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Digital skills shortage impacting multiple UK sectors
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Demand for digitally skilled workers in UK vertical industries including technology, finance, ecommerce and retail, is outgrowing the level of digital skills available.

Yet, only half (51%) of British companies within these vertical industries are willing to spend more than £25,000 on recruitment and learning and development (L&D) combined, to boost skills such as cybersecurity, software architecture and data analysis.

That’s according to research from O’Reilly, conducted by Censuswide in September 2022, which surveyed 300 HR decision-makers within the technology, finance, ecommerce and retail industries (100 per industry) to identify the digital skills most in demand and potential barriers to upskilling staff.

More than a quarter (27%) of the HR decision makers surveyed say their organisation faces the biggest lack of skilled workers in cybersecurity, followed by software architecture (15%) and data analysis (14%). Despite this, only a third (33%) are willing to spend more than £10,000 on recruitment and L&D to hire cybersecurity talent. Meanwhile, the majority of organisations plan to spend no more than £10,000 on recruitment and L&D for data analysis (71%) and software architecture (68%) skills.

Instead, almost a third of organisations plan to spend up to or more than £20,000 on recruitment for AI and ML (32%) and cloud (31%). Additionally, more than a quarter of organisations will spend up to or more than £20,000 on AI and ML (29%) and cloud (28%) L&D to upskill employees. Organisations will spend the most on L&D for Gen Z (average £13,962), followed by £13,608 for Millennials and £13,495 for Gen X over the next twelve months.

Disparity in recruitment vs L&D spend

Encouragingly, the majority (83%) of vertical industries plan to spend between £25,000 – £50,000 on overall recruitment for skilled tech vacancies over the next twelve months. Yet, only 78% will spend the same amount on tech-related L&D.

The technology sector is planning to spend the most on overall recruitment (average of £33,676), compared to £31,651 on L&D. Additionally, the finance sector will spend an average of £33,075 on recruitment compared to £31,400 on L&D, while the retail and ecommerce sector will spend an average of £29,275 on recruitment versus £28,801 on L&D.

The biggest barrier to upskilling current employees for more than two fifths (21%) of organisations is insufficient resources, followed by a lack of internal personnel (19%) and a lack of internal buy-in (17%). In the tech sector specifically, 21% of organisations say lack of leadership support is a key barrier to upskilling current employees. However, across all industries combined, 58% of HR decision makers feel ‘significantly’ supported by leadership when it comes to investment in tech-related L&D.

“It’s encouraging that 80% of companies within the UK’s tech, finance and retail sectors have increased investment for tech-related learning and development over the past three years. However, our data suggests that further investment is needed to recession-proof the UK’s vertical industries,” said Alexia Pedersen, VP of EMEA at O’Reilly.

“With the pound currently at a 37-year low against the dollar, now is the time for companies to deploy upskilling programmes alongside ongoing recruitment efforts. Likewise, employees should prioritise L&D to safeguard their role and make themselves an invaluable asset to their organisation. This will be key to creating a highly skilled workforce that keeps British businesses at the forefront of their industries globally.”

Under the microscope: Lessons from iconic British TV advertising
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TV is a huge part of everyday life, with iconic British soaps like Coronation Street and Eastenders still going strong today. Alongside these shows, certain British adverts have made a lasting impression on viewers. We all have memories of particular ads that just won’t leave our heads, and some have claimed space as an essential part of British culture.

These iconic British adverts can be a source of inspiration for marketers, alongside digital marketing books and social media. From BOGOF deals to drumming gorillas, here’s what we can learn from the iconic marketing campaigns that have appeared on our screens…

1) Mascots make money

118 118

Let’s start with the 118 men – no one can forget those strong moustaches and tiny red shorts. Although phone directories haven’t been commonplace in a good few years, it was hard to turn on the TV in the early 2000s without their presence.

Such was the impact of the 118 118 men, they even became a popular fancy dress outfit that you might still see out today. The two mascots featured in many different adverts, and created spoofs of other content, such as the movie ‘Rocky’ and even one Honda campaign. Despite the differences in ad themes, the two mascots were easily recognisable, and the numbers on their shirts were an unshakable link back to the brand. This effective campaigning positioned 118 118 at the top of their industry thanks to their memorable mascots.

Compare the Meerkat

You’d think Russian meerkats would make a rather strange figurehead for a comparison site. But, Compare The Market took a risk with a play on words and then continued to roll with it. Their successful campaign, Compare the Meerkat, first introduced Aleksandr Orlov, a talking meerkat with his own website – comparethemeerkat.com.

The campaign has since skyrocketed, and Aleksandr and his Meerkat coworker, Sergei, have gained somewhat of a celebrity status. They have hundreds of thousands of social media followers, and have even established detailed backstories for their lives. An insurance comparison site isn’t likely to amass lots of social media followers for its riveting content, so creating interesting mascots is a great workaround for attracting audiences.

2) We’re a nation of animal lovers

Three’s moonwalking pony

What are two things the nation loves? Animals and Fleetwood Mac. Three combined the two in a genius marketing campaign that depicted a moonwalking pony to Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Everywhere’. Their ad carried the tagline ‘Silly Stuff. It Matters.’ Clearly taking a step away from the more technical side of their services, the brand decided to appeal to public opinion with this lighthearted ad.

The video gained over 3 million views within a week of its release, and around 250,000 shares. A clever addition from Three was the hashtag #DancePonyDance, which trended on Twitter and helped circulate the video across other social media platforms. If there’s one thing we can learn from Three’s viral campaign, it’s that animals doing funny things will always get clicks and shares.

Churchill

Churchill Insurance really knew how to play up the patriotism with their bulldog mascot. Well known for his catchphrase ‘Oh yes!’, Churchill the dog still holds a place in Brits’ hearts with his famous nodding head. The Churchill craze was so widespread that lots of Brits bought their own mini nodding bulldog as a car accessory. This associated Churchill the dog with cars and everyday life, meaning Churchill Insurance was impossible to forget about. He even featured in 22 pantomimes around the UK back in 2009, proving he was more than just a brand representative. Creating a lovable animal mascot really worked in Churchill’s favour, establishing them as an iconic part of British history and culture.

3) Humour can send you viral

Moneysupermarket

When you think of memorable marketing campaigns, it’s usually the funniest ones that immediately stick out. One example is Moneysupermarket’s ‘Dave’s Epic Strut’ ad, which featured a businessman strutting down the street in hot pants and heels. Dave felt so epic after saving money on his car insurance that he sassily struts his stuff to ‘Don’t Cha’ by The Pussycat Dolls. The brand’s image isn’t lost in this ad though, as a deep voiceover says ‘You’re so Moneysupermarket’. After receiving an immediate boost in website traffic, the brand has continued to release humorous ads with the tagline ‘You’re so Moneysupermarket’.

But, there’s always a risk that comes with experimental marketing campaigns. For instance, ‘Dave’s Epic Strut’ attracted over 1,500 complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) claiming ‘overtly sexual’ content. The ASA, however, did not uphold these claims and deemed the advert not offensive. The advert gained lots of press coverage for its bold approach, which was only boosted by the outrage. Not everyone has the same sense of humour, but implementing it can certainly go far in running an effective campaign.

Cadbury’s Drumming Gorilla

Possibly one of the most ridiculous campaigns to hit the screens, Cadbury’s drumming gorilla ad is also one of the best performing. Viewers were drawn in by the randomness of the ad, and it went viral quickly.

In fact, the campaign was a massive lifesaver for Cadbury, who previously had to recall over a million chocolate bars because of a salmonella scare. Luckily for Cadbury, the campaign received an overwhelmingly positive response from the public, and even won the top prize at Cannes Lions in 2008. But on top of its viral outreach, Cadbury also benefited from a 10% sales increase. This ad was undoubtedly an example of PR done right, and put Cadbury back in the public’s good graces.

4) Empathy can do a lot

John Lewis’ bear and the hare

It’s amazing how much impact advertisements can have on the British public. Once a certain time of year rolls around, you’ll often find eager Brits anticipating the newest John Lewis ad. There’s a reason for this – the brand’s ad campaigns target nostalgia and empathy to really tug at their audience’s heartstrings.

One of their most iconic campaigns, ‘The Bear and the Hare’, was accompanied by Lily Allen’s cover of ‘Somewhere Only We Know’ and follows the friendship of a bear and a hare. A study found that 48% of people who viewed the advert felt ‘intense positive emotions’, compared to an average 29% for other UK advertisements.

Both the song and the animation were a great success, sending Lily Allen’s cover into the charts. John Lewis was on everyone’s minds, with the advert playing on Christmas TV programming, and the song constantly played on the radio. From their clever campaigning, John Lewis has become synonymous with the festive season in the UK. Their yearly ad campaigns are proof that advertisements don’t need to be flashy and obnoxious to be effective.

5) Earworms are the perfect tool

There’s no better way to stay on someone’s mind than with a catchy jingle or phrase. Some of the biggest brands in the world have memorable catchlines, and when done right, they can skyrocket in popularity.

GoCompare

Car insurance has a wide target audience – car drivers live all over the country and exist within a very broad age bracket. So, how could GoCompare design a campaign that would appeal to so many people? Their inescapable advert ‘Tenor’ featured an opera singer telling viewers to choose GoCompare for insurance comparisons.

The advert has been criticised as annoying, but its longevity and GoCompare’s success seem to outweigh the complaints. Whether you view it as light-hearted fun or an irritating nuisance, audiences across the UK have probably had the tune stuck in their head at some point. The Guardian even reported that the catchy jingle was the most-played music in adverts in the whole of 2012. Annoying or not, it was certainly effective.

SafeStyle ‘Buy One Get One Free’

Although everyone loves a good sing-song, it’s not necessarily just songs that can be catchy. Many Brits will remember SafeStyle’s TV frontman Jeff Brown, who told viewers that ‘You buy one, you get one free’.

‘Buy One Get One Free’ aka ‘BOGOF’ is a common marketing tactic used by brands to sell products. However, SafeStyle’s comedic adverts firmly planted their ads into the minds of the British public whenever they heard the phrase. Maybe it was the strong Northern accent, or the bizarreness of the ad on the whole, but this advert soon became famous (or infamous) for its phrase.

SafeStyle recently tried to move away from their previous campaigns, taking a more serious approach. But, it’s safe to say that many Brits will remember them for their iconic marketing campaign back in the day.

6) Brits love a celeb cameo

PG Tips

PG Tips ads famously featured dynamic duo Monkey and Al. Although Monkey became a popular mascot for the brand, it was Johnny Vegas’ portrayal of Al which really left a lasting impression. The comedian’s strong Lancashire pronunciation of Monkey as ‘Munkeh’ was widely quoted and associated with the brand. Although it’s not everyone’s tea bag of choice, it’s hard to think of a more iconic campaign for the quintessential British beverage.

What’s so clever about celebrity mascots for brands is that they’re going to appear in non-advertisement spaces. Johnny Vegas has appeared on a wide range of TV shows, from Celebrity Gogglebox to Benidorm. We’re well aware of Vegas’ success as a comedian, but there have also definitely been moments of: “Oh look, it’s the PG Tips guy!” One of Vegas’ most associated catchphrases is indeed ‘Munkeh’, so PG Tips did a great job in establishing their brand identity with a popular comedian.

Just Eat and Snoop Dogg

Just Eat were finding that lots of consumers found their jingle annoying, so they needed a way to make it cooler. And what better way than enlisting the help of Snoop Dogg?

Creating a rap version of the brand’s jingle, the ad undeniably made a fun watch on screens. Thanks to this move, the brand saw a 50% increase in consumers who said they were willing to order from Just Eat. Two thirds of viewers also said that Snoop Dogg’s involvement made them feel more positively about Just Eat as a business. It just goes to show how much celebrity endorsement can influence the public!

7) Viral doesn’t always mean profit

Evian babies

In the days when going viral seems to be the be all and end all of marketing, it’s important to remember that campaigns should be driving sales too. Most of us fondly remember Evian’s dancing babies campaign, and the brand even recreated the ad once more in 2019. We can’t deny that the advert was a huge viral success, and it was difficult to find someone who hadn’t seen the hilarious video. However, the same year that their ad campaign went viral, Evian’s sales dropped 25%. Seems shocking for a campaign that attracted 50 million views in a year, right?

A theory for Evian’s mishap was that they didn’t establish their brand strongly enough within the video, like we saw with Moneysupermarket or GoCompare. It’s an important lesson to learn – although a viral campaign can be exciting, it still needs to successfully push consumers to support your business.

Global email marketing software market to reach $2.5bn by 2027
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The global market for Email Marketing Software is projected to reach a revised size of $2.5 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 9.2% from $1.3 billion in  2020.

On-Premise, one of the segments analysed in the ReportLinker research, is projected to record 5.4% CAGR and reach $856.1 million by the end of the analysis period.

After an early analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Cloud segment is readjusted to a revised 11.8% CAGR for the next 7-year period.

The Email Marketing Software market in the US is estimated at $364.5 million in 2020. China, the world’s second largest economy, is forecast to reach a projected market size of $504.3 million by 2027, trailing a CAGR of 12.2% over the analysis period.

Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 6% and 7.7% respectively over the 2020-2027 period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 6.9% CAGR.

Immersive virtual reality tech has vast potential in marketing – but a dark side too…
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As an immersive technology, virtual reality (VR) has vast marketing potential to materialise consumers’ desires, says Dr. Chloe Preece, Associate Professor of Marketing at ESCP Business School.

However, it also has a dark side where it can be used to better conceal the current power asymmetries which capitalist systems depend upon.

Alongside colleagues from Royal Holloway and King’s College London, Dr. Preece co-authored a study on how VR is portrayed in the media.

Their findings were drawn from analysis of 146 texts collected over a two-year period, including news articles, white papers, fiction stories, and more.

The researchers discovered that most of the time, in 85% of cases, VR is portrayed in positive terms by the media.

Such views emphasise VR’s potential for improving the economy and its unique ability to place people in others’ shoes, which could contribute to tackling societal issues.

Negative views of VR portrayed it as an addictive and isolating technology, cutting people off in imaginary worlds. These portrayals also suggested VR could contribute to the exploitation of people’s personal data.

In a marketing context, successful practices convince potential customers that they will have a better future if they invest in a product or service. VR is a tool uniquely suited to this because of its ability to artificially create consumers’ idealised visions of the future.

But the researchers warn that people must be aware of how their hopes, desires, and visions of the future can be manipulated by commercial markets in this way.

To convey the potential positive and negative consequences of VR’s expanding role in the UK and other national economies, the researchers created an interactive online game to accompany their research paper.

“Creating an interactive narrative helps us emphasise how VR, as an immersive technology, can give consumers a perceived feeling of agency. The illusion of choice we offer players serves to communicate that, beneath the surface, their decisions are limited by powerful historical, political and social forces,” says Dr. Preece.

The study was published in The Journal of Marketing Management, and a link to the interactive narrative can be found here: https://canukl.github.io/vrsociotechnicalimaginaries/

Marketers use just 42% of their ‘martech stack’ capabilities
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Marketers report utilising just 42% of the breadth of capabilities available in their martech stack overall, down from 58% in 2020.

Gartner surveyed 324 marketers in May and June 2022 to determine the state of marketing technology acquisition, adoption and use.

“CMOs reported allocating a quarter of their entire marketing expense budgets to marketing technologies in 2022,” said Benjamin Bloom, VP Analyst in the Gartner Marketing practice.

“Despite turbulent budgets in previous years and current economic headwinds, tech investments are a priority for CMOs and proving their ROI is more crucial than ever,” Bloom said. “Yet the challenges associated with martech underutilization, such as new business models and disrupted customer journeys, are making it difficult for marketers to demonstrate technology’s value.”

The 16 percentage point drop in overall martech utilization in the past two years can be attributed to a significant amount of overlap among marketing technology solutions (30% of respondents), difficulty identifying and recruiting talent to drive adoption/utilization (28%), and complexity/sprawl of the marketing technology ecosystem (27%).

Martech Stacks Prepare for a Cookieless Future With New Adtech and Commerce Capabilities

One of the tools identified by survey respondents that support innovative marketing channels was social commerce, with 62% of respondents saying they have deployed, or plan to deploy, such technology (see Figure 1). Technology to support advertising execution and measurement in audio and streaming/connected TV (CTV) environments has also found a base of support, with 65% of respondents exploring or piloting associated technologies.

Figure 1. How Marketing Leaders Are Leveraging Technology to Support Emerging Activities (% of Respondents)

Source: Gartner (September 2022)

Marketers also indicated interest in commercial activity within more emerging technologies. This includes the metaverse and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), with 62% exploring or piloting technology to support metaverse advertising and 59% exploring or piloting technology to enable creation of NFTs.

“The fact that marketers are already leveraging technology to support emerging activities underscores their desire to outfox the competition and get a head start on controlling their own destinies in a world of more fallible identifiers,” said Bloom.

To maximize the value of martech investments, Gartner recommends marketing leaders:

  • Infuse marketing technology adoption and utilization goals into team performance objectives to minimize wasted investments.
  • Manage the risk of expensive integrated suite investments. Establish alternatives to preserve negotiation leverage and persistently validate the vendor’s ability to support desired martech capabilities.
  • Review the approach to supporting customer journey orchestration with technology to ensure that martech and IT collaborate through capability-focused delivery teams using an iterative approach.
  • Avoid leaving investments in tools and technologies for social commerce, podcast advertising and CTV/over-the-top (OTT) streaming advertising to agencies or service providers by default. Pursue long-term in-house capability development around these tools and include them in their martech roadmap.

68% of UK marketers are embracing hybrid working
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More than two thirds (68%) of UK marketers are embracing a hybrid approach to work to support their teams in the creation of new ideas having overcome the challenges of the past two years.

That’s according to research from digital experience platform (DXP) provider Optimizely, which concluded that creativity is critical in driving strong customer experiences.

The Marketer Experience study, based on a global survey of in-house marketing professionals, including 200 in the UK, explores attitudes and approaches to creativity. It reveals that 85% of UK marketers say as long as communication is effective, creative ideation will happen no matter where teams are.

The report also shows that physical presence is not the only factor impacting creative behaviours, with UK marketers citing the following as the top five barriers to driving creativity over the past two years:

  1. A lack of urgency (32%)
  2. Limited or lack of access to good collaboration tools (31%)
  3. Engaging remote employees during virtual meetings (31%)
  4. Leadership team putting pressure on outcomes and results (29%)
  5. Motivating employees to develop creative ideas (28%)

A hybrid working environment also supports the ways in which UK workers find their creative inspiration, with 43% drawing on interpersonal communications with peers and/or colleagues, 41% from social media such as TikTok, Instagram and Twitter, and 40% through internet research. More than one third (37%) also find inspiration from attending events, either in-person or virtual.

Download the Optimizely report; “The 2022 Marketer’s Experience: Hybrid Work Impacts Delivery of Exceptional Customer Experiences.”

Marketing analytics are only influencing 53% of decisions
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Marketing analytics are responsible for influencing just over half (53%) of marketing decisions, according to a survey by Gartner.

In May and June 2022, Gartner surveyed 377 users of marketing analytics to explore the role of marketing analytics in decision making.

“CMOs often believe that achieving marketing data integration goals will lead to greater influence and increased value of marketing analytics,” said Joseph Enever, Sr. Director Analyst in the Gartner Marketing practice. “The reality is that better data won’t increase marketing analytics’ decision influence alone. CMOs must address the real challenges — cognitive biases and the need for a data-informed culture.”

The survey found that the quantity of marketing decisions that analytics influences does matter: Organizations that report marketing analytics influence fewer than 50% of decisions are more likely to agree that they are unable to prove the value of marketing. Once marketing analytics teams cross that 50% threshold, there are likely diminishing returns to striving to increase the quantity of decisions influenced.

“By 2023, Gartner expects 60% of CMOs will slash the size of their marketing analytics department in half because of failed promised improvements,” said Enever.

Top Barriers to Marketing Analytics’ Influence: Data Quality Challenges and Cognitive Biases

Consumers of marketing analytics continue to cite evergreen data management challenges as the top reason analytics are not used when making decisions. The challenges of “data are inconsistent across sources” and “data are difficult to access” rose to the top in this year’s survey.

Marketing organizations regularly respond to these challenges by integrating more data or acquiring different technology seen as a fix-all approach to marketing data management — yet they fail to realize tangible impacts on key outcomes. For example, marketers experience diminishing marginal returns on data integration when pursuing a 360-degree view of the customer.

Barriers to the use of marketing analytics in decision making are not always caused by data integration challenges unique to marketing — rather, much of this boils down to people and/or process problems.

For instance, key cognitive biases are at the root of marketing analytics’ influence plateau. One-third of respondents reported that decision makers cherry-pick data to try to tell a story that aligns with their preconceived decision or opinion.

In addition, roughly a quarter of respondents said that decision makers do not review the information provided by the marketing analytics team (26%), reject their recommendations (24%), or rely on gut instincts to ultimately make their choice (24%).

CMOs must address these challenges by:

  • Tracking the decisions that are made based on analytics to provide a current state of view and areas to improve. Identify examples of marketing analytics work that provided actionable recommendations to a marketing campaign or program. Marketing leaders should encourage their team to look for patterns in decision-making habits and to document the types of decisions they influence.
  • Combatting cherry-picking. Set KPIs and metrics before launching a new campaign or marketing strategy, not after the data has already started to come in.
  • Encouraging senior leaders to set an example. Avoid being a HiPPO (Highest Paid Person’s Opinion) and actually allow data to inform, or change, decisions.
  • Establish analytics upskilling programs that account for differing workflows and resource constraints across the marketing organization. Build personas that detail how different employees need to use data in their roles and prioritize training sessions that best enable participants to learn the skills they need to perform their job.

Getting sentimental: Why printed football programmes still matter
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With a growing number of iconic football teams switching to digital football programmes, print and design experts Solopress delve into football memorabilia and look at why items like printed programmes may have more staying power than you think…

COVID-19 had a significant impact on the world as we know it with the sports industry taking a severe hit in terms of ticket sales, with fans not permitted to attend games and get in on the action. Naturally, the restrictions also resulted in a decline in sales of match-day programmes, one of the most favoured forms of match-day memorabilia.

In light of this, the BBC’s recent article Are Paper Football Programmes on Their Way Out? debated the value of the printed programme over digital versions, but rightly points out that physical programmes are still in demand due to customers wanting something tangible to flick through, especially when the match is a ‘big historic occasion’.

With a rising number of clubs such as Blackburn Rovers, Bristol City and Derby County already making the switch to digital programmes to accommodate last-minute changes, brochure and programme printing experts Solopress look at why items like printed programmes may have more staying power than you think and reveal the future as to where programmes are likely to head.

Football Programmes Through the Years

Interestingly, the first football programmes in history were published roughly the same time as the launch of the Football League back in 1888, but they were originally used as scorecards. These early programmes were made up of a single sheet detailing the date, team names and player positions. One of the first clubs to publish a programme that celebrated club news was Aston Villa. Their iteration of the printed programme, the “Villa News and Record”, was in journal form, providing a different number and volume for each season.

Before World War I, the football programme had evolved into a more substantial print, providing fans with 4-8 pages of content. However, the paper shortage just before World War II meant fewer match programmes were produced. Post-war prints were also few and far between due to the devastating impacts of the war. This meant that programmes printed during this period are extremely rare and hold huge collector appeal.

A rise in popularity over later decades and the availability of more sophisticated printing methods led to programmes transforming into thick, glossy, full-coloured pages containing relevant club news, key statistics and a statement from the club manager. The quality of paper programmes in terms of both print and design has also improved significantly. This is because printing capabilities have progressed and the level of design expertise available has increased as new generations of graphic designers have emerged.

Bringing Programmes into the Digital Age

Today, due to the sales of match-day programmes falling during COVID-19, clubs were left with a surplus of unsold copies after games were postponed at short notice; thus, more and more clubs are taking their programmes online. Renowned clubs Blackburn Rovers, Bristol City and Swansea City are among the bigger clubs making to switch to digital programmes, with content including news, behind-the-scenes snapshots, features, exclusive interviews and a round-up of fixtures. Many of these programmes are also free of charge to fans, whilst allowing access to the same valuable content.

Whilst these programmes may offer the enticement of a digital archive, accessible at just the click of a button, there is no denying the sentimental value of having something physical in hand that serves as a souvenir and contributes to a memorable match day experience.

Although football programmes have changed massively from their humble beginnings, what has remained a constant throughout the years is the fans behind the programme and their desire to have a lasting physical representation of the memories made at their favourite matches. The enthusiasm of those that produce and sell the programmes remains a vital part of the match day experience.

The Rise of Football Fanzines

Football Fanzines are hardly new – the first football fanzine, Foul, was released in 1972, whilst fanzine The City Genthas been going strong since November 1984 – but their increasing popularity may give traditional printed programmes reason to re-evaluate their approach. Whilst official matchday programmes are a formal and professional affair, the fanzine acts as an antithesis to this, blending cheeky humour with on-the-nose commentary which is a perfect match for UK football culture. Whether it’s the Queens Park Rangers fanzine A Kick up the Rs or Scarborough Athletic FC’s Abandon Chip!, these unofficial publications often resonate with fans in ways that traditional programmes struggle to do, written by and for passionate football fans. Recent years have also seen the rise of supporter websites and online fanzine publications, which likewise offer up-to-date insights and stories. Whilst official printed publications still need to maintain a degree of professionalism as they represent their club, some programmes could do with taking a leaf out of the fanzines’ books and innovate more with the addition of humour, fun fan stories and lighthearted commentary or “did you know” facts about players to help maintain the attention of fans.

Why Print is Still Important

Solopress have been delivering high-quality printed materials since 1999 and have printed programmes throughout the football pyramid from professional clubs down to non-league clubs. Whilst they acknowledge that it’s time to evolve the beloved matchday staple into a new era, they maintain that the printed programme will remain important to fans for years to come due to its sentimental value and the impact it has on the overall match-day experience.

With 72% of consumers preferring to read printed versions of books and magazines, it’s easy to see the long-term value of the printed football programme, with it providing a single, reliable source of information for a match. Older age groups are also at risk of becoming alienated without the option of printed programmes, with over 75s highlighted as the age group least likely to use the internet and only 15 per cent of the nearly two million offline individuals having an interest in getting online at all.

Glen Eckett, Head of Marketing at Solopress shares: “Without printed programmes, you are clearly isolating some of your fan base, particularly the older demographic who may not be as tech-savvy.” Glen also raises the point that printed programmes help to take the match-day experience to new heights and add to the overall anticipation of the game; “People look forward to the anticipation of match day, right down to programme sellers greeting them in front of the stadium.”

“Going fully digital would diminish the overall match-day experience for a sizeable portion of the fanbase. A match is always special to someone and it’s important to consider those moments, like a grandfather taking his grandson to see his first match and wanting something to remember it by.”

Sentimentality & Souvenir Value

Whilst there is the obvious advantage of additional revenue for football clubs with the printed programme, one of the main things that we stand to lose by going online is the memories associated with physical copies. Glen upholds that the printed programme is something that is still treasured by many and has the power to inspire fans young and old. “Printed programmes can be the difference between young supporters remembering the game and going on to become lifelong supporters themselves or turning away from the game.”

He also explains that the sentimental value of printed programmes shouldn’t be underestimated: “The key advantages of the printed programme are the sentimentality and souvenir value that they hold. You’ll find that more people will purchase for big matches such as their first game and this is something I think will live on.”

Collectability

The collectable nature of physical programmes also makes them inherently valuable, especially to the “ground hopper” that makes a hobby of touring stadiums and collecting memorabilia. For the floating football fan market that exists today, not having the option of a printed programme could be a potential dealbreaker as it is fundamental to them and their overall experience of the game.

Many printed programmes have gone on to be hugely sought-after, with the oldest-known programme from the 1882 FA Cup final (Old Etonians vs Blackburn Rovers) being auctioned for a staggering £30,000 in 2013 and a single-sheet programme from the Manchester United versus Bristol City 1909 FA Cup final being sold for £23,500 in 2012. The first final programme from the old Wembley, dating back to 1923, is another hot commodity for collectors and is worth around £1,000. Similarly, the 1966 England vs West Germany programme is considered one of the most highly prized programmes in sport, demonstrating the rarity and unique appeal of printed programmes throughout the ages.

A Time for Innovation

Whilst the power of the printed football programme is undisputed given the sentimentality they hold for thousands of fans and their appeal for collectors, there is no avoiding the fact that to meet the demands of fans in the modern age, football clubs must innovate.

Although design and print innovation has come a long way since the production of the early programmes, the format of content has remained static, indicating that this is the area that should be transformed to create a more engaging experience for fans.

Glen identifies an opportunity for innovation in relation to printed football programmes and shares his views on the direction that should be taken. “Today, fans have a vast amount of information at their fingertips, whereas previously the programme would be their sole source of information. A lot of people that have purchased a football programme will likely have a phone in their hand at the same time scrolling through football news, therefore, it is time to reimagine what football programmes can be with offline and online working together.”

“Whilst clubs need to rethink the format of the printed programme, they don’t need to be a thing of the past. Programmes have the potential to form an integral part of football’s future, but it’s about seeing how print and digital can work in tandem to bring something new to the table.”

Are We Headed Towards Hybrid Football Programmes?

The prospect of “hybrid” football programmes that combine print and digital could lead to a range of exciting possibilities for clubs to creatively engage with their fans, from QR codes that lead to additional content to augmented reality (AR) and gamification elements linked to the printed programme.

There is evidence to suggest that this marriage of print and digital could be on the horizon, with Queens Park Rangers launching the first English AR match day programme that did not require an app in 2021. Fans were instructed to scan the QR code on the programme or on posters around the stadium to access exclusive content.

Similarly, Arsenal FC utilised AR technology to create a unique programme that enabled fans to select their squad for the match ahead, Captain’s Notes from a virtual Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, player profiles, quick-fire interviews and exclusive training ground footage. The innovative programme was developed to allow fans to recreate the match day experience in their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the creativity and innovation being exhibited by some major clubs today, it is easy to envision a future where printed programmes can work in sync with digital content to deliver a brand-new matchday experience to loyal supporters. Glen concludes, “The more clubs that take this step forward, the more that others will see the virtues of it. I think it’s going to be vital for football clubs to innovate and bring the printed programme into the future.”

“There is a definite long-term future for the printed programme in the case of non-league games that have more traditional values, especially since non-league football attendances skyrocketed since COVID-19 when people were unable to access professional stadiums. Regardless of league or football club, it is such a fundamental part of the game and we believe in the ability for the football programme to evolve.”

ICO hits Halfords with fine for unwanted marketing emails
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The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined Halfords Limited £30,000 for sending 498,179 unsolicited marketing emails to people without their consent.

Halfords came to the attention of the ICO following complaints in relation to a direct marketing email about a “Fix Your Bike” government voucher scheme, which was sent on 28 July 2020.

The government scheme allowed people to use a voucher worth up to £50 towards the cost of repairing a bicycle in any approved retailers or mechanics in England. However, Halfords’ marketing email encouraged people to book a free bike assessment and to redeem the voucher at their chosen Halfords store. This amounting to marketing its services which would generate income for the company.

The ICO investigation found that Halfords’ email message clearly advertised a service provided by the company, and that Halfords could not rely on legitimate interest to send the marketing email, as claimed by the company.

According to electronic marketing rules, legitimate interest cannot be used as an alternative to consent when sending electronic marketing messages. The soft opt-in exemption however, allows organisations to send electronic marketing messages to customers whose details have been obtained during the course of a sale or negotiations for similar services, but it must offer a simple way for people to opt out.

The ICO ruled that Halfords could not rely on the soft opt-in exemption for customers that received the email, as they had already not opted in to receive emails from the company.

Head of Investigations, Andy Curry said: “It is against the law to send marketing emails or texts to people without their permission. Not only this, it is a violation of their privacy rights as well as being frustrating and downright annoying.

“Halfords are a household name and we expect companies like them to know and act better. This incident does not reflect well on the internal advice or processes and therefore a fine was warranted in this case. This also sends a message to similar organisations to review their electronic marketing operations, and that we will take necessary action if they break the law.”

Economy will make digital planning difficult to navigate in 2023
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Business leaders who plan for “business as usual” modest spending increases in the year ahead will fall short, due to an unpredictable and turbulent economy, so will need to tackle planning with discipline and precision in order to trim waste, experiment, and make bold, smart investments.

That’s the conclusion of Forrester’s latest Planning Guides, which provide benchmark data and insights to help technology, marketing, digital, CX, product and sales leaders prioritise 2023 budget investments.

The reports highlight where to increase investment and cut spending, as well as which emerging technologies to experiment with in 2023. Key insights from Forrester’s 2023 Planning Guides include:

Areas to increase investment in 2023:

  • Customer insights and engagement. With 2023 unlikely to look like any past recession, many assumptions about customers and their behavior will be rendered useless. Leaders should invest in new customer data and analytics tools, such as experience research platforms (XPRs), to sharpen audience targeting strategies.
  • Technologies that improve CX and reduce costs. Current economic headwinds will require focusing on technology tuned for optimization and resilience. Leaders should invest in tools that drive loyalty and reduce operational costs, such as robotic process automation (RPA) and agent-assist apps.

Areas to decrease investment in 2023:

  • Technical debt — including cloud. Many thought the cloud would be the antidote to technical debt, but yesterday’s lifted-and-shifted workloads are now debt themselves given how inefficient to operate and difficult to upgrade they are. In 2023, leaders should consider early cloud deployments as candidates for technical debt reductions.
  • Low-quality data partners and innovation outsourcing. Partners will continue to play an important role in growth, but two key areas are ripe for cuts. As the quality of third-party data continues to drop, leaders should streamline these partnerships to only those that add value to customer relationships. Second, firms that relied too heavily on partners for digital innovation during the pandemic-induced digital sprint should bring more innovation in house.

Areas for experimentation in 2023:

  • Extended reality, the metaverse, and Web3 that offer immersive experiences. These interlinked — and arguably overhyped — technologies hold the promise of immersive experiences linked to token-based ecosystems that use cryptocurrencies and public blockchains. Leaders in consumer industries should experiment with metaverse precursor platforms such as Roblox and Decentral to open doors to new audiences.
  • Intelligent agents that make experiences more human. An intelligent agent (IA) can make decisions or perform a service based on its environment, user input, and experiences. Leaders should plan to experiment with IAs on an ongoing basis to utilize their full potential.

“Leaders are faced with navigating a tumultuous business landscape defined by global unrest, supply chain instability and soaring inflation, as well as the ongoing aftermath of the pandemic,” said Sharyn Leaver, chief research officer at Forrester. “Tackling 2023 budget planning is a daunting task, but Forrester’s Planning Guides will help leaders make more strategic and disciplined decisions to drive business growth at a time of such uncertainty.”