Three trends for digital in 2015 (2017 update!)

This week we reflect back on the year in digital and look ahead to three trends for digital in 2015.

It’s that time of year again when us agency folk are speculating about what brands will be looking at next year. So, (not breaking with tradition) I thought I’d follow the trend and write my latest post on my predictions on trends for digital in 2015. I also thought I’d demystify why we do this every year.

Firstly, we want to tell you what we’ve got in mind for the next 12 months. Although, as DVO’s clients will know, forward thinking in digital should be a central part of any strategically-led full service digital agency proposition. In fact it’s crucial to be evaluating new developments, technology and platforms as they arise, and making smart decisions about how or even if they have relevance to the brand’s goals and customers. There is also a bit of shameful steering going on. These are uncertain times, and if I tell you that the three things you should be focusing on are X, Y and Z, then you may well believe me.

With that in mind, here are my top three things to concentrate on in 2015:Continue reading

Using our skill-set to help the National Literacy Trust

This is a bit of a departure from my usual blogs, which focus solely on the industry and DVO’s perception of the challenges that brands face. But, this time around I wanted to take a look at a piece of work we were involved in through 2014 with The National Literacy Trust (NLT), an amazing charity which works tirelessly helping to raise literacy standards in the UK.

As an agency that values content so highly, including the editorial variety, it seemed like an obvious fit to offer our services for the Books About Town campaign. It involved digital, installations, and a good deal of participation from famous authors and artists to create book benches, which you may well have seen dotted around London as part of four trails. On Tuesday, with summer and prime outdoor reading weather having drawn to a close, the benches were auctioned off. In total, over £250,000 was raised for the charity, funds that are vital for the NLT to be able to continue its good work in the UK.Continue reading

Staying ahead of disruptive technology

This week we look at the disruptive technology feeding the raft of start-ups and causing headaches for sector incumbents who, by their very nature, are slow to adapt. Marketing is an area where technology is making great strides, but it’s worth remembering that technology is no substitute for a great idea and strategy.

The DVO team and I have been spending a lot of time thinking about disruptive technology and how we can grow our proposition of creating integrated campaigns and experiences for our clients through a curated technology stack.

It’s increasingly apparent that brands are recognising the need for change. However, their internal organisations are so tightly linked to the marketing landscape that has grown up in the last 60 years, since TV came along, that the way forward has become blurred. This can be seen in the many tools and tactics that focus on a particular silo, while the root problem remains the same; brands need a strategy that will adapt to the disruption new technologies bring.Continue reading

Between a rock and hard place: What to look for in a content marketing agency.

With so much choice and confusion in the marketing we though we’d discuss what to look out for in a content marketing agency, and what makes DVO a bit different.

There’s a huge amount of confusion at the moment. Why? Because the content marketing agency is suddenly everywhere – and they often offer widely differing services.

Broadly, however, these offerings fall into three distinct camps. What follows will help you better evaluate the skills each camp possesses and how, as a content marketing agency, they might remedy the problem you want to solve.
Continue reading