Tim Cooper

Trust is everything, and our new UK report with London Research shows just how powerful it is, especially in the finance sector. 78% of UK consumers are influenced by customer reviews, and our reviews can make a big difference. In fact, ads with Trustpilot signals are 14 times more likely to be clicked, and websites using them see an increase in trust, brand affinity and conversions. Check out the full report: https://lnkd.in/d5pe4-77.

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Retail media is growing up, but the roots matter. I had a brilliant conversation with Tom Limongello and Todd Sawicki on The Middlemen Podcast. We covered a lot, but a few things stuck: 🔄In the UK, retail media started in-store. Tesco. Loyalty cards. Coupons at checkout. That foundation still shapes how we think at SMG: holistic campaigns that enhance the shopper experience, not channel-by-channel plans. 🎯The best campaigns don’t start with "We want *insert media channel*." They start with KPIs, "We need to drive penetration," or "This SKU isn’t getting picked up enough." And then we use every tool in the kit: media, promo, price, etc. to make it work. 🧠Merchandising and media must move together. If they’re misaligned, one of two things happens: either nothing moves, or the wrong metric does. ✈️ And travel retail? Hugely underutilized (for now). SMG North America is proud to power WHSmith North America Media Network to unlock the value of high-intent, high-spend airport shoppers. No e-commerce. No endless scroll. Just real-world attention for brands. It’s always refreshing to step outside the echo chamber and have an honest chat about what’s working (and what’s not). Link to the podcast episode in the comments below! Would love to hear what you think. Cheers to Tom and Todd for the invite. #retailmedia #themiddlemen #thoughtleadership

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🗞 What’s been happening this week? ·      Retail sales saw a modest uplift in sales in July, however volumes remain below pre‑pandemic levels. Great to share insights with The Telegraph, This Is Money's Angharad Carrick, InternetRetailing's Amanda Whyte and others. Read more from me on the delayed figures from the Office for National Statistics through the link in the comments below. ·      Fantastic to attend the John Lewis Partnership breakfast briefing on Wednesday, with Peter Ruis, Vikki Kavanagh and Michelle Wilson discussing John Lewis & Partners’ hopes to attract nostalgic middle-aged and younger shoppers through a new partnership with TOPSHOP TOPMAN. This will see the debut of Topshop in 32 John Lewis stores and online from February 2026, with Topman in six locations. Ruis says it will “exemplify the new John Lewis” under Rachel Morgans’ fashion direction. ·      Personalisation is a key battleground in retail, but an execution gap exists in segmentation according to Retail Economics and beBettor research shared with Retail Week. Read more on how to close this gap through the link in my comments below. ·      Aldi UK rolled out InPost UK parcel lockers across 536 stores, enabling customers to collect and return parcels, with plans to expand to 600 locations by 2026. Over 115 million retail parcels are now delivered or returned through lockers, representing 7% of online orders and 12% of returns, according to our latest Retail Economics research with InPost – further details are linked in the comments. ·      Oxford Street will be traffic-free on 21 September from Orchard Street to Oxford Circus to demonstrate potential pedestrianisation plans. ·      Primark opened its first standalone homeware store in Great Britain, spanning 12,000 sq ft in Manchester. The concept forms part of a wider investment including refurbishments of Market Street and Trafford Palazzo. ·      Holland & Barrett trialled a revamped beauty category in six stores between June and August, reporting a 7% sales uplift compared with control sites. The format mixes topical products, ingestible supplements and expert advice, with rollout to larger city stores planned for 2026. ·      Currys plc announced a £50m share buyback after posting a 3% rise in like-for-like sales in UK & Ireland during the 17 weeks to 30 August. Growth was driven by B2B, gaming, AI computing and services. ·      In a trading update, Watches of Switzerland Group PLC recorded “strong trading” in the 18 weeks to 31 August, particularly in the US despite new tariffs on Swiss imports. UK growth remained stable.   🚨 🚨 🚨 This is just a selection of news this week. If you want to hear more, subscribe to our free weekly podcast below, covering all major retail news every Monday at 6am ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/eZNDVfZ7   ____________________________________ ⤴ Follow me for weekly retail, consumer and economic insights. ____________________________________

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We are excited to launch a new dedicated hub for Digital Catapult’s Advanced Media Production (AMP) studios, showcasing our work in advanced media production, immersive technologies and the UK’s creative sector. The new website curates what matters most with:  → Tailored packages designed for industry and academia   → Flexible options for training, events and production  → Inspiring resources to showcase creative sector innovation     🚀 This launch builds on our success in helping hundreds of deep tech startups and SMEs in the creative industries to scale faster and facilitating over £50 million of investment into creative tech pioneers since 2018.     🥽 The AMP hub reflects our commitment to equip the UK to be future ready, supporting innovators, researchers and industry partners in shaping the future of virtual production and strengthening the UK’s position at the forefront of immersive technology adoption.    I invite you to explore the hub, discover the packages, and book the space at both Gateshead and Dock Street in London to unlock new opportunities in advanced media production.   🔗 Discover more: https://lnkd.in/e2XM62Eq   #AdvancedMediaProduction #5GInnovation #OpenRAN #ImmersiveTech #FutureOfMedia    Digital Catapult Target3D Ltd | The Mechanics Behind Creativity | Innovate UK

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Festival of Marketing has many highlights. But one of mine was sharing the main stage with effectiveness legends Les Binet and Tom Roach to discuss the latest thinking about 'Lots x Lots of Littles'. Some takeaways: ⚡️Small thinking is killing the industry in an efficiency spiral ⚡️Size matters: 90% of Effectiveness comes from SCALE of effect, reaching lots of people ⚡️ Scale is about RELATIVITY, and 'looking bigger than you are' ⚡️We're losing sight of the fundamentals that really shift the dial: Budget £££, excess share of voice & share of mind; branding ⚡️ In a 'lots of little' ecosystem, LOTS is what matters most ⚡️Big is a collection of smalls, so experiment with new channels and formats but always remember the key is to create a COMBINATION of lots that connects back to your brand ⚡️Beware of conflating efficiency with effectiveness There'll be more on this at the IPA (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising) Effectiveness Conference this week. Laurence Green Russell Parsons

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In the ever-evolving landscape of UK high streets, Costa Coffee’s story is a compelling case study in what happens when a brand misses the opportunity to build true local connection. Since The Coca-Cola Company acquired the chain for £3.9 billion in 2019, Costa has faced mounting challenges. And while reports now suggest Coca-Cola is considering a sale at a significantly reduced price, the reasons go far beyond a lack of local resonance. From soaring coffee bean prices and rising energy bills to post-pandemic shifts in working habits and intensified competition from both independents and premium chains, Costa has been up against it. Their revenue remains below pre-acquisition levels, with recent financials showing a pre-tax loss of £9.6 million. Running a business at scale in this climate is no small task. But here’s the real question: could stronger localisation and community connection have helped Costa weather these storms? I’d argue yes. My own experience came in a seaside town I know very well, where Costa opened a store in 2013, despite vocal community resistance, including a petition from over 600 residents. Despite overcoming those odds from the outset, the store only operated for six years and never truly embedded itself in the community. In chatting to local staff, they told me they weren’t empowered to adjust the offer or atmosphere to better suit local habits. They were full of brilliant ideas they just weren’t allowed to put into action. The brand presence remained uniform, centralised, and, crucially, a little out of touch with its surroundings. Now contrast that with the success story that is GAIL's. Gail’s doesn’t just serve coffee and pastries - it connects. Its teams are encouraged to form local partnerships, reduce waste through community donations, and shape their spaces to reflect neighbourhood needs. "We’re a bakery that is very ‘neighbour-hoody" said Tom Molnar, Chief Executive in Business Leader "You have to care about the community." Their approach isn't about sacrificing brand consistency; it's about humanising it. Gail’s has become the kind of brand that people want in their community, not one that arrives uninvited. Of course, localisation isn't a magic fix for structural challenges like supply chain complexity or inflationary pressures. But it does help brands build resilience. When people feel seen, valued and listened to, they return, even when their spending tightens. When local teams are empowered, they can respond creatively and meaningfully. When a brand becomes part of the community fabric, it earns loyalty that no national campaign can buy. Costa had the scale, the infrastructure, the footprint but perhaps what it missed was the local heartbeat. And in today’s market, that heartbeat makes all the difference. I hope the next suitor, whether Apollo Global Management, Inc. (The Restaurant Group), TDR Capital (popeyes & Stonegate Group) or someone else, keeps #local in mind. #highstreetpositives

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Second-hand fashion marketplace Vinted is launching a new TV series on Prime Video called ‘RE/Style’, hosted by presenter and former model Emma Willis. It’s a six-part competition, spotlighting rising designers from across Europe who create “runway ready looks” using only second-hand clothes. The series will feature eight emerging fashion designers, from the UK, Italy, Spain and France, who will compete to create capsule collections. The series’ finale will see the two finalists unveil bespoke collections inspired by their standout looks from the show. The items will then be sold exclusively on Vinted, with all profits donated to Oxfam, “underscoring the show’s commitment to #circularfashion and social impact”. From 13 October 2025, fashion enthusiasts can also shop on Vinted for the very items used by the wardrobe designers to create the show’s looks. The items will be sold exclusively on Oxfam’s Vinted page. #preloved #circularity #fashion #design #upcycling

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