Marketing Matters - Recent Articles

Cake-Tastic Week at Marketing Matters

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:14:13 +0100

Marketing Matters, the Poole-based integrated marketing agency, has raised £350 for local charity Diverse Abilities Plus, the only Dorset disability charity that supports children, adults and their families throughout their life in the county, as part of its Great Dorset Bake Sale initiative, which took place last week (7 - 13 May).

The Marketing Matters’ PR team visited local businesses and sold a selection of home-made cakes, including Chocolate Brownies, Dorset Apple Cake, Caramel Shortbread, Victoria Sponge, Carrot Cake, and Vanilla Cupcakes, throughout the week and raised over £175. Marketing Matters then matched the figure to raise £350. All members of the Marketing Matters’ team also ate plenty of cake to raise as much money as possible for the charity!

Jenny Pearce, Senior PR Account Executive at Marketing Matters, said: “The Great Dorset Bake Sale was a perfect opportunity for us to raise money for a local charity that does great work across the county. The keen bakers among us at Marketing Matters had fun making the cakes and the rest thoroughly enjoyed eating them while raising lots of money!”

Marketing Matters would like to thank Innovate, Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Quest Software, R H Freight, F.H. Cummings, Humphries Kirk and Realise for buying cakes and helping raise money for Diverse Abilities Plus.

Diverse Abilities Plus’ Great Dorset Bake Sale initiative led to hundreds of bale sales taking place all over Dorset raising thousands of pounds, which will now further fund its essential work supporting those with profound physical and learning disabilities. For further information on Diverse Abilities Plus please visit the charity’s website - www.diverseabilitiesplus.org or call 01202 718266.

Managing Reputation on Twitter

Jenny Pearce — Tue, 15 May 2012 09:30:00 +0100

With the recent outburst on Twitter by Queen’s Park Rangers’ Captain, Joey Barton, about fellow football legend Alan Shearer, it made me think that surely it is time that people in the public-eye should start being more careful about what they ‘tweet’ to manage their reputation.

The Daily Telegraph reported that Barton earned a red card for elbowing Tevez in the last game of the season. The midfielder's behaviour was condemned from all sides, with Shearer being particularly critical on Match of the Day. Barton then took to Twitter to direct his anger!

Barton probably should have considered the implications of the explicit wording he used on Twitter. It’s not going to do much for his reputation and I am sure many football fans think even less of him now than they did before.

Following the Twitter outburst, Barton was fined two weeks wages by QPR. But he doesn’t learn! He later returned to Twitter and tweeted: “Ha ha the inevitable, 2 weeks wages fine has just arrived. Needless to say it shall be appealed forthwith #kickingamanwhilsthesdownha.”

Twitter is great for many things, especially profile raising, building a community of followers and to get news and views across, but why would anyone publicly make rude comments about someone, when you know its 1. Going to get you into trouble, 2. Make even more people look down on you, 3. Damage your reputation??

Something tells me Joey could do with some good PR and social media advice!

If you need support or advice about Twitter please get in touch by emailing jenny@marketing-matters.co.uk or call 01202 777111.

Student Placements at Marketing Matters

Jenny Pearce — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:20:23 +0100

The following blog post is by Rose Humphries who undertook a 40 week placement with Marketing Matters in 2011/2012.

In June 2011, I started my 40-week work placement with the Public Relations department at Poole based integrated marketing agency ‘Marketing Matters’. This work placement is a mandatory part of my BA (Hons) Public Relations degree at Bournemouth University. The placement search process can be a difficult task but I was drawn to Marketing Matters because of its diverse client base.

I have had the opportunity to work with the PR team on various client accounts such as international marina development, Karpaz Gate Marina, local charity Diverse Abilities Plus and the Weymouth-based Waterside Holiday Group. Within the first six months of my placement I saw interesting aspects of working for an agency. For example my favorite experience was being able to see how an opportunity was set up to film with BBC South Today’s weather presenter Reham Khan to raise awareness for local charity Diverse Abilities Plus and I was able to watch the filming.

I think the best aspect of doing a work placement is the fact you get to experience PR in the workplace which goes way beyond the theory that is taught in university. I highly recommend taking the chance to do so as I have found that my placement has provided me with valuable insight into the real world of PR and confirmed my career choice in the industry.

Marketing Matters completes integrated project for Waterside

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 14:39:57 +0100

Marketing Matters, the Poole-based integrated marketing agency, has completed the design and production of a suite of marketing literature for the Weymouth-based company, Waterside Holiday Group. The agency is working for the Group for the second year running and provides an integrated marketing solution which encompasses creative design, photography, print management, PR and social media.

The 2012 literature includes individual printed brochures for each of its three holiday parks; Waterside Holiday Park & Spa, Chesil Vista Holiday Park and Osmington Holiday Park. The brief also included the design and production of two entertainment brochures, as well as a Spa brochure for the flagship holiday park. Marketing Matters handled all aspects of the work from concept design through to print production.

In 2011 Marketing Matters also developed revised brand identities for all three of the holiday parks owned by the long-established family-run company, which celebrates its 50^th anniversary in 2013.

Simon Veale, Joint Managing Director of Marketing Matters, said: “Our in-house team has worked closely with Waterside to develop an exciting and engaging suite of literature that truly represents the quality and ethos of the Waterside brand.”

Marketing Matters also continues to develop and manage the Group’s social media presence and handles its PR activity, serving to promote the parks to potential customers through online channels and via the media. Work includes arranging press visits, placing editorial features, and acting as an outsourced Press Office.

For more information about Waterside Holiday Group please call 01305 833103 or visit:

www.watersideholidays.co.uk, www.chesilvistaholidays.co.uk and www.osmingtonholidays.co.uk.

Marketing Matters Get Baking to Make Some Dough for Charity

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:55:48 +0100

Marketing Matters, the Poole-based integrated marketing agency, is taking part in the Great Dorset Bake Sale between 7 and 13 May to raise money for Diverse Abilities Plus – the only Dorset disability charity that supports children and adults and their families throughout their life.

The charity hopes that the initiative, which was launched in March, will lead to more than 100 bake sales and coffee mornings being held across Dorset, and will raise thousands of pounds to help fund its essential work supporting those with profound physical and learning disabilities.

Simon Veale, Joint Managing Director at Marketing Matters, said: “The Great Dorset Bake Sale is the perfect opportunity for us to raise money for a local charity that does great work across the county. We have several master bakers in the team who are planning to whip up some tasty cakes and sweet treats which the rest of us are already looking forward to eating, all in the name of a great cause!

The team at Marketing Matters will be trying to raise as much money as possible by visiting local business with their home made cakes. If you would like Marketing Matters to visit your business please contact jenny@marketing-matters.co.uk

Diverse Abilities Plus is continuing to appeal for businesses, schools, clubs, families and individuals to sign up. To take part and receive a fundraising pack with useful hints and tips for the perfect bake sale, please visit the charity’s website - www.diverseabilitiesplus.org, email sadie.smith@diverseabilitiesplus.org.uk or call 01202 718266.

Tinnitus Awareness Week success

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:16:18 +0000

The PR team at Marketing Matters has just finished another busy and very successful national PR campaign for our client the British Tinnitus Association (BTA). We have worked with the charity for five years now, and each year its annual Tinnitus Awareness Week provides an opportunity to put the spotlight on tinnitus with the aim of raising vital awareness.

Tinnitus Awareness Week was held earlier this month. Our PR and social media campaign has been focused on raising awareness among GPs and primary care providers, as well as among the general public, and we have been busy over the past few months securing mentions in the media which have done exactly that.

We developed press packs for the media and conducted proactive media relations activity with the aim of sourcing opportunities for editorial exposure. Our awareness campaign generated hundreds of press articles across national, regional and local media.

We placed a tinnitus case study who was interviewed on ITV’s Daybreak programme on the first morning of Tinnitus Awareness Week – a great kick-start to the campaign. We were also kept busy placing BTA representatives and tinnitus case studies on various radio stations including BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Devon, BBC Radio Somerset, BBC Radio Oxford and BBC Radio Berkshire.

Our work also involved working with the charity’s ambassador, DJ and radio presenter Eddy Temple Morris, who helped to ensure that the campaign reached thousands of people in the music and DJing community. He helped to secure the support of a number of high-profile DJs and musicians who experience tinnitus – including Danny MacNamara from Embrace, Rocky from X-Press 2 and Mike from Heavyfeet – and they submitted video diaries about their tinnitus experiences in order to help others and to provide advice. These were available to view on the BTA website and via Facebook and Twitter, which we help to manage, and were downloaded 1,800 times during the week.

Many other aspects of the campaign contributed to its overall success including events, talks and support from regional tinnitus groups. As a result of the success of the campaign, the BTA team experienced a 20% increase in the number of calls to its free phone helpline and 2,000 more daily visits than usual to its website (www.tinnitus.org.uk) throughout the week. The BTA were therefore able to help a record number of people with tinnitus information and advice during Tinnitus Awareness Week.

Not an illness or disease, tinnitus is a term that describes the sensation of hearing a noise in the absence of an external sound. The noise can have virtually any quality. Ringing, whistling, and buzzing are common, but more complex sounds may also be reported. Troublesome tinnitus can be very distressing for the affected individual, and issues may arise with sleep, concentration and mood. However, in many cases, subtle changes in people’s environment can address these issues, and improve quality of life.

For more information about tinnitus contact the British Tinnitus Association on 0800 018 0527 or visit www.tinnitus.org.uk.

Facebook Advertising - have you tried it yet?

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:12:54 +0000

Now I realise that I have written before on the subject of Facebook Advertising, but am doing so again because many of our clients are really reaping the benefits.

Facebook Advertising is proving to be extremely powerful as a means of generating increased engagement with customers, whether the product being promoted is a holiday, a social event or even a funeral service!

There are many great things about Facebook advertising but the small business owner, with a company presence on Facebook, will find most appeal in the fact that it is based on a pay-per-click model. Because of this you are completely in control at all times of the budget, and can set either a ‘daily’ or ‘lifetime’ budget depending on your needs. You can even get started on a spend as little as £1.00 per day (although we’d recommend more)!

It is also possible to ensure your advert is shown to a highly targeted audience – whether that is a local community or a national or international audience.

The advanced demographics also allow you to identify personal interests such as ‘health and wellbeing’, ‘pets’ and ‘pop culture’ or even family status such as ‘parents of children aged 0-3 yrs’, ‘married’, ‘newly wed’ or ‘away from family’. All of these options can help you to pinpoint the exact people that you are trying to reach, giving great potential value for your advertising spend.

The best way to approach Facebook Advertising is to try different advert creative and copy in order to identify the most effective combinations for your business.

If you would like advice on how to use Facebook Advertising to generate engagement and drive sales for your business, get in touch! We can provide an ad hoc consultancy service or manage the entire process for you.

Marketing Matters to Run, Cycle and Row 2012km for Charity

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:46:10 +0100

Poole-based integrated marketing agency, Marketing Matters, has kicked off a 2012km running, cycling and rowing challenge to help raise money for Dorset charity Diverse Abilities Plus, which provides a range of education and support services for children and adults with varying disabilities across county.

Two teams of five from the agency are each running, cycling and rowing 201.2km to complete the total distance of 2012km. Both teams, Dorset Devils and Andy’s Angels, have three months to complete the Olympic-inspired challenge, which was devised by the Gold Challenge - a national fundraising initiative to raise money for charity.

The teams kicked off the challenge at LA Fitness at Tower Park by completing 2km of each sport. Now the members of the team have to keep on running, cycling and rowing and each complete 201.2km to raise as much money as possible through sponsorship.

Andy Legg, Joint Managing Director at Marketing Matters, said: “This is an exciting team challenge for us and I hope we can raise as much money as possible for Diverse Abilities Plus. It was good fun kicking it off altogether and I’d like to say a thank you to Jules Hunter, at LA Fitness, who provided us with free passes so we could all do the sports together in the gym.”

To sponsor the teams please visit Andy’s Angels fundraising page at www.justgiving.com/MMAndysAngels and Dorset Devils at www.justgiving.com/MMDorsetDevils. You can also follow the team’s activities on Facebook – visit www.facebook.com/IntegratedMM

Harnessing the power of social media

Zoe Hiljemark — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:19:04 +0100

Social media have become intrinsic to our social and business lives. The figures speak for themselves; 700 million people are now on Facebook, almost half a million new Twitter user accounts are opened every day (source:Precise) and 1200 tweets are posted every second (source: Freshnetworks.com), and 48 hours worth of film is uploaded to You Tube every minute!

The Chartered Institute of Public Relations defines social media as involving “the building of communities or networks and encouraging participation and engagement”.

So are you maximizing the opportunities that social media presents by building networks and increasing engagement with your customers?

Here are ten tips on how to make the most of social media:

Listen more, talk less - develop a comprehensive understanding of your target customer, understand how and why they use the social media space and use that to inform your social media activity
Create a presence on the most popular channels for reaching your customers and target customers - Facebook is a great place to start if you are a business to consumer company, focus on LinkedIn if you are business to business
Ensure your page looks professional, is branded consistently with all your other marketing channels, and promotes your company in the best possible light
Be clear about your objective for using social media and tailor your page and content accordingly
Proactively seek out connections with people and companies relevant to your business
Coherent messaging is vitally important – define your business clearly and concisely, and include simple call to actions to encourage further engagement with your brand
Create a ‘pull’ effect – drive people to your page, become an information station, share content that genuinely adds value to people’s lives
Don’t spam! Your fans/followers will be put off by pushy sales messages – keep content conversational, personal and authentic at all times
Encourage feedback and always respond to negative comments – use it as an opportunity to improve your business
Keep your page up to date, update it often and monitor it regularly

Social media is a great tool for developing your business. Good luck and keep me informed with your progress!

Fab Four Complete Bournemouth Hospice 10k Race

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 10:49:15 +0100

A team of four from Marketing Matters, the Poole-based integrated marketing agency, took part in the Hospice 10k in Bournemouth yesterday (Sunday 9 October) in aid of three Dorset Hospices - Julia’s House, Lewis-Manning Hospice and Friends of Forest Holme.

Tina Davis, Jenny Pearce, Andy Legg and Mark Bradley, took part in the race and have been training together for the past few weeks in preparation.

Jenny Pearce, Senior PR Account Executive at Marketing Matters, said: “The 10k was a pretty tough challenge for us but it was worth it. We all really enjoyed taking part while supporting three great Dorset hospices - Julia’s House, Lewis-Manning Hospice and Friends of Forest Holme – in the process.”

Marketing Matters Gets Local Celebrity On Board for Dorset Charity

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 15:27:33 +0100

Marketing Matters, the Poole-based integrated marketing agency, has gained the support of local celebrity and BBC South Today weather presenter Reham Khan for Dorset charity client, Diverse Abilities Plus. She recently became an ambassador for the charity following the agency proposing she get involved with the national Olympic initiative, the Gold Challenge.

Diverse Abilities Plus has been supporting children and adults with Cerebral Palsy and associated disabilities across the county for 55 years. The charity provides a range of assistance, support and education services for young people aged two to 19, adults and families.

Reham has committed her ongoing support to Diverse Abilities Plus and in her first role as an ambassador, and as part of the Gold Challenge initiative, Reham and her BBC South Today colleagues, Alexa Green, Tom Hepworth, Roger Johnson and Tony Husband, took part in a wheelchair basketball game. She is also due to sign up to a number of other and will be raising money for the charity through this national initiative.

In additional to taking part in the Gold Challenge, she has contributed one of her favourite recipes to the charity’s new recipe book – Scrumptious Baking – launching on November 13, which will be sold to raise funds for the charity.

Reham, who features daily on BBC South Today’s weather bulletins, said: “Diverse Abilities Plus is a fantastic charity that supports many families, children and adults across Dorset, and I am delighted to be an ambassador. Taking part in the Gold Challenge or buying the recipe book is a great way to raise money for the charity and I urge others to get involved or buy the book. I am looking forward to getting involved in future events and activities, and showing my support for the great work the charity does.”

Marketing Matters Win Gold at PR Industry Awards

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 17:20:29 +0100

Poole-based integrated creative agency, Marketing Matters, was awarded a top industry ‘Oscar’ at last night’s Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) PRide Awards for the Wessex & Channel Islands region.

Marketing Matters received the top accolade, the Gold Award, in the ‘Not-for-Profit’ category for its creative PR campaign developed for its client the British Tinnitus Association (BTA). The PR campaign focused on maximizing awareness of tinnitus in the build up to, and during, the charity’s annual Tinnitus Awareness Week, which took place in February this year.

Marketing Matters aimed to educate people about tinnitus and encourage those affected to seek professional help from the BTA. High profile press coverage was secured in a wide range of media and tinnitus specialists were interviewed on radio and national television. A social media campaign attracted more than 800 people in a few months, and calls to the charity’s free phone helpline increased by 350% during the week.

The PR team also secured a new ambassador for the charity – radio presenter and DJ Eddy Temple-Morris – and teamed up with him to organise a free music event in London, ‘ONE TUNE:ONE CAUSE’, to raise awareness of the dangers of exposure to loud music. The event, attracted a crowd of nearly 300 people and raised hundreds of pounds for the BTA, while a recording of the evening’s music was downloaded by more than 800 people after the event.

David Stockdale, CEO at the British Tinnitus Association said: “Marketing Matters operate as an integral part of the British Tinnitus Association, complementing and delivering core areas of our mission statement. The number of articles generated for Tinnitus Awareness Week 2010 was very impressive, given the limited budget. They have a dedicated and enthusiastic team, committed to maximising press exposure for the benefit of the BTA and tinnitus in general.”

Alex Skinner, Chair of CIPR Wessex, said: “The CIPR PRide Awards recognise and reward the thriving PR profession from across the UK. They help to celebrate the importance of demonstrating the value of what we, as public relations professionals, do and the positive impact this profession has on all aspects of business. Being named as a CIPR PRide Award winner is a fantastic achievement and I congratulate all of this year’s winners.”

The Pride Awards recognise excellence in PR and communications across the UK, and winners are chosen by a panel of industry experts. The awards cover twelve regions in the UK and have 24 categories. This year there were over 1,221 plus entries UK-wide. The Wessex and Channel Islands Pride Awards were held at the De Vere Grand Harbour Hotel in Southampton.

Marketing Matters’ PR & Digital Team Expand

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 17:18:00 +0100

Marketing Matters, the Poole-based integrated creative agency has further strengthened its team with two new recruits. Tim Burt, 37, joins the company as Senior Web Developer and Sam Maskell, 21, as PR Account Executive for a six-month work placement.

Tim, who lives in a home he designed and built in Okeford Fitzpaine, North Dorset, is technically minded and is always on the look out for challenges to solve. Before joining Marketing Matters he worked as a freelancer, travelling around the country, designing and developing computer-based control systems, before moving on to website development and online campaign creation at a company in Devon.

Now working closer to home, Tim’s role includes updating clients’ websites, building new sites and planning web development using new technology. He will be using his skills and experiences across a range of the agency’s clients, including Sunseeker International, charity Diverse Abilities Plus and property developer Royalton.

In his spare time, Tim likes to restore Land Rovers. He drives to work in a 38-year-old vehicle and is currently restoring a 1967 model. He also likes to compete in off-road racing and is currently in the process of building a new race truck for next year’s season.

Sam joins the agency after recently graduating from The University of Winchester, with a BA (Hons) degree in Journalism and Media Studies. Having previously completed short-term placements with other PR and marketing companies located in Hampshire, Sam is looking to expand his knowledge and experience of the industry by completing a longer-term placement, closer to home.

Born and raised in Dorset, Sam was keen to work at Marketing Matters as it is one of the larger agencies in Dorset and regularly offers work experience to young graduates looking to carve out a career in the PR, marketing and digital sectors. An avid Tottenham Hotspur supporter, Sam spends all of his time away from the office either playing or watching football, and is sure to join in a few insightful discussions on the sport with his new colleagues, especially rival Chelsea fan Jenny Pearce, who is a Senior PR Account Executive at the company!

Andy Legg, Joint Managing Director at Marketing Matters, said: “We have recently won several new clients over a diverse range of industry sectors including marine, property, charity, and retail, therefore Tim and Sam have joined the team at an exciting time.”

Marketing Matters is an integrated creative agency with specialist division for creative, digital and PR. Based in Poole, Dorset the agency has been established for over 20 years.

Marketing Matters Making Olympic Effort

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 17:15:08 +0100

Marketing Matters, the Poole-based marketing agency is kicking-off its involvement in the nationwide fund-raising initiative ‘Gold Challenge’ to coincide with International Fitness Week (taking place from Monday 14th – 20th March). The agency is using the Gold Challenge to raise money for the charity Diverse Abilities Plus, which provides a range of education and support services for Dorset-based children and adults with disabilities.

Capturing the competitive nature of the Olympic Games, the agency has divided itself into two teams - ‘Andy’s Angels’ and ‘Dorset Devils’ – and they will go head-to-head in the first sport that they are trying, canoeing. Marketing Matters hope to try all 30 of the Olympic and Paralympic sports before the Gold Challenge ends in December 2012, and to raise as much money as possible while doing so.

Diverse Abilities Plus is the only Dorset-based charity involved in the Gold Challenge, and officially launched the fundraising initiative to the local community at an event at AFC Bournemouth last week (9 March). The charity has a total of 100 adult team spaces available, and a number of local businesses have already signed up to take part. A further 100 places for young people aged under sixteen will be available from May 2011.

Andy Legg, Managing Director at Marketing Matters, said: “We are all really excited about taking part in the Gold Challenge, as it’s a really engaging way to raise money for a worthy cause. There’s plenty of competitive spirit in the office, and everyone’s looking forward to the challenge and to trying out new sports.”

The Gold Challenge is a social enterprise which is aiming to motivate 100,000 people to become involved in personal sporting challenges and raise millions for charity by 31st December 2012. It is organised in partnership with the British Olympic Association.

To support Marketing Matters please visit www.justgiving.com/MMDorsetDevils and www.justgiving.com/MMAndysAngels.

For more information visit www.diverseabilitiesplus.org.uk/news-events/gold-challenge/, or to sign up to Gold Challenge visit the website www.goldchallenge.org.

Companies Using Social Media Are Making More Money

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 17:11:02 +0100

Marketing Matters, the integrated marketing agency in Poole, gave a presentation at the first ‘Signature Breakfast’ event earlier this week, hosted by the Dorset Chamber of Commerce & Industry and sponsored by Ward Goodman Ltd, on the subject of ‘Companies using social media are making more money’.

The presentation by Simon Veale, Managing Director of Marketing Matters, and Zoe Hiljemark, PR Account Director, outlined examples of how social media channels – such as Facebook, Twitter, Linked In and You Tube – are increasingly being utilised by businesses around the world to boost revenue. It highlighted how social commerce - online sales generated within social media channels – can directly be linked to proactive social media activity.

Simon Veale said: “Undoubtedly social media presents an exciting opportunity for business. If used correctly it is a tool for building brand awareness, improving customer service and increasing customer engagement, as well as facilitating research and creating e-Commerce opportunities. Both business-to-business and business-to-consumer companies could be reaping the benefits of social media.”

Marketing Matters launched its new website (www.marketing-matters.co.uk) to coincide with the event, which was held at The Marriot Hotel in Bournemouth and was attended by more than 60 local business representatives.

Peter Scott, Chief Executive of Dorset Chamber of Commerce & Industry, said: “Marketing Matters is operating at the cutting edge of marketing communications, and their presentation clearly demonstrated that social media marketing can deliver a measurable and significant return on investment.”

Marketing Matters get their oar stuck into raising money for Diverse Abilities Plus

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 17:07:24 +0100

Two teams from Poole-based integrated marketing agency, Marketing Matters, kicked off their ‘Gold Challenge’ at Poole Rowing Club last week. The two teams - Dorset Devils and Andy’s Angels - will complete five consecutive weeks and a total of 5-10 hours of rowing training as part of the Olympic-inspired fundraising initiative, to raise money for local charity Diverse Abilities Plus.

This is the first of a number of challenges the two teams will complete as part of the Gold Challenge. Other Olympic sports that the team members are planning to take part in over the next 18 months are canoeing, trampolining, fencing, shooting, triathlon and synchronised swimming, with the objective of raising as much money as possible for their nominated local charity.

The Gold Challenge is a social enterprise which harnesses the inspiration of the 2012 Olympics and involves participants completing a number of Olympic and Paralympic sports by December 2012. Entry can be as part of a team or as an individual, with the aim of taking part in five, ten, twenty or thirty sports. The Gold Challenge is backed by a range of National sporting partners, including the British Olympic and Paralympic Associations and Sport England.

As the only Dorset-based charity taking part, Diverse Abilities Plus hopes to raise in excess of £100,000 with the help of individuals and teams, such as those of Marketing Matters, from the local community. Funds raised via the Gold Challenge will help to ensure the continuation of the charity’s important work - providing a range of education and support services for children and adults with varying disabilities across Dorset.

Andy Legg, Joint Managing Director at Marketing Matters, said: “We had a great time during our first rowing session. It was harder than we thought but that is what the Gold Challenge is all about – trying new things and taking on a sporting challenge. We are looking forward to continuing our training and to taking part in our future challenges to raise money for Diverse Abilities Plus. We would be grateful for any sponsorship support from local companies and individuals.”

To sponsor either teams please visit www.justgiving.com/mmandysangels and www.justgiving.com/MMDorsetDevils

For more information on Diverse Abilities Plus visit www.diverseabilitiesplus.org.uk or call 01202 718266.

Marketing Matters Consults on Branding 'Decisions'

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 16:59:06 +0100

Marketing Matters, the Dorset-based integrated marketing agency, has partnered with Decision magazine, the leading business lifestyle publication for company directors and senior managers, to highlight the importance of brand management as a means of driving commercial success.

Simon Veale, branding expert and Joint Managing Director of Marketing Matters, recently consulted with 11 directors of luxury brands on their brand management practices during interviews by Decision magazine. The interviews are published in the current edition (June 2011) of the magazine.

The companies interviewed included Savoir Beds, Nyetimber Vineyard in Sussex, Grosvenor Shirts, the Lime Wood Group, Lodger Footwear and Ahmad Tea.

Simon Veale, Joint Managing Director of Marketing Matters, said: “As brand management experts we consult our clients on the strategic importance of ensuring a company’s brand is safeguarded at all times, and brought to life in everything that the company does.”

He continued: “Brand management has an essential part to play and is applicable to companies of all sizes. The article in Decision magazine makes for fascinating reading, and will give other businesses a great insight into the strategy behind building a successful luxury brand.”

Larry Dillner, Editor of Decision magazine, said: “Marketing Matters’ expertise in brand management was intrinsic to the article and we are delighted to have had them involved. The companies we interviewed are just some of the many successful luxury brands which are fine examples of how brand management, done well, can lead to business success.”

Decision magazine is distributed to subscribers of the publication as well as companies in the Central South of England.

You can view the published ‘Luxury Brands’ article on the Marketing Matters’ website at http://bit.ly/mpOzKK

New Arrival at Marketing Matters

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 16:55:50 +0100

Marketing Matters, the Poole-based integrated marketing agency, has expanded its team with the appointment of Mark Bradley as Head of Digital.

Digital and IT expert Mark, 43, also a qualified Football Association (FA) referee, brings with him 17 years of experience from the IT world. Prior to Marketing Matters, he has worked both client- and agency-side for national and regional clients including The Automobile Association (AA), Kerry Foods, The Westover Group, Dorset Fire Service and Adventure Wonderland.

Mark, who lives in Winton with his wife and two children, recently took part in a ’Top Gear Like Challenge’ with 13 friends which involved each team buying a car for £500 or less, and driving to Germany from Folkestone, around the famous Nurburgring and back again over a four day period! The group took part in the challenge for one of the participants 40th birthday.

Regarding his appointment, Mark said: ”I am really looking forward to working with the agency’s many highly regarded and influential organisations and brands, and with the experienced team at Marketing Matters. The digital arena is expanding at a rapid pace so there are lots of ways in which our digital team can help companies to develop their marketing efforts using the latest technologies.”

Andy Legg, Joint Managing Director at Marketing Matters, said: ” Mark is a key appointment for us, and as we continue to expand, having the right skills and experience within the team is crucial in order to maintain and develop the quality of our offer to current and prospective clients.”

Marketing Matters is an established integrated marketing agency with specialist divisions of creative, digital and PR.

Local Agency to Demonstrate ‘Marketing Matters’

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 16:52:03 +0100

Marketing Matters, the Poole-based integrated marketing agency, has been invited to speak at an event hosted by The Life Exchange Group, a local networking community support group for people in business. The agency will participate in the event on Wednesday 16th October at The Carlton Hotel, East Overcliff Drive, Bournemouth at 7.30pm, and will speak on the subject of social media and the potential of its use for small businesses.

Zoe Hiljemark, PR Account Director at Marketing Matters, will provide an introduction to the power of social media and will provide examples of companies who are using social media channels such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn for commercial benefit. Marketing Matters has been providing social media consultancy to local, national and international companies for several years. Tips and advice will be given to attendees so that they can confidently start using social media to promote their own businesses.

Marketing Matters provides social media consultancy services to a range of clients including those in the healthcare, marine, and tourism sectors. Current clients include the Dorset-based companies Waterside Holiday Group and Sunseeker International.

The Life Exchange Group offers the opportunity to network, make connections, find joint venture partners, meet new suppliers, and be supported by a group of forward thinking business owners. The group is formed of representatives of small or medium sized businesses, entrepreneurs, therapists, practitioners, consultants, trainers and coaches.

Monthly meetings are held at The Carlton Hotel in Bournemouth and events cost £6 to attend. The event is expected to be attended by local business people from the commercial sector as well as alternative and complimentary therapists, who are all looking to achieve improvement of their businesses and personal development.

For more information contact Sarah Skinner at The Life Exchange Group on 07763 101481 or email thelifeexchangegroup@hotmail.co.uk

Marketing Matters Support National Tinnitus Charity Initiative

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 16:47:00 +0100

Marketing Matters, the Poole-based integrated marketing agency, is supporting its long-standing client the British Tinnitus Association (BTA), in its efforts to encourage more people across the UK to support existing tinnitus self help groups or to establish new ones. The BTA is the only UK charity solely dedicated to supporting those with tinnitus, a condition which is experienced by 10% of the population.

The agency has provided pro-bono creative support to the charity, having designed and sponsored a new publication, ‘Together’, which will be provided free of charge to tinnitus patients interested in setting up a new support group in their local area.

The PR team at Marketing Matters has also contributed an article for the magazine, and will be speaking at an event to be hosted by the BTA at the Deaf Cultural Centre in Birmingham on Saturday 15th October. Zoe Hiljemark, PR Account Director at Marketing Matters, will discuss how people intent on establishing new tinnitus support groups could utilise the media to promote the group and attract new members.

Although Bournemouth has a long-standing tinnitus support group which meets every fourth Wednesday at the East Cliff United Reformed Church on Holdenhurst Road, (www.bournemouthtinnitus.co.uk), the British Tinnitus Association has identified that currently across the UK there are just 32 tinnitus support groups, whereas previously there have been over 120.

The dwindling number of groups in recent years has been the result of a number of factors, yet the BTA is hoping to see this trend reversed and is stepping up its active support of the groups as part of its new ‘Talking Tinnitus’ campaign.

The charity’s Talking Tinnitus campaign aims to get people talking about their tinnitus experiences. Tinnitus support groups are considered an ideal place to talk to others and to share experiences, advice and coping strategies.

Attending a support group, in conjunction with seeking advice from organisations such as the BTA, GPs and specialist tinnitus clinics, is considered a useful way of managing the condition.

David Stockdale, CEO of the BTA, said: “The support of Marketing Matters has ensured that we have been able to create a brand new professional publication which will be a valuable resource for many people who experience tinnitus throughout the UK.”