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Heath, Andrew and the team at Projects by Buxton have been having wins left, right and centre since their much publicised transition from Beller Property in 2019. We're looking forward to a big year together working on all things brand and content marketing!... See MoreSee Less

January 24, 2020 ·

For the last few years we've been working with Matt Gillman on all things digital and as of this year he's officially joined our leadership team as Digital Director. Matt's been working in the digital space for over 20 years with clients that include BMW, National Australia Bank and Stussy.... See MoreSee Less

January 22, 2020 ·

In the age of disruption the choice is yours: champion or victim? Disruption has become a commonplace term to describe a transformative period of change. It has become a go-to catch phrase in the vocabularies of politicians, media representatives, business strategists and tech-innovators. But what does living in the age of disruption mean for the modern CEO? Technological developments such as the Internet and social media signalled the beginning of a media revolution that has undoubtedly shaped every aspect of our daily lives.

Connections are created seamlessly, our cherished experiences shared and vital information communicated instantaneously. The entire world is now at the tips of our fingers, a catalyst for change unlike anything humanity has ever experienced. Companies have been formed and just as quickly dismantled by the ripple effects created by these advances.

It’s simple to understand why disruption within the business community has created anxiety for many CEO’s. Uber has become the largest taxi company in the world without owning a single vehicle. Airbnb has become the largest lodging company in the world without owning any real estate. Competition is no longer confined to the direct parameters of an industry. The unfathomable success of Uber and Airbnb is solid testament to what can be achieved when you listen to the collective needs of a waning market and combine the power of innovation with the need for problem solving.

Uber have established themselves as problem solvers first and foremost. They listened, observed and understood the key problems people were experiencing with a dated and lack-lustre provider and they created a necessary solution – single-handedly de-monopolising the taxi industry. From an idea, and a willingness to look beyond the confines of what currently exists – Uber has begun to transform car ownership and transportation respectively, re-inventing and introducing it in a whole new way.

The modern CEO must understand innately that no matter what industry they exist within, their company exists to solve a problem. Without a problem to solve, there is no solution to provide. Without a solution to provide, the company exists to serve no purpose. It’s our primary responsibility to continue to understand and adapt to the ever-changing needs of our consumers. Corporate disruption will continue to have far-reaching implications on strategy, new product development and employment security for decades to come.

Blockbuster turned down the opportunity to purchase Netflix in 2000, a decision that would ultimately lead to the end of the bricks-and-mortar video store and subsequently, Blockbuster itself. The real question here isn’t why they made this fatal decision, but why they failed to identify the problem heading their way. Although Blockbuster eventually began a rentals-by-mail and streaming service belatedly in order to fight against competitors like Netflix, they didn’t come on strong enough or soon enough. It was a battle between old technology and new technology, and it looks like new technology won out in the end. Disruption will always yield champions and victims. We should all be innovating and problem solving to work towards ensuring we come out on the right side of the battle.... See MoreSee Less

December 16, 2019 ·

The new age of brand transparency. Transparency is a powerful tool for brand communication and is rapidly emerging as a new marketing paradigm. When Domino’s Pizza found itself the object of terrible reviews and significant market share loss in 2010, the brand based its turnaround campaign on being completely transparent by fixing their recipes and broadcasting the process to the world. They even ran ads on Times Square screens showing how orders were handled.

In drafting its strategy, Domino’s referenced Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, which recommends blowing up bridges behind your forces when you go into battle to block any retreat. One must fight on to victory as Domino’s did when it committed completely to turning around its failing brand. Today we see brand bridges being blown up everywhere. There is no response other than transparency. Brands will be forced down this path whether they like it or not for three main reasons: a severe decline in consumer trust in brands, new business benchmarks being set by disruptive brands and the emergence of technologies sparking transparency war. Together, these trends will force brands of all kinds to adopt transparency as a survival mechanism over the next five years.

THE CURRENT POLITICAL ECOSYSTEM
People no longer trust politicians, or brands, and there is a concurrent decline of trust in information and in the press, in general. Research conducted by Contagious and J Walter Thompson in the UK and US reveals that 74% of those surveyed believe there is less trust in society than ever before, while 54% think trust is more important than ever. Transparency is a tool brands can employ to regain consumers’ trust. Research shows that people are willing to pay more for brands that act honestly and transparently. Denise Morrison, CEO of Campbell Soup, said, “Trust is the single most important ingredient in brand success.” Recent studies have found that 39% of people surveyed said they would switch to a new brand if it were completely transparent, 56% would be loyal for life, and 76% would pay more for such brands.

NEW BUSINESS BENCHMARKS
Increasingly, we are seeing startups use transparency to win over consumers from established legacy brands. One such brand is The Honest Company, a baby clothing company that is completely transparent about all of its garments – where they are made, where materials are sourced, how much production costs, and how much employees are paid. On their website you can see all of the data down to the price of every single component, including the safety pin that holds the price tag. They even reveal their markup. Honest understands that people know brands need to make money, but that they also want to know how much and through what processes.

THE NEXT WAVE: TRANSPARENT AI
In the coming years, AI-driven home assistants will likely make most of our purchasing decisions for us. When we ask Alexa to buy some batteries, we expect Amazon to make the right decision. More and more, we see transparency as a process for making these decisions. AI will soon be able to look into companies and scrutinise every aspect of their production and management processes, which will lead to a new paradigm of transparency that will help organisations continuously improve their practices. Transparency is even emerging in third-party aggregators such as TripAdvisor, who recently announced that they would flag hosts where there have been reports of sexual harassment at hotels, parks, or activities listed on their website.

NOBODY IS EXEMPT
No matter the industry – from mass to bespoke, transportation to entertainment – brand managers need to radically alter their marketing approach to survive and thrive in a future where consumers demand to have all the facts. Soon, all the people in the town square will know exactly when the emperor has no clothes.... See MoreSee Less

December 13, 2019 ·

Content will matter more in 2020 than ever before. But, targeted content is even more powerful. Creating quality content starts with data and provides your brand with the powerful opportunity to help quash the fears and concerns your clients and customers might have by publishing content that understands what people are thinking – and has the facts and figures to back up its claims. When the content your brand publishes provides genuine value to the lives of the people who read it, generating leads for even better business is a natural flow-on. Your brand becomes the authority – an expert voice in your industry that helps your potential clients and customers see your brand as something they trust and value. And those feelings are the foundation of customer loyalty – for sustainable brand marketing that builds long-term success.

DATA INSIGHTS BUILD BETTER BRANDS
No matter what purpose your content has, data is that silent strength – the puppet master pulling the strings that helps your content perform. But is your brand gathering the right data? And, do you know how to use that data once you have it? Committing to creating content is a positive step for any business serious about marketing and growing but to help take your content to the next level, it’s vital to make the most of the tools available to help you benefit from the valuable insights great data can deliver for your brand. To help your content shine, try these 3 tools to understand your target market:

01 AUTOMATION IS THE ANSWER
Utilising inbound marketing software helps your brand track and analyse the metrics that can guide your business to content publishing success. Think actionable metrics gained through savvy marketing automation software. There are many tools out there, so the secret is to find one that suits you – and your budget. Look at Infusionsoft, Hubspot or Pardot to see which one offers the best value for you. If you’re not sure which is the best marketing software for your brand, do some online research to compare features and all-important usability, plus talk to other business friends with practical experience for reviews you can trust. By understanding the impact of each marketing activity, you have the benefit of building individual profiles on specific contacts and learning about how they engage with your content. Anything that helps you hone your content even more, is a great thing, as it helps your brand develop a laser-like focus that speaks directly to your target market. And that means better business.

02 STRATEGIC INTEGRATION BOOSTS SALES
Quality CRM tools help marketing and sales efforts by tracking customer interactions at every stage of the buying cycle. The result is accurate, meaningful data at your fingertips. Do your research to ensure you choose an integrated CRM system that works with all the important tools your brand relies on. With the power to understand what content actually drives sales, you are in a powerful position to give your clients more of what they love.

03 SMART BUSINESSES USE HEAT MAPPING SOFTWARE
Heat-mapping software is about details. When you learn exactly what people are looking at and how far they read through each and every page on your website, you can recognise ways to hone that content and improve the way people engage with it. There are a plethora of products to choose from so do your research. By choosing the one that suits your brand marketing needs, business can only get better.

THE DATA COLLECTION GOLDMINE
Improve the quality of data and your brand marketing will improve. It’s that basic. Better information supports better decision-making. And those smarter decisions? They lead to better outcomes and genuine results. One of the best investments your brand can make is a commitment to quality data collection. It’s a long-game plan that is about developing sustainable brand success. And that means better business with long-term benefits.... See MoreSee Less

December 12, 2019 ·

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