Wednesday 30 May 2012

RPM Launch 'Focus on Life' Exhibition and Auction


Tonight RPM will be launching, 'Focus on Life', a private view and auction of leading photographers' work at the Getty Images Gallery. The exhibition and auction have been developed in aid of the Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund to help raise funds and drive awareness of pancreatic cancer.

The event supports the efforts of Howard Kerr who, after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, decided to raise awareness and money for research funds by founding, and walking the Howards Way Walk, which stretches 100 miles. Over the last four years, RPM's Partner Lee Farrant joins a group of industry friends to walk this very stretch and collectively they have raised over £250,000.

As a direct result of Howard's effort and influence, the Howard Kerr PhD Studentship Award was created at Barts Hospital, to help find ways to detect pancreatic cancer at an early stage via proteins in the body. They are making some progress, but more research and money is needed and at a cost of £80,000 per year, the PhD Studentship is getting increasingly difficult to fund via the walk alone. Focus on Life is an additional fund-raising initiative to help raise extra funding and drive engagement with both Howards Way Walk and the Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund.

Wednesday 16 May 2012

RPM's latest projects!


May has been a busy month for us RPM'ers, with activations taking place for M&S, Sky Ride and The England and Wales Cricket Board. Here is a summary of all our experiential activity so far.

After a seven year hiatus, we were appointed by major retailer M&S to help deliver their ‘Farming for the Future’ sustainability initiative through activity at major Agricultural Shows this summer. The campaign aims to help educate, engage and inspire show going families and supply partners on M&S’ sustainable farming initiatives, encouraging brand loyalty and driving footfall into stores. The retailer also wants to recognise, reward and inspire existing supply chain farmers and suppliers.

Farming for the Future has been developed by M&S in partnership with M&S producers and processors to help tackle the future challenges of reduced energy availability, rising costs and a growing population through a programme of innovative activity. It is about making real changes today to create a sustainable farming future for tomorrow. The activity kicks off today at the Balmoral Show, and will also feature at The Royal Highland Show, The Great Yorkshire Show and The Royal Welsh Show.

Once again, we are uniting with British Cycling and Sky for the fourth year of Sky Ride. The campaign has a new creative concept called, ‘Everyone’s Invited’, encouraging the public to join the celebration of cycling, with something for everyone. Sky Rides are a series of fun, traffic-free rides staged across the UK; either mass participation cycle rides or friendly local rides with trained guides. Sky’s partnership with British Cycling was recently extended until 2016 and supports all levels of cycling, across all disciplines, and aims to encourage more people to ride.

Already, almost 700,000 more people across the UK are riding regularly (at least once a month or 12 times per year) through the Sky Ride campaign. In 2011, we delivered 17 Sky Ride events across the UK and Ireland with a total participation figure of over 200,000. This year there will be 18 Sky Ride events taking place across the UK giving more people the chance to get out on their bikes.

Finally, it is now our third year delivering enhanced spectator engagements for The England and Wales Cricket Board, to encourage advocacy towards all forms of cricket and broaden the appeal of the game. A TwelfthMan roadshow will be present at all international fixtures and both domestic finals to bring the Official Fan Community of England Cricket to life on a matchday. The roadshow will offer cricket fans unrivalled access to England Cricket with behind-the-scenes exclusives and news from the England camp as well as money-can’t buy prizes and engaging experiences.

At Friends Life t20 matches, we will deliver spectator engagement through a toolkit provided to all county cricket clubs, as well as enhanced activation at the launch match, Quarter Finals and Finals Day. At NatWest International T20 matches we will provide in-ground activations that engage the crowds and get fans behind the England team. The activity launches on 17th May at the 1st Investec Test between England and West Indies at Lord’s Cricket Ground, finishing on the 15th September at the Clydesdale Bank 40 Final.

Tuesday 1 May 2012

How Will The Olympics Impact Iced Coffee Brands?

RPM's Managing Director, Dom Robertson, was featured in this week's Grocer Magazine discussing how the Olympic Games might affect sales of iced coffee brands. Dom extends this conversation on RPM Insights, looking at what coffee brands should expect from The Games and how brands should use The Olympics as a positive springboard.


Demand for iced coffee, particularly portable pick-me-up drinks, is spreading fast. Consumers now want something more adult than an energy drink, whilst retaining the same level of convenience. Events like the Olympics are built around a fast and quick model of convenience as consumers require easy access to a range of refreshments on a much more regular basis. However they also remain open to new ideas and new products which will enhance their overall experience of the events they are engaging with. Iced coffee brands therefore need to make sure, that not only their product is up to scratch i.e. it is really coffee, but that it is positioned as a counterpart to the sporting activity they are watching and interacting with.

The Olympics heralds the start to the British summer season, so as well as the huge increase in footfall in London, iced-coffee brands have even more of a reason to step up their sampling activity, raise brand awareness and get products into the hands of the consumer. Brands will be competing fiercely to make sure their product achieves the highest profile amongst the visitors to the Olympic park. Sampling activity during the Olympics should be, and will be rife, offering brands a huge platform and potential to build association with customers. However, in order to stand out, iced-coffee brands should think about distribution in a creative, original way that sets them apart from the competition and engages the consumer beyond the live activity.

Brands should aim to bring their key messages to life through an experience that offers interaction and added value that is truly creative. Examples of this could be a touring coffee pop-up bar/lounge or a coffee road show that could host light-hearted tasting sessions. This would not only drive trial but create capacity for brand engagement.The biggest challenge many brands will face is recognition in a market full of brands trying to reach consumers, therefore brands need to develop a clear distinctive proposition, which focuses on coffee loving adults, whilst not alienating those who may be easily converted.

The live activity should always be incorporated into an integrated campaign, supported by social media platforms. This will procure the longevity and on-going dialogue with consumers that is so crucial for long-term brand engagement. The live activity should usually provide stimulating content to be broadcast via social media, increasing the reach and keeping the activity alive for longer. Community engagement is not a 9 to 5 job; brands need to recognise this and build a sustainable social strategy which enhances the brand experience for the consumer whilst at the same time establishing a sustainable level of brand recognition.

Whilst summer, sport and sunshine all are strong associations with the notion of drinking iced coffee, brands need to remember iced-coffee isn’t just popular over the summer. Therefore all brand communications need to not only appeal to consumers looking for a more sophisticated, refreshing drink during the Games but establish their product as all year round proposition. Sales figures show that iced-coffee is commonly purchased throughout the year and as a result, iced-coffee brands have plenty more to play on than just their associations to the summer sun.

The Olympics will attract an extremely varied demographic, and as such, iced-coffee brands can expect to market to a huge array of people. This is crucial for sampling campaigns that drive trial of the product, and the high footfall will create huge opportunities. Iced-coffee brands should look to play on the values and messages of the Olympics to create relevant and creative marketing campaigns, but should ensure these can be adapted and evolved once the games are over. Using the idea of heritage, for example, brands could host iced-coffee parties as a quirky alternative to the quintessential English tea party, or drum up their associations to mind stimulation, asking consumers to take part in sport related challenges.