In 2024, AnalogFolk Group launched our Events Programme, bringing together marketing leaders from brands including Costa Coffee, Diageo, Monzo, Lululemon, Pinterest, and Gant to explore new approaches to brand building.We created a space for unfiltered discussions on fresh, unconventional strategies that drive cultural relevance and growth. Together, we examined the fragmentation of culture, the challenges of new media algorithms resistant to traditional advertising, and the rise of creators as brands.Building on last year’s success, we’re diving even deeper in 2025.The marketing model for today needs to be&nbsp;more open, more connected and more agile.&nbsp;Throughout 2025, AnalogFolk Group will host a series of events where we&nbsp;bring experts from around the industry together to unpack these success&nbsp;drivers.<a target="_self" href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdxwdstGa4p3XqkcdhIidC20blwnvE7tr2IaUDrk_bQDqG_8w/viewform?usp=header" tt-mode="url">Here</a> is a synopsis of the different types of events we will&nbsp;run.&nbsp;Submit your details here to hand raise for the sessions that interest you.See you there!

AnalogFolk Group Events

AnalogFolk is proud to announce the launch of an exciting and ambitious campaign to address the critical issue of declining diversity and inclusion and lack of visibility of female creative leadership in the industry.&nbsp;It simply asks the question - if the advertising legends we know today were women, would they have reached the same heights?&nbsp;Despite women comprising 54.7% of the creative industry, the pool of diverse and female creative talent remains strikingly small. This scarcity is further exacerbated by the fact that many talented leaders are not always the most visible. As AnalogFolk embarked on its search for a Head of Creative, it became clear that the current talent pool is neither diverse nor balanced.&nbsp;That’s why, for our Head of Creative role, we are calling on the industry to participate in recommending outstanding diverse and female creative talent to create an Open Source pool of talent that all agencies can share and utilise to help meet their DEI targets and drive the industry forward.&nbsp;If you would like to apply for this role yourself, please enter <a target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://jobs.lever.co/analogfolk/1a056812-ebfa-4e4a-8a1d-34967f92e940" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">here</a>If you know anyone that you believe is ready to step up to the role of industry leader, then please enter the form <a target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSemQXCy0znTxV5ziGDYap_6L294sWo3zikOLV30Zw_1NJTdzQ/viewform" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">here</a> to add them to our open-source industry talent pool.&nbsp;

Help us change the face of creative leadership

AnalogFolk, the global independent digitally native creative agency whose mission is to use digital to make the analog world better, revered for being a pioneer in creative innovation, announces the appointment of Taylor Handsley as Head of Social to lead its social practice and elevate the agency’s social offering to clients.The hire underscores AnalogFolk’s passion and commitment to helping brands be more culturally vibrant and achieve cultural relevance digitally*. AnalogFolk has built a social practice with proprietary tools that help brands understand what’s most valued by communities, their customs, rituals, and behaviour. Taylor will play a pivotal role in embedding AnalogFolk’s "Open Ideas" approach into every aspect of the agency's social-first work for clients.AnalogFolk's work with the world’s most iconic brands has redefined digital storytelling, creating meaningful, immersive experiences that resonate deeply with audiences. Through its "Open Ideas" approach, the agency helps brands be more open when engaging in culture, allowing them to play a more relevant and meaningful role in people's lives.Notably, it has done this in partnership with Bayer Consumer Health with "Vagina Academy/The Truth Undressed" and "Flintstones Vitamins", for Nike with "Magic is in the Air," and with Costa Coffee by co-creating with their cohort audiences and bringing their ideas to life.Taylor joins the team in Europe, bringing two decades of experience in growing brands across social and creating loyal, sustainable and engaged audiences.She is an autistic award-winning social media marketer who has worked with brands including Amazon Fashion, Refinery29, Crocs Europe, Semrush, and JBL. Originally from the US, she’s worked extensively in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, and France, creating social and influencer strategies for brands across EMEA, APAC, and the US. Her work has won numerous European Content Awards, Drum Awards, and Webby’s.She is also a strong advocate for support for neurodivergents in the workplace and has participated in panels with Soho House, SheSays, and The Diversity Collective.Taylor will report directly to Matt Dyke, Chief Strategy Officer and co-founder of AnalogFolk Group, and will collaborate with various departments across AnalogFolk Europe and the US, as well as its sister companies, including MindWorks (digital transformation consultancy), Untold Fable (content production), With Robots (a technology and automation partner), and Otomo (content automation), driving AnalogFolk's innovative approach to emerging social platforms, new formats, trends, cultural movements, behaviours, communities, and creators, ensuring clients stay ahead by effectively leveraging these dynamic elements.

AnalogFolk Appoints Taylor Handsley as Head of Social

You're invited to an exclusive in-person short film screening event hosted by Untold Fable on Wednesday 17 July. This extraordinary evening will celebrate the power of untold stories, brought to life by some of the brightest emerging filmmakers in the industry.In addition to the films, Robyn Landau will unpack the neuroscience of wonder in storytelling and how applying this to creative projects can amplify creative, health, and social impacts.Delve into the heart of untold stories with "Untold Fables," a showcase offering profound insights into diverse worlds and communities. These personal narratives reflect the shared human experiences that connect us all, highlighting subjects that have long deserved the spotlight. The films celebrate the beauty and strength that emerge from adversity, proving that incredible work often arises from challenging pasts.Filmmaking is a powerful art form, giving a voice to the unheard and a platform to the unseen. Through the lenses of these talented filmmakers, we experience the raw, genuine, and diverse perspectives that shape our world.Untold Fable proudly supports a dynamic talent network of over 4,000 artists, creators, and filmmakers. Our community is rich with diverse stories and creative visions, all contributing to the vibrant landscape of documentary storytelling. By fostering this talent, we ensure that authentic and compelling stories continue to be told.Don't miss this unique opportunity to celebrate and be inspired by the power of untold stories.What you will learn at this event:<ul><li>Who the brightest emerging talent is in the film/production industry</li><li>The importance of diverse perspectives in the creative process</li><li>How authentic stories are shaped by personal journeys and experiences</li><li>How emotion through storytelling drives impact and creates collective effervescence</li></ul>We hope you can join us to celebrate the differences between us, the power of storytelling, and the connections it creates.Robyn Landau is the co-founder and director of Kinda Studios, the neuroaesthetics studio applying neuroscience research into creative projects to enhance the impact of arts, culture and technology on wellbeing and connection. Their studio transforms scientific insights into ideas and experiences, while their lab uses mobile brain-body technology to test, amplify and validate these in real-world environments. Robyn will unpack the neuroscience of wonder and how applying this into creative projects can amplify creative, health and social impacts.Event Location:AnalogFolk, 1-2 Bath Court, London, EC1R 5ADPlease RSVP via this <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/929776736247?aff=oddtdtcreator" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">link</a> to confirm your attendance

Join Untold Fable on 17th July to celebrate the power of untold stories

The following article was written and published by CampaignMonzo banks on digital and customer experience agency.There was no intermediary for the pitch.Monzo has picked AnalogFolk as digital and customer experience partner following a competitive pitch.According to Monzo, AnalogFolk was an “absolute standout winner”.Uncommon Creative Studio is Monzo’s creative agency of record as of last year and is unaffected by AnalogFolk’s appointment, according to Monzo.The pitch process occurred over three weeks in February, and was determined by how the agencies strategically responded to a brief, what teams they would use, and how they would approach the bank’s target audience, rather than pitching new work for the brand.&nbsp;AJ Coyne, Monzo’s vice-president of marketing, told Campaign it was looking for a digital, through-the-line and customer experience agency to support on mid- and lower-funnel marketing, as well as the personalised CRM side.There was no intermediary handling the pitch.AnalogFolk has been working on the account since winning at the end of February and have commenced work, the first of which is being created in close collaboration with Uncommon Creative Studio, with AnalogFolk focusing on the digital, through-the-line. It will go live later this year.Coyne joined Monzo at the start of the year in the newly-created role after three years at Klarna, and is listed in Campaign’s top five finance leaders in the Power 100 2023.He said: “AnalogFolk were the absolute standout digital partner for us, we’re very excited to work with them and it’s going really well. There’s an exciting few months ahead for Monzo.”Monzo is also currently recruiting to boost its senior leadership team and is set to announce its first creative director soon.Anna Louise Gladwell, managing director, AnalogFolk said: “Customer satisfaction across banking is low. Increasingly the experience is fragmented and complicated, and people hate talking about money more than pretty much anything else. Monzo is unique in its mission to address this. They want money to feel different and are reimagining banking not just as a necessity but as a positive, empowering part of daily life.AnalogFolk use digital to make the analog world better and are dedicated to creating a smarter future for people, brands and society; partnering with Monzo, a forward thinking brand who are striving to revolutionise the way banking feels for customers aligns perfectly with our mission.&nbsp;We’re helping Monzo become an open and culturally vibrant brand, redefining what banking means for customers.&nbsp;Our remit is broad, covering the development of digital and social communications which will support and amplify the new brand platform (developed by Uncommon Creative Studio) that will launch later this year, as well as exciting product debuts, seasonal campaigns, and reactive moments.&nbsp;We’re also helping Monzo to redefine their customer engagement program. We’re working with teams across the business to anchor every initiative in the customer's perspective. Our mission is to help put customers firmly at the heart of everything they do and to transform banking into an experience characterised by delightful, feel-good interactions, journeys, and conversational touchpoints, all deeply rooted in a nuanced comprehension of the customer lifecycle.”

AnalogFolk appointed as Monzo’s digital and customer experience agency of record

Ever wondered how AI could shape and power up your content and storytelling?'Created by Humans. Augmented by AI' is all about the awesome ways AI is getting into the creative groove right now. This isn't about efficiency or naval gazing – it's the real deal, happening today, showing us new ways to express ourselves and bring ideas to life.With Untold Fable, our content production company at the helm, championing diversity in the creative world through our huge network of over 3,500 creators, we believe it's crucial to talk about the bigger picture too. This means looking at how we work with AI ethically and how we handle the tricky bits, legally speaking. We're all in this together, figuring out how to move forward in the best way possible.Here's what we'll dive into:Production: Let’s get real about what AI can do, from reimagining the creative process, making it more collaborative and dynamic to crafting captivating content streams.Creative: Our experts will be showcasing the cutting edge work they have done recently to show how AI can enhance creative. From deepfakes to creating models of family members.Legal: AI comes with its share of legal complexities, especially in advertising. Expert in the field, Rebecca Steer will share real cases, insights on best practices and legal considerations when leveraging AI as a creative partner.About the speakers:Omar Karim, pioneering creative director and AI image maker Omar has transformed storytelling with his blend of art and technology. With over 14 years of experience collaborating with top fashion and lifestyle brands including Nike, Burberry, Prada, ASICS, BBC, Nokia, Sony and Beats by Dre he has earned a reputation for pushing boundaries and challenging the status quo.More recently, Omar has been at the forefront of the rapidly evolving field of AI for creativity. During his time at Meta, he began exploring the potential of artificial intelligence to enhance the creative process, and has since become a leading voice in this emerging space.Drawing on his deep understanding of design, art, and technology, Omar has developed a unique approach to image-making that blends traditional techniques with cutting-edge AI tools. His work reflects a passion for experimentation and a commitment to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the realm of visual storytelling.Omar's passion for exploring the potential of AI in creative expression continues to drive his work. In his latest project, he created the first physical camera with an AI brain. This cutting-edge technology is capable of "imagining" scenes and creating stunning images that challenge our perceptions of what is possible.Through this project and others, Omar is pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve with AI, and is helping to pave the way for a new era of creative expression. His dedication to innovation and his commitment to exploring the potential of AI is truly inspiring, and he remains one of the most exciting figures in the field of creative technology.Norts, co-founder, The Peeps Formerly a session musician, ad copywriter and agency creative director, Richard Norton aka Norts made the seemingly left-field decision to move into creative AI way back in 2018. Together with his fellow Peeps co-founder Derek Ahmedzai, he has subsequently sailed a weird adventure applying AI commercially for a myriad of brands, agencies and PR businesses.Highlights include making a giant AI art installation for Durex, subverting the 2022 Qatar World Cup with digital rainbow flags, crafting the world's first AI gin, and creating an AI science curator and activist who has rubbed shoulders with the likes of Brian Cox and Hannah Fry.On their journey, Norts and Derek have also had the good fortune to snaffle a bunch of industry awards for their efforts including a DMA Gold and a Drum Award.Rebecca Steer, LawyerRebecca is a Commercial and IP lawyer specialising in advising the Creative, Digital and Tech sectors. She founded her own practice, Steer &amp; Co in 2005 before joining Charles Russell Speechlys in 2023 as a Partner. She is recognised as a leading lawyer in Chambers and Partners and Legal 500; and acts for leading brands, creative digital agencies, and Tech businesses in the UK and Internationally. Specialties: Media, IP and Technology law.This will be a sparkling evening of inspiration, knowledge sharing and storytelling for innovators, dreamers, and anyone keen on exploring the future of creativity and marketing. This is your invitation to explore the possibilities of partnering with AI.Kate Tancred, Founder and CEO, Untold FableKate launched Untold Fable the sustainable, diversity-led production company on a mission to change our industry, democratising access to opportunities for talent and making diversity the norm, not the exception. Its proprietary technology platform can track and report DE&amp;I data across every brand production. Untold Fable's platform houses its ever-growing global network – more than 3,000 talented production creatives of all levels and unlimited skill-sets who it commissions on projects with the world’s biggest brands including Nike, Bayer, HSBC, Meta, Bumble. Untold Fable is proud to have built a fully flexible, collaborative business model that reflects how clients want to work now, delivering digital-first content that lands their strategic challenges and connects with their audiences. As well as driving their mission at every stage.Previously, Kate founded video content marketplace The Smalls. She was voted one of The Times 100 most innovative entrepreneurs in 2019. She regularly speaks at industry events including Cannes Film Festival, DMexco, New Fronts, LDV Summit and has been featured as a guest contributor for The Drum and Campaign discussing the need for increased diversity in advertising and production and has featured on BBC Business, London Live and The Times.Get your ticket today <a target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/created-by-humans-augmented-by-ai-tickets-872624562557" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">here</a>.

Join us on 30th April for 'Created by Humans. Augmented by AI'

In the American Health and Wellness landscape, trust is undergoing a seismic shift. Data reveals an unprecedented decline in trust towards traditional figures like doctors and institutions, contrasting with a notable rise in trust towards brands and relatable influencers. Acknowledging that health often means life or death, this panel goes beyond the statistics to discuss the profound impact of this cultural recalibration. In an age dominated by misinformation, this session explores how influencers balance being a source of perspective for people without overpromising their qualifications, unraveling the intricate interplay between trust, cultural shifts, and the future trajectory of health and well-being brands.If you’re heading to SXSW, join us to explore this transformation with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAN2h9IB8H85M6Sppc5tzJqw0PNEyduXrUc" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">Megan Murray</a>&nbsp;Consulting Partner at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/analogfolkgroup/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">AnalogFolk Group (AFG)</a>,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAATVbYB0lwXWolQeY1tZF8aMoGXyUUmCSA" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">Lauren Felix (MacPherson)</a>&nbsp;Director, Brand Building &amp; Marketing Excellence at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/bayer-consumer-health-/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">Bayer | Consumer Health</a>&nbsp;NA and renowned parenting influencer<a target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@laguardiacross?lang=en" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">&nbsp;La Guardia Cross.</a>Add to your SXSW schedule here: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://schedule.sxsw.com/2024/events/PP1145292" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">https://schedule.sxsw.com/2024/events/PP1145292</a>

Trust In The Age Of Medical Misinformation: AnalogFolk and Bayer Consumer Health Panel at SXSW

Costa Coffee is shaking up the winter season with an invitation to its dedicated fans and the public at large to rename its new 'Hot Milkshake' range for 72 hours. In a move that underlines Costa’s commitment to innovation and customer collaboration, the Nation’s Favourite Coffee Shop* has announced a new social media campaign, 'Hot Milkshake - Name Pending', across TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook Reels.The brand is setting the stage for a taste revolution with the 'Hot Milkshake'. The beverage, a first-of-its-kind category innovation, combines the comforting warmth of Costa fans' favourite winter drinks with the delicious texture of a creamy milkshake. Available in White Chocolate &amp; Strawberry, Chocolate Hazel, and Salted Caramel Coffee, the 'Hot Milkshake' is topped with whipped cream and sprinkles for an indulgent treat.But here’s the twist - 'Hot Milkshake' is just a placeholder name. Costa Coffee acknowledges that this delicious innovation deserves a moniker as unique as the drink itself. Hence, Costa is turning to the public for inspiration, inviting everyone to submit their ideas for a name that truly captures the essence of this beverage.&nbsp;“’Hot Milkshake’ just doesn’t do justice to what we’ve created,” says Charlee Strowger, Social Media Brand Manager at Costa Coffee. “It’s a revolutionary concept that combines a classic&nbsp; indulgence with the comfort of warmth - a true breakthrough that deserves a title to match. We’re not just launching a new drink; we're introducing a whole new experience. That’s why we’re asking our customers to contribute their creativity to this exciting journey.”With the insight that Gen Z craves novel experiences, especially ones that defy expectations and invite collaboration, Costa Coffee is tapping into this desire by allowing them to become co-creators in this flavourful adventure. “Our audience doesn’t just want to taste; they want to participate, to be a part of the story. This campaign is about nurturing that connection,” Charlee Strowger adds.Drawing inspiration from the spirit of Boaty McBoatface and the growing trend of behind-the-scenes content, Costa has partnered with comedian John Robins. An entertaining voiceover gone awry features John attempting to rename the drink, thus kickstarting the public's creativity to do the same. After the campaign's month-long run, the top name suggestions will be put to a public vote, with the winning title being adopted across select retail stores.Colin Byrne, Executive Creative Director, Europe, AnalogFolk says: “Although descriptive, the name of Costa’s new Hot Milkshake doesn’t quite dizzy the mind in the same way the product does when it hits the tastebuds. Inviting the nation to unleash its collective imagination on coming up with something more befitting of the deliciousness will undoubtedly give us plenty of food for thought.”Costa Coffee partnered with creative agency AnalogFolk for the concept, strategy and creative execution. Untold Fable produced the campaign.Members of the public have already begun voting for a new name and can do so until Tuesday 13th February at 8pm, so don’t miss out!&nbsp;

Costa Coffee launches social campaign featuring comedian John Robins, inviting public to rename new 'Hot Milkshake' range

AnalogFolk, the global independent creative agency, has bolstered its experience design ranks with the hire of Yasmin Nestlen, former Chief Experience Officer at Tribal Worldwide.AnalogFolk has experienced substantial growth in the last 12 months, securing accounts and winning projects that include Tommy Hilfiger, multiple Bayer brands and streaming network Showtime. The hire cements the agency’s role as a partner in its clients’ business transformation, dedicated to pioneering CX excellence, delivering exceptional client services and driving continued creative success.Reporting into Matt Dyke, Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Yasmin will sit on AnalogFolk’s leadership team. She will collaborate closely with global teams across UX, Creative and Strategy, including Alan Oh, Head of Experience Design; Colin Byrne, Executive Creative Director; and Alisa Maul, Pierre-Axel Pejouan, and Megan Murray leading Strategy for London, Amsterdam and New York respectively, further strengthening the agency’s prowess in delivering innovative CX solutions and driving transformative business outcomes for its clients.As Executive Experience Director, her role will be focused on cultivating creativity to bridge the worlds of design, technology, and strategy to lead integrated experience design disciplines across all clients, with the aim of building future-facing businesses, products, and services that connect customers, employees, and society in new and meaningful ways.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her responsibilities include driving the development of inventive, human-first approaches to solve complex challenges, and helping brands reinvent themselves, while creating a more sustainable future throughout their entire user journey.&nbsp;Yasmin will also be responsible for building high-performing teams, nurturing and leading them and clients to challenge norms, prioritise curiosity, diverse thinking, and collaboration, encouraging a culture of continuous learning and improvement to establish a lasting legacy of exceptional customer experience and industry leadership.Yasmin is a design and innovation leader with 20 years of global experience. In her most recent role as Chief Experience Officer at Tribal, she was responsible for expanding the CX practice, building customer-driven innovation processes, and seamlessly integrating Ecosystem Thinking and XD strategy across all clients. Prior to this, she held key positions in experience design and innovation at agencies such as MRM/McCann, Publicis Sapient, and R/GA.Her work includes collaborations with some of the most exciting brands and transformative projects, from crafting blended retail strategies for Bang and Olufsen, leading product development initiatives for Nike, reimagining British Airways’ interactions with travellers, and connecting Volkswagen’s complex ecosystem.Yasmin’s passion is inspiring clients and teams to be bold thinkers and address a wider spectrum of strategic challenges to create more lasting value and experiences that emotionally connect. She believes this is also important at an industry level to influence the next generation so engages in mentoring, judging, and speaking at events such as D&amp;AD, SXSW, FLA, IXDA and Service Design Summit.Matt Dyke, Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, AnalogFolk Group says: “Yasmin joins us at a time in which the designing of connected customer experiences has never been more critical to delivering brand growth. Her future-facing approach will enable our clients to exceed people’s expectations of how brands deliver meaningful value in their lives.”Yasmin Borain says: “I believe that experiences can shift minds, connect emotionally with people, and solve the most complicated challenges in business and society. Finding these shared values at AnalogFolk, along with the commitment to culture and people, I’m thrilled to lead and grow the Experience practice.”This article was originally published by Campaign Magazine.

AnalogFolk boosts experience design ranks with appointment of Yasmin Nestlen as Executive Experience Director

So you want to work in the creative industry? Good for you. Sadly, it’s not quite as simple as sharpening your pencils and squeezing some fresh ideas out of your supple young brain. There’s actually a lot of hidden, unspoken rules to getting ahead in this game. Luckily, AnalogFolk and Creative Mentor Network are here to help guide you through the thorny issues such as: who you should be, how you should act and where you should be from in order to make it in the creative industry*.AnalogFolk Amsterdam and our content production partner <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/untold-fable/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">Untold Fable</a> will welcome industry mentors for a chat about the myths and challenges of getting into the creative industry. 19:00: AnalogFolk in conversation with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/plusplusone/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">PlusPlusOne</a>, a mentorship program for creative PoC. 20:15: Welcoming our production partner Untold Fable and mentorship organization <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/routes-in/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">Routes In</a>. From 21:30: Music &amp; drinks This event is part of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/adnight/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">ADNIGHT</a> 2023! For one night only, agencies all across Amsterdam open their doors for a night of inspiration, networking and drinks. See the full ADNIGHT program and get your tickets at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.ADNIGHT.nl" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">http://www.ADNIGHT.nl</a>.

Making It In The Creative Industry: AdNight Special Edition

Flintstones™ Vitamins introduces a new brand platform ‘Made for Real Growth,’ demonstrating the significance of growth for kids and parents alike. It encapsulates the Flintstones™ Vitamins way of life – filled with scraped knees and beaming smiles – to reassure parents that their style of parenting is more than good enough. ‘Made for Real Growth’ marks a comprehensive refresh for the Flintstones Vitamins brand, encompassing a bold, active and authentic visual identity, along with a punchy, playful, and clever tone of voice.&nbsp;Flintstones™ Vitamins, the #1 pediatrician recommended vitamin brand for kids, has today launched its new platform, ‘Made for Real Growth,’ in partnership with AnalogFolk, a global independent creative agency. The platform redefines parenting ideals by strategically countering modern day’s pressure to achieve perfect parenting. It does so by demonstrating the genuine messiness, challenges, and joys of growing up.&nbsp; The brand’s revitalized look and relatable tone are showcased in its omni-channel launch.The ‘Made for Real Growth’ creative platform kicks off this back-to-school season, launching with new digital spaces and a network of content creators that will be evolving into a Flintstones™ ambassador network. The creative platform spans executions inclusive of:&nbsp;Rejuvenated Flintstones Vitamins with realistic&nbsp;representation - Rolling out across digital and social, ecom, retail, and CRM, Flintstones™Vitamins go live with a brave new visual look and feel and audience-tested tone of voice, bringing to life the beautiful messiness and energy that reflects the realities of parenting.Social First Launch&nbsp;- Kicking things off for back-to-school season, the platform launches with The “Perfect” Script; a series of social films featuring real kids from its creator network reading - and stumbling over - the so-called “perfect” script. They take on all the big questions - like is mommy older than a dinosaur, where does zinc come from, and most importantly, what is kale? Their attempts in doing so make a suite of social films all equal parts hilarious and charming. The campaign features the very first ad where it's totally right to get the script wrong.Candid Content - Humorous fly-on-the-wall videos captured by content creator families in their own homes offering glimpses into real-life parenting moments. Showcasing parents and kids in their unvarnished form; expect meal-time monsters, grumpy risers, and other hijinks that can't be scripted. These authentic moments further reinforce the campaign’s message of embracing imperfection, rejecting unrealistic standards, as well as learning and growing through experiences.&nbsp;New Digital Spaces&nbsp;– One of the many activations sees the brand partnering with YouTube kid sensations (to be announced later in August) as they embark on the booming business of Kids' podcasting. Flintstones Vitamins will partner as their exclusive sponsor, integrating Flintstones Vitamins' message with an engaged set of family listeners.&nbsp;Bayer partnered with global independent creative agency AnalogFolk to develop and execute the core concept, strategy, creative platform and overall design for Flintstones Vitamins new brand platform.Untold Fable partnered with AnalogFolk, contributing production insights and leading end-to-end asset creation. The content production company, part of AnalogFolk Group, tapped into its global talent network to enlist local award-winning filmmaker Matthew Pollack, respected for his expertise working with children, to direct The ‘Perfect’ Script. The New York photoshoot, starring four child talents, focused on capturing genuine, exuberant moments that reflect the joyful chaos of parenting.&nbsp;“With the introduction of our new brand platform, Flintstones Vitamins is reshaping its marketing strategy to resonate more deeply with parents”&nbsp;says Lisa Perez, General Manager and Vice President Nutritionals business at Bayer. “Parenthood is a journey filled with genuine experiences, far from the conventional perfection often depicted. We’re excited to join forces with AnalogFolk and all of the content creator families which are core to our program to share this authentic exploration in new digital spaces.”Bill Brock, founder and chief client officer, AnalogFolk Group says:&nbsp;“We all know the societal problems caused by social media projecting an unrealistic image what life ‘should’ look like.&nbsp; The damaging effects on mental health are well documented. This toxic misrepresentation happens organically on the feeds of influencers, creators and everyday people.&nbsp; And this is unfortunate.&nbsp; But when it’s reinforced by brands in their marketing, it’s unforgivable. The reality is parenting and childhood is wonderfully imperfect. With this work, Flintstones - as the market leader - is taking a stand.&nbsp; Leading the category in reframing the conversation about what healthy growth looks like - unfiltered, messy, beautiful. I couldn’t be prouder.”

Flintstones™ Vitamins Launches new Brand Platform Advocating for Imperfect Parenting

The portrayal of masculinity in advertising has had a significant impact on how we as individuals perceive and construct gender roles.&nbsp;Ads have traditionally associated masculinity with traits such as dominance, emotional stoicism and the idealised "Ken"-type body.Yet, if you take the time to ask men how they currently feel, according to the Dove Men+Care Care Makes a Man Stronger&nbsp;study,<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.unileverusa.com/media-center/pressreleases/2015/Dove_MenCare_Launches_RealStrength_Campaign_on_Sports_biggest_Stage_to_Celebrate_the_Caring_Side_of_modern_Men.aspx" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download=""> only 7% </a>related to the depictions of masculinity seen in advertising today.&nbsp;From Gillette to Lynx to Adam Driver as a centaur, the abs, unrealistic hegemonic ideals and shots of women falling at men’s feet is, frankly, outdated (sorry, adland).&nbsp;In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the negative impact of these traits on both men and the wider society.At a moment of unprecedented creativity in men's fashion, music and sports, new voices and messages are emerging within our industry, challenging the stereotypes of what masculinity should and can be.&nbsp;Harmful gender stereotypes that were once the norm are also now being called out, critiqued and rejected by newer generations. Positive masculinity, diverse representations and a move away from portraying women solely as objects of desire (yes, I'm recalling those Lynx ads from the early 2000s), are becoming the norm.&nbsp;An industry that adland can learn from is fashion, which has played a significant role in shifting gender binaries and breaking down traditional notions of masculinity.&nbsp;One voice that offers a refreshing antidote to unrealistic masculine tropes comes from Alok, an American writer and performance artist, who has taken strides to "de-gender fashion” (stylised as #degenderfashion on social media) and do so within a movement that aims to blur the lines of the gender binary.By championing the freedom found in embracing body hair, mini-skirts and dressing for pure joy, Alok is leading the conversation to embrace the power of fashion to shift culture.This blurring of gender lines in fashion, and Alok’s #degenderfashion campaign, reflects a broader societal trend towards greater gender inclusivity.Alongside influential voices such as Alok, we can also observe the impact of cultural institutions that are stepping up to move into a richer and more nuanced understanding of masculinity.&nbsp;Last year, the V&amp;A Museum in London staged an exhibition entitled Fashioning Masculinities: the Art of Menswear. It explored how designers, tailors and artists – as well as their clients and sitters – have constructed and performed masculinity, in addition to unpicking it at the seams.&nbsp;As stated by Alessandro Michele, former creative director at Gucci: “In a patriarchal society, masculine gender identity is often moulded by violently toxic stereotypes. Attitudes, languages and actions progressively conform to a macho virility ideal that removes vulnerability and dependence.”&nbsp;In this context, the exhibition aimed to deconstruct the idea of masculinity as it has been historically established. By deconstructing masculinity in this way, we as an industry can challenge these harmful gender norms and promote more positive and healthy attitudes towards masculinity. For brands embracing this shift in masculinity, it is important that they drive representation beyond campaigns, to create safe spaces for those representing non-traditional gender roles.An effort is required from our industry to promote more positive and diverse representations of masculinity and to support social causes that are carrying out work in this space and in real life.&nbsp;One example of a brand achieving this is Gymshark, who recently introduced the "Deload barbershop"&nbsp;– a built-in "barber shop" space&nbsp;that allows men to comfortably discuss their problems with a barber trained in mental health issues.&nbsp;The initiative provides a “non-judgemental safe space” for men to open up, offload and have a chat while receiving a free trim. Gymshark has also hosted panel talks, with representatives from the advertising and sports industry discussing topics such as “Be the mate you’d want” and “Building real strength”.Advertising has the power to serve as an indicator of what society considers to be socially acceptable and desirable. As advertisers, we can help shape more inclusive societal norms, challenge negative stereotypes of masculinity and motivate people to examine their motivations and promote healthy behaviour.&nbsp;&nbsp;To drive change, brands can use the strategies below to participate in this conversation and create opportunities for male representation that move beyond patriarchal tropes, into a richer understanding of masculinity.Promote soft and positive masculinity In a world of toxic masculinity, promote a softer, more delicate and visibly feminine way to be a man. Advertising becomes much more interesting when we acknowledge that men can be soft and have emotions.&nbsp;Showcase diverse bodies Be diverse in your thinking and showcase all men of racial and ethnic backgrounds, body types and sexual orientations.&nbsp;Switch up gender roles Switch up traditional gender roles by featuring men in non-stereotypical roles to promote more positive and diverse images of masculinity and encourage men to reject harmful societal pressures to conform to traditional gender norms.Put ads into action Support social causes that promote positive and healthy attitudes towards masculinity, such as campaigns to end violence against women or to promote mental health awareness among men.Overall, embedding the shift in the perception of masculinity in advertising requires a conscious effort to promote healthy and positive attitudes towards masculinity, challenge harmful stereotypes and promote inclusivity and diversity.By doing so, our industry can help to create a more accepting and supportive culture for people of all genders.This piece was originally published by Campaign Magazine.

How masculinity is shifting in advertising

‘Blueprint for India’ is the latest campaign for Meta from global independent digital creative agency AnalogFolk and content production company Untold Fable. It aims to create awareness of Meta’s Blueprint education programme, an online hub which offers SMBs the opportunity to complete accredited digital skills training and get their business online.&nbsp;Meta plans to upskill 10 million small businesses and 250,000 creators in the Indian market over the next three years through its Blueprint education programme. Meta Blueprint provides free access to five curated course paths that focus on different business objectives and topics that relate to Instagram, Reels, Facebook, Ads Manager, and WhatsApp. After completing a ‘learning journey’ or focused path of courses, individuals have the opportunity to pass a quiz to receive a certificate of completion that proves their skills, digital knowledge and expertise.&nbsp;The ads feature a series of people from varied backgrounds – either older or less metropolitan business owners – contrasted with quotes from their naysayers. The kind of negative comments they’ve probably heard from people who said they should stay in their lane. Each subject represents a real business owner of a non-digital business - textiles, pottery and catering. Through contrasting quotes from the naysayers with defiant portraits showing real small business success, the campaign captures the possibilities that free training from Meta can unlock, whether it's across WhatsApp, Facebook Ads or Instagram reels.Meta partnered with AnalogFolk and Untold Fable to create Blueprint for India, following on from last year’s Good Ideas Deserve to be Found campaign, which showed how small businesses can use Instagram Stories and Facebook Ads to grow, highlighting the simplicity, scale and impact of Meta's business tools. The work reached 2.4 million businesses and gained 30 million impressions over the campaign period. Untold Fable drew on their decentralised talent network to produce the campaign and film the shoot by utilising local talent for the shoot in Mumbai, India with authentic knowledge and perspectives.&nbsp;Colin Byrne, Regional Executive Creative Director at AnalogFolk said “SMB owners in India have traditionally been made to feel like they’re too old, their business too niche or simply that they aren’t modern and metropolitan enough to get their business online. "You can't do that" is a familiar phrase to thousands of small businesses across India when it comes to getting their business online. There's a misconception that the digital space is only for the highly educated, wealthy metropolitan elite - and it's exactly this attitude that the campaign is challenging.”Ben Londesbrough, Producer at Untold Fable said “By working closely with a talented local team for Meta Blueprint, we were able to prioritise efficiency whilst retaining cultural authenticity. To ensure a seamless production process, we collaborated with experienced local fixer Amit Vachharajani, who connected us with local crew and talent who added their perspective and passion to the project. Their contributions infused the shoot with an unmistakable Indian knowledge, connecting our results deeply to the local culture. We didn't stop at talent sourcing. We incorporated locally sourced wares and materials, showcasing the craftsmanship and artistic traditions of India. One of our highlights was working with the exceptionally talented photographer, Rema Chaudhary, whose keen eye and unique vision brought the essence of India to life through her lens. Rema's mastery elevated our project to new heights.”

Meta launches 'Blueprint for India' equipping SMBs in India with Digital Skills to grow their business online

AnalogFolk Group (AFG),the progressive marketing and technology group creating a smarter future for people, brands, and society, is thrilled to announce its ground-breaking social purpose platform ‘The Truth, Undressed’ has won the Gold award at the 2023 Clio Health Awards in the Partnerships &amp; Collaborations (Lifestyle, Wellness &amp; Over-the-Counter) medium.&nbsp;Created in partnership with Canesten the intimate health brand expert, The Truth, Undressed is a social purpose platform that aims to strip away shame and over-sexualisation through ground-breaking education. The education-at-scale initiative empowers young people with trustworthy information, without any of the usual clichés, taboos, or euphemisms on intimate health to fight feelings of shame and distress that stops them from seeking medical attention.The programme includes a dedicated educational microsite and social media awareness videos, plus free, comprehensive lesson plans that have been developed in collaboration with national body The PSHE Association, which teaches 11–18 year olds about vulval and vaginal anatomy and health.The social purpose platform has already reached 150,000 students as part of the National Curriculum in schools across the UK, 163 million people through media coverage and 3.4 million people on social media.‘The Truth, Undressed’ campaign is part of Vagina Academy, the global education activation Canesten and AnalogFolk first launched in February 2021 in pilot market Brazil with the campaign Intensivão da PPK, the world’s first digital school of intimate health. Intensiavão da PPK was launched on TikTok where its videos were viewed 43 million times and reached over 200K subscribers, equating to filling 17.5K real-life classrooms. Vagina Academy has since rolled out with hyper-local execution in Italy and Australia.Clio Health was founded in 2009 as an extension of the world-renowned Clio Awards competition. The prestigious program was established to celebrate and reward excellence in the expansive and ever-evolving global health industry. It recognizes creative marketing, advertising and communications in the fields of physical, mental and social well-being. Award winners are determined by an industry-specific jury of creative leaders who determine which entries earn the Grand, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Shortlist distinction each cycle.&nbsp;AnalogFolk Group will be celebrated at the 2023 Clio Health awards show in New York City in June.

AnalogFolk Group and Bayer wins Gold at the 2023 Clio Health Awards for Canesten’s social purpose platform, 'The Truth, Undressed'

Creative Mentor Network (CMN) the UK charity with a mission to make the creative industries more socio-economically diverse and inclusive has partnered with creative agency AnalogFolk to launch Making It In The Creative Industry: A Practical Guide, a 60-page satirical manual highlighting the multiple barriers that young people from low socioeconomic backgrounds face when trying to get a job and succeed in the creative industry. The book's tongue-in-cheek advice is accompanied by hard-hitting statistics and illustrations by award-winning artist Toby Leigh (Tobatron), with a clear CTA to help drive change through mentorship.The proportion of people from lower socio-economic backgrounds working in the creative industry has more than halved since the 1970s, falling from 16.4% to just 7.9%1.Creative Mentor Network has published the book to hold a mirror up to the creative industry - inclusive of all sectors2 - addressing the sad reality of how a certain section of society have been able to get their foot in the door and make their way, while other young people have been prevented. Creative Mentor Network is working to change this, so it’s simply a person’s talent that matters rather than who they know, where they live and the privileges they can afford.The book is a call-to-arms for the industry to become more accessible and inclusive and provides a way to do so. Through its mentoring programmes, Creative Mentor Network pairs creative professionals with young people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds looking to get into the creative industry. The organisation has distributed 250 limited edition copies of the book to key figures across the creative industry to encourage them to become Creative Mentor Network mentors.The tongue-in-cheek book includes ingrained practices and attitudes such as:&nbsp;· In the unlikely event that you have the same regional accent as someone else in the office, pick a different one. A ‘normal’ one. There can’t be two, ‘the northern ones’. It just doesn’t work. Accompanied by the fact; in a study, 76% of employers admitted discriminating against candidates based on their accent due to class-based assumptions.·&nbsp;Every word, every image and every thought is at least 20% more creative by virtue of having been created on a Mac. So take out a small-to-medium loan at a competitive interest rate and get yourself one*.&nbsp; If you use a PC, people will spit on your shoes. And rightly so. *Ensure that it’s updated to the latest operating system - macOS Cannes.· There is a good reason why imposter syndrome is so common among people from lower socio-economic backgrounds: the creative industry is silly and everything is made up. Literally no-one knows what they’re doing, but some people are more comfortable pretending they do. To fit in, live with debilitating self-doubt inwardly, but emit boisterous arrogance outwardly. Accompanied by the fact University students from lower socio-economic backgrounds are often the first in their families to attend university. They often feel out of place and lack the time and money to engage with other students.Katie Thomson-Greene, Managing Director, Creative Mentor Network says:&nbsp; "Whilst some people may be able to laugh at themselves, we understand this book may challenge people’s perspectives and make them feel uncomfortable. If that's the case, it highlights that change needs to happen more. For too long, the industry has been dominated by people from higher socioeconomic backgrounds who have not faced the same barriers as those from less privileged backgrounds. From unpaid internships, network-driven recruitment and even awareness of the jobs that exist, there are too many invisible barriers that many people don't think about but are making it even harder for the young creatives in our community. Our hope is that this book will shed light on these barriers and inspire individuals and businesses to act towards creating a more diverse and inclusive industry. We envision an industry that values individuality, creativity, and skill above nepotism and homogeneity. This book is a call to action for anyone who shares that vision."Colin Byrne, Regional Executive Creative Director, Europe at digital creative agency AnalogFolk says: "Creative industries can and should reflect our cultural landscape and the communities we live in. There’s a hotbed of undiscovered talent out there that’s not getting a look in or being considered properly. The talent is losing out, the creative community is losing out and we are doing a disservice to the people we’re creating for. That's why we're so proud to work with Creative Mentor Network to highlight the importance of driving change and creating a more inclusive and accessible industry for everyone.”Trevor Johnson, Head of Marketing, GBS, EUI at TikTok says: "This book is a helpful step towards breaking down the barriers that have hindered the progress of aspiring young talents from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Working with Creative Mentor Network in the past, I've seen the incredible impact their mentoring programs have had on young creatives. By providing guidance and support, we have the power to unlock the untapped potential of these aspiring artists, designers, and innovators. It's not just about changing lives; it's about transforming our industry for the better."Creative Mentor Network currently work with a range of partners across the creative industry, including advertising companies like AnalogFolk, MullenLowe and Bulletproof, media companies like Sony Music UK, Amazon Prime Video and The Jamie Oliver Group, to broader areas like Soho House, The APA and Meta.The book Making It In The Creative Industry: A Practical Guide is available for purchase on the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.creativementornetwork.org/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">Creative Mentor Network website</a>, along with more information, from Tuesday 16th May. Creative Mentor Network is running a limited edition giveaway of the book across their social channels. Visit <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.creativementornetwork.org" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">www.creativementornetwork.org</a> to learn more and to sign up for a mentoring program.

Satirical New Book Holds Mirror Up to Creative Industries Socioeconomic Diversity Problem to Drive Change

Periods are messy, painful, and all-around unpleasant. But for people who menstruate, it’s a monthly reality that can significantly impact their physical and mental well-being. Despite this, menstruation has been treated as a taboo topic for far too long, with many people feeling ashamed or embarrassed to talk about it openly.Why is this so important? For starters, menstrual pain is a leading cause of absenteeism among women, with as many as one in five women missing work or school due to period pain. And when women do call in sick because of period pain, only <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/6/e026186" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">one in five disclose the real reason for their absence</a> to their employer or school.That’s why at AnalogFolk, we’re flipping the script and taking a step toward creating a more inclusive and supportive workplace with our new open-source period policy.Let's get real for a moment: periods are a huge deal. They can cause painful cramps, bloating, migraines, and severe fatigue from the decrease in estrogen levels, doubly for some due to the volume of blood lost. Those are just a few of the delightful symptoms. But the reality is, many people who menstruate feel like they have to suffer in silence, powering through the workday while dealing with pain and discomfort.It’s likely you’ll know someone who needs to change their tampon and pad every 30 minutes and has bled through their clothes (whether on the way to work or during); someone who has projectile vomited and is debilitated from the monthly cramps and migraines; someone who feels sheer exhaustion; someone emotionally very low – and yes, maybe snappy – due to a decrease in serotonin levels. Mood swings, anxiety, and depression are all common symptoms of PMS, and can make it incredibly difficult to function at work or in other areas of our lives. Yet, so often, these symptoms are dismissed as ‘just hormones’ or ‘women’s problems’.That’s why we’ve introduced a period policy that includes one full day of paid leave each month where needed, without affecting an employee's holiday or sick leave entitlement. Plus, we’ll provide free period products (in partnership with period product social enterprise Hey Girls), a private space to stretch, and no expectation to work if unwell due to menstrual symptoms.But it's not just about practical support. We also want to create a culture where individuals feel safe and supported to talk about periods, openly and without shame. Research shows that stigma and shame surrounding periods are still pervasive, with many people feeling like they have to hide their menstrual symptoms or pretend they don’t exist. We want to change that.Our policy uses inclusive and respectful language, promoting an environment where individuals feel comfortable talking about their periods and seeking the support they need. It's crucial to provide education and resources for all team members, even those who don't menstruate. Since periods are still stigmatized, many people haven't had proper education on the topic. This is necessary to encourage colleagues to support each other and ask for what they need. It also helps line managers better support their team members.We know we're not the only company to introduce a period policy, but we want to take it a step further. This isn’t about tokenistic pledges or virtue signaling; it’s about recognizing the real impact that periods can have on people’s lives, and taking concrete steps to address it. So we’ve made our period policy open-source so that other companies can adopt or adapt it, and we hope that many will do just that.We're not stopping at periods either. Since last year we’ve introduced policies to support menopause, divorce and separation, family forming, and temporary working from anywhere. Our policies are designed to promote diversity, inclusion, and well-being and to show that we're an employer that is understanding and empathetic.At AnalogFolk, we believe in actions, not just words. Our ambition is to be an impactful agent of change, not just in the work we do for our clients, but in how we treat and support our employees. Our period policy is just one small step towards creating a more equitable workplace for everyone, but we hope it will inspire others to join us on this journey. Because when it comes to periods, it's time to ditch the shame and start talking openly and honestly about something that affects half the population.This article was originally published by The Drum.

We’ve overhauled our period policy, and we hope more agencies do the same

AnalogFolk Group (AFG), the progressive marketing and technology group creating a smarter future for people, brands, and society, announced today that its ground-breaking work for Canesten, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.truthundressed.co.uk/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">'The Truth, Undressed'</a>, has been named as the winner of the Advertising, Media &amp; PR - Health, Wellness &amp; Pharmaceutical category in the 27th Annual Webby Awards Internet Celebration.Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honour” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards, presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS), is the leading international awards organisation honouring excellence on the Internet.Created in partnership with Canesten the intimate health brand expert, The Truth, Undressed is a social purpose platform that aims to strip away shame and over-sexualisation through ground-breaking education. The education-at-scale initiative empowers young people with trustworthy information, without any of the usual clichés, taboos, or euphemisms on intimate health to fight feelings of shame and distress that stops them from seeking medical attention.Canesten and AFG’s digital creative agency AnalogFolk collaborated with the national body for health education, The PSHE Association - that provides teaching materials to schools - to create a unique programme of comprehensive lesson plans designed specifically to be taught as part of the national curriculum’s compulsory UK school syllabus along with social media awareness videos and an online educational hub.AFG’s content production company Untold Fable produced the accompanying stills and portraits to include diverse and inclusive casting, photographers and intimacy coordination.Since its launch ‘The Truth, Undressed’ has reached 163 million people through media coverage and a further 3.4 million people through its social media campaign. Most importantly, Canesten’s The Truth, Undressed lesson plans have been taught to 150,000 students as part of the National Curriculum in schools across the UK.“The Truth, Undressed has set the standard for innovation and creativity on the Internet,” said Claire Graves, Executive Director of The Webby Awards. “This award is a testament to the skill, ingenuity, and vision of its creators.”‘The Truth, Undressed’ is part of Vagina Academy, the global education activation Canesten and AnalogFolk first launched in February 2021 in pilot market Brazil with the campaign Intensivão da PPK, the world’s first digital school of intimate health. Intensiavão da PPK was launched on TikTok where its videos were viewed 43 million times and reached over 200K subscribers, equating to filling 17.5K real-life classrooms. Vagina Academy has since rolled out with hyper-local execution in the UK, Italy and Australia.With nearly 14,000 entries from over 70 countries, and over 2.5 million votes cast by over 600,000 people in the Webby People’s Voice, the 27th Annual Webby Awards has been a truly groundbreaking year.&nbsp;IADAS, which nominates and selects The Webby Award Winners, is comprised of Internet industry experts including Questlove, DJ and Producer; Tan France, Fashion Designer, Television Personality &amp; Author; Natalie Guzman, Co-President &amp; CMO, Savage X Fenty; Werner Vogels CTO, Amazon; Roxanne Gay, Host, The Roxanne Gay Agenda; Quinta Brunson, Writer, Director and Actor; Ziwe Fumudoh, Comedian and Writer; Reshma Saujani, Founder, Girls Who Code; LeVar Burton, Actor, Podcaster and TV Host; Andy Slavit, Host, In The Bubble; Takashi Murakami, Artist; Samantha Bee, Comedian; and Tracy Chou, Founder &amp; CEO, Block Party.AnalogFolk Group will be honoured at the 27th Annual Webby Awards in New York City on May 15th, hosted by comedian Roy Wood Jr (The Daily Show) on Monday 15th May.&nbsp;&nbsp;This year’s Webby Special Achievement honorees include: Emoji Creator Shigetaka Kurita (Lifetime Achievement), SZA (Artist of the Year), Sharon Horgan (Actress of the Year), SmartLess Hosts Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes (Podcast of the Year), Tracee Ellis Ross (Webby Special Achievement), Tobe Nwigwe (Webby Special Achievement), Under the Desk News (Webby Special Achievement), and Chat GPT (Breakout of the Year). Hosted by comedian Roy Wood Jr. (The Daily Show) the Webby Awards’ star-studded ceremony will take place in New York City on Monday, May 15, and will celebrate the best of the Internet. Fans can follow and watch show highlights including hallmark 5-Word Speeches from the night’s big winners on May 15th by following The Webby Awards @thewebbyawards on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and on YouTube.

Bayer Canesten and AnalogFolk Group win Webby Award for  social purpose platform The Truth, Undressed

AnalogFolk Group (AFG), the progressive marketing and technology group creating a smarter future for people, brands, and society, is proud to announce its recognition as a shortlisted nominee for Campaign Magazine’s Global Network of the Year 2022. This accolade highlights AFG’s innovative end-to-end solutions and pioneering work that is driving real-world impact and transformative results.To be shortlisted, a global network must demonstrate excellent quality of creative work, showcasing ambitious, innovative new thinking for brands and their clients. Networks must also demonstrate effectiveness, new business performance, thought leadership, culture and values, as well as commitment to D&amp;I and CSR programmes, staff engagement, and talent development that can be shown to have affected the entire network.In 2022, AFG’s services and propositions enabled it to help clients thrive in the digital world. From pioneering new education platforms to reach young people, AnalogFolk helped a high street icon evolve into a cultural icon, and enlisted kids to build their own metaverse; to helping transform businesses with consultancy service <a target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.mindworksconsulting.com/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">MindWorks</a>; to bringing innovation to content production with <a target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.untoldfable.com/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">Untold Fable</a> - dedicated to democratising the production industry by connecting brands with a network of curated talent, anywhere in the world, and reporting on DE&amp;I performance both in front of and behind the camera; to AFG’s tech engineering and web development team <a target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.withrobots.com/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">With Robots</a> and its production automation solution <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://Otomo.io" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">Otomo.io</a>, which is enabling brands to deliver optimised and hyper-targeted content at scale efficiently, with no compromise to creative quality.AFG cultivates a dynamic culture where its global teams work collaboratively on client projects and initiatives that drive progress for society. They are encouraged to use their unique skills, experience and perspectives and are empowered to challenge the status quo, leading to breakthrough ideas with meaningful impact.Earlier this year, AFG’s digital creative agency AnalogFolk was recognised as Contagious Pioneers ’Best and Bravest Agencies on the Planet’ 2022; it was a finalist at Campaign magazine’s Agency of the Year 2022 awards; and named one of the most awarded agencies in EMEA 2022 in a report carried out by The Drum researching every major global industry awards show. In 2021 it won Silver in the Campaign Asia Pacific AU/NZ ‘Content Marketing Agency of the Year’ and ‘Social Media Agency of the Year’ categories; and Silver in the Campaign Asia ‘Greater China Independent Agency of the Year’ and ‘Greater China Specialist Agency’ categories in 2020.Campaign’s Global Network of the Year Awards are judged by a panel of global marketers with winners announced in May 2023.

AnalogFolk Group (AFG) Shortlisted for Campaign Magazine’s Global Network of the Year 2022

AnalogFolk the global, independent digital creative agency whose North Star is to be an impactful agent of change for people, brands, and society, has announced the introduction of an <a target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://analogfolk.com/period-policy" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">open-source period policy</a> to provide support and flexibility to its employees during menstruation.Recognising the impact on the physical and mental well-being of individuals managing their menstrual cycle, AnalogFolk's period policy includes one full day of paid leave each month where needed, without affecting an employee's holiday or sick leave entitlement; provides free period products including tampons, pads, and hot water bottles; a private space in the office to stretch; and no expectation to work if unwell due to menstrual symptoms.Research shows that many people experience stigma and shame surrounding periods. AnalogFolk’s policy has been written with the agency’s DE&amp;I partner and Chair of its North Star council. It uses encouraging terminology that is inclusive and respectful, promoting an environment where individuals feel safe and supported.Menstrual pain is a leading cause of absenteeism among women in the UK, with as many as 1 in 5 women missing work or school due to period pain. A study published in the BMJ Open medical journal, the largest of its kind, found that when women do call in sick because of period pain, only 1 in 5 tell their employer or school the real reason for their absence. Additionally, a survey by the global research firm YouGov found that 37% of women in the UK who experience period pain said that it has negatively affected their work productivity.Anna-Louise Gladwell, managing director, AnalogFolk says: “The statistics underscore the importance of providing support and flexibility for employees who experience menstrual symptoms. We believe this, along with normalising conversations about periods, is long overdue. We also recognize the desire for discretion, and that menstrual cycles are unique for everyone. We are encouraging other companies to consider implementing similar policies to create more inclusive and supportive work environments - we’ve made our period policy open-source so other companies can adopt or adapt it.”AnalogFolk are partnering with Hey Girls, a 'buy-one', 'donate-one' social enterprise that creates plant-powered period products to fund the fight to end period poverty in the UK. All sanitary products provided in AnalogFolk’s Amsterdam office will be supplied by Yoni, who create sustainable period products.The period policy is part of a wider set of policies AnalogFolk Group (AFG) has developed and implemented across its network since last year to create a more equitable workplace for its employees. Some of these include a Menopause policy; Divorce and Separation policy; Family Forming policy; and Temporary ‘Working from Anywhere’ policy.&nbsp;Anna-Louise Gladwell continues: “Our policies serve as a reminder that actions, not just words, are necessary for progress. We uphold our values by building policies into our business that promote diversity, inclusion, and well-being and by creating work with our clients that challenges norms and creates positive change for all. Our policies are defined by the areas we know that our Folk need support and by being an employer that is understanding and empathetic.”AnalogFolk has designed a bold set of posters to raise awareness and remind its employees of the period policy in a more innovative and impactful way.

AnalogFolk introduces open-source menstruation (period) policy  including one full day of paid leave each month where needed

To mark the launch of Costa Coffee’s new creative platform ‘Made a Little Better’; the Nation’s Favourite Coffee Shop* is celebrating the everyday moments enjoyed by its customers by making them the face of its latest campaign and giving them the opportunity to feature on digital billboards across the UK.‘Made a Little Better’ centres around the insight that ‘everything is made a little better when your coffee is’, allowing Costa Coffee to humorously depict deeply relatable, challenging human moments, and show how a coffee can lift us up, give us a break, a treat, or be used to form a connection.In the social media led campaign across Costa Coffee’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, the coffee shop invited its customers to share photos of&nbsp; moments where Costa Coffee has made their day a little better, offering them the chance to star in its new ads and win free Costa Coffee for a month.A photo series by award-winning photographer Hannah Maule-ffinch, who was commissioned to capture real people enjoying Costa Coffee in its cafes, inspired customers to submit their own images to their social accounts, tagging @CostaCoffee in the picture and using the hashtag #MadeALittleBetter.&nbsp;The selected customer photos are being transformed into ads on digital billboards, along with a headline describing their Costa Coffee moment, which will be appearing in various locations across the UK throughout April. Winners also receive a short video of the moment their billboard went live, designed to be re-shared across their own social media.&nbsp;Whether meeting up with friends for a chinwag, walking the dog, or grabbing an afternoon pick me up, by sharing authentic moments of customers enjoying a Costa Coffee, the ‘Made a Little Better’ campaign aims to highlight how buying a coffee is often far more meaningful than reaching for your next caffeine hit. It’s an emotional lift with the power to make your day a little better. The campaign has been launched on digital billboards across the UK and is set to become a hit with Costa Coffee fans across the country.&nbsp;Costa Coffee partnered with global independent digital creative agency AnalogFolk to lead the core concept, strategy and creative execution for the social media campaign.The social media campaign is part of Costa Coffee’s wider, integrated campaign.Adam Deal, Senior Social Media and Digital Marketing Manager at Costa Coffee said:"Our customers are what make Costa Coffee what it is, and making their day a little better is what we love to do. We couldn’t be happier to be shining a well deserved light on them in this campaign.”Colin Byrne, Regional Executive Creative Director at AnalogFolk said:“Every minute of every day, Costa Coffee is making coffee moments a little better for their customers so what better way to show this than to share these real moments, in real-time, with the nation?”

Costa Coffee’s ‘Made a Little Better’ campaign celebrates customers’ authentic moments with the chance to feature on digital billboards across the UK

Independent global digital creative agency AnalogFolk is proud to announce that its ground-breaking work for Canesten, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.analogfolk.com/work/the-truth-undressed" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">'The Truth, Undressed'</a>, has won the Bronze award at the 2023 Clio Awards in the Partnerships &amp; Collaborations medium.Created in partnership with Canesten, the social purpose platform aims to strip away shame and over-sexualisation through ground-breaking education. The education-at-scale initiative empowers young people with trustworthy information, without any of the usual clichés, taboos, or euphemisms on intimate health to fight feelings of shame and distress that stops them from seeking medical attention. Canesten and AnalogFolk collaborated with the national body for health education, The PSHE Association - that provides teaching materials to schools - to create a unique programme of comprehensive lesson plans designed specifically to be taught as part of the national curriculum’s compulsory UK school syllabus along with social media awareness videos and an online educational hub.Content production company Untold Fable&nbsp;produced the accompanying stills and portraits to include diverse and inclusive casting, photographers and intimacy coordination.&nbsp;Since launch ‘The Truth, Undressed’ has reached 163 million people through media coverage and a further 3.4 million people through its social media campaign. Most importantly, Canesten’s The Truth, Undressed lesson plans have been taught to 150,000 students as part of the National Curriculum in schools across the UK.AnalogFolk and Untold Fable are part of AnalogFolk Group.

AnalogFolk Group wins Bronze at the 2023 Clio Awards for  Canesten social purpose platform, 'The Truth, Undressed'

Women’s protest signs of the past are shockingly relevant today, with many of the issues highlighted by past protests still affecting women worldwide. On the eve of International Women’s Day, a campaign called ‘Still Present’ has been launched to raise awareness and encourage activism.Yesterday (Monday 6 March), UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres told the opening session of the Commission on the Status of Women, the UN’s largest gathering on women’s empowerment, that that progress on women’s rights is “vanishing before our eyes". “Women’s rights are being abused, threatened and violated around the world,” he added, as he ticked off a litany of crises: maternal mortality, girls ousted from school, caregivers denied work and children forced into early marriage. (theguardian/Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation).According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 3 women worldwide experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. In 2020, women in C Suite positions, on average, earned just $0.75 for every dollar earned byExecutive men. Not only has this dropped from $0.88 for every dollar in 2018, but it’s also the biggest pay gap since 2012. (Chief UK) the general pay gap has been stuck at 22% less for 3 decades (bloomberg). In 2022, the US Supreme Court took away the constitutional right to abortion in the United States, further stripping women of their rights. See notes to editors for further facts.When IWD began, protests happened in the streets. Now, social movements happen as much in digital spaces as physical ones.&nbsp;The 'Still Present' campaign is a digital protest pack and website featuring repurposed historic protest signs for modern activism. People can add these historical protest signs to their social feeds or print them out to protest on the streets to raise awareness about the different issues and causes that women still need to fight for today. People can pick a sign that resonates with them or represents their values, and the related protest sign is a call to action encouraging others to join the movement.The website provides a backstory for key signs and the protest each was used in, providing visitors with a deeper understanding of the history of the protest and the issues it was highlighting. Some of the signs include: ‘Keep Abortion Legal’ Washington D.C 1989 featuring ‘Jane Roe’ from Roe v Wade; ‘Equal Pay Without Delay’ London U.K 1952; ‘Rape is a Crime Against Civilisation’ and ‘Women are Not Objects of Pleasure’ India 1980.The site also curates links to organisations who are present in the movement.‘Still Present’ is not for profit and has been created by global digital creative agency AnalogFolk to reignite the true purpose of International Women’s Day.&nbsp;"Today is not a day to celebrate ourselves. It's not a day to buy ourselves something. It's a day of action to continue where women before us over 100+ years ago started. By digitising these historic protest signs, they become a powerful weapon for modern activism. They can be easily distributed and shared online, allowing their messages to reach and engage a far wider audience. Our aim is to show how these signs are shockingly still relevant today and make them accessible to a new generation of activists, giving them a tool to fight for their causes while also educating people on the history of past protests.” said Anna-Louise Gladwell, managing director, AnalogFolk London

Still Present: Digital Campaign Calls for a  Day of Action Not Commercialism this IWD

AnalogFolk, a global independent leading digital creative agency, is proud to announce its recognition as a shortlisted nominee for Campaign Magazine UK’s Digital Innovation Agency of the Year. This accolade highlights AnalogFolk's innovative end-to-end solutions and pioneering work that is driving real-world impact and transformative results for its clients.In order to be shortlisted, an agency must demonstrate excellent quality of creative work which showcases ambitious, innovative new thinking for brands and their clients. Agencies must also demonstrate their creativity is far ahead of their clients’ expectations and pushes creative boundaries in unique and innovative ways.AnalogFolk has pushed boundaries in the creative and marketing industry, helping brands harness the power of digital transformation to drive business growth and create value for people.Last year the agency launched ‘The Truth, Undressed’ in the UK with an education-at-scale programme showcasing the truth about vulval and vaginal anatomy and health. 1500 of its teaching materials were downloaded; 150,000 students in classrooms reached; 3.4m people reached though social media and 163m people were reached through earned global media coverage. The ground-breaking programme is part of ‘Vagina Academy’ – the multi award-winning global brand social purpose platform the agency created in partnership with Canesten, to help set people free from shame and discomfort.&nbsp;As well as pioneering new education platforms to reach young people, AnalogFolk helped a high street icon evolve into a cultural icon, and enlisted kids to build their own metaverse.AnalogFolk has had a successful couple of years winning a variety of global awards for Canesten ‘Vagina Academy’, ‘The Truth, Undressed’ and Nike ‘Mind Sets’, as well as a Gold Effie for Hyundai ‘4 Second Reviews’.Earlier in the year, the agency’s work led to the network being recognised as Contagious Pioneers ’Best and Bravest Agencies on the Planet’ 2022; being named one of the most awarded agencies in EMEA 2022 in a report carried out by The Drum researching every major global industry awards show; winning Silver in the Campaign Asia Pacific AU/NZ ‘Content Marketing Agency of the Year’ and ‘Social Media Agency of the Year’ 2021 categories; and Silver in the Campaign Asia ‘Greater China Independent Agency of the Year’ and ‘Greater China Specialist Agency’ categories in 2020.&nbsp;Campaign’s Agency of the Year Awards will be judged by a panel of global marketers in March 2023.

AnalogFolk Shortlisted for Campaign Magazine UK’s Digital Innovation Agency of the Year 2022

Anna-Louise Gladwell, managing director of AnalogFolk, has been named as chair of judges for this year’s Campaign Tech Awards, taking place at the Hilton Bankside, London on 6 June. Gladwell will head a team of 13 judges.“As chair of the Campaign Tech Awards, I’m looking forward to having this opportunity to honour and champion those who are pushing our industry forward,” Gladwell said. She has 23 years of experience across global creative digital agencies, where she has worked with some of the world’s most influential brands developing award-winning and globally recognised work.“I will be looking for revolutionary, innovative ideas and extraordinary efforts towards making an impactful difference to brands and society,” Gladwell added.“We work in an industry that generates innovative ideas that have the power to improve lives and create a better future. I’m eager to see where technology has been harnessed not only as a tool for progress but also as one that amplifies value – both socially and commercially.“I will be looking for innovations which don’t just depend on technology, but go far beyond this – offering tangible solutions to real issues while creating unprecedented opportunities.”

Anna-Louise Gladwell, Managing Director of AnalogFolk London to chair Campaign Tech Awards

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://afgmartech.com/" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">AFG (AnalogFolk Group)</a> the global, progressive marketing and technology group, creating a smarter future for people, brands and society is pleased to announce the appointment of Suat Isiker to the position of Global Chief Financial Officer, AFG.The appointment supports AFG’s substantial growth since successfully launching with three new brands, providing clients the ability to execute seamless future marketing models and digital business transformation.AnalogFolk - AFG’s founding full-service digital-first creative agency - has had a successful couple of years winning a variety of global awards for Canesten ‘Vagina Academy’, ‘The Truth, Undressed’ and Nike ‘Mind Sets’, as well as a Gold Effie for Hyundai ‘4 Second Reviews’. Its work has led to the network being recognised as Contagious Pioneers ’Best and Bravest Agencies on the Planet’ 2022; being named one of the most awarded agencies in EMEA 2022 in a report carried out by The Drum researching every major global industry awards show; winning Silver in the Campaign Asia Pacific AU/NZ ‘Content Marketing Agency of the Year’ and ‘Social Media Agency of the Year’ 2021 categories; and Silver in the Campaign Asia ‘Greater China Independent Agency of the Year’ and ‘Greater China Specialist Agency’ categories in 2020.&nbsp;Untold Fable (content production), MindWorks (digital transformation consultancy), and With Robots (production automation and tech engineering) launched over the course of 2021 /2022. The new brands already account for 25% of AFG’s revenue.Suat Isiker joins AFG from WPP integrated agency The Pharm where she was Finance Director. Previously she was appointed the executive board role of Finance Director of Publicis Worldwide UK where she co-led several successful operations including its merger into Publicis.Poke. Prior to that she held senior executive roles at AKQA for seven years and Grey Global Group for five years.&nbsp;Isiker will take over the full operational functions of the Chief Financial Officer role from Neil Thomson in Q1 2023.&nbsp;After nine years at AnalogFolk and thirty years as a Finance Director in the advertising industry, Thomson will remain with the group, transitioning from a full time role to building up a small external portfolio while continuing to contribute to AFG's commercial strategy and goals as Global Commercial Director.The hire sees Isiker reunited with Guy Wieynk, Global CEO for the third time following successful stints at Publicis Groupe and at WPP.Guy Wieynk, Global CEO, AFG says:&nbsp;“Firstly, I would like to thank Neil for his support and for everything he has helped us achieve since AFG’s founding agency AnalogFolk launched 14 years ago. I am delighted to welcome Suat to our team. Her 22 years of knowledge and expertise in finance, strategy and integration make her an invaluable asset for AFG as we continue to grow, providing transformation and technology solutions to clients.”

AFG (AnalogFolk Group) appoints Suat Isiker as   Global Chief Financial Officer

Costa Coffee has teamed up with premium sneaker maker Artisan Lab to create an exclusive range of coffee-dyed sneakers to celebrate National Espresso Day, which this year falls on Wednesday 23 November. Inspired by the viral TikTok and Instagram trend of dyeing sneakers in coffee, Costa Coffee has put a sustainable, desirable and premium twist on this formula to shine a light on their signature Mocha Italia Blend.The handmade Italian sneakers, dubbed ‘The Drip 1’, have been hand-dyed using the Mocha Italia blend and 20 exclusive pairs will be given away through a competition running on Costa’ Coffee’s official TikTok channel. The sneakers will be numbered, and each winner will receive a unique non-fungible token (NFT) which will act as a certificate of authenticity.Created by independent global digital agency, AnalogFolk London, the ' Costa-Misation' campaign intends to prove that Costa Coffee’s Mocha Italia blend tastes as good as it looks and looks as good as it tastes.Artisan Lab was carefully chosen for their rich Italian heritage and focus on quality, aligning to Costa Coffee’s history which saw Sergio and Bruna Costa arrive in London in 1917 with a desire to make great tasting coffee a part of everyday life. The sneakers have been dyed sustainably using grounds of Costa Coffee Mocha Italia coffee. What’s more, the bespoke sneakers have been finished with a lace tag created from vegan ‘Coffee Leather’ from interior textile innovators Organoid.&nbsp;Riccardo Gismondi, Founder and Creative Director at Artisan Lab said:“Italian heritage, Premium Quality and Authenticity are the DNA of Artisan Lab. Sharing the same core values with Costa Coffee, we couldn’t be happier to create this amazing collaboration. A perfect celebration of what we both stand for and work hard every day to deliver.”Written and directed by AnalogFolk Senior Creatives Dani Arkless and Alex Wood, the imagery was shot by Jacob McFadden. The campaign will be supported by an accompanying behind the scenes video created exclusively for TikTok outlining the creation process, as well as static posts on Instagram and an exclusive NFT authentication shared by Artisan Lab. The NFTs are minted on the Hedera Blockchain in collaboration with Designbook; a Digital marketplace for certified goods and Artisan Lab's digital partner.The campaign and competition will run from 23rd November on TikTok.Adam Deal, Senior Social Media and Digital Marketing Manager at Costa Coffee said:“We’re so excited to be partnering with Artisan Lab on ‘TheDrip1’. Using our famous Mocha Italia blend to create these amazing trainers is so interesting and we can’t wait to see how the competition performs on Costa Coffee’s TikTok account.”Amandine Fabian, Creative Director at AnalogFolk London said:“We’re really proud to have been working on this exciting collaboration. Artisan Lab and Costa Coffee is an unexpected but natural match as two brands that share similar values of quality and craftsmanship. The coffee dip adds an edgy touch to the sneakers that will for sure please the fashion community and brand fans.”To be in for a chance to win one of the 14 pairs of the ‘The Drip 1’ follow Costa Coffee’s official TikTok account, where more information on the competition will be available.To find out more information on Costa Coffee famous Mocha Italia blend and heritage, visit the Costa Coffee website:<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.costa.co.uk/behind-the-beans/our-story/history" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download=""> https://www.costa.co.uk/behind-the-beans/our-story/history</a>&nbsp;

Costa Coffee partners with Artisan Lab to create an exclusive range of coffee-dyed sneakers to coincide with National Espresso Day

AnalogFolk Sydney has been named a finalist in the prestigious Global Best of the Best Effie Awards 2022 for its ‘Four Second Reviews’ campaign for the launch of the Hyundai Venue in Australia (winners announced December 6).The campaign, which has already won Gold at the regional APAC Effies, features the world’s shortest car reviews, tapping into the fact that people’s average online attention span is just 4.1 seconds. There are more than 25 quirky reviews from motoring ‘experts’ including a dog, a cactus, a time traveller, a flat earther along with some ‘Noughties’ celebrities.Achieving a global finalist berth alone is a great achievement –the Effies are hugely important given they are based around what we care about most – results for our clients.Read more about the work here: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://analogfolk.com/work/4-second-reviewsCongratulations" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">https://analogfolk.com/work/4-second-reviews</a>Congratulations to the team and fingers crossed!&nbsp;

AnalogFolk Sydney a finalist at Global Best of the Best Effies

What do you get when you team up iconic chocolate royalty with the nation’s favourite coffee shop*? Costa Coffee’s new festive campaign invites chocolate-loving fans to indulge their re-mixed taste sensations this Christmas with the launch of two new drinks inspired by Toblerone® and the return of the fan favourite - the Terry’s Chocolate Orange® Hot Chocolate.&nbsp;Created by independent global digital agency, AnalogFolk London, The Festive Remix sees Costa Coffee partnering with TikTok sensation Fin Draper to put a spotlight on Costa Coffee’s festive drinks menu. The all new Inspired by Toblerone® Hot Chocolate&nbsp; and Latte, and returning fan favourite the Terry’s Chocolate Orange® Hot Chocolate,Fin, who has amassed almost 9 million followers on TikTok, creates amazing soundscapes from everyday objects. Costa Coffee challenged Fin to create an exclusive remix of the festive classic ‘Carol The Bells’ by asking him to replace his signature musical water glasses with items found in a Costa Coffee store. From tapping on cups and clinking latte glasses, to fridge doors slamming, coffee beans being ground, and steam blowing from the coffee machines, Fin used them all to get the right tones and sounds to interpret such a well-known piece of music into something new. Just as Costa Coffee has remixed their classic drinks, so too has Fin put his signature spin on the classic song.The Festive Remix was born out of the insight that festive music is the perfect way to embrace the holiday spirit and bring people together. After two Christmases where the pandemic has impacted people’s ability to be together, Costa Coffee wanted to lean into its position as the perfect venue for people to connect with loved ones by encouraging customers to come back together and enjoy an indulgent festive drink while doing so.Adam Deal, Senior Social Media and Digital Marketing Manager at Costa Coffee said: “We’re delighted to be working with Fin on this project, and love what he has created for us and our customers. He has brought our Christmas festive drinks to life in such a fun, creative and Christmassy way that is sure to put a smile on people’s faces!”This festive campaign, continues Costa Coffee’s showcasing of support for homegrown and emerging creatives, following their FrappéLists campaign earlier this year where they recruited five up-and-coming UK artists to create an exclusive day-long playlists, inspired by their new Frappé range. It builds on Costa Coffee’s ambition to attract the next generation of coffee drinkers on social and digital.Amandine Fabian, Creative Director at AnalogFolk London said: “The Festive Remix is a beautiful combination of musical ingenuity and Christmas magic. With this campaign, the classic seasonal product launch has been turned into a real piece of entertainment, in a way that is truly unique to Costa Coffee. It’s an ode to all chocolate lovers.”&nbsp;The Festive Remix has been activated with a TikTok first hero video shot by Fin and Tom Knibbs to be played out across Costa Coffee’s social channels: TikTok, Instagram Reels, Snapchat and Facebook. The ad will also play out on Fin’s own TikTok channel, with support from a series of other influencers who will ‘duet’ the track on TikTok. The hero film will be supported by a series of product-focused animations and will run from the 3 November to coincide with the launch of the festive drinks range.

Costa Coffee partners with Tik Tok star Fin Draper to  promote new festive drinks range

Created by independent global digital creative agency AnalogFolk London, FrappéLists aim to provide Gen-Z with a soundtrack for their Frappé loving summer of freedom, while giving a huge platform to unsigned music artists that need it after the break in performances after Covid-19.FrappéLists was born from insight that this is the UK’s first ‘restriction free’ summer for two years. Young and old alike are in a mindset to make up for lost time by seizing each and every day and making the most of it. Costa Coffee aims to get people outside with a Frappé in hand and a curated playlist in their ears, as the perfect trigger point for a day of summer enjoyment.Costa Coffee recruited five up-and-coming UK artists; VIC @hellovicco; Baby Eleanor @_babyeleanor; Yasmin Hass @yasminhasss; Matilda Cole @matildaacole; and Ariane V @arianev to create exclusive day-long playlists, inspired by the new Frappé range. The artists will also be performing in various Costa Coffee sponsored music events around the country, including Birmingham and Brighton.The FrappéLists have been activated in a series of videos directed by celebrated music video director Jake Jelicich (Niall Horen, Dua Lipa, James Bay) which are playing out now across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and TikTok, scannable fly-posters and live performances across the UK. All live collateral - posters, stickers on drinks, screens and even temporary tattoos - are scannable, pointing people towards the exclusive playlists.The FrappéLists can also be found on Spotify <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://spoti.fi/3xTjTAb" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">https://spoti.fi/3xTjTAb</a> and by scanning the Spotify code in Costa Coffee stores.Production was handled by AnalogFolk Group’s production arm Untold Fable.Kirstey Elston, Costa Coffee Marketing Director for UK &amp;amp; Ireland says: “Our gen-z audience have been eagerly waiting to experience a summer since 2019 and Costa Coffee’s biggest ever summer drinks menu is here to help bring some ‘Frappé-ness’! This campaign leverages the power of music, digital and social working together, and has created a fun experience to form a soundtrack for this summer, alongside our wide choice of amazing cold drinks across all of our platforms.”Colin Byrne, Executive Creative Director, AnalogFolk London says: “FrappéLists is a social-first activation that has spread to the real world, by utilising music and the people that make it at a grassroots level. Costa Coffee is providing an unprecedented platform for young British music, while giving gen-z the soundtrack they deserve this summer. By working with Spotify and scannable codes, we’ve made every piece of content feel more digital, adding real value, wherever it appears in the customer journey.”

Costa Coffee launches FrappéLists providing Gen-Z with the  soundtrack to their summer

Canesten, the intimate health brand expert, has launched a new iteration of the ‘Vagina Academy’ - its global brand social purpose platform to help set people free from shame and discomfort - in the UK with ‘The Truth, Undressed’, an education-at-scale programme showcasing the truth about vulval and vaginal anatomy and health.‘The Truth, Undressed’ teaches the reality of how our bodies look and behave, with unprecedented access to the naked truth, helping young people become more informed and better armed to spot and address concerns to their own intimate health.&nbsp;The programme includes a dedicated educational microsite and social media awareness videos created by Canesten, plus free, comprehensive lesson plans that have been developed in collaboration with national body The PSHE Association, which teaches 11–18 year olds about vulval and vaginal anatomy and health.Available for the first time as a UK national curriculum resource, the new content includes accurate, diverse and non-sexualised photography of vulvas, pubic hair and true-to-life depictions of vaginal discharge intended to break down stereotypes and stigma and free people from shame and discomfort.The collection of photographs were captured by photographer Sophie Mayanne, best known for shooting Mothercare’s award-winning ‘Beautiful, isn’t she?’ campaign and personal project ‘Behind the Scars’.Canesten’s <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.TruthUndressed.co.uk" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">www.TruthUndressed.co.uk</a> contains informative editorial articles, photography and illustrations of vulvas and vaginal discharge that allows young people to access reliable, trustworthy and affirming knowledge about intimate health. It also features members of the public giving real descriptions of their bodies and experiences, to reassure and inform readers of the variety of experiences that owning a vagina brings.&nbsp;These educational materials are being launched in response to recent research that revealed only 6%<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="#_ftn1" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">[1]</a> of UK women (aged 18-24) found out about intimate health conditions through school and university education and just under two thirds1 (60%) only found out about vaginal infections when they first experienced them.Research also revealed that 46<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="#_ftn2" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">[2]</a> of UK women are worried about the appearance of their vulva and 67%2 admitted they would change something about it if they could. This can lead to feelings of shame, with over half (55%2) admitting that they avoided going to seek medical help due to feeling embarrassed to discuss the issue or show their vulva.Short form social video ads have been developed by Canesten to drive traffic to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.TruthUndressed.co.uk" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">www.TruthUndressed.co.uk</a>, by spreading awareness of the missing information around vaginas and vulvas and its potential consequences. On TikTok, the ads show what can happen when people can’t find answers to their questions, or worse still, harmful misinformation. On Instagram, the ads use common visual metaphors for vaginas, vulvas and pubic hair to drive home the ways that nothing compares to reality when you’re trying to learn. All social elements have been developed to respect the rules and regulations of the platforms.Daria Costantini, Brand Lead for Canesten, Bayer Consumer Health UK said: “The truth of the female anatomy is dressed up in a societal culture of sex and defined as explicit by default. We live in a world where porn is readily available on the internet, yet many young people don’t know the first thing about what kinds of infections there are or even what the vulva is supposed to look like.“We hope that through this programme we can start to move imagery of real vulvas away from a sexualised depiction and into an informative, educational space to equip young people with the essential information they need to better understand their bodies as well as normalise conversations.”Bayer Canesten partnered with AnalogFolk London to develop and execute the core concept, strategy and creative for ‘The Truth, Undressed’. The vulva and discharge stills, and portraits accompanying the campaign were produced by Untold Fable, including diverse casting, photographers and intimacy coordination.‘The Truth, Undressed’ campaign is part of Vagina Academy, the global education activation Canesten and AnalogFolk first launched in February 2021 in pilot market Brazil with the campaign Intensivão da PPK, the world’s first digital school of intimate health. Intensiavão da PPK was launched on TikTok where its videos were viewed 43 million times and reached over 200K subscribers, equating to filling 17.5K real-life classrooms. Vagina Academy has since rolled out with hyper-local execution in Italy and Australia.Amandine Fabian, Creative Director, AnalogFolk London said: “No one should feel ashamed of having a vulva or a vagina or just saying these words, yet a lot of women find it hard to even talk about vulval and vaginal health issues with their doctors. That’s why we’ve created The Truth, Undressed: to cast shame and taboo aside. We used a bold look and feel and real photography that inspire self-confidence and empowerment to send one message across: vulvas and vaginas are just like any other part of the human body. The Truth, Undressed goes beyond a simple advertising campaign — it’s a shift in mindset.”The teaching materials created by The PSHE Association in collaboration with Canesten include four age-appropriate lesson plans for key stages 3-5 and will be available to teachers for use in all UK secondary schools from 11 July 2022. Teachers&nbsp;have the option of choosing versions of lesson resources with photography, realistic illustrations, or without imagery. A supporting teacher guidance document on whether and how to use these visual resources is also provided.Liz Laming, The PSHE Association says: “The lesson plans will support schools to teach this important health topic effectively and appropriately. Until now, it has been difficult for young people to learn the facts about their bodies and understand vulval and vaginal health when historically the vast majority of images of vulvas represented in porn and other forms of media and popular culture have been both over-sexualised and depicting a societally ‘perfect’ body which is not representative of reality.”As part of the teaching materials launch, The PSHE Association enlisted the support of two academics, Dr Ester McGeeney and Dr Elly Hanson; specialists in youth centred research on relationships and sexualities, to help develop the educational programme.&nbsp;Clinical Psychologist, Dr Elly Hanson said: “Research shows that negative feelings and inaccurate understandings about the vulva and vagina are common and can have hugely detrimental consequences especially for girls and women. Given this, it is vital that young people are supported with education that increases their understanding and helps them take an affirmative approach to their bodies.”<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://analogfolk.com/work/the-truth-undressed" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">Read more about The Truth, Undressed here</a><hr><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="#_ftnref1" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">[1]</a> 1,600 women, Canesten WIH Path to Purchase study, conducted by Truth, 2019<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="#_ftnref2" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">[2]</a> Survey of 1,000 UK women (aged 18-24) – ‘Different Is Normal’ research by Canesten and sexual health charity Brook, conducted by 3GEM October 2020

Canesten launches 'The Truth, Undressed' stripping away shame through unprecedented education

We are very excited to announce that AnalogFolk London has been awarded the Brand Led Best Health Cause Campaign at the <a target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">Campaign</a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.purposeawards.co.uk/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">Purpose Awards</a> for Intensivão De PPK aka Vagina Academy. Supported by industry leading brands PRWeek, Campaign and Third Sector, the Purpose Awards aims to recognise campaigns that use creative ideas successfully to further positive causes.Intensivão De PPK is a revolutionary shame-free digital school that teaches young people everything they need to know about vaginas in a fun and forthright way. It has helped to educate 44 million young Brazilians to set them free them from shame and discomfort.Read more about the work here: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://analogfolk.com/work/intensivao-da-ppk￼" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">https://analogfolk.com/work/intensivao-da-ppk </a> A massive congratulations to the team and our brilliant clients at Bayer Consumer Health for all of their great work.

AnalogFolk wins Best Health Cause Campaign Purpose Award 2022

Good Ideas is the latest campaign from AnalogFolk for Meta. Two charming 15-second films produced by Untold Fable show the magic of using<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://vimeo.com/685507599/f67143d386" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download=""> Instagram Stories</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://vimeo.com/685507890/6a68262430" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">Facebook Ads</a>. The films tell the stories of real small businesses who are using Meta technologies and programs to grow, highlighting the simplicity, scale and impact of its platforms’ business tools. The films capture the feeling of joining thousands of UK small business owners using the platform - all in their own unique ways to get their business found and connect with new customers. Whether it's an alocasia plant, a poncho or a toy for your pooch - making your customers' day is made possible through Meta for Business.Meta partnered with AnalogFolk to create this Good Ideas Deserve to Be Found campaign, following on from last year’s Support for Personalised Ads campaign in which the platform helped SMBs be found by customers by connecting them with the most exciting entrepreneurs on social media. Thousands of SMBs were encouraged to use the hashtag #DeserveToBeFound for a chance to get a shout out from the famous entrepreneurs including Steven Bartlett. Real, authentic, shout-outs about the small businesses' ideas they loved were delivered directly to over 47 million followers.Meta has become a huge asset for brands trying to reach their audiences, with 70% of shopping enthusiasts turning to the platform to discover products. Largely due to the global pandemic, consumers and brands alike have stayed online. 49% of internet users say they’re likely to buy brands they see advertised when browsing.*Diana Janicki, Meta’s Creative Lead, Global Business Marketing, EMEA says: “SMB’s are fighting for their livelihoods in enormously challenging and changeable trading conditions, we want to offer inspiration, and make them visible to their customers. Our 'one team' partnership with AnalogFolk has evolved over time, committed to creating powerful campaigns for UK small business owners and driven by our shared expertise and passion for digital marketing and creative innovation.”Anna-Louise Gladwell, managing director, AnalogFolk London says: “SMBs have little time to research the right solutions to grow their business. After two years of uncertainty, they are cautious and want assurance, they need to know that where they invest their time and money will pay off. The growth of social commerce has impacted e-commerce in a significant way and being targeted daily by multiple digital platforms telling them that they have what they need to help their business is overwhelming. How are they supposed to know what’s right for them? We’ve created Good Ideas Deserve to Be Found as a solution to these issues, encouraging active participation with the right Meta products and solutions for their journey to business growth.”Learn more about 'Good Ideas' <a target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.analogfolk.com/work/good-ideas" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">here</a>.&nbsp;*Hubspot Trends Report 2022

Meta launches 'Good Ideas' inspiring SMBs to accelerate their business growth

We're chuffed to bits to see AnalogFolk London named one of the most-awarded EMEA ad agencies of 2021! 🔥By researching every major global industry awards show, The Drum creates a ranking of the most successful agencies, pooling the collective wisdom of the judging panels from shows like the Clios, D&amp;AD, Dubai Lynx, Epica and Cannes Lions into one place.&nbsp;The Drum’s World Creative Rankings is the very best of the global advertising industry - the definitive guide to the world’s most creative brands, agencies and people.

AnalogFolk London named one of the most-awarded EMEA ad agencies of 2021

AnalogFolk London, winner of Contagious Pioneers – Best and Bravest Agencies on the Planet 2022 and Campaign’s UK and Global Digital Innovation Agency of Year 2019, has hired multi-award-winning group creative director Colin Byrne as its new executive creative director. The hire continues the agency’s commitment to deliver groundbreaking ideas for its clients and to use digital to make the analog world better.Byrne will join the agency, bringing creative prowess and internationally recognised talent that will play a key role in its continued growth in transformative digital innovation. He will partner with Anna-Louise Gladwell, managing director and Sol Ghafoor, director of strategic services, solidifying and strengthening AnalogFolk London’s leadership team.Byrne’s focus will be on boosting the agency’s existing creative excellence to new highs, leading its creative department to foster and unleash their full range of creative potential. He will oversee all creative output and work across a roster of AnalogFolk London global clients, which include Bayer, Diageo, Dole, Meta, HSBC and Amazon.Byrne has been at Publicis.Poke since 2017 where he is group creative director, leading creative output on Heineken and Renault. He is renowned for creating globally acclaimed work, including ‘The French Exchange’ for Renault, Heineken’s ‘Back the Bars’, and data driven innovation campaign for Heineken’s Champions League partnership ‘World’s Most Shared Moments’.Prior to Publicis.Poke, Byrne spent seven years at VCCP as creative director shaping and developing the agency’s integrated offering and digital output. During his seven years at the agency, he helped create some of VCCP’s most innovative and acclaimed work for the likes of McLaren, The Sunday Times and O2, including O2’s Be More Dog campaign and the O2 Priority app platform.Prior to VCCP, Byrne was group creative director at AKQA where he spent seven years.His work has been recognised by many international awards juries including Cannes Lions, Clios, LIAA, British Arrows and One Show.To create and ensure seamless and effective solutions for clients, Byrne will work closely with AnalogFolk’s global creative leadership, as well AnalogFolk’s sister companies – content production company Untold Fable, behavioural transformation consultancy MindWorks, and tech engineering, web development and automation company With Robots - all which remain separate entities within the wider progressive marketing and technology group’ AnalogFolk Group.Byrne will replace Simon Richings who left the agency earlier this month after nine successful years.Anna-Louise Gladwell, managing director, AnalogFolk London said: “We’re thrilled to have Colin join AnalogFolk London. He has a creative reputation for leading progressive, applauded work for clients and a proven track record in inspiring teams and clients alike through his fresh, innovative thinking. I’m looking forward to the energy he will bring to our brilliant team, the impact he will have on our clients’ businesses, and I am excited to see where together we will take AnalogFolk.”Colin Byrne said: “AnalogFolk is an amazing place brimming with opportunity and a whole bunch of incredibly talented folk. Add to this the ambition of our clients and you have a stage perfectly set to create work that can make a difference. I’m delighted to be joining the AF family and looking forward to the good times ahead as we write our next chapter.”\Earlier this year, AnalogFolk London hired Amandine Fabian from Ogilvy New York as creative director and Dani Brown and Alex Wood from Digitas as senior creatives. The hires bolster the agency’s supercharged creative team, who over the past 12 months have won numerous awards, some of which include creative effectiveness, comedy effectiveness, social, public service activism for purpose-driven work ‘Vagina Academy’ for Canesten.ENDS

AnalogFolk London appoints new executive creative director Colin Byrne

AnalogFolk Sydney has launched a campaign for international off-price retailer T.K.Maxx having been awarded the project last year.The campaign, titled ‘Unbelievable Value’, was created specifically for the Australian market and kicks off with four TVCs, YouTube and digital advertising.&nbsp;TJX Australia VP Marketing Tony Dunseath said: “Love the work. It is hard working retail creative but not at the expense of entertainment. At its heart it brings to life the feeling our customers have of discovering ‘Big Brands at Small Prices’."It's not every day you get to bring a bounding balloon dog or a telekinetic baby to life, but T.K.Maxx are known for making the seemingly impossible possible – offering ‘Big Brands at Small Prices’. We're proud to have partnered with T.K.Maxx to create an idea that captures a truth – their customer’s pride in sharing the unbelievable value they find with others – in a quirky and memorable way” said AnalogFolk Executive Creative Director Richard Morgan.TVC director Kate Halpin from production company Sweetshop said: “They had me at sassy llama. Then they threw a telekinetic toddler, levitating bubble lady, and a sprightly balloon dog into the mix… What's not to love!? It was silly amounts of fun collaborating with AnalogFolk and the team at Blockhead to create four distinct spots, which all have a little dose of magic incorporated into an otherwise familiar world.”T.K.Maxx stores in Australia are operated by TJX Australia, part of The TJX Companies Inc. the world’s leading off-price retailer of home and apparel fashions.FILMS:Baby -&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://vimeo.com/688666281/999c841007" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">https://vimeo.com/688666281/999c841007</a>Dog -&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://vimeo.com/688666407/a6b14004a6" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">https://vimeo.com/688666407/a6b14004a6</a>Bubble -&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://vimeo.com/688666596/2579cf7b95" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">https://vimeo.com/688666596/2579cf7b95</a>Llama -&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://vimeo.com/688666487/9df28964a0" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">https://vimeo.com/688666487/9df28964a0</a>ENDS&nbsp;Credits&nbsp;Client: TJX Australia&nbsp;VP Marketing: Tony DunseathMarketing Manager: Manisha EdiriwiraMarketing Specialist:&nbsp; Dulce MapaCreative Agency: AnalogFolk SydneyECD: Richard MorganACD: Naomi Martin&nbsp;Copywriter: Naomi Martin / Mike BurdickDesigner: Robbie Carter&nbsp;Account Manager: Rosie DingleHead of Client Services: Jonny SycamoreAgency Producer: Matt Barber&nbsp;Strategy Partner: Ben HourahineManaging Director: Matt RobinsonProduction company: SweetshopDirector: Kate HalpinManaging Director: Edward PontifexExecutive Producer: Greg FysonProducer: Poppy JonesProduction Manager: Danni JanusProduction Coordinator: Rebecca GirardProduction Designer / Stylist: Jo AylingDOP: Kieran FowlerCasting: Fountainhead CastingOffline: Arc EditSenior Producer: Freya MaddockProduction Coordinator: Raphaëlle SaïdEditor: James Ashbolt&nbsp;VFX &amp; Online: Blockhead VFXSenior Post Producer: Briohny Aldersea &amp; Rachael TrilloVFX Supervisor : Steve Anderson, Julian FordColorist: Matt FezzSound Design &amp; Sting: SonarMedia: Havas Media&nbsp;

T.K.Maxx launches new ‘Unbelievable Value’ campaign

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is a brutal, appalling act that has brought misery and suffering to millions. War’s appetite for suffering is insatiable and the trauma that it causes is beyond what anyone should have to experience in their life.&nbsp;Our thoughts are with all affected people in Ukraine and countries in the region forced to flee their homes.&nbsp;<h2>What you can do to help</h2>Everyone wants to do their bit to support those who have been forced to flee their homes because of the invasion. Here is how you can help. #StandWithUkraineIf you want to donate money, there are a number of charities providing humanitarian relief in Ukraine:<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://donation.dec.org.uk/ukraine-humanitarian-appeal" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">Donate to the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Appeal</a>The UK Government will match public donations to this appeal pound-for-pound up to £25 million.Here are some useful links that can hopefully help you and your family support/learn/donate to Ukraine (if you’d like to suggest an addition please get in touch):<h3>Donations and collection points</h3><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.ukrainianlondon.co.uk/humanitarian-and-medical-aid-items-donation-points/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">Ukrainian London</a> has listed a range of collection points in London for humanitarian and medical aid items, from Holland Park to Hounslow<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cakd69xqe6a/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">White Eagle Club</a> (South West London) is collecting donations of clothes, bedding, medication, toiletries, sanitary products and other essentials; alternative link <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/kluborlabialego/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">here</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CampGJGtF3b/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">Biblioteka</a> (Peckham, London) has set up a humanitarian aid Donation centre for Ukraine in its library space. They are looking to gather life-saving medication, first aid, medical consumable and equipment. The items needed are listed in <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19NDv5rcrUz88TJ6aOFmQ5R8SeF4eI6f1/edit?rtpof=true&amp;sd=true#gid=1164204953" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">this spreadsheet</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/LifeInKilburn/status/1498638654536830977" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">North London Collection Centre</a> is collecting a range of donations from blankets and clothing to antiseptic wipes and paper towelsUkrainian knitwear brand Warm Hugs Only are taking donations through its <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.warmhugsonly.com/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">website</a> to support people in its community<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://outrightinternational.org/ukraine" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">OutRight Action International</a> is collecting donations for organisations inside and outside Ukraine who are supporting LGBTIQ people in search of shelter, safety and security<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Caejl9LMf8r/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">Ukrainian Social Club</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/LifeInKilburn/status/1498638654536830977" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">Kilburn collection point</a><h3>Collected resources / information</h3><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">This page</a> was created to centralise further information about ways to help.This <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.standwithukraine.app/?ref=producthunt" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">#standwithukraine</a> marketplace has signposted various ways to help<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://stopwarukraine.com/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">This page</a> has been created to signpost various ways of donating to helpTake action using the methods listed on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://linktr.ee/help_ukraine_global?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&amp;ltsid=b38b153d-4e9f-45c6-85a0-6bbe620aa962" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">this page</a>A literary guide to understanding Ukraine, past and present (via <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cam-o2tvThs/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">Electric Literature</a>)How can you help the people of Ukraine from abroad? (via <a target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://how-to-help-ukraine-now.super.site/help-translate/united-kingdom" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">How to Help Ukraine Now</a>)<h3>Collected resources / information for families</h3>Useful <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2022/02/25/help-for-teachers-and-families-to-talk-to-pupils-about-russias-invasion-of-ukraine-and-how-to-help-them-avoid-misinformation/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">advice and resources</a> for families and young people to talk about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and how to help them avoid misinformation.Gen Z is growing increasingly concerned about hostilities between Russia and Ukraine from videos they’re seeing on TikTok. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/how-to-to-talk-to-kids-about-the-russia-ukraine-conflict-tiktok-171942151.html?guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAFPQ6loN0O0J-NhITJNicTveMEDktqoman2ubbu80dcpyeKbVCEG7JIo9z-Ax0MxzvZAMHv48SsugxXbMCMnVIP6ka472ZWIETPPqNQixbFc1IG3zynhBw892Ep8Fic04d61a7eWe3yU33XI56L8UnLw2PNUEEPUDhlR0tKLDwyS&amp;_guc_consent_skip=1646651396" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">Here’s how parents can explain</a>, not alarm.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-talk-to-children-about-the-invasion-of-ukraine-and-why-those-conversations-are-important-177983" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">How to talk</a> to children about the invasion of Ukraine, and why those conversations are&nbsp;important<h3 style="text-align: start">Support for those fleeing Ukraine</h3><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://news.airbnb.com/help-ukraine/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">Airbnb is placing 100,000 refugees in temporary homes</a>. Donate or sign up to become a host <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.airbnb.org/get-involved" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">here</a>.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://Dopomoha.ro" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">Dopomoha.ro</a>: Created by&nbsp;Code for Romania&nbsp;in partnership with the&nbsp;Department of Emergency Situations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs,&nbsp;the UN Refugee Agency, the International Organization for Migration&nbsp;and the&nbsp;Romanian National Council for Refugees, helps&nbsp;civilians fleeing the war in Ukraine to find all relevant information about seeking protection in Romania.Resources for African students trying to flee Ukraine (via <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CaiUjw8LbTd/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">AMAKA</a>)Helpful information for African students fleeing Ukraine (via <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cab8ahGOEIS/?utm_medium=copy_link" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">@thejeddyo</a>)<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cn-P1cM3KVGhsAzb11Jy9rT6g7QTDHC0CCgULqsSG2c/mobilebasic?urp=gmail_link" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">FAQ for crossing the Ukrainian border for people with a Nigerian passport</a><h3>Free online psychological support</h3><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://complicated.life/en/find-help-with/therapists-for-ukraine" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">Therapists for Ukraine</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/tbs.shelter" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">Tbilisi Shelter City</a>&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/raffauf_mentalhealth-coaching-team-activity-6898982386445512704-4Xnm/" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">Mental Health organisation supporting children</a> and teenagers in difficult situations<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/francescaelisia_therapists-for-ukraine-activity-6904454631972233216-5eaG" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">Francesca Elisia X It’s Complicated</a>

AnalogFolk stands in solidarity with Ukraine

Grant (far left) joins the agency’s leadership team with a focus on internal business processes and operations, talent and culture, resourcing, and partnership and supplier management.After beginning her career in London and working at Inskin Media, she was appointed by the company to establish its operations team in Australia in 2016, eventually building and leading operations for the Japan Asia-Pacific region.Grant has also worked with a number of major publishers and agencies internationally including News Corp, Nine Entertainment, Dentsu, and Val Morgan.Says Matt Robinson, partner and managing director, AnalogFolk:“Lizzie arrives with the perfect skills for a business that is growing rapidly and she shares our passion for ideas that move the world forward, which includes our people and our processes. We’re lucky to have her.”Says Grant: “It’s brilliant to work with like-minded people who really have a passion for what they do, and for their people. Having to work in a truly global business like this is also something I love doing so am thrilled to be here.”Grant is the latest senior hire to join the AnalogFolk leadership team following Cat Reay’s appointment to the newly created managing partner role.(Pictured L-R: Lizzie Grant, Kerry Flynn, Richard Morgan, Ben Hourahine, Cat Reay and Matt Robinson)

Sydney strengthens leadership team with hiring of new operations director

Female Frontier Awards 2022 winners: Transforming TechnologyThe winner in this category is Kate Tancred, founder and CEO, <a target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.untoldfable.com/" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">Untold Fable</a>.<img src="https://cached.imagescaler.hbpl.co.uk/resize/scaleWidth/743/cached.offlinehbpl.hbpl.co.uk/news/OMC/Transforming_Technology-Kate_Tancred.jpg" alt="Female Frontier Awards 2022 winners: Transforming Technology" title="" tt-mode="file" tt-link-url="" tt-link-target="" tt-link-mode="url" class="">Kate Tancred has played an instrumental role in increasing diversity within the advertising and production industries, providing a solution that creates tangible change for brands, talent and society. Tancred, a former media planner in her native Australia, co-founded and previously ran The Smalls, a video creation platform for independent filmmakers and production companies.In February 2021 she partnered with AnalogFolk Group to launch Untold Fable, a tech-powered platform connecting brands with a curated network of diverse, award-winning talent, delivering high-quality, digitally native audio and video content. The technology behind the platform allows Untold Fable to connect brands with new perspectives and voices, with the aim of making diversity in the industry the norm, not the exception.The technology platform gives clients more information about talent before they commission. If talent has chosen to share its diversity information, this can be privately displayed with their portfolios when shared with clients for specific projects.Untold Fable has worked with clients including Nike, TikTok, Bayer, BT, Stella Artois and Audible. Judges commended Tancred for her commitment to driving change and for using technology to address the need for diversity throughout the advertising industry.Shortlisted:Laura Braithwaite &amp; Kate Merritt, co-founders, Liberty HiveVeronica Millan, global chief information officer, MullenLowe GroupAlex Wright, digital programmatic lead, Channel 4Hannah Wright, head of data and analytics, Iris London

Female Frontier Awards 2022 winners: Transforming Technology

AnalogFolk has appointed Dixi Song (pictured) as their new strategy director for Asia tasked with bolstering the agency’s offering.Song joins AnalogFolk from Publicis Groupe where she was senior strategist and has worked on and led the strategy on a wide range of clients including Cathay Pacific, Expedia, Lionsgate, Lincoln, Nutrilite, Beiersdorf, McDonald’s and Under Armour. She also has extensive experience and expertise in the financial services sector, including supporting the Asia Wealth business for HSBC.Chris Ryan, managing director and partner AnalogFolk Asia said, “360 customer experience planning is in increasing demand from our clients and Dixi brings that expertise to our team in Asia. She is fanatical about using data to help brands to become customer-first. She is an exciting new talent for us, not only adding another dimension to our team, but also bringing a lot of energy to our culture."Song added that as the industry looks forward to life beyond the pandemic, clients are placing increasing emphasis on digital transformation and positive societal impact. “AnalogFolk’s strong digital pedigree and its global ambition to be an agency of change was a key reason for my interest in working with them. I'm really&nbsp;excited to use my experience to build on our capability in Asia and to guide client strategy in this era of rapid change,” she added.A year ago, AnalogFolk invested in content production company <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.marketing-interactive.com/analogfolk-acquires-untold-fable" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">Untold Fable </a>with operation across markets such as Hong Kong and Singapore. Recognising the growth of audio across entertainment and advertising, Untold Fable&nbsp;was bought over to become the home to filmmakers and boasts studios, sound designers, sound engineers, composers and voice talents from around the world, assisting brands with their audio identity while communicating with consumers via one of the fastest-growing ad formats in the world.&nbsp;As part of the AnalogFolk Group, Untold Fable also offers clients the added value of tapping into on-demand digital agency services from AnalogFolk.

Dixi Song joins AnalogFolk from Publicis Groupe

Contagious Pioneers 2022: The best and bravest agencies on the planetContagious is pleased to announce the 2022 Contagious Pioneers list, our annual round-up of the agencies that consistently set the standard for innovation and creative excellence in marketing.&nbsp;&nbsp;The 2022 winners (in alphabetical order) are:·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; AMV BBDO, London&nbsp;·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; AnalogFolk, London·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; BETC Paris·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; DDB Group, Sydney·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Publicis Italy, Milan·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; R/GA, New York·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Rethink, Toronto·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Uncommon Creative Studio, London&nbsp;We select our Pioneer agencies by rigorously analysing the work covered in our intelligence tool, Contagious Online.&nbsp;Only campaigns that demonstrate the highest levels of creativity and strategic thinking pass the filter for Contagious Online. The Pioneer agencies are those that had multiple campaigns featured throughout 2021 and which performed well against other metrics, such as the ratio of campaigns created to the number of clients, and whether they were chosen for more in-depth coverage.Contagious editor Chloe Markowicz said: 'At Contagious, we’re laser-focused on the best of the best marketing. We don’t discriminate based on region, product sector or media channel as long as the work showcases incredible creative and super-smart strategic thinking. And this year’s Pioneer agencies exhibited a real breadth of capabilities. They produced everything from ground-breaking digital campaigns to stop-you-in-your-tracks outdoor ads and TV campaigns that challenged the rules of the medium. A host of clients were represented across sectors as varied as personal care and automotive, financial services and food.‘But what unites each one of the 2022 winners is that they created work that was bold, ambitious, and memorable, the kind of advertising you see and wish you had come up with. This year’s crop of agencies created trailblazing work that stands out, truly fitting the accolade of a Contagious Pioneer.’<img src="https://darkroom.contagious.com/1380/1d72cd15a346604e21602cb8c7a8c36e:87a4dd4cce81b85e044084e07072cec2/article-contagious-pioneers-2022.jpg" alt="Header image for article Contagious Pioneers 2022" title="" tt-mode="file" tt-link-url="" tt-link-target="" tt-link-mode="url" class="">About Contagious Online &nbsp;Contagious Online is a digital platform filled with examples of best-in-class marketing from around the world that allows users to search and filter results to find relevant insights fast. Contagious Online also hosts strategy interviews with the people who create the campaigns, brand case studies, trend reports, talks from Contagious events and more.About ContagiousContagious is a creative and strategic intelligence service that helps ad agencies and brands deliver more creative, innovative and effective marketing. Its intelligence is delivered remotely, through an online tool and award-winning magazine, and in person, through its events and advisory service. To learn more about Contagious and how it helps marketers ignite exceptional ideas visit our <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.contagious.com/" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">site</a>. Contagious is an independent company. It was founded by Paul Kemp-Robertson and Gee Thomson in 2004.

Contagious Pioneers 2022

What a year it's been! We are so proud AnalogFolk Australia has been recognised at the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/campaign-asia-pacific/" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">Campaign Asia-Pacific</a> AU/NZ Agency of the Year awards, with 3 x awards this year! They include: 🎉 Silver (the top prize this year) AU/NZ Social Media Agency of the Year 🎉 Silver AU/NZ Content Marketing Agency of the Year 🎉 Bronze AU Digital Agency of the Year In addition to the finalist nominations we received for Independent Agency and Best Culture. A huge, huge thanks to our wonderful clients for their support this year, all of our friends and partners, to our amazing team both in Australia and other AF offices across the globe, and to the judges at this years awards for the recognition. Also a big congratulations to all of the other finalists and winners at the awards.

Campaign Asia-Pacific AU/NZ Agency of the Year

First published on<a style="color: #ff0000;" href="https://www.femalefrontiers.co.uk/honouree-21/"> campaign </a>

Sara is an established creative director and mentor. Her work’s won some of the industry’s most sought-after awards, yet she felt awkward talking about them. Why? In early 2020, she found out she wasn’t alone. Women are four times more likely than men to use undermining language about themselves.

Sara and her team understood the powerful role language plays in gender inequality. It affects how women are perceived, their reviews, their interview performance and, ultimately, their pay and ability to reach senior positions. They decided to turn the tables.

The solution was BigUp.AI, a digital tool that helps women self-promote with impact.

Sara led a predominantly female, multi-disciplinary team to launch a beta version of BigUp.AI to coincide with IWD2020. It attracted attention from global national, consumer and trade press, becoming a trending topic online. Leaders from the creative industry, recruitment consultancies, education advisors and beyond were quick to praise BigUp.AI.

Crucially, the tool has helped 10K+ women so far. It’s been incorporated into industry initiatives and received a D&amp;AD award for Future Impact. In November, Sara led the launch of phase two, which aims to help anyone affected by Covid-19 express themselves with confidence.

BigUp.AI exists because of Sara’s determination and passion for using her expertise to do what’s right. It inspired AnalogFolk to go further. This tool is a first of its kind in the world, but it’s also the first of what will become an annual investment from the agency in projects that drive positive societal change.

Try BigUp.AI out <a href="https://www.bigup.ai/">here </a>

Campaign's 2020 Female Frontier Award

The new global content production company focuses on creating audio and video content by tapping into a global network of production talent that has been curated and built with diversity at its heart. This new, tech-enabled model delivers the quality, scale and pace needed to produce progressive content strategies in a digital-first world 
Global - AnalogFolk Group has today announced it is investing in Untold Fable. This new global content production company is the world’s first community-based content company to produce both video and audio content via a technology platform that’s home to a curated network of production talent built with diversity at its heart.
Recognising the growth of audio across entertainment and advertising, Untold Fable will not only be home to filmmakers but boast studios, sound designers, sound engineers, composers and voice talent from around the world, assisting brands with their audio identity while communicating with consumers via one of the fastest-growing ad formats in the world.
It is the first community-based production model to be built with diversity at its heart, promising to ensure the makeup of the network reflects the world we live in as well as launching technology features that make connecting with traditionally underrepresented talent from the creative industry much more accessible to clients. Brands, publishers and agencies will also have the option to measure their D&amp;I statistics across their productions throughout the year, empowering them to put the issue front and center by giving them the data when it comes time to commission talent.
There is an unprecedented growth from brands needing video and audio content – 70% of consumers say they’ve shared a brand’s video, 72% of businesses say video has improved their conversion rate and 52% of consumers say watching product videos makes them more confident in online purchase decisions*. The global audio advertising market was estimated at US$108.128 billion in the year 2019.**
As part of AnalogFolk Group, Untold Fable will also offer clients the added value of tapping into on-demand digital agency services from AnalogFolk. This joint offering is the first of its kind, designed to provide one entry point for clients into the creativity and efficiencies of a tech-powered production offering and the strategic precision of on-demand creative digital agency services.
Leveraging the existing footprint of AnalogFolk Group, Untold Fable will offer clients on-the-ground teams in London, New York, Sydney, Amsterdam, Hong Kong and Singapore from day one.
Untold Fable is founded by celebrated entrepreneur Kate Tancred, CEO. The company has ten full-time employees and is already in production on three content deals.
Kate Tancred, CEO of Untold Fable, says: “I spent the last 10 years driving the efficiencies and creativity of a tech-powered production offering. Untold Fable expands on that model by connecting clients with a curated network of diverse, award-winning talent and layering over digital creative services from one of the most celebrated independent digital agencies in the world. Combining these offerings enables us to produce audio and video content in a way that the industry is yet to experience.”
Bill Brock, Founder &amp; Chief Client Officer of AnalogFolk Group says: “AnalogFolk's mission is to use digital to make the analog world better. Since 2008, we’ve focused on delivering it through progressive creative agency services. With the launch of Untold Fable, we not only diversify the group’s offering, we break exciting new ground on this enduring mission. We’re leveraging the power of technology to make it easier than ever before for brands and publishers to work with a more diverse talent pool.”
The meaning of the name is two-fold. Untold strikes a confident, positive note about the rich content opportunities the company will help brands identify and then communicate to their audiences. It also speaks about the exciting potential of the diverse voices and perspectives it will connect brands with. These sentiments, paired with Fable, are reflected in the company’s maxim – The Future of Meaningful Storytelling.
AnalogFolk Group is a majority shareholder of Untold Fable. AnalogFolk Group will run its specialist brands – AnalogFolk, Untold Fable and Serum – as stand-alone businesses.
Untold Fable is AnalogFolk’s second significant investment as Guy Wieynk, Global CEO of AnalogFolk Group, continues to execute his vision for the Group.
<a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/UF-website.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7483" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/UF-website.jpg" alt="" width="1180" height="664" /></a>
Notes to Editors 
*Taken from ‘Where is Video Marketing Going in 2019 and Beyond’
**Taken from ‘Global Audio Advertising Market Forecasts from 2020 - 2025’
About Untold Fable 
Untold Fable is a global content production company giving clients the optimal blend of human expertise and digital automation to deliver high-quality, digitally native audio and video content, at pace. Untold Fable offers flexible access to the efficiency and creativity of community-based content creation, precision of creative intelligence services, and seamless project management via a technology platform.
www.untoldfable.com / Instagram @untold.fable
Contact 
For all enquires regarding Untold Fable or AnalogFolk Group please contact:
Natalie Melder-Smith / natalie.melder-smith@analogfolk.com / +44 (0)7818 457 635

AnalogFolk Group invests in Untold Fable

Following extensive research and strategic planning, Palmer’s has launched its first-ever masterbrand marketing <a href="https://youtu.be/Ejc4-P_KcDc">campaign</a> in Australia through creative agency AnalogFolk this week.

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ejc4-P_KcDc" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

Research identified that the idea of women suffering from ‘beauty chaos’ was universally felt and understood, with the new campaign a compelling reminder that Palmer’s knows that beauty is far less complicated and expensive than the industry makes it out to be.

Palmer’s proven, natural-based formulas were seen as a credible solution to the confusion and contradictions in beauty messaging, including the all-too-common empty promises in the industry.

The new ‘Find the Formula’ campaign for the skin and haircare brand is the first major brand push in 15 years, with previous advertising focussed on product-specific messages.

<a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Palmers-PR-Image-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7464" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Palmers-PR-Image-1.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1080" /></a>

“This is an exciting time for Palmer’s and we expect this new campaign to reignite relevance and interest in Palmer’s with both lapsed and new users. The core premise at the heart of Palmer’s is simple products that actually work, making affordable, effective beauty care accessible. We’re confident about investing in long-term brand building to ensure continued success, longevity and growth for the Palmer’s brand,” said Hayley Bishop, Marketing Manager, Palmer’s Australia.

Richard Morgan, Executive Creative Director, AnalogFolk said: “Like always, we had a range of creative ideas that went into research. Funny thing was, from the outset, the idea of ‘beauty chaos’ just so clearly resonated across every group and demographic we spoke to, that you simply couldn’t argue with it. Not only was the campaign fun to make, it’s refreshingly different for the beauty category.”

The initial burst of the ‘Find the Formula’ Masterbrand campaign will run until April. Product-based campaigns that ladder into the masterbrand will also run throughout 2021, talking more specifically to functional benefits for a combined brand and product approach.

<a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Palmers-PR-image-2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7465" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Palmers-PR-image-2.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1080" /></a>

Palmer’s Cocoa Butter cuts the chaos with first-ever masterbrand work

We're thrilled to share the news that AnalogFolk has made it onto the shortlist for Campaign’s Digital Innovation Agency of the Year 2020 - for the fourth consecutive year.

2020 has been unexpected, uncertain, and unprecedented. Yet, despite these challenges, we’re delivered some amazing work, with even more amazing results. And we're even more excited about the great work in the pipeline for 2021, helping brands realise the full power of digital to create value for people and transform their business.

Here’s a snippet of some of the work that helped us secure our place on the shortlist:

<a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/BEATS-ARTICLE-IMAGE-.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7341" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/BEATS-ARTICLE-IMAGE-.png" alt="" width="1180" height="664" /></a>

#BeatsDaisyChallenge - Gen Z doesn't know who Dre is; Our world-first TikTok campaign helped make the brand relevant. View the case study <a href="https://analogfolk.com/work/feel-the-colour">here.</a>

&nbsp;

<a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/AF_ARTICLEIMAGE2Z_WEB.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7459" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/AF_ARTICLEIMAGE2Z_WEB.jpg" alt="" width="1180" height="664" /></a>

Foot Locker - Driving diversity at every stage of a purpose-led brand platform. View the case study<a href="https://analogfolk.com/work/back-to-school"> here.</a>

&nbsp;

<a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/BT-CODE-A-CAKE-1180-x-664.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7461" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/BT-CODE-A-CAKE-1180-x-664.png" alt="" width="1180" height="664" /></a>

BT Code A Cake - Turning code from intangible to accessible for parents and kids, using real-life robot bakery. View the case study<a href="https://analogfolk.com/work/code-a-cake"> here.</a>

&nbsp;

<a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/final.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7462" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/final.png" alt="" width="1180" height="664" /></a>

Nike SuperRep - Keeping athletes motivated with daily content that drives little steps rather than huge leaps. View the case study <a href="https://analogfolk.com/work/superrep">here.</a>

&nbsp;

Campaign's Digital Innovation Agency of the Year finalist will be announced in March, so watch this space.

Shortlisted for Campaign's Digital Innovation Agency of the Year 2020

Seedlip, the world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirits company launched in 2015, effectively giving rise to a new category that now boasts 100+ products. To help evolve its direct-to-consumer business in the United States, Seedlip appointed independent global creative agency, AnalogFolk, as its digital strategy and design partner.
Today, they proudly announce the launch of Seedlip’s new mobile-first website, with functionalities that elevate and ease the online experience, while also implementing elements of surprise and delight.
AnalogFolk, last year awarded Global Innovation Agency of the Year by Campaign, was appointed following a competitive pitch process. Ultimately, Seedlip selected its partner for mirroring its own brand values and having the ability to understand the unique challenges at-hand – putting the customer needs at the forefront of this new virtual destination.
Seedlip has quickly become the firm favorite for those looking for a flavorful, high-quality, sophisticated, non-alcoholic option. The British-born brand has opened the door for the rapidly growing no and low alcohol category, the growth of which coincides with more consumers leading more active, healthy, and conscious lifestyles – particularly in the US and UK.
Seedlip's new website was designed with the understanding that consumers are seeking an online shopping experience that is easy, seamless and stress-free. AnalogFolk designed a site that makes both shopping and browsing simple, while paying homage to the brand’s unparalleled commitment to nature and sustainability. They achieved this through clean and thoughtful layouts that hero the products and their unique ingredients, enhanced e-commerce features such as ever-present calls to action, and a mobile-first approach to design. And as Seedlip continues to be a pioneer in their category, the new site sets the stage for a more robust virtual ecosystem to come.
The effortless browse and shop experience features Seedlip tonal visuals, the brand story, non-alcoholic cocktail recipes – including fan favorites, like the Seedlip Ginger Highball and Espresso MartiNO – and a Journal that evokes a sense of wonder, knowledge and inspiration. The Journal features quick reads on the brand and its ecosystem, like ‘A Guide to Seedlip Garden 108’, ‘How Mushrooms Can Help Solve the Issue of Single Use Plastic’, and a series of City Guides for how to spend 24 hours in urban areas nationwide. Additional features will be added throughout the year.
Seedlip’s new digital destination leads the category, further solidifying its position as the leading non-alcoholic spirit in the world.
Jake Annear, US Head of Digital at Seedlip, says, “The direct to consumer opportunity is one that Seedlip has embraced from the beginning. This site redesign is more than just a simple upgrade of our customer experience, but a total reimagination of the way the brand will create lasting memories with its community. It’s the first step in Seedlip’s journey to build meaningful 1-to-1 relationships with the early adopters of this growing category. AnalogFolk helped us realize this vision and deliver an experience that is ripe for continued growth.”
Bill Brock, Founder &amp; Chief Client Officer, AnalogFolk says, “Seedlip is a brand I have admired since being introduced to it at a dinner party in 2016.  Having watched their epic rise over the last 4 years, when the opportunity to pitch to become their strategic and creative agency presented itself, we poured everything into it.  Helping them to realise the full potential of the brand as it scales across new markets such as the US is such an awesome challenge, and to launch a progressive direct-to-consumer eCommerce proposition into the market as our first project is the perfect start to our exciting partnership.”
###
About Seedlip Drinks
Seedlip is a Nature company on a mission to change the way the world drinks by connecting people to the wonders of the natural world.
Seedlip makes the world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirits. Crafted from the highest quality, globally sourced botanicals, each expression celebrates the vast range of flavor that nature provides: aromatic Spice 94, herbal Garden 108 and citrus Grove 42 – all of which have no alcohol, calories or sugar. These provide the base for sophisticated, complex non-alcohol cocktails to solve the dilemma of what to drink when you’re Not drinking.®
Seedlip is available in over 35 markets worldwide, including retailers such as Crate &amp; Barrel, Williams Sonoma, Eataly, BevMo!, Total Wine &amp; more. It is also available direct-to-consumer via <a href="http://www.seedlipdrinks.com/us" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.seedlipdrinks.com/us&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1611837209624000&amp;usg=AFQjCNF-5bUcYRVFrpfBsGj56jYTWoBgkQ">www.seedlipdrinks.com/us</a>.

Seedlip Partners with AnalogFolk

First published on<a href="https://www.campaignasia.com/article/china-brings-the-future-of-commerce-into-focus/466139"> Campaign</a> 

The dawn of 2020 had an auspicious numerical ring to it in China and elsewhere: the turn of a decade, the anticipation of an Asian-based Olympics, and potentially positive political winds of change in the US. It’s hard to believe that barely a year ago no Eastern or Western astrologer could have foreseen the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and global health crisis, and the lasting change this would bring to an unevenly distributed world.

While the crisis remains far from over, we are seeing some trends begin to consolidate, and now that vaccination programs are finally underway, business and policy decision makers are looking to what the future might hold—seeking in particular to identify which of the many technological, cultural, and economic changes we have witnessed will represent permanent alterations in the way we behave, as opposed to short-term emergency measures.

In 2021, the world is turning to China to identify key indicators in consumer behaviour, and the way leading ecommerce brands have responded to the opportunities of engaging shoppers during the pandemic. No longer deserving the clichéd tag of ‘copied in China’, the combination of advanced manufacturing capabilities, sophisticated user adoption of technologies and digital payments, and the chronological unfolding of the pandemic itself, have combined to put China in pole position as we start to envision a post-Corona economic landscape.

While Amazon and Walmart focused on scaling up their point-and-click sales distribution services fast, Chinese brands like Alibaba and Tencent were already approaching retail from an engagement perspective. They're blending social media and entertainment into the retail environment, creating a holistic user experience. And this was perfectly positioned to respond to shifting consumer needs—from lockdown boredom to the emergent phenomenon of ‘revenge spending’ (over-compensatory binges). With growing competition from the likes of Meituan and Pinduoduo, the online retail and payment market is thriving and innovating in China, rather than becoming overly dependent on single dominant market leaders. It remains agile enough to respond quickly to shifts in public mood and attention.

Capturing and responding to changes in mood helps brands optimise bricks-and-clicks marketing activities and nudge action as rolling lockdowns and curfews continue to constrain real-world behaviour. Engagement with social commerce and the influencer marketplace, such as the famous Mr Bags, can sell out a key product in minutes. Growth in livestreaming ecommerce, through online shopping malls set up by Alibaba and Tencent or by influencers on social media, is expected to be another legacy of the pandemic. This area is estimated to be worth US$60 billion in 2020, with the US accounting for just US$1 billion of sales.

This blended user experience is further facilitated in China by the integration and broad consumer acceptance of embedded digital payment options, creating super-app experiences for the user, who never has to leave their familiar environment. Siloed Western platforms are years behind China in terms of group deals, micro-credit and digital payments. But they are striving to catch up; the growth of the European brand Klarna, whose volume and revenue for the first half of 2020 grew 44%, demonstrates a hunger for consumer convenience and control over payments which is largely unmet beyond the Eastern hemisphere.

Just as with the remote work trend, changes in retail patterns were already happening long before Covid-19, and the hollowing out of traditional high street shopping is just one example. Every crisis creates winners and losers, and brands that are tied to declining traditional sectors—such as formal workwear providers—will suffer if they are unable to pivot to meet new needs. Similarly, retail brands will need to do more to encourage shoppers to return to their stores, with greater uptake of technologies such as click-and-collect experiences, microbial-safe touchscreens, and blended AR experiences like virtual dressing rooms. Indeed, to fully embrace the potential of the fourth industrial revolution, brands will need to seek new audiences for existing products and services, such as home fitness products in the face of gym closures. Sales for Nike China rose 8.9% to $11.2 billion in the quarter ended November 30, beating analyst projections of $10.6 billion and reflecting the increased demand for an infrastructure of educational and accountability apps around the products themselves. This filled the gap that professional trainers and facilities could no longer address, in a market which was perfectly positioned—due to smartphone adoption, 5G infrastructure, and more—to engage with it.

The challenges of 2020 have impacted every aspect of life in ways we could never have imagined—and will continue to do so. Provided emerging regulatory constraints can be successfully negotiated as digital China finds its position in global marketplaces, the potential is unlimited.

And it goes way beyond ecommerce. Technologies from unified communications to medical analytics and telehealth are converging and consolidating around a world in which we need to do more things from home and at a distance. We can expect China’s technologically sophisticated consumers to drive increased demand. This in turn will shape digital product and service provisions through quality user experiences in ways we cannot yet begin to imagine.

The fourth industrial revolution has truly only just begun, and China is right at the heart of it.

Written by Chris Ryan, managing director, AnalogFolk Asia.

China brings the future of commerce into focus

Monday 18 January 2020 Independent global digital creative agency AnalogFolk has named Pierrre-Axel Pejouan, former Associate Strategy Director at AKQA Portland, as Strategy Director of its Amsterdam outpost.

AnalogFolk launched its seventh global office in Amsterdam in October 2019, its first on the European continent. Under the leadership of Managing Director Kris Smith, it has steadily grown its headcount and client portfolio with wins for progressive global brands including; Nike, Foot Locker, Johnnie Walker and Tommy Hilfiger. The agency’s independent model and strong creative output has established a reputation with brands seeking purposeful digital innovation.

In his role as Strategy Director, Pierre-Axel will be responsible for leading consumer-centric strategies, with a strong emphasis on brand impact and creating value through digital technology. He will report into Kris Smith, working collaboratively with Executive Creative Director Carren O’Keefe.

Pierre-Axel has earned a reputation for blending culture, communications and technology to help world-leading brands create meaningful connections with audiences. Prior to AKQA he was a Strategist for both Ogilvy Worldwide and TBWA Paris.

Kris Smith, Managing Director, AnalogFolk says: “We’ve established a strong track record that has allowed us to grow during a very challenging time. Pierre-Axel’s expertise and experience with leading agencies and brands make him an ideal addition to our growing team. Along with Carren’s ongoing creative leadership, we’ve strengthened our offering and accelerated our ability to deliver impactful work for our clients.”

Pierre-Axel Pejouan, Strategy Director, AnalogFolk says: “Working across different continents with some of the world’s most innovative brands has provided me experience that I’m thrilled to put into practice at AnalogFolk. The agency's belief and demonstrable proof in using digital to make the analogue world better, along with how quickly the Amsterdam team grew while fostering a culture of collaboration and belonging really impressed me.”

Amsterdam bolsters strategy offering

First published on <a style="color: #ff0000;" href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/year-ahead-tech-change-think-act/1702633">campaign </a>

This year has been a year of change like no other. If the universal provocation from 2020 is “how can we be better?”, those of us in the field are also questioning the role technology has played and continues to play in equality and representation. But technology itself is neither good nor bad, it plays the role we give it. That’s why our answer is that we need more change. And what needs to change most of all is us.

These problems don’t exist in a microcosm, they’re systemic and far-reaching. After all, technology is built on blind spots and biases that have so far remained hidden. Facial recognition technology still doesn’t recognise people of darker skin. Credit scoring has been known to give them unfair financial outcomes. At airports, they might be unfairly searched because scanners can’t detect their skin or hair. In all of these cases, people of colour are the victims of unfair outcomes and categorisations.

So it’s not enough just to create solutions and put them out into the world. We need to teach and continuously de-bias our solutions. While we increasingly rely on AI, for example, it’s still not sophisticated enough to remove stereotypes and prejudices. The systems we build need bias-free human input to keep removing these errors.

And it’s not just about the tools. We also need to shift how we identify and segment our consumers. Shifting from demographic and people-based segmentation to behavioural segmentation can help us focus not on who we’re targeting, but their behaviours instead. If designed in the right way, and backed up by sufficient quantitative volumes, the approach will drive us from designing products for outdated personas to a more equitable system.

The data we base these behaviours on must also be representative, so it’s critical we assess our sources from that perspective. Working closely with our data partners, we need to interrogate where the data is coming from, whose information it collects and whether it is a fair representation of the people we want to reach with our products.

If we’re going to make better solutions, they genuinely need to start with people. And not just “people like me”. We need to change how we think and how we act, building technologies that meet and reflect everyone’s needs, this year and beyond.

By Sol Ghafoor, Director of Strategic Services.

The year ahead for tech: change how you think and act

First published in <a style="color: #ff0000;" href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/lists-2020-top-7-digital-innovations/1702340">Campaign </a>

1 Mojang “Blockdown Simulator”

If Covid-19 was the inspiration behind much of the best digital innovation this year, this socially responsible game is, rightly, its poster child. The makers of legendary computer game Minecraft launched a free, pandemic-themed spin-off to educate children about the need to socially distance. Created by WPP’s AKQA, Blockdown Simulator centres on a map featuring a village that is exposed to highly infectious zombie villagers and an underground hospital where the sick may be cured.

Agency AKQA London

2 Asos “Digital sizing”

Launched in January, but ramped up later in 2020 when the pandemic took hold, Asos rolled out this augmented-reality tool that digitally maps its clothes items to 16 different real-life models of differing heights and body shapes. Not only did it help models and Asos staff photograph products in their homes during lockdown, it helps create a realistic representation of the garment for shoppers.

Agency Zeekit

3 Sonantic

Digital creative ads ideally need to be able to respond in real time to changes in consumer behaviour or the environment. British artificial voice start-up Sonantic could be a game-changer when it comes to ad voiceovers and voice assistants in ecommerce. The tool, which aims to convey “deep human emotion”, has captured attention from ad agencies; entertainment companies and game studios could be next.

Agency n/a

4 “BigUp.AI”

This AI tool is designed to encourage women to use more confident language. BigUp.AI analyses passive language in emails and messages to identify when users are unintentionally talking themselves down. Once detected, the tool suggests how to change the language so that it becomes bolder and more persuasive. BigU.AI won the Future Impact Pencil for Initiative at the D&amp;AD Awards 2020.

Agency AnalogFolk

5 Social Chain “Shoppable live streams”

Even before the pandemic-driven spike in demand for ecommerce, Social Chain turned to “shoppertainment” in January with shoppable live streams via Facebook. The service activates a chatbot to help sell products to Facebook users who comment on a live video stream. It is reminiscent of QVC but enables interaction with influencers, and the buying process is more frictionless.

Agency Social Chain

6 EE “The world’s first 5G-powered dress”

Once again, the telecoms brand delivered something arresting for the Bafta red carpet. This year it adorned TV presenter Maya Jama with a six-layered dress that appeared to transform in real time (if you were looking at her on nearby big screens or a smartphone with 5G). Super-fast 5G mobile internet enables such marketing activity because of the amount of data that can be processed in real time.

Agencies Publicis.Poke, Cake

7 UK government “Gov.UK Coronavirus information line”

Working with WPP’s Wavemaker, the UK government launched the Gov.UK Coronavirus Information Line built on the WhatsApp Business API information feed, using Infobip’s global communication platform. It enables the sharing of timely, vital knowledge and updates about Covid-19.

Agency Wavemaker

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The Lists 2020: Top 7 digital innovations

First published on <a style="color: #ff0000;" href="https://www.creativebrief.com/bite/trend/guest-trend/ai-problem-and-cure-empowering-women-workplace">creativebrief</a>

Technology simply plays the role we give it, so why not use it instead for good, to empower women and help reduce inequality, writes Vee Lockey, Strategist at AnalogFolk.

What do COVID-19 and artificial intelligence have in common? They’ve both independently been heralded as ‘great equalisers’, or forces that don’t discriminate or hold the same biases and blind spots as humans do. This is, of course, untrue.

In many ways, both have been conspirators in entrenching and exacerbating existing gender inequalities in the workplace. But technology simply plays the role we give it, so why not use it instead for good, to empower women and help reduce inequality? A freshly updated digital tool, BigUp.AI, has been launched to do just that.

The great (in)equaliser 

Within a matter of months, COVID-19 could set women’s workplace equality back decades. McKinsey has calculated that women’s jobs are nearly two times more vulnerable to the COVID crisis than men’s. And while women make up 39% of global employment, they account for 54% of job losses. So why are women more affected? The answer probably won’t come as a surprise.

Women are more exposed to COVID-19’s economic effects because of existing gender inequalities. For example, since women disproportionately take on unpaid care, mothers are 47% more likely than fathers to have permanently lost their job or quit during the crisis, according to a 2020 report from UCL.

'' We all have a responsibility to ensure the technology we develop to build our new future actually heroes diversity rather than perpetuating the prejudices of the past.'' Vee Lockey

The future imitating the past

Similarly, it is existing, deep-seated gender inequalities that can inadvertently lead to biases in technology. For example, Amazon’s experimental AI recruitment system was taken down after it was discovered that the system had a gender bias against women.

How did that happen? Amazon’s computer models were trained by observing patterns in successful resumes sent to the company within the last 10 years. Most were from men, reflecting the male dominance across the tech industry. As a result, the AI learned to favour language more commonly found on males’ resumes, for example men are over twice as likely to use words and phrases which indicate leadership such as ‘lead’, ‘create’, or ‘deliver’, according to Major Players. The tool also learnt to actively avoid the word ‘women’s’, such as ‘women’s chess champion’.

Despite these potential biases, 67% of hiring managers and recruiters surveyed by LinkedIn in 2018 said AI was saving them time. And in 2020, AI recruitment is predicted to increase. Deloitte’s technical director of privacy, Ivana Bartoletti, believes the pandemic will cause AI-led recruitment to take off at "rocket speed".

This, coupled with the disproportionate impact that COVID has had on female unemployment and unconscious gender biases in recruitment systems, could be disastrous for female representation in the workplace, let alone equality.

The problem and the cure

Technology itself is neither inherently good nor bad. It plays the role we give it. So, we can choose to use AI to empower women and strengthen their voices, as opposed to rendering them invisible.

And a female-led team at AnalogFolk did just that when they created BigUp.AI, a digital tool that helps women describe their strengths with more assertive language so they can self-promote with impact. The idea was born off the back of the insight that women were four times more likely to shrink their successes, according to Forbes. The tool was launched in beta version for International Women’s Day 2020 and now phase two is here to remind women of their self-worth and strength, right when they need it.

BigUp.AI uses cutting-edge Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning technology to identify strengths and suggest ways to express them in a more impactful, assertive way. Thanks to everyone who helped train the tool at beta stage, the AI can now analyse full sentences of text.

AnalogFolk is continuing to develop the AI so it can read and enhance full paragraphs of text, with the ambition for BigUp.AI to become a go-to tool for women to power up their cover letters, CVs, interviews and performance reviews, making it easier for women to embrace their talents, be confident in owning their achievements and, importantly, to be heard.

As we increasingly rely on advanced technology to help us navigate a post-COVID world, we all have a responsibility to ensure the technology we develop to build our new future actually heroes diversity rather than perpetuating the prejudices of the past.

KEY TAKE OUTS

Gender biases from the past risk shaping a future of inequality. Women are nearly two times more likely to lose their jobs during the COVID crisis than men due to existing gender inequalities, for example by taking on the biggest proportion of unpaid family care. This exclusion from the workforce risks, plus an influx of AI recruitment systems, similar systems having previously been shown to have gender biases against women as a result of the AI being trained from existing, male-dominated industry data, creates a real danger of increased inequality.

Tech is both the problem and the cure. We can use AI to empower women and strengthen their voices, as opposed to past examples of AI that rendered them invisible. For example, AnalogFolk has created BigUp.AI, a digital tool that helps women describe their strengths with more assertive language, so they can self-promote with impact.

We all have the opportunity and responsibility to build a better future. As we increasingly rely on advanced technology to help us navigate a post-COVID world, we all have a responsibility to ensure the technology we develop to build our new future actually heroes gender equality and women in the workplace rather than perpetuating the prejudices of the past.

Is AI the problem and the cure to empowering women in the workplace?

First published on <a style="color: #ff0000;" href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/tiktok-shares-its-creative-brand-campaigns-2020/1701523">Campaign </a>

If you're a Strictly Come Dancing viewer, you might have noticed this year that presenter Claudia Winkelman has begun announcing "We're now on TikTok!" [as well as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc] each Saturday, with an embarrassed look to the camera as if to admit she has no idea what TikTok is.

Such is the meteoric rise of the video-sharing app that primetime TV audiences, and even BBC TV presenters, may still be clueless about what TikTok is at the end of 2020. But ad industry folk should know better.

TikTok's user base, which is set to grow to reach the tens of millions next year, has become older, as people see what all the fuss among teens and tweens is about this app that offers a seemingly endless video stream of skits and lip-syncs.

Campaign has reported on how advertisers have pressed TikTok on brand-safety issues and transparency, while outgoing US president Donald Trump has sought to disparage the Chinese-owned company and called for its US operations to be sold.

But it's hard to deny that TikTok has become a major source of creativity in media, with major brands trying their hand at content that will appeal to young audiences, who are becoming increasingly hard-to-reach through paid media.

So we asked TikTok to tell the ad industry what it thinks has worked well on the platform this year. The results may surprise you.

Beats By Dr Dre '#BeatsDaisyChallenge' by AnalogFolk London

Beats By Dr Dre '#BeatsDaisyChallenge' by AnalogFolk LondonCelebrating the launch of the new Powerbeats Pro summer colours, Beats By Dr Dre teamed up with singer, songwriter and rapper Ashnikko to create a series of challenges inviting the TikTok community to flex its creative muscle.

The "#BeatsDaisyChallenge" is one of the most successful brand campaigns run on TikTok to date, with more than 7.1 billion views of the challenge and 460 million engagements.

Virgin Media 'Stay in love, stay connected' by Manning Gottlieb OMD

Virgin Media's heartfelt campaign, featuring timeless stories of romantic connections, features cat selfies, virtual musical duets, and people falling asleep together on a video call. Dating is depicted in the era of the "new normal" through a series of real-life inspired snapshots, to the upbeat soundtrack of Carly Rae Jepsen’s I Really Like You.

This did well on TopView, the very first video that every people see when they open the TikTok app, and, when it first ran in September, the campaign garnered 21.9 million impressions in a single day, with an "engagement rate" of 16%, which includes likes, shares and comments on the ad.

TikTok '#MyRoots / Black History, Black Present and Black Future' (in-house)

This was a month-long, grass-roots campaign in October to educate everyone on TikTok, its employees and partners on black history in the UK. With the aim of shining a light on the different experiences and stories of the black community, the content was curated to feature the brightest black talent from across the UK – ranging from creators to artists, such as Cat Burns, Jeremy Lynch and Sherice Barton. There was also a Hashtag Challenge, which resulted in nearly 288 million views and a series of "TikTok Live" educational events.

eBay '#StrongerAsOne' by Vidsy

EBay launched a campaign to recognise the brilliance of the UK small businesses that operate through its buy-and-sell platform. Enlisting help from Vidsy, one of TikTok's marketing partners, eBay produced an emotive video featuring short clips of real small businesses in their day-to-day lives, which resulted in more than 17.8 million impressions from people upon launching the app.

The call to action at the bottom of the video had a click-through rate of 17.3%, which pushed hundreds of thousands of users to a landing page, where they could discover more about the campaign and explore some of the products on offer.

Too Faced '#TFBornThisWay' (in-house)

The Estée Lauder Company’s Too Faced brand launched a campaign for its Born This Way Foundation, which worked with a diverse range of TikTok Creators for a branded Hashtag Challenge called #TFBornThisWay.

Too Faced used an augmented-reality Branded Effect to celebrate the creators' unique complexions. More than 162,000 TikTok users created more than 456,000 videos for the challenge, resulting in two billion views of videos with the #TFBornThisWay hashtag.

TikTok shares its most creative brand campaigns of 2020

In case you haven't already heard – we’re beyond excited to announce that we have won two silver awards at Campaign’s Greater China Agency of the Year Awards, for Greater China Independent Agency of the Year and Greater China Specialist Agency of the Year.

The double Silver award win follows AnalogFolk winning Campaign's UK Digital Innovation Agency of the Year followed by Global Digital Innovation Agency of the Year, earlier this year.

2020 has been unexpected, uncertain, and unprecedented. Yet, despite these challenges, we’re incredibly proud to have received these prestigious awards that pay tribute to the collaborative strength, expertise, innovation and societal impact initiatives led across our global network. And we're even more excited about the great work in the pipeline for 2021, helping brands realise the full power of digital to create value for people and transform their business.

In case you missed it before, here are some of our work highlights from 2020:

<a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Nike-HK-Membership-1-1180-x-664.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7360" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Nike-HK-Membership-1-1180-x-664.png" alt="" width="1180" height="664" /></a>

NikePlus Membership 2.0

View the case study <a href="https://analogfolk.com/work/nikeplus-membership-2-0">here. </a>

<a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/SEARI-ARTICLE-IMAGE-1180-X-664.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7358" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/SEARI-ARTICLE-IMAGE-1180-X-664.png" alt="" width="1102" height="620" /></a>

Serai Simplifying trade

View the case study <a href="https://analogfolk.com/work/simplifying-trade">here. </a>

<a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/BIGUP-IN-ARTICLE-1180-X-664.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7359" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/BIGUP-IN-ARTICLE-1180-X-664.png" alt="" width="1101" height="620" /></a>

BigUp.AI 2.0

View the case study<a href="https://analogfolk.com/work/bigup-2-0"> here. </a>

Double silver at Campaign’s Greater China AOTY

AnalogFolk is incredibly proud to be recognised as a 3x Lovie Award Winner. This year’s Lovie Awards acknowledges our innovative and creative work for clients including BT and Beats by Dr. Dre.

The Lovie’s honour the best in modern marketing and recognise agencies, brands, publishers and platforms who are showing excellence and innovation in a range of categories. 

We scooped up three Lovie Awards including two for our work for BT, ‘Code a Cake’, a digital activation that takes the mysterious and intimidating world of coding, and makes it accessible through the metaphor of baking a cake. Code a Cake was successful in two categories, ‘ Websites - Schools and Education’ winning GOLD, and the prestigious ‘Best Use of Animation and Graphics’ category - winning silver. 

Our #BeatsDaisyChallenge for Beats by Dr. Dre, also picked up a GOLD Lovie award for ‘The Best Influencer Endorsement’. The #BeatsDaisyChallenge, was Beats’ first-ever campaign on TikTok, and the world’s first music video to be created using user-generated content.  TikTok superstar Ashnikko invited audiences to be part of the video for her new single, ‘Daisy’, by challenging them to create colour-themed TikToks inspired by the new Powerbeats Pro headphones. The campaign racked up 8.1 billion views in the first month of the campaign going live and drove unprecedented engagement and reach for Beats. 

Alongside our Lovie's success, we were also successful in The Drum DADI Awards 2020, with BT's Code a Cake winning in the ‘ Consume Products and Services’ category. The award acknowledges AnalogFolk’s digital expertise, and also recognises Code a Cake’s success as not just an educational tool, but also as a brilliant piece of crafted design.

#BeatsDaisyChallenge - view the case study <a href="https://analogfolk.com/work/feel-the-colour">here </a>

<a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/BEATS-ARTICLE-IMAGE-.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7341" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/BEATS-ARTICLE-IMAGE-.png" alt="" width="1180" height="664" /></a>

Code a Cake - view the case study <a href="https://analogfolk.com/work/code-a-cake">here </a>

<a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/BT-CODE-A-CAKE-ARTICLE-IMAGE-.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7338" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/BT-CODE-A-CAKE-ARTICLE-IMAGE-.png" alt="" width="1180" height="664" /></a>

AnalogFolk sweeps the board at The Lovie Awards 2020

First published on <a href="https://www.economist.com/prospero/2020/11/16/musicians-are-increasingly-collaborating-with-their-fans">The Economist </a>

ON APRIL 6TH Charli XCX shared her intention to create a “DIY Quarantine album”. “I’m going to be setting up an email so fans can send me beats,” the British popstar <a class="c-link" href="https://twitter.com/charli_xcx/status/1247240506901442561" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://twitter.com/charli_xcx/status/1247240506901442561" data-sk="tooltip_parent">announced in a video</a> posted on Twitter, “I’ll also be reaching out to collaborators online, and will keep the entire process super open.”

In the weeks leading up to the record’s release on May 15th, Ms XCX shared demos with her fans, asked them to offer feedback on lyrics and requested that they send in video clips of themselves so they could appear—uncredited—in a music video for one of the album’s singles, “forever”. The result, “how i’m feeling now”, became one of the most talked-about albums of lockdown and managed to reach number 33 in the British charts (a feat, considering the avant-garde and chart-averse nature of the album).

Charli XCX encouraged her fans to regard themselves not as mere consumers of her work, but as her creative partners. Other musicians, sensing that their admirers need distraction and entertainment in lockdown, are having similar ideas. In August Snow Patrol released an album in collaboration with The Saturday Songwriters—a catch-all term for the fans who helped craft the songs via Instagram Live. Gary Lightbody, the band’s lead singer, asked participants to suggest chords; he crafted some melodies and users voted for their favourite. Mr Lightbody then solicited ideas for lyrics.

“Some people were making jokes,” he has <a class="c-link" href="https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/9437768/snow-patrols-gary-lightbody-ep-interview" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/9437768/snow-patrols-gary-lightbody-ep-interview" data-sk="tooltip_parent">said</a>, “but 95% of them were really heartfelt people speaking from where they were in that time and that place.” The album’s artwork was also put to an online contest, and all proceeds from the release will go to a British food charity.Social media has played a crucial role in facilitating this dialogue and allowing such creativity to flourish. Some musicians are making use of the “duet” function on TikTok, a video-sharing site, which allows users to riff on others’ work. (If a user posts a video, another person can respond to it, and the result appears side-by-side on the screen.)

It is a feature Charlie Puth (pictured), an American singer-songwriter and producer, has been experimenting with over the past several months. He began laying down beats on TikTok in February and requesting that users add musical layers of their own. What resulted were fully-fledged songs, which Mr Puth did not release but left on TikTok for people to enjoy. The hashtag #writethelyrics has been viewed 3.8bn times to date.

Many musicians have sought fans’ involvement in other ways. In April Grimes, a Canadian singer-songwriter, asked people to make a music video for her single “You’ll Miss Me When I’m Not Around”. “Because we’re all in lockdown, we thought if people are bored and wanna learn new things, we could release the raw components of a music video for anyone who wants to try making stuff using our footage,” she said. The finished products were posted on YouTube, Twitter and Instagram under the hashtag #grimesartkit, and some were shared by Grimes herself. In May Perfume Genius, an American singer, invited fans to submit ideas for the video for his single “Without You”, with the three chosen directors receiving $1,000 to make their vision a reality.

“There’s a world of creativity and self-expression in the form of dance routines, transformations, remixes or funny interpretations of original artistic content,” says Sol Ghafoor, a director at AnalogFolk, a creative agency. With Beats by Dr. Dre, an audio equipment company, he recently launched a campaign starring Ashnikko, a rapper who had gone viral on TikTok. Ashnikko invited fans to be a part of the video for her new single, “Daisy”, by challenging them to create clips inspired by the new headphones.

“When I was growing up, I wanted to connect with the artist. I think the tools have just caught up with what fans have always wanted,” says Eric Fritschi, a global marketing strategist who has worked on promotional campaigns for the likes of Diplo and Major Lazer. As well as making fans feel closer to their favourite singers, these schemes have benefits for record labels. “With the old model, you’d make all the content and storytelling, push it out to people and hope that they liked it, and there was very little feedback from that,” he says. “But now we know, even before it goes out whether fans will like it or not, whether they’re anticipating or not.”

Mr Fritschi estimates that a marketing team now makes about a tenth of an album’s promotional material and “the fans are contributing all the rest”—either by posting on Twitter, dancing to the songs on TikTok or using the music to accompany an Instagram story.Fans, no matter how many hours they put into these projects, do not have any formal claim to the remixed content. Copyright laws “prevent the [musicians’] work from being exploited in a way which they do not agree with, or in a way which means they are no longer appropriately remunerated for their work,” says Joshua Schuermann, an associate at Briffa Legal, a firm specialising in intellectual property law.

In 2014 Erasure, an English synth-pop duo, launched a competition whereby fans could put their own spin on their latest single for the chance to have it appear on one of the band’s later releases. The winning entry, “Sacred (Fiben Remix)”, appeared on a record a year later although its maker was not entitled to monetary compensation. Superfans may relish the opportunity to engage with their favourite tracks, but it is often for the musician’s benefit—not theirs.

Musicians are increasingly collaborating with their fans

First Published on <a href="https://www.brandinginasia.com/banking-on-a-future-generation/">Branding in Asia </a>

In a fast-moving world, every established and traditional industry faces challenges to its relevance and continuity. The 2020s means a new generation with a digitally-native background is coming of age in all senses — and a new kind of thinking is needed by brands, to engage with these customers and stakeholders effectively.

For banking in particular, a lack of agility and customer-focused thinking is leading to failure to understand their future customers and meet their needs, with legacy institutions focusing marketing instead on a generation which might have greater solvency today, but whose peak of earning potential is past — and dying off with them is the idea of choosing financial and other brands for life.

This demographic time-bomb is accompanied by an <a href="https://www.brandinginasia.com/line-bk-gives-cash-and-saves-friendships-in-newest-campaign/">explosion of alternative solutions</a> to traditional banking services, which pose an existential threat to the 500-year-old banking industry.

Know your customer 

To commit to serving the new generation, banks first need to understand them.

Attempting to appeal to ‘Millennials’ in a homogenous and patronizing fumble towards the ‘youth’ market, is to miss the rich and diverse attributes of a demographic no longer definable by broad generational strokes.

From those in their teens and 20s who are taking control of their finances for the first time, to high-earning professionals in their 30s and 40s who may be yet to be involved with property purchase and retirement planning, there is a broad range of needs for solutions which don’t attempt to pigeonhole people by credit score, life-stage or traditional financial categories — while many banks make no attempt to realistically model their users and their spectrum of needs as buyer personas.

So there’s a real space here for banks to meet a need — to offer relevant knowledge and understanding, rather than a brief marketing campaign.

These young adults are facing unique uncertainties and challenges in their lives, including an awareness of daunting environmental threats, career limitations, and a continual reminder that they are less likely to own traditional assets and material wealth than their <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/04/millennials-are-new-lost-generation/609832/">parents.</a>

Mental health difficulties are at all-time highs around the world, and a growing disconnect is opening up between them and people from other age groups who still hold many of the keys to resources and power.

These young people don’t think of themselves as ‘digital first’, any more than a fish thinks of itself as ‘water first’. They exist within their lived environment, and value experiences, trust, transparency, and ethical standpoints.

Their parents aren’t inspired or equipped to teach them about money — and their schools aren’t bothering to do so in any meaningful way. So there’s a real space here for banks to meet a need — to offer relevant knowledge and understanding, rather than a brief marketing campaign. Far from nihilistic despair, these young people have unique dreams, desires, and goals — they just don’t define piling up assets as a direct aspiration, and they need education and messaging which aligns with and reflects this.

Many are carving out innovative self-actualizing roles for themselves, from the digital nomad to the environmental activist to the<a href="https://www.brandinginasia.com/the-influencer-a-voice-for-good-when-its-authentic/"> celebrity influencer</a> (frequently categories that banks do not understand and don’t want to deal with).

These young people don’t think of themselves as ‘digital first’, any more than a fish thinks of itself as ‘water first’. They exist within their lived environment, and value experiences, trust, transparency, and ethical standpoints, from the brands they choose to interact with — and from whom they will switch away in a heartbeat if they feel they’ve been let down or misled.

New generations, new needs

When it comes to banking and financial services they need different things from their parents right now, and banks are increasingly failing to recognize and fulfill those needs. They’re not investing in their customers of the future because they’re prioritizing revenue now over revenue later and, with few exceptions, they’re still primarily marketing to a dwindling demographic cohort.

This may have worked in the past because everyone needed a bank, and would probably trust the ones their parents used. But those needing banking services now may well circumvent the industry altogether, as varied alternatives are now available to them. Neo-banks and challenger-banks like TMRW and Revolut are attracting younger customers with shiny native apps and products built around their needs and interests, and alternative payment providers like Thunes are attracting investment regardless of present economic <a href="https://www.finsmes.com/2020/09/thunes-raises-60m-in-series-b-funding.html?utm_source=angellist">climate.</a>

They don’t trust the stock market, and would rather invest in digital assets or even commodities, if they can afford to save at all.

Fintech startups like 220 Bank and Karat are embracing the earning and spending potential of those with non-traditional career paths in the creator economy, rather than rejecting them out of hand, and Razer, recognizing the untapped potential of the esports and gaming market, is appealing directly to that audience with bespoke fintech services.

Whether their providers have traditional banking licenses or not is less relevant to a generation for whom saving and investment may be a distant dream; instead, they want accessible credit and straightforward payment tools on their device of choice. They don’t trust the stock market, and would rather invest in digital assets or even <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/investing/shares/millennial-investors-piling-oil-gold/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">commodities</a> if they can afford to save at all.

New classes of assets also threaten the hegemony of the traditional gatekeepers to wealth and growth, from cryptocurrencies to NFTs to virtual gaming assets — offering empowered users the option to be their own bank, rather than use one.

Increasingly all these services may be provided by retailers and social platforms completely unrelated to banking, who bundle easy-to-access payment rails into their EULAs along with their messaging and shopping — making banks the victim of their own fears of losing control of data, and failure to establish the necessary relationships with tech giants in the first place.

Finally, new classes of assets also threaten the hegemony of the traditional gatekeepers to wealth and growth, from cryptocurrencies to NFTs to virtual gaming assets — offering empowered users the option to be their own bank, rather than use one. This creates entirely new threats that the banking industry has not yet begun to engage with in any meaningful way.

Banking on the future

To avoid being completely left behind as this cohort carves out new lives and careers in a post-Covid world, banks need to act now.

They need to get to know these customers and understand them, and be ready to learn from them — their high expectations of customer service experience and brand accountability will have to be met transparently and coherently. Informing and educating the customers of the future must be done in a non-patronizing way, that demonstrates as much willingness to understand from them how, for example, a brand influencer’s income and career develops, as an intent to advise about investment strategies and products.

Only by radically rethinking their strategy to meet their new cohort of customers on their own turf, and talking to them in their own language by creating products and services which are meaningful for them, will banks avoid fading into insignificance.

Their brands need to become visible, to users whose payment method of first choice is their mobile phone, and for whom the institution behind it may be less manifest. If fintech seeks to make the bank brand disappear and merge into the tech experience, this is a gap banks can fill — in sustainable, invested, and authentic ways.

Legacy institutions can create new internal brands, driven by cross-functional innovation teams, cultivating a startup mentality and agility which may run counter to traditional culture — but which safeguards an experimental and responsive user-centered mindset and approach. They can balance an iterative developmental mindset with a commitment to authenticity and staying power that their future customers admire, being ready to pivot when they identify new needs but remaining consistent in the values that matter.

Only by radically rethinking their strategy to meet their new cohort of customers on their own turf, and talking to them in their own language by creating products and services which are meaningful for them, will banks avoid fading into insignificance. At this pivotal moment for the global economy, there’s still a window for courageous institutions to be catalyzed by the challenges of 2020, and transform into relevant and powerful financial partners for a new generation.

Written by Strategy Director, Stephen Pill.

Banking on a Future Generation

First published on <a href="https://www.campaignasia.com/article/7-rules-for-creating-an-aspirational-online-experience/464742">Campaign </a>

Over the past 10 years, a voraciously connected millennial customer has changed the way luxury and premium brands approach their online presence. Skyrocketing digital sales create increasing pressure to create online experiences that remain aspirational, without losing the unique point of view and integrity of the brand. While catering to younger customers, brands must also avoid losing their older clientele; a challenge that many brands struggle with.

Below, we’ll share our seven rules to follow when marrying strong user experience techniques with a premium brand, as well as examples of brands that do this best.

1. The best brands approach user experience holistically

Differentiation is achieved by viewing the customer experience end-to-end. Generous, informative content, “swag” that the user will be excited about displaying or using, delivery methods and packaging, and added digital services are all touchpoints to consider.

In Asia, we are seeing luxury brands beginning to establish a presence on e-commerce marketplaces, because that is where their consumers need them to be.

Whilst luxury brands were cautious at first, marketplaces have been working to make an environment that’s suited to them. TMall established its Luxury Pavilion, which is invite only and therefore restricted to only a few luxury brands. Meanwhile, accessories maker Coach is now on Lazada and has created a LazMall flagship store that provides all the premium qualities you would expect to see from the brand both online and offline.

While it seems like a luxury brand would risk a loss of their finely crafted customer experience by setting themselves up on marketplaces, it is now integral to a customer’s shopping journey in Asia. And just as a physical presence is important to reach customers, a digital presence, in select locations, is now just as important.

2. Create immediate scarcity 

Luxury traditionally signals few customers and small quantities. But a recent online trend now shifts the emphasis of luxury to “who you know” and “how quickly you know it”.

A prime example of this is the luxury product drops by the Chinese fashion influencer Tao Liang, better known as Mr. Bags. Mr Bags regularly drops luxury bag collaborations with brands such as Dunhill, Givenchy and Montblanc to his 5 million Weibo followers with little to no warning. You have to be in the right place, at the right time, to get them. Customers can purchase the bags the moment they drop via their phones using Baoshop, Mr. Bags WeChat mini program, which ensures a seamless, in-the-moment experience. The result is stock that's snapped up in minutes; his recent Dunhill bag drop sold out of all 200 units within 26 minutes.

Scarcity is a crucial element to maintaining allure within any luxury brand, and when creating an online experience, be sure to explore the different ways you can deliver that scarcity.

3. Personalisation is key

A VIP experience is a tailored experience, personalised to the specific type of customer involved, however the personalisation tool can work both ways. One method is to harness the power of user generated content.

Beats by Dre, a headphone company with a staggering 70% market share globally, launched a new range of colourful Power Beats Pro headphones. Their desire was to launch into the Asian market using colour, self-expression and the emotion of music. Given the target customer, generation Z, Beats decided to meet them where they are: TikTok.

By featuring singer Ashnikko, the #BeatsDaisyChallenge campaign leveraged talent from Tiktok’s vast community to create the world’s first TikTok music video featuring user-generated content. Over four weeks, Ashnikko challenged TikTok influencers to showcase their creativity via a series of TikTok challenges centered around self-expression through colour.

The result was a visual experience that users had created themselves. The campaign drove unprecedented reach and engagement for Beats, with 8.1B hashtag views, 946M likes, shares and comments, and 2.2M videos uploaded.

(Disclosure: This campaign was by AnalogFolk)

 4. Drive desirability

People often associate status with items, products and services that are exclusive. This means that brands wanting to appear exclusive must follow through with that promise.

Social and professional networking app, Raya, whose users include celebrities, entrepreneurs and other elites, can be joined only by referral from another member. Even then membership is not guaranteed. This process not only generates desirability, but often, free PR.

Another method of status-building is verification. On social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram, the “blue check” is a symbol that represents validity and authority.

Gatekeeping online can be tricky given the lack of face-to-face contact. Brands should also keep in mind that an overzealous approach to exclusivity might deter valid customers, so every effort must be made to find desired customers wherever they are, and not rely on an online-only approach.

5. Strive for a unique point of view 

It might feel impossible to do things differently in a crowded market. There are e-commerce sites, mobile apps, and games aplenty. Standing out comes down to commitment to vision. Monument Valley (a mobile puzzle game that won Apple Game and App of the Year, Apple Design Award and several BAFTAs) is a perfect example of a premium digital experience with serious cut-through. Designers of the game wanted each frame to be so aesthetically pleasing that it could be hung on a wall, like art. The sound design also won accolades for its exceptional originality and quality.

The creators of the game prized minute attention to detail, and the commitment paid off: the game attracted users outside of the typical “gamer” persona and earned $25 million in revenue since launching in 2014. Not bad for a young team on its first mobile game.

 6. Privacy and discretion must be maintained 

Luxury clientele are famously discreet and sensitive to their personal lives being exposed in any way, but ordinary users worldwide are also becoming more attuned to the risks of life online. Brands must be hyper-aware of how they are gathering, treating and storing customer data.

At best, customers should fully understand and give consent when allowing brands to access their personal information. At worst, a major breach could destroy the trust a brand has built over years of investment in a customer or user base. Invest in data privacy best practices now to maintain credibility as a brand and avoid any risk of violation.

7. Go above and beyond 

Customer service perks are an obvious first step for any luxury brand, but what are some other exciting examples of value-add?

Race Scout, conceived by AMG/Mercedes, provided an exciting new service for owners of the AMG race car which included first access to racing events, driver training, and participation in international racing events.

The Race Scout app was originally conceived to allow owners of an AMG vehicle, which start at a cost of around $500k, to connect with teams that need a car for their next race, from amateur to professional level drivers.

In China, Nio, the premium electric vehicle manufacturer, went above and beyond for their clientele, by creating Nio Houses across China. Positioned as a members only club, Nio Houses elevates Nio’s offering from cars to a fully tangible lifestyle where members can relax, meet friends, learn and discover more about their cars. Nio Houses even include child day care services for their esteemed members.

Think laterally when it comes to going above and beyond, and don’t assume you know what it is that your customers need or desire. You might be surprised at what your customers want, and the best way to find out is to prototype different options and test their responses.

8. (Bonus tip) Create a consistently authentic experience

Taking a premium brand experience across to a younger customer base, as Tommy Hilfiger did with Tommy Jeans, can be risky. The authentic spirit of the brand must be maintained, otherwise the namesake brand could be compromised by a less-than-luxe experience.

Tommy Hilfiger wanted to find a new space for its Tommy Jeans products online, where it could showcase the Hilfiger brand DNA, and ensure the approval from a street-savvy, drop-obsessed audience. Authenticity became the key challenge.

From creative to art direction, locations to cadence, Tommy Hilfiger mirrored fashion fans’ lives and digital behaviours. The key to creating this type of alignment was to be obsessive about users; finding who they were, what type of people and images represented them, and how they could connect content to commerce.

Finally, aspirational and premium experiences aren’t limited to luxury brands. Some of Asia’s most popular and respected brands take their customers on a journey that might start on Instagram and finish with a purchase, but the unique perspective of their brand is hyper-present throughout the user experience.

Written by Stephen Pill, Strategy Director at AnalogFolk.

7 rules for creating an aspirational online experience

First published on <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/whatsapp-wants-to-host-your-intimate-chats-dont-frettheyll-be-deleted-in-a-week-11604692159">The Wall Street Journal </a>

Facebook Inc.’s WhatsApp has introduced a setting that automatically deletes messages after seven days, a move aimed at encouraging users to feel comfortable chatting in confidence.

The feature, which as of this month can be applied to both one-to-one and group chats, is meant to make chats feel more like face-to-face conversations than imperishable email threads or text messages do, said Zafir Khan, product manager at WhatsApp.

Records of most in-person conversations don’t exist forever, so conversations on WhatsApp shouldn’t have to either, according to Mr. Khan. “Things like text messages had a very different use case over a decade ago—they were used more for one-off coordination, because of the limited characters and the spottiness of connection,” he said. “But now smartphones have proliferated and people always have their phones with them, they’re using WhatsApp messaging for very deep and intimate conversations.”

That led WhatsApp’s product team to rethink its assumptions about how the service should work, Mr. Khan said. They hope the new feature will encourage more people to host personal conversations on the platform, confident that their messages won’t come back to haunt them, he said.
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The feature may also help Facebook boost engagement on WhatsApp, according to Miguel Alvarez, global chief technology officer of digital agency AnalogFolk Ltd. He said users may check in on conversations more if they are afraid of missing something important. People in group chats may also be motivated to chime in to keep WhatsApp conversations from going empty, he added. “Data and privacy are clearly important in this,” Mr. Alvarez said, “but really it almost forces users to keep a conversation ongoing.”

The concept of sending a disappearing message was popularized in the early 2010s by Snapchat, which let users send ephemeral photos to their contacts.

Snapchat’s novel messaging experience alarmed some people, said Ysabel Gerrard, lecturer in digital media and society at the University of Sheffield. Critics feared that disappearing messages would make it harder to hold people accountable for their actions online and risked enabling behavior such as cyberbullying and nonconsensual sharing of sexual imagery, she said. Those concerns died down as the format became more familiar, she said.

Telegram Group Inc., one of WhatsApp’s biggest competitors, also offers a “self-destructing messages” option within its messenger product, letting users set a time limit on the visibility of their messages and media. Some Twitter users likewise set their feeds to auto-delete.

WhatsApp believes the seven-day deletion period gives its system an advantage over apps that erase messages as soon as they are read, meaning people can forget what they have been talking about or lose useful information, he said.

“In testing we found that seven days is long enough that you won’t forget what you’re talking about, but still short enough that you’re given peace of mind that this is a place where you can have a free conversation,” Mr. Khan said.

The company’s user-research team will study how people respond to the feature, and consider whether to recommend additions such as the ability to protect locked messages from deletion. It will also track whether disappearing messages lead to a change in user behavior on the platform, Mr. Khan said.

WhatsApp's newest setting, that's making your messages disppear

Global, Monday 2 November 2020 – Global independent digital creative agency AnalogFolk is launching BigUp.AI 2.0, a more powerful version of the AI tool that’s been under beta-testing in the creative community for eight months. It’s an example of future-focused technology that helps tackle bigger societal issues – in this case, women habitually playing down their successes. 

A leading female director at NASA, a cognitive behavioural specialist, a young person leaving full time education, a woman in full time employment, a recruitment consultant and a female entrepreneur have all responded to the tool.

<a href="http://www.bigup.ai/">BigUp.AI 2.0</a> is created by a female-led team at digital innovation specialists AnalogFolk. The not-for-profit tool helps women to self-promote with impact. It encourages them to describe their skills, values and strengths more confidently and to reconsider the language they use to talk about themselves professionally.

AnalogFolk launched the beta version to coincide with International Women’s Day 2020, and thanks to the women who have used and trained it so far, phase two is now ready with an even smarter AI and a brand-new look. It’s a timely reminder for women to own their self-worth, as the coronavirus pandemic affects our confidence, job security and mental health.

“Since we started beta-testing BigUp.AI earlier this year, we’ve faced a pandemic of global scale that’s made people feel incredibly small. Being at home without work, or consistently applying and getting turned down, makes it easy for women to lose touch with their self-worth. And for those in work, struggling with work/life balance and fearing their voice is being lost can lead to anxiety and burnout,” says Anna-Louise Gladwell, managing director of AnalogFolk’s London office, who has been leading the tool’s development. “Covid-19 has exacerbated a systemic social issue of female confidence, self-promotion and career advancement. So BigUp.AI is here to remind women of their value and help them find the words to express it.”

Sara Pouri, creative director, AnalogFolk says: “How we say something can have a greater impact than what we say, particularly when it comes to communicating ideas or negotiating. If we talk down our capabilities, we put ourselves at a disadvantage when it comes to pay rises, promotions and getting credit for our hard work. Modesty just isn’t the best policy, yet it’s often so ingrained in women, we don’t realise when we’re doing ourselves a disservice. BigUp.AI helps women recognise when they need to stand tall and tell the world how great they are by giving them the language to do so.”

<a href="http://www.bigup.ai/">BigUp.AI</a> makes improving a professional bio uplifting and fun. And 2.0 has bold, disruptive new visuals that reflect the tool’s mission to shake up societal expectations and empower women with technology. There are high-contrast colours, digital textures and reactive stickers to cheer the user on. It’s incredibly easy to use and provides impactful sentences in seconds. Users are asked, ‘Tell us about a strength?’, with some examples to get them started. Their strength is ‘bigged up’ with more confident, assertive language, and a more powerful option is displayed every time they press the ‘Go bigger!’ button.

AnalogFolk has developed a suite of inspirational quote posts to motivate professionals and build up their confidence at a time when they need it more than ever. The quotes are an unexpected take on a popular social content style, covering topics like job rejection and Covid-induced burnout – ultimately though, all with a positive message. They’re being posted throughout the week across AnalogFolk’s social channels and afterwards the full set will be accessible on its Pinterest board.

BigUp.AI is powered by Microsoft LUIS Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning technology. The improved AI for version 2.0 can read and analyse full sentences, instead of a single word, to reflect how people naturally express themselves. It identifies skills and suggests how to express them in an assertive, persuasive way. The AI was trained using skills found on real CVs and by users in beta stage to build up a broad bank of strengths.

The tool is a response to research from Dr Judith Baxter, published in The Language of Female Leadership. Dr Baxter states women are four times more likely to shrink their successes and use language that undermines value and skill. In comparison, men are twice as likely to emphasise their successes and leadership. A study from MajorPlayers has shown this lack of self-promotion and confidence is linked to a host of negative outcomes such as fewer promotions, less pay, less acceptance of women’s ideas and unrepresentative performance reviews. With BigUp.AI, AnalogFolk wanted to change this narrative.

Sandra Cauffman, deputy director, Earth Sciences Division, NASA said: “We women tend to be very factual and are perhaps too modest when describing our strengths. This tool has the potential to help women all over the world achieve their dreams by encouraging us to use more impactful language when describing our successes. It’s very clever because it’s accurate and powerful.”

Rhiannon Blackley, a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist said: “The Covid-19 landscape has had a huge impact on women’s professional lives. And it’s only amplified an existing issue of women lacking self-confidence. BigUp.AI is a really smart tool as it works on several levels. One thing really impactful about the tool is that once you've used it you do become more continuously aware of the language you're using and are more conscious of the need to use more confident and assertive language day to day.” 

Eve Wallis, a woman who recently graduated said: “I normally hate ‘bigging myself up’. And I’ve had to do a lot of it since I graduated this summer in graphic design – junior roles are really competitive right now. BigUp.AI is a super-helpful tool that I’ll definitely use in my job search. But it’s also fun, quirky, and brings excitement into something that’s normally very nerve-racking.”

Rachel Wilkinson, managing director at GDR said: “I am so grateful to still have a permanent job, doing something I love and helping clients to transform and adapt to this ‘new normal’, but it’s been a very stressful time and it can make you doubt yourself and dent your confidence. So BigUp.AI is a brilliant idea because women in businesses at every level should be reminded of their value and worth at the moment.”

Gill Bell, Director of People and Executive Coaching, Handle Recruitment says: “We’ve seen so many women affected by redundancies this year. Coupled with a competitive job market, it’s understandable that job-seekers are doubting their abilities. BigUp.AI is a fantastic tool – it’s giving women practical help, with phrases they can use in job applications, and a nice little confidence boost at the same time. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for work.”

Edwina Dunn, Founder, The Female Lead says: “This new AI tool is a very welcome not-for-profit initiative which helps women to ‘stand tall’ when promoting their work and career. We know how important this is to women if we are to lead society towards equal gender balance.”

This is just the start for BigUp.AI. AnalogFolk has committed its own time, money and resource to developing the tool further and turning it into an app. Over the past year, the agency has doubled its investment in R&amp;D as it continues its push to deliver innovative ideas that create value for people and transform businesses. BigUp.AI is a cross-discipline collaboration and the result of the agency’s continued commitment to its mission to use digital to make the analog world better.

ENDS

Credits

Project name: BigUp.Ai

Client: AnalogFolk

Associate Creative Director: Sara Pouri

Creative: Gracie Hawes

Creative: Jacqueline Hedge

Strategist: Vee Lockey

Head of Delivery - Products and Services: Abi Bobroff

Producer: Killian Collopy

Front of House Manager: Queenie Sobowale

Design Director: Dan Saxton

Senior Designer: Margarita Iosif

Senior Designer: Tamara Miller

Designer 1: Anabel Hazeldine

Designer 2: Dan Burrows (FL)

Designer 3: Nicholas Panayi (FL)

Tech Lead: Francisco Jordao

Data Strategy Director: Tim Green

Experience Design Director: Alan Oh

Associate Experience Design Director: Kim Abbott

Executive Creative Director: Simon Richings

Creative Director: Steve Whittington

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About AnalogFolk

AnalogFolk is a global digital creative agency that’s been independently owned since 2008. Our mission is to use digital technology to make the analog world better. We have offices in London, Amsterdam, New York, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Sydney partnering with brands including HSBC, BT, Nike

Diageo, Coca-Cola, Beats by Dre, Foot Locker, Unilever, L’Oreal, Bayer, and Netflix. In 2019 AnalogFolk was awarded Global Digital Innovation Agency of the Year by Campaign magazine.

For more information, visit us at www.analogfolk.com or follow AnalogFolk on Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn @AnalogFolk and on Facebook.com/AnalogFolk.

AnalogFolk launches bigup.ai 2.0

Curtin University has this week launched its first major brand campaign in more than five years, ‘Change is Here’, an integrated campaign created by AnalogFolk Sydney. 

The campaign, which taps into young people’s desire to see real change in a world now defined by unprecedented uncertainty, is spearheaded by<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G6cqdkyDXU&amp;feature=youtu.be"> TV</a> and is running across radio, outdoor, digital and social. 

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AnalogFolk Strategy Partner <a href="https://analogfolk.com/folk/ben-hourahine">Ben Hourahine</a> said the approach was based on extensive exploration of the brand, the market and students’ expectations.

“Change is up for grabs and young people are leading the chorus for it. This is the generation who want real change and want to work on practical solutions to answer the problems we face, setting themselves up for future careers and making a better tomorrow for us all. This new brand platform will show them Curtin is the place to do that,” he said.

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<a href="https://www.curtin.edu.au/change-is-here/">Curtin University</a> Director, Brand and Marketing Kate Jennings said the campaign captures the university’s core purpose of supporting students to make a real difference.

“As one of Western Australia’s most innovative, progressive and globally connected universities, we are in a fantastic position to inspire and nurture young minds. Whatever their passion, be it a career in research or their chosen industry, we see the potential in our students to create real change and make their mark on the world,” Jennings said.

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AnalogFolk Executive Creative Director, <a href="https://analogfolk.com/folk/richard-morgan">Richard Morgan</a> added that the campaign aimed to capture a balance between the reality of current change and aspiration. 

“In a world facing major social and environmental challenges, this generation has a sense of urgency that others haven’t. They’re getting restless. They refuse to believe that the challenges our planet face are just too big or too complex for them to make a difference. It’s up to all of us to step up and have an impact– and that’s what this new brand platform is all about,” Morgan said.

The films were directed by Renee Mao, who recently joined <a href="http://goodoilfilms.com/">Good Oil Films</a>.

“As a Perth girl who has spent the last 10 years living abroad, I was immediately excited by Curtin’s genuine and active commitment to being a beacon for global positive change in the WA community. It was important to us to capture the tangible optimistic energy embraced by the rising generation and I’m grateful for the opportunity to have brought my own perspective and creative vision to an authentic and empowering brand campaign,” Mao said.

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AnalogFolk Sydney launches new brand campaign for Curtin University

This week we're proud to launch a moody new campaign for Hyundai’s new N-Line sports package for the i30Sedan, launching across YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and cinemas.

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The 90-second launch film ‘<a href="https://youtu.be/ePRRk8wtpOk">After Dark</a>’ takes a non-traditional approach to a traditional car category with dream-like sequences and a quirky, original soundtrack featuring deconstructed nursery rhymes and rap using only Australian talent.

The spot also stars real people, not actors, who pursue their side hustles and passions outside of their day jobs.  

AnalogFolk Executive Creative Director Richard Morgan said the campaign aims to capture the attention of people who have a quiet, innate sense of competitiveness and love the thrill of driving. 

“Early on, we resolved that if you’re the sort of person who likes to curl up with a light Adam Sandler comedy on Netflix and an early night, then this isn’t the car, nor the spot for you,” said Morgan. 

The car’s all-new virtual cockpit helped inspire the idea to set the campaign at night, when the car, like the hero characters who drive it, light up and come alive. 

“The need to step outside of our comfort zone and overcome barriers – real or imagined – is something that our audience intuitively understands,” Morgan said. “Setting the spot at night, when the senses are heightened and our hero characters are hard at work whilst most people are safely tucked up in bed, allowed us to interweave surprising, nocturnal elements in playful, non-linear ways, using the urban landscape as a backdrop.”

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True to the new Hyundai i30 N-Line itself, the campaign disrupts many Australian automotive conventions and traditions, using a combination of technology, performance and youthful attitude.

The campaign of 90-, 30, and 15-second cutdowns is running now, supported by online and out-of-home. 

See the 90-second launch film here: <a href="https://youtu.be/ePRRk8wtpOk">https://youtu.be/ePRRk8wtpOk</a>

Nocturnal Passions fuel new campaign for Hyundai Australia

Global, 23 September 2020 - D&amp;AD Awards 2020 has awarded the Future Impact Pencil for Initiative to independent global digital creative agency AnalogFolk for its <a href="https://analogfolk.com/work/bigup-ai">BIGUP.AI</a> tool.

The Future Impact Pencil awards designs and initiatives that are newly released or in development, and that demonstrate the potential for tangible positive change on business and society. Work must have ambition and scale, and prioritise people and planet alongside profit.

BIGUP.AI is an AI tool specially designed to encourage women to use more impactful language. The tool is a direct response to research from Dr Judith Baxter, published in The Language of Female Leadership, that demonstrates that women are four times more likely to shrink their successes and use language that undermines value and skill.

A study from Major Players showed a lack of self-promotion and confidence in the way women present themselves has been linked to a host of negative outcomes such as fewer promotions, less pay, less acceptance of (creative) ideas and unrepresentative performance reviews. In comparison, men are twice as likely to use words and phrases emphasising successes and leadership.

AnalogFolk decided to change the narrative and launch a BETA version of the BIGUP.AI tool earlier this year, aligning with International Women’s Day. The agency asked the creative industry to amplify awareness and share BIGUP.AI, as the more women who use the tool, the more powerful it becomes. BIGUP.AI was launched on social media and reached 10k+ impressions within the first 24 hours.

BIGUP.AI analyses passive language and identifies if users are unintentionally talking themselves down. If detected, the tool makes suggestions on how to strengthen - and big up - the language so that it becomes more confident and persuasive.

Sara Pouri, Associate Creative Director, AnalogFolk said: “How we say something can often have a greater impact than what we say, particularly when it comes to communicating ideas or negotiating. If we talk down our capabilities, we put ourselves at a disadvantage when it comes to pay rises, promotions and getting credit for our hard work. Modesty just isn’t the best policy, yet it’s often so ingrained in women, we don’t realise when we’re doing ourselves a disservice. The ambition of <a href="http://bigup.ai/">BigUp.AI</a> is to help us recognise when we need to stand tall and tell the world how great we are, and it gives us the language to do it, too. I think it’s a really good little project. And by that, I mean it’s an absolutely bloody awesome project and I’m hugely proud of the whole team involved.”

The tool was initially intended for women in the creative industry, where the average gender pay gap of the largest advertising agency networks is 18%. Powered by Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning, functionality in BETA includes analysis of text and enhancement of single words. The ambition from AnalogFolk has been to develop the tool to enable it to enhance sentences and paragraphs. A version 2.0 will launch later this year.

Over the past year, AnalogFolk has doubled its investment in R&amp;D as the independent agency continues its push to deliver innovative ideas that create value for people and transform businesses. BIGUP.AI is a cross-discipline collaboration and the result of the agency’s continued commitment to both innovation and its mission to use digital to make the analog world better.

Anna-Louise Gladwell, Managing Director, AnalogFolk London says. "We are incredibly proud that BIGUP.AI has been recognised as an innovative solution to what is a very real, world problem. It is a tool that AnalogFolk is invested in to drive change and impact ongoing globally and is a part of our new North Star ambition to be an impactful agency of change for people, brands, and society in pursuit of a better world. Since launch in March we’ve continued development of the tool and will launch a Version 2 later this year, watch this space."

ENDS

For more information or interview requests please contact:
Natalie Smith
Global Communications and PR Director, AnalogFolk
+31 6 2972 3853
<a href="mailto:natalie.melder-smith@analogfolk.com">natalie.melder-smith@analogfolk.com</a>

You can view the case study <a href="https://analogfolk.com/work/bigup-ai">here</a>.

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D&AD Awards 2020: Future Impact Pencil

20TH AUGUST 2020: Foot Locker in Europe today launches its latest campaign, featuring leading changemakers who are championing individuality and a more progressive future for their communities and beyond.

 The campaign is a second instalment in the brand’s new platform, ‘Shoes Don’t Change the World. You Do’, which celebrates today’s youth who are striving to make the world a better place. The platform acknowledges a need for change whilst demonstrating loyalty to its audience, with the latest campaign a celebration of influential talent who are using their voices to effect change.  The new campaign is a continuation of Foot Locker’s commitment to working alongside and supporting the youth community who are leading the charge to reshape the future for the better.

To help bring the story to life, Foot Locker has partnered with UK-based talent <a href="https://www.instagram.com/abisha/?hl=en">Abisha</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jazzyjordz/?hl=en">Jordan Charles</a>, in addition to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/everyone_loves_lijah/?hl=en">seven-year-old </a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/everyone_loves_lijah/?hl=en">Elijah Enwerem</a>, to create films that aim to help Gen Z find confidence in themselves to overcome challenges. Each film celebrates unique stories, with the common storyline being the need to be seen and be yourself. The campaign strapline, ‘Shoes Don’t Change the World, Being Yourself Does’, encourages the younger generation to embrace and accept themselves, whilst building the self-confidence to overcome any back to school anxiety.

London-based queer musician and singer-songwriter, Abisha, is passionate in her mission of inspiring her audience to embrace their differences fiercely and boldly. In school she felt like she was “sticking out like a sore thumb”, and as a black and queer woman, there were few role models she could look up to or relate to. Her love for song writing and turning her thoughts and feelings into lyrics is her therapy and has always been her way of expressing her true self. Today, Abisha writes songs about the things she needed to hear growing up, and the campaign highlights her story about accepting who you truly are, and how she’s on a mission to help others do the same through her music.

Model and presenter, Jordan, is using his voice to celebrate albinism and raise awareness of the importance of better representation. Jordan was 5 years old when a boy in school called him a ghost. The boy had never seen anyone with albinism, and neither had Jordan. Jordan has had to explain albinism the whole way through life, and the campaign highlights his inspirational story of breaking into the modelling industry to be the representation he never had. Jordan’s mentee, seven-year-old Elijah, is also featured within the campaign imagery and films.

To reinforce the representation that Jordan and Abisha are fighting for, Foot Locker are partnering with TONL to create a special stock photography collection to continue their efforts. TONL is an organisation with the goal of transforming stock photography by displaying images of diverse people and telling their stories from around the world. Their celebration of uniqueness and drive to change the status quo of stock imagery is aimed at inspiring others to do the same and aligns with Foot Locker's pursuit of representation and building a better, more progressive world.

Susie Kuhn, VP, General Manager for Foot Locker in Europe concludes: “This campaign is an extension of our ‘Shoes Don’t Change the World. You Do.’ platform, our commitment to enabling long-term change for today’s youth. The talent we have chosen to front the Back to School campaign are real changemakers, and it is amazing to see the actions that they are taking in voicing challenges within their respective communities. As a brand, we’re committed to being an ally for the youth, helping them to drive the necessary changes to make the world a better place, and allowing them to use our platform to fight for the things that matter most.”

Carren O’Keefe, Executive Creative Director AnalogFolk “When we don't see others like ourselves, we wonder what's wrong with us? When in reality, our difference is our power. That's why we felt it was so important to not only tell Abisha and Jordan's stories, but also partner with Foot Locker and TONL to help amplify their representation as far and wide as possible."

The campaign films launch on Friday 21st August, across Foot Locker’s social and digital platforms, and in select stores.

In order to ensure that younger generations are fit for the future and ready to face the new school year ahead, on August 21st Foot Locker is launching a new collection online and in-store and features favourites including the Nike Air Force 1, adidas Superstar, and TN 1.

Foot Locker fights for embracing individuality

Following global lockdown announcements, the sudden closure of gyms was one of the first things to cause momentary panic. There were fears of lost physical ‘gains’, mental health concerns and frenzied purchasing of at-home gym equipment. 

A Fitness Australia (2020) report showed a loss of 35,000 jobs across the sector in Australia, with 80 percent of sole traders and 100 percent of boutique and multi-service facility gyms reporting decreasing revenue and cash flow. The industry had to swiftly change how it delivered its services, which left us thinking: what does the future of fitness look like in a post-pandemic world? 
<h3>Agility: Not just for athletes </h3>
 When the already growing online-workout model went into overdrive to rid us of any excuse not to exercise at home, traditional gyms were put on notice. If they hadn't yet worked out their strategy to offer content to people at home, then this was their opportunity to redefine themselves in the market. 

 A higher level of business agility is required to stay afloat amid new restrictions and shifting consumer behaviour. There was also plenty of competition to contend with, as some fitness brands that had already been making waves online for years, were now ramping up content offerings in answer to Covid. 
<h4>SoulCycle</h4>
The US-based spin-bike classes with a cult following produced its own 'At-Home Bike', giving its riders everything they needed in their own homes. While the bikes and required membership may not come cheap, many die-hard SoulCycle fans have stayed true. However, SoulCycle was criticised for being too late to<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/19/style/soulcycle-peloton-home-exercise-bikes-coronavirus.html"> get its product to market</a>.
<h4>Barry's Bootcamp</h4>
Barry's Bootcamp did well to recreate its strong instructor-student motivation dynamic when it quickly transitioned classes to<a href="https://www.instagram.com/barrys/"> Instagram</a> Live and offered equipment bundles to boot!
<h4>The Virtual Playground</h4>
This fitness centre poured its efforts into becoming 'The Netflix for gyms" with<a href="https://www.thevirtualplayground.com.au/"> hundreds of classes</a> and dozens of instructors across multiple workout categories. Like many others, it offers a free 7-day trial to get you hooked. 
<h4> F45 Challenge at Home</h4>
The F45 studio has developed its at-home workouts in conjunction with the famous<a href="https://f45challenge.com/"> F45 challenge</a>. It offers a pre-recorded, on-demand service with a goal-tracker app, adding an accountability factor that some people have been missing in lockdown. 
<h3>Shape up or ship out </h3>
One of the big questions is whether this mass digital migration of fitness brands is here to stay. We predict that emerging online offerings are set to forever change how the health and fitness industry operates. 

But it’s not just digitally savvy brands and mass social campaigns to contend with in the sector, there’s competition coming from native content creators who are disrupting the paid model for the fitness industry. YouTubers like<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVQJZE_on7It_pEv6tn-jdA"> Sydney Cummings</a> and<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene"> Yoga with Adriene</a> are capturing this motivated audience right there in living rooms, and charging nothing for their high quality tutorials. In an already crowded industry, a successful fitness business will need serious content chops to compete with these free offerings.  
<h3>What's in store for fitness</h3>
 There's something to be said for the motivational and social benefits that come with in-person, group training. Yet, the economic effects on gyms in a post-COVID era are hard to ignore. With virtues of working out from home, 41 percent of Australians have considered cancelling or having already<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-03/coronavirus-queensland-gyms-online-fitness-women/12308078"> cancelled their gym membership</a>. Time-poor people,<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-03/coronavirus-queensland-gyms-online-fitness-women/12308078"> especially women</a>, are saying they enjoy the ease and accessibility of home workouts, with many not intending to return to their gym. Other<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-28/gyms-hit-hard-by-coronavirus-crisis-as-fitness-industry-adapts/12293978"> research indicates</a> that one in 10 Australian gyms and fitness centres might be forced to permanently close due to financial losses from the shutdowns and ongoing restrictions. 

If traditional brick and mortar gyms are committed to standing firm during potentially lengthy on-and-off shutdowns and traditional fitness businesses want to compete with digitally innovative health brands, they will need a holistic approach. An approach that prioritises engaging and diverse online content, on relevant platforms and at the right price point. Also key, is the ability to ramp up and scale down on-site group fitness options as needed and make those options coincide with and complement a robust online content offering. It’s a huge project, but one worth investing in. 
<h3>How fitness brands can master their online content</h3>
So how do you master online content in the fast-moving fitness industry? Here are some thought starters:
<h4>Consider the role of social for your brand </h4>
Strategise a social plan that works specifically for your business objectives. Fitness brands are acquiring new audiences with well-executed social campaigns. Together with authentic, audience-first content, AF’s work on the<a href="https://analogfolk.com/work/nulla-puo-fermaci-stop-at-nothing"> ‘Stop At Nothing’</a> campaign leveraged video-centric social platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat. The campaign was able to captivate and inspire a new segment of young females to engage with the content via a series of TikTok challenges. In a similar vein, is ‘<a href="https://analogfolk.com/work/bondspo">#BONDSPO</a>’, which tapped into Instagram’s booming fitness hashtags and achieved its goal of reaching younger audiences. The learnings are clear: find the space where your audience is playing, and play with them [authentically]. 
<h4>Develop your digital content strategy &amp; branch out to innovative channels </h4>
Your online content plan shouldn’t stop at social; an advanced digital offering will boost your brand online. Optimising your web pages, blogs and eDMs with a holistic SEO &amp; content strategy, that also aligns with your social plan, will help you make waves online in your market. Some of the most advanced fitness brands are also using innovative channels to connect to their audiences in new ways. For<a href="https://analogfolk.com/work/trained"> ‘Nike Trained’</a>, AF developed a podcast specially for trainers but designed to let the world listen in on Nike’s most cutting-edge conversations around the future of fitness. Podcasting is just one of several routes you can travel to capture wider, engaged audiences. 
<h4>Consider different membership models </h4>
Some fitness brands are shifting towards a different type of membership model altogether. For<a href="https://analogfolk.com/work/nikeplus-membership-2-0"> Nike</a>, AF created a locally-relevant digital platform, tailored to member’s shopping behaviours and interests. Additionally, the Blink<a href="https://analogfolk.com/work/strategic-transformation-from-gym-to-health-membership"> Fitness</a> app was a centered digital offering around a personalised bundle of services, subscriptions, partnerships and products so that Blink members could manage their health and wellness portfolio. Importantly, ensure you develop your membership model to be tailorable, relevant and audience-focused, just as you evolve your digital and social plan. 

Emily Leary is a Senior Editor for AnalogFolk Australia. She enjoys ramen, dog-spotting and procrastinating over her workouts. 

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If you’re up for a chat about the fitness industry and the emerging opportunities across digital, data and social media, then we are too! Get in touch with <a href="mailto:matt.robinson@analogfolk.com">matt.robinson@analogfolk.com</a> to find out more.

The Future of Fitness in a Post-Pandemic World

Willy Maitland, Senior Art Director at AnalogFolk is about to compete in the final round of the Young Lions competition. He shares his thoughts on the creative process.

You may have heard of one, heck you’ve probably got one in that draw with all the broken lighters, Domino vouchers and elastic bands. Did you find it? Well grab it! Oh it’s blunt? If you can’t find a sharpener just grab a knife and go caveman. Okay cool, you’ve got a pencil now you're all set. Get doodling!

<a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/sticersall_longV2-square-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone wp-image-7230 size-full" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/sticersall_longV2-square-1.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="600" /></a>

While design tools and collaborative workspaces have evolved, they can be the enemy of flow. The capabilities of Adobe are mind blowing and we’re so lucky to have access to their potential but they have their place and it’s not early on in the process. And yes, even though I was warned about the limitations of computers by every art teacher I had, their words didn’t sink in. I had to learn the hard way. Not leaving the office before 2am everyday for two weeks at my first agency job because I went straight to the computer. The pixels are rigid, the fonts predetermined and the predictive text is… predictable. So sorry computer but get in the bin, just for a minute. 

Using pencil to come up with ideas is hardly a new way of working and it’s taught in most creative industries. But when you’re a creative in Advertising, there are situations where pencil is quickly forgotten and jumping straight on the tools feels like the only option to meet those jaw clenching, brow furrowing deadlines. While immediately opening up your Adobe suite may feel like the most time efficient way of working - it’s not and the work will suffer. 

<a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/sticersall_longV2-square-3.jpg"><img class="alignnone wp-image-7231 size-full" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/sticersall_longV2-square-3.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="600" /></a>

There’s a certain feel to pencil, it’s raw tangibility creates a physical connection between you and your thoughts. It’s erasability gives you permission to play. Make as many mistakes as it takes to get it right. Let the hand be an extension of your cluttered head. Pour any little big, small or nonsensical thought out all over the page. The inner critic can be easily silenced with pencil and you can operate without judgement, this is where the good ideas are. 

It doesn’t help the pencil’s case in digital advertising that the new norm of presenting your first concepts involves drafting social posts on an iPhone in photoshop, formulating interactive filter designs and trying to answer “what does it look like as a wobbler?” Before you throw your hands in the air and storm out on me, I’m not saying present in pencil (although that would be pretty cool) I’m saying start with pencil! It’s so hard to get to the good ideas when you’re focussed on the finished outcome and don’t allow room for the process. 

There’s no quick way around this new standard of presenting but before we get to designing the presentation, let’s take a breath, pretend to go to the loo, but quickly duck outside for a walk with a pad and a pencil. Because once you have the brief and an understanding of the functionality and best practices of a digital platform it’s time to turn off the screens and blunten a pencil on a pad.

I’ve worked with people who need to go on a long drive to come up with ideas, walking thinkers, many pub drinking ponderers, caffeine concepters, and horizontal headscratchers...for me it’s graphite in wood. Everyone has to discover their own process. Being an Art Director in a digital first agency that puts human truths at the heart of the creative process, it’s a step that can’t be skipped. For those out there new to the game or trying to break into the industry I encourage giving the pencil a go. It’s kinder to the environment than petrol, less tiring than walking, healthier than beer, cheaper than cafes and more socially acceptable than lying down. 

<a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/sticersall_longV2-square-2.jpg"><img class="alignnone wp-image-7232 size-full" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/sticersall_longV2-square-2.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="600" /></a>

A testament to the mighty pencil has to be Apple’s latest Pencil update where they’ve captured the incredible subtleties of the pencil’s position, pressure and tilt. While the functions of the Apple’s Pencil far outnumber that of the classic wooden variety it will never match it on price. For only $1.14, you can tap into an instinctual way of working and dig through the recesses of your mind. With your humble woody friend, you can journey through the land of Mediocre Concepts and Definitely Bad and Boring Ideas without judgement and come across The Unexpectedly Amazing Valley of Thought. All magical lands aside, the pencil really allows us to tune into an intuitive creativity that is the driver behind the best ideas.

Digital ideas start with pencil

Gone are the days when premium meant traditional. The younger generation is shaping culture with new attitudes and technology, and premium brands are changing to keep up.

They recognise that culture belongs to the youth. Young people are defining culture upwards not the other way around. From TikTok to AirBnB, they’re the early adopters, experimenters and drivers of change. They’re taking technology and trends to their parents - think TikTok dances and beyond.

Notions of what premium is have been shifting. With the rise of the experience economy, a uni student can stay in luxury accommodation through AirBnB, or ride in a limo with Uber. If you want a 20something to buy your designer handbags then you probably can’t rely on the tropes of their grandparents' generation.
<h3>Brands that are winning with humour are doing a few things:</h3>
1. Understanding channel and platform language better than their competitors - people use stickers on Instagram, so create a branded sticker pack (seems obvious right).

2. Making fun of themselves by taking some seriousness away - when people expect premium product benefits as the norm, be distinct by playing with the category conventions with unique language and creativity.

3. Partnering with youth culture icons to do the heavy lifting, and leveraging the humour and relevance of influencer equity.

Here are some examples of premium brands doing things differently and winning as a result:
<h3><a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/prada-instagram-gifs-lil-miquela" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Prada Stickers</a></h3>
<a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/PradaStickersInsta.png"><img class="alignnone wp-image-7252 size-full" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/PradaStickersInsta.png" alt="" width="941" height="606" /></a>

Prada teamed up with Giphy and Instagram to create a stickers pack, nodding to previous collections from the brand archives. This is an exceptional use of the platform, as it connects with existing behaviours. Stickers are used more often than not as a punchline, or to make light of something. Prada could have made an attempt at designing ‘luxury-looking’ stickers and it wouldn’t have worked anywhere near as well as this execution.

The stickers were launched by the CGI-generated influencer Lil Miquela, (if you don’t know who Lil Miquela is then read <a href="https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/6/3/18647626/instagram-virtual-influencers-lil-miquela-ai-startups" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">this</a>) but the key thing to take away is that using a computer generated influencer is inherently anti-tradition. It’s also kind of weird and fun. Perfect for younger audiences.
<h3><a href="https://www.brooklinen.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Brooklinen</a></h3>
<a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/BrookLinen1.png"><img class="alignnone wp-image-7241 size-full" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/BrookLinen1.png" alt="" width="1202" height="410" /></a>

A long time ago someone decided that bedding needed to be either boring and neutral (like a good beige towel) or obsessed with product features ‘my 1800 threads are better than your 1800 threads.’

It turns out that you can talk about product features, look and feel premium while still having fun and being youthful. Brooklinen are providers of “Really good sheet,” if you were to look at their website you would see a modern homewares and fashion brand. But on social media, in among traditional influencer posts and beautifully styled shots, they show their comedic chops with a clever tweet, or use of a meme like “I know a spot”.
<h3><a href="https://au.burberry.com/b-bounce/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Burberry B-Bounce</a></h3>
<h3><a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/BBounce.jpg"><img class="alignnone wp-image-7242 size-full" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/BBounce.jpg" alt="B Bounce" width="1042" height="1042" /></a></h3>
Responding to gaming culture and adapting product consideration into an entirely new animated game style format, Burberry are appealing to a new audience that is young, and engages with the world in their own unique way.

Mark Morris, Senior Vice President of Digital Commerce at Burberry said: “We have experimented with gaming in China, but B Bounce is our first playful extension into this format to entertain and connect with our new, younger consumers around the world. We know that they are living in an increasingly gamified environment both online and offline and we are excited that they can join the Burberry community – and explore our new puffer collection – in this way”
<h3><a href="https://www.hendricksgin.com/unusual-times/read/video-calls-made-unusual-by-hendrick-s-gin/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Hendricks Gin</a></h3>
<h3><a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/HendricksGin.png"><img class="alignnone wp-image-7244 size-full" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/HendricksGin.png" alt="Hendrick's Gin" width="981" height="654" /></a></h3>
Unusual video backgrounds in the time of Zoom is everything! Using theatricality to spice up people’s video calls while stuck at home. These backgrounds are brilliant as they are branded, unique enough that people will notice them and ask about them (awareness) and they are just fun, exactly what is needed right now. Side note: it’s a great change up from seeing your colleague’s dying plants that you know they are overwatering but can’t say anything about because of ‘boundaries’.
<h3><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZKvgN2l3N8" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Klarna</a></h3>
<img src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Screen-Shot-2020-08-07-at-1.33.53-pm.png" alt="Klana Smooth Fish" />

This Swedish bank has brought the creative platform “smooth” to life with a series of ads that feature slightly absurd, humorous expressions of smoothness. From a salmon gliding effortlessly along a tiled floor to a perfectly smooth endless slice of cheese being cut. 

They’ve also recently nailed the influencer equity piece is Australia, partnering with viral sensations @theinspiredunemployed for their ‘<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWNX256wchQ">not-a-commercial</a>’ commercial music video with Sydney singer Thandi Phoenix and rapper Tuka.
<h3><a href="https://www.gq.com/gallery/ken-jeong-kate-upton-mens-slim-corduroy-pants" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">GQ</a></h3>
<a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/GQ.jpg"><img class="alignnone wp-image-7247 size-full" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/GQ.jpg" alt="GQ: just the two of us" width="628" height="434" /></a>

“Just the two of us, and Ken Jeong” tapping into the success of actor and comedian Ken Jeong, GQ took a comedic approach, and made fun of premium shoot styles. 

Poking fun at their usual scantily clad models, GQ injected humour by showing Ken Jeong mocking the bizarre set-ups that are men’s mags fashion shoots (who doesn’t lay in awkward positions on a pool diving board). Borrowing the comedic value of Ken Jeong not only made this talkable and fun, but made GQ feel more relatable in the process. 

Being premium doesn’t mean being boring. The brands getting it right manage to showcase their more premium credentials while being relevant to the audience, their style, and their sense of humour. Staying relevant to the audience, means they can stay relevant in culture too. 

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Chris Loukakis is the Strategy Director for AF Australia, he likes food and combat sports, which means he spends a lot of time eating and doing his best to avoid being punched in the head.

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So, think you need to work with an agency that gets this unique ratio of luxe and laughs? Let’s chat! <a href="mailto:matt.robinson@analogfolk.com">matt.robinson@analogfolk.com</a>

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Premium brands turning to humour and it's working

Whether it’s Alexa, Siri or Google, it’s likely that you’re right at home with voice technology. Since Siri launched on iPhones in 2011, we’ve taken to talking to our technology to help us solve day to day problems. 29% of Australian adults have voice technology in their homes, and it’s integrated into everything from washing machines to cars. How people use it is only going to grow, so how do brands find their voice?

First, how are people actually using it?

- Texting or making calls

- Listening to music

- Asking for the weather

- Checking directions

- Setting reminders

- Checking email

- Checking news or blogs

- Making payments or activating coupons

- Smarthome use

The obvious takeaway? People turn to voice when their hands are busy; so in the kitchen, lounge, office or when driving. 78% of people see voice technology becoming an even bigger part of their lives. Here’s how brands can too: 
<h2>Get smart with search:</h2>
<h2><a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/1_Naomi-TechnologyVoice-2_1200x1200-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone wp-image-7270" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/1_Naomi-TechnologyVoice-2_1200x1200-1-1024x1024.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="400" /></a></h2>
Over 50% of searches are now done by voice search, and if someone is asking a question, your brand will want to be the answer. But simply topping search isn’t the answer, here’s some tips to tweak your content for voice:
<h4>1. Write as you’d speak </h4>
People may ask ‘Who won the game last night?’ but type ‘finals winner’ and your website and content copy needs to be tailored to work with the difference. 
<h4>2. Go local </h4>
When asking for ‘the best Thai food,’ voice technology will recommend the best Thai food close by. So making sure your Google information, website and content features your location, means that you’ll be relevant in those searches (if you make really good Thai food). 
<h4>3. Get recommended</h4>
Then there’s the matter of being recommended enough to be recommended by voice technology. Ratings and recommendations count, so use them to your advantage.
<h2>Create voice skills and actions </h2>
<h2><a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/1_Naomi-TechnologyVoice-3_1200x1200-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone wp-image-7271" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/1_Naomi-TechnologyVoice-3_1200x1200-1-1024x1024.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="400" /></a></h2>
Someone finding your brand is one thing, interacting with it through voice is another. Introducing <a href="https://developer.amazon.com/en-US/docs/alexa/ask-overviews/build-skills-with-the-alexa-skills-kit.html">Alexa Skills</a> and <a href="https://developers.google.com/assistant">Google Actions</a>, these built-in voice capabilities can perform tasks from booking a trip to giving nutrition tips. 

From food brands helping people cook dinner, to skincare brands giving advice on daily routines and all in-between, there’s room for brands to provide a real use in people’s lives, exactly when they need it.
<h2>Create a voice for your brand</h2>
<a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/1_Naomi-TechnologyVoice-4_1200x1200-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone wp-image-7272" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/1_Naomi-TechnologyVoice-4_1200x1200-1.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="400" /></a>

Voice technology isn’t just a way to find your brand, it can also give your brand a voice, literally. It’s possible that how your brand sounds could be as important as how it looks, and just as memorable. 

‘Earcons’ such as ‘Ok, Google’ have become ways to speak with brands, but earcons could be developed to create branded sounds when news breaks, a delivery has been made or when it’s time to perform a task. 

Giving brands a voice doesn’t come without challenges, such as whether a brand is a male or female voice. <a href="http://www.genderlessvoice.com/about">Project Q</a> is already working to create a genderless voice, promoting inclusion with technology. But with new opportunities come new considerations. 

As voice technology evolves and people can speak to a brand, new exciting challenges emerge to refine how your brand is heard, and it could transform the way you interact with people in their homes and beyond.

Voice technology is well and truly at the heart of people’s homes and routines. It’s growing year on year as people get used to talking to technology and using it to fulfil tasks. For brands, using it doesn’t need to be a big shift, but rather simple changes that make a big difference. 

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Naomi is a Senior Copywriter and Social Lead, who loves pisco sours, puppy patting and is passionate about all things digital.

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This article was originally written for and published on <a href="https://www.adnews.com.au/opinion/let-s-talk-about-voice-technology">AdNews</a>.

Let’s talk about voice technology

In 2020, AnalogFolk was named as <a href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/global-digital-innovation-agency-year-analogfolk-uk/1684765">Campaign's Global Digital Innovation Agency of the Year</a> and in doing so we fulfilled an ambition we’ve had since our 2008 launch – to be regarded as the world’s most innovative creative agency. We took the opportunity to reflect on how, in the next stage of the company’s journey, we can use this platform to push for a new ambition focused on the positive impact we can have on society. This is our new North Star.
Join us on our journey
We passionately believe in our new North Star. And we know that passion is what’s needed, as well as dedication, to create tangible positive impact on society. We also know it’s not just about us. We look forward to working with partners who are focusing their intent in the same direction. If that’s you, email <a class="c-link" href="mailto:bill.brock@analogfolk.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="mailto:bill.brock@analogfolk.com" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-6355">bill.brock@analogfolk.com</a>

<h3 style="text-align: left;">We use digital to make the analog world better.</h3>
Digital technology is the most disruptive force our world has ever seen. And it’s not good or bad. It’s how we use it that matters. We use it to make the analog world better with everything we create. That can be one person’s world, or our world as a whole. It can improve someone’s experience with a brand. Or have a positive societal impact.
We do this by focusing on the intersection of business goals, digital technology and the human experience. We identify where technology can improve social outcomes and use our creativity to unlock progressive solutions.

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<h3>Our new ambition is to be an impactful agency of change for people, brands and society in pursuit of a better world.</h3>
We are an agency of impact. Our progressive work moves our people, our industry and our world forward.

We believe it’s not what we say, but what we do that matters. At AnalogFolk, innovation and doing good go hand in hand. We always consider the impact of what we create and how we create it. Every one of our Folk is an empowered agent of change. Progressive creativity will lead us to make the world we want to live in, together.

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<h4 class="column" style="text-align: left;">Folk</h4>
Uplift diverse voices. Everyone is an agent of change. We foster an enlightened and empowered culture by actively creating an environment where diverse people and perspectives can not only be heard, but thrive.

<h4 style="text-align: left;">Society</h4>
Create meaningful impact. We use our platform, as an employer, an agency, and a corporate citizen, to create systematic impact in the world around us - being a leading voice in the pursuit of a better world.

<h4 style="text-align: left;">Work</h4>
Make it progressive. Creativity and technology are our greatest weapons in the fight for change. We believe progressive work is the most innovative work. Instead of striving to simply do something new, we focus on creating progress that builds trust in brands. Our work, and how we create it, moves the world forward.

<h4 style="text-align: left;">Industry</h4>
Change the face of the industry. We hold ourselves to a higher standard. As we shift from performative activism to demonstrable change - we will continue to grow our influence by being the most sought after partner for the world’s most progressive people and brands.


<hr />

<h2 style="text-align: left;">Where we are and where we’re going. </h2>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">Folk</h4>
Now
Our current stats exceed industry averages in the markets we operate.*
41% of our leadership is female.
19% of our leadership are PoC (People of Colour).**
9 The number of nationalities*** that our leadership represents.
Next
We’re proud of what we’ve achieved, but our new North Star will push us even further so our offices fully reflect the diversity of the cities they operate in. We want AnalogFolk to be known as a place where diverse people and perspectives can not only be heard but thrive, all over the globe.
We’ll continue to push recruitment of under- represented communities and marginalised voices across our agencies, at all levels. We’ll augment that with investments in specific mentoring and allyship programmes that will identify and uplift female and PoC rising stars.
Our global commitments;
Going forward we are committed to ensuring that our leadership will be 50% female and 25% PoC by 2023.

<h4 style="text-align: left;">Industry</h4>
Now<img src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/new-north-star-3-.png" />
Globally, our AnalogFolk community is active in driving diversity through a wide range of industry partnerships, and their impact can be seen across the business.
The organisations we support include Creative Equals, Creative Mentoring Network, Leonard Cheshire, Free the Bid and The Agency Circle. Our participation is helping to bring more gender, ethnic and neurodiverse talent into the industry.
Next
We will continue to work with our current partners and other organisations who are striving to make tangible change in our industry.

Working within the agency industry to enable access is only one part of equality, though. To have wider impact, it needs to be at the heart of all the work we do. We’re going to actively change how we design and deliver projects. We’ll elect to work with partners who share our values and passionate belief in driving equality at every point of the creative and production process.
<h4 style="text-align: left;" title="Page 2">Work</h4>
Now
We’re proud that our work is how we bring our mission – we use digital to make the analog world better – to life in the real world. It’s how we can see its positive impact and that it means something valuable for people, as well as brands.
Nike Stop at Nothing
Inspiring young Milanese women to get active, changing negative perceptions about sportswomen in Italy <a style="color: #ff004c;" href="https://analogfolk.com/work/nulla-puo-fermaci-stop-at-nothing">[read more]. </a><a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Artboard-3.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7183" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Artboard-3.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1080" /></a>
Chivas The Venture

A global programme that gives critical recognition and funding to social entrepreneurs whose ideas will change the world for the better<a style="color: #ff004c;" href="https://analogfolk.com/work/the-venture"> [read more]. </a>

<a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Artboard-2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7184" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Artboard-2.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1080" /></a>

LUNA Bar

A digital platform inspiring everyone to drive equality, through simple actions they can carry out every day <a style="color: #ff004c;" href="https://analogfolk.com/work/equality-every-day">[read more]. </a>

<a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/luna.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7187" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/luna.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1080" /></a>

Next
We’re seeking to sit down with clients who lead the social impact agenda for their brands, and demonstrate to them why they should consider AnalogFolk as a partner for driving innovation and impact.
<h4>Society</h4>
Now
We invest our money, time and skills in developing ideas that use technology to create a positive impact on fighting inequality.

<img src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Artboard-4.jpg" />
<div class="layoutArea">

Ideas like BigUp.ai, launched for IWD 2020. Women are four times more likely to use language that undermines value, so BigUp.ai is an AI tool that highlights passive language and give suggestions to enable anyone, especially women, to self-promote with impact <a href="https://analogfolk.com/work/bigup-ai">[read more].</a>

Next
We’re going to be doubling down on the successes of BigUp.ai. We’ll continue to scale our investments in-line with our own growth, to actively move society forward towards equality.

</div>
<div class="layoutArea">

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*The top 42 executive and discipline leads in our company, across all AnalogFolk offices.

**Representing the following regions – Europe, North America, Afro-Caribbean, Sub Saharan Africa, East Asia, Southern Asian and Latin American.

***Nigerian, Chinese, Indian, Pakistani, Costa Rican, Grenadian, British, Canadian, American, Finnish, South African, Australian.

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Global Digital Innovation Agency of the Year

First published <a href="https://www.thedrum.com/creative-works/project/analogfolk-foot-locker-shoes-don-t-change-the-world-you-do">The Drum</a>

On the heels of Foot Locker pledge to donate $200m to the Black community through economic development and education, in Europe it has unveiled a brand platform called ‘Shoes Don’t Change the World. You Do.’

In a move to drive and inspire change for the future, the statement is born out of the insight that shoes don’t make the person, the person makes the shoes.

A celebration of today’s youth who are making the world a better place, the platform acknowledges a need for change, while demonstrating it's loyalty to its audience.

The new platform makes its debut within a ‘Shoes Don’t Change The World. You Do.’ campaign film, launching on Friday 17th July, across Foot Locker’s social and digital platforms, and in select stores.

<a href="http://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/SHOES_ARTICLE-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7150" src="http://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/SHOES_ARTICLE-1.jpg" alt="" width="1180" height="664" /></a>

Foot Locker: Shoes Don’t Change the World. You Do.

First published on <a href="https://www.adweek.com/digital/beats-by-dr-dre-sets-its-first-ever-campaign-on-tiktok/">AdWeek</a>

10th July 2020 - Beats by Dr. Dre (Beats) has teamed up with TikTok, AnalogFolk and Ashnikko to collaborate on the creation of her new music video that will bring to life a creative world. To showcase the breadth of this ever-expanding universe, Ashnikko will call on the TikTok community to be part of the world’s first-ever music video made almost entirely using content created on TikTok.

Singer-rapper Ashnikko kicks off the campaign by releasing new track ‘Daisy’. The track has been written especially for this campaign and centres around self-expression through colour, which incorporates the four new Beats by Dr. Dre Powerbeats Pro headphone colours: Glacier Blue, Spring Yellow, Cloud Pink and Lava Red. ‘Daisy’ has an unconventionally empowering message with genre blending production and raucous sound effects.

The campaign marks Beats’ first campaign with TikTok, and is anchored in two of TikTok’s premium products – Hashtag Challenge and TopView. Hashtag Challenges enable brands to directly engage TikTok’s community in UGC, while TopView provides full screen 60-second immersive content that is served as soon as a user opens the app.

Global creative digital agency AnalogFolk was the creative lead for the campaign. The independent agency, who previously launched TikTok’s first branded takeover, was also responsible for the strategy behind the campaign which utilises a pyramid of talent across TikTok to ensure #BEATSDAISYCHALLENGE reaches Gen Z in an authentic way.

During a four-week period, Ashnikko will leverage her community of fans on TikTok, calling on the content creators to participate in challenges designed to give Gen Z room to express themselves and showcase their creativity. Each week a new challenge will be released that represents a new colour. Ashnikko and Beats will select the most creative entrees to be featured in the final version of the colourful music video, which will showcase a Beats product, the colour story and incorporate TikTok videos submitted during the campaign.

Directed by Fashion Director Charlotte Rutherford, viewers will watch Ashnikko’s cabin fever dream unfold in the music video with different environments highlighting the product colours.

Ashnikko said, “’Daisy’ is my golden child, and Beats really made this wild-ass vision come to life. All I can say about the video is: dramatic chefs kiss.”

Stuart Flint, VP Europe, Global Business Solutions, said: “This trailblazing campaign with Beats by Dr Dre gets to the very core of what TikTok is all about – creative expression immersed in music. Our goal is to help brands push the limits of traditional marketing to create campaigns that have impact with our highly engaged community on TikTok, and this campaign is designed to do exactly that.”

Guy Wieynk, Global CEO, AnalogFolk, said: “Partnering with such an iconic brand as Beats by Dr Dre to create the world’s first TikTok music video using UGC has been a real joy. The collaboration between everyone involved really demonstrates how big ideas can come to life in an authentic way.”

Getting involved couldn’t be easier - just download the app for free <a href="https://apps.apple.com/app/id835599320">via the Apple App Store,</a> <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zhiliaoapp.musically">Google Play</a> or <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0117U0G3M/">Amazon.</a>

For more information on this campaign, please get in <a href="marketing@analogfolk.com">touch</a>.

#BeatsDaisyChallenge with Beats by Dr. Dre & TikTok

<a href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/eve-sleep-picks-analogfolk-reinvent-digital-experience/1688805">First published on Campaign </a>

Eve Sleep, the online mattress and bedding seller, has appointed AnalogFolk to help develop its digital "sleep wellness" offering and its customer experience platform amid changes in consumer behaviour caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

It is Eve's first major agency appointment since Cheryl Calverley, former chief marketing officer, was <a href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/cheryl-calverley-promoted-ceo-eve-sleep/1679572">appointed chief executive</a> in April. The former AA marketing chief joined Eve in 2018.

AnalogFolk will now work with Eve to "reimagine and reinvent the brand’s digital retail experience", which means looking at new digital journeys, revenue streams, experiences, content and partnerships.

In particular, the brand is looking at creating content and services for consumers around sleep wellness, alongside an array of wider sleep products, as well as its core products of mattresses, bedding and bedroom furniture.

<a href="https://www.chargedretail.co.uk/2020/06/15/5-3bn-boost-for-uks-ecommerce-sector-due-to-pandemic/">Ecommerce sales have surged in recent months</a> during the pandemic, while Eve wants to capitalise on a rise in consumers buying more products to help them sleep better – something that the brand said has helped it attain growth this year despite the challenging economic environment.

Eve, which launched in 2014, has traditionally focused its adspend on performance marketing in order to target products at key consumer groups, but its recent move to a more mature wellness operation has encouraged the brand to <a href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/loreal-eve-sleep-dunelm-using-media-drive-ecommerce/1667275">split spend equally between brand and performance</a>, Calverley told a Campaign Breakfast Briefing event in November 2019.

The brand also works with Goodstuff Communications for media planning and buying and Croud for digital media.

Calverley today said AnalogFolk was an agency she had been watching "for some time" and has got to know them well recently.

She said: "Their mission and approach fits with ours and they’re bunch of super-smart, good, fun people – which, let’s face it, is probably the number-one priority when you’re about to embark on a project like this.

"The timing couldn’t be better to take the opportunity to step right back and define what the future digital retail experience could look like, as ecommerce goes through 10 years of transformation in three months. The opportunity we have in front of us is incredibly exciting and we are looking forward to creating something funky, fun and famous together. And, yes, that’s explicitly part of the brief."

Eve Sleep picks AnalogFolk to reinvent digital experience

Despite some differences, previous incarnations of DTC (Direct-To-Consumer) didn’t really provide an innovative leap forward for FMCG brands. They were essentially still one-way traffic and based on the simple premise of ‘get goods to customers, the end’. We believe the next wave of DTC will be collaborative, brand-building and inspired by something far older than mail order. In this report, we’re going to set out what DTC 3.0 means and how to take advantage of it.

The questions we’ll answer:

What killed the first two DTC models and how will DTC 3.0 be different?

How has Covid-19 changed consumers’ needs and preferences with regards to DTC sales?

What is the key new role DTC 3.0 should play for a brand today?

What is the key functional difference between DTC 2.0 and 3.0?

What will the new relationship between businesses and consumers look like?

What should a brand base its business case for DTC 3.0 on?

Right about now, all around the world, people are wishing they hadn’t unsubscribed from that delivery razor/make-up/foodbox service, as they find themselves queueing (virtually or actually) for supermarkets and missing out on the essentials of life during Covid-19 isolation.

Will this lead to a renaissance of DTC? Yes, and no. In this report, we’ll set out its next incarnation. Following the demise of DTC 1.0 (mail order) and DTC 2.0 (single, novel products sold via subscription online), we predict that, as well as learning from its immediate predecessors, DTC 3.0 is going to look like something far older – the Silk Road.

This ancient route wasn’t a simple country A to country B link – it was an interconnected network with each new country becoming a node that made it more powerful. This ethos offers far more opportunity than the traditional FMCG ‘hub and spoke’ distribution networks. It puts consumers not at the periphery as passive end-users but makes them part of the distribution network for both the product and the wider brand purpose.

And that last part is key to our vision of DTC 3.0, because successful FMCG brands will be delivering far more than just goods and services.

Get in touch to get your hands on a copy, click <a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/The_New_DTC_3.0-compressed.pdf">here</a>.

<a href="http://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/1920-x-1080_1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7165" src="http://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/1920-x-1080_1.jpg" alt="" width="1248" height="702" /></a>

<a href="http://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/1920-x-1080_2-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7166" src="http://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/1920-x-1080_2-1.jpg" alt="" width="1536" height="864" /></a>

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The new DTC: Delivering good fast, with purpose

Global independent creative agency AnalogFolk has announced a number of new hires (and a promotion) in its Sydney office across strategy, creative and account management following solid growth from existing clients and soon-to-be-announced new business wins.

<a href="http://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/AF-Team_2020-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-7094" src="http://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/AF-Team_2020-1-1024x767.jpg" alt="" width="660" height="494" /></a>

Since March, four new staff have joined. On the creative front, Willy Maitland, formerly of Clemenger BBDO Sydney, joins as senior art director. Willy was a Cannes Young Lion this year, winner of B&amp;T’s Creative 30 Under 30, and Clemenger Employee of the Year in 2018. In the design department, Chloe Lai joins as graphic design intern.

Zoe McMurdo joins as senior account director via Social Soup, along with Emily Leary, senior editor formerly from agency Edge. Both have a background and strong expertise in social and influencer marketing.

AnalogFolk partner and managing director <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/people/matt-robinson-2/">Matt Robinson</a> said: “It’s certainly not news to anyone that there have been some massive societal shifts in 2020, and that has flowed through to our clients’ businesses as well. Our clients have had to adapt quickly and we’ve been fortunate to see increased demand for digital experiences, social and branded content, as well as <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/blog/this-is-how-to-make-innovation-happen-in-your-business-actually-happen/">innovation</a> – all delivered at rapid pace. It has given us the opportunity to make some fantastic new hires, and there’s some brilliant work in the pipeline.”

Existing client growth comes from Pernod Ricard Australia, TAL, Curtin University, <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/work/4-second-reviews/">Hyundai</a> and Chemist2U which AnalogFolk helped launch at the end of 2019. The agency will be announcing new business wins shortly.

Other recent hires include Alistair McCann, senior copywriter – via RAPP; Jemma Parkin, who joined as an intern last year before being promoted to community manager; and Holly Paykel as editor, formerly from social agency Present Company.

In addition, Chris Loukakis has been promoted to strategy director.

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If you'd like to find out more about how we're helping our clients embrace the new opportunities in digital experiences, innovation,  branded content and social media - please <a href="mailto:matt.robinson@analogfolk.com?subject=Let's chat">get in touch</a>

AnalogFolk Sydney announces new hires following business growth

First published on <a href="https://thefwa.com/article/insights-code-a-cake">FWA</a>

What did you want to accomplish with the project?

Few parents would dispute that developing skills like coding are essential to the future of their children. But few also have the confidence to be part of that learning journey and typically leave it up to schools, which often means it’s a skill that’s left until the children are older.We wanted to create an experience that would give parents the opportunity to take part in learning coding with younger children.

This meant integrating coding into an activity that felt comfortable, exciting and could be something they do together already – making a cake!

In this way, coding becomes more tangible and can be learnt holistically, making it more accessible and immediately valuable.

What technical challenges did you encounter and how did you solve them?For the live-action shoot we used ARC, which is motion control with Dragonframe software. It’s usually used to programme camera moves with cranes and sliders. We built everything within a very tight timeframe.

With less than two weeks to assemble multiple custom robots and motion control rigs, test and shoot 50 different video clips, we had to learn quickly on the job. For example, once we’d set up, we realised the motors needed more current than they were designed for, to get the movements we wanted.

With no time to order new motors, we had to crank up the current going to the ones we had, in the hope they didn’t burn out (which thankfully they didn’t).

ARC is designed to operate crane movements, and it can take years to learn how axes and graphs within the system usually behave. When we got into custom programming, trying to identify which curves and graphs on screen correlated with the movement of each part of the robot was really tricky.

We then added a further layer of complexity by bringing in personality moves like a slight shoulder twitch’ or the triumphant ‘top hat twirl’ when the robot reveals its perfect cake.

The key to solving these were good old-fashioned patience and perseverance, with a healthy dose of experimentation.

What did winning the FWA award mean to you?

As BT’s digital innovation agency partner, we set out to create content and experiences that not only communicate their brand messages, but walk the walk of their purpose and innovation credentials. So for one of our first projects for the brand to be recognised by the people who champion the most innovative creative work on the internet is hugely gratifying and shows us we’re doing something right

Tools used: Shoot production: ARC Motion control with Dragonframe software.

Web experience build: JavaScript, React.

Three hot facts:

1.We custom-built 5 robots arms, each with up to 12 axis points that needed to be individually programmed to work together to complete the baking tasks.

2.The experience has over 25,000 possible permutations.

3.We had cake at every internal meeting on this project.

Code a Cake insights

First published <a href="https://campaignbriefasia.com/2020/05/27/analogfolk-appoints-tatjana-kudinova-as-ux-director-asia/">Campaign Brief</a><a href="https://campaignbriefasia.com/2020/05/27/analogfolk-appoints-tatjana-kudinova-as-ux-director-asia/"> Asia</a>

Digital specialist agency AnalogFolk has appointed Tatjana Kudinova as UX Director for Asia, whose responsibilities include building on the agency’s existing research and intelligence, strategy and user experience design.

Kudinova has previously held UX lead roles at Accenture Interactive and Sapient Razorfish, working with brands such as Cathay Pacific, Asia Miles, ANA, HSBC, and General Electric. Kudinova was the lead designer on Asia Miles’ mobile app revamp which focused on personalisation and gamification. She also led design and research initiatives that created novel in-flight tools for pilots at Cathay Pacific.

Kudinova has presented, reviewed, and co-authored research papers at some of the world’s largest and most influential conferences on interaction design and computer graphics, including SIGGRAPH Asia and ISEA. In addition, her creative media works have been exhibited worldwide, including interactive art festivals such as MUTEK and SÓNAR.

Harry Llufrio, ECD and Co-Founder of AnalogFolk Asia said, “Many of our clients are either start-ups backed by big organisations or are businesses going through a period of ambitious transformation. They are looking for strategic partnerships. The products and services we are creating online require very talented UX minds and we have found that in Tatjana. She joins our leadership team at the perfect time as we continue to grow our client base across Asia.”

Kudinova’s appointment is part of a continued talent drive to strengthen the agency’s position as the leading digital specialist in the region, with a focus on customer experience.

Tatjana Kudinova appointed as UX Director for Asia

The Covid-19 crisis has accentuated the importance of shared drinking experiences – and as we exit lockdown people will come together, often, to bond, share and create meaningful memories. So, what can your brand bring to the table? 
Despite the enforced distance between us, eating and drinking are still at the heart of keeping everyone together. Digital gatherings are the new norm, for the big moments such as Easter lunch and the small moments like work drinks on Zoom. These experiences are driving home the benefits of talking, laughing and sharing. What’s going to happen after lockdown? We believe there will be an important shift in consumer behaviour – drinking occasions will turn into rituals, as people savour spending time together. And research shows that this time will mostly be spent in homes. Brands will need to reassess how they think and target consumers, and provide experiences that create lasting memories. 

<h3 class="p1">Q: What role will drinking occasions play in our lives when the Covid-19 lockdown ends?</h3>
As countries across the world entered isolation in March, many optimistically proclaimed that Easter, a few weeks later, would be the first opportunity for restrictions to be eased – nations rising again after the Covid-19 crisis, as it were. But the fact that Easter and Passover happened amidst the worldwide lockdown has been a potent reminder of the role food and drink play in all of our lives, religious or secular, and that’s bringing people together.

Whether it was plans for traditional feasts with extended family or seder ceremonies that were interrupted, few people had the gathering they imagined this year. But despite the upheaval and uncertainty, human creativity (and kindness) shone through.

Families and friends met over video chat to break bread and say cheers, held virtual egg and afikoman hunts, and shared their feasts with more people than ever before via social media.

Panic over limited access to essentials and luxuries, due to stockpiling and store closures, has generated an ongoing anxiety that makes feasting occasions more salient than they have been since times of genuine rationing and famine.
And, of course, smaller bonding moments that typically happen over refreshments, like workplace lunches,after-work drinks and weekend brunch catch-ups, have also been forced to shift into the digital space.
Isolation will, of course, end but what’s here to stay is the heightened realisation that shared experiences over drinks (and food) are central to our relationships with families, friends and co-workers.
However, the pandemic has been, and will continue to be, socially and economically challenging. The pending economic impact and continuing consumer anxiety at the end of lockdown will create a demand for uplifting entertainment experiences but with scrutiny on spending. A rise in at-home occasions will provide the perfect answer for genuine moments without unnecessary expense.
<a href="http://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/article2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6922" src="http://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/article2.jpg" alt="" width="1980" height="1080" /></a>
<h4 class="p1">Get ready for rituals</h4>
This realisation will lead to a fundamental shift in consumer behaviour, from ‘occasions’ to new ‘rituals’.
Consumers will be looking to make the most of spending time together and to ensure they don’t lose opportunities to bond and share. Regular catch-ups will involve a more ritualistic use of food and drink to mark the importance of time spent together.
Brands will need to make the same shift in how they think and target consumers – from identifying their mindsets/need-states and matching the messaging to this, to actually providing experiences that create lasting memories.

<h4 class="p3">From the heart of a ritual, to a regular drink</h4>
Based on research conducted in April, the number one desire people have for end-of-lockdown is the ability to socialise with their family and friends at home. This is curious – despite all of the weeks we’ve spent in the house, it’s actually the home setting that wins over the anticipation of going out. So, pairing this insight with the rise of off-trade sales and increased e-commerce activity is a key to success.
However, a normal home setting can’t compete with a special occasion. Hearts and minds will be won during special events, and the preference here for a brand and product will then carry over into more regular occasions.
Thanksgiving and Christmas 2020 will be a key battleground for brands. But, as much as it will be important to be on the menu, there are a range of occasions between now and then that brands have an opportunity to establish themselves as central to.
But don’t just count on leaping onto already crowded calendar events. To build long-lasting brand love, think creatively about new consumer needs and design products, product sets and services that help people make the most of what they bring to the (shared dining and drinking) table. Help consumers create and curate their own set of personal/family/friend group rituals.
<a href="http://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/article3.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6923" src="http://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/article3.jpg" alt="" width="1980" height="1080" /></a>
<h4 class="p1">Be the drink that elevates experiences </h4>
Putting on great clothes, setting placemats and bringing out the crystal glasses for guests – hosting for people again, in our own homes, will be an event to be savoured. And the products on the table need to match that, elevating the overall experience.
The key mindsets of consumers around gatherings post Covid-19 lockdown will be:
Proud at-home hosts: While socialising outside of the home will be a distinct preference for some time, the opportunity to show off lockdown renovations and host intimate gatherings will encourage consumers to splurge on these experiences.
Local lovers: Buying local products will address the desire to support the businesses that provided for consumers during lockdown.
Hero product hoarders: Bringing out limited editions and exclusive products will mark occasions as truly special after self-imposed rationing.
Crafters: Cooking from scratch, making complex cocktails or simply supporting artisanal brands will turn self-sufficiency into an artform worth showing off.
Sustainable storytellers: Consumers will want to be armed, not just with special products but stories about their provenance, to maximise the value of consuming and sharing.
Home economists: Savvy shopping will be something to boast about, almost as much as rolling out the premium labels – the biggest win will be getting the latter for a bargain price.
Potluck pairers: Occasions involving a contribution from everyone will be desirable, and matching the right combinations of food and drinks will be top of mind.
Generous gifters: Gifting a unique, and expensive, item will mean even more – especially if it ticks any of the other boxes above.

<h4><a href="http://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/article5.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6925" src="http://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/article5.jpg" alt="" width="1980" height="1080" /></a></h4>
<h4 class="p1">Use digital to enhance in-person events</h4>
When isolation ends, virtual gatherings will continue, but digital won’t be the replacement for personal events. Instead, it will be embraced when and where it can enhance in-person events.
Key roles for brands, which can be executed through digital, will be:
Augmented storytelling: Communicating the provenance of food and drink via interesting interactive experiences such as VR/AR/MR.
Telepresence events: Bringing brand spokespersons, real or AI, into group occasions to educate and entertain.
Selective subscriptions: DTC services that allow control over the what/when/where of deliveries rather than locking consumers in.
E-commerce curation: Inter-brand partnerships allowing DTC and e-commerce bundling of relevant products.
Touch-of-home travel experiences: Giving consumers home comforts wherever they are in the world, with access to favourite products by trusted brands when travelling.
On-tap expertise: Smart, conversational, digital experiences that help consumers navigate point-of-sale decisions and provide shareable expertise.
Data-driven dining: Helping consumers identify the right product for them using implicit and explicit data signals, from shopping baskets and expressed preferences to DNA.
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About AnalogFolk: An independent global digital creative agency, AnalogFolk was founded in London in 2008 with the ambition to be a lead strategic partner to progressive brands. Twelve years later, we remain independent and have over 250 Folk – in seven offices around the world – delivering award-winning projects for brands such as Nike, HSBC, Coca-Cola, Dyson, TikTok and L’Oreal.
Our combination of scale and independence gives us a unique ability to deliver the global insights and services expected of a group-owned agency, while operating with the agility and flexibility of a start-up.
Our mission: Digital technology is the most disruptive force the world has ever seen. This disruption is sometimes for the better, giving people access to content, products and services at their fingertips, but it can also be at the detriment of the human experience, creating filter bubbles, putting small businesses at a disadvantage and encouraging social isolation.
At AnalogFolk, our mission is to use digital to make the analog world better. We help our clients to define their digital strategy and then build an ecosystem of digital experiences, products and services that unlock new, meaningful value for their consumers and lead to better business performance.
Our experience: Over the last decade, we’ve worked with spirits, beer and wine brands across every region/market. As a result, we’re well versed in the geographical and legal challenges facing the alcoholic drinks sector. We understand how to deal with complex issues such as dark markets, variable legal drinking ages, responsible drinking, responsible advertising and the importance of what many industry verticals term ‘emerging markets’. We embrace these challenges and see them as an opportunity to empower our creativity to deliver an exceptional brand experience.
Give us a call: The market forces discussed in this piece focus on unlocking the full potential of your digital channels. That’s where we can help. Whether it’s optimising your approach to digital marketing, unlocking the potential of new technologies or channels, or designing and developing direct-to-consumer propositions, we have specialist teams who will hit the ground running.
If you like our thinking, <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/contact">get in touch</a> and let’s work together.

From occasions to rituals:

First published on <a href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/digital-marketing-post-crisis-not-just-sell-serve/1681035">Campaign</a>

The global business community is scrambling to react to lockdown shock. Established strategies, never questioned in the course of a brand’s natural evolution, are now being fundamentally challenged by this extreme and universal shift in human behaviour. While some of these enforced changes in lifestyle are temporary (we hope), post lockdown, we’ll be entering a new normal. The most significant shift for brands will be the acceleration of default digital behaviours and, as a result, the role their digital ecosystems will play in their marketing strategies. 

What does that mean for now? Lateral thinking thrives during periods of adversity, so this is an incredibly important time for digital innovation. Brands looking to future proof themselves for the post-lockdown world, where digital is the new normal, will seize the moment. 

Be part of lives, not just present in minds. 

Lockdown has shone a light on how important it is for brands to make full use of the potential for digital technology to deepen the relationship with their consumers. It isn’t enough to use it to optimise the journey to purchase, you must also harness the potential to deliver valuable services and experiences to your audiences. After all, deep, value-driving experiences will position your brand in the lives of your consumers, not just make it present in their minds. That’s a difference that’s playing out for brands during the present crisis.

Take one of our clients, Nike, for example. For many years, it has invested in an ecosystem of value-adding digital services. Though part of an overarching membership strategy, these services are not exclusive to Nike customers. This open approach to membership is now paying dividends. Faced with store closures, Nike has become even more open. In fact, in April, it made its paid subscription service, Nike Training Club Premium, free to all, offering over 180 video workouts and tips from Nike Master Trainers. As reported by Bloomberg, this strategy, combined with tailored content to help users train during the Covid-19 crisis, is creating new high-involvement relationships, with user activity reported to have increased up to 80% and digital sales increases of more than 30% in some markets.

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Picture: AnalogFolk created Nike Trainers Hub, giving unprecedented digital access to Nike’s network of elite trainers around the world.

Elevate experiences to build long-term loyalty. 

While some businesses learned the importance of being part of consumers’ lives early on, others still have a lot to learn. Online grocery services are now fundamental to a successful community lockdown, and businesses set up to ‘deliver’ on this are experiencing unprecedented demand. So, short-term business is good, but that isn’t necessarily translating into long-term brand love. In fact, right now I care less than ever about who delivers my milk, juice, bread and other essentials. The only criteria for a successful experience is getting a slot and a delivery. It’s the most transactional of relationships, and one that won’t likely result in any long-term loyalty. As I write, I’m concurrently in a queue for Ocado, FarmDrop, Amazon Prime and Sainsbury’s, with an average position of 4,674. 

What if, while I wait, one of these brands gave me inspirational content and tools for how to flex the food I still have in my cupboard? What if I could scan the ingredients I have in the house and an algorithm could match them to recipes I could make? We’re all more concerned than ever about food waste, so where’s the content on how to increase the storage life of products? Instead, the only thing I’m getting from my queueing experience is more anxiety.

Think differently to up your pace.

Delivering this sort of service doesn’t have to be complicated and expensive. Brands just need to think more creatively about the value their ecosystems offer consumers. Seeking out existing technologies, APIs and content they can leverage, and focusing their effort on plugging those into their infrastructure and creating a unique presentation layer that’s aligned to their brand positioning. 

AnalogFolk works with gym brand Blink Fitness out of the US. In just 12 months we’ve launched and scaled a new digital membership experience that expands the value of being a member from just what I extract from the physical gym. The app offers aggregated and personalised content and tools for fitness, nutrition, training, sleep and mindfulness, making Blink members part of a bigger, bespoke experience. 

In order to augment users’ workout data (collected via a smart system connected to Blink gym equipment) with these other valuable datapoints, we didn’t build a new Headspace or Sleep Cycle, we just plugged into established APIs and delivered it all in a uniquely Blink presentation layer, getting an MVP to market in six months that, only 18 months later, is enhancing the brand experience for almost half of Blink’s members.

<a href="http://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/AF_DigitalTrans-_Article2-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6913" src="http://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/AF_DigitalTrans-_Article2-1.jpg" alt="" width="1180" height="664" /></a>

Picture: The Blink Fitness app is personalised with 18 services including an array of subscriptions &amp; partnerships, helping members to manage their health and wellness anytime, anywhere.

Live your purpose.

The whole industry has talked a lot about ‘purpose’ over the last few years. There’s no doubt that it matters, but lockdown has been the ultimate bullshit detector on the issue. Have you been building internal decks focused on how to refine and communicate your brand purpose or have you been actually living it by launching meaningful experiences that serve your customers? The brands who have been living it have seen their efforts rewarded with more engaged customers, who’ve been buying and advocating more during lockdown.

And this approach to a richer brand experience shouldn’t just need to just come from the brand itself. An engaged user base will happily contribute, as British telecoms provider Giffgaff has proved through its self-serving user community. That should be a key test of your user base – are they truly engaged or are they just buying from you? When you create systems that are open to user involvement it’s more efficient, more scalable and more authentic. 

That openness should be extended to the actions of the brand, too. A strong brand doesn’t need to do everything itself. Again, Nike is an example here. It had its proprietary Nike+ SportWatch for years, a self-contained ecosystem where you were either in or out. It was an act of enormous confidence to drop that product and pivot to working exclusively on the Apple Watch. Not only was Apple better at making smart watches, but the shift places a strong brand in a bigger ecosystem of users, allowing people to drop into Nike’s world. The brand gets a bigger audience than ever before and moves people closer to the physical purchase.

Start now. 

For brands already focused on this, now’s the time to double down and expand. For those who haven’t, the opportunity to start building shouldn’t be missed. While lockdown shock is a trauma that businesses need to respond to immediately through cost management, the solution isn’t just to retreat. This is a time to rethink how we market and therefore connect with our audiences, in this new, super-digital behavioural landscape. 

Modern brands are defined by what they do, not what they say. They're shaped by all the experiences people have with them.  Make your relationship resilient and have something to talk about beyond just the stuff you directly profit from, because businesses with a truly valued relationship with their customers are better placed to weather this storm and come out the other side stronger. 

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Written by Bill Brock, Founder and Chief Client Officer

The importance of digital experience

First published <a href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/school-reports-2020-analogfolk/1680036">Campaign</a>

It’s tough being a digital agency at a time when many marketers expect all creative agencies to be "digital". In this context, one has to admire AnalogFolk’s tenacity and creativity in 2019. Campaign’s Digital Agency of the Year sustained a good new-business record and doubled its profits compared with 2018. 

It also doubled its research and development investment, and efforts in this area brought in significant revenue. It launched an agency-wide manifesto, "Stay restless", to drive change across the business, and expanded its Microsoft partnership to improve staff’s AI skills.

Bill Brock handed the global chief executive reins to former Publicis Worldwide boss Guy Wieynk (Brock is to focus on international clients), having also acquired Wieynk’s fledgling Serum Consulting. Other major new recruits included Unilever data chief Clare Salter, former Digitas customer experience specialist Michelle Watson, Publicis.Poke head of strategy Sol Ghafoor and Adjust Your Set’s Anna-Louise Gladwell, who joined as London managing director to replace Ete Davies after he became chief executive at Engine Creative. AnalogFolk also exceeded its diversity and inclusion targets, with more than half of its leadership being female and a third BAME.

It produced some meaty digital transformation projects for key clients, such as BT, for which it tripled the size of the account by adding digital innovation to its existing customer engagement brief, and Nando’s (pictured), for which it built their first combined, take-away and delivery platform, using cutting-edge computing technology to handle spikes in customer demand. 

Mark: 9

Agency's own mark: 8

Last year's mark: 7

From the headmaster: Excellent digital performer

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2019 in the agency's words: We launched new services, won awards for breakthrough work, amassed 16 new business wins and doubled our year-on-year profits. We strengthened our leadership team with Guy Wieynk as global CEO, Clare Salter (data), Michelle Watson (CX) and Sol Ghafoor (strategy) and appointed Anna-Louise Gladwell as new London MD. 

We acquired Serum Consulting, a specialist eight-person creative consultancy, and in the same month opened our seventh office in Amsterdam, led by ex-MediaMonks MD Kris Smith. We continued our commitment to talent, exceeding our targets – with 53.3% female leadership, 33.3% BAME leadership and 63.2% staff retention.

&nbsp;

Type of agency and ownership Independent digital agency

Nielsen billings 2019 n/a

Declared income n/s

Total accounts at year end 38

Accounts won 16 (biggest: Diageo)

Accounts lost 2 (biggest: Booking.com)

Number of staff 190 (-3%)

Key personnel Bill Brock, founder and chief executive; Matt Dyke, founder and chief strategy officer; Morag Bruce, editor-in-chief; Simon Richings, executive creative director; Anna-Louise Gladwell, managing director London

Star player Dan Noller, associate creative director. "Pushes the boundaries of clients’ creative ambitions, while inspiring teams to solve the (seemingly) impossible."

Females in senior management 54%

BAME in senior management 33%

Campaign School Reports 2020: AnalogFolk

The Decade of Deliberate Decadence

London, April 2, 2020 — British multinational telecommunications company BT Group and independent global digital creative agency AnalogFolk have today announced the launch of ‘Code a Cake’, an experience that gives parents and children control of a fantastical bakery staffed by robots, and introduces both to the simple concepts of coding.

BT launched their new ‘Beyond Limits’ brand platform at the end of last year, with the ambition of reflecting the changing nature of BT and helping consumers once again recognise the brand as a fundamental part of the fabric of the nation. One of the initiatives of this new positioning is BT’s commitment to teach digital skills to 10 million people through its ‘Skills for Tomorrow’ programme.

Code a Cake was conceived and built by AnalogFolk to help drive awareness of the brand ambition with a broad audience. It also ‘walks the walk’, delivering digital skills through the experience itself, by way of a coding tutorial unlike any other. Instead of getting caught up in an overly techy world, Code a Cake taps into the UK’s love of homely shows like Bake Off – where part of the fun is seeing culinary experiments go wrong.

The digital experience takes the sometimes mysterious and intimidating world of coding, and makes it accessible through the metaphor of baking a cake. Parents and children play with code that relates to ingredients and recipe steps, and then enjoy the often messy results, as robots follow the programmed instructions. A real physical kitchen, with five custom-built working robots, was created to help young and old connect their choices of code to real world effects, but without any of the fear of making mistakes. 

Jo Trimmings, Group Brand Marketing Manager for BT, said: “Code a Cake is a great demonstration of our ambition to provide essential digital skills and training to 10 million people in the UK. At a time when education at home couldn’t be more important, we hope this can provide a fun and constructive activity that both adults and kids can benefit from.”

Anna-Louise Gladwell, Managing Director, AnalogFolk, said, “Creating experiences where creativity, culture and technology comes together is something we are incredibly passionate about. Moreover it’s our mission to use digital to make the analog world better, and that’s brought to life perfectly in this work. It’s a great way to get parents and children working and playing together, especially at this unusual and surprising time. We’re hugely proud of the creativity and craft in this project. It’s testament to the amazing talent of our team and the innovative spirit at BT.”

To try the experience and get involved &lt;<a href="https://www.bt.com/codeacake">https://www.bt.com/codeacake</a>&gt;

The campaign launches on April 2nd, and will run until early May. It was originally designed to be a fun and educational activity that coincided with the start of the school easter holidays, but now finds even greater relevance with millions of parents and kids stuck at home due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

The experience is supported by an ad campaign, also created by AnalogFolk, and appearing on Facebook, Instagram and BT Digital Out of Home screens.

How it works:

On accessing the robot bakery website, adults and kids will go through three parts of the kitchen, each that teaches them one of the basic principles of code – sequencing, variables and repetition.

At each stage, you arrange simple, colourful blocks of code, then see the playful robots respond and carry out baking tasks. You can see the difference your choices make in a physical, tangible environment – without fear of making mistakes. 

You also get to choose the theme for your cake, from Llama Piñata, to outer space, to robots (of course). At the end, your cake is personalised with your name, so you can share it on social media. You can even download the recipe to bake your cake in real life.

For more information please contact: 

Lucy Wertheim

Global Knowledge Director, AnalogFolk

+44 7812222311

lucy.wertheim@analogfolk.com

Code a Cake with BT

First published: The Drum Network <a href="https://bit.ly/33XNkR2">https://bit.ly/33XNkR2</a>

The 5G hype machine is in full swing, and rightly so. Networks, platforms and innovators are now jostling for position as the new frequency starts to roll out. While the change 5G promises will take a while to impact, when it arrives it will be fundamental. 

To get ahead of the seismic shift we need to identify early-impact sectors. Gaming is at the front of the queue and the change here will come fast. Mobile will develop from entertainment seeing to entertainment doing; it won’t be about watching Game of Thrones, it’ll be about actively engaging in a new experience.

There are 3.2bn active smartphone users and, according to <a href="https://techjury.net/stats-about/mobile-gaming/#gref">Techjury</a>, a staggering 21% of Android and 25% of iOS apps downloaded are games, accounting for 43% of all smartphone use. Games insight specialist <a href="https://newzoo.com/key-numbers/">Newzoo</a> says 46% of all gaming currently happens on a mobile device, that’s up a huge 9.7% y-o-y. The split between casual and dedicated gamers has been driven by access to processing power and connectivity, making in-depth gaming a home activity and mobile gaming casual. However, 5G rewrites the rules of what’s possible for the mobile gaming experience.

5G offers bandwidth that can transfer data at 100 times the speed of current 4G networks and do it with super-low millisecond latency. Both these changes open the possibility of remote game processing, or edge computing, where cloud servers do the hard work and gaming experiences are streamed to a mobile device as a movie would with Netflix. This means the audience’s gaming experience will no longer be limited by their device’s processing power, and immersive 4K experiences will be available with little impact on battery life.

In the same way that in the 90’s and 00’s consoles caught-up with arcade machines and then totally out-stripped them, edge computing gaming will rapidly match high-end console experiences and then start to pull ahead. This shift to streamed processing power on offer to everyone will produce two key changes we need to anticipate now.

Follow the new money

The first change is economic. This new flow of data will open up new business model opportunities. The Sprint network in the US has already signed a deal with start-up Hatch to offer Android users free access to their cloud gaming platform. Pitched somewhere between gaming publisher platform Steam and Netflix but with social platform elements, Hatch promises instantly available recognisable games and their remote processing means there’s no app download, no logging in, no install or set-up, just instant always-on gaming. 

With money flowing through to the platforms that have the games people want, networks are going to want to reach for exclusivity with valued providers or even look to acquire them. Networks will want to avoid becoming the ‘dumb pipe’ providers simply letting data flow through them. 

It’s also worth recognising that that data will be flowing both ways. 5G throws off the ability to understand the behaviours of users in more detail and at a greater scale than ever before. This behavioural data will be enormously valuable and whoever controls its supply will be able to name their price. 

For users, economies will also change. We’ve already seen gaming revenue models shift through the introduction of loot boxes. More gaming and deeper gaming will means a further merging of real-world and in-game economies. Users will be able to digitally earn as well as digitally spend, throwing up new career possibilities just as Instagram and YouTube created influencers. What’s for certain is that all stakeholders in gaming will use 5G as an opportunity to rethink models and seize more control.

Deep is the new high-res

The second fundamental change 5G brings is that it won’t just make the gaming we know faster, it will change the very nature of gaming. 5G bandwidth and speed opens up the possibility of smooth and responsive Augmented Reality experiences. Google’s recent introduction of Live View augmented reality directions for Maps on smartphones is just the start. Apple and Microsoft are preparing their own mass-market AR hardware to take on smartphones and billions of dollars of VC money is backing hundreds of other potential rivals.

What’s for sure is that this will change the very nature of what it is to be gaming, as the real and virtual worlds merge. Gaming experiences will be measured by their ’immersivity’ – a magic combination of visual richness, responsiveness, engaging story and integration with social or physical reality.

As with all new media channels that emerge, IP will be the catalyst to drive user scale. Those publishers that have established IP such as Candy Crush or Plants vs Zombies will be able to move fast, but expect games publishers, networks and platforms to reach for other established IP outside of gaming to give them an edge, as Niantic has with it’s AR Harry Potter game based on the Pokemon Go engine.

Gaming and beyond…

Whether you’re in the middle, on the edge or totally outside the gaming sector, all this stuff matters to you. Why? Because where gaming leads, the rest of the industry will follow. The disruption and innovation we’re about to see in mobile gaming won’t stay in that sector, it’ll ripple out to hit everyone. New user monetisation models, new entertainment habits that will take brains and eyeballs away from established media, and new advertising opportunities will all change the relationship between brand and audience wherever you’re from. 

Don’t just love the player, love the new game.

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Guy Wieynk: Everyone gets new rules for 5G gaming

We’re Campaign's Digital Innovation Agency of the Year!

Carren O'Keefe joins AnalogFolk Amsterdam

Who Say's You Can't podcast (Season 2)

Costa and their Morning Musers

Shortlisted for Campaign's Digital Innovation Agency of the Year

As part of the <a href="https://musebycl.io/year_in_creativity" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Muse's "The Year in Creativity 2019" report, </a>Carren O'Keefe, ECD of AnalogFolk Portland, describes the work she's proud of, jealous of, excited by and looking forward to.
<h3>I'm proud of</h3>
We did an activation called AirDrop1 for Nike at the Super Bowl in Atlanta. It was the first shoe drop using AirDrop, giving consumers a 1:1 experience to customize AirForce1s. Obviously I’m proud of the innovative way AirDrop was used. But what I’m most proud of is how the technology democratized the experience. Typically, participation in brand experiences like these require that you have a lot of influence or a lot of money. AirDrop truly leveled the playing field. If you loved Nike and you were there, you could get the exclusive experience. We talk a lot about diversity in our industry. But we should also be talking about accessibility and how technology can enable it.
<h3>Jealous of</h3>
From concept to execution, the Teeter-Totter Wall is a project that makes me say, “I wish I did that.” Ronald Rael, an architecture professor at the University of California Berkeley, and Virginia San Fratello, an associate professor of design at San Jose State University, installed seesaws at the border so kids in the U.S. and Mexico could play together. The idea is so simple yet so powerful. And the way they were able to execute it was brilliant. It was a very serious statement on a very serious topic, but it felt lighthearted and hopeful. Even the execution of the bright pink seesaws in contrast to the metallic border-wall beams created a powerful visual statement. It was simply amazing.
<h3>Excited by</h3>
The rise of vulnerability. It’s no longer a symbol of weakness, but a sign of strength. This cultural trend has led to some interesting and important creative work. Nike launched an initiative called Nike by You. Influencers designed shoes based on a personal story or inspiration in their life and limited-edition pairs were sold. A shoe designed by Liz Beecroft, a psychotherapist and sneakerhead, focused on mental health and overshadowed the activation itself. The design put a spotlight on the taboo topic and demonstrated how a brand like Nike is giving voice to vulnerable stories and causes. The traction it got shows how much people want more of this type of thing.
<h3>Looking forward to</h3>
How many times have we gotten direction from brands recently for our creative to be “real, raw and authentic”? But the reality is, we’ve all had enough of reality for a while. I predict a lot of work will start moving away from the “real and raw” and more toward bright, cheerful, surreal creative across the spectrum of content to experiences. I predict we’ll see a rise in creative that’s meant to make us feel good and take us out of every day for a little while—like the Museum of Ice Cream.

The Year in Creativity 2019 - Carren O'Keefe

Independent global digital creative agency AnalogFolk has today announced that Anna-Louise Gladwell is to become its new London Managing Director, with Sol Ghafoor also set to join as Director of Strategic Services. Gladwell joins the agency from Adjust Your Set and will report to Global CEO Guy Wieynk, whilst Ghafoor joins from Publicis•Poke and will report into new London MD Anna-Louise Gladwell. With the appointment of Gladwell, interim MD Bill Brock will move into a newly created Chief Client Officer role. Ghafoor will replace current Director of Strategic Services Doug Baker, who departs the agency after 7 highly successful years to pursue a personal passion for cycling by joining the fast-growing digital media business Play Sports Group, with a position to be announced soon.

The move signals a significant boost to the London leadership team and a continued commitment to current UK based clients such as BT, Costa Coffee, Nando’s and Unilever. Gladwell’s track record in business development, growth and agency leadership, coupled with Ghafoor’s vast experience with creating strategies to solve complex business problems for A-list brands, strengthens AnalogFolk London’s commercial and strategic capabilities as it continues to deliver digital products and creative-led digital marketing communications for progressive brands.

Marking a busy end to Q4 for the independent agency, the announcement follows the opening of the agency’s 7th office in Amsterdam, acquisition of Serum Consultancy and appointment of Guy Wieynk as global CEO.

Guy Wieynk, CEO AnalogFolk “I’m thrilled to welcome Anna-Louise and Sol to the team. Both bring invaluable experience in running successful creative digital agencies, servicing clients strategically and growing businesses. Anna-Lou and Sol’s knowledge of how to develop relationships with big brands and create value for them will be a huge asset to the London office and wider global network, and I can’t wait to start working with them both.“

Gladwell brings over 19 years of experience with global creative digital agencies, where she has worked with some of the world’s most recognisable brands including Unilever, Heineken, Volkswagen, Diageo, MINI, Xbox, H&amp;M, Volvo, Hertz and Eurostar. Previous positions include UK Growth Director at Publicis Media, Director of International Business Development and Head of Business Development at AKQA, as well as Account Director positions at Tribal DDB.

Industry veteran Ghafoor’s most recent position was Head of Strategy at Publicis•Poke. Prior roles include Head of Strategy at Poke, Group Strategy Director at Publicis London and Strategy Director of Publicis London. Clients that Ghafoor has worked with include Heineken, Renault and Essity, with several noticeable projects claiming accolades such as Cannes Lions, Eurobest, Webby, YouTube Works and IPA Effectiveness awards.

Anna-Louise Gladwell, Managing Director AnalogFolk London “I’ve long admired AnalogFolk and their mission of using digital to make the analog world better. They are one of the few independent creative digital agencies that has the nimbleness, company culture and combination of creative, data and strategy that progressive brands are crying out for.”

Sol Ghafoor, Director of Strategic Services AnalogFolk adds “Throughout my discussions with Bill and Matt I’ve been impressed with AnalogFolk’s digital and strategic knowledge. Their client list is impressive and I see huge potential to add value. I’m excited to help develop the strategic offering and to start working with the team on achieving clients’ strategic goals.”

Gladwell and Ghafoor will officially begin their new roles in January 2020, with Bill Brock and Doug Baker set to continue in their current roles until that time.

AnalogFolk boosts UK leadership team

The Drum Content Awards have been announced, with independent global creative agency AnalogFolk taking home the award for Most Innovative Use of New Social Platforms, for its project Stop At Nothing. Celebrating the best in modern marketing, The Drum Content Awards specifically recognise brands and agencies that are leading the way and pushing boundaries in content marketing and branded entertainment. Stop at Nothing demonstrated a new way of using emerging social platform TikTok in a campaign. The campaign has also recently been successful in the <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/news/analogfolk-scoops-dadi-award-for-stop-at-nothing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">DADI</a> and <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/news/analogfolk-scoops-lovie-awards-for-stop-at-nothing-and-trained" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Lovie awards</a>.

Stop at Nothing aims to change perceptions of young sportswomen and confront gender disparity in sport in Milan (Italy), where 55% of young women don’t do any sport at all and the sporting heroines who should be inspiring them are ignored and objectified. To get young women moving, leading Nike female athletes were paired with three TikTok influencers to create a series of dance challenges for popular social media platforms TikTok and Instagram.

Stop at Nothing was TikTok’s first-ever branded takeover. To date, it has amassed more than 100 million views and 540 thousand likes, with more than 46 thousand user-generated routines posted in response to the dance challenges. Over 300 articles have been written about the campaign, for a readership of more than 600 million.

The Content Awards were announced during a black-tie awards ceremony at The Marriott Grosvenor Square Hotel.

Drum Content award for Nike Stop At Nothing

AnalogFolk (AF) announced today the appointment of three new hires for the agency’s New York office: Michelle Choi, ​Associate Director, Data Strategy; Claudeland Louis, Associate Creative Director; and Sina Iranikhah, Senior Strategist. The hires come at a time of growth for the agency, which has recently added Hyundai to a client roster that already includes L’Oreal, Nike and Blink Fitness, and relocated to a larger office space in New York with an in-house production studio.

“2019 has been a great year for AnalogFolk and it has allowed us to continue growing our talented team,” said Kunal Muzumdar, Partner/Managing Director of AnalogFolk US. “We are incredibly excited about this new wave of hires, as they are already making a lasting impact on our work and culture.”

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Michelle Choi, Associate Director, Data Strategy:

A data-centered storyteller with experience growing brands through innovative strategy and analytics, Choi’s responsibilities at AF include delivering data strategy and marketing analytics solutions, as well as building personalization engine, app logic, data architecture and visualization. Reporting to Muzumdar, Choi will work across AF’s roster of clients, including Blink Fitness and L’Oreal. 

Prior to AnalogFolk, Choi was an Associate Director of Marketing Science at Omnicom, where she led 360 strategy and measurement for Google’s most funded and high growth accounts in hardware and B2B categories. Before that, she spent time at Ogilvy as an Analytics &amp; Insights Manager, where she was responsible for digital analytics and data management for advertisers including Showtime, Lenovo, American Express and E-Trade. Choi started her career as a planner for Macy’s.

Commenting on her role, Choi said: “​The energy and ideas that come from the folks at AF are truly inspiring. I’m excited to bring strategic, analytical ideas and innovations that distinguish our clients from their digital competitors and help them connect to their consumers in meaningful ways.” 

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Claudeland Louis, Associate Creative Director:

An art director/designer with a focus on digital design, Louis has been designing since he was on the robotics team in high school. Since then, he’s expanded his skills while working for different start-ups, agencies and platforms. As ACD at AnalogFolk, Louis is tasked with elevating the design and creative across all of AF’s clients including Blink Fitness and L’Oreal. He reports to Partner/ECD Jim Wood.

Prior to AnalogFolk, Louis was an ACD at Brooklyn-based Mustache, where he worked on brands like Netflix and Under Armour, creating fresh and inventive visual work. Louis also did a stint at NYC-based Ceros, an experiential content creation platform, and before that spent two years at global digital agency BORN as an art director. 

He said, “I came to AnalogFolk because I wanted to become a better creative, and step one in that process is to surround myself with great creatives. The people here are inspiring and I’m excited to contribute cool sh!t to an already great agency.”

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Sina Iranikhah, Senior Strategist:

 With experience spanning digital and experiential, Iranikhah leans into both to help brands think through problems in a multi-dimensional way. In his new role as senior strategist, Iranikhah is tasked with uncovering cultural insights, market trends and consumer habits that will help AF’s creative teams unlock white spaces to brainstorm against while ensuring ideas are rooted in strategic thinking. Working across AF’s roster of clients, including Blink Fitness and Nike Football, Iranikhah will report to New York Strategy Director Meg Murray.

Most recently, Iranikhah was a strategist at MKTG in Chicago where he helped create experiences for brands like Nike, Gatorade and Beats. Before that, he was a project manager at Publicis Sapient in Atlanta, leading local and international teams through agile project management including financial modeling and resource allocation. He started his career as a digital marketing planner at umano clothing in Athens, GA prior to graduating from the University of Georgia with a BBA in Marketing. 

“I love how AnalogFolk approaches the work,” said Iranikhah. “The collective mentality of the team makes for true collaboration while also respecting each member’s expertise. With each conversation I’ve had, there was this feeling of fluidity and that everyone was working towards the same goal: creating incredible work and not being afraid of doing things differently in the process.

AnalogFolk adds three new hires in New York

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As new research reveals 25% of British kids regularly get two or fewer of their five a day, household stock brand Knorr has brought the Hairy Bikers on board as it launches a new cooking project to help families get more vegetables into their diet, by showing how meat-free meals can be just as delicious as meat-based dishes.

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As well as being the region where families most need to improve their fruit and vegetable intake, new research shows two in five parents in London are not at all confident when it comes to cooking meat-free dishes from scratch. This is exacerbated by the fact that more than a quarter (26 per cent) of those in the capital say they do not know how to boil pasta or rice, or how to peel and chop vegetables. Knorr is therefore launching the Master Meat- Free with Knorr project to bring cooking workshops to the areas where help is needed most, helping British families introduce more nutritious, vegetable-based meals into their Diets.

The workshops, run in collaboration with the Organic Cookery School, will focus on giving British family favourites – such as shepherd’s pie, curries and soups – a meat-free twist, using Knorr stocks as the secret weapon to make them as delicious as their meat counterparts. The classes will teach families how to “cheat on meat”, by giving them the skills and knowledge they need to be able to cook tasty vegetarian meals from scratch, packed with plenty of vegetables.

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Through the new project, Knorr is looking to help UK families lead more nutritionally and environmentally conscious lifestyles, as Knorr’s tasty vegetarian recipes are not only better for you – they are better for the planet.

For the UK as a whole, 29 per cent of parents say the main barrier to them cooking more meat-free meals is not knowing any good vegetarian recipes, closely followed by 28 per cent who don’t believe their family would like the taste of their veg-based cooking. This is despite the fact that three quarters would happily order a vegetarian main course at a restaurant – showing the key issue is confidence in the kitchen rather than an aversion to meat-free cooking.

Philippa Atkinson, Senior Brand Manager for Knorr, said: “We know how tricky it can be for families to incorporate more veg into their diet, which is why we’re on a mission to show the nation that meat-free meals can be just as tasty as their meaty equivalents – particularly when you’ve got a secret weapon like Knorr’s veggie stocks up your sleeve. By launching our ‘Master Meat-Free with Knorr’ project with the Hairy Bikers and the Organic Cookery School, we’re helping to show families that cheating on meat can be quick, easy and above all Delicious!”

“The launch is part of a wider £2million campaign to show our commitment to helping the nation turn their traditional recipes into meat-free versions. Through radio, OOH and social media we’re showing UK families how meat-free meals can be just as delicious as meat dishes, through the power of Knorr stocks.”

Dave and Si, the Hairy Bikers, added: “We love our meaty family favourites as much as the next pair, but we know some families need a bit more help when it comes to cooking tasty meat-free meals. We cut down on a lot of meat for Hairy Bikers’ Go Veggie!, which is why we’ve teamed up with Knorr to show just how easy it is to turn those dinnertime classics into veggie versions without compromising on taste.”

For more quick and easy meat-free recipes, visit www.knorr.com/uk/cheatonmeat.html.

The campaign, created by AnalogFolk can be seen on Instagram, Facebook, London Underground, national commuter OOH locations and local radio stations and will run until the end of November 2019.

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Knorr launch new campaign ‘Cheat on Meat’

Hong Kong, Oct 24 2019 – Digital creative agency AnalogFolk was awarded two Gold awards at the Asia E-Commerce Awards for their work on Nike Plus Membership. The gala dinner was held on October 23rd at the Mira Hotel honouring the very best of e-tailers, innovators and campaigns that the e-commerce industry has to offer in Hong Kong, Macau and Mainland China.

The winning work for Nike is based around a locally-relevant online platform for Nike.hk, centred around four main benefits that are all tailored to the members shopping behaviour and interests: Member-only products, coveted experiences, exclusive rewards, and Nike experts. They aimed to connect on a personal level with local athletes whilst reflecting the spirit of Hong Kong. The online experience was created to ensure offline and retail still played a pivotal role. The result is an O2O experience where mobile wallet and geo targeting bridge the gap between offline shopping, retail and Nike membership offerings online.

Commenting on the wins, Harry Llufrio, Executive Creative Director Partner, AnalogFolk Asia said, “Being recognised by the best in our industry for our creative flair and detail of work is truly the icing on the cake for an overall great experience - an online-to-offline experience, a first for Nike in Hong Kong. Hats off to our amazing Nike and AnalogFolk team who delivered this amazing experience. One team, one dream.”

AnalogFolk shines at the Asia eCommerce Awards

Digital specialist agency AnalogFolk has appointed Stephen Pill as their new Strategy Director for Asia. Pill joins after 8 years at FITCH where he created award-winning digital experiences for international clients such as The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai Airports and Swire Properties.

The hire comes as AnalogFolk continues to strengthen their strategic capabilities with a focus on experience creation, data services that power successful customer experiences as well as their growing business in brand strategy, creation and re-branding for businesses that operate primarily online. 

Chris Ryan Managing Director &amp; Partner at AnalogFolk Asia said, “Stephen is undoubtedly a thought leader in UX strategy and is responsible for some of the most pioneering projects in Asia especially in the O2O space, which makes him a perfect fit for our mission to use digital to make the analog world better. We’re very excited to be able to strengthen and scale our core business at a time when demand for our services is at an all-time high.”

Pill commented, “I’ve been watching AnalogFolk’s development in Asia since their arrival 5 years ago. They’re doing ground-breaking work in the region for some of the world’s leading brands, as well as for very high-profile start-ups. Their energy and ambition is a great fit for my abilities, and I am excited to join them at such an integral time in the agency’s growth.”

Pill’s experience spans Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the US and across multiple sectors including finance, FCMG, automotive, tech, retail, travel and hospitality. Pill’s track record is proven and impressive - he defined and launched MXP, FITCH’s retail technology platform which has seen great success in malls throughout China and most recently launched in K11 Musea in Hong Kong. Pill also drove Swire Properties connected online and in-mall shopping experiences at Cityplaza, Citygate Outlets and Pacific Place. In Singapore, Pill worked on the most intelligent store in Asia for Singtel. The result was a multi-award winning project, with an entirely new customer experience for their flagship store, resulting in a dynamic, responsive shopping experience. This led to the development of Singtel Unboxed, their first 100% un-staffed, experimental automated store, which can be found by visiting select locations around Singapore.

Stephen Pill joins as Asia's New Strategy Director

The annual Drum Awards for the Digital Industries (the DADIs) winners were today announced, with independent global digital creative agency AnalogFolk taking home gold for its project Stop at Nothing for Nike. The DADIs is the award scheme that aims to identify the best practices, companies and people in our industry. In 2019, the awards scheme received a record number of entries

Stop at Nothing aims to change perceptions of young sportswomen and confront gender disparity in sport in Milan (Italy), where 55% of young women don’t do any sport at all and the sporting heroines who should be inspiring them are ignored and objectified.  To get young women moving, leading Nike female athletes were paired with three TikTok influencers to create a series of dance challenges for popular social media platforms TikTok and Instagram. 

Bill Brock, Founding Partner at AnalogFolk, “Stop at Nothing embodies our mission of using digital to make the analog world better and I’m delighted the campaign has been recognised by the DADI awards. The project is a great example of the real world change brands and agencies can help enact when they combine creativity, purpose and technology. I want to say a big congratulations and thank you to our amazing client Nike, to the creative team Rob, Jacqui, Gracie and Nick and to all of the Folk involved for all of their creativity and hard work.”

Stop at Nothing was TikTok’s first-ever branded takeover. To date, it has amassed more than 100 million views and 540 thousand likes, with more than 46 thousand user-generated routines posted in response to the dance challenges. Over 300 articles have been written about the campaign, for a readership of more than 600 million.

You can read more about the <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/work/nulla-puo-fermaci-stop-at-nothing/">campaign here.</a>

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AnalogFolk wins DADI award for Stop at Nothing

Independent global digital creative agency AnalogFolk has today announced that its seventh global office in Amsterdam is officially open for business. AnalogFolk Amsterdam will be led by former MediaMonks European Managing Director Kris Smith, servicing the creative agency’s growing European client base. The office follows on from sustained growth as brands are increasingly looking to work with agile independent agencies, with the creative agency successfully establishing relationships with Unilever, Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, Danone, Scotch &amp; Soda and Booking.com.

With the addition of Amsterdam, AnalogFolk now boasts 350 Folk and offices across London, New York, Portland, Sydney, Hong Kong and Shanghai. AnalogFolk works with progressive global brands as a digital creative and strategic partner. At the core of the creative agency’s offering lies marketing innovation, digital products and services, data intelligence, strategy and transformation.

Earlier this year AnalogFolk was named as one of Europe’s Fastest Growing Companies by the Financial Times and the office launch follows the recent appointment of Guy Wieynk as Global CEO, who has been tasked with accelerating global network growth.

“We’re delighted to officially open for business in Amsterdam. We’ve established relationships with some of the region's biggest brands and opening the office enables us to effectively service our clients better” says Guy Wieynk, CEO, AnalogFolk. “The increased demand from clients for flexible, independent agencies that are free from holding company politics has been the driving force behind our growth and AnalogFolk Amsterdam allows us to capitalise on this even further. Having worked with Kris in San Francisco and across Europe I’m thrilled he’ll be leading the office and I’m looking forward to working with him again as we grow our already impressive roster of clients.”

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-6481" src="http://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Kris-Smith-copy.jpg" alt="" width="1180" height="787" />Kris Smith, Managing Director Amsterdam

Noticeable recent work includes Stop At Nothing, the world’s first branded takeover of TikTok which combined Nike athletes and TikTok influencers to change the perception of sportswomen in Italy.

Kris Smith, Managing Director, AnalogFolk Amsterdam “The mix of creative, data and digital capabilities that AnalogFolk brings to the market is exactly what businesses need. Our mission of using digital to make the analog world better positions us as the perfect partner for progressive brands. Amsterdam is a world-class creative city, with a world-class talent pool. After months of hard work, it’s great to officially open and expand our regional footprint.”

The new office is located in central Amsterdam along the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, with the creative agency’s first public appearance being a speaker engagement on data and creativity at OnBrand on October the 10th.

AnalogFolk launches seventh global office in Amsterdam

The 9th annual Lovie winners have today been announced, with independent global digital creative agency AnalogFolk scooping gold in the Podcast category for TRAINED, alongside a Bronze and a People’s choice award in the Entertainment &amp; Sports category for Stop at Nothing. Recognising the unique and resonant nature of the European Internet community, the Lovie Awards honour the Best of the European Internet across Websites, Apps, Mobile Sites &amp; Podcasts, Social, Internet Video and Online Advertising.

Stop at Nothing aims to change perceptions of young sportswomen and confront gender disparity in sport in Milan (Italy), where 55% of young women don’t do any sport at all and the sporting heroines who should be inspiring them are ignored and objectified.  To get young women moving, leading Nike female athletes were paired with three TikTok influencers to create a series of dance challenges for popular social media platforms TikTok and Instagram. The campaign was TikTok’s first-ever branded takeover. To date it has amassed more than 100 million views and 540 thousand likes, with more than 46k user-generated routines posted in response to the dance challenges. 

TRAINED is Nike’s first-ever podcast that provides trainers - and listeners - with access to cutting-edge conversations around the future of fitness. Hosted by Ryan Flaherty, Senior Director of Nike Performance and trainer to elite athletes like Serena Williams, each episode uncovers the information and inspiration needed to help individuals pursue their full potential.  The podcast has featured famed guests such as Andy Puddicombe (Co-Founder Headspace) and Arianna Huffington (Founder of The Huffington Post), among others.

Bill Brock, Founding Partner, AnalogFolk “I’m thrilled that AnalogFolk’s work and creativity have been shown so much love from both the public and industry peers. Stop at Nothing and TRAINED are stellar examples of how brands and agencies can use digital to make the analog world better. It’s always pleasing to see campaigns that engage audiences and enact real-world change be rewarded. A huge congratulations to Nike and to all of the Folk involved.”

The Lovie Awards presents Gold, Silver and Bronze winners as chosen by members of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS).

Lovie Award Win for Stop at Nothing and TRAINED

A new force in the realm of social media has arisen called TikTok and brands should take notice.

For those of you that have somehow managed to miss the latest craze, TikTok is a social media video app where users create and post 15 or 60-second videos. The mobile platform, favoured largely by 16 to 24-year-olds, has taken the world by storm and continues to gain increasing popularity as users post responses to a variety of <a href="https://youtu.be/Fp12gsY87h8" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">TikTok challenges</a>.

Since its international launch in September 2017, TikTok has grown at a rapid pace. And the numbers associated with TikTok’s meteoric rise are remarkable. Having originated in China, the app is now available to download in 155 countries. Globally, the app has been installed more than 1.4 billion times.  TikTok now has in excess of half a billion active users worldwide and daily video views are reported to have breached the one million mark. Clearly, this video app is a force to be reckoned with.
<h3>Possibilities for brands</h3>
TikTok’s explosive growth has caught the attention of brands and agencies alike, all eager to check out the advertising possibilities. And at TikTok’s recent marketing conference in Singapore, the company unveiled a whole host of advertising possibilities, including:

Branded takeover

Often in conjunction with sponsored hashtags, brands can also choose a branded takeover that serves users with a few seconds of branded content when they open the app.

In-app commerce

One of TikTok’s recent new features is the in-app commerce feature, which now allows brands to directly sell products to users without them having to leave the app.

In-video ads

Perhaps the most direct way to interact with audiences on TikTok, in-video ads allow brands to advertise with full-screen ads that users see when browsing video posts on the app. However, with one swipe ads are dismissed.

Sponsored hashtag

Currently one of the most popular ways for brands to advertise on TikTok, brands can pay to create their own unique challenge with a sponsored hashtag. As users generate content in response to the challenge, the hashtag gains popularity, with brand engagement and exposure also increasing. As an additional benefit, brands also gain exposure from featuring on TikTok’s ‘Discover’ page. 
<h3>When AF created TikTok’s first ever branded takeover with Nike</h3>
Earlier this year, Nike reached out to us with a unique challenge; get 150,000 young Milanese women moving by using social, in a way that would cement the brand’s status as the champion of women in sport on every level. 

The ask was a specific response to Italy’s significant problem with its perception of sportswomen, who are rarely seen or celebrated. And when they are, they’re stereotyped, sexualised and objectified.  In Milan – a key Nike city – 55% of women between 14 and 24 don’t do any sport at all. After all, why would they, when female sporting heroes are either invisible, objectified or vilified as unfeminine? 

Our research suggested that young women were doing sports, just not in the public places you’d expect. What we uncovered was that young women were active on TikTok, a safe place where they were challenging one another to perform intricate dance routines.

So, in response to Nike’s challenge, we set about creating a campaign called Stop At Nothing, the platform’s first branded takeover where we paired real Nike athletes with TikTok influencers to create sports-inspired dance moves that leveraged the power of TikTok’s engagement and user-generated content to get young women moving again.

<a href="http://bit.ly/2oV5Ybr" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Read more about how we brought Stop At Nothing to life.</a>

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<h3>Here are our (condensed) learnings taken from working with TikTok:</h3>
1.Creators and social credit are TikTok’s heartbeat

TikTok is all about social credit and the key to successful campaigns on TikTok is the creators. Brands need to allow creators the freedom to create and they also need to consider how the campaign is going to allow creators to make better, more entertaining content. 

2. Creativity is at the epicentre

As a platform, TikTok allows for exceptionally clever editing and creative film-making. Across the whole platform there are countless examples of creativity. The challenge for brands is how to engage people's sense of play and creativity, while also aligning it with set goals.

3. Authenticity is paramount

We understand there’s a temptation to go wild with campaigns on a new platform. But in our experience, the look and feel of the content and ads have to feel at home and be authentic on the platform, especially when you’re posting content via creators' own channels.

4. Involve TikTok from the start

As a platform, TikTok is constantly evolving. So by the time your idea has moved from the inception and ideation phase, there’s a strong likelihood that new features have been launched while old ones have become defunct. That’s why a working session with TikTok and an experienced creative digital agency is advisable. In our experience, TikTok is open to creating bespoke platform experiences, providing they benefit the user.

5. More moderators needed

The one area that we feel TikTok needs to improve in is an increase in moderators. The 16 to 24-year-old demographic is a young one and the platform doesn’t yet have the volume of moderators that we’d like to see. Brands need to be conscious that they are engaging with a younger audience and need to be responsible with how they talk to audiences and what they are asking them to do.

If you’re interested in finding out more about TikTok or have any questions, reach out to us at marketing@analogfolk.com.

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The power of TikTok: Here’s what brands need to know

Independent global digital creative agency AnalogFolk has appointed Guy Wieynk as Global CEO. In the role, Wieynk will partner with Co-Founders Bill Brock and Matt Dyke to continue to grow the network. Wieynk’s focus will be on evolving AnalogFolk’s international service offering, with Brock leading global business development efforts and Dyke heading up global strategy and product output. 

With a proven track record in international growth, Wieynk will oversee the network’s 350 people across offices in London, New York, Portland, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Sydney. The appointment signals AnalogFolk’s commitment to increasing connectivity and collaboration between its offices to better serve its global clients, including Nike, Unilever, L’Oreal, Hyundai and Diageo.  

As part of the deal, AnalogFolk will acquire Serum Consulting, the eight-person creative consultancy that specialises in growth, proposition development and digital transformation services which was launched by Wieynk earlier this year.

Prior to founding Serum Consulting, Wieynk was UK and Western Europe CEO at Publicis Worldwide. He led the turnaround of Publicis UK including adding clients such as Virgin Cruises, Huawei, Morrisons, Heineken and the IOC to the roster. He was also the Global  Client lead for Heineken running the network’s creative, media and technology agencies across 150+ markets. Groundbreaking work included No More Excuses, the data-led campaign starring José Mourinho and Worlds Apart, Heineken’s most successful ever UK campaign with over 35 million views on Facebook and YouTube. 

Before joining Publicis Groupe, he spent seventeen years building AKQA the global digital agency. Over his tenure he held a variety of senior roles in the UK, US, Asia and Europe. In his final role Wieynk was International VP he trebled the agency’s revenue, opened five offices and won over 300 major awards, including 18 ‘Agency of the Year’ titles.  

Global CEO Guy Wieynk said, "AnalogFolk has a great culture, free from bureaucracy that allows them to act like a startup, whilst having the scale of a network to deliver for their clients. I was very impressed by their speed and depth of digital thinking, so when Bill and Matt approached me about acquiring Serum and joining as Global CEO it was an easy decision”.

Bill Brock, Founding Partner, AnalogFolk added, ”I’m delighted Guy is coming on board to accelerate our global growth plans. He’s an expert in scaling future-focused agencies and it's an exciting time for our clients and Folk across the network. He brings twenty-five plus years experience, proven leadership qualities and exceptional client experience to AnalogFolk, not to mention a very exciting new business pipeline in Serum, and I’m extremely thrilled he’s our Global CEO.”

Wieynk will also keep his NED Chairman role with RPD which provides rapid prototyping and manufacturing services for brands. The acquisition and appointment follows AnalogFolk’s recent announcement that it is boosting its service innovation credentials, with the agency also making substantial investments in their data intelligence capabilities earlier this year.

AnalogFolk appoints Guy Wieynk as Global CEO

Mobile technology company OnePlus and global digital creative agency AnalogFolk announce the launch of their new Digital Out of Home (DOOH) campaign across six iconic London sites. The DOOH spots celebrate the launch of OnePlus’ first 5G enabled smartphone, the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G, with the fastest 5G download speed.

RootMetrics in London found the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G is capable of download speeds of up to nearly 700Mbps, which is more than ten times 4G’s maximum real-world speed of up to 60Mbps. When using 5G, customers will be able to download movies in seconds, watch videos in HDR 10+ and play games without experiencing lag.

The campaign aims to bring awareness for OnePlus’s latest 5G smartphone via DOOH ads across several iconic London sites including Canary Wharf, Euston London Bridge, London Underground, Old Street, Shoreditch and Waterloo. 

Helene Lee, OnePlus’ UK Marketing Director “At OnePlus we focus on making products which provide users with the fastest and smoothest experience possible. This pursuit of quality goes into everything we do and an approach we always look for our partners to share. Working with AnalogFolk, we wanted to deliver a campaign which demonstrates the powerful performance of the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G in a tangible, impactful way.”

Bill Brock, CEO and Founder, AnalogFolk “Since the brief came in we’ve been really excited to start working with one of the most exciting and innovative technology companies. OnePlus launching the DOOH campaign at some of London’s most iconic sites is a testament to the brand’s ambition in the UK. The speed at which the project was executed is a tribute to the teams involved and is a fitting way to honour the rapid speeds of the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G.”  

The campaign is currently live across London and will be live until Tuesday 11th of August.

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DOOH campaign across iconic London sites for OnePlus

Tech startup Serai, has announced its partnership with digital specialist agency AnalogFolk, whose involvement spans brand strategy, visual identity and online experience design. AnalogFolk was selected in a competitive pitch from a cast of leading brand agencies, digital agencies and consultants.

Serai is a first of its kind. It is a data-powered online platform that aims to connect small and medium-sized manufacturers with component suppliers in different parts of the world. The new brand derives its name from the caravanserai of the Silk Road. The logo mark was inspired by a combination of the footprint of a serai and ancient Chinese coins, with nodes representing business networks. Before arriving at the brand’s visual identity, AnalogFolk worked with the Serai team to define the brand’s framework, consistent with its purpose: “Simplify trade to release business potential”.

Vivek Ramachandran, Chief Executive of Serai said, “Navigating international markets as a small-and-medium-sized company is still a nightmare. And the real pain point is business-to-business (transactions). We wanted to simplify this process, helping businesses to connect in the most efficient manner, and to grow through those connections and other trade-related services Serai provides. To explain what Serai is in the simplest of terms, you have Facebook for your personal network, LinkedIn for your professional network, and now Serai for your company.”

Ramachandran added, “It was vital we chose the right digital agency to partner with. AnalogFolk has a great team on the ground who brought a truly collaborative approach to the project and a refreshing balance between challenge and support.”

Chris Ryan Managing Director &amp; Partner at AnalogFolk Asia said, “This project is a first for us. Working daily with Vivek and his team, we have created an experience-led brand from scratch and designed a very unique online service that will be powered by Serai’s curated data sources. Developing the brand strategy, visual identity and the service design holistically has kept the team highly focused and emotionally involved. It is a new way of working for us, and it has proved highly effective all-round.”

Creation of the online platform is underway and due for initial launch in the coming weeks.

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