It is no surprise to hear about new retail loyalty schemes being launched (MW 20 October). Brands that already run such schemes are now seeing the opportunities that come with accessing data to understand their customers better, and to offer personalised promotions. The backbone of a loyalty programme is the data but card holders have […]
Paul Godwin suggests that the future of loyalty programmes may lie in a universal card that is supported by a large collective of brands (MW last week). While this might free up space in people’s purses, going mobile has to be the logical next step. The Tesco and Nectar loyalty programmes are experimenting with mobile […]
It continues to surprise me that many brands are failing to use the vast amount of consumer data that is gathered during the course of a sales promotion. Much of that data sits unused and wasted, with the irony being that a large number of brands then go on to spend vast amounts on acquiring […]
UK Gift Card and Voucher Association director general Andrew Johnson is absolutely right when he states that, for employers, cost savings are the main advantage of rewards delivered via email or mobile (MW 20 October). But it is vital to keep in mind the comment made by New Look head of business solutions Rob Froome […]
Wally Olins has a habit of getting it dead right. He’s done it again when he describes airlines as “cold, mechanistic and absolutely uninterested in their passengers” (MW last week). But airlines aren’t alone. When I look at so much of the post-sales communications I get from all sorts of companies, it’s the same: cold, […]
Editor Mark Choueke’s riposte to Guardian columnist George Monbiot’s negative view of the advertising industry written under the banner ’Advertising is a poison that demeans even love and we’re hooked on it’ generated a plethora of responses. Read Mark’s editorial atwww.mwlinks.co.uk/ToGeorgeMonbiot Monbiot’s views are the product of a quasi-Manichean belief that the world of commerce […]
Richard Madden hit the nail on the head with his article on brand trust (MW October 20). Banks are, of course, front of mind when we think of issues of trust and it’s great to see Sir Richard Branson announcing that ethics will be at the core of Virgin’s bid for Northern Rock we live […]
Rosie Baker is Marketing Week’s specialist on sustainability and retail.
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It is great to see how consumers’ perceptions of email marketing have improved during the last year (MW 6 October), but brands now need to take the next steps to enhance the discipline’s reputation further. While the research may show consumers only have limited time to check their emails at home and at work, research […]
Email has long been established as the killer outbound channel for providing customers with relevant and personalised content but it should not be used in isolation (MW 6 October). To keep customers engaged at all points of the buying cycle, marketers need to ensure they monitor customers’ interaction across the digital spectrum. Only with permission […]
The news that Starbucks is considering launching its My Rewards scheme in the UK (MW last week) begs the question: is the future of loyalty programmes a universal card that can be used on a variety of brands to earn incentives? Consumers are now taking the power back from brands and are increasingly selective about […]
The future doesn’t have to be one of doom and gloom when it comes to TV advertising data (MW 13 October). BARB is not a blunt instrument. Its data allows advertisers to see if people are viewing programmes on their own or with families, which can help with targeting for products. For example, people viewing […]
We are so often told that selling to existing customers is far easier than gaining new ones, so, when seen as a cross-selling exercise, maybe Facebook marketing is more worthwhile than Mark Ritson (MW 13 October) gives credit for. I would suggest that a Facebook brand page could have a highly positive impact on existing […]
The latest IPA Bellwether report (Budgets show upturn despite falling economic confidence, MW last week) isn’t all music to marketers’ ears but does suggest opportunity for greater creative invention with the promise of more marketing budget. Even the simple return on investment ratio suggests money spent on marketing does generate a return. More brands should […]