Marketing Week
MaryLou Costa Editorial
Features Writer
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Waxing lyrical about the future of music discovery
24 May 2012
Shazam has come a long way from its beginnings as a music discovery service. MaryLou Costa talks to Beatrice Farina, VP of marketing and communications, about the brand’s evolution, its move into TV and what developments the future may hold.
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Travel guru explores new routes
12 April 2012
The travel guide business is looking to the future by repackaging its content in digital form to reach a new generation of adventure seekers while remaining true to its 39-year-old brand identity.
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Leading from the front
PR Strategy March 2012
The rapid evolution of new media has thrust PR to the forefront of brand strategies. MaryLou Costa talks to industry experts about how they manage the reputations of their companies and ensure they have a voice at board level.
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British Superbrands show strength despite weak economy
Wed, 7 Mar 2012
The results of the annual Superbrands ranking are in, showing the prowess of British brands.
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Women want cosmetic brands to work harder
8 March 2012
It’s time to kiss and make up: women want beauty brands to do more than one thing and simplify the process of looking good.
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Whatever makes you happy
Wed, 29 Feb 2012
Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the happiest of them all? Those living in Northern Ireland, it seems, according to initial findings of the…
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Style and function is back on the block
1 March 2012
Good design is back on the agenda says a Marketing Week survey, as more brands make the link with a strong bottom line. But the battle for buy-in isn’t won yet, say marketers.
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Dawn Porter’s campaign for moist wipes is a damp squib
Tue, 28 Feb 2012
A straw poll of my office colleagues confirmed that there are generally mixed feelings for the TV…
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Can Asda be a mum’s best friend?
Wed, 22 Feb 2012
Insights from Asda’s first ‘Mumdex’ may provide the retailer with a powerful edge against its rivals, as results show that UK mums are…
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SWISS: the airline flying the flag for brand Switzerland
23 February 2012
How Switzerland’s national airline has bounced back from financial collapse.
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Is the growth of the coffee sector just a quick fix?
Wed, 15 Feb 2012
The UK coffee market has doubled in size since 2005, but will we soon become caffeined out?
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Q&A: Vicki Reed, Edun
16 February 2012
Marketing director Vicki Reed describes Edun as a fashion brand with an ethical conscience. Here, she tells MaryLou Costa how part-owner LVMH is helping the company achieve its ambitions.
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How local content can engage global markets
16 February 2012
Brands looking to use their print and digital customer publications to reach a worldwide audience must strike a balance between cost and country-specific marketing messages.
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Brands contributing to obesity solutions need to get local
Wed, 8 Feb 2012
About 32% of UK adults are estimated to be obese in 2012, according to the NHS. Brands are already signed…
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Wealth archetypes
Wed, 1 Feb 2012
Speaking at the Luxury Briefing Wealth Summit event in London last year, Ledbury Research director James Lawson quipped that luxury brand strategies used to involve a “bun fight over the Sunday Times Rich List”, but today it is more complex than that.
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Reaching wealthy consumers demands classic luxury marketing techniques
Wed, 1 Feb 2012
Those with cash to spend appear to be the last consumers left standing…
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Case study: The Private Journey
Wed, 1 Feb 2012
Find out how mainstream brands can attract the world’s super rich, click here For a Q&A with Quintessentially’s co-founder Ben Elliot,
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Are you reaching the world’s elite customers?
Wed, 1 Feb 2012
Ben Elliot, founder of Quintessentially, sets out what the world’s richest consumers want from their brands as part of a focus on how mainstream brands can attract the super wealthy.
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Mainstream brands make a play for the super rich list
2 February 2012
Recession? What recession? A new set of brands is muscling in on territory that until recently was occupied exclusively by luxury goods and services providers by targeting the wealthy but time poor community.
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Creative recycling reduces cost of innovation
26 January 2012
Marketers have the opportunity to make significant cost savings by using their brand’s global resources to support local projects, according to research by the CIM seen by Marketing Week.
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P&G looks towards helping the mum of the future
Wed, 18 Jan 2012
FMCG giant P&G has focused the majority of its brand strategies around praising, rewarding and catering to mums, and last week it revealed what it believes to be the mum of the future.
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We need to talk about dying
19 January 2012
Asking people to face the consequences of their death is a big challenge for brands that deal with post-life services, but attitudes are changing thanks to a radical ad by Aviva and web services that highlight the benefits of facing the inevitable.
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TfL puts insight at the heart of marketing strategy
Wed, 11 Jan 2012
Transport for London (TfL) has taken learnings from its Marketing Week Engage Award-winning market researchto bolster other campaigns.
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Finding their soft spot
Data Strategy January 2012
Major established brands to smaller start-ups are taking a long hard look at their customer data to understand people’s motivations for…
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The new open and closed-door policies
5 January 2012
Technology-savvy marketers are maximising the impact of closed events by employing digital tools to give the wider public access to related content, while maintaining exclusivity.
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Will Kindle’s growth drive success for in-book advertising?
Wed, 4 Jan 2012
Did you get a Kindle for Christmas? More importantly, are you going to advertise on it?
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Special K ditching the quick fix is a much needed evolution
Thu, 22 Dec 2011
Read MaryLou Costa’s latest blog here.
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What consumer trends will you be watching in 2012?
Wed, 21 Dec 2011
2012 consumer trend predictions have been coming at us thick and fast, so I have taken my pick from a range of sources of what I think will have a big impact.
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Meat-free brands must push consumer benefits to become truly mainstream
Wed, 14 Dec 2011
Movements such as Meat Free Monday and the Five a Day fruit and vegetable campaign mean that most consumers today can identify with flexible vegetarianism.
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Bulldog found sponsorship gave it bite
Tue, 13 Dec 2011
Bulldog’s sponsorship strategy gave it a leg up - read how its marketing has since evolved.
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Fashion brands must take note of the era of the mass stylist
Fri, 9 Dec 2011
The stylist has moved on from a service for the elite to a must-have for the masses. Which brands are taking this on board to develop the edge they need?
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To be real or not? The dilemma beauty brands face
Wed, 7 Dec 2011
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Retail media: opportunity rises for online retail media
8 December 2011
Debate is raging as to whether online retailers should build their websites around point-of-sale presence for partner brands or focus on their own communications.
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What does the future of Britain look like?
Wed, 30 Nov 2011
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The brands cashing in at home
1 December 2011
How retailers are overcoming economic gloom with shopping experiences in consumers’ houses.
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Functional foods must address a genuine consumer health need
Wed, 23 Nov 2011
An episode of South Park I saw recently made fun of the Subway promotion which saw Jared, an everyday overweight American man, slim down to half his size by eating Subway sandwiches.
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Specsavers gives wearing glasses an edge, but it needs to take things to another level
Fri, 18 Nov 2011
Specsavers’ annual Spectacle Wearer of the Year Awards in London this week was a star studded, paparazzi prone event that gave attendees a new perspective on glasses as a fashion accessory. But something was missing.
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Travel brands can exploit a ripe market for adventure and romance holidays
Wed, 16 Nov 2011
There’s a budding adventurer in all of us; and the US wedding market is worth $30 billion a year. They might sound like two disparate pieces of information, but those were some of the big takeaways from the World Travel Market in London last week.
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Refreshed creativity at Nokia
Wed, 16 Nov 2011
Click here to read the cover feature - an exclusive look at the secrets behind Nokia’s “marketing revolution”Read about how Charmaine Eggbury, senior vice-president of marketing and marketplace activation,
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New growth at Nokia
Wed, 16 Nov 2011
Senior executives reveal the secrets behind the handset maker’s “marketing revolution”
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North African nations eye marketing overhaul after Arab Spring
Fri, 11 Nov 2011
Tunisia and Egypt are looking to overhaul the way they are marketed as tourist destinations after the revolutions that took place during the “Arab Spring” hit visitor numbers.
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'M&S is top family brand'
Thu, 10 Nov 2011
M&S has taken the top spot in the YouGov survey as consumers look for brands they can trust in difficult economic times.
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New home service brands can play to people staying in
Wed, 9 Nov 2011
With the consumer trend to cut back by staying in continuing, entrepreneurial brands are catering to this audience - literally.
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Family brands can reap rewards
10 November 2011
Brands that show family values make stronger connections with consumers, a survey exclusive to Marketing Week reveals.
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Spring: “Women need to learn hard stuff to get ahead”
Fri, 4 Nov 2011
Top female marketers offer advice for women to get ahead in business.
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Top advice for women in business from three power players
Fri, 4 Nov 2011
There was definitely some girl power in the air at the NABS An Audience with Women Leaders event in London last night.
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Clarks wants to reach fashionistas, but needs to be more content savvy
Fri, 4 Nov 2011
High street stalwart Clarks is looking to reposition itself as a brand for fashionistas, through its new brand imaging, partnerships and most importantly, products that any fashion conscious person would be proud to have in their wardrobe.
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There is wealth out there - brands just need to understand those who hold it
Wed, 2 Nov 2011
While most people’s finances are being squeezed, there are still those who have cash to splash. But knowing where they are, how they think and how to reach them is another story.
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Consumers swap budget brands for discounted premium ones
3 November 2011
Thrifty shoppers’ buying habits have changed since the recession of 2009, as has their perception of value. They are now eschewing budget brands for premium ones - but only if they’re on the discount rail.
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Giving context to calorie information
Wed, 26 Oct 2011
There’s a time and place for guiltily tucking into a McDonald’s meal. Understanding that time and place will be made easier as food brands are more forthcoming about presenting calorie information. McDonald’s is adding calorific content information to its menus for customers, just as the Government announces that British people need to shave 100 calories a day off their intake.
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Young marketers’ leadership strategies
Wed, 26 Oct 2011
Find out why ’brand me’ is your winning career move, click hereFor the The Marketing Academy’s power players’ leadership tips from the top,
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Power players: The Marketing Academy's leadership tips from the top
Wed, 26 Oct 2011
Find out why ’brand me’ is your winning career move, click here To read what four Marketing Academy scholars say about their personal game plans,
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Why ‘brand me’ is your winning career move
27 October 2011
Working out your next move: Talented young marketers meet the industry’s power players to talk leadership, career development and ’brand me’.
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Brands must make dealing with data after death an easy process
Wed, 19 Oct 2011
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How low will brands - and consumers - go?
Fri, 14 Oct 2011
In their pursuit of new audiences and sales, it seems like a new level of low is emerging as brands test the waters to see how far they can go before inciting consumer outrage followed by an ASA investigation.
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Puma chief on linking creativity with sustainability
Fri, 14 Oct 2011
Q&A with Jochen Zeitz, Puma chief executive and chairman, and chief sustainability officer for the PPR group.
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Using research in moderation has paid off for Green and Blacks
Wed, 12 Oct 2011
A combination of applied research and killer insights has helped shape the success of the Green and Blacks brand.
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Sponsors run risk of ambush at Olympics
13 October 2011
What links MasterCard, Nike and Sony? Research commissioned by Marketing Week reveals that the British public wrongly believes all three brands are official Olympics sponsors.
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Secondhand is becoming as popular as new
Wed, 5 Oct 2011
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Are you being served by your specialist staff?
06 October 2011
Specialist staff such as style consultants and nutritionists are being hired by retailers to lend an extra hand to customers. A panel of experts discuss how they add value.
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From ‘made in China’ to ‘designed in China’
Fri, 30 Sep 2011
Read MaryLou Costa’s latest blog
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Can alternative currencies see us pay our way out of economic decline?
Wed, 28 Sep 2011
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Marketer 2 marketer: Forever 21
Wed, 28 Sep 2011
Can US brand Forever 21 and speed retailing take over the British high street? Read our feature here See a timeline charting Forever 21’s growth,
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Q&A: Forever 21 head of marketing Linda Chang and executive vice-president Larry Meyer
Wed, 28 Sep 2011
Can US brand Forever 21 and speed retailing take over the British high street? Read our feature here See a timeline charting Forever 21’s growth,
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Forever 21 timeline
Wed, 28 Sep 2011
Can US brand Forever 21 and speed retailing take over the British high street? Read our feature here Find out why a retail analyst believes in Forever 21’s success,
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Forever 21 brings 'speed retailing' to the UK
29 September 2011
Can US brand Forever 21 and speed retailing take over the British high street?
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Set your insights on the Essex phenomenon
Wed, 21 Sep 2011
The Only Way is Essex might not be for everyone, but its growing popularity is opening up more lucrative marketing opportunities.
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The new copycats
22 September 2011
How counterfeiters have evolved their illegal trade
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Is East meets West really for the best?
Thu, 15 Sep 2011
Westfield Stratford’s opening this week revealed an impressive structure and an overwhelming shopping experience, but are its overt references to East London a genuine addition to its brand identity or pointless gimmicky marketing?
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Unicef’s attack on brands should inspire, not discourage
Wed, 14 Sep 2011
Yet another report has been released disparaging brands for causing families to end up in a “materialistictrap”, but are brands really at fault?
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Interest rate in male beauty brands rises
15 September 2011
Brands that invest in grooming products exclusively for the men’s market stand to increase spending levels in this under-developed but fast-growing sector, according to research seen by Marketing Week.
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What will the LSE’s riots research amount to?
Fri, 9 Sep 2011
The scale of the LSE and Guardian’s riots study is impressive, but can brands turn the insights into action?
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What will the LSE’s riots research amount to?
Wed, 7 Sep 2011
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Money can buy happiness, in the short term at least
Wed, 31 Aug 2011
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Series-branded clothing ranges add extra dimension to TV
Fri, 26 Aug 2011
As Banana Republic’s new Mad Men-branded clothing range hits the rails, will it pave the way for a flood of TV-endorsed clothing lines on the high street?
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Enough of nanny brands - be creative without smothering
Thu, 25 Aug 2011
I almost choked on my morning vodka when I read the recent story that Asda and Diageo have joined forces to help educate consumers on alcohol units.
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Back to school means a chance to rethink teen marketing
Wed, 24 Aug 2011
Traditional back to school marketing revolves around offers on backpack and lunchbox items, but new insight from the National Schools Partnership shows teachers are crying outfor brands to do so much more.
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Universities enrol for a marketing masterclass
04 August 2011
New opportunities are opening up for marketers as public, private and brand-backed vocational higher education providers call on their skills to help them generate additional income.
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Can colleges leverage the “stay-ducation” trend?
Wed, 27 Jul 2011
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Something new from an old flame
28 July 2011
Faced with a growing crackdown on smoking, the iconic lighter brand is using its rugged, adventurous but trusted characteristics to extend its product lines.
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Marketing religion can encourage a leap of faith, but should still follow brand boundaries
Fri, 22 Jul 2011
Making going to church seem cool is one thing, but should old school evangelism still be allowed?
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Superdrug readies The Only Way Is Essex cosmetics range
Wed, 20 Jul 2011
Superdrug is to launch an exclusive The Only Way Is Essex branded cosmetics and perfume range, for customers to replicate the look of the characters from the ITV2 hit programme.
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Weighing in on the plus size/size zero debate
Wed, 20 Jul 2011
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How brands can get out of being stuck in the middle
Wed, 13 Jul 2011
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Made to measure
14 July 2011
The marketers giving consumers the tools to make their own brands
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Branding lessons from the Aussies part 3
Fri, 8 Jul 2011
Tiger Airways is set to become a roaring failure after only just taking off.
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Reconsidering what it means to be 50 in 2011
Wed, 6 Jul 2011
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Telling stories central to brand strategy plot
07 July 2011
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50 Gayest Ads List shows brands’ rocky journey
Fri, 1 Jul 2011
US website AdWeek’s 50 Gayest Ads List shows how shock factors and stereotypes are hardly innovative, but really creative ideas can make an impact
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Convenience gives digital the upper hand
30 June 2011
The running theme through this year’s top performers of the Promise Index is offering customers the ultimate in making their lives easier, be it achieved through technology, product innovation and value-for-money service.
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Marketers ignoring older generation in pursuit of youth, says Diageo's Andy Fennell
Tue, 28 Jun 2011
Diageo’s chief marketing officer Andy Fennell has warned marketers to stop being obsessed with targeting youth as they risk neglecting a “valuable and influential” older audience.
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Brands grapple with social media conundrum: Does it pay?
Tue, 28 Jun 2011
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Facebook building insight team to measure social media activity
Thu, 23 Jun 2011
Cannes: Facebook is building its audience insight team to help brands measure the results of their social media activity.
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Shift to premium TV will benefit brands, says Time Warner chief
Thu, 23 Jun 2011
Cannes: The future of TV will be more consumers paying a premium for quality content, according to Time Warner chief executive Jeffrey Bewkes.
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Angry Birds offers best return for marketers
Wed, 22 Jun 2011
Cannes: Brands will get more “bang for their buck” by advertising in games like Angry Birds than traditional media like TV, Angry Birds developer Peter Vesterbacka said at the Cannes Lions Festival yesterday.
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Brands’ new challenge: turning conversations into transactions, says Coke
Wed, 22 Jun 2011
Cannes: Coca-Cola’s marketing chiefs have told brand owners that they need to work out how to turn social media activity into sales.
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Don't let your customers fade from view
23 June 2011
Latest figures indicate that people are becoming less inclined to hand over their personal details in return for benefits such as discounts and samples, challenging marketers to step up their powers of persuasion.
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“Still work to do” in industry gender equality, says Johnson & Johnson’s Kaldec
Tue, 21 Jun 2011
Cannes: There is still “work to do” when it comes to the amount of women in senior management roles, said Johnson & Johnson’s worldwide vice president of global marketing Kimberly Kaldec at the Cannes Lions Festival today.
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Diageo CMO says brands need to go local in emerging markets
Tue, 21 Jun 2011
Cannes: Strategies for emerging markets need to become more grass-roots and locally oriented, Diageo chief marketing officer Andy Fennell told an audience at the Cannes Lions Festival.
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Face to face with my brand hero
Mon, 20 Jun 2011
I dread to think of the amount of pounds I have spent with Asos since I discovered it in 2007.
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‘The Truth about Youth’ is a precursor to how the world will evolve socially
Wed, 15 Jun 2011
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The height of fashion
16 June2011
Read this interview with Asos CEO Nick Robertson on how he plans to take the brand global.
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The $2 a day consumer is not a licence for manipulative marketing
Thu, 9 Jun 2011
Increasing brand awareness and insights around the $2 a day consumer in African markets is not a green light for brands to start peddling their wares willy nilly to the poorest of the poor.
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The $2 a day consumer is not a licence for manipulative marketing
Wed, 8 Jun 2011
Increasing brand awareness and insights around the $2 a day consumer in African markets is not a green light for brands to start peddling their wares willy nilly to the poorest of the poor.
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Asos readies drive to target men
Wed, 8 Jun 2011
Online fashion retailer Asos is to focus on boosting the number of men that make purchases from its site as it looks to achieve £1bn in sales by 2015.
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True pioneers talk the customer's language
09 June 2011
Just what must a brand do to be considered truly innovative? A report seen exclusively by Marketing Week provides six pointers.
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Showrooms for improvement weather storm
09 June 2011
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Art imitating life?
Fri, 3 Jun 2011
Working at Marketing Week means you live and breathe marketing not just for eight hours a day, but you find yourself unable to revert back to a time when you didn’t view the world through brands.
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TfL has leveraged emotional insight to create a high impact teen campaign
Wed, 1 Jun 2011
“Don’t die before you’ve lived” saw teenage road injuries and fatalities in London fall by 18% after the campaign launched in 2009 after an extensive ethnographic research project carried out by Transport for London (TfL).
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Are your shoes too big to fill?
26 May 2011
Your boardroom may be doing a great job right now, but what happens when staff leave? MaryLou Costa asks an expert panel for their views on succession management and training.
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Boots is sitting pretty when it comes to home grooming
Tue, 24 May 2011
Boots needs to be technologically clever to keep its position as the UK’s top beauty retailer.
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Branding lessons from the Aussies, part two
Fri, 20 May 2011
Remember little Nina Tucker from Neighbours circa 2003?
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Branding lessons from the Aussies, part one
Fri, 20 May 2011
Being Marketing Week’s token Australian staff member meant it was inevitable that I would eventually draw on my heritage for inspiration.
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Will VideoCensus turn the world of TV audience insights on its head?
Wed, 18 May 2011
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All roads to improvement start at insight
19 May 2011
Whether it is Sky looking for differentiation, or More Than setting out to improve customer service, the mantra from all brands at our 1-2-1 Research Summit was ’insight’.
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I’m no Angry Bird, just bemused by this web phenomenon
Fri, 13 May 2011
I seriously questioned where my relationship was heading when my boyfriend of four years recently pulled out his iPhone while waiting for our restaurant bill one night to have a quick game of his latest addiction, Angry Birds.
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A wealth of knowledge on mums is at your fingertips online
Wed, 11 May 2011
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Gap needs to let its clothes be and focus on buzzy branding
Fri, 6 May 2011
Read MaryLou Costa’s latest blog on Gap’s sacking of designer Patrick Robinson.
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As belts tighten, will we ever be able to let it all out again?
Wed, 4 May 2011
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One man’s vision
05 May 2011
The opportunity to emulate his success at building respected consumer brands during nearly 20 years at Virgin was the spark that lit Ashley Stockwell’s enthusiasm for One, rather than its philanthropic commercial philosophy.
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Have marketers mastered the art of cultural diversity in branding?
Wed, 27 Apr 2011
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Brands I want to hate but cannot
Thu, 21 Apr 2011
Hate’s a strong word isn’t it? That’s why when I saw stories in the news this week that made me think I hated certain brands for behaving the way they do, I stopped short of actually crushing the drink in my hand with a look of disgust like the lovable Darla in the film The Little Rascals.
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The royal seal of approval will be bestowed on a few lucky brands
Wed, 20 Apr 2011
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Above and beyond the call of duty
21 April 2011
Be it part of a brand’s DNA or a one-off act of kindness, exceeding customer expectations can certainly build brand equity. However, the motivation for developing such a marketing strategy must come from the heart.
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Brands close to Kate gain royal endorsement
21 April 2011
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BP press ad tactic likely to backfire
Fri, 15 Apr 2011
Read MaryLou Costa’s latest blog on why she thinks the latest BP ad campaign might not cut it
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Revving up consumers about green motoring should be a priority for car brands
Wed, 13 Apr 2011
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Banks seek admission into social media’s inner circle
14 April 2011
Banks are trying to regain the trust they lost when the recession gripped the UK by using social media to engage with consumers. But they muct adhere to strict guidelines. By MaryLou Costa.
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Are cosmetics brands finally to be accountable for bad advertising practices?
Wed, 6 Apr 2011
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Heading East?
07 April 2011
The eyes of the business world are fixed on China right now, as the proverbial sleeping giant begins to fulfil its prophecy of taking the world by storm.
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Will your brand make it in China?
Wed, 30 Mar 2011
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Content gives laterooms capacity for improvement
24 March 2011
Laterooms.com is in the price-sensitive hotels market and has to work hard to stand out. MaryLou Costa looks at how it is using social media and online communities to stay competitive and devise an international expansion strategy.
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Removing exclusive tags risks permanent damage
24 March 2011
In an effort to overcome falling sales, more high-end brands are ripping up their self-imposed rule book and seeking mass appeal by embracing ecommerce and social media.
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Meet the carbon counters
Tue, 22 Mar 2011
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Weight loss brands use social media to fatten results
Wed, 16 Mar 2011
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The death of the nuclear family signals the birth of new brand communications
Wed, 9 Mar 2011
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Behind closed doors
3 March 2011
What does your brand mean to “the new family”? We visit 16 families in their homes to find out
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Viewers relax to brands on the box
3 March 2011
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Pandora has glamourised collecting for grown-ups but needs to protect its brand
Wed, 16 Feb 2011
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How to get more from your score
17 February 2011
Adding extra layers to the net promoter score technique of assessing levels of customer satisfaction is enabling marketers to take their insight into the boardroom.
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Yahoo! the comeback kid?
17 February 2011
Can the original internet giant win back its spurs from Google and Facebook?
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Mary Portas’s Secret Shopper puts mystery shopping in the spotlight
Wed, 9 Feb 2011
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British talent’s platform for international growth
10 February 2011
BBC Worldwide is on a roll. This year will see it chase serious growth in international markets as it embarks on a dual mission of doubling its presence in the US and making two-thirds of its revenue from outside the UK by 2012.
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Is the BBC Class survey asking the right question?
Wed, 2 Feb 2011
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70 brand delegates so far attending Research and Insight Summit
Wed, 2 Feb 2011
Marketing Week’s new look Research and Insight Summit has confirmed that 70 senior delegates from the UK’s leading brands will be attending.
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BlackBerry’s accidental youth phenomenon could become a strategic web changer
Wed, 26 Jan 2011
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Shop floors get a technological transformation
27 January 2011
Technological advances are making in-store environments more engaging and customer-friendly, and breaking down barriers between the online and offline worlds.
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Do Michelin stars still shine?
Thu, 20 Jan 2011
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Consumers of written word turn to tablets
20 January 2011
Research exclusive to Marketing Week shows Apple, Amazon and Sony are best placed to take advantage of the growing popularity of electronic books that women are forecast to accelerate.
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Charities should think like businesses
Thu, 13 Jan 2011
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How to extend shelf life of your next campaign
Wed, 12 Jan 2011
The harder an advertising campaign works, the more it delivers - and an increasing number of brands are turning to PR stunts to increase their marketing activity’s impact.
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How to convert teenage kicks into corporate cool
6 January 2011
Q+A: Teenage Cancer Trust chief executive Simon Davies talks about the challenges facing the charity and how it uses its marketing budget to develop brand campaigns that will raise its profile. By MaryLou Costa
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O2 set to innovate further with new technology
Thu, 23 Dec 2010
O2 took home the Brand Innovation prize at the 2010 Marketing Week Engage Awards for its new O2 Money proposition. Marketing director Sally Cowdry explains that the next stage is to incorporate O2 Money services with Near Field Communication technology.
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Brands should resist going product placement crazy
Thu, 23 Dec 2010
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Jumping on the The X Factor brandwagon
Wed, 15 Dec 2010
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So how are you feeling? Answers on a postcard to Dave
Thu, 9 Dec 2010
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Troy Warfield: Kimberly-Clark's vice-president of family care for Europe
9th December 2010
Brand promises behind innovation: The key men behind Kimberly-Clark’s brand strategy, including vice-president of family care for Europe Troy Warfield, tell Marketing Week how the FMCG giant is meeting some very modern challenges.
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Online fashion retailing comes of age
Thu, 2 Dec 2010
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Brands can become an important part of a traveller’s journey
Thu, 25 Nov 2010
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Path to expansion takes in every corner of world
25 November 2010
Expedia’s senior marketing director for EMEA reveals how the online travel brand is restructuring its operations to take advantage of the market’s global growth and other future plans.
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Data Protection
Thu, 18 Nov 2010
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‘i will be a model for the newspaper industry’
18 November 2010
The managing director of i - The Independent’s new spin-off title - tells MaryLou Costa that the paid-for daily newspaper will satisfy an untapped appetite for bite-size quality content while returning a profit.Click here to read a Q+A with Andrew Mullins
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What’s marketing got to do with IT?
Fri, 12 Nov 2010
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Seeing a gap in the market can fill the gaps for your brand
Thu, 11 Nov 2010
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Turbocharge your service performance
11 November 2010
How your brand measures up in the experience stakes and meets customer expectations is about real delivery, and says more about your brand’s performance than awareness or perception measurements, according to a new study. By MaryLou Costa
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Brand characters can bring home the bacon
Tue, 9 Nov 2010
Comparethemarket walked away with the Brand of the Year trophy at the Marketing Week Engage Awards 2010 thanks to its strategy based on the adventures of the aristocratic meerkat Aleksandr Orlov. Advertising agency VCCP also won Agency of the Year for its work on the business and telecoms client O2.
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How technology drives insight and insight drives technology
Thu, 4 Nov 2010
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A mind's eye view reveals bigger picture
4 November 2010
New research techniques can give brands deeper levels of consumer insight - but the 21st century tools must be used in conjunction with tried and tested methods.
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Pink pound’s value rises in mainstream markets
4 November 2010
Brands that appeal to a wide crosssection of society are choosing to engage with the gay community in their major ad campaigns - using both mainstream and niche media.
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Can brands still make the cut for students?
Thu, 28 Oct 2010
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Brands can show pride at being gay-friendly
Thu, 21 Oct 2010
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Online fashion is extension of the high street
Wed, 13 Oct 2010
The fashion industry can strengthen the identity and reach of its brands by giving retail websites a ’touch and feel factor’ that replicates the in-store experience, according to research exclusive to Marketing Week.
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Where do your loyalties lie?
Thu, 7 Oct 2010
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Beware the culture gap on global growth trail
7 October 2010
Getting an international promotion and a role in a new country will be the making of your career, say global marketers. But how will you settle into your new culture fast enough to be a success?
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Too cool for school
Thu, 30 Sep 2010
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Brands must put green into mainstream
30 September 2010
An overwhelming number of consumers want to do more to help the environment, but new research seen exclusively by Marketing Week reveals that many are put off by the higher price of ’eco-friendly’ products.
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Mobile apps and games are still ripe for generating “brand love”
Thu, 23 Sep 2010
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Digging deep to find the right insight
23 September 2010
We asked seven leading marketers how they use quantitative and qualitative studies and how they are responding to changes in the field.
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Have faith in the future
23 September 2010
Young marketers face a dearth of opportunities to develop their business and leadership skills and companies are frustrated by a lack of top-level talent. But a new Marketing Academy is moulding tomorrow’s stars and inspiring marketing’s elevation to the board.
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Going behind the scenes to discover brand attitudes in men and women
Thu, 16 Sep 2010
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Brands with cover-star ambition
16 September 2010
Brands from Sky to Asos, Asda and Orange are producing magazines to broaden their scope for customer interaction, boost sales and bolster their online strategy.
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What men want from a brand relationship
16 September 2010
By championing masculinity and the role of the male in family life, brands can increase their engagement with consumers and grab a bigger slice of the £150bn-a-year market that men aged between 30 and 50 represent.
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Social shopping - the future of social networking and retail?
Thu, 9 Sep 2010
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Are food and retail brands the saviours of our nation’s health?
Thu, 2 Sep 2010
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BSM puts dual theory to the test
2 September 2010
Helped by a tie-up with Fiat, BSM is using its centenary to take its marketing in a new direction by targeting the two key elements of its customer base - young learner drivers and their parents.
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Hot hints for marketing telecoms bundles to consumers
Wed, 25 Aug 2010
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Building a community is key to brand development
26 August 2010
As more brands use social media to engage their audience and build communities of influencers, they need to make sure their choice of online activity is in line with a specific aim.
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Would consumers buy into “Bank Advisor”?
Thu, 19 Aug 2010
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The Asian shopping giant has awoken
Thu, 12 Aug 2010
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Personalities remain true to tribal colours
12 August 2010
Marketers aiming to crack the growing retail sector in Asia should avoid targeting consumers by individual territories and focus on the four brand tribes identified by recent research.
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Forget trend setters, it’s all about taste setters
Thu, 5 Aug 2010
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Remodelling the agency relationship for the 3.0 age
5 August 2010
The ’always on’, 24/7 digital world demands a fresh approach from brands but the traditional client-agency relationship does not facilitate this, says a new report. MaryLou Costa looks at the new agency models that are emerging to better service the marketer’s needs
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Consumers love brands who love the cinema
Thu, 29 Jul 2010
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British brand power still has strength in depth
29 July 2010
Vodafone tops this year’s Brand Finance list of the 50 most valuable brands of British origin, which paints a generally positive picture for the telecoms, retail and banking sectors.
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Case study: Asda
29 July 2010
It seems that starting a price war pays off. Budget supermarket Asda’s brand value has risen by more than a third from £4.12bn to £5.64bn, moving up seven places to ninth in the Brand Finance UK’s most valuable brands league table.
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Case study: Barclays
29 July 2010
Barclays’ brand valuation has jumped by more than 50% from £5.24bn last year to £8.12bn, which perhaps may not be reflected in its move of just two places from eighth position last year to sixth in the Brand Finance table. The total company value has more than doubled since last year to £34.73bn.
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Case study: The Co-operative
29 July 2010
Creating a more unified group of brands has seen The Co-operative Group reach 19th place in this year’s Brand Finance list, up from 24th spot last year. The brand’s value has grown by about a third from £2.2bn to £2.89bn.
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Case study: Vodafone
29 July 2010
Vodafone, the last British member of the big five mobile networks, has been named the most valuable British brand in 2010, as calculated by Brand Finance.
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Trust no-one…
Wed, 21 Jul 2010
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Why shattered reputations are ripe for repair
22 July 2010
With the reputation of the financial services sector at an all-time low, research reveals that both new and long-established providers have an opportunity to turn mistrust into confidence.
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Convergence presents challenge for evaluating ad effectiveness
Thu, 15 Jul 2010
How much longer will online content and TV content remain separate?
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Sustainability sits best under marketing, says Weed
Wed, 14 Jul 2010
A company’s sustainability strategy is best delivered through the marketing department, according to Unilever’s new chief marketing and communications officer Keith Weed.
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Keith Weed Q&A
Wed, 14 Jul 2010
Unilever CMO Keith Weed on recruitment, corporate branding, digital marketing and developing markets.
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Get with the Weed regime
15 July 2010
Approaching 100 days into his job as CMO at Unilever, the man Martin Sorrell calls ’visionary’ is already revolutionising the company’s digital, sustainability and communication strategies. MaryLou Costa meets Keith Weed as he maps out the challenges ahead
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SMEs should have the smarts in regard to digital
Thu, 8 Jul 2010
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Quality and nostalgia is potent mix
1 July 2010
Best known for manufacturing blank cassettes from which music fans made mixtapes, TDK is going back to what the brand stands for to carve out a new niche in the audio hardware market
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Digital takes ad campaigns closer to Hollywood
1 July 2010
When the leading lights in advertising gathered in Cannes last week for the annual festival, traditional models of content creation were forced into a back seat.
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P&G marketing boss urges brands to move beyond traditional advertising
Thu, 24 Jun 2010
CANNES: Brands need to move beyond traditional advertising campaigns and offer services to consumers that build awareness and loyalty, according to Procter & Gamble.
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Google VP says online video is becoming “the beautiful ad game”
Thu, 24 Jun 2010
CANNES: Henrique de Castro, Google vice president for global media and platforms, says the rise of online video is reaching a “tipping point for digital display”.
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Yahoo! signs up Ben Stiller’s parents to front web videos
Tue, 22 Jun 2010
CANNES: Yahoo! is producing a series of web videos featuring the actor Ben Stiller’s parents, comedians Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara.
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What do women really want?
17 June 2010
There continues to be a significant gender bias in the way we perceive brands, according to the results of recent research, which leaves many brand owners still figuring out how best to meet the needs of women.
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Brand awareness comes as part of growing up
10 June 2010
New research commissioned by Marketing Week reveals that children today are reacting to brands with a sophisticated awareness and strong opinions about their coolness.
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Is premiumisation in clothing retail the emperor’s new clothes?
Thu, 3 Jun 2010
Verdict’s 2009 UK clothing market report might have thrown up some obvious stats - such as women spend more on clothes than men - but looking deeper into the data shows opportunities for creative retail marketers to latch onto.
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Get the fit right and the sales will follow
3 June 2010
By tailoring their marketing to lifestyle preferences and enhancing service levels in line with the target market, clothing retailers can expand their sales potential.
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TDK counts on The Strokes to help it carve a slice of audio hardware revenues
Fri, 28 May 2010
Audio accessories brand TDK has secured music artists The Strokes and Nas to front an online campaign marking its launch into the audio hardware market.
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Relaxed purse strings herald a bounceback
27 May 2010
There are early signs that consumer confidence is on the rise, with people less inclined to slash their spending on non-essentials such as holidays, entertainment and eating out.
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Third-party coalitions get seal of approval
20 May 2010
It is not just Prime Minister David Cameron that needs third-party support, household brands are discovering that accreditations from independent organisations can be used to improve sales figures.
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Customer engagement improves brand profits
13 May 2010
A model that demonstrates the link between consumer engagement and profit margins could be the necessary fuel to propel marketers into the boardroom.
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The super spoof weapon
6 May 2010
The spoof ad is not a new concept but its use by the three main political parties has given it a high currency and pushed it up brands’ campaign agendas. Here, those that have mastered the technique advise on the process - and the pitfalls.
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Digital adds a live element to poster power
6 May 2010
As outdoor uses the digital space to extend its reach, five heads of department answer questions posed by Marketing Week about the sector’s burning issues.
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One-off events reach out to an online audience
15 April 2010
As big brands divert more of their marketing budgets from TV advertising into high-profile experiential campaigns, they are benefiting from the social media activity such a move creates.
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Taming myths and legends for brand power
15 April 2010
What makes Asda a ’legend’ and Tesco a ’myth’? According to research from Lippincott, it’s all to do with brand power and the relationship between your marketing and the actual consumer experience.
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Is the key to Number 10 a high social standing?
08 April 2010
After Barack Obama’s strong social media campaign paved the way to his election as US President in 2008, British politicians have been turning out their own efforts in the social sphere to amass public support.
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Orange to launch online ad exchange
Wed, 31 Mar 2010
Communications brand Orange is to launch a challenger to Google’s and Yahoo!’s online advertising sales services with the first European online advertising exchange, Orange Ad Market.
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Finding the perfect match
01 April 2010
Signing a celebrity to front a branding campaign is a powerful yet risk-laden strategy, but there are more ways to use a famous face than just booking a highly exposed star who threatens to overshadow the brand or derail its values with their behind-the-scenes antics.
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Pulling consumers’ heart strings
25 March 2010
Moulding brand values into a memorable character is proving an effective way to captivate consumers and set yourself apart from the competition.
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No longer the dumb waiter
11 March 2010
A new approach to franchises is gathering sway that treats the relationship less like a ’master and servant’ set-up and more like a marriage of equal sides. Giving franchisees more input can have its pitfalls, but brands are finding the benefits far outweigh the negatives.
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Back to the future
04 March 2010
A look back into the past can offer insight that brands can draw inspiration from. Some, like French tyre company Michelin, are using their marketing heritage to drive them into new territory.
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Shift in values turns spotlight on pretenders
04 March 2010
A shift in consumer attitudes means many major brands no longer justify a premium status, opening the way for smaller players to take the lead.
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Bond-style marketing receives TV makeover
25 February 2010
The Government has given product placement on British TV the green light, but research exclusive to Marketing Week suggests that big-name brands face a battle to become small screen stars.
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Brands fail to follow rules of engagement
18 February 2010
New research from agency Targetbase Claydon Heeley (TBCH) suggests that although a majority of marketers are confident they are engaging with their audiences, consumers believe the opposite.
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Put your brand in hands of mother
11 February 2010
The campaigning clout of mums on parenting websites is widely documented in the media but their power is spreading to influence people’s purchasing decisions - opening up marketing potential for brands that can find the right approach in.
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Heads control heartstrings in appeal stakes
11 February 2010
Research seen exclusively by Marketing Week reveals that charities must demonstrate a return on investment if their fundraising campaigns are to persuade the public to give generously.
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In-box clever to fast-track engagement
04 February 2010
With consumers becoming ever more receptive to email marketing, brands need to invest time and money getting the most out of this valuable sales channel.
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Modern love story starts new chapter
28 January 2010
After a successful relaunch from Liverpool Victoria, financial services provider LV= is living up to the brand promise by overhauling its customer communications and cutting out the jargon.
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Bride vows to carry on regardless
21 January 2010
T-Mobile spent 2009 gathering consumers together in public spaces for “spontaneous” dancing and mass karaoke sessions. But despite this high-profile marketing, the news that it would merge with fellow mobile brand Orange into a super-network has raised questions over whether the T-Mobile name will continue to exist in the long term.
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Satisfying an appetite for sweeteners
14 January 2010
Stand-out promotions do not just provide a short-term sales boost but build a brand’s value - especially at a time when consumers are feeling the pinch.
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Stepping up to be the leaders of tomorrow
17 December 2009
Marketers need to stop blaming other parts of the business for their career issues and start thinking like ‘visionaries’, says a new report from Prophet.
