Tag: AD Communications

Author: Patrick Anderson

True to its name, Meerkat – the live-streaming video app – seemed to pop up out of nowhere. But with social media apps coming and going like X Factor winners (“Hello Matt Cardle, Goodbye Matt Cardle!”), does Meerkat have the legs to go the distance?

Author: Michael Grass

So there I was, using my time productively on a Saturday morning (watching telly) when I heard the familiar noise of my mail being aggressively shoved through the letterbox. I eventually shuffled over to the door and browsed through a host of familiar materials: postcard, bank statements, missed delivery cards… until I came across a leaflet from Amazon Prime.

Author: Patrick Anderson

Inbound marketing is on the rise with 79% of UK companies implementing inbound marketing strategies in 2014, representing a year-over-year growth of 25%. But just what is inbound marketing? And how relevant is it to B2B marketing communications?

Author: Patrick Anderson

“Without big data, you are blind and deaf in the middle of a freeway,” proclaims Geoffrey Moore, an American management consultant and theorist. Big words. But what does ‘Big Data’ mean for B2B marketing?

Author: Michael Grass

This week marks the 20^th anniversary of Edward Bernays’ death, a man often referred to as “the father of public relations”. If you’ve never heard of him, don’t worry – Bernays himself would be the first to argue that a PR practitioner should be inconspicuous.  

Author: Lucy O’Dea

In the digital world, we’re constantly receiving advice from ‘the experts’ telling us to use social platforms and mobile media to communicate with our customers. Online platforms allow for super-fast, direct communication, and is a proven method of disseminating information quickly and efficiently. 

Author: Alexa Mills

It was Friday night and I was at home just about to pour myself a much deserved glass of wine. Dinner was simmering away and I could finally switch off for the weekend. Suddenly I received a text from my energy company asking for me to call them regarding an outstanding bill. It was the third time they had texted me that week. In my view, there are a few critical customer communication issues here.

Author: Lucy O’Dea

Ever felt overwhelmed by the constant bombardment of emails, texts, tweets and digital alerts? Gone are the days when our doormats were flooded by the daily delivery of unsolicited direct mail. And while that comes as a relief to some, the shift towards digital communication is now taking over the mantle.  

Author: Patrick Anderson

A few years ago I wrote a blog about Valentine’s Day. A self-proclaimed hopeless romantic, I sought a new and innovative way to harness the power of modern technology to create a ‘unique and undeniably personal’ gift that would go above and beyond the classic ‘card and flowers’ combo. 

Author: Patrick Anderson

I know why the majority of people are against ‘native advertising’, the latest buzzword for publishing an advert online in such a way that enables it to masquerade as authentic editorial content. And that word is Bono. You know, that Irish venture capitalist, businessman and philanthropist who sometimes delivers the occasional decent tune (‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’ is, no matter whatever anyone says, an absolute banger). However, despite my appreciation for the odd U2 song, his latest stunt has gone too damn far.

Author: Michael Grass

Ok, let me start by saying that, from an editorial standpoint, I am fully aware of the ethically dubious nature of native advertising. There is a 16 year old student activist inside of me that is vigorously against corporate influence in the media, battles for editorial independence and is ready to pounce on the first journalist that sells out to the capitalist machine. So surely the notion of publications camouflaging adverts as articles should be enough to make me want to slip on a balaclava and march on Fleet Street armed with a megaphone?

Author: AD Communications

A leading biscuit brand got itself into a bit of hot milk late last year, when it was accused of dominating YouTube by advertising its products via YouTube celebrities. This sparked a furore over the credibility of many YouTubers’ content, with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruling that ‘vloggers’ must be more transparent and upfront about sponsored videos. The ASA ruling stated that vloggers must clearly tell fans when they’re being paid by advertisers, which means that the word ‘ad’ or ‘promo’ needed to be included in the title of the video, or that the video’s thumbnail needs to make it clear that the viewer is about to watch an advert.