Global services company Sodexo and WWF have collaborated to raise awareness of the impact of food choice to university campuses across the UK, with the launch of ‘The Finer Diner’.

The touring pop-up initiative, created and delivered by global brand experience agency Sense, aims to educate students on the environmental benefits of plant-based foods by offering a tasty, planet-friendly twist on classic student dishes such as tacos, kebabs and curry.

The planet is in crisis – from climate change to ocean pollution and deforestation, but what is often overlooked is that food is actually at the heart of many of these issues, responsible for almost 60% of global biodiversity loss

Beth Nicholas, Account Director at Sense, says: “The Finer Diner’s menu tempts students with free samples of their favourites, which when ordered are revealed to be completely meat-free. We wanted to show students that they can still enjoy the food they love and do their bit for the planet, without compromising on taste.”

Nick Hughes, Food Sustainability Adviser at WWF, said: “Our aim is to encourage students to explore plant-based foods and help them make the connection between what they put on their plates and its impact on the planet. Young people represent the future of our society, and we feel that encouraging them to make the switch could have a major influence in the fight for our world.”

The Sodexo / WWF Finer Diner campaign will run until 25th October visiting Solent University, Coventry University, York St John University and Trinity College Dublin. Students at these universities will be able to sample 100% plant-based dishes, which will then become part of the menus at all Sodexo-run university restaurants.

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Paul Parry of Filmology, part of consumer engagement specialists Sodexo Neon, Headline Sponsor of the IPM Awards 2018, explains why marketers can’t afford to miss out on the latest films SPONSORED COMMENT

From Heineken to Weetabix and Nissan, cinema offers a perfect vehicle for brands to reach segmented audiences with closely aligned film partnerships. Increasingly sophisticated data now enables companies to not only reach huge audiences, but make well-informed decisions about how to really make their target consumers sit up and take notice.

The feeling of being engrossed in a spellbinding film is a form of entertainment that has lost little of its lustre in over 100 years – and an increasing yearly UK audience of over 170 million people backs this statement up!

Even despite Death Star-sized challenges – including the rise of online streaming and increasing ticket prices – cinema is still the go-to place for blockbusting entertainment, reaching over 66% of the UK population, meaning there has never been a better time for brands to get involved in cinema.

Research by Mintel shows that nearly half (49%) of cinema goers go to the cinema without knowing what they want to watch, and instead make their choice when they get there. This is because they crave the overall cinema experience in its own right. This figure rises to 58% among the impulsive and daring 16-34 year olds, who trust the big screen to deliver on its promises.

Brand and film partnerships

Part of cinema’s unique appeal is how social it is – chatting with your friends or family, eating popcorn, sitting together in the darkness immersed in a shared narrative and trading views and opinions after the event. Cinema is an event in itself, and one that brands are now clamouring to be a part of.

Partnering with a major or independent cinema to offer ticket promotions or giveaways can prove hugely attractive for the two in three people who visited the cinema last year, particularly given the recent rise in cinema ticket prices.

For a relatively small investment, brands can deliver an experience that is worth so much more. You are offering an experience – a whole night out – if you reward your customers with a cinema ticket.

Compare that to trips to New York, for example: there are only so many of those that will fit the budget! With cinema, for a relatively low investment, brands can give every customer the opportunity to claim something of real value.

Captive audiences

In 2017, there were 788 commercial cinemas in the UK. The number of screens per site remained stable at an average of 5.3, but the proportion of sites with multiplexes (five screens or more) crept up – from 40.3% in 2011 to 46.2% in 2016. Put simply, the sheer number of cinemas in the UK means unless you’re frozen in carbonite or trapped in the quantum realm, it’s never been easier to visit a cinema.

Over 170.6 million people visited the cinema at least once in the UK in 2017 according to the UK Cinema Association; and it’s not a one-off, either. Audiences increased in 2017 by 2.4% over the previous year and are forecast to stay high for at least five more years – throwing shade on the naysayers who say that digital streaming has dented cinema’s appeal.

 According to BFI data, UK films were popular across all demographic groups; not only in the core 18-30 audience but also maintaining a particularly strong appeal for those aged 45 and over. We can drill down even further to see which films are most popular with different genders and social groups, which means we can help brands identify trends and inform their decisions about the most powerful films to partner with in future.

By the way, don’t ignore the power of the sequel.

21% of parents with children aged five and under said the last film they saw at the cinema was a sequel or part of a franchise. Popular franchise films are attractive to parents looking to engage young kids with notoriously short attention spans, as they already recognise certain themes and characters.

As for films for older children and grown up audiences, the success of franchises and ‘shared universes’ like Marvel, DC, Harry Potter and Jurassic Park is evidence that sequels, far from being quick cash-ins, are here for the long haul.

Mobile-free, perhaps – but not technology-free

Visiting the big screen is a shared, high-impact experience that plays to a captive audience all undertaking the same emotional journey. If you’ve seen Avengers: Infinity War, you’ll know what we mean! In a world where mobile phones play a part in almost every interaction we have, the cinema offers an increasingly uncommon opportunity to be completely free of mobile phones and social media.

However, you don’t have to be Tony Stark to enjoy the latest cutting-edge tech in the cinema. The introduction of 4K high definition digital films, IMAX screens and Dolby’s 3D Atmos sound systems have all contributed to enhancing the cinema experience like never-before; and that’s even before you throw in other incentives such as premier seating, direct-to-your-seat service and 3D films.

Earth’s Mightiest Promotions

For brands wanting to be involved in film promotions and partnerships, cinema offers an immensely powerful way to reach an enraptured and highly-targeted audience. From tickets to a film, to licensed merchandise giveaways, or even use of film assets – brands can use the ever-enchanting power of cinema to talk to consumers.

The right film campaign can help to drive home a company’s brand values, while adding credibility and extending its reach. In addition, a new release film will often secure acres of publicity in the press, whipping audiences into a frenzy of excitement, making lots of noise – and providing a vehicle on which your brand can hitch a lift.

You simply can’t argue against cinema’s power and effectiveness. It enables companies to engage a select audience, forge partnerships that align with their brand values, fits their budget, and meets their unique objectives.

Paul Parry is Head of Filmology, which is part of consumer engagement specialists, Sodexo Neon. Sodexo Neon is Headline Sponsor of the IPM Awards 2018.

To find out more about promotions with Star Power, click here…

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The Institute of Promotional Marketing (IPM) has officially launched The IPM Awards 2018 Call for Entries, with an updated categories list aimed at showcasing and celebrating the best of the promotional marketing industry.

Richard Pink, Head of Awards at the IPM, says: “We’re delighted to announce that The IPM Awards 2018 are now open for entries. Our awards showcase the latest and greatest campaigns and work being delivered within the promotional marketing industry. It doesn’t matter if you’re a member of the IPM or not – what we’re looking for is those exceptional promotional campaigns that have displayed effectiveness, creativity and innovation in their field. We want to recognise and reward the blood, sweat and tears that go into delivering the best that promotional marketing has to offer.”

Richard Pink adds: “This year we are delighted to welcome back Sodexo as our headline sponsor. We would like to thank Sodexo and all of our other Awards sponsors for their on-going commitment and support.”

There are 32 categories to choose from, covering a broad range of industry sectors, media channels, objectives and techniques, and campaigns can be entered into more than one.

This year, the categories have been thoroughly reviewed and revised where necessary, in consultation with the IPM’s specialist Councils, including Experiential, Shopper and Partnership, and the wider membership.

In addition, there are three Special Awards – the coveted Brand of the Year, Agency of the Year and Grand Prix trophies.

The online awards entry platform has also been updated and streamlined, to make the entry process even easier than in previous years.

For anyone who needs inspiration, the full list of winners from the IPM Awards 2017 can be found on the IPM website, while Sense’s Grand Prix winning entry on behalf of The Economist can be found in the IPM Awards Entry Handbook (with commercially sensitive information redacted), which can be viewed online or downloaded.

The IPM Awards are the premier recognition platform for the UK promotional marketing industry and are also the only route for UK campaigns to qualify for entry to the IMC European Awards.

The IPM Awards 2018 entry deadline is 23.59 on February 28th 2018, with the winners announced at a Gala Dinner on June 8th, 2018.

The IPM Awards 2018 Call for Entries, including a list of all the categories, entry costs and Terms & Conditions of entry, can be downloaded from the IPM website here.

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No matter what new technological invention or innovation in promotion you choose, the challenge of standing out in a crowded marketplace remains, says Chris Baldwin of Sodexo. PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Brands risk devaluing their campaign products by discounting too frequently, and with tight margins to meet it just isn’t economical.

This is where adding value is key. Marketers would be better not lopping pennies off in store for a meagre splash but instead adding value or being creative with ‘discount’ for a big eye catching impact.

Adding value is the easy bit – promotions, prizes, trade-ins and guarantees can help brands stand out for all the right reasons. But with so many different promotional mechanics, how do marketers choose which is best for their campaign?

Looking at what they want to achieve is a pretty good start…

Promoting value

Snipping coupons is old school, right? Wrong! This mechanic’s popularity shows no sign of dwindling. The use of money-off coupons is as popular as ever. Even truly old school methods like cutting out vouchers in newspapers still draws a crowd.

Sodexo, part of the Sodexo family, worked with John Smith’s to create a coupon in the Mirror that saw readers receiving £1 off their next purchase. Creating a robust alignment between The Mirror and the brewery – and putting savings in consumers’ hands. With Sodexo covering all the possible redemptions, remaining financing liable and providing campaign analysis, John Smith’s were able to reach an offline audience and inspire a purchase.

Another ‘discount’ mechanic on the block, cashback, has the potential to increase sell out while enabling marketers to reduce the profit sacrificed by a true, flat discount. By highlighting the ‘discount’ (savings made once cashback is paid) rather than the reduced price, marketers can create a greater sense of urgency and give consumers a reason to ‘buy now’.

Plus, cashback allows marketers to sell a product at full price, increasing basket spend for the retailer, while knowing that, once the offer has finished, they’re not left with the damaging effects of price erosion.

Instant gratification

Before AR, VR, QR and the rest, scratch cards were literally the most interactive way to promotionally market to consumers en masse. Odds on scratch cards tend to be greater than in other mechanics, and the compulsion of finding out if you’re an instant winner is hard to shake.

An instant win promotion requires a relatively large prize pool which can put agencies and manufacturers off. But instant wins need not blow the budget – with the right risk management in place, marketers really can afford to reward everyone and reap all the excitement in their follow up collateral.

Gift with purchase is a great example of instant gratification. From the high tech to the cuddly, a gift with purchase rewards impulse buys as well as repeat customers. We can enlist the help of risk management agencies to help calculate levels of participation, expected reward claims and cover the promotion with a fixed-fee to protect their budget.

Inspiring confidence

Marketers that are looking to develop consumer trust through their offering need to drive forward campaigns that inspire confidence and conviction in their products and services. And there are a number of different mechanics that help build relationships in this way.

Whether inspiring consumers to switch brands or try a product for the first time, Try Me Free promotions are a great idea to help encourage confidence in potential customers and inspire repeat purchase and new-found loyalty. Brands look like they are so sure of their product that they will give it away for free, knowing that consumers won’t be able to resist a repeat purchase. And with the help of some agency expertise, brands can work work out how many product samples are likely to be claimed so they don’t spend a penny over budget.

Another confidence-inspiring mechanic with consumers is the product guarantee. How much more can a brand do to prove it has 100% faith in its product than literally give dissatisfied consumer their money back? The problem is, product guarantees can strike fear into brands who worry that a flood of claims will see them hit financial ruin. But it doesn’t have to be that way. By understanding the risk, and calculating the likely number of claims a balanced budget can be achieved.

Buy and Try de-risks the purchase process for consumers – often related to high value purchases. It removes purchase barriers for nervous or thrifty customers, as they can buy what they really want, safe in the knowledge that they have up to 90 days to return it, no questions asked!

Building anticipation

The Advertising Standards Authority describes prize draws as when ‘Prizes are only awarded to those who return the winning code or symbol to the promoter within the promotional period.’

By running a prize draw campaign, marketers can build anticipation – and brand awareness – by offering amazing prizes (think cars, holidays, one of a kind experiences) but limit the opportunity to win and avoid any substantial risk. The most important thing is offering something spectacular that’s worth entering for – and being clear in the terms and conditions.

Driving loyalty

When customers feel like they get something extra from a brand they will bring their custom back time and time again – why would they look elsewhere for less? Marketers can reap the benefits of loyal consumers by rewarding a purchase with points or offers that they can’t get anywhere else. Points and offers which drive consumers back to spend again, attracted by the idea that they’re getting something for nothing thanks to a previous purchase.

Collector schemes are another great way for brands to drive loyalty. Sales are increased as shoppers collect tokens etc. and the customer is enticed to buy more and more in order to fulfill the gift or prize requirement.  Again, a smart promotional agency can protect brands’ budgets – and ensure all consumers get the rewards they’ve been promised.

Removing barriers to purchase

In a crowded marketplace where prices fluctuate and competition is fierce, consumers hold onto their purchases for longer than ever before. No matter how loyal a consumer is to a brand, once they have a household product (for example), they just don’t need to get another similar version.

So, how do marketers get consumers interested in upgrading to the latest and greatest models when they already have the old one in full working order stacked up in their broom cupboard?  This is where trade ins come in – by offering the customer something tangible for their old product, marketers are removing the barriers to purchase.

In our latest Case Study we explore how popular cleaning brand Kärcher ran a trade in campaign to encourage existing customers to upgrade to their latest model. The July 2016 promotion was focused on current window vac owners and offered them a cash incentive to move on to a better machine – if they bought the new Kärcher WV5, with an RRP of £89.99, and traded in their old machine they could receive up to £30 in cashback.

The campaign involved a number of different parties to ensure a seamless delivery to the consumer, from the receipt validation to the cashback payment Sodexo sourced and handled every element meticulously. Sodexo also built the microsite which looked to consumers as simply an extension of the Kärcher website – the site housed the claim area, all the promotion information including contact details, where and what to buy, how to claim and the FAQs. With hundreds of stores involved and a relatively complex offer to make simple, the campaign had the potential to be challenging but was pulled off expertly and with plenty of lessons learned.

Clearly, campaign mechanics aren’t ‘one size fits all’ and each, however old or new, serves a purpose in today’s busy marketplace. The challenge for marketers is choosing the right one for their needs, measuring its success and being reflective as the embark on the next one.

Chris Baldwin is Director of Consumer Promotions and Loyalty at Sodexo. 

Sodexo has published a new eBook,  How new technology is driving the promotional marketing industry, taking a closer look at the digital revolution and how it can help marketers influence shoppers. For a free copy, click here.

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LSI Netherlands BV – owner of the Peperami brand – and agencies TLC Marketing and Sense were crowned the big winners at The IPM Awards 2017, taking home the trophies for Brand Owner of the Year, Agency of the Year and the coveted Grand Prix Award respectively.

This year’s winners, which were announced at the IPM’s black-tie Awards Gala on Wednesday June 7 at the London Hilton Park Lane, showcased and celebrated the very best in creativity and effectiveness in the promotional marketing industry.

The evening commenced with opening addresses from Lord Black of Brentwood, President of the IPM, and John Sylvester, the IPM’s chairman and Chairman of Sodexo Benefits & Reward Services UK, while the host for the event was Strictly Come Dancing star, Claudia Winkleman.

LSI was named as Brand Owner of the Year, after collecting two Gold and two Silver trophies for its campaign linking Peperami mascot, the Animal, with the Angry Birds movie.

TLC took the Agency of the Year accolade, having picked up four Gold awards and a Silver for a range of different campaigns.

The Grand Prix went to ‘real world’ agency Sense for its #H2O activation, part of the ‘Discomfort Future’ campaign on behalf of The Economist. This saw potential subscribers offered free coffee apparently made from recycled water from a portable toilet, to highlight the issue of water scarcity around the world. It won two Golds and was selected by the IPM awards judges as the best of the best.

The picture above shows Sense collecting their award from Lord Black (left) and the evening’s host, Claudia Winkleman (right).

Other agencies celebrating multiple trophies at the IPM Awards 2017 included The Circle Agency, ZEAL Creative, Toucan and Brand & Deliver. Behaviour change experts 23red managed to pick up Gold, Silver and Bronze in the Not for Profit, Charities and Public Sector category, the second time the agency has achieved this impressive feat.

John Sylvester, Chairman of the IPM, said: “The IPM Awards celebrate outstanding promotional marketing from the very best UK agencies and underscore our commitment to supporting best practice, creativity, effectiveness and innovation. Our Awards are open to everyone in the marketing industry and this year it was great to see both some familiar faces and some newcomers amongst the winners and the audience.”

This year, winners of Gold, Silver and Bronze IPM Awards all qualify for entry into the IMC European Awards, and the IPM will be contacting agencies shortly to explain how to take advantage of this. John Sylvester observes: “The UK produces world-class promotional marketing campaigns, and we want as many of our winners as possible to enter the IMCs so we can underline our leadership in this vitally important sector of the marketing and advertising industry.”

Sponsors for the IPM Awards 2017 included headline sponsor Sodexo, Westfield Shoppingtowns, Sykes, Emirat, Whistl, Granby Marketing Services, Promotional Handling, i-movo, POD Staffing, Peazie and Pictures Experience.

A full list of this year’s winner can be found on the IPM website.

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New packaging technology is helping promotional marketers create even greater impact on the way people shop, says Chris Baldwin from Sodexo. PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Technology is moving faster than ever with new ways to find, buy and redeem products popping up every day.

Not to state the obvious, but that makes technology more important than ever in driving a successful campaign — and brands who get on board with innovation can reap the benefits in terms of appeal and functionality. Great tech should make life easier, right?

Is there anything new about packaging technology?

According to the Savvy Cynics 2016 Consumer Promotions Survey Report, nearly 70% of people either look for, or are attracted by, promotional messages on product.

Clearly, on-pack promotions have traditionally played a huge role in promotional campaigns but the whole industry is now changing dramatically and with it come new packaging opportunities.

Retailers can tap into innovative packaging ideas, overcoming issues around space, design, and manufacturing to reach more customers and make an impact.

Augmented Reality – looking forwards, and up, and down….

A ‘newish’ way to take your conversation with customers to the next level is with Augmented Reality (AR). With AR, brands can boost an offer with loads of extra, fun content. Consumers simply use a zapcode to access more info from games – and competitions too.

Casper Thykier, co-founder of AR specialists Zappar, is a leader in AR technology. He says: “If you get the three Cs right, you get engagement and dwell time.”

In this case, the three Cs are:

• Context
• Call to Action
• Content

Thykier adds: “AR packaging is great for increasing frequency with your product and giving you rich data analytics, turning your physical products into a living, breathing multimedia channel you control.”

Some of the best examples in recent years include inspiration from traditional consumer promotions, fused with technology to appeal to the discerning 21st century shopper.

In 2011 Heinz used technology created by Zappar’s rival, Blippar, to grant access to a Heinz recipe book (which when you think about it is a surprisingly traditional offering.) By downloading the app and holding it up to a Heinz ketchup bottle, shoppers could view the recipes which appeared on pages as if they were on the bottle itself. Heinz used this to drive people to its Facebook page to access more content.

NFC Keeping in touch with your Customers

Near Field Communication or NFC for short is also allowing consumers to interact with brand packaging. By tapping their smartphones on the labels the tags transfer data between devices wirelessly and without data or internet required.

Potential brand applications are numerous, such as advertising, shopper activation and engagement and loyalty schemes.

Malibu recently used NFC technology to great effect as part of their #BecauseSummer campaign in September 2016. They encouraged consumers to tap the image of a Malibu sunset on select bottles, to gain access to exlusive content, as well as being entered into prize draws.

Let’s get personal…

Personalised experiences with brands have become easier than ever thanks in part to a rise in digital printing.

Brands such as Marmite, Coca Cola, Nutella and Vaseline have seized the opportunity to create fully bespoke personalisation for consumers and considering that the worth of the digital print for packaging market was valued at £10.5bn in 2015 and is expected to grow annually by 13.6% according to a study by Smithers Pira, I think we can agree this trend is set to explode in popularity.

Coca Cola’s ‘Share-A-Coke’ campaign which featured 100,000 of the most popular names printed on bottle labels around the world contributed to a 6.8% increase in Coca Cola’s global Facebook community, as well as boosting their index scores from 9.6 to 12.4 on the first day of the campaign alone.

So has digital printing reached its tipping point?

With so much potential in this approach to packaging, not to mention digital printing’s economic and speed to market advantages, it’s a proven way to engage with customers whilst remaining very cost effective, so it seems like a no-brainer to continue going forward.

As technology continues to advance and experiences with AR, NFC and iBeacon become more seamless, Global brands have an exciting opportunity to exploit ‘new-age packaging’ to create a new kind of customer experience that has a holistic focus on the creation of ‘marketing moments.’

Those brands able to find the right balance of brief, slick and seamless product interactions with their audience, will reap the most reward-  building trust, relationships and loyalty over time in the most fun way possible.

Chris Baldwin is Director of Consumer Programs at Sodexo. The Sodexo family, which includes the Promorati brands Protravel, Filmology, Fotorama and Entice, is Headline Sponsor of The IPM Awards 2017.

Fotorama, part of the Sodexo family has published a new eBook, How new technology is driving the promotional marketing industry, taking a closer look at the digital revolution and how it can help marketers influence shoppers.

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We’ve heard it all before – but, as we enter one of the most uncertain economic periods in recent history, rewarding customers for loyalty really is now more important than ever, says Chris Baldwin of Sodexo. PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

A loyal customer is more profitable and their value cannot be overstated; and, with so many new technologies becoming mainstream in 2016, there is a great foundation to build on and refine in 2017 when honing a strategy for loyalty.

Here are the five top loyalty trends of 2016 that should shape your strategy in 2017.

Personalisation

With 65% of marketers seeing loyalty schemes as an essential part of the marketing mix, retaining customers is imperative – and personalisation has a key part to play in keeping shoppers loyal.

Tesco have been doing it for years; you buy something in store and you’re offered Clubcard points on similar products.

As a more tech savvy generation takes over, this has evolved to include cookies and suggested ‘items to buy’ following internet shopping.

Brands need to take a leaf out of the retail playbook and take personalisation on board, making it a huge part of what they offer their consumers. Whether this is through a points system or through preferential treatment via a membership scheme or loyalty platform, it is important to remember that adding specific value to an offer makes it infinitely more attractive.

Be technologically advanced

These days, offering a coupon on promotional packaging is just one of the ways to offer consumers added value. Technology means there are now so many other avenues available to get in front of consumers.

Much of the new technology available to be used in promotions can be delivered via an app or smartphone camera, and that means that the speed at which redemption can be achieved is extraordinary.

Brands can deploy coupon and barcode scanning apps, which can recognise scanned receipts or QR codes displayed on restaurant tables offering instant-win prizes, or sophisticated 3D object recognition software which identifies products within the real world space and can then offer real-time sales promotions.

Travel experiences

Walk through any supermarket and you’ll find promotions offering luxury getaways and chances to win ‘once in a lifetime experiences’ on the shelves. With 75% of people saying they would be interested in entering a travel promotion, this trend looks set to continue. The idea of an experience as a reward isn’t new; in fact, research shows that Millennials prefer this type of reward over cash bonuses, so it is important the B2C market tap into this to reward loyal customers.

Travel is easier than ever before, and short city breaks can also hold appeal when it comes to rewarding loyalty. A price-sensitive choice becomes far less clear-cut when, for example, there is the option to renew your current insurance and potentially win a city break versus having to research a new provider for a minimal saving.

Instant rewards

Although we may have found them annoying at some point, no one can deny the effectiveness of text alerts from your favourite stores or push notifications direct to your mobile offering limited time discounts or exclusive prizes.

With Millennials coming into their own in the consumer market, the time is ripe for instant rewards. The Millennial generation question the traditional ways of doing things and are more willing to research for themselves. So for them, a push notification reminding them that their insurance is due for renewal, but with the added value of a downloadable £20 e-voucher is a very attractive prospect.

The gratification offered by an instant tangible reward helps to inspire loyalty in a generation often seen as frivolous. Marketers know that Millennials tend to have less loyalty to brands and will often chop and change to get the best deals, rewards and benefits. Therefore, it is important that rewards are not only personalised, but also readily and instantly available without the need for additional communications.

Retention is the new buzzword

On average it costs a business 5 to 10 times more to acquire a customer than it does to sell to an existing one and just a 5% increase in customer retention can lead to 25%-100% increase in profit. Current customers spend roughly 67% more than new customers so it pays to appeal to this demographic.

The autosave password function means that customers can return again and again to their favourite retailers making it prime space to host promotions rewarding loyal customers.

By encouraging customers to log in via a specific portal with enticing discounts and rewards for doing so, brands and businesses can reinforce brand recognition and loyalty simply by being convenient and offering added value. There is a great opportunity to create brand association every time they use the portal. For example, offering additional discounts on further products in the range or in partnership with other brands makes the reward not only more attractive but also more memorable.

The 21st century is fast paced, with older technology making way for the new, and a younger and savvier generation holding the purse strings. It’s more important now than ever before to keep rewards attractive for loyal customers. ‘Instantancy’ – the demand for instant rewards – and convenience are key aspects that will only become more prevalent going forward as we rely more and more on technology in our day to day lives.

The ways in which we access and interact with traditional consumer promotions continues to evolve at an alarming rate. However, with great change often comes great opportunity and the promotional marketing arena is no exception to this rule. In 20 years’ time, we may look back and regard this as the age of digital experimentation; but whilst there is so much new ground to cover, the chances for creative and exciting ways to interact with customers are yet to be fully explored.

Chris Baldwin is Director of Consumer Programs at Sodexo. The Sodexo family, which includes the Promorati brands Protravel, Filmology, Fotorama and Entice, is Headline Sponsor of The IPM Awards 2017.

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John Sylvester, Chairman of Sodexo Benefits & Reward Services UK, takes up the role of Chairman of the Institute of Promotional Marketing (IPM) from January 1st 2017. Sylvester, who was previously Vice Chairman of the IPM, succeeds Graham Temple.

John Sylvester says: “I am delighted to follow Graham into this role and would like to thank him for the remarkable commitment and energy that he has so generously given to the IPM over his term.  We see significant changes ahead with Brexit and in the world economy.  Significant change is also apparent in the promotional marketing industry and I look forward to working with Carey Trevill and her team at the IPM, at time when the industry has the opportunity to be at its most disruptive and influential.  We remain committed to working closely with our Members to champion their interests and the interests of the industry during this time of unprecedented change.”

During Graham Temple’s two-year term as IPM Chairman, the organisation has seen significant changes. These include the appointment of Lord Black of Brentwood, Executive Director of the Telegraph Media Group and a Conservative Life Peer, as IPM President and spearheading a drive to address the non-regulation of political advertising.

At the end of 2016, the IPM also held elections for a number of board positions. As a result, Jon Fish, Group Partnerships and Loyalty Director, Merlin Entertainments and Adam Azor, Senior VP Integrated and Digital Marketing at Jack Morton Worldwide both joined the IPM Board from 1st January 2017.  Bob Suppiah, Director of Promotions & Partnership Marketing at Sky, Becky Munday, CEO of Mando, and Marcus Sandwith, CEO at Haygarth were all re-elected to the Board.

Jamie Barnard, General Counsel, Global Media, Marketing and eCommerce for Unilever, and Tara Honeywell, Managing Director Mediator, both stepped down. Outgoing Chairman Graham Temple expressed gratitude to both for their outstanding support for the organisation.

The Institute of Promotional Marketing acts as the voice of the promotional marketing industry within the UK, working alongside other marketing bodies to ensure that its members’ interests are properly represented in Whitehall, Parliament and Europe. With over 200 members, drawn from brand owners, marketing agencies and service agencies, the IPM’s mission is to promote, protect and promote effective promotional marketing across all media channels, helping create confident and informed marketers.

The IPM has serving representatives on various industry committees, such as the Committee of Advertising Practice, the body responsible for writing the rules that underlie the UK’s self-regulatory system for marketing.

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Price cuts are short term responses which can damage brand values, says Chris Baldwin of Sodexo. Instead, brands should build value with intelligent promotional activities. PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

With a fluctuating pound and ongoing political uncertainty, the pressure is on for UK brands who are facing potentially higher import and export costs to still offer customers value while protecting both their margins and their reputations.

Manufacturers who have already tried to compensate for the additional costs caused by the falling post-Brexit pound have faced criticism in the media and resistance from retailers happy to position themselves as the consumers’ champions. Tesco and Unilever’s row over Marmite and other iconic brands was put to bed at record speed but the issue itself looks set to run and run.

Cutting price is often seen as simple ‘quick-fix’ when trying to appear good value; but the problem with price cuts is that, unless they are part of a long term strategy aligned with the budget sector of the market, in the medium to long term, they damage a brand’s reputation and cheapen the identity as a whole. Put simply, the long-term consequence of price cuts is devaluing the brand.

Brands and manufacturers need to think instead of their long-term goals. A quick fix is very rarely the answer and will more likely create further problems down the line.

The price of loyalty

With a longer term strategy, such as a focus on loyalty, brands can instead start building up consumer engagement and retention. According to forbes.com, just a 5% increase in customer retention can boost a company’s profitability by a staggering 75%. This impressive statistic highlights just how important consumer loyalty is – and the huge value in repeat customers.

Experts say that it can be six to seven times more expensive to acquire a new customer than to keep an existing one, so the importance of loyalty is clear.

Risk and reputation

Savvy consumers will look always for value – but rarely at the expense of quality. Resorting to price cuts will only serve to cheapen a brand’s identity, creating the impression of poor quality. If a brand wants to be seen as still delivering quality products, and so drive customer interest, while still achieving margin targets, it would be far better to get clever about tapping into the consumer psyche.

Clever brands think of their objectives with every consumer campaign, whether the activity involves creating a buzz with coupons offering the opportunity to ‘try me free’ at launches, or driving repeat purchase and building loyalty with ‘Money Off Next Purchase’ offers or encouraging one-off purchases with well-aligned, inspiring prizes.

Manufacturers need to focus on what their brand associations are and offer something completely complementary to these. Something tangible like a prize or a getaway adds value to a product, balances risk and increases the opportunity to connect with the customer in further marketing and social media communications.

Sodexo’s Savvy Cynics report found that over a third of consumers interviewed were more likely to buy a product that was part of a promotional campaign, which clearly demonstrates that the potential impact of a well-planned campaign is massive.

Just the ticket

For clever brands who have researched and developed their strategy, focused in on their target audiences and settled on their key objectives, the trickiest part can be deciding which prize mechanism works best to excite and reward their customers – should marketers opt for adding value with physical prizes that have great product synergy or should they be exploring something a little more personal, like a tailor-made holiday experience?

Research suggests that the Millennial generation of consumers does find far more value in an experience than in a physical thing, with three in four of them saying they are willing to spend more on events and experiences than ever before.

Events and experiences doesn’t just mean winning exotic holidays, or dream trips to sporting events; cinema offers another tried and trusted option. Brands can partner with the latest blockbuster film via competitions offering tickets as prizes to create a real buzz around a product, while shrewd brands may also consider aligning with film in a more general sense, offering longer-term promotional activations giving people discounts on cinema tickets for example. Linking with individual films or with the cinema in general can be hugely attractive – over 70% of 16-24 year olds cite cost as a reason why they don’t visit the cinema as often as they would like.

Consumer cred: adding value

The key to keeping consumers on side is not offering them something for less, but rather something more. Price cuts and BOGOFs can only go so far before a product starts to lose value. They can also put customers off with confusing price points that seem to fluctuate throughout the year or, worse, make more consumers into promiscuous shoppers.

By keeping prices relatively stable but supporting brands with value-added promotions, marketers can maintain or even increase long term brand value and avoid cheapening brand image.

Added-value promotions also allow marketers to capitalise on a range of opportunities to raise the profile of their products, boost sales and be seen by consumers as offering something a bit extra. Clever promotional marketing campaigns can see help manufacturers align with the latest trends, whether in cinema, travel, music, sports or consumer goods while maintaining a healthy brand image.

Promotional marketing gives a brand the opportunity and environment to display its personality and drive engagement and conversation with their target shopper, or potential shopper, in a way that a BOGOF simply cannot.

Chris Baldwin is Director of Consumer Programs at Sodexo. The Sodexo family, which includes the Promorati brands Protravel, Filmology, Fotorama and Entice, is Headline Sponsor of The IPM Awards 2017.

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Research shows that the key to successful promotions is whether consumers trust a brand, argues Ben Craker of Fotorama PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Supermarkets these days are like Aladdin’s caves, filled with thousands of different products. The shelves are groaning with promotions, prizes and chances to win. It can be mind boggling enough for a consumer to make the right decision – but for a brand, it’s absolutely crucial.

To try and establish what consumers are thinking during those critical decision making moments, we recently conducted some research which highlighted the existence of a group we have dubbed the Savvy Cynics, which we have explored in a new report.

Our research found that 70% of consumers have entered a free draw as part of an on-pack promotion.  A third of respondents in the Savvy Cynics shopper marketing report stated that promotions were more likely to make them purchase a product.

But the question in every brand manager’s mind is how to make sure their promotion is chosen? Our experience and research suggests it’s about more than having the best prize or even the best product — it’s about trust.

In 2014 the Guardian asked the question what factor influences customers to make a commitment to your brand and keep coming back for more? And the answer was trust.

Trust takes time to build but it can be broken in an instant. Our research revealed that 95% of ‘Savvy Cynic’ participants share their bad experiences with a company or brand.

Based around the research we have identified four ways that brands can build trust in their promotional marketing, so helping cultivate brand loyalty, confidence and campaign success.

1 Simplicity

Is the campaign clear? Is the benefit clear?

Do consumers understand exactly what they’re getting, whether it’s a prize entry or a money-off coupon?

Shopper marketing can be challenging, and it’s a complex balancing act between ensuring that consumers are satisfied while brands see return on their investment. Campaigns need to be simple and fun. Sometimes the easiest, oldest tricks in the book win out. A third of people like to get a money off coupon for their next purchase, on their packaging… could it get any easier than that?

2 Language

Does the language a brand uses make them more trustworthy? They must be clear and concise about what customers will get by using language carefully throughout their promotional marketing campaign.

Clarity is key. Don’t try and ‘trick’ people with complex language and expressions or complicated offers. That just generates confusion, creates reservations in consumers’ minds about your brand and ultimately may turn them off your product altogether.

Where brands ‘guarantee’ something in a promotion, they must actually ‘guarantee’ it! Be careful what you say: in a prize promotion, you should be offering a chance or an opportunity to, and you should make it clear how many prizes there are in total – so you can mention the big headline prize but qualify it with something like ‘or win 1 of 100,000 other prizes’

3 Clear Instructions

Maybe it’s a gift with purchase or maybe it’s a competition involving tricky questions that test brand loyalty; but whatever form the promotional campaign takes, it must be clear to the consumer what the ‘added value’ for them is and what they have to do to qualify for the chance to enjoy it. Downloading receipts, collecting coupons, entering codes online or aligning with events — whatever the mechanic it needs to be clear to the consumer what steps they need to take.

4 Joined up marketing for brand stability

Brand stability refers to the steadfastness of a brand in the face of social and market changes and influences. It is, of course, important to roll with changes in the big, wide world; but it’s just as important to stay steadfast to who the brand is and what it stands for. From everyday marketing communications to one-off campaigns, messaging needs to be consistent in order for consumers to truly get to grips with who you are.

It’s not rocket science. By breaking down the promotion into its simplest fundamentals you can keep your message clear and deliver against your objectives for each campaign. Think about the basics: audience, objectives, measurement and your brand’s USP.

When the face and future of a brand hangs so precariously on maintaining trust with consumers, it’s imperative that each and every sales promotion is neat, simple and by the book, to ensure no brand value is lost through any ‘dubious’ promotions.

Customers will vote with their money and one iffy campaign lasts long in the memory. The 2016 Walkers ‘Holiday’ campaign was splashed all over the press this year for example.

Deliver on your promises!

As the experts at trustedadvisor.com, who understand well the importance of trust to businesses, explain: “credibility is probably the most commonly thought-of trust component, but it is only one… Believable, credentialed… and having a track record… are traits we most consciously look for when screening vendors.”

A track record is hugely important and every campaign speaks volumes about your brand. Done right, each campaign is a step towards greater trust between brand and consumer. As The Guardian said in the article that accompanied its 2014 research, “for those brands trying to win trust, it is a step-by-step process; but the pillars of credibility – reliability and intimacy – are a good place to start.’

So get personal. Create intimacy with your consumers by targeting their needs and preferences and rewarding their loyalty. Why not develop a campaign around repeat purchases? Or target the likes of particular demographics?  Even as early as the planning phase, brands should think about what part trust plays in their campaign – and how they can improve it at every stage.

Ben Craker is Head of Risk at Fotorama, part of the Sodexo family. Fotorama are Promotional Marketing specialists with over 30 years of experience in planning and launching campaigns that help clients to increase profit, brand awareness and customer engagement. Its dedicated team is equipped with creative talent and industry knowledge which helps them handle everything from mechanic creation and sourcing to winner management, in order to produce spectacular promotions that deliver on budget from brief to purchase. To find out more contact ben.craker@fotorama.co.uk

Fotorama (part of the Sodexo Family) is headline sponsor of the IPM 30 Under 30 Programme 2017.

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