Performance-based marketing is a critical part of any integrated marketing plan but it requires specialist skills and experience to achieve the exceptional results that are possible.

We offer these specialist skills through our digital division, Oryx+Crake. This dynamic, young, owner-led team is creating enormous success with their fresh thinking and extensive experience in Google Analytics. Their latest guide on delivering performance-based marketing is a great example of how they simplify complex tools to ensure our clients can easily understand and assess the delivery and efficacy of digital campaigns rather than obfuscate as so many agencies do…

Performance-based marketing is, essentially, digital planning and Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising and by integrating these two elements strategically, you can maximize your digital presence, increase your brand’s visibility and drive conversions.

In this guide, we’ll explore the key steps and considerations in developing a winning digital planning and PPC strategy that delivers measurable results, but first let’s discuss why it crucial to start with.

Performance-based digital planning focuses on driving results and maximizing return on investment (ROI). Instead of relying solely on traditional metrics like impressions or clicks, it emphasizes metrics that focus on achieving specific measurable goals, such as generating leads, driving website traffic, increasing sales, conversions, customer acquisition or engagement. Whatever it is that you need your digital marketing to actually deliver on. And, because you are monitoring performance and measuring more accurately, you are able to adjust strategies and tactics as needed to improve your efficiency and reduce waste.

The result is optimized advertising budgets because resources are allocated to the tactics and channels that are most effective at achieving your goals.

So, let’s talk about those steps in creating your performance-based digital marketing plan.

Start by defining clear goals and objectives

Without a specific direction, it impossible to measure success or make informed, adjustment decisions. Set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals to create clarity and ensure effectiveness.

Next, really understand your target audience

Identify their demographics, interests, online behaviours, and pain points. By doing this, you can create tailored PPC campaigns that resonate with your audience and drive higher engagement. Utilize your data analytics tools, conduct surveys, and analyse customer feedback to gain valuable insights. Remember, an effective PPC strategy begins with a solid understanding of who you want to reach.

Do thorough keyword research

Keyword research is the foundation of any successful PPC campaign. Identify the relevant keywords and search terms that align with your business’ offerings and your target audience’s search approach. Use keyword research tools, analyse competitor campaigns, and brainstorm with your digital partner to build a comprehensive list of high-impact keywords. Ensure that your chosen keywords have sufficient search volume and a reasonable level of competition. Implement a mix of broad, exact, and long-tail keywords to capture a wider range of audience segments.

Develop compelling ad copy and landing pages

Crafting compelling ad copy and optimizing landing pages are crucial elements of an effective PPC strategy. Your ad copy should be concise, persuasive, and aligned to your target audience’s needs. Highlight unique selling propositions and incorporate relevant keywords. Ensure that you optimize your landing pages to deliver a seamless user experience with relevant information, clear call-to-action buttons, and that it’s mobile-friendly.

Monitor and optimize performance continuously

A successful digital planning and PPC strategy requires ongoing monitoring and optimization. Set up conversion tracking to measure the effectiveness of your PPC campaigns. Track key metrics such as conversions, click-through rates (CTR), cost per acquisition (CPA), and return on ad spend (ROAS). Regularly analyse your campaign’s performance metrics, such as click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and cost per conversion. Identify areas of improvement and refine accordingly.

Take advantage of ad extensions to enhance your PPC ads. Extensions like sitelinks, call extensions, and structured snippets provide additional information and make your ads more compelling.

Test different ad variations, landing page designs, and bidding strategies to optimize performance continually. Leverage A/B testing to compare different approaches and identify which works best for your target audience. Test elements such as headlines, ad copy, images, and CTAs to optimize performance.

Allocate your PPC budget strategically to focus on the campaigns and keywords that yield the best results. Regularly analyse the cost and performance data to make informed budget decisions.

Utilize remarketing and audience targeting

Remarketing and audience targeting are powerful tools to re-engage potential customers and maximize the effectiveness of your PPC campaigns. Implement remarketing campaigns to target users who have previously interacted with your website, encouraging them to revisit and convert. Additionally, leverage audience targeting options to reach specific segments of your target audience. Utilize demographic targeting, interest-based targeting, and custom audiences to refine your reach and boost conversion rates.

Regular Reporting:

Use your live dashboard to track the progress of your PPC campaigns. Share the reports with stakeholders and team members to showcase the impact of your efforts and make informed decisions for future strategies. If you aren’t currently using Google Analytics to provide you with real-time reporting, 24/7, talk to us, we’ll help you set it up. Having access to your campaign performance is a critical management tool that you should be accessing all the time.

Stay up to date with industry trends and best practices

Digital marketing is constantly evolving, so it’s crucial to stay up to date with the latest industry trends and best practices. Subscribe to industry newsletters, follow digital marketing blogs, and attend conferences or webinars to keep abreast of new strategies and technologies. Work with digital partners who do. By staying informed, you can adapt your digital planning and PPC strategy to leverage emerging opportunities and gain a competitive edge.

Conclusion

Developing an effective digital planning and PPC strategy is a multi-step process that requires careful research, analysis, and continuous optimization. By setting clear goals, understanding your target audience, conducting thorough keyword research, and optimizing your ad copy and landing pages, you can create compelling PPC campaigns that deliver incredible results. Regularly monitor and optimize your campaigns, utilize remarketing and audience targeting, and stay updated with industry trends to stay ahead of the competition. With a well-executed strategy, you can maximize your online presence, drive conversions, and achieve your digital marketing goals.

Let’s talk about your digital marketing needs. Mail me, I can’t wait to help build your brand with you… paul@ebonyivory.co.za

Paul Middleton | Managing Director

INTEGRATED ADVERTISING AGENCY

We’re an independent, African full-service, creative, digital and media agency with the rare privilege of a track record that spans more than half a century. We have all the services of a traditional agency married neatly together with the digital age.

We build, grow and entrench brands for now and into the future.

Just imagine what we can do for you.

Ebony + Ivory.

Big enough to do it all – small enough to want to.

I had an interesting conversation last week about whether a traditionally B2C advertising agency can deliver effectively to a B2B client. I have always thought there was little difference between the services a creative advertising agency should offer a client, regardless of whether they are B2C or B2B. But I did pause to calibrate my response, and I think it’s worth sharing for anyone else pondering this question as we continue to see an increase in B2B brands actually investing in brand development.

It’s often said that B2B advertising and marketing requires a fundamentally different approach. The reasons given are that the buying journey and conversion time is longer; it encompasses more than one highly knowledgeable decision maker; the investment value is – for the most part – significantly higher; that sales activation, not brand building, yields better results; there is more switching inertia to overcome; that the transition decision is ultimately a rational, rather than emotional one and that good B2B marketing is founded on great insight based on customer understanding, as well as knowing the industry and competition better than anyone else.

What debunks all of that is the simple realisation that there are emotion-driven humans beings at the end of every customer journey. And quite honestly, ALL good marketing and advertising should be founded on great insight based on customer understanding and a deep knowledge of the clients industry and competitors.

But don’t just take my word for it, Deloitte Digital delivered a three-year long study and found that organisations who focus on the “human experience” – aligning to the values of their customers, workforce and partners – were twice as likely to outperform their competitors in revenue growth.

In the 5 principles of growth in B2B marketing research published by the LinkedIn B2B Institute, it states that using storytelling, creativity, and brand building to tap into emotions is just as important to long-term B2B marketing success as focusing on features, benefits and price.

According to a B2B customer insights report from B2B Marketing, in association with gyro, 83% of organisations are more likely to buy from a business whose culture and personality matches their own – similar to consumers – and 89% stated that feeling their needs have been understood is their biggest driver.

Research from Infogroup has highlighted that intent data – data about behavioural signals that help predict purchase intent – has become a crucial tool for B2B organisations (and already is for B2C brands) and can increase close rates by as much as 79%. A staggering 93% of B2B marketers reported that personalizing content increased their revenue over time.

In B2C marketing, there is a well-known relationship between a brand’s advertising expenditure or “share of voice” (SOV) and its rate of growth. Brands that set their SOV above their SOM (share of market) tend to grow, and those that set SOV below SOM, tend to shrink. According to Harvard Business Review, consumer brands with 10% extra share of voice (ESOV) attain a market share rise of 0.6% points per annum, all other factors being equal. For B2B, the corresponding market share rise is 0.7%! So it appears that B2B brands respond to growth from advertising in exactly the same way that B2C brands do. So while tactical sales activation may be good for short-term results, brand building still excels at driving long-term growth,

The blurring of lines between personal and professional life, combined with evolving technology and access to more data, means that it’s time for organisations to start approaching their buyers as multi-faceted individuals. Armed with the right tools, B2B organisations can, just as effectively as B2C organisations do, using the same marketing and advertising approaches, develop holistic marketing plans that are personalized and connect the brand with buyers on a more meaningful level and in a more enduring way,

At the end of the day, no matter which side of the B2B or B2C divide an organisation is, all marketing and advertising is essentially just P2P (person to person). Effective advertising will always be founded on great insight, based on an understanding of customers, extensive experience and industry knowledge.

Let’s talk about your advertising needs. Mail me, I can’t wait to help build your brand with you… paul@ebonyivory.co.za

Paul Middleton | Managing Director
Ebony + Ivory
INTEGRATED ADVERTISING AGENCY

Ebony + Ivory is an independent, African, creative agency. We build, grow and entrench brands for now and into the future. As an unconventional, conventional agency, you can expect the unexpected. Just imagine what we can do for you!

Google Analytics (GA4) migration deadline is 1 July 2023. Are you ready?

On July 1, 2023, Google Analytics 4 (GA4) will replace the current version of Google Analytics (Universal Analytics or UA). To avoid losing any historical data, you will need to ensure that your data is migrated carefully, accurately, and in time of the deadline.

Migrating as soon as possible has numerous benefits, including the fact that you can enjoy the benefits of having better data immediately but, most importantly, this migration is forward-facing only so you won’t be able to import your previous data. Starting to collect data now will also ensure that you can perform a year-on-year analysis to minimise any tracking impacts and it’s a great way to increase your website’s effectiveness based on enhanced customer reports.

Consider starting now to allow for a soft launch period where you can trial and test that everything is set up the way you want it to be, rather than being pushed or rushed into it at the end of June.

Our fool-proof GA4 migration service

Our tested service will ensure that your migration process is smooth, efficient and completed ahead of this imminent deadline, in just five easy steps:

STEP 1: We do a full audit of your current Google Analytics and web metrics

STEP 2: We engage with relevant stakeholders to fully understand all your tracking requirements

STEP 3: We configure Google Tag Manager

STEP 4:  We configure GA4

STEP 5: We build custom reports and dashboards based on your business needs

What can you expect from GA4?

While migrating to GA4 is non-negotiable, it does offer exciting, new benefits that will take analytics and the insights generated to a whole new level.

GA4 will offer:

• a stronger analytics experience
• the flexibility to measure different types of data
• a bridge in your customer journey from website to app
• Google’s machine learning AI to provide insights on user behaviour and conversions
• web analytics for the future.

What are the differences between GA4 and Universal Analytics (UA)?

The fundamental difference between them is that GA4 has been built on a completely new architecture. Rather than the UA concept of sessions – which is essentially a series of page views – GA4 is built on the concept of events. Events can be anything from page views to clicks, form submissions, and even custom events you define yourself.

This change in architecture has three main implications:

Firstly, GA4 can collect a lot more data than Universal Analytics.

Secondly, it offers more insights into what people are doing on your site or app.

Thirdly, GA4 can be used to track just about anything— not just web traffic.

Diving a little deeper, the critical differences between UA and GA4 include:

• Improved data Privacy: GA4 offers more robust data protection and privacy controls, which are becoming increasingly important for brands due to data privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA.
• Cross-device tracking: GA4 provides more advanced cross-device tracking capabilities (website and app), allowing marketers better to understand the customer journey across multiple devices and touch points.
• Machine-Learning: GA4 includes built-in machine-learning algorithms that automatically identify trends, generate insights, and provide recommendations.
• Bounce Rate options: The definition of a bounce in GA4 is now: if a user visits your website, reviews content on your homepage for less than 10 seconds, and then leaves without triggering any events or visiting any other pages or screens. You’ll have the option to increase the conditions from 10 seconds to 30 seconds or 60 seconds.
• Conversion Events: Goals will be replaced by “Conversion Events” with the added ability track a wider range of actions and gain more granular insights into how people interact with your website or app. In the future, you can create custom Conversion Events to track certain actions that are important to your business. By doing so, you’ll be able to understand the customer journey better and optimise for it!
• Behavioural Modelling: It will utilise machine learning and fill in the gaps if cookies or other identifiers aren’t available in GA4’s real-time reporting functions.
• Custom Channel Grouping: You’ll be able to custom select specific channels and compare their aggregated performance.
• Direct integrations: GA4 syncs directly with Google Ads, so conversion actions will be tracked in the GA4 reporting dashboard for account and performance transparency.

GA4 is already considered the standard for analytics at this point, so start reaping the benefits of the new system. We have the knowledge and expertise to help you migrate and implement GA4 successfully into your business. Email us at eve@ebonyivory.co.za or call us on 011 327 6871… we’d love to help.

I recently watched a masterclass from Cesar Vacchiano, Global CEO and co-founder of SCOPEN on the Agency Scope global trends that have emerged in the past 12 months and which are expected to guide the industry into the future. Of the many interesting trends and insights shared, there was one that truly stood out for me… it was the complexity that CMO’s are facing in having to manage 12 or more agency partners. It’s a trend that seems to be the norm in the world as well as here at home (in South Africa) right now. I was astonished… twelve? That’s a lot of partners – with a lot of people and a lot of tasks inside each partnership – to manage, control, measure, track, finance and coordinate!

For marketers, it is becoming increasingly difficult to orchestrate all their partners

This essentially entails having a lead agency to establish which agencies are responsible for which space and to keep them in their own lanes. While this does seem to be the norm, I believe this is an impossible responsibility and the potential for discord and disaster seems immense.

A simpler solution, in my mind, is the idea of the ‘specialist agencies under one roof’, a concept which has been a part of the Ebony+Ivory strategy for quite some time now. It’s a different take on the integrated, full-service agency, but rather than integrated, these specialist services act as unique service lines under one agency umbrella. This approach of aligning primary specialist services (supported by out of industry specialists where required) under one banner, is a less complex manner of being able to assist the CMO with the majority, if not all, of the advertising services required.

One captain, with a strong hand at the helm, steering one ship, with all hands-on one deck in one location, seems far more plausible an answer than one captain trying to direct and steer a number of ships, each belonging to a different fleet with a multitude of hands – largely unknown. That seems like an impossible task!

In response to this conundrum, I thought I’d share the value to a CMO of having a single, specialist services advertising agency and honestly pose the question of, ‘why would anyone want to proliferate a complicated process with even more complexity through the use of multiple, unconnected partners?’

‘why would anyone want to proliferate a complicated process with even more complexity through the use of multiple, unconnected partners’?

WHAT DOES A SINGLE, SPECIALIST SERVICES AGENCY DELIVER?

Firstly, a specialist services advertising agency provides expertise in all aspects of advertising, both traditional and digital. This includes strategy, creative, media planning and buying, research and analytics, production, reputation and crisis management, events and activation, social and digital, implementation and measurement. Having all of these services under one agency umbrella allows for a coordinated and cohesive approach to campaigns, which is essential for success. This agency can work with the CMO to develop a comprehensive advertising strategy that aligns with the organization’s overall business goals and objectives and ensures a seamless and co-ordinated delivery of that strategy.

Secondly, a specialist services agency can save time, money and resources. Advertising campaigns require a significant investment of time and money, especially when managing multiple campaigns across various media channels. A specialist services agency can manage all aspects of the campaign, from concept to execution, freeing up the CMO’s time to focus on other critical marketing activities. Additionally, the agency’s expertise and experience provides the holistic overview to ensure alignment that can only be achieved through an end-to-end understanding of a clients’ requirements. Not to mention the cost savings achieved through more effective media buying, production processes and digital dissemination.

Thirdly, a specialist services agency provides access to the latest industry trends and technology. Advertising is a constantly evolving field, with new channels and technologies emerging regularly. Keeping up with these trends can be challenging when trying to leverage these across different agencies to understand the impact, value and implications. A specialist services agency is dedicated to staying up-to-date with the latest developments and to understand and implement them across the value chain. This means the CMO can benefit from the agency’s expertise and access to the latest tools and technologies to ensure their advertising campaigns are as effective as possible, and again, enhanced by the holistic view of what needs to be achieved.

A single, specialist services agency can deliver on ideas, delivery and tracking that can help differentiate the brand and increase its appeal to customers

Fourthly, a specialist services agency provides valuable insights through data analytics. In today’s digital age, data analytics are critical to measuring the success of advertising campaigns. A specialist services advertising agency can provide detailed analysis and reporting on the performance of advertising campaigns, including metrics such as engagement, click-through rates, and conversion rates because the data is held under the umbrella of the single agency. This data can be used to optimize campaigns and improve their effectiveness.

Finally, a specialist services agency provides a fresh perspective when looking at the full picture, instead of only a small part of it. Silo’ed teams can become entrenched in their thinking and may miss opportunities for innovation and creativity because they are not integrated into the end-to-end process. A specialist services agency can deliver on ideas, delivery and tracking that can help differentiate the brand and increase its appeal to customers.

The result, a specialist services advertising agency provides significant value to a CMO. With expertise in all aspects of advertising, access to the latest trends and technology, and valuable insights through data analytics, a specialist services agency can help optimize advertising campaigns, save time, money and resources and drive revenue growth. Which leaves my fundamental question again…, ‘why would anyone want to proliferate a complicated process with even more complexity through the use of multiple, unconnected, partners’?

Let’s talk about your advertising needs and requirements. We have over 50 years of experience under our belt and are able you guide you to a solution that will be tailor made for your business.

Mail me at: paul@ebonyivory.co.za

Paul Middleton | Managing Director

INTEGRATED ADVERTISING AGENCY

We’re an independent, African full-service, creative, digital and media agency with the rare privilege of a track record that spans more than half a century. We have all the services of a traditional agency married neatly together with the digital age.

We build, grow and entrench brands for now and into the future.

Just imagine what we can do for you.

Ebony + Ivory.

Big enough to do it all – small enough to want to.

Admittedly, as the head of a creative agency, this wasn’t a question I thought I’d ever have to seriously answer. But the question has surfaced and I’d like to empathically say, YES! copywriting is still important and possibly more important than ever. I can only assume that copywriting is being taken for granted because it is so pervasive in our everyday lives. Copywriting is everywhere. Ads, videos, blogs, books, emails, product descriptions… all copywriting.

In the most recent studies, the average person has an attention span of only 8.25 seconds – 4.25 seconds less than in 2000. And, more importantly, less than a goldfish, which has an exemplary attention span of 9 seconds. Adding to this, the average person is estimated to encounter over 6,000 ads every single day. This means that it’s only the most gripping headline that will get people to click on your page. It’s only the most engrossing story that will keep your audience reading and eager to learn more. And only the most compelling call to action will convert your marketing into sales.

People use content to educate and entertain themselves. So, as an advertising agency, we need to leverage educational and entertaining content to connect people with your products and services. Copy is the most important non-verbal spokesperson for your brand. And, admittedly, one of the best weapons available in a creative agency’s arsenal. It is through words that we give people reasons to believe in you and your brand. Good copywriting gives your brand an identity that can captivate your audiences enough to take an interest in your products and services. Good copywriting will take your brand places… it will turn heads for you;, it will gain trust for you; and finally, good copy will sell for you!

That alone sums up why good copywriting is critical today, but I think it’s worthwhile to understand the different roles copywriting plays in brand development, relevance, memorability and engagement.

Creative copy is about catching and retaining attention long enough to land your brand’s message. This is generally considered to be awareness driven copy. It includes script writing for TV, video, radio and print and is most often ATL driven.

Sales copy is call-to-action oriented and motivates action or engagement with a brand. It’s all about the deal and is mostly used in TTL or BTL creative campaigns.

Content or corporate copy is informational. It’s strategic, focused and outcomes-based. This is the nitty gritty stuff that your audience needs to know about your brand, products and services. It’s still imperative to keep it interesting though.

Technical copy is all about the detail. It’s procedural and precise and best left to the subject matter experts in that particular field and not copywritten for brand engagement but rather for legal and technical purposes.

PR copy includes the traditional media releases, newsletters, boilerplates, op-eds and features as well as thought leadership pieces. This is copy that helps to solidify a brand’s position and relies on opinion and people to make it insightful and valuable.

Web copy is probably the most expansive and prolific use of copy today. Web pages are filled from top to bottom with copy, but to be effective, its structure, tone, and messaging must be specific, lead generating, engaging to prospects, and most importantly, must make Google love it, so everyone can find it.

Social media copy is the content you see on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter and the like. This is the “get your reader’s attention in 15 seconds or less, or don’t bother” medium. It’s short, punchy and most importantly, arresting.

SEO copy is a sub-sub category because searchable keywords can (and should) be used in any of the online categories above, but it requires a specialist to execute it effectively and one who understands that what Google wants is to establish Trust, Authority & Expertise before it will recommend you.

In closing, I have three golden rules when assessing whether we’ve achieved our standard of great copy

1. Great copy doesn’t have to impress everyone. It just has to impress the right people – your target audience.
2. Copy that is compelling and engaging, is unforgettable.
3. Great copywriting must be evocative, because it’s emotion – not facts – that grip you, engage you and compel to you to act.

Let’s talk about your advertising needs. Mail me, I can’t wait to help build your brand with you… paul@ebonyivory.co.za

Erudite + Inspired

2023 is the Year of Collaboration.

According to OpenAI’s GPT-3 predictions, by 2023, humanity will have found new ways to work together for altruistic needs, including increased collaborations between governments, businesses, and NGOs in order to address global issues such as poverty, inequality, and climate change.

This is such a hopeful message for 2023 and an idea that is deeply engrained in our ethos at Ebony + Ivory.

The history of humankind proves that those who collaborate succeed. Collaboration brings people and organizations closer together and when teams with different perspectives, ideas, and experiences work together, they find innovative solutions that change the world, ensuring people and organizations thrive.

When you consider some of the biggest ideas that have changed the world: The Wright brothers inventing the airplane; James Watson and Francis Crick uncovering the double helix; Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak inventing Apple computers; Larry Page and Sergey Brin starting the company that would later become Google. All of these ideas were the result of collaboration.

“None of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful.” – Mother Teresa

Let’s celebrate what matters. Let’s make 2023 a year to remember by collaborating to make a difference or maybe, even change the world.

Masihlale sibambisene!

There’s a common expression which says “nothing lasts forever”, but Ebony+Ivory believes that great brands, when built and informed well, stand the test of time.

In an effort to stay ahead of the curve, the creative agency team attended a Flux Trends workshop, which delivered invaluable insights relevant to the business and its clients.

Remaining at the vanguard of trends gives brands a strategic competitive advantage. Here are five tech trends that should inform marketing and business strategies to help brands future-proof their operations.

1. All about avatar

We all know about the direct-to-consumer supply chain, but this has now evolved. Direct-to-avatar refers to an emerging business model that entails selling products to avatars (digital identities). This is one of the opportunities presented by the metaverse.

The increasing demand for personalised online identities has resulted in the creation of new opportunities, which includes digital-only fashion brands infiltrating gaming culture in the form of skins (outfits and weapons that decorate the in-game avatars).

Nike is an example of how brands can leverage this technology to remain relevant in the digital arena. The Nike Dunk Genesis Cryptokicks collection is an exclusive digital shoe collection for metaverse avatars to buy. This has allowed Nike to position the brand as future forward and establish brand advocates from the Gen Z, millennials and Gen Alpha age groups.

2. Commerce in the metaverse

The metaverse has also initiated a new revolutionary commerce platform that provides consumers with a more immersive shopping experience relative to traditional e-commerce.

In 2021, the metaverse saw the world’s first virtual test drive, when Hyundai Motor leveraged the Naver Z’s metaverse service Zepeto. This provided a test drive experience for potential buyers of the sports sedan version of their Sonata. The objective of the campaign was to use the metaverse service to expose the Sonata N line to a younger generation, with the hopes of increasing communication with future buyers, while strengthening the hi-tech image of the brand.

 

Hyundai is an example of how the metaverse can be used successfully. The growing popularity of the phenomenon has been used as a positioning tool and, by associating with this buzzword in an effective and strategic way, Hyundai was able to cement the idea that the brand will be around for a long time.

3. Our future with robots

It’s important for brands to be open to new, innovative solutions. One advancement that has the potential to play a significant role in a variety of industries is robots.

Many are sceptical about these machines because of the perception that robots have the power to threaten humankind’s employment. However, with the invention of machines known as cobots (collaborative robots), which work with humans in some way, either as an assistant or as a guide, is a codependency that has vast potential.

These robots are created with the intention of working together with employees to increase their effectiveness and efficiency, which can benefit many industries.

For example, a restaurant in Japan is using cobots to serve customers, while in Germany a manufacturing company has capitalised on the benefits of this “new” employee to maximise the effectiveness of production.

4. Artificial ignorance

The digital age has seen many technological advancements, but many come with their fair share of limitations. Artificial intelligence (AI) bias is a shortcoming found in the output of machine-learning algorithms. These algorithms contain a bias as a result of the prejudiced assumptions made during the algorithm development process.

An example of an AI bias was identified in a Twitter algorithm. The social media giant had to disable an algorithm that revealed a bias which preferred white faces over black faces and women over men. Rumman Chowdhury, former director of machine-learning ethics, transparency and accountability at Twitter, said the algorithm was based on a flawed data tracking system, which introduced the bias.

It is important to understand and identify these biases created by the developers and machine learning to ensure that AI technology steers away from them over time. Brands have a social responsibility to create an inclusive environment and must be aware of these shortcomings if they hope to eradicate this potential artificial ignorance.

5. Imagining flying cars

The final technological trend to look out for focuses on passenger drones, which have brought the dream of flying cars to life. A Polish-Swedish company became the first in Europe, and one of the first in the world, to create and produce a commercially available passenger drone.

Here lies a major opportunity for e-hailing services, such as Uber Air, to capitalise on this technology and make domestic air travel more affordable and accessible. Passenger drones have the potential to become air taxi services for customers who would have used private helicopters, but couldn’t afford it.

What’s next?

These are just five of the big tech trends which can inform marketing and business strategies. However, with the endless potential and possibilities, who knows what the future may hold?

While it may seem daunting to keep up with these advancements, Ebony+Ivory is here to help you understand the latest technology trends to equip brands with a strategic competitive advantage.

High speed advertising world requires fast paced results

The advertising industry is often touch and go. Sometimes agencies are given weeks to come up with an innovative campaign or nail a brief, while other times, clients expect agencies to deliver the goods within hours.

While it is apparent that advertising agencies need to adapt and react to this ever-changing environment, the question remains, what does it take to produce a campaign or finalise a project that has an extraordinarily tight deadline?

Expect to deliver above and beyond the expected

The first step on the journey towards efficiency is establishing an experienced and knowledgeable team that can produce immediate results.
Ebony+Ivory’s Managing Director, Paul Middleton emphasises the need for a team that includes a range of skills and experience. “This ensures that if we are tasked with a brief that has a short deadline, we have the knowledge and expertise in copywriting, creative direction and management to truly understand the task at hand, and deliver.”

“This is a group of people with years of experience who can churn out the best results,” he adds.

An example of one of the fast-paced projects that Ebony+Ivory has produced is a digital media strategy for Brand South Africa’s Human Rights Day event. With less than one week to generate and go live with a digital media strategy, the integrated agency came up with a digital campaign which aimed to showcase the importance of Human Rights Day by reminding South Africans about the struggle it took to attain democracy and the significance of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa that protects those rights.
By embracing creatives who have experience, not only in their respective fields but also those who have the skills to uncover the ethos, tone and creative style required for these multi-faceted briefs, Ebony+Ivory is able to deliver fast and effective results.

Unlock the in-house team’s pulling power

While it is evident that an agency needs a team with knowledge and expertise, Middleton also highlights the importance of having this team in-house.
Having an internal body of innovative individuals that includes graphic designers, copywriters and project managers, creates an efficient force – one with which to be reckoned.

This is a group of people who are able to communicate, collaborate and ensure that the task at hand is completed.
Middleton says, “We follow an integrated approach, ensuring that the right minds are involved in the developing and the thinking for each and every brand.”

This integrated approach is implemented on all client briefs which assists in ensuring that deadlines are met. For instance, when a financial services client had a tight deadline, it looked to the agency, briefing two major publications in on a Thursday morning for rapid design and layout.
While for some, this might have seemed like a daunting task, the collaboration from the Ebony+Ivory team made the tackling of this project possible and a first draft of the 88-page Consultation Paper was completed in the same day.

Creators committed to the bigger picture of the work

Advertising agencies also need employees who want to contribute to the bigger picture. Having a team that are more than just their titles creates an environment suitable for growth and development.
“At Ebony+Ivory our copywriters are not just writers, they are creative directors, our graphic designers are conceptualisers and client service and our management team are innovators,” says Middleton.

With a 52-year history, the integrated African-owned agency, Ebony+Ivory has assembled a dedicated team that strives to take care of all a client’s advertising and marketing needs.

“We work with urgency to deliver seven-star service,” says Middleton.

This is a team that have been cherry-picked because they share our vision to nurture client relationships and deliver results every time, he adds.

This in turn ensures that whether Ebony+Ivory are given a week or a day to produce results, the in-house team that has the experience and expertise, play their part in guaranteeing that expectations are exceeded and the work goes beyond what is required to deliver the best results.

In this valuable marketing strategy tutorial, renowned South African media coach – Gordon Muller – workshops audience identifying Socio-economic Measures (SEMs). He maps out aha-moment scenarios to answer the question, “How do we go about finding the right path in our media choices?” He helps marketers figure out how to find the nuggets of audience intelligence in Fusion.

As marketers, advertising and media professionals, he says that we need to stop being librarians. “What marketers around the world are looking for is actionable insights which are proactively driven.”

Muller brings to the fore the quick moves of media of now that have unleashed magic, and he blows our media minds with this single minded realism: “The rhythm of research has changed. You cannot research what I did yesterday in order to describe what I am doing today. You have to measure what I am doing today in order to project accurately what I will do tomorrow. Macro insights, proactively delivered, is where we want to go.”

If you are an experienced strategist or student of life, this worthwhile Ebony+Ivory 45-minute Workshop will enable you to not only build your audience insights but make them into quick and hard-working brand assets.