BD Network was established in Scotland in 1990 and we started 2020 excited to celebrate our 30th Birthday – unfortunately, COVID-19 put any kind of celebration on hold.
During our 30 years, we have relocated to London, moved offices three times, collaborated with some of the world’s biggest and best brands (some of them for 20 years and others not too far behind) and created great work and famous promotions in partnership with the IPM.
Looking back over the years, technology has developed at a phenomenal rate, changing consumer behaviour and reshaping industry practices. We have continued to evolve with these changes, creating promotions that connect brands with their audiences and that have consumers at their heart. BD has created industry firsts such as Coca-Cola’s Win a Player and set up mobile promotions creating Coke Zone to ensure our client was at the forefront of mobile integration in promotional marketing. Technology has also meant that promotions are expected to be ultra-personalised to winners and be as instant as possible, with prizes and cash delivered within hours of consumers winning them.
In recent years more products, categories and brands have arisen, resulting in more competition for space in retail than ever before. Compounding this, each product has numerous pack sizes, variants and flavours, with an ever-evolving cycle of innovation and NPD adding to the mix. Space in grocery is now even more of a premium and it’s crucial for brands to create a point of difference on shelf and be able to justify more retailer media space. Promotions add this point of difference and in the current economic climate remain attractive and motivational to consumers.
As consumers move online (at a quicker rate than forecast due to the impact of COVID-19) agencies equally need to remain informed, and lead our clients, in the value of E-com media, advising how to create an impact in this space and how to maximise value and reach for clients’ brands.
If this year has taught us anything, we cannot predict the future, however, if we continue to evolve with times, help clients positively effect change in environmental and societal matters and always keep the consumer at the heart of every campaign, we will continue to create great work that achieves results. Here’s to the next 30 years.
