Monthly Archives: May 2021

Posted by May 27, 2021 Insights, Remarkable Brand Work No Comments

Being Remarkable: A Lesson in Leadership from Pablo Escobar

In this month’s Being Remarkable, Connecting Plots’ Group Managing Director, Tom Phillips takes a closer look at the infamous Pablo Escobar and why, despite his questionable career choice, he was a truly remarkable leader…

So I may have been a little late to the party but I recently finished watching Narcos. And it got me thinking about how a leader becomes a remarkable leader.

First things first, what do we know about Pablo Escobar?

He was a famous Colombian drug lord, whose cartel almost monopolised the supply of cocaine to the US – making him easily the wealthiest rags-to-super-billionaire criminal in history.

So, while Escobar was obviously a bad guy, and we don’t condone what he got up to, there is something that can’t be ignored. And that’s his success.

Undoubtedly a remarkable leader, he even crossed into the world of politics in the ’80s and was highly popular with the people of his home town Medellin until police shot him the day after he turned 44.

Perhaps the biggest lesson we can take from one of crime’s biggest ‘success’ stories – like him or loathe him – is the profile of a great leader.

So here’s are nine things I learnt about remarkable leadership from Narcos:

1. Think Big

In episode 1, when someone asks for help in selling cocaine at $10, Escobar replies: “You don’t have a vision, my friend.” Imagining what people would pay for coke in Miami, Escobar thought outside the box.

2. Lead by Example

Great leaders aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty and take risks. When police had checkpoints on every street, Escobar was still meeting with business partners and checking on operations from the back of a taxi.

3. Be Determined

Great leaders like Escobar don’t give up. His vision was to rule cocaine, amid strong competition, intense opposition from authorities, and even scepticism from within his inner circle.

4. Build A Network

Hardly any success story is the result of having ‘gone it alone’, and Escobar knew this well. Indeed, he fostered an intense sense of loyalty among his clan, which extended beyond the criminal world to government officials, police, politicians, journalists, and even his fiercest rivals.

5. Work Isn’t Everything

Great leaders don’t burn out because they get their work-life balance just right, and Escobar truly valued his family and friends. Amid the turmoil and danger of his daily life, he always sat at the family dinner table and spent time with his kids.

6. Have Passion

Success – whether it’s running a great business or a system-beating cocaine empire – is the result of an incredible amount of hard work and hours, and it’s just not possible or sustainable without passion.

7. Be Confident

All around him, people were either questioning Escobar or actively seeking to bring him down, but true confidence is the resolve to keep your eye on the prize without succumbing to the pressure to change that vision or avoid taking risks.

8. Trust Your Instincts

Great leaders are meticulous planners and savvy business people, but they’re also the captain of a ship who has a sense of what the next change of course should be.

9. Take Responsibility

Narcos depicted Escobar with those smart and shrewd qualities, but he was also someone prepared to use often a small amount of information, make a decision and stand by the consequences – good or bad.

Posted by May 24, 2021 Remarkable Brand Work No Comments

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries are “The Experts In Air” in first campaign via Connecting Plots

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Air-Conditioners Australia (MHIAA) has launched its new brand positioning in its first major work by Connecting Plots since appointing them as lead creative agency after a competitive pitch in December 2020. 

The brand’s new positioning as “the experts in air” creates a white space for MHIAA by demonstrating that the brand’s high satisfaction rate and trust levels, as seen through the Canstar and Choice Awards, are a result of its mastery of air.

“We’re excited to work with CP because they’re pushing MHIAA to be more distinct in a category of sameness,” says MHIAA Executive Marketing Manager, Jenny Perello. “Our category is often dominated by cash-back incentives and celebrity spokespeople whereas this is something a little different that we hope will stand apart, put a little smile on people’s faces and get them thinking of us when it’s time to buy a new A/C.”

Connecting Plots Strategy Director, Tim Collier said “MHIAA represents a fun challenge. As a consumer, it’s a category that you find yourself in, not something you go out of your way for. So it’s a real opportunity for the kind of creativity that needs to earn consumers’ attention.” 

”We’re delighted to win the MHIAA brand and creative account,” added Connecting Plots Group Managing Director, Tom Phillips. “They are a true challenger brand with loads of history in innovation and rock solid products. We can sense a real appetite to push the work and challenge the category norms in order to help accelerate their growth.” 

The campaign launched Sunday 23 May across TV, digital and social working alongside media agency Speed.

Posted by May 5, 2021 Remarkable Brand Work No Comments

Menulog Transforms Cadillac Lowrider Into The Ultimate Macca’s® Delivery Whip

Menulog has unveiled a series of new social ads, via Connecting Plots, showcasing innovative modifications to its ‘70s era Cadillac Lowrider, turning it into the ultimate Macca’s delivery vehicle.

The ingenious mods are part of the brand’s ‘Macca’s Delivered Menulog Style’ campaign. 

Modifications include ‘Frydraulics’, which uses the car’s hydraulic suspension to perfectly season fries, to ‘Hot Fudge FM’, which uses the car’s radio console to pour hot fudge sauce onto a McDonald’s® sundae. 

Menulog Head of Brand, Fiona Bateman said: “As we now have more McDonald’s restaurants on our platform than ever before, it was important to get the word out there, and do it in a way that is unique to Menulog”. 

The roll-out of the Cadillac mods series is an extension of the original Menulog Lowrider campaign where a branded Menulog Cadillac took Macca’s to the streets of Sydney.

Fiona added: “McDonald’s is a key Menulog partner so it was great to be able to work together to combine their iconic menu items with Menulog’s unique brand tone”. 

The mods series went live on Monday 26 April. The activity is part of a broader suite of assets running across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat, and will continue to roll out over the coming months.