Partnership marketing

Life’s not a beauty contest… Oh wait, it is.

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Funny old game dating. Being recently single again after a long time out of the fray finds me contemplating the prospect with a mix of idle curiosity and dread (in roughly equally measures). In one of those strange ironies which fate delights in throwing into the mix now and then it struck me how similar the process is which leads to good, and sometimes not so good, partnership activity;

Marketers and agency bods in particular are essentially the dating agencies and matchmakers for brands who wish to get together, as their antennae tends to be (and certainly should be) more attuned to what’s happening in the wider marketplace. The net:net is that agencies should then be able to match personalities and motivations to ensure the best chance of success. This may be on a prescriptive basis i.e. as a direct instruction from a client “I want you to go out and find me some like minded brands” or on a more opportunistic and speculative basis, as in “There’s someone I think you should meet”.

Either way it’s important that both parties have a firm idea in mind as to what they are collectively prepared to both put into the venture – and also what their expectations are in terms of what they would like/need to take out? Get it right and it’s an interesting and fun thing to do, otherwise it’s destined to end in tears. With budgets stretched and hopes of an economic recovery any time soon looking about as likely as a TV talent contest with some actual talent, more and more brands are taking a closer look at partnership opportunities as part of the mix.

One of the first questions that prospective partners contemplating partnership marketing activity have to ask themselves is ‘what type of partner am I looking for’? And ultimately, even for longer term couplings, they probably eventually need to think about a suitable exit strategy when it starts to go stale.

Back to dating then – and if anyone finds a guitar-playing, single-malt drinking Helena Christensen lookalike (or Daisy Lowe), be sure to drop me a line won’t you…

Martin Barratt – Bullet

Winter sports enthusiasts urged to stay safe on the slopes

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Bullet has helped their client, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office to develop a winter sports safety campaign, targeting winter sports travellers with the aim of reducing preventable problems when they go abroad on their skiing or snowboarding holidays. To date, Bullet has recruited several key partners that are winter sports specialists, including Tui Ski, Eurostar Ski Train, Iglu Ski, Off the Piste, Ski & Trek, Chill Factore, Ski Club of GB and ABTA to help disseminate the key messages to their customers.

This week, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) launched two press days in partnership with The Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead and the Sno!Zone in Castleford, to encourage local skiers and snowboarders to be prepared before hitting the slopes abroad this winter. Read the small print of your travel insurance, avoid alcohol on the slopes and get fit before you go were the main messages conveyed at a dedicated “Be Safe on the Slopes” session which took place at both snow domes this week.

A survey of the Snow Centre’s members* has revealed that nearly 80% are planning a winter sports holiday over the coming months.

The FCO warns that every year they see numerous incidents where families are faced with huge medical bills following an accident on the slopes. This is often because people have not taken out travel insurance, or have not read the small print of their policy. The costs of an accident on the slopes can be significant – for example a fractured leg in the United States could land you with a medical bill of up to £40,000 and a knee injury in Austria could set you back £8,000**.

The survey also revealed that:

• 22% of snow sports enthusiasts admitted they don’t always read the small print of their travel insurance policy

• 65% wished they’d been in better shape during a previous winter sports holiday• 36% had previously injured themselves on a winter sports holiday

• 40% are considering going off-piste on their next holiday

• 18% admit to taking to the slopes while under the influence of alcohol

Lynda St Cooke from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, said:

“We strongly advise anyone hitting the slopes this winter to take out comprehensive travel insurance and make sure you have an up to date EHIC card. Don’t forget to check the small print – most insurance policies will not cover you if you’re under the influence of alcohol or venture off-piste.  If you’re unlucky enough to have an accident and you’re not covered, you could find yourself thousands of pounds out of pocket.”

To raise awareness of the dangers of not being prepared the FCO held a special ‘Be Safe on the Slopes’ session at The Snow Centre and the Sno!Zone Castleford this week, where instructors advised skiers and snowboarders on how to be savvy on the slopes and be physically prepared to help prevent injuries.

Ian Brown, Managing Director at The Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead said:

“Winter sports holidays can be great fun but preparation is key for a successful holiday.  We would always recommend a few hours getting ‘mountain ready’ before your departure.  Investing in the right insurance policy and a few lessons on real snow to ensure you are competent on the slopes can make all the difference.’

Aidan Harington, Head of Snow School at SNO!zone in Castleford, said:

“Winter sports holidays can be great fun, but of course like with any sport there can be risks involved. But with the right tuition, from qualified instructors, and if the sport is carried out in a safe and responsible manner you can reduce your chances of running into trouble. Not getting cover or the correct instruction beforehand is just not worth the risk. Getting the right insurance policy, taking a few lessons and getting some sessions in at the gym can be the difference between the holiday of a life-time and a holiday from hell.”

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has teamed up with ABTA and Ski Club GB to issue the following top tips, which you can view by clicking here.

For more information on winter sports holiday advice, visit the FCOs website www.fco.gov.uk/wintersports

* 222 members of The Snow Centre were surveyed between October and November 2011.

** Source: Europ Assistance.

Bland versus Brand: why creativity (not price) should be the weapon of choice in the sales war

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With some notable exceptions, mostly in the luxury sector, brands in general are under attack as never before. The equities which have been built up over a number of years as a result of sustained, heavyweight investment are slowly but surely being eroded by non-brands who have chosen price (in particular) as their weapon of choice in the ongoing sales war.

FMCG brands have tended to suffer more than most, with so much of the focus these days on value propositions. The inevitable trading on price and prevalence of BOGOFs, while great for volume, do absolutely nothing for the brand. The rise and continued rise of ‘own label’ coupled with the increasingly sterile ‘clean store’ policy environment of the major mults has meant that achieving any degree of stand out has become increasingly difficult from a brand perspective.

If you don’t believe me then take a wander down the sauces and gravy aisle of any major multiple grocer, pick up a drum of Bisto gravy granules and invariably you’ll see merchandised next to it a host of me too look-alikes, all clothed in a close approximation of the brand leaders packaging garb.

The rise in the popularity of partnership marketing initiatives is an inevitable consequence of this and allows brands to harness collective strengths.  This effective ‘circling of the wagons’ can lead to some unusual alliances being formed – perhaps even ones which, in the normal scheme of things, might never see the light of day – but they can be highly effective when properly deployed.

Of course, protectionism isn’t the only driving force behind prospective partnership activity and many strong, healthy brand owners seek to enter into partnership from a position of relative (or even absolute) dominance in the marketplace and are simply looking to extend into new customer segments – take the work that our music division Revolver did recently for Marshall Amplification and Smokehead whisky, a marriage made in heaven  (or hell if your name’s Ozzy) linking one of the biggest names in live music with a whisky aimed squarely at younger men…and not a hint of tartan or heather in sight.

Friends forever…man.

Martin Barratt, Director at Bullet Marketing (& occasional average guitarist)