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#MarketingTitbits – Favourite TV Ads, Flash Ads, Visual Evolution

tvads-google-social media1. #60YearsTVAds: vote for your favourite TV ad of all time
The 60th anniversary of the first TV ad shown in the UK is approaching us, and over the past few weeks Marketing Magazine has asked for nominations for the best TV ads of all time. Their social media followers have been suggesting a long list of their favourite ads for weeks, and now it’s been whittled down to just 25.

Iconic adverts from Cadburys, John Lewis and Compare the Market have all been nominated by the public, but what are your thoughts?

To vote for your favourite TV ad of all time, click here.

2. Brands ‘caught by surprise’ as Google turns off Flash ads

Google surprised many brands last week as they decided to turn off Flash ads. This change means interactive digital ads that use Adobe’s Flash technology will no longer play automatically. Google’s alternative to this now features an empty grey box with a “play” button that has to be clicked for the advert to start.

It’s believed that this decision had been made to help speed up web browsing and save battery life. But could the move be linked to security problems? It’s well known that hackers have previously used Flash to create malicious ads to steal data and harm devices, and also follows on from Firefox’s decision to block Flash earlier in the year.

Click here for more information.

3. How the visual evolution of social media has affected brands

With images and videos being posted more and more on social media, brands are trying to find ways to keep up with their visual media. Social media involves a lot of time and money, but with visual content on the rise, brands simply can’t stand out without being creative.

The visual nature of social media has affected brands in many ways. Econsultancy has put together 5 ways brands can improve their awareness through photography, digital technology and creativity, but will this stay the same for the new generation of social media savvy youth?

Click here to see how social media has affected brands.

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#MarketingTitbits – Rugby World Cup, Snapchat Campaigns, Logo Colour Swap

rugby-snapchat-colour 21. A marketer’s essential guide to the Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup, taking place in England and Wales this year, is regarded as one of the biggest sporting spectacles on the planet. This year, the tournament is predicted to have 20,000 hours of broadcast coverage, making it potentially the most commercially lucrative to date.

So what does this mean for marketers? Newspaper group Trinity Mirror believes the Rugby World Cup presents vast opportunities for advertisers to reach the UK population. Research shows that 66% of us plan to follow the tournament this year, providing a massive opportunity for marketers to showcase their brand!

The tournament is fast approaching, so click here to find out more about making the most of the marketing opportunities it will generate.

2. Five seriously creative Snapchat campaigns and their results

Social media has proven to be an effective marketing platform; however many marketers still aren’t using it to its full potential. Snapchat may not seem like an obvious choice for some marketers, but some of the most successful brands are using the platform to run intriguing and effective campaigns.

Brands such as McDonald’s and Calvin Klein have excelled with their targeted campaigns, all with the help of Snapchat. Calvin Klein developed a campaign whereby celebrities were asked to produce selfies and share on Snapchat. The impact was considerable, with Calvin Klein experiencing 140,000 content views and a 15% increase in Snapchat engagement.

Click here to find out more about 5 effective Snapchat campaigns.

3. Here’s what 22 famous logos would look like if they swapped colours

We already know that simplicity is often key to a successful logo. Likewise, if you’ve spent hours agonising over colour combinations, you’ll appreciate the importance of getting the balance right? A Brazilian graphic designer, Paúla Rupolo, recently experimented with swapping brand logo colours with one of their competitors, and the results have been brought to us by AdWeek.

Click here to see what the impact is of switching the brand colours of Sprite and 7UP, Real Madrid and Barcelona, UPS and Fedex, Amazon and Ebay and more.

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#MarketingTitbits – content marketing, lenses, Aldi

content-lenses-aldi-smaller1. Ways to invite your followers into your content marketing
Content marketing has grown in popularity recently, but with the opportunity comes challenge for many businesses of how to go about taking advantage of it. A good example of comes from Vitamin Water, which partnered with Facebook and created the successful ‘flavour creator’ campaign. It worked perfectly cultivating interest and engagement with their target audience. But how have others capitalised on the power of content marketing?

Here are 5 ways to help draw your target audience into your world. Click here. 

 

2. Google inks a deal with Novartis to make smart contact lenses

The tech world has seen a rise in wearable items recently and Google is a major contributor to this. We’ve seen the introduction of watches and Google Glass to name but two. But never one to rest on their laurels, Google are now looking to expand even further after partnering with Novartis to develop ‘smart contact lenses’ that could provide vision correction or measure glucose levels for sufferers of diabetes.

To read more about the new lenses, click here. 

 

3. UK consumers rate Aldi top brand

As you may already know, discount grocers have rocked the retail sector over the last 12 months, and recent surveys about the nation’s top brands have certainly reinforced this.

Aldi has topped the list of YouGov’s top 10 brands relating to consumer perception, with a Buzz score of 25.9, shaking off rivals such as John Lewis and Sainsburys in terms of positive associations with the brands.

To read more and find out who else made the top 10, click here.

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#MarketingTitbits – Facebook, Vine, YouTube

Facebook-Vine-YouTube-smaller1. This is what happens on Facebook when you die
You may have never wondered what happens to your social media profiles when you die. It is not something most people would think about. However, different social media channels treat death in different ways. Until recently, Facebook has chosen to restrict a person’s privacy settings to just friends once they have died; however this has now changed.

Now, when a person dies, their Facebook privacy settings stay the same, they say they “are respecting the choices a person made in life while giving their extended community of family and friends ongoing visibility to the same content they could always see.”

Facebook have also added an extra touch for friends and family. If you are a Facebook user you will know that recently you have been able to access your “Look back” video, showing you your life on Facebook. After a father’s plea on YouTube to be able to see his deceased son’s “Look back” video, users can now request to see their friend’s videos upon request after they die.

To read more, click here. 

 

2. 14 best branded Vines of February 2014

Today, many brands are using Vine to connect with their customers. Companies such as McDonalds, Xbox, Microsoft and General Electric are doing great things on Vine and using the relatively new social media platform in an innovative way.

If you’re in need of inspiration on how to use Vine or just want to have a look at who is doing it well, have a look at the 14 best branded Vines of February 2014here. 

 

3. YouTube’s 20 most shared ads of February

Unruly Media have put together a list of the most shared adverts on YouTube from February 2014.

Three’s “Sing It Kitty”, Coca-Cola’s “Social Media Guard” and Budweiser’s “Puppy Love” all feature on the list. To have a look at the full 20, click here.

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#MarketingTitbits – Twitter, Slogans, Colours

Twitter-slogans-colours2-smaller1. Twitter ‘Buy Now’ button appears for the first time
Twitter have added a new feature to your news feed which you may have already noticed. The ‘Buy now’ button was first spotted last Monday and by clicking it users can buy the product from a website called Fancy.

So far, the button has only been appearing on the mobile version of the social networking site and it could be that the button is an experiment or an accidental release. To read more, click here. 

 

2. The winning straplines that stand the test of time

“Just do it”, “I’m lovin’ it” and “Making life taste better” are three examples of memorable straplines from some of the brands we love. Despite the plethora of inspired straplines, there is a real overabundance of forgotten slogans that didn’t catch on, or were just plain awful!

Picking a good slogan can be hard but Marketing Week has written an article helping to do so. To read the full article, click here. 

 

3. Can you identify these brands by their trademarked colours?

Colour is one of the first things that you notice about a brand and often the most memorable. When you think of the colour blue you might think of Twitter, Ford and HP or for red Levi’s, Coca-Cola or Vodafone.

Different colours connote different emotions and usually a brand’s colour scheme will be heavily influenced by the emotions they portray. To see if you can identify popular brands by their trademarked colours, click here.

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#MarketingTitbits – Keep Calm.., World Cup, speaking

slogan-videos-speaking-smaller1. Keep Calm and Carry On – the unlikely success of a failed slogan
“Keep Calm and Carry On” is now one of the most iconic British slogans. The slogan itself, as well as various interpretations, is used all over the world on a wide range of merchandise.

Despite being produced in 1939, the original poster was not seen by the public until 2001 when a second-hand book shop owner found a copy in a box of books bought at an auction. The poster was displayed in the bookshop and they began selling reproductions later that year.

To read more about this slogan and its place in today’s society, click here.

 

2. 20 best branded Vines and Instagram videos from World Cup 2014

As you probably already know, the World Cup has finally come to a close with Germany taking the trophy. This is a great time to look back on the last four weeks and the many brands that have cashed in on the football tournament.

We’ve seen tropical, ‘Brazil’ inspired flavours of vodka, sweets and even fried chicken. Have a look at this article from Econsultancy that highlights the best branded Vine and Instagram videos of the last 4 weeks. To read more, click here. 

 

3. 7 bad speaking habits that turn people off

Last year, author Julian Treasure gave a TED talk showing that anyone can speak effectively and exactly how to do it. As well as giving tips of what you can do, he outlines exactly what not to do and explained about bad speaking habits that you should eliminate.

To find out what the main bad habits most of us are guilty of are, click here.

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#MarketingTitbits – personalities, authentic brands, social media

personalities-authenticity-socialmedia-smaller1. The best jobs for every personality type
Ever wondered what job you are best suited for? If you don’t, taking the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality test could be a start. You may not have come across it before, but this test has been an established tool within business for decades. Simply answer the questions and the results will outline what 5 job types you are most suited for, easy!

Let us know if you get anything surprising.

To take the test and find out what your top five are,click here.

2. How to be an authentic brand

Firefish has recently conducted a survey into the ‘authenticity’ of brands from the views of 1000 consumers. Many of the world’s most well-known brands hit the top 20, but there were also a few surprises. Heinz fought off competition from Apple, who came in 6th, and Coca Cola, who hit unlucky 13th, to come out in pole position. To be authentic, a brand needs to be culturally relevant to the target consumer, but how is this determined?

According to the study, there are particular values that can boost your ability to thrive as an authentic brand, including originality, expertise and passion. But, as recommended by Heinz’s vice-principal of marketing, Giles Jepson, your key to being authentic is to be clear about what you stand for. But is it always that simple?

To read more about the rankings, click here.

3. 5 Social Media mistakes to avoid

If you or your business is looking to master the world of social media, then there are certain things you need to steer clear of, as reported by Entrepreneur. Incomplete profiles mean an incomplete brand in the social media world. How is a potential customer supposed to gain all the relevant information about a business when the details aren’t placed in front of them?

Constant bombardments of sales pitches will also divert customers away from your profiles, so try to break up your feed by adding personal touches rather than violating Terms of Service agreements by spamming users. It is highly important to see you profiles through the eyes of potential customers, in order to achieve the best results from social media. If you succeed in this, then you are ideally positioned to reap the rewards that social media mastery offers.

Click here to find out what else you should aim to avoid when creating your profiles.

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#MarketingTitbits – life lessons, distractions, logos

lifelessons-distractions-logos-smaller1. 45 Valuable Life Lessons for People of Any Age
Everyone has moments where they need to be reminded of what’s important in life, and thanks ro Regina Brett (New York Times author), here is a comprehensive list to help give you that sense of perspective we all sometimes need from time to time.

Top of her list is ‘life isn’t fair, but it’s still good’, followed by ‘over prepare, then go with the flow’ and ‘however good or bad a situation is, it will change’.

Take a look at all 45 ‘lessons’ to see which ones you’ve still got to learn by clicking here.

2. Reclaim the Hour and a Half You’re Forfeiting to Distractions at Work (Infographic)

According to a study carried out by a subset of the Virgin Group, almost half of employees are distracted for 20 percent of the day. This means that the average worker will throw away between 1 and 2 hours of productive time every day. Surprising right? Fear not, as Entrepreneur has created an infographic to help you on your way to curbing those distractions.

54% of employees revealed that socialising with co-workers side-lined their focus, while 45% admitted that texting and emailing were top distracters. According to the infographic, in order to beat the distractions, a healthy lifestyle is key to getting down to business. For example, 70% of employees say that healthy habits improve their focus, but 70% of people rarely take part in any physical activity.

To read more about the distractions people face and how to overcome them, click here.

3. 40 Hidden Messages in Famous Brand Logos

In order for a brand to be successful, it will often come down to the design of their logos and the meanings they communicate. A logo should convey a brands identity, and as Oomph found out, many well-known brands do so very effectively.

FedEx cleverly hide an arrow between the ‘E’ and ‘X’ in their logo, advertising their speed and accuracy, while the Unilever logo incorporates small singular icons in the ‘U’ that represent aspects of their business. You may also be surprised to find out the origins of many brands like Toblerone and BMW.

Check out the remaining hidden messages by clicking here.

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#MarketingTitbits – Marmite, Tesco, TED talks

marmite-tesco-tedtalks-smaller1. Marmite – the marketing story even the haters love
Marmite has recently won Brand of the Year at Marketing Week’s Engage Awards, but the brand only generated around £37million in sales in 2013, so why is this? Well, however small in financial terms the brand may be, it is a prominent and iconic edition to households across the UK for both lovers and haters.

You may have seen the ‘End Marmite Neglect’ campaign in August of last year, which focused on tugging at the nation’s heart strings to end the dull days that Marmite jars often spend in the backs of people’s cupboards. Its success resulted in a 14% increase in sales over eight weeks, along with 12,000 new social media followers in three months.

Unilever, who own the brand, are considering another push in Marmite’s marketing over the coming months, with the possibility of another TV appearance for the brand that even the haters love.

To read more about Marmite’s success, click here.

2. Secret marketer: Tesco’s reputation for choice is being eroded by its corner shop acquisitions

Tesco was founded upon and grew on its ability to give consumers outstanding personal service, but with the negativity that the retailer is facing at present, could they be drifting away from what actually made Tesco, Tesco?

Most places you visit across the country will be home to one of Tesco’s larger hypermarkets, but you are also likely to spot anywhere between two and five smaller ‘Express’ or ‘Local’ stores. These are ideal for convenience, but is this also an underlying problem? Being found lacking in the ‘customer-focused atmosphere’ department could be a factor behind the recent swapping of Tesco customers to discounters such as Aldi and Lidl.

What is your experience of Tesco as a consumer? To read more, click here.

3. The 20 most popular TED talks of all time

TED is a non-profit organisation that launched in the 80s to share life changing ideas across the globe.  TED brings together thought leaders from a wide range of sectors, who give 18 minute talks on ways to change the world for the better. Of the 1,800+ talks delivered so far, Business Insider reveals the 20 most popular of all time.

The list includes talks from some of the world’s most highly influential people and includes topics as diverse as brain magic, how to spot a liar, body language, the science behind motivation and more.

If you are interested in watching TED’s top 20, click here.

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#MarketingTitbits – retail technology, reputable brands, royal celebrations

ecommerce-reputablebrands-royal-smaller1. Shoppers using average five connected devices to purchaseWhen purchasing goods both online and in-store, consumers are now on average using five ‘connected’ devices during the process, whether this be browsing, researching, comparing or buying. Devices range from PCs, laptops, tablets, smartphones, smart TVs and wearables according to DigitasLBi, which examined retailer trends around the world.

The research found that 27% of consumers will hope to find personalised offers online, while 70% believe they would engage with in-store connectivity like GPS or Wi-Fi tracking if the stores offered consumer benefits. But it’s not just devices that are growing in popularity – social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest are also seeing increased growth in direct purchasing.

Could 2015 be the year that changes the retail experience fundamentally? To find out more, click here.

2. BMW beats Google and Walt Disney to become world’s most reputable brand

In a recent study carried out by Reputation Institute, BMW topped the list of the world’s most reputable brands, succeeding last year’s joint first place holders, Walt Disney and Google.

The brands were ranked in accordance to their reputations amongst consumers, based on criteria including innovation, governance and citizenship. The top ranking vehicle manufacturer believes its success is down to internet and social media tools, but also face-to-face interaction itself. Other brands joining BMW in the top 100 include Rolex, Apple, Volkswagen, Nestle and IKEA.

To take a look at the list in full, head to The Drum.

3. How brands wished Queen Elizabeth a happy 89th birthday ft Marmite, Beats, Lidl & Tesco

Last week, Queen Elizabeth celebrated her 89thbirthday, and brands across the world came out to celebrate as #QueenElizabeth trended on Twitter for the majority of the day.

Sharing their limited edition royal products on social media were Marmite and Pot Noodle, who created animations commemorating the occasion, while other brands, such as Tesco, Lidl and Surfdome showed their humorous sides.

Take a look at how others celebrated the special day by clicking here.

 

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