The bleedin’ obvious, smart marketing, fast wine.

The BBC, and probably other broadcasters, seem to think that we are all stupid. Have you noticed how everything is accompanied by a commentary? We listen to a reporter standing outside No.10, in the middle of a flooded field or wherever it happens to be, then the studio news reader tells us what we have just heard. By the way, why do they spend money sending the reporter to stand outside No.10? They could just as well be in the studio with a picture of the PM’s pad in the background. And as for standing in flooded fields … !

Then there are programmes like Dragons’ Den. We’ve all heard four fiery Dragons say that they are not going to invest in the business idea being pitched to them. Do we really need Evan Davis telling us that there is only one Dragon left? Never mind the accusations that exams are being dumbed down, what about broadcasting? It reminds me of Fawlty Towers when a frustrated and irate Basil (when wasn’t he?) suggested that Sybil should go on Mastermind, specialist subject ‘The Bleedin’ Obvious’!

The band Radiohead has told fans that they can pay as much or as little as they like to download the band's new album ‘In Rainbows’. Is this a piece of clever marketing or have they lost the plot? They will sell the album directly from their website because they are not tied to a record label. However, although the download is potentially free, the album will also be available as part of a £40 box-set which includes the CD, two vinyl records, a CD with additional songs, photos, artwork and lyrics. Not sure what most folk will do with the vinyls!

Presumably Radiohead are counting on the fact that many of their millions of die-hard fans will be unable to resist buying the box-set. Of course, those who download will be required to register their details and therefore become targets for future marketing campaigns. Apparently free albums also drive demand for live tours, an example being Prince, who gave away his album 3121 for free in the UK through the Daily Mail. He subsequently announced 21 tour dates in London, all of which sold out.

In my Ramble this week last year I mentioned that Google had just announced that they had bought YouTube for $1.65 million. I then went on to say, “Gosh! Amazing! Er, but who or what is You Tube I asked myself?” Only twelve months on I guess we all know what You Tube is and have probably seen video clips from it, even if only on TV news. Technologies are moving so quickly that it is difficult to keep abreast of developments. But this is exactly what businesses need to do to stay competitive, using innovative marketing campaigns along the way to take advantage of the technological revolution.

But smart marketing isn’t enough. In fact it can be dangerous if you ‘build up’ what you are offering but then fail to deliver. Fortunately some get it spot on. I ordered a case of wine last Friday from Laithwaites. I haven’t bought from them before but they got off to a good start by delivering my wine yesterday (Tuesday), well within the promised seven days. In fact their average delivery time is 3.2 days apparently. This is an excellent example of under-promising and over-delivering.

Since Tony Laithwaite started in 1969 by bringing wine back in a van from Bordeaux the business has won countless awards for customer service. Undoubtedly this has been a significant factor in the company growing to become the world’s No.1 home delivery wine merchant. Now if those dozen bottles of very nice Spanish reds come up to expectation I will be a very happy customer!

David Wike