Another box of MEMORIES

So the Christmas decorations are down and put away.?

Our odd collection of baubles, lights and ornaments acquired over two decades, including pre-school creations and family in-jokes.?

Back they all went in their boxes and into the loft cupboard to sit out another 11 months.?

At least they have company in there.?

That cupboard is packed with a number of other memory boxes. I know, it’s a bit of a problem.?

There’s one with music in obsolete formats - vinyl, cassette, CD. Only the 7” vinyl, the 12” is back out on display, along with the cool-again turntable.?

Another is full of letters, cards and ticket stubs, the ones I felt like keeping.?

There are several containing baby clothes and exercise books, which we call the sentimental boxes.?

One with a collection of framed black and white stills from movies, that looked great in my first London rental. Humphrey Bogart to the Munsters.?

When my Dad died, I found he’d kept my old Subbuteo teams (the problem runs in the family). They’re now in the cupboard too, ready for Chelsea vs. Brazil.?

All the Black & Red notebooks I filled with ideas when dreaming of becoming a proper writer.?

Bank statements I think you’re meant to keep for six years, but I’ve decided to keep until the end of time.?

And a couple of boxes I’d need to check to remind myself of what’s in them. Old pairs of glasses, maybe.?

I haven’t started a new box for a while now. I suppose they’ve been superseded by folders on the hard drive.?

The many, many photos and videos. A ton of email. The downloaded music on iTunes, now also obsolete.?

The Closer to Brands folder with everything since 2005 - debriefs, strategy decks, discussion guides, company creds, accounts stuff.?

In there is a folder called ‘Strategy’ with articles, posts and screenshots across every topic imaginable from the LinkedIn School of Marketing.?

And one called ‘Blog’. Started in May 2016 and now with, including this one, 200 posts.?

Of course, the aim was always to keep on people’s radars. Salience. And hopefully, to provide something interesting and entertaining. Connection.?

Looking back through them, which I do often, it’s a reminder of how my thinking on brands has developed over the last nine years. That’s the thing about marketing, the pendulum never stops swinging.?

But time and time again, I’ve returned to my core beliefs:?

1. Brands have to make an emotional connection.

2. Brand choices are driven by people’s deeper needs.

3. All brands need a positioning.

4. Insights need tension.

5. Be noticed, be remembered.?

The funny thing is I do remember every single one of the posts. It’s like with brands, you remember what you want to remember.?

And cupboards in the loft.