Tapping into the emotions of the Nation

By Rob Mitchell

It’s a year since the Royal Wedding, you know the one with Wills and Kate, when the nation stopped and rejoiced in the royal nuptials.  There was a genuine feeling of unity, celebration and national pride felt by people throughout the country, except for the miserable few who happily took their Bank Holiday while complaining about the Royal Family. 

Anyway, a year on and we’re about to go into overdrive with the rallying calls to celebrate and support The Queen’s Jubilee, theEnglandteam and Team GB.  National pride and uniting behind a common purpose has never had such a triple-whammy, and all the time brands will be tapping into this swell of emotion.  Why not?  It’s heady stuff, and a little credibility will go along way. 

Sponsors are using their rights to target the British public with relentless salvos of marketing campaigns filled with national pride, inspirational stories, heroic achievement and encouragement to unite behind the team.  It’s inescapable. 

Long time Englandsponsor, Carlsberg, has got the fans’ permission.  They’re asking fans of the Englandteam to show their colours and get behind the team ahead of the UEFA Euro 2012.  Marks and Spencer have the suits made, Nivea are ensuring the men of Englandare groomed and beautiful, as they drive around in their new Vauxhall Astra.  Just imagine if Englandwin, and repeat Greece’s feat in 2004 by winning the Euros then hosting the Olympic Games.  Come on Roy!  

But before the lads leave for Poland, the Olympic Torch Relay will begin wending its euphoric way around the United Kingdom, ensuring the Celts have plenty to get excited about.  The Olympic Torch Relay’s very purpose is to galvanise the country ahead of 27^th July, and all the time the sponsors will help us believe in their own way.

London 2012 sponsor Cadbury are helping us to Keep Team GB Pumped with rousing anthems sung by the nation.  British Airways have told us that they’re ‘ready’.  We have countless local heroes, aspiring athletes and community programmes celebrating their role in the Olympics and the Olympic legacy, thanks to Lloyds TSB. BP, EDF Energy, BT et al.  

And all the time, it’ll be impossible to walk into a supermarket, WHSmith, or the like, and avoid the abundance of Union Jack memorabilia on offer.  It’s going to be one big street party, where we dare to dream of medals and trophies. 

Personally, I can’t wait for the summer to kick-off, and that includes the anticipation of the latest sponsor ads and promotions telling me how I can get behind the team and move to the beat. 

Are you ready?

The power of people

By Will Glynn-Jones

It’s one of my favourite times of year. Early April is Grand National time, an event I’ve loved since I was a kid. My family would always make a big thing out of it, with me and my brother allowed to pick a couple of horses on which to wager away a pound of our pocket money, and the excitement has never left me.

Now that I’m all grown up (ish), I still get excited on National day. I’ve also managed to convince my wife to get excited about the event, albeit at a slightly less obsessed level. Not much has changed over the years with the National, apart from one quite noticeable fact - the bookmakers are all making a huge noise in attempt to get me to bet in their shops or on their web page. 

Ever since the introduction of the 2005 Gambling Act, the way bookmakers can communicate with the consumer has changed beyond all recognition. Gone are the days when your average bookie would be hidden away behind a darkened shop-front, accessed only through a doorway fuddled with tobacco smoke. Today’s bookmakers are open-fronted, airy, welcoming places to come and lose your pay packet. If it’s still too much effort to actually go into a shop, you can bet over the phone, online and now through apps. And their numbers have increased. In a market once dominated by the big 3 (Ladbrokes, William Hill, Coral), there’s now a huge choice to the average punter from Bluesquare to Betfair to the brilliantly named Paddy Power.

The firms’ marcomms tactics have evolved too; in the past, most forms of consumer communication in this sector were prohibited. Today, we’re seeing TV & radio ads, direct mail and a huge amount of online presence. But it’s on National day in particular that the bookmakers make real use of a very powerful tool - people.

For all the deregulation of the industry and breaking down of mystique, betting is still anathema to some consumers who are too shrewd to wager away their hard-earned. This stance usually goes out of the window for the Grand National, however, with what seems like the whole nation having a punt. All of the firms want these customers - these ill-informed, once a year punters who are prepared to hand over their fivers and tenners after sticking a pin in the newspaper. But how to drive these nervous customers in-store? By placing friendly faces outside of stores, ready to help, advise, welcome and steer us through the process of selecting and having a bet.

For all of the above-the-line spending and proliferation of online messages, what confused & nervous customers need is human contact to help and guide. My wife is a prime example of a once a year gambler - she was nervous about going into a bookies for the first time, but our local Ladbrokes made it easy for her by placing promotional staff ready at the entrance to the shop and take her through the entire process. The result? She goes back there each year to place her National bet, even if it may not be offering the best value in terms of her bet. Isn’t loyalty what all brands are looking for?

By Tania Ebbecke

Tesco have created the ultimate shopping experience with a virtual fitting room, specifically targeted at women who hate trying on clothes in high street changing rooms. The F&F fitting room means fashionistas can upload photos of themselves along with their measurements and use the 3D image to try on as many clothes as they like from the comfort of their armchairs. In a supermarket first, the 3D technology will be able to tell from the virtual fitting if the clothes are too tight, too long or a little short and will suggest different sizes as well as mix and match outfits. Shoppers can choose from a collection of 50 items with ten new garments added every week over the next two months.

Tesco’s Facebook page clothing at Tesco also allows shoppers to try out different hairstyles with outfits and share their fashion sense with their Facebook friends.

A Virgin birth in high street banking

By Max Maginess

“A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts.”  Sir Richard Branson, Chairman Virgin Group.

You could almost hear George Osborne breathe a huge sigh of relief in November of last year as the beleaguered, and hugely symbolic, Northern Rock Bank was finally off loaded to Virgin Group. The silver haired Sir Richard Branson summoned the worlds press, rolled out his trusted stiletto wearing, blonde-bomb shelled band wagon and promised he was going to do to our high street banking industry what he had done to Trans Atlantic air travel and a good chunk of our National Rail Network –so this could go either way then! 

The standard process when rebranding a bank (and there has been lots of practice these past few years) is shut a bunch of existing branches down, slap your signage  over the front window and duly open up shop! But this is Branson banking and the arrival of this new Money Store concept is “designed to challenge the preconceptions of traditional banking by creating vibrant spaces that foster more relaxed interaction between staff and customers” – so banking made more cuddly!

This gauntlet was picked up by London-based strategic design consultancy Allen international, who were brought onboard to develop a store concept that would take the Virgin brand essence to the high street and encourage us to embrace an industry that evokes universal revulsion.

The first of these decadent Money Stores opened in Edinburgh and Norwich in late 2011. Armed with the images of these sumptuous stores and almost salivating with anticipation, I embarked on a venture up north to the wonderful city of Manchester to see the third store at first hand (fear not, London is next in the firing line to take delivery of the next two).

Location wise, Virgin have plumped for Kings Street (albeit the quieter eastern end) but the grandeur of what once was the old Armani store, certainly does lend gravitas to the whole experience.

I opened the oak panelled and glass doors and trundled in my suitcase where I was greeted by a most welcoming lady who would not look out of place dispensing a G&T at 34,000 feet on an A380 bound for more exotic locations. Bags and coat suitability stowed away, (yes they have a dedicated room for such things) I was whisked off on the tour of this moment to ‘Brand Virgin’ – with a few portraits of its illustrious founder  and iconic images of some of his more successful 400 companies thrown in for good measure – subtle hey!

The three floors within the building are sectioned off into zones, the majority of which is given over to ‘chill-axing’ space where iPads and iMacs are scattered amongst pieces of designer furniture that might make you think you had landed in Heals department store. Gaudy mobiles pushing the latest credit card offers and naff leaflet holders with every kind of insurance policy conceivable to man are most definitely out. If you want to learn about any Virgin Money product then do the decent thing and usher over one on of the staff gliding around on the <shop> floor and, from the comfort of your velvet armchair,  sit them down and have a jolly good chat about it!  

Free cappuccinos, tea infusions and soft drinks are available from the self service kitchen area and for keeping the little ones amused there is a soft play zone with crayons, colouring pads, gaming consoles and unlimited Chupa Chups lollies. As you ascend the spiralled staircase, a baby grand piano for any budding Mozart is at your disposal should the inclination take you or why not park yourself in of the private conference rooms equipped with the latest in video/ audio equipment  where the urge to recreate the ending scene from last night’s Apprentice might just prove too strong.

The first thing whirling through my head as I was being shown all these really rather spiffing facilities was, ‘who the bleedin hell is going to pay for this?’ especially as Branson had back tracked not four weeks before from slapping on a £60 fee for current account members, keeping it is as an option instead. The answer is it is totally free – so long as you have any one of Northern Rocks or Virgin Moneys products.  I wonder how long this egalitarian approach to banking will last as the masses hear of a mythical place where you can check the escapades of your Facebook friends, hook up with your mates and take advantage of free refreshments and not be harassed into taking out a car loan by pushy sales staff sitting in Perspex padded cells – time will tell. For the mean time, sit back, relax and enjoy these pleasure palaces of Britain’s favourite billionaire!

By Tania Ebbecke

Children’s charity, Plan UK, have created a bus stop ad which uses gender recognition software in an attempt to raise awareness of the restrictions females face in developing countries. If the poster recognises the person as a female, it allows them to touch the screen to find out more and watch a 40 second advert which features 3 girls who face these issues. If it recognises them as a male, the screen simply says, “We are choosing to show our advert only to girls to give you a glimpse of what life could be like without choices.” Clever.

By Tania Ebbecke

McCain have come up with a novel way to make people’s mouths water while waiting for the bus. They have fitted selected bus stops in main cities across England 4ft 3D jacket potatoes. At the press of a button, the jacket releases the glorious smell of a slow cooked buttery jacket potato- to support the launch of their new frozen jackets. The bus stop also dispenses money off coupons, there is one on Oxford Street and one on Tottenham Court road if you want to check it out. Enough to make your tummy grumble all the way home!

Social Media in Sponsorship Activation

By Chris Coles

Sponsorship allows brands to reach and influence a significant audience of followers, supporters and fanatics of a team or sport.  A survey of fan’s attitudes to sponsors showed that a third of NFL fans are ‘more likely to recommend a product/service to a friend of family member’ if they are an official sponsor of the NFL. However, in an increasingly busy and crowded landscape, successful Sponsorship needs to move from merely plastering a company logo on a team shirt or stadium advertising board. In short, connecting with people is at the very heart of a successful Sponsorship.

Within our ever changing digital landscape, the chance to communicate with fans more frequently and across a greater number of platforms is one that many brands should look to utilise.  Not only does Social Media facilitate direct relationships with athletes via Facebook, Twitter & Google+ profiles, but fans themselves also have the potential to become valuable content creators.

Major League Baseball were one of the first to link their sponsors to the concept of sports fans as content creator, through their ‘Fan Cave’ Social Media campaign:

Residents of the Cave will watch every single game (2,430) on a Sony TV, wearing their Majestic Baseball shirt, drinking a Pepsi and sitting in a La-Z-Boy armchair.  They will tweet to 67,000 followers on a regular basis and it is a great source of entertaining content for both casual and die-hard baseball fans. This is a growing trend in the USA with ‘professional’ fans tweeting to fellow fans, on behalf of a team, or even a TV Network.  

The evolution of Social Media in sport has also given a more personal voice to sports professionals, who have in recent times been quite distant from the fans who adore them so much.  Relationships through Twitter have grown in the last few years, however two recent incidents particularly stand out. On the 28th February, a high profile crash involving Juan Pablo Montoya drew lots of media attention for obvious reasons, however Brad Keselowski added over 100,000 followers on Twitter by posting the picture of the incident below.  Tweeting while driving is dangerous enough, but at over 100mph, it is crazy - yet NASCAR applauded his initiative.  The second incident was during an American college basketball game where the Colorado State head coach Tim Miles live tweeted his team talk.  It must have been more inspirational in the flesh, as his team turned around a 16 point lead to win 66-59.

Above are just some of the examples in which digital platforms are enabling sports teams and leagues to engage with their fans.  Once brands can harness this potential, they can leverage sponsorship in a way that brings the fans closer to both the sport they love and by association, the brand itself.

If I had to choose a favourite experience…

By Cathy Henderson

If someone asked me to name one of my all-time favourite experiential campaigns, I would have to own up that it isn’t one I created, but one I actually took part in! Whilst the event itself was a couple of years ago, the memory stays with me even now and is a fantastic example of a multi-sensory experience.

In a nutshell….The idea: The UK’s first “Walk in Cocktail” experience created by food experimentalists Bompas & Parr and sponsored by Hendrick’s gin.

What: The concept was based on a pop up bar, situated in a shop unit basement, near Carnaby Street in Soho, London. This was transformed for a limited period only, and was a ticketed event. This was a very clever notion as I believe tickets sold out in record time, and a number of my colleagues and friends were unable to get hold of one, thus creating an exclusivity and pre event conversation: “Were you lucky enough to get a ticket?”

Who:  Bompas and Parr are renowned for their marvellous creations which were evident throughout the experience. From the mist created to emulate being inside a gin and tonic cocktail, to the sponsorship tie up, “apt” event location, and décor and costumes it was all faultless. For Hendricks having its name attached to something so unusual helped get its quirky off-beat brand message across and its name on the lips of countless new consumers!

How: When we arrived on the night there was a queue of consumers outside the shop and there was a buzz and excitement in the air. Upon entering the event we were asked to don a protective biohazard-style suit, the mind boggled as to the reason why, but all was soon to be revealed. Once suited and booted we entered a steamy whitewashed room, and got merry on mistified gin and tonic. There was an oversized lime and straw decorating the room, and the overall effect was that of being inside a gin cocktail, it was fascinating, with muffled music evoking underwater sound, and all of us dressed in white overalls, in the mist we seemed to resemble ice cubes bobbing in a glass, and the effect was fantastic!

http://www.jellymongers.co.uk/projects#!__projects/2009/vstc15=alcoholic-architecture

The Result: Apart from being a well thought through and executed event, from an experiential point of view, it delivered a truly memorable, highly immersive brand engagement!  And one I’ll remember forever!

Consumer spending…

By Sarah Leccacorvi

It’s the start of 2012 and the year of the Olympics, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and even the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens’ birth! However, while we have a lot to look forward to, a senior policymaker from the Bank of England announced that there is a “significant chance” Britain is heading for a double-dip recession. It’s a frightening prospect for retailers, who are already fighting for footfall, and for brands looking to increase penetration. 

Surprisingly, though, market research firm GfK NOP reported a rise in consumer confidence by four points, demonstrating a surprisingly buoyant month. But before we put our feet up and sit back to contemplate the year ahead, Nick Moon, managing director of GfK NOP said: “Consumer confidence is still seriously depressed and we should treat this month’s modest improvement with caution.” In 2011 the price wars did their best to support shoppers during difficult times; in 2012 they will need to work even harder to gain traction.

In an already competitive market place retailers also have to compete with online offerings: according to IGD, online grocery retailing is set to hit £11.2bn in 2016, almost twice the estimated value for 2011 of £5.9bn. Furthermore, the most notable offering of late was from Ocado, who teamed up with Groupon (one of the largest social deal sites) to offer a 12 month mid-week delivery pass and £40 off Groceries for £39 - up to 65% off! Within hours of the deal being released, 345 people had bought into it, demonstrating how online strategies are shaping the shopping experience of the future. 

Bricks and mortar aren’t falling down just yet, though: “Click and Collect”, where customers can reserve items online and pick up in-store, has also risen in popularity. Research conducted by IMRG showed that 10.4% of all orders placed in the third quarter were through Click and Collect, an increase from 7.4% in the previous quarter.

At a time where shoppers are down trading and economising, the multi-channel shop has now become more prevalent than ever before. With shopping patterns becoming more diverse it is here where offers will need to make the difference between a distraction and a transaction. Shoppers are increasingly cash strapped and time deficient so they are looking for personalisation and strategies that alleviate their concerns. Price will certainly be a factor to take into consideration in the event of a renewed recession, but promotions will be equally as important. Having been offered a plethora of promotions in past times shoppers now expect them, but are looking for those that offer genuinely good value. 

2012 will be about challenging the status quo and creating innovative solutions that get brands onto people’s ever decreasing shopping lists. With two big calendar events on the horizon, let’s hope the excitement gives us the lift that we’ve all been waiting for. 

Robocop and Augmented Reality

By Sion Jones

What do you think that big helmet is on Murphy’s head after he becomes Robocop? That’s Augmented Reality (AR) working at its best. The user, in this case a police officer, is being fed a stream of data and information to enhance their vision and understanding of what’s around them – i.e. knowing where the bad guys are.

Murphy uses his head-mounted display to see things like his mission objectives as well as pre-aim any number of targets before blasting them to smithereens with his over the shoulder trick shots.

If Robocop could do that back in 1987 what could he do in 2012 with all the new AR technology out there?

One such piece of technology is Aurasma - a new AR platform that weaves the physical and virtual worlds together for the first time. It’s designed for 3G and 4G mobile devices (iPhone’s, tablets, androids etc) and it uses the device’s video camera and a free App to work its magic.

Have a quick look at how it works:

It’s a simple concept of layering video onto real life images, but it’s a fantastic one too. It’s new, fun and it’s a cool way of finding information. I think Aurasma will contribute to the fundamental shift in the way we gather information from now on.

Take a food print ad for example; it’s very difficult to get the message across with print ads but by pointing at it with your smartphone you could click on it to do a number of different actions e.g. show the TV ad, show different recipe ideas for that product, purchase the product online etc

With Aurasma I suppose the opportunities are limitless(ish)… but just imagine what Robocop would have done with it…

By Ian Thomas

The growth in online shopping has raised a whole new set of issues related to waiting in for deliveries. Retailers have been aware of this issue for a while now, with more and more offering a “click and collect” service and online grocers compete as much on their delivery capabilities as they do on quality and value. In order to secure the much coveted Christmas Shop delivery slot in the days immediately before Christmas, you would have needed to have booked your slot with Ocado many weeks ago.

Alternatively you could book a house-sitter, paid to wait in for deliveries. According to BBC News 79% of the UK population has taken time off work to wait in for a delivery and new businesses are popping up offering this service. Not a problem that we have at Arc – Sarah Greenwood featured in this news piece is none other than our own Sarah Leccacorvi.

A lot of bottle

By Craig Addy

The term ‘the simpler the idea the better it works’ is a phrase that’s frequently bounced around our industry. The point being the cleanest and simplest thought tends to be the stronger ad. This clip has nothing really to do with advertising but is an example of a simple and effective idea not many can trump it. This one sells itself. Watch and be impressed at the simple ingenuity.

Festive or frugal

By Sarah Leccacorvi

As we steadily approach Christmas with a backdrop of falling sales and a crippling European economy, it will be interesting to see if our much adored season will be as festive as Santa’s grotto or a frugal as Christmas at Ebenezer Scrooge.

The impact of the economy has knocked consumers’ confidence and pushed them to be even more smart and savvy than ever before.  We’ve already seen the rise of the multi-store shop and with e-retail now firmly placed on the map, it’s harder for retailers to increase footfall and achieve shopper loyalty. Each year retailers approach Christmas with a twofold strategy. Firstly they launch their value strategy a couple of months prior, offering shoppers a great way to save at Christmas. Then they roll out their TV advertisement, promoting the culinary expertise of their Christmas range. It is a contradiction in terms really, however it is still Christmas and whilst shoppers will downtrade on some areas they will equally trade up on others. Mintel recently discovered that leisure is to be one of the hardest industries hit at Christmas whereas food and clothing are areas where shoppers are less inclined to cut back on. In-store, the POS reflects this twofold approach with both Christmas branding and pricing offers often competing for space.

Two great schemes launched this year to support the dwindling Christmas allowance include the Morrisons ‘Collector Card’ scheme. Here customers can receive £25 off their Christmas shop, as long as they spend over £40 in their previous six shops. And Tesco’s launched their Christmas Clubcard Exchange. This enables shoppers to exchange a £5 Clubcard Voucher for £10 worth of products ranging from clothing to champagne. It’s an intelligent way to get shoppers to spread their total shop across one retailer and hope they convert into loyal ones. A further scheme announced on the back of Sainsbury’s Price Matching was ASDA’s £5 Thank You voucher. It offers shoppers an ASDA voucher when they spend £40 in store. It is a strategy launched to retain their position as a key value retailer.

So where will the shoppers flock, to pick up their indulgent Christmas treats? Well if the responses to the TV advertisements are anything to go by, then apparently it is that value retailer ASDA! After seeing their advertisement that leverages LEITHS, a leading London cookery school to demonstrate the quality of their Christmas goods, 30% of shoppers would visit ASDA according to a new poll. Not far behind ASDA was Waitrose with 26% shoppers. With the combination of the authentic and classic Delia Smith and the creative and fascinating Heston Blumenthal, shoppers are already flocking in store to pick up Heston’s pine sugar mince pies and Delia’s Christmas Cake Kit, enabling even the novice baker to achieve their own Christmas creation. In fact, Heston’s Hidden Orange Christmas Pudding has been in such demand it is currently sold out in-store and is being sold for up to £150 on eBay!

Which retailer will enable shoppers to realise their Christmas dreams? The proof will be in the pudding…

Get on the floor

By Jacqui Gray

And no I don’t mean throwing some signature moves on the dance floor at the Christmas party, I mean the shop floor.  I’m talking specifically about getting out onto the floor of a grocery retailer, and as often as possible, as there really is no substitute for experiencing the shopping experience first-hand. 

So I am suggesting that put your shoppers hat on. I’m not talking about the one that allows you to go around the store on automatic pilot, I mean the one that makes you conscious of every facet of the experience, the one that gives you the green light to dawdle around the store and take it all in, from how the store is laid out, to any products that leap out of the shelf. You never know you might find it interesting.  

The things that I found interesting on a recent dawdling trip included the massive display units featured to promote the DVD release of one of the Pirates of the Caribbean films (not sure which, but they were impossible to ignore); the gorgeous Lindor chocolate truffles from Lindt that were being handed out (one per customer apparently); the new augmented reality stations showing clips of games and films (a great innovation, albeit no one was there to show customers how to use it); and then the opportunity to have my eyebrows re-shaped (I didn’t go for this, I find the Dolmio day monobrow works well for me).  

Have a look at the Tesco augmented reality trial:

All these mini experiences added up to a very different shopping trip and albeit grocery shopping is not exciting it was certainly less tedious than it used to be, so a big thanks to the retailers and brands that are really starting to understand and invest in the customers journey.

And when you’ve done being a shopper feel free to shake your limbs in an erratic manner to the latest tunes, be it Bublé or the genius that is Florence and the Machine.  Quick question are dance floors still illuminated, it’s been a while?

The beauty of understatement

By John Jessup

I have to admit to being attracted by certain signs. I am particularly partial to the ones with pictures of dogs and ducks, monarchs and such like. They welcome me to gentle imbibing, and mirth filled conversations. With these things in mind I found myself strolling down a soft white beach in Jamaica, with the warm Caribbean Sea playing around my feet (sorry got a bit carried away there). I passed several establishments, sporting signs emblazoned with pictures of West Indian beauties, or the local flora and fauna. Others had pictures of Pirates and names like ‘The Jolly Roger’ and ‘Captains Cabin’, but none of them attracted me in the same way as the one pictured above. This sign, with its simple typography and weather beaten look, promised so much more than its flashier counterparts. It felt genuine and unpretentious, it promised the real thing; Jamaica for Jamaicans. So I sat down with the locals and enjoyed my ice-cold Red Stripe and jerk chicken as hot and spicy as Usain Bolt’s jock strap after a 100-metre dash.

The next time we sit down to dream up our latest piece of communication, it’s worth remembering, you don’t have to shout the loudest to be heard above the rest.