Festival of Marketing

Festival Of Marketing 2019 - THE place for your brand...

Katherine Fiona Jones — Tue, 03 Sep 2019 08:57:00 +0100

Festival Of Marketing 2019 - THE place for your brand... Submit an enquiry by completing the form here: https://www.festivalofmarketing.com/p... Or email hello@festivalofmarketing.com 10 - 11 October 2019, Tobacco Dock, London

Festival of Marketing 2019 - what people say...

Katherine Fiona Jones — Tue, 03 Sep 2019 08:51:43 +0100

Festival of Marketing 2019 - what are people saying? Fantastic opportunity... Top of the marketing talent... World-class speaker line-up... Immerse yourself in that experience to learn... Secure your place - book a Festival Pass now: https://bit.ly/2Yfdrzh

Festival of Marketing - Don't miss it!

Katherine Fiona Jones — Tue, 03 Sep 2019 08:50:37 +0100

The top marketing talents in one place... incredible speakers, amazing brands, there's something for everyone at Festival of Marketing. So, don't miss it! 10 - 11 October 2019, Tobacco Dock, London Book your Festival pass here: https://bit.ly/2Yfdrzh

Driving innovation in the industry, with great speed and creativity

Livia's — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 10:19:49 +0100

Size does matter.

Being a start-up means we have many competitive advantages over bigger organisations. By being nimble and bold, we are better able to make decisions quickly, being the first to market with fresh innovative ideas. Our latest product, Dunx, demonstrates this fast action. In a league of its own, Dunx is a millennial twist on a quintessentially British food experience that is causing competitors to play ‘catch-up’. We are changing the face of confectionary, one product at a time, rivaling mainstream players and disrupting the status quo. Being small does have a competitive advantage.

Money doesn’t always make life easier.

It is often the case that small businesses do not have an endless supply of money. Rather than feeling disadvantaged at Livia’s, we embrace our limited flow and tight budgets. Our scale of resources may be relative to our start-up size, but this does not inhibit our development nor hinder our growth. We are resourceful and smart always innovating but at a minimal cost. Through our blog, we were able to identify the most popular recipe among readers and followers, turning this into one of our best selling products, Million Squares.

Social media savvy.

Our social platforms act as a powerful tool in building brand awareness, communicating with existing customers and reaching new audiences. Instagram is a cost-effective and efficient marketing approach that has helped us drive innovation. We are better able to connect with our followers asking for their favourite treats, recipes and flavours which has proven to be a great form of market research.

Teamwork is dreamwork.

Teamwork is critical to our innovation and fast-action. At Livia’s, we are proud of our team culture, a culture that encourages every team member to get involved in the innovation process. By having weekly team meetings where we discuss how to bring our indulgent treats to market, we all engage in creative thinking throughout the business. Rather than focusing innovative strategies on a few individuals, we recognise that we all bring different experiences and perspectives that assist in the development and marketing of new ideas. We are very hands on and not afraid of getting our hands dirty.

FMCG disruptors are often not from the industry so don’t adhere to the norms

Young Foodies — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 09:55:00 +0100

“What” versus “How”

Small brands don’t ask themselves, “what do we have the capabilities to deliver?”, but rather “how do we make it happen?”. Passion is ubiquitous in the small business sector because every single new brand hitting shelves starts with a unique vision that a select few have the courage to act upon. It’s not hard to imagine the contrasting approach to innovation such fundamentally different mindsets muster.

To elaborate, in a large organisation, consideration is given to the existing capabilities of the business, available resource, brand guidelines, and importantly, executive level strategy. All very well when you have shareholders to keep happy but while the big brands are thinking about shareholder returns and ‘sticking to the script’, the small brand is winning at the checkouts.

Even with these limiting factors, big brands have still dominated shopping baskets for years. However, what we are seeing now is that many of the advantages big brands held over their smaller counterparts no longer hold the same value. Infrastructure, funding, and expertise is no longer reserved for big brands, as a collective, small brands can compete. These nimble brands are changing the face of retail one shelf at a time; and consumers are buying into them!

Small brands are stealing share and the brand houses are frantically looking for ways to fight back – the vast number of incubators and accelerators are testament to such. We are seeing the big players in the industry snapping up small brands way earlier and for some eye-watering multiples to inject a ‘bit of that small brand magic’ into their own businesses. Small brands have found a winning formula, which for the moment at least, is facilitating growth and causing the blue-chips in the space a headache or two.

The founders of these start-up consumer brands are often not from the industry so don’t adhere to any norms. Their creativity can only be limited by the industry that they operate in. Without any red tape, these innovators can make fundamental changes to their product or brand overnight. It’s this agility that is helping them to flourish. To quote a member of the Young Foodies team, “The blue-chips are like oil tankers trying to turn and the brands we work with are speed boats darting across their bow”. The analogy couldn’t be more accurate.

Conglomerates cannot keep pace with the many agile producers changing the shelves in the UK grocery space. As a single entity, it is a struggle to fight off the might of Unilever but imagine a world where the innovators can match their big brand counterparts in every area, surpassing them in the one that really matters, innovation! The CPG model is broken, or more accurately, it is being redefined by a new generation.

Young Foodies makes small brands mighty - they run the UK’s largest community of the most exciting food and drink brands; sharing knowledge, experience and resource to level the playing field for challenger brands.

What did you miss at #FoM18?

Abbi Modaberi — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 15:24:19 +0100

Although impossible to bring you a full report on everything that went on, we did manage to catch up with some of our speakers after their sessions including Sir John Hegarty, Oliver Proudlock, David Wheldon, CMO of RBS, Saul Lopes, Head of CRM at Virgin Holidays and Fiona Fairhurst, VP of Innovation at Heist to name just a few. You can check out all of our interviews here.

You may have missed out on 2018 but don’t make the same mistake again! Register your interest to be informed of when tickets for 2019 go on sale and don’t forget that when tickets launch you will be able to benefit from our early booking discounts.

Take a look below at our highlights footage for a flavour of the Festival.

New Year, New Me, New Stages

Katherine Fiona Jones — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 15:08:49 +0100

Stage: Social and Influencer Marketing

Need a little help tracking the ROI of your social campaigns? Handy hints tips and tricks for influencer marketing sound like something you or your company could benefit from? Then look no further. Come and take advantage of our latest addition to Festival of Marketing 2019, the Social and Influencer Marketing Stage. Expect to hear from industry experts who have seen it all and done it all for you, so that you can make sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck.

Stage: Marketing Week Strategy and Leadership

The most beloved go-to marketing news source is back! After celebrating their 40th birthday in 2018, Marketing Week have joined us again as we hope to learn from the absolute experts of the marketing world. Join their industry insiders, experts, writers and more as they delve into marketing’s bigger picture. Examine what it means to be a modern-day marketer and encounter conversations happening at the heart of the industry, whilst being surrounded by decades of expertise and invaluable knowledge.

Stage: Creative Brand Thinking

Branding is everything. Or is it? The debate continues as we offer you the chance to engage with extensive case studies that examine branding and creativity in partnership with Creative Review and Design Week. Expect insider insights on how best to work with creative industries, as well as access to the best how-to knowledge in the bizz when it comes to re-branding and placing creativity at the heart of your business strategy.

Stage: Effectiveness and Data

Data is knowledge and knowledge is power. Get ready to have your socks blown off (no really), by those at the heart of the data revolution. Absorb, question and learn from those who have the wherewithal to help you transform your business, enhance your reach and focus your audiences in a way never done before.

Stage: Tech Innovation Lab

Got a thing for toys and tech? This is the stage for you. Be wowed and wooed by the emerging tech taking the marketing world by storm on this new and improved, immersive stage; ready for FoM19.

And that, dear Festival-goers, is just the beginning. Don’t miss out on the hottest Festival Pass of the season.

Book Now

Rose McGowan headlines Festival of Marketing 2019

Festival of Marketing — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 15:01:44 +0100

What's next for gender equality? How has the conversation progressed since the birth of the #MeToo movement and what role does #MenToo play in the solution? How can feeling empowered, beyond gender boundaries, have a positive impact on you and society as a whole? We are incredibly excited to announce that Rose McGowan will be taking the Headline Stage at Festival of Marketing where, drawing on her own experiences, she'll take us through her journey towards an empowered and better self.

Rose has never been your typical Hollywood actor, being born in a religious cult, then following a punk lifestyle on and off the streets before joining Hollywood and then breaking the norm by exposing uncomfortable truths about societal stereotypes. She's an unstoppable force for change with a mission to empower those who are not being heard. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience what will be a truly fascinating interview, book your Festival Pass today.

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The agenda is live! Start planning your visit to the Festival

Festival of Marketing — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 14:59:56 +0100

View the agenda

One thing is for sure… Festival’s visitors will be spoilt for choice this year. With 12 stages packed with over 150 hours of content from some of the most sought-after brands such as Benefit, Gucci, Harrods, Mondelez, Monzo, Visa, Virgin Trains, Uber and so many more, can you afford to miss this?

To celebrate the launch of our agenda we’re offering a limited time £200 discount on Festival Passes. Just use the code FOMAGENDA995 to get your pass for £995+VAT. Book now - this discount expires at 5pm Friday 5 July.

Plus, who can forget the fantastic Headliners we’ve already announced? Sessions from Rose McGowan and Andrew Lippman are set to bring a whole new dimension to your marketing skill-set. Oh wait… there’s more to be announced in the coming weeks. Keep your eyes and ears open for our next big announcement…

So, what are you waiting for?

Buy your pass now

Why putting employees first makes the best business sense

Cate Murden — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 14:41:00 +0100

It is nearly a quarter century since Daniel Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ book was published, which championed empathy as a key leadership quality. Meanwhile, HR departments have had almost three decades of putting in place employee-focused initiatives such as employee assistance and health and wellness programmes. All of this activity was supposed to usher in the era of more employee-centric organisations, whose leaders were able to connect to their people and motivate and inspire them. Care for your people and they will care for the organisation, right?

Fast forward to 2019 and what do we see? While there are notable exceptions, there are still too many organisations that aren’t recognising the link between an employee-first approach and business performance.

For someone who has witnessed this disconnect first-hand, I am passionate about getting this issue to the very top of the agenda. To be frank, it is frustrating that we still have to have such conversations at all but it is vital that we do. At PUSH, we aim to help organisations put in place people-focused solutions and the right culture to ensure that employees enjoy coming to work, feel good about their jobs and the company, and therefore perform well.

And there is another pressing reason why we need to be having this discussion now. Technology is changing the world of work and blurring the lines between home and the workplace. The working day is extended and rather than make us work smarter, technology is making many of us work longer and harder with some individuals at breaking point. Many companies are engaged in digital transformation programmes which see business models and processes migrate to the digital environment. This equals great change and if employees are not involved and pivotal to the change, they will feel a loss of control, one of the triggers of workplace stress.

Employers should be aware that in an increasingly automated world, people will become an even bigger differentiator. Consumer forums are rife with postings from disgruntled customers who can’t get through to a human being. An organisation might have the slickest and high-tech online shopping experience in the world, but it only takes a single disenchanted or demotivated customer service employee at the end of the phone to damage the brand.

Those leaders who see technology as a fast-track to increased performance and faster profits, without factoring in the impact on employees, are heading for a fall.

PUSH is working with some extremely forward-looking companies that recognise the importance of putting their people first and are seeing a return on their efforts. The key is to put in place preventative measures that look after people and treat the cause of problems not just the symptoms when they appear. Such an approach is far more likely to ensure the individual can get back to being a happy and productive employee sooner rather than later and avoid the worst case scenario of losing them from the workforce, temporarily or permanently. Most importantly, the individual will feel the company truly cares and that it is an organisation with which he or she sees a future.

An employee-first approach ticks so many boxes when it comes to business: it builds and enhances employee brand; it helps create a positive workplace culture; and it increases motivation and engagement and therefore productivity. Ultimately, this all adds up to building high-performance individuals, teams and organisations.

The Festival of Marketing is all about working together to discover, learn and shape the future and we can’t wait to be a part of it.

PUSH is a business consultancy grounded in human behaviour. We answer business problems with people focused solutions. Together we help people, teams and companies work better. For more information please visit pushmindandbody.com

How much is age discrimination costing your brand?

Georgia Scobie — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 14:19:00 +0100

This demographic contributes to more than a third of the UK population and has the highest disposable income, yet they continue to be ignored in advertising. Marketers are obsessed with the youth and fuelled by the notion that they are ‘the future’, but at what cost?

At Festival of Marketing, Gransnet shared findings from a study they led into ageism and really brought to life just how invisible over-50s feel. 78% of the 1000+ participants interviewed felt misrepresented by brands, particularly by those in the technology, fashion and entertainment sectors, with one participant saying,

“you’d think people over 50 were only interested in life insurance and the cost of funerals”

62% said that they believe advertisers are too young to understand the market, thus leading them to ignore it. Whether this neglect is driven by a stigma attached to the age group or simply a consequence of focusing too much on millennials, it’s not paying off as 49% said they actively avoid brands that ignore their age group. Stereotyping is preventing brands from communicating with wider audiences. Although younger generations have grown up surrounded by the internet and new technologies, categorising them alone as ‘digital natives’ isolates other generations and implies older people don’t understand.

Online influencer, author and fashionista, Suzi Grant, defies all prejudice with her brilliant YouTube channel and blog, Alternative Ageing. Suzi says that although the industry has come a long way, there is still more to be done, especially for advertising campaigns. Suzi’s love for fashion and determination to inspire her online followers is not restricted by age and should not be assumed so by brands. Like many others, she questions why marketers can’t see that older generations have the most money and notably, the most time. She says,

“I still go to festivals and gigs but still brands discount me because of age”

Suzi told me that “by 2020 it is estimated that up to a third of the UK workforce will be 50-plus and they will control 80 per cent of the wealth and yet we are still being ignored by advertisers. We buy makeup and skin care, fashion and footwear, and most things millennials buy, including music. We don’t want to be sold stairlifts and incontinence pads and we want to see more older models representing the brands we want to buy”.

It’s time for advertising to celebrate age, not overlook it. So, what needs to happen next? This is what the over-50s Gransnet interviewed said needs to happen...

Employ more people that are over 50
Ask people what they want, don’t make assumptions
Acknowledge the spending power of over 50s

Simple but effective.

Thank you to our wonderful panel at Festival of Marketing: Carrie Longton, Co-founder of Mumsnet and Gransnet, Lara Crisp, Editor of Gransnet, Suzi Grant, Blogger, Author & Broadcaster at Alternative Ageing, Tanya Joseph, Director of External Relations at Nationwide Building Society and Tom Goodwin, columnist, author and Head of Innovation at Zenith.

If you are keen to find out more, here’s what Marketing Week had to say on the topic of ageism in advertising.

Is flexi-working the future?

Georgia Scobie — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 13:39:00 +0100

However, the wheels of business are turning (albeit slowly) and attitudes towards work are focusing more on enhancing employee productivity. The benefits of flexi-working are becoming more a part of the conversation every day and with the average person spending a third of their lifetime working, removing some of the monotony involved is bound to pay off. Advances in technology are also making it a whole lot easier to stay connected and work remotely, posing the question, is it time that overly cautious employers look beyond the outdated 9 to 5 routine?

Following a session on this subject at Festival of Marketing, I spoke to industry expert and founder of WINGS Creative Leadership Lab, Gabriela Lungu. Gabriela said,

“The key point was that flexibility is not about the future of work because 9 out of 10 people want flexible working now”

Despite this being the preference of many employees, still only 1 out of 10 advertised jobs include any mention of flexible working options. Gabriela works flexi-hours herself and says,

“I personally don’t believe in a rigid dichotomy between work and life, I don’t feel that the two are separated. Work is an important part of my life and I love it immensely, it’s a vocation and it gives me so much satisfaction. I don’t feel it like a burden, it’s not something that I cannot wait to finish so I can finally do other things…”

This refreshing outlook comes from finding a balance in life, something many people struggle to achieve because work consumes too much of our time. Gabriela says that she consciously seeks this balance, a steadiness between responsibility and enjoyment, duty and fun, accumulating and sharing and time for herself then time for others. She says,

“I manage this balance better and better, because I learned in time to say NO more often, and to know my physical limits”

Of course, in some jobs flexibility is harder to manage but for most roles that require you to sit at a desk for a minimum of eight hours a day, there is scope for change. We have heard whispers of flexible working becoming a reality in 2019 in the marketing and communications sector, but Gabriela makes the important point that we need to remove the perception that flexibility is just for mums and stop discussing flexible working only in connection with parents. She says,

“I’ve chosen not to have children. And, as I said before, I love my job. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want or need flexible working. Creative people have so many interests and nurturing them makes them even better creative people. Inspiration and ideas don’t come when you’re at your desk”

We are surrounded by countries with improved work regimes, of which the benefits are clear. Sweden reduced their work days to six hours to boost productivity and engagement and Denmark has three weeks of leave during school vacation. There is a movement underway in the UK which is geared toward improving happiness and productivity in employees, but with a fondness for tradition and a resistance to change, I think we will take a little longer to acclimatise.

Branding Part 1 - Trust

Katherine Fiona Jones — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 13:32:00 +0100

How many times have we stood in supermarket aisles humming ‘beans means heinz’, or ‘maybe it’s Maybelline’ and immediately felt obligated to buy our favourite branded product. The truth is that there is a psychology at work here. We trust brands and brand ambassadors for a myriad of reasons, most notable of which is our almost tribe-ish attraction. We are attracted to the sales pitch, to the invitation to suspend disbelief and even to the history, ethics and politics we associate with a brand. It is so much more than a logo, but that’s not to say that a logo isn’t important. Recognition has such a big part to play in the way we affiliate and develop loyalty with brands we’ve come to know and trust.

So, what can we learn from brands who do it right? Based on our previous examinations of human centricity, we have come to learn and understand that the public are inundated with choices, and with choice comes the opportunity to ‘tell us how you really feel’. Instant communication and access to information on a global and infinite scale means that we are now in a position that allows us to truly research and understand how, who and arguably most importantly where our money is being spent and ultimately going to.

The world being in the state that it is, means brands are having to align with what the customer wants more than ever; partly due to competition.

Plastic free, cruelty free, fair trade and vegan have all become buzzwords and key alignment strategies for brands to please their acquisition universes over recent years. This is due to mass influences from heroes such as David Attenborough and Greta Thunberg shedding light on our planets deteriorating state of being. Not to mention how often we are reminded by viral videos of how detrimental carelessness and wastefulness is when it comes to fast fashion and FMCG manufacturing. Brands are beginning to feel the pressure and the power to enact change - which resonates endlessly with audiences and customers. People want to feel like they’re contributing to the greater good, so if they can incorporate a brand’s ethos into their moral compass - all the better.

The same goes for representation and recognition of a variety of body types, from multicultural, to age, all the way to disabilities and body size. You see yourself in something and you feel an affinity automatically - making it a quick win for brands but also and arguably most importantly, the right thing to do. It builds trust, it builds community and this is something lacking within corporate brands.

With the influencer marketing apocalypse raging, brands can be in the firing line for some harsh reviews. Subsequently, some brands are shelling out big bucks for social media presence via influencer channels, too. This also affects how they are perceived with the public - work with the wrong influencer and you’re potentially done for. The only way a brand can truly protect themselves in this unregulated and often fluffed minefield is by doing the research and the math to ensure that the engagement is real and not bought, otherwise your ROI is going to look a little bit shameful.

So the moral of the story is as follows; be the reflection of expectation that your customers want to see in themselves. Do your research and ensure that your audience analysis is on point, from demographic to geography, but don’t forget about their character. Be recognisable and respected, but most of all be sincere and honest about who you are. Transparency breeds trust and trust is what keeps a modern day brand alive and kicking.

Branding Part 2 - Creativity

Katherine Fiona Jones — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 13:31:00 +0100

Now first things first, creativity knows no bounds and neither should your brand. It’s a balancing act which takes a whole heap of energy to maintain. Keep it critical and see our six top tips for staying creative in an evolving and saturated market.

1. Keeping up with the aesthetics.

We know it’s great to have a guideline, but marketers, sometimes we need to throw caution to the wind and be brave. Creativity isn’t always pretty, sometimes a bit of grit goes far, after all how else is a pearl made? Yes, keeping things good looking is important, but testing new ideas is also absolutely key to bringing about shifts in brand perception, which not only revitalises your brand but introduces it to new audiences.

2. Keep it fresh.

Audiences choose brands so you need to listen to what it is they want. Keep a weather eye out and a keen ear on what is being said about you. You do not own your audience, your audience owns you. Not only this but your audience is growing, learning developing and aligning with new ideas and philosophies as you keep pushing the same message out. Don’t get caught in a rut where your audience is in decline and you don’t understand why, research and put in some good old-fashioned hard work to figure out how to resonate with your audience. Develop with them, don’t force them to change for you.

3. Keep it focused.

Harder said than done, am I right? Focus is finite and sometimes we need a break in order for us to refocus our attentions to where they need to be. Allow yourself to look up, take a breath and rediscover your objectives. This is a perfect opportunity for you to measure up to your own plans and brand strategies. Are they working? Are you hitting the nail on the head? Find your feet and hone in on what your brand represents. If things are looking a little shaky, some time thinking can help reboot your mind to get those creative juices flowing once more.

4. Keep your voice.

Authenticity is EVERYTHING. Nothing shines brighter than honesty and when a brand is able to demonstrate and embody itself it is truly alive. Don’t get confused with needing to be ground-breaking, Innocent Smoothies are a perfect case-study-and-point when it comes to getting brand messaging, ethos, an aesthetic right. Don’t reinvent the wheel, just make it your wheel.

5. Keep failure in mind.

It’s not as intimidating as it sounds - no really, trust me. Failure is good because it gives us opportunities to learn, grow and problem solve. Problem solving is one of the most sought-after qualities when it comes to creativity, be it in the literal sense such as; design or placement - to something a little more abstract like; data research and targeted advertisement. Be okay with getting it wrong, because getting it wrong is always an opportunity to get it right and do it better next time. Afterall it takes oodles of creativity to fix things when they don’t go according to plan!

6. Keep it catchy.

There isn’t anything better than being able to get stuck in the minds and hearts of your audience. This could be through something as simple as a jingle or a catchphrase-cum-tagline. Either way this engagement is a measure of resonation with your audience, and it can take a little bit of work to get right. We spoke briefly in the Branding Part 1: Trust on this, but what we didn’t touch upon was methodology. When developing your little legacy, ask yourself can I hum it to myself? Does it roll of the tongue? And finally, is it recognisable?

Creativity is more than just a buzzword it is an entire methodology based upon critical thinking, analysis, enthusiasm and the drive to do better. Practice these rules and you’ll be sure to be on the right track when it comes to injecting a little bit of that flare your brand has been asking for.

Top 5 marketing tips to inspire innovation

Robert Humble — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 13:02:00 +0100

So, when the pressure is on and you’re struggling, it’s always helpful when you stumble across an idea or a piece of information which makes your life just that little bit easier. Having recently read Giles Lury’s ‘Inspiring Innovation’, some of the tips from the book easily translated into practical advice for everyday marketing practice.

With this in mind, here are top 5 tips from the book:

#1: ‘Inspiration can strike you anytime, anywhere, so to be a good innovator you should remain constantly curious.’

Ideas can be unplanned, and you should always be open to new ways of doing things when conducting your work. If you’re lucky enough, you’ll think of something in the middle of the night and it could open a lot of opportunities for you to develop your future campaigns. Maybe it won’t be you who has an epiphany, it might be one of your colleagues, but you should always be open to suggestions.

#2: ‘Sometimes you can start looking for one thing but find another along the way - don’t ignore happy accidents.’

If you apply this teaching to everyday marketing, sometimes you get unexpected results which lead to other viable avenues. Don’t be scared to take your results and change direction, you may stumble on the next great innovative idea for your campaign.

#3: ‘Inspiration can be visual as well as verbal or conceptual, as they say, a picture can be worth a thousand words.’

Imagery has an equally strong impression on your audience as your messaging. Make the most of the creative teams available to you! Their ideas have the potential to really drive your campaign. That’s exactly what the producers of Angry Birds found as a single image from their Senior Designer sparked inspiration. In May 2012, the app reached over 1 billion downloads – not bad results from a single image*.

#4: ‘Can you do what someone else does but do it better?’

Just because a product, service or idea has been done before or, a campaign has proven very successful, doesn’t mean you can’t develop on the original ideas further. Marketers are often put in a difficult position whereby a campaign has been done in a specific way previously and yielded good results. This, as you know, restricts your ability to divert from an already proven profit-making campaign. But what if you can do it better? Do your research and put it in front of your superiors; you might be onto something.

#5: ‘Innovation needs support – they [ideas] need people who believe in them and will advocate and fight for them, even in the face of resistance.’

Management can be sceptical of your new and innovative ideas and that’s completely fair, as using a lot of time and funds on one idea that’s still in the concept stage can be scary. What you have to do is convince them that your idea can produce results. This is when you should look to your arsenal of marketing tools and strategy to prove your ideas’ worth and value to your business.

So why are these ideas important?

Well they separate you from being a middle-of-the-road marketer and provide a fantastic opportunity to make a difference and rethink your approach.

The marketer is no longer simply producing ads and marketing emails, they’re tailoring products and services to modern people. So, step your marketing up and adapt your approach. There’s always an idea you can enrol in your projects that has the potential to change the landscape of your respective sectors so take inspiration from wherever you can!

Top 5 tips to improve your copywriting

Robert Humble — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 12:57:00 +0100

If you’re like me, you’ll find copywriting a difficult task.

There’s been countless times when I’ve found myself short of inspiration and looking at what had been done already. Then cutting and pasting random bits of re-hashed copy and hoping that the end-product will make some kind of logical sense… and inevitably, it doesn’t, and it won’t.

When you do this, your content reeks of your lack of inspiration - and your audience knows this and ultimately, bypasses your work. So, having lived and survived through the above, let’s go through a couple of copywriting basics that offer inspiration and that all-so-important, quick win.

#1 – Write short snappy sentences – Do it. It helps. Your audience won’t engage with lengthy, hard-to-read paragraphs. FACT.

#2 – Don’t use words you’d never say – There’s always the temptation to hit synonyms in Microsoft Word. Try not to. Try and re-word your sentence into something simpler and crucially, if you can’t read it out-loud in a nice fluid sentence, it’s jargon. (CTRL + A, Del).

#3 – Say you, not we – Tell your audience what you can offer them!

Your audience doesn’t want to know that you’re ‘unique’ because ultimately, unique is one of the most common words used to describe businesses in the 21st century and quite frankly, they probably don’t care. You need to catch their attention by telling them what’s in it for them.

#4 - Be Distinctive – Make your copy stand out and engage people. That doesn’t mean use subject lines such as ‘whatever you do, don’t open this email’ in your marketing emails (unless you’re keen on driving unsubscribe rates).

It means use a good pun (sparingly), try to avoid default business tone and engage people’s senses. People build emotional attachments to everything – it could be a number of things such as a colour, a smell, or even a taste. From an ice-cold pint after work, to the smell of a warm home baked chocolate cake. Emotional responses = engagement.

#5 – Read your work, redraft it and then do it again – You’ve heard it since Primary School and it’s just as relevant now. From grammar errors and missing punctuation, all the way to hilarious typos. Don’t be lazy – read your copy (preferably out loud).

Why are these tips important?

In modern marketing, doing the basics is important.

Copywriting is a marketer’s bread and butter and without making the mistakes and slowly improving, you’re limiting a good opportunity to develop your marketing skill-set.

Don’t be afraid to have a go, don’t be disappointed when it doesn’t go to plan and don’t be too proud to learn from your mistakes.

Copywriting is both a process and a skill, and in modern marketing you can’t prosper in either without the other. So, take your time, get the process right and try and implement some of the above tips. You could save yourself, and your team, some valuable time.

Meet The Team : Katherine Fiona Jones

Alexia Claire — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 12:42:00 +0100

"With Festival growing year on year, and with a relatively small yet dedicated team behind it, I’m most looking forward to celebrating the successes of what we will have accomplished"

Hi Katie. Even though you’ve joined Festival of Marketing recently what are your highlights so far?

Hey Alexia!

I’ve finally been able to focus all that energy into one thing, which is genuinely a difficult thing for me to be able to do. I love to be on my feet and kept on my toes so working on Festival to date has been such a breath of fresh air because I can dedicate my energy.

That, I think, has been my highlight. Finding something that I can willingly give my time to, focus my attention on, as well as being continually stretched and challenged. I’ve already learnt so much and I’m really thrilled to be taking on so much responsibility. Content and social is what I love to do more than anything so it’s really a pleasure to be able to put my stamp on things and build tone and structure!

Tell us about yourself, what brought you to the events marketing world?

My background is within the arts, which is such a grey area in terms of marketing and developmental strategies. Essentially, you’re asking people to buy what you’re selling which is fundamental to all marketing, I suppose. I’ve worked for a few different organisations from hospitality, retail, FMCG, non-profit… From big budgets to no budget at all – however all have encompassed marketing, PR, content, web development and strategy. It’s funny really as I haven’t really planned for this, and as most of us in the office know I’m an avid planner and obsessive list maker, so the fact that I ended up here without trying is really a testament to faith and trusting the process, because I’ve never felt so settled.

Things have been pretty wild over the last few years, and after a brief period at home recovering from my operation and teaching at the local College and University I just packed up my car (she’s called Hev and she’s the love of my life), and moved to London – a few months later, here I am! So, yeah – what a whirlwind getting here. And to be honest I think that’s the best way to describe it, a whirlwind I mean. I’ve come from so many different directions and bounced between such diverse projects that I think that events is a natural progression!

What are you most looking forward to for #FoM18?

Honestly, I’m looking forward to the wind down, and let me explain why. When we’re in the thick of it and the excitement and adrenaline is driving those long working hours, pushing and encouraging you to learn more and do more, there is just no time to appreciate what you’re doing and to what scale you’re doing it to. So yes, I am absolutely going to be at the Headline Stage getting Theroux this, (see what I did there?), I will be celebrating my best self at the Realising Your Potential Stage, but I don’t think the magnitude and pride of what we’ve accomplished as a team is going to set in until we’re in retrospect. With Festival growing year on year, and with a relatively small yet dedicated team behind it, I’m most looking forward to celebrating the successes of what we will have accomplished. Who doesn’t love a good pat on the back, anyway?

If you had to choose who would be your dream headliner?

Without a shadow of a doubt Grayson Perry. Liza and I both have a deep love for his incredible insights on culture and society. He would be such a joy to listen to, as well as meet in the flesh. It would be a dream come true. I would also love to hear from Rupi Kaur, or Baddie Winkle – Rupi for her incredible, brave and poetic writing on self-acceptance which I think we should all take a little time to absorb and meditate on. Her ability to bring about conversations using social media as a conduit is also something I would love to be able to harness. The world is changing and the way we see people and humanity is changing too. We’re seeing more and more brands adopt inclusivity – which is a bonkers thing to say and a real no brainer in my mind as a course of action. I think everyone would benefit from listening to her… and Baddie because she is the epitome of what I want to be when I grow up! Wild, loud, proud and totally free.

Which session would you recommend?

I’ve been so, so excited at the prospect of Chidera Eggure (a.k.a Slumflower) speaking. It’s going to be the most beautiful session, and her book is just amazing. I’m also totally stoked for Louis, obviously. I mean how could you not be, am I right? Especially as his session is going to focus on getting answers to tough questions... that is going to be invaluable. But, the session I wouldn’t miss for love nor money is the panel on destigmatising mental health in the workplace. Marketing Week have already published a really insightful article on the statistics surrounding mental health and its effects on those working in marketing. Defo worth a read...

Any gossip you would like to share with us?

Nothing that I can share! However, we have some pretty big news going live this Wednesday… I’m interested to see people's responses… but you didn’t hear that from me 😉

Meet The Team : Alexia Claire

Katherine Fiona Jones — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 12:03:51 +0100

"The average day is quite busy, but I like the excitement that goes with it..."

Hello Alexia! Thank you for joining us on the blog, tell us a little bit about you and why you entered the world of marketing?

Hi Katie. This is my first interview, ever! So I’m quite excited.

I’m one of the Marketing Executives working on the Festival of Marketing.

I’ve always wanted to work in marketing. I love that it’s an ever-changing industry, it’s challenging and stimulating. When I graduated from high school I then did a BA in Foreign Languages back in Paris. Then I moved to London and did my MA in Marketing and Communications. After that, I got my very first job in a small events company in North London then two years later, here I am.

Talk us through your average day, what is it you tend to get up to for Festival of Marketing?

The average day is quite busy, but I like the excitement that goes with it. My tasks are quite varied so it includes social media, emails, website updates, working with design. Then I have bigger projects like being in charge of media partners, launching the app and the exhibitor zone.

What has been your proudest moment whilst working on the Festival of Marketing?

It has to be when we announced our first headliner Louis Theroux.

I was so happy to work on it and then seeing the buzz we had on social media and the interest it generated, it was such a fulfilling moment!

What are you most looking forward to seeing at Festival? Are there any specific sessions or stages you’d recommend visiting this year?

It’s going to be my first time at Festival. So much to see and do, but I’d be on the lookout for the headline sessions and the session with Grace Victory.

Who would be your dream headliner?

Elon Musk would be a dream...

Can you give us any sneak-peaks?

All I can say is stay tuned to find out who our next heavy weight speaker is.

Meet The Team : Sybilla Weber Veronesi

Katherine Fiona Jones — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 12:00:54 +0100

"I stood (in silence) next to headliner Reggie Yates (HUGE crush!) for a good 3 minutes before his session. My heart was racing…."

Hello Sybilla! You’re a long standing member of the Festival of Marketing Community, how many years have you been working on Festival? What have been your highlights to date?

This is the 3rd Festival I’ve been working on – and I love it more and more each year! My highlight? When at Festival 2017, I stood (in silence) next to headliner Reggie Yates (HUGE crush!) for a good 3 minutes before his session. My heart was racing….

How did you end up in the world of events marketing? What do you love about it?

In my teens I worked as an event promoter for a lot of events and exhibitions, and after my marketing degree in London I found myself only looking at event companies’ job sites… a very natural progression 😊 I love the fast-pace and dynamicity of events; it can be unpredictable and lots of long hours, but seeing the event come to life after months (or years!) of work is so satisfying.

We all know it can be a challenge to stay ahead of the trends, from technologies to content – how do you make sure you’re always one step ahead of the game?

We’re so lucky at Centaur Media to have parent brands such as Marketing Week, Creative Review and Econsultancy – for which we get free subscriptions! Couldn’t think of better publications to keep up to date with the very wide world of marketing.

If you could tell yourself something as a young marketer that you know now, what would you tell yourself?

DON’T STRESS SO MUCH!

What are you most excited about for #FoM18?

Louis Theroux’s session! I’m a massive fan and saw every single documentary – can’t wait to see him up on the Headline Stage talking about how to get answers to very difficult questions…

Who would be your dream headliner, if you could choose anyone?

Simon Cowell would be pretty entertaining…

Which session are you most looking forward to and why?

My favourite stage is definitely the Realising Your Potential Stage. It always hosts massively inspiring speakers who share their stories on how they made positive changes both to their professional and personal life… My eye is on Step-Up Club this year, their session on confidence-building is going to be amazing!

Can you give us any behind the scenes exclusives? Pretty please?

Naaaah… sorry! But stay tuned – a big announcement is coming soon!

Meet The Team: Harry Clark

Katherine Fiona Jones — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 11:51:00 +0100

"...We are doing some really great things across the board at Festival and having the opportunity to be a part of this Festival team is a great achievement in itself."

Hi Harry, great to get a chance to speak with you this week! Feels like a while since we’ve heard from the commercial team. Tell us a little bit about your role with Festival, what you do on the day to day.

My role on FOM is to reach out to wide range of different clients and get an understanding of the company and what they want to achieve, then discuss the relevant sponsorship opportunities available. Normally my day-to-day consists of lots of calls to current and new clients, emails and meetings.

How did you find yourself in the world of events and most importantly, the world of Festival?

Having previously worked on Marketing Week for 2+ years and attending the Festival a few times, I knew It was something I really wanted to work on. So as soon as I found out there was a job available, I pounced!!

What has been your proudest achievement working on Festival?

I think being a part of the team as whole. We are doing some really great things across the board at Festival and having the opportunity to be a part of this Festival team is a great achievement in itself.

If you get a hot minute during the event in October, what stages will you be visiting and why?

It has to be Louis Theroux! Love the man. His series are amazing and I'm really looking forward to seeing what his session brings to the table at FOM. But I have say I'm excited for Sir Martin Sorrell’s session too, I will have to go and see him. He has been one of the most talked about men in media this year so seeing what he has to say will be really interesting.

If you could tell yourself 3 things as a younger you starting out on this career path – what advice would you give?

1) Lots of things change and don’t get bogged down by this, just keep going and working hard and things always turn themselves around

2) Try and learn new skills as much as possible, this will make getting through your career easier and each transition into a new role as easy as possible

3) Read more!!! ( I have always been absolutely terrible at this)