Three months after stepping down and closing WPNC, John Watson has returned to the industry to set up his own marketing consultancy, offering clients and agencies the benefit of his 60 years in the business.
Having started his career as an agency runner in 1966, Watson went on to be one of the founding fathers of the UK direct marketing industry, building WWAV into one of the powerhouses of the sector before establishing WPNC as a major independent force.
He also helped set up the Institute of Direct Marketing, was a non-executive director of Which?, and was a member of the NSPCC Full Stop Appeal Board.
A copywriter by trade, over the years, Watson has worked in fundraising, financial services, wine and food, collectibles, travel and publishing, specialising in direct mail, DRTV and press advertising.
Through the John Watson Marketing Consultancy, he is now aiming to work with marketing teams or agencies to help develop activity to produce better performance as well as review existing creative to see what can be done to improve the results.
As a major advocate of direct mail, Watson is offering his expertise not just with creative but all other aspects, including “working with experienced colleagues to help with advanced targeting techniques to identify and reach ideal audiences, whether through named individuals, households, or carefully selected geographic areas that match key customer profiles”.
Watson said: “In a world filling with slop, marketers who spend as much time and effort getting the creative right as they do with media and data are the ones who win.
“But getting it right is not just an art. It’s a science. It’s a lot more than clever ideas and obedience to brand guidelines.
“Performance creative uses tried and tested techniques that give surprising improvements in results. The techniques are tough and often counter-intuitive. They’re born from years of testing and experience, doing the hardest job any marketing activity has to achieve: getting people to actually do something, not just feel good.
“The numbers are the final judge of the creative. And if your organisation looks at its marketing spend as an investment demanding a tangible return, I’d be happy to help.”
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