Augmented Reality (AR)

Augmented Reality (AR) in simple terms, is the art of super-imposing computer generated images over a live view of the real world – augmenting reality.

Augmented reality (AR) adds graphics, sounds, games, video, audio, GPS over the top of real life images provided by Apple's iPhone and iPad and phones using Google's Android operating system. Essentially it enables us to deliver information and engaging entertainment in a real world context.  The idea is straightforward enough: take a real-life scene, or (better) a video of a scene, and add some sort of explanatory data to it so that you can better understand what's going on, or who the people in the scene are, or how to get to where you want to go.

Augmented Reality
Augmented Reality - a whole new world

Augmented Reality (AR) is being driven by the new smart phone technology and by the gaming world of graphics.  Here at The Product Marketing Company we're seizing this brave new world of opportunities with both hands, and our clients are reaping the benefits.

How can Augmented Reality (AR) help in marketing?

In simple terms the majority of sales are made emotionally. 90% of emotion is driven by sight. Augmented Reality (AR) is everything to do with the enhancement of vision, of what we see in our everyday lives.  Augmented Reality (AR) will be used in televisions, in cars, in store. In marketing terms Augmented Reality (AR) gives vision the sensory chance to explain a story, play a game or demonstrate a product in a way that is more engaging than ever before. Customers that are engaged visually and emotionally are 8 times more likely to buy your brand over another.

The main benefits of Augmented Reality(AR):

  1. Augmented Reality(AR) is innovative – it is leading edge, it is new. The novelty factor is currently very high. Brands that follow the lead of companies like Benetton and Adidas and use Augmented Reality (AR) will get bigger and better exposure.
  2. Active Engagement – Each user’s sensual experience is personal to them. What they see and feel will be personal to them. Their brand experience will be more memorable, lasting and engaging.
  3. Viral Potential – Being remarkable sells. Standing out sells. Being talked about sells. For the right audience and with the right engagement, the opportunities for Augmented Reality (AR) to go viral are massive.
  4. Content presentation – Augmented Reality (AR) allows brands to have their product and information accessed by their customers in a completely different way to before. With the development of apps, customers will be able have access to the finest quality information – 3D, video, audio, heads up displays! Is this the end of sales people as we see them??

Augmented Reality (AR) certainly makes sense for brands keen to engage with their customers on a different level, and to demonstrate products in a completely novel way.

So, exactly how does Augmented Reality (AR) work?  Augmented Reality (AR) is the process whereby your webcam, phone or ipad takes a picture of what is called a marker (eg, QR codes, bar codes etc) and that marker then generates a heads up display.

There are two types of Augmented Reality (AR) engagement:

  1. Marker based – This is where you take a picture of a marker printed on a real world product like a direct mail piece or an advertisement. The marker holds information which then allows your hand held device to translate that information into the Augmented Reality (AR)   experience.
  2. Positional based – This is based on where you are located (GPS setting) and where you are pointing your hand held device. Dependent on where you point the computer within your device will super-impose images on top of the real world image to provide the Augmented Reality experience.

Technological developments in the world of Augmented Reality (AR) are radically changing the way physical and digital worlds interact. With media and marketing moving ever closer with technologies that feature (and often reward) user engagement and user creation, Augmented Reality (AR) will directly lead us into a new and exciting era of active and reactive brand communication and experience.

 

Our Christmas gift to you

2011 has been an incredible year at The Product Marketing Company, with many successes and achievements to celebrate.  We are an enthusiastic, energetic team with an array of skills and we work well together to achieve our goals.  Ultimately these goals are to meet the varying needs of our clients, who in turn are a varied bunch across a range of sectors.

The TPMC unit has evolved over the last 12 months, often acting as an external marketing department for clients whose in-house teams have been reduced in size due to internal cost-cutting measures.  Cohesive and efficient, we strive to meet deadlines and exceed the expectations of our clients, offering strategic marketing advice at every stage, and having a lot of fun along the way.

The most recent addition to the TPMC team is Rachel who joined us as our Junior design apprentice back in April.  She has been able to hone her skills under the watchful eyes of Natalie and Jay in the Creative Design department, most recently enjoying working on the 2012 nct professional catalogue.

Packaging Design
Jay and Rachel at work

Design highlights of the year include welcoming Mitsubishi Electric onboard as a new client, the design and build of a successful e-commerce site forBuyMatchTickets and designing some new innovative packaging for Jamie Oliver.  We have branded and launched a new wood flooring company - Willowson - and have been delighted to celebrate Deb's recent award - Bedfordshire Businesswoman of the Year 2011.  In the midst of all his design work, Jay found time to conquer The Three Peaks for charity back in January and more recently grew an impressive bandito moustache for the Movember charity.  Team building has included clay pigeon shooting and plenty of late nights propping up the bars of local drinking establishments!

Tim and Deb spent 3 days in the US in early December with Seth Godin.  If you haven't come across him, subscribe to his blog, or read one of his books such as Tribes, or The Purple Cow to see what all the fuss is about.  He is  internationally recognised as one of the top 50 creative minds of all time, and Tim and Deb have returned full of fire and dynamic strategic aims for 2012 .  Exciting times ahead.  You can keep up with all our latest news on our blog, follow us@TPMCCreative on twitter, or like us on facebook.  Do feel free to get in touch with Emma if you need some advice on your own social media strategy.  Her presentation to small business owners at the launch of the new Crouch End Project in November was well received and there will be more social media events in the New Year.

But back to the plot!  As our Christmas gift to you, we would like to offer the first 10 companies who respond to this blog the opportunity to spend some time with us, brainstorming 'Seth style', and benefiting from some of his inspirational knowledge and wisdom.  Come and spend an hour or two in the TPMC studio - coffee and croissants provided - and kick start 2012 with your very own Seth Godin Seminar - Product Marketing Style.  To find out more or book a session just email emma.garrett@product-marketing.co.uk with a bit of information about your business, and what you would hope to achieve in 2012.

All it remains for me to say is Merry Christmas to all our clients and friends, and we wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.

Seth sheds light on the subject of change.

Well, Deb and I have just spent a week in Hastings on Hudson near NYC with one of the world’s leading marketers Seth Godin.

Tim and Seth
Seth and Tim

Deb and I were lucky enough to be invited to join Seth and about 60 other Company Directors from all over the world, The Product Marketing Company was the only UK based business represented at the event.

The range of businesses and markets covered every sector including Publishing, Engineering, Ecommerce, Retail, Music, Charity and non-profit, Online Search engines, Financial and so it went on.

The amazing fact that resonated with us all was the shift in our businesses and how things that once worked are not working any more.  Over the week, Seth explained that this was not due to the financial collapse of 2008 but more to do with how the internet and the new online revolution is changing how consumers respond.

The opportunities that this shift is creating are immense, but the way way most businesses will fail to recognise and react to these changes will lead to long term struggle and failure.

It was extraordinary spending time with an executive from a record label as he explained how a whole industry has disappeared – everyone in the room could see the same tell-tale signs.

And then, from out of the doom and gloom came Seth Godin.  Internationally recognised as one of the top 50 creative minds of all time, a luminary who succinctly responds to each individual worry raised, pointing out the upside of each situation.

Seth is not only one of smartest people we have ever had the pleasure of meeting, but he is one of the most measured and generous. I would recommend wholeheartedly that you follow his blog to get a taste of his irrepressible spirit.

During our amazing week, we met some incredible people who all had the heart to share their problems, dreams and experiences.  It was an intense week of learning with real life experiences being used to explain how we can in fact make real change for the better.

Deb and I have returned to the UK with our very own 'road map'.  In time, we aim to publish and share all we have learnt to help our customers and those interested in responding to change, and we look forward to seeing where the road takes us all.

 

Day Two - Deb and Tim's adventures in New York with Seth

The thing about spending three days with like-minded individuals in an environment designed to make you consider all aspects of your business, is that you spend a lot of time thinking about your business!

70 people drawn from all over the world and at the start of this three day event, the one thing we all had in common was that we subscribed to Seth Godin's blog. It was through the blog that we were invited to New York to meet with him in person.

And so, for two days now, that's where we've been. It has been insightful listening to Seth, but an unexpected benefit of these sessions has been just how much we have learned from each other. Business owners based as far apart as the Bahamas and Gozo have had different but equally valid contributions to make. Everything we have gleaned will make a significant difference to the way Tim and I look at the future of creative marketing for The Product Marketing Company.

Evaluating your business and the way you do things can be a sobering exercise, but a crucial one, and in our case it has been extremely positive. Stripped back to the basics, it has been satisfying to be reminded that our business has a sound foundation, we turn out a quality product and the importance we place on the values of integrity and honesty are probably more valuable now than ever before.

Even more refreshing is that in three days, we have not only made strong business links, but also good friends - the incredible people we've met during this time are for life, not just for Christmas!

"When was the last time you did something for the first time?"

These are the opening words of Seth Godin's latest book - Poke the Box - and this was the reason that Tim and I seized the opportunity to fly to upstate New York to meet with him. We and 68 others from around the globe were fortunate enough to be invited to share and learn from him in his home town, Hastings-on-Hudson.

Seth Godin is an entrepreneur, author and one of the most influential business bloggers in the world.  He offers invaluable insight into the simple notion that in this day and age the way we market to our audience has to change. The formula of interrupting lots of people to tell them about your product or service (e.g. TV, radio, press and so on) simply isn't working any more.

These days, your customer has more choice - the internet revolution has given them the means to search out a supplier or a product.  What Godin maintains is that now the job of marketers is to create something remarkable so that your product or service stands out from the crowd.  In essence to create a 'pre-story', something that will ensure your customer chooses you over the masses of competition that exists. The revolution is not finding customers for your product BUT finding products for your customer!

And  so there you have it!  A very rainy day in Hastings saw 70 of us listen to Seth and share hopes, ideas and frustrations with each other.

Hastings-on-Hudson
Tim Gale and the Hudson River

The trick will be to listen and process the information and then to turn that into action and results for The Product Marketing Company.  It's a challenge both Tim and I look forward to!


 

YouTube Marketing

YouTube is a web-service that allows anybody to upload, download, share or comment on videos. YouTube was founded in 2005 by three former employees of PayPal, an internet payment service.  Regardless of what information you need, you can find it on YouTube: tutorials, jokes, parodies, comedies, music, video-blogs, presentations, breaking news, marketing and much more.

What we are interested in here though, is marketing.  If you have your own business, YouTube can quickly become a fantastic cost-effective marketing instrument.  Some key facts you should know about the power of YouTube Marketing:

  • YouTube elicits over 3 billion plays a day
  • In October 2011 there were a record breaking 20 billion video views
  • 48 hours of video is uploaded every minute of the day
  • Over 5% of all time spent on the internet is spent on YouTube
  • YouTube’s demographic range is 18 to 54

In this post, we’d like to share with you three things:

  1. The Product Marketing Company’s top tips for YouTube marketing
  2. The benefits following these tips will bring to your business and
  3. A simple guide to how to get started

Top Tips:

  • Keep the videos short and simple – ideally under 5 minutes
  • Keep your video relevant to the topic
  • Brand your YouTube Channel and video
  • Link your video to your website and vice versa
  • Use humour in your videos, utilise the ‘feel good factor’
  • Promote your videos through other social media channels
  • Tag your videos with keywords
  • Add broad keywords that relate to categories
  • Write a full description for the video using keywords
  • Use the new YouTube analytics to understand which videos are driving the most views and subscriptions
    Youtube-analytics
  • Create an engaging YouTube profile to encourage people to add you as a friend, and propagate your videos
  • YouTube is great for link building and SEO as more and more people link to your videos

Benefits:

  • Better Search Engine Optimisation to your main site
  • Demonstration of your company/self as an expert in niche areas
  • Building permission to market through engagement
  • Adding value to your other channels of marketing

How to get started:

  1. Create your own YouTube Account at www.youtube.com, choosing a user name which will be relevant or memorable
  2. Add your company logo or avatar for good branding
  3. Give your YouTube channel a title which can explain the nature of your videos – this will help with searches and enhance your marketing outreach
  4. Google owns YouTube so add channel tags as this is great for SEO and will help many people find you
  5. Opt to show the comments and subscriber modules
  6. Enter your company URL into your channel profile
  7. Use the profile description to explain to people what your YouTube Channel is about
  8. When uploading a video, use a title that is relevant
  9. Write a decent description of what the video is about and include URL links – again, great for SEO
  10. Make sure you set your privacy settings to Public
  11. Keep your bulletin updated regularly with relevant posts
  12. Link your channel to your website and facebook page
  13. Like and share relevant videos that will draw others to your channel

And a few final thoughts before we go:

  • The sooner you started, the sooner your YouTube marketing will build traffic.
  • The more people that have seen your videos the more people will want to see them. The ball has to start rolling before you see exponential growth.
  • Have as many videos up on your channel as possible.  If a viewer likes one of your videos they will often like another and so the viewers grow.
  • If you follow these guidelines, after a 6 to 10 month set-up period, you will start to see a substantial number of views.

Ultimately, of course, you need to come up with that hilarious ‘must-see’ video which immediately goes viral – conjure up one of these and you are quite literally laughing all the way to the bank!

For more information and services on YouTube marketing please visit www.theproductmarketingcompany.co.uk or talk to Tim Gale at The Product Marketing Company on 0845 643 4463.  You can also email Tim on tim.gale@product-marketing.co.uk

Catalogues Drive Direct Commerce

The Product Marketing Company has been working with retail, niche mail order and trade catalogues for many years.

As a catalogue design agency we understand how to design pages that sell products, we know what pictures will sell well and we are sure of what copy will tell the right story.  We have worked with many leading mail order companies in the last 10 years, and have experienced massive changes in the market place.

This article will provide some insight into what benefits digital and social media can provide to mail order companies and retailers that work within the direct commerce sector.

It has become apparent that nowadays catalogues do not work in isolation, rather to maximise their potential, they must work in an environment which is multi-channel. We have all been a part of the Internet revolution and seen how ecommerce has changed the way we do business. The funny thing is, when people first understood how powerful the Internet was, many of them said 'that’s it – the end of print, the end of catalogues'.  The Product Marketing Company knows that:

a)       our customers want choice, and

b)       they do not shop in isolation through only one channel.

We know that catalogues are still one of the best drivers of targeted traffic to a website. Not only do we see a spike in site visitors but we also see a spike in site sales.

RSPB Christmas Catalogue 2011
RSPB Christmas Catalogue 2011

A direct mail catalogue is often the initial vehicle bringing a brand/product/service to a targeted audience. But as we also now know, Google is the biggest price comparison tool on the planet and so a good catalogue by itself would land up encouraging most customers to go online and buy the product or service from the cheapest competition.

The Product Marketing Company knows that customers interact in different ways. Some like to talk in a shop, some like to read and some like to go online.  More and more consumers are going mobile – in fact during this year’s Christmas shopping season, 15% of people in the UK logging-on to a retailer’s web site are expected to do so through a mobile device (cloud analytics-based findings by IBM). Ultimately, we all use a combination of channels to communicate and shop.

The benefits to catalogue marketing using all channels include:-

  • Increased brand awareness
  • Increased sales opportunities
  • Mobile enables immediate and 24/7 customer communications
  • Online information is persuasive in decision-making
  • Better multi-channel customer service provision
  • Traditional media can go interactive through QR codes, short codes etc
  • You Tube can add to the brand personality and video dimension
  • Facebook and Twitter can build advocates of your brand
  • There are fantastic viral opportunities
  • Social media builds trust and engagement
  • Social media will drive targeted traffic to your website
  • Organic search engine optimisation can put you right in front of your customers
  • Pay Per Click advertising is a manageable way of developing a customer database
  • Email marketing keeps your customers up-to-date
  • Articles and digital press releases can deliver highly targeted customers
  • Vimeo, Flickr and other social sites are online galleries for your product pictures Google’s keyword finder tool tells you what people are looking for and where you can find them

These are just a few of the techniques that the team at The Product Marketing Company has seen become more successful over recent years -  helping our mail order clients build multi-channel sales and new customer databases.

 

Deb Markham wins Bedfordshire Business Woman of the Year 2011

Deb Markham, Director of The Product Marketing Company, Shefford was given the highly sought after Bedfordshire Business Woman of the Year 2011 award at the annual  Bedfordshire Business Women’s awards 2011 held at Bedford Rugby Club. The panel of judges consisted of Ian Cording from The Small Business Federation, Ian Pryce from Bedford College and Sam Pirani from Johnson Press.  They were particularly impressed with the way Deb Markham is able to relate to her clients often going above what is required in order to deliver the best possible solution and the business growth achieved in a short space of time.

The Award ceremony was hosted by Bedfordshire Business Women (BBW) and was founded in 1988.  It is a not-for-profit networking organisation for women who live and/or have business interests in the county.  The organisation, which is the longest running business women only organisation in the country, aims to:

  • help women get ahead in business;
  • promote the business interests of women in the county;
  • support and encourage the development of women in business;
  • facilitate business dealings and partnerships between members;
  • provide an opportunity for members to meet like-minded professionals, and share experiences and ideas.

The inimitable Kerry Cash, of 5th Avenue Spa has been the organisation’s President since October and in the short time she has been at the helm, this energetic and enthusiastic lady has made a big impression.  It is clear that she is indeed a force to be reckoned with and had gathered over 200 guests from the local business community for this exciting networking lunch.

Lara Morgan, entrepreneur extraordinaire was the inspiring guest speaker at the awards lunch who urged the members to be ‘less British’ in their approach, to ‘be brave’ and to ‘give a toss’.  Lara has come a long way since she was BBW Award winner in 1994, and sold her company Pacific Direct in 2008 for £20 million. As she signed her book entitled ‘More Balls Than Most’ it was clear that she too is a force to be reckoned with.

“This award means a great deal to me,” said Deb.  “From The Product Marketing Company’s humble beginnings 3 years ago – a cabin in my garden - I am proud to now run a Creative Studio with 5 employed staff, serving a range of clients in a number of industries.  It is truly incredible to receive recognition for what I have achieved.   While, in my capacity as a Marketer I appreciate all the great PR opportunities this award will bring, in my capacity as a Bedfordshire Business Woman, I am simply honoured and delighted to be 2011’s recipient.” Deb Markham, BBW Business Woman of the Year 2011.

The BBW 2011 awards were awarded by sponsors and judges as follows:

Bedfordshire Business Woman of the Year 2011 

Winner - Deb Markham – The Product Marketing Company

Finalist - Michelle Allen - Allen Creative Ltd

Self employed or Ltd Company 

Winner - Camille Stevens – Bedford 5 * Fitness Camps

Finalist - Gillian Ormston - Intelligent Awakenings 

Working within a Community Organisation 

Winner - Paula Priestly – St Johns Hospice

Finalist - Barbara Farrow - Keech Hospice

Finalist - Zara Armstrong - CAN Bedford

Woman Employee of the Year 

Winner - Gina Bubbins – Bedford College

Finalist - Dawn Walton BSG Property Services Ltd

Young Achiever 

Winner - Vicky Alder – KSK Accountants

Finalist - Sophie Stock - The Embankment

 

The Product Marketing Company – getting on with your Creative Design and Marketing and getting on with you

Here at The Product Marketing Company we often remark on how very fortunate we are with our clients. 

We 'like' them.  No new-fangled facebook clicks required here, just good old fashioned 'liking'.   Because of the way we work, our clients are an eclectic mix, and that makes our lives and our work more interesting.  

We are not industry specific, but think of ourselves as more of an external 'in-house' marketing team.  By that we mean that we provide the same range of services that any in-house marketing team would provide, working in a range of sectors including Charity, Engineering, Fashion, Food & Drink, Interiors and Mail Order.

 

 

At The Product Marketing Company our efficient team of Account Managers, headed up by Account Director Debbie Markham, often work with busy Marketing Directors, or time-strapped Managing Directors who need us to provide a range of Creative services.

Varied as our clients are, they do all have something in common. These people matter to us, we 'like' them, and with that mantra, The Product Marketing Company utilises our skills as a Creative Design and Marketing Agency to deliver across the board; we 'get on' with our clients, we ‘get on’ with eachother and we 'get on' with the job in hand.

If you're strapped for time and need to share your marketing load, you might just want to follow us a little more closely (the new-fangled way!) so 'like' us on facebook, or just give us a call on 0845 643 4463 and it could just be the start of a mutually beneficial creative design and marketing thing! 

 

Successful e-commerce website by TPMC

Bmtickets
BuyMatchTickets.com

The latest e-commerce website to be designed and developed by TPMC.

Mike, Andrew, David and the team at BuyMatchTickets approached us at TPMC on the strength of some brochure design work we did for The Hot Sausage Company.  We were delighted to help them plan the user journey, agree the functionality and to design and build the website within 3 weeks in time for the start of the football season.

If you're looking for corporate hospitality at Manchester United, or want to treat a partner or friend on their birthday, BuyMatchTickets offer fantastic value hospitality at the Man Utd matches.  You can buy tickets in pairs or purchase the whole box!  So for a fab day out, great food, complimentary drinks and to experience the match day atmosphere - just visit BuyMatchTickets.com

"We were overwhelmed at the quality of service, TPMC delivered exactly what they said they would, when they said they would!", said Mike Moran of BuyMatchTickets. "Thanks so much for your help, the site looks great!"