Video Source: JapanThing

So what is a marketing calendar? Simply, it’s a document that will help you schedule and monitor your marketing activities over the coming year. Importantly, a marketing calendar helps you project when and how much your marketing activities will cost across the year ahead.
 
Use these five simple steps to create a marketing calendar to boost your business and brand in 2020.
 
1. Create a Marketing Schedule Calendar
Get a 2020 calendar and mark each day/week you want to launch marketing activities for your business. Consider days/weeks that are key sales periods, of course this will depend on your business and key markets. Remember, to make sure you firstly take the time to reflect on your 2019 marketing activities and identify what provided the best ROI.
 
2. Identify Marketing Deadlines
After you have identified your key dates for 2020 on your Marketing Schedule Calendar, count back four weeks and mark it as “Marketing Deadline”. This is when you should have your marketing activity finalized and ready to go. Too often important marketing activities are rushed and this greatly impacts on the creative process being compromised.
 
3. Make Strategy Time
For every day/week marked “Marketing Deadline” schedule at least two weeks before as “Strategy Time”. This is when you need to make time to review the overall marketing strategy to make sure it is inline with current objectives and will provide a real ROI.  Marketing KPIs you need to be measuring to better understand your ROI may include: website traffic and engagement, social media reach and engagement, marketing qualified leads (MQL), sales qualified leads (SQL), and of course sales growth relevant to the marketing activities.
 
4. Consider Production Time
Effective marketing involves creating, drafting, revising and delivering. Identifying creative partners and briefing them on your business takes time. Producing marketing materials, booking quality advertising space or media spots also takes time. By leaving this all too late will limit your potential ROI. This is why it is extremely important to focus and plan ahead for 2020.
 
5. Build Professional Relationships
Finally, now is a great time to start reviewing or building new relationships with designers, agencies and media outlets in preparation of launching your 2020 marketing activities. By reaching out now you will be able to start to develop relationships with key partners. Like effective marketing, creative business relationships take time to build.
 
Scopic works with you to strategize and maximize your marketing returns, contact us to find out more.

As we slide towards another year, now is a good time to start evaluating your 2019 content marketing strategy.


Content marketing is about creating and sharing content that is engaging, relevant and valuable to your target audience. Your future content marketing successes will be a result of reviewing your current strategies.


Three simple benefits of reviewing your content marketing strategy are:
To increase engagement across your social media platforms
To increase brand awareness among your audience
To increase the size of your sales funnel

So, which of these content marketing trends did your business utilize in 2019––what were the results?

1. Influencers
Over 70% of American teens say they turn to Instagram for advice on purchasing decisions regarding new products or promotions, and nearly 40% of Twitter users made a purchase based on the endorsement of a social media influencer. What are the benefits that an Instagram Influencer can add to your marketing mix?

2. Mobility
As mobile device usage continues to surge, with 81% of Americans owning smartphones, people want to find content quickly and easily. The user experience must be stress-free with simple functionality and clear messaging that generates engagement, as a massive 96% of Americans users between 18-29 are mobile browsing.

3. Visuals
Research clearly shows visual content performs much better than just words on a screen. Twitter tweets with photos average a 35% boost in retweets and videos get a 28% pump. A massive 62% of Instagram users say they have become more interested in a brand or product after seeing it in Stories.

4. Targeting
To engage users businesses can no longer be everything-to-everyone across multiple platforms. With a massive amount of content being published hourly across numerous platforms, businesses need to be more targeted with the content they create. 
 
5. Testing
Through A/B testing (split-run testing) of marketing content and social media platforms, your business will be able to better measure audience interaction and platform preference. The results of A/B testing should influence the targeting of future marketing content.

Find Content Marketing Ideas Here: Instagram Tips and Tricks to Increase Exposure

Scopic Creative works with businesses to create, test and measure social media marketing content that better attracts audiences, contact us to find out more.

The countdown to the Tokyo 2020 Games begins today (proudly sponsored by Omega the official timekeeper) with a number of events taking place across Japan to celebrate the “One Year to Go” mark.

One of the major events today was the unveiling of the "sustainable" medals that will be awarded to the athletes during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The medals make history by being crafted from 100% recycled metals.

Between April 2017 and March 2019, the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020) conducted the “Tokyo 2020 Medal Project”. The aim of the project was to collect small electronic devices such as used mobile phones from all over Japan to produce the medals.

Approximately 6.21 million devices were donated over the two year period to craft the 5,000 Olympic and Paralympic medals. The Tokyo 2020 Medal Project hit its metal collection target in July, 2019, generating 30.3kg of gold, 4,100kg of silver and 2,700kg of bronze.

Scopic works to help Japanese businesses grow globally, contact us to find out more.

For a global brand to attract and engage with an international audience it needs to communicate its brand in a consistent, relevant and authentic manner across all channels to all audiences.
 
The smartest way to maintain potency across your brand is to create a style guide with exact specifications, guidelines and design examples. A well-thought-out style guide is an essential tool for creating your branded content.
 
What is a brand style guide?
A brand style guide (also known as a brand book or brand guide) is simply a reference tool that helps content creators maintain consistency by establishing what a brand must look, feel and sound like at all times. It’s one of the most important resources of your business.

It sets a clear focus for all parties—employees, partners and investors. A style guide should include all the essential guidelines for your brand’s identity, voice and tone especially these elements listed below.

Brand Position: Brand story, mission and values.
Logo: Color, size, positioning and clear space.
Color Palette: Print color (CMYK) and digital color (RGB) codes.
Typography: Font type/s, size, color, spacing and alignment.
Imagery: Mood, size, focus, clear space and background.
Copy: Key words, word count and tone.
Digital Material: Specific specifications and examples.
Print Material: Specific specifications and examples.

To clearly and effectively communicate with your target audience in a consistent and effective way you should always refer to your style guide, as it provides brand stability and strength.
 
Scopic works with you to maximize marketing returns, contact us to find out more.

Less is always more in design, and uncluttered, easily navigated websites are always the big winners!

If you’re thinking about updating your website in 2019, then consider implementing these three minimalist web design basics to make sure you are creating a positive user experience.
 
Focus on Simplicity
An effective website is structured on a minimalist approach to visual communications. Minimalist websites are built around the concept that less is always more, and always better. This means that minimalist website design purely focuses on the necessary and essential elements required to effectively communicate. This way any clutter or distracting visuals that may increase complexity are cut. How minimal you go, will depend on the purpose of your website, your target audience, and of course your business.
 
Maximize Negative Space
Minimalist websites maximize negative (or white space, but it does not have to be white). Negative space is the space on your website where there is no element placed. Using a white background on a minimalist website increases the negative space and pulls visitor attention to the dominant content. Creating space around images, clearly separating paragraphs and isolating important content guarantee visual communications are easily absorbed by visitors. Sparingly utilizing negative space will reduce unwanted interference and improve the overall user experience.
 
Minimize Color Palate
Color plays a powerful role in the visual communications of your website and is a central element of your brand's visual identity. While it is not the only element, it is most definitely one of the first things absorbed and possibly one of the most remembered by visitors in relation to your brand. Minimal use of colors (no more than two or three core colors that are associated with your brand) will add clarity, improve navigation, increase accessibility and reinforce your brand's visual identity. Taking the time to carefully consider your website color palate will also reinforce your brand experience for visitors.

In web design, a superior user interface, or UI design, is crucial to a positive user experience or UX design. You only have one or two seconds to entice your visitors and have them engage with your website. Creating a clean, crisp, minimal website will allow you to communicate your brand more efficiently and effectively --- it is that simple.
 
Scopic works with businesses to create a simple experience for website visitors, contact us to find out more.

As visual creatures, color plays a huge role in influencing our behavior. I’m sure, many of you can remember grabbing the sprinkles, sugar strands, jimmies, or hundreds and thousands at birthday parties. Color is often the first thing that hits our senses and often leaves the most lasting and memorable impression.
 
Research into the impact of color in marketing and color psychology, appropriately titled Impact of Color on Marketing and Color psychology: a critical review found that colors really do influence the moods and feelings (positively or negatively) of consumers. Research papers indicate that between 60-90 percent of product evaluation and product purchase is based on color alone. Additional research has also shown in The Interactive Effects of Colors and Products on Perceptions of Brand Logo Appropriateness a correctly chosen color mix for your business logo can bring immediate value to your brand.
 
Basically, what do specific colors positively say to us?

• Black – authority, elegance, powerful
• White – cleanliness, purity, simplistic
• Red – energetic, excitement, passion
• Blue – loyalty, security, trust
• Orange – confidence, friendliness, warmth
• Yellow – happiness, intellect, optimism
• Green – freshness, growth, health
• Purple – wealth, wisdom, sophistication
• Magenta – creativity, imaginative, innovative

 
Effective brands use color to great success to engage and connect with their audience. Before choosing the color mix for your logo, marketing materials, website or product range it is important to firstly consider some basic points:

Color is Memorable
Color is a central element of your visual identity. Carefully consider your visual identity color mix, as it acts like the personality of your business with your audience. While it is not the only element in your visual identity, it is definitely one of the first things seen and possibly the most memorable of your visual identity. 

Color is Innate
Find out the demographic breakdown of your audience and what color mix may persuade them to act. Defining who you are speaking to will greatly influence your color selection. Now you know your audience, you will be able to choose a color mix that positively influences your audience’s moods and feelings.

Consider the Competition
Check out your competition and consider how you can differentiate your brand and products from your competitors with color. This can be tough, as you will still need to connect with your audience and satisfy marketplace perceptions. A/B testing (split-run testing) of color options with your target audience will help you make an informed decision.

Consider the Platform
Be sure that whatever color mix you choose for your brand and products it can work online as well as in traditional print marketing. What looks great on a computer screen in RGB may not look so great on paper in CMYK. Also, carefully consider the color mix for your online messaging, active text and purchasing buttons, so to complement and at the same time stand out from the other content on the webpage.

Be Color Consistent
Your branding and visual identity needs to be consistent, clear and uncomplicated. When you try to do too much color, your messaging gets lost. By keeping things consistent and clear, you are keeping your visual communications strong and memorable. Color consistency will ensure your audience develops a visual connection and relationship with your brand's personality and products.
 
As mentioned, color is one of the most effective ways to communicate your brand and products to your audience. Color contributes not only to distinguishing your products from your competitors, but also influences consumer mood and feeling.

​Scopic works with businesses to build consumer engagement, connect with us to find out more.

Video Source: JapanThing

Two years after Pikotaro (Kazuhito Kosaka) grooved to the front of Japan’s pop music scene with "PPAP (Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen) he has now been born-again to join with Hungry Jack's to launch the new 'Summer BBQ Whopper'.

Hungry Jack’s brand marketing manager Claudia Cullen says: "We wanted to create something that made our audience laugh and ultimately appreciate the fun yet delicious food we offer at Hungry Jack's."

The 60-second social media video 'Summer BBQ Pineapple Whopper' created by PR agency Eleven and Content agency BOLT will play over Hungry Jack's social media platforms in 15- and 6-second spots from December 2018 to January 2019.

Scopic works with global businesses to build online exposure, contact us to find out more.

Instagram is the fastest growing social media platform of 2018—now reaching 1 billion monthly active users, up from 800 million in September 2017. This year continued to see a growing number of brands actively adding Instagram to their social media marketing mix.

Research has shown that successful brands are using popular Instagram hashtags to better connect with target audiences. The benefits for businesses and marketers are that hashtags are also searchable and can be tracked to measure a social media campaign’s ROI.
 
What are Hashtags?
Hashtags are basically words or phrases, that follow the symbol “#”. These #hashtaged words or phrases work to categorize and link posts to content with the same hashtag/s. Using popular and trending Instagram hashtags can be a powerful way to increase exposure and draw attention to branded posts, but don't over do it, use three to five as a general guide.
 
Popular Instagram hashtags for 2018:

1. #Love
2. #Instagood
3. #Photooftheday
4. #Fashion
5. #Beautiful
6. #Happy
7. #Like4like
8. #Picoftheday
9. #Art
10. #Photography

 
How to use Hashtags?
The best way to use hashtags is to find popular ones and use them in your branded post. Businesses should also create a hashtag that reflects their brand or campaign message. An example could be using the business name, product offered, product tagline, or the name of a current campaign, along with a popular/trending hashtag.

Benefits of using Hashtags?
Using hashtags consistently on Instagram boosts brand exposure and target audience awareness to your business. An added benefit of using hashtags is that you will be able to track and analyze campaign results across varying demographics/regions.
 
So, now that you know some of the popular hashtags on Instagram for 2018 and how to add them to your marketing mix—make smart use of them in 2019.

Scopic builds businesses socially through creative communication solutions, contact us to find out more.

As the end of 2018 quickly rolls around, it is now time to start proactively planning your 2019 marketing spend and activities. Guaranteeing marketing success in the year ahead will require you to reflect, focus and plan ahead.
 
Use these five simple steps to create a marketing plan to boost your business and brand in 2019.
 
1. Create a Marketing Schedule Calendar
Get a 2019 calendar and mark each day/week you want to launch marketing activities for your business. Consider days/weeks that are key sales periods, of course this will depend on your business and key markets. Remember, to make sure you firstly take the time to reflect on your 2018 marketing activities and identify what provided the best ROI.
 
2. Identify Marketing Deadlines
After you have identified your key dates for 2019 on your Marketing Schedule Calendar, count back four weeks and mark it as “Marketing Deadline”. This is when you should have your marketing activity finalized and ready to go. Too often important marketing activities are rushed and this greatly impacts on the creative process being compromised.
 
3. Make Strategy Time
For every day/week marked “Marketing Deadline” schedule at least two weeks before as “Strategy Time”. This is when you need to make time to review the overall marketing strategy to make sure it is inline with current objectives and will provide a real ROI.  Marketing KPIs you need to be measuring to better understand your ROI may include: website traffic and engagement, social media reach and engagement, marketing qualified leads (MQL), sales qualified leads (SQL), and of course sales growth relevant to the marketing activities.
 
4. Consider Production Time
Effective marketing involves creating, drafting, revising and delivering. Identifying creative partners and briefing them on your business takes time. Producing marketing materials, booking quality advertising space or media spots also takes time. By leaving this all too late will limit your potential ROI. This is why it is extremely important to focus and plan ahead for 2019.
 
5. Build Professional Relationships
Finally, now is a great time to start reviewing or building new relationships with designers, agencies and media outlets in preparation of launching your 2019 marketing activities. By reaching out now you will be able to start to develop relationships with key partners. Like effective marketing, creative business relationships take time to build.
 
Scopic works with you to plan ahead and maximize marketing returns, contact us to find out more.

For a brand to attract and engage with an audience in a saturated global market it needs to communicate its brand in a consistent, relevant and authentic manner across all channels to all audiences. The smartest way to maintain strength across your brand is to create a style guide with exact specifications, guidelines and examples.
 
What is a brand style guide?
A brand style guide (also known as a brand book or brand guide) is simply a reference tool that helps content creators maintain consistency by establishing what a brand must look, feel and sound like at all times. It’s one of the most important resources of your business. It sets a clear focus for all parties—employees, partners and investors.
 
A style guide should include all the essential guidelines for your brand’s identity voice and tone especially the elements listed below.

• Brand Position: Brand story, mission and values.
• Logo: Color, size, positioning and clear space.
• Color Palette: Print color (CMYK) and digital color (RGB) codes.
• Typography: Font type/s, size, color, spacing and alignment.
• Imagery: Mood, size, focus, clear space and background.
• Copy: Key words, word count and tone.
• Print Material: Specific specifications and examples.
• Digital Material: Specific specifications and examples.
  

A well-thought-out style guide is an essential reference tool for creating branded content. To clearly and effectively communicate with your target audience in a consistent and effective way you should always refer to your style guide, as it provides brand stability and strength.

Scopic works with businesses to create engaging and memorable brands, connect with us to find out more.

In 2018, audiences are actively spending more time consuming content produced by social media influencers than just passively sitting in front of the TV. Influencer marketing continues to strip revenue away from traditional television-based “celebrity endorsement” and Instagram with 900 million active users is a leading platform among marketers.
 
Marketing on Instagram with the right type of influencer can boost product exposure and drive sales far more effectively and efficiently than traditional marketing.
 
Here are three important benefits of influencer marketing:

Relevance
Influencers communicate in a voice and style that is relevant to a targeted audience.
 
Authenticity
Influencers have credibility with a targeted audience through the creation of authentic content.
 
Exposure
Influencer content is more likely to be liked, shared, tweeted, followed and this then leads to increased exposure.
 
If you are interested in Instagram influencer marketing, but need help identifying the right type of influencer for your business, and more importantly how much you should pay, then let us know.

Scopic works with businesses to identify more effective and efficient ways to increase exposure, contact us to find out more.