COMMENTARY
CIMIRELAND DIARYDATES
All events are open to members and non members . Some events are free to members , and some events are free to all attendees . All CIM events have CPD points .
14 March 10:00 ' MINTEL Winners and Losers 2016 ' Crumlin Road Jail , Belfast : FREE .
Mintels ' Winners & Losers ' presentation will highlight KEY launches from 2016 , look at their development , including similar products in their category . In addition , we will look to understand the consumer sentiment and positioning for each product , why they have been brought to life and whether they fulfil a specific need . The chosen products we will discuss will span across various food & drink categories , such as meat , dairy , alcoholic beverages and confectionery . www . cim . co . uk / event / 81980 /
25 April 10:00 Google Analytics Masterclass The Academy , Ulster University , York Street , Belfast .
Early Bird booking discount available . Led by a CIM tutor , these masterclasses have sold out for the past three years . This year we focus on analytics with tools and tips to demonstrate how you can track your Google activity and make sure your actions are making a return on investment . hwww . cim . co . uk / event / 81985 /
Partnership : working for the common good
by Carol Magill , Chartered Institut of Marketing in Ireland
T
he current generation of causedriven marketing campaigns is breaking new ground . Working in partnership , businesses and charities both have much to gain .
Younger people , in particular , are increasingly demanding that the companies they buy from act in an ethical manner and / or participate in charitable giving .
A positive American example is offered by the partnership of the Call of Duty Endowment and US retailer Best Buy .
When Best Buy wanted to promote its Gamers Club Unlocked membership programme , the company knew it was best to do so in the authentic voice of its target audience . It identified the launch of a major new release , Call of Duty : Black Ops 3 , as the perfect opportunity .
This was done by linking up with the Call of Duty Endowment , which was founded to help US army veterans get back to work . The campaign took the form of a livestream marathon session of the new game – called the “ Race to Prestige ” – with YouTube gamer personalities playing Black Ops 3 in a relay .
Fans could watch , comment and donate to the Call of Duty Endowment . Those who gave were offered rewards by Best Buy , which also supported the event on social media . Meanwhile another participating company – Activision – offered to match gifts from viewers .
The mutual benefits of this causedriven campaign are clear . It was the third year that the Race to Prestige was held , but the first with Best Buy as a partner – and this time , more than US $ 450,000 was raised for the Call of Duty Endowment .
This included US $ 204,000 from viewers – a 1,360 per cent increase on the year before . Meanwhile , awareness of Gamers Club Unlocked was strongly increased through featured ads on the livestream , and people were made aware of its existence by voices that they trusted .
Locally , there are many of examples of this kind of collaboration , most recently RADAR and Diageo Northern Ireland announced a new strategic partnership aimed at raising awareness of the risks associated with underage drinking .
The initial two year deal , which will include a rebrand of RADAR ’ s conferencing facilities , will focus on educating Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4 visitors to the centre on the negative impact harmful use of alcohol can have on the
body , relationships and wider society .
The specialist RADAR facility , a first for Northern Ireland , employs interactive teaching methods to engage visitors and challenge them to don their ‘ beer googles ’ to experience firsthand some of the dangers associated with alcohol misuse .
From the lifesize driving simulator to indoor street scene , RADAR ’ s trained staff will guide young people through the dangers they face from excessive or underage consumption of alcohol in a riskfree environment .
Partnership can take many forms , optimising digital or , increasingly , Virtual Reality to engage with hard to reach groups and maximise messaging and interaction . Read more about cause related marketing online , including some local examples .
More details available at regions . cim . co . uk / Ireland / home
34 www . businessfirstonline . co . uk