Category Archives: Marketing trends

creative cloud Winning business strategies for tough times

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Michel Cruz - Manifesto

Business Strategies article in Essential magazinePublished in the April 2012 edition of Essential magazine

Written by Michel Cruz

Times are tough. We’ve seen a macroeconomic downturn, Wall Street crash, financial crisis and public debt disaster play out before our eyes as one domino pushed the other in rapid succession. Much of the focus is on the Euro zone, but it is a malaise shared by most developed countries, the US and Japan included, which has now also stunted growth in the developing world.

The latter will soon return to growth, but for us the problem is that there isn’t much scope for growth left in the developed world. Sure, we can try and latch on to the momentum of the emerging countries and sell them capital goods and high-tech services, but before long they will be selling those back at us, as they have done with their cheap consumer products. The main hope, therefore, lies in innovation both technological and commercial. Continue reading →

Posted in Business trends, Economics, Marketing trends, Online marketing | Leave a comment

creative cloud Future trends in luxury brand marketing

Posted on August 16, 2011 by Michel Cruz - Manifesto

Editorial luxury brand magazineThese trends, and particularly as they relate to publications, form a topic that is close to the hearts of editors, publishers, advertisers and readers alike, so we ask ourselves the question: what is the future of the printed magazine? Have people fallen out of love with magazines, and what, if any, role do they have to play in the face of increased digital competition?

The first answer is simple – people haven’t fallen out of love with magazines. In spite of the fact that there has been a veritable explosion of magazines around the world we still love those that have the ability to inspire and transport us. Beautiful presentation, good content and specialised topics are central to this.

So if the magazine is being returned to the reader as an object of pleasure and recreation, and much of the advertising focus is going digital, where does this leave the magazine as a promotional platform? Increasingly specialised, I would say. As the medium regains its integrity as a product and is no longer simply a conduit for mass marketing, the magazine is becoming a highly effective tool for the marketing of specialised brands.

This is where branded magazines come into it. Let’s look at where new trends are taking us and how specialised magazines can provide highly effective promotional platforms for luxury brands in particular. Continue reading →

Posted in Design, Graphic design, Marketing trends | Leave a comment