Thinking That Produces Profit

Introduction

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I founded the Brandstorm Asia consultancy in 1997 after 20 years as an advertising man in London, Tokyo, Bangkok, and Hong Kong.

When I started my career, I thought it would be for just a few years, and then I would go back to my dream of producing and directing operas (which I had done at University and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe). But somehow, I got caught up in the fun of it all, the creative thinking, the challenge of using reason to sell ideas that are essentially emotional, and then to manage their execution across media and multiple ‘touch-points’.

My journey in 1989 led me to Asia, a region that quickly captivated me. The communication campaigns I spearheaded were not merely about selling products; they were about building brands that resonated with local audiences. This necessitated a profound understanding of diverse cultures.

Discussion with highly intelligent colleagues and clients, navigating the structures and decision-makers of multi-national corporations, daily observation of people and life, and a good dose of research have, I believe, given me the knowledge and experience required to provide guidance and strategies that enhance and protect the reputation of companies and their brands.

Brandstorm Asia today uses this experience and the contacts I have made over the years to help business owners and C-level management optimize their 'brand': in other words, to improve the way people - customers, staff, influencers, business partners, investors, etc. - think and feel about an entity, its products, and services. This inevitably leads to economic benefits. Hence, the term ‘thinking that produces profit’.

My service is not just a business transaction; it's a personal and bespoke experience. I work with a select group of clients who I know and who know me or who are recommended to me. As needed, Brandstorm Asia may collaborate with other experts on a project basis or in partnership with organizations in the fields of design, research, advertising, public relations, valuation, licensing, operational design, and business turnaround.

Anthony Pettifer, Brandstorm Asia’s Founder and Managing Partner

Corporate Communications Strategist, Alastair Monteith-Hodge

Alastair is an exceptionally experienced corporate communications practitioner, trusted board adviser, executive partner, and growth agent. With more than 40 years of experience advising leadership teams in some of the world's largest companies on the use of stakeholder engagement, his focus is to create positive business outcomes, helping businesses envision, transform, and implement their future.

He has held senior positions at global communications agencies, including Regional Managing Director Burson-Marsteller, Managing Director Edelman, Senior Group Director/Regional Media Training Director Hill and Knowlton, and Regional Manager Affiliate Development Star TV. He has led assignments in a diverse array of sectors and regulatory environments including life sciences, ICT, and financial services.

Alastair is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts, and an Advisory Council Member of the Harvard Business Review.

Insights & Research Advisor, Gordon Milne

Gordon has worked closely with Brandstorm Asia on numerous market research and brand strategy projects.

He is an experienced insights professional and business leader with a strong track record with local and international brands across Asia Pacific. He has long been an advocate of behavioural science in consumer research and brand marketing and, in addition, has pioneered ethnographic, immersive, and non-verbal methodologies for regional qualitative businesses. He has held senior leadership roles in Asia Pacific for global research agencies: Nielsen, Millward Brown, and Ipsos.

He understands the commercial realities of brand owners and is adept at working with challenging briefs, eclectic teams, tight deadlines, and budgets.

As a Partner in Firefly, he was instrumental in nurturing the growth of Asia’s original qualitative boutique into a globally recognized strategic insights agency. Firefly was ultimately acquired by WPP plc and became its global qualitative brand, Millward Brown Firefly.

 Our touchstone for developing winning brand strategies

Some of our typical process slides: