marketing snacks

Purely cosmetic

2010-10-06T21:21:00.123+01:00

Photo by re_

In a world where consumers read emails and tweets with their breakfast cereal and watch YouTube clips for lunch, it is hardly surprising or new that TV ads are becoming more interactive.

It seems within the last few months, though, that a re-emergence of advertorial tv ads is occurring. Like the offline equivalent, the ads are pitched as information-based 'how-to's,' whilst clearly being sponsored by a particular brand.

Some might attribute this recent trend to the expanding information-based landscape grown by the last five years of YouTube, as explained in this classic video. However, the social and interactive element of the now expected two-way communications has evolved the need to advertise to a multiple-level of audiences, often requiring a multi-disciplinary approach.

Nowhere have I seen this become more apparent than a consumer industry such as cosmetics. Lauren Luke was a YouTube phenomenon, who has gone from a relative unknown to international success with her own make-up range, book, and even Nintendo DS game.

A BBC Inside Out documentary covering her rise to fame received over 2 million views alone, with many of her individual tutorial videos receiving over 3 million views each. It is no wonder brands are queuing up to appoint her influential skills, from launching her brand with make-up giant Sephora to guest tutorials for Barry M.

Maybelline recently tapped into the 16-24 age group in their 'how-to' advertorial with 'no stranger to red lipstick' T4 presenter Jameela Jamil interviewing a professional make-up artist. Taking this one step further for the next generation, P&G's recent Science Behind the Beauty campaign pulled together this trend with online content including a blog and accompanying website but the real proof point was taking the insight of experts a step further to scientists. The ads resemble more of a documentary reminiscent of This Morning or the One Show, and it is these longer and deeper adverts that seem to trick viewers into switching off 'advert' mode to paying attention to the informative content. When this is combined with a more interactive element, for the right audience and product this technique may prove increasingly effective.

In forthcoming months, it will not be a surprise to think that mobile and location-based apps will continue to bring this type of marketing to life, calling the audience to action in the right place at the right time.

Top of the pops

2010-09-12T23:29:00.245+01:00

When you think about music, you may be forgiven if branding isn't the first thing that comes to mind. Indeed, quality songwriting, a good rift or beat and the genre of music may be top of the list for many. However, branding the band has always fascinated me, and you only have to look as far as The X Factor to see how much of a singing, dancing, attractive, charismatic starlet you have to be just to get your foot into the audition room (unless of course you end up there for an entirely different reason).

Photo by Mike_fleming

Girls Aloud, born from music reality show (Popstars: The Rivals 2002), although now you wouldn't necessarily know it, are living proof of successful band branding. Where the Spice Girls left off (with personalities being reflected in nicknames, colours and personal style), Girls Aloud and more recent bands followed suit, such as The Saturdays and JLS. As the bands mature, management ensure they keep their own identities, but also fit together well as a group, retaining a certain element of their characteristics which keep them in the public's hearts'.

It must be no coincidence that this is all linked together, and record labels start planning the successors for the next big band, well before the current band of the moment have even gone out of fashion. A trend in recent years has been for the new unknown act to support the larger already established act on their concert tour - designed to appeal to the same target audience.

From McFly supporting Busted on tour in 2004, to Girls Aloud inviting The Saturdays on tour with them in 2008, just as they released their first singles, both newer bands cite their early success as being thanks to advice and support from their more established counterparts. Rather than being competitors, it is almost as if these bands are inexplicably linked in some way, something which appears to be unique to this marketplace.

Photo by Gene Hunt

One band which certainly seems to have brand values and expectations perfectly aligned is The Sugababes. Now on their forth incarnation since the original members formed in 1998, there are now none of the original members left, and the brand seems to have actually outlived the band itself. Although the music and image may have gone more mainstream than originally set out, there can be no denying that the collective band has been a huge success, with 18 UK top ten hits and being named the most successful female act of the 21st century. This has been achieved through consistency of message, good management and of course a good recording team behind them.

It was with interest today that I watched the Help for Heroes concert where Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow famously reunited on stage after 15 years anticipation. The element that had me gripped to the TV, and had everyone talking on Twitter this evening, was the way in which the events unfolded. I must say that (although I would admit to having a soft spot for many a boyband in the past!), I have never been the biggest Take That fan, although I can certainly appreciate their music, and thought Robbie, although a complete showman on stage was actually very good at it. But what made the seeming start of the reincarnation of the biggest male band since The Beatles so fascinating was the delivery.

Robbie wasn't just performing at the gig to honour UK service people, which 60,000 people attended and was broadcast on BBC1, he was headlining. When he actually invited Gary onto the stage to perform alongside each other, in the style of a 'special guest' rather than arguably someone who he owed much of his personal success to, there was uproar from the fans. The reason this jarred so much (aside from all the various rumours and allegations leading up to these events) I feel is more related to the positioning of these two characters as individual stars (together with the rest of the band, to some extent) and therefore how public expectation would have had them more on an equal footing (as in their new single 'Shame' would depict).

When anyone's actions, whether a commercial or personal brand doesn't match up to expectations or perceived values the outcome would usually be disappointment, leading to regret or questioning decisions made. The takeaway for marketers here would be the importance of listening to expectations and taking risks with care. And, as any good PR knows, bad experiences can be very hard to reverse. Not that this will necessarily do Gary any long-term harm, if Twitter is anything to go by, the backlash against Robbie for this will be long-lived, and the management will need to work hard to prove Robbie's humility towards Gary, the rest of the band and last decade and a half of bad blood.

Robbie & Gary's performance of their new single 'Shame' via YouTube:

Facebook - friend or foe?

2010-05-02T20:18:00.004+01:00

Don't get me wrong, I love Facebook as much as the next person. However, recently I've found myself using it less and less, and wondering why.

It could be my love of Twitter, but I think it might be something deeper.

Image: courtesy of BBC Virtual Revolution

With the informal distinction created between the two top social media platforms as Twitter being more business led and Facebook generally being used more for personal use (albeit with a side of advertising), a segregation is being drawn between our work/personal time on these sites. Although the lines continue to be blurred between work and personal use, I don't suppose I am alone in that the most I see of my Facebook account during the week is through the news-stream on my mobile and Tweetdeck. Could this be why I am spending less and less time on facebook.com?

Whilst I don't buy into the idea that Facebook should own our online identities and be the browser of the future, I do think it has an ongoing leading role in our lives. Whilst Twitter is arguably more about online presence and demonstrating knowledge, many people wouldn't be without Facebook for organising social diaries and keeping in touch with friends.

Some of the nuances of Facebook leave me cold, something I rarely find with Twitter, even with the recently-added weighting of relevant 'promoted tweets'. Firstly, I know I'm not alone in finding the seemingly endless number of re-designs irritating, as well as the application and game requests and updates - no I don't really want to know how many tulips you have grown in your virtual garden. I know the updates can be turned off, but from a usability point of view is it right that we aren't given a prompt to choose the opt out first? Even more so now that applications now have unlimited access to our personal data.

Is Facebook really loosing its way? On the other side of the coin, all kinds of brands are finding benefits from targeted Facebook campaigns, and of course there is always going to be a requirement to utilise some of the 400 million active users. However, it cannot be missed that some of the recent additions to the Facebook platform have been 'borrowed' from some of the other recent social media successes, such as location features and followers. Also, with facebook.me the idea is to publish a mini-blog based on your Facebook profile; allowing it to publish posts, comments, photos and other items. And who can forget the privacy scare of December 2009 where overnight Facebook had set all users' profile settings to 'allow' to appear in all search results?

In my opinion, Facebook could do no harm in addressing not what is making the service so popular, but what is turning some users off its' otherwise groundbreaking service, in order to keep one step ahead of the game.

Privacy is so 90's...

2010-03-13T17:49:00.001Z

More than just a flippant tweet for a t-shirt, the subject of online privacy vs. openness is now very real.

Photo by Todd Huffman

Most recently, the well-documented media coverage of concern over our online lives came when the Dutch website Please Rob Me, developed by Forthehack, was found to publish tweeple's location information from sites like fourquare.

Whilst the brains behind it insist the site was developed to point out potential dangers of the fast-growing trend for location-based tweeting and information, it is clear that it was designed to create controversy. Is awareness raising the only intention and outcome, or is there something more meaningful happening here?

In my personal view, the site is nothing more than an aggregation of collective location-based tweets, already readily available by running a foursquare search through Twitter or looking at the foursquare homepage or area-based page. However, as the site's co-founder Boy Van Amstel points out, "there was once a time when we thought twice about sharing our full name online," now it almost seems the point of sharing basic information has become a dot on the horizon. Have we gone past the point of no return?

The sites' developers say they just want to make people think twice about the information they are sharing freely online. In a world of increasing openness of our innermost thoughts, location, and even breakfast, it was only logical that a backlash would arise in concern for our online privacy. In a society which in some ways becoming increasingly disconnected, is it human nature that we would want to connect in this way? What is really the worst that can happen? This is an area where the BBC's Virtual Revolution series started a lot of people wondering if we were really paying for free and open information with our privacy. What seems to be concerning is that we are less and less concerned about the implications. This is especially prevalent, as may be expected, in the younger generation.

One of the idiosyncrasies of virtual communication is that one of the trends behind it is actually more to do with making it easier for real people to keep in touch and meet up in the real world rather than from behind a computer screen. This is certainly the original intention behind Twitter, although of course vastly different now.

More and more, the link between our online and offline worlds are becoming blurred, and whilst this is dramatic and exciting, it also brings an element of risk. Not only that, but if you consider the elements of our life which revolve around our online presence the risk increases. It may seem there is an expectation that our social lives be organised and documented by Facebook, our music and entertainment come from MySpace, our professional lives be recorded and advertised through LinkedIn, and for all of the above and more, there is Twitter and geotagging. It is no wonder we are in this situation! However, when our security is compromised, in terms of Maslow's hierarchy of needs we are getting into the danger zone.

The irony of mobile social networking is what some people feel is the height of sociability feels completely unsociable to others. Whilst some people are merrily tapping away into their iPhones and synchronising is just another form of conversation, some react in the opposite way, purposefully reverting back to technology-free socialising, even committing Facebook suicide. However we choose to live our lives in the modern world, sometimes it can be refreshing and altogether less worrying to put the technology aside and enjoy a real conversation face-to-face.

Shop the window

2010-02-03T10:13:00.002Z

Having long been a fan of the magic of retail window displays I was excited to see one of the most iconic flagship stores in London successfully translate this online.

Topshop's Shop The Window Meadow Collection

Topshop have recently added a 'shop the window' function to their site which not only shows a shot of the current window display, but also allows shoppers to browse and buy the very products from the scene. Surely a useful concept for outsiders as well as Londoners and an ideal way to bring a real and tangible piece of the high street to the screen.

Postcards from NYC

2010-01-31T18:51:00.000Z

On a recent trip to New York City, i couldn't help checking out the advertising and use of digital media in the city.

In this highly-connected society, not too different from our own in the UK, advertising is of course everywhere and brands have to compete even more to fight for share of voice. Take Times Square for example!

The first thing that struck me about the culture, was that it was not what I expected it to be. The place I stayed in was my first taste of modern NYC. The living area was sparsely but well-decorated without a television, any CDs or DVDs visible. This was the modern, minimalist digital lifestyle which I had heard about; I liked it!

Pride of place in front of the sofa was an Apple, the source of all communications and entertainment we needed. When I was ill and felt like relaxing in front of the TV I was directed to sites like Veoh. and Hulu. It's not that watching TV online is a new experience for me, but that it is somehow more refreshing when it is the only option.

Whilst I was there I kept an eye out for emerging trends. and spotted this Puma campaign through Facebook on the subway. 'Employees' are promoted on various posters, who, when you log into the site, recommend various restaurants, hangouts, and of course Puma stores, in this increasingly popular location format. With almost 1.5 million fans already signed up, they must be doing something right.

iUniverse?

2010-01-30T09:31:00.034Z

With the massive launch of Apple's iPad this week, regarded as one of the most well-covered product launches of all time, we are left wondering "is there anything that Apple can't do?"

Photo by iLounge

Whether you call it an oversize iPhone or iTouch, small notebook or laptop, this is the product which has got the whole world captivated. Without denying that this is an enviable and exciting product, it does make me wonder what is coming next. Apple's format, whilst revolutionary, could be criticised for being a very similar product to the current range, just with a faster chip and in another size.

How many upgrades will we need before there are enough memory and features to make it worthwhile? Apple famously added video, improved camera resolution and 'copy and paste' functionality to the iPhone 3GS, over two years since the iPhones' initial launch in 2007, and Apple continually bring out new models of the iPod, with enhanced features and more memory.

The iPad has also endured endless taunts in the online community for its name, whether humourous, or in confusion about the given name (what was wrong with iSlate or iTablet?). It is not just women and techies who are reacting to this, Japanese giant Fujitsu recently claimed that they first owned the trademark and seem to be set to battle Apple for the rights.

Regardless of Apple's product launch strategies, which will not endure any long-term harm to the brand, you cannot help love Apple products and recognise the way they are shaping our digital world, perhaps more than we realise. If your digital marketing campaigns are not already embracing mobile technology; from apps to geo-tagging, they soon will be.

Some have cunningly hopped on the back of the wide-scale iPad launch with brilliantly-crafted publicity stunts, such as US niche ethical clothing company Holstee, who created a spoof of their site being demonstrated by Steve Jobs in his keynote launch to launch their new e-shop. The real gem was the idea to follow up to their 2,000 Facebook and Twitter followers that anyone who got involved in the fun was to be rewarded (with a $15 dollar discount code to be redeemed in their store). True guerrilla marketing at its' best.

The essence of Apple model is one we would all love to replicate in the marketing agency world; for our own customers and our customers' customers. How great is it to launch a project which exceeds design expectations, is thoroughly well-developed with the customer in mind, intuitive, highly functional, and creates such a buzz around the launch that people are literally queuing up to get involved?

Death of the URL?

2009-11-18T17:46:00.000Z

The role of URLs in advertising has come a long way. First, the use of AOL keywords disappeared, then we dropped the http://’s, then the www’s, now some brands are dropping URLs altogether. How far should we go in deleting the URL in favour of directing the viewer to follow-up online via their favourite search engine?

Photo by dan taylor

I remember the first time I heard a campaign on TV which, rather than referencing the entire campaign’s web address simply stated “search online for ‘ACT on CO2’”. Since then, a plethora of brands have used this approach, from Orange’s ‘I am’ campaign to Channel 4’s More4. After all, you might say, why not? If you’ve done your SEO homework properly (and adding PPC if necessary), it certainly gives the viewer less to remember to call to action.

However, it’s not always that easy unless your domain is inextricably linked to the campaign keyword(s). Some also argue that this strategy gives an open invitation for competitors to bid for your keywords and gain your traffic. The ACT on CO2 campaign for example is Government-funded and has come under fire for wasting tax payers’ money for its’ PPC spend on its' own keywords due to the competition opened up with the coverage of the associated TV campaign. The Government campaign is currently ranked at number one on natural listings anyway for the advertised search term which makes it harder to justify the spend, especially when given the fact that non-commercial content looks more credible in appearing in natural listings than sponsored links.

There is no arguing that delivering the URL as part of a TV or print campaign is the best option, if it can be done in a brand-fitting and easy to remember way; think comparethemarket.com and moonpig.com where the jingles are as relevant as they are memorable.

Last week was the first time I spotted a mainstream TV advert cross-referencing the benefits of Twitter, YouTube and MySpace. The ad, which uses real life musicians to build a brand experience, is part of the new T-Mobile campaign by Saatchi (and follows the legendary flashmob TV campaign which went viral). This URL-specific campaign is one which encourages viewers to follow the journey of Josh Ward on his quest to create a ‘superband’, starting with a tour of London in an open top bus and open auditions that kicked off in Birmingham’s Bullring last Saturday.

However we communicate the campaign call to action, the influence of integrated social media and need for information at the fingertips without making the audience have to think or do any research must remain key in modern advertising, with or without the URL.

This post first appeared on the WAA blog; Passion & Truth

Digital lifestyles

2009-09-23T18:51:00.010+01:00

Whether you are following GPS directions on your mobile phone or snapping photos of barcodes for discounts, there is no denying that the new digital is all around us.

Photo by centralasian

I've always been one for a bargain, so when buying a digital camera recently I hunted around, comparing prices both online and in store. I ended up in a high street store and having found the camera I wanted I was in bartering mode. I found that the store had a price matching policy and suddenly had a brainwave. I hadn't brought printouts of my previous research with me, but I did have my mobile. Quick as a flash, I found sites selling the same camera at a cheaper price and was able to save over a tenner from my total bill, as well as getting a case and memory card thrown in.

I'm not alone. Consumers now have more control at their fingertips than ever before. With the advent of uber-cool applications such as a price comparison tool Snaptell which gives the user reviews and the best prices there is even more excitement to come where the technology extends to place identification. Applications using mobile GPS integration and augmented reality could become very interesting marketing tools.

I first heard of augmented reality earlier this year at Internet World and, thanks to a host of press coverage from new applications, it is one of Twitter's top ten trending topics today. It is no surprise that the pace is quickening; reports suggest that this intrinsic to how are reality is becoming, rather than just a passing fad. Augmented reality is centred around making geographical locations - key points like petrol stations and public transport hubs - easier to find, and improving the user journey, literally, through integration of internet or GPS based information as a visual layer over the camera's lens. Yesterday, BlackBerry also promoted their geotagging of photos, via GPS software. Surely it is just a matter of time before consumers will be able to tie this up to find the ideal product, locate the cheapest price and get directions to where to find it, all in a mobile minute.

This post first appeared on the WAA blog; Passion & Truth

Mobile blogging

2009-08-31T18:05:00.002+01:00

I'm just testing mobile blogging by email!

Traffic-stopping window dressing

2009-08-05T23:58:00.013+01:00

In my February post 'Window Shopping at Louis Vuitton' I commented on the cult mystique surrounding the seasonal window dressing at LV Birmingham.

Today on the way home I couldn't help but notice that it was happening all over again, this time during the preparations for AW09. Two groups of people were transfixed, stood at each of the two windows watching the work taking place. Although the groups were observing with intent for a good few minutes unfortunately a sudden case of camera shyness appears to have come over them in this photo!

I still think that this is the most transfixing display in a Birmingham shop window, and these onlookers would certainly have agreed! It's good to see this kind of excitement at a time when Marketing are just reporting on the loops luxury brands are having to jump through to make an impression. I am looking forward to seeing the end result tomorrow.

How important is Physical Evidence now?

2009-07-27T12:20:00.001+01:00

In these troubled times, where we are trying to save budgets and the planet, how important is one of the seven P's of marketing; Physical Evidence?

Aside from this, with digital now becoming part of the main course rather than just a pleasant side dish, how do you define and ultimately provide this?

The Physical Evidence could, in its widest sense, be the means to the purchase as well as the take away and the follow-up after, even the up-selling tool in between. It is my belief that customers; whether the client or the end user, all deserve the same form of Physical Evidence, and this can come in many guises.

1. The virtual 'something in return'

Of course has been around for years (the '2 for 1' offer is one of many), but in the post-digital era this could mean anything from an online discount voucher to a open message on a social networking site. Here, the boundaries become more blurred and hard to define, but the main message is the receiving of something non-material which previously would have been a material object. Not to be confused with one-off sales promotions, virtual Physical Evidence would more likely have originated from a purchase and become an ongoing stream of customer interactions.

2. The tangible evidence

I would classify something tangible as something you can physically 'hold', although the application of this can spread deeper. This is historically what reassures the consumer of the value and worth of a product or service. Unfortunately, for many services, the tangible is often seen as 'proof' or evidence of the work which has gone into a product, which can not only be difficult to produce for the intangible, but also more expensive for the pocket and environment. I recommend producing this in small and infrequent quantities; as a little can go a long way. For many companies, these proof points, however are proving invaluable in differentiation.

So whether virtual or real, Physical Evidence is still one of the most important areas of marketing, and I would argue increasingly more so in the economic downturn. If physical evidence is missed out of the process, how will your customers remember you in a low-brand loyal environment? And, more importantly, how will they find your number when they want to come back?

One of my favourite forms of Physical Evidence in retail is the till receipt, and one of my favourite supplementary marketing tools is the attached discount voucher for the return visit; not only does it encourage the user to visit again, it is a great 'thank you for your custom' and form of physical evidence to 'take away', physically or virtually. It's the little touches that can also be your Physical Evidence.

Compare the meerkat

2009-06-30T20:16:00.004+01:00

I've always been a fan of comparing meerkats and, after discovering an old post of mine in draft from January 2009, thought it high time to post a link to this fabulous campaign. Enjoy the latest 'bloopers'! Don't forget the official fan site on Facebook

Will Woolworths relaunch successfully online?

2009-03-17T18:32:00.003Z

When UK shoppers heard that historic high street staple Woolworths was the latest victim of the recession we recoiled in horror.

Could Woolies online launch this summer see the return of the brand as a household name?

Since Shop Direct have bought the Woolworths and own-label Ladybird clothing businesses, a strong consumer-focus has been behind the online relaunch.

Woolworths have been open in their research approach; putting the customer back in the driving seat to deliver products customers really want. After all, this time round they really need a profitable business. If the impressive messages of support are anything to go by, their launch should go well, assuming customer enthusiasm converts to actual purchases.

Their use of social networking through their blog, Facebook and Twitter, as commended by Campaign recently, is testament to quick marketing thinking and demonstrates the value of brands paying attention to consumer insight. Let's hope they keep up the strategy during and after the launch to remain adaptable to the market.

The BBC have recently reported that this area of the online retail is to become saturated with recent product expansion by Amazon and Tesco, as well as competitors Argos winning out over Christmas. With this, added to the fact that products most missed by customers are the more interactive product lines such as pick-and-mix and toys, it is not going to be an easy ride for this troubled brand.

The customer is king

2009-03-10T19:32:00.013Z

Have you felt that you have been treated differently as a customer recently? I hope so.

In these difficult economic times, businesses would do well to differentiate themselves by putting excellent customer service at their heart.

Photo by gene hunt

Recently, I went to a high quality high street hairdressers with an open mind. I had only been once before, but with hairdressers I can be a very loyal customer when I find one where I have a good experience. The visit was fine, but I did not leave feeling overwhelmed or with any particular loyalty or drive to return. Why is that?

Although I was drawn in by a weekday offer, there was little else done in terms of offers to entice me as a customer
My visit was short and succinct, leaving me with the feeling that I was just a number
There were no add-on benefits; no tangible physical evidence to take away. I remember in the past having received the smallest of gifts from hairdressers; even a free sachet of shampoo can have benefits beyond the cost of the product
There was no bespoke advice based on my hair type, style, preferences or lifestyle
I was not offered the option of up-selling

Too often, a heavy sales approach can be offputting to the customer, but where there is minimal effort made, customers can end up feeling undervalued and as if their business is not that important. Also, what does it do for customer retention in this increasingly difficult market?

Conversely, great customer service can happen when you least expect it. Recently, I popped into my local WHSmiths store for some stationery early in the morning and was surprised to be served at the checkout by a friendly customer service assistant who didn't have a problem with treating me like an individual and valuing my custom. By the end of the transaction we had already had a conversation and I was planning my next visit to the store.

When it comes to customer service, never forget that it can be the small things that make a big difference. How many times can you remember having a truly great old-fashioned customer service experience? What made it different and why? Seek to implement best practice from elsewhere in your own business and you will go a long way.

I am currently looking for a new hairdresser.

Which brands will use real women for their campaigns?

2009-02-26T19:17:00.021Z

Last year I watched series 1 of ITV 2's 'Coleen's Real Women' with interest so was keen to see it return for a second series recently.

The show, hosted by Coleen Rooney, is aimed at getting major high street brands to take on 'real women' to model for their campaigns; often purposely pushing the brief in terms of height, weight and lifestyle in effort to represent 'real women' in the world of fashion.

Brands signed up from series 1 include Pretty Polly, Avon and Ultimo. In series 2 so far, H Samuel (see image) and Magnum have been added to the 'yes' list. In this series, the concept is that there is a potential modelling contract on offer from Premier Models for the winning chosen 'real woman'.

I have found it interesting to follow this from a brand development and PR point of view. The benefits for these brands are threefold:

Most obviously, the awareness generated from merely having brand exposure through the programme, and often directly to their key target audience is priceless. The first episode from the second season pulled in over half a million viewers alone (source: Brand Republic)

Secondly, the benefits through positive brand association with style icon and brand in her own right Coleen (who also has published her own books on style) are immense.

Finally, the benefits for the brand if they decide to choose one of 'Coleen's Real Women' are excellent - instantaneous acceptance by thousands of target audience real women and the associated good corporate karma which comes from making this ethical decision.

A word of caution though, a cynical writer might suggest that companies could sign up for the show mainly for the benefits from point one above, without really considering taking it forward to point three. I would argue that this is a big mistake for anyone which could actually do the brand more damage than good. Turning down one of the three already brilliant selected models could be seen as reinforcing negative stereotypes in the fashion industry and potentially turn into bad PR and consequently turn your customers off.

Coleen's Real Women is on Tuesday nights at 9pm on ITV2. Catch previous episodes here on ITV Player

Window shopping at Louis Vuitton

2009-02-16T22:30:00.013Z

Birmingham is well-known for it's many exciting landmarks (and some not so exciting); Selfridges and the Bull Ring, the Town Hall, the canal side bars, the ICC and Custard Factory to name but a few.

However, I doubt there is any other shop window in town which holds as much intrigue than this one.

People pass and stare at the artistically arranged accessories as if they were celebrities; somehow creating that air of aspiration and magic around a brand, just from a corner window display.

The intrigue is further heightened when the goods in the window are changed every month or so to fit with the change in season or latest line.

I may be missing something but I have yet to spot many people enter inside to browse. I dare say I am not the target audience, but I wonder if other passers by might be intimidated by the magnificence of it all. I do wonder if it is as unobtainable for people as they must think it is.

I think there is a lesson for us all here - appearances are sometimes everything. Consider how much word of mouth is created by the passers by each day, how many blog entries this creates, etc. All this, without even setting foot in the store!

From: no reply

2009-02-12T20:07:00.012Z

If you're anything like me, you like your e-marketing friendly, engaging and relevant, and, where possible, interactive.

Therefore, I was not overly happy to receive an e-shot today, not due to the subject material, but mainly due to the fact that I had received yet another anonymous email from 'No Reply.'

no reply@ email addresses are obviously devised for stores to be able to separate their communications into neat boxes and not enter into dialogue through the channel used for the e-shot.

However, in this day and age I personally feel they are missing a trick. Time is short and consumers are easily distracted by the one million other contradictory messages they are receiving each day. Why not make it easier to interact with your customers and have this email box be attended, or at least replies auto-forwarded to customer services?

Whilst we're at it, I would also suggest that a more positive and welcoming message go out on the e-mail address. Marketers can spend hours agonising over the detail of the email body, crucially missing out on one of the first things the consumer reads - who is it from. I would suggest 'hello', 'press' or even 'offers'@ mailboxes would make such an impression on the (often subconscious) mind when deciding how much attention to pay to the email message.

I have to say, this particular email went straight into my deleted items. Going back to check, I noticed it had been addressed to my name. At least it was personalised!

A dream job in the sun?

2009-02-01T19:19:00.008Z

If you worked in marketing for a tourist board what kind of campaign would you use to spread a unique and exciting message using viral channels?

For Queensland Tourist Board, the answer was to promote a 'dream job' in the sun complete with supporting website and campaign around it.

The Best Job in the World advertises a six month temporary position which pays a whopping $150,00 Australian dollars (almost £70,000) to promote the island as a tourist destination through writing and posting videos to a blog.

With just under two weeks remaining until the closing date, the website has already received over 10,000 applications, with the viral web campaign resulting in countless more hits.

What really gives this away as a well-crafted marketing exercise is the use of new media platforms such as Twitter (almost 2000 followers) and Facebook (3500 fans), and links to holidaying on the islands from the site the job is advertised on.

Of course, as they insist on the website, there is a real position at stake here, and a very exciting one too. I do think this one will be worth keeping an eye on and will be updating this post after the closing date, reviewing how effective this has been as a marketing exercise. It certainly has gained great awareness through digital 'word of mouth.'

Positive news for high street despite recent closures

2009-01-30T19:57:00.006Z

If you were to walk out of Birmingham New Street station through the Pallasades and turn right you will pass two chain stores which have recently closed their doors.

The departure of Woolworths marked a institutional change which evoked a suprisingly emotional response from the British public. Yesterday Zavvi finally closed the doors on the Birmingham branch.

It has been widely reported that music chain HMV will be taking over many Zavvi stores, including staff, which will provide some welcome positive news for employment levels.

However, with an HMV store just metres away up the High Street, it is not yet clear what the case will be in Birmingham. In addition, Marketing recently confirmed that HMV are looking to increase their focus on live music events in effort to position themselves as the one-stop shop for music and entertainment, having seen off most of their specialist competitors over recent years.

Waste not, want not

2009-01-19T21:40:00.004Z

Remember the humble logo bug?

With the rise of the digital age over the last 15 years, the face of advertising is just one of the areas to have changed significantly.

Whilst in an office of a partner organisation recently I spotted one of these little fellows (or perhaps a whole bunch). I couldn't help but cringe. Not only were they not being used, but it looked like money that could have been better spent.

Of course, everyone loves a freebie, but marketers are quite rightly becoming increasingly sceptical of promotional merchandise. In the online world, it seems altogether more sustainable and sensible to direct spend online and to challenge all campaigns to bring back a return. It's also just not what you buy (which needs to be useful, not just look good), but also how much. Bulk-buying literature and merchandise may reduce the unit on-cost, but what about the cost to your reputation if it remains unused, or even worse, disposed of?

It's not that merchandise doesn't have it's place, but rationale must be thought through and a much stronger case must now be derived. It is not only our finance manager's pockets we need to look after these days but also our impact on an increasingly environmentally aware society.

Tit for tat advertising

2009-01-12T19:21:00.008Z

Tescos vs. Asda....

If you've been watching TV this weekend you can't have failed to miss the almost conversational advertising going on in the current battle of the big supermarkets.

In many ad breaks, sometimes alternate, or sometimes even in the same break, the supermarkets staged a war of words over who has the cheapest prices in a true consumer comparison.

Asda used the usual mysupermarket.com statistics, quoting the number of products available at a cheaper price than their closest rival, Tesco, on Monday 5 January. However, Tesco, in one of the fastest moves I've seen in TV advertising, came back with the 'Real Baskets' campaign, not so subtely implying that Asda's cost savings were not based on the most typical goods purchased by the average consumer.

In an exciting, and in my opinion, winning closing line, was that not only are their prices cheaper, but also the Clubcard saves their customers money overall (Asda do not have a currently have a customer loyalty card).

Brilliant fast advertising, and very consumer relevant for this current time, with Aldi and Lidl currently also reporting increases in sales due to the economy. What do you think? Have your say by adding a comment below.

An eye for an online bargain

2009-01-08T20:43:00.002Z

When I met entrepreneur and founder of Glasses Direct, Jamie Murray Wells, in June 2006, his business was already going from strength to strength and it was clear that bigger things were in store for him. So, I wasn't surprised when I heard on his recent BBC Working Lunch interview that he had plans to expand the already successful UK business to the States.

Over a coffee, we discussed business ideas and ways to break the mould set by the industry. Although he couldn't see much money to be made from my glasses recycling idea (Dragon's Den, I am not!), we talked marketing and design ideas and I heard how challenging and exciting a start-up business can be.

Glasses Direct has cut prices of popular and designer glasses right down to a credit crunch-friendly £15 per pair at the lowest end of the range. With household names such as Storm, Quiksilver and Benetton being available to buy, it seems it really pays to shop around, especially in the current economic times. Glasses Direct quote having so far saved the great British public a whopping estimated £20m.

Glasses Direct is a company that the Times says "has shaken the comfortable world of opticians by creating an online service to drive down the price of prescription glasses." Since 2004, they have challenged the norm of high street profit margins and have been bravely controversial in their approach. Never taking no for an answer, they eventually secured deals direct with manufacturers to cut out the middleman, importantly passing that saving on to the customer.

There is a lot that companies can learn from Jamie and his team, especially with an increasingly commercially aware public, partly due to the rise of money saving information sites such as Martin Lewis' Money Saving Expert in these financially unsettling times (Martin's weekly email currently has over 2 million subscribers).

It seems that Glasses Direct is one of the few who have successfully positioned themselves in the ideal position for the recession, and are beneffiting from this. Even in better times, they promote via their wide media coverage, purchasing several pairs to match fashion trends and seasons. After all, with prices a snip at from £15 a pair, money problems need not stop many consumers making essential medical - and not so essential - cosmetic purchases.

100 top sites for 2009

2009-01-04T21:17:00.015Z

What better way could there be to welcome in the New Year than to have a quick look at: The Guardian's Top 100 Sites for the Year Ahead.

Organised by categories, rather than being ranked, The Guardian bring us right up to date with Web 2.0, with categories including blogging, social networking, new browsers. The ones to watch also include feeds and consumer sites which maximise user interactivity.

It's well worth a quick look for inspiration or something you haven't spotted before! Happy new year all.

Pre-Christmas Scales

2008-12-18T23:50:00.006Z

It seems the January sales have now come two weeks early, with stores slashing their prices by up to 50%; the highest pre-Christmas sale for some time.

With skeptical and cautious shoppers hitting the high street it seems stores are favouring the increasing trend for shifting stock through sales and risking loosing profit margins in the process. What has tipped the balance?

It is not hard to see the reasons behind this strategy in the current climate of increasing uncertainty and copycat competition. Retailers are having to grapple to retain their share of the market. In such times, do customers really put brand loyalty before cost? Are stores right to shift winter / Christmas stock so early? I think many marketers have got the right idea for this time of year, although differentiation from the masses will still be key to retaining identity and values.

However, with the shifting sales times I wonder what retailers are planning for early January, especially if stock levels have run down with promotions seemingly working so well. An ongoing 'sale' until the economy is back on an even keel?

This clip from Wales Online is a lovely reminder of the last few weeks, and towards the end hints at the 1% interest rate cut (already forgotten after one-day sales, housing and automotive companies decline, demise of Woolworths and tax cuts!)