Monthly Archives

September 2021

the7stars awarded the IPA Effectiveness Accreditation

By | Featured, News

We are extremely excited to be among the first agencies to be awarded the IPA’s Effectiveness Accreditation. Effectiveness was a founding philosophy for our agency back in 2005, and it continues to be a guiding light today.   

This award reflects a total dedication to driving business outcomes on behalf of our clients. Our trailblazing approach to transparency and media neutrality has maximised effectiveness for our clients over our 16-year history.  

Marketing effectiveness principles are a red thread through our planning cycle from client briefing through to evaluation. Our dynamic culture encourages challenge, learning and agility amongst our colleagues, and fosters a culture of long term partnership with our clients too. Accreditations and kitemarks aside, this is best evidenced by an NPS score of 8.9 and a retention rate of 93% (the7stars Client Satisfaction Survey Feb 2021). 

Our approach to continuous professional development extends beyond a financial commitment to external training per head. Our Strategy and Insight & Analytics teams cascade their expert effectiveness knowledge through every level of the business via bespoke training programs designed, curated and delivered in-house. In 2021, we even extended this to clients to stimulate more outcome orientated briefing and equip marketers to evangelise the business case for marketing at all levels of their organisation.  

At the7stars, we believe delivering great marketing effectiveness comes from collaboration and aim to create a culture of effectiveness among our clients. Our teams work closely with advertisers to build a compelling stock of evidence supporting their marketing investment in the short and long term. We harmoniously collaborate with third-party agencies and in-house teams to maximise business outcomes on their behalf. Our Insight & Analytics team are proudly multi-disciplined and are skilled in synthesising multiple methodologies to form holistic measurement frameworks.  

We are proud of our strong track record of success. In recent years, our marketing effectiveness work has helped develop multiple UK unicorns and we have earned IPA Effectiveness Awards for Suzuki and Wagamama, as well as WARC Effectiveness Prize for Ancestry.  

 

the7stars launch business acceleration consultancy 13minutes

By | Featured, News

We are excited to announce the launch of 13minutes, our new adtech-led business acceleration consultancy, designed to close the gap between adetch, media and commerce.

As the market for tech-led media has gone through the stages of online, to digital and now adtech-driven, those businesses able to capitalise on more fluid, data-driven media are expected to be leaders within their categories. There has never been a better time to do smarter, faster and more accurate media at scale.

With that opportunity in mind and a focus on shaping faster business growth, 13minutes will help lead brands to deliver a more future-facing communications approach through advanced use of adtech.

Heading up the consultancy will be the7stars’ commerce director Ben Walton, Leena Vara-Patel and Emily Braund. Vara-Patel and Braund have joined from adstem, a data engineering and adtech company set up by Vara-Patel. Adstem has been working with us on a variety of tech projects and data infrastructure, but the jump across strengthens our competency in that critical space. Also joining is Pete Robins who, prior to joining the7stars, co-founded Agenda21.

The new division will initially have a focus on adtech infrastructure, data engineering, media tech deployment, commerce and SEO. It will also develop and evolve as the market opens up opportunities for both Group clients and new partners alike.

 

Lightbox Loves: Autumn Confidence

By | Featured, Lightbox Loves

With a collision of events this September – from back-to-school, returns to the office and some late Summer sun – opportunities to spend combined with a positive mindset are resulting in renewed levels of consumer confidence.

At the start of 2021, household savings were at the second highest level on record, with  £190 bn saved during lockdowns. Following a year of restrictions, consumers have been biding their time since early in the year to find their moments to splurge. Intentions to spend on non-essential items have seen a significant increase since June.  In our August edition of the QT, we also found happiness levels are at an all-time high, reflective of the return to more regular social habits and routines. The UK is a social nation – with 21% of consumer spending ordinarily dedicated to ‘socially consumed services’ (such as eating out, leisure activities and holidays). With these activities being stifled during lockdown, people have jumped at the chance to make up for lost time.

Brits are revelling in the new found ability to plan ahead. 87% of people agree that having a holiday planned gives them something to look forward to, and our August QT results echo this sentiment, with 25% intending to spend more money on travel in the next 12 months – almost doubling in sentiment since June.

Brits are also looking for more ways to live, and spend, ‘in the now’.  With an ever-increasing awareness of wellbeing and self-care, there has been an influence on the role for self-gifting. Fatigued from deferred gratification during lockdown, more consumers are turning to little luxuries – whether it’s an ad hoc treat or a regular self-gifted subscription. Additionally, consumers are building anticipation for a big spending opportunity this Christmas, with 1 in 3 planning to start shopping earlier this year and a further 30% planning to spend more money overall on Christmas this year.

These positive signs present many opportunities for brands.  Whether it’s being the antidote to the mundanity that has been too prevalent in recent times, providing an upgrade moment to a spending occasion, or helping people to purchase now for future plans.  Capitalising on the current levels of confidence and joy will be key to capturing consumers wallets this Autumn.

– Rachel Coyle

(Source: the7stars QT, Canvas8, The Times, the7stars Christmas Trends 2021)