<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPxD6phbPmk" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPxD6phbPmk</a>Brazil is one of women’s intimate health brand Canesten’s key markets, but it’s taboo to openly discuss vaginal health, with one in four Brazilian women ashamed to even say the word ‘vagina’. To overcome this barrier to getting treatment, the Bayer-owned brand established a new global brand purpose: ‘To help young people to set themselves free from shame and discomfort.’On the basis that education is the key to eradicating shame and stigma, Canesten worked with agency Analogfolk, London, to launch a digital ‘school’ on TikTok called Intensivão Da PPK (Vagina Academy) in February this year. Through this online learning hub, Canesten offered 28 unconventional and engaging interactive lessons over a five-week course, delivered by well-known Brazilian influencers and experts on vaginas, psychology and body positivity.For example, body positive influencer Hana Khalil (@hanakhalil) gave a lesson on what clothes to wear to take care of the vagina, spoke about the importance of using a condom, and shared 20 facts about vaginas while doing her makeup. Medical professional Claudia Milan (@sosperineo) taught users about the chemistry of the vagina while dressed as a vulva, and explored the colour spectrum of vaginal discharge through art.Canesten also enlisted a group of ‘students’ – young Brazilian TikTok content creators – to normalise shame-free discussions about the vagina for other young Brazilian women and increase awareness of the campaign. The ongoing educational programme has now rolled out in Italy under the name Vagina Academy. According to the agency, the UK will launch their take on it later this year, followed by Australia via several social media platforms, such as Snapchat, Instagram and YouTube, to allow young people easy access to engaging class content and live streamed seminars.Results / The Intensivão Da PPK TikTok channel received 44 million video views, was followed by 210,000 Brazilians, and a TikTok brand uplift study revealed a 5.2% increase in people exposed to activity who said Canesten is helping reduce intimate health taboos for women.Contagious Insight /Cultural barriers / Last year, Brazil’s far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, introduced abstinence-based sex education to help lower teenage pregnancy rates. As Luciene Tognetta, professor of educational psychology at the Paulista State University in São Paulo state told the Guardian, ‘This is like going back 40 years.’ As various studies have shown, abstinence-only education is not linked to a reduction in teen pregnancies and in some cases has the opposite effect – without a comprehensive sexual education on how to practise safe sex young people lack the knowledge and skills to keep themselves safe and healthy. All of this is a breeding ground for shame, stigma and harmful misinformation – all ultimately a barrier to seeking help and getting treatment.Doctor, doctor / By activating on TikTok, Canesten circumvented the government’s censorship of sex education and delivered vital, factual information in a digestible format that its target audience are familiar with. Some 60% of Brazil’s TikTok users are women aged 16-25, and the platform has become something of a trusted source when it comes to health information. That’s partly because the sheer numbers of users make it an ideal platform to disseminate information to a large group of people, points out this study from the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, while the bitesized format (usually accompanied by music and dancing) appeal to the millions of young people who turn to #TikTokDocs to learn about their health, reports Dazed.Trusted source / While it’s largely a positive trend, it comes with a risk of non-evidence-based theories, rumours and false information – and this is why Canesten’s choice of credible, qualified and entertaining experts is so crucial. The Intensivaõ Da PPK works because it speaks to its target audience in their own language, through a format they love and trust. Last year, The Black Country Living Museum, a small mining museum in England, embraced TikTok to reach new audiences, and did so by understanding and speaking the language of its audience, to bring its history up to date. And in 2016, feminine hygiene brand Libresse partnered with two young South African YouTubers, rather than medical experts, to create a series of short, fun and informative videos to educate people about female health in a way that felt accessible. Similarly, Canesten worked with respected TikTok influencers to deliver the educational content in their own unique ways. Rather than showing up as an advertiser on the platform, the brand gave its ambassadors creative freedom to communicate the content authentically and in a way that resonated with the target audience and earned their trust and attention.

Contagious: Insight & Strategy, Vagina Academy

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTs39qQADwU" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTs39qQADwU</a>In November 2019, Hyundai in Australia wanted to promote its latest mini SUV (the Hyundai Venue). Brands in the automotive category invariably fail to differentiate themselves, with ads that focus on scenic road trips, and TV, outdoor and radio being dominant in the comms. Hyundai needed to do something unique to stand out.Working off the insight that 73% of car buyers trust auto reviews above any other source of information, the brand and creative agency AnalogFolk in Sydney created a series of 25 quirky 4 Second Reviews to promote the vehicle under the tagline Absurdly Sensible.Each of the ads in the socially driven campaign paired a consumer interest among Australians with a particular feature of the vehicle.For example, one ad that was targeted at nature lovers posed the question, ‘What does a cactus think of the Hyundai Venue’s fuel efficiency?’, followed with a clip of a cactus giving the thumbs up with the caption ‘Not too thirsty’. Another (for pet lovers) showed a woman telling off her disobedient dog, paying off with the line ‘Total control’.The auto brand also used Cameo to create an additional six ads using celebrities such as Lance Bass, Tori Spelling and Carson Kressley. Each ad directed people to the Hyundai Venue’s product page where they could find out more about the car. The campaign continued until 31 March 2020.Results / According to the agency, the videos were viewed 5 billion times across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat with a 48% view through rate. On Facebook, the ads achieved double the amount of recall (12%) than is typical for the platform standard of 6%. Hyundai also revealed a 68% increase in consideration for the Hyundai Venue among women, while people spent four and a half minutes on the product page versus the benchmark set by the brand of a minute and a half. For every AU$1 ($0.75) spent on the campaign, there was a AU$19 ($14) return in sales for Hyundai, equating to a AU$12m ($9m) total sales increase for the brand.Contagious caught up with Richard Morgan, executive creative director at AnalogFolk, and Ben Hourahine, strategy partner, who told us:<ul><li>One of the main challenges for car brands in Australia is to speed up vehicle turnover as Aussies tend keep their vehicles for an average of 10 and a half years</li><li>The campaign was an opportunity for Hyundai to experiment with different media channels to help distinguish the brand in the market</li><li>Despite SUVs being commonly associated with Gen Z men, women aged 40 plus are actually Australia’s largest audience for prospective car buyers</li><li>The key to making effective short-form ads is to speak in a language that resonates with the target audience and make content that is right for the chosen media channel</li></ul>Tell me about the automotive category in Australia. Who are the main players?Richard Morgan: There are three distinct groupings of automotive brands in Australia. Firstly, there are brands like Ford and Holden, which were traditionally manufactured here and have become local brand icons. While the manufacturing for those brands has mostly gone off-shore, the brand love remains. Secondly, you have the European brands like BMW, Mercedes, Skoda and Volkswagen that are quite popular here. Then you’ve got the third grouping: Korean and Japanese companies like Hyundai and Kia.It’s also worth noting that the automotive market is huge in Australia. The country itself is very vast and the public transport system leaves plenty to be desired because the population is so spread out. I think there’s about 21 million cars for a population of 26 million – if you take out kids, pretty much everyone has one.What challenges are facing these brands in the country?Morgan: The average age for a consumer’s car in Australia is about 10-and-a-half-years old, which is a long time for such a developed market. So, you’ve got this intensely competitive market and the fact that Australians don’t replace their car very frequently. Naturally, the challenge for car companies is to speed up that turnover. Not only for profit, but also to ramp up the conversion of people from traditional models to new and more environmentally friendly options.The other challenge is that the car was once a very traditional symbol of ownership and wealth, but we’re seeing that fact change more and more around the world. Now people value things like ride-sharing or communal transport over ownership, which is something else the industry will increasingly have to contend with.Tell me more about Hyundai.Morgan: Hyundai launched in Australia around 1986 and it’s become a big player. What’s interesting about Hyundai is that the brand has effectively built its own supply chain: they make the cars, then they make the rails to get them to the ships, they make the ships to transport them and the trucks to get them from A to B. It’s a huge operation and so innovative. I think that’s what makes the brand stand out, that level of detail and cutting-edge technology.Who is the brand’s target audience?Ben Hourahine: They target everyone, but each campaign’s focus will depend on the type of vehicle that they are trying to promote. Whether that’s a family wagon, a small city run-around or something for off-road adventures.<blockquote>It seemed pretty obvious but we turned it into something that was disruptive to the category by sticking to the insights and reimagining them in a creative way.</blockquote>Richard Morgan, AnalogFolkDid you receive a brief for this campaign?Hourahine: The brief was to promote Hyundai’s new micro SUV. But they wanted us to deviate from the norm – it’s what we call a hype brief. Essentially, this means to do something that was going to generate a lot of ad hype and really try something different.Morgan: Hyundai wanted to see what the brand, which often played into the more traditional channels like television and outdoor, could do with digital and social media. It was a bit of an experiment by the brand to understand how to use these channels and how to approach creativity through these mediums in the future.Did you have any KPIs?Hourahine: The initial KPI was all about social buzz and then the next one the client set was consideration among consumers. The other important element was the number of people who saw the ads and then went on to look at the vehicle on the brand’s site as part of the sales journey. The client didn’t set us any specific sales metrics because Hyundai didn’t want us to be tightly tied to conversions, the brand wanted to try something different and give us the space to do that.What was your initial response when you heard the brief?Hourahine: One of the first things we thought when we heard the brief was that we needed to break away from the advertising norms that surround the category. When you look at the industry, there are certain norms that are followed time and time again and we wanted to stand out. The SUV is generally considered to be a masculine vehicle that is synonymous with off-road adventures, etc, and appeals to Gen Z. But, when we looked into it, we realised that women aged 40 plus were the largest audience for prospective new car buyers in Australia so we made a strategic decision to go for them rather than the traditional young male SUV buyer that you would expect.Then we went down to Hyundai’s HQ to see and play with the features of the car for a couple of hours. We all got the sense that the gadgets and tech in the car were a lot of fun almost immediately and that really helped us set the tone that we were after. I don’t think we would have come up with the same work if it had just been a paper brief.Did you do any more research to inform the campaign?Hourahine: The other major insight was around the consumer journey. Our research showed that there had been a big shift to online as a source for comparing models and picking out vehicles. Somewhere around 73% of people now use online as their main research channel. That’s when we asked ourselves where we could play in the consumer’s online journey and we soon focused on car reviews. We realised a lot of the car review content was just so long, very performance driven and really male oriented. It simply wasn’t right for our target audience, which we decided to disrupt and change.While reviews might be a bit long-winded, four seconds for an ad is incredibly short.Morgan: We actually spoke to some friends at Facebook and they told us that people’s average attention time for an ad on social is about 4.1 seconds. The tedious reviews currently online and this insight simply didn’t connect, in fact they were completely diametrically opposed. That’s where the idea was born.How did you ensure the ads would make noise with such little time?Hourahine: It’s one of the reasons we did so many ads, we wanted to reach as many people as possible. The trick was finding ways to get people’s attention alongside posts from their friends, last night’s episode of Squid Game, or Kim Kardashian and get them to stop and think about Hyundai. Each video only had about AU$4,000 ($3,000) behind it, but we ended up with about 5 million views. The campaign was never about media spend, it was about creating something that resonated with people to generate organic exposure.The ads strike an absurd tone. How did you know it would resonate with your target audience?Hourahine: People are so prejudiced about middle-aged demographics. As soon as you mention social content, everyone just thinks Gen Z but all the research we have done shows that using a fun, irreverent tone for a socially driven campaign was exactly what would resonate with our target audience. They don’t want to be boring, they want to show off their personalities, laugh, and know that what they’re buying meets their needs. Unfortunately, I think a lot of people miss that because they have the wrong idea about what the audience consumes on a daily basis.<blockquote>The advertising world is so preoccupied with finding big, groundbreaking ideas. But, what I’m quite proud of is how we found something that was so simple and yet ignored</blockquote>Richard Morgan, AnalogFolkWhat issues do brands and advertisers need to think about when it comes to making effective short-form content?Morgan: The sacred bond between advertiser and consumer is if you want to sell me something then entertain me. Too often, that doesn’t happen because people aren’t speaking in a language that is appropriate for their audience. So, it doesn’t interest them.Hourahine: It’s also about making content that’s right for the channel. This time it was quick, funny, four-second gags that had a bit of punch suitable for social.The videos star motor ‘experts’ (a dog, a cactus, a ninja, etc). How did you decide on the content?Morgan: The client tasked us with quite a long list of sales features. For example, certain points about safety or fuel efficiency and then we came up with a host of things that we thought would catch people’s attention and aligned with the irreverent tone (eg, a cactus that represents nature and is giving the thumbs up on the car’s great fuel economy). We also segmented our audience by things they were interested in like pets and linked that to a feature to help stand out even more.The other thing that informed the content was when we were chatting to Hyundai’s consumer research team. They told us that the way car companies talk about their features versus the way consumers talk about them are fundamentally different. For example, when it comes to the fuel economy, car brands will talk about litres per kilometre. Whereas, a consumer will think, ‘If I put $30 in the tank that will get me to mum’s house, the shops and last me till Thursday.’ We wanted the content to be in that consumer-friendly context.It seemed pretty obvious, one plus one equals two and all that, but we turned it into something that was disruptive to the category by sticking to the insights and reimagining them in a creative way.What challenges did you face along the way?Morgan: We didn’t have an endless budget. But things that trend on the internet don’t tend to be that high-end – an emoji on TikTok could go viral. We decided to embrace that and while there was a level of polish and sophistication, we wanted it to feel like consumer-generated content while also ensuring we didn’t run up against those budget issues through production.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5CD7hIcAbQ" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5CD7hIcAbQ</a>

Contagious: Insight & Strategy, 4 Second Reviews

In summer 2020, footwear retailer Foot Locker released an anthem film to launch its new brand platform, Shoes Don’t Change The World, You Do. Following several months of internal development, Foot Locker worked with independent digital creative agency AnalogFolk to assert its position in culture, celebrating today’s youth and their ambition to make the world a better place. The platform acknowledges that the brand’s products are not going to drive change, rather it is the confidence and self-expression that they provide wearers that will support them as they act as changemakers.The brand platform brings to life Foot Locker’s newly articulated brand purpose ‘to build a more progressive future together with youth’ and was unveiled following the brand’s pledge to donate $200m to the black community through economic development and education over the next five years.To find out more about the platform and how it communicated Foot Locker’s underlying brand purpose, we spoke to Carmen Seman, vice president of marketing at Foot Locker EMEA, Carren O’Keefe, executive creative director at Analogfolk Amsterdam, and Sofia Ewuraesi Bodger, strategist at Analogfolk London. They told us:<ul><li>Covid-19 has triggered a shift in compassion among the youth of today</li><li>Identifying the role of the product in the brand purpose was key to unlocking an authentic position</li><li>The platform’s longevity comes from its adaptability to different seasonal mindsets</li></ul><ul><li>Brand action and an aligned internal culture are must-haves for any brand communicating their inclusive values</li></ul><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqBbCY0SxwQ" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqBbCY0SxwQ</a>What are the main challenges facing fashion retailers today?Carren O’Keefe: There are standard retail challenges with Covid-19 but there are two key challenges. Firstly, the increase of the resale market, people downsizing, and consumerism not being seen as such a positive thing anymore.Especially within the sneaker communities, a lot of big names have been selling off their collections and having a roomful of sneakers is no longer seen as such a coveted thing. So, there’s a lot more intent behind purchases, because they value them more. And, as they’re not buying as many there’s a lot more weight in a purchase. Also, many brands are doubling down on their DTC efforts. If you’re a brand who sells other brands, you need to increase your focus on the connection with your consumer beyond these brands.Give an overview of Foot Locker and how the brand has evolved over the past couple of years.O’Keefe: Foot Locker’s ethos has always been to support its community. It’s not about the hype, it’s about the everyday. So while the entire organisation has evolved a lot over the past 12 months, its new brand purpose developed as a natural and authentic progression of that ethos.The brand purpose that Foot Locker had developed was ‘to build a more progressive future together with youth’ and last year they were looking for a partner to launch that, which is how our relationship with them began.How did you arrive at the brand purpose ‘to build a more progressive future together with youth’?Carmen Seman: At Foot Locker, our main goal is to build an emotional connection with our customers through service, experience, product and sense of community. 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. Our consumer research found that today’s youth are worried about their future, and they want to be more involved in creating real actionable change. Additionally, our audience has been crying out for us to be vocal about our opinion, and so the development of our brand purpose was an authentic step change for us in 2020.What research did you do to inform this new purpose? What were the key findings?Seman: We started European consumer research back in 2019, and the findings allowed us to develop a new consumer framework to help us connect with our consumers in the most effective way. The most important finding was ensuring that we have a clear purpose, voice and message. As a business we have focused our product and marketing on elevating the product storytelling across channels through exclusive products and purpose-led stories that build deeper connections with our consumer.Who is Foot Locker’s target consumer? Has this changed at all over the past few years?Sofia Ewuraesi Bodger: At Foot Locker we define our Gen-Z audience by four distinct typologies; creative change makers, cultural verifiers, fashion adopters and label obsessives. Each typology is heavily influenced by sneaker culture, as they have the ability to elevate any look. Inspiration for our audience comes from everywhere and anywhere, but it is Instagram and TikTok that are used to discover new brands and what is happening in the world. Although our typologies still hold true, Covid-19 has had a dominating impact on our target audience this past year. This life stage that would normally have been filled with energetic, unique experiences, has been dampened first, by the ongoing economic disadvantages they face and further by the uncertainty created by pandemic.Despite the uncertainty they feel, our consumer research has also shown a shift in compassion, with 68% of our audience wanting to be more involved in creating positive change. This past year has given them time to take stock and rethink what they want their futures to hold. As their personal futures are in flux and need attention right now, their focus has shifted from a ‘we’ mindset to a ‘me’ mindset and many are now armed with a new outlook on life, and subsequently are looking for a transformative year ahead.What was it about Shoes Don’t Change The World, You Do that convinced you it was the right articulation to launch your new brand purpose?Seman: We know our audience are on a mission to change the world, whether that be through tackling climate change or social justice. The launch of the Shoes Don’t Change The World platform was a key moment for Foot Locker in Europe, it’s more than just a brand platform, it is a bold commitment to help enable longterm change. It is an acknowledgement that while shoes don’t change the world, they give people the confidence to be themselves; and that is where the change starts. After months of internal development went into crafting the brand purpose, launching it publicly in 2020 can’t have been an easy task – between Covid-19 and all the social unrest there’s a lot to take into account. How did this impact Foot Locker?O’Keefe: It gave us a sharper focus on the change that is happening. In the process of the pitch the George Floyd incident happened. Foot Locker felt like it was an opportunity to really reflect upon themselves and take a look at the fact that Black culture shapes sneaker culture and who their core consumer had always been.The focus became changemakers specifically driving support for inclusivity and diversity, including LGBTQ+ and black communities. The most recent work specifically looking into working with and then championing black creators.What stood out to you about Foot Locker’s brand purpose?O’Keefe: Tonally, the ‘together with youth’ part was really important because the key was that they are the ones doing it. The product itself plays a really important role in giving their consumers self-confidence or creative expression and that leads to them feeling like they can be that change, which is the key thing with these products. Then that enables them to go out and be a part of these movements and these changes. So, the key thing was to figure out how we would bring that to life.That's what the whole line is really designed to be about. It's not to try to pretend like, we don’t sell shoes, because we do and that’s really important, and that’s okay, that's a great thing. But it’s to recognise what Foot Locker’s role is as a brand, what role they can have and who is actually driving this change (which is the audience), and then all the things that they can do as a brand to support them. They were already partnering with and supporting youth and communities to make a progressive change. They weren’t looking to just be disruptive for the sake of it. It was in the interest of what they were trying to do, which is stand out to this consumer and compete for brain space among other brands.What have you been doing in terms of brand action to support this purpose?Seman: We are already working in partnership with today’s youth and they will drive the change, but we will offer them the assets, access and resources to support their confidence to do it. The world is calling out for change and we want to be a part of it by lending our platform to key voices. We’re committed to being their ally for achieving real progress. This has been especially important as the world struggles with the Covid-19 pandemic which is why we launched Collaboraid – beginning by partnering with creatives and small businesses from the heart of communities in need and then bringing together charities and community centres to donate footwear to young people affected by the pandemic. Our anchor partner, Soles4Souls has enabled and facilitated Foot Locker’s $1.5m donation to positively impact more that 19,000 kids across seven countries, having a real practical impact at a time where our younger generation is really struggling. Additionally, last year, Foot Locker, Inc committed to giving $200m to the black community for the next five years through economic development and education.And this February, we released our first progress update and formally introduced LEED, our company wide initiative to Lead Education and Economic Development.Since the launch, how many campaigns have you done based on this brand platform?O’Keefe: So far, we’ve done three. We did the launch campaign, which is an anthem film. Then we did the Back To School campaign, and we did the Holiday campaign. And this year, we will probably have three to four campaigns. The way it works is we’ve got the broader platform, which we launched with the larger brand initiative, and now each campaign is tied to a seasonal mindset and a seasonal collection.For Back To School we recognised that because kids had gone out of school early due to Covid, it’s been longer than usual since they’ve seen their friends, so this lack of self-confidence is more prevalent than ever. And so, the change that we leaned into was around people who are enacting the change of self-confidence within themselves.For the Holiday season, it was ‘the cause don’t pause for the season’ to continue to drive momentum for positive change when others might take a break, coupled with the insight that consumers wanted to give back but didn’t know how.How did you balance the purpose message with the commercial objectives of the campaigns?O’Keefe: You can’t really say ‘shoes don’t change the world, buy these shoes’ and with the exception of the anthem film, all our seasonal iterations are tied to a seasonal collection that we need to sell. There was a lot of thinking about upper funnel and lower funnel, making sure that we have the key storytelling pieces in place. The bit that is clever about the platform is that it’s about building purpose and equity in the brand, but it’s being carried through quite effortlessly into the more direct response activity using the same storylines and personalities throughout.It’s super rare to see brand purpose-oriented platforms be able to carry all the way through to the more hard-working stuff. For example, with the Back To School campaign, we worked with two inspirational Gen-Z talents, one of whom was Jordan Charles, a model and presenter who uses his voice to celebrate albinism and being different. In his story he was wearing the Back To School collection, which we would promote as brand media on places like YouTube. But then we did a standard product shoot with him as well, where we got the key [commercial] assets. Then where we would want to drive people to more easily convert, we would have more of the product focused shots.It’s Jordan in both, but the way we shot it and the intent of it was different depending on the desired outcome. So if you did see the brand anthem with Jordan, eventually you’d be followed up with more of a straight commercial piece of media.We had to create a playbook that put a lot of guardrails in place. It’s that constant reminder to the clients as well as ourselves of ‘No, we can’t put a shop button on this’, but making sure that we are featuring the product, because that’s the point. And so even in the talent films, having zoom ins on the product is still a part of it, but not at the cost of their story, because that’s the first priority on those bits until we get to the product stuff. And I think that’s why the product content is so critical, because without that we’d be trying to do it all with the same kind of content. What were the effectiveness metrics you set for this campaign beforehand? Do you have any results you can share?Seman: The key for us has been measuring success via brand association, awareness, affinity and consideration, as well as ensuring that we’re recognised as an inclusive brand. We don’t have a specific benchmark for the first year, however, results show that we have effectively connected with the customer through our campaign video content including changemakers; we’ve seen a double digit increase in view through rate, compared to previous campaigns with paid media. Additionally, organic PR coverage has increased year on year, and the reach has more than doubled in 2020 vs 2019.

Contagious: Insight & Strategy, Shoes Don’t Change the World

AnalogFolk London has recruited Matt Roberts as client services director. He joins from Publicis Groupe where he holds the dual position of business leader on some of Publicis.Poke’s largest accounts and head of client services at Publicis Groupe’s production agency, Prodigious. He will report directly to AnalogFolk London managing director, Anna-Louise Gladwell.Matt will be responsible for leading the client services team within AnalogFolk London, working closely with the agency’s management and client service teams to deliver the highest quality service and work for all clients. He'll also work closely with the client service leads across AnalogFolk Groupe (AFG) - which includes tech enabled content production company Untold Fable and automation and build company With Robots - to ensure seamless integration and efficiency for AnalogFolk’s clients.Matt joined Publicis Groupe over seven years ago, during this time he has worked on a broad sector of clients and new business wins. He has been responsible for partnerships and new product development, helped to define and deliver a range of new processes and propositions, and more recently has held the position of head of client services at Publicis Groupe’s production agency, Prodigious. He will bring a wealth of expertise and experience to AnalogFolk when he joins in the new year.Anna-Louise Gladwell, managing director, AnalogFolk London says: “We’re thrilled to welcome Matt. He’s a highly respected business leader with a proven track record in building and leading strategic client partnerships. Matt will help us to continue to develop our partnerships with some of the world’s most respected brands, and in our ambition to help brands grow through creating digital experiences people want to connect with.”Matt Roberts says: "Although it will be hard to leave Publicis Groupe after seven great years, I'm incredibly excited to be joining the AnalogFolk family. I've always loved how their work, folk, and business are driven by creativity, innovation and collaboration. With a tireless determination to demonstrate new and transformative uses of digital technology, a fantastic array of clients, and incredible talent at their disposal - I can't wait to get stuck in."&nbsp;AnalogFolk London has grown over the last two years with the appointments of scaled programmes for brands such as Dole and Bayer Consumer Health. In addition to hiring Matt Roberts, the agency boosted its creative department with three new senior hires earlier this month. Amandine Fabian joined as creative director from Ogilvy New York and Dani Brown and Alex Wood joined as a senior creative team from Digitas. The hires emphasise the agency’s pledge for digital creative excellence for its clients.

AnalogFolk London Appoints Matt Roberts as Client Services Director

To support AnalogFolk London’s growth over the last two years with the appointments of big projects for brands such as Dole and Bayer Consumer Health and reinforcing the agency’s commitment to digital creative excellence for its clients, the agency has boosted its creative department with three new senior hires.AnalogFolk London has bolstered its creative department by hiring Amandine Fabian as Creative Director. She will report into Executive Creative Director Simon Richings. Amandine will be focusing her hybrid creative talents on advertising, purpose-driven marketing and other digital experiences for several of AnalogFolk’s diverse and progressive clients. Her track record combining both innovation and emotive storytelling is a perfect fit for the brands the agency works with.Originally from Paris, Amandine most recently served as creative director at Ogilvy New York. Over the past 13 years, she has worked for top creative agencies where she created global campaigns for high-profile clients such as IKEA, Samsung, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Biotherm, Vaseline, Glade, Lenovo, Motorola, and American Express.Amandine pioneered digital work on global campaigns starting in 2010 with Louis Vuitton’s first digital fashion show. She later worked on many other cutting-edge projects such as the ground-breaking Babolat connected tennis racquet and Samsung’s first foldable phone campaign. Her work has won crucial new business from top global brands as well as international accolades that include Cannes Lions, Eurobest, Epica, New York Festival, Effies and London International Awards. Her campaign “The Greatest Words” for Louis Vuitton, featuring Mos Def and Muhammad Ali, won a Cannes Lion exclusively for a digital film campaign.Amandine’s extensive experience in luxury has shaped her passion for powerful ideas and impeccable craft. Building onAnalogFolk’s mission of using “digital to make the analog world better,” she will bring solutions that drive cultural relevancy, inclusivity and impact for brands and consumers.Alex Wood and Dani Brown join as a senior creative team who have previously worked together at Digitas, Atomic London and Glue Isobar, winning several awards for category defying work along the way. Some of which includes inventing a new way to capture movement for the Royal Opera House, launching a charity in FIFA 21, and creating a series of head-turning general election posters for the i newspaper.Simon Richings, Executive Creative Director, AnalogFolk London says: “Amandine, Dani and Alex are hugely talented creatives who know their way around a great idea and have the craft skills to back them up, too. They’ve all made work that goes way beyond the normal formats and expectations of the clients they’ve worked for. Very excited about what we’re going to create together.”AnalogFolk London has also promoted Dan Saxton from Design Director to Head of Design. His design leadership has led to the agency’s work being recognised by many international awards juries. In his new role he will be responsible for continuing to lead the design team within AnalogFolk to deliver the best quality work for all clients.ENDS

AnalogFolk London bolsters creative department with award-winning global talent

Monday 1 November 2021, Glasgow: The 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) has opened. The hour-long Opening Ceremony for COP 26 was deliberately designed to be different from previous years, with a mix of formal protocol and cultural content.&nbsp; The Opening Ceremony of COP 26 is a direct call to action for world leaders. With the theme ‘Earth To COP’, it represents a direct intervention from the planet to hear its voice, heed its warnings and act now.&nbsp; Livestreamed, the estimated potential audience is over 2bn, all of whom have a direct stake in COP’s success.&nbsp; The ceremony content underlines what is at stake for the planet and future generations. It also carries a strong message of hope - that we have the means, the technology, the audacity and ability to tackle climate change. We need the collective will to advance progress at a much faster rate than at present.&nbsp; Underlining the call to action, a special short 'Earth To COP' film called Action This Day played out - a deliberate echo of the words used by Winston Churchill when he signed off critical decisions. Alongside are contributions from Brian Cox, voices from around the world, young global environmental campaigners, music and poetry along with a film created by children from Blue Peter.&nbsp; Film, ‘Earth To COP: Action This Day’ The ‘Earth to COP’ film presents an eyewitness portrait of climate change. Using dramatic mobile phone footage from around the world, the premiere of this short film shows the extent of damage caused by the change in our climate, contrasted with the beauty of Earth - what is at stake and what our leaders need to protect. It underlines that we have seen some progress, but we need further and faster action. The composer of the music for the film, Steven Price is an Academy Award-winning composer. In 2014 his groundbreaking score for Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity won him the Academy Award and Critics' Choice Award. The Earth to COP film was independently produced by Harder Than You Think and is a partnership with Bloomberg. The film will be widely distributed, including through a principal partnership with Bloomberg, a global partnership with WWF and with TikTok, who share the ambition to help bring Earth to COP to a worldwide audience.&nbsp; It will also be played on digital screens across the UK.&nbsp; <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.earthtocop.org" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">www.earthtocop.org</a>&nbsp; The production team: The ceremony has been produced by HTYT, an Emmy award winning creative and production company formed by Greg Nugent and Godric Smith out of London 2012. Greg Nugent directed the ceremony and created ‘Earth To COP’, including the short film which HTYT produced for the ceremony.&nbsp; It is independent of the government, who invited HTYT to have creative oversight, wanting to ensure that the collective voice and view of the billions impacted by climate change is heard loudly in the room at the start of the negotiations. Earth To COP will bring global voices directly into the room.&nbsp; Greg Nugent, co-founder HTYT said: “COP is the most important meeting most of the world has never heard of. The most powerful advocate and campaigner for positive action and change is our planet itself. The Opening Ceremony - Earth to COP - aims to ensure its voice is heard loud and clear, in the room, when the leaders are at COP. Our planet is speaking truth to power.” The agency partner: AnalogFolk have supported HTYT on all digital executions for Earth To COP. Including the branded preview site, and full website hosting the Earth To COP film. AnalogFolk is also supporting all social activity, digital OOH, as well as digital assets provided for the ceremony itself.&nbsp; Bill Brock, Founder AnalogFolk Group said: “Having the opportunity to be a part of Earth To COP and COP26 - the most important meeting in the history of the planet - is such an honour for AnalogFolk Group. Our strategy and creative work for the project aligns perfectly with our company ambition to be an impactful agent of change, for people, brands and society, in pursuit of a better world. So when Greg asked us to partner with him, we jumped at the opportunity.” ENDS Notes to Editors The Earth to COP film will be live across these channels at 12:30pm - Monday 1st November:&nbsp; YouTube: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAeUMXEX3ZZRS468fahn21Q" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAeUMXEX3ZZRS468fahn21Q</a>&nbsp; Website: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.earthtocop.org" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">www.earthtocop.org</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; TikTok: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://vm.tiktok.com/ZM8fDxaDH/" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">https://vm.tiktok.com/ZM8fDxaDH/</a>&nbsp; Instagram: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/earthtocop/" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">https://www.instagram.com/earthtocop/</a>&nbsp; Twitter: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/earthtocop" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">https://twitter.com/earthtocop</a>&nbsp; Facebook: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.facebook.com/earthtocop" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">https://www.facebook.com/earthtocop</a> About HTYT Harder Than You Think created the double Emmy award-winning documentary Rising Phoenix, distributed on Netflix, and films for the Heads Together campaign (2016) led by Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry to help break the stigma of mental health. Separately they created the launch film of The Earthshot Prize (2020), an initiative from the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. About AnalogFolk AnalogFolk is a global digital creative agency that’s been independently owned since 2008. Its mission is to use digital technology to make the analog world better. AnalogFolk 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 2020 AnalogFolk was awarded Global Digital Innovation Agency of the Year by Campaign magazine. &nbsp; CREDITS Earth To COP Created by Greg Nugent Chief Operating Officer Liz Sugg A partnership with Bloomberg L.P. &nbsp; Harder Than You Think&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Business Director - Jemma Thompson Commercial Director - Nick Mercer Head of Digital - Morgan George&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Senior Campaign Consultant - Simon Bristow Executive Assistant - Kimberley Smith Campaign Consultant - Jo Irwin &nbsp; AnalogFolk&nbsp; Digital agency - AnalogFolk Agency producer - Lucy Wertheim Digital designer - Darren Custance-Jones Motion designers - Eve McQuaid, Paul Woodward Tech lead - Francisco Jordão Tech developers - Arturo Ramirez, Luis Montero Tech QA - Alexander Rodriguez Tech project manager - Danilo Mata&nbsp; Chief strategy officer - Matt Dyke Senior strategist - Sofia Bodger &nbsp; Earth to COP Film&nbsp; Producer - Barnaby Spurrier Director - Matt Houghton Editor - Abolfazl Talooni Executive Producer - Charlotte Todman&nbsp; Composer - Steven Price Archive Producer - Aisling Conboy Production Manager - Paris Faro Senior Researcher - Calum Campbell Researcher - Kirsty Asher Audio Post Production Studio - String and Tins Supervising Sound Editor - Will Cohen Sound Effects Editor - Kaspar Broyd Re-Recording Mixer - Lawrence Kendrick Audio Post Producers - Eimear Ní Ghuaire, Alina Miroshnichenko Picture Post Production Studio - Framestore Post Production Producers - Sara Beckman, Jake Saunders Data Services Manager - Nick Rafferty Post Production Senior Editor - Carey Williams Flame Artist - Luigi Russo Head of Grade - Steffan Perry Digital Assets Editor - Nic Lowicz Graphic Design - North Studios Offline Edit Facilities - Azimuth Post Production Captions and BSL Production - Cambridgeshire Deaf Association BSL Translator - Daryl Jackson Translation Services - TransPerfect Translations&nbsp; Accessibility Consultant - Sinéad Burke Accessibility Consultant - Haben Girma Archive provided by 2 Rivers Remix Society ABC News BBC Charlie Gancarz Productions Channel 4 News Channel 5 News Chas Pope Ciara Knox Cristian Achim Florian Schulz Getty Images Gimlet Media / Spotify Giovonna Damonte via Storyful Jim Edds Johnny Lo / Jitsslo Studio&nbsp; Jonathan Mallin - Blackheath / Mt Victoria Rural Fire Brigade Licet Studios Marius Stankiewicz Minaogmeg/Storyful via Getty Images Newsflare NPR Philippe Matteini Robbie Fatt via Artgrid Rumble via Getty Sky News Steffen Olsen, Danish Meteorological Institute Stringershub via Getty Images STV News TED The New Indian Express (TNIE) Toby Strong

‘ACTION THIS DAY’ film opens COP26 Opening Ceremony

First published in The Drum Canesten (Bayer) ‘Intensivão da PPK’ by AnalogFolk wins ‘Healthcare and Pharma’ and ‘The Chair’s’ awards at The Drum Awards for the Digital Industries 2021.Digital marketers work in a crowded field. As technology advances and creative tools become more powerful than ever, The Drum Awards for the Digital Industries seeks to reward the most effective campaigns and innovations of the last year. This global competition, formerly known as the Dadis, has been committed to recognizing the digital industries’ best companies and brightest talent since 2006. With categories devoted to artificial intelligence and machine learning, augmented and virtual reality, and to the use of data and search, it rewards knowledgeable and creative implementation of the newest tools alongside great art and design. This year’s jury is similarly international, with senior marketers, data experts, creative directors and agency leaders taking part from around the world. You can see the full list here, watch the recorded ceremony or read on for some of their comments on the winning entries. ‘The Chair’s’ award was selected by Phil Jones, founder and organiser of Podge Events, who has long been a proud champion of these awards. He picked AnalogFolk’s educational campaign for Canesten (Bayer) ‘Intensivão da PPK’. AnalogFolk also won the ‘Healthcare and Pharma’ award for this work. You can read more about ‘Intensivão da PPK’ <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://bit.ly/3DI6ef9" tt-mode="url" class="0" title="0" download="0">&nbsp;here</a>, where the team behind the shame-free school explain exactly why and how they filled the equivalent of 17,500 real-world sized classrooms and de-censored the word ‘vagina’ on TikTok, making vagina health a now welcomed topic on the platform. This (shortened) article was originally published on The Drum by Eleanor Lim

Double win for Intensivão da PPK The DADI Awards

Covid-19 has resulted in a surge in demand for D2C ecommerce. With Robots provides brands with direct access to its technology engineering capabilities not only as a build specialist but also a source of talent for team augmentation Tackles industry issues of the low quality of creative in programmatic advertising, brand consistency across digital ecosystems, the cost of delivering personalised content Bolsters AFG’s significant investment in proprietary technology as evidenced with the build of the unique Untold Fable platform with diversity and inclusion at its core.Miguel Alvarez (left) and Guy Wieynk (right)London/Global – September 13, 2021: AnalogFolk Group (AFG), the progressive global marketing and technology group, creating a smarter future for people, brands and society has today announced the launch of automation and technology engineering service With Robots.With Robots is created in response to a demand in the market to help brands deliver their technology engineering, web development and advertising production projects, including automated content adaptation and localisation, more efficiently, more effectively and with more impact.Guy Wieynk, CEO of AFG says that: “AnalogFolk have been building technology solutions for leading brands for over a decade but over the last 12 months what was clear is this same talent is capable of playing its’ part in solving wider industry issues such as 66% of consumers thinking brands are running advertising that is too repetitive and 90% of programmatic campaigns are lacking targeted creative. Through automation and machine learning platforms we have demonstrated that we can meet consumer needs whilst delivering significant cost savings for brands.”With Robots unique flexible model means brands and agencies can benefit from a choice of two end-to-end solutions; ‘Build with Robots’ or/and ‘Automate with Robots’. Providing on-demand augmented teams who can be commissioned to deliver projects as a managed service or hired as in-house brand or agency resources.<img src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/WR-website-article.jpg" alt="0" title="0" tt-mode="file" tt-link-url="0" tt-link-target="0" tt-link-mode="url" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7879">‘Build with Robots’ engineering capabilities range from standard web production to open source and enterprise scale platforms. This solution is focused on delivering specialist technical excellence and quality alongside cost and speed benefits. ‘Automate with Robots’ is AFG’s proprietary technology that replaces traditional production techniques with machine-driven automation; taking digital creative content and producing multi-artwork, multi-message and multi-market variants; enabling brands to deliver premium, relevant and hyper personalised messaging cost effectively.Led by Miguel Alvarez, AFG’s Chief Technology Officer and CEO of With Robots, the With Robots team comprises 20 technical specialists dispersed across Europe, APAC, North and South America.Miguel Alvarez, Chief Technology Officer of AFG and CEO of With Robots says that: “It’s wonderful to see our team not only building technology solutions for leading brands, but also applying their engineering prowess to tackle issues impacting the digital marketing landscape. We are truly expanding the definition of creativity as we support our clients through the demise of cookies and even more emphasis being placed on the creative use of technology to meet customer needs and brands’ business objectives."AFG helps brands define innovative strategies, deliver breakthrough ideas and leverage new technologies that transform their business for the better. It’s able to do this through its infrastructure which provides ‘plug &amp; play' access to additional agencies and capabilities.As part of AFG, With Robots becomes a partner brand to full-service digital creative agency AnalogFolk and content production company Untold Fable, the latter of which the group invested in at the start of this year. As part of AFG’s investment in Untold Fable, the group has developed the technology for its unique platform which is designed to give brands and agencies more information about talent before they commission in order to make diversity in the advertising industry the norm, not the exception, reduce industry biases and give all talent more equal opportunities.Other technology products AFG has invested in the development of over the last two years include: BigUp.AI, a multi award-winning digital language tool designed to give women the confidence to get ahead in their career by helping them express their strengths with confidence. Powered by Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning technology, BigUp.AI identifies strengths and suggests alternative “Big Ups” to express them in a more impactful, assertive way.A first-of-its-kind AI product called Dieter that automates a brand’s design review process, saving it millions annually. It’s able to provide feedback across a brand globally and includes corporate design language on desktop and mobile, meaning design work is reviewed in seconds rather than days. It’s now an established part of some of the biggest brands in the world’s digital architecture and has a dedicated team integrating it with their interfaces and ways of working.Zodiac Engine allows brands to use connected packaging to create one-to-one ongoing relationships with consumers. It turns simple behaviours into a means to extend their product and brand experiences, without having to create new infrastructure, channels and steps each time. It uses AI image recognition, which can be accessed through consumer platforms like WhatsApp, to identify existing artwork and serve the consumer relevant utility, experiences and promotions.ENDSNotes to editorWith Robots With Robots is a global technology and automation service. An end-to-end managed solution helping brands deliver their technology engineering, web development and advertising production projects more efficiently, more effectively and with more impact.With Robots is a part of AnalogFolk Group (AFG), the progressive global marketing and technology group creating a smarter future for people, brands and society. The group includes full-service digital creative agency AnalogFolk and content production company Untold Fable. It has offices in London, Amsterdam, New York, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Sydney partnering with brands including Bayer, Beats by Dre, Foot Locker, L’Oreal, Nike, Netflix, Unilever.www.withrobots.com / LinkedIn@WithRobotsFor more information please contact:Natalie Melder-Smith, Global Communications &amp; PR Director, AFG /natalie.melder-smith@analogfolk.com / Telephone +44 7818 457 635

With Robots launch

Every year <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://thework.awardsplatform.com/gallery/vrDdwArO?page=1" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">Campaign Brief 'The Work'</a> selects and celebrates the very best creative work in Asia-Pacific. We're happy to say that three of our clients have made the cut! Hyundai Australia, Rekorderlig Cider for Coca-Cola Europacific Partners and Curtin University, we're proud to see our work shine in the Annual for 2021. In total, we had five acceptances across three pieces of work. These were:<h3>Curtin University - Change Is Here.</h3> Accepted for: Integrated Campaigns Film - Film/TV/Cinema/Web Last year, we helped Curtin University launch its first brand campaign in over 5 years. The integrated campaign was launched across film, outdoor, online, social and throughout other University communications. View the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://analogfolk.com/work/change-is-here" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">case study here.</a><h3>Rekorderlig Cider - Rekorder-land</h3> Accepted for: Digital Online &amp; Experiential When experiential activities were shut down in 2020, we helped Rekorderlig create an all new digital travel destination.&nbsp; Welcome to Rekorder-land, a new virtual travel destination, where the real town of Vimmerby Sweden became a place of virtual wonders. Classic tourist attractions were reimagined into all-original digital experiences - inspired by Rekorderlig’s fruity flavours - and brought to life through meticulous design and interactive technology. View the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://analogfolk.com/work/rekorder-land" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">case study here.</a><h3>Hyundai Australia - After Dark</h3> Accepted for: Branded Content &amp; Entertainment Hyundai needed a hard-hitting online campaign to launch their new N-Line sports package for the i30 sedan. The challenge to AnalogFolk was how to reach an audience who loves music, performance and technology, yet avoids TV and are deeply cynical of advertising?&nbsp; We launched a branded 90" music video called "After Dark", which 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. &nbsp; View the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://analogfolk.com/work/after-dark" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">case study here.</a> A big thanks to our clients at Hyundai Australia, Curtin University and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, and also to all of our fantastic production and media partners.

AnalogFolk Sydney featured in 'The Work' annual for 2021

As part of our Reconciliation Action Plan we shared some information with our team at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/analogfolk/" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">AnalogFolk</a>&nbsp;on the significance of NAIDOC week, and how to get involved while IRL events have been cancelled or postponed in Sydney. We included some great recommendations and insightful survey results from this article by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/concrete-playground/" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">Concrete Playground</a>&nbsp;and Olivia Williams from Blak Business <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://lnkd.in/gszCMzu" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">https://lnkd.in/gszCMzu</a> We'd love to hear any other suggestions for how our team can get involved in NAIDOC week while staying at home - any online events, books, movies or podcasts that share and celebrate Aboriginal &amp; Torres Strait Islander Cultures.<h3>NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all people of Australia to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.</h3> The name originates from the “National Aborigines* and Islanders Day Observance Committee” who were the group responsible for organising NAIDOC week events, and it has since become the name of the week. *The term “Aborigines” is largely considered an outdated, derogatory term and found offensive by many Aboriginal &amp; Torres Strait Islander peoples. It is recommended that this term should not be used today.<h3>What is the history of NAIDOC Week?</h3>NAIDOC Week originated from protests on Australia Day, right back to the 1920s After protests on Australia Day by Aboriginal &amp; Torres Strait Islander peoples, an annual Day of Mourning was organised for the Sunday before Australia Day, known as “Aborigines* Day”. It was then moved to the first Sunday in July after it was decided it should not only be a protest day, but also a day celebrating Aboriginal Culture. A committee was formed around this day (NADOC, which later became NAIDOC) and from 1974 it became a week of celebrations. More info on the full history of NAIDOC Week: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.naidoc.org.au/about/history" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">https://www.naidoc.org.au/about/history</a><h3>Why is NAIDOC Week significant?</h3>Why NAIDOC Week is significant, told by First Nations peoples from an anonymous survey by <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/blakbusiness" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">@blakbusiness</a> on instagram:“NAIDOC is a week of celebrating and coming together with mob from all over the country. It's a week that makes me very proud to be an Aboriginal person” “[It’s a] time of reflection, remembering important people in our community, a time to celebrate but also knowing what this week comes from. Knowing that it came from resistance, strength, fighting for justice, fighting against colonialism, white supremacy, ongoing acts of genocide, and celebration of invasion. NAIDOC is for us, and for many, it's a time to celebrate who we are unapologetically, loud and proud.” “I [would] love to see non-Indigenous Australia celebrating NAIDOC, getting involved in events, lending a hand, paying respect, and most importantly getting educated about our culture and our history and how they can help with healing and positive changes going forward,” See full survey results here: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.blakbusiness.com.au/naidoc-2021-survey" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">https://www.blakbusiness.com.au/naidoc-2021-survey</a><h3>What is is the focus this year?</h3>The theme of NAIDOC Week this year is “Heal Country!” This theme calls for all of us to continue to seek greater protections for our lands, our waters, our sacred sites and our cultural heritage from exploitation, desecration, and destruction. Below are a few excerpts from the full, powerful statement from NAIDOC’s website: Country is inherent to our identity. It sustains our lives in every aspect - spiritually, physically, emotionally, socially, and culturally. It is more than a place. For generations Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been calling for stronger measures to recognise, protect, and maintain all aspects of our culture and heritage for all Australians. We have continued to seek greater protections for our lands, our waters, our sacred sites and our cultural heritage from exploitation, desecration, and destruction. We are still waiting for those robust protections. Healing Country means hearing those pleas to provide greater management, involvement, and empowerment by Indigenous peoples over country. Healing Country is more than changing a word in our national anthem – it is about the historical, political, and administrative landscapes adapting to successfully empower and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, nations, and heritage. Read the full statement on “Heal Country” <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.naidoc.org.au/get-involved/2021-theme" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">here.</a><h3>How can we get involved?</h3>We can get involved through learning about &amp; celebrating Aboriginal &amp; Torres Strait Islander cultures.JOIN Unfortunately IRL events for NAIDOC have been cancelled or postponed in Sydney. Some online options are: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/naidoc-free-the-flag-lunchtime-yarn-tickets-159586574741" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">Clothing the Gaps | Free the Flag</a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.eventbrite.com.au/o/student-engagement-unit-university-of-south-australia-10783207750" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">University of SA NAIDOC Talks</a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.betterfutures.org.au/events" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">Better Futures NAIDOC Webinars</a> WATCH Check out NITV or some of the below TV show &amp; movie recommendations: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://iview.abc.net.au/show/you-can-t-ask-that/series/1/video/LE1517H008S00" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">You Can’t Ask That - Indigenous (ABC)</a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://iview.abc.net.au/show/in-my-blood-it-runs" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">In My Blood It Runs (ABC)</a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/program/strait-to-the-plate" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">Strait To The Plate (SBS)</a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.netflix.com/au/title/80216706" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">Sweet Country (Netflix)</a> READ Find a book to read to learn about First Nations cultures and experiences, such as: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/fire-country-victor-steffensen/book/9781741177268.html?source=pla&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwq7aGBhADEiwA6uGZp3x3SVG9Zu6rz8MLy5tJX9_l-GF5ynX3-pWiQT1d52KLEFkQmR93nhoCTF8QAvD_BwE" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">Fire Country by Victor Steffensen</a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.archieroach.com/store/tell-me-why-book" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">Tell Me Why by Archie Roach</a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/australia-day-stan-grant/book/9781460759974.html" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">Australia Day by Stan Grant</a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/growing-up-aboriginal-in-australia-anita-heiss/book/9781863959810.html" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia by Anita Heiss</a> AnalogFolk respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land on which our Australian office is based, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation.

NAIDOC Week

First published on<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.adweek.com/creativity/showtime-partners-with-analogfolk-on-content-strategy-to-promote-new-series/" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download=""> AdWeek</a> by<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.adweek.com/contributor/stephen-lepitak/" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download=""> Stephen Lepitak, </a>Adweek's Europe Bureau Chief.&nbsp; American broadcaster&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.adweek.com/convergent-tv/this-instagram-account-recruiting-for-a-moon-mission-is-actually-a-showtime-stunt/" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">Showtime</a>&nbsp;is developing a promotional content strategy with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/uk-chain-costa-coffee-uses-tiktoks-for-you-page-to-suggest-menu-items-for-users/" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">AnalogFolk</a>’s New York team to make audiences more aware of its series going to air, promoting comedy Flatbush Misdemeanours. The collaboration will see a new approach brought to promoting new programming from Showtime, with the Flatbush Misdemeanours work aiming to celebrate the series’ characters and the New York area where it is set. The 10-episode series, which began to air in May, follows creators Dan Perlman and Kevin Iso, who play characters struggling to succeed in their local neighbourhood. The campaign to promote the series was devised by AnalogFolk and produced by the channel’s in-house team. The aim was to match characters who have real businesses in the Flatbush neighbourhood to blur reality and celebrate the locale. Each 30-second spot features one of the characters promoting their business. To promote the show, Showtime also developed a social content campaign speaking to the community of Flatbush to showcase its culture using local New York influencers. Kunal Muzumdar, managing director, AnalogFolk New York says that “Showtime’s combination of innovative new programming and creative ambition gives us an amazing opportunity to rethink how new shows get introduced to the world. The aim of the work is to celebrate the personality of both the characters and the area that inspired the series.”

Showtime Partners With AnalogFolk

Introducing our winning work and finalist... BigUp.AI, our award winning AI tool that encourages women to use more impactful language to big themselves up in the workplace, has been named Equality Initiative of the Year - recognised as an exceptional corporate initiative that has helped to support and nurture women and close the gender pay gap. Our aim was to use innovation to inspire wider action while having a long-term societal impact, so we’re incredibly proud to see BigUp.AI receive this recognition. In keeping with our agency ambition of being an impactful agency of change, BigUp.AI is a long-term initiative that we’ll keep improving as the technology develops - so watch this space.Managing director of AnalogFolk London Anna-Louise Gladwell, was a well-deserved finalist in Management Today's Women in Business Awards 2021, within the Champion for Change category. An exceptionally progressive leader and decision maker, she creates a culture and environment that encourages teams to question, explore and push boundaries to create value for clients and positive change outside of the industry -&nbsp; we couldn't be prouder!&nbsp; &nbsp;

Success in Management Today's Women in Business Awards

Bugaboo launches global brand campaign ‘Adventure Awaits’ as part of new brand platform Designed for Discovery Celebrating modern-day parenthood, Bugaboo invites a new generation of vibrant parents and children to go out into the world to explore, engage and discover together. Bugaboo, the world-trusted parental and stylish baby brand, today launches a global brand campaign ‘<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://vimeo.com/555679258/f1655bbeed" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">Adventure Awaits</a>’, building on its new brand platform Designed for Discovery. The campaign connects Bugaboo with modern, vibrant parents and parents-to-be, to celebrate the diverse, authentic and joyful world of parenthood. The brand appointed independent digital creative agency AnalogFolk to develop the strategy and creative for ‘Adventure Awaits’. Twenty-one years ago, Bugaboo pioneered a new type of premium, design-centric stroller and has continued to innovate within the juvenile category ever since. Its unique parenting philosophy and understanding of modern parenthood sees it once again be a category pioneer. While other brands in the category often portray a homogenous and saccharine representation of parenthood, Bugaboo recognises that parenting, society, and family units have evolved. It is driving change by connecting with a new generation, embracing their shifting attitudes to parenthood and creating a new definition of parenting as an adventure to enjoy on their own terms. Bridget O’Lone, Global Brand Director, Bugaboo says: “We believe that families can come in all shapes and sizes but what unites Bugaboo families is a sense of fun and adventure. Our products are designed for discovery and now, thanks to the fantastic partnership with AnalogFolk, our brand communications are also uniquely placed to connect with a new generation of parents. At lightning speed, and in the face of a global pandemic, the team at AnalogFolk were incredible partners in bringing our brand positioning to life through bold, vibrant communication and we look forward to continuing our partnership as we announce new, exciting products to help parents and children discover and enjoy the world together!” Carren O’Keefe, executive creative director, AnalogFolk Amsterdam says: “Partnering with brave clients like Bugaboo who want to take serious strides forward in their category combined with the evolution of what parenting means to younger generations was the perfect combination to rethink the historically pastel parenting market and imagine a more vibrant, inclusive world.” <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://vimeo.com/555679258/f1655bbeed" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">Adventure Awaits</a> is a global integrated 360 campaign that brings to life the magic of togetherness, and the moments of mischief and discovery families enjoy together through everyday adventures. It aims to drive brand awareness and consideration through a 30-second anthem film, 15-second product focused films, lifestyle and product photography. Adventures Awaits will run across paid and organic social, YouTube, retail locations (physical and e-commerce) and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.bugaboo.com/gb-en" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">Bugaboo.com</a> Each film brings the seemingly mundane and expected into a new light where parent, baby and Bugaboo are the protagonists of making some mischief, closely connecting key product benefits to enhance the storytelling and personality of the campaign. In an unusual move, the campaign involved the collaboration of two production houses: Amsterdam-based Mr.Frank and Lisbon’s own More Maria. 'From the start, it felt like a second family' Thomas Nuijten from Mr.Frank expressed with regards to shooting in Portugal alongside the More Maria team. Both production houses have plans to continue working together under a new collaborative format through which they aim to embody a stronger international presence. The campaign soundtrack was provided by MassiveMusic, who created an upbeat accompanying score: 'We were asked to create a music piece that embraced both the playfulness and the trustworthiness of the new stroller line,' explains music producer Sjaak Thissen. 'Together with Mr.Frank we discovered that the music, while fun and playful, needed to be supported by a steady and sturdy backbone. With this in mind, we landed on a driving and energetic Motown/soul/funk track.

Bugaboo launches global brand campaign  ‘Adventure Awaits’

During the last devastating year, Covid-19 has disrupted lives and purchasing behaviours globally. Our options quickly became limited and the way people made decisions changed. Before the pandemic, in-store purchasing decisions were typically emotional. Now,&nbsp; people shop online to reap its rational benefits of convenience, value and precision. It is tempting to think the future is digital. But how will people spend when the Covid fog eventually lifts?&nbsp; Despite 40 per cent of people saying they will continue to shop online even after retail stores open up (NetElixir), 91 per cent of shoppers say they miss shopping in stores (Incisiv).&nbsp;&nbsp; Will spending become emotionally charged, sensory-filled, in-store experiences to satisfy our deprived senses? Or will the last year have ingrained in us a sense of caution and a new appreciation for the efficiency of online shopping? At this point, neither option is a safe guess.&nbsp; Brands must ‘break the screen’ by infusing human interactions with the convenience of digital – investing money into data-driven, multichannel experiences that can flex and adapt to different customer mind states in real-time and facilitate emotional connections that are based on relevance, personalisation and outcomes.&nbsp;Circumstances change expectations&nbsp; Before Covid-19, brand channels were able to survive and thrive as stand-alone entities. This is no longer the case. We all witnessed how businesses with no, or underdeveloped, digital capabilities struggled. Post Covid-19, brands must have people-centric ‘experience strategies’ that accommodate the emotional and practical elements of a customer experience and how each touchpoint must deliver both.&nbsp; Fortunately, when it comes to buying, people are simple. They want to be delighted and they demand value. With these in mind, ‘experience strategies’ should be framed around the four stages of a customer’s brand experience: consideration, purchase, ownership and relationship.Consideration The consideration stage is when the brain is most powerfully influenced by emotion. By stimulating the senses, brands can nudge people to lean into their impulsive responses. A big part of what people are craving after a year of restrictions are experiences that are tangible and excite all of our currently deprived senses. At the same time, hesitance about the safety of these physical interactions and a focus on value makes online shopping a compelling alternative.&nbsp; Brands must enhance their online channels to successfully mimic in-store sensory experiences to engage people and make them feel more confident about the quality and value of their purchases.&nbsp; Here are some brands that do this well.&nbsp;Makeup brand <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.sephora.sg/pages/virtual-artist" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">Sephora</a> offers people a rich sensory experience with Augmented Reality to help them view products in greater detail and even try them on.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.business.hsbc.ca/en-ca/insights" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">HSBC</a> partnered with AnalogFolk to build an intelligent business banking service that guides decision-makers to relevant products for business growth. Based on browsing and consumption behaviours, the feed automatically prioritises products and services in the context of observed and stated preferences.&nbsp;&nbsp;Purchase&nbsp; At the point of purchase, the logical part of the brain becomes more active and subdues the impulsive urges somewhat. Digital channels offer a more efficient, and safer, experience for those who want to complete a purchase. With detailed information, like stock and product benefits, available at the consumer’s fingertips, the rational brain can make the decision.&nbsp; Human experiences do not offer the same degree of rational efficiency. In most stores, people can’t see available stock so they have to seek out help when they need more information or want to ask practical questions.&nbsp; This is where technology can facilitate rational decision-making, improve efficiency and promote purchase in-store. Most of the digital acceleration stories today are about helping people feel safe. Restaurants like The Breakfast Club will use QR codes to allow diners to access menus on their mobile phones so they never have to touch a menu. Shops like EE are implementing digital queuing technology to limit the number of people in their stores.&nbsp;Ownership Once prospects become customers, the goal is to develop a strong emotional connection with them. This is where a well-connected channel ecosystem is vital and a strong data strategy will yield results. Most people own more than one device, and Google research shows us that a staggering 98 per cent switch between devices regularly.&nbsp; Meaningful experiences are made up of many interactions. So once people have become customers, brands must appeal to people’s senses, help them derive value out of their products and services at all times, and satisfy the need for frictionless, personal support – across every channel.&nbsp;&nbsp; Being close to behavioural data and understanding context has become even more critical after Covid-19 because brands have seen how quickly context can change and what little time they have to pivot.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://analogfolk.com/work/nikeplus-membership-2-0" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">NikePlus Hong Kong</a> is one brand that is using data to improve relevance and value. The brand has been working with AnalogFolk to create a truly channel-agnostic membership experience. With the NikePlus app, members can unlock rewards and experiences both in the app and in-store, allowing us to measure in-store interactions and connect them to online behaviours. Every interaction helps build a more detailed picture of the members and their preferences, allowing us to continuously improve relevance and value.&nbsp;Relationship&nbsp; The last stage in the customer’s brand experience centres on forming a long-term relationship so that unmet needs can be identified and satisfied. Brands must understand how their customers think and behave so they can follow the patterns that suggest new demands are forming.&nbsp; To grow the relevance of a brand, personalisation is crucial. In a global study of 27 national and regional markets, KPMG found people rated personalisation as the top driver of customer loyalty.&nbsp; Mattress brand <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.evesleep.co.uk/" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">Eve Sleep </a>is currently focussed on creating relationships that have longevity, by working with AnalogFolk to create a sleep wellness platform. Data collected from consumers’ browsing behaviours and content consumption patterns will help Eve to offer an increasingly personal sleep wellness service that provides all of the insight, tools and products needed to improve each individual’s sleep quality.Be customer-focused and behaviour-led We still have a long way to go before life will return to any resemblance of the world we used to know. But brands don’t have to predict how people will choose to buy in the future. Designing logic-driven and adaptive digital experiences that span multiple touchpoints and integrate technology into human experiences is key for brands to accommodate changing needs and influence behaviours. By capturing and measuring as many interactions as possible they can build nuanced and actionable customer profiles, and see emerging demands and unmet needs as they arise.&nbsp; Drawing from the best that sensory and digital interactions have to offer, brands can find the right balance of stimulation and value to inspire, satisfy and support people, no matter how or where they choose to engage.

Commerce After Covid-19

First published by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.contagious.com/io/article/insight-strategy-shoes-dont-change-the-world" tt-mode="url" class="c-link" title="" download="">Contagious</a> interview by Rebecca Peel Why a footwear retailer championed people over products to land its new brand purpose In summer 2020, footwear retailer Foot Locker released an anthem film to launch its new brand platform, Shoes Don’t Change The World, You Do. Following several months of internal development, Foot Locker worked with independent digital creative agency AnalogFolk to assert its position in culture, celebrating today’s youth and their ambition to make the world a better place. The platform acknowledges that the brand’s products are not going to drive change, rather it is the confidence and self-expression that they provide wearers that will support them as they act as changemakers. The brand platform brings to life Foot Locker’s newly articulated brand purpose ‘to build a more progressive future together with youth’ and was unveiled following the brand’s pledge to donate $200m to the black community through economic development and education over the next five years. To find out more about the platform and how it communicated Foot Locker’s underlying brand purpose, we spoke to Carmen Seman, vice president of marketing at Foot Locker EMEA, Carren O’Keefe, executive creative director at Analogfolk Amsterdam, and Sofia Ewuraesi Bodger, strategist at Analogfolk London. They told us: Covid-19 has triggered a shift in compassion among the youth of today Identifying the role of the product in the brand purpose was key to unlocking an authentic position The platform’s longevity comes from its adaptability to different seasonal mindsets Brand action and an aligned internal culture are must-haves for any brand communicating their inclusive values What are the main challenges facing fashion retailers today?Carren O’Keefe: There are standard retail challenges with Covid-19 but there are two key challenges. Firstly, the increase of the resale market, people downsizing, and consumerism not being seen as such a positive thing anymore. Especially within the sneaker communities, a lot of big names have been selling off their collections and having a roomful of sneakers is no longer seen as such a coveted thing. So, there’s a lot more intent behind purchases, because they value them more. And, as they’re not buying as many there’s a lot more weight in a purchase.Also, many brands are doubling down on their DTC efforts. If you’re a brand who sells other brands, you need to increase focus on the connection with your consumer beyond these brands.Give an overview of Foot Locker and how the brand has evolved over the past couple of years. O’Keefe: Foot Locker’s ethos has always been to support its community. It’s not about the hype, it’s about the everyday. So while the entire organisation has evolved a lot over the past 12 months, its new brand purpose developed as a natural and authentic progression of that ethos. The brand purpose that Foot Locker had developed was ‘to build a more progressive future together with youth’ and last year they were looking for a partner to launch that, which is how our relationship with them began.How did you arrive at the brand purpose ‘to build a more progressive future together with youth’?Carmen Seman: At Foot Locker, our main goal is to build an emotional connection with our customers through service, experience, product and sense of community. 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.Our consumer research found that today’s youth are worried about their future, and they want to be more involved in creating real actionable change. Additionally, our audience has been crying out for us to be vocal about our opinion, and so the development of our brand purpose was an authentic step change for us in 2020.What research did you do to inform this new purpose? What were the key findings? Seman: We started European consumer research back in 2019, and the findings allowed us to develop a new consumer framework to help us connect with our consumers in the most effective way. The most important finding was ensuring that we have a clear purpose, voice and message. As a business we have focused our product and marketing on elevating the product storytelling across channels through exclusive products and purpose-led stories that build deeper connections with our consumer. Who is Foot Locker’s target consumer? Has this changed at all over the past few years? Sofia Ewuraesi Bodger: At Foot Locker we define our Gen-Z audience by four distinct typologies; creative change makers, cultural verifiers, fashion adopters and label obsessives. Each typology is heavily influenced by sneaker culture, as they have the ability to elevate any look. Inspiration for our audience comes from everywhere and anywhere, but it is Instagram and TikTok that are used to discover new brands and what is happening in the world. Although our typologies still hold true, Covid-19 has had a dominating impact on our target audience this past year. This life stage that would normally have been filled with energetic, unique experiences, has been dampened first, by the ongoing economic disadvantages they face and further by the uncertainty created by pandemic. Despite the uncertainty they feel, our consumer research has also shown a shift in compassion, with 68% of our audience wanting to be more involved in creating positive change. This past year has given them time to take stock and rethink what they want their futures to hold. As their personal futures are in flux and need attention right now, their focus has shifted from a ‘we’ mindset to a ‘me’ mindset and many are now armed with a new outlook on life, and subsequently are looking for a transformative year ahead.What was it about Shoes Don’t Change The World, You Do that convinced you it was the right articulation to launch your new brand purpose? Seman: We know our audience are on a mission to change the world, whether that be through tackling climate change or social justice. The launch of the Shoes Don’t Change The World platform was a key moment for Foot Locker in Europe, it’s more than just a brand platform, it is a bold commitment to help enable longterm change. It is an acknowledgement that while shoes don’t change the world, they give people the confidence to be themselves; and that is where the change starts. After months of internal development went into crafting the brand purpose, launching it publicly in 2020 can’t have been an easy task – between Covid-19 and all the social unrest there’s a lot to take into account. How did this impact Foot Locker? O’Keefe: It gave us a sharper focus on the change that is happening. In the process of the pitch the George Floyd incident happened. Foot Locker felt like it was an opportunity to really reflect upon themselves and take a look at the fact that Black culture shapes sneaker culture and who their core consumer had always been. The focus became changemakers specifically driving support for inclusivity and diversity, including LGBTQ+ and black communities. The most recent work specifically looking into working with and then championing black creatorsWhat stood out to you about Foot Locker’s brand purpose? O’Keefe: Tonally, the ‘together with youth’ part was really important because the key was that they are the ones doing it. The product itself plays a really important role in giving their consumers self-confidence or creative expression and that leads to them feeling like they can be that change, which is the key thing with these products. Then that enables them to go out and be a part of these movements and these changes. So, the key thing was to figure out how we would bring that to life. That's what the whole line is really designed to be about. It's not to try to pretend like, we don’t sell shoes, because we do and that’s really important, and that’s okay, that's a great thing. But it’s to recognise what Foot Locker’s role is as a brand, what role they can have and who is actually driving this change (which is the audience), and then all the things that they can do as a brand to support them. They were already partnering with and supporting youth and communities to make a progressive change. They weren’t looking to just be disruptive for the sake of it. It was in the interest of what they were trying to do, which is stand out to this consumer and compete for brain space among other brands. What have you been doing in terms of brand action to support this purpose? Seman: We are already working in partnership with today’s youth and they will drive the change, but we will offer them the assets, access and resources to support their confidence to do it. The world is calling out for change and we want to be a part of it by lending our platform to key voices. We’re committed to being their ally for achieving real progress. This has been especially important as the world struggles with the Covid-19 pandemic which is why we launched Collaboraid – beginning by partnering with creatives and small businesses from the heart of communities in need and then bringing together charities and community centres to donate footwear to young people affected by the pandemic. Our anchor partner, Soles4Souls has enabled and facilitated Foot Locker’s $1.5m donation to positively impact more that 19,000 kids across seven countries, having a real practical impact at a time where our younger generation is really struggling. Additionally, last year, Foot Locker, Inc committed to giving $200m to the black community for the next five years through economic development and education. And this February, we released our first progress update and formally introduced LEED, our company wide initiative to Lead Education and Economic Development. Since the launch, how many campaigns have you done based on this brand platform? O’Keefe: So far, we’ve done three. We did the launch campaign, which is an anthem film. Then we did the Back To School campaign, and we did the Holiday campaign. And this year, we will probably have three to four campaigns. The way it works is we’ve got the broader platform, which we launched with the larger brand initiative, and now each campaign is tied to a seasonal mindset and a seasonal collection. For Back To School we recognised that because kids had gone out of school early due to Covid, it’s been longer than usual since they’ve seen their friends, so this lack of self-confidence is more prevalent than ever. And so, the change that we leaned into was around people who are enacting the change of self confidence within themselves. For the Holiday season, it was ‘the cause don’t pause for the season’ to continue to drive momentum for positive change when others might take a break, coupled with the insight that consumers wanted to give back but didn’t know how. How did you balance the purpose message with the commercial objectives of the campaigns? O’Keefe: You can’t really say ‘shoes don’t change the world, buy these shoes’ and with the exception of the anthem film, all our seasonal iterations are tied to a seasonal collection that we need to sell. There was a lot of thinking about upper funnel and lower funnel, making sure that we have the key storytelling pieces in place. The bit that is clever about the platform is that it’s about building purpose and equity in the brand, but it’s being carried through quite effortlessly into the more direct response activity using the same storylines and personalities throughout. It’s super rare to see brand purpose-oriented platforms be able to carry all the way through to the more hard-working stuff. For example, with the Back To School campaign, we worked with two inspirational Gen-Z talents, one of whom was Jordan Charles, a model and presenter who uses his voice to celebrate albinism and being different. In his story he was wearing the Back To School collection, which we would promote as brand media on places like YouTube. But then we did a standard product shoot with him as well, where we got the key [commercial] assets. Then where we would want to drive people to more easily convert, we would have more of the product focused shots. It’s Jordan in both, but the way we shot it and the intent of it was different depending on the desired outcome. So if you did see the brand anthem with Jordan, eventually you’d be followed up with more of a straight commercial piece of media. We had to create a playbook that put a lot of guardrails in place. It’s that constant reminder to the clients as well as ourselves of ‘No, we can’t put a shop button on this’, but making sure that we are featuring the product, because that’s the point. And so even in the talent films, having zoom ins on the product is still a part of it, but not at the cost of their story, because that’s the first priority on those bits until we get to the product stuff. And I think that’s why the product content is so critical, because without that we’d be trying to do it all with the same kind of content. What were the effectiveness metrics you set for this campaign beforehand? Do you have any results you can share? Seman: The key for us has been measuring success via brand association, awareness, affinity and consideration, as well as ensuring that we’re recognised as an inclusive brand. We don’t have a specific benchmark for the first year, however, results show that we have effectively connected with the customer through our campaign video content including changemakers; we’ve seen a double digit increase in view through rate, compared to previous campaigns with paid media. Additionally, organic PR coverage has increased year on year, and the reach has more than doubled in 2020 vs 2019.

Insight & Strategy: Shoes Don’t Change the World

We’re thrilled to announce that two of our inspirational Folk have been named in this year’s BIMA 100 list. Senior strategist Vee Lockey was recognised within the ‘strategists and consultants’ category, impressing judges with her strategic powerhouse status, continuously going above and beyond to create, lead and execute strategies for some of the world's biggest brands. Alongside delivering effective business results, she creates strategies that harness the power of digital to drive positive societal change in the world. One example of this is <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://analogfolk.com/work/bigup-2-0" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">BigUp.AI</a>, the AI tool that empowers women by pioneering new definitions of leadership.The BIMA 100 judges were also wowed by our strategist Sofia Bodger, awarding her a place in the ‘rising star’ category for her ability to think differently, trigger sharp, powerful creative ideas, and find solutions with purpose. She has taken an active role in the shaping of the North Star – driving our ambition to be an impactful agency of change for people, brands and society in pursuit of a better world – which has helped to guide the future of the agency’s future, and the industry.Both our recognised strategists embody our mission to ‘use digital to make the analog world better’ in everything they do – and we couldn’t be prouder of them both!

BIMA100 2021 list revealed

From a cleaner freight train to an automated beehive, a way to recycle fabric, and other bold, new technologies, the 5th annual awards honour the products, concepts, companies, policies, and designs that are pursuing innovation for the good of society and the planet. New York, May 4, 2021 — The winners of Fast Company’s 2021 World Changing Ideas Awards were announced today, honouring the businesses, policies, projects, and concepts that are actively engaged and deeply committed to pursuing innovation when it comes to solving health and climate crises, social injustice, or economic inequality. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.bigup.ai/" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">BigUp.AI</a> is selected as an Honourable Mention in the AI &amp; Data category. It is a world-first, not-for-profit AI tool that’s helping to solve the problem of gender inequality. Created and launched by AnalogFolk in BETA in 2020, the AI tool is specially designed to encourage women to power up their professional bios, cover letters, CVs, interviews and performance reviews by using more impactful language that “bigs up” their values, skills and strengths. Powered by cutting-edge Microsoft LUIS Natural Language Processing, Machine Learning technology, and AI training completed using skills found on real CVs and information from users, BigUp.AI identifies and analyses passive language, and then makes suggestions on swapping it for more impactful language. During the midst of a global pandemic which has disproportionately impacted women, it is more important than ever to help them (re)assert their confidence and celebrate their strengths. Which is why, as the effects of the pandemic became more widely felt, AnalogFolk launched phase two of BigUp.AI, to help women keep sight of their brilliance during this incredibly uncertain time. Sara Pouri, 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 BigUp.AI 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.” Anna-Louise Gladwell, managing director, AnalogFolk London says: "We are incredibly proud to be included on this remarkable list with BigUp.AI 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. As we continue development of the tool, watch this space.''Now in its fifth year, the World Changing Ideas Awards showcase 33 winners, more than 400 finalists, and more than 800 honourable mentions—with Health and Wellness, AI &amp; Data among the most popular categories. A panel of eminent Fast Company editors and reporters selected winners and finalists from a pool of more than 4,000 entries across transportation, education, food, politics, technology, and more. Plus, several new categories were added, including Pandemic Response, Urban Design, and Architecture. The 2021 awards feature entries from across the globe, from Brazil to Denmark to Vietnam. Showcasing some of the world’s most inventive entrepreneurs and companies tackling exigent global challenges, Fast Company’s Summer 2021 issue (on newsstands May 10) highlights, among others, a lifesaving bassinet; the world’s largest carbon sink, thanks to carbon-eating concrete; 3D-printed schools; an at-home COVID-19 testing kit; a mobile voting app; and the world’s cleanest milk. “There is no question our society and planet are facing deeply troubling times. So, it’s important to recognise organisations that are using their ingenuity, impact, design, scalability, and passion to solve these problems,” says Stephanie Mehta, editor-in-chief of Fast Company. “Our journalists, under the leadership of senior editor Morgan Clendaniel, have discovered some of the most groundbreaking projects that have launched since the start of 2020.” About the World Changing Ideas Awards: World Changing Ideas is one of Fast Company’s major annual awards programs and is focused on social good, seeking to elevate finished products and brave concepts that make the world better. A panel of judges from across sectors choose winners, finalists, and honourable mentions based on feasibility and the potential for impact. With the goals of awarding ingenuity and fostering innovation, Fast Company draws attention to ideas with great potential and helps them expand their reach to inspire more people to start working on solving the problems that affect us all. Try our tool <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.bigup.ai/" tt-mode="url" class="" title="" download="">here&nbsp;</a> &nbsp;

Our World-Changing Idea: BigUp.AI

Voxpop: what is the most transformative digital trend part one

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Dyslexic people, and those with other neurodiverse conditions, are not just surviving, but thriving in the creative industries. They typically have strengths such as enhanced creativity and unusual ways of thinking – all of which are much valued in the sector. So how can your organisation embrace this niche talent and support dyslexic employees?
When I first started my career in advertising in 2019, I was unsure whether to disclose that I am dyslexic. I was afraid that I would be alone in my struggle to read and write, and feel isolated by my learning difficulty. As it turns out, I was very wrong. Through chatting to a number of dyslexic employees within my agency and many more in my wider network, I soon realised that I was actually part of a thriving dyslexic community within the advertising industry. Armed with this new feeling of belonging, I wanted to find out why the advertising industry is such a great place for dyslexic talent. And how best can the industry that we have decided to call home, support us?
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling, according to <a href="https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/dyslexia/about-dyslexia/what-is-dyslexia" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/dyslexia/about-dyslexia/what-is-dyslexia&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1615917642932000&amp;usg=AFQjCNH2lJ9EDOCfNxhAFJDTJnUm3cBtmA">The British Dyslexia Association</a>. In the UK, around 16% (11.5 million people) of the population is dyslexic. While there are no specific statistics that confirm how many people have dyslexia within advertising, <a href="https://umusic.co.uk/Creative-Differences-Handbook.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://umusic.co.uk/Creative-Differences-Handbook.pdf&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1615917642932000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFjXm-2e8ueKOvf4542vjbRM82znQ">Universal Music’s 2020 report ‘Creative Differences’</a> estimated that the proportion of people who are neurodiverse across all creative industries is almost double that of the general public.
Meanwhile, a report carried out by Creative Equals in 2020 found that 18% of employees in advertising, marketing and media live with one or more neurodiverse conditions.
Putting statistics aside, there is a common consensus amongst industry employees, that dyslexia is prevalent in some of our most driven and successful colleagues. In an article published by <a href="https://digiday.com/marketing/im-just-wired-differently-advertising-seems-many-people-dyslexia/#:~:text=While%20there%20are%20no%20statistics,things%20in%20a%20different%20way" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://digiday.com/marketing/im-just-wired-differently-advertising-seems-many-people-dyslexia/%23:~:text%3DWhile%2520there%2520are%2520no%2520statistics,things%2520in%2520a%2520different%2520way&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1615917642932000&amp;usg=AFQjCNF33iR_DIxRQyHuxa0TvZFZJhdS7w">Digiday</a> in 2017, Chris Arnold, ex-creative chief at Saatchi &amp; Saatchi – who is himself dyslexic – stated that ‘advertising, like other creative industries, is absolutely full of people with learning difficulties’. And you only have to do a quick google search to find countless examples of dyslexic industry CEOs and leaders, including Pip Jamieson, founder and CEO of the professional network <a href="https://the-dots.com/users/pip-jamieson-70917" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://the-dots.com/users/pip-jamieson-70917&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1615917642933000&amp;usg=AFQjCNH_cD1v09ikCiLyla10Lk1Df3Cxig">The Dots </a>and RPM agency founder <a href="https://www.themarque.com/profile/hugh-robertson" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.themarque.com/profile/hugh-robertson&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1615917642933000&amp;usg=AFQjCNE-n7wA0-wfSUA6FbgHvGat1-mqcQ">Hugh Robertson.</a>
So, it is evident that the creative industry environment is where dyslexic people are not only surviving but thriving. Why? For answers, we must deep-dive into the dyslexic brain. Although dyslexia has previously been viewed as a disadvantage, new research from learning disabilities experts <a href="https://www.wired.com/2011/09/dyslexic-advantage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wired.com/2011/09/dyslexic-advantage/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1615917642933000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGGxSeBdkwLVP-8tMi3KN9pZGcVFg">Brock and Fernette Eide</a> is challenging that. They argue that ‘dyslexia is an alternative way brains can be wired – one with many advantages’. A study carried out by <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23311908.2016.1190309" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23311908.2016.1190309&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1615917642933000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFOCn65s9EJKBTfuq8X36AMiaeA1A">Cancer, Manzoli and Antonietti in 2016</a> found that junior high school students who were diagnosed with dyslexia performed significantly better in a creativity test than their non-dyslexic counterparts. Despite the often negatively perceived aspects of dyslexia, the neurodiverse condition actually has very useful strengths such as enhanced creativity and unusual ways of thinking.
These enhanced skills, when combined with the often non-linear and innovation-focussed ways of working within advertising, is a match made in heaven for dyslexics – a place where they can allow their skills to flourish. Agencies are slowly starting to recognise this and are actively tapping into this niche source of talent. In 2016, the marketing firm ‘The Garage’ stirred up a media storm when they released a recruitment ad that <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/feb/11/job-advertisement-uk-thinktank-recruit-dyslexics-only-steve-jobs-garage" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/feb/11/job-advertisement-uk-thinktank-recruit-dyslexics-only-steve-jobs-garage&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1615917642933000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGuAIaeZziAGGc5_wVQ1iTPFY2Q7A">specifically targeted dyslexic talent, </a>stating ‘we require people with a unique mind, so only dyslexics (like Steve Jobs) should apply’

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<a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/FINAL-steve-jobs-think-different-ad.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7636" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/FINAL-steve-jobs-think-different-ad.jpg" alt="" width="2953" height="2210" /></a>

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More recently – in a bid to drive more dyslexic talent into the sector – a group of advertising professionals have created a free-to-use eReader called<a href="https://leoreader.com/login" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://leoreader.com/login&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1615917642933000&amp;usg=AFQjCNF18yV6_8cO7ybxZPc061kzRqaDEg"> LEO</a>, which allows students within creative industries to personalise reading content to their needs. Recognising the value of dyslexic talent, the LEO team hopes to break down barriers that would traditionally stop dyslexics from accessing the industry and in turn, make the industry more neurodiverse.


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<a href="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/ARTICLE-IMAGE-2-1920-1080.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7635" src="https://analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/ARTICLE-IMAGE-2-1920-1080.png" alt="" width="1920" height="1080" /></a>
But while there is evidence to suggest the industry is waking up to the value of neurodiverse talent, barriers still exist for dyslexic employees upon trying to enter the workplace, as well as inside it. A 2018 report by<a href="https://www.achieveability.org.uk/main/policy/wac-report-is-released-and-presentation-at-bda-conference-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.achieveability.org.uk/main/policy/wac-report-is-released-and-presentation-at-bda-conference-2018&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1615917642933000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFKqbUjQjqABbFCH4A9E05Ng_Hz6g"> Westminster Achieve Ability Commission (</a>WAC) found evidence of systemic barriers to employment for millions of potential neurodiverse employees in the UK, such as online job applications that do not allow assistive technology and the use of a spell checker for dyslexic applicants. Once in employment, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2021/02/11/breaking-down-workplace-barriers-for-those-with-invisible-disabilities/?sh=333342f72d8b" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2021/02/11/breaking-down-workplace-barriers-for-those-with-invisible-disabilities/?sh%3D333342f72d8b&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1615917642933000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFrjSR5HRaV6VZxFpwZGrsOae48XQ">a 2011 study</a> found that <a href="https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20170605-the-hidden-challenges-of-invisible-disabilities" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20170605-the-hidden-challenges-of-invisible-disabilities&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1615917642933000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHsjj33xVeS7TAwbWsSBsuMcZDtRQ">88% of people</a> with an invisible disability, such as dyslexia, were unsure whether to disclose their disability to their employer, in fear of being labeled.
To overcome these barriers, it is essential that agencies and advertising organisations proactively look for ways to help dyslexic employees in recruitment and employment.
Here at AnalogFolk, supporting neurodiverse employees is a priority and I feel massively supported with my dyslexia. I’ve received specialist software through the Access to Work scheme that has enabled me to confidently proof my own work (instead of relying on the wizardly skills of my good friend, the sub editor). The company's flexible working environment supports everyone’s differences so we can all excel and create our best work with confidence.
For agencies and advertising organisations that are unsure of how to support dyslexic employees, here are some points to consider:
1.At the interview stage proactively ask candidates if they require any reasonable adjustments, such as company documents in different formats, an explanation on the interview format or additional time for any interview assessments. 

2.Carry out a workplace needs assessment for dyslexic employees upon disclosure of their learning difficulty to determine appropriate reasonable adjustments for them.

3.Consider applying for a government grant called ‘Access to Work’ to financially support reasonable adjustments for dyslexic employees if needed.

4.Offer sensitivity training for employees and/or managers of dyslexic employees, to help them gain a better understanding of the challenges dyslexics face within the workplace
*A full list of reasonable adjustments and advice for employers on supporting dyslexic employees by the British Dyslexia Association can be found <a href="https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/advice/adults/in-the-workplace/reasonable-adjustments-in-the-workplace" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/advice/adults/in-the-workplace/reasonable-adjustments-in-the-workplace&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1615917642933000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEFJKzKOKJETHqvsVsk2zIRE3D5bg">here. </a>
The dyslexic presence in advertising is undeniable.  We’re the founders, the leaders, the outside-the-box idea makers, the creative thinkers and so much more. In my eyes, advertising is the ideal space for neurodiverse employees to use our skills and show off our strengths. But to truly flourish, we need the appreciation and support of agencies and advertising organisations – and in turn the industry can keep moving forward towards a future filled with brilliant diverse talent.
Written by Elsa Wiles Jenkins, New Business and Brand Assistant.
 

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Dyslexic talent is just what the advertising industry needs

First published <a href="https://www.advertisingweek360.com/women-in-leadership-redefining-the-language-of-success/" rel="nofollow">Advertising Week 360</a>

A year on from the launch of language tool <a href="https://www.bigup.ai/">BigUp.AI</a>, its data has highlighted the need for a new model of leadership that is more inclusive of women, to address the huge imbalance of females in leadership positions. With the Covid crisis creating a cataclysmic shift in societal demands, there is now a clear call for empathetic leaders. It’s time for change.

Last year, on International Women’s Day 2020, a female-led team at AnalogFolk launched BigUp.AI – a digital language tool that gives women the confidence to get ahead in their career by helping them express their strengths with impact instead of downplaying them. The idea was born from the insight that women are four times more likely to shrink their successes <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/margiewarrell/2018/04/03/women-how-to-use-power-language-to-stand-out-grow-presence-and-get-ahead/#132977bf1200">(Forbes, 2019)</a>. And this lack of self-promotion contributes to a whole host of negative outcomes such as perpetuation of the gender pay gap and fewer promotions, and a lack of women in senior roles and leadership positions globally (<a href="https://www.majorplayers.co.uk/news-events/major-hub/differences-in-men-womens-cvs/">Major Players, 2017</a>).

A year on, amid the Covid-19 crisis and mass job losses, we’ve had nearly 5000 strengths submitted to BigUp.AI. And the data is revealing – drawing attention to another challenge women are facing when trying to reach leadership positions.
<h3>The findings from BigUp.AI</h3>
BigUp.AI’s data shows that users are overwhelmingly submitting empathetic and socially-focused strengths to the tool. There is a clear demand to know how to talk about strengths like collaboration, empathy and communication in a way that will have impact with employers.

However, being able to demonstrate and articulate these strengths with confidence and impact isn’t the only problem to fix. Strengths like collaboration, empathy and communication are all too often ignored or dismissed as second-rate skills, and are rarely associated with leadership or success.

Research shows that women with empathetic and socially focussed strengths are generally well liked in the workplace but have historically been viewed as less competent leaders (<a href="https://www.catalyst.org/research/the-double-bind-dilemma-for-women-in-leadership-damned-if-you-do-doomed-if-you-dont/">Catalyst, 2007</a>). Society still holds a very narrow, and stereotypically alpha-male, definition of successful leadership traits – strong, assertive, confident and decisive. And even when women present those strengths they’re seen as competent but dislikable leaders. This creates an unconscious bias that women don’t belong in senior level positions. Within this narrow paradigm of leadership in which women are “damned if they do, doomed if they don’t” (<a href="https://www.catalyst.org/research/the-double-bind-dilemma-for-women-in-leadership-damned-if-you-do-doomed-if-you-dont/">Catalyst, 2007</a>), it’s sadly unsurprising that just 5% of FTSE 100 CEOs are women.
<h3>Pioneering a new definition of success</h3>
The ambition for BigUp.AI is to help more women reach senior and leadership positions. However, the tool was not designed to encourage women to emulate existing, male-dominated leadership styles in order to get there. BigUp.AI is here to represent and hero the authentic strengths and voices of users. Women have exactly what it takes to effectively lead on their own terms – female leaders excel in taking initiative, acting with resilience, practicing self-development, driving for results and displaying high integrity and honesty alongside strong interpersonal skills (<a href="https://hbr.org/2019/06/research-women-score-higher-than-men-in-most-leadership-skills?registration=success">Harvard Business Review, 2019</a>).

Research also shows that female leaders excel during crises. On a macro scale, outcomes related to Covid-19, including the number of cases and deaths, were systematically better in countries led by women (<a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3617953">&gt;SSRN, 2020</a>). And since Covid-19, employees have put greater importance on interpersonal skills like communication, collaboration and motivation, all of which were traits more often displayed in women (<a href="https://hbr.org/2020/12/research-women-are-better-leaders-during-a-crisis">Harvard Business Review, 2020</a>).

The pandemic’s poster child for this is perhaps New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who stated: “One of the criticisms I’ve faced over the years is that I’m not aggressive enough, or assertive enough, or maybe somehow, because I’m empathetic, I’m weak. I totally rebel against that. I refuse to believe that you cannot be compassionate and strong.”

It’s evident that society is ready for, and in need of, new forms of empathetic leadership, which truly includes women and empowers them to thrive by owning and celebrating their multitudes of strengths. But whilst this empathetic leadership style may be represented by women, it must be inclusive of everyone.
<h3>An inclusive form of leadership</h3>
One big player in reframing leadership attitudes and pioneering new empathetic forms is The Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design at the Royal College of Art, with their Creative Leadership model. At the heart is a simple, yet powerful idea – by combining empathy, clarity and creativity, everyone has leadership potential. The model uses these three universal human qualities to bring marginalised, ignored and underrepresented people into the leadership conversation – with no exceptions or excuses.

These three components of empathy, clarity and creativity are key in the creation of a more equal future by changing the existing definition of leadership. One of these values by themselves is not enough. Empathy is the hallmark of a 21st century leader; creativity is a universal ability to develop solutions that positively impact ourselves and others, and clarity is the missing link in aligning vision, direction and communication. Each of these values interact with each other, temper each other and support each other. This leadership model has formed and informed ideas with government, business and the third sector, but more importantly, with thousands of individuals across the globe.

“Changing our leadership mindset from outdated models of yesteryear to become visionary, empathic and effective will be one of the most challenging, yet ultimately transformational, achievements of this century. Create better leadership at every level, and you create better decisions at every level.”
<h3>Shaping the future</h3>
BigUp.AI has given women, who have been left out of leadership conversations too long, the tools and language to confidently articulate their strengths with impact. Alongside this, the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design has pioneered a new form of success which encourages governments, businesses and society as a whole to be more open to hearing these diverse strengths and opens up a truly inclusive leadership conversation. This IWD and beyond, we will be actioning the change we want to see – by challenging the status quo around leadership and helping to champion this new definition of leadership that can enable everyone, especially women, to excel.

Authors:

Vee Lockey, Senior Strategist AnalogFolk

Rama Gheerawo, Director at Helen Hamlyn Centre of Design, Royal College of Art

Women In Leadership: Redefining The Language Of Success

The pandemic drove 10 years’ worth of e-commerce growth last year, creating a new reality for all brands. Perhaps not surprisingly, it’s the smaller DTC-focused brands which have shown themselves to be better equipped for this new future. And it’s not just because they were born digital first, centred around a single product range, and are adept at acquisition.

They've shifted the fundamental nature of DTC from being commerce focused to being focused on lifestyle and building long-term relationships. Any experience that helps people achieve their goals is going to be much more memorable.

Given that various lockdowns have disrupted our lives, during idle moments – if there were any – many of us have taken on new hobbies, or taken to pursuing new or old passions. This creates an opportunity for brands to create experiences that deliver meaning into people’s lives by tapping into their aspirations. If you’ve developed a passion for brewing specialty coffee at home, for example, Kurasu Kyoto will inspire you with artful imagery and how-to content series on Instagram, as well as all the kit to buy along with it, of course.

Delivering an experience that's easy and seamless is expected, but what's important is to add a bit of serendipity.

Elevate the purchase experience

We know the consumer’s journey doesn’t begin on a brand’s website, so let's go where their aspirations take them. Let your products find them. The obvious place to start is shoppable social, where you can intelligently surface products before intent to shop has even formed, through curated collections and in-feed experiences.

But thinking outside the frame, the growth of live-streaming on platforms like TikTok around particular passion points – fashion or cooking, for example – gives you the opportunity to turn up somewhere unexpectedly, and within a relevant context. Or think beyond traditional platforms. Klarna set up a virtual store on Animal Crossing featuring products from Marc Jacobs and Valentino.

See fulfillment as a competitive differentiator

Same day, next day delivery and easy returns are expected by consumers. Even special YouTube-worthy unboxing experiences are par for the course. Yet, with packaging, there's an opportunity to merge the digital and physical to gain a competitive edge. One area is connected packaging, where simply using a QR code can hook you up to an intelligent service on WhatsApp, for example. Interacting with it could lead to content that helps you get the most out of the product, or connect you to a Spotify playlist to enjoy that bottle of whisky with. Or even arrange pick up of empty packaging, putting evidence behind your commitment to sustainability.

Create collaborations that connect passion points

Tapping into the collective power of a tribe or community members around your brand is important to create word of mouth to recruit others. One way to do this is to create unexpected collaborations that sit at the intersection of their different passion points. Take Nike's collaboration with Momofuku, a noodle bar chain with a long-standing relationship with the skate community.

The Nike SB team created a much sought-after drop – limited-edition skate shoe called the SB Dunk High Pro Momofuku – tapping into two passion points that make up the lifestyle of the skate community. This approach can extend into everyday products – Colgate collaborated with Supreme to create a limited-edition toothpaste to appeal to a younger audience.

Surface tailored content through an intelligent feed

Creating these experiences requires a deep understanding of your consumers. And in a world where third-party cookies will disappear, the emphasis on first-party data is heightened. Its benefit, of course, is a richer data set to mine insights to create experiences across the funnel. Yet to capture that data, you need people to come to you. One way to do that is to build an intelligent feed on your website that surfaces content and experiences based on consumer interactions. If, for example, you've created a collaboration around sneakers, then the content surfaced shows the back story, or recommended colour ways and designs, and makes it easy to add to basket.

The intelligence you gain can be used to fuel content such as newsletters, social, and identify new partnerships to keep the conversation going long after people have visited your website. By creating value through these intelligent, yet serendipitous experiences people have a reason to come back to you, that goes beyond the product itself.

If you help people achieve their goals with a bit of magic, you'll build long-term and lasting relationships with consumers.

Written by Sol Ghafoor, director of strategic services.

The future of DTC? Think like a lifestyle brand

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>

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<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>

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<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>

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<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>

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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.”
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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.

<div class="column" style="text-align: left;">
<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.

</div>
<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" />
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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.

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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>

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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.
<a href="http://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Article1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6924" src="http://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Article1.jpg" alt="" width="1980" height="1080" /></a>
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.

<a href="http://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/AF_DigitalTrans-Article1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6910" src="http://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/AF_DigitalTrans-Article1.jpg" alt="" width="1180" height="664" /></a>

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

<a href="http://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Nandos-order-page.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6894" src="http://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Nandos-order-page.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1080" /></a>

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.

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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.”

&nbsp;

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.

AnalogFolk named as digital agency of record for tech startup Serai

First published on <a href="https://www.campaignlive.com/article/campaign-us-digital-40-40-honorees-revealed/1590305">Campaign US</a>.

Congratulations to all! 

Behold: 2019’s batch of online omnipotents, binary bosses, connectivity captains (and all other variations of digital leader).

You’re looking at Campaign US’ Digital 40 Over 40 honorees.

The awards returns for a third year to celebrate the most talented and accomplished individuals transforming adland with digital wizardry.

Nominations were judged by a panel consisting of the Campaign editorial team as well as decorated industry leaders including Doug Robinson, CEO of Fresh Digital Group, Sarah Hofstetter, president at Comscore, Brian Wieser, president of business intelligence at GroupM and Gemma Greaves, chief executive of The Marketing Society.

Honorees will be celebrated at a special rooftop event at Merkley+Partners in New York City on August 14.

2019 Digital 40 Over 50 honorees

Dianne Wilkins, CEO Critical Mass
Daniel Bonner, Global CCO Wunderman
Erin Matts, CEO Hearts &amp; Science
Amy Cotteleer, partner and chief experience officer Duncan Channon
Nicole Cosby, SVP media technology standards and partnerships Publicis Media
Deirdre Stone, MD creative technology mcgarrybowen
Preeya Vyas, chief experience officer digital Saatchi &amp; Saatchi
Mike Margolin, SVP chief digital officer RPA
Amanda Seaford, US CEO Mirum
Christine Cook, SVP and chief revenue officer, CNN Digital WarnerMedia
Saneel Radia, EVP global chief innovation officer R/GA
Noah Mallin, US head of experience, content and sponsorship Wavemaker
Seth Rogin, president and CEO Nucleus
Lizzie Widhelm, SVP ad innovation Pandora
Kathleen Dundas, president data strategy Zenith USA, Moxie &amp; MRY
Minh Le, chief digital officer Dailey
Quynh Mai, CEO and founder Moving Image and Content
Doug Melville, chief diversity officer at TBWA\North America
Jim Wood, partner ECD AnalogFolk
Alex Krawitz, president Firstborn
Brian Leder, chief strategy officer at Promatica
Jeremiah Rosen, CEO Sundae
Jennifer van Dijk, executive VP marketing Wasserman
Pam Sullivan, president, client partner NBCUniversal Essence
Amy Emmerich, president NA and chief content officer Refinery29
Greg Andersen, CEO Bailey Lauerman
Susan Frech, CEO Social Media Link
Jeff Ragovin, chief growth officer Social Native
Amy Lanzi, EVP/commerce NA practice lead Publicis Media
Richard Guest, global digital director, executive VP, global business director DDB Worldwide
Carrie Kerpen, co-founder and CEO Likeable Media
Ari Halper, CCO FCB New York
Dave Meeker, chief innovation officer Isobar US
Jason Sperling, SVP chief, creative development RPA
Paul Dolan, CEO Varick
Jayson Fittipaldi, founder and chief innovation officer Nobox
Harry Bernstein, CCO Havas New York
Patti Temple Rocks, senior partner head of client impact IFC Next
Mel Edwards, global CEO Wunderman Thompson
Penny Wilson, CMO Hootsuite

Jim's a winner!

‘Perf with Surf’ starring Dani Dyer

London Stock Exchange Group’s ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain’

Meet Sara Pouri, Associate Creative Director and one of Campaign’s Future Creative Leaders.

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In its third year, the partnership between Campaign and Creative Equals is once again putting the spotlight on the next generation of female creative leaders, against a backdrop of continuing gender inequality in the advertising industry. With data showing that only 12-16% of creative directors are women, the need for change is clear. To change the game, they have announced their list of the 30 Future Leaders, the next generation of women redefining creativity.

With her award-winning creative work and impressive commercial acumen, Sara Pouri is certainly redefining creativity at AnalogFolk. 

Since joining AnalogFolk, she creatively directed one of it’s most famous campaigns: Marmite Tasteface. An infectiously fun web experience powered by machine learning and facial recognition that got Marmite lovers (and haters) sharing their reactions as they tasted the famous spread. It won multiple awards; a BIMA for Emerging Innovative Technology, the Most Innovative Campaign at the Effective Mobile Marketing Awards, and Best Tech Led Innovation of the Year at The Drum Marketing Awards (to name a few). It was also recognised in numerous publications, including the Webby Trend Report and Creative Review.

Her list of achievements also include creative directing Knorr’s Eat Your Feed - an AI-powered web application that matches recipes to your Instagram feed, and helping grow AnalogFolk’s Unilever account to 15 strong. And her accomplishments don’t stop at creative directing - her work with Creative Mentor Network has seen her coach her mentee through her college project, resulting in an acceptance into Greenwich University, and her side hustle, BeerBelly, a pop-up that brings serious dining to taprooms across London with a menu of 6 dishes paired with 6 locally crafted beers. 

We’re incredibly proud that Sara and her fantastic work has been recognised. Watch this space, because this Future Creative Leader is shaking things up in the creative industry.  

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Introducing the next generation of female creative leaders.

By Jennifer Bruzas, Digital Analyst at AnalogFolk

Are you getting the most out of your data?

It's the fundamental question, right? And one that was the focus of everyone’s attention at the first ever BIMA Data Council meeting last week.

Everyone who works in Data and Analytics wants the sum of their efforts to make a difference, to create value. So it was good to come away with 3 key pointers around how to get more from our data sets and our data teams. 

1. Dial up the collaboration

It’s not enough to task Data teams with performance measurement and sharing learnings post-campaign. They need, routinely, to be plugged in beforehand, at the crucial planning stage(s) – to the benefit of creative and strategic thinking. 

And with all of the current advanced uptake in social intelligence and predictive modelling, Data teams are now very well placed to integrate alongside and strongly support Creatives and Strategists alike.

Of course, the purpose of such collaboration ought never to smother creativity and strategic leaps with data. But to foster an effective synergy between all three. First base though – begin collaborating more.  

2. Start small, to dream big

All too often businesses can be overwhelmed by the need to harness “Big Data”, or indeed by the very idea of data, making it hard for (often small) Data teams to live up to expectations. Which in turn can cause a loss of faith in data and intelligence.

However, the best way to avoid any such crisis of confidence is to first isolate the smaller (but still important) business challenges that data analytics can assist with. It might exist in the realm of “Small Data” but if it’s focussed on clear objectives, measurable outcomes and actionable insight, then there will be ample scope for the Data team to flex its muscles and to deliver some benefit back to clients and/or the business. 

Such smaller “wins” with data will also foster trust in one’s ability to tackle big, meatier data challenges.

3. Always keep the customer front of mind

Using data for data’s sake is never an adequate guiding principle. And all the more so in these times of heightened expectation around data. No, the paramount justification for data-driven activity is to see it create experiences that benefit the user / the customer.

Of course, it should always be the intention of businesses to create a product or service which benefits and/or enriches the user in some way. But, citing the work of Professor Thales Teixeira (of Harvard Business School), the point was made that we’re all of us needing to respond to changing customer needs, wants and behaviours, and the extent to which it is customers themselves who are wielding ultimate disruptive power these days. 

And our best means of doing so is through taking the learnings we can find from the data available to us.

Data is a tremendous opportunity if harnessed effectively and expectations are managed. And by collaborating with other disciplines, methodically targeting smaller problems, and always keeping the user front of mind, Data teams can equip themselves for meeting the needs of the businesses they serve.

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Are you getting the most out of your data?

The Drum Mobile awards have been announced, with independent global creative agency AnalogFolk taking home the best Consumer/E-commerce mobile campaign for its project Walkers Win Live. Celebrating the campaigns, brands, and agencies at the forefront of the mobile industry, the Drum Mobile Awards specifically recognises brands and agencies that are leading the way in mobile advertising.

Walkers Win Live is a weekly prize draw that is the first Facebook competition to connect digital entries to a live TV draw. Entrants scan a Facebook code, found on packs of Walkers, with the Facebook Messenger app to open the entry chatbot. After taking entry details, the chatbot entertains people during TV ad breaks with a gameshow-style quiz, including questions tailored to that evening’s TV.

Winners are contacted via the chatbot and email, whilst brand ambassador Gary Lineker opens an envelope during the final ad spot of the evening to reveal the winner’s name.

“We’re honoured that Walkers Win Live has been recognised by the Drum Mobile Awards as an example of excellence in mobile advertising,” says Ete Davies, Managing Director London. “Across the agency, we’ve been focusing on customer experience innovation and helping our clients create additional revenue streams by engaging consumers through new mediums, and I’m delighted that our work in this area is being recognised. A big congratulations to PepsiCo and all of the Folk involved.”

The latest award win adds to the growing number of accolades for Walkers Win Live which include a Drum DADI Award,  Gold IPM COGS for Digital Award, Effective Mobile Marketing Award and Drum Social Buzz Award.

Consumer/E-commerce Drum Mobile award for Walkers WinLive

PORTLAND, OR – April 23, 2019 – Independent digital creative agency <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/">AnalogFolk</a>, in partnership with podcast production company Pineapple Street Media, announced today that they’ve won a Webby Award (Judge’s Choice) for <a href="https://www.webbyawards.com/winners/2019/podcasts-digital-audio/features/best-branded-podcast-or-segment/trained-by-nike/">"Best Branded Podcast or Segment"</a> for their TRAINED By Nike podcast. Winners will be honored at a star-studded ceremony on Monday, May 13, 2019, at Cipriani on Wall Street in New York City.

TRAINED is Nike’s first-ever podcast developed specifically for trainers but designed to let the world listen in on Nike's most cutting-edge conversations around the future of fitness. Host Ryan Flaherty, Senior Director of Nike Performance and trainer to elite athletes like Serena Williams and Marcus Mariota, interviews guests across the five facets of training (Movement, Mindset, Recovery, Nutrition and Sleep) to uncover the information and inspiration needed to help every individual at every level pursue their full potential.

The podcast has featured exclusive conversations with innovators like meditation expert and co-founder of Headspace, Andy Puddicombe; sleep authority and founder of The Huffington Post, Arianna Huffington; and performance scientist Brett Kirby of the Nike Sport Research Lab and the leading physiologist on Breaking2 – the brand's audacious attempt to break the two-hour marathon barrier.

“After working with Nike for many years, this is one of the projects we’re most proud of,” said Carren O’Keefe, partner/ECD at AnalogFolk. “TRAINED was an opportunity to help Nike launch its first podcast and it also aligned perfectly with our mission as an agency to use digital to make the analog world better. To be recognized with a Webby Award is incredibly gratifying and such an honor.”

This is AnalogFolk US’ second Webby Award win. In 2017, the agency won a Webby in the category of Best Mobile Site/Fitness &amp; Recreation for Nike called “Nike Trainers Hub,” a mobile experience that provides tools to help athletes reach their maximum physical potential.
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About AnalogFolk: Founded in 2008, AnalogFolk is an independent digital creative agency that specializes in creating connected brand experiences to help people achieve their ambitions. With offices in London, Sydney, New York, Portland, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Amsterdam, AnalogFolk’s collective mission is to use digital to make the analog world better. To learn more, visit <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/">https://www.analogfolk.com/</a>

About The Webby Awards: Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites, Video, Advertising, Media &amp; PR, Apps, Mobile, and Voice, Social, Podcasts, and Games. Established in 1996, this year’s Webby Awards received nearly 13,000 entries from all 50 states and 70 countries worldwide this year. The Webby Awards is presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include: YouTube, WP Engine, EY, YouGov, Vitamin T, WNYC Studios, Fast Company, ESA, Product Hunt, and Social Media Week.

Find The Webby Awards Online:
Website: <a href="http://www.webbyawards.com/">webbyawards.com
</a>Facebook:<a href="https://www.facebook.com/thewebbyawards/"> Facebook.com/TheWebbyAwards
</a>Twitter:<a href="https://twitter.com/TheWebbyAwards"> @TheWebbyAwards
</a>Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/thewebbyawards/"> @TheWebbyAwards
</a>Snapchat: TheWebbyAwards
YouTube: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/webby">youtube.com/webby</a>

Webby Award for Nike TRAINED podcast

First featured in<a href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/school-reports-2019-analogfolk/1581742"> Campaign mag. </a>

AnalogFolk started its tenth year with a bang after winning Unilever’s food brands digital account. It was a vote of confidence in the independent, which has been the retained agency for the company’s haircare portfolio since 2016.
That win began a good new-business year for this digital all-rounder in which it lost no accounts and picked up 16. Only one (a confidential client) is considered to be a retained relationship, but its project-based clients are almost exclusively big-name brands: Pepsi, Sainsbury’s, Nike, Costa and Diageo. There will, however, have been disappointment at losing an ad pitch to Karmarama for Nando’s, AnalogFolk’s second-biggest client (it handles the restaurant chain’s digital account).
Some of its work proved very interesting: the agency created a chatbot for Walkers’ "Win Live" competition (pictured), which was the first Facebook Messenger competition to connect digital entries to a live TV draw. Its work for Marmite, meanwhile, on the TasteFace app, in which it used facial recognition to analyse people’s reactions to the food, was a neat example of using sophisticated tech to enhance a simple marketing message.
Elsewhere, the agency improved its already above-average BAME representation at leadership level to 37.5%. However, female representation, also 37.5%, was unchanged, although the agency aims to boost this to 50% this year. AnalogFolk was also recognised by the Financial Times as one of the UK’s top 100 companies when it came to making a long-term impact on their sector and society.
While AnalogFolk appears to be benefiting from a stable management team, largely unchanged since 2015, it will be fascinating to see how this develops. As one of the few digital agencies that still sells itself as such, its ability to attract and develop talent will be a key metric.

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<h3>From the headmistress: A reliably strong performer</h3>
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<h3>2018 in the agency's words</h3>
In 2018 this independent proudly turned 10. We welcomed Diageo, Danone, Scotch&amp;Soda as clients. Having won significant multinational power-brands in 2017, this year we grew our support, harnessing data, creativity and technology to help transform, expanding our BT, Unilever and PepsiCo portfolios. Marmite TasteFace swept up awards, we launched our Nando’s innovation practice, built hyperlocal engagement with Nike "Nothing Beats a Londoner", and PepsiCo’s most innovative chatbot for Walkers. Ultimate accolade: our mission "to use digital to make the analog world better" secured us in the FT’s Future 100 – businesses making long-term impact on their sector and society through innovation.<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-6101" src="https://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/1.png" alt="" width="729" height="430" />

School Reports 2019: AnalogFolk

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Q: Should I wait and see, to assess how my consumers and competitors react before deciding my strategy?

Before the current crisis, artistic parallels between the 1920s and 2020s were being drawn, with collections on this year’s catwalks being influenced by fashion of the decade a century prior. That decade ended with a recession so bad we called it ‘the great depression’. In the rear-view-mirror, this decade does look like that may be its outset if not its end.

Many things are different between then and now, which will ensure the impact of Covid-19 is nowhere near as far-reaching, but brands will be made, and broken, now. Those that do well in 2021 will be those that are (still) loved by consumers in 2030.

And the key to this will be in how these brands handle the transitional period between isolation and a return to – relative – normality. Consumers could be gorging on all the goodies they missed out on, rushing around having reunions, travelling wide and far and generally not being stuck at home. 

They’ll do it with trepidation, they’ll overdo it, they’ll do things they won’t do again for a long time just because they can. In doing so, they will take their new needs and preferences and evaluate favourite brands, and new ones, in this new light. Winning brands will:

Encourage re-sampling: Ensure everyone has a timely opportunity to try the product, new customer or old. 

Double down on distinction: Get their key assets out there across the whole path-to-purchase. 

Promote premium cues: Remind customers what makes them worth-paying-more-for. Don’t discount.

Go live in culture: Being ‘always on’ makes for wallpaper or spam. Brands who choose selectively when to go live in culture will be always relevant when needed.

Go deep on digital: Ensuring a premium digital presence across the consumer journey, for all key segments, not just gen Z and millennials.

A: How you behave as a brand in the transitional period, from isolation to free, is more important than anything you do for the full year after. Act deliberately now to win this decade. Now is the time to use digital to make the analog world better.
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This is part of our FMCG (CPG) Thought Leadership x Covid, read more <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/news/the-deliberate-decade-of-decadence">here</a>.

To hear more, or talk to us, please <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/news/knowledge@analogfolk.com">drop us a line.</a>

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How we begin 2021 will define how we end the decade

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Q: Which digital channels and technologies should marketers embrace?

In a world of new needs and reevaluation, where all generations are attuned to digital solutions, the platforms and technologies that succeed will be pragmatic and practical, not just shiny and new. 

We’re already seeing a renaissance – digital distractions out, digital pragmatism in. Technologies that never made the cut are being re-found and relished. Virtual reality for truly immersive meetups, Massive Open Online Courses for education at a distance, 3D printing for home manufacturing and smart home tech for security and automation, for example. Students are rebuilding universities in brick-for-brick likeness in virtual reality to hang out and celebrate graduations.

Here’s what this means for the coming years: 

Big platforms are back: From being on the wane due to fatigue and privacy issues, while all is not entirely forgiven, Facebook has proven itself responsible and essential in sharing news and connecting people. Slumbering niche giants like Pinterest are not just handy anymore but a key part of people’s life planning. 

Mixed reality is the new reality: Virtual reality, augmented reality – whole new worlds or a layer on top of ours. The new vanguard is ‘mixed reality’ bringing the virtual world into ours in an immersive way to truly allow us to experience what/who isn’t with us. 

Everything is a conversation: From chat bots, to voice assistants, all interactions that can be made more conversational will be more appreciated and engaged with.

Augmented humanity beats AI: AI that doesn’t replace humans, but augments them to make them superhuman keeps the personal touch, with the power of the platform. 

Doing it live: Streaming technology is cutting through the overproduced lives of influencers and into the reality of all of our real lives. Being bold enough to let someone in to our life stream is the new intimacy for people and brands.

Enterprise tech for the everyday: From planning work projects to planning the household, once reserved for the enterprise, tech like Microsoft Teams is being repurposed and remade to help everywhere. 

Digital to make the analog world better: Digital distractions are out, brands who use digital to actually help the consumers in their broader lives are in.

A: Specific apps and channels will come and go, so a marketers focus should be on identifying the current channels which are fulfilling deep needs of their consumers, not digital distractions.

This is part of our FMCG (CPG) Thought Leadership x Covid, read more <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/news/the-deliberate-decade-of-decadence">here</a>.

To hear more, or talk to us, please <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/news/knowledge@analogfolk.com">drop us a line.</a>

The digital renaissance is already here

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Q: Among which segments will the behaviour changes be the most prevalent? 

Older generations have been hit the hardest by Covid-19’s mortality statistics, but also by its restrictions on movement. Because, unlike younger people, they didn’t go into this with the skills to migrate their real-world social interactions to digital channels.

But the bright light is, ‘from necessity comes Nana on WhatsApp’. Brands, and sons and daughters, have woken up to their role in helping older people embrace digital. And the elderly have finally seen them as must-have skills, not something for the grandkids. Once the domain of the youth, apps like TikTok and Houseparty are seeing massive growth with the middle-aged.

We see this across the board in terms of digital behaviours, from retirees to digitally distant middle-aged dads. From the use of memes to express themselves or provide light relief, to digital sources of news from a content perspective into channels like instant messaging and video chat, and e-commerce for shopping. 

Confidence was always the primary problem, rather than skills in the strictest sense. But, having been forced to give it a go, people of all generations are becoming more sophisticated netizens. 

A: Changes will be the most profound among older consumers, where the bulk of buying power for many FMCG brands lives.

This is part of our FMCG (CPG) Thought Leadership x Covid, read more <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/news/the-deliberate-decade-of-decadence">here</a>.

To hear more, or talk to us, please <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/news/knowledge@analogfolk.com">drop us a line.</a>

Boomers to Zoomers – necessity is your mother on WhatsApp

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Q: What role will a winning brand play in the life of its consumers?

This tension between needs and wants, polarising a consumer’s shopping decisions, will be further exacerbated by a shifting set of mindsets that will play out across their daily lives. 

Consumers will ping pong between their own ups and downs, the fortunes of their employers and the world at large like never before. Catching them at the right moments and making those moments a brand occasion will be key.

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A: Brands that recognise the shifting needs of their audience, and select a purpose that lets them deliver authentic and innovative experiences through digital, will capitalise on the new behaviours and mindsets of consumers.

This is part of our FMCG (CPG) Thought Leadership x Covid, read more <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/news/the-deliberate-decade-of-decadence">here</a>.

To hear more, or talk to us, please <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/news/knowledge@analogfolk.com">drop us a line.</a>

The ‘safe harbour of status quo’’ vs the ‘wild seas of innovation’

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Q: What’s the right pricing and positioning strategy for FMCG post-Covid-19?

Looking at the evidence from supermarket shoppers post-2008 financial crisis, in times like these you don’t want to be a middle-of-the-road brand. You’ll find your consumers flocking to discount and house-brands at one end of the spectrum and premium labels at the other. 

Positioning as an affordable indulgence will be the winning strategy for many FMCG products. That could mean acting entirely out of category, but not out of character. 

In a world where a chocolate bar fulfills the same needs for impulse and indulgence as a massage ordered on a treat app, there are no rules, other than to focus on the need and the full customer experience. If that means building one around the product that doesn’t exist, now’s the time to build it.

A: Be more premium, become lipstick not ready-salted crisps. This means not just looking, but also acting more valuable.

This is part of our FMCG (CPG) Thought Leadership x Covid, read more <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/news/the-deliberate-decade-of-decadence">here</a>.

To hear more, or talk to us, please <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/news/knowledge@analogfolk.com">drop us a line.</a>

Now is the time to think like a premium brand

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Q: What’s the common theme for change that will mark this era?

While we’re united by isolation, meaning unprecedented change and upheaval, the actual experience is different for everyone. Some people can maintain their employment and move to working from home, others can’t. Some are juggling childcare/homeschooling with work, some face forced separation from loved ones they might ordinarily see and care for each day. 

Whatever our behaviours going into this isolation, weeks, if not months, of social and resource deprivation will focus our priorities and preferences. The following, inevitable, global downturn will only serve to further focus consumers on where they spend their time and attention. 

Broadly, this will mean increased tension between wants and needs. The effect we saw in supermarkets post-2008 financial crisis will be writ large across all categories. Middle-class supermarket shoppers, who previously turned their noses up at discount chains and own-label products, abruptly tightened their belts and changed where, and which labels, they bought. When they experienced the relative lack of experiential difference at the lower cost, most didn’t return. 

Covid-19 adds a new experience to these financial imperatives – the lack of many general goods, luxuries and experiences. Gone without for long enough, consumers will surely question their necessity even when they are available again. Already we’re seeing gym memberships cancelled and own-label sales grow.

This reflection will set us up for a ‘decade of deliberate decadence’, where consumers, informed by this experience, will be selective about where and when they spend like never before. It will be small, but highly valued goods and experiences delivered both physically and digitally that will make occasions special and be loved beyond their monetary value. 

A: Consumer preferences will be pushed to the poles, reducing spending on the staples of life, and instead spending on little luxuries and experiences where the difference is more readily felt. 

This is part of our FMCG (CPG) Thought Leadership x Covid, read more <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/news/the-deliberate-decade-of-decadence">here</a>.

To hear more, or talk to us, please <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/news/knowledge@analogfolk.com">drop us a line.</a>

Get ready for the decade of deliberate decadence

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Q: Will consumer behaviours change significantly?

There are two ways such a cataclysmic event can affect consumer behaviours – changing actual functional needs and affecting consumer preferences; generally as a result of shifting emotional/psychological need-states. 

But it’s the behaviours which are widespread and persistent that brands of scale should pay attention to. These can be wholesale changes, such as the elderly embracing e-commerce, or those that reach a tipping point, growing rapidly from niche to mass, like group video chat, for example. 

Typically in technology, we see the latter – popularised by the notion of Gartner’s ‘hype curve’, which says that new technologies will be adopted following a predictable route, from hype to niche success, through cynicism and perhaps actual mass usage. Many technologies of recent years which were hyped (‘peak of inflated expectations’) and yet failed to be widely adopted (‘trough of disillusionment’), are being stress-tested en masse right now. Your grandmother on video chat – never?! Till now! 

A: Now’s the time to rethink your digital strategy and revise your timeline of the adoption of many technologies. New behaviours will persist. In a few months, Covid-19 will have done more to motivate digital transformation acceleration in organisations than CEOs or COOs have managed to do in the previous decade.

This is part of our FMCG (CPG) Thought Leadership x Covid, read more <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/news/the-deliberate-decade-of-decadence">here</a>.

To hear more, or talk to us, please <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/news/knowledge@analogfolk.com">drop us a line.</a>

It’s time to embrace technologies, just like your consumers are

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Q: Should my brand be talking to, or helping, consumers in this period of isolation?

The question is not if to react to the current situation, it is when and, of course, how?

The current period of isolation will come to an end, whether that’s in weeks or months, but how gradual the transition will be is unknown. Brands that have sought to capitalise, opportunistically, or with a sense of genuine community spirit, have had a mixed response. McDonald’s separating its arches logo looked great on paper, but did nothing to help, and drew the ire of an anxious public. 

We’re hearing from consumers that they’re happy for brands to show how they’re supporting their staff and communities at this time. The vast majority, though, want ‘business as usual’ and expect a brand to be relevant via their products and services – Burger King sharing the recipe for the Whopper, for example. It’s a case of not being out of step contextually with any communications, rather than radically changing course.  

And definitely don’t go dark. Experience from past market downturns, particularly the global financial crisis of 2008, has taught us an important lesson – brands that go quiet during crises lose share after it. Mental availability, even when physical availability is lacking, is crucial. Holding steady – in both media and creative planning – is more important than doing anything new right now. 

A:  Launch ideas that provide valuable help to your community – your employees, your customers and their consumers. Make sure it’s brand relevant and dynamically planned and executed.

This is part of our FMCG (CPG) Thought Leadership x Covid, read more <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/news/the-deliberate-decade-of-decadence">here</a>.

To hear more, or talk to us, please <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/news/knowledge@analogfolk.com">drop us a line.</a>

People need you to help in ways unique to your brand

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Q: Is this a problem or an opportunity?

The changes in consumer behaviours, preferences and needs in response to Covid-19 are more radical than anything else encountered – at least since World War II. Where in the decade preceding the pandemic, we saw a relatively slow, gradual shift from offline to online behaviours for everything from socialising to shopping, this crisis is poised to create a deep, psychological impact worldwide that will result in profound new norms.

Much is debated about the validity of ‘generations’. Certainly gen X, millennials and now gen Z appear relatively similar when examined longitudinally by age and life-stage, factoring out the technology at their fingertips. But the Boomers, who were born in the years following WWII, and their parents (‘the Greatest Generation’) who fought and lived through the war, were entirely different for this reason. 

While we don’t yet know how long we’ll need to quarantine and social distance for society to beat this pandemic, and that duration will have a significant impact on how embedded our new behaviours become, there’s no doubt that shifts have already happened which is further flattening generational demographics.  Need proof? Just ask my mother (a Boomer) who, three weeks ago, couldn’t retrieve voicemails on her iPhone but now hosts family dinners on Houseparty.

Times of crisis are when we see innovation flourish. New ideas – cryptography in computing, the NHS in healthcare, for example – came out of, and after, WWII. In recent times, China’s strength in e-commerce came out of the impact of the SARS epidemic and Shopify’s user base grew exponentially during the financial crisis. 

Those who truly understand changing needs will bolster their brands for the long-term. The key to identifying and unlocking these opportunities will be to understand new unmet needs, and then be agile in your approach to test and learn at pace.

A: If you play a considered, long-term game there is opportunity. Realising it will require your brand to really understand behaviour and be willing to fail fast.

This is part of our FMCG (CPG) Thought Leadership x Covid, read more <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/news/the-deliberate-decade-of-decadence">here</a>.

To hear more, or talk to us, please <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/news/knowledge@analogfolk.com">drop us a line.</a>

Making the most of life in interesting times

By Kim Abbott - Associate Experience Design Director

George Bernard Shaw penned the famous phrase: “Those who can’t do, teach.” This saying is wrong. Teaching, it turns out, is pretty hard. You have to distil all the complexities, nuances and things you just know to do without thinking into something straightforward and easy for other people to understand. The saying should be: “If you want to make sure you really know what you’re talking about, try to teach it.”

This spring, I put my own teaching abilities to the test as part of the Roundhouse Innovation Academy, a course we created with our partners at the Roundhouse for young people aged 18 to 25.

Through the Innovation Academy, we aimed to open up the digital agency world to people who might not have otherwise known what we do and to teach them new skills that would enable them to use digital creativity, to help solve real-world problems and hopefully change the world for the better. 

For the month-long course, the attendees were split into small teams and given the challenge of tackling the ethical minefield that is cyber-harassment and online bullying. It’s a heavy subject, but also one that hits close to home for many of us, especially as technology becomes an increasingly inescapable part of our lives. I was joined by other leaders from the Strategy, Creative and Design departments in AnalogFolk to host the sessions, but we weren’t there to provide the ideas; we were there to give this group of motivated young people the tools to form, refine and communicate their own ideas.

The course itself was comprised of four evening sessions, each focused on a different stage within the problem-solving process:
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<li style="font-weight: 400;">Prototyping and designing digital experiences to bring an idea to life</li>
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And it culminated in a final presentation day where the teams pitched the concepts they’d been working on to a panel of judges.

None of us were expecting to crack cyberbullying in four weeks, but the ideas presented were an amazing leap forward. The concepts took completely different approaches to address the issue, ranging from giving people a way to create a safe space for their social media profiles where they were given the power to ban hateful language, to a series of mini-games to help people deal with negative online interactions through play.

Teaching is hard, but it’s also worth it, and not just because I can now more easily explain what I do for a living to my mum [No Mum, I still don’t work in IT. I don’t know how to make your printer work]. It feels great to teach young people something they can actually use to do some good in the world, to “use the digital world to make the analog world better”.

And if we’re lucky, some of these young Folk we worked with at the Roundhouse Innovation Academy might choose a career in our industry one day. As the impressive talent that emerged from this course has proven, adding fresh perspectives and a wider range of backgrounds to the agency mix can only lead to more ideas and greater creativity.

Roundhouse Innovation Academy

13 March 2019, London - Global creative agency AnalogFolk has been named as one of the fastest growing British advertising agencies in Europe. The independent agency joins Byte London and Transmission in the top three fastest growing British advertising agencies, with three year growth figures of 528%. AnalogFolk’s growth figures places the company in the top 30% of the <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/238174d2-3139-11e9-8744-e7016697f225">fastest growing companies in Europe</a> and adds to the company’s placing in the prestigious FT’s Future 100 UK list.

The FT 1000, compiled with Statista, lists the European companies that achieved the highest compound annual growth rate in revenue between 2014 and 2017.  The hurdle to securing a place in the list was higher this year; the bottom-ranked company achieved a growth rate of 37.7 per cent, compared with 34.6 per cent the previous year.

“We’re honoured to have made the FT 1000 list and to be named alongside some of Europe’s leading companies,” says Ete Davies, Managing Director. “I want to say a big thank you to all of our amazing partners who have helped spearhead our growth and to all of our Folk for their effort and hard work. It’s been a great three years helping clients expand their revenue streams and growing in the process, and I can’t wait to see what happens over the next three years.”

Third fastest growing UK advertising agency

First featured in <a href="https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/campaign-agency-year-shortlists-revealed/1523942">Campaign.</a>

AnalogFolk simply cannot be ignored after another barnstorming new-business record of winning 16 accounts, which included becoming agency of record for Unilever’s food brands, and losing none. It also improved its already above-average BAME representation at senior management levels, which stands at 37.5%, and was recognised by the Financial Times as one of the<a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/news/analogfolk-wins-all-rounder-accolade-in-ft-future-100"> UK’s top 100 companies</a> for making a long-term impact on their sector and society.

The work continues to impress, too, in the form of a Facebook Messenger chatbot that AnalogFolk created for <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/work/walkers-live/">Walkers’ “Win Live”</a> competition. <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/wordpress/work/tasteface/">Marmite’s “Taste face”</a> app, using facial recognition for brand building was another highlight.

Importantly, AnalogFolk also showed leadership, driving the conversation on digital transformation through its collaboration with Microsoft on the Future of Decoded and its <a href="https://www.analogfolk.com/news/af-academy-ai-the-basics">AnalogFolk Academy YouTube masterclass series</a>.

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