Alex Aspinall, head of content at B2B Marketing, provoked debate when his blog argued: ‘It’s very easy to declare something ‘dead’. Especially when it’s never been alive in the first place…’
Rather than declaring social is dead this blog criticised those who chose to declare an array of marketing channels dead in order to increase traffic, when often the pieces ‘fail to deliver on the punch promised in their headlines.’
2. B2B Agencies league table
We have been calling on all non-marcomms agencies to register their interest for this year’s annual league table showcasing the best performing agencies in the last 12 months. This research will go towards creating our Marcomms Agencies Benchmarking Report which is the biggest piece of research B2B Marketing produces each year.
This year we received lots of interest from both PR and telemarketing agencies, so in response we have created separate league tables for each.
The closing date for submissions is this Friday (31st August) so you still have time! It’s free to enter and the survey should take no more than 15 minutes, so what have you got to loose? Complete the survey now.
3. The decline of direct mail
This month’s number one news story concerned Thomson Local entering and swiftly exiting administration.
The brand was acquired by Corporate Media Partners, a newly formed business led by Paul Spinks and Patrick Bradshaw whose existing group of companies include 118 Information and e-Location.
This resulted in outcry from employees who felt they had been treated unfairly, and left B2B marketers reflecting on the decline of direct mail, which played a fundamental role in B2B only five years ago.
4. Going digital
With our top news story highlighting the decline of direct mail, this summer’s magazine investigated how two diverse B2B brands are moving from print to digital.
Our Campaign of the Month saw printing SME, Solopress explore new digital avenues by launching a gamification campaign. Gaming apps are rare in B2B, but this campaign highlights how going digital, and more importantly mobile, can boost business.
Meanwhile, this month’s profile interview saw Perran Moon, B2B marketing director of Trader Media Group, discuss how the brand is encouraging its audience to go digital since the closure of its print AutoTrader magazine.
5. When social met sales
Social media is proving a lucrative landscape for advertisers. This August Victoria Clarke explored some of the latest ad tools for marketers, and where and how brands should be spending their budgets.
In addition, Nick Davies, senior strategic planner at Mason Zimbler, outlined three ways we might expect social media advertising to evolve.
Let us know what your top B2B marketing subjects were this summer in the comments below.
