Collaboration is one of the keys to success

I’m a strong advocate of businesses collaborating internally to deliver a strong brand proposition to their markets. It’s a vital culture which fosters creativity, team work, success and above all improves the flow of communication.

It’s also key for external brands to collaborate together to take advantage of each others strengths to increase revenue.

Let me talk through a few examples.

Tesco clubcard, launched in 1994, has built an invaluable sales and marketing tool, with over 15 million members as of 2010. Points were not only earnt with customers buying instore but was available across all Tesco brands and external partners

Services that take part in the Clubcard scheme (from Wikipedia):

Tesco stores,  Tesco.com,  TescoDiets.com,  TescoEntertainment.com,  Tesco Petrol stations,  Tesco Direct,  Tesco Bank,  Tesco Telecoms,  The Nutri Centre @ Tesco,  AVIS  (Earning Points Ended 1 Feb 2009),  E.ON UK,  Marriott Hotels  (Earning Points Ended 1 April 2008),  National Tyres Nationwide Autocentres.

Now. there are over 600 external rewards consumers can use their clubcard points to convert vouchers with major brands involved; Pizza Express, Cafe Rouge, Hilton, Madamme Tussards, Virgin Holidays, Eurotunnel and so many more.

Tesco were able to collaborate internally and ensure the reward scheme was extended across all their brands. They were able to become the no.1 UK supermarket and ensure competitors could never hope to launch a better customer rewards scheme

External partners equally benefit from additional exposure. Brands talking together and benefiting from the strength of each other’s brands leads to continued success.

One of my former exhibitions, the Insight Show, part of Marketing Week Live, opened this week. When I left Centaur Exhibitions in early 2010 the recession had led to a fundamental shift from operating in silos to greater collaboration. The best example is Marketing Week Live. Previously, 3 seperate marketing shows ran indvidually. By harnessing the brand power of Marketing Week, Centaur have been able to successfully launch a new exhibition concept with several shows under one umbrella brand without, on the face of it, damage each of the individual shows. We wait with baited breath to see how the 2012 event unfolds.

My company, UBM, is becoming increasingly keen on greater collaboration between brands, teams, departments, and even countries. With over 6000 employees worldwide, it’d be foolish not to harness all our expert knowledge and best practice to better serve our markets. I can’t say too much more but it’s an exciting culture to be part of.

We also collaborate heavily with our key stakeholders. We work with exhibitors, partners, associations, and visitors on the IFSEC portfolio to:

1. allow us to understand how we can make our events better serve the market place
2. exhibitors learn from our experience and expertise to ensure they deliver better ROI from our events and explore other year round advertising, lead generation, webinars, awards and bespoke solutions
3. we share market knowledge together

Our key stakeholders see IFSEC as a year round vehicle to get closer to the market. It’s only right they feel included within our decision making process.

I’m also currently planning a marketing strategy for the next 12 months. I need to involve all our team to take on board their feedback, comments and importantly ideas. Marketing is a creative environment. I want all the good ideas from my immediate and wider teams to flourish and contribute to our success.

Collabartion is also communication. Involving colleagues in your work allows them to take a fresh look at what you’ve done and allows you to create stronger contributions. It also removes internal conflict.

Marketing teams have all the data at our disposal to identify new collaboration opportunities to strengthen our brands. We can use this to demonstrate our value to the company and ensure we’re right at the heart of the strategy decision making process.

I firmly believe collaboration is one of the keys to success.

The season for innovation

This summer of events is eagerly anticipated in my household. Great sport to watch on TV to fill the summer evenings. And a keen interest in how brands either complement their sponsorship or go head to head with their competitors.

One great example of innovation is this Burger King ad near one of the fan parks at Euro 2012.

It’s clear they can’t use their full logo due to ambush marketing laws which protect sponsors, but maintaing the logo shape and colours means consumers will still recognise the brand. And when your hungry, you’re likely to visit an outlet in close proximity.

Proctor & Gamble isn’t a brand I’d assume had a close link to a major sporting event. As a sponsor of the Olympics 2012, they’ve come up with a clever campaign of adverts which appeal to their target market, Mums, demonstrating how their products support a Mum’s daily life, such as washing, cleaning, nappies, batteries, and much more, yet aligning it to the journey of an athlete from child to adult.

The ‘proud sponsor of Mum’s’ strap line is so much better than a simple sponsor of the Olympics tag which some brands use as a default.

No words, just music. And a thousand stories.

And a clever use of the athletes thanking their Mum’s in this next clip

2 nice examples of how a bit of thought and innovation can make a brands campaign stand out from the crowd.

Mars vs Snickers – the battle to satisfy my sugar cravings

I’m a big chocolate fan. Nothing keeps me going through the post lunch slump or satisfies that sweet tooth than a chocolate bar. My two favourites have always been Mars and Snickers.

It’s been interesting to see how Mars have pushed their sponsorship with the England football team during the build up to and during Euro 2012 and the football/sports angle Snickers have gone for as a continuation of their “Get some nuts” campaign.

Here’s the Mars ad

I think the Mars advert is pretty silly. Yes, it’s a “fantasy” but it’s implausible in so many ways which frankly annoys me as a) football fan b) a chocolate fan and c) a marketing professional.

1. A steward from the crowd would never be allowed onto a football pitch to substitute a goal keeper. Never.
2. He’s a slightly built young man. Most goalkeepers are 6ft+ and solidly built. They fill the goal and can be intimidating. This lad frankly isn’t.
3. The goalkeeper is wearing the away strip. The England players are wearing their home strip.
4. England winning a penalty shootout? Do me a favour!
5. Good clear follow up message to watch outtakes on their Facebook page.

I wonder when this advert was made. Up until the first game vs France, their was low optimism surrounding England’s chances of getting out of their group. Yes, they subsequently got through, but the idea England would then beat the Dutch on a penalty shoot out is frankly in dream world.

Now let’s compare the Snickers ad

• Male changing rooms are macho environments. Yet it’s a clever pun to turn one of the lads who’s having a whinge to be imposted by Joan Collins, enforcing the message behind the strap line “Your not you when you’re hungry”.
• It’s a good take on the whole macho campaign led by Mr T from the A Team in previous campaigns. The old format was getting a little tired but this is a nice refresh.
• The lad who was hungry doesn’t strike you as the kind of guy who has a flat stomach. How many of us do? I’d be pretty confident not many well toned men eat Snickers bars, which is fine as this brand isn’t appealing to that audience.
• A clever ending, as I’m sure many will have seen a fellow player through a strop in the changing room at being subbed or not playing.
• Social media integration isn’t that clear at the end and on the TV this cuts off pretty quickly.

On the whole, I’m not rushing out to buy either brand. I really don’t like the Mars advert one bit. But that’s not going to put me off eating the product as I know it’s tasty no matter if they filled 30 seconds of ad time with a blank screen.

Both ads appeal in different ways to their target audiences. Quite clearly the notion England will win a penalty shootout is fantasy but hey that’s what dreams are made of during a tournament. I’d be interested to see how both brands have performed with like for like sales post Euro 2012.

Hello world!

Hello and welcome to my blog. I’ve been in marketing for over 12 years working my way up from an assistant helping marketers execute their campaigns to a senior manager responsible for strategy, training, mentoring, budgets and championing marketing to directors.

My motto in marketing is…”understand your audience”. It’s near impossible to plan and implement a marketing campaign, strategy or activity if you don’t know who your talking to and what will make them engage with your brand.

Marketers thrive in creative environments facilitated by shared learning. Marketers who succeed help businesses succeed. Businesses which succeed help the economy grow. And growing economies create jobs.

Business success starts with marketing. Don’t let anyone tell you different.