Hold on to your hashtags because the world of influencer marketing is constantly growing and Together Agency are about to break it down for you, by looking at key trends, stats and strategies to help keep you ahead of the curve.

They will spill the tea on how influencer marketing isn’t just evolving, it’s the latest social media revolution. From big names like Alix Earle (who has 6M TikTok followers) to micro-influencers building an audience of thousands, looking into the likely trends for this year and strategies for how your business can use influencers to level up your brand.

Take a look here and prepare to influence and be influenced.

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Clare James, Chief Operating Officer at creative brand experience agency, N2O

At N2O, we’re dedicated to helping brands build meaningful relationships with their target audiences through relevant brand experiences.  Through our long-standing expertise in working with brands such as Tesco and Superdrug to create Pride campaigns, we understand the importance of connecting authentically with the LGBTQIA+ audience and strive to help brands move beyond tokenism during Pride month.

However, we acknowledge that the decision to create a targeted experience at Pride is complex, so we felt compelled to explore the subject further and provide our clients with practical guidance through our white paper, “Standing Proud at Pride – and Beyond.”

We assembled a dynamic panel of industry experts and diverse community members whose collective perspectives and insights fuelled our research. Using our own data and insights from sources such as GWI and YouGov, the resulting white paper provides a comprehensive and digestible understanding of the LGBTQIA+ audience and how brands can support them. It highlights the importance of being a year-round ally and the potential pitfalls to avoid when activating Pride experiences. Download your copy of the white paper here Brands at Pride White Paper – Standing Proud at Pride and Beyond

Our research also led to an in-depth webinar with IPM, where our Strategy Director, Steven Workman, Art Director, Emily Shahaj, and panel contributor, Sade Giliberti, shared illuminating and authoritative advice based on our findings. The webinar is available here Institute of Promotional Marketing

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We are delighted to let you know that, on March 15^th 2023, IPM member Mando is launching a new white paper with YouGov “Understanding Loyalty in Europe”. The first of its kind, this study explores loyalty membership, appeal and impact across 24 European countries. It also introduces a new loyalty metric the Loyalty Gauge^TM – which ranks the countries for loyalty engagement and features in-market and programme case studies from 10 expert contributors. The paper will be available to download from www.mando-connect.co.uk and if you have any questions please get in touch with Charlie.Hills@mando-connect.co.uk.

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Mando-Connect’s latest research conducted with YouGov provides yet more evidence that Rewards are the number 1 factor for Brits to join Loyalty programmes. 60% are motivated by discounts and offers with 28% looking out for partner offers.

The results demonstrate that the impact of loyalty programmes are stronger than ever. They help brands engage in a completely unique way and cut through the noise of a crowded advertising and marketing landscape. Once a programme is in place, brand appeal among users increases. Then, as users needs naturally evolve, the challenge is to keep innovating in the right direction and keep pace with these changing requirements as they happen.

For the full whitepaper, please head to the Mando-Connect website 

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Mando-Connect and Ogilvy hosted one of the first face-to-face loyalty events since 2019 to celebrate the launch of Mando-Connects latest whitepaper: ‘What the British want from Loyalty Programmes 3.0’. It was a hugely successful afternoon with a joint presentation from the Mando-Connects head of strategy, Charlie Hills, and YouGov’s data team, led by Nick Fishbourne. On top of this, we also heard a fascinating talk on applied behavioural science in loyalty from Ogilvy’s Maddie Croucher and an insightful panel discussion hosted by Isobel Finlayson with representatives from Vodafone (Camilla Cooper), Lidl Plus (Tina Hansom) and Marriott Bonvoy (Katie Cox).

The event certainly highlighted some challenges ahead for those working in the loyalty industry. There is, however, a lot to be positive about. Peter Kerr (director of the IPM) introduced the event by recognising the increased scope for loyalty in new sectors ”with emerging digital and multi-media channels, loyalty opportunities are becoming increasingly accessible to every sector’‘. We’ve also seen how with data and a better understanding of how your customers think and feel, you can adapt your programme to engage your users and give them the rewards they really want. On this topic the overall findings and recommendations were very clear:

• Firstly, focus on offering really great rewards – it’s Number 1 for driving Brits to join a programme. And it’s Number 1 for maintaining engagement. 
• Secondly, bake a strong sustainability ethos into your programmes. 71% of us think loyalty programmes should help us to live more sustainably, so understanding how loyalty can contribute to creating a more sustainable future is key. 

The event and research shows that the impact of loyalty programmes has never been stronger.  They cut through the noise of a crowded advertising and marketing landscape and help brands to engage in a completely unique way. Just by having a programme, users will find your brand more appealing. The challenge for us then is to keep innovating in the right direction and ultimately to try and keep pace with changing user needs as they happen.

For the full whitepaper, please head to the Mando-Connect website 

The post Mando-Connect Loyalty Event Celebrates Whitepaper Launch appeared first on IPM Bitesize.

In the face of great change in Brits’ lifestyles, new research from YouGov and partnerships and rewards agency Mando-Connect shows Britons’ affinity for promotions.

The What The British Think Of Promotions report reveals that two thirds (66%) of the population take part in promotions, with eight in ten (80%) Brits believing they are a great way to reward customers and seven in ten (70%) thinking that all brands should offer them.

YouGov’s data shows that gender has no impact on promotional participation (65% of men and 67% of women take part in promotions). But age has a significant impact with older age groups being far less likely to participate. Only 54% of those aged 55+ participate in promotions. This suggests that promotions are failing to connect with this important age group.

The report shows that despite so many of the population taking part in promotions, the space is currently dominated by a few select sectors. Supermarkets have by far the biggest footprint, with 47% of the population taking part in supermarket promotions. General Retail then follows with 27% of the population taking part in promotions in this sector, followed by Health & Beauty at 25% and Leisure & Entertainment at 23%.

Britons clearly see the value of promotions, with the research showing that people are willing to put their money where the promotions are. Three quarters (75%) of Brits are more likely to try and new brand that offers a promotion, seven in ten will switch brands offering one (71%), more than half will shop more often with brands that offer them (58%) and just under half are more likely to recommend a brand offering a promotion (48%).

The report gives clear direction on Brits’ favourite types of promotions too. The top way to enter a promotion is digital. More than half (56%) of Brits like to enter a promotion online or through a website, almost four in ten (39%) by email and 28% through a mobile app. Money is the preferred prize or reward, with almost six in ten Brits wanting it (59%). Next comes a desire for discounts and offers (42%) and free products, services and experiences (38%).

The future for promotions is looking very positive too. Two thirds (65%) of Brits are likely to take part in promotions in the next 6 months. And the impact of Covid-19 and the releasing lockdown timetable has divided the nation. When asked what impact the government’s announcements about the easing of lockdown measures would have on their likelihood to participate in promotions, half of Brits (50%) didn’t know. Three in ten (31%) think are now more likely to participate in promotions, and just under two in ten (18%) think they are less likely to participate.

Charlie Hills Managing Director & Head of Strategy at Mando-Connect: “Promotions are a much misunderstood and under-appreciated marketing discipline. Yet they have the power to attract new audiences, change consumer behaviour, engage and re-engage existing customers and even shift brand perception. Our new research shows that Brits love promotions, regularly participate in them and that they have a very positive impact on the brands that offer them. Almost two thirds of Brits (65%) think they are going to participate in promotions in the next 6 months. Brands need to sit up, take note and make sure that a compelling promotional strategy is a core part of their marketing mix.”

Amelia Brophy, Head of Data Products UK at YouGov: “Our research shows that Brits’ are a nation of promotions lovers. The majority (66%) take part in promotions and eight in ten think that promotions are a great way for brands to reward customers. What was particularly interesting was the strong influence that promotions can have on Brits’ attitudes and shopping behaviours: 75% are more likely to try a new brand offering a promotion, 71% will switch brands, 57% will shop more often with a brand and 48% will even recommend a brand more that offers a promotion.”

A copy of the whitepaper can be requested here.

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Following on from last months news, we are really excited to announce the exclusive launch of new promotions research from IPM member’s Mando-Connect and YouGov. We will be hosting a special webinar for IPM Members on May 11^th at 11am so that you are the first to see this new research which explores what the Brits want from promotions. The research covers what percentage of Brits participate in promotions, how positive they are towards them, the types of promotions they engage with most (and the ones they don’t), promotional motivators and barriers and the impact that promotions can have for brands and businesses. This new research should be very useful for us all, as it clearly demonstrates that Brits really do love promotions.

Please join us here spaces are limited so don’t miss out.

Meeting ID: 964 7365 0632

Passcode: 265544

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Mando-Connect are excited to announce that they will soon be launching a new white paper “What the British want from Promotions”, developed with YouGov. Exploring what Brits want from promotions, what types of promotions are most common in the UK, what mechanics and rewards Brits’ desire and the impact that promotions have on Brits’ attitudes and behaviours. The research hasn’t been released yet, but we were delighted to discover that 80% of Brits think promotions are a great way for brands to reward customers and 66% take part in promotions. Watch this space to find out more!”

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Research released today (Thursday, 14th January 2021) from the EACA Knowledge Centre of Effie Europe winners reveals 7 salutary lessons on how marketing communications enable premium brands to thrive during a recession.

Titled the “The worst of times, the best of times: how communications enable premium brands to thrive in tough times” the research has been conducted by marketing effectiveness experts – The Effectiveness Partnership, who have analysed data from EACA Effie Europe winners from 2008- 2019.

Contrary to industry commentators’ expectations that premium brands are the ones most likely to suffer the worst in recessions, The Effectiveness Partnership found Premium Brands can best weather recessions through adhering to these 7 lessons: 

1. Communications have the potential to drive the strongest business effects for the premium than non-premium brands, both in and out of recessions
2. The most successful campaigns for premium brand in recessions balance volume growth with value growth
3. Continually reaching and persuading new users is the strongest driver of large business effects for premium brands, in and out of recessions
4. Successful premium brands focus on one audience segment to give communications strategies more focus, although the impact is often felt belt beyond that particular segment
5. Most successful premium brand campaigns in recessions support new product launches
6. Emotional campaigns are even more effective when you are a premium brand in a recession
7. Broadcast and narrowcast channels work hand in hand for success

The EACA Knowledge Centre for Effie winners divides brands into 5 categories Superpremium; Premium; Midmarket; Value; Other/Not-for-profit brands. Premium brands which are the focus for this study are defined as brands which command a price premium, brands which are desirable and brands that have a reputation for quality. This whitepaper will be available to download free of charge from www.eaca.eu, www.effie-europe.com or www.theeffectivenesspartnership.com from 5.30 pm CET on Thursday, 14th January.

Authors from The Effectiveness Partnership, Donald Pirie and Gurdeep Puri will delve deeper into the findings as part of the launch of this whitepaper at the Effie Europe 2020 virtual gala from 4 pm CET on the 14th January.

Following a short presentation of the findings, Donald and Gurdeep will be joined by Effie Europe co-chair of Judges – Claudia Kuhn, Brand Building and Integrated Communication Manager, Procter and Gamble; and Brian McCarter, Chief Strategy Officer, EMEA, Ogilvy to explore the implications for client and agencies. To join register here: https://www.effie-europe.com/awards-gala/

Says Gurdeep Puri, co-founder The Effectiveness Partnership and co-author of this report:

“The Effectiveness Partnership was delighted to be able to conduct this rigorous research into Effie Europe winners from the EACA and offer these rays of hope to premium brands – showing that communications can help premium brands not just survive but thrive in a recession.”

Says Tamara Daltroff, Director General, EACA:

“We were pleased to see that with the right growth strategy and using communications as an accelerator, premium brands can achieve growth in the toughest of times, as well as times of economic growth. This creates some optimism and hope for our industry.”

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Ahead of the pandemic, the shortcomings in the marketing industry’s narrow definition of experience, and the oversaturation of advertising and content online resulted in ineffectiveness and a lack of value for consumers and communities.

The limits of the lockdown restrictions both demonstrated the universal demand for shared experiences in society and created an opportunity for people to create new ways of coming together in person, online and in culture – showing the way forward for the experience economy.

TRO wanted to explore this further, so put together a whitepaper to explore shared experiences and their relevancy in a post- pandemic economy. A YouGov Plc online survey conducted on behalf of TRO in the UK, with a nationally representative sample size of 2041 adults found that since the beginning of the national lockdown in March, 67% of UK adults who took part in an event purely through online content found the experience enjoyable, which demonstrated that online alone would not cut it.

While people are eager to share experiences in person as soon as possible, the newfound benefits of online events will have long-term impact. Those who thrive will adopt an ‘and’ rather than an ‘either/or’ mindset. With various trends emerging in the worlds of fan experiences, pop-ups, retail, product trial/sampling, B2B and the virtual space.

The whitepaper also included interviews with industry experts:

• James Kirkham, Chief Business Officer at Defected Records
• Shekhar Deshpande, Head of Strategy, Global Clients at Facebook
• David Thompson, Head of Training, IM Retail (SEUK) at Samsung
• Hannah Brown, Chief Strategy & Business Development Officer at Formula E
• Alice Ratcliffe, Head of Brand at Appear Here
• Patrick Keogh, Events and Partnerships Lead at Huckletree

 All detailing the impact that the pandemic had on their industry and respective businesses, spanning music, digital, consumer technology and retail.

This whitepaper defines the concept of shared experiences and explains how they can be created to achieve mass audience engagement, community building, cultural relevance, commercial success and more, even in the face of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

We identified three key core components to a successful shared experience as meaning, which leads to moment which leads to memory in a virtuous cycle. To get the most value out of this process, brands can’t afford to leave it to chance.

To find out more, the whitepaper can be downloaded from this link or contact annie.mbagwu@tro.com.

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