Blog

Thoughts on everything that matters right now in marketing, communications, and insights.

Author: Vanessa Chirayus

The (not so) secret to creating content your audience actually wants (As seen on Greenbook) Posted on January 20, 2026 by Vanessa Chirayus

Is your marketing content speaking to your audience? Does it accurately showcase your expertise? Lucy Davison, Founder & CEO of Keen as Mustard Marketing, shares essential steps to spicing up your communications by ensuring your content reinforces both your brand and matches up with your target audience. From the very first steps of understanding your brand identity to choosing the right content channels, dive into the five key strategies for creating impactful content that supports your brand on Greenbook’s Grow

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Stop blending in: Master the art of positioning (As seen on Greenbook) Posted on November 18, 2025 by Vanessa Chirayus

Do your clients really understand what sets you apart? If your message is muddled or blending into the noise, it’s time to rethink how you communicate. It’s not enough to just say what your insights company does and how it helps clients, your content and strategy must clearly communicate this. That’s where positioning comes in. In the fourth and final instalment of the Marketing Applied series on Greenbook’s Grow Your Insights Businessexpert channel, Iosetta Santini cuts through the fluff to

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Why great marketing starts with strategy, not tactics (As seen on Greenbook) Posted on October 28, 2025 by Vanessa Chirayus

Without a clear strategy, marketing efforts can become scattered and ineffective, so how can you fight this? In this third instalment of Marketing Applied series on Greenbook’s Grow your insights business expert channel, Iosetta Santini emphasises the importance of diagnosing challenges, setting objectives, understanding the market, and targeting the right audience before jumping into the implementation phase. Strategic marketing requires intentional choices: deciding what to do and not do, anchored by a well-thought-out objective. By kicking off with diagnosing your

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The truth needs you – Why persuasion is the most important skill we need for the future Posted on October 13, 2025 by Vanessa Chirayus

At the Esomar Congress in Prague this year, Colonel Mustard, Lucy Davison, took part in the ‘Skills pitch: Insights 2050’ – joined by Claire Rainey (Virgin Media O2), Hennieke Potman (Accell Group), and Paul Hudson (FlexMR). In case you missed it, read her speech below to find out why persuasion is the essential skill for market researchers and insights professionals in 2050.   “I’m here to persuade you why, in a post-truth world, persuasion is the most important skill we

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Brand awareness gets you seen. Mental availability gets you chosen. (As seen on Greenbook) Posted on September 11, 2025 by Vanessa Chirayus

Do your prospects know who you are, but forget you when it matters most? In the insights industry, awareness alone isn’t enough. What really counts is being remembered at the right time: when buying decisions are made. In part two of her Marketing Applied series on Greenbook’s Grow your insights business channel, Iosetta Santini unpacks the concept of mental availability: why pairing it with brand awareness is like the ketchup to your mustard, and how you can build it into

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Faster! Further! Better? Spreading Flora’s Insights in a real-world experiment using AI Posted on July 3, 2025 by Vanessa Chirayus

For the finale (well, it was after lunch) of two packed days at IIEX EU in Amsterdam, Colonel Mustard Lucy Davison brought together our expertise in insights communication with the hottest topic of the moment – AI. We teamed up with Hennieke Potman, Global Consumer and Market Insight Manager from Flora Food Group to share our research into a common question we hear when advocating for thoughtful, structured insights communication: “Why not just use AI?” In true research fashion, we

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Don’t just join the conversation. Say something that matters. Posted on May 28, 2025 by Vanessa Chirayus

Research conferences are full of buzz – but sometimes it’s more noise than clarity. Amidst the AI talk and similar shiny promises at Quirk’s London, it was easy to lose sight of what really makes this industry tick. That is why one session stood out for all the right reasons: Vodafone Business’ ‘Creating Authentic B2B Thought Leadership’. It was a timely reminder for strong thought leadership doesn’t just inform – it builds trust, proves value, and challenges decision-makers to look at

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Quirk’s through fresh eyes: tech booms, but people still win Posted on May 14, 2025 by Vanessa Chirayus

The insights industry in London was buzzing last week as Quirk’s London took over the city on the 7th and 8th of May – right after the bank holiday Monday. As the newest member of Team Mustard, I had the chance to dive headfirst into the event on the first day, surrounded by some of the brightest minds in the world of insights. Now that we’ve all had a moment to catch up on emails and come back down to

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Is Your Brand Built to Be Remembered—or Just Found? (As Seen on Greenbook) Posted on April 7, 2025 by Vanessa Chirayus

Are you struggling to make your brand stand out in a crowded market? Are you focusing too much on hyped up consumer marketing mantras and not enough on getting long-term impact? If your feeling lost on the way to the top of your buyers’ shortlists, then you need to rethink your approach to brand awareness. On Greenbook’s Grow your insights business expert channel, Iosetta Santini breaks down why the journey to being remembered is just as important as being found

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This House Believes Generational Cohorts are BAD for Research! Posted on February 5, 2025 by Vanessa Chirayus

At AURA Insight’s Generational Insights: Exploring the Changing Consumer Landscape, our very own Colonel Mustard Lucy Davison and NED Danny Russell took the stage to debate whether it’s time to retire generational cohort labelling. After an in-depth discussion with fiery evidence from both sides, the audience of clients voted: generational cohorts are bad for research. As insights professionals, we must always re-evaluate the way we understand consumers. This debate was not about winning, but all about questioning, learning, and finding

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