Eight out of 10 marketers rank Point of Sale (POS) as the most influential marketing channel for influencing shopper purchasing decisions, ahead of traditional channels such as TV, radio and press advertising, according to a new study commissioned by PoS specialists Creo.

Three quarters of marketers also indicated that between half and all their campaigns are now driven by in-store shopper marketing strategies as more brands and retailers seek to directly impact shopper behaviour at the point of purchase, yet 44% of marketers failed to measure spend against a shopper’s path to purchase.

Yet 82% of marketers are failing to measure marketing return on investment (ROI) in an effective way, with access to data being cited as the stand-out barrier to measuring ROI, followed by time pressures and the complexity of campaigns.

The findings come from the 2017 Point of Sale Industry Report, conducted by researchers TKM and sponsored by Creo. The report surveyed 210 brand, marketing and retail executives from a cross-section of industries, including automotive, cosmetics, FMCG, food and drink and pet food.

Richard Saysell, Managing Director of Creo, part of DS Smith plc, said: “In a world where we are all increasingly cynical and brands need to understand the interaction they’re having with their consumers across a fragmented network of touch points, shopper marketing strategies and point of sale has never been more relevant. The retail industry is evolving so understanding the in-store experience and how to influence behaviour beyond price is critical if brands are to stand out from the crowd.

Saysell added: “While the majority of marketers are clear about the power of POS and reflect this in their marketing spend, there seems to be a real gap in terms of measuring ROI and also understanding a shopper’s path to purchase”.

Andy Bodley, Print & Distribution Manager, Instore Marketing, Boots, commented: “We are always looking at ways to improve the experience for our Customers, whether its store layout, website design or greater flexibility of delivery options. We continually challenge ourselves about how we offer and display our products and services. Customers can access information through multiple touch-points, and it has never been more important to deliver a consistent message through the multiple channels available to us and then transform those in to a great ‘joined up’ Customer experience.”

When asked about top trends for 2017, 77% of respondents believe personalised digital displays will be a permanent feature on the high street whereas interactive mannequins and in-store magic mirrors were deemed ‘a flash in the pan’.

Creo is a specialist in Point of Sale and services for in-store marketing. The UK-based business, which focusses on the FMCG, retail and media markets, was acquired by DS Smith Plc in June 2016 and strengthens the latter’s existing pan-European point of sale network.

The 2017 Point of Sale Industry Report is available to download from Creo’s website.

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Chocolate brand Elizabeth Shaw is marking the clocks going back this weekend in the UK with a new marketing campaign, ‘Thoughtful Gestures’, which will be asking Britons to use the ‘extra hour’ they get to show appreciation to someone else.

The promotion is the first activity since the brand was bought by Colian Holding SA, Poland’s biggest confectionery company, from its previous owners, a Norwegian investment company, in March 2016.  ‘Thoughtful Gestures’ has already launched on social media and the press campaign will commence tomorrow, October 25^th 2016.

The idea behind the campaign is that, in a world where everything is moving so fast, there is often no time to think about anyone else. The brand wants to encourage thoughtfulness and demonstrate how even the smallest gestures of kindness can make the biggest difference to someone’s day.

A Woman’s Own promotion will encourage people to share their thoughtful stories on the Elizabeth Shaw Facebook page, which is supported with a fully integrated social media campaign activated by Spider PR.

In conjunction with the promotion, press print ads will feature across women’s lifestyle and foodie titles.  The creative, along with media planned and booked by Home, features thoughtful stories showcasing small gestures friends or family members have made. The stories feature a grandmother buying her grandson a rocking horse with money set aside for a vacuum cleaner and a best friend providing support through a heart break.  The stories are elegantly inscribed on slabs of chocolate.

Elizabeth Shaw will also partner with Magic Radio as an official partner of Magic Radio’s ‘The Magic of Christmas,’ a star-studded concert held on November 27^th 2016 at the London Palladium. In the four-week run-up to the event, as part of Angie Greaves show, which airs 2pm-5pm every weekday afternoon, listeners will be encouraged to nominate someone they want to thank for their thoughtful gestures on ‘Thoughtful Thursdays’. Angie will then gift the deserving winners with a hamper crammed full of Elizabeth Shaw chocolate.

Hayley Coggins, Marketing Manager for Elizabeth Shaw, says, “We are really proud and excited for the launch of our integrated campaign – the first of many more to come! With Christmas fast approaching, we really wanted Elizabeth Shaw to own ‘thoughtfulness’ and to encourage giving the gift of chocolate for kind and considerate gestures, as chocolates speak louder than words.”

In Britain, British Summer Time ends at 2.00am on Sunday October 30th, as the country reverts to Greenwich Mean Time. The result is that people effectively get an extra hour in bed.

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Carabao Energy Drink has launched a new multi-million pound integrated marketing campaign entitled ‘Free Your Inner Carabao’, featuring press, digital, outdoor, experiential, mobile, PR, social media and a link with London Fashion Week which will see fashionistas offered free Tuk Tuk rides as well as samples of the product.

The campaign sees Carabao break away from the laddish positioning adopted by rival energy drinks inn favour of targeting a more unisex and even female audience.

The ‘Free Your Inner Carabao’ campaign creative features much softer, less male-oriented messaging. It will be run across multiple UK media channels from September 2016.

The Carabao is an Asian water buffalo revered for its physical power, stamina and fighting spirit. The concept behind the campaign is the idea that there is a ‘Carabao’ in all of us, and that Carabao Energy Drink can help consumers summon this inner strength.

Mads Perch, a Danish photographer who practices the construction of ‘real-time special-effects’ photography, has been commissioned to bring the campaign creative to life using an innovative ink effect that flows across perspex on a camera lens to reproduce the spirit and energy of Carabao.

The inclusive marketing strategy also sees Carabao undertake a series of high-profile partnerships. Carabao renewed its main sponsorship of Reading FC in June 2016 (it signed a year’s deal in 2015) and has also just signed as a principal commercial sponsor of Chelsea FC, as well as its official training-wear partner, for the next three seasons.

Carabao has also brokered a partnership with London Fashion Week, becoming the Official Energy Drink Partner for the annual event which starts on Thursday 15th September. Carabao-branded fridges full of the energy drink will be available for everyone involved with the event, including backstage teams, runway models, press and VIP guests in the audience. Carabao will also be present during presentations, parties and events outside of the central Brewer Street runway space, with Tuk Tuks offering lifts to the fashion crowd and also handing out samples of the product.

Launched 15 years ago in Thailand, where other energy drinks such as Red Bull have their origins, Carabao is currently available in two variants, Original and Sugar Free, with further flavours planned for launch later this year.

John Luck, Chief Marketing Officer, comments: “Our UK research demonstrates there is a huge community of time-poor and energy-starved consumers, men and women alike, that currently feel energy drinks are not relevant to them or their lifestyles. We intend to break the mould with our multi-million pound marketing campaign, and position Carabao as a more grown-up and accessible-to-all energy drink. Our marketing will communicate to a much broader, unisex audience, including consumer groups that are not traditionally associated with energy drinks, and show how our great-tasting premium product can help consumers to rise to their everyday challenges.”

Carabao’s media campaign is a mixture of outdoor (with nearly 1,800 roadside 6-sheets), digital, experiential and mobile and will includes ads across gaming, snacking, parenting, students and fitness sites. Carabao will also have a series of mobile banners and billboards.

The creative campaign was put together by agency Quiet Storm with PR and social media activity being handled by W Communications and Total Media managing media planning and buying.

Carabao was originally launched in Thailand in 2002 as Carabao Daeng, which means red buffalo. It was created by a company formed by a Thai rock star, Aed Carabao, still lead singer of Thai group Carabao, and a successful Thai entrepreneur, Sathien Setthasit. Carabao, the energy drink, is currently the second most popular brand in Thailand after M150, owned by Thai soft drinks company Osotspa.

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Four high profile UK brand partners will support the UK release of the new Ghostbusters film on Monday July 11th 2016, including National Tyres and Autocare, Sony Mobile, O2 for O2 Priority and cleaning technology company Karcher.

The campaign, running throughout June and July, was created by partnership marketing specialists Brand & Deliver for client Sony Pictures.

Activity includes: a national press and drive time radio campaign by National Tyres and Autocare, utilising the iconic “Who You Gonna Call?” soundtrack by Ray Parker Jr; a TV campaign by Karcher supported by POS in more than 3,000 stores; a TV and Digital Out Of Home (DOOH) campaign by O2 for O2 Priority offering the chance to win tickets to the US premiere and preview screenings; and a POS promotion by Sony Mobile within 480 O2 stores. All four partners will engage customers on digital and social channels.

Peter Taylor, Managing Director of Sony Pictures UK, says: “Ghostbusters is quite simply one of the best-loved film franchises ever made. These partnerships are vast in scale and fun factor, giving us a powerful platform to promote the film with UK-wide promotions across multiple touchpoints.”

Richard Barnes, Partnerships Director at entertainment marketing specialists Brand & Deliver, adds: “Ghostbusters is an iconic franchise with multi-generational appeal. These brands have tapped into the movie’s feel-good factor with memorable partnerships that will ensure it’s the most highly anticipated film of the summer.”

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Shopping centre operators Bluewater has launched a new festive integrated campaign, “Christmas is here. Make it magical”, including a TV ad, press, digital, social, radio, outdoor, point of sale and in-mall media.

The TV campaign launched last week and features a wide-eyed six-year old girl and a CGI incarnation of one of Bluewater’s iconic illuminated reindeer, who appear annually at Bluewater to signify the start of Christmas for thousands of visitors.

The activity, which was put together for Bluewater by creative agency 23red, highlights the yuletide festivities available at the retail and leisure destination this year.

The creative idea encourages consumers to leave their world-weary adult lives behind and to see Christmas through the eyes of a child once again, embracing the magic of Bluewater during the festive period.

David Wilkinson, Head of Marketing at Bluewater, says: “Christmas is such a magical time at Bluewater and the giant reindeer have become iconic symbols in recent years. We’re expecting over 27 million visitors this season and we hope that each one feels a sense of joy as they see the ads and begin their own festive traditions.”

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