Blog

Insight: B2B buyers still prefer the human touch, despite lengthier sales cycle – Showpad

Lack of the right information and the inability to prove ROI is making the sales cycle longer, according to the B2B Buyer Experience Report from Showpad.  The report revealed that more than half (53%) of B2B buyers say their buying cycle is getting longer, with a third (32%) unable to source the information they need or the information […]

Continue reading...

Insight: 80 percent of UK Shoppers describe themselves as ‘environmentally friendly’ – Shoppercentric

The latest industry report from independent shopper research consultancy, Shoppercentric, has been launched. The research, entitled: ‘Window On…Shoppers and Sustainability’ was carried out across 1018 UK shoppers aged 18+ from a nationally represented sample and explores the relationship shoppers have with sustainability – how they define it, look for these items and what would encourage them […]

Continue reading...

Insight: A nation of sustainable fashion followers; 9 in 10 Brits seek upcycled garments- InRiver

With Fashion Week looming on Friday 13th, Oxfam is encouraging fans of fast fashion to forgo their frivolous shopping sprees and instead get their fix by buying second hand this September. Research from product information management company inRiver reveals consumer attitudes to sustainable fashion lie around cost and quality–proving that brands and retailers must make it a priority to effectively […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: Don’t make creativity a risky game – Symphotech

Symphotech, a specialist event health and safety consultancy, was on hand to support Sketch and nhow hotels as they made creative history by becoming the first people to install temporary infrastructure in the form of a colour-changing 8m chameleon, onto the Old Truman Brewery chimney. Creating spectacular brand experiences carries the responsibility to manage the […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Shoppers are captivated by luxury brands, but let down by the digital experience – Attraqt

A new independent study of 3,000 UK, France and United Arab Emirates (UAE) luxury and lifestyle retail shoppers, commissioned by global ecommerce search, merchandising and personalisation provider, Attraqt (LON:ATQT), has launched today. Carried out by market research provider Savanta on behalf of Attraqt, the research takes a closer look at luxury lifestyle brand’s shopper behaviour, […]

Continue reading...

Insight: CACI research unveils that the impact of online halo effect is most prominent in the capital

CACI, the consumer and location intelligence specialist, has revealed that brands in London witness the largest boost to online sales as a result of the halo effect of physical stores.  The regional insight follows the publication last month of CACI’s report that identified online sales across the UK are an average 106% higher within a physical […]

Continue reading...

Samsung KX: A Drop Spot, Not A Shop

The opening of Samsung KX on Tuesday night (03.09.2019) with its vertical gig by Mabel was an inspiring attend. This was a rare event, one where I felt a personal connection with as it envisioned a hopeful and engaging future. So I wrote about the experience on my personal blog. Here is the link

Continue reading...

The #Roocopter Experience

Some invitations have a certain stand out. Could I stomach an egg mayo bagel whilst whirlybirding around the Shard in a stunt helicopter? Okay. Thank you for thinking of me Deliveroo. Put me on that rota! The invitation had come my way of course courtesy of a brand promotion, in this case as one of […]

Continue reading...

Insight: GlobalWebIndex partners with Slack on first report examining global state of work

GlobalWebIndex has launched its Workforce dataset to help Business-to-Business (B2B) organisations inform brand and product strategy with unprecedented insights into how professional and consumer behaviours collide. The first study to leverage the new Workforce dataset, commissioned by Slack Technologies, Inc., explores “The State of Work” with unprecedented insights from a dedicated B2B panel of 17,000 respondents overlaid […]

Continue reading...

Insight: The in-housing gap – productivity and creativity expectations fab short – The DMA

Research unveils trends of in-housing as brands and agencies find new ways of working together more effectively. New marketing technologies designed to support team collaboration is critical to in-housing success. A new research report exploring how brands are in-housing key marketing functions finds increased productivity (47%) and enhanced creativity (38%) are the top expected benefits, but […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Direct marketing and social media skills significant to future business success- DMA

New research by the DMA reveals that direct marketing and digital skills will become increasingly important to business success in the future, according to marketers. The Data & Marketing Association (DMA) has published the ‘Business Skills Census 2019’, asking marketers to identify the skills and challenges that are important to businesses today, as well as those […]

Continue reading...

Interview: The Gustonomical Mr Sams

An Interview with food and drink revolutionary Craig Sams Fashion, we understand, is cyclical. Certainly, today’s growing enthusiasm for overnight oats and green tea is a phenomenon that 75-year old hip entrepreneur Craig Sams has seen before. Craig’s 1960s saw him fascinated by microbiotic food, driven by the yin and yang of dining and serving […]

Continue reading...

Insight: UK organisations failing to equip sales managers for success – Showpad

UK organisations are not providing sales managers with the necessary support and tools for managing increasingly larger, geographically dispersed teams, new research has revealed. According to ‘The Critical Role of the Front-Line Sales Manager’ report from Showpad, more than half (55%) of UK sales managers have just 3 years’ experience or less before making the […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Amazon dominates annual shopping event – AppsFlyer

2019’s Prime Day saw greater sales for Amazon than Black Friday or Cyber Monday combined – marked by Amazon as the biggest shopping event in history. But what was the effect of the event for other retailers in the increasingly competitive ecommerce space? New research from AppsFlyer looked at the top 100 retail apps during Prime Day (15-16 July), revealing that […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Beano for Brands research reveals what kids really want for Christmas 2019

Beano Studios kids-first consultancy, Beano for Brands, today reveals what kids want for Christmas 2019. Beano for Brands asked Beano.com kids about everything Christmas related, from their favourite things to do at Christmas to where they get their present ideas from, and how they respond to old traditions. More than a third of Beano.com kids know exactly […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: The business of being sociable – Sam Coates, Keith Prowse

The face of entertaining and hospitality is changing as recent research from Keith Prowse highlights. Our organisation, which serves up premium experiences at the UK’s major cultural and sporting events, has delved deep into the needs of the corporate buyer to find out what ticks the box, the demands, trends and best practiceswhen it comes to […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Brain scans reveal the effectiveness of video marketing – Rotterdam School of Management

For the first time, researchers have revealed how our brains respond to engaging videos, surprisingly, we all react in a very similar way, according to new research from Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM). PhD candidate Hang-yee Chan, analysed the brain activity of 60 people as they each watched the same set of 35 […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: How to organise a Bestival success, rather than playing with Fyre – Michael Zajdel, Acuity Law

With memories of Glastonbury 2019 still with us, we are now half way through the festival season with Lovebox, Latitude and Creamfields just around the corner. The festival industry has experienced significant growth over recent years with new festivals popping up across the UK. Despite this, some festival operators are still waiting to generate any profit due […]

Continue reading...

Insight: brands need physical stores to drive online sales – CACI

Whilst debate continues about the future of the High Street, research by CACI, the consumer and location intelligence specialist, has revealed the negative impact of closing stores on brands’ online businesses. According to the research, retailers that do not maintain a bricks and mortar store in a catchment alongside a transactional website typically experience 50% […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Unofficial Sponsors Seize the Cricket World Cup Opportunity – 4C insights

Nissan and Thatchers are the only official partners among Top 10 advertisers for 2019 Cricket World Cup. The latest insights from marketing technology company, 4C Insights, reveal Nissan tops the TV ad rankings for the month leading into the Cricket World Cup, but alcohol brand Thatchers is the only official sponsor to join the car manufacturer […]

Continue reading...

Insight: UK businesses spend £2m redesigning products to meet eco-demands – Bazaarvoice

According to new research launched from Bazaarvoice, UK-based retail marketers and supply chain managers are investing just over £2million per year on remanufacturing products. Conducted across Europe, the study found that meeting consumer demands around environmentalism tops the challenges faced by British (55%) and French (49%) respondents – where remanufacturing expenditure hikes to nearly €3.5m. […]

Continue reading...

Snapshot: Jarlsberg cooks on the water

By Frank Wainwright I went to Paddington to “uncover the mystery of the Jarlsberg holes” and discovered this colourful barge, a fantastic free burger and an amazing chilled vibe on a hot day. Jarlsberg, guided by the Circle Agency, has found quite a few flavour sensations to make the cheese the hero this Summer. Jarlsberg […]

Continue reading...

Review: Cross Culture – MLB meets London

Frank Wainwright opened the innings at the MLB Fanzone It is 2016. You hear that there are plans afoot and that in 2019 the Red Sox and the Yankees are coming to good ol’ London Town, so what would you do? Create a bustling, bubbling slice of home-run-strike-one cherry pie? How else are you going […]

Continue reading...

Insight: An Augmented Humanity – SYZYGY XR

New research from SYZYGY Extended Realities (XR) reveals surging popularity of Extended Reality (XR) technology, as consumers are more likely to purchase a product or service after taking part in an XR experience New research out today reveals that nearly 3 in 4 shoppers (71%) say an extended reality (XR) experience would be of interest […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Half of British businesses identify Gen Z as hardest to market to – Awin.com

New research has revealed that British businesses owners and marketers find ‘Generation Z’ the hardest to market to, with 47% identifying this to be the case, whilst ‘Millennials’ were found to be the easiest group to reach with marketing efforts. Being less engaged and more adept at using ad-blocking technology were the top reasons Generation […]

Continue reading...

Interview: Jill Ross – CEO, McCurrach

Jill Ross, Interview by Frank Wainwright In August 2018 a major talent arrived agency-side of FMBE when Jill Ross made the move from Unilever and took the reins as CEO of McCurrach. 21 years at Unilever saw Jill take on an expansive career path. Arriving at the FMCG giant initially as part of the graduate […]

Continue reading...

Insight: intu contributes nearly £5bn to the economy as job numbers rise

Britain’s shopping destinations are creating as many as one in 10 jobs in their local areas and contributing significantly to the UK economy, according to new figures. Research into the economic benefits of 17 of the country’s biggest and most popular shopping centres found retail and leisure destinations owned by intu are worth nearly £5bn […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: 5 tips to sustainable sampling – Ella Newton, Kru Live

“Today we have become the greatest threat to the health of our home but there’s still time for us to address the challenges we’ve created, if we act now. We need the world to pay attention.” –         Sir David Attenborough We now, more than ever, share the collective responsibility to be sustainable. For any business, the […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Over half of consumers think disruption in retail is a positive thing – Clarity

New research conducted on behalf of marketing communications agency Clarity lifts the lid on consumers thoughts about disruption, finding that over half (58%) think it’s a positive thing. With retail in a constant state of flux, in the main marketers tend to focus on the impact this is having on the brands themselves, with less […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: Bringing alcohol brands to life in the real world – Lou Garrod, Sense

Lou Garrod, managing director at global brand experience agency Sense, looks at the incredible work alcohol brands are doing to increase audience engagement and drive sales, along with key factors to bear in mind when planning a successful experiential campaign.  Increasingly, alcohol brands are stepping out of the TV screen or advertising hoarding and off […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Next generation of marketers lack key skills businesses recruiting for – DMA

To help businesses and aspiring marketers better understand what skills are most in demand in the industry, the ‘Data & Marketing: Attracting the Next Generation’ report asked managers of organisations, large and small, what skills they look for when recruiting for entry-level marketers. According to the Data & Marketing Association’s research, over three quarters (83%) […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Young adults crowned thriftiest generation as they cash in on resale apps – Fashion Retail Academy

Britain’s youngest adult demographic, aged 18-24, has been crowned the thriftiest age group when it comes to getting rid of unwanted clothing, shoes and accessories, according to research by the Fashion Retail Academy.[1] A poll has revealed that those aged 18-24 are the most active at selling their unwanted garments with 22.8%selling their clothes via […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Door drop spend remains stable despite GDPR – DMA

The Data & Marketing Association (DMA) has revealed its latest insights into the door drop industry in its ‘Annual door drop report’. The figures reveal a steady year for the marketing channel, despite significant legislative change in 2018 and continued political uncertainty that has affected the wider data and marketing industry. According to the data, the […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: Retailers must embrace their physical side to co-exist with online shopping – Fiona Rayner, Blackjack Promotions

Bricks-and-mortar shops can’t beat the e-commerce giants head on – in a data war, the likes of Amazon will always win. But physical stores can still survive, if they focus on the face-to-face interactions with their customers, says Fiona Rayner, head of experiential and international operations at Blackjack Promotions I recently had the privilege of […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Study reveals which industries utilise public relations the most and least – 10 Yetis

A new study has revealed that the FMCG industry is the sector that is most likely to utilise PR, whilst those operating in the communications/media space are the least likely to use this method of marketing; despite many of these offering the service to other companies themselves. A fifth of businesses admitted that they weren’t […]

Continue reading...

Case Study: Charity retail success – RedHotPenny

Every year, Harlequins Rugby hold a Big Game charity match at Twickenham Stadium and release a limited-edition rugby shirt to be worn by the players on the day. With the 18/19 edition featuring innovative Flash Technology from Adidas, Harlequin FC enlisted RedHotPenny to unleash the full potential of the exclusive design and meet their retail targets. Harlequins wanted […]

Continue reading...

Marketing and creative industry continues to advertise more jobs as salaries rise – Reed Marketing

Advertised roles in the marketing and creative sector increase by 4 per cent in 2018, following steady increases of 5.9 per cent in 2017 and 7 per cent in 2016 Advertised salaries also increased by 1.3 per cent in 2018 with fundraising managers increasing by fastest rate in industry (6.1 per cent) Design roles experienced […]

Continue reading...

Women’s World Cup boosts equality as men and women take equal share in global audience -GlobalWebIndex

A new international survey of 114,973 internet users by GlobalWebIndex reveals the audience gender disparity is not as varied as people think between women’s and men’s event. By gender, the audiences of the Men’s and Women’s World Cups are not significantly different, with 39% of the Men’s World Cup audience being female, compared to 47% […]

Continue reading...

Experiences in retail – Harriet Cramer

Although news outlets are constantly pushing the idea that the high street is dead and announcing large chains shutting their bricks and mortar stores on a monthly basis, we as an industry, know for a fact that human contact and the shopping experience remain popular. Research by Marketingsignals.com shows that 85% of adults favour shopping instore […]

Continue reading...

Insight:Media monetisation worth over £1.7Bn in unrealised potential to UK’s retailers- dunnhumby

New research conducted by dunnhumby media, part of dunnhumby, the global leader in Customer Data Science, has unveiled an unrealised potential worth £1.7bn for UK retailers – and around £100 million for each of the three largest grocery retailers in the UK. Calculated using dunnhumby media’s Revenue Calculator – a tool that enables retailers to […]

Continue reading...

Insight: 52% of men feel they are not well represented in the media – Jacamo

The report on male body confidence was commissioned by menswear online retailer Jacamo, and has revealed that 40% of men suffer from ‘Manxiety’, a term used to describe the male population’s growing dissatisfaction with their body image. This comes at a time when the 5th series of Love Island has come under fire for not showcasing […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Local DTC brands top Glossier, Harry’s & Casper, converting a quarter of consumers – Rakuten Marketing

Research into consumer awareness of ‘direct to consumer’ (DTC) brands by Rakuten Marketing reveals four of the top five names are local, UK businesses, putting them ahead of global brands Glossier, Harry’s and Casper. Conducted among 2,000 UK consumers and a further 2,000 in France and Germany, the study proves that despite recent headlines, the […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: What Amazon needs to succeed in the real world is real people – James Rix, Crowdify

James Rix, CEO of 21st Century marketing agency group Crowdify, has helped some of the world’s biggest online on-demand services companies, and a growing number of e-commerce start-ups, find their audiences – and he has some advice for Jeff Bezos as Amazon expands its physical presence… The news that Amazon is closing down its pop-up shops […]

Continue reading...

FMBE Fast Five – Part 1

Every week, Field Marketing and Brand Experience Magazine is catching up with five previous FMBE Award winners to find out what they have been up to since winning gold.   N2O- Jody Measures How did the team celebrate winning an FMBE accolade? I’ll be honest, there was a fair amount of champagne involved! Winning not […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Menswear boom driven by improved shopping experience on high street – Fashion Retail Academy

Better clothing designs for men, more styling options and an improved shopping experience are all helping to drive men’s fashion sales, according to research from the Fashion Retail Academy. Last year, the menswear sector grew by 22% while its female counterpart only saw sales rise by 8%. This new research found that the number of […]

Continue reading...

Guest Blog: Why retailers should invest in brand activations when launching a new product – Set Creative

Retailers launching a new range or collection are being encouraged to focus on experiential marketing activations, as new research reveals that nearly three out of four (73%) of people in the UK and US are more likely to purchase a product if they’ve participated in a brand experience. Experiential agency, Set Creative’s report, “The Value […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: Havas and Vivendi uncover the future of entertainment

Thanks to technological advances and a rapid influx of content, people are now considering and consuming entertainment in fundamentally new ways. Yannick Bolloré, Chairman of the Vivendi Supervisory Board and CEO of Havas Group, explains: “The digital era has revolutionized the field of entertainment. People have now placed entertainment at the center of their existence […]

Continue reading...

Insight: UK’s love affair with Europe is booming – Fexco Corporate Payments

The UK travel industry’s love affair with Europe is blooming despite Brexit uncertainty, thanks to the Pound’s recovery against the Euro in 2019. That’s the conclusion of new data released by the foreign exchange specialist Fexco Corporate Payments. Between January and April, UK-based travel companies spent 167% more on Eurozone bookings than they did during […]

Continue reading...

Insight: retail fail – C-Suite believe finance and FMCG are better at mobile-shaped experiences – George P.Johnson

New research from George P. Johnson reveals growing investment in mobile and the impact it is having on brand experience New research  reveals the vast majority (92%) of C-Suite decision makers at brands are investing more in mobile technologies this year, aiming to respond to the high benchmarks mobile-first businesses are setting when it comes […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Growth forecast for sponsorship in 2019 but urgent need to prove business return- MKTG

The sponsorship market is established, growing and multifunctional with new opportunities being created and new audiences reached, catering for a rising appetite for experiences over things. These were some of the findings from this year’s MKTG Frontier report, conducted in association with Think! Sponsorship and the European Sponsorship Association. “Frontier 2019” is based on a […]

Continue reading...

Insght: New research shows 73 Percent of 18-34 year olds rate experiences over products – Savvy Marketing

A new survey (of 1,000 UK consumers) from leading retail and shopper marketing agency, Savvy, has been launched today. The research takes a closer look at how UK consumers have been getting involved in live brand experiences, the different types of activity that appeal to them and it also assesses the building blocks of great live […]

Continue reading...

Insight: 79% of employees would welcome gamified rewards system – One4all Rewards

A series of dos and don’ts for bosses introducing the increasingly popular gamified rewards systems have been released. A survey of 1,000 UK workers, carried out by workplace incentives and rewards provider, One4all Rewards, and published in The Gamification Report polled workers on their preferences for gamified bonus systems – which encourage achievement and good behaviour by awarding small rewards […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Edinburgh Festivals have bigger commercial impact than Christmas -CACI

As the UK festival season prepares to get underway, analysis by CACI, the leading marketing technology and location planning specialist, has revealed the positive impact of major annual events on consumer behaviour.  Using insight from its new customer, catchment and centre Business Intelligence platform, Location Dynamics, CACI has revealed the Edinburgh International Festival and Edinburgh […]

Continue reading...

Insight: A Bumper Easter Basket Predicted – Savvy Marketing

  New research from retail and shopper marketing agency, Savvy, has revealed Easter spending plans for UK shoppers. The survey (of 1,000 household shopping decision makers) indicates 64 percent will celebrate the event and that we’ll see a spending increase of 6.5 percent on 2018 figures – to £877m. Alastair Lockhart, insight director at Savvy […]

Continue reading...

Insight: #TheAttenboroughEffect, 53% reduce disposable plastic use over 12 months – GlobalWebIndex

A new study by GlobalWebIndex into sustainable packaging in the UK and US highlights 53% of consumers state they have reduced the amount of disposable plastic they are using in the last 12 months. According to the study of 3,833 consumers across both regions, 42% of consumers say products that use sustainable materials are important […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: Productizing – Martin Richardson, Ten Thousand Hours

Over the years we have seen many leading agencies ‘productise’ their creative offering. Distilling what they do into a process – and as such, implying that anyone can just follow that process and create an amazing event. But creativity isn’t like that. I believe that everyone can be creative, it’s not reserved for the monocled, […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: The changing face of launches – Nick Gold, Speakers Corner

Launch events have looked a lot different recently. We are increasingly seeing companies organising panels, workshops or TED-style talks rather than focusing on product placement. Take Captain Morgan, for example. In collaboration with Bompas and Parr, the iconic rum brand has just launched their ‘Lost Lagoon’ experience. Their aim is to bring to life the […]

Continue reading...

Insight: 85% of UK consumers prefer to shop in store – Marketingsignals.com

High street retailers must be savvy with omnichannel technological integration in order to survive in the digital age, new research has warned. A survey of 1,056 UK adults carried out by leading digital marketing agency, Marketingsignals.com, revealed that 85% of people still prefer to physically purchase products in store, despite the convenience offered by online shopping. Although […]

Continue reading...

AWE Panel Discussion: Attract a wider talent pool by becoming more Neurodiverse friendly – DMA Talent

The DMA’s, Kate Burnett, is challenging how we hire, train and retain the neurodiverse. As an industry that pushes for creativity, why are we sticking to such an outdated mould when it comes to employing people? It is estimated that 20 per cent of the population are on the neurodiverse spectrum. This includes those diagnosed […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Poor customer experiences damaging brands – Thunderhead

New research from Thunderhead reveals that two in five consumers (39%) would consider switching to another retailer after two bad experiences with a brand. The study surveyed 4,000 consumers in the US and UK to uncover what consumers today expect of brand experiences in banking, auto, insurance, telco, energy and retail. Thunderhead, the leader in customer engagement […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: Missing an Open Goal – UK’s Professional sports clubs fail to use social to its full potential- Red Hot Penny

Red Hot Penny, the search marketing agency, has launched its analysis, “The Social Scorecard: Sports” which examines how the UK’s top professional sports clubs across football, rugby, cricket, basketball and ice hockey are engaging with their social media followers, and if they’re effectively leveraging their followings to drive their retail business. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter activity […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: Embracing marketing creativity through collaboration – Steve Martin, managing director, LiveRamp

Companies struggle to know their customers. This is the harsh reality for all marketers. Achieving a full view of their customers’ data is almost impossible especially when analysed in isolation. So how can brand-side marketers collaborate with retailers to bring creativity to the table and make the most of multiple sets of data? The current […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: Utilising smart sampling to minimise waste and give consumers an experience to remember – Richard Lloyd-Williams, Collider

Waste from ill-conceived sampling campaigns isn’t just an environmental problem. From an audience perspective, campaign wastage can be the equivalent of paying for an ad for golf clubs in the middle of The X Factor Final. Done smartly, however, sampling to showcase a product and introduce it to a new audience remains a powerful tool. […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: Event digitalisation: The race is on – Gav Dandridge, CTO at Meshh

Embracing digital is inevitable. This is now part of any business venture and the events industry is no exception – it is painfully aware that the digitalisation of event processes and experiences is increasingly necessary for sustainability and growth. But for an industry with a strong legacy of tried-and-tested methods to entertain visitors and measure […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Smart home technology at Easter – Retail Marketing Group

Naomi Palmer, Category Director, Retail Marketing Group Aside from indulging in chocolate and seeing loved ones, the Easter period is also the time of year when people in the UK will be most likely to invest in home renovation. This has been amplified by Brexit, which has created uncertainty and a lack of confidence in […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Unique Venues of London reveals 2019 predictions

Ahead of International Confex on 26th-27th February, Unique Venues of London revealed its industry insights for 2019 from a survey of its over 80 prestigious member venues. Utilising insight from its diverse collection of members, UVL has compiled an extensive report of 2018 and the current landscape of the capital’s events industry. The survey covered a range of topics […]

Continue reading...

Insight: MKTG and The Cultural Agenda – Frank Wainwright

On Thursday 7thFebruary Frank Wainwright went to MKTG’s London offices to hear speakers at “Looking at Gender Through a Wider Lens”. This is not a review of the event but a response piece stimulated by this interesting debate. Brands that embrace culture stay head of the crowd and maintain an emotional edge. This piece of […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Slow Fashion – shoppers shun cheap clothes in favour of longer lasting items – Fashion Retail Academy

Concerns about sustainability and quality means that consumers are moving away from fast fashion and are more likely to invest in longer-lasting clothing, according to research by the Fashion Retail Academy. One in eight consumers (13%) are more likely to choose expensive longer-lasting items over cheaper fashionable clothing. Nearly 39% of shoppers say they would […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: Why events in 2019 need to be doing even more to adapt to the transformative state of ‘personalisation’ – 4D Design

88% of Marketers predict their clients and prospects expect a personalised experience but are still not completely satisfied with the sophistication of their personalisation efforts. Claiming that the real issue is with achieving personalisation at large scale, posing the question ‘how much is enough data and how do we use this to fuel visitor experience […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Can radio be the antidote to loneliness?- Pure Radio

The UK is facing a loneliness epidemic but research from digital radio experts, Pure, reveals the strong emotional bond consumers place on radio presenters (whether from live radio or radio content including podcasts) with almost 60% of us forming a bond with them akin to a family member or close friend.  To coincide with World […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Valentine’s Day pressure leads millennials to last minute date rush and Palentines with friends – VoucherCodes

The pressure to find a date for Valentine’s Day causes millennials to go to extraordinary lengths to avoid being alone on the most romantic day of the year, according to new research. VoucherCodes.co.uk surveyed over 2,000 people across the country and discovered that half of millennials (45%) feel under pressure to have a date for Valentine’s […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Half of businesses falling behind the wave of digitisation – DMA

43% of businesses have no fixed digitisation plans in place, according to the latest research from the DMA and WLT Almost half of businesses could be falling behind in an increasingly digital world, according to the ‘Evolving the customer journey’ report from the DMA and Williams Lea Tag (WLT) released today. The survey of over […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: Lessons for brand marketers from the housebuilding sector -Ben Quigley, e>erything d.fferent

In the era of personalisation, a one-size-fits-all way to communications no longer works. Audiences are diverse as are their motivations to making purchasing decisions. From students to pensioners, the challenge for brand marketers is to create strategies that will enable them to communicate with consumers in different life stages. This, in turn, will help them […]

Continue reading...

Insight: New Ocean study shows how Piccadilly Lights drive brand status and positive audience emotion

New research has confirmed Piccadilly Lights, owned by Landsec, is a modern global landmark and prestigious brand advertising platform which engages positively with audiences on an emotional level. The annual study was conducted by digital out-of-home media owner Ocean which operates the Lights. It maps the growing popularity of the Piccadilly Circus London screen as […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: The internet vs marketing… are marketers playing a losing game? – Richard Foster, LiveRamp

The rapid pace at which the internet has developed over the years has meant that the marketing industry is often struggling to keep up. Where the high-street retailers once drove buying trends, consumers have now gained control to dictate the market. At a time where it seems almost impossible to keep up with rapid innovations, […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Six Nations enjoys World Cup bump as broadening audience pre-empts glory for England in both tournaments – GlobalWebIndex

A new study by GlobalWebIndex, conducted amongst 1,885 UK consumers aged 18-64 ahead of the Six Nations tournament in February, reveals burgeoning popularity for the sport in the UK with two in five respondents now identifying as fans of the tournament. With the Rugby World Cup taking place in September, 2019 promises to be a […]

Continue reading...

Insight: New research reveals marketers are underestimating the loyalty consumers have to fashion and retail brands- Greenlight

New research from digital and Commerce growth agency, Greenlight, has revealed that whilst consumers are most loyal to fashion and retail brands, marketers are underestimating loyalty across industries. Despite uncertain times for the UK high street, fashion and retail topped the list of the industries consumers are most loyal to with 16% saying this is […]

Continue reading...

Football: Missing an Open Goal – Frank Wainwright

When a brand truly gets hold of a sports property, you can normally expect action – something seriously experiential. Live sport is living drama and the fans and participants are involved in an emotional dynamic. The biggest advertising gig of the year is the Superbowl, for a reason. This event sells series chicken wings. These […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: Winning in retail – lessons from sports brands, Rob Ellingham, Creative Director, smp

The British high street has suffered major blows in 2018, with House of Fraser announcing store closures and Debenhams reporting record annual losses. Spending at UK department stores fell for the thirteenth month in a row in November, while sales figures for December revealed it to be the month’s worst performance since 2008. In the […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: Why identity resolution matters to every marketer – Richard Foster, LiveRamp

Marketing in all its forms must work wherever consumers are – and that is everywhere. Identity resolution is at the epicentre of a successful marketing strategy in today’s digital industry, and arguably the most important aspect of people-based marketing. Research suggests that long-term customers spend 67%more than new ones. These are the people that marketers […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Amazon named consumers’ favourite brand- DMA

Tech giant features in list of consumers’ favourite brands in multiple sectors, but nearly two-fifths report feeling less loyal than a year ago Amazon has been named by consumers as their favourite brand, with retail stalwarts Marks & Spencer, John Lewis, Sainsbury’s and Tesco the others most mentioned. It was also the only brand to feature […]

Continue reading...

Guest Blog: The high street lives on – Fashion Retail Academy

Online shopping might be on the rise but more than six in 10 consumers say they still like to try clothes on in-store before making a purchase, according to research from the Fashion Retail Academy. Although recently retailers, such as M&S, have lost faith in their high street stores and have started moving online, over […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: Sounds of slaughter: When brand experience goes wrong – Rose McDonnell, Sense

What can brands learn from the widely reported recent failed restaurant demonstration in support of veganism? Sense Communications Director Rose McDonnell reveals all… A group of vegan activists recently found out what happens when you don’t think through a live stunt properly. Storming the Touro Steakhouse in Brighton, demonstrators from Direct Action Everywhere waved placards […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Holidaymakers hold on ‘Sunshine Saturday’ as they prepare for spring bookings – Monetate

Monetate has revealed new research on British holiday booking habits. Despite ‘Sunshine Saturday’ (the first Saturday in January) supposedly being the busiest travel booking day of the year, most Brits are not ready to commit to a trip just yet this January.   The myth of ‘Sunshine Saturday’  Whilst 21% of UK consumers will be purchasing holidays this month, over half (53%) look for trips at other […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: Winning in retail, lessons from beauty brands- Rob Ellingham, Creative Director, smp

Our culture is obsessed with youthfulness and beauty. Thousands take to the high street in search of an elixir, with more than two thirds of consumers admitting they are willing to purchase products even when watching their spending. Beauty is no longer a luxury. Consumers flock to stores seeking enhancement as a way of gaining […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: What are the customer trends that will impact strategies in 2019? – Caroline McGuckian, CEO at Meshh

2018 was undoubtedly another huge year for mobile marketing, with stories of both success and struggle, as companies strive for supremacy in a one of the fastest moving sectors. Mobile itself is evolving and, remarkably, is becoming even more embedded in our everyday lives – both at home and at work. Smartphones are getting smarter […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Brits spend almost £1BN on unwanted presents, with 1 in 3 gifts left returned due to lost receipts – Voucher Codes

Poor decision making and impulse buys will leave a whole host of presents going to waste at major national expense, according to research revealed today. The findings released by VoucherCodes.co.uk  have discovered that Brits are expected to spend £961.97m on presents that will remain unused this Christmas. The research discovered it’s the nation’s ladies that are […]

Continue reading...

Insight: Demand for marketing professionals continues to rise – Association of Professional Staffing Companies

Marketing vacancies increased 24% from January 2017 to October 2018, according to the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo). Both first and second quarters of 2018 saw even higher growth with vacancies up 39% and 46% respectively compared to the same time last year. The APSCo Marketing Trends Report found that in terms of demand […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: Are You Listening? Here’s what customers really want in 2019 – Rebecca Martin, CMO at Calabrio

We’re in the middle of the fourth industrial revolution. Thanks to technology like the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI), the digital, physical and biological worlds have converged. Not only is technology changing the way people interact with each other, it’s shifting how companies communicate with their customers and it’s evolving the entire […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: The power of storytelling and bringing brands to life at events- Simon Lockwood, The Brewery

We’ve all heard the words ‘experiential’ and ‘immersive’ being thrown around over the last few years, but what do they really mean? For many, a themed cocktail is enough to qualify as experiential, but we believe there’s a little more to creating something that’s truly deserving of the title. For us, it’s all about creating […]

Continue reading...

Insight: 68% of fakes unintentionally bought as Christmas gifts – MarkMonitor

Counterfeiters are capitalising on Christmas; this is according to new research by MarkMonitor. One in three (30%) consumers has inadvertently bought a fake product, with 68% of the counterfeit items being bought as Christmas presents. The fear of fakes and online fraud are ever-present, especially over the festive season. Forty-five per cent of consumers worry […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: Why New Year revolutions beat resolutions – Ed Owen, head of programme content, IDM

New Year resolutions are not effective at changing your behaviour, and there are sound reasons, explained by Behavioural Economics, for this. Try a revolution instead according to the IDM’s Head of programme content, Ed Owen. . New Year resolutions are not remotely new. Ancient civilisations like the Romans and Babylonians would make promises to their […]

Continue reading...

Guest blog: 2018 marketing review: Locally relevant content supporting key trends gives the best results – Fiona Campbell – Roberts

Fiona Campbell-Roberts, UK head of marketing for Hammerson It’s that time of year again when Christmas lists are being written across the UK. The chat around this year’s Christmas TV ‘blockbuster’ commercials is creating a stir on social media channels. John Lewis’s ‘Elton John/Piano’ offering has split opinion and Iceland’s ‘banned’ commercial was a key […]

Continue reading...