Welcome to our latest Market Outlook newsletter.
Gangster Branding
Andrew Hill in the FT notes that the BlackBerry smartphone model, the Curve, is the UK rioter’s handset of choice. BlackBerry, while suffering losses in the executive market, had moved positively into a younger customer market, only to have its positive association brutally reversed by its association with the recent rioting taking place in the UK. The riots have also been an absolute disaster for names like Adidas and Levi’s which have both been touting their ‘gangster chic’ with Adidas new ads featuring rapper, gang member and convicted criminal Snoop Dogg. Perhaps Adidas – a major Olympic sponsor – should have thought more carefully before trying to square Snoop Dogg’s CV with their stated brand objective of ‘creating positive role models for young people through excellence in sport.
Working Patterns Change for better or for worse?
The current economic climate has exposed the need for businesses to rethink the way in which they operate. On the commercial side, as economic pressures mount, downsizing continues to be the most frequently used tool to cut costs quickly.
The repercussions from that are numerous. The most talented of marketing professionals are getting their marching orders despite their contribution to the business – it becomes a numbers game to cut overheads and increase bottom line revenue.
Employers mistakenly believe that this means the recruitment market is client driven versus candidate driven. In other words, we’re seeing employers who believe that there is more supply than demand. But this is not exactly true. The reasons are obvious and quite simple:
Good marketing people aren’t desperate for a job; they can afford to be choosy and they will choose where to place their talents, whether they have been made redundant or not.
Jane Nash, a Recruitment Consultant from marketingmoves says: “Employers need to streamline the employment process – Candidates won’t hang about. Decisions are needed swiftly because most talented marketing people have several offers on the table at once.”
Employees tell us there is a mix between fear and excitement as the working landscape continues to shift. Many are considering moving to a ‘portfolio’ career, or a ‘career of choices’ where an employee more or less agrees to a role, if it fits with their lifestyle, as opposed to traditionally accepting a role and all that infers.
Adrian Hardy
Director
ahardy@marketingmoves.com
A Portfolio Career – Would you benefit?
The need to balance the direction of today’s economy with the recruitment of talented marketing people capable of driving business growth , lends itself to thinking about working in a new way that will deliver expected business results as well as a quality career and lifestyle for marketing candidates. The benefits to Candidates could include:
- A more flexible working arrangement to suit personal ambitions
- The opportunity to work with several companies on interesting projects
- The opportunity to run one’s own company
- The opportunity to meet a wide variety of talented marketing people
- The opportunity to explore different styles of marketing approaches
- The opportunity to experience different management styles
- The opportunity to create best practice
- The opportunity to be recognised as an expert in IT Marketing
On the downside, the lack of stability may worry some potential candidates. People will need to keep in mind how much security they need to feel happy.
Contact Melvin Day to discuss the opportunities for you.
mday@marketingmoves.com
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And “Two become One”
Two of the most pivotal inventions in history, the PC and the mobile phone have of course, merged into the smartphone, so reports the Financial Times as they discuss how technology wheeling and dealing has now reached pre-recession levels. Big technology companies, sitting on mountains of cash are able to act far more boldly than they have in the past, resulting in an accelerated push to develop the future of the mobile market. With the decline of the PC market, opportunities abound for the more creative (and cash rich) firms. But have you considered how this could affect you?
As a marketing professional in either of the two markets (mobile or PC), your future depends demonstrating the capability to be flexible, adaptable and creative. You’ll need to have marketing strategies that convince not only the usual suspects, such as the early adopters, but also those market segments that are yet to realise they are a perfect smartphone match. Smartphone brands are always on the lookout to appeal to different audiences, but what’s really notable is that they use specific interests to draw in their target markets:
Music Centred BlackBerry –
BlackBerry’s ‘Live & Lost’ campaign last year to attract younger users. The campaign saw music stars dropped off in a secluded area of England armed only with their BlackBerry and £20 .They had 5 days to get to a location across England. To date, the campaign had over 182,000 followers. 80% of BlackBerry’s customers are now non-business users.
Sports Fans Sony Ericsson –
Sony Ericsson , in partnership with ESPN pushed their Xperia Android range to football fans with a competition to win over 100k
Wild Card Apple –
Apple always plays the demographic card in its IPhone advertising from the young, to the business oriented families, to injured sports players – they don’t target certain groups, they let the customer decide for themselves.
The summary? Having new and great functionality is fantastic, but as a marketer in this sector, you’ll need your wits about you to keep well ahead in this growing battlefield.
