Cool Brands of Britain

image: arabamoto.com

We’ve all done it, dreaming of owning one or even driving one. Whether we’re in a rush to get somewhere or in a car of our own, we just can’t help but stare everytime a Bentley strolls within our grasps, what annoys me is why is it when one occurs the driver always seems to cruise at like 5mph!! If you havn’t realised but by now I am talking about the Bentley vehicle.

Despite being such a high powered car, Bentley Motors remain a very green company. They state that being environmentally friendly is just as important as any other area. There’s even a way to dispose of a Bentley when it has reached the end of its lifeline in an environmentally friendly way.

A few random but interesting facts about the production of a Bentley car taken from the company website:

• It takes 150 hours to hand-build a Continental GT and 400 hours to build an Arnage (you’d expect alot of work to go into a car when your paying around £200,000+ for it!)

• Lacquer-spraying robots in the Paint Shop are programmed to simulate a human sprayer on his best day

• Steering wheels are doubled stitched by hand using two needles simultaneously; the process is far too complicated for a machine. It takes 15 hours work to create one steering wheel

• A full set of leather for a Bentley is selected and cut at the same time, so that there is as little variation in texture as possible

Although acquired by Volkswagen in 1998, the ownership may be German but the heritage is still 100% British. The cars are not only internally potent but visually stunning. I’m sure as they inspire many individuals like me to work hard in order to acquire one (unless you’re already wealthy).

The day I step into one of my own will be a rich and wonderful moment. I’ve chosen Betley motors as a Cool Brand of Britain, as I feel that it represents a key aspect of what Britain is…beautiful, rich and cultured.

The Body Shop is the second largest cosmetics company in the world, so I think it is fair to assume that I am not the only one who chooses to shop there for my ‘nature inspired products!’

Dame Anita Roddick (or as I like to refer to her, Britain’s own ‘Mother Nature’) was a Human Rights Activist and founder of The Body Shop back in 1976. And now, 34 years later,  this British brand STILL stands strong, it STILL reflects a great stance for Social responsibily and is STILL giving Power to the People.

The Body Shop has been and continues to be involved in numerous activities behind the scenes, which all portray both these outstanding ideals;

• Their products support Fair trade and unlike most cosmetic companies, they are AGAINST animal testing.
• They help fund petitions for Human Rights, Moral issues and Enviornmental protection.
• They are involved with Greenpeace, UNICEF and Amnesty International.
• They have attempted to increase awareness of Domestic violence, Violence against children,  HIV and Aids.
• Their stores use Green electricity and Ecotricity.
• They part-funded the launch of’ ‘The Big Issue‘ for the homeless.
• They are working toward protecting tropical rainforests and the working conditions of workers abroad.

All that aside,  The Body Shop on the frontline offers a variety of goods to its loyal customers. Varying from products for the body, face, hair and home, all available in shops or online, for women AND men.

The Body Shop is a great example of a successful story in terms of British brands and should be the benchmark for many more yet to come.

All Hail The Body Shop.

Dr Martens: Commonly known as Docs or DM’s, are signature boots which have graced our planet since the 1960’s. The brand promotes a a shoe which is recognised by its vibrant logo andyellow stitching, and acknowledged for its air-cushioned sole.

Although the infamous boot was originally designed in Germany by Dr Klaus Martens, it only really took off after it was bought by a British store manufacturer, R. Griggs Group Ltd, in 1959.

In recent times, the original boot can be purchased in various sizes and colours, for both men and women.

They also continue to be hugely popular in numerous subcultures, which vary from Goths, Punks, Grungers, Skins and Indie kids.

DM’s are without doubt a culture icon and it seems as though where their competitiors  to fall,  Doc Martens continue to rise.

Dr. Martens for life!

MARKS AND SPENCER

One of Britians biggest and oldest retailers Marks and Spencers or M&S, as its locally known, is an excellent example of a great British brand.
As a company it has existed since the 19th Century but it has been stuffing the nation with awesome food and giving the British an impeccable sense of style since the mid-fifties.

In recent times the latter may not be so true but one thing remains clear, their food is amazing. Unique recipes and unique food branding, at a reasonable price makes them known as a brand of quality and luxury.

As a self-confessed foodaholic, I am utterly in love with M&S and I am willingly being slowly converted to a fatty. Everything from duck a l’orange to the dreamy chocolate cakes, tastes like heaven. Even their adverts on television almost result in me licking the screen.

“This is not just food” – You’re telling me!

Also, if you’re a bit like me, and don’t believe in spending six hours stood over a stove to cook a nice meal to entertain your friends, M&S offer oven food that tastes like a fresh home cooked meal. They also offer party finger food if you’re a bit more honest than me.

Praise to Primark — without you, we are naked.

I truly think Primark is one of Britian’s best brands. Although originally an Irish company it is now control by a British firm. With almost 150 stores in Britian since the 80’s, I think it is a brand that we all recognise and a brand that many of us grew up with.

Primark rocks for its budget fashions, most of which are copied from more expensive high street outlets. Whether it’s socks and underwear, last minute hoilday shopping or even some casual sportswear, you’ll find it all at Primark for a lot less than you would expect.

Granted, you can’t find everything you want there; Primark should not be your first choice if looking for that killer outfit for an office party. But, in times of recession, it’s good to know that there is one place you can spend a little and get a lot.

[image: primark.co.uk]

Alcoholic cider is a specialty of England’s West Country. If you travel out to Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire, you’ll find a variety of local ’scrumpies,’ to choose from, each one more delicious than the last. The area also has several popular mass produced ciders, which are sold worldwide.

My personal favourite of the internationally recognized English ciders is Bulmers, ‘Cider Maker to Her Majesty the Queen.’ Bulmers was started by Percy Bulmer, a man from Hereford in West England.  Percy’s mother suggested that he pursue a career in food or drink, because ‘these things never go out of style.’ Along with his brother Fred, Percy built a small cider mill on 8 acres of land. Their breakthrough came when one of their doctor friends, Dr. Herbert Durham, found a yeast culture that was specific to ciders. This meant that ciders could be brewed consistently with the same amount and flavour in the fermentation of one batch to the next. Bulmers became a household name and spread to be sold around the world.

Modern Bulmers is still breaking new ground. In 2006, the company launched Bulmers Original, which ensured that cider ‘on ice’ could be served to sophisticated and discerning clientele. This created a veritable revolution in cider consumption, and today it’s seen as a refreshing alternative to beers and spirits. Tasty.

[image: slosar.com]

Reading the Evening Standard this morning (ha) I ran across a British digital marketing expert named Louis Halpern talking about privacy and security for children and adults online. Pretty interesting, so I checked out his blog, and he got me thinking about defining your personal brand.

The internet is one of the best ways to sell a product, create a buzz and inform your customer about your product or service. But we all know that people buy people. So, one of the best things you can do is to define your personal brand. Lucky for me, Mr. Halpern has also co-written a book with Roy Murphy, called Personal Reputation Management: How to make the internet work for you.

Interesting stuff. The writers bring up important points to consider in personal digital branding. They tell you how to find out what information about you is out there, how to manage that information, and how to put your best digital foot forward. They talk about how to use social media webistes like Facebook and Twitter, how to get the most of your website using search engine optimisation, and they discuss the future of the internet and how you can use it to your advantage.

It’s a great idea I hope you will implement. You are the cool brands of Britain, and you can use the internet as a tool to communicate that.

They say you never forget your first time… and it must be true, because Virgin Atlantic has been rending the sky with its service and entrepreneurism for 25 years and is still going strong under the leadership of Sir Richard Branson.

What sets Virgin Atlantic Airways apart from the competition? Virgin Atlantic’s main competition is British Airways, because when Virgin Atlantic startd in 1984, they began directly competing with BA on international long-haul flights from the UK to destinations like the USA and the Carribbean.

I’d like to discuss exactly why Virgin Airways (and Richard Branson himself) have been so successful. I’ve put together some quotes that discuss this.  Enjoy.

Talking about his mentor, Freddie Laker, Branson said: “At the time, I was running a little record company; I was about 17 years old. The first time I met him was some years later. I was thinking about setting up my own airline. He gave me this advice: ‘You’ll never have the advertising power to outsell British Airways. You are going to have to get out there and use yourself. Make a fool of yourself. Otherwise you won’t survive’.”

“I hope that the reason Virgin has been successful and will continue to be successful is that we recognize that the public cares about how companies in which they invest their trust, their loyalty and their money behave in the marketplace.”

“We’ve never followed the business models of the marketing and financial gurus. Rather, we’ve developed our own ways of doing things, regardless of the criticism thrown at us by the so-called business experts.”

“My parents would never let me criticize anyone, saying it would reflect badly on me. To this day, I look for the best in people who work for Virgin and believe that as a result I only get the best back. ‘Flowers flourish when watered,’ they’d tell me. The same applies to people.”

I am sure you are wondering whether Jamie Oliver is a brand. Of course he is. First of all, he now has his own product lines that carry his name (e.g. sauces and pasta) but as a cook, he is a brand of his own. Although Gordon Ramsay is now stealing his thunder with his unique character and “polite” manners, Jamie Oliver changed the meaning of cooking for many people around the globe.

I am certain the majority of European TV viewers are familiar with his name and shows, as he has managed to target a wide audience from different ages, backgrounds, tastes and nationalities! His charm and cheerful character have enabled him to draw the interest of many people, regardless of whether they enjoy cooking or not. People in the UK know him mainly through his initiative to change the lunch menu in schools, but also through his other shows. I personally enjoyed the show where he attempted to open a restaurant with cooks that he personally trained and transformed them to professional chefs. Although the story ended with him losing a lot of money and time, his passion to teach people how to cook at his standards and selfless character made the British love him.

So why is Jamie Oliver a cool British brand? He is unique, successful, absolutely associated with Britain and has reshaped the cooking industry. I don’t think you can ask for more from a person. He is an ideal representative of his country.

I think it is! I know right now you are thinking that I am weird and that I have serious “coolness” issues but let me defend my case!

When a retailer is currently holding 1/3 of the market share and is outperforming his main rival ASDA by nearly 100% difference, in my opinion that makes it cool. I agree it’s a different perspective of coolness but you have to give credit to Tesco’s strategy. Its growth rate has been phenomenal and its marketing tactics have definitely brought the majority of the UK consumers to its stores.

I was going through a case study in university of how Tesco executives have brought market research to a different level. Apparently the sales in frozen peas had dropped significantly, a category with a large profit margin. After extensive research, they found out that the size of the peas was the problem. They claimed that when kids sat in front of the TV, they found it hard using the fork to eat their peas because of their large size. When Tesco managed to make them smaller, the sales picked up again! Crazy eh? I though that was pretty cool.

And an ending note. I also think Tesco is cool because they have the best triple chocolate cookies!