CONFERENCE SPEAKERS
£2.5K TO £5K
"Witty, intelligent and informative. An outstanding speaker."
IoD
YOUR FEEDBACK
"James was a great fit for the audience. They all really enjoyed his presentation - not to mention the brownies!"
Vodafone
EXTERNAL LINKS
JLA is not responsible for the content of external websites.
TOPICS
Bus. Competitiveness, Branding & Reputation
SPEECH TITLES
Cautious Risk-Taking
Guerilla marketing on small budgets
BIOGRAPHY
James Averdieck is the founder and MD of Gü Chocolate Puds. Spotting a gap in a seemingly overcrowded sector, Gü has taken on deeply entrenched competition and won highly coveted supermarket shelf space.
James began his career at a strategy consultancy in Europe, the US and the Middle East. From there he joined Safeway and then St Ivel, where he learned how to sell. He also got his first taste for desserts, running their own label business.
James then moved to Brussels to establish a European operation, and soon became a convert to Belgian gastronomy. He saw the opportunity to marry high quality chocolate patisserie with efficient supermarket distribution.
After a year back in London, James left to pursue his chocolate dream. He pitched his idea to a specialist supplier of handmade patisserie, and Gü was born - with a mission to use superior raw materials to deliver uncompromisingly good products. Combining his drive to produce a high quality product with modern, luxury packaging and an innovative approach to marketing jas marked Gü out in the market. Their use of PR and early adoption of on-line tools, along with regularly giving produce away free established the brand in consumers' minds where competitors relied on conventional marketing and store position.
© Copyright JLA: All Rights Reserved
Q&A
JLA: How does your attitude to risk change in a recession?
JA: The first instinct has to be survival, so decisions are more focused on cash flow than before - but we're still taking risks and trying lots of new stuff.
JLA: How do you re-position a 'good times' brand?
JA: We don't. We are an affordable treat - and cheaper than a zone 1 tube ticket! Chocolate and lipstick hold up well in recessions.
JLA: How can you build loyalty when customers have so much choice?
JA: By keeping your promise on quality.