The advertising industry’s think tank, Credos, has stated as a result of its latest research that brands urgently need to start making a significant contribution to the wellbeing of young males between the ages of 8-18; as 67 per cent of the 1,005 respondents say it is unacceptable for brands to use digital techniques to change a model’s appearance and body shape in advertising.

The ‘Picture of health?’ study, which looked into the body image of young males at primary and secondary school ages, revealed that 53 per cent of secondary school boys are pressured to look their best by advertising; along with social media, friends and celebrities.

Credos director, Karen Fraser, said: “This new research shows boys are increasingly worried about their appearance. We have to recognise that advertising and the wider media play some part in shaping how young people feel about themselves – both positively and negatively. This work is about encouraging brands to further engage in the debate and make an even greater contribution to the health and well-being of young men.”

Furthermore, 23 per cent claim to have changed their exercise routine after seeing images portrayed in advertising.

Read the full report here

With the social media giant, Facebook, announcing on August 9 that it is planning to update its current technology to prevent the use of ad-blocking software on the desktop version its website, Adblock Plus has hit back by branding the decision as ‘anti-user’.

In a blog post entitled ‘Oh well, looks like Facebook just got all anti-user’, Adblock Plus owner, Eyeo’s communications and operations manager, Ben Williams, used Facebook’s press release to launch a scathing attack by claiming the main reason people use ad blockers is to ‘stop annoying, disruptive ads’ – in addition to why users are being prevented from making decisions in what they can and cannot block.

Read the full blog post here

Your marketing strategy should be built around not only your brand, but around the ways your ideal customers will want to hear and learn about your brand. And guess what? Customers will want to change these ways often — at a rate that can easily fluster even the most astute marketer. What can you do to not only stay on top of breaking consumer trends, but to integrate that information into an evolutionary marketing strategy that works?

A strategic combination of A) data mining from others’ studies and conversations and B) a proactive approach to gathering your own breaking news, first-hand, will give every marketer what they need to craft a marketing strategy that outruns and outreaches the competition.

Consumer trends start here

How do males, aged 18-35, choose to consume news? How do females, aged 35-50, choose to spend a Saturday evening? What’s more important to a long-distance traveller: efficiency or comfort? And at what time of day are social media users most likely to like, retweet, comment and share?

These are just a few examples of questions that might help to reveal the latest in consumer trends.

And the answers are crucial. Why? Because those answers will help you to build and maintain a marketing strategy that speaks directly to them, solves their problems, predicts their challenge; all delivered in a package they find desirable.

• Step 1: Subscribe to trend-updating publications: There are professionals out there who have made careers from predicting the future behaviour of consumers, based on current trends and rising needs. In essence, they are in the business of “futures.” Not every prediction will be realised. Not every “coolest” thing will catch on. However, the chances of you getting an inside line to what’s up-and-coming any other way are slim. I suggest Trend Hunter to get started.
• Step 2: Mine data from existing research: You probably already know that it’s imperative to conduct extensive research into the behaviour, problems and preferences of the ideal client; however, did you also know that the same should be done for consumers, in general?  If consumers are moving toward full telepresence (Skype, Facetime, Hololens, Oculus Rift) and away from audio-only communications (phone, GoToMeeting), then you can reasonably expect your target audience to follow—unless, of course, their collective set of values is in opposition to that move. Factors such as age, career and lifestyle will play parts in deciding if any consumer trend will apply to your target audience, and it’s up to you to decide what’s in and what’s out for them.
• Step 3: Keep an eye on the competition:  Too many marketers use this advice in the wrong way. Don’t be that marketer. Instead, see what the competition is doing that its customers are responding to, then take the net result of that action and find a different, trendier way to deliver it. For example, if Acme Settlements is offering a 30-minute consultation over the phone, and experiencing an impressive buy-in rate as a result, look into consumer trends to find out how people of your target audience’s demographic prefer to communicate today—not yesterday. The phone serves its purpose, but isn’t there a better, more preferential way? The best marketer (a.k.a. consumer trend researcher) will find that way.
• Step 4: Follow ideal clients’ daily routine:  As marketers, we are lucky enough to be privy to nearly everything everyone does every day (thanks to social media). This means that we have lots of opportunities to step into someone’s shoes, learn about how they choose to gather and digest information, and then deliver marketing messages that feed those needs.
• Step 5: Make your marketing strategy a living, breathing entity: No marketing strategy can be stagnant and Every consumer trend should affect every client’s marketing strategy in a unique way: no consumer trend will play out the same way in two different marketing strategies. It’s up to you to decide (or experiment and then decide) what trends are likely to catch on within your target audience. You can even be the first to make it catch on…if you feel that all the conditions are right for the adoption of that trend within that niche. In this instance, it’s always better to be first than last.

Always remember: your marketing strategy is never simply about getting the message out there; it’s more about getting a message out there in a way that will attract attention, keep it and win over the ideal client.

Consumer trends are not only playing a big role in today’s marketing strategies, they are becoming utterly indispensable when creating and maintaining those strategies.

Are you willing to start following consumer trends? Or would you like to learn more about how to do it more efficiently and effectively? Then contact the marketing experts at How to Build a Brand.

Sammy Blindell is a brand psychologist specialising in brand strategy, design and communication. She uses her decades of experience in colour psychology, graphic design, marketing and online strategy to assist entrepreneurs in gaining industry authority.

Making the most of any time spent out of the office, and ensuring the meetings you partake in are as effective as possible, involves the expert ability of negotiation, which can make the difference between triumph and disappointment with what you set out to achieve.

1. Look, Listen & Learn: If you talk too much, you won’t learn anything. Be the investigator – ask lots of open ended questions. Allow the other party to talk; then all you have to do is sit back and take notes to help with your decision.

2. Be assertive: Ask for exactly what you want. Differentiate being assertive and aggressive; it’s getting to the point more quickly and looking after your business needs. Challenging everything is fine too. We all know both parties need to negotiate to formulate a win/win situation; however there are scenarios when companies really are just looking for a higher ‘cut’ rather than a long term profitable partnership, so it’s best to challenge everything to ensure you are getting the very best deal.

3. Preparation is king: Have you thought about everything you need before you enter the negotiation as well as what the other party may be looking for? You can’t possibly make accurate decisions without fully understanding both sides of the agenda.

4. Convey optimism: Entering any negotiation is an exciting process, so it’s important to show that you’re excited and be positive about the transaction. People who are optimistic, usually achieve more by expecting more. Suppliers would ask for more than they expect to receive and buyers offer less than they are willing to give – that way everybody walks away happy with the end result.

5. No need to rush: The best negotiators most likely own the distinctive patient gene. If you rush your meeting, planning or negotiation, this is when mistakes will be made. Be flexible with time and if any steps to the negotiation are hurried, concessions will be made and the deal left on the table.

To utilise these tips, contact the team to discuss your attendance at this year’s Marketing Business Forum on November 8. 

A recent study conducted by the international computer company, Teradata, has revealed the current state of omnichannel digital marketing in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Denmark and Italy.

The study primarily looked at three different digital channels: email, social and mobile; showcasing the current state of the market as well as indicating where improvements can be made.

View the full infographic here

The managing director of Amazon’s software development centre, Graeme Smith, has stated that the group is currently testing the group is currently testing the concept of personalised video ads.

Although little has been said at the moment, it is thought that Amazon will tailor ads to individuals using graphics templates. Smith told the BBC: “I’m not able to share any more details of where, but potentially anywhere you can see a video is potentially somewhere you could consider running personalised video ads, right across the internet,” he told the BBC. It’s still very early days for this technology, but it’s something we are really excited about with a lot of applications.”