The Power Of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) In PR

CSR or corporate social responsibility is something that businesses of all shapes and sizes are incorporating into their operations and it’s something we like to do with almost all of our clients at Source as it can be an invaluable tool for building a business’ profile.

From conglomerates to regional SMEs, companies are increasingly recognising the importance of integrating positive social and environmental policies into the business.

Whether its reducing plastic waste or funding community projects, CSR initiatives are a great way to build brand reputation and attractiveness to customers but without PR, your good work will be hidden from view.

Here at Source PR, we have the tools and the team to get your positive work out there and really showcase your commitment to worthy causes and ethical operations.

Why should you promote CSR initiatives?

 

Enhancing your industry reputation

CSR initiatives are a great way to demonstrate, to customers and investors, that your business is committed to socially and environmentally sustainable operations, beyond simply profit-making.

By promoting these initiatives through PR in the form of media coverage of social media campaigns, your business can build a positive reputation among key stakeholders and really strengthen your brand image.

These days, it matters to consumers, customers and stakeholders that, as a business, you’re having a positive impact on the world around you and are increasingly conscious of company practice.

In fact, 88% of consumers across the globe would choose to buy from a business that engaged in sustainable practices over ones that didn’t.

Whether it’s an environmental accreditation or a workplace support scheme, these initiatives are definitely worth shouting about!

Getting ahead in a competitive market

One of the key reasons why companies turn to PR agencies is to get ahead of their competition and in a competitive marketplace, CSR can really set you apart from other businesses.

We operate as an extension of your team so we’re able to quickly understand the sector you’re in and utilise key channels such as social media or news publications to showcase your CSR efforts.

This can help to highlight initiatives such as community engagement, approach to operating sustainably or employee welfare and give you an edge over competitors who may be slow off the mark in adopting these practices.

Retaining and attracting talent

Employees are, of course, the most important assets of any company and ensuring that you can retain and attract the best talent is vital to the long-term success of your business.

When it comes to applying for roles, people aren’t necessarily looking at the profits you turned, they want to work for an employer that cares about their employees and operates ethically.

By promoting CSR initiatives through PR, businesses can showcase their commitment to causes such as mental health awareness and employee welfare which will help attract talent.

This can also boost the engagement and job satisfaction of existing employees, which is critical as ultimately, engaged employees are more likely to stay with the company and the high cost of hiring can be minimised.

B2C CSR

Here at Source, our B2C team work closely with clients to develop long-term CSR strategy that can effectively build brand reputation among their target audience and, ultimately, appeal to a more socially and environmentally conscious consumer base.

Miller Homes North West

We’ve enjoyed working with the North West arm of housebuilders Miller Homes for over 10 years and have consistently helped them to operate successful CSR campaigns.

Back in September 2022, Miller introduced its new Community Fund initiative, which was set up to provide community and charity groups across the North West with the opportunity to apply for donations between £250 and £2,000.

We’ve loved playing our part in helping our client to give back to groups and causes that are local to the areas in which Miller are developing.

This campaign has seen the housebuilder make a real difference in communities across the region with donations being made to inspiring schools, vital food banks, and some incredible charities.

We’ve then been able to showcase the amazing work that Miller is doing through the Community Fund, by securing coverage in local media which demonstrates to target audiences that the company is committed to giving back and helping crucial local causes.

Getting this message across helps to build Miller’s reputation among potential customers and ultimately helps to grow the company’s positive brand image.

B2B CSR

Promoting CSR initiatives among B2B companies, is just as important as B2C and that’s why our team work in partnership with clients to develop initiatives that will help the business to attract potential customers and set themselves apart from competition.

Meadow

Meadow, a leading ingredients business, is a company we’ve enjoyed long-lasting partnership with and whose key PR objective is promoting their commitment to operating sustainably.

Sustainability is the business’ top priority and we’ve been on hand to help Meadow communicate key brand messages, such as their decarbonisation strategy, through features, thought leadership pieces and particularly social media.

During Mental Health Awareness Week 2023, we worked with Meadow to highlight the excellent mental health support initiatives that the company has in place through social media communications on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The social posts reached over 6,000 people during the week and helped to showcase Meadow’s commitment to supporting its employees and partner farmers through support systems like their amazing mental health first aiders.

Social media campaigns such as this one can really help when it comes to attracting and retaining the best talent as it demonstrates to employees (and potential employees) that this is a business that cares about the wellbeing of its staff.

If you think the team at Source could help you with your PR or media relations, get in touch!

Prime Time: The Impact Of Scarcity Marketing

When you look at Prime, it’s your standard energy drink. Loud and colourful with a name that suggests that inspires some sort of hyper-performance.

With Logan Paul and KSI behind the brand Prime was always likely to be popular, but the inflated prices and irrational behaviour it has caused cannot be attributed to the two’s stardom alone.

Somehow there’s an unquenchable thirst for this drink and its had people driving to a Wakefield off-license for an £100 bottle in a cost-of-living crisis, as well as hordes of customers descending on supermarkets that stock it.

So how has, on the face of it, a rather ordinary energy drink led to so many believing it to be Lourdes water’s equivalent? Scarcity marketing.

 

What is Prime?

Over the last few months, we’ve seen snaking queues and dives into shelves that would give Tom Daly a run for his money. All of this for KSI and Logan Paul’s new business venture, Prime Hydration.

The duo have enormous respective followings on social media and are two of the highest profile YouTubers in the world, which, of course, gives them an excellent platform for any product launch.

Paul and KSI teamed up to create the energy drink, in conjunction with supplier and distributor Congo Brands, and launched Prime in January 2022.

Since then it has become the official sports drink supplier for Premier League table-topping Arsenal and the UFC with its CEO Dana White signing the drink up on a multi-year basis.

 

What is scarcity marketing?

 Scarcity marketing is not a new phenomenon and it’s a basic economic principle. Well-worn phrases such as while stocks last, flash sales and limited-time offers are used to create a sense of product rarity and urgency among consumers. Limited supply = high demand.

One of the most infamous cases of scarcity marketing involves the diamond market.

We’re led to believe that a diamond is a scarce resource and gifting a partner one is a sign of true love.

Well, in actual fact during the nineteenth century the DeBeers mining company, who had a monopoly on diamonds, began stifling supply to create scarcity and therefore, increase demand for the stone.

The tight control of the supply of diamonds created artificially high prices and, subsequently, high demand.

However, when the price of a diamond decreased during the 1930s, the very same company created a clever marketing campaign involving celebrities of the day, to convince the world that the rare diamond was a true indication of love.

Essentially, as part of the campaign, it was claimed that the size of a diamond ring was exactly equal to the love a man had for his fiancée, which has created the lasting engagement tradition.

Scarcity marketing is a tactic that’s been deployed for over 200 years, but it’s become even more effective with the advent of social media and platforms such as YouTube and TikTok have been instrumental in spreading the narrative that Prime is a scarce resource.

 

From Aldi to Wakey: How Prime became ‘scarce’

Having been released to the US market much earlier in 2022, Prime first became available in the UK back in October when Asda began selling the drink and retailed at around £1.80.

However, the drink quickly became rather elusive and, although ostensibly limiting the supply of the drink was never part of the marketing strategy, Asda had to set a limit on the product to three per person due to finite stocks and concerns over resales.

The literal scramble for Prime grew more urgent when Aldi temporarily stocked the drink in its special buy section and limited sales to one per customer. Videos soon emerged of people desperately trying to get their hands on the drink, with one video even showing a grown man swiping a bottle from a child.

The aforementioned limited time nature of this offer by Aldi stirred urgency among consumers who felt they couldn’t miss out on having this product and with the videos of the supermarket scrambles spreading rapidly on TikTok, the craze surrounding Prime grew.

Then from amidst the chaos, an unlikely TikTok ‘star’ emerged, Mohammed Azar Nazir, the owner of the Wakey Wines off license. Clips of Nazir with customers who’d misguidedly bought bottles of prime for a disgustingly exorbitant price, began to go viral.

Wakey Wines became part of the national lexicon overnight and the shop’s fame outgrew the boundaries of West Yorkshire, overnight. The shop had capitalised on the absurd consumer demand for this ‘rare commodity’ and charge excessive prices, all the while taking full advantage of power of social media

Meanwhile on eBay, the energy drinks that were released in early January, have been selling at as much as £2,000. Such prices are morally reprehensible, particularly when you consider how so many people are struggling at the moment.

 

Prime: A perfect storm

In the nineteenth century DeBeers didn’t have social media to market their ‘rare commodity’ but if they did, it’s interesting to consider how this would have affected the demand for diamonds.

In the case of Prime, you have the combination of two of the world’s biggest YouTubers being the face of the brand, a product in limited supply and social media.

These three factors help fuel both the idea that the drink is a scarce resource and the fear of missing out.

Although the scarcity marketing tactic has been denied by KSI and Logan Paul, Prime is an example of just how powerful the idea of rarity is in advertising and marketing.

How To Best Use Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is increasingly being used by businesses and brands to extend their range and reach into new and lucrative markets.  Although the marketing tactic has been used for several years, influencer marketing is set for exponential growth in 2023.

PR agencies have always been the preferred partner for businesses looking to engage in influencer marketing.  From the more traditional media briefings in which companies sought to inspire editors and the media agenda, through to brand collaborations when the reputation of an established brand is used to leverage exposure for a new or emerging brand – the right PR agency can help reach and influence new audiences like no other marketing medium.

Today however influencer marketing primarily refers to collaborations between brands and ‘influencers’ on digital platforms whether social media, blogs or other digital channels. The question often asked by clients is ‘what is an influencer?’ and how to gauge whether they have a genuine ‘influence’ amongst target audiences.

Influencer Marketing – Breaking It Down

One common mistake is to not differentiate between a celebrity and an online influencer. Admittedly many celebrities can extend into the role of influencer but in many cases, they are quite separate entities.

Most influencers have built a loyal and enthusiastic audience by posting relevant and engaging content that resonates with their followers.  People organically elect to follow these influencers based on their content, which in turn can vary from quite generic topics such as food & drink, parenting and travel right down to very specific subjects such as photography, wellness or types of gin (and everything in-between!).

Influencer marketing is not limited to consumer brands as an influencer can be a well-read business expert or blogger who tweets relevant content, or a respected marketing executive on LinkedIn with insightful views and opinions. Within any industry, there are influential people—you just need to find them – and that’s where working with a PR agency can help.

Some influencers have hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of followers but there are also plenty who seem more like ordinary people. They may have less than 10,000 followers but they have developed a reputation for being the experts in their field. They are the go-to people who are trusted to provide the answers to people’s questions. Depending on their sphere of expertise, they can often be the people who make the most engaging social posts on their specialist topics. They share the best pictures, make the most entertaining videos, and run the most informative online discussions.

It’s important to realise that the influencer’s audiences don’t really care about brands specifically, more the opinions of the influencer towards the brand.  It’s therefore important to work with the influencer rather than push your rules, ‘brand guidelines’ or business practices into their actions as they can simply walk away, taking their followers with them or worse still become antagonistic.

The growth of influencer marketing

The statistics speak for themselves.  In 2016, influencer marketing was a $1.7bn industry worldwide, while last year (2022) it had grown to more than $16.4bn.  According to an influencer marketing hub report,  90% of survey respondents believe influencer marketing is an effective form of marketing and currently more than two thirds (67%) of brands use Instagram for influencer marketing.

The growth is set to continue as 75% of the survey respondents suggested that they would be dedicating a budget to influencer marketing in 2023. This rate is up substantially from the 37% who claimed they would allocate a budget to it just 6 years ago in 2017.

Tips for influencer marketing

So, for brands or businesses looking to engage with influencer marketing, we’d suggest that to be most effective, start with a plan that includes objectives, target markets and a budget and then begin careful research into who would be a good fit and provide you with a platform for targeted exposure.

When researching influencers, don’t be overtly swayed by their follower numbers but instead look at their levels of engagement.  How many people like their posts, comment or share as these are the key metrics to consider.  Often big name influencers may not be right for a brand or too commercial to develop genuine and lasting relationships.

Decide also how you are going to find and approach the influencer.  This can be time consuming so working with a PR agency that works with influencers can be a big help as often they may have existing relationship or the resource to target them organically.

When you have found the perfect partner, work with them and develop a schedule of activities.  Consider how their posts can integrate with your existing social media or content marketing schedule, what agreements are in place to ensure the right number of posts, reels or blogs are included in exchange for a product or service.  Is money changing hands and, if so, are the right contracts in place? Also remember the influencer must declare if a financial agreement or if a product has been gifted.

It’s also worth considering what doesn’t work.  Buying influence does not work as many influencers have spent time building their following and so wont risk tarnishing their reputation by selling out and promoting products they don’t like, relate to, or would not recommend to their followers.

It’s also not necessarily about quick results and fast sales.  Although this can be the case (most famously when Delia Smith recommends a kitchen product, they sell out fast!) the main objectives of influencer marketing is building the exposure of your product, its reputation and taking it to new potential audiences through the strength of third party endorsement.

Remember also to be specific as one size does not fit all.  Spend time to find the right fit with an influencer and when that’s achieved it’s proven to pay dividends.

For more information on influencer marketing, contact a member of the Source PR team and let us help build you reputation, product awareness and take your brand or business into new and exciting areas.

This Summer’s PR Winners & Losers

It’s been a seismic summer of sport, heatwaves, Love Island drama and political chaos but in amongst that we’ve enjoyed and endured some rather memorable PR and advertising campaigns.

From Crown Paints to Nike, there’s been an abundance of campaigns that have had tongues wagging and brows raised during the last few months.

So as the summer months draw to a close and the return to school becomes ever more imminent, in this week’s blog, we take a look at this season’s PR winners and losers.

The winners

eBay

eBay has enjoyed a stellar summer in PR terms thanks to its partnership with Love Island, with the online auctioning site supplying the contestants’ outfits through its second-hand clothes section.

The sustainable yet fashionable nature of eBay’s second-hand clothing got the perfect platform for exposure in Love Island, with millions tuning in nightly to watch the smash-hit ITV show and, by virtue getting to see the array of outfits.

They rounded off a successful summer by signing up contestant Tasha Ghouri as their official pre-loved clothing ambassador, something which has been well-received and with Ghouri’s 1.4 million followers, there’s a brilliant opportunity for yet more growth.

Weetabix

The popular breakfast has always been clever in its advertising with the slogan ‘they’ve had their Weetabix’ a permanent and successful fixture since the 1990s.

This summer, Weetabix produced some quite brilliant adverts that coincided with the successful women’s European Championships and appeared in the sports sections of major news sites and on billboards across the country.

A masterclass in copywriting, the ads played on Weetabix’s self-created reputation for providing consumers with great strength and were wonderfully simple.

Against the backdrop of the breakfast cereal’s iconic yellow colour scheme, Weetabix produced clever slogans such as “They had theirs” in response to the semi-final win and “crunch time (just add milk)” prior to the final.

This is a genius piece of copywriting that was playful yet latched onto the growing support for the women’s team and interest in the tournament. A brilliant campaign that captured the mood of a hopeful, and eventually ecstatic, nation.

Nike

As the England National Team’s official kit manufacturer, Nike’s slick and rather magnificent marketing team sprang into action to produce a campaign that was simply jaw-dropping.

In the build-up to the tournament the sports brand created an incredible campaign that was the perfect PR stunt for the women’s game.

Members of the Lioness squad were reflected onto Dover’s white cliffs with the powerful accompanying tagline “You’ve Never Seen England Like This” … and they certainly weren’t wrong.

Tower Bridge and Battersea Power Station were among the London landmarks lit up with England players such as Leah Williamson and Lucy Bronze featuring, with the Nike pledge ‘Never Done’ promoting their winning mindset.

Nike accompanied this incredible campaign with an inspiring advert that highlighted their commitment to the women’s game.

This campaign is expected to help the sports brand meet one of its key long-term PR aims, which has been to better connect with women.

The losers

TotalJobs

TotalJobs is an online job board that’s been considered redundant by many on social media for its apparently rage-inducing advert that’s been tarnishing their YouTube experience.

The ad which has generally been confined to online video and streaming platforms has been met with a barrage of criticism and led some to take the stance of “actively boycotting [TotalJobs] because that advert is driving [them] insane.”

 

This particular Twitter user was one of many on the site that commented on the ‘smugness’ of the woman who got the job.

Another commented on how the “creepy, long stare the girl does in the TotalJobs ad on YouTube is enough to put me off using their service.”

It seems that TotalJobs have missed the mark with this campaign and potentially done a bit of damage to their reputation, purely through a perceivably irritating advert.

Instagram

PR-wise, Instagram has had a rather abysmal summer and sadly it’s been a problem of their own making.

The rise of TikTok has led the Meta-owned site scramble to incorporate videos into its feeds and adjusted its algorithm to include more of its reels on users’ feeds.

This has been met with a real backlash by users who are fed up with seeing reels at the expense of their friends and family’s photos, which led to 21-year-old photographer Tati Bruening starting a powerful ‘Make Instagram, Instagram Again’ campaign.

This campaign garnered a lot of support and among its proponents were Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner who shared the graphic on their stories which would’ve reached a large proportion of their 700 million followers.

Back in 2018 $1.3 billion was wiped off the value of Snapchat after Jenner tweeted that she no longer used the app, so Instagram knew that they had to act to avoid a similar disaster.

Loser or winner?

Crown Paints

Crown Paints is an interesting one and plays into an issue that my colleague Jess raised in her recent blog regarding whether all publicity is always good publicity.

In the past, the paint company won exposure through being a shirt sponsor for a football club who play in Anfield during the 1980s and generally have operated low-profile, safe PR campaigns.

However, its risqué ‘Life Stories’ advertising campaign has ensured Crown Paints sits firmly within the contemporary public conscience.

Focusing on the couple ‘Hannah and Dave’ and how they’ve navigated through their relationship, the ad has received numerous complaints and could potentially be investigating by the Advertising Standards Authority.

Many, such as comedian Jenny Éclair, took to social media to voice their displeasure at Crown Paints’ commercial, particularly, the lyrics “now a baby’s coming and they don’t know what it is” and “Hannah’s hoping for a girl, Dave’s just hoping that it’s his.”

The ad has been labelled “offensive”, “misogynistic” and a “serious error of judgement”.

Éclair added that it essentially insinuated that Hannah had “conned” Dave into fatherhood.

However, others enjoyed the ad and dismissed criticism as simply an over-sensitive reaction to a humorous take on modern relationships.

Whatever your thoughts on the advert, arguably Crown Paints’ brand awareness has never been higher and there’s no denying that it’s wedged the Darwen-based business firmly in people’s minds.

So, have they had a PR disaster or triumph this summer? I guess that’s up to you but I’d say they’ve snuck into the triumph realm purely by winning unprecedented brand awareness.

 

‘A Whole New Ball Game’ – Unorthodox PR stunts In The Early Premier League

The new Premier League season begins in just under a month and that prospect whether tantalising or harrowing, depending on your allegiances, means that the big league’s 30th birthday is also just around the corner.

Now in its fourth decade, the Premier League is recognised as the biggest in the world with an audience of 3 billion+ from 188 out of the 193 countries recognised by the UN, tuning in to games over the course of the season.

This is complemented by a slick international marketing campaign that is unique to different territories and highly engaging.

However, 30 years ago, this reality was the stuff of fantasy for Premier League chiefs who were looking to marketing agencies to improve football’s reach, at a time when the sport’s potential had been largely left untapped.

The ‘slum sport’ and the Italia 90 revolution

During the late 1980s, English football was headed into sharp decline.

Stadiums were crumbling, finances were precarious, and attendances were plummeting.

A European ban meant that many of the English game’s biggest stars were seeking pastures new on the continent or north of the border, reducing the quality of First Division football.

Meanwhile, hooliganism was rife, which turned many fans away from football and the violence prompted the Times to brand it as a ‘slum sport’.

However, Italia 90 marked a sea change as all of a sudden through England’s success and the country’s transfixion with the trials and tribulations of the World Cup that year, there was a marketing opportunity.

Jim White of the Telegraph noted that ‘lights [went] on in brains’ of the next generation of media and marketing moguls who spotted the mass appeal of football.

Up until 1992 the Football League had had four divisions, but a breakaway league was proposed by top-flight chairmen that year, as a means of bringing more money into the game and Rupert Murdoch’s BskyB, who saw the earning potential, were willing to bankroll it.

So, with the multi-million pound backing of Sky Television the clubs of the First Division broke away from the century old Football League to form the Premier League.

‘A Whole New Ball Game’

In anticipation for the launch of the Premier League, Sky had assembled a marketing team who had hurriedly set about coming up with a number of PR strategies in the close season, that would attempt to launch the league into the stratosphere.

A number of lessons had been learned from the US about how to market a sport, with takeaways from how merchandising, advertising and entertainment could help brand the league effectively.

Stadiums were kitted out with rolling advertising boards and with extra TV coverage, companies would have to pay more to have their names around the pitch.

Another of the key lessons from the States was to introduce ‘Monday Night Football’, a concept that had enjoyed tremendous popularity across the Atlantic and that was statistically a timeslot which attracted the most women, an important demographic for Sky to reach.

This would bolster interest in the sport from a new audience and the wider branding strategies would increase the awareness of the Premier League.

However, no marketing campaign is complete without a slogan befitting of its seismic nature.

‘A whole new ball game’, was almost exactly what football in the Premier League eventually became, a sport completely alien from its previous down-to-earth but rather unfashionable Football League forerunner.

The phrase almost foresaw the inexorable rise of the league and was particularly important as it used sporting language to show the public that this was a break with the troubled recent past.

This was further emphasised by the accompanying television advert sound-tracked by Simple Minds’ Alive and Kicking which has proved to be equally as iconic.

The unorthodox side of the Premier League’s early marketing

In truth, however, it wasn’t all Simple Minds and clever advertising strategies when it came to marketing an infant Premier League.

No, the early days were marked by trial-and-error PR stunts that, nonetheless, garnered a bewildered sort of interest in what was happening to English football’s top division from the public.

The first ‘Monday Night Football’ match of the new season was between Manchester City and Queens Park Rangers on a sunny August evening.

It provided Sky with the perfect opportunity to showcase their more unorthodox marketing tactics due to the larger anticipated audience share.

As soon as the opening titles abate, however, the chaos unfolds.

The second verse of Alive and Kicking immediately come into earshot, amid a cheerleading routine from the on-brand ‘Sky Strikers’ who would bring American-style pre-match entertainment to Moss Side.

Anchor Richard Keys continued to emphasise the ubiquitous appeal of the new Premier League by declaring it ‘fun for the family’.

The camera then quickly pans away from the cheerleaders to a plane carrying the Sky logo and the ‘whole new ball game’ slogan.

Inside 2 minutes, a whole host of marketing has been packed in but most of it rather unconventional.

By the end of the season, the ‘Sky Strikers’ would be gone after the channel realised that this American-style entertainment didn’t whet the appetite of viewers on this side of the Atlantic and the flyovers would cease.

During the season there would be other unusual PR stunts but none quite as bizarre as the sumo wrestling fight that took place before a night fixture at Leeds’ Elland Road.

Two men carrying giant inflated sumo wrestlers rolled and tumbled towards each other in a pitiful ‘fight’ in the middle of the pitch and were met with a somewhat cool reception from the Yorkshire crowd.

In other instances, groups like The Shamen and Undercover would perform before kick-off or at half time to ensure that the crowd were entertained and back at Maine Road, Frank Sidebottom would appear on the pitch in front of the Manchester City faithful.

Ultimately, though, there was method to the madness.

One of the key marketing figures Jon Smith said, in response to the chaotic entertainment and PR stunts, that his team wanted to ‘do better than a brass band at half time’.

It may have been bizarre at times, but the philosophy of not doing things quietly was born and it would set the tone for the Premier League in years to come.

If you think the team at Source could help you with your PR or media relations, get in touch!

Does Your Business Need A Social Media Presence?

It’s perfectly understandable to question whether or not your business needs a social media presence – whether that’s on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or even Pinterest. In particular, companies in the B2B or business to business market may wonder if they want or need to have social media accounts.

 

After all, it’s something that takes time, money and effort to set up and maintain.

 

That’s why we’re here to give you the run down on just why your business – no matter how big or small – should invest in setting up a social media presence. As you’ll find, the reasons are endless…

 

 

4 Reasons Your Business Needs a Social Media Presence

 

 

1. Increase Awareness Of Your Brand, Without Breaking The Bank

 

Social media is easily one of the most cost-effective – and effective – ways of promoting your brand, putting it out into the world and gaining an audience that listens to the service you can provide for them. Even if you decide not to put any money behind the posts and profile you have set up, it shows your customers that you’re technologically savvy, easy to get in contact with and willing to share all your news, offers and thought leadership!

 

If you do decide to put some money behind your posts, for example, by sponsoring or promoting your page or content, the markup isn’t going to be as much as you’d think. The minimum spend for a Facebook boosted post, for example, is just $1 (75p). You can widen or shrink the radius of your target audience as much as you want, and even target based on job role, interests, gender or age.

 

Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash

 

2…And Just As Effective As Traditional Advertisements

 

 

There are countless examples of brands and businesses that have become enormous successes without breaking the bank by keeping advertisement in the ‘traditional’ sense (i.e. TV, radio, billboards) limited. Through their social media accounts, they have built up a following of people willing to purchase their products or services.

 

An example of this is Gymshark, which has an impressive multi-platform audience on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube that has been built up since 2012. Through a combination of body inclusivity, memes and ‘relatable content,’ the brand has rocketed into the mainstream and is now a major competitor of more well-known fitness wear brands like Nike and Adidas.

Part of Gymshark’s continuing relevance and appeal is its use of influencers, too. Having a social media presence affords you the opportunity to work with individuals (or couples) that have a strong, engaged fan base of thousands – even, sometimes, millions! This is a perfect chance to reach people who might not have otherwise heard of your brand – and might well become future loyal customers!

 

@gymshark via Instagram

 

 

Don’t forget, in order to reach such heights, your social presence has to be bold, interesting and just the right fit for your brand.

 

You might have heard the phrase ‘content is king’ – if your content isn’t interesting or applicable, there’s going to be little chance people will engage with you!

 

 

 

3. Communicate Quickly and Effectively

 

 

The myriad of events during the last few years have taught us many things: one of which is just how quickly circumstances can change. It’s unlikely you’ve held or attended an event since 2020 that hasn’t in some way been impacted by COVID-19 restrictions. Also, this winter’s bout of storms are also a reminder that, no matter how meticulously we can plan, sometimes things simply go wrong in ways we can’t prepare for.

 

Social media is an easy way of communicating with your audience base when something like this happens. If an event has to be called off last minute, chances are people aren’t going to ring up your business to find out – they’ll head to the Facebook, Twitter or Instagram page for the latest updates, knowing that all that people need is a login to communicate with the world! Whether you’re an intern or the CEO, you can easily update your followers when bad luck strikes. It’s certainly quicker than a press release!

 

4. Humanise Your Brand

 

Think about it: which would you rather get in touch with for a business enquiry? A brand that has little to no communications ventures, or one you know for a fact has a presence on social media, that is regularly updated, and communicates with its audience. There’s an age old phrase that goes, “people buy from people.”

 

Putting your brand out there on social media gives your brand a voice – meaning it’s not only easier to reach, but easier to conceptualise, understand, and engage with. This is not only good for your potential (and existing) customers, but for journalists and advertisers, too!

 

 

There are so many reasons to make the big leap into putting your business out on social media. It might seem a daunting task at first, but don’t worry: we at Source are experts in what we do. If you need a hand setting up your social media presence, or simply want some advice, we’d be happy to help! Head to our contact page to find out how to get in touch, or call 01829 720789.

Not The Full Truth: Why Have Brands Gone Crazy For NFTs?

If you’re still not entirely sure what an NFT – or a non-fungible token – is, it’s time to brush up on your vocab, because it’s a term that isn’t going away any time soon.

 

The concept emerged as early as 2014, but exploded in popularity and in the public consciousness last year – and has only continued to gain traction. NFTs are essentially monetised graphics that buyers mostly purchase with cryptocurrency. One of the most popular images that you might have seen on Twitter and beyond right now feature the ‘Bored Ape’ in its varying formations: wearing different clothes and accessories, even pulling different expressions. (The fact that this art style is inarguably ugly hasn’t stopped everyone from Eminem to Post Malone from buying one, and then changing their Twitter avatar to their new purchase).

 

The reason that NFTs reach so many headlines is partly due to the sheer cost of them. The average price is around $200,000, according to the Boardroom, with Bored Apes alone accounting for $1bn in transactions so far.

 

Going Ape

 

Eminem’s Twitter profile, featuring his NFT, via Twitter

 

But it’s not just the cost that has people up in arms. As mentioned, the graphics are mostly bought with cryptocurrency, including Ethereum.

 

Here’s an explanation from The Verge: “To keep financial records secure, the system forces people to solve complex puzzles using energy-guzzling machines. Solving the puzzles lets users, or “miners,” add a new “block” of verified transactions to a decentralized ledger called the blockchain. The miner then gets new tokens or transaction fees as a reward.”

 

This ‘mining’ of the currency uses a huge amount of energy in order to power the computer systems that harbour it. To put this into perspective, it’s estimated that Ethereum alone is currently using up as much electricity as the entire country of Libya. That’s a lot of energy expelled for a currency that cannot be physically touched – to buy an artwork that is only available digitally.

 

 

Brand New Ventures

 

So, why are we talking about this?

 

Because it’s not just digital artists trying their hand at the current craze: brands have also been hopping on the trend of producing NFTs. One-off digital art pieces have been produced for companies such as Nike, Clinique, McDonald’s and Ray-Ban.

 

It certainly make sense, economically, that a business would venture into such a lucrative trend. But with the controversy that comes attached to NFTs, is it really worth the trade-off?

 

What’s more is that many of the brands hopping onto this trend have previously publicly announced their commitment to sustainability and reducing their carbon footprint. One example is French fashion house Balmain. In 2020, Balmain launched its first sustainable collection, and announced that ‘the future of the brand will be to create truly sustainable collections.’

 

According to L’Officiel, for this collection, “great efforts were made to reduce the carbon footprint during the manufacture and transportation of these parts.”

 

However, earlier this month, Balmain teamed up with Barbie for a collaborative collection of NFTs, which feature the iconic doll wearing Balmain clothes.

 

 

 

What Does This Prove?

 

It goes without saying that a company truly wanting to reform its carbon footprint, make serious strides into sustainability and help with the fight in climate change would avoid NFTs like the plague.

 

From a purely PR perspective, sending mixed messages is a sure-fire way to confuse and alienate your audience. Those who are interested in crypto and digital art might rejoice at the opportunity to purchase the NFTs: but others who may have celebrated Balmain’s move to more sustainable fashion will no doubt be left wondering if their previous aims were a surface-level attempt, driven by the recent push by consumers for companies (particularly those in the fashion world) to look closely at their practices.

 

Whether NFTs will be a passing fad or a new, long-term way of creating and dealing art is another question. The Guardian describes Bored Apes as ‘about ego and money, not art.’ Considering the standard of the art itself, and the number of millionaire celebrities that are lining up to buy them, there might be some truth to this claim.

 

But in the event that this digital art becomes more accessible, normalised, and even affordable to the average consumer, brands need to assess carefully whether they want to continue their creation of NFTs – or if they’re going to uphold their word regarding sustainable practices. If not, they might find themselves having to answer some very difficult questions from a consumer base soon to be populated with the ‘sustainability generation.’

 

 

What are your thoughts? We’d love to hear from you! Head to our Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram to voice your opinion.

7 Times ‘Squid Game’ Impacted Marketing Campaigns – For Better or Worse

The South Korean mega-hit ‘Squid Game,’ Netflix’s most popular show ever (officially!), hasn’t just been dominating streaming figures, conversation, and online memes – it’s also been leaving a cultural footprint on the marketing world, too.

 

The show isn’t for everyone: it’s action-packed but ultraviolent, and, despite moments of light-heartedness, can make for heavy watching. Despite this, it’s become a worldwide phenomenon – and it’s little wonder businesses are hopping on the trend wherever possible.

 

However, as ‘Squid Game’ is a very clear critique of what show creator Hwang Dong-hyuk describes as the ‘extreme competition’ of ‘modern capitalism’ – which has strong echoes of ‘Parasite,’ the South Korean Oscar-winning film by Bong Joon-ho – a misjudgement may have been made by some marketing teams on exactly what the appeal of Squid Game is: and, crucially, why their product might not be apt for a themed campaign.

 

Below, we’ve put together the good and the not-so-good ‘Squid Game’ campaigns…

 

The Good

 

 

Food websites and bloggers alike have jumped at the opportunity to provide recipes for South Korean food featured in Squid Game. This include Delish’s recipe for Dalgona Candy, used in Episode 3 of the show, a simple but effective way of catching the attention of those looking to try the sweet treat. There’s also Kcal, a Glasgow-based restaurant that has come up with its own Dalgona-inspired pancakes: if you can cut the shape out using only your knife without breaking it, they’re yours for free! We think this is a genius way of involving the fun in their food – and definitely less dire consequences than in the show…

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Kcal Kitchen Glasgow (@kcalkitchen)

 

Along with the ‘Good’ are the extremely cute Squid Game pet costumes on Etsy – which come in both contestant and guard form. As any pet owner knows, some of our furry friends are bloodthirsty enough, so it’s more than fitting to have them join in the fun…especially as Halloween is right around the corner.

 

Via Bustle.com

 

Heineken’s use of the star in its logo is also another inventive and interesting way of hopping on the bandwagon; similarly, competitor Budweiser imposed their logo into a Dalgona biscuit (not quite as ingenious, but some quick thinking nonetheless).

 

There’s also debt management company Relief, who used the craze to print and distribute 10,000 lookalike business cards that have the now-infamous shapes across the front of the card. On the back reads: ‘There’s a better way to get out of debt.’

 

Via The Drum

 

 

No matter how successful it may be, the nature of a TV craze like ‘Squid Game’ means that it’s a flash in the pan moment – here today, gone tomorrow – meaning brands have to think on their feet to come up with a campaign both fitting and eye-catching.

 

This sometimes can, unfortunately, mean that companies don’t take enough time to correctly judge the tone and meaning behind exactly what’s got the public in a frenzy about a certain piece of media. Which brings us on to…

 

The Not-So-Good

 

With ‘Squid Game’ being a show about characters crippled by debt – the very reason they sign up to the game in the first place – there couldn’t be a more inappropriate campaign than by Klarna, the payment company that allows users to pay in instalments.

 

Via Twitter

 

 

The company was fired at on social media after sending out a push notification offering customers to pay for ‘Squid Game’-themed costumes…in instalments. This controversial system of payment has also recently been under fire recently after a Facebook advertisement for Zilch went viral: a company that provides instalment payment plans for takeaways such as Domino’s and Papa Johns.

 

It doesn’t take a genius to realise that the idea of promoting this kind of app, in association with a show that depicts debt problems as so debilitating that desperate individuals would choose fighting to the death rather than overcoming it, is a bit of a misguided move.

 

Though Klarna does not charge fees or interest to users, it has been compared to payday loan companies for its encouragement of overspending. According to the Guardian, ‘The debt charity StepChange says it has an increasing number of clients who have money owing on “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) among their debts when they turn to it for help. Klarna is easily the largest BNPL player in the UK market.’

 

It’s a no-brainer: though it might take a bit more time, ultimately, weighing up whether or not your brand actually fits in with the latest viral craze or not is far more beneficial than a temporary hop on the bandwagon that might get you into hot water. It’s tempting to fire at all cylinders in accordance with the online chatter, but, as Klarna have found, that’s not always the wisest move.

 

My colleague Jess recently wrote a blog debunking the myth that you’re only as good as your last 30 days of PR. In it, she suggests that the pressure of hopping onto trends may lead to only half-hearted efforts – and, crucially, that the best campaigns always take a bit of time. And that’s ok.

 

At Source, we’d love to help you and your business with all things marketing, digital and PR. Head to our contact page or drop us a line on 01829 720 789 today to speak to one of our team.

 

 

 

How We’ve Fallen Out Of Love With Love Island’s Marketing

Much has been made of this year’s Love Island. Since around springtime this year, long-time fans called out their desperation for the seventh season. With this being the first summer series since 2019, combined with a slightly delayed release this year, the anticipation for Love Island could not have been more fervent. Let’s be honest – we were all looking forward to hearing “can I pull you for a chat?”, a heated row or two around the fire pit, and curveball bombshells that come in with the express purpose of tearing apart a new and delicately-formed kinship. After the last eighteen months we’ve had, we craved the escapism of Majorca, a place the majority of us couldn’t make our way to for obvious reasons.

 

Yet despite the anticipation, this year’s offering seemed to fizzle out almost immediately after its inception. Islanders simply weren’t gelling with one another, playing it safe, or exhaustively professing their love for one type of girl: ‘blonde.’ After an underwhelming finale, in which Liam and Millie were the winners, various claims swarmed the internet that the show had “lost its magic.” Those of us who watched in the early days might be surprised that such a behemoth of television has hit a seven-year itch, but it was perhaps inevitable… Cult shows like Big Brother no longer hold the public’s attention like they did back in the early 2000s.

 

Under the influence

 

Unlike Big Brother, which simply became part of Britain’s cultural furniture and therefore was seen as less and less controversial (so, arguably, less compulsive viewing), part of Love Island’s decreasing appeal is the way in which every aspect of the show has become hyper-marketed. From the contestants themselves, to the products they use – everything seems tailored to have the viewer putting something in their online shopping basket by the end of each episode.

 

That’s not to say brands are unwise to work with Love Island contestants, and influencers in general. Quite the opposite: it’s literally a million-dollar idea. Why not work with ‘normal’ people who have recently had internet fame imposed upon them to promote your product or service? We’re well-versed with helping businesses work with influencers, and the results are almost always fruitful.

 

Too much of a good thing

 

The problem is that it is such a good idea that everyone wants a slice of the pie. We’ve now ended up in a situation where the over-saturation of the Instagram-influencer-slash-fast-fashion-brand-ambassador is having viewers tuning out, turning off and unfollowing. This year’s show saw a dramatic drop in viewers, with Love Island’s initial 6 million viewership per episode having halved by the final weeks – a far cry from its peak in usual seasons, which was around 7 million viewers per episode. Likewise, the largest Instagram followings amassed this year were by Liberty Poole and Millie Court, both at 1.1 million. But these pale into comparison when it comes to Molly Mae Hague, who left 2019’s show with a huge 2.5m followers (however, do remember that she was an influencer and YouTuber prior to appearing on it). Lucinda Strafford, who arrived mid-season, was so transparently in the villa for a fashion brand deal according to Twitter users that a flurry of memes followed her exit from the show.

 

 

Lucinda has since snapped up a deal with sister brand I Saw It First after being voted off the show.

 

Keeping it real

 

People like authenticity. Typically, the influencers that do the best on the outside world are the ones who do the least brand promotion. Some speculate that part of Molly Mae’s success, for example, is that she doesn’t go down the route of peddling any old product the way that other influencers have been known to such as diet pills and CBD gummies, the scientific effects of which tend to be dubious. TikTokker Manrika Khaira, who appeared on Channel 4’s The Circle earlier this year and who has over 400,000 followers on the platform, works only occasionally with brands, and stresses to her followers that nothing she promotes is something she wouldn’t use herself.

 

On the flip side of the coin, last year, YouTuber Jack Dean paid former Islanders to promote his fake moisturiser brand, which they needed little encouragement to do, claiming that they’d been using the moisturiser for a long time and explaining all of the supposed benefits. The video has since hit over a million views. Exposés like these that reveal the cracks in the veneer of influencer-dom. Since the inception of Love Island, the British public has been sold a lifestyle of free products, brand partnerships and gifted getaways – it makes complete sense that, seven years down the line, the desire to find love has been eclipsed by the desire for fame and money.

 

In your face

 

So how has this affected the public’s perception of the show, other than the decrease in viewership?

 

My lovely colleague at Source, Jess, put out a poll on Twitter to her 3,000+ followers to ask them how they felt effectively marketed to by Love Island. Their responses were very clearly in favour of the more subtle marketing of the previous years’ series, as opposed to the much more obvious zoom-ins, strategic placements and sponsorships of the current year.

 

 

The fatigue with Love Island, and influencers in general, was always going to happen sooner or later. But brands should think carefully as to whether or not the idea of working with fresh-face influencers has lost its novelty or not – and whether or not viewers find the persistency of their presence in the show annoying enough to avoid their products altogether. At the end of the day, viewers and social media users are far more likely to buy a product when it has come from a reputable source: not simply because someone they saw on television for a few weeks tells them to in a sponsored post. This brings to mind the astonishing statistic that as many as 92% of us buy from brands based on the (honest) opinions of friends of family. As ever, authenticity is key!

 

At Source, we know a thing or two about working with influencers, bloggers and more, and how it can work best for you and your businesses. Give us a call today on 01829 720789 to talk to one of our experienced team members.

 

 

 

 

From Journalism To PR: What Have I Learned During My First Month At Source?

It’s been roughly a month or so since I started my role as an Account Executive here at Source, and the time has flown!

So, with that in mind, I’m going to try to give you a brief synopsis of what I’ve learned during my first month.

One thing has become immediately clear since moving over from journalism and into PR and marketing – I’m having to employ a high level of proactivity that, perhaps, my previous roles didn’t necessarily require.

I’m no longer reacting to press releases appearing in my inbox, interviewing business leaders, or hounding the phones for potential news stories.  Instead, I’m having to think outside of the box a bit, juggle different client needs, and deliver on the campaigns in place – all of which is an enjoyable challenge.

What does that involve then?

Well, rather than searching for stories, I’m searching for publicity opportunities for my clients at Source. For example, interview or feature opportunities for client businesses or submitting awards as they’re a great way to enhance their reputation and build credibility.

Social media is also increasingly important to client businesses and to ignore it would be suicide for a company looking to broaden its customer base. At Source, I research and create posts for my clients that cover a wide variety of topics, from industry news, people developments to charity initiatives.

Writing social media posts is a small contribution, but a few posts a week can keep your followers in the loop with regards to what’s happening on the inside, and what a company is doing to either improve its reputation or give back to the community.

It’s also been rewarding to get a better feel for some of the company’s software which helps identify and target key journalists or influencers and the social media scheduling and analysis tools which ensure we target the right post at the right time and to the right audience.

Time allocation

At the moment, I still feel like I’m getting to know Source PR, how we operate and, of course, my clients, but everyone here has been really helpful since I’ve arrived and I’m certainly starting to find my feet!

So far, I’ve also spent time has been spent writing blogs and building content for client websites, which has also really helped me get to know them. Curating the weekly social posts for the clients I look after is another great opportunity for me to familiarise myself with them, their industries, and the top industry publications.

But, because of the more proactive nature of PR, I’m starting to realise that the sooner the more ‘scheduled’ tasks can be done, like the socials, for example, the better! This then allows more time to look for new client opportunities or to add value to campaigns which helps cement existing relationships.

How’s it going?

In summary, I’m really enjoying it so far! I know which aspects of the role I can make my own and where my strengths lie, but I also know what I need to do to become a proficient Account Executive. Hopefully, with the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, I’ll be able to head out and meet with some of our clients, too – it will be good to put some names to faces! So, as far as I’m concerned, it’s onwards and upwards from here.