Archive for the ‘Integrated Marketing Communications’ Category

The results are in and I'm disappointed. I was hoping that QR codes would draw a more diverse audience. But, it's fairly clear that it will take time – unless, of course, the next shiny new product comes along and does a better job.

The ideal audience for using QR codes is… young and male.

Although men and women report equal awareness of QR codes (77%), men who are aware of them are 75% more likely than women to have used one (28% vs. 16%) to access product information, according to survey results released in February 2012 by BrandSpark International, in association with Better Homes and Gardens. Looking at age groups, 18-34-year-olds (85%) display the highest awareness of QR codes, with 30% of those having used one. 35-49-year-olds are next, with 80% having heard of QR codes, and 23% of those respondents having used one.

The good news is that 77% of survey respondents are aware of QR codes. Awareness is step one. But, overall, only 19% of those people have used one.

Have you used QR codes in your marketing communications? Tell us what results you've had.

New research from Edelman (with chart compliments of Marketing Charts) shows that your audience needs to hear your message 3-5 times in order to believe it to be true. Does that surprise you? I actually thought it would take more exposure than that.

What does this tell us?

Right Message + Right Time + Reach + Repetition = RESULTS

Every year, during Fashion Week in the fall, the Pantone Matching System (PMS) unveils its "Color of the Year" for the following calendar year. In 2012, that color is TANGERINE TANGO.

“Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it,” said Pantone Color Institute executive director Leatrice Eiseman. “Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy. ”

Even though its color selection affects the fashion and home decor industries, Pantone is still considered the resource for all things color. In the marketing communications world, PMS colors are used to determine a brand's color palette. So, when Pantone comes out with 175 new colors, as it did this year, that's big news.

The challenge in using trendy colors for marketing communications purposes is longevity. What's hot this year may be stale in a year. If marketers choose Tangerine Tango as part of a new product, service, or business brand identity, it's important that the color matches the brand personality.

What do you think of these new colors? Do any of them resonate with you? What type of brands (products, services, or organizations) would be good choices for any of the colors?

In the recent Strongmail annual marketing trends survey, 67% of business executives worldwide said email was a valued asset for building customer loyalty and retention. Funny how only a few months ago, many bloggers and marketing forecasters predicted the demise of e-mail marketing.

It turns out that e-mail is an ideal channel for multichannel marketing campaigns. The majority (68%) of survey respondents said they plan to integrate their social media marketing efforts with email in 2012. In addition, 44% plan to integrate mobile with their email campaigns.

Since many of us don't fall into the "big corporation" category,  do you think these statistics will reflect similar marketing tactics in small and medium-sized businesses and nonprofit organizations?

What tactics do YOU plan to use in 2012?