International round-up: Budweiser’s military-themed bottles, Samsung uses VR to help the deaf
Plus Pink Ribbon’s artistic breast cancer awareness campaign and Libresse mocking the way advertising treats periods.
McDonald’s, Unilever and Virgin Trains: 5 things that mattered this week and why
McDonald’s gets in hot water for an ‘insensitive’ ad and Unilever toasts more growth for its sustainable brands.
How to ensure brand identity survives acquisition
Interweaving differing company cultures and often conflicting agendas means brands must work hard to retain their unique identity post-acquisition.
The Marketing Week Christmas blog
Welcome to the Marketing Week Christmas blog! A chance for the MW team to cram in all the latest festive advertising news in one place.
Why marketers must prioritise success in AI, philanthropy and B2B
From artificial intelligence going mainstream to brands being urged to take their philanthropic efforts more seriously, Marketing Week takes a look at some of the key talking points from Dreamforce 2016.
Jo Malone: ‘Great brands make consumers the creative heartbeat’
From creating fragrances at her kitchen table to starting her second brand from scratch, fragrance entrepreneur Jo Malone believes the best companies put consumers at the creative heart of everything they do.
Twitter loses its cool as Apple is voted the world’s ‘coolest brand’ for the fifth year running
Apple has for the fifth time running retained its top spot on the CoolBrands rankings, with tech brands continuing to dominate the top 20.
Adidas compares TV to the fax machine, claiming digital is its ‘most relevant channel’
Adidas says it is prioritising digital-only marketing campaigns, with the brand confident its new three-pillar strategy can help it win back lost ground in North America.
2016 was the year Chinese brands prospered in the West
Fearless, savvy and ambitious, Chinese brands are shrugging off the critics and taking on the European market in a bid to become household names.
5 things that mattered this week
From Amazon launching its instant home shopping service in the UK to Diageo being rapped by the Advertising Standards Authority, we have rounded up the five marketing stories you need to read this week.
L’Oréal targets men for the first time as it evolves strapline to embrace diversity
L’Oréal Paris is featuring a man in a mass market cosmetics ad for the first time, as it looks to broaden its appeal and become part of consumers’ daily lives.
Do marketing experts need a qualification in marketing?
Following the uproar caused by Marketing Week columnist Mark Ritson’s assertion that all marketing experts should have a formal qualification in marketing, senior marketers on both sides of the argument debate the hotly contested issue.
Why Saga and Bestway Group use mail to speak to retirees
Sponsored by Royal Mail
As people live longer the number of retired consumers grows, so brands must find effective ways to engage with an audience that still regards opening the post as an important part of their daily routine.
Google has the most scope for future growth but Apple tops the latest FutureBrand ranking
Google’s move to introduce parent company Alphabet last year means it is Apple that tops this year’s ranking of the brands most likely to thrive in the future, new research finds.
5 things that mattered this week
With the Coca-Cola Zero Sugar launch, M&S’s falling fashion sales, Gap’s “digital delirium” and more on the marketing aftermath of the UK’s decision to leave the EU, these are the five stories that mattered this week.
Why marketers are opting for upskilling
In a period of post-Brexit uncertainty and potential recruitment freezes, marketers will need to embrace upskilling to maintain a competitive advantage.
Unilever CMO Keith Weed on why the marketing industry needs to recognise change and ‘stop marking its own homework’
In association with: World Federation of Advertisers
Keith Weed believes there has been more change in the industry in the last five years than in the 25 years prior. He says that marketers need to catch up, be ready to compete in “clear water” and with sensible metrics.
Top tips on using direct mail to engage with couples
Sponsored by Royal Mail
People who are in a relationship and have moved in together provide marketers with somewhat of a conundrum. Marketing Week looks at how brands can better target this broad life stage.
Unilever CMO Keith Weed says there is now a whole generation of senior management that don’t understand digital
In association with: World Federation of Advertisers
Many senior marketers are teaching digital natives on digital though don’t necessarily understand it themselves, or as Keith Weed says, they are “reading from a book or just using management skills”, which isn’t enough.
Unilever CMO Keith Weed on why marketers need to ‘line up their plan, do first and talk later’
In association with: World Federation of Advertisers
Unilever’s CMO, Keith Weed says that marketers should focus on four big trends and link them together through strategy, in order for organisations to deliver a future they can see.
How to build good marketing teams
The right team dynamic can have a huge impact on productivity, business growth and employee retention. Marketers at Notonthehighstreet.com, Aldi, Boden and ClearScore share what it takes to create the perfect team.
How Benefit made a big impression with £3,000
Benefit Cosmetics does not advertise or pay beauty bloggers yet it managed to increase market share to 38% in the premium mascara market thanks to a strategic partnership with Elle magazine and a video it produced for just £3,000.
The top 10 YouTube ads in April
Cadbury’s use of YouTube footage in its new “taste like this feels” campaigns has paid off as the brand took two of the top five spots in April’s most populat list, while the return of MoneySuperMarket’s Dave and Ikea’s latest ad all make it into the top 10.
Vans’ EMEA marketing chief on its secret to brand success
Originally adopted by the skater community in southern California, Vans’ shoes – epitomised by their rugged make-up and sticky sole, have gone on to become a global phenomenon. Vans European marketing boss Neil Schambra Stevens speaks to Marketing Week about the secret to its success and how the brand can remain relevant for the next 50 years.
Brands need to ensure their designs are age-agnostic
Brands could be missing out on valuable sales by failing to attract consumers across multiple generations, so is taking an age-agnostic approach to product design the answer?
Mark Ritson: Abercrombie & Fitch’s revival will be due to brand revitalisation, not brand repositioning
You will recall the rather sad story of Abercrombie & Fitch. The once all-powerful fashion retailer declined as a result of ageing customers, bizarre management edicts and over exposure. The company has endured 11 consecutive quarters of declining sales and, in perhaps the most painful blow yet, recently recorded the lowest ever score on the annual […]
Physical marketing is making a comeback
Sponsored by Royal Mail
Many marketers are bucking the digital trend and investing more in ensuring customers can touch and experience their products and services.
How fashion brands are taking Instagram from gimmick to strategic
For many fashion brands, Instagram is no longer just a ‘gimmick’ used during fashion weeks to create a buzz, but a serious part of their social strategy.