Win Marketing’s Favourite Valentine’s Day Ad Campaigns
Holidays are a great time for marketers to exercise their creative muscle, and we always see some fantastic campaigns in the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day. Here are some of Win Marketing’s picks for the best and most effective marketing campaigns for 2014.
M&Ms
M&Ms tend to stick with what works, always offering personalised treats on Valentine’s Day. Every year, the company creates a fun new television advertisement to let customers know that they can print their own personal message or picture on M&Ms to give to their loved ones.
This year’s advert was especially cute:
Ann Summers
Ann Summer is not one to shy away from controversy, and the lingerie chain’s guerrilla marketing campaign for Valentine’s Day 2014 was very risky. The company projected messages on shops in London. On Thornton’s, the projection said ‘Chocolates are for hospitals’. Other projections declared that ‘A bunch of roses belongs in the Eighties’. All projections included the hashtag #annsummersday, to encourage passers-by to tweet about the campaign.
Barney’s New York
High-end retailer Barney’s New York took to Pinterest for its Valentine’s Day 2014 social media marketing campaign. The company launched a contest that asked users of the social network to make a Valentine’s Day wish list that includes at least five items from Barney’s own Pinterest board. The best board was featured on Barney’s website and the owner of the board received a gift card – and, they will probably also receive an item from their wish list as a Valentine’s Day gift from their significant other!
There are endless possibilities for creating an engaging and creative Valentine’s Day marketing campaign. Through viral marketing, traditional ad campaigns and social networking, there are thousands of ways to increase brand awareness and improve your sales on holidays.
Win Marketing can help you create a fun and engaging marketing campaign for the next big holiday. Visit our website or give us a call at 01509 265890 for more information about our services.
Win Marketing Training Teaches Best Communication Practices
Effective communication is of the utmost importance in any successful marketing campaign. It is not only crucial for marketers to broadcast their branding message; it is also important to ensure that their target audience understands what they are trying to say. The same is true for interpersonal communications, and Win Marketing MD, Ann Goodwin recently held a training course to help clients communicate effectively within their organization across all stakeholders.
The training was required for staff from a company which has offices in several countries including: Romania, Russia and the United Kingdom. While communication barriers are encountered in everyday interactions, it is especially easy for ideas to get lost in translation. So, it is very important that this particular client’s staff members are familiar with the best practices to ensure successful communication to help them deliver customer satisfaction.
Too often, people believe they have communicated as they have ‘told’ someone something.
The training provided by Ann helped delegates understand the characteristics of good communication which would help them get their messages across more clearly when speaking with colleagues, managers and customers. The process of communication relies on the sender considering the person he is sending the message to, composing the message in a format and level, which will ensure understanding, using the relevant media and method to send the message, checking for understanding and gaining feedback. The old saying so often heard in the old movies, “message, received and understood” is an excellent mantra to use when wanting to ensure effective communication.
This bespoke internal communications skills training course also pinpointed barriers that restrict communication. Delegates noted how important it is to overcome these barriers such as closed questions, various types of ‘noise’ and the sender making assumptions. For example, delegates realised how much they tend to assume when communicating to another person. For example, they assumed a level of knowledge and understanding of local colloquialisms. Another barrier that delegates admitted to was sending emails when making a phone call would be a more effective means of communication as it provides a direct clarification of understanding and gives immediate feedback. Through completing group exercises and witnessing functional examples, the group was able to really understand the communication barriers that stop them from communicating effectively.
“Communication is not just about speaking,” Ann says. “It’s about ensuring that your message is received and understood”.
The delegates were very pleased with the training, stating that it opened their eyes to many ineffective practices that were inhibiting their communication skills – both in the workplace and at home. They can now go back to their different offices with the confidence and understanding to ensure they effectively communicate with their colleagues, suppliers and customers.
“The course helped me to avoid miscommunications and understand how a positive approach, eye-contact and open questions can aid effective communication,” one delegate stated.
Effective communication practices are valuable for interpersonal relations as well as in the successful implementation of effective marketing campaigns. Ensure that your staff are getting your message across successfully. Consider a review of your internal communications and perhaps consider the benefits a bespoke communications training programme can bring to your organisation.
Find out more about Win Marketing’s training courses by giving us a call at 01509 265890 or visiting our Internal Communications page.
Transformational ICT Grant Pays For 50% of Digital Marketing
Does your business need a new website?
Do you need to develop a new social media campaign to drive web traffic to it?
Are you considering investing in pay-per-click advertising?
Then, you may qualify for funding.
The Transformational ICT Grant Scheme will pay 50%* of a business’s information and communications technology expenditure if the investment is to stimulate growth. This may include funding for strategic digital marketing support, new website development, new app development for smart phones or social media marketing to improve your online presence.
Offered by the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce, the Transformational ICT Grant is designed to help businesses introduce and develop new technology to improve their performance and stimulate growth. It is a discretionary fund-matching programme that will pay for half of a business’s ICT expenditures, so long as it invests in marketing or technology to help. For example, a business that spends £4,000 to develop a new website will receive a £2,000 grant.
In order to qualify, businesses must be located in one of the eligible postcode areas to assist with regeneration in the local community and be willing to participate in an e-training programme. Only businesses that have been trading for at least 12 months and employ fewer than 250 workers are eligible. The minimum available grant is £2,000, and the maximum is £10,000. For more information on the grant and how to apply, view the DNCC ICT Grant Information Sheet.
According to TopRank, 67% of the consumer’s journey is covered in the online world, and 53% of consumers use social networking to research products and services that they are considering buying. So, now is the time to focus on developing your web marketing campaign to help increase sales, improve your online presence and raise brand awareness.
Whether you want to focus on improving the search engine performance of your business’s website, launch an interactive social media campaign and drive more online sales, Win Marketing can help you optimise your digital marketing strategy. Call us at 01509 265 890 or visit our web marketing page for more information on how we can help put your Transformational ICT Grant funding to good use.
*conditions apply for this fund matching please check the PDF attached or phone us for more information.
Social Media is More Popular Among Women
A new study by Pew Research finds that more women than men are active on social networks. This interesting insight could offer some guidance about which social networks your brand should focus on, while shedding light on the fact that Facebook and Twitter aren’t the only useful social media tools in the world of web marketing.
According to the study, 76% of adult women use Facebook while 66% of men are active on this particular social network. On Twitter, 18% of women are active, compared to 17% of men. On Instagram, 20% of women are active, compared to 17% of men. The biggest divide was seen on Pinterest, where 33% of women are active, compared to just 8% of men. The opposite only occurred on LinkedIn, where 24% of men were active on the social network, compared to 19% of women.
There is certainly a significant divide among male and female social networking behaviour. As such, it would be a good idea for marketers to target different social networks to reach different audiences. We are seeing more and more feminine-targeted products using Instagram and Pinterest in their marketing campaigns. Cosmetic companies like Sephora and MAC post new products and looks on Instagram while women’s clothing brands like Chanel and Zara are very active on Pinterest.
Overall, 73% of all adults are now active on social media sites, with 42% being active on more than one social network. As such, it is important for marketers to explore the potential of social media marketing. Starting out on Facebook and Twitter is key, before venturing into newer, niche networks like Instagram and Pinterest.
To read the full study, visit: http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2013/Social-Media-Update/Main-Findings.aspx.
For help with using social networking to expand your brand’s reach, visit our Social Media Marketing page, or give Win Marketing a call at 01509 265 890.
Marketing Trends for 2014
2014 will be an exciting year for the marketing industry. Last year, we saw the emergence of new technology and social networks – and this year, we will see them put to use as effective and valuable marketing tools.
Content Marketing
In 2014, a greater emphasis will be placed on creative, high-quality as a marketing tool. Since Google’s new Hummingbird Algorithm encourages marketers to create authoritative content, brands will begin investing more time and effort into their website copy and blogs. Websites without quality content will get left behind and lose rankings. So, it is important to set yourself apart from your competition with unique and informative content with professional copywriting.
Brand Loyalty
According to Marketing Profs, 63% of companies believe that new customer acquisition is their most important marketing goal. However, loyal, returning customers drive 80% of a brand’s sales. More and more companies are beginning to see the value in encouraging brand loyalty, and 2014 will see a greater emphasis on loyalty marketing. Regular promotions, loyalty programs and coupons are all valuable tools that encourage customers to be loyal to a particular brand.
Social Media Diversification
For years, Facebook and Twitter dominated social media marketing. In 2013, we saw several other social networks emerge as valuable marketing tools – including Vine, Instagram and Pinterest. These networks allow brands to reach out to their target audience in a number of different ways, driving traffic to their websites and creating sales. In 2014, we will see a greater shift towards social networking diversification. So, now is the time to start considering how to incorporate Pinterest and Vine into your social media marketing campaigns.
Multimedia Print Ads
Towards the end of 2013, Motorola gave us a sneak preview of the innovative new direction for print marketing. The brand’s new interactive print ad allows readers to change the colour of the new Moto X smartphone. The ad not only showcases Motorola’s new phone but also boosts the company brand identity.
Check out the ad:
In 2014, we will see brands getting much more creative with their direct mail marketing and print advertisements. Motorola certainly set the bar high, and consumers will be on the lookout for innovative print ads that utilise multimedia capabilities.
This is going to be a thrilling year for marketing. Put these trends use effectively in your advertising campaigns with the help of Win Marketing. Give us a call at 01509 265890 or visit our website.
