WeWork has imploded. Why are we so vulnerable to the cult of the startup?

Opinion Nine years and 46 million square feet after its first branch opened in SoHo, New York, WeWork has been found out. Its IPO implosion was the logical end to an eventful 10 month period that began with a cool billion raised in series H funding, and progressed to a confusing S-1 filing, claims of corporate misgovernance, a massive valuation drop and the resignation of its CEO. Whether WeWork survives this remains to be seen. For now, it’s a case of another ‘disruptor’,...

1 November 2019 | Branding

How to make a heritage brand relevant today: A guide

In today’s disrupted world even the most established brands can’t stand still. The best heritage brands have to blend innovation with tradition – after all it is this ability to continually evolve and adapt that has kept them in business so long. But how do organisations that have so much history look to the future with their branding?  How much do you take from the past and when does heritage weigh you down rather than elevate your message?

New branding for a...

28 October 2019 | Branding

Why CMOs can show the route to a unified data approach within professional services firms

Business practices completely based on precedent can no longer be relied on with today’s market dynamics. The professional services landscape is increasingly client-centric, meaning organisations need to constantly evaluate their business models, leverage the data at their disposal and prioritise effective collaboration to remain competitive.

Deloitte’s recent survey of chief marketing officers revealed that many organisations are implementing artificial intelligence...

3 October 2019 | Case Studies

Case study: How omnichannel communication could bring benefits to social housing

“Many people living in England’s four million social homes feel ignored and stigmatised, too often treated with a lack of respect by landlords who appear remote, unaccountable and uninterested in meeting their needs.”

This is the damning verdict of the UK government’s social housing Green Paper, “A New Deal for Social Housing”, which sets out the government’s aim to rebalance the relationship between landlords and tenants.

In the...

28 August 2019 | Attribution

A pertinent question: Do we put convenience before ethics when it comes to brand loyalty?

Most of us would like to believe that sound ethics and corporate responsibility is important to us when choosing a brand. But how many of us would say it matters more than convenience and cost?

We may not like to admit it, but it is purpose that attracts us to a brand. To grab the attention of consumers and progress past the courting phase of a relationship, a brand has to convince people that its purpose will meet their needs. If the goal is to provide things quickly and cheaply,...

16 July 2019 | Branding

How Gen Z is changing the rules of social: Moving from demographics to true communities

Social media usage continues to evolve at a rapid rate – and as Generation Z continues to flood into the working world, its applications for both users and brands who wish to take advantage of it come into much sharper focus.

That is the idea behind the first in a new series of reports from ZAK, a London-based creative agency which purports to ‘create big brand ideas that engage under 30s’, in its own words. The first paper explores the disparity between mainstream...

3 July 2019 | Case Studies

The age of engagement: Why brands need to interact with customers as individuals

Last month, McDonald’s announced its $300m acquisition of artificial intelligence company Dynamic Yield – a machine learning specialist founded seven years ago - in a rare move for the company. For years the burger giant has avoided acquisitions.

The technology will allow McDonald’s to customise its menu displays based on variables such as weather and the time of day — milkshakes in the summer or McMuffins before 11am.

Dynamic Yield’s technology...

29 April 2019 | Advertising Technology

How to plan content for the digital product buyer’s journey: A guide

When it comes to selecting digital products, consumers today tend to shop around a fair amount and conduct substantial research before making a purchase. There are simply too many options on the market to pick a product randomly.

In order to sell a digital product, your content must answer the buyer’s burning questions and fit into their purchasing journey. Let your content be the place they turn to for answers about the products they’re evaluating.

Here are four...

16 April 2019 | Case Studies

Mind your language: Using multilingual websites to increase eCommerce engagement

In the quest for customers the battlegrounds for online retailers tend to be rooted in SEO, PPC campaigns and, for those who can afford it, above-the-line ad campaigns. But there are also more organic ways to increase engagement and conversions via a website, particularly where international brands are concerned.

One technique that is often disregarded by all but the biggest players due to fears over cost and complexity is a true multilingual online retail...

7 March 2019 | Advertising Technology

For brands with purpose, the future is authentic

Brands are increasingly expected to make a difference to more than the corporate bottom line. Organisations have been so successful at articulating their brand values, that brand leaders now feel the weight of consumer expectation to make a positive difference in the world – environmentally, socially, politically. This expectation is reshaping brand marketing, requiring a new authenticity, new channels, new technologies—and fundamentally, a new attitude to brand...

25 February 2019 | Best Practice