Monday 27 June 2011

RPM Reporter: Tapas Fantasticas

When I arrived at this year's Rioja wine festival, Tapas Fantasticas, queues were already forming right around the corner of the site, and the ambience and vigour of Spain was truly in the air. The blazing sunshine, energetic Spanish music and wafts of rich tapas were a good pull for people strolling down the riverside, and inside the place was buzzing with slightly tipsy Spaniards, families and a host of wine enthusiasts all milling around or dancing to the beats of the bongos with wine glass in hand.

In total there were 33 restaurants exhibiting, and people were swarming around the stalls, dishing out dosh for some of the tastiest tapas I’ve had in years, including traditional dishes like gazpacho, freshly cured meats, seafood and paella. In total there were over 25,000 samples handed out, and Saturday had 8,000 visitors: the highest day attendance in the history of the festival.

While the adults were busy swapping their tokens for samples of rosé, red and white Rioja wine, the children’s area was full of children busily adding to a giant grapevine, so all parties were kept very well occupied.

I spoke to a few visitors who gave the following feedback:

"This has been such an amazing day! We've eaten a load of delicious tapas and drunk bucketfuls of Rioja wine. Doesn't feel like England!"

“What could be better on a day like this than wine and tapas! It’s been lovely”

Thursday 23 June 2011

It's All About Human Nature

Human nature is the driving force behind engagement marketing and the ways in which brands communicate effectively with their target audience. We are social animals; we believe in and have more passion for the things we have real involvement with.

This fundamental human truth coupled with the obvious developments in media and technology has empowered people and created an expectation around participation. What we are not saying is that communication has to be 100% co-generated; people still want to be inspired by brands that stand for something and have a clear vision, but if we understand and engage with human nature and behaviour, we can tap into the consumer more effectively.

Live experiences can, if executed well, provide the most responsive and immersive communications forum for a brand, facilitating meaningful conversations and demonstrating that the brand not only talks the talk, but walks it as well. By tapping into consumer behaviour, we can then establish effective brand behaviour and observe how both work together for a successful campaign.

People love to share experiences, and therefore word of mouth plays a huge part in improving the effectiveness of engagement marketing. If people are willing to share the experience with their friends, then you’ve doubled your reach with no further investment. People will use Facebook and Twitter to spread the word about what they’ve seen or done, and they become crucial to expanding the lifespan of the campaign. To have prior knowledge that people will react this way can work to your advantage if you give them the right channels, and ensure that you respond to their dialogue as much as you can.

Monday 20 June 2011

Subway Presents the Subway Café!

Subway has launched the snazzy Subway Café. Designed to be a cross between a sandwich shop and cosy coffee bar, customers will be able to drink their coffees in a relaxing setting, with comfortable armchairs and lounge-style seating, furnished with brick and wood-panelled walls and a cosy fire.

The new development follows the lead of McDonald's' highly successful McCafé, which has outperformed expectations and helped drive up sales in both the US and Europe last month, with offerings such as frozen strawberry lemonade and McCafé Shakes. The chain will also be introducing a mango pineapple smoothie later this year.

Monday 13 June 2011

A Busy Month...

June is certainly a busy month for us RPMers. We've got the Davidstow Cornish-themed roadshow soon to set tongues tingling at the Hampton Court Palace Festival, mass participation cycling campaign Sky Ride helping thousands back onto their bikes, Rioja's wine festival Tapas Fantasticas, and ECB activations including the TwelfthMan Roadshow.

This weekend saw the launch of the Strongbow Graft & Glory tent at the Isle of Wight Festival, which hosted sets from Jaguar Skills, MistaJam and a cracking headline set from Tomb Crew. The venue was packed to the brim and kept festival revellers on their feet until the early hours. Keep your eyes posted on our Flickr page for some photos.

Wednesday 8 June 2011

Davidstow on Tour

We're taking Davidstow on the road with a touring sampling experience that looks back to the brand’s roots and drives further engagement with the cheese brand.

The activity is based around Davidstow’s Cornish heritage and seeks to transport consumers into a Cornish setting to relax, take in the scenery and enjoy the taste of Davidstow.

Today, the tour begins at The Royal Cornwall Show and will visit shows throughout the summer including The Hampton Court Palace Festival and Regent's Park.

Friday 3 June 2011

The Old Treacle Factory Gets a Revamp!

Today is officially RPM’s last day at 205 Holland Park!

Over the last year, RPM’s HQ - The Old Treacle Factory - has undergone an elaborate makeover to house our growing workforce, with the addition of a third floor, hugely expanded kitchen and complete revamp!

Our Creative department has been working hard on the interiors, completing an office that we’re proud to call our own...

See you back on the Uxbridge Road!

Thursday 2 June 2011

The Art of Sharing

I read recently that Pret A Manger is offering consumers recipes on how to make each and every dish they serve. Despite being a regular lunchtime haunt of mine, it’s unlikely I’ll be printing off how to perfect that chicken and avocado sandwich, yet the large food chain is being extremely clever. By sharing its ‘secret’ recipes with us, even if they're not groundbreaking, we feel comforted, and it gives the impression they are letting the consumer in, eventually building trust.

The same happens, for example, when a brand asks consumers to contribute ideas toward its next campaign, and then puts this into action. This allows consumers to feel part of the whole experience, showing them their opinion counts. Our ‘Smirnoff: U. R. The Night’ event held at Matter 02 asked consumers to vote towards pretty much every aspect of the event, right through from the DJ in each room, to the cocktails at the bar, to the overall theme. By the end of the night, the Facebook page received 13,500 new fans.

The more brands ‘share’ with their consumers, the more value exchange they create, and the more your brand advocates feel special, wanted and more likely to remain loyal.