The Good and the Bad of Marketing

Being back in the world of work has inspired my mind again which is great.  I have to admit that with the in work/out of work shenanigans of the past few years my love for what I do was starting to wane.

In the past few days, I have seen some good marketing and some very very bad marketing. 

The Good

Lots of things have caught my eye of late including Google's Live Advent Calendar Campaign where a fully integrated campaign that culminates in you getting clues online and then heading to find a real door in town to win stuff. Geeennniiuuusss idea.  Properly creative and fun too which sits well with their brand positioning.

The Bad 

On the bus to boxing class the other day and passed through Brixton High Street.  So many payday loan companies have sprouted up these day with crazy interest rates that often equate to 1700%, a bad financial decision if ever there was one.  Looking at one of the shops which had a marketing ploy that was quite frankly sickening.  There was someone dressed up as Father Christmas giving out balloons to kids and inviting them into the grotto inside the money lending shop.  Parents therefore have no choice but to go in there as they're sneakily targeting kids.  Viewing that on the bus just turned my stomach as that is such a low way to ultimately try to encourage poor people to get into even more debt.  No doubt the instore Santa will be filling the kids heads with talk of what they want for Christmas and thus placing ridiculous pressure on parents who then feel obliged to find the money for the desired gifts.  And guess what, they just happen to be in a place where they can get that money.  The Government must clampdown on these operations soon. Currently,  they are booming as we are the 'want it now generation'.