#MarketingTitbits – Android Pay, YouTube ads, Pizza Hut projector box

android-youtube-pizza-smaller1. What Google’s Android Pay will mean for brands
Earlier this month, Google announced the launch of the much anticipated Android Pay to take on rival Apple, as they enter the mobile payments market. Google could be seen as already having an advantage over their tech giant rival, as Android holds the majority of smartphone users, but they will require the support of both businesses and consumers in order to succeed.

An advantage of mobile payments that has become clear through the launch of Apple Pay is the low transaction costs for businesses, alongside the increase in security that customers are actively searching for. Brands, therefore, have much greater motivation to support mobile payments as the platform continues to change the way consumers engage with commerce.

To find out more, click here.

2. Watch: the 5 most popular YouTube ads of the past decade

YouTube has gained immense popularity over the past decade since it was introduced to the world in 2005, and now, in honour of its 10th birthday, YouTube has asked viewers to vote for their favourite ads of all time.

Entrepreneur has compiled a list of the top 5 voted for ads, and you may be surprised to discover which one hit the top spot! Click here to take a look at the adverts and see which is your favourite.

3. Pizza Hut has a new box that turns into a movie projector for your smartphone

Pizza Hut’s latest marketing stunt is bringing Hollywood blockbusters to your doorstep through the design of their new ‘Blockbuster Box’. Along with their pizza, Hong Kong residents will find a special lens and a perforated hole with which to begin their movie night.

For customers who aren’t Netflix users, Pizza Hut has printed a QR code that can be scanned with a smartphone to download a free movie. The Blockbuster Box comes in four different styles to appeal to all movie fans: action, sci-fi, romance or scary movie genres.

Click here to find out more about the limited edition boxes.

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#MarketingTitbits – Google Analytics, Virgin’s vacation policy, email marketing

analytics-vacations-emails-smaller1. Seven Google Analytics tips for beginnersGoogle Analytics is an invaluable tool for businesses to use to understand their websites and its engagement with visitors. The level of insight it can provide is staggering; however, for those unfamiliar with it, it can be slightly daunting when you first visit the page. Luckily we have some tips to help you plough your way through and make the most of this useful tool.

Setting goals around session duration, pages viewed per session and customer events is a great place to start. You can also receive email alerts just so you don’t miss a thing that happens on your site. And don’t forget to connect to your AdWords account!

To find more tips click here.

2. Virgin’s Unlimited Vacation policy: PR ploy or new employment paradigm?

Richard Branson is known to be an innovative, forward-thinking and publicity savvy business leader but last week he took things to a new level with the idea of unlimited vacations.  Although this may seem like a dream situation for employees it also raises some interesting questions about how to make it practical.

On one hand it empowers employees with the flexibility to holiday whenever they wish, which potentially makes for a happier work force. Equally, it demonstrates Virgin’s trust in their staff. However, it also raises lots of questions around the practicalities of the initiative and the stress the rest of the team are placed under when a key team member is away.

So is this just another clever publicity stunt, designed to get people talking about the Virgin brand, or is it an example of an enlightened employer looking to do the best for his employees? For more information on the unlimited vacation, click here.

3. Why is email seen as the poor relation in digital marketing?

Since the email was created in 1972 by Raymond Tomlinson, it has been a vital tool used by marketers to reach out and engage with their customers and target audience. But as ‘digital marketing’ becomes ever more complex, questions are being asked about how effective email marketing is for companies?

According to a recent Email Marketing Industry Census from Econsultancy, the percentage of organisations that are sending over 1m emails has increased from 15% to 22% in the last 5 years but the survey showed that average annual e-marketing spends had stayed fairly static at £5,000. The survey indicated there is a perception that e-marketing is a cheap, but low value marketing tool and not particularly valued as highly as other digital marketing channels. However, when analysing the ROI from e-marketing, the survey found some surprising results.

To find out more, click here.

 

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Brands don’t have to be boring!

What was the most memorable post you saw on social media this week? Our guess is that, whatever it was, it made you laugh!When it comes to humour, a little can go a long way. A study from the Global Survey of Trust in Advertising polled 29,000 internet users, in 58 countries, on the most popular form of advertising.  47% stated that humour is the most effective marketing tool, and we couldn’t agree more!

However, as any budding comedian would know, it’s not that easy to make people laugh, especially when you are limited to just 140 characters to impress your audience. Therefore, if you’re looking for some inspiration, here is how some well-known brands infused their social media with a strong dose of humour. 

Tesco has over 311,000 followers and they are actively tweeting everyday making them one of the most proactive UK brands on Twitter.

Tesco responded to Taylor Swift’s new found superpower after she managed to convince Apple to pay artists during consumer’s free trail of their new music streaming service. Tesco’s cleaver and witty tweet got 285 favourites and over 175 re-tweets.

Charmin have successfully built a personality around their product and have been voted as the ‘sassiest’ brand on twitter. With more than 67,000 followers, the brand has also created their own hashtag campaign #tweetfromtheseat. Here are a few tweets which made us chuckle.

Skittles uses social networking as form of entertainment to build relationships and their reputation with consumers. It’s surprising how little jokes can go a long way…

These brands have seen their humorous content go viral, but just because their tweets are funny it doesn’t mean they haven’t been carefully planned. Too many brands have found their flippant Tweets or jokes backfire and had to remove them hastily. While we love humorous content, there is a fine line between being edgy and crass. Here are a couple of examples of brands which didn’t quite make the cut when it comes to funny social media marketing.

Paddy Power’s advert offered a ‘money back if he walks’ guarantee for betting on Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial. This broke advertisement rules and received 5,525 complaints, as well as many concerned tweets, making it the most complained advert of 2014.

DiGiorno Pizza is one of the top brands on Twitter and is well known for their cheesy jokes and comical tweets. However, the brand slipped up at the end of 2014 by using the trending hashtag #WhyIStayed, discussing domestic violence, DiGiorno Pizza tweeted “#WhyIStayed You had Pizza.” The backlash was swift and the tweet was deleted within minutes followed by an apology for not understanding the context of the hashtag before using it.

So while you don’t have to be boring and stick to the usual obvious updates, approach humour with caution and make sure it is carefully planned!

 

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#MarketingTitbits – marketing focus, social media blunders, Google Panda

marketingfocus-social-google-smaller1. Why consumer trust, storytelling and collaboration are Nestle, Mars and Airbnb’s focus for 2016
Speaking at Cannes Lions festival, marketing heads from some of the UK’s top brands shared their views on their priorities for 2016.

At the top of most brands’ lists was the consumer. On one hand, Nestlé’s global head of digital and social media stressed the importance of consumer trust and transparency, while on the other; Airbnb shared their focus on storytelling. However, for Mars, top of their agenda was to build closer relationships and to figure out whom to collaborate with, as the lines between marketing and sales blur.

To read more on their focuses for 2016, click here.

2. 10 of the biggest social media blunders ever

If you want to build your company’s presence online, social media can be an ideal way to do so. But while social media is often a powerful and beneficial tool, there are times when brands fall into the trap of negative publicity.

Entrepreneur has compiled a list on what not to do on social media, which include mistaking national tragedy for fireworks from American Apparel, JPMorgan Chase inviting public hatred, LG making fun of an iPhone with an iPhone and many more. For examples of embarrassing blunders, look no further.

Click here to see them all.

3. What does the latest Google Panda update mean for your business

Since the latest Google Panda update was released, speculation has been escalating as to whether rankings had been affected or not. Although Google hasn’t made an official announcement, fluctuations in ranking can often point to changes. So what could this mean for businesses?

The original Panda update was introduced to combat the issues surrounding what makes ‘good or bad’ pages, and consequently stop any ‘bad’ pages from ranking high in search results. It’s become clear that this recent update is concentrated on the quality of content. Businesses should be regularly producing new content that is relevant, useful and engaging, while also updating older pieces of content.

Find out more on how the update may affect your business by clicking here.

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#MarketingTitbits – consumer high streets, Pinterest pages, Snapchat stories

highstreets-pinterest-snapchat-smaller1. Big brands left out of consumers’ ideal high streetAccording to new research by insight and innovation consultancy FreshMinds, almost half of consumers believe that big brands are ruining the high street and a further 63% believe that high streets have lost their appeal.

In the survey of 2,000 consumers, most envisioned a high street with big brands being replaced by pop-up shops, independent restaurants and 24-hour social spaces. Director of FreshMinds, Natasha Wallace, stated that retail stores need to create an in-store experience than cannot be replicated online. But what does the high street of 2025 look like?

Click here to read more on the latest report.

2. Five small businesses with brilliant Pinterest pages

Since its launch back in 2010, Pinterest has grown to become one of the biggest social media platforms for both consumers and businesses. And now,Econsultancy has gathered a list of some of the best pages from smaller ecommerce brands to give you or your business a little inspiration.

The brands that are succeeding on Pinterest are those that have fun and create the most attractive boards. From local produce delivery firm, Farmdrop; or seller of weird and wonderful things, Firebox, this is simple. Their boards are filled with a range of interesting pins from both their own content and external sources.

Take a look at the boards yourself by clicking here.

3. Currys PC World: Snapchat allows us to do more than just add noise to a newsfeed

Currys PC World has recently partnered with Microsoft to launch its first Snapchat campaign, in a bid to target and inspire millennials. The #BestofBoth campaign tells the story of Microsoft’s laptop and tablet hybrid product and how it can enhance the daily lives of students.

Their introduction of Snapchat follows Wimbledon and the other brands that are joining in with the app’s new geofilter ads. Currys PC World’s social media manager believes that the platform allows them to connect with students through story-based marketing, rather than “adding to the noise in their newsfeeds”.

To read more on their newest campaign, click here.

 

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#MarketingTitbits – entrepreneurial must-read books, Flipagram, Amazon at 20

reading-flipagram-amazon-smaller1. 10 entrepreneurial must-read books to kick off your summer reading listProfessors from the University of Michigan, Len Middleton and Jim Price, have compiled a list of their favourite entrepreneurial reads, ranging from traditional success stories, to those focused on the psychology of taking risks or facing rejection. So, whether you’re on a plane jetting off on holiday or sitting back on your lunch break, now could be the perfect time to reinvigorate your entrepreneurial spirit.

The list includes inspiring stories of inventors that have shaped a nation, insights into the future of medicine, how being crazy could work in your favour, the importance of character and more. Whatever you’re interested in, you’ll be sure to find something that piques your entrepreneurial interest.

Take a look at the full list of must-read entrepreneurial books here.

2. Is Flipagram the next big social platform for brands?

You may not have heard of it yet, but in 2014, Flipagram burst onto the scene and grew faster than Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat did in their first year, hitting 33 million active users per month. With the latest social media platform aiming to hit the 1 billion mark, will it become the next big thing?

The app allows users to create short videos from photos or video clips and set them to music, as well as link these clips to external sites. The platform presents an opportunity for brands and has already been integrated into social media campaigns by the likes of Jack Daniels and Uber.

Take a look at how Flipagram could be useful to your business here.

3. Amazon at 20: The brand, the challenges and the future

Amazon has been celebrating its 20th year in business, but what has made the ecommerce brand so successful? According to the consensus among marketing experts, advertising has little to do with it.

Verdict analyst, Patrick O’Brien, and M&C Saatchi’s chief strategy officer, Mark Sinnock, both echo each other’s views and believe that Amazon is far from a “classic advertising brand”. Thanks to the scale of its online operation and the combination of personalisation, targeting and retargeting, the brand has grown to become increasingly powerful and dominant within the market.

What do you think their success is down to?

Click here to find out more.

 

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#MarketingTitbits – emoji campaigns, psychology principles, stock images

emoji-psychology-images-smaller1. From McDonald’s to Ikea – 7 of the best emoji marketing campaignsEmojis have become the world’s fastest growing digital language and a number of brands are beginning to incorporate them into their marketing campaigns. But whose will catch your eye?

As outlined by Marketing Magazine, a variety of brands are adopting the language, ranging from WWF’s #EndangeredEmoji campaign to Domino’s ‘Easy Order’ emoji tweets. However, this seemingly simple campaign is not without its own risks as fast food giant, McDonalds, discovered.

Find out what went wrong for McDonalds and how other brands are using emojis by clicking here.

2. Six psychology principles that can help your content marketing

Most businesses will use content marketing as a tool to help drive traffic to their site, boost engagement levels and convert leads into sales. But how can a business encourage a consumer to take these actions? Take a look at these top psychological theories from Econsultancy to find out.

From theories proposing that people are automatically drawn to something others already like, to those that suggest everyone has a ‘fear or missing out’, you can easily find tips to help with generating content for your business.

Click here to find out more.

3. 7 sources of free high quality stock images

As the internet has grown ever dominant in our digitally-centred lives, it’s no surprise that there is an overwhelming number of free stock image websites, but which should you be using?

Sites such as Pixabay, Unsplash and StockSnap are perfect for the searcher looking for unlimited downloads to add a great, high quality touch to blogs and promotional material, making them a popular choice amongst many. But that’s not all. If you’re looking to remove all the hassle when it comes to finding images, Death to the Stock Photo and Snapwire will deliver them straight to your inbox.

For the full list, click here.

 

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#MarketingTitbits – Instagram marketing, brand taglines, Google+ changes

instagram-travel-google-smaller1. What brands need to know about Instagram marketing
By 2017, Instagram’s mobile ad revenue is due to quadruple to reach $2.81bn, making its mobile display ad business bigger than both Twitter and Google in the US. There are already more than 500 brand campaigns and Instagram continues to add new features to make the service more appealing to advertisers.

As Tom Richards points out from We Are Social,Instagram already has a parent company in Facebook that has already built up and multi-billion dollar social ad business and can use its learnings to help Instagram grow even faster. Marketers have used the site to sell an image of their brands, in particular fashion and travel sectors.

For more on Instagram’s expansion, click here.

2. Lost in translation: when brand taglines don’t travel

Brand taglines such as KFC and Mcdonald’s are the most recognised in Britain today, but when they cross oceans they can mean something entirely different. We searched the depths of the internet to find the best, or worst.

KFC’s ‘finger licking good’ slogan is known all over the world. But when the fast-food giant hit China, the translation of their tasty slogan wasn’t so appetising. Pepsi experienced a similar problem in China where their slogan ‘come alive you’re with Pepsi’ translated into something completely different. Due to this, sales have dropped significantly since the launch of the campaign.

Click here to find out more.

3. What the Google+ changes mean for marketers

Since its launch in 2011, Google+ has been an integral part of the Google experience, as the search giant used it to unify its disparate services. Google has made it clear that it knows it is never going to compete directly with Facebook for social networking supremacy. However, as Bradley Horowitz explains, Google’s VP of streams and sharing, a Google account will be all you’ll need to share content.

For marketers, the diverging fortunes are a reminder that the most meaningful platforms of tomorrow are equally likely to come from companies nobody has heard of. Either way, marketers still using or interested in Google+ can now treat it as something other than a poor Facebook competitor.

Take a look at more Google+ changes by clicking here.

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Top Marketing Tips For February

What Matters Now – As promised each week, the team here at TLC Business will provide you with a free Seth Godin eBook. This week we bring you ‘What Matters Now’, a great book that gives you ideas on how to get more out of your business this year.
Gallery Hosted – An image hosting and photo sharing website that provides what most people need from a photo sharing website plus a few little extras.

Corpdata – UK B2B marketing data list owner, providing up-to-date mailing list data for B2B direct mail, telesales and email marketing. To help boost your sales in these tough economic times, Corpdata are giving away 200 free contacts to every business in the UK.

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Think ‘SME SR’ not CSR

Businesses are coming under increasing pressure to engage in activities which come under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) banner. CSR follows the concept that each company has a responsibility, in fact an obligation, to help the same community that allows them to earn profit.Many believe that the larger multi-national companies impact the most upon society, and therefore, must be the primary undertakers of CSR activities; however, statistics tell another story. As we know, official data gathered from across the globe, has found that more than 90% of the businesses in the world are classified as small and medium enterprises (SMEs). SMEs play a vital role and are an important part of the UK, EU and global economy; however when it comes to adopting social responsibility,  smaller companies are falling behind in making changes within their businesses to honour ethical values, people, communities and the natural environment.

Although small and mid-sized organisations may not have a multinational’s budget to help them develop their CSR activities, there are some highly productive activities that can be undertaken by smaller businesses that can make a big difference.

SME’s can reap significant benefits from a reorganised approach to CSR.

Consider our key steps to ‘SME SR’:

  • To implement a social responsibility program effectively, a company must engage employees in the planning process. Talk to your staff. What causes do they want to support? What would create meaning and motivation for them in the workplace? By getting your network of people on board, you can work together to form an effective strategy. Set your ‘SME SR’ objectives.
  • Social responsibility isn’t just about recycling your paper and turning off lights. It requires a change in attitude. Look at every aspect of your business; from your impact on the environment, your staff, your community and your business network.
  • Gather ideas internally, from amongst your team and externally, from the wider business community and internet, of activities and undertakings you can commit to that fit with your ‘SME SR objectives’.
    • You may want to reduce your impact on the environment by reducing the amount of meetings that you drive to and embracing remote-meeting technology.
    • Rather than printing documents for clients, send PDFs via email.
    • If you do have to print, make sure it is duplex.
    • Stop printing out 1000s of brochures and leaflets that never get used. If you do need tangible marketing collateral, use folders with digitally printed inserts (printed as and when needed).
    • Use low energy bulbs.
    • Don’t leave PCs and equipment on standby.
    • Incentivise car sharing or cycling to work.
    • In the winter, introduce morning and afternoon hugging sessions to stay warm and reduce heating needs (only joking…or not!)
    • Allocate days when you’ll work in the community or for a cause.
    • Adopt a cause to fundraise for.
    • Most importantly, make it fun!
  • ‘SME SR’ should be viewed as a process of building shared value within your organisiation, rather than a superficial PR exercise.  Whilst it will undoubtedly give your business something to shout about, in blogs, newsletters and social media, we believe it is a lifetime commitment that should be integrated into the day-to-day running of your business.

What is in it for me, I hear you say? Well the benefits can be significant for SMEs:

  • Improved image and reputation within your market and local community
  • Improved trust and understanding
  • Larger, more prominent profile within your community
  • Possible business opportunities
  • Increased employee motivation within your organisation
  • Increased attractiveness to potential recruits and clients
  • Considerable cost savings and increased efficiencies within your organisation

These are just a few of the ways you can benefit. Over time, you will be surprised at what doors open as a result of your consideration of your business’ impact on your community, network and environment. We may be small, but combined; SMEs have the power to make a real positive impact on our external environment. So next time someone talks about CSR, think ‘SME SR’!

 

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