Intriguing differences among global shoppers have been revealed in the iVend Retail’s 2018 Global Path to Purchase Report. Mia Farber examines the insights and shows that by varying your marketing strategies to suit your audience, you can significantly increase revenues and build customer loyalty . . . globally.
Global spending on native ads is predicted to hit $85.5bn a year within the next two years; it’s a format that is deemed to offer a more appealing and engaging user experience and is thus rapidly growing in popularity among marketers and brands – likely to overtake banner ads as the field leader in display advertising. Here’s a glimpse into tomorrow’s digital ad world and what the more creative, relevant and editorially compelling native advertising 2020 could add up to.
Marketers aim to understand all potential customers’ needs, desires and behaviours in order to give them personalised access to their services and goods. So why do they shy away from segmenting minority populations according to ethnic groups, culture and background? Prof Richard Webber says that by ignoring those differences – albeit with noble and non-racist intent – marketers are actually depriving those potential consumers of the benefits of customer experience personalisation.
Don’t underestimate the value of CRM: across the EMEA region, smaller businesses are realising its measurable benefits, driving growth. New research examining business processes and the customer journey has resulted in this infographic.
Our mobiles are our constant companion and when it comes to mobile marketing, marketers must take advantage in allowing consumers to use them to connect via all their messages. James Galpin explains.
Carlsberg has set the standard for this year’s FIFA World Cup adverts with the most memorable advert from South Africa 2010, according to research by
marketing, digital and communications recruiter, EMR.
More than one in four (26%) marketing professionals polled by EMR picked out Carlsberg’s ‘Probably the best team talk in the world’ campaign as making the biggest lasting impression, ahead of Nike’s TV campaign (18%) and Bavaria Beer’s ambush stunt (17%).
Both Carlsberg and Nike opted for high profile tie-ins with sporting icons in 2010. Carlsberg’s advert featured English greats Jack Charlton, Trevor Brooking and Stuart Pearce, while Nike’s ‘Write the Future’ campaign employed modern-day stars including Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo.
In contrast, Bavaria – a non-FIFA affiliated Dutch brand of beer – ambushed the Holland vs. Denmark game with a cohort of 36 women who were pictured in the stands wearing short orange dresses carrying its logo: a stunt that fuelled the debate about the rules on ambush marketing to this day, as unofficial sponsors are prohibited from advertising in FIFA venues.
EMR’s research shows marketers are divided on the subject in the build-up to the 2014 tournament: 32% feel ambush marketing should be subject to stricter regulations while 33% feel the opposite, with the remainder unsure.
Just 4% voted official sponsor Budweiser’s ‘Bud House & Bud United’ campaign as the most memorable from 2010, with Bavaria’s stunt also having made more long-term impact than efforts by Pepsi, Coca-Cola (both 13%) and Adidas (10%).
Sportswear giants benefit most from World Cup sponsorship
More than one in four (28%) marketing professionals identified Nike as the brand which benefits the most from its association with the World Cup.
Rival sports manufacturer Adidas was placed second with 19% of the vote, having signed up for the next four tournaments until 2030.
With almost half (47%) of marketers picking out one of the two sportswear giants as enjoying the greatest brand benefits, the results suggest that brands with sponsorships which closely match their business focus have the best chance of standing out.
Coca-Cola and Visa were tied for third place on 14% with both having also extended their sponsorship commitments until the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Tournament expected to enhance Brazil’s reputation
Almost half (49%) of marketing professionals predict that the 2014 World Cup will have a positive impact on Brazil’s international reputation. Despite political and social unrest in the build-up to the event, this is twice as many as the 24% who feel Brazil’s reputation will suffer from hosting the tournament.
More than half (51%) believe Brazil’s tourist industry will grow as a result of the World Cup, while nearly a quarter (22%) forecast a rise in international business with Brazil.
One in ten (11%) expect the World Cup will result in more overseas investment in the country, while 7% predict a surge in migration and job relocation.
Simon Bassett, managing director of EMR – which has offices in Leeds, London, Moscow, São Paulo and Singapore – said: “The World Cup will see many of the world’s most recognised brands competing for the attention of a truly global audience. The mix of high drama, national pride and multi-million pound reputations makes the tournament a genuine theatre for marketing excellence.
“Competition is not limited to the pitch, with a galaxy of sponsors joining the host nation in the limelight. Our findings suggest the ultimate prize awaits those brands who can best marry strategic creative concept with memorable execution.
“The 2010 controversy over ambush marketing showed how original thinking and opportunism can also help to make an impact. But, given how challenging it is to stand out in this hugely competitive environment, it is no surprise to see opinion so evenly split about the rights and wrongs of sidestepping the rules governing big-budget sponsorship deals.”
A new report from Juniper Research has found that 1 in 5 mobile handsets will have mobile wallet functionality by 2018, against less than 1 in 10 at the end of last year.
The report – Mobile Wallets: Strategies for Developed and Developing Markets 2014-2019 – found that growth would be driven by two distinct wallet models. In emerging/developing markets, SVAs (Stored Value Accounts) are increasingly enabling first time financial access for unbanked individuals, and the report anticipated a surge in deployments across sub-Saharan Africa, developing Asia and Latin America.
Meanwhile, the report says that wallet launches across North America and Western Europe are increasingly expected to feature contactless payment functionality. The sector is forecast to receive a boost both from the anticipated launch of an Apple iWallet later this year and through HCE (Host Card Emulation)-based NFC (Near Field Communications) services. According to the report, more than 1 in 3 mobile wallets – and over 50% of wallets in developed markets – will featuring contactless payment by 2018.
P2P ‘Attractive Value-Add’
The report also claimed that the mobile wallet profile would be bolstered through high-profile P2P (Person to Person) payment initiatives such as the UK’s Paym, which will be integrated into customers’ existing mobile banking or payment apps as an additional way to pay. At the same time, it argued the mobile P2P market in the US was being driven by a number of start-ups – including Venmo and Dwolla – targeting younger demographics.
According to report author, Dr Windsor Holden: “While P2P mobile payment services have struggled to gain traction in developed markets, financial institutions are keen to commit to them as they can serve as an attractive value-add to consumers in an increasingly cashless society.”
Other findings from the report include:
The whitepaper, Smart Phone – Smart Wallet – Smart Cash, is available to download from the Juniper Research website together with further details of the full report and the attendant Mobile Wallets IFxl.
Gary McIlraith looks at how marketers can prepare for the changing nature of the internet in 2014.
Did jumping on the BRIC economic bandwagon give you indigestion? Try a MINT. The economist who coined the term BRIC for the powerhouse economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China has done it again. This time it’s the MINT countries of Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey. Doug Sacks wonders if the new term sucks . . .