Mystery Branding

Advertising has moved further and further along the lines of mystery branding and non sequitur in recent years and this has been under a lot of scrutiny. Last year Sue Unerman published a story for the Guardian entitled "Do consumers care whether brands tell the truth?"  The article outlined the importance of clarity and a candid approach, "Of course consumers care about truth. We all do. So the best way to sell stuff to them is to tell them the truth. Half a century ago David Ogilvy said: "The consumer is not a moron, she is your wife"."

Unerman was concerned by the level of detraction from honesty. It could be argued however that with well established, trusted brands the need to build up trust isn’t as great as with new and unknown products and services. For example, Cadbury’s have used non sequitur advertising techniques for years. Examples of this are the Phil Collins drum playing gorilla and the dancing eyebrows adverts. The purple colouring is the only clue throughout the advert which does not even feature its products. Instead fallacy, detached entertainment and happiness are selling points.

 

 

 

The other reason why clarity isn’t quite so important for big brands is because they will have complaints structures and engagement through social media that will have competent teams running them. On the other side of the fence a lack of clarity through mystery branding has been heralded as useful by all sizes of brands. This technique ultimately encourages online interaction and traffic through curiosity. Examples of this are:

1. QR Codes on packages and media can deliver clues and challenges. (Clues can contain information you want the customer to know)

2. Cross-brand promotions can create bigger engagements around mystery and increase shopping time

3. Retail, online and outdoor can interact like a three dimensional tic-tac-toe game

4. Physical clues that require a return to the store can increase foot traffic

5. Mystery involves surprise and there are many ways to deliver the “pop” of delight when something is revealed or a secret is figured out

http://bx.businessweek.com/digital-media-sales/view?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.innovationexcellence.com%2Fblog%2F2012%2F11%2F12%2Fthe-power-of-mystery-in-branding%2F

 

Largely both of these advertising techniques are used in a way that isn’t often a concern to the consumer. If you know a brand well enough to identify in from a highly irrelevant advertisement then the chances are it is well trusted and has approachable restitutionary channels. Small brands do need to build trust through trust and transparency. When it comes to mystery branding, this is a safe approach for any sized brand, as long as the consumer is directed to or can easily access what they can expect and terms and conitions.

Top Ten Weekly Vacancies

SLA Sales Consultants is a dynamic specialist sales recruitment organisation with a combined industry experience spanning more than a decade.  Our aim is to provide a fresh and forward-thinking approach to both client and candidate solutions.

Please see below for a list of our top ten vacancies this week:

 

Account Manager – Digital Media – C. London

Advertising Sales Executive – Print - N. London

Business Development Executive – Energy – S. London

Creative Solutions Executive – Publishing – City

Delegate Sales Executive – Pharma – London

Exhibition & Sponsorship Manager – Travel – Essex

Graduate Delegate Sales – Telecoms & Media – C. London

International Media Sales – Outdoor – London

Sales Executive – Publishing – London

Sponsorship Sales Manager – Energy – S. London

 

 

For more information you can contact us in one of the following ways:

Email: info@sla-sales.com

Phone: 0844 693 3022

Changes to Employment Law April 2013

Increases in statutory payment rates 

For the next three years statutory payments have been fixed at an annual increase of 1% meaning that from this month onwards statutory sick pay will rise to £86.70 per week. The beginning of the month saw maternity, paternity and adoption pay rise to £136.78 per week.

Collective redundancy consultation 

Collective redundancy (20 or more employees within 90 days) has more red tape than other redundancies. There was a reduction this month in the number of compulsory days that redundancies must be under consultation where 100 or more employees are involved. This was reduced from 90 days to 45 days. It has now been clarified that this does not include employees under a fixed term contract if it is soon to expire. There will be guidance provided under the new ACAS code for more details. http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1461

Changes to dismissal for political reasons 

The current law only protects individuals dismissed for political opinions or affiliation if they have been with their current organisation for two years or more. The changes will alter this time barring system, although cases will still be judged under the usual unfairness tests and compensation levels are as before.

National minimum wage 

The end of this month should see a proposed streamlined set of rules making the national minimum wage clearer for employers. The current set of 17 sets of regulations has been criticised for over-complicating the process. It has not yet been decided when the changes will come into force.

Amendments to the Equality Act 2010

There have been two governmental amendments to the Equality Act 2010. The third party harassment provisions have been repealed removing the right of an employee to take action against their employer if harassed by a third party on three or more occasions and their employer takes no steps to rectify the situation whilst in full knowledge. The discrimination questionnaire procedure used to establish whether there is an actionable claim will no longer be used. This may seem like the removal of an inefficient system but employer may still be asked questions during tribunal constructed by employees.

Although this sounds like good news for employers, as such questionnaires take a long time to answer, employees will still be able to put questions to their employers and tribunals will still be able to take the responses into account.

Changes to parental leave 

Due to the implementation of the Parental Leave Directive in the UK the maximum number weeks a parent can take as unpaid leave per child rose form 13 weeks to 18 weeks.

http://www.personneltoday.com/events/list.aspx?navigationid=10&type=10026

Top Ten Weekly Vacancies

SLA Sales Consultants is a dynamic specialist sales recruitment organisation with a combined industry experience spanning more than a decade.  Our aim is to provide a fresh and forward-thinking approach to both client and candidate solutions.

Please see below for a list of our top ten vacancies this week:

Direct Marketing Sales Manager – Data/Publishing – Dartford

Conference Sales Co-ordinator - London

Exhibition Sales – Energy & Technology – Central London

B2B Sales Executive – Marketing & Advertising – South West/Central London

Delegate sales executive - Conferencing and Events/Technology/Energy - London

Sponsorship Sales Executive– Pharmaceutical - London

Sponsorship Sales (Energy, Technology) – Conference & Events – Central London

Multimedia Sales (events, digital, print) -  South West London

Credit Control Manager – Tower Hill, London

Sales Support – Tower Hill, London

For more information you can contact us in one of the following ways:

Email: info@sla-sales.com

Phone: 0844 693 3022

Guardian Witness: Readers Becoming the Journalist

The Guardian has now launched GuardianWitness, (www.witness.guardian.co.uk), a new site part of their continuing open media campaign which adds the element of engagement to a whole new level. Readers are now able to submit stories videos and pictures. The new site was built in partnership with up and coming brand EE.  The move also increases chances of The Guardian being the first to feature breaking news, as passersby often hit social media before journalists can make it to a story. It will also give The Guardian a heads up of what is going on at lightning speed, potentially blowing competitors out of the water.

“GuardianWitness is designed to be the home of user-generated content on The Guardian and highlights increasingly how user-generated content is playing a vital role in reporting news.

The most recent example was the fatal London helicopter crash in January, where news broke first on Twitter beating traditional news outlets to the story.

Passers-by on the scene tweeted eyewitness accounts, took pictures and shot videos on their phones, much of which was later used by the media.

Most prominent in all of that was how the London Evening Standard used a picture taken by Craig Jenner, (@craiglet) who captured blazing debris across a South London street, as its front page splash.

As the story developed in the minutes after the crash, more and more pictures streamed onto social networks and it is this kind of development in part that The Guardian is hoping to capitalise on.”                                                       http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/news/1178494/Guardian-launches-citizen-journalism-platform-GuardianWitness/

Not all contributions will be displayed; obviously there will be a level of selection involved whether it is down to suitability. Journalists will be able to flag live blogs in and in addition readers can suggest topics to include.

“The development of the project picks up on a trend where Guardian readers have been involved in some of the biggest news stories of the last decade, such as helping review MPs' expense claims; providing eyewitness accounts of the Arab Spring, and understanding the UK riots.

Some high-profile examples include the death of newspaper seller Ian Tomlinson. While the police said it was not suspicious, a reader sent the paper a video clearly showing a police officer knocking Tomlinson to the ground.” http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/news/1178494/Guardian-launches-citizen-journalism-platform-GuardianWitness/

"The GuardianWitness platform, and supporting iPhone and Android apps, will help us to carry on this tradition. It will allow you to tell your story - by desktop or mobile – by submitting pictures, videos and text to journalists directly from an assignment", Joanna Geary, digital development editor for The Guardian.

You have to sign up or download the app in order to be able to contribute to the various assignments featured on the GuardianWitness page. The campaign mirrors the iReport facility offered by CNN and gives clues to a potential movement in online digital media.

You Will Be Googled: Social Media and Reputation

Only a week ago it was in the news that the UK was seeking to opt out of new European privacy laws governing social media. Article 17 of the Data Protection Regulation was drafted in response to complaints about Facebook and other social media sites holding onto private information. “The right to be forgotten” argument mirrors a similar scene between the freedom of expression and the right to a private life; articles 10 and 8 of The Human Rights Act 1998 respectively. And look how that turned out for the media; the Leveson enquiry.                                                                             http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/apr/04/britain-opt-out-right-to-be-forgotten-law 

This week Paris Brown; Britain’s first youth crime commissioner has been in the headlines after resigning from her £15,000 annual salaried one of a kind role over inappropriate Tweets. Paris has allegedly made reference to drugs, racism and homophobia on Twitter and which have resulted in a criminal police investigation. The teen had made these comments when she was 14 and again at 16 had said they were not meant to offend and were “bravado”.
"I accept that I have made comments on social networking sites which have offended many people. I am really sorry for any offence caused.

I strongly reiterate that I am not racist or homophobic. I have fallen into the trap of behaving with bravado on social networking sites. I hope this may stand as a learning experience for many other young people.

I now feel that in the interests of everyone concerned – in particular the young people of Kent who I feel will benefit enormously from the role of a youth commissioner – that I should stand down as I feel that the recent media furore will continue and hamper my ability to perform the job to the level required.”                                        http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/apr/09/paris-brown-stands-down-twitter

Had Paris Brown’s social media accounts been vetted, a process not required for the pay grade of that particular role; this issue could have been flagged up a lot earlier and save her some pain.

This begs the question as to how far engagement in social media does and should affect work prospects. It can be argued that the right to be forgotten would add the safeguards necessary to protect individuals’ privacy and allow transgressions to be erased. This would be particularly important for young people who may not always consider their future or career with sensibilities of which we would expect from an adult already in the work sphere.

It is a warning to all of us though. Online presence is becoming increasingly important as a way of showcasing skills, reputation and knowledge to employers. You may well be Googled, looked up on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or other networking sites. LinkedIn should be professional, that goes without saying. There are, in addition privacy controls which can be applied to keep social activity hidden. It is wise however for anyone wanting to ensure that they build or maintain a reputation of integrity, that all online activity is carefully considered. Have a tidy up if that is necessary. With the movement of the right to be forgotten regulation unclear in UK law, even profiles are tidied up may result in some data be retained by the provider; however it is always worth damage limitation. This may be a lengthy process for anyone who cyclically posts inappropriate or ill-considered drivel.

If you wouldn’t want it on you CV then don’t make it part of your visible online portfolio. Also be wary of joining groups and clubs online that reveal personal preferences that may be considered tasteless or inappropriate and if you lick toads in your spare time, probably best not to make it your Facebook cover photo.

Top Ten Weekly Vacancies

SLA Sales Consultants is a dynamic specialist sales recruitment organisation with a combined industry experience spanning more than a decade.  Our aim is to provide a fresh and forward-thinking approach to both client and candidate solutions.

Please see below for a list of our top ten vacancies this week:

Sponsorship Sales Manager- Pharmaceutical, Defence, Healthcare – London

Direct Marketing Sales Manager – Data/Publishing – Dartford

Exhibition Sales – Energy & Technology – Central London

B2B Sales Executive – Marketing & Advertising – South West/Central London

Sales Manager – Data & Training – Central London

Sales Executive – Exhibitions - Crawley

Media Sales Executive – Outdoor Advertising – London – 18K

Media Sales Executive – Travel – London – 20K

Entry Level Sales Executive – Exhibitions - Surrey

Junior Sales Executive – Exhibitions and Events - London

For more information you can contact us in one of the following ways:

Email: info@sla-sales.com

Phone: 0844 693 3022

Cooking Up Success in Manchester: The Cake and Bake Show

With around 27,000 visitors between the 5^th and 7^th April 2013 The Cake and Bake Show in Manchester was a resounding success. Amongst the 120 exhibitors around 32,000 pieces of cake were sold and around 10,500 pies. Following requests by visitors who enjoyed the London exhibition, The Cake and Bake Show took to the North. “Manchester seemed like the perfect home for the event,” said show director Luke Collings.                                                                                                                        http://www.exhibitionnews.co.uk/newsdetails/2937/cake-and-bake-show-continues-to-rise

Celebrity chefs such as Paul Hollywood, Simon Rimmer and Stacie Stewart were present at the show offering a host of demonstrations, lessons in addition to judging bake offs and competitions.

The Show also boasted a life-size Hansel and Gretel amongst the Billington’s gingerbread village. The event also showcases artistic talents such fashion inspired cakes and offered a number of decorating classes for aspiring artists.
“All the most popular star speakers from the London event – from Mary Berry to Claire Clark – will be returning to the show, with this year’s Great British Bake Off winner John Whaite (plus many of his fellow contestants from the series), heading up a brand new feature for Manchester – The Competition Theatre. The GBBO stars will be mentoring teams of competitors in a series of live bake offs, while the judges of ITV’s new show Britain’s Best Bakery, Mich Turner and Peter Sidwell, will also be hosting their own baking challenges in the purpose built competition tent.

The Cake & Bake Show is aimed at all ages with expert-run classes and demonstrations for those looking to improve their baking and sugarcraft skills, stands selling the latest equipment from bakeware to cake decorations, plus fun interactive children’s activities. Other new features for the Manchester show include the ‘Cake Catwalk’ – a fashionista-themed cake competition, ‘The Toppings Tables’ – where visitors will be able to decorate their own cakes or cookies, ‘Willy Wonka’s Wonderland’ – a new twist on a gingerbread village, and ‘The Interview Stage’ – offering visitors the chance to quiz their favourite baking celebrities.

A stunning array of sugarcraft skills will also be on display throughout the show, and the ‘Baker Street’ area will be a must for Real Bread enthusiasts. For those who just want to enjoy good food, there’ll be a marketplace featuring an array of artisan produce with even more breads, scones, pies, brownies, pastries and of course, cakes than 2012.
Whether you’re an amateur enthusiast looking for a fun family activity, a home baker looking for some helpful tips or a sugar-crafter on the hunt for the latest equipment, the Cake & Bake Show Manchester offers everything baking fans could need. Experts to enthusiasts alike will come together for a weekend of guaranteed eating, encouragement, education and entertainment.”

The Cake & Bake Show returns to Earls Court on 13-15 September 2013. http://thecakeandbakeshow.co.uk/manchester/cake-and-bake-club/news/the-cake-bake-show-heads-to-manchester-in-april-2013/

New Personalised Blinkfeed as HTC Collaborates With The Independent

The Independent newspaper has announced plans to collaborate with HTC Blinkfeed allowing consumers to access personalised content through the HTC One smartphone by selecting the content that they are most interested in.

Blinkfeed is a new feature included in HTC Sense 5.0 and will be launched on the new smartphone HTC One which has been delayed until the 30^th April 2013. The new feature boasts a live digital content  feed which is tailored to the individual. Essentially it will show snippets which can be tapped to view in a larger window.http://www.thedrum.com/news/2013/03/29/independent-announces-htc-blinkfeed-collaboration

“Zach Leonard, managing director, digital at The Independent said: ‘Delivering high-quality journalism that is fresh and up-to-date is at the heart of what we do. We are proud to be bringing the latest news, sport, comment, lifestyle, arts and student content to audiences of the new HTC One, as we continue to invest in our presence and partnerships in the digital space.’”

‘Drew Bamford, assistant vice president of user experience at HTC added: “We design all of our hardware and software utilising knowledge of how people find, consume and share content on their smartphones. With HTC Blinkfeed, our customers have direct access to fresh content – whether it is from friends or social feeds – that is uniquely relevant to them. The great content offered by The Independent fits well with our vast range of consumers, and we are pleased to partner with The Independent to bring our customers this experience.”’ http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/April2013/htc-blinkfeed-on-htc-one-a-closer-look.html

Top Ten Weekly Vacancies

SLA Sales Consultants is a dynamic specialist sales recruitment organisation with a combined industry experience spanning more than a decade.  Our aim is to provide a fresh and forward-thinking approach to both client and candidate solutions.

Please see below for a list of our top ten vacancies this week:

Business Development Manager – Outsourced agency sales – South West London

Conference Producer- Pharma/Life Sciences – City of London

Conference Sales – Infrastructure – Central London

Conference Producer – Life Sciences – City of London

Delegate Sales – Life Sciences – City of London
Mandarin Speaking Event Sales - £24k Plus Commission – Surrey

Conferencing and Events Sales Executive – Hotel and Resorts – Competitive Salary

Bilingual Speaking Exhibition Sales - £25k Plus Commission South London

Graduate Media Sales Executive – Global Business Information Organisation– London  

Graduate Media Sales Executive – Global Advertising Company – City

For more information you can contact us in one of the following ways:

Email: info@sla-sales.com

Phone: 0844 693 3022

Heads of Sales; Gibson, Rees and Roberts to Leave News International

Restructuring of the sales division within News International began to take place last month, rendering the positions of four top sales executives within The Times and The Sun obsolete. The restructuring which focuses of audience types rather that individual titles, directly affected Catherine Frusher – Head of Sun Digital, Lee Gibson – Head of Times Media, Ian Rees – Head of New Group and Sian Roberts – Head of Trading, Magazines and Inserts.

The new audience focused roles are Head of Title management, Head of Lifestyle, Head of Digital and Head of News.  Gibson will be covering the new Head of News role in the short term as will Rees with the Head of Title Management position.

The position of Catherine Frusher is still under consultation whilst Gibson, Rees and Roberts did not apply for the newly made positions.

The new sales team run by the Head of News will be selling advertising space within all papers, online media and apps across the New International brand. The lifestyle team will sell across the brand although there will be specialist sales people for The Sun and The Times separately. The move which is not part of a cost cutting exercise is a shake-up in trading and selling techniques for the New International brand will be audience focused.

"We will have a news team and lifestyle team and a head of digital. The head of digital won't run a team, but will work with the news and lifestyle teams. It's about being able to respond with brands in the market.

"Sales people have dealt with lots of operational work such as running the flat plan and liaising with the editorial teams, and the head of title management will free sales team up to sell in a much more platform-agnostic way."
http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/news/1173131/News-International-sales-team-restructure-puts-four-jobs-risk/

‘Karin Seymour, the sales director for NI, said: "During the consultation period we have had comprehensive conversations with all the people currently in those roles.

"As a result of those conversations, I am sorry to announce that Sian Roberts, Lee Gibson and Ian Rees have decided not to apply for the newly created roles and will therefore be leaving NI Commercial.
"Sian, Lee and Ian have agreed to assist in the transition of these roles."’ http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/news/1176411/Sales-trio-leave-News-International/