Tom Goodwin: The unlikely secret to direct-to-consumer success
Despite some questionable business models, we can all learn from ‘digitally native vertical brands’ but not necessarily for the reasons touted.
Birds Eye on rethinking its ‘bland’ marketing strategy to save the frozen food category
Three years ago the frozen food category was in steady decline and Birds Eye’s marketing director admits the brand was a “huge part of the problem”. Now, with a new owner and a new direction it has started to turn things around.
Marketing budgets, product search, retail sales: 5 killer stats to start your week
We arm marketers with all the numbers they need for the coming week.
How one luxury hotel group is ‘taking local global’ as it looks to crack the US market
The Hoxton hotel group has just opened its first hotel in the US and has a rapid overseas expansion plan in the pipeline, which CMO and former Nike marketer Martina Luger says will be driven by culture.
Ritson and Facebook go head-to-head on the big questions in marketing
As Facebook and Mark Ritson faced each other on stage at the Festival of Marketing, it became clear the range of challenges facing the social network as it looks to prove its place in the marketing mix and people’s lives.
Heineken: We don’t understand our shoppers well enough to succeed online
The Dutch brewing company says a lack of shared data, not enough collaboration and marketers not investing in the right places is holding back its ecommerce ambitions.
Dior, Apple, Nike: The top 10 YouTube ads in September
Dior’s ad featuring a sultry Jennifer Lawrence topped September’s list of the most popular YouTube ads, followed by Apple’s jam-packed ‘big news in 108 seconds’ and Fiat’s ad paying homage to a Hollywood classic.
Dollar Shave Club shifts business model as subscription growth slows
The disruptor brand has had a “fundamental rewrite” of its data management platform to help drive sales as it looks to new areas of growth.
Four ways marketers can attain influence
Sponsored by Omobono
The best B2B marketers are clear about customer needs, measure their impact effectively and, most importantly, are able to support and influence colleagues to deliver commercial results, according to new research by business agency Omobono.
How Argos shifted customer perception to be known as a modern retailer
The retailer’s innovative campaign featuring 80 date-stamped ads helped boost brand perceptions, sales and awareness of its delivery services.
Last chance: Apply now to become one of Marketing Week’s Founding 50
We are searching for 50 marketers in their 20s to help inspire the next generation about the opportunities a career in marketing can provide. Applications close next week.
EasyJet’s new CMO on using data to ‘supercharge creative judgement’
EasyJet’s Lis Blair is on a journey to move the brand beyond price with a new campaign just six months into the job and a long-term plan to balance creativity with greater use of data.
Mark Ritson: 10 lessons all marketers should take from Direct Line’s brand strategy
Direct Line Group’s brand strategy is best-in-class, as evidenced by its IPA Effectiveness Award win last week. Here’s 10 reasons why marketers should sit up and take note.
How to build a digital culture
Given the pace of technological developments, the challenge of embedding a digital culture in order to compete in a fast-paced, digitised and customer-centric world has never been greater for companies. Understanding what the opportunities and indeed challenges are and getting internal buy-in is not straightforward, however. This report draws on a range of survey data, […]
The fundamentals of B2B digital transformation
Digital Transformation is an often misappropriated term but understood correctly it can yield extraordinary results. Including interviews with senior leaders from British Gas, IBM, Fuji Xerox, Ogilvy APAC, Oracle Marketing Cloud and Salesforce and thousands of respondents to a survey, the report looks at the challenges that B2B companies face and how they have responded […]
Marketing measurement and analytics: What you need to know
There has never been as many opportunities to measure the impact of marketing campaigns but there has never been as many chances to get it wrong. Digital channels have led to an explosion in available data, offering the chance for marketers to engage, personalise and attribute the success of campaigns. It does, however mean […]
How marketers learn
Business and society is changing at a frenetic rate and marketers are at the forefront of technological and behavioural shifts. In the face of this, it is difficult but even more important to take time out to learn and develop. Based on interviews and a survey of hundreds of senior marketing leaders this report highlights […]
How to build and execute an ecommerce proposition
As more and more sales gravitate online, the opportunity for businesses to boost revenue and profit grows daily. It is not, however, enough to ‘build it and they will come’. Marketers need to carefully plan and develop their propositions or risk getting lost in a very crowded environment. This report will help you create your […]
Creating and executing a content marketing strategy
Content marketing is considered by many to be the silver bullet solution to engaging with consumers weary of traditional push advertising. But what is it, and how can you build an effective content marketing strategy that helps execute your marketing strategy. Pulling together insight from interviews from senior marketing leaders and content strategists from some […]
Carolyn McCall wants to shake off ITV’s ‘cosy’ image as it takes on Amazon and Netflix
ITV boss Carolyn McCall wants advertisers and viewers to see the UK’s largest commercial broadcaster in a new light – less cosy, more front foot, and ready to win those all-important ad dollars and eyeballs.
Netflix, Philip Morris, Ryanair: Everything that matters this morning
Good morning and welcome to Marketing Week’s round-up of the news that matters in the marketing world today.
Recommended reading: Story-driven marketing and tackling ignorance
Marketing Week reviews the latest books for marketers.
Ben Davis: Get existing tech right before focusing on the future
Given the most hyped technologies of 2017 have failed to make an impact this year, marketers would be wise to perfect customer experience on incumbent tech like mobile before shifting focus to blockchain, VR and voice.
Tesco, Heineken, Dollar Shave Club: 5 things that mattered this week and why
Catch up on all the major marketing news this week, including Tesco’s drive to help customers eat more healthily, Heineken’s struggles with ecommerce and Dollar Shave Club’s new business model.
L’Oréal CMO: Companies that just sell products will not be successful
L’Oréal is shifting to offer services in a “new era” for the brand that sees it aim to become the number one beauty tech company.
How Bodyform took the ‘toxic shame’ out of periods
The sanitary care brand’s realistic portrayal of periods, while potentially polarising, has opened the door to more positive conversations and helped break down taboos.
Diageo’s Andrew Geoghegan: Authenticity is being true to your brand, not pretending to be craft
Beneath consumers’ interest in all things ‘craft’ is a desire for brands to be authentic, which means it’s less about the size of the business and more about being seen as trustworthy.
Brands looking to hire more marketers despite Brexit uncertainty
Marketers’ job prospects are on the rise, according to the IPA Bellwether, as the number of brands looking to hire increases, although uncertainty around Brexit could hit that optimism going forward.
Sarah Vizard: Huawei has the products, now it needs the brand to match
Huawei’s new flagship smartphone shows it has the tech know-how to compete with, and often beat, the best Apple and Samsung products on the market but to really take on the top two it needs to work on building its brand.
Three looks to reverse ‘brand rejection’ with launch of ‘premium and playful’ campaign
The mobile provider wants to “grow up” while maintaining its humour-driven approach to change perceptions and appeal to high value customers.
How to target the five online shopping modes
Brought to you by VE Global
Most brands personalise based on who their customer is. Very few are capable of offering online experiences built on an understanding of why a particular customer has engaged at a given moment.
The marketer’s guide to digital asset management
Brought to you by Bynder
The new marketing world is powerful and eye-opening. But for brands to reach their full potential, marketers must keep on top of technology that makes the most of their campaign assets.
The social voice of brands
Brought to you by YouGov
Is it appropriate for brands to comment on social issues and to what extent does it depend on the industry that they work in?
Find out how travel brand Trivago unified its marketing channels
Brought to you by Datorama
Booking brand Trivago is reaping the benefits of creating a single source for external and internal data. This case study explains how it did it.
How to build a content marketing programme at scale
Brought to you by Acrolinx
Learn which six components you need to put in place to develop an effective content marketing operation.
The top marketing trends of 2018 so far
Brought to you by OneChocolate
Find out where marketers should be investing their budget to improve return on investment, as the key developments of 2018 become clear.
How to build an experimentation culture spanning every business function
Brought to you by Creative CX and Optimizely
The essential guide to building the best customer experience.
Retail insights into Generation Z
Brought to you by UNiDAYS
Generation Z are soon to become the next big consumer opportunity for marketers. Find out how they prefer to shop and interact with brands in this new whitepaper.
How to set your marketing budget, and how to spend it
Brought to you by ScanmarQED
Find out some of the key ways you can overcome the difficulties that present themselves when setting marketing spend, ensuring it drives sales rather than just reflecting them.
How to launch a successful refer-a-friend programme
Brought to you by Mention Me
Key advice for turning customers into advocates and monetising word of mouth as an effective acquisition channel.
How to use personalisation and emotion to bring campaigns to life
Brought to you by Persado
Find out about the many ways marketers should use personalisation and emotional language to elevate their campaigns and drive results.
How to benefit from the great big world of data
Brought to you by Polymatica
Using data to delight your customers and gain commercial advantage is easier than many imagine. Follow the five cornerstones of the data-driven customer experience, and you can improve customer loyalty and boost sales. Read this white paper to find out more about how to get started in the great big world of data.
Marketing budgets rise at weakest pace in nearly three years
The latest IPA Bellwether report reveals more than 60% of marketers made no change in total marketing spend in the third quarter, highlighting indecisiveness and risk-aversion.
Marketoonist on marketing technologies
Tom Fishburne is founder of Marketoon Studios. Follow his work at marketoonist.com or on Twitter @tomfishburne See more of the Marketoonist here
Marketing Academy Fellowship open for applications
The free nine-month programme is aimed at developing senior marketers into senior management and board positions.
The outsider’s view of marketing effectiveness
In the third in our video series, created in partnership with Thinkbox, we speak to those outside the marketing world about marketing’s challenge in the boardroom, gaining the trust of the CEO and the view of effectiveness beyond marketing.
Meet the brands taking on ‘the asterisk’ in the war against plastic waste
From compostable packaging to plant-based alternatives, a new generation of brands are looking to combat plastic waste while striving to educate confused consumers about the complex recycling process.
Global hopes to offer scale and simplicity with move into outdoor
In less than a month, Global has acquired a share of more than a third of the UK out-of-home sector, making it a serious player in the outdoor space and opening up a number of new opportunities for brands.
ISBA tackles fake followers and content labelling with new influencer marketing contracts
ISBA has updated its influencer marketing contracts to bring better “commercial discipline” to the relationship between brands and influencers after finding that while marketers plan to up spend in this area, most still don’t feel confident working with influencers.
Digital ad spend, shop footfall, video: 5 killer stats to start your week
We arm you with all the numbers marketers need to know for the coming week.
‘Brands should stop seeing age as a defining feature of the over-50s’
New research shows the over-50s feel misrepresented and ignored by advertising because brands are using their age, rather than their attitude and lifestyles, to target products and services.
Tesco uses Clubcard data to help people eat more healthily
Tesco is using the information it has on its 16 million Clubcard customers to track their shopping habits and see what the triggers are for changing behaviours and convincing shoppers to eat more healthily.
Coca-Cola, Amazon, Kleenex: Everything that matters this morning
Good morning and welcome to Marketing Week’s round-up of the news that matters in the marketing world today.
MoneySuperMarket drives growth by switching focus ‘from revenue to relevance’
The financial services comparison site is sending 200 million fewer emails but has been able to increase revenue by 12% by targeting customers with more relevant communication.
More rigorous guidelines are needed if influencer marketing is to weed out the ‘bad apples’
The ASA and CAP’s new influencer marketing guide is a step in the right direction but more clarity is still needed to boost credibility.
Reckitt Benckiser on its ‘challenging’ digital transformation journey
The FMCG giant admits it had “got stuck” in traditional touchpoints such as packaging and in-store point-of-sale, but a focus on analytics and getting agencies and team members to push the agenda has helped drive the business forward.
Samsung sees smart homes as a ‘gamechanger for loyalty’
Samsung believes we are not far away from the mainstream adoption of multi-branded smart tech with the power to turn our homes into connected spaces but admits there are still privacy and security concerns that need addressing.
Digital transformation, brand purpose, marketers in the boardroom: Festival of Marketing day two round-up
From the reasons why digital transformation is “made up” to the struggles with brand purpose, we round-up all the big news from the second day of the Festival of Marketing.
The seriously silly Audi approach to social advertising
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How KLM’s customer service took off on Messenger
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With consumers demanding ever more immediate communication from brands, Facebook’s Messenger is now one of the customers’ favoured methods for interacting with the Dutch airline.
How Facebook and Instagram gave new life to Guinness’s ‘Made of More’ campaign
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How ASOS used Instagram to boost recall and awareness
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How mattress firm Simba built its brand using Facebook
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How Simba is using creative best practice and clever targeting to promote its products and build its brand on Facebook and Instagram.
Sir Martin Sorrell: It’s nonsense to suggest I’m not interested in creativity
The former boss of WPP says creativity is at the centre of what his new company, S4 Capital, does but admits the nature of creativity has changed due to the rise of data.
How Gymshark mastered Instagram to drive instant sales
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Black Friday is one of only two sales a year for fitness brand Gymshark, and for last November’s promotion its finely tuned timing and stand-out creative led to a huge influx of sales via Instagram.
ITV CEO on TV advertising: We need to give CMOs the ammunition to change the conversation
The prevailing conversation all too often focuses on the ‘death’ of TV and Carolyn McCall admits ITV must do “much more” to show marketers why they should spend their budget on TV.
Louis Theroux on why marketing is an ‘unacknowledged art form’
The documentary maker and journalist says he sees much in marketing “to enjoy” and is intrigued by the balance of “seduction and sales”.
Why Karma Cola uses ‘authentic storytelling’ to take on Coke: It means we aren’t just a product on a shelf
The founder of the organic soft drinks brand, which gives a portion of profits back to producers, says authentic storytelling means its product “isn’t just something on a shelf”, which is helping it take on the category leader.
Helen Edwards: It’s dangerous to conflate frequency with loyalty
Loyalty isn’t synonymous with how often consumers buy a brand, according to Marketing Week columnist Helen Edwards, who told the Festival of Marketing there are various types of loyalty that marketers can exploit in different ways.
Accountability, influence, GDPR: Festival of Marketing day one round-up
Catch up on all the latest from the first day of the Festival of Marketing, where accountability, marketing influence and GDPR were hot topics.
John Hegarty: Globalisation has hurt the marketing industry
Brands don’t run global marketing campaigns because it makes creative sense or is what customers want, but because it saves money, according to advertising guru Sir John Hegarty.