There’s no such thing as ‘performance branding’ marketing
Mark RitsonBrand marketing drives sales but performance doesn’t build brand. Most marketers should separate the two, or they’ll risk under-investing in long-term growth.
‘It’s old because it’s good, not good because it’s old’: Hovis’s first CMO on leading the brand
Niamh CarrollHovis, which was founded in 1886, is a brand blessed with a “treasure chest” of distinctive assets, says new CMO Mark Brown. His job is to deploy these in relevant way to drive demand for the brand.
‘More informal, less stressful’: B2B marketers on opting for events to boost brand
Megan TatumB2B marketers see the value in using events to build customer relationships in a less pressured environment, although linking the message with social is proving popular.
Junk food ad ban: Marketers say it will force brands to ‘think smarter’
Niamh CarrollBrands may have to become more creative in how they advertise or look to innovate to avoid being impacted by the ban on pre-watershed TV and paid-for online ads.
Increasing volumes and B2B events: Your Marketing Week
Russell ParsonsAt the end of every week, we look at the key stories, offering our view on what they mean for you and the industry. From experiential and events being named B2B marketers’ main priority for brand investment to the inside story from Hovis’s first CMO, it’s been a busy week. Here is my take.
There’s still time to sign up for Marketing Week’s Mini MBA with Mark Ritson
Marketing Week ReportersMore than 30,000 people have taken part in Marketing Week’s Mini MBA series since launch, with the feedback overwhelmingly positive.
Greenpeace puts pressure on Dove as Unilever admits sustainability work ‘far from over’
Molly InnesThe campaign group’s latest film subverts Unilever’s marketing by taking aim at Dove’s Real Beauty campaign on its 20th anniversary.
Amex GBT’s marketing lead: A tighter budget means we have to ‘think differently, relentlessly’
Hannah RashbassWith a focus on storytelling and alignment across the business, Amex Global Business Travel has evolved its marketing strategy for a new generation of travellers.
How five brands used affiliate marketing to boost business in 2024
Marketing Week PartnerElevating customer experience, facilitating ‘win-win’ brand partnerships and reconnecting with ‘lost’ customers; there’s much more to affiliate marketing than you realised.
Ocado launches retail media offering
Grace GollaschOcado Ads claims to offer advertisers a “unique” set of retail media solutions driven by its online-first operating model.
The Week in Tech: Digital news sources surge, Apple and what AI means for B2B
Josh StephensonMarketing Week’s weekly round-up of the technology stories that impact the marketing sector: from AI to martech, regulation to public perceptions.
‘Hit a sweet spot’: John Lewis claims ‘buzz’ is back with return of price pledge
Amrit VirdiThe retailer says the return of its ‘Never Knowingly Undersold’ pledge has resulted in 55,000 extra organic visits to the John Lewis site.
Channel 4, Sky and ITV launch collaborative TV measurement tool
Grace GollaschThe three TV firms have revealed a proof of concept for a “cross-broadcaster multi-outcome panel” called Lantern.
Experiential top priority for B2B brand investment
Charlotte RogersEvents and experiential are the main recipients of B2B brand marketing budgets, with sponsorship much further down the list of priorities, new data reveals.
Dunelm praises ‘broad value proposition’ as customer numbers rise
Niamh CarrollThe homeware retailer has driven more small-ticket purchases this year, as it increased volume sales by 6.2% and sales value by 4.1%.
Marketers are the architects of creativity, not bystanders
Andrew GeogheganMarketers shouldn’t leave creativity to their agencies, but use customer insight and business objectives to create a long-term vision with clear direction.
‘We’re going in the right direction’: M&S on brand reappraisal and the transformation journey
Amrit VirdiWith curated stores, TV deals and influencer collaborations high on the agenda, top marketer Anna Braithwaite admits M&S still has “a long way to go”.
‘We are beginning to turn some corners’: Is ROI still king in marketing?
Josh StephensonWhen used correctly ROI remains an invaluable tool for any marketer looking to prove effectiveness and, despite a fall in its use, it cannot be ignored.
Beware of ROAS, ROI’s dangerous digital twin
Tom RoachToo great a focus on return on ad spend (ROAS) is leading to short-term thinking and under-investment, which in turn is stifling growth, and it has the potential to be far more damaging than ROI.
‘Alarming signs’: Why are marketers ignoring ROI?
Charlotte RogersWhat are the consequences for the industry – and marketers’ career ambitions – of failing to measure ROI?
Fewer marketers naming ROI as key metric for senior stakeholders
Matthew ValentineDespite a drop in its perceived importance, ROI is still the metric most marketers believe their company is judging them on.
Three revolutions are converging but only good marketers will benefit
Jon LombardoB2B brands built on the back of Ehrenberg-Bass’s principles, using AI to amplify their advantages, will dominate the market in the coming century.
It’s time for marketers to speak the language of finance, not the other way round
Martin DebooMarketing and finance are often portrayed as adversaries, but having worked in both agencies and as an investment analyst, Martin Deboo argues marketers are misguided in how they attempt to build understanding with finance.
AI search is going to change marketing… are you prepared?
Andrew HollandThe advent of AI search is going to cause headaches for Google – and change the balance of power from performance marketing back to brand.
The summer of sport - Euros 2024
Creative campaigns and exclusive insights from across the agency landscape.
‘We’ll never think we know everything’: Mars on building its effectiveness culture
Niamh CarrollMars introduced a tool that uses “behavioural philosophy” to predict the impact of creative in driving sales in 2020, part of its eternally evolving effectiveness effort.
Only people can give the gift of effectiveness
Grace KiteHaving the right people at the heart of effectiveness programmes is the difference between succeeding and failing.
Why it’s time to move beyond lead generation as a measure of effectiveness in B2B marketing
Niamh CarrollB2B marketers have long leaned on lead generation as a way to quantify their contribution to revenue, however, with many recognising it can be a blunt measure, is there a better way for marketing to showcase its contributions?
What can be done to solve marketing’s problem with work overload?
Josh StephensonSolving the increasing burden of responsibilities on marketers doesn’t come with any easy answers. But from increasing the profession’s presence in the boardroom to changing the culture of overwork, there are things that can be done.
Are we witnessing the end of the CMO? No, and stop asking
Mark RitsonMarketers should cease pontificating about the validity of CMOs and their time in post, and start focusing on how to do the job better.
‘Credibility in the boardroom is critical’: CMOs on the future of marketing leadership
Molly InnesFive top marketers from a range of businesses share their outlook for the future of marketing leadership, from struggles with role fragmentation to the need to be deep collaborators.
How can brands drive growth in 2024?
Niamh CarrollHigh levels of inflation have forced many brands to lean on increased prices as a lever of sales growth. This year, growth will have to come from elsewhere, presenting marketers with a huge challenge.
McDonald’s: Loyalty scheme will enable ‘even smarter’ pricing
Niamh CarrollMaintaining a balance between price and footfall growth is a “North Star” for the McDonald’s business, which hopes its growing loyalty scheme will help it further step up its pricing strategy.
Welcome to IMGFUCK: Seven steps to kicking your price-promotion addiction
Mark RitsonEscaping dependence on price promotions is a tough challenge, but it’s achievable with Mark Ritson’s systematic approach.
Why brands must move fast to keep pace with consumer AI adoption
Niel BornmanAI is making strides in retail personalisation and marketing content creation, and will continue to be a game-changer alongside expert human judgement.
The red-flag signs it’s time to rethink your marketing technology
Marketing Week PartnerIf engagement is falling, your technology isn’t serving your objectives or campaign stagnation is creeping in, it may be time to switch or upgrade your marketing platform. Here’s what you should know.
How virtual production is changing the way ads are made
Marketing Week PartnerVirtual production helps brands to cut the costs and environmental harms of video shoots, without compromising on the creative possibilities.