Why sustainability through technology is central to the event industry’s future

Few positives have resulted from the deadly coronavirus pandemic, but the effect on our Earth is unmistakable. Carbon dioxide emissions have decreased by 5%, and pollution is declining globally. The public’s response to this indicates that there will be a renewed energy toward sustainable initiatives. Once people can safely gather again and live events come back, it’s likely that a new level of concern for the planet will have taken hold, so experiential marketers should plan to evolve...

21 September 2020 | Best Practice

The thin line between real and online life is narrowing further with Covid-19 – and marketers need to react

The disruption and uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic has naturally seen consumer behaviour shift drastically. Remote working and eCommerce trends feel as though they have shifted inexorably, with work-life balance becoming re-evaluated in favour of the latter. The question is: which of these behaviours will stick, and form 'the new normal' longer-term?

Before their session at DMWF Virtual tomorrow (September 16), Naomi Morrice and Taylor Dickson, research analyst and research...

15 September 2020 | Best Practice

Don’t just address compliance as part of your marketing strategy – embrace it

Session When it comes to marketing, trust is sometimes considered something of a dirty word. Pre-GDPR, it was almost laughable. Yes, you can trust us not to hawk your data to any Tom, Dick or Harry going. You can also trust us that our product does exactly what we say it does, and that you won't get a few bills down the line because you neglected to read the small print.

The wheels are in motion for those who blatantly transgress, though the cogs can take a while to whirr. For the...

11 September 2020 | Attribution

Why digital accessibility is now essential in the pandemic era

In a matter of weeks, Covid-19 achieved what years of lobbying and education had not - convincing organisations of the importance of making sure digital assets - like websites, emails and mobile apps - are easy to use and simple to navigate.

With the sudden upswing in digital demand and the almost overnight disappearance of physical interactions - it’s become clear how someone who cannot leave their home is forced to rely on digital channels, and how frustrating it is for them...

14 August 2020 | Best Practice

Consumers who rely on social media for news are less informed. Where do we go from here?

Opinion A major new study from Pew Research has found US adults who predominantly get their political news from social media are less likely than other consumers to closely follow major news stories. But what is underpinning this?

The study, which analysed surveys conducted between October 2019 and June 2020, argued that US adults who rely most on social media for news tend to be younger, are less likely to be white, and have lower levels of education than those who use several...

6 August 2020 | Content Marketing

Tech behemoths maintain brand dominance as sustainability is key, says Kantar

Tech companies continue to dominate the biggest global brand lists - as the latest ranking from WPP and Kantar shows the largest brands are in a solid position to recover and thrive post-Covid-19.

The 2020 BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands ranking saw Amazon retain top spot and Apple again secure second place, with Microsoft and Google swapping places for third and fourth. The latter was down to a 30% brand value change for Microsoft compared with last year, although this...

30 June 2020 | Branding

How marketing can be a force for good – with Covid-19 helping showcase brand empathy

A few weeks ago, I was all set to appear at Big Data AI World, on a panel about the impact of AI on ethical marketing and advertising. It occurred to me that the subject matter was quite niche when the broader issue – marketing for good – is immense and wide-reaching. I wondered therefore if there was any appetite for readers here to find out more about why and how I believe marketing can be a force for good.

In fact, I didn’t get around to writing until this weekend,...

14 April 2020 | Branding

Gillette, Unilever, TOMS Footwear: Three strong examples of purpose-led marketing

DTC brands are eating CPG companies' proverbial lunch and upending conventional retail models. The secret to success is rooted in their go-to-market strategy, which is based on espousing values shared by their consumer base. These shared values in turn fuel purpose; publicly standing for something emasses legions of fierce brand loyalists who share the same beliefs. These consumers, many of whom are the all-desirable younger generations, act as a catalyst for growth through vigorous...

7 April 2020 | Best Practice

Stop hurting yourself, SEO: Why the industry needs to get its house in order – quickly

Opinion Marketing is coming to terms with a new world order. Until last year, that looked like a gradual but fairly smooth transition. In 2019, two of its industries took a beating.

One was advertising. The other was SEO. While the advertising industry was being attacked, by and large, by aggressors outside its control – an increasingly fragmented media landscape, its own increasing fragmentation, budget and time pressures and a shift in the balance of power between client and...

11 March 2020 | Advertising

CMO evolution: Understanding the need for change but fearing not keeping up

CMOs have a problem. Their role is changing, from exploring customer engagement and adding to the sales pipeline, to one of more consistent growth. Yet a new report warns that a potential recession has led to an overall negative feeling among marketing chiefs.

Chief Outsiders polled more than 50 of its CMO consultants – executives with senior experience at Fortune 500 level now working at mid-sized organisations – last month to give their verdicts.

According to...

9 March 2020 | Advertising