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Audience vs Community: What’s the Difference?

Audience vs Community: Why It’s Time to Share the Consumer Love this Valentine’s Day

Flowers? Meh. Chocolates? Building a community with your audience? Now we’re talking. As Valentine’s Day approaches, we’re reflecting on how brands can share the love with their audiences by making them feel like the only customer in the world. Spoiler alert: it turns out offering a 10% discount code on all novelty mugs labelled with ‘his’ and ‘hers’ in a generic swirly font just isn’t going to cut it. *Shudders*

When it comes to fostering that loving community with your audience, you need to do more than just repost the odd Insta story with a cutesy gif. It’s 2023. People want to feel truly valued by the brands they invest in. They want to feel like they’re included in the development journey and nurtured in the way they interact with your team – as well as with the rest of the community.

In this blog, we’ll be covering:

What is an audience?
What is a community?
What’s the difference between an audience and a community?
The benefits of having a brand community
Examples of successful community-driven brands

The great news is that social media and digital marketing have enabled us to connect with users in entirely new ways. People can feel ‘part’ of your brand simply by visiting your page and tapping that neatly enveloped direct message button – whether it’s to send a love letter of praise, or to ask why they’ve been ghosted by your customer service on Twitter. But there’s a catch. The more brands unlocking these benefits, the harder it is to cut through the noise and make your brand known as ‘the one’.

That’s why adopting a streamlined strategy that speaks volumes is key for optimum social media success. The first step? Understanding the difference between having a basic audience of followers and the value of building a community within which they can better engage with you.

Read ahead as we break it all down for you, along with some examples of brands that have marketing strategies that put even Cupid to shame…

(Alexa, play: Marvin Gaye, Let’s Get It On)

Audience vs Community – what does this mean?

It’s easy to assume that if you have a following of users on social platforms, you’re instantly the heart throb of all the people who consume your content. Are you having authentic conversations with them every day? How quick are you to respond to their messages? Do you feel they’d be willing to forgive and forget any mistakes you make?

If the answer to these questions is no, you may want to have a rethink about ways you can bring the spark back into your customer relationship. That way, you can nurture a more meaningful community to connect with them.

To help you understand what makes an audience and a community, here’s a quick rundown of the definitions…

What is an audience?

In social media terms, an audience refers to a large number of users that follow a brand’s page. While they may be faintly interested in the content, it’s unlikely that they will feel obliged to engage with it – whether through hitting that heart button or sliding into the DM’s. This goes beyond the screen, too. An audience of people aren’t going to be talking about the brand with their friends, or exchanging thoughts on what’s been shared, simply because they’re not passionate or excited enough about it. It’s passive – albeit pleasant – consumption.

What is a community?

A community is a space where the romance between your audiences can really develop. Think of it as a welcoming hub where like-minded users can connect over shared passions, hobbies, and life plans. It’s also where they can share experiences and things they have learned along the way. Despite not being together physically, they feel like they’re in the same room because of the level of relatability and trust. In many ways, a brand is there to act as the matchmaker – encouraging them to go from initial speed-dating introductions to virtual picnics in the park.

What’s the difference between an audience and a community?

Now you know the basics of what defines an audience and a community, you’re probably wondering what the difference is between them. Gaining a clear understanding of what sets them apart is key for creating a seamless strategy to help you and your audience become ‘one’.

Here’s a few of the main differences between an audience and a community:

Unlike audiences, money can’t buy communities – Sure, you can buy 1,000 followers who match your target audience. But communities need to be nurtured and built up over time. You gotta work for them to earn their full support and respect.

You talk to audiences, but in communities people talk to you – A good way to tell if you have an audience or a community is to see what the responses look like on your content. Are you simply putting posts out there with little engagement, or are people actively leaving comments, likes, and shares to express their thoughts?

Audience is a one-to-many relationship, communities are many-to-many – You may have one person talking to a large audience on social media, making it tricky to maintain a relationship. But in a community, there tends to be a whole team of people on hand to connect with everyone within the group.

People in an audience are passive, communities are fully engaged with your content – Whilst the odd ‘like’ might feel good for the social ego, it’s not going to do a whole lot in boosting your brand sentiment. People in communities feel supported by the brand they follow and see it as a safe space to interact with their content. In return, they’re supporting you.

When it comes to mistakes, audiences tend to be far less forgiving than communities – Every brand is going to experience the odd tech glitch that stops a discount code from working or post a topical meme with a typo that kills the joke. Happens to the best of us. People in audiences can be brutal in this situation, whereas communities tend to be more forgiving.

Audiences are impersonal, whereas communities feel more individual – People in an audience are more passive with a brand’s content, like an email newsletter they signed up for two years ago and still haven’t unsubscribed for, despite never opening it. Communities, however, feel they are treated more as an individual than just another social account.

Take another hazelnut truffle out of that Valentine’s selection box you bought for yourself and take a note of this handy comparison table.

What are the benefits of having a brand community?

Develop products and services your audience actually want – When you have a strong community brand strategy, you can ask people what they’d like to see in any upcoming launches. Not only will this make customers feel included in your journey, but it will also mean you’re creating the best possible product to rival your competitors.

Boost brand awareness and SEO value – The more consumers know about your brand and what you have to offer, the more people will search for you on Google. Plus, as people start to talk about you more via reviews or forums, your SEO score will indirectly increase. Effortless.

Nurture a deeper connection with your audience – Never underestimate the power of having a more emotional relationship with your customers. Talking to audiences as individuals as opposed to another social media icon will enable you to build their trust and support – both of which are highly valuable for enabling business growth.

Better customer service, better brand sentiment – Having a community driven strategy means you can reply to customer queries quickly, resolving any issues or preventing a crisis before it arises. Whilst complaints are unavoidable, managing them professionally and genuinely is a sure-fire way to increase your brand sentiment.

Build and uphold a loyal customer base – As people in your community become invested in your brand, they’ll start to see you as the ‘go to’. The fact they can reach out to other people for reviews and advice makes their purchasing journey easier, as does the comfort of knowing what product or service they can expect.

Enjoy the benefits of ‘word of mouth’ recommendations – Friend recommendations don’t come easy nowadays. With so much choice and access to countless reviews online, consumers are more selective about their purchases than ever before. Word of mouth, however? That’s a form of marketing you can’t put a price on. If you provide high-quality products and services – and have a strong community to prove it – people are more likely to recommend your brand to a friend.

Examples of successful community-driven brands

Glossier

Beauty brand Glossier has become a ‘cult company’ over the last few years, and all for good reason. Its community grows by the day. From co-creating new products with their customers and using fans as ‘Glossier Reps’, to utilising the power of social along with the hashtag #GlossierGirl to encourage authentic UGC, Glossier has taken the world by storm… and its community is joining in on the journey. With a brand mission to ‘make the consumer feel seen’, this brand does more than just reshare consumer posts. They use them on their global ad campaigns for optimum exposure. Now that’s how it’s done (the fact that it saves on video production costs is a bonus).

Air BnB

Described as a brand that’s ‘built around belonging’, Air BnB has a community that enables hosts from all over the world to connect with each other. This helps them to feel truly part of the apartment rental service’s mission to provide unforgettable experiences for its travel-hungry customers, reinforcing its message that anyone can belong. This sense of togetherness runs through to the Air BnB social channels. What appears to be a constant stream of UGC is in fact incentive for millions of potential new customers keen to book their next trip. Pack your bags.

Starbucks

With over tens of thousands of global stores across the globe, Starbucks is a ‘cup half full’ brand keen to support its ever-growing community. By buying a morning latte stamped with the iconic logo from its baristas (also known as ‘partners’), you’re instantly united with the rest of its customers. By working closely with its suppliers and farmers, everything Starbucks does is about making people feel like they’re part of something so much bigger than a vente mocha. Plus, with loyalty programs and social initiatives available for members-only, those coffee connoisseurs sure know how to add extra shots to their marketing strategy.

Are you ready to fall in love with your marketing strategy?

Now you know everything there is to know about a brand community and why its worth investing in, you might be wondering how to make the first move with your customers. Thankfully, here at Lucre, we’re a team of passionate match makers. Get in touch with loveus@lucre.co.uk to amp up the chemistry and take your brand to new levels.

How to Rule the Seven Kingdoms of the PR World by Tom Lord

Winter’s not only coming, it’s here! Game of Thrones is back on our screens for its eighth and final series and it’s fair to say that its many fans are hyped.

Where there’s hype there are also lots of great PR opportunities. In fact, some of our favourite campaigns to come through so far include a global quest to find the hidden thrones, GoT shaped biscuit bites a blood donation drive and even a dragon skin sofa. But, before we find out once and for all who’ll reside on the Iron Throne and rule the Seven Kingdoms, here are seven lessons that we believe PR and creative agencies can take from the series so far.

Research the company you keep

Nothing highlights the consequences of misjudging the company you keep like the ‘Red Wedding’! Now, we’re fairly confident that incorrect audience insight won’t result in bloodshed (certainly not to this scale). However, it can end up with uncomfortable conversations, poor performing campaigns or lacklustre engagement (which to us is surely as bad?). Whether it’s crunching your social feed figures or simply spending time listening to your consumer, getting to know your audiences and their interests is key to surviving the comms game. It’s why insight forms the foundation of any campaign we create.

Collaborate

Despite their initial savagery towards one another, the men of the Night’s Watch and the Wildlings knew that they had to join forces in order to have a chance of defeating the White Walkers. Collaborations can create beautiful content and opportunities. A great example of this is the ‘All in. Leeds’ movement, which saw an army of creative agencies join forces in a bid to welcome Channel 4 to the city of Leeds.

Knowledge is power

Samwell Tarly might not be the greatest warrior, but he’s shown us that knowledge truly is power by unearthing the secret to potentially defeating the White Walkers – dragon glass! Knowledge is key to supporting any PR or content campaign and the use of a credible source or a strong research piece will always add weight to your work.

Be brave

It’s fair to say that GoT has never played it safe. From the incest scenes it featured in the very first episode to each brutally graphic death scene along the way, the show continues to push boundaries and get people talking. You’re never going to set the world alight like Daenerys’ dragons without pushing boundaries and taking calculated risks from time to time– be brave!

Be true to yourself

Whether you love her or hate her, nobody can question Cersei Lannister’s strength or ability to stay true to herself! After losing her children – and having been dragged through the streets of King’s Landing in her birthday suit – she remained as feisty and fearless as ever. Her motives and approach have always been clear and, although she’s not your textbook heroine, she’s a character you’ll always remember and has built a loyal following because of this. In the world of communications, it can be easy to lose your voice. When trying to please everyone, you’re in danger of talking directly to no-one. Have a voice, stand for something, stay true to your values, passion or mission and your fans will find you – whoever you are!

Up your game!

The PR world is an ever-changing landscape and it’s essential to keep ahead of the game wherever you can – perfecting your strategy, approach and tactics with every step. Just like in Oberyn Martell’s showdown with The Mountain, the consequences of taking your eye off the ball can be devastating. Thanks to our I&I team, we’re constantly updated with the latest tools, topics and techniques to go to battle for our brands and it’s an approach we can thoroughly recommend.

Famous faces aren’t always the answer

Using a celeb to head up a campaign can have amazing results if the fit is right – but it isn’t a sure-fire way of guaranteeing success. Remember when Ed Sheeran popped up as Lannister soldier in series seven? Let’s just leave that one there.

Can you decipher these World Book Day brainteasers? by Jack Moore

Nowadays it seems there’s a day for everything, from National Meatball Day to World Wildlife Day, there’s something for everyone.

Whilst some might seem less serious than others, awareness days are a fantastic way to shine a light on a certain topic and encourage people to engage with your brand or sector.

One we’re particularly fond of here at Lucre is World Book Day. We’re an agency of avid readers, so we couldn’t let this awareness day slip by without marking the occasion. So, we tasked our RICH content team to create some book-based brainteasers to challenge even the biggest bibliophile. Have a go and see how many you can decrypt…

How did you get on? If you’re stuck or just want clarification of your impressive literary knowledge, you’ll find the answers below.

Fun brainteasers like these are a fantastic asset for a brand to have and are easily transferable across social, digital and traditional media in paid, earned, shared and owned channels. Check out this tough teaser our RICH team created for Holiday Extras, which earned coverage on the MailOnline and Metro, as well as engaging thousands across social media.

Answers:

Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
Eat, Pray, Love
Heartburn
Boy Under Water

If you came from our social channels…

1984
The Bees

Love it or hate it? Love Island is the unlikely phenomenal success, by Naomi Stafford

There are currently only two topics of conversation being widely commented upon and discussed. The first one being the World Cup – even a few days after – and the other, a TV programme focusing on a group of singletons getting cosy in a Spanish villa. Yes, I’m talking about Love Island!

Like Marmite, you either love it or hate it but if ITV2’s ratings are anything to go by – averaging two million viewers per episode – it seems most of the nation fall into the former category. So, just what is the secret of Love Island’s success and how has it become such a massive hit?

We’re all old romantics at heart

There may be a lot of dating and relationship shows already on TV, but it would seem we can’t get enough of them. Dinner Date, Take Me Out and, more recently, the return of Blind Date, we all live in the hope that everyone has their very own Prince Charming out there somewhere. Nothing fills our hearts and makes everything seem a little brighter, than seeing two people fall in love and live happily ever after.

Love Island is a cross between a dating programme and Big Brother. We all know how popular Big Brother was back in the day, so it’s no surprise that the format for Love Island works and connects with a lot of people.

Who doesn’t love a bit of eye candy on an evening

Being conservative won’t get you far in reality TV, so Love Island has had to adapt a format that is different and draws in the viewers. A big part of its winning formula are the contestants. The more controversial and louder the characters the more drama will happen, which makes for great TV.

There’s no doubt that the contestants are chosen for a reason. They’re all young, attractive and confident enough to strut around in swimwear. This makes the show even more engaging to watch and is spot on when it comes to the programme’s target demographic – millennials.

Anything can happen as there are live elements

There are cameras everywhere to capture the Islander’s antics – 73 in total! While it is not live with each episode usually shot one to two days in advance, most of what is broadcast is true and has happened, making it even more appealing. Yes, even the Hayley, trees and Brexit comment was all down to her! We never quite know what is going to happen and all the ‘grafting’, ‘mugging off’ and ‘cracking on’ can be captured for our pleasure.

Everyone wants a bit of the action…

And we don’t mean immediate sign-ups for the next series. From a dedicated app where you can couple up with a washboard-ab beauty in virtual reality to an online shop – personalised water bottle or phone case anyone? – collaborations with stores like Superdrug which has boosted their profits and the inevitable post-show charcoal toothpaste, NutriBuddy, InTheStyle, Boohoo and PrettyLittleThing #ad(s), they’re all making money, too.

You’ve got to hand it to it Love Island; it’s topping the charts when it comes to reality TV. It’s been rumoured, due to the success of the programme, it will continue to run for another five years, so we can look forward to more singletons finding ‘the one’ until 2024. Now there’s a scary thought for you!

Who is really winning the World Cup? by Louis Walters

In case you haven’t heard, it’s coming home. World Cup fever has swept the nation, with retro England shirts aplenty, New Order blasting from back gardens and Liam Gallagher appearing on every festival bill in the country making it feel all very circa 1990s.

Just like a scorned lover, I’m trying to forget about the past, think positive thoughts and head down the pub at any given opportunity. But I’m not getting carried away (much), so here’s an alternative list of those who have already won the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’.

Robbie Williams

Now, I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t expecting the first performance by an Englishman at the World Cup to be in the shape of a forty-year-old ex-boyband member from Stoke, but I can dare to dream. Eyebrows were raised and heads scratched when the Russians chose Robbie to open their ceremony, with the whole world watching. Turns out, Robbie is massive over there, adored by many Russian powerhouses and has performed at private events and weddings for years. He’s even acquainted with Chelsea’s billionaire owner, Roman Abramovich (let the thought of that conversation sink in). In fairness to Robbie, he pulled his finger out (literally) and put on a pretty good show, odd as it was.

‘World Cup’ brands

Advertising and sponsorship is one of the key financial benefits from the World Cup. With a thirty second Superbowl ad costing upwards of $5 million, viewing figures for the tournament are expected to be around thirty times that. So, expect the big bucks to be pouring in from the likes of Coke, Adidas and McDonalds. For weeks we’ve been bombarded with Lidl adverts featuring the England team and Lionel Messi drinking a Pepsi Max in a packed square, all whilst ignoring the irony of ‘McDelivery’ promos on the pitch side advertising boards. As a result, FIFA have imposed a ban on marketing with things such as “World Cup”, “FIFA World Cup” and “Russia 2018” without official licensing. Ah well, it won’t deter me from ordering in a Quarter Pounder once the semis of the 2018 Global Chalice come around.

Russia’s image

The biggest concern leading up to the tournament was Russia itself. After being banned from the Winter Olympics for doping allegations and hooliganism during Euro 2016, the country was in need of some good PR. So far though, it’s been a success. No reports of violence, the cities and stadiums all look great and people have even been taught in local colleges how to interact with tourists. What better way to forget about the recent political hostilities than a thirty-yard half volley? At least that’s the end of it for potentially corrupt World Cup bidding, roll on Qatar 2022…

Drinking spots

The drinks trade will be thriving even more this summer, with pubs and bars pulling out all the stops to attract the punters. From the Norfolk landlord who erected a £5,000 stand in his pub garden to the multitude of trendy ticketed pop ups across London, venues can all expect a portion of the £488 million influx. What’s interesting though is what we are drinking, with Greene King claiming sales increase by as much as 100% for drinks such as Craft Beer and Gin . This, as well as the extra 500,000 pints sold during England’s win over Panama, just goes to prove that Harry Kane isn’t just leading us to World Cup glory, but out of austerity as well.

Waistcoats

Not only has Gareth Southgate got us all excited about his young, fearless England team, he’s also become a fashion icon in the process. The former defender and famed penalty-misser is no longer just working on his teams’ transitional play, but also on his wardrobe. Marks & Spencer, the retailer that designs England’s suits, has seen a 35% rise in its sales of waistcoats and is attributing it to the England boss’ dugout attire. This subtle touch of class, when paired with the tremendous risk of sporting a navy shirt in twenty-five-degree heat, has captured the nation. If the England squad is to go out, rest assured it will be in style.

#KeepTheSecret – Is it worth it? by Philippa Barker

A five-month waiting list with a price tag of £200…is the much talked about Harry Potter and The Cursed Child play worth it?

Well yes, frankly it is.

It was hard to completely miss the launch of the hotly anticipated play back in 2016 and whilst I can’t say I am a die-hard HP fan who would sit up all night refreshing the page, I finally got my hands on two tickets for both plays this year.

Having not read the hard copy, I went in blind and due to the trending #KeepTheSecret, completely unaware with what was about to be the most flabbergasting five hours of my life.

From entering the themed Palace Theatre to the eerie soundtrack to some of the best production I’ve ever seen on the UK stage, the play certainly didn’t disappoint – even though the need to purchase tickets for two plays seemed like a clever marketing ploy.

Top reasons why it is worth it:

Just for the magic alone…it’s stuff you can’t fathom
Whilst tickets to two plays seemed excessive it does build your excitement and anticipation
After it, it’s like you’re in a club that no-one else is in
The plot…won’t divulge, as I agreed to #KeepTheSecret
The characters. There is everything we loved from the books and more

Royal Exclusive: Harry and Meghan’s Hag do fun, by Ryan Lewis

Where did Harry and Meghan first meet? (It was a blind date)

Will Harry and Meghan kiss on the balcony? (No, it’s not taking place at Buckingham Palace)

Are Meghan and Harry related? (Definitely not!)

Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the last 12 months, it’s been impossible to avoid the buzz generated by this weekend’s Royal Wedding. The global media have been in a frenzy and Google is lit up with questions about the couple and what will or won’t happen on Saturday.

Everybody has a point of view and a question about the marriage between the nation’s favourite Royal, Prince Harry and the US actor, Meghan Markle. In recent days, attention has particularly turned to Meghan’s Dad and whether he will be able to attend the wedding especially now there’s a genuine cause for concern for his health.

However, many of the questions being searched for are in their nature far less important, at times a bit ridiculous and sometimes plain foolish. They range from the glaringly obvious like: “Will the wedding be televised?” via the optimistic: “Will we get a bank holiday for Harry and Meghan’s wedding?” to the downright deep and unanswerable: “Are Harry and Meghan really in love and will they last?”

But thanks to our RICH content team here at Lucre there are some questions that we can help answer:

Did Harry have a stag do?

Did Meghan have a hen do?

Did Harry and Meghan have a hag do together?

Where did Harry and Meghan go to celebrate before their wedding?

Recently, our team were lucky enough to capture footage on behalf of our client Stonegate, of the Royal Couple out celebrating in naughties party venue Popworld. ‘Actual’ footage of the loved-up duo was recorded of them sharing WKD, popping corks and dancing the Macarena with Saturday night revellers. Harry proved himself the party Prince that we all knew he was and Meghan showed that she had the moves, too.

If you don’t believe us, then watch the footage for yourself:

https://www.facebook.com/PopworldParty/videos/2050376535284964/

If you would like to discuss your content needs or discuss how we can help you capture exclusive Royal Footage then email us at hello@lucre.co.uk

Lucre News: Lucre has its cake and eats it

Leading PR and content agency, The Lucre Group, has today announced its latest account; The Cake Crew.

The company is the UK’s largest independent manufacturer of private label cupcakes and is known for producing and supplying own-label cakes to major multiple retailers and discounters. The Lucre Group is supporting the business on the launch of its first branded cupcake range, Beautifully Crafted, which is a range of premium, hand-finished cupcakes.

Appointed on retainer to help build The Cake Crew brands across consumer media, trade and digital channels, Lucre’s work aligns directly to the business plan, targeting the core retail sectors of convenience, travel, food service, multiple and independents.

From sampling, video and social media management, through to influencer and media relations, the Lucre team will ensure that Beautifully Crafted is known and loved by cupcake fans across the UK.

Bill Smith-Coats, Business Development Director at The Cake Crew said: “Having worked with Lucre in the past, they were my go-to for this piece of work. I’ve always been impressed with their creativity, tenacity and knowledge for the food sector. We have big plans for The Cake Crew and Lucre is the perfect partner to help us deliver our consumer and trade plans effectively.”

Tamarind Wilson-Flint, Lucre co-owner and Director added: “Aside from the fact that their cakes look and taste gorgeous, this latest win is a great addition to our Lucre Food & Drink portfolio. From pies and vegan cheese to restaurants and bars, our experience in second-to-none and the fact that we have worked with Bill in the past is testimony to the quality of our work. We can’t wait to introduce the brand and help ensure it becomes a household name in the coming months.”

The rise of Insta-Gran By Jack Moore

Almost every one of us has been there…having a browse on Facebook, checking what our mates got up to at the weekend whilst we wait for the bus, when suddenly a friend request pops up. Upon opening the request, it dawns upon you that Great Aunt Dolly has got Facebook, and she wants to be your ‘friend’.

Putting aside the mental gymnastics we’ve all done to justify ignoring the friend request, one thing is clear – Facebook’s audience is getting older and is no longer limited to a younger market. According to Hootsuite, 56% of online users in the US aged 65+ are using Facebook, and a whopping 79% of 30-49 year olds are joining the ranks of the social savvy on that channel too.

Social media platforms have traditionally been seen as a space for young people to share their lives with friends, but now the parents and grandparents of this generation are getting in on the act. And now, in this technologically advanced age, YouTube channel subscribers can be easily bought. So, what does it mean for PR and social media activity?

Our insights suggest that women aged 40-65+ are 40% more likely to engage with posts on Facebook than the average user. They’re also 13% more likely to click on an ad or boosted post making them an active and lucrative audience for the right brands or content.

As this ever-growing audience begins to connect with friends and their favourite brands, it offers PR agencies the opportunity to engage them with exciting, creative and targeted content, sure to drive the conversation around brands and have them tagging friends and sharing in no time.

We’ll leave you with a few of our favourite social influencers that are showing the world that age is no barrier to being a social star!
Baddie Winkle

Baddie has a staggering three million Instagram followers and has worked with brands such as Misguided to help reach new audiences.

“Stealing yo man since 1928”… need we say anymore?

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRs80brDfsQ/?taken-by=baddiewinkle&hl=en%20

Iris Apfel

This New York style icon has over 500,000 followers on Instagram and lives by the motto “More is more & less is bore”. Preach.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRJOBjWFbjf/

Making the Most of Switch Search Fever by Rebecca Mann

With March’s release of the Nintendo Switch console drawing closer, the internet is buzzing with the promise of new gaming experiences for 2017. Whether it’s the return of our favourite plumber pal in Super Mario Odyssey or the console’s unique combination of portable/home gaming, there are plenty of reasons to celebrate its arrival. And, as the hype only builds prior to 3^rd March, we can look forward to being updated with conversations, reviews and analysis articles across the media for the foreseeable future.

Watching Google Trends over the past months, and seeing the visible leaps in search traffic every time a new announcement or trailer is shared, it’s not just gamers that will be excited about the Nintendo Switch. As we saw with Pokémon GO in 2016, innovations in gaming also provide the PR and content creation communities with lots of opportunities too!

From topical blog posts timed perfectly to support SEO plans to witty graphics that help reach new audiences on social feeds, there are numerous ways that brands can utilise trending topics to help their engagement/awareness strategies. It is important to note, however, that jumping on a band wagon is NOT a guaranteed recipe for success as can be seen in the below Pokémon GO example from 2016.

With launches that have such an avid following and die-hard fan base, expectations and competition for content is especially high. So, if you’re planning to make the most of Switch search fever this year, here are five questions you may want to ask yourself before you get posting:

-Is the topic relevant to my audience/is there a brand benefit to joining in the conversation

-Have I got anything to offer to/further the conversation on this topic?

-What are my objectives and when will I need to post my content to support them?

-Will my content make my audience feel anything/want to respond/engage?

-Have I done my research (including everything from the sensitivities involved to the correct hashtag I should use)?

What 2016 taught us in the world of video content…by Rose Dooley

A New Year, a new start. 2017 has arrived and we’re already marching through the month with the force of a January gale force wind.

But, as we focus on the new and exciting prospects that 2017 may hold, it’s important to look back and take inspiration from what we have learnt from the last year, especially in the world of video content.

Here are some thoughts from our video department, Rich Reels…

Learn to Evolve

Whilst we’re are always on the lookout for new and forward thinking ways of creating video content, that doesn’t always mean out with the old and in with the new. Search engine giant Google has taught us the art of evolution, especially when it comes to its trademark ideas. Through the power of Google Maps, every Christmas Eve for the past 12 years, a whole generation of families have been able to track Santa as he makes his way around the globe. With virtual reality becoming a reality for video content, Google has embraced new technology and trends so that trackers can watch and interact with Santa’s very own dashboard camera from the front of his sleigh, allowing viewers an additional perspective to his progress around the world.

Be part of the action

Another popular trend of the past twelve months is the 360-video experience. A dream for travel marketing and a great way for charities to emotionally connect with their audience, 360-video allows consumers the chance to see a video from their own individual point of view, truly immersing themselves in the action. Check out one of our favourites from the Go Pro Bombsquad. The ‘Blue Skies’ video allows viewers to skydive, for three minutes and thirty seconds, from several thousand feet, all from the comfort of your screen.

Never under estimate the power of social media

Anyone heard of a family fun game called Pie Face? Was it from the clever video ads and digital marketing? Or was it your Facebook and Snapchat feeds full of your friends playing the game? In this instance, Hasbro and Rocket Games let the product do the talking on social media. A YouTube video from May 2016 of a grandfather and grandson playing the game went viral and led to the product selling out. By the end of 2016, back in stock, Pie Face had taken pride of place alongside Scrabble and Kerplunk alike in retailers. With kids, parents and even animals getting involved in the fun and sharing online.

The Road To Rio: The Impact of the 2016 Olympic Games

In April 2016, the Lucre Group hosted its first ever Rich Ideas and Insights (I&I) event, entitled The Impact of Rio, an examination of how the Rio Olympics will impact the Home & Lifestyle, Travel and Food & Drink sectors.

As the latest addition to the Lucre family, I&I is about keeping our thinking fresh, making sure we’re sharing the latest insights and delivering campaigns with real impact.

Ideas and Insight

As part of this, our regular I&I events will feature expert panels discussing the issues which will affect consumer behaviour, create trends and be written about by media, making sure we stay ahead of the pack.

The Rio Olympics 2016 was the subject of our first event, held at Brazilian bar Floripa in Shoreditch. Including brand and marketing managers, designers, journalists and writers, our 12 experts brought experience and expertise from across home and lifestyle, food and drink, travel and creative thinking.

Influencing everything from colour palettes to fast food

Discussions ranged from how the Olympic Games will influence our paint choices to what will be the next fast food trend to hit the high street (office delivery of real coconut water, anyone?). It was a glimpse of how we as consumers, want to be communicated with and how brands can (and will) explore that.

We’ve put together a short film of the event to give you an idea of what happened and some of our predicted insights can be found in more depth here.

If you are interested in hearing more about I&I or would like to take part in a future event, please email katie@lucre.co.uk or call 0113 243 1117 to be added to our mailing list.

The second post

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