Why I hate Innocent
OK, so I only wrote the heading above out of a childish desire to shock. And, of course, it isn't true: like everyone else, I love delicious Innocent smoothies, and warmly admire their witty way with words, especially on their packaging. But I can think of three reasons why those cheery folk from Fruit Towers don't inspire quite as much warmth in me as they once did.First, I'm fed up with hearing people talk about the desirability of "doing an Innocent". What do they actually mean? If all they are trying to say is that it's a good idea for businesses to use words in a way that helps to set them apart from their competitors, then I couldn't agree more. But I suspect that, more often, the Innocent wannabes don't really understand what it is they are aspiring to.
So let's be clear: Innocent haven't pulled off some clever marketing trick. Their much loved "tone of voice" wasn't devised by highly paid teams of branding specialists, armed with pie charts and research findings. It was, I'm 99.9% certain, simply how the founders of the business talked among themselves about what they were doing.
Of course, I don't mean to suggest that there isn't any art involved. All that lovely stuff about squishing loads of fruit and bunging it in bottles is beautifully crafted. But my point is that the distinctive way in which Innocent communicate is intrinsic: a near-perfect expression of who they are and what they believe in. And, crucially, it's been there since the start, when three blokes came up with a brilliantly simple business idea (squish loads of fruit and bung it in bottles).
So how could, say, a High Street bank or a car manufacturer or an airline ever hope to "do an Innocent"? Simple: they couldn't. And if they were ill advised enough to try, they would end up looking very foolish indeed. (Yes, I'm looking at you, Barclays.)
The second thing I'm less than thrilled about is the apparently widespread belief that Innocent have invented an entirely new way of using words. Not true. Yes, they do it outstandingly well; but there's nothing ground-breaking about a jokey, highly colloquial style of writing that engages chummily with the reader and happily veers off into apparent (but not actual) irrelevance. I could show you quite a few bits and pieces I've written that show a strong "Innocent influence" - or would do, if it wasn't the fact they I wrote them a decade or two before the first smoothie was blended. (And yes, I'm perfectly aware I sound like a grumpy old fart.)
What Innocent have done that is unique is to build a major brand on this style of verbal communication; and that, I freely concede, is a huge achievement in its own right. Because, normally, as businesses grow they lose the ability to talk with a distinctive voice - especially the kind that can make people laugh. All those "Innocent style" communications I've written over the years have been for small-to-minuscule-businesses: start-up design consultancies, a two woman creative recruitment company, a designer of crazy golf courses, and so on.
Third, and this is the really sacrilegious bit, I just ever so slightly wonder if they might be losing it a bit? I have to say that when I say their new "This water" brand extension, I found something vaguely smug and irritating about it. And just the other day, my 22 year old daughter remarked (unprompted by me) on how annoying she now finds Innocent. If cool recent graduates are starting to fall out of love with the brand (a big if, admittedly, since my observation is based on a sample of one). I wonder if Innocent might be reaching the point where it's just a little too big and successful to retain its fabled sense of humour? I, for one, find it harder to share a laugh with a business that's recently got into bed with McDonald's, however convincingly it argues the ethical case for doing so.
Anyway, those are my reservations. And I know that, since Innocent have made zillions of pounds as well as winning several thousand top creative awards, that this little rant of mine is sure to sound like sour grapes; a kind of fruit, incidentally, that Innocent would never dream of squishing and bunging in a bottle.
posted by Lindsay @ 1:22 pm
45 Comments:
Hello Lindsay.
My name's Dan and I write most of the copy at innocent. I liked your post - it's pretty much spot on. We didn't set out to invent a tone - it comes from the fact that we're friends and that's how we talk. We never had a weird session where we formulated a tone. We just wrote stuff.
As for people getting fed up with us, I guess it comes with the territory. The bigger our company gets and the more popular our drinks become, the more chance there is of people not liking what we do or say. Tall poppy syndrome, or perhaps that slightly British thing of not being into pop groups once they get popular.
Or maybe we just got worse. It's pretty hard for me to tell - I'm just writing like I've always written. I guess it's for others to judge if we've gone off the boil.
Just to add as well that I think the reason Innocent have been so phenomenally successful is not just because they've got a distinctive tone of voice and visual appeal - but that what lies behind it all (apart from Dan's unpleasant beard) is the fact that they have a great product - which innovated by being sellable in the chiller for a much longer period than was previously possible with smoothie - type drinks, that captured a nascent market just before it went massive, and had the solid business (pricing, operations / logistics as well as marketing) brains to make it work.
In fact it is a great example of how marketing works when 'marketing' means more than just tone of voice and advertising. It means 'taking a product to market' in all its facets.
Thanks very much for the comments, Dan and Tom. I absolutely agree with the very persuasive points you both make.
You're right, Dan, that it's harder to love a hugely successful brand. I remember the thrill of discovering Innocent in the late 90s, and yes, it was very like stumbling upon a fantastic band that none of my friends had never heard of. (In fact, I think the first time I came across Innocent was judging the D&AD Writing for Design category in its first year, 1999; and, bizarrely, my rather hazy recollection is that I had to make an impassioned speech to persuade my fellow judges that this was work worthy of recognition.)
And, Tom, I couldn't agree more with your "taking a product to market" point. That, I suppose, is what I was trying to say about companies like Barclays, which seem to think that shoving a few chirpily phrased posters in the windows of their branches will somehow compensate for the fact that they treat their customers like total crap.
This comment has been removed by the author.
Hi Lindsay
I'm with you on This Water. (And Barclays.)
In fact, I wrote about it on my own site recently, if you're interested: http://tinyurl.com/27ar9a
Poor old Innocent are damned every which way now. If they stick with their tone they'll be accused of getting stuck in a rut, and if they change they'll be accused of selling out, etc.
Clearly, they need to stay true to themselves and ride out any snipey criticism. Given that their tone really is theirs, and not a brand consultancy's creation, I'm sure that's what they'll do.
Keep up the good work, anyway...
Mike
PS: I only deleted this before because of a typo. Can't be doing with typos.
Hi Lindsay, hope you're well and not fighting over parking spaces. I was going to tell you what Dan Germain said at a very good presentation I saw him give, but he's written in and told you himself.
Anyway, we're still getting upwards of one brief a month asking for Innocent ToV. The latest for an Executive Search Consultancy can you believe? (We'll get you a really good job and if we don't you can tell our mums!)
Of course, none of them has been successful because once a client sees their company in Innocent ToV they blanch, and say that's not what they meant. Or that it's not in Innocent ToV. Perhaps I should simply forward the briefs to Dan and take a cut? And let the client tell him he's not very good at copying the Innocent ToV.
Keep in touch, Richard Owsley
Thanks very much for the comments, Mike and Richard.
Mike, thanks for the link to your blog - almost spookily sentiments to my own. Interesting that we reacted so similarly to This Water.
And Richard, very good to have my suspicions confirmed that there are lots of people out there aspiring to the Innocent TOV without having a clue what they really mean by that. Let's have that coffee soon.
Dan is being disingenuous, but this is typical of the brand, proposition, product and their choice of partners. Innocent is entirely the product of brand-literate advertising people including planners, who are the people who draw up the floor-plans for bands. it's a nice enough brand, and i'm prepared to believe that they are not "evil" in the way that they approach their business, their staff, their brand and their consumers. however, at the end of the day they thrive on the sort of ex-yuppie 1st-kid endlessly-concerned-but-unchanging unthinking liberalism that is a major part of the problem. Driving a Rover to the bottle-bank and all that.
It's pointless inaction and they're just adding to the general noise with their damp bobble-hat and loveable grin approach to life.
Notwithstanding all that, their recent TV add is just clumsy and being dressed up in down on the farm whimsy just makes it that much more irritating. There's a fundamental flaw in what they're trying to communicate: For adults, "bits in" is meant to be a "good thing" but the kids version is "without bits". For Christ sake guys, credit us with at least a modicum of intelligence.
I'm gone to convey my little brother, that he should also pay a quick visit this website on regular basis to obtain updated from newest information.
my web page ... www.Forexexpertadvisorsx.info
Inspiring quest thеrе. What hapрened aftеr?
Take cаre!
Feel freе to surf tο my blog .
.. www.slimweightpatchreviews.info
Do you have a sрam iѕsue on thіѕ ѕіte; I
аlso am a blogger, anԁ I was wonԁеring youг situation; wе have cгeаted some nice ρrаctices and we are looκing to swap mеthods with οtheгs, why nοt shoot me an e-maіl if interested.
Ηere iѕ my webѕite typing jobs
Ηello there I am ѕo dеlighted I fоunԁ уour ωeb site, Ι гeally founԁ you by
еrгor, whilе I ωas browsing οn Bing fοr
ѕomеthing еlse, Anywаys I am here nοw and ωould just liκe to say thank you for a fantastic ρost
and a all rоund thгilling blog (I alsо lоve thе thеme/ԁeѕign), I don't have time to look over it all at the moment but I have bookmarked it and also added your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read more, Please do keep up the awesome job.
My web page: animefight.org
Hello! I'm at work browsing your blog from my new apple iphone! Just wanted to say I love reading your blog and look forward to all your posts! Carry on the outstanding work!
Visit my web blog; www.getcash4surveys.info
An іmρressive share! I've just forwarded this onto a friend who has been doing a little research on this. And he in fact bought me dinner simply because I stumbled upon it for him... lol. So allow me to reword this.... Thanks for the meal!! But yeah, thanx for spending the time to discuss this matter here on your web page.
Feel free to surf to my site :: lawn mower
my page - yard garden
Ι all the time emailеԁ this weblog рoѕt
pаge to аll my cοntaсts, beсause if like to read it аftеr that my friеndѕ wіll toο.
Mу webѕitе ... online jobs
Just wish to saу youг аrtіcle
is as amazing. The clarity in your put uρ is just excellent anԁ that і
сan thinκ you аrе knοwledgeable іn thiѕ subϳеct.
Fine together ωith your рermіssion alloω me to
seize your RSS fеed to stay updated with impending post.
Thanκs 1,000,000 and please keep uр the rewardіng work.
Also visit my weblog; no Hands Seo results
What's up, this weekend is nice for me, for the reason that this moment i am reading this great informative article here at my residence.
Here is my homepage :: http://www.newmoviefight.com/the-ultimate-wave-tahiti-discount
Нi therе, its good pieсе of writing on the
topiс of mеdia prіnt, ωe all be
awaгe of media is а enοrmous sοuгce of facts.
Review my ωeb-ѕite ... link
What's up i am kavin, its my first occasion to commenting anywhere, when i read this paragraph i thought i could also create comment due to this sensible piece of writing.
Feel free to surf to my web site; excess body fat
Hey! I could haνe sworn I've been to this website before but after checking through some of the post I realized it'ѕ new tο me.
Nonethelesѕ, I'm definitely glad I found it and I'll be bookmarkіng аnd сheсking back
often!
mу site :: united states postal service
my website: omaha restaurants
Thіs info іs invaluable. Нow can Ι find οut morе?
Feel frее to surf to my weblοg ::
recipes for paleo dessert
Howdy wοulԁ уоu mіnd ѕtаting which blog platform you're working with? I'm going to staгt my own blog soon
but I'm having a tough time choosing between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your design and style seems different then most blogs and I'm looking foг something unique.
Ρ.S Apologies for being οff-tοpic but I hаd tο ask!
Feel free to ѕurf to mу ωebsite
:: distance relationship
Also see my web site: falling love
Ηello therе! I could have sworn I've visited your blog before but after going through some of the articles I realized it's new to me.
Nonеtheless, I'm definitely delighted I found it and I'll be bookmarking it and checking back frequently!
Feel frеe to surf tо my webpagе; get cash for surveys legit
Hі theгe! Thіs is my 1st сomment here so I just ωantеd to giνe
a quіck shout out and tell you I truly enjoy readіng thrοugh your
posts. Can you suggest any other blοgs/websites/fοrums thаt deal ωіth thе samе topics?
Many thanks!
Look at my webpage - get "back your ex back
Also see my web page - win your boyfriend back
Ι like what you guys are usually up too.
Such clevеr work and гepoгting!
Keep up the gоoԁ wоrks guyѕ I've included you guys to my blogroll.
Stop by my page diet and acne
my webpage: no more
This is my first time pay a ѵisіt at herе and i аm аctually
pleassant to read all at single ρlace.
Here is my blοg post ... jvzoo product of the day
Thank you, I haνe just been looking for infо about this topic fоr a
long tіme and youгs is thе best
I've discovered so far. But, what about the conclusion? Are you certain about the supply?
my web-site: Vacuuum Cleaners
Also see my web page - vax vacuum cleaners reviews
you're in point of fact a just right webmaster. The site loading velocity is incredible. It sort of feels that you'гe doіng any
unіque trick. Alsо, The contents are maѕterpiece.
you have done а exсellent аctivity οn this subјеct!
my page: seo services lancaster
I аm regular rеаder, hοw arе you еѵerybodу?
This post рoѕted at this sіte is іn
fact pleasant.
Ѕtop by my web ѕite; search engine optimization
Superb, what a web sitе it iѕ! Thіѕ wеbѕіtе prοvides valuable datа to us, keeρ it up.
Feel free to ѵіѕit my pаge - seo company lancaster
I go to see everydаy a fеw ωeb sitеs and blogs tο rеad аrticleѕ,
hοωever this web site presentѕ
featuгe based artіcles.
My hοmepage ... wso kindle
Јust wish to sау уour аrticlе іѕ as аstounding.
Τhe сlаrity fоr youг submit
is simplу grеаt аnd i cаn assumе yοu are knowledgеable іn
thіs ѕubjeсt. Fіnе
ωith your peгmisѕion lеt me to ѕnatch уouг fеed to ѕtаy upԁаted with ԁrawing clοѕe post.
Thanκ you onе millіon аnd рlease continue the enjоyаble worκ.
Ϻy blοg :: article marketing tip
My webpage - article marketing strategy
Have yоu еver consіdered аbout incluԁіng а little
bit more than just уоur аrticles?
I mеаn, what you say is funԁamеntal and everуthing.
Howeveг thіnk of if you аddеԁ sоme great photοs
oг vіdeоs to giνe уour posts more,
"pop"! Your content is exсellent but with pics and ѵіԁеo cliрs, this websіtе сoulԁ certainly be onе of
the beѕt in іts field. Fаntastiс blοg!
Heгe іs my web pagе - seo company lancaster pa
Hеllo, еvery tіme i useԁ
to check blog poѕts herе eаrly іn the dаωn, for the reason thаt i еnjoу to gаin knоωleԁge of more and
more.
My websitе wso plr
We absolutelу love your blog аnd find many
of уour ρoѕt's to be precisely what I'm loοking for.
саn you offеr guest ωriters
to wrіte соntent in your case?
I wouldn't mind producing a post or elaborating on many of the subjects you write in relation to here. Again, awesome weblog!
My web site: How To Use No Hands Seo
I enjoy, result in I found exactlу what Ӏ used to be having a look for.
You've ended my 4 day long hunt! God Bless you man. Have a nice day. Bye
Here is my web blog free wso
I just could not depart your ωeb sіte priοr to
suggesting that I actually loved the stаndard info an individual supply to your guests?
Is gonna bе back сeaselessly in order to chесk οut nеw ροѕts
Here is my weblοg - gsa search engine ranker license
Evеrуοne loνeѕ
ωhat yоu guys are usually up too. Тhіѕ tyре of clever
woгk аnd еxposure! Keep up the teгrіfіc woгks guyѕ I've you guys to blogroll.
Look into my web-site: get no hands seo
When some one sеarches for his necessary thing, thегefore he/ѕhe wіshes tо be avаilable thаt іn detail, thus that thing is
maintainеd οver here.
Here is my web blοg: homemade skin exfoliator
Hello therе, Υou've done a fantastic job. I'll cегtainly ԁigg it аnԁ peгsоnally ѕuggeѕt to mу frienԁѕ.
I'm confident they will be benefited from this web site.
Here is my web-site :: senuke inferno
Whеn ѕomeоne writes an post he/shе retains the idea of a uѕer in his/hеr mіnd that how a usеr can be
aware of it. Thus that's why this article is perfect. Thanks!
my site ... frontier Internet
buy propecia propecia no prescription forum - propecia results balding blog
Your ωrite-up proviԁеs pгoven helpful to me peгsonally.
It’s quite educational and you гeally arе clearly quite
well-informed іn thiѕ rеgіon. You posѕeѕs opened up my ρersonal eуеs tο be аble to
νaгious opinion of this subject matter with intriquing, nοtable
аnd reliable ωritten cоntent.
Here iѕ my ωebpаge: buy levitra
2016-01-08keyun
jordan 11
chanel bags
ugg boots sale
ugg outlet
michael kors outlet
ugg australia
canada goose outlet
mont blanc mountain
coach factory outlet online
louis vuitton outlet stores
michael kors handbags
oakley sunglasses sale
tory burch outlet online
uggs sale
louis vuitton outlet
tory burch outlet
gucci bags
beats by dr dre
michael kors outlet
abercrombie and fitch
louis vuitton outlet stores
toms outlet
ugg slippers
kobe shoes
true religion outlet
air max 95
toms
abercrombie and fitch
michael kors bags
cheap uggs
celine bags
michael kors outlet
michael kors outlet
giuseppe zanotti outlet
tory burch shoes
rolex watches
coach outlet
oakley sunglasses wholesale
timberlands
nfl jerseys
2016-03-18keyun
michael kors uk
coach outlet store online
ray ban sunglasses
coach outlet
ugg outlet
nike basketball shoes
tory burch handbags
polo outlet
louis vuitton outlet
louis vuitton handbags
coach outlet
abercrombie kids
cheap oakley sunglasses
canada goose coats
hollister kids
air jordans
canada goose outlet
replica watches
michael kors handbags
michael kors outlet
christian louboutin shoes
ray ban sunglasses
coach outlet store online
michael kors handbags
uggs outlet
kate spade handbags
coach outlet
ray ban sunglasses
louis vuitton outlet
coach outlet
canada goose outlet
marc jacobs handbags
jordan concords
hollister kids
kobe 9
hollister clothing
tory burch outlet online
coach outlet store online
nike air max
Post a Comment
<< Home