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In the News UK

UK political groups warned to play by marketing rules in lead up to local and European elections

The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has written to the main UK political parties warning them about the need to follow data protection and electronic marketing rules ahead of the European and local elections on May 22.

The Information Commissioner Christopher Graham’s letter follows a number of concerns raised with the ICO about the political parties’ use of market EU flagresearch surveys to gain political support.

Genuine market research can be carried out in order to help inform a party’s positioning and formulate policies. However, communications claiming to be research that are also intended to canvass support now or in the future are covered by the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. The regulations apply to all electronic marketing, including texts, calls and emails.

Christopher Graham said: “This is about the political parties demonstrating best practice, and being open and upfront with voters about their marketing activities, explaining to people in an open and transparent way how their personal details will be used.

“The rules apply to political parties, just as they do to businesses and charities. In communicating with voters, the parties need to be clear about what their intentions are and why they are asking people for their information. We don’t need election campaigns featuring nuisance calls, spam texts and canvassing under the guise of ‘research’.”

The ICO has produced detailed guidance for campaign groups explaining the data protection and electronic marketing rules. The guidance states that campaigning organisations must:

  • only send marketing emails, texts or make automated telephone calls to people who have consented to being contacted;
  • identify themselves and provide an easy way to opt-out of future direct marketing at all times;
  • be clear on whether they are carrying out market research (seeking someone’s opinions) or political campaigning (seeking to persuade them to vote a certain way); and
  • be extremely careful when using ‘viral marketing’ that encourages individuals to contact friends and family on the organisation’s behalf.

Read Christopher Graham’s letter in full, here.

 

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In the News UK

DPD to launch new Sunday delivery service for retailers

Online retailers get Saturday collections for ‘next-day’ Sunday delivery

UK delivery company DPD is set to become the first UK carrier to provide a nationwide express Sunday delivery service for all its customers. The service, which will start on July 20, will help create more than 500 new jobs around the UK as DPD’s depot network expands to accommodate a seven day week.

The new service will also mean that, for the first time, DPD will be able to collect from business customers on a Saturday for next-day delivery on Sunday. Equally, on a Friday, online retailers will now be able to specify either Saturday or Sunday delivery. Deliveries will be made between 9am and 5pm on a Sunday and DPD’s network of more than 50 UK depots will be open during those hours.

From launch, DPD will have the ability to deliver to more than 98% of the UK population on a Sunday and the service will include DPD’s award winning one hour Predict timeslot deliveries, where parcel recipients are notified by text or email of their one hour delivery timeslot in advance, and can then track their driver in real-time all the way to their front door.

Dwain McDonald, DPD’s CEO, said; “I’m delighted to be able to announce our new Sunday service. We know from talking to retailers and recipients that there is a real demand for Sunday deliveries. The majority of our larger customers in the retail sector are moving to a 24/7 operation, so we wanted to make sure that they have a trusted delivery partner that can provide a full collection and delivery service every day of the week too.

“Saturday has long been the busiest retail day of the week, but with the blurring of the offline and online retail boundaries it can now also be the busiest day for e-tailers. Therefore it is very appealing for e-tailers to be able to offer next-day delivery for those customers who buy on a Saturday.

“The launch of DPD’s one hour timeslot service Predict was a game-changer for the delivery market. Now customers are far less tolerant of having to wait in all day for a standard courier to turn up. But the market has moved on and shoppers want immediate delivery, seven days a week. Predict gives you complete control over when and where your parcel is delivered – from the initial notification on your smartphone on Saturday evening, to tracking the driver to your door or being able to relay alternative instructions to him in real-time. As a result, I think most people will see this kind of smart Sunday delivery service as an excellent addition to their options.

“We are committed to an unrivalled programme of investments in the UK to ensure we have the smartest technology, the most up to date network infrastructure and the best people. Our weekend service is proof of how this can all come together to provide an unbeatable package for retailers looking to differentiate their delivery service.”

With DPD’s Predict service, recipients receive a notification of their delivery the evening before and are able to access five ‘in-flight’ delivery options, including; ‘Change the delivery day’, Deliver to a specific neighbour’, ‘Deliver to a safe place’ and ‘Collect from nearest depot’. These can be accessed via a smartphone, tablet or desktop at any point during the delivery if the customer can’t be at home on the day to accept their parcel. DPD now send around 1.1 million Predict notifications every week and approximately 10%, or over 100,000 recipients, use one of the in-flight options.

DPD recently announced its most ambitious expansion plans to date with the development of 15 new depots in the UK in 2014, including three new ‘super-depots’ capable of handling 25,000 parcels a day. Construction of DPD’s new £100m parcel hub at Hinckley Commercial Park in the East Midlands is well underway. The facility, which will be the largest of its kind in Europe and capable of handling 70,000 parcels an hour, is on schedule to be completed in 2015, creating up to 1,000 permanent full-time jobs.

DPD is a member of one of Europe’s leading parcels groups GeoPost, wholly owned by France’s La Poste, the second largest postal group in Europe.

The company employs more than 7,000 people in the UK, operating more than 3,000 vehicles from over 50 locations and delivering 1.6 million parcels per week.

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In the News UK USA

Online and on the loo! The 10% of UK consumers who shop in the lavatory

DID you know that ten per cent of UK online shoppers have made a purchase while sitting on the loo?u8_toilet-smartphoneb

Not only that, but 72% of mums are most likely to make a purchase while in bed.

New research has pinpointed many consumers’ shopping preferences while concluding that 60% of UK consumers shop online every week.

Sailthru, a provider of personalised communications technology, has just announced the results of its market research focusing on consumer online shopping preferences.

The study was conducted by Redshift Research during March 2014. Key takeaways from the findings indicate that UK consumers not only have a very positive response to personalised communication, but actively understand the concept and today are demanding more tailored marketing communications from brands.

In fact, 63% of UK online shoppers are likely to read a personalised message they receive from a brand they know and then complete that purchase (51%) following a personalised offer.

Other key statistics include:

  • 57% of online shoppers prefer to make a purchase on their home computer or tablet, with the most popular place to make a purchase (56%) being from bed.
  • 64% of online shoppers prefer it when a brand recommends products the consumer has previously shown an interest in – such as items on the wish list or in a shopping basket.
  • 60% prefer it when a brand sends personalised communication with reference to a past purchase or browsing history. With almost two fifths confirming that branded emails are ‘very’ or ‘sometimes’ helpful when tailored to their interests.

With individuals now interacting with a brand across multiple mobile devices, every brand experience needs to be optimised for mobile to mitigate low conversions and/or basket abandonment. In fact, 42% of online shoppers have abandoned a purchase because it was too complicated to complete on a mobile device and 60% still prefer to use a laptop over a mobile device, due largely to a poor mobile experience.

Consumers are telling brands loud and clear that they want their online browsing experience optimised for mobile. They would be more likely to increase both average order value and purchase frequency if every brand experience were optimised for their chosen device – 45% of shoppers said they were likely to make an online purchase if the website was easy to navigate on a mobile.

Neil Capel, founder and CEO of Sailthru – which has its HQ in New York City – said: “The research shows that consumers are very clearly demanding personalisation from their online and in-store shopping experiences. In order to meet this demand, brands must understand their customers on an individual level, deliver content that is interesting, timely and relevant to each user and also optimise that content to render on any device. It’s about giving every individual what they want, when they want it and recognizing that need even before they do.

“This is the future of successful brand to consumer marketing.” Capel concluded: “Now, more than ever, brands need to stop toying with the idea of personalisation and make moves to provide relevant and platform specific communications to their customers or risk being left behind. The innovative brands that we work with have moved away from ineffective segmentation and instead created personalised experiences for each of their customers that tailors content across any device – whether that is via email, mobile or web.

“The results our clients are seeing speak volumes about the power of personalisation.”

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In the News

Craft brewer’s 'indifference and nonchalance’ to industry body’s criticism of its marketing message

A London-based craft beer brewing company which has been been accused of irresponsible marketing for the slogan ‘drink fast, live fast’ by an industryBD_Logo_White watchdog (read that article here), has issued a sarcastic message in response.

The message reads:
Following the official announcement from the Portman Group that BrewDog’s Dead Pony Club pale ale is in breach of the alcohol marketing code, BrewDog would like to issue the following statement:

James Watt, co-founder of BrewDog commented: “On behalf of BrewDog PLC and its 14,691 individual shareholders, I would like to issue a formal apology to the Portman Group for not giving a sh*t about today’s ruling. Indeed, we are sorry for never giving a sh*t about anything the Portman Group has to say, and treating all of its statements with callous indifference and nonchalance.

“Unfortunately, the Portman Group is a gloomy gaggle of killjoy jobsworths, funded by navel-gazing international drinks giants. Their raison d’être is to provide a diversion for the true evils of this industry, perpetrated by the gigantic faceless brands that pay their wages. Blinkered by this soulless mission, they treat beer drinkers like brain dead zombies and vilify creativity and competition. Therefore, we have never given a second thought to any of the grubby newspeak they disseminate periodically.

“While the Portman Group lives out its days deliberating whether a joke on a bottle of beer is responsible or irresponsible use of humour, at BrewDog we will just get on with brewing awesome beer and treating our customers like adults. I’m sure that makes Henry Ashworth cry a salty tear into his shatterproof tankard of Directors as he tries to enforce his futile and toothless little marketing code, but we couldn’t give a sh*t about that, either.

“We sincerely hope that the sarcasm of this message fits the Portman Group criteria of responsible use of humour,” he added.

More information on BrewDog and Dead Pony Club can be found at brewdog.com. 

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Europe In the News

Within Europe, cost of a standard letter in Germany remains reasonable: DHL report

Letter Price Survey 2014 shows higher rates in Europe

Even though the German postal rate for a standard letter rose by 2 cents to EUR 0.60 in January, the price of a stamp continues to rank in the mid-range among European prices and below the European average, according to the latest European postal-rate comparison.

The 13th version of the annual European postal-rate study analyses the rates for standard letters in all 28 EU member countries as well as those in Norway, Switzerland and Iceland.

Since the 2013 study was conducted, postal rates have been raised in 14 European countries. The rate for a standard letter in Norway is currently EUR 1.28. By contrast, it is only EUR 0.26 in Malta.

When such fundamental factors as dissimilar purchasing power and labour costs found in individual countries are taken into consideration, Germany’s postal rates rank among the most favourable in Europe.DHL postman (WEB)

Over the past ten years, postal rates have risen by nearly 20 per cent on an inflation-adjusted basis. By contrast, the German rate for a standard letter has fallen since 2004 by nearly 8 per cent on an inflation-adjusted basis. A sharper decline was seen only in Portugal, Cyprus and Croatia.

Deutsche Post also charges favourable rates for a letter sent from Germany to other European countries (the Europabrief): While Europeans pay an average of EUR 1.03 for an international letter, the cost of the German Europabrief remains EUR 0.75.

The study can be downloaded here. 

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In the News USA

USA DMA: ECHO awards competition now open

Deadline for submissions Is May 23.

In recognition of the world’s top data-driven marketing campaigns — measured by strategy, creative, and results, the USA Direct Marketing Association echo(DMA) has announced that the 2014 International ECHO Awards competition is underway.

The awards will be presented at a gala ceremony in October in San Diego, California. The deadline for submissions is next month: May 23. Registrations received before Friday May 2, will receive a $100 discount.

Linda Woolley, DMA’s president and CEO, said: “The ECHOs exemplify the heights of success that can be achieved through great data-driven marketing and equally great creative.

“As the incredible wealth of data available to us increasingly fuels our economy and our data-driven lifestyles, and when combined with superb creative that snags us and holds our attention, it’s truly exciting to see how these things drive outstanding results in exceptional marketing campaigns.”

Winners will be selected in 15 business categories — automotive; business and consumer services; communications and utilities; consumer products; education; financial products and services; information technologies; insurance; nonprofit; pharmaceutical and healthcare; product manufacturing and distribution; professional services; publishing and entertainment; retail and direct sales; and travel and hospitality/transportation.

The ultimate team award

Jenny Abreu, DMA’s director, awards & recognition programs, said: “This year’s call for entries competition continues the theme, ‘The Ultimate Team Award,’ and new tag line ‘Achieve the Ultimate with a Common GOOOAL!’ honouring this year’s BIG game — which couldn’t be more fitting.

“After all, ECHO-award winning campaigns exemplify outstanding team work — as they incorporate the ECHOs’ three pillars — for creative, strategic — and game-winning results.” The integrated marketing effort supporting the entries is developed by Quinn Fable Advertising, Inc. (New York).

This year’s ECHO competition will honour excellence in integrated and single-channel direct-response campaigns spanning a diversity of channels, such as alternative media, banner ads, catalogue, direct mail, email, mobile, print, search marketing, social media, telemarketing, television/video/radio, web advertising and web development.

Tedd Aurelius, vice-president, director 1-2-1 engagement, The Martin Agency, is chairman of the DMA International ECHO Awards Board of Governors. He said: “We’re seeing that the best customer engagement efforts are coming from all over the world, not just the US — and each year, the winning ECHOs serve as a benchmark for direct response brilliance that is both measurable and accountable.

“Our Gold, Silver and Bronze ECHO winners are selected from hundreds of entries, ranging from acquisition, to penetration, to retention programs, which showcase brands using data-driven insights to power their strategy, generating fabulous creative ideas that achieve amazing results.”

Each year, ECHO entries include data-driven campaigns from the US and more than 50 countries – and 2014 entries will be judged later this spring and early summer in Australia, Denmark and the US.

This year’s Awards Ceremony and Gala will be held on Tuesday October 28, during the DMA2014 Annual Conference & Exhibition: The Global Event for Data-Driven Marketers, at the San Diego Convention Center.

In addition to the Gold, Silver and Bronze ECHO awards, four special awards will be presented: the Diamond ECHO Award for the most prestigious and, considered, the top campaign overall; the Personal Connections ECHO Award sponsored by Pitney Bowes; US Postal Service Gold Mailbox Award; ECHO Green Marketing Award; and Henry Hoke Award.

For more information about the International ECHO Awards, which will be presented Tuesday evening, October 28, 2014, during DMA2014m click here. The DMA2014 Annual Conference & Exhibition will be held October 25-30 in San Diego, California.

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Global Next Practice

Artificial Intelligence – why is it a hot topic?

Dominic Trigg (pictured) says artificial intelligence (AI) is shaping our world. It’s been no surprise to me to see the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) being talked about more and more within the media of late. They are the words on everyone’s lips and it is shaping up to be one of the hottest topics…

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In the News

New eBook highlights the state of SEO in 2014

A major enterprise Search Engine Optimisation software company has launched a new, free eBook which offers insight into the state of SEO in 2014.

A Complete Guide to SEO, provides an extensive overview of everything you need to know to be successful at search engine optimization today.SEO is a fast-paced and dynamic field. It can also sometimes be frustrating, especially if you’re relying on outdated tactics that no longer work, and the updated methods to actually make it work, such as when Small businesses often find that Local SEO services can provide them with a powerful sales channel with the new Google maps exposure.

SEO

The eBook includes contributions from industry experts and well-known figureheads from leading brands, who aim to demonstrate how to make a brand both visible and persuasive in search engines.

SEO Now is a free eBook in which many of the industry’s leading thinkers are featured, from digital marketing pioneers to search industry experts. Offering interested readers the chance to gain an insider perspective of the SEO world, the eBook provides a valuable barometer both in terms of where brands are and where they should be with their search engine optimisation activity, all with great tips from the Link Fire SEO company.

Linkdex, the enterprise SEO software company behind the new 335-page digital eBook, has brought together contributions from 27 leading industry minds around the world in order to create a resource that includes sought-after insight and which reveals the conversations going on within the search industry; focusing on the evolution and growth of SEO.

In addition to insights from members of the Linkdex team, the eBook contains lessons from leading brands such as Microsoft, SurveyMonkey, Adobe and ABC News; alongside SEO and digital specialists including leading thinker Bruce Clay, DigitasLBi, Resolution Media and Stone Temple Consulting. All of these famed figureheads provide their own unique views on the state of SEO.

The eBook also features the fictional but highly insightful story of Third Space Travel, a global travel company that finds itself falling foul of the algorithm updates, in order to exemplify the theories behind the SEO learnings of the eBook. The company goes on to build a framework for an organic strategy designed to win in the organic space. The presentation for Third Space Travel’s Organic Strategy is included and readers are encouraged to discuss and add their own ideas on how to develop the best SEO strategy for 2014.

The eBook is now available for free download, here. 

Matt Roberts, chief strategy officer at Linkdex said: “This eBook is more than just an exploration of the current state of SEO. Together, these conversations with experts, search professionals and industry leaders, redefine and modernise the very meaning of the discipline.”

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In the News

Mobile payments to rise 40% this year, researcher finds

Average spend via tablets now exceeds desktop PC levels.

A new report from Juniper Research has found that the value of global payments via mobile devices will reach around $507 billion this year, a rise of mobile-paymentsnearly 40% year-on-year.

The report – Mobile Payment Strategies: Remote, Contactless & Money Transfer 2014-2018 – found that growth would continue to be driven by purchases of physical goods via mobile devices. Average transaction sizes over tablets are already exceeding those via desktop PCs in many markets.

It also observed that while spend via smartphones was increasing sharply, their primary function in retail was as search and discovery devices with the final purchase being made on the tablet.

Meanwhile, it argued that the scale of digital transactions was receiving a significant boost through the adoption of mobile ticketing applications, with metro and transit authorities in Europe and North America, that have already deployed services, experiencing high levels of adoption.

Mobile contactless progress ‘slow’

However, the report observed that progress in contactless mobile payments had been slow, with few commercial launches. Nevertheless, it argued that the prognosis for the medium term was brighter, following the emergence of cloud-based SE (Secure Element) solutions which offer the opportunity for reduced time-to-market for NFC (Near Field Communications) solutions.

According to report author, Dr Windsor Holden: “The prevalent business models for NFC have been unattractive to banks and left them dependent on multiple network operators, each of which may have its own approach to mobile wallet management. HCE (Host Card Emulation) solutions have the potential to revitalise a market which has struggled to gain traction.”

Other findings from the report include:

  • The opportunity for contactless mobile payments has been bolstered by contactless infrastructure deployments, with the majority of POS (Point of Sale) terminals now shipping with contactless.
  • In a number of emerging markets such as Kenya and Uganda, the imposition of service taxes threaten the buoyancy of domestic mobile money transfer.

The whitepaper, Making Mobile Pay, is available to download here, together with further details of the full report and the attendant Mobile Payment Strategies Excel.

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In the News UK USA

NSA ‘used Heartbleed for years’

Insiders at the US National Security Agency claim that the organisation has been exploiting the so-called Heartbleed bug for nearly two years to capture datansa-used-Heartbleed-for-years-300x212 on individuals instead of informing the rest of the online community.
The claims, denied by both NSA and White House chiefs, follow whistleblower Edward Snowden’s allegations that it was common practice for the organisation to deliberately introduce vulnerabilities to security software.
NSA spokeswoman Vanee Vines said in an email: “[The] NSA was not aware of the recently identified vulnerability in OpenSSL, the so-called Heartbleed vulnerability, until it was made public in a private-sector cyber security report. The reports that say otherwise are wrong.”
The Heartbleed bug could potentially affect hundreds of thousands of web and email servers which run open source software and has triggered major warnings across the world.
Online users are being urged to change all their passwords and usernames where possible as the bug went undetected for more than two years.
A blog post by Tumblr last week even urged people to “call in sick and take some time to change your passwords everywhere – especially your high-security services like email, file storage, and banking, which may have been compromised by this bug”.