At the beginning of every campaign, brands and agencies need to be very clear on what they want PR to achieve and what success will look like (PR Strategy, MWlinks.co.uk/ PRMeasurement). Is it about awareness and education, for example? Is it about changing perceptions? Is it about creating fame or is it about keeping news […]
I read Michael Barnett’s article ‘M-commerce moves into the mainstream’ (mwlinks.co.uk/mcommerce) with interest. While I was unsurprised that only 4% of consumers had used their mobile to pay for something at the checkout to date, I agree with Paul Griffiths that the future for near field communication and the mobile wallet is bright. NFC technology […]
The Secret Marketer highlighted a possible generation gap in the importance of good grammar and style in internal and external communications in a recent column. Find the article here www.mwlinks.co.uk/SMGrammar and comment extracts below. I completely agree that communication is an art. I strongly believe that spelling and grammar are vital to a company’s professionalism, […]
News of the latest Marks & Spencer campaign featuring Joanna Lumley (mwlinks.co.uk/GreenBehaviour) raised a debate in the Summersault office over the value of celebrity content in campaigns and publications. As consumers, we are bombarded daily with celebrity endorsements for everything from coffee to holidays. What does this say about marketers’ views of what motivates and […]
What you said
Michael Barnett’s m-commerce and contactless payment article reminds me that this is an exciting time for the industry. While marketers are right to be wary about new technology, it is already opening up a plethora of doors. We’re being served up a chance to create new ways of engaging consumers – even more directly and […]
Michael Barnett’s report ‘M-commerce moves into mainstream’ (MWlinks.co.uk/mcommerce) links well to recent research from Juniper which reveals that the use of mobile vouchers will exceed $43bn (£32.7bn) globally by 2016. It seems that as the mobile phone becomes the platform of choice for perusing the internet and online shopping, economy-minded shoppers expect money-saving opportunities available […]
Many brands not sponsoring the London 2012 seem to have put their promotional marketing on hold. But with millions of people not interested in the Olympics, isn’t this a chance to be successful by being noticeably different? Olympic tickets are enviable, but there are many who currently can’t seem to find any alternative. Philip PenlingtonDirector, […]
Academic Neil Rackham’s calling for marketers to take charge of the sales function (MWlinks.co.uk/MarketerSales) sparked debate – here are comment extracts. I agree that there are qualities found in both occupations but to put marketing people in charge of transactional sales is a jump based on the assumption that marketing people understand all steps of […]
As a fiercely loyal Tesco shopper for 14 years, I happened to visit Waitrose with my 15-year old daughter last weekend and she was genuinely excited at the varied range, its presentation and the food quality inherent in its packaging. And of course, not concerned with the price. “Why can’t we shop more here, Dad?” […]
When that enormous meteor blasted through the atmosphere, the dinosaurs didn’t stand a chance – even if they’d have seen it coming. Game and HMV are the two remaining dinosaurs of the entertainment retail industry and, although given warnings about the impending impact of the internet as long ago as last century, they both largely […]
Comments on Mark Ritson’s column, ‘The three rules of brand management’ (www.mwlinks.co.uk/BrandMGMT), sparked furious debate on marketingweek.co.uk. Here’s a selection.
Simplicity is vital if customers are to get the best experience from a brand (MWlinks.co.uk/SimpleBrands). Some of the most successful brands today have simple marketing messages that are consistent and easy to understand. To relay these key messages to customers, brands are now experimenting with communication channels such as in-store radio and visual displays. However, […]
Your report on empty nesters (MW last week) asks how must brands target people who ‘live for today’. Growing older is getting cooler and brands need to be braver in throwing down a more provocative approach. A focus on values rather than age will engage their innate sense of agelessness. Let’s start treating them like […]
Deep down, none of us really thinks advertising can be to blame for last summer’s riots (MWlinks.co.uk/RiotBrands). Advertising is just one part of what feeds a consumerist culture. The trainers you want to wear or the TV you wished you owned come from the conspicuous consumption of the community around you – and advertising or […]