I Blame the Interweb

It’s true that the internet has opened up a whole new world of opportunities for businesses, it has also created a generation who only believe that what they read on the web is the only truth…

How many times have you heard the phrase “just Google it”  - the answer being seen as ‘gospel truth’. Say it enough and it becomes the truth as far as the Millennial generation are concerned.

What happened to real research…scouring libraries, old texts, clippings etc. Nowadays it seems that if its not answered by typing in a few phrases then it is of no concern. If Google doesn’t have the answer then may Youtube or Yahoo will.

Want a new phone? check out the web, want a new padlock,? check out the web, want to listen to the latest Buddy Holly single check out iTunes…

The internet has made it so easy to find things. The joy of leafing through obscure records in a musty second-hand music shop are long gone. Trying to find any service or product now is simply a matter of a clickable search.

But think of this: what happens if the best company for your needs isn’t listed in any of the searches?

Would you think to look elsewhere – the Yellow Pages used to be the de-facto go to, I had a number of creative business directories that I used to use.  But no longer. If it ain’t on the web it dunt exist…

Anyway, I decided to make a list of things I hate about the internet:

It is always right – no it isn’t

Site testing sites – these are there only to self serve. For example, if you don’t have the GroinDuster app on your site then we give your site 40% out of 100 score. Buy a GroinDuster here to improve your sites score, only $395 per annum.

Social Media - it isn’t social nor is it media. OK, so you have a Twitter account, a Facebook Page, a LinkedIn Business page, maybe even a Pinterest page (go on, you will get one if  marketing say it’ll bring in business) maybe you’ll even bother with a Periscope presence too…the only people who evangelise this stuff are doing so to feather their own nests…I mean who in their right mind would pay someone to set up a SM account. The whole point is that it’s free!

Twitter – I hate this app…actually, I hate the name and what it stands for. I mean, who cares…? Apparently loads do. Usually bickering over pointless trending crap. How much longer can it survive I wonder...

Advertising on the web – who actually really likes this stuff? I was watching some YouTube clips and yes, halfway through I get an advert. It’s neither skippable nor is it relevant, what it is is bloody annoying.

Re-marketing – this is the witchcraft aspect of the web…you know what this is: If not then let me enlighten you with this example: Last weekend you were browsing for some kitchen knifes, then today you went into (insert SM service here, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, LinkedIn etc) and what do you get…some advert for the very knifes you were browsing. This, my friends, is remarketing. (basically it’s the browser, in most cases Google, snooping your search history so that it can sell your data to anyone else in order to sell you some knifes)*

*works with other products too

Alexa – “what will my prison cell look like if I batter you?” Yes, you’ve guessed it. Yet another way for these big companies to learn more about you and to sell you stuff. Also a direct gateway into your home…User beware.

SEO – basically, if your site and the service you offer is any good then you shouldn’t really need this. If it isn’t then you will and you will want to chuck a ton of money at an expert to tell you the bleedin’ obvious.

The Journey – “what about the ‘journey’ our customer will take through our website?” No, I am not kidding, this was an actual conversation opener. If your customer needs to go on a journey through your website then clearly your website has been poorly designed and the navigation is no good. An experience, yes, but a journey..? Mind you did I mention that we are experts on the web journey…let have a conversation about this.

Join the Conversation – this is such an annoying phrase, do you really need to be prompted to join a conversation… honestly I have seen this phrase written on the sides of buildings, as if anyone gives a toss about joining your conversation…

Make it pop – in other words make my website ‘do’ something other than cleanly and simply inform customers. So why not have meaningless cascading numerical figures, some growing images and some tickertape messaging to boot.

Plus, the added bonus that on a mobile device it won’t work…perfect!

Videos of the office landscape – I mean this is seriously impressive right? A movie of our studio/office/warehouse etc that makes us look quirky, funky, with it, etc etc. No,  it does not. Its just a cheap way of filling real estate with meaningless stuff. Impressed…? No.

Pop Ups – need I say more?

Flash – Nobody does Flash any more. If they do then they are happy for nobody to see their site.

We care about your data – this one is specifically aimed at Facebook. Since when did Facebook really care about our data..? Well,  in truth it has always cared deeply about your data. Especially with it being able to sell it on to third parties, which was and always will be, its prime function and the only way it could raise billions in its IPO. Go on, just !

read the prospectus

The Internet of Things – aka IoT – this nauseating phrase has become mainstream. Some egghead will have coined this phrase probably in the late 90s. Today its used everywhere to describe how a fridge will re-order milk. Amongst other things…

Critics – I really hate critics of the internet

Pinch of Salt - to be used when reading this post 

If you'd like a refreshing honest chat about the internet and all it can do for you, give us a call on 01332 29114  or take a look at our website here

Uncle Col - Your Spirit Lives On...

Some of you will have met Colin Fellows.

I first met him in 1987 when he was working at a company in Leicester called QED Marketing. I recall being asked around to his house in Castle Donington to discuss a project for Newey Goodman when I was freelancing. I remember being impressed that he had such a lovely house and family with his kids Nick and Ben who spent a lot of time charging loudly around the lounge whilst Bettie tried to keep them calm, and us both fortified with tea and biscuits...

He must have like what I did because I worked on several projects with him after that and within the year was invited to work in-house at QED for a day a week for few months.

This was at the time when designers first started using Apple Macs and QED had just purchased a suite of Mac II CX machines. I'd already been using a Mac for over a year and was pretty adept at using the applications (mainly Quark Xpress, Aldus Freehand and Suitcase etc). I was able to help him out on a wide range of work, alongside QED's in-house designer, Ian Rawlings who I had also worked with at Evets PR previously.

My business began to grow and I was kind of 'forced' to move out of the Radius (a beautiful purpose built semi circular extension to my house) due to large delivery lorries visiting the house (in fact it was a neighbour who reported me)  The result was that in 1991 we moved to our present address at Trinity House on Green Lane in Derby. Meanwhile Colin had been having some issues at QED and decided to 'go it alone'. Having discussed with him the idea, he moved into our offices in mid 1991 and set up Fellows Associates which proved to be a very successful and rewarding move for us both.

We enjoyed a really good working relationship working for clients such as Chilprufe, Newey Goodman, JMc, Systech International, Leicester County Cricket Club, Transmitton and many others, right up until his retirement in 2006, when he moved to his dream home in Calahonda in Spain. He and his wife Bettie spent time between the UK, Australia and Spain visiting sons Nick and Ben and their families.

Sadly, on May 2nd 2017 Colin passed away, having fought a long battle with cancer. He was able to enjoy his friends and family right up until the end and rarely spent too long in any hospitals so in that respect, he had, as some say 'the best given the circumstances'.

Colin was always very sociable and easy to get on with and very much a 'hands on' character. He will be fondly remembered by myself and I am sure, anyone that had the pleasure to know or work with him.

Colin - your spirit lives on...

LIP Service

We heard a great quote the other day...instead of Rest In Peace,
why not Live in Peace.

Manchester, we support LIP

You'll Never Ski Again...

It is almost two years since I had my knee injury and was told I'd never ski again. I had ACL, MCL and PCL replacement and have lost most of the meniscus on my right knee.

But here is some video of me last week skiing down to the Wedelhutte in Hochfugen. Admittedly my technique is a bit suspect, but my balance is ok and I am able to manage piste skiing with no real issues. Just light pain on some sharper turns.

The proof is in bumps, moguls and off piste. Which I intend to address in 2017 after building up some more muscle mass...

I am wearing a brace on my right leg similar to the same used by Lindsay Vonn and a few other FIS participants. It basically gives some leg support until my muscles are strong enough.  It also helps to protect the leg and gives stability during recovery.

This movie was seen by Dragan Lausevic - the Serbian Mogul ski champion and his comments (I kid you not): "He's good, I thought he was just a recreational skier" High praise indeed apparently coming form the Serb... until I read further to see that he then said "his left leg is fucked though"...clearly a reference to the extra work its having to do to compensate for my damaged right leg!

No matter, I am very happy to be back on planks and sliding about...regardless of style!

Education and other animals...

Some of you may already know that I used to run a creative design course at Loughborough University. I have always had a keen interest in education and being able to pass on some of my
experience to upcoming designers. It's a really rewarding aspect of my job and can also be inspiring too.

Running the PE business takes up most of my time nowadays so I don't get as much time as I used to for my lecturing interests. However I always spend at least three days per year working in education and its always refreshing to do so. It kind of brings you down to earth when you realise that after 30 years you know quite a bit about your specialist subject!

This week I was back in the classroom with some young design students in Leicester. My task was to give a talk on the design business and to hopefully inspire. In addition I was asked to set an "industrial project" for the second year students to undertake.

Part of the brief I gave them was to "create a strapline" for their campaign. This simple request was met with some quizzical looks and I realised that most of them didn't realise what a strapline actually is. Of course it's easy to think that people understand what we are all talking about and I often use phrases and words that mean a lot to us within our profession but to the uninitiated can seem like total gobbledegook!

So, I had to expand on my description about what a strapline is and by means of demonstration asked them to tell me what product or brand I was referring to but by my only saying the strapline.

Below are the examples I used, why not see how many you can get...?
I'm loving it
Is it
Finger lickin' good
Vorsprung durch tecknik
Just do it
Every little helps
Never knowingly undersold
Does exactly what it says on the tin
Helps you work rest and play
Think different
I think therefore I....
Because you're worth it
Believe in better
Taste the rainbow
The ultimate driving machine

I have no doubt that most of these will be easy to recall and it underlines the importance of having a consistent brand presence. It is true that some strap lines have made it into popular culture going way beyond their original intention. When is happens it can be very powerful but can often remove the brand from phrase.

Whasaaaasaaaaaap.....
Go to work on an egg
Beans meanz Heinz
Happiness is a cigar called Hamlet
Tell them Sid sent you
I'm tiger woods
All because the lady loves...
A taste of paradise
A dog is for life, not just for Christmas
Probably the best (anything) in the world
Because she's worth it

This crossover into popular culture has resulted in some becoming a part of our everyday life. A bit like calling a vacuum cleaner a Hoover, or a loudspeaker a Tannoy. Same goes for calling any MP3 player an iPod...or if you were around in the 80s, a Walkman!

And don't get me started on cinematic straplines  - there are so many brilliant ones:

In space no one can hear you scream
He's afraid, he's alone, he's three million light years from home
They're here...
Who you gonna call...?
The greatest fairytale never tld

For the record, one of my absolute favourite straplines was used to change the perception of a seemingly mundane product into a premium brand:

"Reassuringly expensive"

Only two words, just TWO words, think about that....that turned Stella Artois from its Belgian cheap booze pedigree into one of the UKs premier seemingly higher value alcohol brands. Brilliant. Simple.

Such is the power of the strapline. Get it right and it can be a powerful ally in your marketing armoury. If you are really lucky it could cross over into popular culture, if not that at the very least recognised by your peers.

And on to my least liked - and this is such an over used strapline it almost looses its credibility the second I read it. Ironically it can be applied to how most organisations believe their product or service is. It the inimitable and ubiquitous "Simply the best"......Arghhhh! All I can think of is Tina Turner dressed as an 80's style Amazonian warrior in Mad Max - Return to Thunderdome.

I am hoping 'my students' will come back in a couple of weeks with some brand new inspiring straplines (hopefully not 'simply the best') If they do I will let you know...but no matter,  I am excited to be back helping them and am looking forward to the results. 

Why not let us know what your favourite strapline is and if you don't have one, why not get us to help you develop one?

Call us now on 01332 291141 and we can discuss the possibilities...

Why does my website look different?

Recently a highly respected client asked a very good question which requires a somewhat detailed wide ranging response.

The question was this:

"Please can you help me to understand why the look of our website seems to change from time to time...?"

There are actually many reasons why the same site can appear different. I will attempt to explain why this is the case. But firstly I thought I'd use an analogy which may help:

Imagine a TV program being broadcast. The signal is the same for everyone. Its the same program and its the same sound track and same picture being transmitted. Now imagine viewing this on an old mono black and white TV set and then comparing this to viewing the same broadcast on a brand new curved screen, ultra high definition, dolby stereo sound TV...

Get the idea?!!!

Now think of your website as a TV broadcast. The HTML code is the same but each 'viewer' has multiple ways of seeing it.  From device type to browser brand. Web browsers view HTML code differently dependent each brand - and then of course each browser can be set up or defaults to a different specification. For example the default text size may be set larger or smaller and this can have a dramatic effect on any site's appearance.

In addition, a site viewed on Chrome will look different from the same site viewed on Explorer. It also varies from browser version to version. So Explorer 8 is totally different from Explorer 11. This is down to modern browsers handling code in a different way at the 'client' end.

Who knows why they do not have one standard but they never have and, most likely, never will (think Apple vs Microsoft vs Google vs anyone else...) So in effect, your website can be viewed using an almost unlimited configuration of technologies and formats.

But it gets even more tricky, because now we have different sized devices, some with touch-screen some without and this can ALL affect not only the way a site looks but also the way it behaves and operates.

(Think of it this way: kids today think nothing of touching a screen to 'make things happen' but only 5 years ago nobody wanted fingerprints all over their screens!...its a complete change of culture - if your website is not configured to work with touch, swipe and tap then you are most likely missing an opportunity).

But wait, there's more!!!

If your site is built in Wordpress (WP)  most of you will have no control over the way your chosen theme 'decides' how to display a site (unless significant bespoke coding is continually reviewed and added in as browser version advance). This is one of the pitfalls of WP - if the original theme developers don't 'keep up' with new browser technology then your site will become redundant sooner rather than later.

But it gets even more muddy with Wordpress - if you imagine also that each 'plug-in' provider has their own agenda and each develop at different rates then you can get clashes very quickly and sometimes even total site failure. For example, one site we manage has 40 active plug-ins (so you can imagine the potential for clashes and things to go wrong). In fact 17 of these plug-ins actually said that there were updates available - however if one did update then its highly likely that the site would instantly fall over as the updated plug ins would clash with older ones - aargh!

So if you have a Wordpress site you have to settle for with what you get, or be prepared to pay for someone to manage and update the site for you. Unless you are an experienced coder then it highly likely you would struggle with the interface.

However, this doesn't just affect Wordpress sites - exactly the same issues apply to a bespoke coded site. The main advantage being that there is generally a more consistent code base which makes updating it less risky and usually faster ad more reliable. Of course it is all down to the developer and their ability to respond to your need.

Fact is that most clients and marketers don't really care about the reasons, all they want is a site that works and looks right, every time on everything. Which really shouldn't be too much to ask in 2015!

If you want your site to have a chance to look right on every device then why not give us a call on 01332 291141 for a chat, we will be happy to help you make the right decision when it comes to architecture and code base.

Solhiem Cup Carry On

Jonny was lucky enough to go to the Solheim Cup in St Leon Rot in Germany in September.

The event, for those of you not in the know, is known as the "Ladies Ryder Cup".  Three days of superb golf played between the USA and Europe.

This year the USA won against remarkable odds, with a superb showing in the final days singles matches, overcoming a 3 point deficit.

Unlike the Ryder Cup, it is possible to get quite close to all the players, and I had the fortune to meet and speak to US golf legend Patty Hurst winner of 6 LPGA events and also a major in 1995.

Karsten Solhiem the founder and owner of Ping started the "Solhiem Cup" in 1990. As a manufacturer and main sponsor Ping also supply clubs to some of the World's greatest golfers, including the UK's Lee Westwood and 2012 Masters winner, Bubba Watson.

In fact some of Bubba's clubs were on display and I was given the chance to hold them. This was the wedge that drew a ball some 35 yards in the air and put the ball inside 10' and the putter he used for his first major win...

Take a look at the video of the shot physics - quite amazing...163 yards with a gap wedge is almost unreal, but to also shape the shot, under that presssure...well its something we can dream of!

The force is strong in this one...

RebelX secret cinema is a sensual overload experience - Jonny was lucky enough to be invited to take part in this Star Wars extravaganza - 5 hours of total immersion in the Empire followed by a screening of the Empire Strikes Back. 

The Best Website in the World

We love minimalism...and apparently so do the 36 million users of Reddit.

When asked to vote for the top website designs of all time, coming in at number 14 was this site:

motherfuckingwebsite.com

When I visited,  I could not help but laugh, literally out loud. Apart from the satirical perspective it actually does cover a wide range of issues that are slowly going to clog up the internet. Increased bandwidth does not mean that sites should become bigger. (I refer to code/image size here and not necessarily the number of pages your site has).

Its about efficient use of real estate and clever use of code. For as anyone who has a Wordpress site will know - a PHP database never gets any smaller and the site will become slower and slower. Fact. But Wordpress is not the only guilty party, many sites encourage users to 'add photos' regardless of image size. Its as if nobody cares about site agility, loading time or user experience.

So what can we do about it?

Well, until people realise that nobody actually cares about whistles and bells, meaningless roll overs, pointless videos and unwieldy content then there is no hope.  Ultimately, it all boils down to one thing: relevant content, displayed in an easy to access way across multiple devices.

If you cannot tell someone about what you do in sixty seconds then what you are doing is too complicated. On line you maybe get 7 seconds to make an impact. Not long. So if someone has to wait for the animation to start then you may have lost the prospect already...

For a good example of brevity, visit our brand new website here, (which was going to be temporary but now I am having second thoughts...) what do you think, please let me know on 01332 29114 or email us at: studio@parkhouse-evans.co.uk






 

Company image- what works?

As a student, many companies have tried and failed to reach out to me in order to sell products they believe may benefit me. 

I receive dozens of marketing e-mails and leaflets per month, in addition to viewing numerous billboards and adverts on campus or in the local area targeted at students. So what works?

It’s quite simple- if a company isn’t able to relate to a young person from their first contact with them, they’re unlikely to be successful in engagement.

Your average student or young person spends hours a day on their mobile phone or on the internet, where information is fast-paced and easily accessible. I firmly believe that the best companies are actively using these platforms to build upon their image. There are very few companies whose image and brand equity are strong enough to invite custom without digital marketing. 

An exception to this rule are companies like Starbucks or Apple, who have landed themselves a strong position in the everyday life and culture of young people. Both Starbucks and Apple’s products are regularly mentioned in films and throughout social media (Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram to name a few) and the company has therefore become an icon of young popular culture that will continue to appeal. 

For other companies, company image simply needs to be relevant. The benefit of using or buying a product offered by a company needs to be immediately obvious. A good example would be Virgin Media and their student broadband packages, tailored to fit student housing contracts. Whilst offering these products, Virgin Media appeal to young people by using celebrities such as Usain Bolt in TV adverts. TV is obviously a solid medium in which to appeal to young people, and Usain Bolt is admired by the younger generation and considered ‘cool’. Virgin Media’s company image is consequently, in my opinion, strong to young people.

It’s difficult to think of companies with bad company image as, consequently, I don’t think about or engage with these types of companies. It’s fairly safe to say that if you don’t have social media marketing in place, your website is out of date, and the only marketing materials you’re producing are leaflets (sometimes even e-shots) attention just won’t be grabbed.

Young people are used to having information delivered to them in interesting ways that also allows them to understand the given message in a matter of seconds. Anything that falls short will have a hard time connecting with students.

For advice on your company image and how to strengthen it, give us a call on 01332 291141.

Mac Classic

If you are in your forties or fifties and you were into graphics then you may have owned or used one of thes

25 years later it appears on this artwork...I wonder what my 1988 Mac IICX would be worth now?!
e babies...an Apple Mac Classic. You can see I am pointing it out at an art installation in Ingolstadt Art Gallery. The Mac Classic was a self contained little box with I believe was launched in 1990 to compete in the home market for under 1000 USD.

Asking for a kick in the nuts..

As creatives we are always critical of our own work.

We do a beautifully crafted piece of design and we can get easily hurt by anything other than positive reactions. (Typical of us sensitive designer types...)

However, we have to be realistic and our clients will nearly always know more about their markets than we ever will. So there is an easy way to get to the point... If you want to hear the truth never ask "do you like this?"

Most people will not wish to offend and will give an answer like "its OK" or "not bad".

If you want to know the REAL truth ask them another question, one which will illicit the truth albeit in a constructive and often more helpful way. It also avoids any brutal feedback that may offend.

Simply ask them: "What's wrong with this?"

You'll get a much more revealing answer - you may not like what you hear but it will pay off in the long run. If you'd like us to help you get to the truth, then give us a call on 01332 291141 and we will be honest with you about how we can help (or not).

Marketing degrees- value for money?

As yesterday was results day for thousands of A-level students across the UK, and with me feeling nostalgic about my own results day, I've been thinking about the best degrees or pathways to pursue a career in marketing..

With the typical degree now costing at least £27,000 is it worth taking degrees such as 'Marketing BSC' and potentially narrowing one's career options, or broadening yourself out to subjects such as Business Studies but perhaps gaining less marketing know-how?

Personally, I have chosen to do an English BA in order to allow myself some security when I graduate; ideally my degree can open doors to a career in advertising copy-writing or journalism but if not, I believe I will have skills to apply to other sectors as well.

This leads me on to another question, is the subject of a degree actually even relevant? As an example, my Dad has a degree in industrial chemistry but has worked in local radio for years. As long as you have a 2:1 in your pocket there are many companies who are less interested in the actual subject you studied.

If you have a job in marketing (or had ambitions to have one but took another route) I would be really interested in hearing the path you took to get to where you are today. Let me know your thoughts on the best way to get a foot in the door.

Alternatively if you're looking to consult with those who have 'made it' in the marketing world, give the PE team a call on 01332 291141!

Jen's week - from our perspective

It's been quite a while since we had a new team member. Having Jen in for the week reminded us of just how much there is to know about our craft.

As we all do, it's easy to forget how valuable experience is and the benefits it can bring to the table. Now Jen is a bright cookie and perhaps one of the few rare talents to have come on a work experience week. (We have had a number of people who shine not to mention a few who don't over the past 25 years). So it was a delight to have her picking up new tasks quickly and without having to intervene too often. Hopefully she has gleaned some benefit from the week. From the exciting to the mundane it's what makes the world go around.

Thanks for your help last week Jen. We are sure you'll go on to make a valuable member of any team.

STOP PRESS!

For those of you who have enjoyed reading Jen's blog this week, then please note that she has kindly agreed to contribute to our blog on a regular basis. It will be very interesting to see life from her perspective as she progresses through university. Jen , we look forward to your input!

Deep grooves make bigger sound (and what you can learn from old school)

CDs Kill Vinyl...

We all know that business changes. We need to adapt to stay on top of our game. But what if you refuse to change - will you survive?

In some case this can work as a unique selling point. For example, when CD's came along the end of vinyl was cited. Of course most of the vinyl manufacturers have long since disappeared and we are left with CD's (and of course now MP3 files will perhaps have the same effect on CDs).

But you may be amazed to hear that a small number of specialist vinyl manufacturers still thrive. Their USP - sound quality and retro devotees. Of course we should all know that digital sound is not as 'good' as analogue sound. Analogue has tiny grooves that vibrate via a stylus and effectively amplify the sound. A digital file can only work within a certain 'bandwidth' so cannot provide deep base or toppy highs. Whereas vinyl has no such limitation. In other words, the old technology actually works better.

Recently we were involved in a very successful campaign. So successful in fact that it enjoyed a 5% response rate. Did we use email?, yes. Did we use a web site?, yes - did we use metrics to record results? yes. In fact we did everything a cutting edge creative agency would do.

We then repeated the same campaign  but this time with a 42% response rate.

The only difference: the second time we used traditional printed direct mail.

Now I am not suggesting that this will work every time, a 42% response rate is pretty high. Also the campaign cost more to do (postage is considerable and print, whilst cheaper than it used to be, is still an expense. In fact the print campaign cost around five times more to do than sending an email did.

However, the result was so good that the total cost was more than covered by the first converted enquiry. So,  does this mean that email is no good? Not at all. It simply means that email should be used as part of a campaign rather than the sole delivery mechanism. Email is perfect once a client is engaged with you. But new business often requires a more 'hands on' approach.

The truth is this - just because it's new does not always mean its better. When email marketing first appeared it was easy to get your message to the recipient. People were fascinated by animated images and quirky messages sent directly to their inbox. However, the advent of spam filters/firewalls etc has all but destroyed the 'quirky' e-shot. Not to mention the mass of email we now get every single day. It is getting harder and harder for electronic direct mail to reach and have impact. A letter or printed mail piece has the advantage that it is tactile, personal and makes the recipient 'feel' more valued.

So when you are weighing up your next campaign, consider traditional direct mail as a vehicle. It may cost more, but developed in the right way with the right creative and messaging it can have a profound result on your ROI. figure. It might just result in music to your ears..!

Have a chat with us about an integrated campaign on 01332 291141 and we can see if it'll work for you!

The Future of Marketing and Other Animals

I was recently asked about the future of marketing. Obviously like most of us I just went on the web to have a look and yes, there is a wealth of opinion out there. So just for a change I thought I'd write my own views about the subject. Below are my ramblings written at 4:00am on a Wednesday - so perhaps a little odd...

Customer is King (oldest adage and still true). Its clear that for companies that wish to succeed the choice is obvious: They will need to partner more closely with consumers and customers who can inform, ideate, and influence others on behalf of their brand.

This is known as crowd sourcing. Growth of crowdsourcing to solicit a group for the best idea, creative execution, or product submission via social media. A crowdsourced channel will consist of consumers or customers who will form an almost-symbiotic relationship with the brand in virtually all that the brand does.

Companies will develop "brand crowds"—these groups of consumers / customers willing to collaborate and spread the word about a brand—will be even more vested in helping to tell others.

Its scary because you won't control your marketing - your customer will. But you as a marketer are accountable !

Nurturing, seeding and prompting will become much more valuable to A company. Building an army of evangelists who can reach out on your behalf.

This allows a "channel for one" a principle where localised deep targeted marketing can take place. Each client has their own marketing dedicated just to them. (Or that's how it will be perceived).

Prediction will be based on statistics and analytics or - we take a best guess and use intuition. Patterns can be read in so called big data which can predict certain reactions - but people don't react in the way we think they do...but they do react.

Uncertainty becomes the norm. Who would ever have guessed that more people would look at and be influenced by a short clip of "Charlie biting a finger". Or a previously unknown Asian man dancing Gangnam style becoming a worldwide smash?

This spread proliferates and generates its own momentum. And if it's "manufactured" it rarely works. Trying to "make" something go viral is not the point. Viral is as viral does-

If history has taught us one thing about marketing it's that only 50% of it works. The problem being that no one really knows which 50% it is.

There will also be a renaissance of traditional targeted marketing as people become numb to edm.

Email will be replaced by instant messages specifically aimed at the exact activity being considered. These will be delivered by micro messengers who pop up inside our heads to offer us deals and value. Each MM will be customised to attract each individual persons likes (think avatar characters but created in your perfect image). Micro Message Marketing MMM (will not only turn the WWW in its head (!) but will be the delivery method of choice for DM.

"MMM" is also what we think when we like something. Mmm...I like it!

The Web Wave - this will be a tangible and measurable movement of towards real data. It will allow marketers to review opinion and effect. Patterns will allow certain predictions to be made. Vast volumes of minute data and trending will give us the ability to prompt and nurture.

The FatLine will allow products or people to be sent direct to individuals anywhere in the world (think teleporting via the Internet). The FatLine will be like fibre broadband for people. You'll be able to "think" yourself there. It'll make ordering takeout very fast. Marketers will have to allow for instant gratification models to accomodate the Fatline (Fatline is attributable to Dan Simmons author of Hyperion). What Dan did not fully consider is the commercial marketing opportunity the Fatline offers...

We laugh at this now but then we probably would have laughed at the idea of Charlie biting my finger ten years ago.

And as for Tweeting - does anyone really have any genuine tangible ROI for a B2B campaign. I expect so, I'd love to see it. If we are to believe that social media is the way forward for marketing then the "Channel for one" methodology mentioned above is a clear winner. But hang on, isn't twitter supposed to be about conversations? I'd like to see a proper business related dialogue that results in a sale... Personally I believe that twitter is about engagement and opinion rather than sales and marketing.

Same goes for all social media really, ask yourself have you EVER bought a product because you were advertised to via social media ? No? But have your friends ever recommended a product or service via social media ? Yes - then that makes our seed groups and brand crowds important - but it's not "advertising" as we know it. It's more to do with prompting and influence from people we trust.

Take Trip Advisor - if a venue get 99 good reviews and one bad one which do you want to read first? So if first impressions count, then what do we make of that?
( maybe its just me but I love reading the "bad" reviews - perhaps I am weird).

Gossip marketing - spread a rumour - something quirky - did you know that cats can actually smell colour? (No way of proving it however). But nonetheless it's the kind of soundbite that gets repeated.

I see a lot of industry gurus spouting off their words of wisdom in short tweets and soundbites. I guess that if you do this enough, then people will eventually start to believe. It must work but as a bit of a cynic I call this "self bullotion" basically broadcasting often self promotional hype to anyone who can be bothered to read it. (Think David Brent from The Office and you'll get the gist).

I'm obviously missing the point about micro blogging - so here are a few I have made up to get you thinking:

Beware the retweeter - for they have no soul

The pen is mightier than the sword, until someone stabs you with a pen

Don't assume, it makes an 'ass' out of 'u' and 'me' (an oldie but a goodie).

All that said and you have to admit, the WWW is cool - it exposes lack of original thought and gives us a very limited depth of information about virtually every subject. We can buy, sell, teach, learn, excite, laugh, cry - in fact it can reach virtually every human need. And it's a dream for marketers, a captive audience of billions. Easy!

Jonny's rants are just random views and are to be taken lightly.  He only writes them in moments of stark clarity and / or lucid enlightenment. No offence is intended to anyone with a mind of their own..!

The death of email...

Isn't it funny how things seem to come full circle?

In the recent past we have seen a decline in the success of Electronic Direct Mail (EDM). People have become almost numb to any form of email marketing, no matter how compelling the headline or wake up call.

When we first started doing email marketing in around 1995 it was almost a guaranteed read - people were excited by the idea of mail delivered in this way. In fact even less than compelling message would get through. We used to create all kinds of funky animated mailers (with dragons breathing fire and dogs with savage jaws etc etc!) People were genuinely impressed and the mailers were a great success.

Thus began the decline of the printed mailer. Everyone began to jump on the email marketing bandwagon - with 'experts' springing up all over the place. And for a while it worked and it worked well. But technology and legislation have a way of catching up pretty quickly and we started to see new laws and new technology beginning to get in the way of EDM.

Spam filters began to show up in larger companies on their mail servers - and some mail was 'rejected'. Clients wanted to know why their mail was not getting through. New legislation governing non-solicitation began to stifle legitimate mail. And worst of all thousands of spam engines began to spit out mail after mail bombarding us with, well, to put it bluntly, crap.

Not only that but we saw the rise of malware - these vicious little virus programs attach themselves to emails and infected networks, some really evil ones could render an entire network dead in seconds...It was becoming clear that email had to be policed.

And so it was, that with a combination of policing, legislation, scale and sheer volume, people began to look for ways to reduce mail, to filter it and to protect their networks. All this progress has virtually rendered email marketing as we know it, relatively ineffective.

Help me Obi Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope...

There is a way to engage clients and prospects. And it does not cost the earth if you want a genuine return on your investment. Try this for an idea...send them a mailer. Not an email, but a genuine printed or written mailer. You may spend more money on it but you will see a much better return. Of course you can follow this up with an EDM piece and no doubt your prospect will have become more attuned to your message by this time...

Direct mail works - its proven and it delivers. Yes its more expensive (after all you have to post the damn things) but for the right kind of product or service it cannot be beaten for ROI.

At Parkhouse Evans we think that an integrated approach is best. With a combination of traditional mail, EDM and a good old call out is STILL one of the best ways to reach your market. Couple this with an up to date database and you should see some great results. Get on to the traditional DM bandwagon now and be first to market with the 'brand new' medium!

You may surprise your sales department and your MD...

Give us a call now on 01332 291141 to find out how an integrated mail campaign can help your business and we'll show you how.

A need to know basis...

Further to a recent email question, I thought I'd clarify the difference between a JPG file and a vector .EPS file. A lot of people may not be aware that there is a difference which can have a significant impact on creative work.

Most people use PCs for their day to day office work. Whilst PCs are great for this, there are some applications which can cause designers to sigh...Microsoft Word being the biggest contender. Clients expect to be able to 'open' their logo in Word or Powerpoint. Simple or not so simple. We have found a number of issues faced by clients who do this. To understand these first its useful to know the difference between file types - here is a synopsis:-

The difference between JPGs and Vector EPS:

A JPG (or "JPEG" is an acronym for the Joint Photographic Experts Group which created the standard) is a bitmapped file (ie it is made up of lots of pixels) and as such cannot be scaled with clarity beyond a certain size. Invariably a JPG is also created in RGB and not Pantone colour. A JPG file is often used by PC users because they can 'open' these and cut and paste them into Word and other such applications.

Whereas...

A vector file (usually .EPS format - Encapsulated Postscript File) is a mathematically described digital image and is constructed from points and vectors (ie lines joining point to point and often filled with a colour) A vector file can be scaled to any size without loss of clarity or sharpness because it is not made up of pixels. Creating proper vector files takes time, skill and knowledge. Most logos created in vector format are built in Adobe Illustrator (AI) or Freehand (old school) or shock horror - Corel Draw (if it still exists!).

Some logos have a picture which forms part of the logo - for example a lot of old rugby clubs and football clubs have branding which often have 'crests.' These can look ok but rely upon having a very large format bitmapped image of the crest  - which explains why they often print badly. It is possible nowadays to create a vector file of most crests but most people do not know how to do this. This is why larger clubs have invested in simplifying their brands so that they can have merchandise created more easily as well as easier brand policing. These can still be created in standard applications such as Adobe Illustrator, because its possible to 'place' a bitmapped image into the file. So some .EPS files can have a bitmapped image within them - again this is not to be advocated for reasons of scaling/bitmapping.

Any logo which has a FONT included is not really fit for purpose. Any font used within a logo should be converted to paths (ie Vectorised). The reason for this: a font can be changed or substituted (which can happen if the receiving party does not have the font installed on their system) - it is not uncommon for magazines and publishers to do this - resulting in a logo that prints incorrectly.

The issue for PCs user being, that Word does not support the importing of EPS files. However it is possible to import a JPG file into Word - which is why a lot of people have to do this. They then send the JPG around to everyone they know telling them that this is the logo artwork - which it really should not be.

Talking of Word...

...And another thing - Word converts the JPG file into a Windows metafile - this is effectively a screen image of the original file, which is EVEN WORSE! It is not uncommon for people to send a Word document which contains their 'logo' for others to cut and paste into their collateral. This perpetuates the myth that Word is great for printing corporate stationery and the like...which for far too many reasons to list, it is not.

Its also worth noting that Word for PC does not support CMYK (as in, you cannot select or create a CMYK colour, but you can choose an RGB colour or an HSL colour), making the use of Word for corporate stationery even more un-fit for purpose. (Bizarrely in Word for the Mac, there is a CMYK selector - a strange decision by Microsoft!).

To summarise - it is worth researching just how you want your brand to appear to others - if you do insist on using Word to print your stationery then you are at the whim of paper type, printer type, ink type, and PC capabilities. You also cannot bleed your image off the page (due to printer limitations) If you are happy with this then fine - but at least you'll be aware of the possible pitfalls and limitations of that this choice gives you.