The pandemic has upped the ante for online merchandising
Ben DavisOnline retailers need to balance a simple user experience with sufficient product inventory, reacting to trends accelerated by Covid.
Covid career conversations: Learning from those who have been through it
Colin LewisOur columnist has received numerous messages from people whose careers were disrupted by the pandemic. There are clear commonalities in their experiences.
Brands can use two of the four Ps to tilt the odds in their favour
Andy NairnIn this exclusive extract from his new book, Go Luck Yourself, Lucky Generals founder Andy Nairn explores the role of luck in building a brand and how a mathematician might approach marketing’s four Ps.
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Consumers think better of a product when they see the work that goes in
Richard ShottonThe ‘labour illusion’ means consumers perceive good products more favourably when they’re aware of the effort put in – but it also makes bad products look worse.
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If an influencer’s what you want, find a 90-year-old with bad WiFi
Mark RitsonThere’s no influence like a customer’s, as AT&T found when nonagenarian Aaron Epstein placed an ad in the Wall Street Journal criticising its service.
We can’t lose sight of personal connections when managing teams remotely
Tanya JosephLeaders shouldn’t forget to maintain a personal bond with their teams over video calls, since remote working makes it more difficult to sense how they’re feeling, and keep them motivated and engaged.
Why network agencies aren’t dead yet
Robin BonnDespite the demise of network agencies being greatly exaggerated, to thrive in 2021, marketers need to choose their agency partners more carefully than ever.
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Planning for marketing planning: 14 steps to an effective presentation
Mark RitsonMarketers always ask me for examples of my clients’ marketing plans. I can’t give you that, but I can tell you how to write a good one.
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Jeff Bezos’s success at Amazon is down to one thing: focusing on the customer
Mark RitsonFor all Amazon’s innovation and invention, it is the world’s most valuable brand principally because its founder Jeff Bezos got to know his customers.
There’s no downside for Boohoo in buying Debenhams’ brand
Mark RitsonCritics might scorn the fit but consumers care little about corporate ownership, and acquiring the Debenhams brand at a knockdown price helps Boohoo target more profitable customers.
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Design deserves the same status as advertising in marketers’ plans
Helen EdwardsAdvertising generally takes precedence over the more modest discipline of design when it comes to brand strategy, but marketers should recognise that they have the same influence over consumers’ perceptions.
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A dictionary for Mondelēz, and 10 more suggestions for marketing Secret Santa
Helen EdwardsStuck for something to buy your favourite agency, CMO or marketing columnist? Here are some apt ideas that can’t fail to please.
John Lewis’s diversification strategy smacks of fanciful thinking
Helen EdwardsWhen established brands try to move beyond their core competence it rarely works, and John Lewis’s plan to move into residential property seems poorly thought through.
Brands can do more for society when they work together
Tanya JosephScientists pursuing a Covid vaccine demonstrated that a shared purpose can deliver powerful outcomes – something that brands can learn if they want to make a positive difference.
For gender equality to succeed, men need to see its benefits
Tanya JosephFlexible working gives men better work/life balance and women more career opportunities, so business and society need to encourage it and ditch harmful ‘alpha male’ stereotypes.
Put social impact in your annual plan
Tanya JosephAs businesses plan for next year, they should think about how they can make the world a better place as well as make money.
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Cognitive dissonance, conmen and cults: The ways marketers delude themselves
Colin LewisWhether it’s the efficacy of brand purpose or the belief consumers are all socially liberal, we’re too easily lulled into marketing ‘cults’ that stop us seeing the world as it is.
The first step to being an expert is choosing to be
Colin LewisWe can all become excellent in aspects of our career if we make the active decision to pursue greatness.
Having a ‘career strategy’ means brutally examining your situation
Colin LewisWe often mistake goals for strategy, but to be strategic about your career requires first diagnosing your situation, then giving yourself a competitive advantage.
Three predictions for marketing analytics in 2021
Grace KiteThe importance of value for money in marketing analytics will rise, new and better ways of evaluating the online customer experience will emerge and digital-first brands will focus in on market mix modelling.
Search data is a gold mine for marketing strategy
Grace KiteSearch data reveals a lot about what consumers want and can inform on how to position a brand for growth and even what words will work best in a campaign.
Marketers misunderstand the two tasks of online advertising
Grace KiteConfusion over the twin functions of digital advertising could lead marketers into flawed decision making, especially when ads used to signpost customer journeys are treated as if they can generate demand.