Emerging technological breakthroughs were once synonymous with lab coats, thick-rimmed glasses and dodgy haircuts. In more recent times, (much like the motor industry) the technology industry – especially the ‘gadget’ and ‘gaming’ sectors – have been promoted through the use of pretty woman, often scantily clad or in latex, hired to give products some ‘sex appeal’ and entice consumers to get up and personal on the stand. The gaming and gadget industry may still be driven primarily by male consumers, but does this cheap marketing ploy still work, and is it acceptable with the ever rising female user-base and woman working in the tech industry? What are your thoughts on ‘eye-candy’ at expos? Tasteless? Harmless? Unrepresentative? Would you rather someone who had more than a one minute briefing demonstrate their wares? Are you offended as a male, to be targeted as being a hormonal schoolboy – won over by a pretty lady, or as a female, that women are used as the products themselves?

Some women at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas have expressed their frustration at the scantily-clad “booth babes” hired by some companies to promote their stalls.

The BBC’s Matt Danzico investigates whether this practice is an effective marketing strategy, or merely a reflection on gender relations in technology.

WATCH THE REPORT HERE: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16533289

(Opinion: Jon Price – designer)

I stumbled across this from 07/08; it’s a nice, brand renewal video from Swisscom, one of the leading brands and a market leader in Switzerland (with more than 60% average share of the market). Swisscom is perceived as one of the most trusted brands by Swiss people and this re-brand was the final step to a major restructuring of the whole Swisscom organisation. “Our concept for Swisscom centres on creating just a cross-platform, dynamic identity. This will form a strong and clearly defined single axis around which every element of the Swisscom organisation can then move”.

It’s an interesting way to demonstrate an overview of the brand-refresh process and goes some way to capturing the amount of work involved. The video speaks for itself but you can see further development here: http://www.movingbrands.com/?category_name=swisscom-work#strategy

(Opinion: Jon Price – Designer)

Not surprisingly the theme of the show seemed to be heavily digital weighted with key speakers including Google’s MD for the UK & Ireland Matt Brittin discussing ‘how the web is changing the world for consumers,’ giving reference to Google+ and the importance of social. The show rather poignantly witnessed the distribution of the last traditional print version of ‘Design Week’ as proof of this merge into the digital (only) age…

There were plenty of exciting technologies on display including the very latest in 3D and AR. Touch-screen technology was also making a big impression in Point of Sale/Purchase arena. One product which kept Jon and I busy was the Paradigm interactive multi-touch table (below) that allows interaction between projects with the swipe of your finger using a familiar iOS-like interface. It delivers efficiency and plain fun to the office and we hope to be seeing one in the dna boardroom very soon!

The exhibition is free to attend, so if you want to visit the show for yourself next year visit www.marketingweeklive.co.uk.

(Opinion: Sarah Znideric – Client Services Director)

Article posted by: Paul Mabin – Managing Director.

After doing some recent research for one of our clients, I came across some advertising produced for BMW. Believe it or not, these adverts were actually used, but mainly in Greece. I’m not sure that we would get away with them in the UK. If you dig deeper into these campaigns and read forums and blogs, they have been causing outrage and controversy for years, with claims that they are ‘demeaning’, ‘sexist’, ‘chauvinistic’ and ‘degrading’. However, whether we like them or not, BMW must be having the last laugh. The very fact that people are talking about these adverts all over the world, whether in a good light or bad, can only be more publicity for BMW. As the old adage goes, their is no such thing as bad publicity – however, not quite sure BP would agree with that statement at the moment.

Opinion – Paul Mabin (Creative Director / Managing Director)

The recently launched Apple iPad may not instantly deliver the commercial impact of the iPhone, but it represents another important step towards the inevitable convergence of the personal computer and the publishing industry. Whether we like it or not, the way we design is going to change forever.

Before long, graphic designers (and photographers) will have to start working in a different way. Using devices such as the Apple iPad, the consumer will be able to access all kinds of ‘publication’ electronically – which will undoubtedly feature both still images and, increasingly, video content and animation. Not only is video more engaging, it is also easier and faster to consume – an important factor in today’s ever-busier society. Like it or not, most of us that don’t currently ‘do’ moving pictures are soon going to have to learn. (There are already professional cameras on the market, such as the Canon 7D, which can capture both stills and full HD video. This is no accident.)

Currently, many agencies deal with, say, press advertising entirely separately from digital, television and video; indeed clients often use a different agency for one than they do for another; but increasingly there’s a call for integrated campaigns and for agencies that can deliver value across multiple channels. Promotions are becoming multi-dimensional, which adds complexity (and an interesting challenge) for the agencies that dream them up. Ultimately the agencies that will gain an advantage are those that can become truly media agnostic – those that can combine static content with rich media and whose ideas can work across all types of platform.

It’s up to the design and photographic industries to embrace new technology and to guide their clients on this fascinating journey we’re all taking. Sure, this will mean investment and upskilling for many of us, but the benefit will be the ability to offer a more holistic approach to corporate communications and, with it, client retention and loyalty (not to mention how interesting all of our jobs will become!).

The iPad is another signal that the publishing and design industries are in the middle of a revolution.  We wait with bated breath to see where it will lead!

[Opinion: Paul Mabin - Creative Director]

1. It’s a sad fact that most businesses aren’t particularly well run. If you’re finding it hard, your competitors probably are too. If you have a business plan, a budget and a reasonable grasp on your cash flow, you can stay one step ahead by acting sooner and with more certainty than the companies that don’t. If you don’t have a plan and a budget written down somewhere, you need one.

2. Keep things simple. Why should customers buy from you? How will they benefit? What makes you different from your competition? Make sure your messages are simple, clear, compelling and focussed on how your customers will benefit.

3. Review your marketing budget. Do you know what’s working and what isn’t? If not, it’s time to start measuring – recessions are no time to be wasting money. If you are going to reduce your marketing budget by half, make sure it’s the half that isn’t working!

4. If what you are doing now isn’t working, don’t keep doing it! Change something. Try something new.

5. If you have cash and you want to grow – start investing in your future. There is no better time for gaining market share than during a recession. Competitors are weak, prices are low, suppliers are willing to negotiate and new customers are coming up for grabs as their existing suppliers go bust. If you don’t go and get them, someone else will.

If you’d like to know how we can help you share the burden, call us on 01803 616100 and we’ll arrange a no obligations chat over a cuppa.

[Opinion: Jim Green - MD]