Colin Lloyd
Q: What was your first B2B-related job?
Working in the advertising department of a magazine called Competitors Journal, which was for the early sales promotion industry for what is known as ‘Compers’ people who go in for competitions.
Q: What do you most enjoy about your job?
Working with the young people in our industry to enthuse them about what enthused me over 50 years ago. I get my regular fixes by working with The Communication Advertising & Marketing Education Foundation (CAM).
Q: Which B2B brand do you most admire?
Eddie Stobart. It’s amazing that it has turned lorries travelling the UK high roads into a cult phenomenon.
Q: What job would you like most?
The Government post that is responsible for British Exports. We could do so much better. I’d also love my gardener’s job.
Q: What’s the best piece of marketing advice you’ve even been given?
The world steps aside for someone who knows where they are going.
Q: What are the traits you most and least admire in yourself?
Getting on with people is my most admirable trait. Not firing people quickly enough for their sake and mine is my least.
Q: What is your proudest achievement?
There are two. Firstly, taking my agency KLP public onto the London stock market. It was the first ever company of its type to go public. Secondly, helping to build the DMA to the largest trade body in marketing in Europe.
Q: To succeed, a B2B marketer must…
Add the magic of B2C communication to B2B. In the end people buy from other people not companies.
Q: What is your favourite B2B ad campaign past or present?
It has to be for The Economist magazine. It’s for senior business people, which they subscribe to, but is undoubtedly paid for by their companies and then sent to the recipient’s home address containing B2B advertising adapted to worldwide markets. It’s B2C2B.
Q: Our jobs would be easier if…
I could speak to people rather than having to text or email.
Q: What marketing challenge are you currently wrestling with?
Marketing my newly published book, which I have never done before. I thought it would be easy!
Q: Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Yes, I’d love to…
Q: What was your last marketing epiphany?
What’s an epiphany? I’m a good South London boy and we don’t use words like that!
Q: Which marketing campaign or idea do you wish you’d thought of?
‘Shell make money’. For younger readers this is, in my view, the most successful promotion. It could be run again today and would be just as successful.
Q: Which marketing or business books would you recommend?
My book Beyond Redemption the first ever history of sales promotion, which I have just published. It’s the best £15 anyone can spend.
In the true spirit of sales promotion I’ve teamed up with Fotorama offering purchasers a money back guarantee, entitling them to claim the cost of the book back if they don’t like it and return the book.
This is to marketing what ‘What they don’t teach you at Harvard’ is to management.
Q: Which individual has had the most influence on your career?
Wilton Dickson, who was the real pioneer in the sixties of below-the-line marketing that people attribute to me. I was his lackey.
Q: My biggest extravagance is…
A new putter, which I still haven’t used.
