Alice Pukhova

Oct 24, 2024 | mediacatmagazine.co.uk | Clare Turner |Natasha Randhawa |Harry Kinnear |Alice Pukhova

Have you spotted the recent campaign from Waitrose, featuring famous noughties pop band S Club running around a supermarket shop floor causing havoc? Or just a week before, the delightfully camp ad campaign from Lidl, with Love Actually actress Martine McCutcheon belting out — in true karaoke fashion — a playful spin on the famous nineties pop hit ‘Ooh Aah… Just a Little (Lidl) Bit’?

Sep 3, 2024 | mediacatmagazine.co.uk | Alice Pukhova |Geoffrey Chang |Chris Jefford |Molly Taylor-Prevett

Disruptor brands — those that transform their industries — were once rare and revolutionary. Today, though, it seems every new brand aspires to be a disruptor. This trend is evident in the rapidly evolving branding cycle, where a new and exciting brand emerges, only to be followed by others attempting to replicate its impact. Monzo, one of the first prominent online banks, was created to cater to younger millennials and Gen Z.

Jul 18, 2024 | mediacatmagazine.co.uk | Becks Collins |Alice Pukhova |Philip Koh |Rob Blake

Clowns, tigers, bunnies, Barbie… brandland is full of iconic mascots. When making lists, however, it’s usually the same 10 to 20 heritage brands that come to mind — those who represent nostalgia, childhood and pre-streaming TV. That’s because it’s hard to get a brand mascot to stick. Many try and fail to connect, or completely turn people off (e.g. Burger King’s mid-2000s creepy plastic-faced King). Relatively few stand the test of time.

Jun 17, 2024 | mediacatmagazine.co.uk | Alice Pukhova |Mike Chivers |Becks Collins |Matt Straker-Taylor

Pride month is a time for LGBTQI+ strategists to both celebrate their identities and, with a mix of cringe and schadenfreude, observe brands’ often failed attempts to engage in Pride — commonly known as rainbow-washing. This phenomenon is widely discussed in progressive creative circles, where the consensus is clear: to avoid rainbow-washing, brands must commit deeply to social causes and authentically represent LGBTQI+ stories.

Feb 20, 2024 | mediapost.com | Alice Pukhova

by Alice Pukhova , 69 minutes agoDuring the Super Bowl, brands unleashed their mascots to engage in fun shenanigans. Old Spice’s Swaggy Spice promoted "Smelf-Confidence," Mr Pringle’s alleged lookalike, Chris Pratt,got into some awkward situations, and M&Ms’ Spokescandies celebrated “almost champions.”Fun they might be, but they stick closely to all the conventions with theirfriendly optimism. What would happen if a brand mascot were to deviate from the script?