Prepare PR and staff for customer complaints after GDPR

  Maybe most consumers will continue to give up personal data without a fuss. But a recent survey by YouGov suggests a fertile breeding ground for complaints, if not outrage after GDPR empowers and educates consumers. So it is worth preparing your PR, social and front-line teams. The YouGov survey of British consumers points to […]

GDPR’s unexpected damage to brands

For all its good intentions, GDPR is likely to encourage language and behaviour that damages relationships. That is because legal and unequivocal text is not conducive to enhancing the warm relationships that we in Marketing have spent so many years trying to build. It takes time and sensitivity to produce content that motivates customers and […]

When the first board member is replaced by Artificial Intelligence

I asked some friends how soon they expected to see Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) replacing a person on the board of directors, and which function was most threatened. A.I. can make better complex decisions than people. Nevertheless, they felt that A.I. would not replace a board role, but it could easily imagine it taking an additional […]

A patch of chilling optimism in Davos

I was lucky enough to attend some events in Davos this year and was struck by the general sense of anxiety and gloom about the future. Almost everyone talked of the challenges facing the world in the light of Brexit and Donald Trump. There was, however, one group who were optimistic about Brexit.   Frankfurt […]

Merry omni-channel gift

    This “thank-you” from Sainsbury’s is a perfect example of omni-channel because it goes against the rush to digitise everything. It uses the best channel channel to show real-world appreciation; a real-world gift. The surprise box arrived from Sainsbury’s in the post, landing with a solid thump on the floor. It’s not an email. It’s […]

Act now or risk losing your customer data

In about 18 months the new GDPR, the EU’s long-planned data protection regulation, will come into force. This will require a new level of rigour in gaining permission and data management. Brands that do not collect and manage their data according to the new regulations risk losing permission to analyse that data and to communicate […]

Don’t forget the basics in digital

Visiting the Technology for Marketing show last week was interesting. The focus seems to have turned to the more business-focused technologies like marketing automation and analytics, and away from the glitter of virtual reality, Apps and beacons. But even with the new breed of automation packages, I was pleased to hear Jeremy Waite of IBM […]

Google Trips takes control

  This is a great move for Google, and a great little App for me. Google Trips puts Google right at the heart of any journey. By helping me, it means they can serve relevant ads to me, and can even broker services like insurance, hotels, and travel should they wish. There may be small niggles. […]

Smile and buy, but not online

Walking down a country path, you smile and offer a greeting as you pass a stranger.  He smiles back and returns the greeting. A connection is made and you both walk on feeling happier. It’s well recognised that smiles translate into sales. A study by Piotr Winkielman of the University of California San Diego and […]

Advertising generates 180% ROI

A question I am often asked is does advertising actually work. According to WARC, who have launched an ROI Benchmarker, high-performing advertising campaigns generate an average of 180% ROI within the first year. This means that the real impact is likely to be even higher. (According to WARC, it is likely to be twice as […]