Digital Marketing Solutions Summit | Forum Events Digital Marketing Solutions Summit | Forum Events Digital Marketing Solutions Summit | Forum Events Digital Marketing Solutions Summit | Forum Events Digital Marketing Solutions Summit | Forum Events

All

Will Argos ditch its print catalogue?
By:
0

British retail giant Argos is conducting digital-only trials to test the demand from customers to browsing and shopping online.

The glossy catalogues have been removed from a number of stores around the UK, with the initial response from customers being that they haven’t been missed.

If the trials continue with this, Argos could opt to pull all print catalogues from its stores in the UK.

The retailer publishes two catalogues a year – a spring/summer edition and autumn/winter edition. Stores are equipped with tablets allowing customers to browse and shop digitally in-store, with the print catalogues available to take home for additional browsing – especially popular with parents and children in the run-up to Christmas.

But it’s not all bad news for traditional print, as Argos has launched The Totally Awesome Toy Guide, a 152 page catalogue that focusses on gift inspirations for children and parents.

Speaking about the decision to launch the guide, chief toy buyer, Linzi Walker, said: “It can be hard to pick out the perfect toys for children at Christmas with so many new products to choose from – so the catalogue has a number of handy features all in one place; a user-friendly format, top toys for Christmas predictions and links to our YouTube unboxing videos.”

9% of UK marketing professionals plan to spend £100,000 on influencers
By:
1

Research by UK-based digital marketing firm Takumi has found that 9% of UK marketers are expecting to spend over £100,000 on influencers during the next 12 months.

Only 4% of marketers polled said that they had no plans to spend money on influencers.

39% planned to spend up to £10,000, with 20% estimating a potential spend between £10,000 and £100,000.

“A lot of people are saying that influencer marketing is an over-hyped fad – that there’s no ROI and it’ll soon disappear. But as these results show, it’s clear influencer marketing is here to stay. Brands recognise its value and are therefore dedicating big budgets towards it,” commented Mats Stigzelius, co-founder and CEO of Takumi.

“Of the professionals we surveyed for example, 61% stated they now feel they are able to accurately measure engagement levels and return on investment, and as platforms like Instagram continue to roll out new features to signpost promoted content, that’s only going to increase.”

The figures support the belief by many marketers that working with influencers is an effective strategy to pursue, with 26% rate influencer marketing as much more effective at targeting consumers than other forms of of advertising, such as adverts on social media channels.

“The size of the accounts used in marketing campaigns is particularly interesting,”added Stigzelius.

“Many people still wrongly prefer macro influencers with hundreds of thousands of followers, but the reality is that you now reach the same audience with micro influencers, while also benefitting from higher engagement.

“For example, working with a celebrity might give you one social media post. Working with micro influencers, you could generate the same reach and 100 pieces of social content with exactly the same budget. From our experience, we’re seeing more and more brands realise that celebrity isn’t everything and ditching big names in favour of micro-influencers. It’s a trend we only expect to continue.”

Cantona swaps his football boots for straw hat
By:
2

French ex-footballing legend, Eric Cantona has swapped his boots for a straw hat in a series of social shorts for Kronenbourg 1664.

Cantona, who is a brand ambassador for the beer brand, plays the part of a scarecrow for Kronenbourg’s ‘Le Scarecrow Suprême’ campaign.

The films, devised by NewYork-based advertising and marketing agency Ogilvy & Mather, will be published across Facebook and YouTube, and will also be available to watch on a bespoke branded Amazon page, which Kronenbourg claims to be one of the very first brands to utilise this partnership with the etailer.

Cantona’s scarecrow impression has already achieved success, winning Kronenbourg 1664 the title of Creative Work of the Week at global media platform The Drum.

Speaking about the series of shorts, Ifeoma Dozie, beer brand director at brand owner Heineken, said: “For the last six years, Monsieur Cantona has been bringing to life the eccentricities of the Alsace region, where we grow our wonderful Strisslespalt hops. This is probably his biggest role to date.

“As Scarecrow Cantona we will see a series of films in which Cantona delivers his inimitable style to the role.”

Watch Cantona’s performance here

 

 

 

Professional bloggers on the rise
By:
0

An annual survey by Vuelio in conjunction with Canterbury Christ Church University has revealed that more bloggers are turning professional, with a 4% rise in those who said that blogging was now their main source of income.

62% of bloggers admitted that it was still a hobby for them, with a 6% increase in those who felt that it could be a main source of income in the future.

The survey also revealed that the number of largest blogs with a monthly audience in excess of 10,000 remains almost the same as 2016, with the main influencers establishing themselves within the blogging community – creating little space for new influencers to make a big impact.

33% of bloggers polled said they posted five or more times per week, compared to 7% of bloggers who see it as a hobby.

There was also a 5% rise of bloggers disagreeing with the question ‘PRs regard traditional journalists as more important than bloggers,’ suggesting that more bloggers feel their work is as credible as traditional media platforms.

To download the free online survey, click here

 

LIFE IS STRANGE: BEFORE THE STORM

Square Enix uses emotive viral video to promote Life Is Strange: Before The Storm
By:
2

Video games publisher Square Enix has eschewed traditional video games marketing strategy for a disruptive new approach, creating an emotive promo video for its latest game Life Is Strange: Before The Storm.

The three-minute video, entitled An Open Letter, was created by London-based brand experience agency Ralph, which was charged with delivering a creative that reflected the game’s themes of friendship, loyalty and devotion.

The result is an unexpected piece of games marketing far removed from the traditional approach of in-game footage and cut scenes – with the video featuring real people, with real stories of friendship and devotion.

The creative team at Ralph spent many weeks reaching out to pairs of best friends, asking for stories and insights into how their friendship had lasted through even the toughest of times. They were then invited to participate in interviews in New York where they were encouraged to open up about each other on camera.

However, there was a twist. Before coming to the interview, each friend was secretly urged to write a letter to their best friend. Once cameras started rolling, the recipients were asked to read their letters aloud for the first time.

“We took a risk with this strategy and we wouldn’t have achieved the emotion within the video had we not chosen some extraordinary people willing to open their hearts on camera,” admitted Ralph’s Creative Director Gregor Stevenson. “The raw intensity of their reactions as they read their best friends’ innermost thoughts is what we wanted to capture from the start. And that’s what we got. Our goal was to portray each friendship in an engaging and empathetic way, whilst reflecting the authenticity and uniqueness of the characters in the game.”

Square Enix’s Vice President for Brand Marketing Jon Brooke added: “I wanted to capture the emotion and spirit of Life is Strange in a way that you don’t usually see in video game advertising. As a game, it braves to be different, harnessing emotions rarely seen in video games and I wanted the advertising to match this. I am really pleased with how it turned out. It’s designed to remind us that life is all about our relationships and a strong friendship can change everything. I hope everyone can relate to that”.

Life Is Strange: Before The Storm is the next game in Square Enix’s award-winning, multi-million copy selling, episodic franchise. The eagerly-anticipated game was released on August 31 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Windows PC.

Print & Digital Innovations Summit

Secure your place at the Print & Digital Innovations Summit
By:
0

Delegate places are now extremely limited for the upcoming Print & Digital Innovations Summit, which is taking place on November 23rd at the Intercontinental London – The O2.

As a reminder, each complimentary VIP delegate place includes pre-arranged meetings with trusted print providers, in areas including Digital Print, Direct Mail, Creative & Design, 3D Print, Banners & Posters, Brochure Printing, Integrated Marketing Solutions, Packaging & Labels, POS, Print Management plus many more.

There is also an educational seminar programme hosted by industry thought-leaders, opportunities to network with peers and full hospitality throughout.

To confirm your place, all you have to do is complete this short online form.

Alternatively, if you have any questions, please contact Kerry Naumburger on 01992 374099 or email k.naumburger@forumevents.co.uk.

Or, if you’re digital print solutions provider and would like to showcase your products and services at the event, contact Sam Walker on 01992 374054 or email s.walker@forumevents.co.uk.

Digital Marketing Solutions Summit

SAVE THE DATE: Digital Marketing Solutions Summit 2018
By:
0

The next Digital Marketing Solutions Summit will take place on May 15th 2018 at the Hilton Hotel Canary Wharf, bringing marketing professionals together with the digital solutions they need.

The concept of the event is simple: Delegates receive an itinerary of meetings with the solution providers that match their strategic needs for 2018 and beyond.

Simple and effective. And no time wasted.

And it’s free for marketing industry professionals to attend as delegates – simply click here to register your place.

More bespoke than a digital marketing conference and more focused than an expo, the Digital Marketing Solutions Summit is the only event you need to attend this year.

For more information on registering as a delegate, contact Kerry Naumburger on 01992 374099 or email k.naumburger@forumevents.co.uk.

Alternatively, if you’re a digital marketing solutions provider and would like to showcase your products and services at the event, contact Carlos Dieguez on 01992 374091 or email c.dieguez@forumevents.co.uk.

Spurs sign five-year Leagoo deal
By:
0

Top-flight premiership football club Tottenham Hotspur have signed a five-year sponsorship deal with Chinese smartphone and technology company Leagoo.

The north London side, who came runners-up in the 2016/17 season, hope that new partnership will expand its global presence, especially in Asia.

Leagoo will act as the official mobile phone partner for the club and will benefit from branding during all home games, being played at Wembley through the 2017/18 season while the construction of the new 61,000-seater stadium takes place at the White Hart Lane venue, and branding across the club’s social media channels.

Leagoo will also create a range of official Tottenham Hotspur smartphones and accessories.

“We are delighted to bring such an exciting and ambitious company as Leagoo on board as a partner,” said Tottenham Hotspur head of partnerships Fran Jones. “We look forward to working with them in the long-term to help grow their presence across the world, particularly in Asia, an area where the club continues to increase in popularity.”

“We are proud to become an official partner of Tottenham Hotspur; a club with an extensive worldwide fan base that will provide us with the opportunity to widen our reach,” said Johnson Zhuang, CEO of Leagoo.

Print & Digital Innovations Summit

Don’t miss out on the Print & Digital Innovations Summit!
By:
0

We have a limited amount of delegate places remaining for the upcoming Print & Digital Innovations Summit, which is taking place on November 23rd at the Intercontinental London – The O2.

As a reminder, your complimentary VIP place includes pre-arranged meetings with trusted print providers, in areas including Digital Print, Direct Mail, Creative & Design, 3D Print, Banners & Posters, Brochure Printing, Integrated Marketing Solutions, Packaging & Labels, POS, Print Management plus many more.

There is also an educational seminar programme hosted by industry thought-leaders, opportunities to network with peers and full hospitality throughout.

To confirm your place, all you have to do is complete this short online form.

Alternatively, if you have any questions, please contact Kerry Naumburger on 01992 374099 or email k.naumburger@forumevents.co.uk.

GDPR

Only 6% of UK firms fully prepared for GDPR
By:
0

Britain’s top firms and charities urgently need to do more to prepare for General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), according to new Government research.

The findings were part of the FTSE 350 Cyber Governance Health Check – the UK Government’s annual report providing insight into how the UK’s biggest 350 companies deal with cyber security.

The Government will soon be introducing its new Data Protection Bill to Parliament. With this coming into effect next May, implementing the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the report for the first time included questions about data protection.

The new data protection law will strengthen the rights of individuals and provide them with more control over how their personal data is being used.

The report found:

  • Awareness of GDPR was good, with almost all firms (97 per cent) aware of the new regulation
  • Almost three quarters (71 per cent) of firms said they were somewhat prepared to meet the GDPR requirements, with only 6 per cent being fully prepared
  • Just 13 per cent said GDPR was regularly considered by their board
  • 45 per cent of Boards say they are most concerned with meeting GDPR requirements relating to an individual’s right to personal data deletion

The Information Commissioner’s Office has produced guidance for organisations on implementing the regulation, including a checklist for businesses on the actions they need to take; and a series of interactive workshops and webinars.

The ICO will also produce guidance for organisations about the responsibilities under the GDPR and individuals on their rights under the GDPR.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport will continue to work closely with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) during this transitional period.

The FTSE 350 Cyber Governance Health Check is carried out in collaboration with the audit community, including Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PWC.