Thoughts on Writing
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Creativity needs criticism
Adland's misdiagnosis of its own creative malaise shows exactly why we need more critics writing more 'thought pieces'
Nov 21, 2025
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Strong piano, weak men
My important semiotic reading of this year's John Lewis Christmas ad
Nov 5, 2025
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Embarrassing busybodies
Channel 4's latest 'Mirror on the Industry' report is diversity-by-spreadsheet from a clueless, self-appointed authority. Advertisers should reject it…
Oct 6, 2025
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Purpose, authenticity and nepo-brands
Feb 8, 2024
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Hmmm, Danone
Oct 25, 2021
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The story of why
Jul 9, 2024
63
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Strong piano, weak men
Nov 5, 2025
59
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Good for nothing
Nov 18, 2022
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The Road to Hell, part 1 of 3
Jun 19, 2023
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Genes, memes and manufactured dissent
The story of a Gen Z backlash that never was, a right-wing backlash that eventually was, a left-wing-influencer-academic backlash that definitely was…
Aug 1, 2025
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The motte-and-bailey fallacy, and a response to a decent response
(Not a full-on post, more an extended LinkedIn reply)
Jun 16, 2025
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Stengel and a strange purpose autopsy
Despite omissions, a recent purpose conversation on the CMO podcast was at least 50% sane—and might be the closest we get to closure
May 23, 2025
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My inherently problematic Christmas ad diversity audit
This year's crop of Christmas ads is ethnically and gender diverse to a fault. But there's a weird reluctance to admit it in adland.
Dec 17, 2024
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The post-purpose election
If the 2007-2008 financial crisis marked the start of the purpose era, the 2024 election might just mark its end.
Nov 19, 2024
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The billboard backlash
Too many advertisers have forgotten about the social contract that allows billboards to exist in the first place
Oct 7, 2024
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Truthiness isn't beauty
An extract from my new book The Road to Hell, in which I examine the case of Dove, hailed as the exemplar of purposeful marketing, but based on…
Sep 9, 2024
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Thoughts on Writing
Thoughts from a creative writer, ad critic and poet – on the ethics and politics of advertising, and why human creativity beats corporate purpose
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