For our thinking to stay sharp it's vital to stay informed. So we're forever updating ourselves on the diverse world of marketing trends and news. And we thought we'd share some of our more fascinating finds with you. But knowing what a busy lot you are we've condensed them for you into little bite size pieces. Every month expect the latest developments, the highs and lows and a whole lot of interesting insights, from our own point of view.
Issue 1
Is the PC dead?
No we're not talking political correctness but desktop computers. The omnipresent Google are launching a new free service later this year (launch date being kept top secret) that will enable you to access your computer files from any device with an internet connection. Called "GDrive" the product will dovetail with its Gmail offering and has clear implications for both workplaces and our personal lives. Will be interesting to see how they address the potential security issues. We expect mobile phone brands to be rubbing their hands with glee, less so at Microsoft Corp.
Stuff the turkey, let's go shopping
Whilst the traditionalists amongst us were having a snooze, watching telly and playing games on Christmas Day, 3.8 million people switched on their PCs and went shopping, spending a collective amount of £102 million. The big retailers are already clearly switched onto this trend, having starting their online clearance sales when stores shut their doors on Christmas Eve.
Slap on the wrists for high street retailers
On the back of a recent e-retail sales index, this commentary offers up some advice on e-tail for 2009. The essence of it is correct, if a little scathing. After all, we have to applaud the likes of Boots, Currys, John Lewis, M&S, Tesco et al for making inroads with their multi-channel propositions. And, in a move from channel-first to customer-first thinking, we fully expect 2009 to be a year when many retailers look to improve their e-tail strategies and investment in epos software.
It's amazing what we can learn from iPod
Well done to the University of Derby for their innovative move in giving some students iPods loaded with video tutorials, in an effort to make education more dynamic and relevant to its students. A great example of addressing the needs of the Y Generation. As an aside, in nearby Stoke-on-Trent a high school has been enticing pupils to attend revision sessions by offering junk food. Jamie O will not be pleased.
What would you do if your agency asked you who they should fire?
Maybe it's a cultural thing. But when we found out Brussels agency So Nice sent out an email to their clients asking them which of their employees they should fire, we cringed. The email linked to a website containing information each employee had put up about themselves in a ‘last bid saloon' attempt to keep their jobs. The agency claimed that clients had been late in paying their bills, putting their business in financial jeopardy and this tact was taken out of frustration. Apparently it worked in a bizarre self-promotion kind of way and the agency is doing better than ever. But if you had been one of their clients, would you have fired the agency and suggested they change their name?
What will you miss when newspapers disappear?
The subject of this article is close to our hearts as we have worked for a good number of years developing brand, sales and marketing activity for both national and regional newspapers. Sadly, the question is posed not "if" but "when". And although the article has an American bias, what happens over the not so vast Atlantic will inevitably impact on us Brits. But back to the question. Yes, the web does give us tons of information. But it's very disparate. (In fact, that's the very premise of why we've put together a digest like this.) The absolutely lovely thing about newspapers is their self-containment. And of course their unique personalities - we have relationships with our favourite newspapers. They don't just impart news but talk to us, make us think differently, task our brains whilst we tackle crosswords we know and love. There is an assumption that life without newspapers will be a better one but we will continue to lament.
Google fails
Now there's a headline many of us didn't expect to see. But the mighty Google has closed down its Print Ads service to the news industry. This online auction service allowed advertisers to select candidate newspapers from a list of criteria, submit an offer, then "simply" create and pay for your ad. They even offer an ad creation tool, citing a sample ad for travelingdog.net, with coupon code of "doggie". And we wonder why it didn't take off. Stick to the knitting guys. Safe to say we're not shedding a tear about the demise of this one.
Grannies go green
Don't know about you but we love our grannies. They are spectacularly under-rated, not least for their canniness. For those of you who live north of the border, let us translate: they know how to make something from nothing. Oxfam have cleverly spotted the benefit of combining eco with economics, and have recruited green grannies to give us advice on everything from cooking with leftovers to how to stay warm at night. And as with all 21st century grannies, they'll soon have their own YouTube channel. A great idea.
More power to fat
Not so much a cottage industry but a garage one. This smart home-engineered invention, Vegawatt, turns restaurants' waste cooking oil and grease into on-site electricity and hot water. The clever people behind this have figured out that businesses could save over $10,000 a year at a lease cost of $435 a month. Adds up to us. And, hey ho, you get respect for going green all at the same time. Bet our grannies would approve.
The daddy of caddies
This was definitely not built in the back yard. Cadillac's concept car makes the batmobile look like it came out of the cave-times. Powered by a thorium based nuclear battery and with 24 wheels and a flexible, muscle-like body, it can (apparently) run for a century without you needing to go anywhere near a garage. In car circles it's known as the WTF car, officially an abbreviation for World Thorium Fuel but knowing you car folk very well, we know better...
How do you measure up?
Effective marketing is fast becoming more about ROC than ROI. Apologies to all you acronym-haters, that's Return on Customer. And here's a company geared up to help you do this. Measureup.com is a customer service rating site, set up by an entrepreneur who was frustrated at the lack of good service. Hear, hear we champion! Manners maketh man, and all that. But we can forget the old adage, the customer is always right. The interesting twist in this offering is that it is a 2 way street. Here you are encouraged to enter into conversation with your customer. And given the level of importance word of mouth marketing has, it is probably a good idea to do so. Only downside is it has a largely US customer base.
The price of snow
Don't you just love snow - it's fun and brings out the kid in all of us. Except, of course, if you run a business; then it becomes pretty serious stuff. If people cannot get to work, this can amount to zero productivity. And zero productivity costs. In fact, the boffins at The FSB have calculated that the severe weather conditions could cost UK businesses around £1bn. Not a warming thought. Hot chocolate anyone?
Game profits show them to be clear winners
As some competitors' doors shut and others experience stocking difficulties, Game Group plc buck the depressing retail trend with a strong market performance. Whilst games retailing can be low margin, the figures clearly show that this is a good business to be in. Perhaps aided by the comforting fact of computer games topping the Christmas gift lists and support from heavyweights Nintendo - with its £6m pre-Xmas UK marketing push - and Sony's PS3 digital and TV campaign.
Dire Straits Gather for DSG
January is always a tough month. And the start of the year has been especially hard on most retailers. One high street stalwart feeling the cold is Dixons Store Group International, who are reported to be making cutbacks including marketing spend. This follows on the back of a pre-Christmas period that was, in the words of its group chief executive, "so slow it was slightly concerning".
Good food news
At last some good news on the retail front. Four top companies in the grocery sector are looking to create a whopping 21,500+ new jobs between them this year. Combined with Asda's pledge of 7,000 new jobs this is a heartening statistic. The grocery sector is likely to fare better than other retail sectors in the recession, thanks to people staying in rather than going out, the basic fact that food is an essential purchase and the trend towards treating ourselves more with foodie delights, as they are seen an "affordable luxury".
2009 brings shifting consumer spend priorities
PwC undertook national research last year on consumers' top spending priorities in 2009. This identified some clear casualties including spending on clothing, eating & drinking out and short breaks, which all tumbled from April to November. Debt improvement, main holidays and minor home improvements took the top three positions.
House prices record biggest fall in 50 years
Spare a thought for those in the property sector. According to Nationwide, average house prices fell almost 16% last year, making it the biggest drop in half a century. And if that's not enough to make a grown estate agent weep, house sales have dropped over 60% year on year. But the downward spiral is not over yet - analysts claim it's got further to go.
The new grown up breed of soft drinks
In the wake of the new year, many of us have resolved to be healthier and drink less booze, and as a result will no doubt have resorted to gulping our children's juice. After all, fizzy drinks and squash are still by and large for the kids - despite the best marketing efforts to make them appeal to us grown ups. Some companies are planning to bridge that gap with a range of adult-taste orientated soft drinks. Expect an explosion of functional, vitamin packed, fusion flavoured entrants to the market - think "organic green tea & passion fruit-ade". Mmmm.
Recession has given us more than a cold, it's made us go frozen
It's been a cold, bleak year for many. And as a result we're heading for the freezer. At the expense of premium priced chilled and fresh foods, the frozen foods market is faring well. Price is the obvious factor but it's also about waste not, want not. And one household brand has both kept its eye on the ball and been an early bird. Bird's Eye launched a half a million pound campaign, with a reach of 40% of mums, to communicate "Waste Less" as far back as May last year. Might just be paying off.
Best news since sliced bread
Apparently, 25 per cent of all bread ends up in the bin. To alleviate this shameful waste, WRAP, the waste action people, are pushing for bread manufacturers to change their ways following new legislation governing bread size laws. One famous baker gives some helpful advice: their new 600g loaf is "for shoppers who need more than a 400g loaf but not as much as an 800g". Righty-ho, clearly no need for their customers to use their loaves then.
Chocolate-proof
Regarded as virtually immune to recession, chocolate is a small indulgence, a feel-good treat for us when times are hard. But, oh dear, the cocoa bean crops are significantly down and prices of cocoa have surged. What price will this have on the lucrative chocolate market? Will we see more innovative and more premium products emerge as we are encouraged to become chocolate connoisseurs?
Interactive billboard for who knows...
This is an interesting one. On the surface, a good example of interactive digital media (increasingly being used by brands on our high streets). This e-cast billboard allows people to create their own statement or even work of art, Banksy-style. It is attributed to Sharpie, the pen people. However, after a bit of digging around we found out that Sharpie had nothing to do with it (although they wish they had) and do not know who is behind this. Perhaps it is part of a teaser campaign. Or it may even have been digitally created. Good promo for Sharpie though, without them needing to even sharpen their pencil.