Ever since Old Spice stunned the marketing world with the success of its witty series of videos responding to people’s blogs, comments and Tweets, the marketing world has been bracing itself for a glut of copycats. After all, when a campaign generates 40 million interactions and skyrockets sales 107% in one month, it’s no wonder brands will be falling over themselves to rediscover its magic formula.

But whilst the Old Spice campaign might appear simple to replicate, the fact is that there’s a range of factors that contributed to its success. Miss any of these out and you risk your imitation campaign becoming a source of embarrassment rather than pride.

Cisco presents…Ted from Accounts Payable

Two weeks ago Cisco launched a campaign aping Old Spice, but with Ted from Accounts Payable answering questions instead of a chiselled ex-American Football player. The campaign consisted of a modest 18 videos, compared to Old Spice’s 180+, and attracted a similarly modest number of views.

Cisco’s in-house marketing team probably saw it as a fun, spur of the moment way of latching onto Old Spice’s success to generate interest in its brand. But based on the comments and feedback, people who’ve seen the videos appear to think otherwise.

Being the first brand to ‘do an Old Spice’ was always going to be risky. People have been waiting to see which brand will be first to try and jump on the bandwagon, and are eager to knock it off if they think the campaign is a ‘#fail’.

These are a few reasons why I think Cisco’s campaign annoyed people:

Parody doesn’t go far enough – Cisco made it clear that they were aping Old Spice, but they didn’t do anything that would encourage anybody to take notice. They didn’t add anything or take the parody far enough, leaving people scratching their heads and wondering ‘what’s the point?’

Lack of build up or promotion – Old Spice had been building momentum since screening their advert at the Super Bowl in February, whilst Cisco merely promoted their videos through their corporate blog and disparate Twitter feeds. The campaign might have been a spur of the moment idea, but it would have benefited from more planning and promotion before its execution.

The campaign didn’t resonate – People wanted to engage with the Old Spice campaign. They thought the ‘Old Spice Guy’ was witty, likeable and even celebrities clamoured for a brief share of his attention. Who cares what Ted from Accounts Payable thinks?

Who was the campaign aimed at? – Old Spice wanted to reposition a fuddy duddy brand as fun and trendy to a younger demographic. A sales increase of 100%+ would suggest that they succeeded. Cisco sells routers and computer networking devices to businesses. I’m not sure how Ted from Accounts answering questions in a towel will influence an IT manager’s buying decisions?

The lesson for any brand wishing to imitate Old Spice is that you need to think carefully about how you use social media. You need to consider which platforms your customers are using; how you can introduce your campaign to them and in a way that makes people want to engage with it. Posting witty videos on YouTube might have worked for Old Spice, but there are plenty of ways you can use social media to your marketing advantage.

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BDA (Buckingham Design Associates) blog – real people giving real opinions, and a complete lack of agency waffle. Award winners BDA deliver an exciting blend of design and creative marketing for the Oxford, Milton Keynes, Northampton and London region.

It’s tough for graduates out there: we’ve just come out of a torrid recession, 1000s of public sector jobs are to be axed and there are 70 of you competing for every role.

It’s certainly a challenging time to be looking for work. But you can boost your chances of getting an interview by using the internet to promote your personal brand to employers.

Blogs, Facebook and Twitter give you the tools you need to project the image of a proactive, passionate and enthusiastic up and coming professional that employers should be fighting over to get in their organisation.

How to build your personal brand

Facebook – It’s no secret that employers now use Facebook to screen candidates. But before you rush off to lock your profile from prying eyes, Facebook can be used to your advantage. Update your public details to give employers a positive impression, such as information on your work experience, hobbies, interests and qualifications. In the ‘About me’ section write a positive, inspiring branding statement that reflects why employers should give you an interview. Replacing your profile photo of you wearing a traffic cone with one in which you look smart, responsible and sober is also a good idea.

LinkedIn – Your old school and university friends are a good starting point for building your professional network. In particular, connect with those who graduated in previous years and are already active in the workplace. You never know who’ll be able to point you towards a job opening or can put in a good word for you. Join discussion groups related to the industries you’re interested to get some insight into the hot topics and to ask astute questions – you never know who might have an opening for a proactive graduate.

Blogging – Blogs are great for expressing your passion and interest in the profession you’d like to get into. You can also use it as an online resume, with pages on your employment history and interests. There are plenty of sites where you can start a blog for free (e.g. Wordpress.com) which enable you to be up and blogging in minutes.

Twitter – Sharing links to your blog, reTweeting experts in your industry and posting links to relevant news stories will help to build your exposure amongst professionals in your targeted industry. Following experts in your field to get you an insight into the key trends and if they follow you back, you never know, it might lead to a job opportunity.

Whether you’re a graduate, school leaver or have recently been made redundant, finding a job at the moment isn’t going to be easy. But social media can give you a platform to demonstrate the enthusiasm, passion and proactive attitude that will tick all the right boxes with employers and push you further to the front of the queue.

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BDA (Buckingham Design Associates) blog – real people giving real opinions, and a complete lack of agency waffle. BDA deliver an exciting blend of design and creative marketing for the Oxford, Milton Keynes, Northampton and London region.

If you hadn’t noticed from the deluge of patriotic themed TV ads, the World Cup is upon us and is set to be the biggest cash bonanza ever.

In fact, its organisers hope to swell their pockets with a sweet $1 billion from TV rights, marketing and merchandise by the time the final whistle has blown. But it’s not been all plain sailing, with their choice of sponsors coming into question.

Campaigners say that having McDonalds, Budweiser and Coca Cola is counterproductive to the World Cup’s ability to inspire active, healthy lifestyles in our youth and combat childhood obesity. And I tend to agree with them.

Whilst the Cup’s organisers are well within their rights to secure the most lucrative deals, I think they should have considered the impact having sponsors with negative associations will have on the World Cup’s brand message.

The benefits of event sponsorship

Sponsoring an event can be marketing gold. It can:

• Raise brand awareness, credibility and prestige
• Link the positive associations people have of an event with your brand
• Reach your target audience in an unobtrusive way
• Gain social currency as being seen as helping an event to take place
• Capitalise on consumer interest in the event
• Influence people’s buying behaviour and increase sales

Whilst event sponsorship is great for brands, event organisers should consider whether their sponsors are relevant and support the image the want to promote.

Yes, the World Cup’s organisers will reap in millions, which can go towards improving the event taking place and fund future development projects. But will having unhealthy products associated dampen the World Cup’s image in people’s minds?

When people see the McDonalds logo emblazoned on posters of football’s greatest players will it inspire thoughts of athleticism, skill and determination? Or will it conjure images of couch potatoes sat at home gorging on fast food and beer whilst watching the football?

Developing a brand message is a complicated business. Careful consideration is needed of every facet and factor that contributes to how it’s perceived. I have to wonder whether the World Cup’s organisers considered this when choosing their sponsors, or just chose those waving the fattest cheque?

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BDA (Buckingham Design Associates) blog – real people giving real opinions, and a complete lack of agency waffle. BDA deliver an exciting blend of design and creative marketing for the Oxford, Milton Keynes, Northampton and London region.

The 2012 Olympics’ mascots have been unveiled and, predictably, they’ve been met with catcalls of derision by the British public. Whilst their creators see them as ‘futuristic, magical beings’, others think the lovechildren of a CCTV camera and a Teletubbie is closer to the mark.

The mascots’ case isn’t helped when people hear that they took 18 months, 40 focus groups and a rumoured £400,000 to design (although the estimated £15 million from licensing deals and sales of keyrings and T-shirts will help to soften the blow).

So what do I think of them? Whilst at first glance they might appear juvenile and more like something out of a Japanese cartoon than a true reflection of Britain, they do achieve their designers’ primary aim – and that’s appealing to children and building their interest in the Olympics.

The mascots do, actually, tick quite a few key boxes when it comes to mascot design…except for one.

The renaissance of branded mascots

Along with your slogan and logo, mascot’s can be a powerful way of building your brand identity. In fact, they’re experiencing a bit of a renaissance at the moment as a way of giving an otherwise cold, robotic website a personality.

Mascots can be great for offline brand building too. People’s visual memory is much better than it is for text. So people are more likely to remember you when they see your mascot rather than your company name.

Mascots are also an effective way of expressing your brand values and helping you to stand out from competitors. Comparethemarket.com’s dressing gown wearing meerkat is a perfect example.

How do I design a mascot?

Mascots are designed to make your brand seem fun, inviting and friendly. So they’re typically caricatures of animals, people or bizarre looking creatures. Bizarre can often be the best option because then you know your mascot is unique and more easily recognisable, which is where the Olympics’ mascots get top marks in my book.

When designing your mascot you need to think what type of animal or person will best reflect your brand values or personality. A beaver with a tool belt, for example, is ideal if you’re a carpenter, whilst a lion is a popular choice for portray yourselves as kings in your field. Adding clothes and accessories also helps to convey what your company is all about.

As in the real world, people will gauge what your mascot’s personality is based on its expression. So it should be smiling if you want to come across as friendly and with a faraway look if you want to come across as determined. And I think this is where the 2012 Olympics’ mascots slip up – because I’m not sure how many easily you can express your personality with just one eye.

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BDA (Buckingham Design Associates) blog – real people giving real opinions, and a complete lack of agency waffle. BDA deliver an exciting blend of design and creative marketing for the Oxford, Milton Keynes, Northampton and London region.

It might be little more than six words long, but a strapline is as important to your brand’s identity as your logo. It should reflect your values, your expertise and what you have to offer customers. With so much to fit in so few words, thinking up straplines isn’t easy. Get it wrong and it could dampen your image for years, which is why brands will happily spend a king’s ransom to get it right.

M&S’s latest slogan, ‘Just Because’, is currently under the marketing spotlight after the supermarket chain revamped its food advertising. Whilst everyone agrees an update was needed, with its old ‘food porn’ ads now so frequently parodied they can no longer be taken seriously, opinions are divided on the ‘Just because’ slogan. Does it make M&S sound special? Or does it fail to differentiate it enough from its competitors?

Personally, I think it sounds more like something you’d say to an overly inquisitive child than an assertion of quality. But then, I’m sure M&S have done their research.

Strapline writing tips

Your strapline should be memorable, catchy and creative. Oh, and did I mention it shouldn’t be more than six words? So as you can imagine, creating an inspiring strapline that builds confidence in your brand is no mean feat.

So how do you go about it? Well, a good place to start is to jot down a list of words that describe your business and another list on what benefits you offer to customers. Then try mixing and matching words and ideas to mould a concise, punchy sentence that reflects your brand’s identity. Easier said than done, I know.

But before you go plastering your favourite creation all over your stationary, test it out on customers and suppliers first. They’ll be able to tell you whether they think it reflects what your brand is all about, or whether you need some more brainstorming.

A few of bda’s favourites:

• Nike ‘Just Do It’ – As concise a projection of brand values as you’re ever likely to hear
• Stella Artois ‘Reassuringly Expensive’ – A great example of using a high price as a USP
• Ronseal ‘It does exactly what it says on the tin’ – A no nonsense appeal to its practically minded target customer
• De Beers ‘A diamond is forever’ – A persuasive sales argument that emphasizes the timelessness of its product
• Heinz ‘Beanz Meinz Heinz’ –Written over two pints of beer in 1967. It went on to become one of the best known straplines in advertising, and was even wheeled out and used in a campaign only last year.

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BDA (Buckingham Design Associates) blog – real people giving real opinions, and a complete lack of agency waffle. BDA deliver an exciting blend of design and creative marketing for the Oxford, Milton Keynes, Northampton and London region.

“As Tiger takes a break from the public eye, we will support his desire for privacy by limiting his role in our marketing programs.” – A Gillette statement as expertly spun as a Tiger Woods chip

Only two months ago Tiger Woods was being hailed as the world’s first billion dollar sportsman. Well, since then he certainly hasn’t been behaving like a billion dollar brand. As the criticism grew the more silent he became in what is a worsening PR disaster for the troubled golfer.

Going silent in a crisis might have worked in a time when you could control the messages being spun in the media. Not so now. The power of social media means people can spread rumours and opinions at a startling rate. Which is why speaking out in a crisis is vital, otherwise inaccurate claims go unchallenged and silence is equated to guilt.

Social media has sped up the need for crisis marketing

Whether it’s sharing opinions on Russell Brand, Jan Moir or BA’s cabin crews, it seems as though every week there’s another story being driven by what people are saying online. Nowadays people rush to comment, Tweet, join Facebook groups and angrily hammer out blog posts to fan the flames of that week’s raging debate.

Much of what’s written isn’t fact checked or balanced, with many false claims accepted as truth. So you must speak up and be part of the debate if you want to challenge inaccuracies and diffuse negativity.

But first you must have a marketing plan in place for when a crisis occurs.

How to market in a crisis

Listen – Before you can respond to criticism you have to be able to hear it. So you’ll need to set up listening posts in the form of RSS feeds for Google, Twitter, YouTube and anywhere else you think your brand name might be mentioned. You’ll then be able to listen to what’s being said so you can prepare your response.

Respond – Paralysing in a crisis isn’t going to win you friends. So you should aim to respond to an outbreak within 24 hours. In this era of transparency and sharing of information, denial will only backfire. Instead you should acknowledge the situation, explain why it has occurred and say what you’re doing to put it right.

When responding you could follow Dominos’ example and post a YouTube video (the most appropriate response in its case), start Tweeting or send out a press release. Publishing a statement on your website is a must.

Make sure you have a process for approving anything you publish and stick to a consistent message. Impulsive, off the cuff comments can live for a long time online, no matter how quickly you try to delete them after.

Prepare for a successful relaunch

In 1982 US painkiller brand Tylenol faced the disaster of a tampering scare. But through the way its parent company, Johnson & Johnson, handled the situation it emerged more trusted and with a larger market share. This reversal of fortune became known as a Tylenol 180, and is a legendary example of successfully turning a disaster into an opportunity.

When crisis occurs, holding your hands up and saying how you’re going to make things right can actually deepen your customer relationships. You can then start planning for a successful relaunch, because the story of redemption is a powerful one.

With sponsors abandoning him daily, Tiger Woods will need to make his tear filled appearance on Oprah soon, or find another way of relaying what the Tiger brand is now about. The longer he stays silent the more time (potentially) false claims will have to weaken his deteriorating marketing muscle.

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BDA (Buckingham Design Associates) blog – real people giving real opinions, and a complete lack of agency waffle. BDA deliver an exciting blend of design and creative marketing for the Oxford, Milton Keynes, Northampton and London region.

This year the Fairtrade Foundation celebrated its 15^th birthday. Over the years it has helped improve the livelihoods of more than 7 million people throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America. It’s a well respected organisation, fighting a noble cause. But as more shoppers opt for ethical brands, are companies going Fairtrade just for the marketing value?

This week Nestlé announced its Kit Kats (the four fingered variety anyway) are to be made from Fairtrade cocoa. It’s estimated the extra cash will benefit 8000 Ivory Coast farmers, with more funds being poured into education, healthcare and training.

But with Nestlé arguably the UK’s most boycotted company (thanks to their controversial marketing of baby milk), the news has hardly been greeted with universal praise. Nestlé’s critics have come out in force to question whether its gesture is genuine or just a cynical marketing ploy.

Nestlé aren’t the only company to be put under the ethical spotlight this year, with Starbucks, Cadbury and Tate & Lyle now all basking in a Fairtrade certified glow.

Going green is big business

These days you won’t just find ethical shoppers in Bodyshop and buying wicker baskets in specialist boutiques. The ethical market is now big business, with UK shoppers spending 40 billion green pounds last year. Many High St retailers now sell eco fashion ranges, whilst you can fill your home with sustainably made furniture and choose from 45oo Fairtade certified products.

In a recent survey 82% of consumers said they prefer to buy from companies that are socially and environmentally responsible; 23% will do so even if they’re products are more expensive. So it’s no wonder brands are eager to give their marketing an ethical stamp.

‘Green washed’ marketing risks a backlash

In 2007 the Advertising Standards Authority warned that the ‘green’ claims being made in many marketing campaigns might not be authentic. This followed action against a number of car manufacturers for their shaky claims on the ‘clean technology’ used in their cars.

The ASA’s warning seems timely, with so many brands now eager to paint themselves with a green tinted brush. But in the rush to go green many are forgetting the other values that are intrinsic to being seen as ethical: authenticity, honesty and trustworthiness.

As with all claims made in marketing, if brands are seen to be wearing green badges they don’t deserve they risk a backlash when their misdemeanours are exposed. This is why I don’t expect to see a rush of people lifting their embargo on Nestlé products anytime soon.

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BDA (Buckingham Design Associates) blog – real people giving real opinions, and a complete lack of agency waffle. BDA deliver an exciting blend of design and creative marketing for the Oxford, Milton Keynes, Northampton and London region.

Christmas is fast approaching, and with it the rush to get to the shops. But with all the traffic and crowds, you’d be forgiven for staying away and buying your gifts online. Well, this year you can visit some of London’s top retailers from the comfort of home thanks to a new virtual world called NearLondon.

NearLondon offers laser scanned 3D recreations of Oxford St, Regent St and Bond St, with more streets to follow. Many top retailers have signed up to advertise their wares, although they’re currently limited to selling from a shop window. But as NearLondon evolves they’ll be able to house fashion shows, interactive games and virtual concerts in their branded stores.

Does this all sound familiar? Well, NearLondon’s creators have been at pains to point out it isn’t another Second Life, and for good reason too…

Second Life – Not dead, just evolving

It was only two years ago that Second Life was basking in the media spotlight as brands, businesses and even nations rushed to grab their piece of online real estate. In fact, the number of people joining jumped from 450,000 to 4 million in just one year.

But unfortunately Second Life just wasn’t accessible enough for most people, and failed to attract the numbers needed to make it a successful marketing platform. The branded shops and buildings became ghost towns when the crowds failed to materialise and the buzz fizzled out. In many brand managers’ eyes, Second Life is now dead.

However, the site still attracts a million regular users and is now being touted as a platform for online collaboration, virtual meetings and a teaching tool. But it remains to be seen whether Second Life will ever attract the numbers needed to tempt brands back to what was, for many, an expensive experiment.

Will NearLondon be different?

The fact that NearLondon’s creators are already talking about a NearNewYork and NearTokyo shows they’ve got big plans. But will they be able to attract enough shoppers to keep the brands happy?

Criticisms of Second Life have been its awkward controls and the cartoony graphics. In NearLondon, however, you just click around the screen to explore London’s streets which are rendered in detailed 3D graphics similar to the latest video games.

NearLondon is currently on limited release, with software disks to be handed out in London next Monday. Whether it can compete with the buzz and physicality of the real world shopping experience remains to be seen. But it’s certainly another step towards delivering more innovative branded experiences in the digital world.

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BDA (Buckingham Design Associates) blog – real people giving real opinions, and a complete lack of agency waffle. BDA deliver an exciting blend of design and creative marketing for the Oxford, Milton Keynes, Northampton and London region.

There was a time when the biggest surprise you’d find in a packet of Cornflakes was a plastic toy. But soon you could be finding logos floating in your bowl of cereal after Kelloggs announced plans to laser ‘brand’ individual flakes. Kelloggs hopes this rather extravagant measure will differentiate its cereal from cheaper imitations, highlighting the plight many luxury brands face in persuading customers to pay for the real thing.

Whilst counterfeiting is nothing new, the scale at which imitation products are being made and sold has grown to a whole new level in recent years. Many brands blame the recession and the internet for their piracy woes. But is the success of their marketing to blame as well?

Counterfeiters meet rising demand for luxury brands

In the chase for higher profits, many luxury brands have extended their product range and marketing from niche boutiques to high street retailers and the average shopper. What this means is that more and more people have been seduced with the allure and aspiration of owning a luxury brand. The problem is that many of these people can’t afford or don’t want to pay the price tag that goes along with it.

Luckily for those people, the internet has made it possible for counterfeit manufacturers in China to connect with Western shoppers in only a few mouse clicks. The quality of imitation products is often so good that even savvy shoppers can’t tell the difference. In fact, it’s rumoured that some counterfeit goods are churned out on the same machines that make the originals, with the only difference being that they were made without the brand’s approval or knowledge.

It could be argued that many luxury brands blundered when they moved the production of their handbags, clothes and perfumes into countries which are less regulated and harder to control. So what can they do to fight back?

The carrot and the stick

The war against cheap imitations is already being fought on two fronts: educating shoppers and chasing counterfeiters in the law courts.

A proportion of many brands’ marketing budgets are now being spent on persuading people why they should buy the real thing. Campaigns such as by the Federation of Swiss Watches and Fakes Are Never in Fashion are aimed at spreading awareness on all the evils associated with counterfeiting e.g. child labour, poverty level wages and even funding terrorism.

In terms of the legal war, eBay, until recently a treasure trove of fake handbags and perfume, has already felt the full brunt of the luxury brands’ rage. In June 2008 a Paris Court ordered eBay to pay £15 million to Louis Vuitton and £13 million to Christian Dior for selling fake imitations and causing ‘moral harm’. Louis Vuitton’s lawyers have been particularly busy, launching 24,000 lawsuits in 2007 and shutting down 750 counterfeiter websites.

The luxury brands will be hoping these efforts persuade people to pay a premium for the real thing. As otherwise they’ve created a hunger for their products which seemingly only the counterfeiters can satisfy.

Incidentally, sales of Kelloggs Cornflakes have actually gone up during the recession, as people opt for a reliable and reassuring brand on their breakfast table. Perhaps Kelloggs should worry less about lasers and promote this fact in their marketing instead.

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BDA (Buckingham Design Associates) blog – real people giving real opinions, and a complete lack of agency waffle. BDA deliver an exciting blend of design and creative marketing for the Oxford, Milton Keynes, Northampton and London region.

According to a recent study many of the top brands struggle when it comes to being loved. In fact, none of them scored above 30% at the ‘love score’ amongst customers, based on criteria such as whether the brand ‘makes time to reward me’, ‘relates to me best’ or ‘cares about me more than just money’.

So what’s gone wrong with the top brands’ love lives? Why aren’t they creating the emotional connections that are supposed to come from millions spent on marketing?

Well, the low levels of affection for brands have been blamed on a lack of personalised engagement. After all, you need to make people feel special if you want them to love you back.

Internet dating is about relationship building

Internet dating is like marketing in many ways. There are two main approaches:

• You can send the same message to as many potential partners as possible
• Or pluck nuggets of info from their profile about their passions, hobbies and interests to drop into personalised messages

So which approach do you think works best? Yep, you guessed it – taking the time to show an interest in people as individuals is the best way to get a conversation going in the internet dating world.

Once you’ve started a dialogue you can then keep asking questions to make your messages more relevant before reaching a conversion in the form of a date. Where you go from there is the subject of a different blog entirely.

So what does internet dating teach brands?

If brands want to be loved they should try mirroring the tactics that work so well in internet dating, and deliver campaigns that are personalised to match the interests of individual prospects.

Thankfully, we now have the technology to build these campaigns.

With Purls (personalised URLs) we can create websites customised for each individual prospect, and then use variable data printing to send them personalised promotions based on every click and page view.

Boots, for example, could reward its customer better by sending them personalised print and online promotions based on their purchase history. Not only will this cut down on the printing costs of sending an entire catalogue, but will also deliver marketing that’s more relevant and better received.

Brands need to remember that people are individuals, with their own interests and preferences. So, as in the internet dating world, they need to treat customers as unique individuals if they want to be more loved in return.

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BDA (Buckingham Design Associates) blog – real people giving real opinions, and a complete lack of agency waffle. BDA deliver an exciting blend of design and creative marketing for the Oxford, Milton Keynes, Northampton and London region.