The Power of Partnership

Here at littleBIG we’re always talking about the importance of true partnership – we see ourselves as extension of our clients’ marketing teams.

Today I’m talking about a different type of partnership – brand partnerships (also known as brand collaborations, if you want to be more “buzz wordy”).

A brand partnership can be a great marketing tactic to use, particularly when working with limited resources, or undertaking a brand positioning/ repositioning. It sees you partner with a brand or a sponsorship property that has a complementary brand and/or product values.

Like wine and cheese, like salt and vinegar, Netflix and chill – YASSS! You might also have a similar audience and/ or distribution channels.

So what are some of the benefits of brand partnerships as a tool in your marketing strategy?

  • Greater awareness and reach, for a lower cost, by tapping into each other’s audiences
  • Reduced marketing costs, by sharing the spend and leveraging each other’s assets
  • Changing existing brand perceptions (eg luxury or accessible – in the case of Missoni x Target)
  • Access to new audiences and channels
  • The ability to solve customer problems or barriers to purchase
  • Exciting new creative ideas and campaigns, opportunities for PR
  • Access to new sales or distribution channels

Some of the more famous partnerships you might be inspired by include  – Apple and Nike, Red Bull and Go Pro, Stella McCartney & Adidas, Chandon & Sea Folly, Go To Skincare and Kester Black.

Closer to home, littleBIG is enjoying working on some amazing collaborations –

  • A Preston Market / Melbourne Food & Wine Festival event that cements Preston market’s repositioning to a foodie hotspot;
  • Our client Innocent Bystander is partnering with Circus Oz to bring together Melbourne’s famous arts, food and wine culture;
  • Wizz Fizz cementing its reputation as Australia’s best-loved party bag filler in their collaboration with the pop-up sweets experience Sugar Republic
  • QVM and Air Canada joined forces to bring a unique experience to the market with a Canadian style ice rink in the middle of summer
  • Moments and Cosmo stand up comedy & cocktail night a Uni O Week’s, designed to empower women to look after their sexual health

 

While you might not feel ready to commit on such a large scale to a brand partnership in your marketing planning, social media is a measurable way to dip your toe in the water when it comes to brand partnerships or collaborations. It might be in form of a guest post, an insta take over, or a competition.

Tell us, who would you like to collaborate with?

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What the Netflix documentary Fyre Festival taught us

What the Netflix documentary Fyre Festival taught us

If you spent your weekend at home on the couch Netflix and chilling (the real kind), you’ve probably watched the trending documentary Fyre Festival. Once we got past the blatant shock and initial reaction, we come to realisation that there are some valuable lessons to be learnt.

Whether you are a business owner, marketing manager or consultant, you already know the power of social media marketing and you’ve probably started to delve into the growing realm of influencer marketing. You might have even run an event in the past and can resonate with the challenges that you face along the way.

So, what did the documentary teach us and what lessons can you take away?

1. Influencer marketing is a growing market and a valuable investment – it’s a great way to get your brand recognised and get maximum reach with minimal investment. We work with influencers daily and now that Instagram is recognised as a business platform, it’s essential you have a strategy when doing so.
2. Leave it to the professionals – as a marketing agency, we get that there are so many facets to marketing and boast well-honed professionals across social media, events, PR, design and marketing. We’re here to support those big goals and work with clients to achieve objectives. The alternative could be an event that is chaos and leaves thousands of people stranded on an island… (That’s extreme but you get the drift).
3. Listening is the key to success – we speak openly and honestly with businesses daily on our recommendations and insights based on years of experience so if we raise concerns or questions, there’s usually a good reason. We always want the best for you and ensure the best return on your investment no matter how little or BIG your brand is. Not only do we listen carefully, we appreciate when we get that in return.
4. Work in a team – We treat our partners, suppliers and anyone else we come across as we want to be treated! We rely on building and nurturing these relationships. We have a hunch there really is such thing as ‘good karma’ or ‘bad karma.’
5. It takes more than an end goal to succeed – you can have a vision or a dream, whether that be a luxurious festival in the Bahamas or a product launch in Sydney but without a strategy and carefully thought out process you won’t get the result you’re after.

If you’d like to start a conversation with us, feel free to get in touch. We’re happy to meet for a coffee or have a chat!

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Events 101

Events are a legitimate extension of a brand. They are an experiential and visual representation of
your business. So how do you make sure that you stage a quality event that delivers tangible results?

Firstly, let’s get things straight and shake off the outdated stereotype that the world of public
relations is all parties, Champagne and schmoozing. Events can be a very powerful tool in PR and
marketing campaigns and should be planned strategically with specific objectives.

Here are littleBIG’s six tips for event success:
1. Set your event objectives. Are you launching a new product or service? Opening a new restaurant?
Announcing a partnership? Or, celebrating the kick-off of a Festival or event series? Whatever your
‘news’ is, at the very beginning, set your sights on what you’d like the event to achieve, whether it’s
‘x’ volume of media coverage, ‘x’ increase in ticket sales, or ‘x’ increase in social media engagement,
for example.
2. Plan, plan, plan. Plan well in advance. It seems simple really, but the more time you allow to
research the event concept, the more options you’ll have to secure a perfect venue and partner with
like-minded suppliers. If you’re hosting media at the event, be prepared to send invitations between
four and six weeks out.
3. Get the right people there. It’s all very well having a venue or activation that looks the part, but if the
right people aren’t there then the outcomes could be lost. Research your target media list
thoroughly, or if it’s a public event, make sure you know the audience profile you’d like to attend.
4. Make it memorable. Make sure the personality and the qualities of your business shine from the
moment people walk through the door. From the venue and choice of entertainment, to the food,
drinks and styling, choose elements that complement your brand and contribute to the story you’re
trying to share.
5. Capture content. Events can produce extremely valuable content that can be amplified through your
social channels in both real-time and post-event. Broadcast event highlights via socials, book a
photographer to capture the event, and if budget allows, a videographer. Create a bold entrance or
backdrop (and not just a branded media wall) that guests simply won’t be able to resist for a quick
selfie!
6. Track the outcomes. After the relief of running a successful event, don’t forget to review the results.
Who actually attended on the day? What media coverage was a direct result of the event? Did you
attract more social media followers/engagement? And how did it impact your business? e.g. Did you
experience an increase in sales or enquiries?

Images below from the Moments Condoms launch at The Dolphin Hotel in Surry Hills, Sydney

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DR. MARTENS: AUSTRALIAN STORE LAUNCH

On Wednesday 28 February, two littleBIG guns flew to Sydney to help launch Dr. Martens‘ Australian store – marking the first time in the iconic brand’s 58-year history that Australians have a physical, Docs-branded retail store and online space in which to indulge their passion for Docs.

Our fashion PR guru, Jarryd Pentony, shares the top line on how the littleBIG team pulled off a totally awesome launch party and got word out on the streets of Sydney and around Australia, with a super tight turnaround.

FIRST UP! HOP TO IT WITH…

  • Key detail gathering
  • Initial media and guest list comms

ONE WEEK OUT…

  • Ramp up the media and guest list hustle

LAUNCH WEEK…

  • Wrap up the door list
  • Final media opportunity coordination

PARTY TIME…

Located at Westfield in Sydney’s Pitt Street Mall, the Dr. Martens store launch saw 90 media and influencers celebrate in true DM’s style: Sydney rock band, Polish Club, played live sets in the store’s shop window; Aussie artist, Maddy Young, was on-hand to customise pairs of Docs; local barber, Tommy J, provided guests with fresh cuts and the crew at Sailor Jerry took care of the bevvies.

THE RESULT…

littleBIG’s PR campaign and event launch saw news of the Docs store opening appear 40 times across print, online and social media; generating more than $400,000 in publicity. Key highlights being:

The new Docs store offers the largest range of men’s, women’s and kids’ styles available in Australia, including Originals, Made in England, DM’s Lites, collaborations, vegan and accessories collections.

Check it out the next time you’re in Sydney or browse the Docs range online at: www.drmartens.com.au.

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