The measure of marketing

The Secret Marketer’s column on the true cost of hiring a new manager also created debate. The article can be found here

Although I think it’s important to get a return on the investment of a new employee, determining the return on any marketing spend is notoriously difficult as there are so many potential external factors. Recruitment is a good example of this.

For example, a new recruit may not contribute directly to a campaign or product development, but may develop new processes to make the department more efficient, and allow the brand or business to develop stronger emotional ties with the consumer. These ties are essential in building a successful brand in the long term, yet cannot be measured easily or reliably using standard KPIs.

Anna

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Booze culture: A social concern

Advertising is not to blame for binge drinking culture

Marketing Week

I have much sympathy for the House of Commons Health Committee’s concerns about “the consequences of binge drinking”, but the problems of cider swilling, teenage ne’er-do-wells congregating on street corners is a much deeper societal issue than can be solved by a bit of tinkering with advertising regulation.

High street bankers must fear Virgin

Marketing Week

If Virgin’s airline approach – which focused on its first and business class offering – lands on the high street then the big boys of banking should be worried. Targeting premium paying and high-value customers, who will self-fund exceptional banking service, is vital, especially in an era of slow growth banking business models and a need to invest in individual relationships.

Engaging with the City

Marketing Week

The research note from Deutsche Bank underlining how important it is for marketers and the City to engage in dialogue prompted great interest. The original story can be found here and below is one of the comments: