile gets more mobile: Soon it will even make you a cup of tea (kidding!) It’s hard to imagine life before the mobile phone. This year, it will take on all kinds of functionality, such as a credit card. Apple is embedding a chip into future iPhones while Square provides teeny devices to plug in and turn your phone into a mobile till.

8. Personalise, don’t socialise: Companies that develop personal marketing tools and relationships will win the customer over the long term.

9. Use a good freelance copywriter: Content continues to be king. It’s harder than ever to stand out these days so make sure your tone of voice and content are tip top. I sometimes get contacted by potential clients who simply want to increase their SEO by churning out articles that read like shopping lists. Sorry, not my style.

10. End of the world – again?: According to the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar, 21/12/2012 will be the end of the world  so maybe none of the above really matters!

Here’s a quick roundup as to my work heaven in 2011! In no particular order:

1. Prospectus for Unicorn School

2. TV commercial to promote the new Il Divo album

3. Branding for NUDE skincare

4. Naming, copy style, web content and marketing consultancy for Natura Skin Clinic

5. Panasonic TV commercial counting down to the Olympics

6. Pitching for The Famous Grouse

7. Blogging about the gold post box in Kew

8. Harper Collins radio commercial for the new Claudia Carroll book

9. Sunday Times press ad campaign for Lower Mill

10. Copy style and content for a Vajazzle website!

Wishing you all a razzle dazzle New Year and here’s to 2012!

You may recall the blog I posted in August after spotting that my post box in Kew had been painted gold, with the intriguing message ‘Be nicer to other Londoners’.

My attention was caught today when I spotted the message again on a local traffic bollard.

Now, I’ve searched high and low and still can’t discover who was responsible. (Although I did stumble across a rather odd blogging site – Bollards of London - dedicated to, yes, bollards of London!)

Is it a stunt? Is it guerilla marketing? Who knows – and who cares? Because the whole point of guerilla marketing is to get the word out about a product or service. This relies on substantial foot traffic to succeed. Guerilla marketing isn’t just about a quirky eye-grabbing message: it needs back up to get people talking, make a connection with them and generate media attention, otherwise what’s the point? And, of course, it ideally needs a call to action to track and gauge results.

For example, these real apples were put on top of statues’ heads  in Bratislava. The sticker on them invited people to visit sslk.sk, a website for a local archery club.

This striking ad for Venetian Casino appeared at Venice airport and boosted visits by 60%.

And these bowling balls were placed in several bowling alleys in Germany to promote a horror TV channel.

Meanwhile, be nicer to other Londoners and let the people of Kew into the mystery. If you know more, get in touch at caroline@carolinegibson.co.uk!

As a freelance copywriter, it’s a real treat to be asked to work on a TV commercial.

I was recently asked by Sony to pitch for some script ideas to promote Il Divo’s new album, ‘Wicked Game’.

Il Divo is an award-winning, multi-million album selling  ’poperatic’ group, formed by Simon Cowell and signed to his Syco Music label. It consists of four men from four different corners of the world with great looks and great voices – the kind of guy you’d be happy for your daughter to bring home but secretly savour for yourself!

My idea went ahead and I directed female voiceover Elizabeth Conboy at Redlight Studios last week, with six script variations.

Who decides which one will air late November? Apparently the ultimate say will be from Mr Cowell himself.

Here’s hoping one of them has the X-factor!

As my son has just moved school for sixth form and with my daughter in year 5, my reading material lately has largely consisted of school prospectuses. And what wallpaper they are – a sea of smiling children playing sport, in a science lab, hands up in the air. Oh, how all those boxes get ticked time and time again.

I’m very proud of the (award winning) website I created for Unicorn School as marketing governor, and wanted something equally eye-catching for the new prospectus…. something distinctive to reflect the unique ethos and parental involvement…something that captured the magic of Unicorn perfectly.

And so here it is, hot off the press – ‘A book of magic moments’. The headmistress has just commented, “Caroline – it looks fantastic!  Beautifully crafted and a fantastic outcome. Congratulations!”

Photography by the lovely Sophie Ziegler; design by the highly talented Chris and Matt at Bison Bison; concept, copy and project management by a very happy me.