Vodafone enters UK iPhone market

So O2’s exclusive contract with Apple and the iPhone has come to an end…

Again…

Vodafone has reached an agreement to sell Apple’s popular iPhone in the UK.

More from BBC News.

Orange announces UK iPhone deal

So O2’s exclusive contract with Apple and the iPhone has come to an end…

BBC News reports:

Orange has reached an agreement to sell Apple’s popular iPhone in the UK.

The deal ends an exclusive arrangement between UK network operator O2 and the Californian phone maker, which has been in place since 2007.

I am not sure that there was much consumer benefit to the exclusive arrangement that O2 had (well has at the moment) however I am equally sure that bringing Orange into the market won’t actually make too much difference to consumers; more likely it will benefit those who can’t get an O2 signal but can get Orange.

Part of the issue has to be the fact that iPhone is in a league of its own when it comes to smartphones, not many other devices match the iPhone in terms of usability, applications and features.

Product Placement

With companies reducing their marketing budgets; combine that with the growth of PVRs and use of Sky+ that allow viewers to fast forward through the adverts, commerical television has had it tough with advertising revenues.

BBC reports that product placement, which is allowed in the USA and was banned in the UK, will now be legal in commercial UK television programmes.

Product placement is to be allowed on British TV shows, in a move due to be announced next week.

Independent broadcasters will be allowed to take payments for displaying commercial products during shows.

The change is intended to bring in extra funds for commercial broadcasters. Experts believe it could raise up to £100m a year.

This though won’t impact on the BBC who would still be banned,

There are currently strict rules against product placement and this ban would remain in place on BBC shows.

Of course advertisers and broadcasters may want to take note of many complaints about excessive product placement in US television, shows and many films.

Quantum of Solace recevied many complaints about its product placement as it had a lot of placements, however it can be a big earner with a reputed £50million coming from product placement in the film.

At the end of the day, we already see a lot of television with product placement (think of any sport broadcast) and will this make a big difference to the viewer? Probably not. Will it raise revenues for the TV companies? Probably yes.

Photo source.

Let is shine

Honda have a very clever advert to market their new hybrid car, the Honda Insight.

Wieden + Kennedy’s Amsterdam office created Let It Shine – a Honda commercial in which a bank of cars (Honda’s, naturally) arranged in a grid, use their headlights as pixels to create an animated sequence…

You can see how the advert was made.

Honda have made quite a few clever adverts which reminds me of the Sony adverts in many ways.

Good marketing means getting people to know (and importantly) buy your products. Adverts like these can be the answer, but they don’t work for everyone.

How do you make 40m Easter eggs?

Really nice and interesting video from BBC News on how Cadbury make their 40m Easter Eggs (50% of the UK market).

Easter is one of the most popular times of year for chocolate-makers and it has been revealed that despite the current economic downturn, confectionery sales in 2009 have continued to rise, with predictions of record sales this Easter.

Watch the video.

Interesting is how in other markets, the US and Europe, they prefer chocolate bunnies and chicks, whilst in the UK market we prefer chocolate eggs. Any business expecting to expand into foreign markets will need to gain an understanding of the nature of the demand for their product in those markets, which can be quite different to the home market.

Photo source.

Marketing Interview

Made me smile.

Source

Your call is (not) important to us…

BBC reports on the role of call centres:

Are there any more annoying phrases in the English language than “your call is important to us”, or “we are experiencing particularly high call volumes”?

But our lives have been transformed by call centres – allowing us to book our holidays, organise our financial affairs and check train times from the comfort of our homes.

So what is going on when our call is on hold and who are the staff we rely on to give us the correct information when we finally get through?

Many business organisations rely on good customer service, of which call centres are one part, as part of their marketing strategy.

Okay, it’s old, but still funny…

I was reminded of this amusing Microsoft iPod branding video which was leaked.

Still funny.

Though if you look at the Zune, they did learn their lesson.

Tesco checks out wording change

Tesco is to change the wording on their tills.

BBC reports

The supermarket giant is to replace its current “10 items or less” notices with signs saying “Up to 10 items”.

Tesco’s move follows uncertainty over whether the current notices should use “fewer” instead of “less”.

The school uniform price war

BBC reports on how supermarkets in their battle for customers are using school uniforms as a marketing tool.

For the last few years, the supermarkets have been competing on price.

This year Asda stole a march by offering the £4 uniform for all ages, rather than a budget range simply for the youngest pupils, according to retail analyst Maureen Hinton, of Verdict Research.

Even if the best deals are now gone, most parents will be able to come away with change from £10 when buying a sweatshirt, trousers or skirt, and polo shirt ensemble.

For example, a sweatshirt for a three to 12-year-old from any of Sainsbury’s, Tesco or Asda will usually cost parents no more than £2.50.