Q&As

Marketers who want to create loyalty programs around the world should design them with each country’s needs and customs in mind. Cultural differences mean that the programs which work in North America won’t necessarily translate well to other parts of the globe.

The emerging BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) markets are fertile grounds for the next generation of loyalty program participants. These countries are growing, in terms of middle-class population and economic clout, and their citizens are open to established western brands. In addition, they’re eager to participate in loyalty schemes, according to a new study.

Successful crosschannel marketers recognize that the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow really depends on leveraging the strengths of all channels. Here’s a few tips for 2012

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Pittsburgh-based InventHelp has launched a new DRTV campaign aimed at inventors looking to develop and market their products.

Rather than reaching for a clever, entertaining video premise that had lots of virality but no staying power, General Foods’ Betty Crockret brand looked at what people really wanted from their product online. They found the answer in kids’ birthday suggestions and now dominate the cake demo space.

When people talk about social media promotions and highlight best practices from case studies, they are almost always focused on Facebook. And while it makes sense for marketers to turn to the behemoth for their promotions, there are a lot of specialized, smaller networks that are equally effective in achieving results.

The editors of Chief Marketer compiled an educated but fairly personal list of the trends and tactics we expect to see driving marketing in 2012, and an equally informal list of the brands at the forefront of those efforts

Best Mobile Marketing Campaign: Smartphone App | The folks who have let you Elf Yourself for years now turned these universal Yuletide forces into a bingo game that office party-goers could play via the cameras on their smartphones

2011 IMA Award winner, Best Cross-Platform Direct-Response Campaign Using Interactive Channels | To generate quality leads and refresh the retailer’s database, agency Redpepper used the web and instore “ambushes.”

2011 IMA Award winner, Best Social Marketing Campaign: Networks | The scourge of mobile phones: sexting mobile bullying and driving while texting, particularly among teens. LG took this on as a social cause because mobile misuse was running rampant among teens