Tag Paul Tidmarsh

Tesco Hudl proves a hit with consumers as 400,000 fly off the shelves

Tesco’s Hudl tablet computer, for which B7 used its Adcept methodology to help develop the communication strategy, has been a major success. Online marketing & media publication “The Medium” reports:

“Supermarket giant Tesco may have had a disappointing Christmas overall but one venture which didn’t disappoint was the Hudl, a budget tablet which shoppers snapped up in their droves.

In the three months to December Tesco shifted a creditable 400,000 of the 7in devices, seeing off competition from sector heavyweights such as Apple, Amazon and Google in the process. The festive sales boom saw 100,000 Hudl’s sold in December alone as cost-savvy shoppers were seduced by the lowly £119 price tag… so much so that stocks ran out and individual units were being flogged on eBay for £180.

Flushed with success Tesco has announced that it is currently developing a second generation Hudl which will be released later in the year”

B7 founder Paul Tidmarsh says “Naturally we’re delighted that our Adcept technique has helped get the communication strategy just right for Hudl – it’s a tremendous product & the public has clearly realised how useful & how much fun it can be in their homes.”

B7 Innovation communications strategy contributes to compressed deodorant success

Delivering its Quarter 2, 2013 results, Unilever CEO Paul Polman stated that “Compressed deodorants were already a key driver of growth” in the period.

Launched in February on the Dove, Sure, Rexona & Vaseline brands, the new cans contain the same amount of anti-perspirant but are half the size of the original. This reduces packaging, propellant & transport requirements significantly. The retail price, however, remains unchanged.

B7 Innovation worked with Unilever on the development of the communications strategy for the introduction of the new can. Speaking about the project, B7 Innovation founder Paul Tidmarsh says “ The principle concern was that consumers should see the environmental benefit & believe that they were genuinely getting the same product volume as before. They also needed reassurance that the product would be as gentle as previously. Using our Adcept technique, we explored a wide range of possible communication routes before finding the most effective message & tone. We’re naturally delighted to have contributed to such an important & successful launch.”

B7 Innovation celebrates 10 year anniversary

This November, B7 Innovation is 10 years old. In this period, we’ve grown from three people working from Paul Tidmarsh’s kitchen into one of the world’s most (quietly) successful brand development agencies.

“Our first breakthrough was doing the brand positioning & communications work for Pimms that led to the famous Alexander Armstrong advertising campaign”, says Paul Tidmarsh. “This proved to serious brand owners that our Adcept technique really could give more insight than tired old concept statements & mood boards.”

B7 Innovation has continued to grow steadily, even through the difficulties of the current recession, adding brands such as Dove, Flora/Becel, Philips & Tesco to our portfolio. “A highlight for me has been our role in the development of the brand positioning & communication for Dove worldwide” adds Paul. “Another is the work we’ve been doing this year across the Tesco brand, which comes at such a pivotal time for them.”

Now a team of 19, we’re hoping the next ten years will be just as interesting & as much fun at B7.

B7 helps develop Tesco Finest* Brand Re-Positioning Strategy

Tesco has introduced its relaunched £1.5B Finest* range, supported by a new t.v. advertising campaign.

B7 Innovation worked with the Tesco team & advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy to develop the brand re-positioning & the communications strategy for the relaunch.

“By using our Adcept technique to scope many potential angles, we found that consumers were interested in the stories behind individual foods from the Finest* range”, says B7 Innovation founder Paul Tidmarsh. “They were particularly interested in & surprised by how many Finest* suppliers were small family businesses and how passionate they were about the food they produced. This information allowed them to view Finest* in a new, very human light.”

The advertising campaign featuring families producing smoked haddock in Grimsby, sea salt in Angelsey & grissini in Italy airs from October 7th.