Rob C
@robc.bsky.social
Positive pessimist. Also a Forest fan. Probably connected. Ex-Cynic, Wieden+Kennedy & R/GA. Now at Colenso, Weigel/Campbell & Metallica.
Why nothing shows how out-of-control the Linkedin marketing/advertising/research communities have got than hearing rival Rockstars being less egotistical, less arrogant and less, errrm, Rockstarry, than us.
It’s What Makes Us Different That Makes Us The Same: The Case For Diversity, Not Enemies.
Following on from Wednesday’s post … One of the great pleasures that walking has given me is listening to podcasts. To be honest, prior to walking I never really enjoyed them. Sure, par…
robcampbell.co
January 22, 2026 at 4:52 PM
Why nothing shows how out-of-control the Linkedin marketing/advertising/research communities have got than hearing rival Rockstars being less egotistical, less arrogant and less, errrm, Rockstarry, than us.
Why companies need to remember, to gain employee loyalty, you have to do more than just provide a pay cheque.
Anything Is Easy When You Don’t Have To Do It And You Have No Intention To Be Guided By It …
On the Friday before Christmas, a friend of mine got made redundant. After 17 years of service. 17 years of highly productive, highly respected service. What makes it even more disgraceful is he wa…
robcampbell.co
January 21, 2026 at 6:03 PM
Why companies need to remember, to gain employee loyalty, you have to do more than just provide a pay cheque.
How this Christmas I won at being a loser. (And why McKinsey are petrified about it)
When Winning Means You’re A Loser …
As many of you know, over the past 2 years, I’ve got relatively fit. Or said another way, I’ve lost 54kgs. And while diet has played a huge part to play in this achievement, it’s …
robcampbell.co
January 20, 2026 at 6:37 PM
How this Christmas I won at being a loser. (And why McKinsey are petrified about it)
Why integrity is about consistency … even when there’s a chance to make an extra dollar bending it a little bit.
(AKA: What business can learn from playwright, Tom Stoppard)
(AKA: What business can learn from playwright, Tom Stoppard)
Integrity Is About Actions, Not Words …
First of all a huge thanks to all the people who got in touch about my good eye news yesterday. Given how much your support through the challenge of last year meant to me, you just added the icing …
robcampbell.co
January 19, 2026 at 5:59 PM
Why integrity is about consistency … even when there’s a chance to make an extra dollar bending it a little bit.
(AKA: What business can learn from playwright, Tom Stoppard)
(AKA: What business can learn from playwright, Tom Stoppard)
Why this Monday is a great day. At least for me. And with thanks to you.
A Lot Can Happen In 12 Months …
It’s Monday. In the first few weeks of going back to work after a longish break. And all we are hearing in shit, depressing news from all over the World … so you would imagine todayR…
robcampbell.co
January 18, 2026 at 5:52 PM
Why this Monday is a great day. At least for me. And with thanks to you.
Why my Dad is dead. Not passed.
(An ode to grief, 27 years in the making)
(An ode to grief, 27 years in the making)
My Dad Is Dead …
OK, so we got to the end of the first week of 2026. Or should I say the 3rd week … but you know what I mean. Anyway, I started the TWENTIETH year of this blog with a couple of nice posts. Then I fo…
robcampbell.co
January 15, 2026 at 5:50 PM
Why my Dad is dead. Not passed.
(An ode to grief, 27 years in the making)
(An ode to grief, 27 years in the making)
Why AI has become the Vivian Westwood dress average companies put on, without realising everyone can see it doesn’t fit or suit them.
If It’s Not Accountable, It Will Do Whatever It Wants …
This post kind-of follows on from yesterday’s. You see, recently I saw this image from the IBM training manual of 1979. Interesting isn’t it. That even then, they both saw the power and…
robcampbell.co
January 14, 2026 at 5:48 PM
Why AI has become the Vivian Westwood dress average companies put on, without realising everyone can see it doesn’t fit or suit them.
Why we can't complain about the impact of AI, when we - driven by many of the companies we work with/for - are all complicit in 'the experience illusion'.
We Are All Complicit To All We’re Complaining About …
OK, I’ve given you a couple of days of niceish posts to help ease you into the new year, so I think it’s time I write some stuff that lets out some of my seemingly endless frustrations …
robcampbell.co
January 13, 2026 at 6:39 PM
Why we can't complain about the impact of AI, when we - driven by many of the companies we work with/for - are all complicit in 'the experience illusion'.
How 80's pop icon, Kim Wilde, got me a speeding ticket.
(Or the pompous strategy version: How the power of music ignites emotion)
(Or the pompous strategy version: How the power of music ignites emotion)
Kim Wilde Got Me A Speeding Ticket …
Before I start, I got a few emails yesterday telling me they were surprised this blog had restarted on the 12th, when I had previously stated it would be the 19th. I noted they didn’t say the…
robcampbell.co
January 12, 2026 at 5:52 PM
How 80's pop icon, Kim Wilde, got me a speeding ticket.
(Or the pompous strategy version: How the power of music ignites emotion)
(Or the pompous strategy version: How the power of music ignites emotion)
Why the value of time is not about how much you're using, but what the hell you're spending it doing. (Which is ironic given this is the 20th year of me writing this blog. And even more scarily, you reading it, hahaha)
Happy 2026.
Happy 2026.
You Only Realise The Gift Of Time, When You Feel There’s An Infinite Amount Of It …
Hello 2026. Sure, it’s been around for almost 2 weeks, but that’s the magic of NZ. As I’ve written before, the whole country closes down over this period and the benefit of that is not just that yo…
robcampbell.co
January 11, 2026 at 5:53 PM
Why the value of time is not about how much you're using, but what the hell you're spending it doing. (Which is ironic given this is the 20th year of me writing this blog. And even more scarily, you reading it, hahaha)
Happy 2026.
Happy 2026.
When you think it would be cute to have a Lego replica of your dog … so you send a pic and £50 to a company and then 6 weeks later they send you this!!! No instructions. No reminder of the photo you sent. Just a mass of brown and white Lego stuff. The genius pricks.
December 17, 2025 at 3:33 AM
When you think it would be cute to have a Lego replica of your dog … so you send a pic and £50 to a company and then 6 weeks later they send you this!!! No instructions. No reminder of the photo you sent. Just a mass of brown and white Lego stuff. The genius pricks.
Why 2025 was a year of lies, love, loss, luck, betrayal, health, happiness, memories, ghosting, ridiculousness and celebrity. (AKA. My last blog post of the year. But sadly it will be back next year, which will be TWENTY years)
Some Years Make You, Some Years Break You … This Year Confused The Hell Out Of Me
So I know that I’ve only just got back to writing this blog after being away for my eye-op, but today is going to be the last post of this year. Yes, it’s earlier than it normally is. Yes, I will m…
robcampbell.co
December 9, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Why 2025 was a year of lies, love, loss, luck, betrayal, health, happiness, memories, ghosting, ridiculousness and celebrity. (AKA. My last blog post of the year. But sadly it will be back next year, which will be TWENTY years)
How Bowie showed strategists who 'post rationalise’, know what they're doing far more than those who say their process works in a seamless, straight line, everytime:
(AKA: Why companies who claim to have an efficient process don't really know how good strategy - or creativity - actually happens)
(AKA: Why companies who claim to have an efficient process don't really know how good strategy - or creativity - actually happens)
We All Post-Rationalise …
In strategy, one of the biggest insults is someone saying the strategy was post-rationalised to fit the work. The accusation implies you are a parasite of creativity … bigging yourself up on …
robcampbell.co
December 8, 2025 at 5:39 PM
How Bowie showed strategists who 'post rationalise’, know what they're doing far more than those who say their process works in a seamless, straight line, everytime:
(AKA: Why companies who claim to have an efficient process don't really know how good strategy - or creativity - actually happens)
(AKA: Why companies who claim to have an efficient process don't really know how good strategy - or creativity - actually happens)
Why thinking small lets you do things others feel are big:
Think Small To Feel Big …
This is the last week of blog posts for 2025. I know … I know … it’s the Christmas gift you’ve all wanted. And it gets better, because not only is this post relatively short…
robcampbell.co
December 7, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Why thinking small lets you do things others feel are big:
What happens when people don't know what they're doing or talking about:
(AKA: When a beauty company doesn't realise what ugly ads say about them)
(AKA: When a beauty company doesn't realise what ugly ads say about them)
How To Destroy A Brand In One Photo …
Birkin. The Holy Grail of handbags. Created in 1984 when the CEO of Hermes, Jean-Louis Dumas met the actress Jane Birkin. They’re sold exclusively through Hermes stores and you have to jump through…
robcampbell.co
December 4, 2025 at 5:46 PM
What happens when people don't know what they're doing or talking about:
(AKA: When a beauty company doesn't realise what ugly ads say about them)
(AKA: When a beauty company doesn't realise what ugly ads say about them)
Why a personalized license/numberplate can reveal more about you than a psychologist:
What Does Your Number Plate Say About You?
I’ve always found personalized number plates fascinating which is why a while back I wrote about the ones that were near where I live. Anyway, I recently saw 2 that got me thinking … Th…
robcampbell.co
December 3, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Why a personalized license/numberplate can reveal more about you than a psychologist:
Why you can’t create a meaningful brand experience if you’re don’t invest in the ceremony of purchase.
The Ceremony Of Purchase In The Pursuit Of Perfection …
Over the years I’ve written a lot about brands who spend time and money ensuring their customers feel they’ve purchased something of significantly greater value than the functional cost…
robcampbell.co
December 2, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Why you can’t create a meaningful brand experience if you’re don’t invest in the ceremony of purchase.
Why the issue with AI is more to do with the lack of imagination inside companies - who too often, simply see it as a tool for optimization and efficiency - than the technology itself:
It May Be Artificial, But It’s Still Intelligent …
I’ve written quite a lot about AI – specifically, how the worrying elements of it are less about the tech and more about the people behind it. But that doesn’t take away it has in…
robcampbell.co
December 1, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Why the issue with AI is more to do with the lack of imagination inside companies - who too often, simply see it as a tool for optimization and efficiency - than the technology itself:
Why I feel like a nepo-baby with none of the benefits. Happy Monday.
If You Think Your Monday Is Bad, Ask Yourself …
… is it ‘you look like Gary V’ bad? No, I didn’t think so, so consider yourself far more fortunate than me. I will be spending the rest of the day looking up the finest Sout…
robcampbell.co
November 30, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Why I feel like a nepo-baby with none of the benefits. Happy Monday.
Why most multi-company collaboration is like an episode of Traitors.
Collaboration Doesn’t Happen By Itself …
I saw the below image recently and it got me thinking about how it is a perfect representation of how most – but not all – ‘multi-agency’ relationships really work. As I sai…
robcampbell.co
November 27, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Why most multi-company collaboration is like an episode of Traitors.
Why are more and more people in advertising talking about everything except making actual work? (AKA. Don’t be an Advertising Psycho)
Don’t Be An Advertising Psycho …
I’ve been lucky enough to work with some of the most talented advertising people in the whole business. Not in terms of popularity. Not in terms of ‘thought leadership’. But in te…
robcampbell.co
November 26, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Why are more and more people in advertising talking about everything except making actual work? (AKA. Don’t be an Advertising Psycho)
Why the worst news is my sight isn’t fully back, but my blog is. (Sorry)
Say No To …
… guide dogs. … white sticks. … braille books. … speech to text. … permanent passenger seat. … more looking like a shit pirate … life of darkness. At least…
robcampbell.co
November 25, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Why the worst news is my sight isn’t fully back, but my blog is. (Sorry)
A final post before I see if a surgeon can give a strategist vision. Literally, not just metaphorically, haha. (See you when my eye decides to let me back)
Why The Long Face …
So this is going to be the last post for a while. To be honest, I’m not entirely sure when they will start again – hopefully in a couple of weeks, as I have a bunch of shit to write to close the ye…
robcampbell.co
November 6, 2025 at 5:56 PM
A final post before I see if a surgeon can give a strategist vision. Literally, not just metaphorically, haha. (See you when my eye decides to let me back)
Why we need to stop our young talent believing flaws equate to personal and professional failure. (Not just for the benefit of their potential, but for the future they will create that we will all end up one day living in)
Why The Heaviest Thing In The World To Carry Is The Belief Only You Hold A Flaw …
They say you get wiser when you’re older. I’m not so sure of that. You just get more efficient at doing the bits you know, over and over again. The other stuff? Well that hides, waiting…
robcampbell.co
November 5, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Why we need to stop our young talent believing flaws equate to personal and professional failure. (Not just for the benefit of their potential, but for the future they will create that we will all end up one day living in)