Ecomdigest Stationery - 10.10.2024

PLUS: Discover Midori's latest and Anterique’s new releases

Author

Sophie Bruxner-Randall
October 10, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

Ad Week New York 🎤

ADVERTISING INSIGHTS
✨ Fresh Insights from Adweek 2024

Missed Ad Week 2024 in New York? No worries! Chair of Contentive Lee Arthur attended, capturing fresh insights. Here's a snapshot of what you need to know:

  1. Transition to Profit-Focused Metrics: The shift from traditional ROAS to profit-driven metrics emphasizes the need for DTC marketers to evaluate the true impact of each channel. This aligns with findings from Fospha's latest report, highlighting the importance of optimizing customer acquisition across platforms like Meta, TikTok, and Snapchat.

  2. First-Party Data Utilization: Emphasizing first-party data is crucial for creating personalized advertising experiences. As brands enhance their omnichannel strategies, leveraging this data will be key to delivering consistent messaging across all touchpoints.

  3. Full Funnel Measurement Challenges: Understanding how different channels contribute to conversions is increasingly complex. The insights shared at Adweek emphasize the necessity for sophisticated full funnel measurement tools and strategies.

  4. Platform-Specific Strategies: With unique strengths across platforms, DTC marketers must adapt their approaches accordingly.

Cutting-Edge Trends ✂️

Every September, Pelikan Hubs unite fountain pen enthusiasts worldwide. This year, 8702 participants gathered in 254 hubs across 47 countries, celebrating their passion for writing instruments and inks. The event, which began in 2014 with 900 attendees, has grown significantly, offering a platform to explore new pens and inks.

Each hub focuses on the Edelstein ink of the year, with Pelikan donating ink and paper to attendees. In Manchester, Becki Cross, organizer of StationeryFest, led a hub with 21 participants. The event fostered a friendly exchange of experiences and ink samples. Although annual, Becki aims for more frequent meetups, inviting enthusiasts to join a new Facebook group for Manchester and the North West.

The Young Stationers, a group for professionals under 40, is hosting a Winter Ball on November 15 at Stationers Hall. This event offers a chance to network, enjoy dinner, and dance. Open to all in the communications industry, it promises a memorable evening. Chair Rob Wilding highlights the Winter Ball as a must-attend event, offering a chance to eat, drink, and dance in one of the city's finest venues.

Webinar Wrap 🎧

This week, we attended Fospha's pre-peak webinar on Acquiring Customers Profitably During Peak Period. Here's what we learned:

  1. Competition is hot – so be prepared

With the ad economy rebounding and cross-channel CPA up 13% YoY, brands need to step up. Dan Sava compared Peak Period to the Olympics—each year, competition gets tougher, and brands need to start preparing early to stay competitive.

  1. Go full-funnel to unlock scaling potential in Paid Social

There is still huge headroom for brands to scale Paid Social, but there’s a knack to creating a sustainable approach. A full-funnel strategy. Henry Linney shared how Seraphine boosted returns by investing more in Paid Social Consideration and Awareness, while Dan Sava highlighted Nike’s method of educating customers early to ensure they’re ready to convert by Black Friday.

  1. Don’t ignore TikTok

The panel highlighted the huge value in TikTok’s seamless consumer experience, from discovery to purchase. Dan Sava added, “Most, if not all, brands should try it.”

🎥 Watch the full webinar here!

More Notebook Nuggets 📒

Zebra Pen is hosting an exciting Mildliner competition, offering fans a chance to win a limited edition box featuring 38 dual-tip highlighter colors, including five unreleased shades. This global giveaway runs until November 30, providing an opportunity to explore creativity.

Explore unique stationery locales through video content on T.G.S. Instagram and YouTube. Enjoy recaps of favorite videos, including pencil sharpeners and pen reviews. Support The Gentleman Stationer via purchases or Patreon. Follow for more engaging content and insights into the stationery world.

Midori MD notebooks and paper, including the new Thick A5, are restocked. New Anterique Brass Ballpoints in Forest Green are available. The T.G.S. x Sunderland Machine Works mk1 Machined Pen is popular. Note: The physical store is closed for a week, but online orders continue.

Performance Platters 🍽️

Social ad spending targets younger audiences with low-cost products, leveraging platforms for direct-response ads and video formats. Media and entertainment use social media for game installs amid reduced TV spending. Retail and CPG dominate social ad spend, driven by competition from Shein, Temu, and D2C players.

Generative AI is transforming marketing by enabling rapid, personalized content creation. Brands like Nike and Coca-Cola leverage AI for efficiency and engagement. However, human oversight is crucial to avoid missteps. Successful campaigns blend AI with creativity, ensuring authenticity and alignment with brand values. Proceed thoughtfully for optimal results.

Retailers are starting holiday promotions earlier due to inflation and a shorter shopping season. With a focus on budget-friendly options and early deals, marketers aim to capture consumer interest. Enhanced in-store experiences and creative delivery strategies are key to building customer loyalty and adapting to economic challenges.

Ecomdigest is a Contentive publication in the DTC Ecommerce division