Wag Wars vs. MAD//Fest Speakers
By Dan Brain, Co-founder + Content Director, MAD//Fest 10 Oct 2019
As WW3 (Wag War 3) rages on and steals the limelight from Brexit chaos and environmental meltdown, you've got to hand it to Coleen Rooney for her razor sharp super sleuthing, logical problem solving and Insta investigations in the #Roodunnit skullduggery scandal.
Of course, MAD//Fest London speakers are shrewd logic-based bunch. Like Coleen, these marketers aren't afraid to make a big call based on the evidence or kick up a fuss on social and get people talking.
Here's 3 highlights to get you in the mood:
1. Sam Gaunt, Head of Media, Lidl - experiments in effectiveness
Lidl is a retail disruptor that's closing the gap on the big four supermarkets. They're not afraid of putting out a cheeky ad campaign, like last Christmas' "It's a Lidl bit funny" John Lewis parody.
Sam's an evidence-based guy who digs into the data to make big decisions, like the call to scale back Lidl's digital media investment after seeing it wasn’t as effective as other channels.
Maybe Lidl’s decision went against the grain of popular digital consensus, but it’s a refreshing reminder not to blindly jump on the bandwagon and to interrogate HARD. Coleen would approve!
Apply here for a complimentary pass. Every Lidl helps.
2. Paul Mallon, Head of Major Brand Activations + Chief Mischief Maker, Paddy Power - whipping up a storm on social
Creating mischief, publicity stunts and whipping up a social storm is something 'Wagnum PI' knows a thing or two about. But we think Paddy Power does it better.
Leading Paddy Power’s risque business is the affable Irish mischief maker Paul Mallon, who’ll be gracing the stage at MAD//Fest on 14 Nov.
Paul was behind Paddy Power’s decision to build a pop-up Paddy Power Museum of Mischief in Dublin last year, an experiential beast, putting fans of the brand into live customer experiences like wind tunnels of complaints letters.
Check out Paul's Leftfield love here.
3. Jo McClintock, Global Brand Director, Skyscanner - getting the right marketing mix and delivering results
Unlike Coleen and Rebekah, at MAD//Fest we're not wealthy enough for WAG-style luxury travel. But when it comes to hunting for a bargain getaway, we can't get enough of Skyscanner (check out the search everywhere function!).
Skyscanner is a brand that’s going places. They're ramping up their marketing and advertising investment. They’re changing the way they work with agencies. They’ve just launched a funky new re-brand. But they still need to deliver results.
At Skyscanner, a hunch might lead to a hypothesis,a bold strategic decision might follow extensive testing and experimentation - a precision, evidence-based approach straight out of Coleen’s playbook!
Whether you’re backing Coleen or Rebekah, do the smart thing and get in the mood for MAD//Fest.
We have a few complimentary VIP passes remaining for brands and agencies. Click here to apply.