PHL Group is a friendly, owner-managed Handling Company with over 20 years of experience in Fulfilment and Delivery. We offer a wide range of specialist marketing fulfilment services and IT solutions.

PHL Group recognises that the Marketing industry faces ever-changing priorities. We are passionate about working in partnership with agencies and brands to understand their challenges and opportunities. We believe that a flexible, customer-centric approach to fulfilment is the key to achieving success in a fast-paced, data-driven world.

As part of our company mission, we continually strive to improve our customer services and IT support. We have designed a quick fulfilment survey you can access here, to explore your current fulfilment needs and examine the threats and opportunities that will impact your business development. Your feedback will help us shape our ongoing mission to provide affordable and future-fit fulfilment solutions.

As a thank you for taking part in our survey all participants will be entered into a fantastic prize draw. One lucky winner will receive a £500 voucher with Coolstays.com. Coolstays offer unique and unusual places to stay across the UK, Europe and worldwide. Accommodation includes glamping, luxury treehouses, windmills, lighthouses and deluxe beach huts – So stay somewhere extraordinary!”

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According to a new consumer survey carried out by YouGov for Ocean Outdoor, nearly half (49%) of 18 to 24-year-olds say they would be interested in seeing more live content on digital out of home (DOOH) advertising screens.

And one in four also says they are more likely to engage with adverts that appear alongside live broadcast content such as entertainment, news and sport.

A nationally representative sample of more than 2,000 GB adults took part in an online study. The survey was commissioned by Ocean to better understand consumer attitudes to broadcast content carried across its portfolio of city centre and roadside screens in 12 leading UK cities.

The new survey forms part of an industry seminar which took place at the Royal Academy of Arts in London yesterday (January 29).

Phil Hall, Managing director at Ocean Outdoor UK, said: “Ocean has developed a clear content strategy to create standout brand experiences at scale. We use premium broadcast-led content to connect hard to reach audiences with personal, immersive outdoor brand experiences – which they say they like and trust. This new survey reveals that in an age of fake news, ad blocking and a decline in both social media use and terrestrial TV viewing, combining linear broadcast content with new and interactive technology allows us to build a channel which is trusted and engaging. We are delivering the sort of content that discerning, younger audiences want to see.”

Key findings

Like

• 25% of 18-24-year olds are more likely to pay attention to ads alongside live content on digital billboards and posters outside of their home than standard ads alone.

• Young people are the most enthusiastic: 49% of 18 to 24-year-olds say they are interested in seeing more live content on DOOH screens, closely followed by 44% of 25 to 34-year-olds and 37% 35 to 44-year-olds.

• One in four 18 to 24-years-olds are also more likely to engage with ads that appear alongside live content, such as a sports match.

• As well as being interested in seeing more live content on DOOH, just over one in 10 (11%) of all respondents would like to see more dynamic and interactive advertising.

Want

• Almost half (49%) 18 to 24-year olds are interested in seeing more content on screens, compared with  one in three of all respondents (30%).

• Breaking news was the most popular form of live content for all respondents (77%) followed by weather updates (72%) and live transport updates (66%). 38% like to see film and TV trailers, with live sports (27%) and music related content (21%) also proving popular.

Trust

• 16% of 18 to 24-year-olds agree they are more likely to trust that the live content they see on a DOOH screen is genuine, compared to seeing content online or on other traditional media channels like TV or print.

• Whilst DOOH has not been around for as long as more established channels, irrelevant of age, audiences are likely to trust it just as much as traditional media, and in some cases more. 71% of people aged 35 to 54 agree that they have the same level of trust in DOOH as much as online and traditional media channels, compared to almost 3 in 5 (63%) of 25 to 34s and almost half (49%)18 to 24-years-olds.

Respond

• One in five (21%) 18 to 24-year-olds say they are more likely to take action towards a brand which appears alongside live DOOH content, compared to one in 10 overall.

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A study launched by Gekko titled ‘Service not Sci-fi’, reveals that UK shoppers would rather deal with real people not robots or artificial intelligence when it comes to shopping.

The study found that 81% of UK shoppers claim the personal touch has disappeared from retail customer service in modern Britain, with almost a third (32 percent) blaming an over reliance on technology for this decline. Half of those polled think that companies in the UK are using technology to save money, rather than improve customer experience.

Despite living in a world driven by technology, most people don’t want technology at the sacrifice of humans’ opinions and experience.  Only 30 percent said they would like to see ‘smart pricing’ initiatives adopted by retailers, where prices change in real time depending on demand, 22 percent smart mirrors that show a 360 view of themselves, 16 percent a virtual reality changing room, 14 percent augmented reality to help visualise products in the home and 9 percent a talking robot assistant.

When it comes to buying online, 43 percent of UK shoppers have had their screen freeze while trying to make a purchase, so when asked what makes a great bricks and mortar shopping experience, 49 percent of those polled said it was down to having good staff on the shop floor, staff that know the products (49 percent) and staff that go the extra mile (47 percent). Coupled with this, 61 percent of the nation would prefer to deal face to face when complaining, 59 percent when enquiring or trying to find out more about a product and 73 percent when getting a refund.
And businesses take heed – a third of Brits say that the personal touch is more likely to make a repeat purchase, and more than a fifth (22 percent) claim they always spend more money in a shop if they are served by a good assistant, incrementally adding to sales. Over a third (34 percent) of shoppers stated that a poor experience has driven them to buy from another retailer.

The research also highlights the impact of the decline of the local shop, with a quarter of Brits saying they miss shopping somewhere where people recognise them, 16 per cent confessing they preferred the days when they could talk through a purchase with a someone in-store, and a quarter saying online shopping is less fun than buying something in a real shop.  The convenience of a store’s location is also stated as important by 43 per cent of respondents which means that as retailers consolidate their estates, many will notice the effects, further emphasising the need to carefully consider the experience being provided in-store and the staff needed to deliver the experience.

According to the research, we waste almost an hour and a half a month – which is 17 hours a year, the equivalent of more than two days at work – interacting with automated technology, only for a human to have to step in and help.

Bug bears include getting someone to rectify a problem with the self-service checkout, and ringing customer services and dealing with a recorded voice, only to repeat the details to the person you end up talking to.

It’s little wonder, then, that 51 percent of Brits have slammed the phone down during an automated call, as the system didn’t recognise what they were saying.  And 47 percent of shoppers have experienced self-service checkout failure that’s had to be rectified by a shop assistant.

In fact, more than three quarters (77 percent) of UK shoppers admit they’d much rather use a checkout with a person on it, rather than taking the self-service option.  More than 4 in ten (43 percent) British shoppers would rather speak to a person than an automated system when making a phone enquiry, with almost a quarter (23 percent) ending up having to complain on social media when their query hasn’t been responded to via the automated service.

Daniel Todaro, MD of Gekko said: “Everyone is talking about technology and innovation within retail, but our research clearly shows that what consumers really want is the human touch.  With traditional retail under more pressure than ever and an astonishing 81% of people feeling that the personal touch has disappeared from shopping, businesses need to focus on the customer experience in these tough trading times to help keep the high street alive.”

By understanding your brand, its target audience and your channel, Gekko Field Marketing are able to create campaigns and strategic teams that actively enhance the shopper journey and increase profitability within crowded categories.

The omni-channel continues to drive change within traditional retail, and through our research and understanding of high ticket, considered purchases, we help brands complete the customer journey from ATL to purchase. Gekko deliver insightful and effective Field Marketing solutions, converting shoppers into customers of your brand.

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New research conducted by independent creative agency Initials has found consumers are switching to challenger brands in their droves. Two thirds of respondents claim that being over-exposed to marketing messages is making them less loyal to established brands. The findings expose five harsh truths established brands must tackle in the face of the challenger brand phenomenon.

Aiming to delve deeper into the dizzying climb of the challengers, the research surveyed over 1000 UK consumers, exploring how and why they are switching. Focusing on eight FMCG categories; food, soft drinks, alcohol, household products, healthcare, toiletries, beauty and grooming products, the research looked at everything from drivers at a category level to attitudes post purchase.

The first harsh truth is that challengers are impacting all categories. After food (57%), some two fifths (39%) of consumers say they have switched to a challenger brand in toiletries, followed by alcohol (35%) and beauty (34%). Household products (32%), healthcare (31%), soft drinks (29%) and grooming products (28%) complete the category list.

The second harsh truth is that across the board the switch to challengers is likely to be permanent, with 44% saying they intend to stick with the brand they’ve switched too. Of those that don’t intend to stick, almost a third (30%) plan to try another challenger rather than revert to their original established brand. TV is viewed as the most effective channel for driving consideration of challenger brands, cited by 42% of respondents.

Thirdly, value for money still matters. Despite the premium often associated with challenger brands they are delivering against their promise, with exactly half of respondents saying challenger brands are seen to provide good value for money.

The research also found the more shoppers are invested in their purchase, the more probable it is that they’ll find a reason to try a challenger – this is the fourth harsh truth and a concern for brands with higher consideration products. It’s most significant for food purchases with well over a half (60%) of shoppers saying this.

The fifth, and perhaps most significant truth, is the emotional connection consumers feel towards challenger brands – people recognise and respond positively to the purpose and personality presented by challengers. This is particularly significant amongst younger consumers, those aged 16-34.

Jamie Matthews, CEO of Initials, comments: “These findings should act as a wake up call to brands. The rules of the game have changed, with challengers disrupting every one of the FMCG categories we examined. To compete effectively established brands need to adopt more of a challenger mindset. Doing that requires bravery, and a much greater appetite for risk, but in order to succeed they need to match challenger’s sense of ambition and conviction. Regardless of category there is a lot to be learned from how the challengers are doing things.”

Initials is one of the UK’s fastest growing independent agencies, with expertise in brand planning and brand activation, spanning three strategic centres of excellence: Promotional Marketing, Shopper Marketing and Live Engagement.

Describing itself as the home of UNINHIBITED THINKING, what makes Initials different is its eclectic mix of people. The team comprises seasoned brains and youthful vigour, possessing a diverse skill set, whilst also sharing an energy and passion for creating smarter, innovative, and more extraordinary solutions for clients on a local and global scale including: Heineken, McLaren Automotive, PepsiCo, Twinings, The Gap Partnership, Coty and Philips.

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On-pack promotions are still an important part of the marketing mix despite the rise of online shopping, with new research finding that most consumers (66%) said promotions make brands more attractive. However, consumers also want the convenience which new technology can add to promotions, including recent developments such as online receipt validation.

Strikingly, it is Millennials who appear to respond best to on-pack promotions: those aged 25 to 34 found brands with promotions most attractive (77%), but this falls to 51% for people aged 55 and over.

However, consumers appreciate the benefits which new high-tech promotional mechanics can bring to promotions –  over half (51%) agreed that hassle free and easy-to-redeem promotions were preferable, and confirmed that technology is key to delivering a smooth shopper experience.

The survey was commissioned by independent marketing agency, Granby, and conducted in partnership with polling company Censuswide.

1000 UK consumers, representative of the general population, were questioned extensively on their shopping habits; from what makes brands more attractive to how they redeem promotions and what impacts their loyalty. The findings provide invaluable insights for brands wanting to create winning retail strategies in the face of digital.

The findings support the argument that promotion drive sales and loyalty: two-thirds of those surveyed (68%) said receiving a reward would increase their loyalty towards a brand. Furthermore, younger generations are more influenced by reward,s with 79% of consumers aged 16 to 24 admitting to being influenced.

The research also found that offers are a good way to help win new shoppers. More than half of consumers would switch products because of a promotional offer.

Some 53% agreed that the ability to upload a photo of their till receipt to claim a promotional offer and receiving an instant notification would incentivise them to redeem an offer.

Granby is the exclusive UK partner for a receipt validation technology which has been developed in the US and is a well-established platform in the US market under the name SwiftReceipt. It launched SwiftReceipt, which it says is the fastest digital receipt validation service in the UK, in August 2017.

Joanne Kimber, Managing Director, Granby and SwiftReceipt, said: “Reaching the shopper in-store has always been a challenge for marketers. However, this research shows that on-pack promotions still play a vital role in marketing, but technology provides a real opportunity for brands to be more intelligent when looking to connect with consumers.”

The full research report is available for download from Granby’s website here.

Granby Marketing Services was established more than 50 years ago and now works with luxury brands, blue-chip clients, SMEs and promotional marketing agencies to help connect brands with their customers, providing with integrated fulfilment solutions to manage ideas, growth and objectives. It is a member of the Institute of Promotional Marketing (IPM), the industry body which oversees promotional marketing in the UK.

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Shoppers are as deal hungry as ever this Christmas, with 42% stating they are on the lookout for promotional offers for the festive supermarket shop, according to a survey by coupon experts Valassis Limited.

This percentage has increased in recent years from 38% in 2015 and 2014. Nearly half (46%) of all shoppers agree that they spend more time at Christmas seeking out promotions to ensure they keep within their budget, up from 42% in 2016.

The survey by Valassis Limited, the UK’s largest coupon and voucher services provider, shows that 2-for- 1 offers are the most popular promotion with 48% of consumers stating these would entice them to shop away from their main supermarket over the festive season, an increase from 43% last year.

Additionally, 16-24 year olds are the most motivated, with over half (57%) citing 2-for-1 offers as a reason to shop away. These offers are closely followed by Everyday Low Prices (EDLPs) tempting 43% of shoppers and coupons and vouchers favoured by 42%.

Promotions influence not only the supermarket that shoppers frequent, but also the products they buy. Nearly half of shoppers (48%) agree that relevant product coupons sway their decision on the brand they buy and 44% describe themselves as someone who actively seeks out coupons and vouchers before a supermarket shop.

Coupons and vouchers are not just attracting those who have to budget carefully. In fact, more affluent consumers are even more attracted to them: the survey shows 29% of ABC1s agreeing with the statement “I would describe myself as someone who actively seeks out coupons and vouchers,” compared to just 26% of C2DEs.

The Valassis survey results also underline a year-on-year decrease in supermarket loyalty. Consumer loyalty to one supermarket seems long gone, with only 16% of consumers stating they will not shop away from their main supermarket this festive season, down from 21% last year. This lack of loyalty is not just for Christmas, with only 11% of shoppers claiming to visit just one store each month.

The “deep discounters” are, interestingly, the pick of the bunch for shoppers this Christmas with 28% planning to do their main festive shop at Aldi, up from 25% last year, and 27% at Lidl. These shopping intentions are higher than for more mainstream grocery supermarkets.

Looking at the uptake of new technologies within grocery, online grocery shopping/home delivery has increased year-on-year with 25% of consumers stating they use this option either “often” or “always,” compared to 21% in 2016. Self-checkouts continue to increase in popularity, as a result of the rise of top-up shopping trips, with 40% of shoppers saying they often or always use them, up from 26% in 2016. Perhaps not surprisingly and tying in with their confidence in technology, younger age groups (over half of 16-24 and 25-34 year olds) are more likely to use self-checkouts. Beyond grocery, younger shoppers are also more likely to regularly use their phone for digital offers in High Street shops and restaurants – 24% of 16-24 and 30% of 25-34 year olds.

Charles D’Oyly, Valassis’ Managing Director, comments: “With the array of supermarkets being within easy reach of most shoppers, it has never been easier to cherry-pick the best deals. Perhaps the financial crisis of 2007 created a permanently more promotionally savvy shopper. Our research suggests, more than ever before, that deep discounters, 2-for-1s, vouchers and coupons have the strongest influence over the festive food shopping contest this year.”

The survey findings are based on an online survey of 2,002 nationally representative adults, conducted by GfK NOP from 20 to 24 October 2017 on behalf of Valassis Limited.

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Supermarket loyalty is decreasing, according to the latest research from Valassis: only 12% of shoppers claim loyalty to just one supermarket brand, with most (70%) shopping across two to three different stores. The number of shoppers loyal to just one supermarket has nearly halved since 2014, when it was 22%.

The figures, from a consumer survey carried out in November for Valassis, the UK’s largest coupon and voucher services provider, reveal that there is even less loyalty during the festive season, particularly among female shoppers. Only 10% of women stating they would stay loyal to their main regular supermarket.

Promotional offers are the deciding factor behind where the Christmas supermarket shop is done, with half of all women surveyed declaring they would switch supermarkets in order to use coupons or vouchers, although only one third of men say they are persuaded by such deals.

The research highlighted a number of other changing trends relating to promotional mechanics.  Coupons and vouchers are now favoured by 42% of shoppers compared to 38% three years ago; and loyalty points are favoured by 43% of Tesco and Sainsbury’s shoppers, compared to 38% in 2013.

In today’s increasingly digital age, paper coupons are still a favourite with most shoppers, although younger shoppers are more likely to embrace technological advances – nearly half of 25-34 year olds (48%) are highly likely to use a mobile coupon.

“With the consumer’s head being turned every which way by promotions at Christmas and grocery loyalty being at a low, no supermarket can afford to sit on the side-lines, especially when targeting women shoppers.” Valassis’ Managing Director, Charles D’Oyly (pictured), says.  “Within the grocery sector, digital promotions are still far from being embraced by the consumer although younger shoppers are certainly more predisposed to use them.  Clearly, offering a choice of promotional formats is currently the way to go.”

The weekly shop remains a firm habit of the majority of shoppers (58%), although a third of shoppers (33%) undertake daily top ups and 21% regularly opt for online shopping and home delivery.

The findings are based on an online survey of 2,000 nationally representative adults, conducted by GfK NOP on behalf of Valassis between 4^th and 7th November 2016.

Valassis Limited is the UK’s largest coupon and voucher services provider performing crucial data management and financial clearing services and responsible for handling most of the UK’s coupons and vouchers.

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