It’s satisfying and timely to hear Mark Ritson call for a focus on Small Data over Big Data. A report published this week by The World Federation of Advertisers and The Customer Framework found that across 47 member organisations the secret to tangible data success needs is a strategic focus on what data is needed and how it […]
I recognise and experience firsthand the cultural consumer differences captured in Mindi Chahal’s article. But these differences present opportunities: the ecommerce experience, for example, could become as seamless in the UK as it is in the US, where they’re leading the way in integration. And although aggregators are set to increase in volume and importance in […]
David was an energetic, respected and well liked consumer marketer who had a positive impact in all the organisations at which he worked during his 24-year career that was tragically cut short. He started his career with United Biscuits (UB) in 1989 working at Ross Young’s for six years. McVitie’s followed, leading the launch of […]
Google purchased Nest, the smart home devices company, last week for a staggering $2.3bn (£1.4bn). It comes at a time when the concept of the ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) or connected devices, has finally broken through into mainstream popular consciousness. US technology show CES, which has just closed its doors, was full of such products, from babygros that monitor breathing to toothbrushes that can share data with your dentist.
It’s that time of year when everyone believes it’s a good idea to run a workshop. New year, new objectives, new pad of flipcharts. But are such exercises such a good use of your team’s time?
Consumer reactions to the news that Facebook will test video ads that play automatically within user social feeds (Facebook confirms autoplay video ads test) highlights how important it is for brands to create video experiences that are both relevant and non-intrusive. While images and video are crucial tools for brands as they are proven to demonstrate higher levels of engagement, consumers […]
Content marketing topped the digital priority list in 2013, according to Econsultancy’s annual survey. Yet just 64 per cent of marketers agree that content marketing is set to “become its own discipline”, while only 38 per cent of companies have a defined content marketing strategy in place. Just 34 per cent have dedicated budgets to it and only 46 per cent have dedicated staff for it, judging by the results of the Econsultancy/Outbrain Content Marketing Survey 2013.
As a shopper marketing agency we were astounded to read the shameful list of basic errors made by the so-called ‘creative agencies’ the Secret Marketer briefed. But, when you say ‘creative agencies’, is it fair to assume that their core focus is developing awareness through mass media based ideas? And from this you develop activation […]
Many creative marketers and advertisers dislike research because they often think of it as focus groups that tend to water down or kill creative (mwlinks.co.uk/CampaignInsight). However, insights via market research can actually fuel creative and lead to award-winning campaigns, such as the ‘Think B4 You Speak’ campaign, targeting teens who use the term ‘gay’ as […]
The problem with corporate social responsibility (CSR) is that like so many terms it has become a label that is in danger of losing the meaning of the words behind it. The fact that consumers are demanding companies’ sustainability efforts to be authentic rather than a ‘greenwashed’ sticking-plaster is only a good thing. And now that brands are integrating […]
I like the word ‘free’, especially when used in conjunction with the word ‘buffet’. And it seems I am not alone. Because more and more marketing thinkers are eating out on the idea of free.
The best measure of success in pitching should be fewer pitches – a concept that might be counter-intuitive for heads of new business.This is why the IPA is developing a joint industry model charter from which clients and agencies can cherry pick to suit their needs. By making our client agency relationships work better, we can […]
When Santander says, “price is not the be-all and end-all”, it’s a sign that something’s up. Santander has made a name for itself through good deals and aggressive acquisition offers. Call me a cynic, but I suspect its change of tack is less about rebuilding consumer trust and more an attempt to remedy its unsustainable business […]
Direct marketing has rightly been called the discipline that dare not speak its name. Even, it seems, among its own practitioners.
John Lewis holds a strong position as a leader in multichannel retailing, yet how successful the new loyalty scheme will be is entirely dependent on how data is used and managed across all its existing channels (mwlinks.co.uk/JohnLewisLoyalty). This requires some hefty analysis and the lack of appropriate tools to do this is often a reason […]