Dear Yeo Valley,

After watching your new TV advert recently I would like to ask if I could come and work on your farm.

I have some farmer blood in me via my mum (Liz was one of ten from a dairy freehold in deepest darkest Ireland) and I quite like the smell of manure which invokes Proustian dreams of childhood holidays driving tractors down muddy lanes. I also really like organic products and yoghurt, which by default means I really like your products.

My brain is a highly tuned weapon of marketing destruction and I have lots of digital experience (so as long as you have a high speed broadband in the sticks I can add lots of value to your business). I also make a mean sweet potato, parsnip and chilli soup which I’ll happily conjure up each week for the team.

I should admit now that my decision to write to you has been somewhat influenced by the beautiful people in your advert and their tremendous skill for lip syncing, but even more so by the fact I’ve only seen the ads once on telly and I think this is a huge waste of a fantastic piece of marketing communication and I’d like to help resolve this situation (or perhaps I’m not target audience and actually this is an example of succinct and cost effective media planning, I’d love to know).

Launching your first foray in TV advertising during X-Factor was a bold move and I admire this gutso and the inherent believe in mass communication (hey, digital is all well and good but this was proof that TV has impact!).

I look forward to hearing from you,

Yours sincerely,
Monkey

PS. I have a Barbour jacket already which should reduce my burden on HR’s budget.

Just to clarify, I’m deadly serious and this is in no way an ironic take on the ad – I think it’s wonderful. I’m sure I’ve missed the boat on any analysis, hence the lack of it, however the Yeo Valley ad has, along with a number of other notable X Factor break spots, inspired my next post which will follow shortly.

Within a short space of time you’re already one of the major players in a swelling marketplace, but you can’t sit back because there’s a new competitor every week and it’s only a matter of time before the supermarkets jump on the bandwagon.

So how do you cement yourself as one of the experts, ensure your brand stays fresh and keep your name on top of people’s minds.

You call Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee, ply them with some cheesy lines and a magical piece of brand name word play, and hey presto, the marketplace is now your monopoly.

Or something like that.

What’s the music in the Mazuma television advert – if you’re wondering what that jolly little tune is in the background of the background of these ads it’s Easy Bean Swing by Paul Mottram

Thomas Cook’s tv ad does more to alienate me than attract me though. I somehow can’t see me and Sarah (my girlfriend) affording to stay in the same swish pad and private beach as Jamie and Louise (before the final frame I was convinced it would be a coveted luxury holiday brand rather than a high street one). I’m sure it will work to inspire some people but that sort of aspirational marketing leaves me a little cold (as well as guffawing at some of the slow-mo pics, particularly Jamie’s golf drive and Louise’s equestrian friend).

Anyway, this article isn’t about that tv ad or Thomas Cook. It’s about one of their rivals, and the data driven approach of their fiercest competitor Thomson, whose integrated approach really appeals to me.

My last holiday was booked via Thomson Holidays, nothing too fancy, a 7 day break on the western most peninsula of Halkidiki in Greece. At that point Thomson gathered my email address and I presume an opt in for their newsletters.

After the holiday we received some nice email communication and the option to provide feedback. After a couple of months I was a bit sick of holiday suggestions via email especially so soon after the last one, modest though it was.

I clicked to unsubscribe and was met with some of the best email marketing I’d seen, a really nice Thomson web page asking me did I want to simply postpone emails until I was in a better position to book a holiday.

Thomson's intuitive unsubscribe page

Why not I thought, impressed with the option to select the three airports I’m most likely to travel from and a date when I’d be more inclined to look.

Thomson's personalised direct mail cover

I also selected a few options for the type of holiday I’d be interested in, options including city, villa, long haul, winter sun etc.

Just recently I started to receive the emails again (I wish I could remember the date I actually selected for re-contact!) and then a few days ago a nice piece of direct mail.

Addressed to me, the title read “Holidays built with Mr Fletcher in mind”. Tucked slightly conspicuously in the corner was an offer too, up to £200 of your next holiday.

On opening the booklet, the first facing page says ‘Last time we took you to Halkidiki’.

“Yes you did” and on I read, intrigued as to what further personalised treats awaited. The next double spread was on Turkey, one of the destinations we had considered last time around. Now I’m hooked.

Yes, I did go to Halkidiki last year!

Unfortunately the rest of  the booklet was a bit of a let down, the last double page dedicated to all-inclusive deals to Benidorm and Ibiza. I’ll admit I’m a snob – I would have happily unticked the ‘all-inclusive box’ on the unsubcribe page had they the foresight to add that as an option (for me all inclusive defies the whole point of a holiday).

Still, between email and snail mail direct marketing Thomson are top of my mind and despite their mixed holiday suggestions I’ll not forget to remind them when I’m interested in a holiday, hopeful for a decent offer or late deal.

Whether this marketing piece results in a holiday booking, time will tell. But in terms of impact and awareness, this is integrated marketing that has put them a step ahead of a competitor.

Thomas Cook? Your tagline seems very cheesy and irrelevant to me at the moment.