Opinion Piece by Jamie Williams, Managing Partner, isobel

It’s crunch time in the US Presidential election. And earlier this week, the Nate Silver designed 538 Politics model, which uses polling, economic and demographic data to explore likely election outcomes, ticked towards a Trump win on November 5^th.  If (according to the model), the election was held today, Trump would win 52 times out of 100.

There has been a general sense within most media outlets of a momentum shift towards Trump. But this visible reflection in the 538 model will be causing serious panic within the Harris campaign.  Their worst Trump returning fears could be playing out in front of them.

So why is Harris slipping in the polls?

Well, successful presidential campaigns are based on simple clear messaging.  A message that can be repeated at rally’s, in ads and remembered by voters as they head to polling stations.

Barrack Obama ran on hope and change.  Bill Clinton stood for ‘putting people first and being on your side’. George W Bush ran on compassionate conservatism.  And in 2016, Make America Great Again took Trump to the Whitehouse.

This time around, Donald Trump’s message is very clear.  He’ll close the border and cut taxes.  But what does Kamala Harris stand for?  I’m not sure voters know.

And this is a problem.

When President Biden stood down in July, making way for Vice President Harris to take the party nomination, the Democrats saw a big bounce in the polls, and a huge momentum boost. But unfortunately for Harris, this now feels like an ‘anyone but Biden’ bounce. There was huge relief and excitement in having a smart, dynamic, much younger candidate, who had the energy and charisma to campaign properly.  And this was immediately reflected in the polls.

The presential debate was another great moment for Harris.  She showed off her prosecutor skills, argued for her policies, and was widely considered the clear winner, versus a seemingly aging Trump, who couldn’t resist talking about Haitian illegal immigrants eating dogs in Ohio.

But since that high point, when she was favourite to win, Harris seems to have lost her momentum.

The problem for Harris isn’t in her skills as a debater, or her delivery at campaign rally’s.  It’s her foundational message.  Or lack of it. 

What does she and her brand stand for?

As we enter the last few days of the campaign, Harris is throwing everything at Trump.  From a comparison to Adolf Hitler, to his unchecked power threatening American democracy, ex-Trump allies and cabinet members are coming out with emergency danger stories about him, and Harris is utilising all of them.  

But will the ‘unstable and unhinged’, ‘anyone but Trump’ message be enough?

Especially against the populist America First brand that Trump has built over the past 8 years.

Having previously been criticised for not doing any sit-down interviews, the VP has been speaking to everyone, from 60 Minutes to NBC and even to Fox News.  She’s just done a live CNN Town Hall with undecided voters, but was denied a second debate opportunity, by Trump declining the offer.

But whilst she’s getting the opportunities to speak, and perhaps impressing people with her overall performances, she’s not landing an overarching message, or a key vision for the future. Instead, she’s just laying into Trump.

As wise marketers and brand experts know, this is very likely not enough.

If America needs to hear more from Harris, ironically, the danger from Trump is talking too much.  Whatever your view on his policies and character the Trump Brand is strong. 

Even a stunt at McDonalds, serving a few hand-picked Trump supporters Big Macs and fries, reinforced everything about his populist ‘in touch with real people’ brand.  And his supporters are Lovin’ it.

As a candidate, Trump is not the same person as he was in 2016.  He’s older, seemingly less energetic, not as sharp, more prone to mumbling and having weird moments on stage. And he doesn’t have the one-line campaign catchphrases of ‘lock her up’ and ‘build a wall’. He’s not the new news challenger brand he once was.  But the fact is, he’s spent time building his brand, and it’s strong.  In many ways, he doesn’t need to say anything new, or do any debates or interviews. His brand is doing the talking for him. 

You can accuse Trump of lots of things (and many people have, in courts across America), but you can’t say he doesn’t stand for something.  His MAGA brand of populism, America first, no-nonsense politics is a powerful movement, almost religious in certain parts of America.  And whilst this cultish passion won’t be in play in the key suburbs of the critical swing States, the foundations of brand Trump will be.  People know what Trump stands for.

So, the question for November 5^th is, can Kamala Harris nudge her numbers up a couple more percent, and become the first ever female US President?  The polls are so tight, and swing State margins so thin, that it currently feels like a coin toss.  But if Harris can spend a little less time talking about the dangers of Trump, and articulate a simple, clear and positive vision for America, based on the economy, with her own style of populism, to connect with undecided voters, she’ll give herself more of a chance.

By Jamie Williams who is Managing Partner at isobel

1: In 30 seconds or less, please tell us who you are, what you do and where you come from?

I’m Paul Jenkins, Managing Director of ThePackHub, a leading UK packaging innovation consultancy. We specialise in packaging trends and innovation, helping brand owners, retailers, packaging suppliers and more stay ahead via technical support and packaging insights. I’m originally from West London but now live with my wife and children in Finchampstead in Berkshire via Bristol.

2: What are the questions you are most often asked by clients?

The questions I’m most often asked by clients revolve around three key areas: sustainability, innovation, and regulation. Clients frequently ask how they can make their packaging more environmentally friendly, what the latest packaging trends are, and how they can stay ahead of competitors.

3: What are the biggest challenges your clients are facing today?

The biggest challenges my packaging clients face today are navigating sustainability pressures, adapting to regulatory changes, and managing cost efficiency. Many are struggling to meet ambitious and challenging sustainability goals while maintaining product protection and shelf appeal. Regulations like plastic taxes and extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes add complexity and cost to their packaging strategies. Additionally, supply chain disruptions and rising material costs are pushing businesses to find innovative yet cost-effective packaging solutions.

4: What are you most excited about happening in the next 12 months?

I’m most excited about being part of ThePackHub‘s growth and the launch of new products and services over the next 12 months. We’re enhancing our offering with new and improved membership programmes, which provide even more value to our clients by giving them easy access to the latest packaging trends and IP insights. We’re also expanding our events and webinars, which will help boost our visibility. As the company grows, I’m looking forward to taking on the challenges of running a business, maximising our potential, and driving packaging innovation forward.

5: If you weren’t doing your current job, what would you be doing / what is your dream job?

I think I would like to be a professional marathon runner. I love the idea of my training being part of my paid day job and my 9 to 5 would just be all things running – eating, training and resting. The only challenge is that I’m not that fast and there would be no profit to be made employing me in that role!

Source: Appetite Creative

Tell us about your winning product and why it’s resonated so well with the consumer. 

Air Wick 24/7 Active Fresh Aerosol-Free Automatic Spray ticks a lot of boxes. Firstly, it’s aerosol-free. People are moving away from aerosols across the entire ‘aircare’ category, so being able to provide an alternative was important. Aerosols have been the bedrock of the category over the last decade, so this was a big move for us, and we’ve taken note of consumer demand for more options. In product reviews, this has become one of the most talked about aspects. A second and third reason I think it resonates so well is that it’s an automatic spray, which in our research we found consumers appreciate because it’s convenient but it’s also a 95% naturally derived formula – which was also a big plus for our customers. In a nutshell, it’s efficient, convenient and smells amazing.

What impact has winning a Product of the Year award had on the product? 

It will always be challenging to launch premium offerings within a discretional category, especially at a time of economic turbulence. Despite air care growing in relevance as consumers spend more and more time at home through things like hybrid working, it’s still not considered an essential category compared to categories like home cleaning. Therefore as consumers are less easily enticed to pick up an air care product on a whim, they are looking for that added reassurance their money is going towards quality products, a sense of “try before you buy”… Having an endorsement like Product of the Year is like saying ‘yes, it’s worth spending your money on this.’ That really helps us.

Fortunately, the product is performing very well. We’re seeing a lot of new consumers buy the product with a high level of Active-Fresh sales coming from people who didn’t shop the category before. In comparison to our other products within the segment, Active-Fresh is the fastest selling.

Are there any particular trends you will be tapping into this year in terms of product innovation? 

In the past, this category’s primary focus was to deal with odour, now it’s evolved to become much more about how it makes us feel rather than purely being functional. So, in addition to smelling great, there needs to be this an appreciation and consideration for product aesthetics. Whether they be devices or not, products need to be subtle but impactful, to blend into your home and be cohesive.

And in terms of promoting new innovation, you cannot underestimate the power of the micro-influencer. These are people who make it their business, day-in-day-out, to go out and try the latest in the world of homecare. Tapping into the everyday ‘home-fluencer’ is vital to the success of a new product.

What are the plans and ambitions for the brand/product in 2023 and beyond?

The one big thing we look at in aircare is seasons. There’s nothing more important in this category than having the right fragrance at the right time – and that applies across all our formats… Many people these days change their homes to the seasonal vibe; fresh scents for Spring, warm, cosy aromas for the colder months of the year. We want to continue focusing on that.

One example is Pumpkin Scents. In North America, pumpkin has become hugely popular for the Autumn, and you can slowly start to see its popularity grow in the UK. We saw this as an opportunity and have now launched Airwick Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice in the UK. It’s already performing well.

We don’t want to stop there, we’re looking at what we can do at other times of year to capitalise on these cultural trends in fragrance.

What do you think is going to be the biggest development in your category in the next five years?

Purely as a consumer, air purification is something I’m excited about as a concept, but the challenge is how to make that accessible/affordable to the average supermarket shopper? Right now, it’s very much in the luxury domain. I’m curious to see how it trickles down and impacts the wider aircare market. 

How important is innovation in your category in terms of keeping up with changing consumer demands?

When talking about innovation in this category, fragrance is key. Most of all, we want to excite people by hitting on the right fragrance at the right time. As I mentioned earlier, getting the right scent in the right season, to the right consumer, is vital. When shoppers are standing at a shelf in-store looking at so many types of aircare devices, from reeds to fresheners and auto-sprays, it can be cumbersome. We’re constantly looking for ways to stand apart and new fragrances are a big part of that. Often, the people who notice most are ‘super heavy users’, a subsect of our customers who are repeat buyers and will keep an eye out for new fragrances/formats. That’s the beauty of dedicated category shoppers – they notice even the most incremental changes. 

Do you have any new products that you can tell us about

Our new Active-Fresh bathroom air freshener. It’s part of our new ‘slow-release’ range which we have high hopes for. It smells amazing and looks great too. While we love innovating on our devices we have to respect that they may not be for everyone, therefore having a range of options in other formats is always important to us and this is a format we’ve seen consumers really get behind. 

Describe your winning product in 3 words.

Superior, fragrance, control.

Source: Product of The Year

“While digital platforms proliferate, the hunger for profound, meaningful experiences intensifies”

The data speaks volumes. Over 70% of consumers express a preference for experiences that foster genuine human connection over the allure of the latest technological marvel. This is not merely a trend; it is a fundamental shift in consumer ethos. Brands must transcend the superficial allure of technological innovation and instead cultivate environments that facilitate authentic human engagement.

Consider the emerging phenomenon of “solo togetherness,” a seemingly contradictory yet increasingly prevalent mode of interaction. We have termed this “Soluniting”—individuals finding a sense of community through shared passions, without necessitating direct interaction. This paradigm shift represents a profound opportunity for brands to connect with consumers in a manner that honours both their independence and their intrinsic need for belonging.

Our findings reveal that 89% of individuals feel a connection with others who share their interests, even in the absence of personal acquaintance. This insight should prompt brands to reimagine their approach to community building. It is no longer sufficient to host events; brands must create ecosystems that nurture shared passions and foster a sense of collective identity.

Take, for instance, Nike’s running clubs. They provide a platform where individuals can join local groups, share their progress on social media, and participate in virtual races. These initiatives seamlessly blend the digital with the physical, fostering a community that supports both solo and collective experiences. It’s a brilliant example of leveraging technology to enhance human connection rather than replace it.

Similarly, Peloton, by offering live and on-demand fitness classes, they create a shared experience for users working out alone. Peloton’s community features, such as the leaderboard, tags, and the ability to schedule sessions with friends, allow users to feel connected and supported by a larger community, enhancing their solitary workout experiences

Here at Momentum Worldwide, we have developed the Experiential Helix, a strategic framework designed to guide brands in this endeavour. It emphasises community, expression, enrichment, and identity—key pillars that underpin meaningful engagement. The imperative for brands is clear: shift the focus from ephemeral digital interactions to experiences that leave an indelible mark on the human psyche.

However, this is not a call to abandon the digital realm. Far from it. The goal is to find a harmonious balance between the digital and the tangible, the virtual and the visceral. Digital platforms, when thoughtfully integrated, can amplify the impact of real-world experiences, extending their reach and deepening their resonance. The challenge is to leverage technology in a way that enhances, rather than detracts from, the authenticity of human connections.

In an environment saturated with noise, brands that prioritise authentic, human-centric experiences will distinguish themselves. It is time to move beyond perfunctory engagement strategies and embrace a model that prioritises depth over breadth, inclusivity over exclusivity, and emotional resonance over fleeting impressions.

After all, it is not about the number of connections we make, but the quality of those connections that defines the richness of our lives.

BY Tim Walsh who is UK Head of Strategy, Momentum Worldwide

When I think about the long-term future of OOH, I can’t help but think about sci-fi. I really love sci fi. I love sci-fi books and films. Iconic sci fi film Blade Runner shows enormous out of home (OOH) holographic advertising creatives. Minority Report, a film based on the great book by Philip K. Dick, has Tom Cruise walking through a shopping centre being addressed by his name. The ads have knowledge of his purchase history and try to interact with him as he walks past.

Now, I don’t think the future of out of home is going to be as dystopian as Blade Runner or Minority Report, but I think we can learn a lot from it. These films show the prevalence and power of OOH advertising. As the technology becomes cheaper and more sophisticated, we’re seeing OOH advertising becoming bigger, brighter, bolder and in more locations, in more creative formats. The classic location Times Square in New York for example already has every format available. I anticipate that OOH will continue to be more interesting, with increasingly effective formats and more prevalent everywhere.

The other expectation I have is the volume and variety of data that we’ll have access to will continue to increase and evolve. It’s not going to be as scary as Minority Report, thanks to a greater awareness of privacy issues and legislation of GDPR, but there is going to be interesting usage of data, especially in spotting macroscopic patterns. We’ll better understand the effectiveness of the advertising and derive insights from both the advertising and people’s behaviour in response to the advertising.

Getting future ready at VIOOH

If I draw a parallel to what I’ve spoken about in the future, about OOH becoming bigger, better, bolder formats with more advertising everywhere, and more effective use of data, at VIOOH, we’re very much focused on this too.

In addition to accessing additional inventory, our goal at VIOOH is to increase demand. Historically, OOH has been a complex media channel to buy in the past. Well, this is really changing now. With global standards, APIs, frameworks, with systems like VIOOH that have to work across multiple territories across the world, we’re really standardising the way of buying. This is making it much easier to buy, it’s lowering the barrier to entry, and bringing in more demand, from new buyers to OOH or it might even be buyers who want to shift spend from other media channels that are less effective, like perhaps Display advertising. OOH offers them a unique connection with the point of sale that you don’t get in any other medium.

On the other side, VIOOH is very focussed on advancing its data strategy and providing more powerful tools for our media owners to understand how they’re selling their portfolio of inventory. We want them to understand how effective that advertising is, enable them to pass on that data to their buyers to help demonstrate the power of OOH and the impact that it has on the everyday consumer.

AI’s impact on OOH

When it comes to artificial intelligence (AI), I have a personal, quirky belief. It’s quite a playful one. I like to believe in the singularity. I’m interested in the fact that we are building self-improving AI that could become as intelligent as humans, or even more intelligent than humans.

In the short term, the impact AI will have on OOH will be around patterns in data. AI is absolutely incredible at spotting patterns in data. Whether it’s used in the medical industry or used in population studies, it is able to analyse vast swathes of data and derive meaning and insights.

I believe that’s how it will be applied to OOH advertising. Both from the data that we’re inputting into the system to help understanding the behaviour of consumers, their movements with respect to geography, and being able to better target the audience that the advertisers want to reach.

Across the data that we’re outputting, AI will help us forecast patterns in both inventory availability as well as also demand. It will help us understand how the demand side is using and buying the OOH inventory. This would empower the sales teams at the media owners with knowledge about how their portfolio is going to perform in the future, what kind of audience behaviours they might see, and how they might be able to package that up into something that is more meaningful for the demand side to buy.

This will benefit everyone, from allowing the media owners to package up more interesting audiences, to the demand side which will be able to access these audiences.

Jon Block is Chief Product Officer at VIOOH.

Source: VIOOH

In regular Q&A sessions, Jenny Stanley, Managing Director at Appetite Creative explores the key challenges, trends and solutions facing experts from across the advertising and packaging industry. Asking five key questions per conversation, Jenny will look to learn more about her interviewee, their career, clients and give them a final word. 

This interview is with Marco Macoratti, Head of Sustainable Packaging Solutions & Circularity for Retail Brands at Mondi.

1. In 30 seconds or less, please tell us who you are, what you do and where you come from?

I am a sales and marketing professional. A friend of mine told me that ‘I could sell freezer to penguins’. I ‘sell on sustainability’ to connect with brands and retailers and promote sustainable by design solutions, thus scaling a positive ESG impact. I come from Venice, one of the last warriors to city diaspora and plastic pollution.

2. What are the questions you are most often asked by clients?

What do I do? > Simply said, I connect the dots for ‘triple play’: growth, profit, sustainability.

What drives my passion? > Working for new set of shareholders: biodiversity and communities.

Is Venice sinking? > No, it isn’t. The truth is that climate change is over flooding the city.

3. What are the biggest challenges your clients are facing today?

There is one critical challenge: the lack in ‘Audacity of Dreaming’ to change quickly for the good of our future generations.

All signals tell us we are in social and environmental crisis, and we do not do enough within our area of influence. 

Also, as individuals we can be useful.

4. What are you most excited about happening in the next 12 months?

I am an ENTP profile according to Myers Briggs test, which means ‘Every New Thought Propels’. I am constantly excited about the dynamics of the circular economy.

There are so many new ideas or solutions outside to connect for a better future.

Some of my recent ideas?

• Imagine a consumption in which packaging doesn’t exist anymore as a waste.
• Servitization as new economic model, particularly in capital investments.
• Educating a woman is educating a nation, I learned that at a recent event.

5. If you weren’t doing your current job, what would you be doing / what is your dream job?

Combining my love for the sea with my passion for sailing. To educate sailing guests about the threats to sea ecosystem and to help communities to use waste returned from the sea as resource. To enjoy a perfect work-life balance.

Q&A sessions: Jenny Stanley who is Managing Director at Appetite Creative

As I sit down to order my weekly food shop online, I’m reminded of the myriad ways technology has transformed the way we shop. In our digital age, where commerce media reigns supreme and retail media offers brands more opportunities for online sales, it’s easy to assume the product packaging is less important.

In fact, I’d argue that it’s more important than ever before, and a key part of this wider digital advertising ecosystem. Packaging, especially if it’s connected packaging, supplies opportunity and growth for advertisers, which combined with ecommerce and retail media strategies, bolsters online presence and enhances the overall shopping experience.

Retail media, ecommerce and connected packaging 

According to Emarketer 20.1% of retail purchases are expected to take place online in 2024 and by 2027, 23% of retail purchases are expected to take place online.

McKinsey defines commerce media as ‘makes advertising more effective by using transaction data to gain audience insights, improve targeting, deliver relevant experiences, and connect impressions to sales, online and in-store’. According to Shopify, ecommerce sales are expected to grow 8.8% in 2024.

Retail media is the equivalent of ‘end of aisle shelves’ in the supermarket, which showcase product offers. When a consumer visits a grocery retailer website, there are prime spaces on the website where consumers are more likely to see (and ultimately purchase) a product. Figures from IAB Europe predict retail media spending will surpass traditional linear TV in Europe in under two years, reaching a massive €25 billion.

The smart or connected packaging utilises a web app based connected experience accessed via QR codes found on the packaging. When a customer scans the packaging they’re seamlessly redirected to the branded experience, where they can explore exclusive deals, interactive fun games, product information, recipes and much more. This not only drives engagement and loyalty, but also simplifies the purchasing process and gives the brand first-party data access to better understand consumer behaviour. 

A recent survey we carried out shows that a third (33%) of respondents are planning to spend between $15,000 to $30,000 this year. A large majority (88%) claim to be planning a connected packaging campaign this year. With 80% of respondents citing that connected packaging will be increasingly important to the packaging industry in the next 12 months and beyond.

By dovetailing, ecommerce or retail media opportunities with connected packaging, customer loyalty and engagement increase, product knowhow improves, and customer data can be used to inform future marketing and production decisions. 

Simple purchase journey

Don Simon, a leading brand in the beverage industry, has mastered this strategy by leveraging connected packaging to generate direct traffic to its sales website. By seamlessly integrating offline and online channels, Don Simon ensures that customers can easily transition from product packaging to easy purchasing with just a few taps on their devices.

Don Simon offers consumers virtual coins for interacting with its packaging, which can then be converted into vouchers to purchase more products via their website. This not only fosters brand loyalty but also encourages repeat purchases, as consumers are rewarded for their engagement. By gamifying the shopping experience, brands can captivate consumers’ attention and develop a sense of belonging, ultimately driving sales and enhancing brand affinity.

Another benefit of connected packaging is that it seamlessly drives customers from physical retail experiences or products to ecommerce platforms. This gives brands the opportunity to encourage customers to sign up for subscription plans or loyalty programmes, which allows them to retain more of the profit margin.

Customer loyalty 

Another key advantage of connected packaging is its ability to keep consumers on your brand website and engaged. In today’s crowded marketplace, where competition is fierce and consumer attention is fleeting, it’s crucial for brands to create immersive experiences that captivate and retain their audience. 

Whether it’s interactive games, product tutorials or exclusive promotions, connected packaging offers endless possibilities for brands to connect with consumers in meaningful ways, fostering deeper relationships and driving brand loyalty.

Household names like Pepsi, Gatorade and Frito-Lay have increased global first-party data records by 50% through accruing people’s email addresses in exchange for reward programs, letting it serve people more relevant messages, ultimately driving revenue.

Like many brands, PepsiCo has used a number of tactics to capture consented first-party data, including QR codes available on product packaging, in-store point of sale at registers and TVC ads. It’s a popular tool to ensure valid, reliable and consciously shared data. 

We’re seeing more requests than ever for loyalty and rewards programmes – which connected experiences are perfectly placed to deliver – especially important when inflation means loyalty is an even bigger challenge for brands than usual. In fact, at Appetite Creative we’ve recently seen a loyalty program yield a remarkable 28% increase in sales within the initial six months of its implementation.

Understanding customers 

By tracking how consumers interact with their packaging, brands can gain valuable insights into purchasing patterns, demographics, and product preferences, allowing them to tailor their marketing efforts and product offerings accordingly. This data-driven approach not only enables brands to optimise their ecommerce and retail media strategies, but also ensures that they remain relevant and responsive to evolving consumer needs and trends.

While collecting this data in real time, brands can see exactly what content customers are interacting with and adapt or update it as required. Once that bridge is created to connect with them, it allows brands to dynamically change content in real-time to start delivering more tailored experiences. It can evolve and deliver new data in real-time. The different layers of data connected packaging delivers includes age, gender and location to product preferences and purchase dates. 

Through connected packaging experiences, such as quizzes or personality tests, we often ask users questions which in turn encourages them to trial new products or gives them inspiration to add a product into a recipe or mix products together. We can also track customer motivations based on which competition or quiz prizes they pick to convert into vouchers or coins. It’s a great tool to get a raft of insights into customer preferences, product uses and behaviour, as well as nudging them into action to purchase more products. 

Allowing brands to have a deeper understanding about their customers means marketing messages can be optimised, targeted and tailored. Brands can find out exactly what their customers want, and track a range of data including how and when they’re using the product and where they’re buying it. With the target audience easily accessible, it’s also a valuable tool for market research and production innovation too. 

By leveraging the power of connected packaging, and combining it with ecommerce and retail media campaigns, brands can drive direct traffic to their sales websites, incentivise consumer engagement through loyalty programs, and keep consumers engaged and returning for more.

Next time you come across a product with connected packaging, take a moment to scan it and discover the immersive world of possibilities that awaits you.

Jenny Stanley is MD at Appetite Creative

Source: Appetite Creative

The FAB Awards did away with the traditional Black Tie / Sit Down Dinner of The Hurlingham Club and hosted a more relaxed Awards Presentation Party by the Brighton & Hove seafront.

Successful design, creative and effective work was showcased to the attendees at the show, and winning projects were announced – be it a Grand Prix (FABulous), a Gold (FAB) or a Silver Award.

The recipients of the best in show ( FABulous Award ) at The 26th FAB Awards, were as follows:

FABulous Award across all Design categories:

Gallus Barossa Whisky by Denomination

Isle of Wight Tomatoes by B&B Studio London

FABulous Award across all Advertising & Innovation categories:

BOI-1DA.I. for BACARDÍ by BBDO New York

Ring of Comfort for M&M’s by BBDO New York

BBDO New York wins Agency of The Year Award 

BBDO New York took home The Agency of The Year Award. BBDO New York were the winners in 2022 and 2023 and have now taken the crown a record number of times since FAB was founded in 1999. The Omnicom Agency won both The Advertising FABulous’ ( Best In Shows ) and a record number of FAB ( GOLD ) and Silver Awards and finished well ahead of their nearest competitors who were St. Luke’s London and Mother this year.

PepsiCo Win The FAB Brand / Marketer of the Year Award for the first time

Much of PepsiCo‘ success came from their Global Redesign, their Compostable Bag activation, Doritos Outdoor and Lay’s Branded Content.

PepsiCo have won this award for the first time following MARS Inc.’ Seven wins and McDonald’s and Burger King who have been recognised twice previously.

Commenting on the news of their win, Jane Wakely, Chief Consumer and Marketing Officer and Chief Growth Officer, International Foods at PepsiCo:

“I’m thrilled and honoured that PepsiCo has won the FAB Brand / Marketer of The Year Award for the first time! This recognition is a testament to the dedication and creativity of our teams around the world. From our global Pepsi redesign to the American compostable bag activation, our efforts to connect with consumers and drive positive growth shows real momentum . I couldn’t be prouder of what our teams have accomplished together and am excited for what’s to come.”

Design Bridge and Partners Win FAB Design Agency of the Year Award

Branding & Design expert Design Bridge and Partners, were named the FAB Design Agency of the Year, taking home Silvers and a FAB ( GOLD ) at The Awards. They narrowly edged out their closest competitors who were Denomination.

FAB GOLD Winners were:

Packaging Design:

Luxury Redefined – Bruichladdich by James Cropper

Gallus Barossa Whisky by Denomination

Brand Identity:

Slurpee Brand Evolution by Safari Sundays, New York

Brand Redesign:

Pastiglie Leone by Design Bridge and Partners

Isle of Wight Tomatoes by B&B Studio, London

Interior Design & Retail Environment

The Alchemist, London Victoria by DesignLSM, Brighton

Advertising & Innovation FAB GOLDS

Butterkist Microwave by St. Luke’s, London for Butterkist (Poster / Outdoor / OOH & Best Use Of Media)

KFC “We Heard You” for KFC by Mother ( TV & Cinema Commercials )

Ocado “Inspired Choice” for Ocado by St. Luke’s, London ( TV & Cinema Commercials )

Cocktail Couture for Bombay Sapphire by BBDO New York ( Experiential )

Marmite Patches by OLIVER London for Marmite ( Guerrilla Marketing & Social Media)

BOI-1DA.I by BBDO New York for BACARDÍ ( Best Use Of Technology, Branded Content & Entertainment, Branded Utility )

Lay’s Groundhog’s Day by OMD USA for PepsiCo ( Branded Content & Entertainment )

The World’s Strongest Can by Opinionated Portland for Voodoo Ranger ( Branded Content & Entertainment )

Ring of Comfort by BBDO New York for M&M’s ( Influencer Marketing & Integrated )

Reese’s “Put Peanut Butter In It” for Reese’s by Mother ( Social Media )

Uber One “Best Friends” by Mother for Uber ( Online Advertising )

Perdue Chix Mix by Colle McVoy, Minneapolis for Perdue ( Integrated )

Jack in the Box x Pineapple Express by Carat, USA for Jack in the Box ( Best Use of Media )

A Better Fortune by The Gate London for On Your Side

The FAB Awards Trophies are made out of recycled packaging materials.

A full list of the Winners of The 26th FAB Awards can be seen here.

Source: The FAB Awards

Speaking exclusively with MarComm News – Magnus Thorne, Creative Director at OLIVER London who chaired  The 26th FAB Awards‘ Advertising Jury.

Q. This is the 4^th time that you have been on The FAB Awards Jury Panel.  How did that happen? ( How did you get invited to be on the Jury four times? And this time as a Chair?)

The FABs is an awards that really does live up to its name. The standard is very high as is the caliber of judge. So I have no idea how I got asked first time round – I’m guessing everyone else in the industry must have called in sick that day. But I must’ve done something right as I’ve been asked back a couple more times and for this year was surprised and honoured to be asked to be the Chair. But it certainly wasn’t something I was going to turn down!

Q. Based on your previous experience on the Panel – are you looking for more specific advertising solutions, this time round and as Jury Chair?

At its core FABs has always been about the work – it may sound a bit cliched but it really is. And what’s refreshing about this is that great ideas that haven’t necessarily been given the oxygen of publicity and big budgets will get recognized. So in terms of looking for anything specific that’s what I was looking out for – great ideas pure and simple. Stuff that really engaged and cut through. Made you think and made you jealous. ‘Wish I’d done that’ is a pretty good gauge of how good you think work is.

Q. Judging on Zoom V Judging in-person?

Although zoom has many positives and transformed the way every one works, when it comes to judging you still can’t beat being in a room together. There’s loads of stuff like body language and silences that you just don’t pick up on when you’re remote. Plus your focus is totally on the job in hand. But above all it’s just nice to spend a day with nice people.

Q. Without giving away the results – are there any stand out trends in the F&B Sector?  Ie: The Hard Seltzer market is getting crowded now and is that noticeable in the awards submissions. AI? And Tech?

I’d say in relation to other sectors the trend in F&B was humour and comedy. Work that put a smile on people’s faces. And that’s got to be a good thing. Comedy is hard as it can polarise, so brands often won’t go there. But in the FABs there was some real laugh out loud work that really got your attention. Which is what good advertising needs to do. And who doesn’t like a laugh?

Q. What about Comms for Ethical, VEGAN and Plant-Based products?  They are the norm in the aisles now. Any trends here?

I think the trend here has to be for such brands to add another dimension to their work. The foundations have been laid – people know these foods are good for the planet and so they’ve probably already mopped up all the consumers who want to eat that way. But there are loads more people that are still untapped. What’s stopping them from buying in? I suspect the big barrier is taste and I think that’s where we’ll see the work going.

Q. Anything you could share on the overall standard of The FAB Awards entries this year? Has the economic downturn and cost of living crisis hampered Jobs?

As always the standard was high – there was some exceptional work using AI and there was some exceptional work using HI (human intelligence). And although there is an economic downturn brands found smart ways to make really good work for next to nothing or found a load of cash down the back of a sofa and hired in Hollywood A-listers. Either way the work was good.

Q Are Awards important?

For sure. They are a great way to benchmark your work, your agency and your progress. They’re also a really good way for a team to get together – clients and agency – and celebrate their hard work and success. And in a world where we spend so much of our time with people virtually, getting together in real life is really important.

Q. What constitutes great Advertising for Magnus?

For me it’s work that makes you smile and work that people share and talk about – when that happens its properly good.

Q. How did you start in Creative Business Magnus?

No idea. I did a degree in Zoology…

Magnus Thorne is Creative Director at OLIVER London . Magnus chaired the Advertising & Innovations Jury at The FAB Awards and spoke exclusively with MarComm News who are sponsors of The Advertising & Innovations Categories at The 26th FAB Awards.

Judging for various categories of The 26th FAB Awards have concluded. The Finalists in contention for the coveted FAB Silver, Gold and FABulous ( Best in Show ) Awards can be seen here

The FAB Awards are still the only Global Awards program focussed entirely on work done for Food and Beverage Brands. The Award Scheme attracts entries from 60 Countries across Design, Packaging, Branding, Advertising, Innovation, Retail Interiors, Digital, Mobile and Sustainable. The redesigned FAB Awards trophy is made exclusively from recycled packaging material.

The FAB Awards Presentation and Party is scheduled for 6th June, 2024

The FAB Awards have done away with the traditional Black Tie / Sit Down Dinner of The Hurlingham Club and are now hosting a more relaxed Awards Presentation Party by the Brighton & Hove seafront.

Source: MarComm News

A new study has been released exploring how employee engagement campaigns can help improve the odds of successful digital transformation by more than two and a half times, from 28 percent to 73 percent¹, a claim made by Saïd Business School.

On the back of figures that report around 70 per cent of digital transformations fail to reach their objectives, costing trillions of global dollars in wasted investment, brand communications company 438 Marketing looked at how its work for a number of large global organisations was bucking this trend and how, similarly, digital transformations that have people at the heart of the process can significantly improve their odds of success: 

According to Oxford University and Saïd Business School putting humans at the centre can improve odds by more than two and a half times, while Prosci’s stats showed that organisations with a thorough change management strategy are six times more likely to meet or exceed their digital transformation objectives; 438 investigated further.  

“While most organisations focus on the customer experience, our study shows the value of giving the same level of attention to the employee experience in digital transformation,” says Andy Whitmore from 438 Marketing.

“Because the one thing that many organisations just don’t realise? Digital transformation – the process by which organisations embed new technologies with the goal of increasing efficiency, improving agility and unlocking new value for employees, customers and shareholders – isn’t really about technology at all. It’s about people.

“And from our experience, all too often organisations focus on the digital part of digital transformation at the expense of the transformation part.

“Many companies we speak to also, not only fail to budget for business-critical employee engagement campaigns, but simply don’t know where to start. A lack of central ownership for implementing the new technology frequently doesn’t exist, but falls into silos and departments to navigate through.  

‘In our white paper, ‘Uncovering the human-shaped hole in digital transformation success’ we outline that there are three critical areas that must be aligned to successfully achieve a balance between technology and an organisation’s talent to reach a DX programme’s objectives.”

The power of three

“Just as a stool needs three solid legs to be sturdy enough to withstand pressure,” continues Whitmore, “in our opinion, there are three key areas that must be aligned to successfully steer your organisation towards digital transformation success; community, emotion and consensus.”

The power of community

Too often, user groups are engaged to create a business case, then pushed to one side to pick up with again once the project is ready to go. Not only does this provide inefficient feedback for the development process, but failing to build a strong community who are consistently activating and rousing involvement within the organisation shuts down communication with those who have the most influence to drive advocacy.

Conversely, projects that prioritise frequent and open communication from day one often garner followers stepping forward voluntarily to support the project – building advocacy from the very beginning. Building a community first is a powerful strategy for building long term resilience. By working to focus a project around its users from the outset; integrating incentives, and of course specific messaging that speaks to feelings of inclusion and agency, organisations can prompt users to get on board from the get-go.

Half of the respondents in high-performing transformations said it was this shared vision that energised and inspired them to go the extra mile (versus 29 percent of respondents in low-performing transformations).

Think of this in contrast to hoping that a loud launch campaign, followed by senior stakeholders pushing and promoting – first politely but eventually with ultimatums – will be enough to drive successful adoption. Well, would it get you on board…?

But don’t run before you can walk. For digital transformation to become easier, we must introduce it gradually, creating space for different groups of people within the organisation to not only process new ways of doing things, but to feel competent and confident in employing them.

Emotion – the key to meaningful engagement

While businesses overwhelmingly express digital transformation in ways that seek to influence the conscious part of our brain rather than the subconscious which drives 95 percent of decisions, this is a fundamental error. Because when there’s a lot of detail to be considered often over a long period of time, emotional communication becomes MORE important not less.

Studies have shown that leaders who appeal to their teams on an emotional level – building, empowering, collaborating, leading, caring, and inspiring – are 260 percent more likely to be successful at transformations than those who don’t. This supports the notion that all the technology in the world is meaningless if leaders don’t change the culture and equip people to adapt to new business models. It also reveals that the complex factors that can influence a transformation’s success or failure are rooted in emotion and leaders must invest at the outset to be empathetic to these at an individual level before they can build a collective and compelling ‘why’.

Winning consensus through the art of storytelling

Aligning your organisation around digital transformation takes more than data.

To truly achieve digital transformation, you need your employees to believe in your company’s goals and commit to achieving them. You need to tell a story that they can relate to, which explains how your new strategy will improve business, what’s at stake if it fails, how the change is within their reach, and crucially, what’s in it for them.

The reason that stories are so powerful is because they generate emotion, and most people make decisions emotionally. The London School of Business found that people retain only 5 percent to 10 percent of information if it consists of statistics alone. But, when they hear a story, that figure jumps to a massive 65 percent to 70 percent.

Leading digital transformation is all about seeing and creating a brighter and better future. It can’t be created by technology, and it won’t be enabled by software. It requires open communication between you and your employees, a dedication to a common purpose and a culture of innovation.

Digital transformation isn’t about technology, it’s about people. And when employees understand where their company is headed, how they contribute to that larger purpose, and how they’ll benefit, they’re much more likely to be engaged.

Download 438’s full report and free White Paper “Uncovering the human-shaped hole in digital transformation success”, here. 

www.438marketing.com/the-engaged-user/

Source: 438 Marketing