gekkofm

James Bond is amongst the most successful and well-known film franchises in cinematic history. Spanning over half a century, and featuring some of the most iconic and budget-busting special effects, car chases, fight scenes and soft romantic encounters, 007 provides a backdrop for brands to timelessly associate themselves with the premium image that is Bond.

Whilst James Bond may be the coolest fictional character around; he’s a man who drinks, eats, drives, uses a mobile and always has to be on time. Therefore why shouldn’t he drink Heineken, drive a Ford by day and an Aston by night while interfacing with his Sony Mobile device, wearing an impeccable Tom Ford made-to-measure suit complemented by an Omega watch with the odd gadget combined?

Brands have been central to the Bond script over the decades. Indeed, the official 007.com website had a section devoted to Skyfall’s 12 brand partners, which shows how integral brand involvement is. The latest instalment to the Bond Franchise, Spectre, with its reported budget of over $300m is no different. But it’s not all about the money.

For many of these brands the immediate gain is not necessarily purely sales. Take Tom Ford. Whilst it may increase cosmetic and accessory sales, the uplift in Tom Ford suiting, in a price range far removed from the average budget, is perhaps the benefit of the association with a seminal film that will live on beyond its theatre and Blu-ray release. What it offers Tom Ford is the long-term association with a franchise that will be seen over and over again, decade after decade, bringing in a new generation and establishing the brand as a classic. This allows Tom Ford to continue its premium brand and pricing that may at some time extend to a diffusion line.

The budgets agreed by brands for just a frame’s-worth of brand exposure is clearly phenomenal, but brands aren’t just buying a product placement slot that may or may not increase awareness of the product and an uplift in sales; they’re buying into the fabric of Bond and an unwavering association that effortlessly transcends the actors that play him.

Many brands have involved themselves with the Bond franchise and while not every single one of them will have that instantaneous recognition that the likes of Aston Martin and Omega watches might have, it provides those brands with a concrete platform to increase brand equity and establish itself as different to the crowd opening themselves up to new categories.

A brand’s desire to segway into a movie as if it was natural is important to any brand with values, as blatant placement is just tacky. However when you can have the main character drive your car when he could drive any, wear your watch, use your mobile and make it fit seamlessly into the plot is an art in itself complemented by the fact it’s not just any man but Bond, James Bond. What the 007 franchise enables brands to do is gain an element of ‘cool’, be part of film history and gain recall over and over again for years to come, spanning generations and demographic.

The opening shot of Daniel Craig drinking a Heineken in Skyfall is now cemented in cinematographic history and will be seen by others long after the film receives classic status. The likelihood that Heineken as a brand will disappear is slim so the long-term return on investment for the brand is potentially infinite and rewarding every time someone around the globe, whether it be dubbed in Cantonese or Portuguese, sees James take a sip of an ice cold Heineken.

A week from release, Spectre is, in numbers, likely to be the most successful Bond film in history and whilst not every brand will stand the test of time, with fondness, any brand is able to maintain equity and recall based on sentiment if associated with a Bond film, Pan Am did as Virgin Atlantic desires with its previous associations.

Read the full article at: http://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2015/11/07/does-bond-franchise-really-make-brands-more-desirable

Only a year ago, many people were already writing off wearable tech as a gimmick that would fade into obscurity. However, 12 months on, wearables are a growing force in the tech world that can’t be ignored.

Whether it be fitness trackers, such as the Fitbit Charge HR and Epson Sensing, or dedicated smartwatches such as LG G Watch, Samsung Gear Live and Pebble Steel, wearables are everywhere and every major brand is jumping on the bandwagon.

With an estimated 72 million wearable devices expected to be shipped this year, up from 30m in 2014, wearables are a category that will continue to grow and is here to stay. Although the big name in the industry, forget the Apple Watch, as it’s unlikely that third-party retailers will be able to stock it soon, if ever.

Instead, focus on the multitude of other devices that are available to third-party retailers, like Android Wear, using the world’s most popular software platform. With more mobile devices running Android than any other, compatible wearables will appeal to a broad spectrum of consumers.

The appeal of a smartwatch is now not age-dependent. Any demographic can perceive a need, with people mostly wanting a wearable to view maps/get directions (68 per cent), read notifications (61 per cent) and control smart devices in the home (55 per cent) like Google Chromecast, the smartest and easiest £30 you’ll ever spend or sell.

Wearables offer your consumers choice and compatibility that enables them to not only measure and record their fitness, but check into flights, view texts and reply without touching their phone, reducing perhaps the average 214 times we view our mobiles each day. The possibilities are not quite infinite, but they’re getting there.

Giving staff a device to use for a period will help them to understand wearables and become a brand advocate. Their knowledge will help to improve customer education in store and, with added training, sales will increase.

Ensuring that your staff have good product knowledge will help a great deal when speaking to customers who are perhaps purchasing a wearable device as a gift, which make up nearly a quarter of wearable purchases. Likewise, with most customers prioritising ease of use when choosing a wearable device, demonstrating desirable features and speaking with authority about each device will improve the customer experience and lead to sales.

In the UK, 27 per cent of smartphone users would consider price before functionality (13 per cent) when purchasing a smartwatch. So make sure staff sell the benefits, to help justify the price. This is essential if you are to make wearables a profitable part of your retail experience.

Shoppers need to also be reassured that products are easy to use and will have a positive impact on their lives and not complicate them as many gadgets do. Effective staff training not only improves unit sales, but also the value of each sale. Nearly 20 per cent of Apple Watch buyers have also purchased a third-party accessory, such as an extra wristband, with an estimated 2.79 million accessories being sold since launch. With most Android Wear watches using industry-standard 22mm bands, your customers can choose almost any band for their watch. Many other wearable brands are allowing shoppers to customise their device, creating a clear opportunity for retailers to capitalise on the third-party accessories market and increase attachment sales.

Also, think about where your displays are situated in-store. As smart devices become more connected, bring attention to how other products will work with wearable devices, such as their phone, TV, tablet or even white goods.

As more devices come to market with improved features (look at Android Wear 5.1.1) such as watch faces to increased functionality, there is plenty for consumers to get excited about.

If sold correctly, as a product that crosses the chasm of fashion, tech and lifestyle, demonstrating how wearables assist in managing our lives with efficiency and ease, there’s a clear opportunity for everybody.

Full article is on http://www.ertonline.co.uk/Opinion/Opinion-Daniel-Todaro-Wearables.htm