People who make things happen

Above: the segmentation item was so interesting I watched it again on the BBC podcast.

At lunchtime today I watched Andrew Neil’s Daily Politics. It included an interesting item about how the Conservative Party is “micro-targeting” new segments of the electorate defined as: Holby City worker (middle-ranking health service employees); Top Gear man (angry with petty bureaucracy); Apprentice generation (young professionals coming to terms with political and financial reality); and Grand Designs (aspirational family pursuing an ethical lifestyle). I find this kind of segmentation and motivation fascinating.

It was also very useful in the afternoon planning meeting as I could quote “the latest research” and talk about new segments without anyone else being able to challenge me.

The programme also had Nick Wood commenting on the research. Nick Wood now has his own agency Media Intelligence Partners. He used to be media director for the Conservative Party and before that was a senior correspondent for The Times. He has a very good reputation for his network of contacts and the way he can manipulate news stories. Media Intelligence Partners is handling the PR for the Centre for Social Justice. In the programme he came across as very open and frank.

The interview I would really like to see would be with Steve Hilton, who is credited with much of the rebranding of the Conservative Party (which has to be one of the image renewals of the decade). He is one of the “people who make things happen” (Terry famous list). If “Dave” wins the general election Steve Hilton is poised to become one of the most important people in the country.



Above: the Conservative Party has come a long way since Norman Tebbit’s abrasive advice to the unemployed.