Use of direct channels improves online traffic
Direct marketing drives online traffic by up to 40%, according to collaborative publisher Tilt, which created its own insurance broker brand to conduct the research.
by Jacquie Bowser Brand Republic 02-Jul-08
The fake brand, called Quote Genie, was positioned as an online insurance broker providing a wide range of home, travel and motor insurance quotes.
Quote Genie was advertised in consumer guide Asrecommended Insurance, which was distributed to 600,000 prospects in January 2008.
Unique online visitors were recorded via the Quote Genie website and calls were routed and recorded by a call lead manager. The ad did not appear in any other form apart from direct mail.
In total, more than 2,000 consumers responded to the ad. Of that number, 41% responded by visiting the website, rather than picking up the phone.
Ben Allan, managing director at Tilt, said: "This project is the first of its kind and finally shows a true measure of the affect offline media has on driving online response.
"We are seeing more and more consumers preferring to communicate online rather than via the phone, regardless of where they picked up a brand message.
"If brands don't apportion a percentage of online response back to offline media and instead just reduce offline investment, they will be making flawed marketing spend decisions."
Friday, 4 July 2008
Insurance related issues
Cash-strapped consumers switch to pay-as-you pricing model for mobile phones, cars, insurance and utilities
Until recently, pre-pay pricing deals have appealed mainly to adults with credit problems or no bank account, and children. However, as the economic climate worsens, consumers in other demographics are also beginning to turn to such propositions as they, too, find themselves short of cash.
by Alex Brownsell Marketing 24-Jun-08
Last week, Sony Ericsson's UK marketing manager Dave Hilton revealed that the handset manufacturer is dedicating more of its marketing budget to the pay-as-you-go (PAYG) market.
It is not only mobile phone companies that have spotted a growth in demand for PAYG. The concept is catching on in other sectors, where consumers are not willing to commit themselves to a 12-month contract. Gyms and leisure clubs, for example, are known for tying customers to lengthy deals, but Virgin Active is now allowing consumers to cancel with 30 days' notice at any stage in their contract.
Streetcar has based its entire business model on the pre-pay concept. The car-rental brand hires out vehicles starting at £3.95 an hour or £39.50 a day. Co-founder Andrew Valentine says that when times are hard, people look to do everything in the 'easiest and cheapest way they can'.
'People are having to be more careful with their money, and they are using this type of service more,' he adds. 'The length of rental is falling too - where people once rented a car for a day, they are now renting it for two to three hours.'
PAYG has also made inroads to the insurance market. AA Travel Insurance is running an outdoor campaign reminding holidaymakers that they can purchase cover for £5 a trip, as opposed to £32 for the year. Similarly, home-emergency insurance provider HomeServe has relaunched as a consumer brand offering 'Jobs on demand' for consumers who can't afford a full policy.
Despite having suspended its Pay-As-You-Drive insurance policy last week, Norwich Union says it is committed to the concept in the long term. It was introduced to help young drivers, who are often lumbered with costly premiums, by installing an in-vehicle device that records when and how far they drive.
Norwich Union spokesman Erik Nelson said the policy was successful, but as car manufacturers have not yet started to build these devices into models, it was a costly venture for the insurer. 'Average customer savings were about 30% and the retention rate was about 90%,' he says. 'We are saying the policy has "paused", because it will return.'
However, Paul Gordon, managing director at marketing agency Tangible Financial, points out that PAYG has its limitations, and is unlikely to make a big impact on financial services.
'You can see PAYG in transactional services and grudge purchases, such as insurance,' he says. 'But it would be difficult to implement it in longer-term projects, especially those linked to the stock market's ups and downs.'
The biggest problem faced by brands is that PAYG has long been considered poor value. Companies can claim, with some justification, that charges reflect the higher costs of operating a PAYG service, but, ultimately, consumers may be hesitant to sacrifice the long-term savings offered by pay-monthly deals.
Until recently, pre-pay pricing deals have appealed mainly to adults with credit problems or no bank account, and children. However, as the economic climate worsens, consumers in other demographics are also beginning to turn to such propositions as they, too, find themselves short of cash.
by Alex Brownsell Marketing 24-Jun-08
Last week, Sony Ericsson's UK marketing manager Dave Hilton revealed that the handset manufacturer is dedicating more of its marketing budget to the pay-as-you-go (PAYG) market.
It is not only mobile phone companies that have spotted a growth in demand for PAYG. The concept is catching on in other sectors, where consumers are not willing to commit themselves to a 12-month contract. Gyms and leisure clubs, for example, are known for tying customers to lengthy deals, but Virgin Active is now allowing consumers to cancel with 30 days' notice at any stage in their contract.
Streetcar has based its entire business model on the pre-pay concept. The car-rental brand hires out vehicles starting at £3.95 an hour or £39.50 a day. Co-founder Andrew Valentine says that when times are hard, people look to do everything in the 'easiest and cheapest way they can'.
'People are having to be more careful with their money, and they are using this type of service more,' he adds. 'The length of rental is falling too - where people once rented a car for a day, they are now renting it for two to three hours.'
PAYG has also made inroads to the insurance market. AA Travel Insurance is running an outdoor campaign reminding holidaymakers that they can purchase cover for £5 a trip, as opposed to £32 for the year. Similarly, home-emergency insurance provider HomeServe has relaunched as a consumer brand offering 'Jobs on demand' for consumers who can't afford a full policy.
Despite having suspended its Pay-As-You-Drive insurance policy last week, Norwich Union says it is committed to the concept in the long term. It was introduced to help young drivers, who are often lumbered with costly premiums, by installing an in-vehicle device that records when and how far they drive.
Norwich Union spokesman Erik Nelson said the policy was successful, but as car manufacturers have not yet started to build these devices into models, it was a costly venture for the insurer. 'Average customer savings were about 30% and the retention rate was about 90%,' he says. 'We are saying the policy has "paused", because it will return.'
However, Paul Gordon, managing director at marketing agency Tangible Financial, points out that PAYG has its limitations, and is unlikely to make a big impact on financial services.
'You can see PAYG in transactional services and grudge purchases, such as insurance,' he says. 'But it would be difficult to implement it in longer-term projects, especially those linked to the stock market's ups and downs.'
The biggest problem faced by brands is that PAYG has long been considered poor value. Companies can claim, with some justification, that charges reflect the higher costs of operating a PAYG service, but, ultimately, consumers may be hesitant to sacrifice the long-term savings offered by pay-monthly deals.
Competitors
Auto Trader signs Liverpool Victoria for Post-it notes campaign
Auto Trader has secured a four-week ad campaign with Liverpool Victoria Insurance, which will feature branded Liverpool Victoria Post-it notes bound in the magazine.
by David Allott Media Week 25-Jun-08
Auto Trader claims the campaign marks the first time Post-it notes have been used in a classifieds magazine in such a way.
Branded Liverpool Victoria Post-it notes will be bound into the front of the contents page, to be used to mark cars that the readers are most interested in.
Liverpool Victoria will also have a presence on the front cover, with a strip ad announcing the notes.The campaign will run nationally, excluding the Republic of Ireland, across Auto Trader's 12 regional editions for four weeks from 3 July.
In February, Auto Trader moved to broaden its advertiser base with a title relaunch and £15m ad campaign to arrest declining circulation, which included a new-look front cover, changes to editorial content and a revamp of its website.
Auto Trader has secured a four-week ad campaign with Liverpool Victoria Insurance, which will feature branded Liverpool Victoria Post-it notes bound in the magazine.
by David Allott Media Week 25-Jun-08
Auto Trader claims the campaign marks the first time Post-it notes have been used in a classifieds magazine in such a way.
Branded Liverpool Victoria Post-it notes will be bound into the front of the contents page, to be used to mark cars that the readers are most interested in.
Liverpool Victoria will also have a presence on the front cover, with a strip ad announcing the notes.The campaign will run nationally, excluding the Republic of Ireland, across Auto Trader's 12 regional editions for four weeks from 3 July.
In February, Auto Trader moved to broaden its advertiser base with a title relaunch and £15m ad campaign to arrest declining circulation, which included a new-look front cover, changes to editorial content and a revamp of its website.
Behavioural Targeting
Newspaper Society launches interactive planning tool for advertisers
The Newspaper Society has launched an interactive planning tool that aims to provide agencies and advertisers with insight into social, behavioural and political differences between communities within the UK.
by Jacquie Bowser Brand Republic 20-Jun-08, 10:50
The Local Matters interactive planning tool contains data that reveals how attitudes towards issues including economy, personal safety, sports, environmental awareness, community and national government, vary considerably across 12 regions of the UK.
It is hoped that agencies and advertisers will be able to use the planning tool to find out how these issues are related to media usage. The data can be divided by region, lifestage or population centre.
Robert Ray, Newspaper Society director, said: "The UK is a hugely diverse country and the Local Matters research has shown how dramatically people's social and political attitudes, and behaviour, change depending upon the region in which they live.
"By using the Local Matters interactive planning tool, agencies and advertisers will be able to see these variations for themselves, also cutting by lifestage or population centre, and maximise the relevance of their communications message."
The Local Matters interactive planning tool is based on findings from a national study, which was conducted by Millward Brown and commissioned by the Newspaper Society.
The Newspaper Society has launched an interactive planning tool that aims to provide agencies and advertisers with insight into social, behavioural and political differences between communities within the UK.
by Jacquie Bowser Brand Republic 20-Jun-08, 10:50
The Local Matters interactive planning tool contains data that reveals how attitudes towards issues including economy, personal safety, sports, environmental awareness, community and national government, vary considerably across 12 regions of the UK.
It is hoped that agencies and advertisers will be able to use the planning tool to find out how these issues are related to media usage. The data can be divided by region, lifestage or population centre.
Robert Ray, Newspaper Society director, said: "The UK is a hugely diverse country and the Local Matters research has shown how dramatically people's social and political attitudes, and behaviour, change depending upon the region in which they live.
"By using the Local Matters interactive planning tool, agencies and advertisers will be able to see these variations for themselves, also cutting by lifestage or population centre, and maximise the relevance of their communications message."
The Local Matters interactive planning tool is based on findings from a national study, which was conducted by Millward Brown and commissioned by the Newspaper Society.
Behavioural Targeting
Bunnyfoot founder opens offline behavioural agency
LONDON - Behavioural research consultancy Bunnyfoot has spun its offline eye-tracking service into a separate entity to meet demand from clients.
by Joe Gill Brand Republic 03-Jul-08, 14:10
The new consultancy is called Think Eyetracking and specialises in testing consumers' behavioural response to offline media including TV, print, outdoor and packaging.
Its clients include JCDecaux, Proctor & Gamble, Ipsos and Unilever.
Rob Stevens, co-founder of Bunnyfoot, has opened Think's first office with managing director Lizzie Maughan heading the operation.
Since joining Bunnyfoot in 2004 Maughan has pioneered several methodologies and eye-tracking techniques in the areas of print, email, packaging and TV, and implemented them on a global scale.
Stevens said: "In an age when most companies are expanding to accommodate the digital era, we are bucking the trend and doing the reverse, by taking our eye-tracking experience in the digital world and translating it into the offline world."
The Reading-based test centre employs nine specialists to perform testing of up to 350 people each week using software developed over the last two years in conjunction with P&G.
Think's consultants use eye-tracking to determine cognitive processes related to visual stimulation such as decision-making, brand recognition and engagement.
The company said most of its interviews take between 10 and 15 minutes, including a 30-second calibration game, eye-tracking and a short questionnaire.
LONDON - Behavioural research consultancy Bunnyfoot has spun its offline eye-tracking service into a separate entity to meet demand from clients.
by Joe Gill Brand Republic 03-Jul-08, 14:10
The new consultancy is called Think Eyetracking and specialises in testing consumers' behavioural response to offline media including TV, print, outdoor and packaging.
Its clients include JCDecaux, Proctor & Gamble, Ipsos and Unilever.
Rob Stevens, co-founder of Bunnyfoot, has opened Think's first office with managing director Lizzie Maughan heading the operation.
Since joining Bunnyfoot in 2004 Maughan has pioneered several methodologies and eye-tracking techniques in the areas of print, email, packaging and TV, and implemented them on a global scale.
Stevens said: "In an age when most companies are expanding to accommodate the digital era, we are bucking the trend and doing the reverse, by taking our eye-tracking experience in the digital world and translating it into the offline world."
The Reading-based test centre employs nine specialists to perform testing of up to 350 people each week using software developed over the last two years in conjunction with P&G.
Think's consultants use eye-tracking to determine cognitive processes related to visual stimulation such as decision-making, brand recognition and engagement.
The company said most of its interviews take between 10 and 15 minutes, including a 30-second calibration game, eye-tracking and a short questionnaire.
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