CIM GLR

The countdown is on – enter the Women in Marketing Awards by 6 September.

Stephanie — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:35:54 +0000

Thinking about entering the Women in Marketing Awards but not quite sure where to start? Well, you’ve got just over a month to put together your entry and it’s simpler than you think.

The judges are looking for quality above quantity, so all you need to do is prepare around 750 words describing your marketing campaign and why it makes you a winner. Then, back up your application with supporting evidence such as brochures and images.

These hints and tips will help you:

Cover all of the entry criteria to give the judges a full picture of your campaign
Provide a separate application for each category – you can enter as many as you wish!
Stand out from the crowd and get creative!
Include testimonials and feedback as part of your supporting material
Submit your entry online, don’t send separate hard copies

For the latest information, details about the categories and to enter, visit www.wimawards.co.uk

You can also visit the Women in Marketing pages on Facebook, Twitter and Linked In to keep up with the latest news.

Making sense of digital marketing

Stephanie — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:26:13 +0000

Volunteers in the East of England region hosted The 4th Cambridge Digital Marketing Conference to explore what matters and what distracts in the world of digital marketing.

It covered everything digital; from mobile phone and smart technology, to social media and search. There wasn’t a stone left unturned.

When examining social media, a key message is the volume of online users of social networks. Mark Cook of Further Group talked about speed of change; quoting the much used statistic that radio took 38 years to get 50 million users. In comparison television took 13 years and Facebook took just 5 months. This rapid take up proves that organisations need to at least consider a social media strategy to make sure they’re reaching these online users.

This conference is now in its 4th year and its worth making the journey over to the ‘East’ for next year’s conference in July.

Join the Linked In group for London marketers

Stephanie — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 11:32:49 +0000

Have you heard about the Linked In group for London members? It’s getting a lot of attention from members and plenty of discussions have been springing up daily, so it’s well worth a look.

The group is an online addition to the popular Meet with Drinks networking events that take place every month across the capital. So now, you can keep in touch between events and start topical discussions with like-minded marketers.

When you arrive on the Linked In website, you’ll need to search for the group called Meet with Drinks – Network for London Marketers and request to join. It’s that simple and you’ll be in touch with a whole host of opportunities to make good connections within your industry. What are you waiting for!

Get involved! Triathlon for marketeers in support of the region’s charity

Stephanie — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 08:18:33 +0000

The Prostate Cancer Charity Marketing Industry Triathlon

The Prostate Cancer Charity Marketing Industry Triathlon is an event held specifically for those in the marketing and communications industries. As The Prostate Cancer Charity is the charity partner of The Chartered Institute of Marketing Greater London Region, it would be great for members to get involved.

Held in the beautiful setting of Dorney Lake at Windsor, the site of the 2012 Olympic Rowing Venue, this is an opportunity for you to take on your rivals in the marketing world.

Dorney Lake, Windsor. The site of the 2012 Olympic Rowing Venue.

Taking place on the 2 July, you can enter as an individual or in a relay as part of a team.

John Lunt, Managing Director of Human Race, the event organisers, says “This is a celebration of the marketing world through sport. Get involved at this fantastic venue!”

This is a great networking opportunity for the marketing world to unite in healthy, fierce competition. The event is aimed at all levels of competitor, from complete novices to more seasoned triathletes, so there are different levels of difficulty for varying abilities.

Get involved!

If you would like more information about this event and how to sign up, please visit our website.

The Prostate Cancer Charity is the title sponsor and official charity of this event. Please sign up and get involved and help support the fight against prostate cancer.

English marketer down under – chaotic as ever!

zoemichelle — Thu, 13 May 2010 09:32:47 +0000

Hi there!

Haven’t been in touch for a while as life has been crazy. I have started a new job and my parents were over here for three weeks and they then got stuck in Singapore because of the Icelandic volcano – life has been pretty interesting.

I got invited to a pot luck party the other week. I don’t know about you but I had no idea what that was – but one of my Aussie colleagues explained to me it basically means you go to your cupboard or fridge and bring something from there – bring a plate with a difference I guess. I ended up making cheesecake as I figured people wouldn’t really want alfalfa sprouts and carrots for dinner!

So what’s going on here?

Cigarettes puffed out?

Well the Government recently announced a 25% federal government tax increase on cigarettes. The Government is hoping that more people will quit and also are moving to ban logos and branding from all cigarette packs. Quite a big impact on anyone working in that industry from a marketing perspective.

iPad – the gloves are off!

The iPad is finally going to be launched here in Australia at the end of the month. I am so excited as being an Apple convert with my iPhone, iMac and iPod – I can’t wait to get another toy!

The Telco’s have now started a major battle here for a slice of the action with Australian provider Optus being the first one to reveal its packages. I will probably go for the Wi-Fi only iPad rather than the 3G and Wi-Fi as mobile providers here are so expensive compared to the UK. I miss 02and the great deals they offered, none of that here. Broadband is expensive too compared to the UK and you don’t get as much for your money – whereas when I lived in London it was offers that gave you ‘unlimited’ here it is a very specific amount like 2GB which makes me panic that I will go over my allowance, and it isn’t cheap either.

I’m enjoying my new job working for a digital agency as an Account Manager that also is a marketing consultant – it’s a really varied and diverse job and I am learning loads of cool new things that I had previously ignored such as AB testing using Google Web Optimizer. In fact if you work in that area I’d thoroughly recommend a book just passed my way called A/B always be testing – the complete guide to Google Website Optimizer by Einsburg, Quarto-vonTovadar and Davis (2008).

I’m also helping CIM Australia increase its communication here in Brisbane. We’re starting small with a newsletter and will build from there.

Anyway, bye for now

Zoe

Viral marketing at it’s best

Stephanie — Thu, 06 May 2010 09:38:34 +0000

With the new John Lewis advert making a noise around the viral networks, it’s got to be every marketers’ dream. Create an advert, and then get free coverage as news sites and all sorts of social networking sites post it and talk about it. Perfect!

For those of you who haven’t yet seen it, it’s worth taking a look.

So, what makes this a good advert? And how has John Lewis managed to hit the nail on the head? One idea is because we can all relate to it. Whether you’re in the older generation and can appreciate each life-stage the advert takes us through. Or whether you’re in your mid thirties and setting out on the path to growing up, getting married, having children. There’s just something for everyone and this could be why this advert works, and how it’s received over 250,000 hits on You Tube to date.

But, as they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so let’s see the difference it makes to sales in their next report to prove its actual success.

Have you see any other adverts that have taken the nation by storm? Let us know by posting your comments.

The Women in Marketing Awards 2010

Stephanie — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 07:59:40 +0000

: The Women in Marketing Awards will be held in November.

Calling all women marketers, (and men who market to women!) Have you started putting your entry together for the Women in Marketing Awards (WIM Awards) yet?

These awards are a great opportunity for you to showcase your work and show the region the fantastic marketing projects you’ve been working on. The WIM Awards recognise excellence in marketing by women and for women in the Greater London region. What’s more they’re free to enter. So what are waiting for? Get cracking on your entry! Visit www.wimawards.co.uk for more information.

The deadline for entries is Monday 6 September 2010 and the ceremony will be held in November at the glamorous May Fair Hotel, London. Have a look at the WIM Award details for a full list of categories and download the awards brochure. Appearing on the shortlist or becoming a winner is a great CV boost too, so which categories will you enter?

Making Believe

jenny — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 14:09:18 +0000

This was the title for a talk I went to at the ICA last week, about the human instinct towards storytelling and how we react to stories when we’re overwhelmed by narratives. And these days, stories are all around us.

Individuals, brands, politics and organisations use stories to construct, distract, disrupt, persuade and position. Why? Because everyone loves a good story! It’s one of the ways we make sense of the world and our place in it. Stories capture our imagination. They elicit an emotional response. Stories can literally make us believe.

But how do you tell a good story if you’re creating it for a brand or a cause?

Keep it real – Use your imagination and creativity (it makes a story interesting), but be authentic. Remember – a true story is easy to tell, but living a lie is hard work. To make others believe, you’ve got to believe it yourself. If your story feels like a good fit, it’s more likely to resonate with your audience.

Tempting timing – With the web and increasingly the mobile web, it’s easy to get your story out there and out there fast. It can be tempting to get the word out there before your first chapter is finished. Don’t be the 20-year old Z list celebrity who publishes an autobiography after a year of fame.

Pick the perfect place – Your story is important to you, but imagine you’re one story in a library full of them. It’s not just how you tell it, it’s where you place it. Don’t expect a 10-year old child to find your fairytale, if it’s on the shelf with the self-help books. It sounds obvious, but it’s crucial. Is your story suited to a TV appearance, a trade show or Twitter? It could be all three. Be aware of where your audience is.

Get people involved – A good story gets great when it’s shared. When someone hears a story and likes it, they pass it on. It could be a story about a brand. It could be a story about a cause. That story will change when it’s shared, as people make it their own.

Some great stories: Marmite, the Mini Cooper, Band Aid, Barack Obama.

Next time you’re faced with a new product or campaign, consider a story to make people believe.

New social marketing interest group is launched.

Stephanie — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:11:30 +0000

The latest Shape the Agenda paper on social marketing

Have you seen details of the new Social Marketing Interest Group? The Chartered Institute of Marketing have set up this new group to promote the growing relevance of social marketing in society. Don’t get confused – social marketing doesn’t mean blogging. It means marketing issues that are important for the social good. This group’s already been a big hit with many members joining up, and sparking interest in online marketing news forums.

Social marketing has a huge influence on encouraging opinions on all kinds of issues such as promoting healthier lifestyles, pro-environmental behaviours and reducing social inequalities.Join up and you’ll be able to take part in discussions that’ll raise the profile of social marketing. You’ll also learn a thing or two about its power to influence social opinions which is always useful whichever sector you’re in.

The inspiration behind The Women in Marketing Awards 2010

CIM GLR — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:42:04 +0000

The essence of the Women in Marketing event series is to educate, inspire, network and have fun. After five years of annual events, the Women in Marketing Awards seem the next logical step and it also coincides with the 100th year of International Women’s Day.

Ade Onilude, Event Organiser

What inspired me to create the awards? I take inspiration from various facets:
On a very personal level, the awards pay homage to my late mother who I lost at a young age; she was a true visionary who knew no boundaries. My father and brother have been truly supportive in encouraging me to ‘reach for the stars.’ I’ve also been inspired by my work environment at Swarovski where I’ve been honoured to meet true visionaries and innovators. I take inspiration from the famous such as Michelle Obama, the late Anita Roddick, Audrey Hepburn, Women’s magazines and cult TV series such as Sex in the City.

Finally I’ve been inspired by the amazing women I’ve met since conception of the Women in Marketing event in 2004. From the team who represent the various branches of the Greater London Region, to the speakers and distinguished guests we’ve had over the 5 events. My greatest inspiration has been the attendees – some who have become friends, so launching the awards is for them.

Why people should enter? The awards are about you.
It’s your chance to shine and be recognised in the marketing community, either enter yourself or nominate someone who’s inspired you. Have a look at the Women in Marketing Awards website to find out more about the categories and how to enter. The deadline is Monday 6 September, so start putting your entry together early to ensure you showcase your best work.

The winners will be announced when you join us for a glamorous ceremony with distinguished guests, in November at the May Fair Hotel, London. You are still welcome to attend if you have not entered the awards. Download a brochure for more information about the Awards, and we look forward to receiving your entry – good luck!

Ade Onilude, Event Organiser.