Social ‘media’ has undoubtedly acted as the catalyst in creating a more connected, social world in the digital space, but humans have been ‘social’ long before the advent of Facebook et al.

This brilliant new campaign from Bud Light uses special labels on its bottles that drinkers can etch messages on using a key or blunt object, penning anything from a name or party invite to a mobile number. Read more »

I’m just back from Earl’s Court and Internet World expo where Jonathan Harvey, UK Sales Manager at Facebook, gave a keynote speech on the future for social brands.

He called it ‘Social by Design’ and it looked at what Facebook has in store for brands looking to maximise their marketing within its ubiquitous social network and he concluded with three simple points that are key to success in social marketing. Read more »

Prompted by an article from Econsultancy (I’ll post the link at the end, as I want you all to keep reading!) and some recent conversations with colleagues, I felt compelled to jot down my own thoughts regarding the QR code ‘phenomenon’. Read more »

Despite social media’s osmotic move into mainstream digital marketing strategy, there still remain a great many sceptics that still cite social media as a fad and perhaps more worryingly, something to be afraid of.

One of the biggest reasons I hear attributed to this wariness of social media is people’s fear of losing control of their brand, which is understandable if viewed from (dare I say this!) an out-dated, web 1.0 perspective. Read more »

Unless you’ve been living under that proverbial rock for the last six months (and perhaps even if you have), you’ll no doubt be aware of the phenomenon that is Instagram.

For the rock-dwellers amongst you, Instagram is a smartphone app that allows users to share photos with each other, in a ‘stream’ fairly akin to Twitter.  Its variety of vintage filters allows users a level of creativity too, which is proving highly popular (especially amongst the denizens of Hoxton). Read more »

It’s always nice to see brands executing social media strategies fantastically well.  The fact that we notice “good” examples is perhaps testament to the fact that so many brands are still struggling with social strategy.  Nevertheless, much can be learnt from those performing well, of which the Imperial War Museum is most definitely one to watch. Read more »

If like me, you enjoy social media AND cookies, last week’s Oreo story can’t have escaped your attention.  Oreo, the world’s ‘favourite’ cookie attempted a world record on its Facebook page.

The premise was simple: amass the most number of ‘likes’ for a Facebook post within 24 hours, creating a huge raft of PR and thousands of new ‘fans’ in the process. Read more »

I’m no more ‘qualified’ to critique an ad than the next marketer, but I am a consumer – and it being Valentine’s Day, have fallen firmly in love with this new spot for Jim Beam, ‘Bold Choice’:

If you’re like me, the moody black and white film, emotive acting and poignant message can’t fail to impress.  Big advertising has always sold people a lifestyle rather than a product and this is no different (although Jim Beam does happen to be my favourite bourbon). Read more »

Trawl the Twittersphere and you’ll come across a plethora of branded Twitter accounts, from players as big as Marks and Spencer, Waitrose and The Body Shop to small local businesses, boutique shops and niche agencies.

However, despite the exponential marketing and branding opportunities presented by Twitter, it can also damage your brand if handled incorrectly. Read more »

You can’t deny it: social media does lack the grandeur held by an emotive, sweeping TV advert; lacks the visual ‘punch’ of a colossal billboard passed by hundreds of thousands of people every day.  Which I presume, is why so many people question its relative value as a marketing investment; especially considering the ROI debate continues to rumble on. Read more »