Issue 62: A Bulletin for Big Ideas and Better Business

OPINION/ COMMUNICATIONS

Don’t hide the truth: reveal it instead

💬 Sir John Hegarty

Marketers are obsessed with getting attention. But they spend almost as much time preoccupied about what they want audiences not to notice. During my decades in advertising, meetings with clients often featured nervy executives who would underline all the things we weren’t allowed to show or say in our campaigns. There would be banned words, prohibited ideas and certain – often glaring – topics that were off limits. There were cautionary phrases like: “oh but we must be careful not to mention X…” and, “we have to minimise our link with Y…”

Aside from the small matter of it being morally wrong, misleading your audience is ruinous too

There are two issues that reliably occur when brands try to distract from or minimise the truth. Firstly, misleading your audience is always a bad idea. Aside from the small matter of it being morally wrong, it is ruinous too. People always find out, and the resulting scandal erodes a key sentiment that companies need to sell things: trust. Secondly, truth (even of the inconvenient variety) is your greatest asset in communications. Ignoring it usually means opting instead for an inferior way of telling your story.

In the 1980s BBH had an account for Phileas Fogg, a brand that made snacks which had (for the time) exotic flavours, like Shanghai Nuts, and California corn chips. While the company’s end line was “fine foods from around the world”, their real origin was closer to home. Everything was made in the North of England. So rather than trying to fake it, we decided to tell the truth. These snacks weren’t crafted in some far-flung corner of the globe, they were produced in a kitchen in Medomsley Rd. Consett, not far from Newcastle. And that became the story. Revealing the truth is far more effective and empowering than trying to hide it.

THE AGENDA

🗓️ Diarise this: your agenda for the coming week

1. Collectors and curators will be converging for the Milan International Modern and Contemporary Art Fair this week — an event that received widespread praise last year for placing emerging galleries, rather than established ones, right at the front of the fair.
4th – 6th April

2. Remember not to believe everything you read today; the BBC has a long history of marking April Fools Day with comedy news reports. Over the years these have included everything from an upside-down library to a Swiss spaghetti harvest.
1st April

3. The red carpet will be rolled out on Thursday for the opening of the Miami Film Festival. Spanning ten days, highlights are set to include Amazon MGM Studios’s Another Simple Favor and The Salt Path starring Jason Isaacs and Gillian Anderson.
3rd – 13th April

4. New York’s fashion elite will be gathering tonight for the Fashion Institute of Technology’s Annual Gala. The glamourous evening honors trailblazers in the industry, with hosts including FIT alumni Michael Kors and Tommy Hilfiger.
1st April

5. Stars of the stage will be honoured at London’s Olivier Awards on Thursday. Recognising achievements in the performing arts, the ceremony will spotlight the best of British theatre, from West End hits to groundbreaking new productions.
6th April

USA / BOOKS

Drawn to the library: National Library Week promotion material
Source: American Library Association

A book end?

As US Library Week begins, a dark cloud hangs over this year’s celebrations. The future of America’s public libraries is under threat, with President Donald Trump vowing to eliminate the federal agency that supports libraries and museums. Critics argue that in the age of Google and smartphones, libraries have become obsolete – but the reality tells a different story. According to Pew Research, around 77 million Americans rely on public libraries each year for reliable internet access. And in Dallas alone, nearly 3.9 million digital resources were checked out from the public library last year. But beyond internet access, libraries are vital hubs for creativity, learning, and community engagement. They offer free resources, host cultural programs, and provide quiet spaces for study and reflection – things no algorithm or smartphone app can replace. Rather than dismantling them, policymakers should be doubling down on their support, recognising that in an era of misinformation and digital noise, libraries are more necessary than ever.

ON CREATIVITY /

Contributor: Sir John Hegarty

GLASGOW / ANIMATION

The Mandalorian: among Halon’s hallowed credits
Source: Disney+

Glasgow has character

Scotland’s growing reputation as a digital powerhouse has been given a major boost with the announcement that Los Angeles-based animation giant Halon is opening a £28 million studio in Glasgow. The company—whose credits include The Batman and The Mandalorian – cited the city’s highly skilled workforce in computer graphics, animation, and digital technology as a key draw. The move is set to elevate Glasgow’s status as a hub for artistic and technical talent, reinforcing Scotland’s position in the global digital tech industry. With support from Scottish Enterprise, which is providing £3.9 million in funding, and additional backing from Screen Scotland and the UK’s enhanced visual effects tax credit, the investment signals growing confidence in the region’s creative sector. As demand for high-quality animation and visual effects continues to surge across film, TV, and gaming, Glasgow’s emergence as a key player is no small feat. Halon’s arrival not only brings economic benefits but also strengthens Scotland’s creative credentials, proving that Hollywood-level production is no longer confined to California.

TUSCANY / TRAVEL

Bar Car: the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
Credit: Ludovic Balay / Source: Belmond

All abroad

Luxury rail travel is having a renaissance, and high-end hospitality group Belmond’s Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is leading full steam ahead. The company already operates a string of routes around the world, running through landscapes as diverse at the Andes to the Malaysian rainforest. It’s just announced a new service launching this summer that will whisk passengers from Paris to Tuscany, through the bucolic landscapes of the French countryside to reach the rolling hillsides of central Italy. As with all its services, the train has been crafted with Art Deco-inspired interiors that hark back to the heyday of glamorous sleeper trains, updated with all the mod cons discerning travellers have come to expect. It’s this meticulous attention to detail that has helped Belmond secure its reputation as an industry-leader over recent years. But aside from their design credentials, Belmond trains have found a niche catering to the growing appetite for ‘slow tourism,’ a trend that has flourished post-pandemic as travellers seek more immersive and unhurried experiences.

The only possible effect one can have on the world is through unpopular ideas.

/Vivienne Westwood