Vietnam is definitely my favourite country for food that I have visited so far. The variety is stunning, from Pho to spring rolls, strange looking fish to omelettes, stunning fresh vegetables to Banh Mi (breakfast baguettes) plus locally brewed beer and wine.
It is estimated that almost 1 in 5 people in the UK suffer from an allergy and that 10 deaths a year are caused by people not knowing what ingredients are in the food they are eating. In the wake of the death of 15-year-old Natasha Ednan-Laperouse from an allergic reaction and her parents subsequent lobbying, new legislation is being introduced to protect allergy sufferers and give them confidence when buying pre-packaged food.
It all kicked off this week when 12 European football teams, including the Premier League “big six” teams, decided to create a breakaway European Super League.
Here’s a round-up of some of 2021’s best food and drink related April Fools campaigns. From the ridiculous new product inventions to general all-round silliness that we loved this year.
As businesses around the world come together for Sustainability Week (22nd – 25th March) to share experiences and discover how they can operate more sustainably, Jess Sewell has been looking at some of the everyday items we should be considering to help us live more sustainably.
What with it being St Patrick’s Day and all – Ireland’s greatest celebration – it’s a good time to maybe redress the balance and talk less about Guinness, blarney, and those big leprechaun hats, and more about the rich food and drink culture of both the republic and the north. For this is a churning swell of incredible produce, traditional delicacies, burgeoning craft breweries and some stunning restaurants (and of course pubs).
Whether you have an account or not, Tik-Tok trends are hard to hide from and if you are a member of ‘Food Tik Tok’ like myself, you may have been influenced to try a trend or two over this lockdown period.
Like many of us, last year I got into the routine of a regular glass of something of an evening to unwind at the end of the working day, or to relax on the weekend. Lockdowns, tiers, lack of social contact, lack of anything better to do in general and working from home, combined with more daily exercise, all gave me a good reason to treat myself of an evening (thank goodness I didn’t have to home school, I would probably have started at 10am!).
As a South African, I can confidently say that food is a big part of our culture. With such a diverse population – we are the Rainbow Nation after all – we are lucky to have such a variety of national favourites that bring together so many cultures and traditions.
While I can’t cover them all, I can share with you some of my personal favourites…
I recently had the opportunity to attend a Q&A session with James Gill, Head of Agency & Channel Team for EMEA at LinkedIn, through the Alliance of Independent Agencies. It’s clear that LinkedIn has transitioned from what was essentially an online platform of CV’s, to the ‘go-to’ place for businesses and professionals to network, publish, share knowledge and consumer news. And with over 720 million members now on LinkedIn, it is a business tool that should not be ignored.
If you’re anything like me then you’ve probably started the new year hungover and stuffed to the brim with leftovers from Christmas dinner, chocolate, crisps, more chocolate and a whole heap of alcohol! Because of this (and the fact we use ‘but it’s Christmas…’ far too often throughout December), January is the month the majority of us choose to take back the reigns and decide to start our year off right -to be as healthy & active as possible.
POV: you have just spent your Friday night recreating a recipe you found online. You’re super proud of it and want to show it off to all your Instagram followers and post it in the family group chat so you go to take a photo of it… You look at the photo, then the dish, then the photo again and realise the photo really does not do it justice.
There’s no doubt eating certain foods affects how we feel on a physical level. From the bloating of bread to a face-freshening glow bowl, our gut is highly sensitive to different ingredients and either loves us or loathes us for what we feed it.
I was recently asked by The Grocer magazine to feature in an article about how lockdown and CV-19 has impacted the way buyers and sellers do business. As an agency, like everyone else, we have had to adapt and pivot during these strange times. Together with our valued clients we have been able to navigate through unchartered waters and find new ways of working and new ways of selling. In the feature I discuss many of the strategies and examples of things we have been doing to help our clients find their sweet spot and achieve success with their virtual sales pitches and marketing campaigns.
Many of us think we only speak one language, the language our mothers used to sing us lullabies, the language we were taught in school, the language we use to communicate with friends, colleagues and loved ones. But there is another language we are all fluent in… the language of food.
Plant-based is so much more than just a trend now. It is a well-established industry and lifestyle for many, which is growing across all sectors, with numerous innovative retail products releases and vegan meals launching in big-name fast-food restaurants. I recently attended a webinar which explored the current trends in the plant-based market. Hosted by Fi Global Insights, industry experts across Europe, they shared insightful studies, discussed the current trends, and suggested ways in which we can tap into the current trends. Here are my top 10 takeaways from the webinar:
We all love a Sunday roast, be that at home with our family or in a cosy pub with friends. As the nights begin to draw in and the days get colder, we may find ourselves indulging in this classic British dish more frequently, possibly in an attempt at gaining some sense of normality during this strange time. Let’s face it, Covid coupled with winter is pretty miserable without the smell of a slow-cooked, perfectly seasoned, beef joint or roast chicken wafting into our living rooms as we wait patiently to sit and stuff our faces (and then regret it the next day).
Please note this interview took place before the new regulations were announced on 22/9/20.
This week Lumina’s Hospitality Innovation Series of webinars featured an interview and Q&A with leading chef and restaurateur Adam Handling. Adam started his culinary training as the first apprentice chef at the famous Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland. He went on to work in London before becoming sous chef at the Malmaison hotel in Newcastle. He then moved back to Scotland to become the Fairmont Group’s youngest ever head chef at the Fairmount St Andrews. Following that he took on the role of head chef at St.Ermins Hotel in St James Park. From there, he entered and became a finalist in series 6 of Masterchef The Professionals in 2013. Since then he has set up his own group of critically acclaimed restaurants notably: Frog by Adam Handling, Eve Bar, The Frog Hoxton, Adam Handling Chelsea and Ugly Butterfly. Sadly as a result of the impact of Covid19 both The Frog Hoxton and Ugly Butterfly (his zero waste pop-up) have closed, but as one door closes another opens as Adam went on to reveal….
Today, Marketing Agencies Action Group (MAAG) announced its evolution into the Alliance of Independent Agencies, as part of an extensive restructure. The Alliance will lead the agenda of independent agencies and promote the sector’s interests as it faces the negative impact of COVID-19; helping independent agencies to safeguard jobs and boost agency growth.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant and negative impact on the creative agency sector, with as much as a 44% (£19 billion) reduction in turnover and projected job losses of 26% (49,000)1. Independents make up ~90%2 of the agencies in the creative sector which contributes over £43billion to the economy.
As income, jobs, ways of working, and client-agency relationships are reimagined as a result of COVID-19’s impact, it is integral the independent agency sector has a clear and action-focused voice. Until now, the sector has not had a united voice to promote its collective interests and pro-actively lobby policymakers in client-related industry bodies and the Government; the Alliance of Independent Agencies stands to change this.
As MAAG evolves to Alliance of Independent Agencies, it has appointed Matt Sullivan Managing Director, created a Members’ Board, and introduced a triumvirate of co-chairs to drive the agenda of its eight action groups.
Reflecting its change in purpose and structure, the Alliance will respond to the impact of COVID-19 with change-driving activities, including:
Lobbying for government support, such as safeguarding jobs, through independent agency representation as members of The Advertising Association and Federation of Small Business.
Providing independent agencies wider access to valuable resources, building on collaborations with other agency collectives. To date, these include Pimento, TheNetworkOne and Agencynomics.
Empowering independent agencies to more successfully navigate procurement (in an increasingly competitive marketplace) through key educational partnerships.
As the incoming Managing Director, Matt Sullivan will spearhead this change. Formerly US Vice President at The Drum & Head of the Drum Network, and prior to that, Managing Director of the DMA’s International ECHO Awards, Sullivan has extensive experience championing agencies.
In addition to his appointment, the Alliance welcomes its inaugural triumvirate of co-chairs including, Ruth Kieran (CEO, Cirkle), Dino Myers-Lamptey (Founder, The Barber Shop), and Laurence Parkes (CEO, Rufus Leonard). The co-chairs are primarily responsible for distilling the input of the Alliance’s eight action groups (in the arenas of Purpose, People, and Performance) into one united voice.
Matt Sullivan says, “Across my work with agencies of all sizes and disciplines over the last 10 years, the biggest shift has been the desire to collaborate more – especially within the independent community. This will be the key factor behind the success of the Alliance of Independent Agencies. The Alliance is bringing an amazing mix of agencies together, plus support and access to other networks; a level of collaboration that is unusual with the backdrop of competitive membership fees. It feels like the last piece of the puzzle is to unite everybody that works for or alongside independent agencies to create something bigger and more impactful. With all the talent, great work, and increased confidence, I think we can be very ambitious with what we can achieve together. Exciting times.”
The Alliance seeks to unite the thousands of independent agencies, their leaders and everyone that works in the community to make meaningful change. Independent agencies can join the Alliance of Independent Agencies with their first month of membership free, here: allindependentagencies.org/welcome
Alliance of Independent Agencies will continue to deliver the same high-quality services as MAAG, including learning and development, new business partnerships, networking and thought leadership, championing issues, a legal helpline, pitch protection, and agency purchasing power.
Note to Editors:
About Alliance of Independent Agencies:
The Alliance of Independent Agencies exists to represent and celebrate the thriving independent agency community and place it and those that work in it at the heart of the rapidly evolving entrepreneurial creative economy.
The Alliance brings the best and most forward-thinking independent agencies together to learn, share, develop their teams, products and services and connects them to best-practice, new ways of working and cutting-edge technologies and tools. And because the Alliance is run by the independent community, for the independent community we fly the flag for the independents to the entire marketing community.
FAQS – Approved for internal and external responses
What does this mean for the current directors?
Clive Mishon and Graham Kemp will remain as directors of the Alliance and support the executive team. Mishon and Kemp have both built successful independent agencies but are no longer engaged as executives in agencies. Since taking over the old MAA to create MAAG, they have made it an organisation driven by agency people, for the whole community. As the organisation evolves into the Alliance of Independent Agencies, they maintain their roles as directors – responsible for the Alliance’s financial stability and management – and welcome a new managing director and co-chairs. This is a vital step to ensure the Alliance is directed and driven by those actively involved in the day-to-day management of independent agencies.
What does this mean for the non-independent agency members of MAAG?
MAAG no longer has group agencies in membership. Recent membership invitations have been focused on independent agencies as MAAG observed the common interests and effective collaboration between like-minded independent agencies.
