My marketing thoughts, my marketing projects and anything in between. Since that £150 logo project to now, my journey in marketing, always learning. 20 years and counting in marketing working with small, medium and large businesses.

One of the things that frustrates me most about marketing (i think it pisses me off more because it's my job) is how often it gets reduced to social media. (oh aks Damian he's into marketing and soicla media stuff, rolls eyes) A business says it needs to do more marketing, and within minutes the conversation becomes about posting more regularly on Instagram, making a Reel, designing a graphic or finding something to put on Facebook. Those things can all be useful, but none of

2025 has probably been one of the most important years of my marketing career. This year stands out not merely due to a newfound discovery of marketing principles or practices. At the Aber Football 7s event I helped bring back to Aber In fact, I've been immersed in the world of marketing for a considerable amount of time, honing my skills and understanding the nuances of the industry. However, what makes this year particularly significant is the shift in how I perceive and ap

Football stadiums are unusual business assets because huge parts of them can be extremely valuable for a few hours and almost redundant for the rest of the week. a 3D render of what could have been at ATFC That always fascinated me at Aberystwyth Town. Park Avenue obviously existed primarily as a football ground, but once you start thinking commercially, the fact that something was built for one purpose does not mean it can only ever serve that purpose. One particular idea I

Some of my favourite business ideas are the ones that never actually happened. During my time at Aberystwyth Town, one of the projects I began exploring was the idea of developing a larger business conference as an extension of the Black & Green Business Club. We had already started thinking differently about the relationship between the football club and local companies, and a conference felt like a logical next step. The traditional commercial relationship between a footbal

One of the most useful marketing ideas I have encountered is also one of the most uncomfortable for businesses. Your most loyal customers are probably not enough to deliver the growth you want. Organisations understandably love loyal customers. They buy more often, understand the product, require less explanation and may become advocates. Loyalty matters enormously to customer experience and commercial performance. But brands generally grow by increasing penetration: getting

I've spent years moving rapidly from one marketing project to another. This fast-paced environment has often left little room for reflection or in-depth analysis of the outcomes of my efforts. Each project seemed to demand immediate attention, requiring me to finish the website, launch the campaign, send the email, design the next thing, fix the problem, and then move on to the next task without taking a moment to pause and consider the overall impact of my work. However, Nov

One of the things I became increasingly interested in during my year at Aberystwyth Town was how many different things could happen at Park Avenue that had very little to do with eleven players trying to put a football into a goal. We hosted business networking. The ground became connected with running events. We explored wider commercial ideas, workspace concepts and ways of bringing new people into the stadium. The more projects I worked on, the less I saw Park Avenue simpl

Marketers spend enormous amounts of time trying to make people want things. We should probably spend more time making those things easy to buy. This sounds almost too basic to deserve an article, but I have repeatedly seen organisations create unnecessary friction between customer interest and customer action. Complicated forms, unclear prices, missing links, confusing websites, difficult booking processes and the requirement to contact somebody during office hours can destro

Most portfolios are naturally full of finished work. We show the website that launched, the campaign that performed well, the event that sold tickets and the product that generated PR because completed projects provide visible evidence of what somebody can deliver. What those portfolios rarely show, however, is the large amount of thinking that happens around ideas that never reach the market. For every project that launches, there are usually several others that stop somewhe

October brings a significant chapter of my marketing career to a close. As the leaves begin to change and the air turns crisp, I find myself reflecting on the past year and the experiences that have shaped my professional journey. This month marks the end of my 12-month role with Aberystwyth Town Football Club, a position that has been both challenging and rewarding. Looking back, it's difficult to choose one project that defines the year, as each experience has contributed t

Marketers naturally like messages. We enjoy naming things, creating campaigns, finding a headline, designing the visual identity and deciding how something should appear on social media. I have certainly spent plenty of my career doing exactly that. But there is a question that needs to come first. Does anybody actually want this? It sounds painfully obvious, yet organisations regularly develop products, services, events and initiatives internally before turning to marketing

September has made me reflect on just how much my approach to marketing has changed. This month, with its crisp air and shifting leaves, often brings a sense of introspection, and for me, it has prompted a deeper examination of my marketing strategies and methodologies. I can see a clear evolution in my thought process, one that has been shaped by experiences, challenges, and successes over the past year. The changes I’ve undergone are not just superficial; they signify a fun

When I arrived at Aberystewyth Town Football Club in October 2024, ATFC’s digital presence was due for a major upgrade. We needed a...

A strong brand identity is crucial for any club that wants to stand out. At Aberystwyth Town, I spearheaded a comprehensive branding overhaul. This began with creating the club’s first-ever brand guidelines, a unified set of standards for logos, colours, fonts, and tone of voice. With a consistent brand in place across digital, print, and matchday materials, ATFC started to present a professional and cohesive image to fans and partners alike. One of the most visible expressio

Marketing discussions have a strange habit of becoming arguments between extremes. Brand versus performance. Long term versus short term. Creativity versus conversion. Awareness versus sales. I increasingly think the argument itself is the problem. Businesses need customers today and customers tomorrow. Short-term activation matters because organisations need revenue, registrations, ticket sales, bookings, enquiries and members. But if all your marketing does is chase people

Whenever sales slow down, there is an incredibly tempting marketing lever available: reduce the price. It is easy to understand why. Discounts are straightforward to communicate, customers immediately understand the benefit and, in many situations, they can create a short-term uplift in sales. The problem comes when discounting becomes the default response every time an organisation wants to stimulate demand. Repeated discounting can slowly change the relationship customers h

Great work gets noticed. The innovative initiatives and improvements at Aberystwyth Town FC didn’t just win over fans and sponsors, they also earned public recognition and media coverage. Our efforts culminated in the club becoming a finalist for two categories in the 2025 Menter Aberystwyth Business Awards. Competing for the Aberystwyth Ambassador Award and Welsh Language Champion Award highlighted how far the club’s community impact and inclusivity had come. It was an honou

I have built websites for years, and my view of what makes a good website has changed considerably. I used to think much more about how the site looked. I still care about that. Design affects trust, usability and perception. But I now think the more important question is what the website actually does for the organisation. Too many websites remain digital brochures. They explain who the organisation is, show some photographs and provide a contact page. Then the business spen

What a month. The Matchday Teammates idea officially launched for the opening home campaign in early August, connecting digital match tickets with offers from participating businesses around Aberystwyth. This initiative was designed to enhance the overall matchday experience by creating a vibrant atmosphere that extends beyond the confines of the football ground. By integrating local businesses into the matchday experience, we aimed to foster a sense of community and exciteme

I have spent a large part of my career creating marketing content, from websites and graphic design through to social campaigns, video, PR and events. The formats have changed enormously over that time, but one thing has remained fairly constant: people do not owe brands their attention. Simply publishing something does not give anyone a reason to stop what they are doing and look at it. That is why I think the strongest creative marketing usually makes somebody feel somethin