Always read the product.

If, as consumers, we are encouraged to ‘always read the label’, may I extend that to include ‘always read the product’.

I had two releases at the end of the last week, on the same day, that highlighted this issue, so I thought even though there wasn’t a third one within 24 hours (proof of a trend, allegedly!), it was worth highlighting.

One was about a brand of reusable water bottles, and how these products are on the rise – the sender had missed that the Telegraph Magazine did a big feature on this very subject just a few weeks ago. The other was about a forthcoming food book that I might want to consider for a extract, when in fact the magazine had published recipes from that very book a fortnight earlier.

Now I wouldn’t expect every single person out there to read every single newspaper, magazine and website … but looking like you never read my title is a little insulting. And, by the way, not helpful for you. I’ve probably said this before, but I ask the wider team to divide up source material so that we can cover our competitors and places of possible inspiration between us all – and to choose areas in which they are particularly interested. 

Sharing the intel means not missing anything. You won’t be as likely to pitch me something I’ve already covered, put simply. But what if your client is in that area? Not necessarily a problem if you think creatively: I’d be impressed by “I know you just ran a feature on X, but a fascinating follow-up would be Y, featuring Z”. 

It shows you’ve read, understood and thought about my product. Everybody wins.