Marketing news

• Your brand is talking about itself too much

  20-10-2017 23:50
  You’re at a cocktail party, and you find yourself standing next to a guy you’ve never met. He seems pleasant enough at first, offering his name — let’s call him Eric — and a friendly handshake.
  But then, unprompted, Eric tells you what he does for a living, where he’s from, where he went to college and what he majored in. And then Eric rattles off all the places he’s worked, what he did at those places — and babbles on about a new project he’
  
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• Apologies appreciated, Mr. Tindall, but now what?

  20-10-2017 23:22 via campaignlive.com
  The time for change to improve diversity in the industry is right now, says MDC Partners' head of talent and inclusion.
  
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• Innovation has to be fit for purpose and strengthen the execution says RRDCreative director

  20-10-2017 16:30
  Innovation will always catch the eye, but it has to be fit for purpose and strengthen the execution, says RRDCreative’s head of agency and creative director, Corey Stewart.
  Now in it's fifteenth year, the nominations for The Drum Cream Awards have been announced and innovation is the lead trend for this year’s crop of entrants.
  Member of the judging panel, Stewart said: “There has been a clever use of digital format in corporate reporting which sets a good standa
  
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• ’It's an all-in, all-out crusade’: Momentum and opportunities in industry conference diversity

  20-10-2017 16:29
  As this year’s slate of conference and events gets closer to the finish line, the conversation around inclusion continues to lie at or near the surface as the business argument for diversity continues to build momentum.
  In each area of equality — gender, race, LGBTQ, disability and ageism — some impact has been made, though it is still, in large part, confined to the individual areas which can conceivably create an echo chamber effect of each cohort simply talking to each other
  
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• Experiential marketing and customer centric campaigns are the key trends from The Drum UK Event Awards nominations

  20-10-2017 16:15
  Experiential marketing is breaking new grounds, as seen in this year’s nominations for The Drum UK Event Awards.
  There has been plenty of innovation across the categories, but everything is becoming more relevant explains chair of the judging panel, Damian Clarke, managing director of Undercurrent.
  He said: “The worldwide investment in augmented and virtual reality is finally starting to filter through to the customer and our industry, by its very nature, is becoming expert at p
  
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• Sonoma Rising helps raise funds for fire-ravaged Northern California communities

  20-10-2017 16:00
  Fires have devastated many communities in Napa, Sonoma and Yuba counties in Northern California. With 42 dead, hundreds missing and whole neighborhoods reduced to ashes, the losses are staggering, and the fires continue to burn, though progress has been made.
  While many first responders, and neighbors, have come to the rescue of many people, much more help is needed, which is why a massive effort is underway to prepare impacted communities like Santa Rosa, where as many as 6,300 homes and 4
  
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• Is information overload killing employee engagement?

  20-10-2017 16:00
  There is no doubt that digital has had a major impact on employee engagement. It has helped businesses to connect with employees and, importantly, for employees to connect with their businesses. It has provided timely access to deep knowledge, widespread use of rich media, and it has opened new opportunities for dynamic dialogue allowing the voice of the employees to be heard and heeded.
  But perhaps it also brings a fundamental challenge, an implicit imperative to keep doing more, faster and bet
  
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• Charlotte Rogers: BrewDog is a lesson in how to scale up without losing your ‘craft’

  20-10-2017 15:53
  BrewDog is officially a big deal. Over the past two days the self-styled Scottish punk brewer has raised more than £1m as part of its latest investment round, which sees it poised to become the biggest equity crowdfunded business of all time.
  More than 1,000 new investors came on board in just 48 hours, helping take BrewDog towards its short-term target of £10m and further stretch goal of £50m. Describing this latest funding round as the beginning of a “new era of busines
  
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• P&G sales below expectations with 1% growth

  20-10-2017 15:30 via campaignlive.co.uk
  Procter & Gamble's net sales were up 1% year-on-year to $16.7bn (£12.6bn) in the three months to 30 September.
  
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• The Drum grows US editorial team with addition of Bennett D. Bennett

  20-10-2017 15:15
  The Drum has hired Bennett D. Bennett to join its editorial team in New York as it continues its growth in the region.
  Bennett leaves the creative department as a copywriter at BBDO in New York to join the team, where he will focus on agencies, media and creativity.
  "BBDO New York gave me a unique opportunity years ago that a lot of other agencies back then would balk at,” said Bennett. “I've written for top brands on almost every platform available and worked among some of the most
  
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• Ebay completes advertiser roster for Piccadilly Lights relaunch

  20-10-2017 15:11 via campaignlive.co.uk
  Ebay will advertise on the famous Piccadilly Lights outdoor site when it relaunches this month, completing a roster of six brands.
  
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• Why Ikea took over a Soho townhouse to celebrate its 30th anniversary

  20-10-2017 15:05 via campaignlive.co.uk
  Ikea has been hosting house parties in London this week to celebrate 30 years in the UK.
  
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• With the Weinstein revelations, the tide is turning on media protection of stars

  20-10-2017 15:03
  If the money’s flowing the questions stop. This was what precipitated the downfall of Bell Pottinger: the PR firm lost the plot over what its South African subsidiary was up to and see a toxic campaign ultimately reduced the behemoth to rubble.
  Similar dynamics are at work in the conditions that allowed 30 years of predatory abuse to be allegedly perpetrated by Harvey Weinstein. I have heard countless Harvey stories over the last week from industry figures none of whom were particular
  
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• Fiat Chrysler reviews EMEA advertising

  20-10-2017 14:58 via campaignlive.co.uk
  Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the Italian car manufacturer, is reviewing its advertising across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
  
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• Instagram and Momentum recognised with top award wins at The Majors 2017

  20-10-2017 14:25
  Instagram and Momentum carried off the top awards of the night at this year’s The Majors, the awards hosted annually by recruitment agency Major Players, in association with The Drum, to recognise excellence in tech, digital and creative.
  Social media giant Instagram was crowned Major Brand of the Year, while Momentum collected the Major Agency trophy for the second consecutive year in front of a crowd of more than 160 people.
  Elsewhere, Felix Morgan of Livity was named as the Major Market
  
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• It's the thought that counts: Jamie Credland on the Economist Group's new positioning

  20-10-2017 14:07
  The Economist is a globally renowned publisher whose articles and predictions stimulate powerful conversation on our streets. However, independent research suggests that while many clients are aware of its media company the Economist Group, they lack awareness of the full range of marketing services the group can offer. 
  To encourage people to embrace the company as a whole, it has launched a powerful new market positioning called 'Thought That Counts', brought to life by its comm
  
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• UK ad viewability hits 18-month high

  20-10-2017 14:05 via campaignlive.co.uk
  Ad viewability levels in the UK have risen for two consecutive quarters - a first since Meetrics started tracking the data in 2014.
  
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• Public Health England's catchy jingle aims to make danger of antibiotic resistance unforgettable

  20-10-2017 14:02 via campaignlive.co.uk
  Public Health England is today launching a £2m campaign to "Keep antibiotics working" by discouraging people from using them when not necessary.
  
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• Why has Volvo pulled out after winning Channel 4’s £1m diversity competition?

  20-10-2017 13:57
  Volvo has decided to pull out of Channel 4’s Diversity in Marketing Award and pass up on £1m in free airtime, claiming Grey’s entry for the competition had not been “approved”.
  The car marque was crowned the winner in July for its pitch around non-visible disability. The idea had been submitted by its creative agency Grey London.
  However, Volvo now says the agency “submitted an entry to the Channel 4 competition that had not previously been shared with us, nor
  
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• Bodyform, TUI, Bud Light: 5 things that mattered this week and why

  20-10-2017 13:13
  TUI’s major campaign to promote Thomson rebrand
  This week marked the end of the Thomson brand as it finally converted over to TUI – the name of its German owners – in the UK after a two-year changeover.
  According to TUI’s UK marketing director Jeremy Ellis, the rebrand will give the travel business a broader appeal and allow it to be more digitally focused with 60% of its sales now coming from online.
  He also spoke about the rise of Airbnb and his faith that people w
  
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• Volvo ‘disappointed’ as it axes Grey’s unapproved Channel 4 diversity fund ad

  20-10-2017 12:23
  Volvo has expressed disappointment after its creative agency Grey London was found to have submitted an unapproved advert to Channel 4’s annual 'Diversity in Advertising’ competition. As a result, the auto brand has walked away from the £1m worth of free airtime the broadcaster had awarded.
  The competition offered the airtime on the basis that the winning ad focused around a non-visible disability. Grey’s submission for Volvo was announced as the winner in July after bein
  
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• Volvo ‘disappointed’ as Grey’s unapproved C4 diversity fund ad is axed

  20-10-2017 12:23
  Volvo has expressed disappointment after its creative agency Grey London was found to have submitted an unapproved advert to Channel 4’s annual 'Diversity in Advertising’ competition. As a result, the auto brand has walked away from the £1m worth of free airtime the broadcaster had awarded.
  The competition offered the airtime on the basis that the winning ad focused around a non-visible disability. Grey’s submission for Volvo was announced as the winner in July after bein
  
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• One week left to vote for the bravest brand of 2017

  20-10-2017 12:08 via campaignlive.co.uk
  There are just seven days left to vote for this year's bravest brand ahead of the Marketing Society's Annual Dinner.
  
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• Last chance to vote for the bravest brand of 2017

  20-10-2017 12:08 via campaignlive.co.uk
  The deadline ends today for this year's bravest brand ahead of the Marketing Society's Annual Dinner.
  
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• Business on the Move: Ikea Group, Mind, Nemiroff and more

  20-10-2017 12:00
  Welcome to The Drum's Business on the Move section, where we collate agency account wins, reviews, agency launches, rebrands and acquisitions.
  Agency wins
  Ikea Group has selected Anomaly to lead its first ever global account, created to develop a corporate and consumer communications platform focused on sustainability.
  As a new strategic account, the win will not affect the work of local incumbent creative agencies, including Mother in the UK.
  Ikea began conversations with ag
  
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• Bodyform's new ad – about bloody time?

  20-10-2017 11:55
  The scenario: you’re scrolling through your phone, and an ad pops up… showing a blood-soaked sanitary pad.
  That’s just what happened this week, when Bodyform released its new ad, which proudly proclaims that "periods are normal – showing them should be too".
   It’s a bold move from Bodyform, to turn away from the watery, blue, Windex type liquid to red (a colour which has previously been persona non grata in ads related to periods), and social media has come ou
  
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• British Army’s marketing strategy questioned amid ballooning ad costs

  20-10-2017 11:47
  The effectiveness of the British Army’s advertising and marketing efforts have come under scrutiny from MP’s after Labour uncovered ballooning costs. 
  Questions are being asked of the efficacy of efforts to entice new recruits to sign up for the Army after advertising costs rose by nearly 50%, jumping from £6.7m in 2016 to more than £10m in the first nine months of 2017. 
  Two of its biggest ad campaigns of the year have come from London-based agency Karmara
  
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• The low-calorie drinks company selling ‘a set of USPs and not a brand’

  20-10-2017 11:33
  Imagine the following scenario: you’re on a diet, or at least looking to choose a healthier option when it comes to your drinking repertoire. Would you buy a drink that is purely marketed on its brand benefits, like being lower in calories and gluten free? SkinnyBrands seems to think so.
  For those unaware of SkinnyBrands, the brand offers low-calorie alcoholic drinks. At the moment, it is focused around beer and canned cocktails, but there are plans in the works for wine too.
  While there a
  
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• The low-alcohol drinks company selling ‘a set of USPs and not a brand’

  20-10-2017 11:33
  Imagine the following scenario: you’re on a diet, or at least looking to choose a healthier option when it comes to your drinking repertoire. Would you buy a drink that is purely marketed on its brand benefits, like being lower in calories and gluten free? SkinnyBrands seems to think so.
  For those unaware of SkinnyBrands, the brand offers low-calorie alcoholic drinks. At the moment, it is focused around beer and canned cocktails, but there are plans in the works for wine too.
  While there a
  
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• Google is beating Facebook on mobile advertising because it is winning on search across every front

  20-10-2017 11:26 via campaignlive.co.uk
  The secret to Google's mobile advertising success lies in the diversification of search and its ability to stay ahead of the curve, Enders Analysis reports.
  
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• Eurosport adds Formula E to live broadcast motorsports roster

  20-10-2017 11:22
  Eurosport has agreed a three season deal to screen the FIA Formula E championship in Europe from 2017-18 bringing all 14 races from global cities such as Hong Kong, New York and Paris to homes around the continent.
  The agreement will see the broadcaster hold exclusive and sub-licensing rights in all markets except the UK and Italy, where Eurosport holds non-exclusive rights, with some rights being sub-licensed to free-to-air media partners.
  In light of the deal Eurosport is positioning itse
  
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• Fanta creates elevator-crash VR experience and Snapchat-enabled packs for Halloween

  20-10-2017 11:13 via campaignlive.co.uk
  Fanta is launching a virtual reality experience for Halloween, in which an elevator car crashes to the ground, at Thorpe Park and Westfield Stratford.
  
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• Diversity isn’t boring: drag artist & Isobar creative Gigi Giubilee on why subverting norms is essential for creativity

  20-10-2017 11:13
  The philosophy of drag can stop creative businesses slide into creating ‘norms’ in its creative teams, according to Gigi Giubilee, creative at Isobar Hong Kong and drag act.
  While many creatives don’t like to be considered at ‘normal’ Giubilee argues that many agencies fall into the trap of hiring among their own, instead of subverting norms and causing the friction needed to create great work.
  Speaking to The Drum, Giubilee said that the best parts of drag as an ar
  
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• Who Wot Why hires first permanent creatives from Saatchis

  20-10-2017 11:03 via campaignlive.co.uk
  Creative start-up Who Wot Why has hired Saatchi & Saatchi's Matt Butterfield and Ben Mills as the agency's first permanent creative hirings.
  
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• Nivea in fresh racism storm over skin lightening promotion

  20-10-2017 11:03
  Nivea has become the latest personal care brand to become embroiled in a racism row after airing an advert in which a black model shows off a skin lightening product, just weeks after cosmetics brand Dove was castigated for showcasing a black woman turning white.
  Aimed at African women, the controversial advert promotes Nivea’s Natural Fairness Cream which is being sold to people with dark skin as an easy way to attain ‘visibly fairer skin’.
  An accompanying voiceover inton
  
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• Marketers shine light on gender imbalance for Women of Tomorrow Awards

  20-10-2017 10:44 via campaignlive.co.uk
  Brand marketers are taking to the stage to press the issue of gender imbalance at the top of the advertising, marketing and media industries.
  
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• Lyft steals a $1bn march on Uber courtesy of Alphabet

  20-10-2017 10:36
  Ride-hailing app Lyft is set to mount a more vociferous challenge against tainted market leader Uber after it successfully raised $1bn in financing in a funding round led by CapitalG, Alphabet’s growth investment fund.
  Following hot on the heels of a successful $600m funding round just six months ago the latest fundraiser leaves Lyft sitting pretty with a market valuation of $11bn, up from $7.5bn before.
  Under the terms of the deal, CapitalG partner David Lawee will join Lyft&rsq
  
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• WhatsApp grants Indian members access to live location sharing

  20-10-2017 10:03
  Indian WhatsApp users now have the capability to share their live location to connections in the latest feature update to the Android and iOS app.
  The new tool enables people to keep tabs on the whereabouts of friends, contacts and groups in real-time, enabling family members to keep an eye on loved ones to ensure they are on track and safe.
  Explaining the introduction of the "simple and secure" tool, the Facebook-owned messaging platform said it was aiming the new service at individuals who are
  
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• Facebook delivers promise of Instant Articles subscription support

  20-10-2017 09:34
  Facebook has begun to offer subscription support for its mobile-friendly Instant Articles in test form just one month after pledging to do so - part of a collaborative effort between the social media network and a limited number of publishers spanning the US and Europe.
  These include the likes of Bild, The Boston Globe, The Economist, Hearst, La Repubblica, Le Perisien, Spiegel, The Telegraph and The Washington Post who will each be offered a metred or freemium paywall in which Facebook users wi
  
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• Total Media opens digital hub in Estonia as Brexit looms

  20-10-2017 09:12 via campaignlive.co.uk
  Total Media is launching a technology and innovation hub in Estonia as the independent London agency seeks to tap into the local, digital talent base and reduce costs.
  
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• Virtual reality cinema to launch in London

  20-10-2017 08:51 via campaignlive.co.uk
  A virtual reality cinema company is creating a Halloween pop-up in London before launching a permanent location in the west end.
  
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• Colin Lewis: Machiavelli was right – it is better to be virtuous than fortunate

  20-10-2017 08:21
  Earlier this year, Marketing Week featured some superb insights on marketing leadership. However, something struck me while researching my own article on leadership: the biggest challenge for the marketing leaders of the future is making sense of the plethora of literature on leadership.
  There is so much out there, and most teaching on leadership is filled with recommendations about being authentic, honest, modest, truthful and never, ever being a bully, or god forbid, being shouty or abusive.
  I
  
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• Volvo pulls out of Channel 4 disability competition after winning £1m of free airtime

  20-10-2017 08:18 via campaignlive.co.uk
  Volvo has said it now will not participate in Channel 4's Diversity in Advertising Award, after its agency Grey London successfully won £1m of free airtime from for a campaign focused on non-visible disability.
  
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• Vodafone brands rivals EE and Three as 'selfish' in increasingly heated mobile spectrum row

  20-10-2017 08:10 via campaignlive.co.uk
  Vodafone's chief executive Nick Jeffery has labelled two of his major competitors as selfish for holding up the spectrum auction that would allow the start of 5G services by threatening legal action against Ofcom.
  
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• Polaroid on why the ‘Stranger Things effect’ is good news for retro brands

  20-10-2017 08:00
  You would be forgiven for thinking Polaroid was dead, with the age of digital photography resulting in the majority of instant camera brands going the way of the dodo. Yet, against all odds, Polaroid is about to launch its first new analogue camera since 2003.
  During its 1970s heyday, Polaroid was selling up to 13 million cameras a year and generating $2bn in annual sales. Back then, it is no stretch to say the masses were astonished by the idea of taking and then instantly printing a photograph
  
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• Google puts Uber on alert by investing in arch-rival Lyft

  20-10-2017 07:55 via campaignlive.co.uk
  Google's parent company Alphabet has led a $1bn (£763m) funding round in ride-hailing platform Lyft, valuing the company at $11bn.
  
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• Singtel jokes about clingy relationships in new ad featuring real-life celebrity couple

  20-10-2017 05:27
  Singtel has taken a humorous edge to an ad that aims to show off technical capabilities, telling a fictional story about a couple on the longest video call of all time.
  The ad, by BBH and production company Freeflow, uses real-life celebrity couple DJ Kimberley Wang and actor Shawn Pow in an almost never ending face off about who will hang up the video call first.
  The campaign is one of the first major brand spots that BBH has created for Singtel after it won the lead agency business from Ogilvy
  
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• The New York Times opens Singapore sales office to boost advertising efforts in Asia

  20-10-2017 05:23
  The New York Times is making a play for advertising dollars in Southeast Asia after announcing it will open a new Singapore sales office that will serve marketers and agencies across the region, including Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, and work closely with its branded content studio in Hong Kong.
  The opening comes after The Times opened its Asia Pacific sales office in June, shortly after expanding its T Brand Studio in May. It also hired two programmatic advertising directors in London and
  
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• M&C Saatchi appoints Cam Blackley as CCO for Sydney and Melbourne offices

  20-10-2017 04:29
  M&C Saatchi has appointed Cam Blackley as chief creative officer for its Sydney and Melbourne offices.
  Blackley joins from creative agency BMF, where he has been executive creative director for four years.
  Blackley, who will assume the role in 2018, replaces Andy DiLallo who left the CCO role in November 2016 for TBWA.  He will work closely with M&C’s existing creative team lead by Sydney ECD Michael Canning and Melbourne ECD Paul Taylor.
  Blackley has over 20 years experience
  
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• It is only a threat if you do nothing: Mark Read on building digital confidence at Wunderman

  20-10-2017 01:15
  Wunderman is fast-becoming WPP’s main event for digital marketing, as it transitions Possible under the Wunderman banner  and links it with commerce agency Salmon.
  As consolidation continues among the holding companies, it won’t always mean failings for the agency brands that don’t survive but it says a lot about the confidence in the brand that remains.
  So Wunderman remains, and while even its own holding company puts out a stark warning for difficult times to come in the
  
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