Points de vente - Margy Consultants blog

Why the French are receptive to interactive media at the point of sale

The behaviour and expectations of French consumers with regard to shops

The shop remains the No. 1 point of sale, even though the French have changed the way they shop. With digital technology and the internet, everything moves very quickly. We live in a world of immediacy, of real time, here and now. Faced with this fast-moving world, the various marketing departments of different retailers are trying to find the most relevant sales media. There is no denying that it is now necessary to use new technologies to support the act of buying. An act of buying that is more spontaneous, more emotional, like today's consumers...

Currently, 65% of French people prefer to shop at retail outlets rather than online, and this trend is growing year on year. The average shopping basket is 208% higher in these outlets than in e-commerce outlets. Lastly, 93% of French people spend more at a point of sale, which makes it easier for them to make their purchases... Retailers have understood that these new digital services are putting the power back in the hands of consumers. So they are surfing this trend, trying to find the best interactive media and, above all, adapting as closely as possible to the expectations of today's shoppers.

What interactive media are used at the point of sale?

Interactive concepts are media that can be used to enhance information by easily integrating a large amount of data. Interactive kiosks, connected sales assistants, tactile window displays, virtual fitting rooms, interactive sales books, 3D images, 360° virtual tours, etc.

Today, 81% of the French are interested in interactive terminals, 79% in connected sales staff, 74% in touch-sensitive shop windows and 67% in virtual fitting rooms. Interactive media also help to simplify the act of buying. 90% of consumers believe that these aids help them to find their way around a sales outlet more easily. 83% even believe that these aids help to save time. Finally, 69% of these same consumers believe that interactive displays make a shop more attractive. It's true that these terminals appear to be fun in the eyes of shoppers. However, retailers only have a few seconds, 3 at most, to attract consumers. So the first approach has to be the right one. If the French are receptive to all these point-of-sale media, it's also because 92% of them do research online before buying in-store. So they're already used to the digital world... Touch is fashionable, it's part of French habits, and it's still easy to use.

Today, interactive "furniture" is reinventing the act of buying.

After years of trying to counter e-tailers, brands are learning to enhance the value of their products and their physical networks, using all the interactive media at their disposal.

The real world and the digital world are being reconciled, to the delight of all their customers!

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Editions Zulma Margy Consultants Blog

Editions Zulma: communication through covers

Éditions Zulma is known for its colourful, graphic covers. Covers that are recognisable at a glance, and yet at the same time unique. These masterpieces are the brainchild of a talented and ingenious graphic designer.

Covers like works of art

Geometric patterns, colours and inverted triangles are the hallmarks of Zulma covers. The inspiration came straight from Éditions Pengui in the 1950s and a German publisher, Insel verlag.

The publisher chose to use highly graphic and iconic motifs for its covers. Circles, triangles, straight lines, stars, spots... the aim is to work with these shapes and patterns to produce a symmetrical cover.

The colours are also well represented and very present. They range from bright, flashy colours to more discreet pastel shades. They are in total harmony with the chosen design. The combination of graphics and colours is always well thought out.

Let's not forget the inverted triangle on a white background, the central geometric shape common to all the covers. It is located at the top of the cover and bears the author's name, the title of the book and the initial "Z" specific to the publishing house. The choice of typeface is specific to each book and reflects its identity and content.

The combination of all these components produces a striking result, comparable to an abstract work of art.

The work of an English artist

The man behind these covers is English: graphic designer David Pearson. It was the director of Editions herself who went across the Channel to seek out the graphic designer's expertise. Laura Leroy had already had the opportunity to admire the artist's talents through his previous work, notably for Penguin. Pearson is responsible for submitting proposals to the director of Zulma, who gives her opinion and guidelines for any changes. The two protagonists work together to produce cover designs that are as extravagant as they are striking.

A unique graphic charter

Graphic designer David Pearson and publishing director Laura Leroy wanted to establish a graphic charter specific to Éditions Zulma. This mix of graphic forms, colours and typographic choices has given rise to a unique visual identity . The books published are different, but all recognisable as being from the same edition. This is the publisher's way of differentiating itself from other editions and imposing its own design. In a bookshop, Zulma books are immediately recognisable thanks to their unique design. A company's visual identity is vital to its communication and marketing influence . It contributes to its success and personality. With such distinguished and atypical graphic choices, Zulma has succeeded in forging a strong image.

Margy Consultants offers its expertise to companies and individuals for the publication of advertising materials . Books, sales brochures, magazines, flyers... a wide range of paper products to suit the needs of every profile. Image-based communication gives every company optimum visibility.

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Identité visuelle - Margy Consultants Blog

4 reasons for a company to change its image

A company's visual identity has an important marketing dimension. It represents the first contact between a company and its target audience. Over the course of its existence, a company' s image is bound to evolve, for reasons of modernity or necessity.

Modernising your image

Society evolves from year to year, as do people. Trends in design and graphics evolve just as much. A company's image has to grow and evolve with society if it is not to appear outdated. It needs to adapt to new trends and modernise its visual identity. To do this, there's no need to change the entire logo - it's not a question of distorting the company's image. A change of colour, typography or graphic design may suffice. If you look at the logos of the biggest brands (Renault, Ford, Coca-Cola, McDonald's), you can immediately see the natural evolution they have undergone.

Changing the target

Sometimes a company starts out with a very specific target group in mind: men, women, teenagers, fathers, etc. It concentrates on a very specific audience and then, over the years, decides to broaden it by offering new products. As a result, the company had to modify its logo to adapt it to all its target groups. This type of development often involves a more significant change to the logo than a simple modernisation. In this case, the logo needs to be feminised to appeal to a more feminine clientele, or rejuvenated to reach a younger target...

Announcing a major management change

A company may need to announce a major management change. A change of manager, a merger, new values to promote... This is undoubtedly one of the most far-reaching visual identity changes. The company completely changes its logo and image to announce this significant change. Particularly when 2 companies merge, it is important to find a logo that corresponds to each of the parties and their values.

Propose a new product

The launch of a new product is an important event for a company. To mark the occasion, the company might consider changing its logo. This will enable the company to have a greater marketing impact and make the launch a significant event. A new image can be more attractive and arouse the curiosity of potential customers. It's a clever way of attracting new customers and triggering new sales. The company chooses whether to change its logo significantly or to make slight graphic modifications. However, to be remarkable and to arouse interest, these changes must be at least striking and intriguing.

The aimof a change of visual identity is to refresh the company's image, attract new customers or announce an important event. For this reason, it needs to be well thought through and executed well in advance. As far as the frequency of image changes is concerned, there really isn't one. Companies can change their graphic charter if their activity or status justifies it. Be careful, however, not to change the logo too often, as this could have negative repercussions (difficulties in keeping up with the company's development, confusion, etc.), contrary to those initially hoped for.

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Le shopper marketing - Margy Consultants blog

Towards a new form of shopper marketing

Who are today's shoppers?

The shopper is a person in his own right, with his desires, his needs, his preferences, his habits, his logic and his contradictions... Today's shopper has become very demanding... He wants everything, but above all he wants the best! Shoppers are not against making purchases in shops, but they want to take advantage of good deals, discounts and everything that e-commerce has to offer. However, it's important to remember that the buyer is not always the consumer.

The intelligence of shopper marketing

Shopper marketing encompasses all the marketing stimuli designed to influence or trigger a purchase. To do this, it is essential to understand the expectations and attitudes of today's shoppers, and also to decipher their choices. Shopper marketing needs to answer all the questions that consumers ask. This is why many companies have merged their marketing and sales departments. Together, they want to move faster and share everything they've learned about the new shopper.
These days, the shopper is at the centre of everything - he's the one who buys. You have to know how to seduce them and talk to them at the right time. Of course, the proliferation of channels, especially computerised ones, makes this trickier. The biggest effort to be made is to merge the media. Gradually erasing the line that separates the real world from the virtual world... Becoming one.

The challenge of shopper marketing

In recent years, we have witnessed a shift in power. Power has shifted from manufacturers to retailers. Today, that power lies with the shopper. This changes the game radically. Retailers and brands have never before worked together to satisfy their buyers. For companies, this means a radical change of mindset. They urgently need to change the way they operate. What's more, digital technologies are making inroads into the world of shopper marketing, and no-one can ignore them. Today, companies need to move towards conversational commerce, with the aim of attracting as many shoppers as possible, whatever their brand.

Shopper insights

As Michaël Bendavid, Managing Director of Strategic Research, explains, "Reviving innovation means listening more closely to consumers, to the problems they encounter in using existing products or services, and to the expectations they express...". The aim is not only to analyse the behaviour of customers as they make their purchasing decisions, but also to analyse their personality. In psychology, insight is defined as "the sudden discovery of the solution to a problem without going through a series of trials and errors". That's why insight must be coherent, based on a fundamental truth and mobilising a need or desire. Qualitative studies and trend studies now agree on analysing the motivations, expectations and experiences of shoppers with regard to a product. Insight will thus enable companies to steer their marketing policy in a more realistic direction.

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L'industrie du papier - Margy Consultants blog

The new life of our paper and cardboard packaging

Growth in the packaging industry

According to a recent study, the global market for cardboard packaging will be worth more than 100 billion dollars by 2020, compared with 87 billion currently.

It also shows that 7.5 million tonnes of paper and cardboard are collected in France every year. This represents an increase from 40% to 72% over the last two decades. Collection of paper and cardboard waste from households is increasing by around 10% each year. In the tertiary sector, paper and cardboard account for 85% of waste generated.

Paper and cardboard are the most recycled materials, with a rate higher than that set by European directives. There are many outlets for this material, including the food industry, luxury goods, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

Ecological luxury

The global luxury goods market is currently worth €1,000 billion, and grew by 5% in 2014. Luxury helps to promote France's image, which is why it carries a special significance. Packaging plays a key role in the luxury sector, as it will always have an impact on the consumer's senses and emotions. To meet the demands of consumers, who are increasingly concerned about the future of the environment, the luxury industry is gradually turning to the concept of "sustainable luxury". Many major brands (jewellery, perfumes, ready-to-wear, leather goods, shoes) are now opting for the 'sustainable development' option.

Printing, decorating, die-cutting... Printing technologies are also adapting to paper and cardboard. As a result, more and more personalised packaging is appearing. Printed bags, gift boxes, gift cases, advertising packaging, gift bags, jewellery pouches... Today, anything is possible!

Cardboard, the future of food packaging

Lightweight, malleable, recyclable, compostable... Cardboard has a host of qualities that make it the ideal packaging for the food industry. Cardboard is often coated with a thin layer of paraffin wax, making it resistant to grease. It can also be combined with polyethylene or aluminium to create watertight, airtight packaging.

Cardboard is used to manufacture a wide range of food packaging, including milk cartons, fruit juice cartons, rice or sugar cartons, food trays, pizza packaging and disposable tableware. With an annual growth rate of 6%, cardboard is now enjoying a real renaissance in the food industry.

The papers of the future

In the past, paper was used more as a commodity, read and then thrown away. Today, paper is both a material and a resource. Laboratories are working on its transparency, water resistance, conductivity, etc. This means we can imagine new uses for our paper in the future.

Global demand for paper packaging is expected to reach almost 273 million tonnes by 2022, compared with 195 million tonnes in 2014, an annual growth rate of around 4%. Whether recycled or converted, paper and cardboard still have a very bright future ahead of them...

Welcome to the intelligent world of packaging.

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La publicité digitale - Margy Consultants bog

Mobile advertising dominates digital advertising budgets

The forecast comes as no surprise. In 2017, according to ZenithOptimedia, the volume of advertising on mobile devices will exceed that on PCs. This success is taking place at the expense of other media. For the first time, mobile is becoming the world's third-largest advertising investment platform. Having become the essential tool of our daily lives, the mobile phone has become an integral part of the advertising landscape in recent years. It's a fact that marketers have now fully embraced. In 2017, advertisers are expected to spend €87.6 billion on a mobile presence, which is 2% more than the budget for advertising on Internet pages for PCs.

Audiences love creative and natural mobile advertising

This increase in the mobile budget comes at the expense of other digital advertising, which is expected to fall by 6% between now and 2018. In this, advertisers are sticking to the reality of the figures. In a study recently carried out by Quantast on a panel of 3,700 British, German and French consumers, 64% of them admitted to being influenced by mobile advertising. This figure rises to 80% among 18-34 year-olds. What's more for advertisers, this success would be even more obvious if their ads were more creative!

Video and social networks favourite targets for mobile advertising

Preferred by mobile users, because it naturally integrates content published by brands according to our reading habits, native advertising is the focus of all their attention. According to the Enders Analisys agency, its budget will triple by 2020 to €13.6 billion. The other big winners in mobile advertising are social networks, video and programmatic advertising. For advertisers, social networks are a godsend, and they are taking advantage of their popularity to occupy this less conventional and still virgin territory, while investment in video advertising is rising steadily (+34%) and is expected to reach €434 million this year in France. All the innovations in mobile advertising are having a knock-on effect on programmatic advertising.

Mobile advertising held back by adblokers

Smartphones have become an indispensable tool, enabling consumers to be targeted ever more effectively. They are an ideal medium for programmatic advertising, which, when coupled with geolocation, can optimise the conversion of clicks. 50% of advertisers are already using it, and this figure will rise to 80% by the end of the year. Analysis of the growth of mobile advertising shows that it is constantly improving and adapting to our favourite connected toy, beating out PC advertising, which should see its budgets stabilise in line with other media. However, advertisers are faced with the adage that "too much of anything is bad for you". More and more mobile users, fed up with overly intrusive ads, are installing adblockers to prevent them from being displayed. It is estimated that 429 million smartphones are now equipped with an application. While this movement is worrying advertisers, it is a reminder that it is a good idea not to put all your eggs in one basket. In France, where the advertising market will be worth €9.9 billion in 2017, traditional media are holding up well. Television continues to gain market share and is now ahead of the internet, while paper advertising, with 28% of the pie, continues to make history.

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L'intelligence artificielle - Margy Consultants blog

Artificial intelligence at the heart of digital innovation

Digital technologies are evolving rapidly. At the EBG Annual General Meeting, the web gurus played Madame Soleil to predict the trends that will make tomorrow's marketing buzz, with artificial intelligence and the use of our data at the centre of this evolution.

The focus of the research is on artificial intelligence linked to advances in direct contact with humans and the digital applications we use every day.

Artificial intelligence and deep learning applications

Deep learning, which is the focus of the main developments, enables systems to guess at the structure of data in order to order it and direct the query. For example, have you ever had the impression that your PC and Google's friend were guessing what you were looking for even before you had finished typing your search? There's nothing magical about it - Google doesn't read your mind, it uses all the data it has collected on you and combines it with its trillions of statistics to give you an answer straight away.

Deep learning" is relegating mass marketing to the status of a "has-been", giving way to people-based marketing. From now on, all our actions and requests on the internet must be personalised. We would almost be surprised if the reverse were true. This mass personalisation is going to become widespread and will be seen in our shops, where digital technology will mean that customers will be offered an increasingly personalised welcome.

People Based Marketing is becoming ever more sophisticated...

People Based Marketing is based on the consumer and his or her needs, and works on the basis of cross-referenced, in-depth research. It enables advertisers to produce targeted campaigns based on all the data collected for an Internet user across all the digital tools they use, and no longer limited to simple analysis of cookies or devices.

Data and its management have become a major challenge for researchers. Another application directly linked to data collection is the creation of ever more effective adblockers to stop adverts being displayed on our PCs and mobile phones.

Gifted adblockers and new blockains to control our data

This desire for ever greater control over our data through the use of these applications is corroborated by the emergence of new blockchains. Bitcoin, a pioneer in this field, is being emulated. Blockchain is a secure database shared between different users, without intermediaries, which guarantees that the information exchanged cannot be used by a third party. This technology makes it possible to secure all digital transactions. It certifies that what we do with digital technology remains confidential and anonymous.

For the moment, apart from the good faith of the payment site, there is nothing to certify that our financial transactions are really secure and that, sooner or later, our personal and banking data will not be given away or hacked! The same goes for our anti-virus software. We rely totally on them to secure our computers, with no means of verification.

The development of new blockchains and adblockers shows the limits of chatbots (software that tries to think and speak like a human). For Olivier Ezratty, it means the end of automation in customer relations and could signal the return of the human touch to escape a relationship under digital control.

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La communication des entreprises - Margy Consultants blog

6 business communication trends for 2016

The advent of digital technology has revolutionised companies' marketing strategies. Constant digital innovation, combined with new consumer habits, continues to force brands to adapt in order to better meet their customers' needs. Webmarketing.com has produced an infographic presenting the six new trends in brand communication in 2016, based on the latest research from Google, HiMedia and Millward Brown.

Ever more targeted communication thanks to Big Data

Big Data represents an immense pool of information collected on the Internet. Once analysed, it can be used to personalise marketing strategies even further. For companies, this represents a major challenge, particularly when it comes to their advertising campaigns. Customers are becoming very receptive to personalised advertising messages. 43% of them are encouraged by such advertising to buy more frequently, and 32% to buy more products.

Communication on several social networks

Although using Facebook for advertising campaigns is now a matter of course, other social networks are also proving to be relevant. Instagram's 400 million active users, Twitter's 307 and Google+'s 300 represent potential customers that companies need to take into account in their communications strategy, in addition to Facebook's 1.55 billion. Consumers are particularly influenced by the following three types of content: promotional campaigns, posts by friends and advertisements.

Communication on smartphones

The average European had 1.3 mobile phones in 2016, making them a major communication channel for businesses. As a result, their advertising is increasingly focused on smartphones. What's more, the expansion of mobile usage is changing customer behaviour in shops. In-store, 57% of customers contact a friend or family member to get their opinion, 56% compare prices online and 54% send a photo of the product in question to get feedback.

Binding communication via instant messaging

To develop their customer relations, companies have encouraged their presence on social networks. This has enabled them to raise their profile, sell more and build communities of consumers. In 2016, they will be going even further in the link that binds them to their customers by promoting direct communication via instant messaging devices: Tencent QQ, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, etc.

Video communication

Highly appreciated by customers, video is increasingly popular with businesses as part of their marketing strategy. Investment in this tool is growing steadily in Europe. Behind the United Kingdom, France is at the forefront of this field, with €360 million spent in 2015. In 2016, programmatic advertising, i.e. ads sold using automated algorithms, accounted for almost a quarter of the video content advertising market.

Native advertising communication against ad-blockers

The use of ad-blockers, which prevent the appearance of advertising on the Internet, is growing. Some 200 million people use them worldwide, including 77 million in Europe. This anti-advertising software represented a total dry loss of 37.2 billion euros for websites in 2016. To deal with this, companies are having to change the way they design their communications. They are developing less intrusive, native advertising that delivers content to customers as part of their user journey.

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Réalité augmentée - Margy Consultants blog

Augmented reality brings promotional items to life

In 2016, augmented reality is no longer an unattainable dream for marketers. At the mere mention of it, their eyes light up like a screen where 2D and 3D dollars scroll by. It has to be said that there is plenty of scope for boosting creativity. The revenues generated are expected to rise from €500 million to €7.5 billion by 2020. When applied to advertising objects, this technology opens up the possibility of unprecedented communication campaigns for businesses.

More effective marketing campaigns thanks to virtual reality

Augmented reality makes it possible to insert a 2D or 3D element into an image. This effect enhances the perception of the environment for a person looking at the image by giving them access to digital information. The only limit to its use is creativity in advertising and marketing.
Augmented reality can be used for event communication, product presentation or interactive point-of-sale advertising.

Ikea has shown the way by offering its customers an interactive catalogue. The application makes it possible to integrate a piece of furniture or an object with a photo of the room in which it is displayed, so that you can see how it looks. For its part, L'Oréal provides a mobile application that allows customers to try out its latest make-up line by taking a selfie. Satisfied with the result, the customer can immediately buy it online.

Interactive promotional items

Finally, JCDecaux chose bus shelters for a poster campaign to coincide with the release of the film "Pourquoi j'ai pas mangé mon père". By pressing the button placed under the poster, passers-by triggered the animation and the characters from the film appeared larger than life in a photo of the area where the bus shelter was located.

By using augmented reality, a USB key or mouse pad can be transformed into an interactive object. Digital data is recorded on the logo, which users scan with their tablet or smartphone using a dedicated application. They and their environment are immediately immersed in the world of the brand.

Augmented reality has become an essential tool for renewing communication campaigns, enhancing a company's brand image and making it easier for prospects to buy into the recommended product. Identifying a product and putting it into a real-life situation creates confidence and encourages people to buy it more readily.

Good reasons to use augmented reality for advertising purposes

If we had to cite reasons for using augmented reality to reinforce the impact of a promotional item, it would be because :

  • It differentiates a brand from the competition through its novel use.
  • It creates interaction between the product and the customer, turning the latter into a player.
  • It encourages rapid purchase and creates a relationship of trust with live demonstrations.
  • It enables new customers to be reached, attracted by its effects.

The prospects offered by augmented reality are very attractive in marketing terms. However, it does have an implementation cost that needs to be validated by real sales. The figures are stubborn and its effectiveness will be measured by the conversion rate and an increase in sales. Otherwise, augmented reality will remain a pipe dream.

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La communication avec la video - Margy consultants blog

8 good reasons to use video in your communications

43% of Internet users who watch a video go on to visit the company's website. In the age of the Internet and social networks, the video format is becoming essential for making your digital content engaging and viral. It can bring you new customers, higher sales and greater visibility. In a digital economy, your communication strategy needs to incorporate the video format, which is lively and easier to remember. Here are 8 arguments to encourage you to include videos in your marketing strategy:

1. Offer clear, effective communication to your customers

With a video, you're putting in place a dynamic, effective and clear form of communication that easily and directly conveys your message to your customers. Your company has several audiovisual techniques at its disposal that will intensify the relevance and power of your marketing: storytelling, computer graphics and virtual reality.

2. Developing your communication on social networks

Social networks are an essential part of your communication strategy, whatever your sector of activity. By posting a video on YouTube, Facebook or Twitter, you increase your audience and your visibility. This format adds interactivity to your advertising and encourages consumer engagement. Easy to share and a source of virality, it is very popular with Internet users.

3. Improve the visibility of your communication

Using a variety of communication media will improve your company's online ranking. Video is one of the marketing tools that will give you the most visibility.

4. Offer original and differentiating communication

The value of video also lies in the customer experience it offers. Thanks to virtual reality and 3D, you can advertise your company in an original way that sets you apart from the competition.

5. Initiate communication with a buzz

By placing video at the heart of your marketing strategy, you can benefit more easily than any other advertising medium from an Internet buzz. Video is a viral tool par excellence that can be shared by "word of mouth" on social networks.

6. A reusable communication tool

Your company video can be used on many occasions: at a conference, a trade show or any other B2B or B2C event, in a newsletter, on your website, etc. It's a long-term marketing tool.

7. Present a professional communication tool

For a video that fulfils all its promises in terms of visibility, design it professionally. By calling on a specialist service provider, your company benefits from all their skills (script creation, production, editing, animation, voice-overs, subtitles, etc.) for optimum results and maximum effectiveness.

8. Improve your internal communications

As well as advertising your company, video can also be used for internal communication. This easily accessible and entertaining medium enables you to keep your staff informed, motivate them or present the annual review to your team. A video also gives you greater visibility on the Internet. It is 50 times more likely to appear on a Google search, the leading search engine, than any other content. For a relevant and effective communication strategy, video is the essential medium for your company. 2 examples: Corporate film - Margy Consultants product film

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