Avoiding Gimmicks in Marketing: Why It Matters
Surely, every marketing professional has at some point in their career overheard the phrase, “seems like a gimmick to me.” Heavily used both by skeptical consumers as well as marketers themselves, the idea of the “gimmick” describes a cheap or tacky attempt at marketing a product or service. And there are times when the gimmick has worked.
Read MoreKardashians: Queens of Social Media
If you cast your mind out and try to think of a group of people who seem to have mastered every aspect of social media and the creation of a brand online, you surely don’t have to think too long until you land on a single, era-defining clan: the Kardashians. While the family did not get their initial shot at fame through social media, they have undoubtedly managed to stay relevant through their social media presence. Each sister has grabbed hold of their individual success and translated it into a means of commerce, whether it be a range of products, lifestyle apps, brand deals or models.
Read MoreSweden’s Airline Industry has a PR Problem
In recent months, climate activists across Europe have stepped up their efforts to convince travelers to skip air travel, with infamous Swedish schoolgirl and campaigner Greta Thunberg spearheading the trains-over-planes movement. At the same time, “flygskam”, or flight shame, has become a new buzzword in the Scandinavian country, and the airline industry has responded by saying it is “hellbent” on reducing emissions.
Read MoreLeading Through Crisis: How The Right Person Can Right the Ship
A recent expose published by undercover investigators with the Animal Recovery Mission unleashed the wrath of the public on prominent dairy producer Fair Oaks Farms. The video, which shows animal abuse in its most extreme form, prompted many stores to pull Fairlife products from their shelves and many consumers to promise never to make a purchase from the brand again.
Read MorePolice Change Optics Amid Hong Kong Protests
Just four days after Hong Kong saw some of its most tumultuous civic unrest on record, an estimated two million demonstrators returned to the streets on June 16th to protest controversial government plans to reform the city’s extradition law. A clear undercurrent of their anger, however, was directed at the police, accused of using disproportionate force to disperse protesters the week before, the Hong Kong Police Force had a major PR problem on its hands. Their response was an interesting one, to say the least.
Read MoreWhen it Comes to Africa’s Streaming Market, Spotify and Apple Have Been Beat
When Chinese music streaming company Transsnet decided it planned to break into the lucrative African market, they partnered with the parent company, Transsion Holdings, the makers of popular phone brands such as Infinix and TECNO to pre-install their Boomplay app on their handsets. The promotion of these handsets then directly contributed to the delivery of Boomplay direct to the consumer after it was officially released in 2015 with the launch of TECNO’s first music phone Boom J7.
Read MoreHow to Create Community with Marketing
Even as the consumer world moves closer to home, with services and commodities available at the push of a button, we all still crave a bit of human interaction. As more customer service models are going towards outsourcing or automation, industries such as fitness and food are providing options that don’t require customers to leave the house, and more people rely on their mobile devices for communication, it’s no wonder that we all get a bit lonely sometimes.
Read MoreThese Free or Low-Cost Marketing Tools Will Boost Any Business
Marketing can be an expenditure that some businesses have trouble justifying. However, a strategic approach to marketing is necessary in order to reach as many potential customers as possible. So what is there to be done in the case of a little-to-no budget, no marketing experts on staff, and precious little time? Luckily, there are plenty of free or low-cost marketing tools designed to help even the smallest or newest businesses boost their strategy.
Read MoreAre Podcasts a Worthwhile Marketing Tool?
In 2018, nearly a quarter of the U.S. population was projected to have listened to podcasts. Translated into numbers, that comes out to about 73 million users. Translate that again into advertising terms, and marketers quickly perk up their ears. Podcasts have enjoyed a steady increase in both subscriber and listener numbers as well as varietals offered by media outlets and producers in recent years. As these listener numbers increase, so does the appeal of using these new, trendy platforms as marketing tools.
Read More5 Ways to Conduct Business CPR
It is a grim reality that more than half of new businesses fail within the first five years. Keep in mind, however, that firms rarely fail overnight. In fact, if you take a closer look, it becomes clear that there are some key signs to look out for to help you identify a failing business months in advance. Some of these signs include growth grinding to a halt, poor cash flow management, and a lack of innovation or differentiation from competitors. One common mistake that business owners make when trying to revive a dying business is to cut expenses, but this tends to only delay the inevitable. So what can a business owner do to shift back into gear?
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