Cutting marketing budgets can feel like an obvious decision when facing a new economic downturn. Yet companies that do go down this road often perform worse than their competitors – the brands who understand that working smarter is more beneficial than working harder with less resources.

Recently I’ve been thinking of a friend in my youth. He would only spend a fixed amount when refuelling his car. He said it was his way of navigating high prices. When prices suddenly rose enough, I remember asking him if was going to cut down on driving. “Stop driving? Never!” he said. Then, with a knowing smile, he told me he would in fact be doubling his fuel budget. After all, he was a busy young man.

I wouldn’t have said my friend was wise at the time, but he came to mind after reading many recent articles on preparing for the economic downturn. The common message from the most successful brands seems to be “Don’t stop marketing!”. Perhaps my friend with the car came to mind as one writer’s article questioned Henry Ford’s insistence that “Stopping advertising to save money is like stopping the clock to save time”. My guess is he had the same knowing smile as my friend had when he said it.

Looking up and ahead when facing a downturn

Luckily, academic research can support businesses when the immediate impulse is to stop. The data reveals that there is a real cost in doing nothing – in fact opportunities are lost when the focus is in the wrong place.

For example, in German professor Peter Steidl’s 2009 book, Neurobranding, he points out that companies that increase their advertising budgets as part of their corporate strategy in times of recession, can really pay off. In fact, some have actually increased profits by 4.3 percent – while those that cut back only increased by 0.8 percent.

A more extensive study, carried out by two professors from Harvard among others, followed 4,700 listed companies in the USA through the 2008-2009 recession. They found that 80% of the companies took a minimum of three years to return to approximately the same level as before the recession – while 9% flourished and delivered at least 10% better results than their competitors quickly after the downturn was over.

The secret, according to a Harvard Business Review article summarising the study in 2010, consisted of what the professors called “pragmatic behaviour” – strengthening the organisation’s internal efficiency, and investing significantly more than competitors in marketing and R&D. However, this is not simply about maintaining the advertising budget. Reassessing the multichannel strategy, taking a closer look at what works, and in short, adjusting to get the most bang for your buck, is what works.

Prepare for the future, today

Positive results for businesses that not only aim to survive the downturn, but also make the effort to prepare their brands for the future was evident in both studies. To save you from sifting through a pile of academic papers, I’ve narrowed down 5 key action-focused pragmatic points to consider to help your business to more than survive, but also thrive when facing the downturn:

Don’t cut advertising

Marketing and advertising are not “nice to haves” – they are a vital prerequisite to maintaining operations. Remind management that this attitude cannot change during economic downturns. If the strength of your brand cannot be maintained at every touchpoint – and even made stronger in the minds of your customers – both sales and profitability will fall.

Look closely at the technology stack

Recessions provide the opportunity for a holistic, scrutinising look at your company’s portfolio of ICT tools and software solutions. Do any have overlapping functionality? Are some expensive in relation to the value they provide. Or have competing solutions with better features emerged? As the number of advertising channels has exploded in recent years, is the company still equipped to operate effectively in the ones relevant to you business? “Work smarter, not harder” can be an important mantra to adopt, as there are modern brand management tools that can significantly improve efficiency and provide the value, available to even small marketing departments on reduced budgets. Getting these in place before austerity measures take hold in earnest is vital to survive and thrive through the challenging times ahead.

Focus on ROI analysis

Is the marketing department (and the company) equipped to make useful, traceable analyses of channel use, tactics, partners and campaigns, so that you know what promotes the brand and turnover? Two developments make this necessary. Firstly, marketing now encompasses so many parameters that few companies get far with gut feeling alone – experience must be linked with data so that you can do more of what works and less of what doesn’t. And secondly, most CEOs and CFOs have now gained great respect for the importance of data analysis in most decision-making processes. So much so, every CMO must now be able to show solid data analysis to justify their actions and decisions – that is if they want to be taken seriously by the rest of the board of directors.

Experiment, learn and try again

In many contexts, brands can go a long way by trying out a few simple moves, seeing what works and then doing more of it. Here, it is not necessarily a question of gambling with large sums. Start small. Measure the effect. Increase the effort on what is working. Following what your customers are doing, and looking for trends in target groups’ behaviour, keeps the customer at the front and centre – and your brand’s responsive attitude has a great chance of being rewarded with loyalty.

Adapt. Adapt. Adapt.

In economic downturns, it is extremely important to be able to adapt quickly – it has been proven time and time again. Have you invested in a direction that suddenly turns out not to work? Make sure you can quickly turn around and drive in a different direction. Does an unexpected opportunity align with your brand in a way no one had anticipated? Make sure you can grab the opportunity – fast.

I was catching up with my old ‘fuel-smart’ friend this past summer. It was in the middle of pump prices reaching record highs across the country. He told me that long ago he had switched to an electric car. One that automatically smart-charged when the electricity price was at its lowest. Yet toll rings, parking and other considerations meant that he tended to cycle to work on a daily basis. Still working hard to think smarter.

He gave me the same knowing grin as he gave me all those years ago. If I’ve learned anything from him, it’s that even when facing hard times, with the right attitude there can still be plenty to smile about.

This article was originally published on 25 October 2022 on kampanje.com.

The modern marketing teams are constantly shape-shifting to meet growing demand, to adapt their brand and to keep up with the changing marketing landscape.

When your remit as a team expands and when the pressure is on to deliver more, constantly innovating and keeping up to pace with the rest of the business, the cracks can begin to show if there isn’t an additional layer of support. These cracks often form because of visible skill gaps, and leave teams with 3 scenarios to ponder. Do they

• Hire generalists that can do a bit of everything?
• Pay top money for specialists in every area of delivery, despite a limited budget?
• Plug in or increase the use of an agency, at a further cost? 

The answer could lie in a fourth option… technology. If technology can help to enhance the delivery and productivity of existing teams, without requiring additional skill sets, it provides a very effective way to deliver more, with less. 

We’ve identified three of the most common skill gaps that can be easily plugged with tried-and-test tech. 

#1 Technical design expertise

What we mean by this is the ability to understand the technical requirements behind any campaign asset. This could range from knowing the optimal sizes for different social media channels, understanding how a file needs to be set up before going to print, right through to logo sizes and positioning. 

There are many considerations for teams producing content at pace and at scale. Every time you need to resize or export something, there are many checks that need to take place, depending on whether the asset is for print or digital – file formats, resolutions, file sizes and more. 

If you engage a third party to do these tweaks for you, or if you engage your dedicated design team to do this, that’s a lot of resource or money burning which could be better spent on actual design or creativity. 

By using software with pre-defined rules and templates to prepare all assets at their ideal sizes, it takes a huge burden off internal and external creative teams. Through this tech, literally anyone in your team can take these re-sizes and edits in hand. No specialist skills needed.

#2 Video editing

While we can’t expect everyone to become professional video editors overnight, if you don’t have a solution in place to get video content produced, and fast, your team will fall behind. 

There are many tools out there that offer quick, editable templates to get you going, but often there are heavy limitations on how much you can brand them.

On the other side of the spectrum is getting a professional or agency to edit your creations when you need them. However, this takes time and budget that you potentially don’t have when you need a quick turnaround. 

How do you bridge this gap without getting an in-house editor that may only be utilised a handful of times a month? 

How do you guarantee that any tools you use keep everything that’s produced perfectly on-brand? 

How do you ensure your agency can meet your deadline when something needs to be created urgently? 

There is a solution that falls perfectly between the three. Having a video branding tool that incorporates set brand rules, such as titles, dividers, colours, transitions and more. You can get an external agency or in-house team to develop designs once, which can then be programmed to be edited and used an infinite amount of times.

#3 Brand consistency understanding

Even the most brand-savvy individual can’t memorise a brand guideline book off by heart. While tools like BAM by Papirfly™ have a dedicated educate section, it also goes much further to ensure global brand consistency. Every digital, print and video template has predefined rules that make it almost impossible for brand integrity and styling to be compromised. 

This feature gives Brand Managers and guardians complete peace of mind that campaigns aren’t being distorted or incorrectly managed when distributed around the world.

The answer is to work smarter, not harder

While technology will never replace a strategic or creative mind, it can support and substantially make the lives of marketing teams easier, increase the quality of output and take the pressure off in particularly busy periods. 

An all-encompassing solution such as BAM by Papirfly™ empowers team members at all levels and abilities to quickly and easily create a whole range of assets for marketing, completely tailored to their markets, with minimal effort or skills required. 

Even though particular skills aren’t needed to execute the designs, this is only because of the work that is put into making sure every template produces pixel-perfect marketing. This is honed and perfected, so that what’s delivered is studio standard materials, on time, every time. 

Find out more about BAM by Papirfly™ and arrange your demo today.

It’s safe to say that streaming accounts have been working overtime throughout the last year, and it got us thinking… What lessons can we learn from Hollywood movies, and how can we apply them to have a positive impact in marketing?

If you’re still scrolling endlessly through the movies menu and can’t decide on a film for a quiet Saturday night, we’ve put together a watchlist that’s filled with key take-outs for marketers. 

So, grab your popcorn, turn off the lights and get yourself comfy for the premiere of Papirfly’s marketing lessons from the movies.

Oversights can cost you big time

You might have the budget to pour endless time into creative agencies and blue-sky thinking, or to roll out huge global campaigns across every channel you can imagine. But that doesn’t mean you have everything under control… 

“No expense spared” is a phrase that appears throughout Jurassic Park before the inevitable happens; mistakes are made, certain things are underestimated, and the park descends into chaos. Compare that to losing sight of your campaign strategy, and you could be looking at inconsistent assets, materials that aren’t suitable for local markets and incoherent messaging.

In the world of marketing, that’s the equivalent of being stranded on an island overrun with ferocious dinosaurs.

The lesson for marketers here is to use your budget wisely. Make sure you can take a step back to get a bird’s-eye-view of your workflows and marketing materials, and how they are being used by your teams.

Our verdict: A classic for all the right reasons

“Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive and Dodge.”

The five Ds of Dodgeball remind us of the benefits of having an agile approach. And, just as importantly, that there are downsides to not having one. Make the wrong move, or move too slow, and your brand perception could take the hit. You also run the risk of missing out on amazing business opportunities because you simply didn’t react.

Things will always move fast in marketing. So you need to be ready for changes in shopping habits, consumer attitudes, technology, current events and the industry itself.

Taking the time to develop an agile marketing strategy will help you predict these changes before they happen and put you in the position to refocus your approach when they do.

Our verdict: Effortlessly funny and engaging

Know your audience

Just like Sulley and Mike, you might think you’ve got a tried-and-tested way to keep your audience engaged. But when your only trick is serving the same content time after time, it won’t be long before they get tired of it, or start ignoring you altogether.

Using techniques like empathy mapping is a good way to uncover your audiences’ pain points and position your brand as the solution. While your overarching brand purpose might remain the same, the way you communicate it to your audience will be better aligned with their needs and values.

Monsters, INC. also teaches us that the way things have always been done isn’t always the best. It can be hard to break away from the status quo, but being brave and venturing into the unknown can shake up the entire industry for the better and put you ahead of your competition. Continuous evaluation of your audience can help you find new and uncharted ways to resonate with consumers.

Our verdict: A wholesome story that’s elevated with comedy

Don’t lose control of your content

Sharknado is a movie that shouldn’t have been. And yes, it’s as ridiculous as the name suggests. Starting out as a joke between friends, this low-budget TV movie, complete with bad special effects, terrible acting and a storyline that makes little-to-no-sense, somehow became a 6-part movie franchise.

It’s a great example of how content can take on a life of its own and go beyond the control of its creators. When you have teams across the globe using different agencies to create thousands of assets and marketing materials, it can be easy for something completely off-brand to slip through the net.

Save yourself a Sharknado by using a digital asset management tool to centralise all your marketing assets, making them easily accessible and adding extra layers of approval.

Our verdict: An unlikely recipe for storyline success

Stay one step ahead

What makes Marty McFly the hero in this movie is his ability to think on his feet and stay one step ahead of Biff, his arch-nemesis. He does this by keeping the past, present and future in focus and anticipating every move before it happens (or happened). 

We also see Doc and Marty learning lessons from failure, adapting on the move, solving problems in the face of adversity and never giving up on their goals. These attributes wouldn’t look out of place in a successful marketing team.

If you don’t have access to the flux capacitor, then data is your closest thing to time travel. Having a way to collect, analyse and share data will help you predict industry changes before they happen and make those early decisions that will change the course of history for your brand.

Our verdict: Way ahead of its time – in a very positive way

Work smarter, not harder

While we can’t condone skipping school, we have to admire Ferris Bueller’s creativity, boldness and ambition to do things differently. Sometimes you can get more done by breaking the routine and allowing yourself more time for what matters.

Part of the Papirfly vision is to create a world where work doesn’t have to get in the way of life. With the right tools, there are more possibilities than ever to be creative and achieve more in less time.

So many leading brands are embracing employee empowerment by trusting their team’s expertise, communicating effectively, listening to their suggestions and removing the need for micro-management.

The result is more self-directed employees with a clear understanding of business goals and the confidence to deliver. This not only increases productivity, but creates an environment where teams are enthusiastic about their work.

Our verdict: A must-watch for an entertaining escape

The moral of the story

All great movies have a protagonist, a goal to overcome, and a resolve. This is where marketing and story-telling crossover to take your brand on a journey to discover its purpose, resonate with audiences and achieve your business goals.

As well as a great excuse to put your feet up and enjoy a good film, we hope our movie selection has brought you the insights you need to make your marketing memorable.

It’s that time of year again, as people up and down the country get their first glimpse of this year’s Christmas adverts. These highly-anticipated ads bring a welcome distraction from the monotony of the year and gently move us into the embrace of the festive season.

2021 has been no exception, as several leading brands have already showcased their holiday offerings… 

John Lewis

For many, John Lewis is the benchmark for all Christmas ads in any given year. This year’s effort is everything you’d anticipate from them – a heartwarming story, loveable fictional characters and a goosebump-inducing soundtrack.

However, this ad has faced a fair amount of backlash and apathy in comparison to their previous offerings. A quick scan through their YouTube comments showcases this sentiment:

• Nothing will ever beat (insert previous ad here)
• I didn’t get any Christmas vibes from the advert
• It was formulaic and melodramatic

Whether it is a case of previous years setting the bar too high, or the ad didn’t encapsulate the Christmas spirit as John Lewis has in the past, their 2021 contribution is undoubtedly polarising.

Boots

Boots leaned on a touch of celebrity for their advert, telling the story of Jenna Coleman and her magical #BagOfJoy, gifted to her by her nan.

It is a whimsical story that stays completely on the Christmas message, with Jenna using her infinite bag of gifts to treat her friends and family, with the final heart-tugging scene of her giving her nan her own gift.

Again, a scroll through the YouTube comments puts the spotlight on one word – ‘lovely’. That’s the Boots ad in a nutshell, a sentimental, traditional and uplifting tale.

M&S

Meanwhile, the M&S 2021 Christmas ad hones in on humour by bringing lovable character Percy Pig to life.

With great voice-over work by Tom Holland and Dawn French, this ad sees Percy revel in his first Christmas, with Dawn’s fairy showing him all of the delicious food on offer this year (conveniently skipping any pork products!)

While significantly shorter than the other two, this injection of humour and the adorable characters will be sure to capture the imagination of many.

The making of a classic Christmas advert

As these three distinct ads demonstrate, every year the stories that brands tell battle it out to become the one that resonates most with the general public.

But often the bid to stand out ends with very similar outputs. While Coca-Cola’s ‘Holidays are coming’ stands firmly in a category of its own, many other brands fall into the trap of producing repetitive narratives and production styles that have left the iconic Christmas ad format feeling a little tired and formulaic, such as:

• An adorable protagonist
• An acoustic cover of a well-known pop song
• An unexpectedly touching ending
• An accompanying product range for said protagonist
• An original strapline to tie it all together

Many would argue John Lewis’s 2021 effort fits firmly in these parameters, which is maybe why it has received a middle-of-the-road response. And while there is undeniable creativity and effort that goes into these adverts, their stories may no longer be enough to engage audiences that have endured two years of real-life plot twists and an endless stream of emotionally-fuelled messaging from brands. 

Below we’ve highlighted some Christmas classics that helped to lay the path for iconic holiday promotions, and what brands can do to take a leaf out of their book this year.

While internet shopping and mass closures plagued the brand, Toys R Us is set for a mini-revival thanks to Macy’s. Prior to all this though, their advertising was highly effective, and while this ad dates back over three decades, there’s still a lot it can teach brands of today…

What can brands learn from Toys R Us, Magical Place?

We briefly mentioned covers of famous songs as one of the strings brands have to their formulaic ad bow. But if you take a look at this advert, one of the first things that stands out is the original music. 

Composing a jingle or song that sticks in the minds of consumers is of course an incredibly difficult task, but the lesson lies more in the level of commitment and effort that went into it. 

Hiring someone to perform a cover, along with the legalities of using a well-known artist’s song doesn’t come easy, but it’s been done so many times before. John Lewis even managed to get Elton John to sing and star in their ad back in 2018. 

So unless brands put a completely new twist on a song, they will only continue to out-celebrity each other with covers for so long. We know that music is an integral part of many Christmas adverts – usually resulting in the original or cover song re-entering the charts – so it’s important that agencies move away from the standard cover format if they want to bring something new to the table. 

Change the words. Switch up the genre. Surprise people with its delivery. Give the opportunity to an unknown artist. Make it instrumental and let the story speak for itself. 

How the delivery looks will vary from brand to brand, but one thing’s for sure – audiences will only react to acoustic covers of Oasis and Coldplay songs for so long.

Though Yellow Pages ceased printing in 2019, it’s a brand that’s still imprinted in the minds of multiple generations. Since going digital ‘Yell’ doesn’t need to release TV ads like they used to (they’ve had some great ones, you can watch them here), but this particular Christmas ad can teach brands some traditional and modern lessons.

What can brands learn from Yellow Pages, Mistletoe?

With the rise of TikTok, busier lives and shorter attention spans, short videos now make frequent appearances on social media. This advert from Yellow Pages is under 20 seconds, yet it tells a powerful story that highlights the product it is trying to push.

We learn that the book is so thick and comprehensive that the young boy is able to use it to gain significant height. It engages, it informs and it tugs on the heartstrings with its Christmas mistletoe spin, all with just 4 words of narration and 19 seconds of footage.

With many of the modern Christmas ads, we usually have to endure much longer sequences, not seeing any payoff or surprise until the last few seconds. A good strategic move for many reasons, but wouldn’t it be clever if a brand could tell their story and leave a great impression in much less than a minute?

Imagine a powerful series of shorts that stood out from the long-winding adventures of woodland creatures and animated vegetables to deliver Christmas messages that were concise, on-brand and equally as effective.

A brand needs to get across a lot, and with Christmas adverts usually being amongst the most expensive to produce, it’s understandable to want to say everything in one go. 

Exploring shorter stories to create a connection, spark intrigue or encourage an action could help your brand stand out.

This wholesome TV ad effortlessly captures the spirit of Christmas in exactly a minute. Featuring many traditional elements of a holiday scene – Santa, Christmas tree, soft glowing lights – this was one of the most iconic adverts of its time. This advert, though over 30 years old, could still land well on screens today. Let’s explore why…

What can brands learn from Kellogg’s Cornflakes, Ho Ho Ho?

The power of nostalgia in advertising can never be underestimated (Sainsbury’s proved this back in 2014 with their ‘1914’ Christmas ad). Since the end of 2019 many doubts have been cast on the future by media outlets and politicians. Reminiscing about the past and simpler times is a great way to bring back hope and revive the Christmas spirit.

This could take the form of introducing a well-known character from the past, capturing the essence of particular decades, bringing back historic brand adverts, or simply encouraging a tech-free, family-focused season. The simplistic nature of the ad is what gives it such broad appeal.

And after a succession of catastrophic events, audiences will want to reconnect with times that have gone by in a way like never before, and feel hopeful about the future. 

Which brands’ Christmas ads will stand out this year?

We expect to see some brands really push purpose and socially-driven narratives this Christmas. From saving the environment and the Christmases of the future, to taking brave political stances on global events, there is going to be some breaking of the traditional formula in more ways than one. 

Brands and agencies that take this approach will need to be cautious of ‘purpose fatigue’, be creative and ensure that whatever actions follow the TV spots match their holiday focus.

On the other hand, we are likely to see brands wanting to inject happiness and humour into uncertain times. We therefore believe we will see some imaginative and borderline offbeat approaches that will thwart the traditional TV ads. Expect clever and curious direction, feel-good stories and optimistic stances on the future. 

What audiences will engage with best remains to be seen, but as each person has responded so differently to the pandemic, it would be impossible for brands to hit the mark every time. There will be some people who want straight-talking sales and promotions ads, and others who crave humanisation and big-scale gestures from brands. 

One thing that’s guaranteed is that brands across the world have a fantastic opportunity to round up the events of 2021 in a truly creative way, and set the tone (and bar) for 2022.

Is the hybrid model the future of work?

Hybrid working. The popularity of this term may have skyrocketed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but make no mistake – this is an inescapable future for the vast majority of companies across the globe. Let’s take a look at hybrid working at-a-glance… 

But just because it’s unavoidable doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. On the contrary, the growing trend towards some configuration of hybrid work model offers a lot of big benefits for businesses of all shapes and sizes, including:

Reduced running costs

With people coming into work on staggered schedules and businesses no longer needing to have all hands on deck at all times, this means there is less need to spend on extensive office space. Instead, companies could rent the space they save out to other organisations, or simply reduce the amount they rent to cut down their overheads.

Better work-life balances

A lot of people have benefitted both practically and emotionally from having the opportunity to work from home. They can work more flexibly, and when they finish for the day, there’s no long commute awaiting them. While interaction with coworkers is great for morale and to prevent isolation, many will appreciate the adaptability of a hybrid working model.

Boosted productivity levels

Research has found that many people claim to be more productive when working from home compared to being in the office. If employees have all the tools at their disposal to work remotely, this more comfortable, familiar environment can actually encourage them to work more efficiently.

Wider recruitment opportunities

By employing a hybrid or remote working model in your company, you are no longer restricted to hiring people within the vicinity of your office. Instead you can look farther across the country, or even internationally, to find ideal recruits for your organisation.

Appealing to younger generations

With a large proportion of millennial and Gen Z recruits prioritising benefits like flexibility and better work-life balances over traditional salary-based perks, being able to offer a hybrid working model can appeal to their needs and offer you a competitive edge when recruiting.

Tackling the challenges of hybrid working to marketing teams

Nevertheless, while hybrid working can inspire these benefits and more, it can also introduce a number of new challenges – many of which revolve around communication and organisation.

Now, these are two essential qualities that any effective marketing team must possess. Without them, campaigns become jumbled and chaotic. Assets become inconsistent or become lost in the shuffle. Jobs get duplicated or ignored altogether. And, as a result, your brand identity can take a big hit.

If not organised effectively, a hybrid working model can quickly create this unwanted scenario. With people working separately away from the office multiple days a week, or possibly in perpetuity, it can make it difficult to collaborate on campaigns or projects. And, if left to their own devices, it is possible assets and collateral are produced that contradict your brand’s personality.

This is a situation all marketing teams are keen to avoid. Fortunately, with the right systems and processes in place, it is more than possible for you to reap the benefits of a hybrid environment while avoiding any sleepless nights over the quality and consistency of your brand.

Here are our 6 top tips to help you get started:

Tip #1 – Invest in DAM

First, let’s tackle the potentially major headache of materials going missing, or employees having to send dozens of emails to get their hands on an asset they need. When teams are spread far apart and working disparately, it is easy to forget to send assets over to the people that need them or lose them in an ocean of folders.

To overcome this problem, it is crucial to contain all your assets in one central hub. This is where a DAM (Digital Asset Manager) or equivalent solution is a must-have for any hybrid work setting. You can store an infinite number of assets in this digital space, which can then be filtered, searched for and found by team members across the globe when they need them.

No delays. No lengthy email chains. No lost property. Everything is housed in one place for when it is required. A solid DAM solution will also allow you to assign permissions to users, so they can only access relevant, brand-appropriate materials for their needs, so there is no risk of anything being published that isn’t supposed to due to a misunderstanding.

A DAM-like system is a fundamental tool for effective hybrid working. It enables marketing teams to find all the assets they need in one place, wherever they’re working from at the time.

Tip #2 – Make brand guidelines easily accessible

As well as centralising your brand assets, it’s crucial to do the same with your brand guidelines. Guidelines and style guides in general are crucial for keeping your marketing efforts aligned and consistent across all channels, from social posts and blogs to posters and billboards.

It prevents your teams from second-guessing your brand identity and empowers them to create with confidence. But, if your brand guidelines are solely printed out in a folder somewhere in your office, it isn’t much use for your employees working from home.

So, it is critical that these guidelines are housed in one central, accessible online location. Your remote employees can then always refer back to them when creating materials regardless of where they are, meaning there’s no risk of going off message.

Tip #3 – Establish clear communication channels

Nothing can create chaos in a marketing team like not knowing who is on a job, or who they should contact for updates. Whether it’s a designer in need of copy, or a marketing coordinator waiting for assets to set a campaign in motion, if people are out of the loop, it can cause costly delays and derail productivity (particularly if there are time differences involved).

With this in mind, it is important to establish points of contact for everyone, be it project managers, creative directors or others, who can coordinate messages and prevent any long-winded, convoluted email chains among various team members. If you work with an agency or other freelancers, this also ensures that any contact with them is streamlined and consistent, so that any work or amends aren’t missed or duplicated.

Leveraging effective communication tools like Slack, Zoom, Trello, Asana and the many others available on the market can also be highly beneficial. These help keep everyone in touch over the course of a campaign or project, ensuring nothing is overlooked as a result of people not being in the same vicinity.

Tip #4 – Keep briefs focused and available

Successful briefs succinctly translate the goals, purpose and intentions of a project to the relevant team members, forming the foundations for inspired creative thinking. If they contain an excessive amount of detail, are lacking key information, or are simply written in a confusing way, this will lead your remote workers down problematic paths.

To prevent this, establish a clear, consistent template for creative briefs, refining it over time where necessary, to ensure that your disparate workers always receive the ideal level of detail to produce high-quality work. This will help guarantee that work reaches the proofing/approval stages in a strong position, without the need for constant supervision or check-ins.

Tip #5 – Digitise proofing and approval workflows

Proofing and signing-off completed work can be a wearisome process even with everyone working in the office at once. If an asset is constantly going back-and-forth between designers or agencies and the relevant marketing managers, this can quickly push campaigns back hours, days, or even weeks.

Digitising these processes can cut down these waits significantly, and help work get through regardless of where everyone involved is based. Online collaboration tools mean that everyone who needs to check an asset can see and input amends in real-time to the recipient, so they can all be made in one motion, and then be instantly approved for use in the required campaign.

At its heart, this is about making a previously manual, tedious process into something more dynamic and efficient with the right digital proofing and approval workflows.

Tip #6 – Have a centralised campaign planner

When you have deadlines to meet, it is helpful if everyone involved is aware of this information. So, giving your remote workers access to a digital, centralised campaign planner can give them total clarity on what assets need to be supplied and when. They can then structure their days around these priorities, so nothing is overlooked.

For the best results, we’d recommend a campaign planning tool that enables you to attach briefs, tag marketing materials, and manage specific folders for each project. This will give you total oversight and clarity from start to finish, regardless of whether your teams are working from their desks or are at home.

Embrace hybrid working without hurting your brand

Now it has gained a greater foothold across the globe, the hybrid working model is here to stay. With more and more professionals appreciating the flexibility that this approach offers, it is crucial that everyone, including marketing teams, identify ways to make these models work without compromising on the integrity and strength of their brand.

We hope that our tips will enable you to embrace this model with no repercussions to your brand identity. It will take some getting used to, but with the right tools in place to keep communication and organisation at a high level regardless of people’s working environment, you can really start to feel the benefits of a hybrid approach.

Vacation time should be a period of relaxation and tranquillity. However, all too often annual leave scrambles timelines, causes unplanned delays and results in teams stressing to meet deadlines.

Although employees working abroad can pick up the slack when colleagues are away, global collaboration can also add to the problem. This is because certain countries have unique ‘vacation cultures’ that can make working across borders difficult.

While workers in the U.S. are often allocated 10 days of paid holiday annually, most employees in Norway take 2 to 3 weeks off in July for a communal summer break.

For fast-moving marketing teams facing down important deadlines, having periods throughout the year where large swathes of people are off can feel like an impossible hurdle to overcome.

Although restricting when employees can take time off or slashing annual leave allowance can seem like the only way to stay on track, doing so could lower worker morale, diminish productivity and scare off potential talent.

To stay afloat with a reduced workforce during peak vacation season, we’ve identified a handful of must-have tools for any marketing team.

Programmes that streamline marketing processes

Whether it’s in the office or between your global divisions, different peaks in holiday mean there may be times when your team is missing large swathes of people.

Not only does this reduce your department’s capabilities, but it could also mean key expertise are temporarily missing from the company. Gaps in the workforce can send productivity plummeting, and often require those still working to pitch in longer hours to meet deadlines.

Expedite content creation with BAM by Papirfly™

For fast-paced marketing teams already facing shrinking budgets, delivering the variety of content at the volume required is already a mammoth undertaking. With the added disruption that peak vacation periods can bring, this challenge only gets harder.

• Create on-style assets at pace with zero design experience using BAM’s smart templates and introduce a new era of consistency to your employer brand.
• Get crucial details correct every time with in-built PIM and ERP integration tools; perfect for retailers creating custom offers or their own catalogue
• Localise collateral in just a few clicks to ensure your message resonates with stakeholders all over the world.

Simplify project management with monday.com

To meet quotas and deadlines, planning is crucial – without a clear roadmap, teams can get lost, jobs can get missed and valuable time is lost. However, project management can be a lengthy exercise in and of itself.

To prevent this crucial task from further disrupting operations when teams are light on the ground, monday.com is a comprehensive project management tool that can streamline this process from start to finish.

• Easily plan, track and monitor the progress of projects in a single digital place.
• Identify and tackle roadblocks in advance before they cause issues.
• Oversee projects at a glance to make crucial decisions with confidence.

Maintain your employer brand with ease using Personio

When the clock is ticking, and your marketing team is understaffed, it can be tempting to let candidate tracking take a backseat. However, an employer brand seen to be inactive can have a huge negative impact on how it’s perceived.

To keep job seekers all over the world engaged throughout the peak vacation season, Personio is a digital applicant tracking platform that focuses on simplifying and accelerating the recruitment process.

• Automatically collate applicant details into a single, digital profile and tag strengths and weaknesses to identify top talent with ease.
• Save time by using templates for invitations and rejections, and keep job seekers up to date at every step.
• Access a detailed analytics dashboard to monitor stats, such as time-to-hire and cost-per-hire.

Platforms to centralise files

As well as reducing the time it takes to carry out certain tasks, such as content creation and applicant tracking, another way to cope with a smaller workforce during peak vacation season is to centralise files.

The last thing you want is to rely solely upon a certain colleague or office for files. Not only does this take time out of the sender’s day, but you may also be unable to access what you need when they are away from their desk.

Store files in one place with BAM

By using a Digital Asset Management (DAM) system, and storing everything teams need in a central place, there’s never a scenario where work has to come to a halt because crucial files are inaccessible.

Alongside BAM’s powerful suite of content creation tools, the in-built DAM is packed full of handy time-saving features for any marketing team.

• Easily find the content you’re looking for with advanced filters and assemble retail promotions with speed and confidence.
• Assign permissions to individual users to give your fiercest advocates the content they need to evangelise your employer brand.
• Send and save files easily to ensure your international offices have the content they need to present a unified image.

Don’t let the peak vacation period send deadlines spiralling

For marketing teams that may already be contending with tighter budgets, holiday time can seem like an insurmountable hurdle to overcome. 

However, with the right tools, you can take charge, regain control and deliver the output you need on time, in budget and without the need to work long hours or limit holiday allowances.

To learn more about BAM and how it can help streamline content creation, centralise assets and keep up during peak vacation season, learn more online or book a demo today.

TikTok has taken the social media scene by storm garnering 689 million users by 2021. Immediately after launching, it landed especially well with younger generations with quick-fire viral dance routines, lip-sync videos and challenges.

But if you think TikTok is just for teenagers, think again. Artists, celebrities, publishers, influencers and global brands are now capitalising on its potential.

The social platform might seem like it has a secret formula for creating overnight success, but in the words of TikTok themselves, the app is driven by a simple mantra to ‘Inspire Creativity and Bring Joy’. In this article, we unpack what that means and explain how it can be translated into five real-world marketing lessons.

#1 Content quality over production quality

The TikTok formula

TikTok creators embrace whatever filming conditions they are presented with on the day and generally don’t spend time and budget on professional sets and lighting. That’s because they know their audiences are more interested in seeing the content itself and are less concerned with its production value.

Actionable takeout for marketers

While a global brand might not want to put their name to anything that looks unprofessional, the lesson here is that it’s not the most important thing audiences care about. The kind of authenticity that comes with low budget production can even add a certain charm to your content.

Focus on the single idea that your brand needs to get across and bring it to life from there. Think of your idea as the foundation for your content, rather than prioritising what it looks like. This goes for videos with budgets big and small.

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#2 Make every second count

The TikTok formula

The perfect platform for short attention spans, TikTok keeps viewers coming back for more with bite-sized chunks of highly engaging content. With videos between 15 seconds and a minute in length, creating successful content for TikTok is an exercise in keeping things concise and getting to the point. This leaves no room to deviate from a subject or go off on long rambling stories. Done well, it’s quick, punchy and much more powerful.

The average consumer attention span is approximately 8 seconds (Microsoft)

Actionable takeout for marketers

The trick is to keep it simple. By making sure that your content follows a single, clear narrative from start to finish, your audience is more likely to remember the message you are trying to get across. This is easier said than done when the content you are creating isn’t confined to the time limits of TikTok, but it applies to almost any kind of marketing material that you are producing.

Avoid the temptation to cram in extra messaging just because you can. Time-poor audiences expect short-form content, and you have a much better chance of getting through to them with one clear message in comparison to many different points. Think of the old analogy of catching tennis balls. One or two at a time is easy enough but when you get a barrage of them you’re likely to drop them all.

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#3 Tell your audience something they don’t know

The TikTok formula

The most successful TikTok creators tend to stick to a specific niche and get creative within them. In fact, it’s arguably the most niche-driven content creation platform out there. When people tune into a particular creator, they are doing so to see content that’s focused on something very specific.

Actionable takeout for marketers

As you gain a following based on the type of content you’re creating, your audience will come to expect a certain amount of consistency. Being generic might seem like an effective way of reaching the most people but, in reality, it can make your content seem out of place or remove what initially attracted your hard-earned following.

Carving out a niche is a great way to ensure that your content is providing something useful. It should set the direction of everything you create and be driven by an in-depth understanding of the audiences you are trying to reach.

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#4 Be the first

The TikTok formula

TikTok’s ‘For You’ page is where many creators look to find ideas for their next post. However, the platform also lends itself well to trying out something different and has seen many irreverent, off-the-cuff videos become the next big trend.

Actionable takeout for marketers

Jumping on a trend can be hugely beneficial and has the potential to be the starting point of a string of successful content. However, your marketing strategy doesn’t have to become attached to what’s already been tried and tested.

Get inspired to create something original. Starting from scratch can sometimes be daunting, or just too time-consuming, so if you’re stuck for ideas, try looking at existing trends or content you’ve already created and adding to it in a new way.

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#5 Build a relationship with your audience

The TikTok formula

Part of the reason that TikTok has more than 2billiion total downloads is its capability to capture and show off the authenticity of users. No matter how many thousands of followers the platform’s top creators have earned, they still understand the value in throw-away content, often shot at home. In comparison to other social media platforms, there is a trend to focus on fun, relatable content in favour of showing off unattainable lifestyles at glamorous locations.

Actionable takeout for marketers

Your content may have the core purpose of driving sales, but that doesn’t mean there is no room to show your brand’s true personality in what you create. Authenticity drives credibility by instilling trust in audiences and resonating with them on a more personal level. 

To make a brand appear authentic, marketers need to create content that’s consistent with its identity and key values. Content that’s inconsistent can leave brand messaging open to different interpretations, lack clarity and lose the trust of its audience.

In summary

• Focus on the quality of your ideas, not just production value
• Know when to keep it snappy and get to the point 
• Create content that serves a purpose for your audience
• Don’t be afraid to try something different
• Let your brand’s true personality shine

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Find the formula for your next campaign

Of course, there is no definite formula for success. As TikTok proves in its billions of interactions, what’s in trend can change by the minute. So, if you’re going to have any chance of getting ahead, you need a marketing platform that allows you to create a steady stream of consistent content and react fast to changes in the market.

With a suite of asset creation features, BAM by Papirfly™ can help your teams do just that, and in a matter of minutes. Plus, you can ensure that everything they produce is on-brand by using bespoke templates.

Don’t miss another moment. Book your live demo today.

As key players in the thriving industry of marketing technology, we all have a great deal to celebrate in 2022. The first annual International MarTech Day marks how everyday marketing operations for global brands have been transformed by talented and innovative SaaS teams worldwide.

Worth 122 billion dollars, the MarTech landscape is growing at a rate of 22% each year. With 8,000 different solutions identified in the 2020 State of MarTech report by Scott Brinker – the ‘Godfather of MarTech’ and natural co-founder of this new annual celebration – companies find themselves spoiled for choice. 

Brands have never had so many options to help create a satisfying stack of MarTech solutions. As product providers challenge one another to raise the bar in their offerings, a seemingly endless number of solutions can pose a problem. In the short-term, the people in charge of the marketing budget decisions must find the combo of the right solutions that bring true long-term value. 

Helping brands land immediate strategies is an essential role all MarTech should play. The next step is to provide solutions that empower brands to advance future ambitions. This next phase is a call to action for visionary leaders to emerge in the industry, creating a clearer picture of the must-have solutions to be included in any MarTech stack.

MarTech must offer a bird’s-eye view in 2022

Every brand is in an increasingly crowded marketplace. Solutions must serve brands in a way that supports activating brand identity and maintains a consistent, positive customer experience. Marketing teams must remove workflow barriers to attract new prospects, whilst nurturing the cycle of trust of existing loyal relationships.

As a brand gets bigger, the production bottlenecks, duplications of work and costly miscommunications can increase. This blocks a clear and unique brand encounter from being fully experienced with target audiences – customers, employees, stakeholders or the wider public. There is also a clear time, energy and cost drain here. The best people need to stay onboard to help a company stay on-brand. Giving individuals the right tools to thrive in their roles has never been more important.

Today provides an opportunity for all brand leaders and MarTech teams to ask if the technologies on the table truly support the longevity of a brand. So-called ‘solutions’ must genuinely contribute to: 

A positive ecosystem for talent

Every tool must positively support brand strategy and organisational goals. Less systems that do more could be the answer, as a brand’s MarTech should be working to serve its people – not the other way around.

Improving workflows to support better communication, data-gathering and targeted messaging creates more space for individuals to thrive in their roles. As a result, the employer brand is elevated when a company creates these conditions for its people. Teams are more likely to attract and retain employees devoted to such a brand.

Complete consistency and brand governance

Achieving a bird’s-eye view over the entire brand identity must be a constant goal for every brand. How teams are using implemented systems must be monitored to confirm the value they give. Uncomplicated approval processes across every location should always support strategy.

For example, consider a Brand Activation Management (BAM) plan of action – the cross-channel approach to create the awareness, engagement and overall experience for potential and existing customers. Access to clear brand guidelines is essential. Pre-defined material for on-brand asset creation with swift sign-off procedures helps deliver the brand experience fast and with flexibility and transparency. Every person must be empowered to champion the brand. Every piece of MarTech must support its people in doing so at every level, with no compromises. 

An investment in relationships that deliver ROI

Off-the-shelf solutions can make immediate impacts. Yet considering the ambitions of both brands – the customer and the MarTech solution – being a collaborative extension to each other’s team is better. The customers meet their goals by the solution provider taking action on identified needs. Something only a close relationship can provide for the best results.

Simply put, ‘shiny new object syndrome’ must be overcome to improve ROI. Prioritising positive relationships with expert collaborators creates a sense of longevity. After all, the success of both brands are interdependent – a mutual relationship where both teams win (or lose) together.

 As we think about these key points, it’s clear the ‘must-haves’ in future MarTech stacks will be those solutions that demonstrate such leadership. Supporting the creation of deep, long-term foundations. Confidently building brands’ ability to reach greater heights. 

Leading the way within MarTech

In order to stand out in MarTech, standing still is not an option. If you keep doing the same thing for too long – no matter how well you do it – someone will overtake you. Being inspired by competitors, not being afraid to make mistakes and constantly innovating products from lessons learned are essential survival skills. This likely means we will see more partnering of MarTech brands whose visions align. 

Papirfly Group has been empowering brands for over 20 years, preceding Scott Brinker’s first report by over a decade. Having recently brought the powerful MarTech brands of Papirfly and Brandmaster together – and other dynamic, aligned solutions – we also began this year with new growth-investment partners. Awarded the title of Best Growth Manager at the PE Wire European Awards 2022, Verdane brings expertise, support and a common belief in our potential.

This is excellent news for IBM, Unilever, Coca-Cola and the 200+ brands we are proud to serve. Our Product Marketing Manager, Frank Tommy Brotke, offers some insights which help outline why the one-stop-shop solution of BAM is becoming an essential inclusion within the MarTech stacks of forward-thinking brands:

BAM is a must-have solution for any brand’s MarTech stack

Tools that contribute to a positive ecosystem give everyday value and unleash team potential. The emergence of Brand Activation Management as a category has seen Papirfly Group’s own talent excel. Our product experts and customer success teams regularly innovate and evolve our service offerings – supporting customers to build their unique brands in a better way than ever before.

A brand portal as a hub for all identity guidelines. A platform for pre-approved templates for asset creation. A home for approval processes that contribute to a governing aerial perspective. As proud leaders in this category, our all-in-one BAM software leads the competition in providing these essential solutions.

A digital asset management system where locked-down brand media are stored and shared is taken one step further. Working closely with our customers we create predefined templates. Every employee can deliver the assets they need in a short space of time. Now, on-brand assets such as images, videos, emails, POS and print material can be created within minutes. All inside one cloud-based solution so reviews, revisions and sign-offs can be actioned swiftly.

Costs and time-drains of dealing with agencies are eliminated, as are bottlenecks. In fact, no specialist design experience is needed. No single-point asset creator is required. The fully internal approval process adds the flexibility to respond to events, whether within a brand’s industry or the wider world. 

Our global reach has taught us the demands of different regions. The intuitive interface of our templates sets us apart, as it gives flexibility to serve every location. Culturally relevant imagery and language translation is no longer a problem. Creating hyper-local messaging for retail, employer brand or corporate communication purposes is simple. Our BAM solution truly serves the long-term future of brands globally. And, like many MarTech brands, we have the innovation of the industry to thank for pushing us to reach our potential.

A year is a long time in MarTech…

It’s difficult to predict exactly what the landscape will look like on the next International MarTech Day. We fully intend to remain leaders in Brand Activation Management, whilst we’ll respectfully be looking over our shoulder at our competitors.

Like all MarTech businesses, we welcome the challenge to constantly raise the bar. We should all be a voice in a rallying call for MarTech companies to take the lead and unleash their creativity and potential. In doing so we can inspire one another to deliver the changes that will ensure all brands can create strong foundations for many years to come.

This attitude will mean that those of us that continue to thrive will deservedly keep raising a glass to one another at this time, every year. 

With a skål from our home in Scandinavia – Happy International MarTech Day everyone!

Marketing is a precise science that marries creativity and originality with data to drive sales and leads. However, insights aren’t the only piece of the marketing puzzle – psychology is a key consideration behind countless campaigns new and old.

While our tastes and preferences in everything from food to clothing are subjective, the way we think is more objective. Sure, you may like jumpers while your colleague prefers shirts. However, the way you both decide where to buy your favourite clothes is similar.

To drive success in a digital space saturated with tons of content, many leading brands pay close attention to psychology to increase the success of their marketing efforts. With a greater understanding of how we think, businesses can work to attract customers more effectively. 

While dozens of behavioural science terms can apply to marketing, here we delve into six key examples and discuss what lessons you can learn to benefit your brand and shape future strategies.

1. Loss aversion

What is it?

The thought of losing something weighs more on our minds than the proposition of gaining something. As a result, most of us will make a decision to avert losses any way we can.

Although this may seem a rational way of thinking, especially for riskier choices, the extent of this bias is visible in even the most mundane decisions. As an example, coupons that use wording such as ‘save £5’ are more appealing than those framed as ‘gaining £5’, despite the meaning being identical.

What lesson can I learn?

The main takeaway from the loss aversion bias is to carefully consider how you frame your promotions. Although ‘save’ and ‘gain’ can have the same fundamental value for an offer, our brain weighs one option as more appealing than the other.

Beyond coupons, this loss-oriented mindset can be ingrained within your website in the form of a checkout countdown, for example. When the time limit expires, the customer would ‘lose’ their reserved item, enticing people to make their purchases faster and more consistently. 

The theory

The prospect of losing something is hardwired into how we think. Even the thought of loss triggers a visceral reaction many of us can’t ignore, coaxing us into clicking, buying and sharing. Research suggests that this occurs because areas of the brain associated with ‘value’ are often suppressed when facing potential losses.

For this reason, it’s common to see phrases such as ‘don’t miss out’ and ‘only 3 left in stock’ in adverts and banners that exploit this bias both online and in-store.

2. Status quo bias

What is it?

It’s no secret that many of us find change daunting, risky and unsafe. That’s why we often find the process of starting a new job or moving house a stressful endeavour. However, the status quo bias doesn’t dominate every decision we make – people progress their careers, develop their skills and move to new places all the time. 

As a result, this bias is most often present in the smaller inconsequential decisions we make. From the food we order to the brands we buy from, familiarity is subconsciously at the heart of many of our choices.

What lesson can I learn?

While this bias can make customer onboarding relatively difficult, it will help reduce the effort needed to inspire existing consumers to make another purchase.  

With this in mind, it’s important to strike a healthy balance in your budget between onboarding new prospects and attracting existing customers. The last thing you want to do is commit to one group over the other and stifle either element of your strategy

The theory

There are several factors that make the prospect of change unappealing to people. The first of which is loss aversion bias. To avoid potential losses, many often think they are better off in their current scenario – as the old saying goes, better the devil you know than the one you don’t. 

Another element of the status quo bias is the sunk cost fallacy. This theory suggests that our initial commitment to something means we view hurdles in the way of our chosen goal as inconsequential. In other words, people favour their current situation as they have already invested considerable time and effort, and abandoning it now would mean that energy was wasted.

This is often why people are reluctant to change their car insurance providers or are committed to certain brands, even when faced with objectively better alternatives.

3. Bizarreness effect

What is it?

The bizarreness effect is a simple premise. The more odd and unusual something is, the more memorable it can be. 

While there is no clear-cut metric from which to measure an adverts’ peculiarity, Old Spice’s left-field approach is an example of an unusual and striking modern-day campaign that subverted expectations with its unique humorous tone and radical departure from old branding. 

What lesson can I learn?

The main takeaway from the bizarreness effect is just how effective this method can be at helping your collateral stand out. Instead of adopting the approach that others would typically use, an unconventional twist may help you stand out in a world where the average person is exposed to several thousand adverts every day.

Although it’s hard to truly quantify how memorable the unusual ‘Gorilla’ Dairy Milk advert is, we bet the advert’s peculiar nature and departure from expectation cemented it in the minds of many.

The theory

Our collective ability to recall odd, unusual and bizarre things is rooted in human curiosity and our fundamental interest in the novel or strange. While many don’t remember specifics about their regular daily commute, it’s common for people to be able to cast their minds back to a bizarre memory from years ago. 

This is because these peculiar events and items are, by their nature, rare. When we see something strange and unique, it often has a greater initial impact, allowing us the ability to better recall that information days, months and even years after first seeing it. 

4. Authority bias

What is it?

Although the internet has made the process of purchasing goods more accessible and convenient, it has also presented consumers with limitless choices. With so many options, it’s not uncommon for customers to find themselves unable to decide what and where to buy.

To break this cycle, prospects often rely on the word of an authority to guide their decision. The words from leaders can hold a great deal of weight in our minds as we are taught to listen to authority from birth. 

What lesson can I learn?

Brands, such as Beats by Dre, leverage the popularity of celebrities to drive massive growth. Although it’s hard to determine how much of the company’s success can be attributed to the authority bias, it’s likely to have played a role in the organisation’s appeal and value.    

Of course, celebrity endorsements are out of reach for many organisations. Instead, consider enrolling the aid of influencers to give your brand extra kudos in the eyes of customers.

It may also be worth showcasing merits and accreditations in your marketing materials to demonstrate your expertise as a brand and your reputation as an authority in your field.

The theory

We often follow the letter of authority closely as we are taught from birth to respect and listen to role models. As a result, the words that experts and authority figures speak carry more weight, often allowing these individuals the ability to inspire action and emotions those without the status rarely can.

With this in mind, it’s no wonder why influencer marketing is so popular and thought leadership status is so coveted.

5. Herd behaviour

What is it?

Although individuality is something we pride ourselves on, we’re also genetically compelled to ‘follow the herd’. While many of us will walk different paths in life, we also collectively conform to trends in fashion, food and technology to varying degrees.

Many brands leverage herd behaviour as a way of encouraging certain actions by showing people that ‘others like them’ are doing it too. This is why a growing number of successful online retailers feature a ‘people like you also bought’ section on their websites.  

What lesson can I learn?

One way to leverage herd behaviour in your campaigns is by featuring customer reviews prominently in your campaign. By sharing both the star rating and the volume of reviews, it can make your brand come across as more trustworthy and desirable. 

Beyond that, by showcasing how many people purchased something on your website, you can help give further credence to your offering.

The theory

Our compulsion to ‘fit in’ and follow trends is likely rooted in our ancestors’ age-old survival instinct. In order to live at a time when humans were not at the top of the food chain, it often meant banding together and following the crowd. Strength in numbers, as the old saying goes.  

Although modern society is significantly less dangerous today, herd behaviour still subconsciously drives some of our choices, such as where we shop and what we buy.  

6. IKEA effect

What is it?

The so-called IKEA effect is an observation that describes the heightened sense of value and connection that customers feel to a product that they’ve built themselves.

Although you may initially think that DIY would serve as an inconvenience for customers, getting people hands-on to build their own products can associate the rewarding feeling of accomplishment with your brand and goods.  

What lesson can I learn?

Although the IKEA effect is a potent strategy for products, it can also be adapted to benefit your digital marketing strategy.

From fan art to follower reactions, sharing user-generated content (UGC) on your channels allows supporters to author content that contributes to the story of a company they admire, strengthening the bond between you and your consumers.

Netflix is one company that leverages UGC to form a bond with its community and shape itself as a personable and friendly brand. Instead of coming across as a corporate entity, the streaming giant is more akin to a friend that recommends movies. 

The theory

We assign a greater value to products that we have built ourselves because these DIY items provide us with a way of demonstrating our competency. A desire to be self-sufficient is baked within our DNA and is a deep psychological need that the IKEA effect fulfils.

With this in mind, it’s not surprising to see why organisations are increasingly relying on customers to build their own goods and contribute to their favourite brands’ stories with homebrew fan art and reactions.

Examples of behavioural science used by brands

Sensodyne’s dentist testimonials

Sensodyne, a popular toothpaste brand, is an example of one company that effectively uses authority bias throughout its marketing materials to build trust and inspire sales.

To do this, many of Sensodyne’s adverts focus on video testimonials from real doctors and dentists that speak about the importance of healthy teeth and gums, and how Sensodyne toothpaste can help achieve this. Because we are naturally inclined to listen to authority, the campaigns’ message carries a greater weight in our minds.

Zara’s fashion strategy

Behavioural science isn’t limited to use in just marketing materials, it can also be leveraged with great effect across all facets of a business. Zara, a popular online and in-store fashion retailer, employs loss-aversion tactics in their manufacturing process to drive up sales of their garments.

To do this, the fashion brand creates hundreds of different designs but makes them in relatively small quantities. This means new designs have an air of exclusivity about them, encouraging customers to purchase goods upon their visit or risk them being out of stock down the line.

Amazon’s trending products

Lastly, online retail giant, Amazon, proves how effective herd behaviour can be when implemented cleverly throughout a website. As well as prominently displaying the rating and amount of reviews a product has, the site also features a ‘people like you also bought’ section below all products. 

Both of these functions take advantage of herd behaviour as they readily display what people thought about certain products, and what others bought. This, in turn, taps into our compulsion to ‘follow the herd’, which encourages people to make purchases.

Leveraging the benefits of behavioural science in marketing

From carefully phrased wording that taps into our loss aversion bias, to influencer marketing that appeals to our desire for authority, there are a variety of behavioural approaches we’ve discussed that can help send your campaigns soaring without additional cost.    

However, for many marketing teams, knowing is only the first step. The real challenge can often come when trying to weave new strategies into the existing marketing workflow without disrupting output.

Faced with an impossible situation, does your team opt to put the new strategies discussed on the backburner and continue focusing on output. Or, do you choose to let content take a backseat while you implement new learnings?

The answer? Neither. To expedite the construction and organisation of assets and give your team the time to plan ahead, BAM by Papirfly™ is an all-in-one platform that can:

If you’d like to see more ways our smart all-in-one platform can give your team the tools to expedite content creation and revolutionise your marketing approach, get in touch today or book a demo online.