Trained as a journalist from the age of 18 and enjoying a long career in regional newspaper reporting and editing, Sally Hooton joined DMI (Direct Marketing International) magazine as editor in 2001. DMI then morphed into The GMA, taking her with it!
After initially being sidelined as the preserve of consumer marketing, social media has since made inroads into B2B. A new report from B2B market research agency, Circle Research, reveals just how far it has come, and where it’s going next. Andrew Dalglish discusses key highlights from the study.
Shocking new research has revealed that data theft such as deceased identity fraud is now considered one of the easiest ways for criminals in the UK to generate cash. It is second only to stealing a wallet or handbag. The research – carried out by data specialists, Wilmington Millennium, last month – asked ex-offenders to rank…
The results follow a growing trend for Brits using social media and fashion blogging to drive crowd-sourced fashion choices, with one in seven (15%) of the nation even sharing images direct from the fitting room to canvas opinion, with one third (35%) of tech-savvy girls and boys aged 13 following suit.
This social fitting room has resulted in nearly one in three (28%) Brits spending over two hours choosing an outfit on the high street or (33%) online while we wait for a friend’s yes or no.
With one in five (21%) Brits admitting to taking selfies of their outfits when out, social media’s influence on fashion choices is not just limited to pre-purchase fashion choices. Two in five (43%) confessed they discarded an outfit that wasn’t social-media proof and got fewer than ten likes on Facebook and Instagram.
Social media sites are now the port of call for fashionistas looking for inspiration, with 43 per cent using Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram to learn about current trends and 38 per cent of men following celebrity profiles for advice.
With two in three (68%) shoppers stating they’d be more likely to buy an item of clothing worn by a fellow shopper, the traditional use of photos featuring professional models is seemingly falling out of favour.
Sharing fashion choices is definitely a young person’s game with those aged 28 deemed the most active social stylistas, following in the footsteps of snap-happy celebrities of the same age such as Rosie Huntington-Whitely, Blake Lively, Michelle Keegan, Ellie Goulding, Lady Gaga, Zac Efron and Drake.
The most commonly shared fashion items on social media have been revealed as evening dresses, wedding outfits, tops and women’s heeled shoes. Images of dull underwear, granny pants, purses / handbags and workwear the most likely to receive the least likes and be thrown away.
Dr Linda Papadopoulos (pictured), behavioural psychologist said: “These results are unsurprising as, although online shopping is becoming increasingly popular, many of us still rely on our friends’ approval when purchasing new clothes or accessories. The research by Shopa suggests that, as shopping has migrated online from in-store, social media ‘likes’ are now one of the keys to driving purchase.
“The ease of being able to share a visual representation of the look or style we’re trying to achieve makes it not only easier to reach out for validation, but indeed it also fits in with the norms of social networking; where acceptance of our choices is actively sought out. It’s not surprising therefore that some people are waiting up to two hours for that nod of approval before making a purchase.
“The poll’s findings regarding the fashion habits of those in relationships are also interesting. Clothing is a big part of how we express our identity, so, admitting that we don’t like our partner’s style can be difficult. It’s interesting to see the lengths people will go to, to avoid these tricky discussions, using covert means such as feigning ‘loss’ or going as far as to deliberately ruin something!”
Ben Harknett discusses data breaches and the effect of cyber crime.
The lack of a coherent viewability standard for internet advertising is the hot topic of debate. The issue is leaving the industry flustered and advertisers more puzzled than ever. Dominic Finney (pictured) takes the lid off the prickly issue of viewability. Internet ad revenue is growing, driven by advertisers looking for new ways to reach…
Spending for Manic Monday (7th Dec) and key retail dates post-Christmas were also predicted to rise above last year’s figures.
James Miller, senior retail consultant at Experian Marketing Services, said: “The weekend saw record-breaking spend online in the UK, with £3.3 billion spent online across the four days from Black Friday to Cyber Monday. This year, Cyber Monday saw sales growth by 34% to £968 million, continuing the trend for massively growing spend and showing that consumers have fully embraced this online shopping phenomenon.
“This year, retailers have stretched Black Friday and Cyber Monday into a longer period, with many offering deals across the week running up to Black Friday and continuing to reduce more products on Saturday, Sunday and Cyber Monday. In future, this nine-day period will become a key phase which very much kick-starts the Christmas shopping season for those relatively well-off families who have busy lives and want to get their purchases in early and delivered before Christmas – retailers will also appreciate the opportunity to spread out the event to maximise their campaigns via email and social media.
“Retailers still have more opportunities to reach customers in the run up to Christmas, with Manic Monday on 7th December representing the time when consumers look to order gifts to ensure they receive them before Christmas, before the traditional Boxing Day sales begin. With logistics companies working hard to fulfil orders placed over the last four days this is a crucial time, with missed deliveries costing both money and consumer patience.”
Black Friday: £1.1 billion (£763K per min)
Saturday 28th: £561 million (£389K per min)
Sunday 29th: £676 million (£469K per min)
Cyber Monday: £968 million (£672K per min)
Predicted spend for the remainder of the retail season:
Manic Monday (7th Dec) – £733 million up 10% yoy (£666m)
Christmas Day (25th Dec) – £728 million up 11% yoy (£658m)
Boxing Day (26th Dec) – £856 million up 22% yoy (£699m)
New Year’s day (1st Jan) – £638 million up 33% yoy (£478m)
David Cole explains how time spent researching hundreds of permission statements has uncovered The Three Pillars of Consent – the factors which most influence consent-to-contact.
Phil Lightfoot says consumers tend to stick with brands they are used to rather than switching – because this brand loyalty is easier. So how can we change their minds and encourage them to keep up with product development?
If last year’s Black Friday is anything to go by, retail marketers will be worried that their brand marketing initiatives will get lost in the online buying frenzy. Vince Kerrigan (pictured) looks at what they doing to make sure their messages stand out. If the pundits are right, tomorrow’s Black Friday sales event could see…
Online video is rapidly expanding to become the future of content marketing, due to its ability to quickly inform an audience while keeping up engagement through entertaining content.