TASTE

Some tastiness from the past few months… 😋 From hosting VIP media and influencer guests at the Jose Pizarro x Estrella Damm Calcotada, to hosting a creative writing workshop with Tinie Tempah for Chase Distillery at the RHS Urban Show in Manchester ✨ With shoots for The Guardian and visits to new client St Ewe in Cornwall, it’s been a busy start to 2024 👏🏽 #pr #marketing #eventplanning #foodanddrink #estrelladamm #stewe #thesingleton #chasedistillery

Was this inevitable? Remember when £5 for a pint was considered outrageous? It was a British benchmark for gauging the affordability of your local. Now, with the emergence of the £5 coffee, we're faced with a similar sticker shock. Our national obsession with coffee is undeniable. In recent years its cultural impact has been immense. The Antipodean introduction of the 'flat white' made traditional lattes seem passé. The proliferation of first, second, third - and now fourth wave coffee - has given it an epicurean hierarchy akin to wine. And, there’s absolutely no denying the cultural impact that Starbucks has had on the way we consume coffee on this side of the pond with Pumpkin Spice and the intro of the Drive-Thru. Recently, the business caused a stir by promoting its CMO to CEO and not replacing the role. Many commentators asked if this undermined the importance of marketing, but it's clear that Starbucks innovates with comms at its core. How else could it change our behaviours with such pace and scale? What do you think, was the £5 coffee always going to happen? https://lnkd.in/epi5UDcy

Why do we listen (and laugh) when KFC pulls stunts like this? Not every brand can pull off such a frivolous idea. Established food and drink brands might have bigger budgets, but they arguably have to work harder to keep top of mind and get us to care. The cachet brands like KFC carry are built on years of cultural equity, allowing them to play beyond the boundaries and be sillier than anyone else. The idea is no doubt founded on the insight that fast food merch is hot right now and with proceeds going to charity, it’s all for a good cause (and it's already sold out). What do you think? Can a smaller brand pull this sort of idea off?

I haven’t posted in a while, so sharing a few of my favourite campaigns/events that have been keeping me busy! - Celebrating the legendary Skepta and his venture into cinema with Tribal Mark x Don Julio 1942 - Pairing two of the biggest names in foodie culture, Jessie Ware and Monica Galetti, for a Dream Gathering with the Singleton - Bringing in the new era of British Vogue with Chioma Nnadi and Don Julio 1942 - Getting spicy at this year’s MOBOs red carpet and after party with Captain Morgan Black Spiced - Throwing a cute Valentine’s party with Amelia Dimoldenberg and Cîroc - Saluting Gabriel Moses, an icon in the making, with Don Julio 1942 Bring on summer 🌞 TASTE Katlist Agency Whalar (+ Hot Sauce Presents and New School ❤️)

We are stoked to be working with TASTE to help drive our brand. Very excited for some incredibly exciting things to come! https://lnkd.in/eSB2vGTM

Food and drink meets culture in one snap. 📸 Teasing her new album with a Tony's Chocolonely bespoke wrap is another strong move from the mission-led brand. Musicians have long been activists, and Dua Lipa is no exception - something she showcases (along with her love of good food!) on her editorial platform, Service95.

Is it time to bid farewell to Blackpool rock? 🍭 Amidst the calls for protected status to fend off the threat from cheaper, Chinese imports, it begs the question: are there some things we should simply let go? On the one hand, it's unhealthy, outdated, and completely naff, but Blackpool rock is more than just a dentist’s worst nightmare—it's a throwback to simpler times. It's comfort food without the stodge - a symbol of the profound way food can unite us, stir our emotions, and evoke cherished memories. With only 30 skilled artisans left who can magically meld those iconic letterings into the sweet, the craft of Blackpool rock making teeters on the edge of extinction too. While it may not boast the gourmet pedigree of other protected foods, it's the nostalgia and sentimentality it embodies that makes it worth preserving. Who's with me on this one? #thoughts #foodanddrink #blackpoolrock #culture #pr #marketing

Patron XO Cafe is making a comeback. But...why kill a cult classic in the first place? When Bacardi pulled the plug on the coffee-flavoured tequila in 2021, fans were left stunned, scrambling to grab the last bottles and even launching a change.org petition. While Bacardi cited strategic business reasons behind its decision to discontinue the flavour, it revealed a fervent and vocal community that the brand may not have fully appreciated until it was gone. As marketers, we like to dream that it could have all been a big, bold stunt to get us talking tequila, the likelihood is that the decision was purely commercial. But now, with Tequila's popularity on the rise, and flavoured varieties like Patron XO Cafe providing an accessible entry point for newcomers to the category, perhaps it’ll stick around this time…? What do you think? #thoughts #marketing #xocafepatron #tequila

Is food and drink the new rock 'n' roll? 👩🏽🎤🍔 As festival season looms, it's clear that the culinary offerings are now as vital to the experience as the headlining acts. What led to this shift? 👇🏽 🎵 Our food choices have always been about more than just filling our stomachs; they're a reflection of our identities and values, akin to fashion in expressing who we are. 🎵In today's socially-connected world, we have unprecedented access to the eating habits of our favourite musicians, allowing us to align ourselves closely with their lifestyles and values. 🎵Musicians and chefs alike leverage social platforms to shape their image. From Jessie Ware's pioneering 'Table Manners' podcast to Dua Lipa's Service95 lifestyle platform, food and music blend seamlessly. A short hop to France and the ‘enfant terrible’ chef, Jean Imbert regularly engages with stars like Pharrell and Beyonce, blurring the lines between food and fame. Throw back to the '70s, and food and music have deeper roots - when Paul and Linda McCartney's advocacy for vegetarianism sparked a dietary revolution, challenging societal norms. 🎵As cornerstones of culture, food and music are intertwined, reflecting not just our tastes but our values and aspirations too. 🎵In research shared in Tourism Management, engagement and positive emotions at festivals are good predictors of food buying behaviour six months later. So, festivals aren’t just the place to enjoy the music and summer vibes, but give savvy food and drink brands the ideal stage to engage with their audiences on a personal level. What do you think? #thoughts #pr #festivals #foodanddrinking #marketing