Introducing Motormouth

Christ. The audacity of launching a marketing newsletter in 2024. The sheer hubris.

Welcome to Motormouth, you gluttons for punishment.

Yes, it's another newsletter. Before you reach for that unsubscribe button (we see you), let's be clear about what this is. And more importantly, what it isn't.

After two decades in tech and marketing, I thought I was done. Done with the brands afraid of their own shadows. Done with "authenticity" that feels about as genuine as a politician's promise. Done explaining why a logo refresh isn't a substitute for actually giving a damn about your customers.

But here we are. You, me, and this... whatever this is.

Maybe you're also wondering when marketing became a game of who can blend in the most while pretending to stand out. When "for the people" became code for "for the shareholders, but make it look nice." Or perhaps you're that rare specimen: someone who still believes brands can matter, can actually make a difference, despite our industry's best efforts to prove otherwise.

So I made this. Motormouth. It’s not pretty, or polite. It's not a blog, or a thought leadership platform, or god forbid, a "value-add content solution." It's a weekly reality check for an industry that's lost the plot.

Every Friday, we'll dive into what it really means for brands to be themselves and stand for something bigger than profit. We'll dissect campaigns that dared to have a spine (or spectacularly failed to). We'll hear from people creating brands that actually matter to people, not just to marketing award judges.

It won't be comfortable. It might be useful. It'll definitely be honest.

This is for the strategists who've run out of synonyms for "authentic." For the creatives whose bold ideas keep getting watered down to beige. For every professional who's had to smile through another presentation about "purpose-driven marketing" that's anything but.

Will we piss people off? Absolutely. That’s how progress happens.

It's free because, frankly, I believe this matters. If you're ready to build brands that dare to be themselves, that actually stand for something, that put people first not just in taglines but in action, then I highly suggest you sign up. It's free, it's fresh, and I guarantee it'll be more thought-provoking than the other rubbish clogging your inbox. At least we promise to say something you’ll remember.

— Kieran

P.S. Got a story about a brand walking the talk? An idea too spicy for your day job? Send it my way. Misery loves company, and all that.