Using the example of a food chain based in the north of England – that offers the hugely popular and now famous Yorkshire pudding wraps – Rob Meakin details how well personalised customer loyalty schemes can work and how shoppers expecting speed, efficiency and simplicity in every step of their retail experience can tap into a ‘membership economy’.
How many times have you sat behind someone at a major event whose mobile phone is aloft, masking your view, streaming the content to an absent audience? Live events – such as conferences, fashion shows and concerts – should ideally be a mix of physical and digital experiences, says Hannah Farrell – hugely aware of the value of social media for events promotion. But how would brands and events organisers balance the wider and welcome sharing of their content with a sympathetic social media switch-off for real-world events’ ticket-holders? It’s not a quandary, if applied in the right way…
The forthcoming GDPR is designed to help protect consumer data, not to hamper businesses and hog-tie them with red tape. Those businesses that adapt to the changing rules – that turn big data into smart data – will survive and thrive, says Julie Neilson, explaining how marketers in the retail, automotive and financial services sectors are surmounting the obstacles and reaping the opportunities . . . showing that it can be a case of new privacy rules OK!
The way we buy products and services changed forever when the internet was born. In the ensuing 35 years or so, e-commerce has transformed how shoppers make their purchase decisions, with so many of them now relying on the advice and recommendations of their peers – whether they are friends, relatives or even complete strangers. It’s called third-party endorsement, or social proof. Here’s how to make that work in your favour and how get the best for your business via email marketing via ratings and reviews:
Wonderfully convenient or a bit too close for comfort: when does personalisation and detailed data usage become just a bit too personal? And how on earth can marketers tell when their carefully crafted messages are actually creeping their targets out? It was the subject that was under discussion at a masterclass in London recently. Here’s what the experts had to say about walking the tightrope between too much and too little:
Nearly one in 18 adults in the UK – and one in ten in the USA – are actively pursuing entrepreneurial dreams, but for most those dreams remain just that. Are you looking to launch a start-up . . . to make your entrepreneurial venture a reality? John Mullins is the voice of experience and has advice on how to make the most of opportunity to deliver results.
First, computer cookies as data collectors and now AI, bots and myriad automation – they are all bringing a level of ease and convenience to our lives as consumers; offering targeted ads, using our locations and preferences for relevance, saving us our valuable time. But they also offer unease and concern . . . followers or stalkers, assistants or snoopers? Just how far can technology – and brands and even governments – go when it comes to gathering and using data? It’s all about ethics, says Steven van Belleghem, delving into the great privacy & technology debate.
The success and failures of last year’s Christmas advertising campaigns are now available for all to compare and here, Josh Krichefski takes a look back at which advertisers delivered some real crackers, what brands can learn from the winners and losers – and what they should put on next year’s Christmas list to ensure their festive advertising success.
Technological advancements are having a huge effect on data management and insight that can be gained from careful data analysis – delving ever deeper into big data to enhance and perfect the customer experience. Nicolas Finet takes a look down the year ahead, examining the evidence and thoughts of field experts, and makes a few considered predictions.
Chinese New Year falls on Friday February 16 this year and we leave the rooster and move into the year of the dog. But alongside this traditional celebration, the Chinese calendar is now filling up with new events that are designed to entice consumers into shopping and spending. Elspeth Cheung identifies the best digital & events marketing strategies for festivals new and old.