Amy Bryson
By Amy Bryson, account director, Intelligent Marketing
BT has been a little slow to snap up a dragon. Peter Jones is an excellent choice as the new brand ambassador, but what took them so long? You’d struggle to find someone with a higher profile who effortlessly links business and telecoms, but has his ship sailed? Is he on the way up, or the way down?
On reflection, it’s probably just in the nick of time. Following his recent ITV show Tycoon and his return to the Den for the fifth series, Jones is still hot stuff. From the motley crew on the dragon bandwagon, he’s definitely the most appropriate choice.
However, whoever came up with the concept of Peter Jones plus gremlins is surely under the spell of something stronger than Starbucks. Why not have him interrogating BT in the environment where we value his business sense most strongly? Instead, you see him working alone, in an uninspiring office environment. On first viewing, I thought the ad was leading to a message promoting forward-thinking technology and a wireless way of working. Instead, the core message seemed to be ‘IT always fails so make sure you have a provider who works round the clock’. Hardly compelling.
Peter Jones is a great synergy for BT Business, but only if used in the right way. BT has missed an opportunity to present itself as an entrepreneurial company, pushing the boundaries of business communications. Instead, it has resorted to common clichés. In fact, it has fallen into the same trap as its consumer campaign. It’s time for BT to think forwards not back and regain its position at the top of the telecoms tree. And get rid of the gremlins.
By Reuben Webb, creative director, IAS B2B Marketing
According to Bill Murphy, MD of BT Business, Jones embodies the entrepreneurial spirit which characterises many small businesses. Which sounds like the usual patronising PR of a massive business half-heartedly trying to get close to the little ones.
Peter Jones could just as easily be described as a tycoon as an entrepreneur, and herein lies BT’s problem with this co-branding exercise the brand that is Peter Jones does not say what they think it does on his tin.
Or does it? Do they actually think that the majority of SME owners want to be like the Peter they see on the BBC?
Imagine the mutual respect, taste for fine wine and food that Bill and Peter are likely to have shared over this deal. Peter is all smooth patter and witty tales of ‘making it’. How easy it must have been for Bill to warm to this successful celebrity and reappraise the brand of Peter according his personal experience.
But Bill, we’re still left with the merciless bastard from Dragon’s Den. If you are aware of how we see Peter and still chose to use him, then you’re out of touch with business in the age of corporate social responsibility.
Every brand in the world is trying to distance itself from the ruthless, Thatcherite, Reaganite era that so clearly gave rise to Peter not to mention the Gremlins.
If, Bill, you are not aware of the majority brand that is Peter Jones you’re just not thinking about this hard enough.
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