Edge: Leading the content revolution

Challenges. Opportunities. Success stories. Inspiration …

2014Leading the content revolutionHow Australian retailers are using content marketing to get closer to customers

Content Marketing in Retail

contents Foreword 3Why this report? 4Brands featured in this report 5Overview—the new media landscape 6The opportunity—meeting content marketing challenges 8.H\�ÀQGLQJV� �Investment in content marketing 10Case studies—Shoes of Prey, ASOS, Lowe’s, Net-A-Porter,Woolworths, and Coles 11Five future priorities for retail marketers 177HQ�SRLQW�SODQ�IRU�FRQWHQW�PDUNHWLQJ�VXFFHVV� ��Contact Edge 20

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Regarded as Australia’s leading digital and content marketing agency, Edge helps some of Australia’s most valuable brands to develop their own media strategy, content creation and platforms. Edge’s expertise in content, editorial, digital, design, social, strategy, media and SEO make it a full-service agency.

Australia’s largest and most representative retail industry organisation, The National Retail Association (NRA) has been providing professional services, advice and representation to more than 19,500 outlets across the retail, fast food and broader services sectors for almost 100 years.

SKUvantage is Australia’s only full-service specialist provider for product content. SKUvantage is focused on gathering, producing, structuring and delivering product content to its retail and brand clients. Clients include leading retailers and suppliers such as Johnson & Johnson, Coles, Myer, L’Oréal and Spotlight.

RetailOasis connects retailers with consumers through marketing insights, helping with improved performance across all consumer touch points.

foreword

There’s a massive change happening around you right now. In the minutes you spend reading this report, your fellow retail marketers are trying to get their heads around the shift that’s rapidly changing our marketing landscape. New challenges are forcing retail marketers to rethink their marketing efforts going forward.

You know that your potential customer will be accessing content from multiple sources from different brands and competitors across multiple channels before they decide which retailer they want to make a purchase with.

To survive in this new, complex, content-rich world, and to change your customers into loyal ambassadors, it takes more than a traditional marketing strategy.

Retail marketers need to sharpen their minds, hone their brand story and get creative around this new reality. They have to start thinking in terms of “mediatailing” and leveraging assets that engage customers through the many touch points that every retail brand has access to. They need to think beyond a world of paid media on other people’s channels to owning their own space where their brand is central.

Retailers have a unique opportunity.

This white paper, based on a content marketing survey of Australian retail marketers, provides valuable insights, opportunities, ideas and success stories from your industry. Use it to get your content strategy in place.

I’m looking forward to covering your success in our next report.

Retail marketers need to sharpen their minds.

survey partners

Special thanks to: Sanna Axbom, Edge; Danielle Welton, Writer and Content Specialist; Yulia Santoso, Designer, Edge

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Earlier this year we commissioned a survey to dig deep into the strategies that Australian retailers are using to navigate the intricate media landscape and capture the hearts and wallets of the ever-powerful consumer. The results paint a fascinating picture of content marketing’s prominent place in the future of retail marketing, with its importance emphasised by the percentage of marketing expenditure allocated by our respondents.

It highlights the content marketing opportunities yet to be fully exploited, with particular emphasis on visual social media channels and video marketing techniques.

It puts the spotlight on the concerns of retail marketers—from budget and time constraints, to smarter content strategies and how to create compelling, personalised content—and then puts forward strategies for dealing with them.

It also looks to the future of retail marketing and highlights the innovations set to revolutionise the retail industry.

why this report?

Retail marketers have got it tough. With so many channels and increasing customer sophistication, the challenge of reaching audiences has become more complex.

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brands featured in this report

Also mentioned:Sneaking Duck, Burberry, Nissan, Oreos, Patagonia, All American Clothing


overview

1R�ORQJHU�GRHV�LQIRUPDWLRQ�ÁRZ�LQ�RQH�GLUHFWLRQ�IURP�D�ELJ�EUDQG�RU�institution to an audience of passive readers. The internet has reduced the costs and obstacles involved in broadcasting and distributing content, so these days anyone can get content out. This democratisation has also made content consumption far more active, meaning the audience is able to react, comment and share.

In addition, technology has expanded the number of channels we can use to tell a story. Content output can be in the form of print magazines, brochures, brand books, content-rich websites, digital magazines, apps and videos (including micro-video content such as Vine), blogs, white papers, infographics, e-books, email newsletters, social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest and Instagram) and many others.

The problem for retail brands is that there are a lot of people creating a lot of content across a number of channels—and not all of it is very good.

The new media landscape

According to Mark Schaefer, professor in marketing and social media.

Challenge 1:

Standing out amid the

general media noise and clutter.

The Conversation Prism

%ULDQ�6ROLV�LQWURGXFHG�WKH�ÀUVW�&RQYHUVDWLRQ�Prism—a prism mapping out social media—

in 2008. There were 22 social media categories. Fast forward to 2013, and the Conversation Prism had four additional categories with at

least six brands in each.

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65% The number of

mobile media users who browse the

mobile internet in tandem with a second

screen (television, PC, tablet or

second phone).

Today, consumers are increasingly sophisticated, using a complex proliferation of media channels, platforms and technologies—and often at the same time.

They consume in a way that’s appropriate for them, using the channels they like at the times they like. Crucially, WKH\�DUH�LQFUHDVLQJO\�SRZHUIXO��%\�EHLQJ�DEOH�WR�ÀOWHU�RXW�unwanted advertising or marketing messages, they very much dictate the terms of marketing relationships.

The powerful content consumer

Challenge 3:

Engaging and retaining

consumers while everyone else

is vying for their attention.

The new media landscape and this more powerful, more VRSKLVWLFDWHG�FRQVXPHU�KDYH�FUHDWHG�WKH�QHHG�WR�UHGHÀQH�content marketing.

Here’s how the Content Marketing Institute sums it up: “Content marketing is a marketing technique of creating and distributing valuable, relevant and consistent content WR�DWWUDFW�DQG�DFTXLUH�D�FOHDUO\�GHÀQHG�DXGLHQFH³ZLWK�WKH�REMHFWLYH�RI�GULYLQJ�SURÀWDEOH�FXVWRPHU�DFWLRQ�µ

But that doesn’t tell the whole story. It forgets the power of our 2014 consumer. More accurately, content marketing is:“A marketing technique of creating and distributing valuable, engaging, entertaining and inspiring content that is relevant to the audience, in the channel or device RI�WKHLU�FKRRVLQJ³ZLWK�WKH�REMHFWLYH�RI�GULYLQJ�SURÀWDEOH�customer action.”

A new definition of content marketing

Challenge 2: Getting the right messages to the right people, on the channel or device of their

choosing.

Source: MEF Second Screen Survey 2013

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Despite deafening media noise and the proliferation of media channels, the consumer appetite for content is stronger than ever, which provides a fantastic opportunity for retail marketers. Tell your stories well. Know your audience. Deliver DXWKHQWLF�DQG�SURÀFLHQW�HGLWRULDO�FRQWHQW��0DNH�VXUH�LW�LV�RSWLPLVHG�IRU�WKH�FKDQQHO�and that it adheres to a content strategy. Do this and you will cut through the market noise and disruption.

the opportunity

The solution: Create quality content that’s editorially intelligent, personalised, persuasive, clever and creative.

“A crucial component in making sure a brand stands out—and that it is heard above the background media and content noise—is to identify its unique brand story and to ensure that all of the content SURGXFHG�LV�ÀUPO\�DQFKRUHG�LQ�WKDW�brand story.” Richard Parker, Director of Strategy, Edge

“You must develop best-in-class content. Your content must be more valuable than what your competitors are doing. You can’t just tell a story better. To stand out, you have to tell a different story.”Joe Pulizzi, Content Marketing Institute

2hrs

65%

65%

The average amount of time each Australian spends on their smart phone every day. Brands need to invest in mobile solutions or find themselves getting left behind by their competitors.Source: AdReaction, MillwardBrown

4.5hrs

The average amount of time that Australians spend browsing the internet on laptop or desktop computers every day.Source: Global Digital Statistics 2014, We Are Social

Smart phone penetration among the Australian population.Source: AdNews

The percentage of Australians actively using social media.Source: Yellow Social Media Report, May 2013

Meeting content marketing challenges

The solution: Have a strategy in place WKDW�LGHQWLÀHV�\RXU�NH\�REMHFWLYHV�DQG�messages, followed by the channels and devices that work for your target audience. Only then can you consider the best content solution and delivery.

“Effectiveness is driven by knowing what you are trying to achieve. Having a FOHDUO\�GHÀQHG�VWUDWHJLF�SODQ�LV�HVVHQWLDO�for content marketing success, but most brands have yet to develop theirs.”Fergus Stoddart, Commercial Director, Edge

The solution: Use metrics and analytics to ensure your content is relevant and personalised to your target audience. Pinpoint the type of content that resonates, the time of day the audience is most likely to consume it (and the way they like to consume it), and you will create a connection that achieves results.

“There are many ways to track sales, conversions and customer preferences, from website/social media analytics tools, to site search analysis. Some call the information ‘big data’ and get excited by the possibilities. Others are overwhelmed. This data can help us show the right content to the right audience at the right time.”Richard Parker, Director of Strategy, Edge

Standing out amid the general media noise and clutter.

1.Getting the right messages to the right people.

2.Engaging/retaining consumers in the battle for attention.

3.

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The channels currently used by retail marketers

key findings

of Australian retail marketers use content to market their

business

71%

What’s your strategy?Findings reveal that of Australian retail marketers ...

1. Increased sales2. Increased engagement��,QFUHDVHG�ZHE�WUDIÀF

Top 3 ROI measures seen by retail marketers:

98%

80%

59%

46%

44%

41%

37%

37%

34%

27%

24%

7%

Website

Facebook

e-Newsletter

Twitter

Instore

Instagram

YouTube

Blog

Pinterest

Events

LinkedIn

App

Top 5 challenges faced by retail marketers:

2. Time constraints

3. Budgetary restrictions

4. Inability to measure

results5. Lack of knowledge

1. Creating the right content

Our survey on retail marketers in Australia shows the growing importance of content among leading marketers ...

75%have a documented

content strategy

of marketing budgets are allocated to content publishing

30%

of retail marketers create their

content in-house

58%

27%would consider working with an external agency

are already working with an external agency

37%

Website (76%) and Facebook (54%) DUH�WKH�FKDQQHOV�UHWDLO�PDUNHWHUV�ÀQG�most effective when delivering content

Most effective channels

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investments in content marketing

$W�WKH�(IÀH�$ZDUGV�IRU�HIIHFWLYHQHVV�LQ�PDUNHWLQJ�communications held in New York this February, 67%

of the judges surveyed agreed that content marketing

initiatives were meeting ROI expectations. Because of this,

content marketing was cited as the area that marketers

are working to bolster with additional talent.

Australian retail marketers are in strong agreement, with

an average 30% of their marketing budgets allocated to

FRQWHQW�PDUNHWLQJ³D�ÀJXUH�WKDW�SXWV�$XVWUDOLDQ�UHWDLOHUV�up there with mature content marketing territories, such

DV�WKH�8.��DQG�DKHDG�RI�1RUWK�$PHULFDQ�� and Australian marketers as a whole (27%). Of these

retailers, 58% create their content in-house, which is

DERYH�WKH�QDWLRQDO�PDUNHWLQJ�DYHUDJH�RI��$Q�incredible 72% cite the challenge of ‘creating the right

content’ as a key concern.

Editorial excellence and quality content is essential in

cutting through the general media noise. Brands are

increasingly seeking to mimic publishers, producing

content built around consumer lifestyles and using

traditional newsstand editorial tricks to do so. That

explains why more retail marketers are turning to external

agencies to help them create original, compelling and

innovative content—37% are already working with an

external agency, with a further 27% saying they are

considering it for the future.

Content marketing has enjoyed a lot of attention over the past few years and it continues to attract increasing investment and focus as we move through 2014 and beyond.

Is the content created in-house or

outsourced to agencies or journalists?

0 10 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

In-house

Outsourced

Both

Main challenges with delivering content

0 10 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Creating the right content

Time constraints

Inability to measure results

Lack of knowledge

Budgetary restrictions

Lack of support from...

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How: The company has fully embraced video, integrating it into its marketing mix in a number of ways.

The video on the main area of its site is incredibly effective. Although it appears to be a simple explanation of the ‘design your own shoe’ process, LW·V�DFWXDOO\�IXOÀOOLQJ�D�QXPEHU�RI�important marketing objectives.

Co-founder Jodie Fox presents the video, which means we get an insight into the brand and what makes it unique. By showing how simple it is to design your own shoe, it breaks down SHUFHLYHG�GLIÀFXOW\�EDUULHUV�WR�WDNLQJ�up the company’s offering; and by showing both the design and delivery SURFHVV��FRQVXPHU�FRQÀGHQFH�LV�enhanced. All of which leads to trust,

engagement and increased sales.

In addition, the company has its own YouTube channel, where Fox uses

topical events, such as party season or New York Fashion

Week, to give herself licence to showcase relevant new products.

According to Chloé Dutschke, Editor/Social Media Manager at Shoes of Prey: “For us, our content is always about the product: “Shoes”. It needs to be, or else it fails to be relevant to our customer base, but the last thing we want is to be pushy. We’re bonding with our customers over the love of the shoes, and we use content to create that vibe.”

Result: In terms of engagement, the site has seen women spend more than 60 million minutes designing tens of millions of shoes.

How to use YouTube in your content marketing strategy

Despite content marketing’s recognised power to convert, retain and engage, the opportunities are yet to be fully exploited by retail marketers. Websites ��)DFHERRN��DQG�H�QHZVOHWWHUV��DUH�FLWHG�DV�WKH�WKUHH�PRVW�common channels. YouTube uptake is at just 37%, which is far below the Australian average (74%). According to Peter Graves, Regional Sales Director at Brightcove, this suggests a missed opportunity. “Video is 53% more likely to appear on the front page of search engine results than text, resulting in improved SEO and the likelihood that customers ZLOO�ÀQG�\RX�RQOLQH�µ�KH�VD\V�

Its propensity to be shared also makes video a great tool for amplifying your marketing messages, with an Advertising Age feature claiming that videos are shared 1200% more than text and links combined. “With brands embracing social video channels such as Vine and Instagram, we’re seeing a form of storytelling that’s powerful for the future of marketing. Brands are creating VQDFNDEOH��UHDFWLYH�FRQWHQW�ZLWK�D�OR�À��DOPRVW�ÀOP�VFKRRO��',<�DSSURDFK�WKDW·V�short and shareable.”Kevin Lim, Dept of Moving Image, Edge

use of channels

Take-out: Tell a strong story about what or who makes your brand different and keep it simple. “People aren’t looking for something that’s super-duper polished; they actually want to get to know you and your personality,” says Fox.

Shoes of Prey is an Australian multichannel retail brand that

enables shoppers to design their own shoes online.

case study:

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According to our survey, company websites and Facebook are cited as WKH�FKDQQHOV�WKDW�UHWDLOHUV�ÀQG�PRVW�HIÀFLHQW�ZKHQ�GHOLYHULQJ�FRQWHQW��,Q�FRQWUDVW��RQO\��RI�WKH�UHWDLO�marketers surveyed think Instagram is effective and 15% think Pinterest works for them.

In accordance with the ‘Global Digital Statistics 2014’ report by We Are 6RFLDO��WKLV�ÀQGLQJ�WDOOLHV�ZLWK�JHQHUDO�uptake of social media in Australia. The report, published in January, found that 81% of Australians have a Facebook account, while only 15% have an Instagram account. However, visually led social media channels should not be dismissed, particularly for Australian retailers with attractive product to sell.

If we look at retail brands in the UK, such as the department store Selfridges and the fashion brand Burberry, there is considerable evidence that visual channels provide strong return on investment, particularly when they are used to take customers behind the scenes of your brand or to show off products in unexpected ways.

How: To showcase its products and encourage exploration, the brand posts Instagram images of its latest ranges—with a twist—so you may see a blogger showing you how to get the look with key pieces, or a cute pug dog wearing this season’s must-have beanie.

To bring fans closer to the brand, there’s an emphasis on behind-the-scenes shots from fashion shoots, head

RIÀFH�RU�FDWZDON�VKRZV��$626�DOVR�places great emphasis on featuring user-generated content, so the company will ask followers to post Instagram images of themselves sporting a particular look using a branded hashtag, and then repost several of the images in its own IHHGV³D�WHUULÀF�ZD\�WR�EXLOG�D�connection with your audience.

Result: 2.6 million followers.

How to use Instagram in your content marketing strategy

efficiency of channels

Take-out: Instagram is notorious for making everything look instantly gorgeous, so it’s an ideal solution if you want to show what’s behind the scenes of your brand—something that’s becoming increasingly important in helping to give brands a competitive edge. It also enables you to showcase a product in an innovative way, with little extra outlay.

asos is an online fashion retailer based in London. Its impact on the

Australian market has been incredible, with the company clocking up one Aussie purchase every six seconds

and reportedly sending in four jumbo jets full of clothing

every week.

case study:

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How to use Pinterest in your content

marketing strategy

How: This brand is a fantastic example of how to use Pinterest boards that do it all—featuring boards with useful hints and tips, such as 50 projects under $50, inspirational interior design images and even user-generated boards. A particularly brilliant feature is the Build It! board where customers who’ve used Lowe’s products for their DIY projects are showcased. It also remains topical, pinning content that relates to events such as Mother’s Day.

Result: 3.5 million followers.

Take-out: Pinterest is quickly establishing itself as a goldmine for retailers, with pins reportedly tripling online retailers’ revenue during Cyber Monday. The best retailers are truly cunning when it comes to pinning. Don’t just pin your product images. If customers wanted to see images of your products, they would go to your website. Be creative, instead.

Engage them with inspiring images and/or offer something genuinely useful. If you capture their attention here, they will be more likely to click through to your website to buy.

For those yet to be convinced, the Rich Pins function could be the clincher, by enabling brands to add real-time pricing, availability and ‘where to buy’ to pins.

Lowe’s is the second-largest home

improvement retailer in the world.

case study:

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According to our survey, 25% of Australian retail marketers don’t have a content marketing strategy in place. This is in contrast to the 43% of Australian marketers as a whole that don’t have a documented strategy. The reason behind this could be time constraints, with 47% of Australian marketers citing time as a major challenge for them in the creation of content. However, research suggests that taking the time to consider a strategy, or employing an agency to create one, reaps huge ROI later down the line.

According to the Content Marketing Institute’s 2014 B2B Content Marketing report: “A documented strategy makes a difference, as 84% of marketers who say they are ineffective at content marketing [say] they have no documented strategy. B2B marketers who have a documented content strategy are far more likely to consider themselves effective (66% vs. 11%).”

One company famed for its exceptionally robust multichannel content marketing strategy is online fashion brand Net-A-Porter.

How: Net-A-Porter’s strategy is to become a lifestyle choice and publisher. It has a weekly online magazine called The Edit; an exceptional email marketing campaign; an app; and a social media hub called Fashion Fix, which collates all the activity on its social channels (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, YouTube and Instagram). Despite its attention to

content production, the push to drive sales is at the heart of everything Net-A-Porter produces.

Take the latest addition to its content marketing arsenal, a print magazine titled Porter. Although it’s designed to go head-to-head with newsstand heavyweights Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue, the print magazine has sales at

the heart of its conception: Every page is shoppable.

By using the magazine in conjunction with Net-A-Porter’s iPhone app, you can use your mobile to scan the pages you’re interested in and purchase the product you see there.

Net-A-Porter’s vice president and publishing director Tess Macleod-Smith said: “There are shopping pathways for everything, from fashion, to travel, to beauty products. Plus, for people in cities like London, New York and Hong Kong, they will be able to scan a page, order it through the app and receive delivery in a few hours. This is shortening the path between inspiration and transaction.”

Result: Richard Parker, Director of Strategy at Edge, says: “With the launch of Porter on the newsstand, Net-A-Porter—already a content marketing heavyweight—joins an exclusive club of businesses that put brand-owned media at the centre of their operations. Step aside, Red Bull. There’s a new branded content kid in town. And it’s here to win.”

what’s your strategy?

Killer content strategies—join the heavyweights

Take-out: A robust content strategy will ensure the pathway from content to purchase is effortless. Frustrate the customer and you risk losing them forever.

Net-A-Porter is a luxury online fashion brand.

case study:

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Australian marketers are well aware of WKH�EHQHÀW�RI�EUDQG�OR\DOW\��ZLWK��citing it as a ‘very important’ objective for their content marketing activity. 6DWLVÀHG�FXVWRPHUV�DUH�VWDWLVWLFDOO\�OHVV�likely to switch, and they tend to be less price-sensitive. You avoid the cost of acquisition (it’s six-to-seven times more expensive to acquire a new customer than to keep one). Loyal customers are ambassadors for your brand, they recommend you to friends and they share your content, which, in this age of consumer power, is hugely valuable.

The recognised recipe for success is quality editorial that’s useful for customers in a practical sense—this is something that the Woolworths Baby & Toddler Club has mastered. “Differentiation within the retail landscape is key. Woolworths had to provide a unique and quality offering to cut through the crowded marketplace. Edge created an integrated digital offering comprising a life stage-targeted EDM program and a website that provides rich editorial content. Its membership is approaching 200,000 parents.” Jessica Sinclair, Senior Account Director, Edge

customer loyalty

How: Deciding to have a baby is a major milestone and women are hungry for information about how to prepare. To tap into this thirst for knowledge, the Woolworths Baby & Toddler Club website provides editorial content that offers intelligent health and nutrition advice, delicious recipes and practical information in an easily navigable online environment.

Once engaged by this expert editorial, users are then invited to sign up to join the Club. It’s here that attention to data analysis really comes into its own. Consumers receive exclusive, targeted offers and segmented editorial (depending on the stage of their pregnancy or age of their child) via email, plus access to a vibrant community forum of like-minded parents.

Result: Original membership targets were beaten and the number of members continues to grow fast.

A strong and positive Net Promoter Score, plus a highly engaged, loyal member base showing incremental increase in basket spend, makes the success of the Club clear.

Loyalty programsthat get results

Take-out: By using data for targeted segmentation and combining that with high-quality editorial, which reaches consumers at a time when it is relevant to them, an emotive connection is created and loyalty and engagement is enhanced.

Woolworths is Australia’s largest supermarket

chain.

case study:

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Clearly, Facebook has created a

powerful platform for B2C companies

to engage with their audience, which

is something the Australian retail

marketers surveyed clearly agree with.

Of the respondents, 80% use Facebook

to distribute content and 54% say that

Facebook is the most effective channel

in delivering content for their business.

This resonates with a Facebook survey

conducted by Lab42, which found

WKDW�FORVH�WR��RI�XVHUV�RQ�)DFHERRN�say they ‘like’ at least one brand on

Facebook. Additionally, 50% say they

ÀQG�WKH�EUDQG·V�)DFHERRN�SDJH�PRUH�useful than the company’s website.

What are the strongest motivators for

liking a brand on Facebook? According

to the survey, the leading motivators is

promotions and discounts, followed by

free giveaways.

In contrast, the key motivators for

making someone actively unlike you

are: a brand posting too frequently,

and the consumer having a bad

customer experience.

How: Coles’ Facebook page is an

example of a page that does it all.

It features tasty product shots and

recipes to inspire the consumer; it

poses competition questions that invite

interaction, such as “Tell us who you’d

most love to share the chocolate with

and why”. It also uses a picture of tennis

ace Roger Federer to encourage response;

and additionally offers conversational

and topical questions that involve CSR

and store staff, such as “This is Ellen

from our Mount Barker store and

she’s taking part in the Live Below

the Line challenge. She’ll be eating

RQ�WZR�GROODUV�D�GD\�IRU�ÀYH�GD\V�WR�raise funds and awareness for extreme

poverty. Click to show your support.”

Result: With more than 710,000 fans,

the results are impressive, and each

post earns numerous likes/comments.

facebook as a loyalty driver

Best-in-class Facebook content marketing

Take-out: Like Coles, keep

things fresh and interesting by

mixing up your output. No one

likes to see product images over

and over. It’s like being sat next

to a repetitive bore at a dinner

party. Instead, mix comments

with competitions, useful advice

and products to ensure that

people remain engaged. And

remember: Don’t post too often.

Coles is a leading

supermarket chain with

an active social media

community and

online presence.

case study:

16


Although digital channels have created wider, often global audiences, the simple challenge of selling products when people can’t touch, feel or try them on still remains a priority for retailers. The next few years will see the emergence of technologies that help to bring products forcefully and emotionally to life—even when they’re out of UHDFK��7KLV�ZLOO�ERRVW�FRQVXPHU�FRQÀGHQFH�DQG�VDOHV��DQG�lower return rates and the hefty costs associated with them.

A 3D Augmented Reality Make-up Mirror was displayed at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last January that allowed the consumer to simulate make-up E\�XVLQJ�D�WRXFK�VFUHHQ�WR�DSSO\�LW�WR�WKH�UHÁHFWHG�LPDJH�RI�themselves. You can expect more of this ‘try-on technology’ in the future, but it will no longer feel like a gimmick. Instead, it will bring the consumer closer to the products,

�WKXV�HQKDQFLQJ�WKH�HPRWLRQDO�MXVWLÀFDWLRQ�EHKLQG�WKH�purchase.

Sneaking Duck, a prescription and fashion eyewear specialist, is one brand already making it happen by allowing customers to upload images of themselves so that they can see what different frames look like on them.

At the same time, the trend for enhancing brick-and-mortar stores with digital and editorial content that gives consumers more reason to buy will grow.

Burberry has long been a pioneer in the arts of PXOWLFKDQQHO�PDUNHWLQJ�DQG�VHOOLQJ��DQG�LWV�ÁDJVKLS�store on London’s Regent Street is an inspiring indication of where retailers are headed. A chip hidden inside each product triggers radio frequency-enabled mirrors in each changing room. The mirrors then transform into digital screens that display extra editorial about craft and detail. This exposes the consumer to storytelling that would usually only be communicated online.

Five future priorities for retail marketers Smarter content strategies, a battle over big data, social listening, and measurement and tracking are all key priorities for Australian marketers, but there are a number of innovations set to revolutionise the retail industry …

1. Bringing together the digital and the tangible

17


Personalisation is huge, with marketers focusing their strategy, investment and time on ensuring that tailored messages reach the right audience—particularly in terms of email marketing. Success stories and best practices include: the Woolworths Baby & Toddler Club’s usage of life-change triggers and baby age to send targeted editorial; DQG�7KH�2XWQHW·V�HPDLOV�VKRZLQJ�VSHFLÀF�RIIHUV�DYDLODEOH�in the consumer’s size.

In the next year, we’ll see more attention turning toward personalising the online experience, with the customer’s location, device type, incoming search term or last website visited informing the experience they receive.

Because mobile phones are such personal devices (holding all sorts of data about their owners’ lives) and are cited as the gadget most consumers can’t live without, they are another exciting focus of attention. By using the device’s native capabilities, marketers will be able to create intensely personal customer experiences, such as location-based promotions, check-in offers and more.

Building a campaign around your customers is a great way to engage with your audience while incentivising your customers to amplify your marketing messages.

Burberry’s ‘Art of the Trench’ campaign helped to pave the way for leveraging user-generated content by inviting fans to upload photos of themselves wearing Burberry’s

famous coat so visitors could view, comment, like and share them.

As reported by Business Today, “In the year following the launch of the Art of the Trench�LQ�1RYHPEHU��Burberry’s Facebook fan base grew to more than one million, the largest fan count in the luxury sector at the time. E-commerce sales grew 50% year-over-year, DQ�LQFUHDVH�SDUWLDOO\�DWWULEXWHG�WR�KLJKHU�ZHE�WUDIÀF�IURP�the Art of the Trench site [and] conversion rates from the Art of the Trench click-throughs to the Burberry website ZHUH�VLJQLÀFDQWO\�KLJKHU�WKDQ�WKRVH�IURP�RWKHU�VRXUFHV�µ� As a bonus, every customer who uploaded a picture effectively created a mini-advert for Burberry.

For data capture, video-based competitions are also marketing gold. A brilliant example is Nissan’s #VersaVid campaign, which invited fans to record a short video featuring a paper Nissan Versa via either Instagram or Vine.

The winners received a $1000 voucher, while Nissan acquired footage for an upcoming TV campaign. This generated publicity for the release of a new car plus thousands of shares. With such return on very little investment, we’ll see more brands using creative ways to encourage user-generated content. These same brands will then become more creative as a result of that.

One major trend that capitalises on the 24/7 ‘always on’ consumer is real-time marketing and newsjacking. Oreo’s 2013 Super Bowl campaign is such an example. During the third quarter there was a power outage. The company’s social media team jumped at the opportunity, Tweeting:

“Power out? No problem. You can still dunk in the dark.”

This was a brilliant example of a company capturing the imaginations of all those people sitting there, in the dark, with their second screens. The message got nearly 16,000 retweets and more than 20,000 likes on Facebook. The reason? Oreo had produced brand-relevant messaging that tapped into a topical event.

As the appetite for timely content increases, we’ll see brands and agencies setting up newsrooms for 24/7 responses.

Consumers are making decisions based on the sustainable stories behind products rather than their cost. We’ll therefore see more brands focusing on content and innovations that shine a light on their provenance.

Outdoor clothing retailer Patagonia placed an ad in The New York Times with an image of one of its jackets and the text ‘Don’t buy this jacket.’ It was a bold move VXSSRUWHG�E\�D��PLQXWH�ÀOP�WKDW�HQFRXUDJHG�FRQVXPHUV�to re-use their products. It highlighted a company that focuses on protecting the environment while also pointing to the ‘quality over quantity’ of its products.

Taking this a step further, All American Clothing’s new traceability function allows shoppers to trace an individual pair of jeans to the farm where the cotton was grown, and to also meet the farmers who grew it.

Expect more digital innovations and rich storytelling selling transparency as sustainability becomes a growing concern.

2. Super-personalisation

3. User-generatedcontent

4. Real-time content marketing

5. Sustainability and transparency trends

18


10-point plan for content marketing success

Make social engagement easyIf you have a good story to tell, make sure it’s easy to engage with and share. It might sound simple, but always pay attention to comment boxes and ‘like’ and ‘share’ buttons. They are quick wins for helping your content reach a wider audience. After all, word-of-mouth endorsement is great marketing for your brand.

Measurement and trackingThere’s no point creating all of this content if you can’t track how well it’s doing, so always measure the SHUIRUPDQFH�WKURXJK�TXDQWLÀDEOH�metrics. Use this to allocate resources to WRS�SHUIRUPLQJ�FRQWHQW�DQG�WR�DOVR�GHÀQH�the next steps to improve weaker content.

%H�HIÀFLHQW�ZLWK�\RXU�content productionBefore commissioning any content, always consider the ways in which you can extend it across multiple channels. If you’re doing a product shoot for your website, for example, take behind-the-scenes footage, create Vine videos and Instagram the action.

Be ready to react The smart brands are listening to their consumers and they are ready to react and interact when the relationship calls for it. This can mean chatting on Facebook, responding to customer service gripes on Twitter (and turning it into positive PR), or simply using customer feedback to adapt. Regardless, brands that ignore the opportunity to directly respond to customers are quickly becoming obsolete.

Get other people to spread the wordIt doesn’t have to be just you spreading your brand messages. Consider working ZLWK�NH\�LQÁXHQFHUV�RQ�VRFLDO�PHGLD�channels, bloggers and even your most vocal customers. Get them to amplify your messages on their own channels.

Identify your key marketing objectivesBefore you create any content, you need to identify what your marketing objectives are. Do you want to either sell products, get your brand remembered or create loyal ambassadors? This will determine the focus of your content strategy and help with measurement in the future.

Know your audienceBy studying your customers’ behaviours, preferences and choices, you can better understand where and how your audience wants to interact with your brand. You can then use this knowledge to create targeted content that inspires reaction, whether that’s sales, shares, brand love or the customer contributing to your brand story.

Always tell a good storyThere’s a lot of mediocre content out there. You have to create content that nobody else is creating to make sure that your brand stands out. You need to uncover unique brand stories and offer genuine expertise or create an emotional connection.

Create a content strategyIt’s essential to create a documented content marketing strategy. This will align your content production with your marketing objectives (point 1), help you pinpoint the right messages for your audience (point 2) and discover the most effective channels for delivering those messages.

Have authority to publishMake sure you have authority when considering the stories or messages you want to publish. Most customers engage with a brand when they’re offered quality editorial and when they trust the brand’s expertise in delivering it.

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want more mouth-watering content from edge?We hope you have enjoyed the information presented here. If you would like to discuss any of the points raised, or if you want to know how to apply the strategies discussed, just get in touch.

SydneyFergus StoddartCommercial Director0414 867 [email protected]

MelbourneJoel EganDigital Director0405 318 [email protected]

You can also check out what we have been up to here: edgecustom.com.au

The SurveyConducted in association with the National Retail Association, SKUvantage and Retail Oasis. Respondents to this survey came from a variety of Australian retail companies in April 2014.