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From: Rutherford@monkwellstrategy.com
To: Clive@SummaBelliSystems.com
Clive,
When you first came last year with the notion of recasting weapons manufacturers as an ethical investment, I’ll admit I was sceptical. But I take my hat off to you, sir.
The potential collapse of the US security guarantee offers a unique window of opportunity to reframe the defence industry in a different and far more positive light. First of all, the prospect of a big increase in defence spending is simply good news for all investors. Anyone who is not piling into defence stocks now is either a pacifist or a fool. But I do see a chance to rebrand the entire industry along the lines we discussed that Sunday we spent in the Pennines blasting grouse out of the sky. Still in awe of your marksmanship!
From the comms perspective we now have a chance to reframe the debate around the importance of the work we do and to make the point that defending our liberty from aggression or extremism is in fact the height of virtue. As part of this we are working up a plan to pressure the EU to re-examine its sustainable investment rules that make it hard for ESG funds to invest in the defence sector. After all there’s nothing very environmental about Russian T-90s rolling along your autobahns.
We are no longer the guys helping to prop up repressive regimes; well obviously we are (but only within approved government regulations!). But more importantly we are the guys safeguarding democracy and keeping the peace. There is therefore no stock more ethical.
Key to this argument however is a shift in the way we think about what we are selling. We need to switch the focus from outputs to outcomes.
You are no longer selling advanced weapons systems, you are selling security. You do not manufacture assault drones, you are saving western Europe from Putin. You do not sell armour-piercing shells; you are delivering homeland security systems. You do not manufacture weapons, you manufacture peace through security. In the ethical arms industry, we don’t sell weapons, we sell freedom.
The second thing we can stress is the jobs and opportunities. We’re working on getting Keir Starmer to visit a plant or back a new defence apprentice scheme. (This will have the happy additional bonus of making it harder for him to ban the sales of said products when someone finds out you are selling them to countries other than Denmark).
Remember: missiles mean jobs; bigger missiles mean more jobs.
More soon, Best, Rutherford
Find me on Strava, KoM Sydenham Hill, London to Brighton 3 hrs 04m, Al Jubailah/Bawdah Loop — 42 mins.
WhatsApp to Clive at SBSystems: Aargh, Clive, that “bigger bombs mean more jobs” was meant as a joke between us. I wasn’t suggesting you push it out on social media. Can you pull that artwork back pdq, or blame it on a hacker or something.
WhatsApp to Clive at SBSystems: On second thoughts, don’t blame a hacker. You are selling advanced defence systems. You don’t want to look insecure.
From: Rutherford@Monkwellstrategy.com
To: Clive@SummaBelliSystems.com
Clive, good work on that social media squall. No harm done I think. Incidentally, you don’t have any products that suggest sustainability or care for the environment, you know, the greenest white phosphorus on the market. (Joke !!!)
Further to our strategic plan, I wondered whether you might consider changing the company name. The Latin words for “the height of war” are now perhaps out of step with what we are trying to achieve. Clearly the simplest shift would be to SB Systems and would generate relatively little attention.
But I wonder whether we ought to try to catch this new moral wave with something more imaginative. How about Freedom Solutions? Or Safeworld Systems? We have also begun seeding a wider piece of work to move away from the unhelpful names attached to the industry. You know the ones, like the military-industrial complex or arms dealers. We have been focus-testing a new catch-all for the industry that we want to rebrand as Big Freedom. As I said, outcomes not outputs.
Obviously you will use different techniques with actual buyers, but the old approach will be kept covert or limited to private meetings or when you are exhibiting at arms fairs, ahem, freedom fairs.
Best, Rutherford
Find me on Strava. . .
From: Rutherford@Monkwellstrategy.com
To: all@Monkwell.com
Just a quick note with some exciting news. I know many of you have been urging us to take on more ethical projects and ESG clients. Well, I’m proud to announce we’ve been retained to lead a major push on a new strand of ethical investment — supporting the high moral work of the defence industry. Or as we are now calling it, Big Freedom.
More to come, R.
From: Rutherford@Monkwellstrategy.com
To: all@Monkwell.com
OK let me explain . . .
Messages recovered by Robert Shrimsley
