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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.

5 Ways to Engage With Gen Z-ers on Social Media this Summer

Brighter mornings, balmy evenings, barbequed foods in every possible form… What’s not to love about summer? And with school/university holidays just around the corner, many of us will be able to spend more quality time with the Gen Zers in our lives (ahem – that’s when they’re not completely engaged in the latest viral TikTok, that is).

As the bell rings for six weeks of blissful lecture-less freedom, digital natives will likely be swapping what would have been textbook time for endless lie ins and sunbathing sessions – meaning their social media usage (and Crunchy Nut Cornflake intake) will be ramping up by the day.

As recent studies show Gen Z-ers spend an average of 8 hours a day online – 85% of whom use social media to learn about new products making your brand stand out amongst a digital sea of ever-evolving content requires more strategy than the steps involved to make an Instagram-worthy garden focaccia (Google it). We’re covering five simple ways to cut through the noise and engage with this demographic in a truly meaningful and authentic way… Now listen up, class!

Make your brand purpose your priority

Having spent their entire lives surrounded by digital technologies, Gen Zers are the most progressive generation yet. They’re ready to learn, listen and act on social issues, holding themselves accountable to make a difference wherever possible and making a point of reflecting that throughout their social channels. But it doesn’t stop there. They also have an expectation for brands to do the same – from diversity, equality and inclusivity to environmental issues and mental health, a Marketing Dive study shows Gen Z is twice as likely as any other generation to care about issues and three times more likely to say the purpose of business is to ‘serve communities and society’. So providing your beliefs and ethos align with those of, well, any moral citizen, it’s time to start putting them at the forefront of your feeds.

Creativity + interaction = engagement

Suffice to say Gen Zers have well and truly earned the most progressive generation award – but what else have they got on the rest of us? Ah, yes… That would be their remarkable use of creativity on social media. A new study found that 51% of Gen Z believe their generation is more creative (both online and offline) than previous generations – making it no surprise that they’re keen to express in everything from their latest highlight update right through to their seamlessly curated TikTok feed. So, if you want to catch the attention of a scroll-happy Gen Zer, try combining this creativity with interaction. From tapping on Twitter and Instagram story polls to adding stickers and sliders to your in-feed posts – social platforms are constantly developing fresh and innovative ways for brands to bolster their content, and ultimately keep their audiences as engaged as possible. Content hack: conversation starters are key.

Tag, you’re it!

Tagging on social media comes in different forms – and each has its own huge benefit. Creating a branded hashtag, for instance, is perfect for your customers to use on their posts – as when anyone clicks on that tag – an impressive looking page of your product will appear. This is also a great opportunity to get creative or even a little cheeky with the tag – think of something that will stick in your audience’s mind and make them want to share it! Another way you can get in on the tagging action is by creating a physical location from where you’re based, so people can tag themselves there on their posts and stories. Of course, this will depend on your business, but by having something Instagram worthy from your location – zoomers will feel more inclined to tag themselves there. Lastly, ‘tag a friend’ posts are always a good idea. Simple but effective, these catchy posts encourage users to get involved without requiring too much effort – and will ultimately boost your engagement. It’s a win win!

Video, but make it extra

‘Lights, camera, action’ has taken a whole new meaning thanks to the endless capabilities of TikTok; with out-of-this-world overlays, eye catching effects and undeniably catchy music available with the tap of a button. And considering they are the most innovative generation when it comes to making (and engaging with) content that ‘pops’, you’re going to want to do the same with your own. Focus on short-form videos that are long enough to get your message across, but snappy enough to keep their attention – 30-60 seconds is the sweet spot for optimum results. Gen Z makes up a whopping 60% of TikTok’s user base, and 85% use social media to learn about new products – so if you’re not already riding the TikTok wave, you know what to do. Just make sure to utilise those creative filters and trending tunes!

Humour adds personality

Look, we’re not going to sit here and tell you to completely change your brand tone of voice just to connect with the ‘cool kids’ – not just because it’s a terrible idea for your authenticity, but Gen Z are pretty smart when it comes to seeing through brands. What we can vouch for, however, is that not being afraid to add a touch of humor or ‘edge’ to your content will no doubt catch their attention. Digital natives are more likely to support brands that are seen as ‘fun’ and ‘cool’ – so thinking of innovative ways to incorporate this into your campaigns and tone of voice where appropriate will help make your social posts more relatable to the younger audience. Approach this with caution, even so, as ‘cool’ trends come and go quicker than a bottle of Pinot at a summer BBQ. Be sure to use catch phrases that are still ‘in’ so as not to come across as try-hard – the last thing you want to do is share a meme that was so last month. Just remember to keep it authentic to your brand!

Keen to learn more about how you can make your social content stand out this summer? Feel free to get in touch!

LUCRE NEWS: SENIOR HIRE WITH THE APPOINTMENT OF SEETA WRIGHTSON AS DIRECTOR OF CONTENT

Senior Hire for The Lucre Group with the Appointment of Seeta Wrightson as Director of Content

Search Savvy PR agency, The Lucre Group, is both strengthening its senior team and its content division, RICH, with the appointment of Seeta Wrightson, formerly Head of Content at The Storycatchers. Seeta has joined the Leeds and London based agency to expand the brand’s SEO and content proposition, as part of an exciting new repositioning and growth strategy.

With previous roles covering clients such as Mercedes-Benz vans, Gilead, Homebase, The Open University, Leeds University, Astra Zeneca, Western Union, LG and MyProtein, Seeta brings a wealth of experience that spans SEO, content, social media, paid advertising and the full gamut of digital multichannel marketing. As part of the senior management team, Seeta will manage the group’s technical offering while ensuring the creative expertise of Lucre’s content studio, RICH, continues to create incredible and authentic content.

The Lucre Group recently joined the Audience Collective and has enjoyed continued new wins throughout 2022 across both its PR and content divisions. Wins include Cauldron Foods, BetterYou and Agria Pet Insurance.

Sophie Spyropoulos, Lucre co-founder and Director said: “We’re thrilled to have Seeta on board at an incredibly exciting time in the industry. We are focused on evolving our agency to the next level as regards our digital and search offer. Seeta is a very experienced consultant who is helping shape the strategy of our content business for our future growth.

Seeta Wrightson, Content Director, added: “I’m ecstatic to be joining The Lucre Group having been aware of the agency’s great work for many years. They’ve always had a stellar reputation for innovation with their clients. I’m looking forward to helping the already impressive ‘RICH’ brand grow, and further integrating SEO expertise into foundations of the brand. There’s a massive opportunity here – and I can’t wait to see what we achieve.”

LUCRE NEWS: AUDIENCE COLLECTIVE LAUNCHES IN THE STATES

From Leeds to LA, sending a massive congratulations to our colleagues across the pond as Audience Collective US launches in the States!

Focusing on building a client base of brand and marketing clients, the new US division of Audience Collective will be led by managing director Nicole Levings. She will be supported by Olivia Nicholson, who will handle client services, sales and marketing.

The agency group is looking to embark on an aggressive ‘buy and build’ strategy to replicate the full-service offering already provided in the UK, concentrating the team’s efforts on integrated media, market research and insights, design and build, social media and media relations. In time it plans to open US offices on the west and east coasts, in the Midwest and the central region.

“The launch of Audience Collective US allows us to cater for those with American product or brand launches,” said executive chairman Stephen Kennedy. “It also provides an unrivalled opportunity not only for the team stateside, but for those of the existing UK team who have aspirations to experience working within the US market.”

Founded in 2019, the Audience Collective has eight marketing and comms agencies across the UK and Ireland (Lucre being one of them), and works with more than 240 organisations. It predicts it will be a £100m business operating in more than 50 markets in five countries within five years and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.

LUCRE NEWS: BRANDS LEADING BY EXAMPLE SINCE COP26

No one could’ve missed the fact that COP26 was taking place. Activists and leaders alike flooded to Glasgow for the two-week conference, with the aim of putting their heads together in as much as social distancing allowed, and establishing the next steps in saving our planet.

But COP26 is not just about heads of countries creating targets. It provides a great opportunity for people on every level to think about the impact that they make. The run up to and aftermath of Cop26 gives sustainability matters greater traction, more airtime and increased progress up the corporate agenda.

But two months on, which companies have sustained this momentum? Two of our clients, Cauldron and Jet2.com, have taken dramatic steps in the wake of COP26, concentrating on their social responsibility and reducing their negative impacts on the environment.

Cauldron has reached a huge milestone on its efforts for sustainability. Working with them to deliver it’s Veganuary campaign, we announced that this month Cauldron has achieved it’s 100% carbon neutral certification. In accomplishing carbon neutrality across its entire portfolio, they have become the first UK-based meat-free company to do so, leading the way for sustainability in this sector.

Jet2.com have launched a huge offset scheme as part of their sustainability strategy in September. This strategy is one of the largest offsetting schemes offered by an airline, and since the first day of this year, all of their ground operations are carbon neutral. Steve Heapy, the Chief Executive of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said, ‘The launch of our carbon offsetting scheme today marks the first major step in our journey to net zero.”

Other notable efforts are dairy giant Arla’s new sustainability strategy. At the end of 2021 Arla Foods launched its most ambitious targets to date, in order to accelerate the transition to sustainable dairy production. Arla have more than doubled their carbon emissions reduction plan, aiming to cut emissions by 63% in 2030 and working to being carbon net zero by 2050.

Birmingham-based Energym launched in 2021. It is an innovative and inspiring example of how technology is evolving to work in harmony with our planet. This self-sustainable Birmingham-based gym retrofitted their existing equipment, allowing the energy generated by people working out to be reused. A spin class of 30, for example, is able to power a home for 24 hours. An exciting reminder of the increasing number of technology-based solutions that are combatting climate change.

Throughout 2021, Too Good To Go continued to expand its food waste reduction movement in America. Combatting waste by partnering with restaurants, supermarkets, cafes and hotels, they provide customers with discounted surplus foods. Already in 17 countries and quickly growing throughout the US, Too Good To Go is a clever way of encouraging people to make small life changes in order to positively impact the environment.

But the influence of Cop26 won’t be felt in the run up or immediately after, it will be demonstrated in years to come by the sheer depth of transformations that it inspired when looking back. All of these changes are vital in encouraging and motivating individuals, businesses and world leaders to reflect and revaluate their impacts and motivate future generations to learn from past mistakes.

If your business is making concerted sustainable changes and you want to share the news with your stakeholders, checkout our sustainability services or get in touch today via loveus@lucre.co.uk.

LUCRE NEWS: KETTLE CHIPS D2C SITE LAUNCH FOR VEGANUARY

With Veganuary in full swing, KETTLE Chips’ exciting new online shop, means it’s never been easier for everyone to satisfy their much-needed crisp fix via the click of a button, regardless of dietary preferences. The brand-new website offers not only bundles of KETTLE Chips’ classic seasonings but also the brand’s delicious range of vegan friendly seasonings, delivered straight to your door. KETTLE is giving crisp lovers the chance to browse the snacking aisle from the comfort of their home and what’s more, all the core vegan flavours are available, meaning shoppers will be spoilt for choice as they explore the wide selection of flavour combinations available from the UK’s number one hand cooked crisp brand.

Whether shoppers are looking to stock up on KETTLE’s renowned vegan seasonings for an up-coming party, want to introduce non-vegan friends and family to the world of KETTLE’s vegan offering, or simply want an excuse to try the brand’s extensive, bold flavour combinations – now’s your chance with KETTLE’s one-stop-shop.

To keep us snacking during Veganuary, the exciting new online shop includes KETTLE’s Vegan Crowd Pleasers bundle, giving shoppers the chance to sample the brand’s range of delicious vegan seasonings, including the award-winning Vegan Sheese & Red Onion, Lightly Salted, Sea Salt & Balsamic Vinegar of Modena and Thai Sweet Chilli seasonings.

If the Vegan Sheese & Red Onion is your favourite seasoning then you’re in luck as it is available in a box of eight and for those who know exactly what they want KETTLE is giving you the perfect opportunity to stock up via its case of 12 sharing bag bundles or 18 single bags

This exciting offering comes after KETTLE Chips announced the launch of its bold new campaign ‘There’s more to KETTLE than you think’. This creative demonstrates a strategic change in direction for the brand, while challenging consumers to stop sleep-shopping in the snack aisle and embrace the entire range of KETTLE Chips seasonings. You can learn more about the amazing range here.

If you need support launching your product, get in touch to learn how we can leverage your sustainability.

TIKTOK TAKES OVER GOOGLE: THE POWER OF GEN Z

Everyone uses the internet, whether coding or looking for dog videos, we spend 192 minutes a day browsing the internet. But which is the website you start on? Our money says it’s Google. The search engine turned global powerhouse has become a force to be reckoned with within the industry in the last two decades. Starting off as a simple web-page search function, the US based company has since expanded into mobile phone space, home accessibility gadgets and music streaming services. So, it may come as no surprise that for the last 15 years Google has been sitting in the number one position, after taking it off Yahoo in 2006, and has remained the most visited website across the planet. That is until now.

2021 was the year that saw a social and digital revolution thanks to the power of Gen Z and the global pandemic caused by the C-word. During lockdown, the way we all consume and digest content changed dramatically. VOD services and ways we can use the internet exploded, with sites like YouTube and Amazon Prime changing the way we find information. Gen Z helped to drive this change. Gen Z’ers are people born between 1995 and 2010 and are the most influential segment counting for 40% of global consumers. Social media has always been popular amongst teenagers, but it is this ever-increasing segment of people and recent changes in consumption habits that social platforms thrive within. Especially Tiktok.

In case you didn’t know, Tiktok is a Chinese birthed, video-focused, era-defining, social media site and believe it or not – it was 2021’s most popular website of the year. You may remember Donald Trump trying to block the website from touching US networks earlier in the year. The Trump administration labelled Tiktok “a national security threat”, apparently primed to be used by “Chinese Communists”. But since then, the app has seen a phenomenal success in the States during the first year under Joe Biden, and he has recently stated that a national security review of the app is underway.

Tiktok grew monumental amounts in 2021. At the close of 2020, 700 million followers (more than double the numbers of 2019) were using the app, but by the end of 2021 the number had further increased to more than 1 billion users

To put these stats into perspective – that’s more than 1 in 8 people on the planet actively using Tiktok. Since pre-Covid times, there has been a 42% increase in time spent on the app overall, on the app overall, with the most significant growth in time spent on the app being 287% by 16 to 18-year-olds.

Gen Z consumes totally differently to previous generations, they get their news more quickly from a range of platforms, and can easily spot fake news when they see it. Compared to Baby Boomers and the 90’s kids, who saw the come-and-go of floppy disks, dial-up internet and the true birth of streaming services, Gen Z were born into a highly accessible world where this wealth of content and information is commonplace. They are born into an information overloaded environment where they can reach news in a few scrolls

It poses the newer generations, specifically Gen Z, no longer have the desire to search for truth on Google. Have they lost the need to research everything they hear, and fact check what’s being told to them? Rather than it being a case of believing everything they see – Gen Z can spot fake news, they already follow the accounts and outlets they need to get the information and news they can trust. When you compare market share and the overall volume of Gen Z, it’s not hard to appreciate the sheer size of the generation. As Baby Boomers and 90’s babies evolve into new stages, the Gen Z remains the largest segment. When you look at the target demographic of Tiktok, it correlates with such a high number of captured users. Tiktok is Gen Z fuel, with its instant content and all the information they could possibly want.

As impressive as Gen Z is, possibly being the most technological savvy generation of children the world has ever seen, are they becoming more interested in pop culture rather than world affairs? Or do they not trust the information around them and so become tuned in but zoned out. Our research suggests that newer generations have a lower desire to research news, and this is reflected in the Tiktok takeover last year.

Gen Z have been thrown into an already overloaded world and, with information available at their fingertips, the need to Google has dropped off compared to the need for entertainment. With Gen Z taking up the largest segment of consumers, magnified by the impact of the global pandemic, it’s no surprise Tiktok has become so popular.

You can check out the top ten websites of 2021 below.

TikTok.com
Google.com
Facebook.com
Microsoft.com
Apple.com
Amazon.com
Netflix.com
YouTube.com
Twitter.com
WhatsApp.com

We have bags of of experience developing and delivering impactful TikTok content for brands, and we can do the same for you, get in touch to find out more.

LUCRE NEWS: SUPPORTING CAULDRON FOODS’ CARBON NEUTRAL CERTIFICATION

We’re delighted to announce that we have been appointed by Cauldron Foods, a leading British plant based food brand, to support it’s UK PR strategy. The win adds to an impressive range of clients amongst our rapidly growing Food & Drink division, examples such as; Stonegate Pub Company, Distill Ventures and The Dalmore.

Cauldron Foods has been creating delicious, award-winning plant based food over 40 years. Headquartered in Stokesley, North Yorkshire, the company offers a wide range of vegan and vegetarian great-tasting products that deliver – above all else – flavour, flexibility, and satisfaction.

We were briefed to deliver creative ideas to announce the fact that, as of January 2022, Cauldron Foods has 100% carbon neutral certification across its full range of products.

Tom Lindley, Cauldron Business Unit Head at Cauldron Foods, comments: “We’re always striving to improve the impact we have on our planet and the launch of our new Korean Bites sees us move our products into the Carbon Neutral space for the first time. We wanted to ensure that consumers were aware of this fantastic development in our journey and were incredibly impressed by the strategic and creative approach pitched by The Lucre Group. Our work together in preparation to launch this Veganuary has been a great partnership and as such, we look forward to an ongoing relationship with them.”

Tamarind Wilson-Flint, Director of The Lucre Group, said: “Plant based is increasingly on people’s radars and as a result, the market has become more and more cluttered. Our campaign concept is one unique to Cauldron Foods and all about communicating their journey from plant based products to planet based products. A perfect alignment with their entire range being certified as carbon neutral and a truly authentic way to ensure it is their name on everyone’s lips. It’s such a wonderful and worthy brand to work with and our results speak for themselves.”

Read the feature on Prolific North here. If you want to learn more about how we can support your brand on it’s sustainability journey, get in touch.

Lucre News: Audience Collective Strengthens Marketing and Communications Offering

Audience Collective, the specialist digital insight group, has acquired PR and content agency, The Lucre Group. In response to client demand, the deal strengthens Audience Collective’s UK offering, with the group now able to provide clients with a full suite of marketing and communication services.

The search-savvy PR and content specialist joins six other independent agencies within the Collective, including brand communications agency, Ponderosa; market research and insight agency, Spark; and digital media strategy house, Crunch.

With offices across the UK and Ireland, the Audience Collective has seen rapid expansion since its inception in 2019. The group now comprises over 160 experts, and works with more than 240 organisations and brands in a wide range of sectors, including FMCG, Higher Education, Travel, and Food and Drink. Over that period, group revenue has soared by over 175%.

Steve Henry, Group CEO at The Audience Collective, said:

We’re delighted to welcome The Lucre Group onboard as we enter the next stage of growth. When we originally formed the group in 2019, we knew we were missing one key service offering, and that was PR.

We have an incredibly strong vision for the future and ambitious plans to match. Within five years, we aim to be a £100m business operating in over 50 markets, with offices in five countries and we felt that Lucre’s values, and forward-thinking, ambitious nature matched our own. Their client base speaks for itself and with a highly talented group of individuals, the agency is a great fit. Lucre’s dedicated content arm – RICH – also offers an exciting proposition for all of the agencies in the Collective.”

Tamarind Wilson-Flint and Sophie Spyropoulos, Owner Directors at The Lucre Group, added:

We first launched our agency 16 years ago with Jet2, one of the UK’s leading airlines, which is still a client today. Accompanying our travel sector expertise, we developed our portfolio across food & drink, home & lifestyle, and tech & professional services industries, and are proud to offer our search-savvy expertise to some of the UK’s best-known brands, such as PizzaExpress, Park Plaza hotels, and Berkeley Homes.

Always entrepreneurial in approach, we recently the launched L’Attitude, our international network of agencies, and have developed an influencer division to sit alongside our content and creative hub. Joining the Audience Collective, provides us with a fantastic opportunity to really scale our business, while offering further specialist marketing expertise to our clients and new career opportunities for our team. We’re delighted to join the Collective and we’re very much looking forward to the next exciting chapter in the Lucre story.”

The intrinsic strengths of Audience Collective’s independent agencies are at the crux of the groups’ ability to deliver holistic, industry-leading campaigns. The group draws together the expert teams from digital media strategy house, Crunch; digital brand communications and advertising agency, Ponderosa; market research and insight agency, Spark; search savvy PR and content agency, The Lucre Group; higher education marketing specialist, UNICOM; full commercial data service, VIDEMUS; and Ecommerce performance agency, Evolution.

With agencies now in place to provide a full suite of marketing and communication services, Audience Collective will continue to seek tactical acquisitions to further deepen and strengthen the skills under each specialism. The Collective will also launch new offerings to meet market demands in the UK, Ireland and beyond, whilst ensuring the best employment of the group’s collective skills.

Lucre News: The Lucre Group Launches International Agency Network

The Lucre Group has launched an international agency network, L’Attitude. Having long collaborated with agencies in other parts the world, the new network’s structure is designed to enable even more agile campaign delivery around the globe.

A hub for showcasing ideas, creativity, global insights and best practice, L’Attitude brings together 19 handpicked, independent, like-minded agencies from across Europe, North and South America, the Middle East and Asia. The portal is specifically designed to ensure that agency members can quickly and easily find outstanding agencies in other parts of the world, with experience in the right sectors to support with campaign planning and execution.

With all members sharing common working principles, as well as high standards when it comes to execution and measurement, the network – which is open to independent agencies across every continent – also serves as a mutually beneficial new business feeder for all members.

Sophie Spyropoulos, Owner Director at The Lucre Group, added:

In an ever more connected world, having the ability to quickly and effectively deliver impactful campaigns across other territories has never been more important. We have a brilliant array of outstanding agencies in the network, that work across our core sectors in Europe, North and South America, the Middle East and Asia.

We’re already seeing a huge amount of collaboration amongst our members. It’s fantastic to see L’Attitude coming to life, and we look forward to growing the depth and breadth of the network members over the next year.”

As the L’Attitude network grows, The Lucre Group will facilitate annual conferences as a platform for members to share their creativity and campaign work, as well as key PR insights from other parts of the world. The aim is that in time, members will also be able to organise secondments, as well as other learning and development opportunities for employees.

Agencies that are interested in joining, are able to enquire at https://lattitudeglobal.com/.

Lucre News: The Lucre Group Celebrates PRCA Dare Win with Best Media Relations Award

The Lucre Group is celebrating having been recognised in the 2021 PRCA Dare Awards for the Natures Menu Pup-demic campaign, crowned winners of the Best Media Relations Award.

With the dramatic rise in puppy ownership during lockdown, The Lucre Group was tasked with educating new puppy owners on the key topics of adjusting to life with a furry friend, whilst raising awareness of Natures Menu as a brand.

Cue The Pupcast by Natures Menu – a guide to puppy life and beyond.

Through the creation of a podcast, Natures Menu could share expert knowledge and unique, passionate stories to educate and inform new and existing customers.

To ensure The Pupcast launch was successful, Lucre teamed up with five key spokespeople across the pet industry, from dog behaviourists to journalists, to provide expert advice and guidance for new dog owners to get through the memorable, yet daunting time as their puppy goes through adolescence.

Using search insights to discover the hot topics that dog owners were most wanting to know, The Pupcast covered topics such as weaning, socialising and behaviour.

Following the success of the launch (resulting in coverage across national and regional lifestyle media, as well as pet consumer titles), The Pupcast received over 1,150 downloads in the first three months, helping the podcast to reach more than 10 million people across the UK and driving surges in web traffic after each episode launch.

Tamarind Wilson Flint, Owner Director at The Lucre Group, said:

The launch of The Pupcast was an incredibly exciting one, and it was a perfect example of how you can utilise current affairs and the news agenda for fantastic client results. The team worked tirelessly on the project, and the results speak for themselves. However, it’s great that this has been recognised within the industry – we’re thrilled to have won a PRCA Dare Award for Best Media Relations Campaign.”

If you’re after a podcast that piques the public interest, get in touch with the team today! You can also have a listen the award-winning Pupcast on either Spotify, Acast or Apple Podcasts.

Lucre News: Lucre Group cooks up a storm with new appointment

UK-based food tech start-up, Cook My Grub, has appointed The Lucre Group to support its UK PR strategy. The latest account win further strengthens the agency’s rapidly growing Food & Drink division, which already incorporates the likes of PizzaExpress, Distill Ventures, Stonegate Pub Company, KETTLE® Chips and The Dalmore.

Having recently exceeded its initial fundraising target by 150% – raising over £750,000 in just four weeks – Cook My Grub, is expected to shake up the food industry with a revolutionary platform that provides hungry local diners with access to home-cooked food that isn’t available on the high street.

In the last quarter alone, the challenger brand has seen a 300% uplift in orders, 100% growth in customers, and a 200% increase in active users. Coupled with the success of its Crowdcube campaign, the start-up – which is the UK’s leading marketplace for home-cooked food – has unveiled ambitious expansion plans to rapidly scale, building the sales, marketing and operations teams in order extend its reach to other parts of the UK.

Key to Lucre’s strategy will be planning and executing targeted communications in towns and cities across the UK to help drive chef recruitment, app downloads and orders. The Lucre Group will also be supporting the brand with experiential activations later in the year, as Cook My Grub seeks to take its brand to the people, attracting new audiences and growing market share.

The founders of Cook My Grub, Dinesh Patil and Shabbir Mookhtiar, said:

It’s been an outstanding start to 2021 as we seek to build healthier, happier, and wealthier communities across the UK. Having refined our platform and proved our concept, now is the time to accelerate our growth – having the right PR team in place to support us through this next phase is vital. Lucre’s creative team truly understands our challenges and the team’s digital PR and content approach is exactly what we need to help take our offering to new consumers.”

Tamarind Wilson, Co-founder and Director of The Lucre Group, added:

Cook My Grub is an exciting brand on the cusp of exponential growth. Their innovative app. combines talented chefs with consumers seeking restaurant quality food, home-cooked and delivered to their doorstep. What better combination is there? We couldn’t be happier to support these incredibly talented entrepreneurs as they seek to shake up the industry.”

Lucre News: Lucre Group Raises a Glass to Celebrate The Dalmore Appointment

Ultra-Premium single malt whisky, The Dalmore, has appointed The Lucre Group to support its UK PR strategy. The latest account win will sit as part of the agency’s strengthening Food & Drink division, joining the likes of PizzaExpress, Distill Ventures, Stonegate Pub Company and KETTLE® Chips.

Established in 1839, The Dalmore Distillery has become renowned for producing exceptional Single Malt whisky, and is now synonymous with heritage and finesse, and with its iconic bottle shape adorned with the Royal 12-pointed stag, has become known globally as a leader in the luxury single malt market.

From promoting the brand’s Principal Collection during the key gifting periods, to handling the UK PR for two of The Dalmore’s major global launches later in 2021, The Lucre Group will be supporting the brand in its mission to open up the exceptional world of whisky to new audiences.

Ruairi Perry, Marketing Controller for UK Brands, Whyte & Mackay, said:

The Dalmore is a truly exceptional brand, with a rich heritage, enjoying phenomenal demand. In the second half of 2021 we have some of the most exciting launches we’ve planned in years, so it was vital that we brought the right agency onboard. Lucre’s creative team truly understood our challenges and their approach to luxury consumers and influencers was incredibly refreshing. We’re excited to begin our work alongside the team.”

Rhona Templer, Managing Director at The Lucre Group, added:

The Dalmore has already established a prestigious name for itself within the whisky industry, and we’re honoured to be working alongside an inspiring and talented team to reach new audiences and help to write the next chapter.”

Lucre News: Lucre Group ‘Made Up’ with CHARLOTTE RHYS Appointment

CHARLOTTE RHYS, the premier luxury bath, body and lifestyle brand, has appointed The Lucre Group to handle its PR and digital content. The win strengthens the agency’s Home & Lifestyle division, which will look after all of CHARLOTTE RHYS’ owned and earned communications across the UK.

Founded in South Africa, the company is looking to make its mark in the UK. Priding themselves as a luxury brand with a conscience, CHARLOTTE RHYS has strong green credentials, tapping into the growing trend of ethical beauty. With self-care at the top of everyone’s agenda after a difficult year, Lucre will be launching the full CHARLOTTE RHYS range to the UK’s health and wellbeing market through an ongoing PR and influencer programme.

RICH, Lucre’s content division, will also be tasked to deliver an integrated digital strategy, creating content that resonates with the brand’s audience and making it work hard across a number of platforms. From SEO and social strategies to website development, the RICH team will build on the brand’s online presence.

Co-founder and managing partner Janet Rhys at CHARLOTTE RHYS, said:

It’s a very exciting time for our business as the brand expands into the UK market. Innovation is at the heart of what we do, and the Lucre team perfectly understood our ambitious vision. We’re confident that they’ll be able to increase the profile of the brand through an integrated communications strategy.”

Sophie Spyropoulos, Owner Director at The Lucre Group, added:

The CHARLOTTE RHYS proposition fits perfectly with the current consumer market, as people seek ways in which they can be kinder to the planet. We’re delighted to have been appointed and are excited to support CHARLOTTE RHYS in bringing luxury and ethical bath and skincare products to the UK market.”

Lucre News: Voice Technology Use Rises 67% Since Pandemic Across Gen Z

Gen Z has used voice technology 67% more since the pandemic started, of which 70% are 10–15-year-old boys. That’s according to recent research which evaluates the habits of Gen Z pre- and post-pandemic.^[1] It found that between 40-50% of Gen Z use voice technology assistants, of which two-thirds use theirs daily.

Adding to their increased technology usage, the report found an astounding 287% growth in TikTok use across 16–18-year-olds since the beginning of the pandemic. The research further reveals that Gen Z spends roughly 9 hours on YouTube per week. More generally, the research saw a 54% uplift in time spent online across Gen Z’s female demographic, compared to 30% across their male counterparts.

Interestingly, the pandemic has caused a resurgence in Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter, particularly across the 10-15 year-old age bracket. Pre-pandemic, their use of these channels had all but eclipsed, so it’s possible that the need to connect with family and ‘formal’ groups – school, hobbies – caused these channels to find a new niche with this younger demographic.

When asking Gen Z what they look forward to the most post-COVID 19, girls aged 16+ responded that they wish to see the world and share their journey on social channels; boys of the same age simply want to have a blast with their friends. All Gen Z in the research wanted to be eco-conscious but added that they would not sacrifice the prospect of travel to become so.

Further research found that as a highly eco-conscious demographic, all of Gen Z age 16+ want brands to improve their eco credentials and social impact; a quarter of boys aged 10-15 and girls age 16+ will actively choose brands based on their eco-credentials.^[2]Nearly a quarter (22%) of 19–22-year-olds, and 28% of 10–15-year-olds want a brand to stand for something they believe. Admiring more ‘worthy’ personalities, those aged 16-22 were found to idolise ‘respectable’, socially conscious names such as David Attenborough, Michelle Obama, and Greta Thunberg.

The research has been commissioned by The Lucre Group as part of an ongoing study to gain further insight into the mindset of Gen Z, particularly in the context of the COVID pandemic and their interaction with visual culture and society.

Tamarind Wilson Flint, Co-Founder of The Lucre Group said:

Understanding how different audiences consume media and engage is key in a normal world, never mind against a backdrop of a global pandemic. To our knowledge, this is the only study of its kind to monitor Gen Z pre, during and post COVID, the insights of which offer a unique behavioural blueprint for businesses and brands. From identifying where technology has accelerated in usage to the green generation, this research helps us to comprehend on a granular level what is fundamentally important to Gen Z – alongside their means of communicating and interacting.”

View the Gen Z post-pandemic infographic

Lucre News: The Lucre Group Builds on Property Credentials with Latest Appointment

Award-winning property developer, Berkeley Homes has appointed The Lucre Group to manage the PR and communications of its newest flagship scheme – The Horlicks Factory.

Based in Slough, the development will transform the original factory and nearby buildings into a vibrant new community with 1,300 high-quality new homes. This exciting project also sees the clocktower and factory chimney restored to their former glory, thereby preserving the heritage and character of this landmark site.

This latest appointment builds on the foundations of Lucre’s strong property credentials including Bellway, Global Student Accommodation, Hyelm, Wellington Place, Redrow, St James and The Student Housing Company.

Deana Everingham, Regional Sales Director, Berkeley Oxford & Chilterns, said:

We’ve worked with Lucre for the past 14 years and they have a great understanding of our sector. It was essential for us to work with an agency that we trust on our latest Berkshire scheme and as such a valued partner, it was an easy decision for us to make.”

Rhona Templer, Managing Director at The Lucre Group, added:

Berkeley is so much more than a housebuilder. Its developments put placemaking at the heart of what they do, making its proposition an exciting one for buyers, and its newest Horlicks Factory development is no different. We’re excited to continue working with the team on this flagship development and further build on the long-standing relationship we have with them.”

Lucre News: Pattinson & Brewer asks The Lucre Group to Represent them

Pattinson & Brewer, the UK’s leading trade union law firm, has announced the appointment of The Lucre Group as its communications agency partner.

First opened in 1890, Pattinson & Brewer was born out of the trade union movement and has been at the forefront of fighting for workers’ rights ever since. Following increased challenges faced by workers throughout the pandemic and beyond, the services and expertise of Pattinson & Brewer is in high demand. The Lucre Group will therefore act as an extension to the team, providing communications guidance and support.

RICH, the creative content engine within The Lucre Group, will work closely with Pattinson & Brewer to hone and deliver its thought leadership programme whilst helping to raise its national profile further. Delivered through a mix of strategic consultancy, clever content, design services and digital support, the appointment further strengthens The Lucre Group’s legal and professional services credentials. From Slater & Gordon, Morrish Solicitors and Shulmans LLP to Eversheds, the agency is well versed in working with industry-leading firms.

Jamie Hanley, Partner and Head of Client Relations at Pattinson & Brewer, said:

The Lucre Team challenges us to think differently and be our very best when it comes to marketing and communication. A multi-skilled team which acts as a natural extension of our own, be it strategic consultancy, digital know-how, design expertise or guidance on messaging and brand tone, they always deliver. I’ve worked with them for a number of years and am delighted to be doing so once again.”

Tamarind Wilson-Flint, Owner Director at The Lucre Group, said:

There’s nothing more rewarding than having the opportunity to work with a client time and time again. Our work with Pattinson & Brewer will initially be digitally and design focused, boosting further our RICH client list. Furthermore, it adds to our growing portfolio of legal and professional services clients. It’s a delight to be working with Jamie and his team.”

Lucre News: NDL Joins The Lucre Group’s Tech Portfolio

NDL, a UK SME software company that specializes in transformational technologies with social purpose, has appointed The Lucre Group as its retained PR agency.

NDL’s technology is specifically designed for the public sector, for the public good and spans digital tools including mobile apps and e-forms, as well as robotic process automation technology, which helps to take the burden out of admin and ensure data is meaningful and accessible for better, quicker decision making.

With many local government and NHS Trusts around the country currently facing extreme challenges associated with the pandemic, NDL is expertly placed to provide digital-first solutions that enable better planning and delivery of services as well as better patient care within the NHS.

The PR programme will help to share best practice and innovation from within NDL’s growing community of NHS Trusts and public sector customers, so that similar challenges being faced across the country can be overcome more easily.

NDL further strengthens the agency’s Tech and the City credentials, and follows hot on the heels of its appointment by mobile technology brand, Babble, announced last month.

The Lucre Group will work closely with NDL to create a tailored communications plan, driving sales enquiries and positioning them as a market leader in public sector technology, showcasing the team’s expertise and fantastic client results.

Declan Grogan, CEO at NDL, said:

We are proud of what our community of public sector and NHS customers have achieved by pushing forward with their digital transformation journey. The pandemic has represented an incredibly challenging time for those delivering and consuming public services, and it is rewarding to be able to help those facing similar challenges to overcome them more easily. Our mission is to help share best practice, innovation, templates and advice – demonstrating what can be achieved by utilising technology to take the burden out of admin and to better engage and support the public. We look forward to working with the team at Lucre who have already begun setting out our communications plan and getting to work in driving awareness within our target markets.”

Sophie Spyropoulos, Owner Director at The Lucre Group, said:

NDL is a fantastic addition to our expanding technology division here at Lucre. It’s a pleasure to work alongside Declan and the team at NDL as they drive forward UK innovation for the benefit of our much-needed public services and for all of us who use them.”

Lucre News: Appointment by Babble Expands The Lucre Group’s Tech and the City Portfolio

Babble, a leading technology business which is reimagining how we do work, has appointed The Lucre Group to handle its PR and communications. The client win strengthens the Tech and the City division at the search savvy PR specialist, which will manage Babble’s corporate communications across the UK through a tailored thought leadership strategy aimed to drive an increase in leads and enquiries for the company.

The announcement comes as Babble, which has already transformed over 2,000 clients’ organisations through cloud-based solutions that enhance efficiency, flexibility and customer loyalty, seeks further expansion following an unprecedented opportunity presented by the major shift in working patterns that has resulted from COVID-19. The technology company, which has set its sights on a revenue target of £100m after rapidly scaling to over £20m, believes now is the time to double down on efforts to grow its client base and create more flexible businesses than ever before.

Matthew Parker, CEO at Babble, said:

After three successful years of solid growth at Babble, we feel the time is right to bring a new PR agency on board to communicate exactly how we’re revolutionising the way businesses will be able to operate in a post-COVID world. The Lucre Group has already laid some firm foundations with our messaging and latest acquisition news, and we’re looking forward to working with the team as they build our reputation in our key sectors throughout the year.”

Sophie Spyropoulos, Owner Director at The Lucre Group, said:

Babble’s growth in recent years highlights just how pioneering and ambitious Matt and his team are. Never before have their positive, forward-thinking ideas and solutions been more relevant, so for us to be working alongside their talented team at this moment in time is a real honour.”

Lucre News: The Lucre Group Welcomes HYELM into its Property Portfolio

HYELM, a not-for-profit landlord seeking to address the shortage of affordable housing for young people working in London, has appointed The Lucre Group to handle its PR and communications. The news strengthens the search-savvy agency’s Home and Lifestyle division, which already encompasses work with leading household names such as Berkeley Homes and Mira Showers.

Having recently undergone a major rebrand lead by B1 Creative, HYELM has tasked The Lucre Group with an extensive internal and external communications brief to highlight the unique housing offering the charity provides for those starting their careers in London, many of whom are key workers.

The Lucre Group will work in partnership with B1 Creative to deliver the two-year programme, initially focusing on HYELM’s flagship Old Street site.

Simon Wright, Director of Operations, HYELM, said:

From the outset it was clear that the Lucre team understood the challenges we face and we were impressed with their approach which demonstrated both creativity and smart thinking. Lucre will play a vital role, alongside the team at B1 Creative, in ensuring that we communicate clearly and effectively with our stakeholders including residents and media, as well as implementing the best strategies for future growth, including supporting the launch of a Colindale scheme.”

Rhona Templer, Managing Director, The Lucre Group, added:

We’re thrilled to have been chosen as the trusted PR partner for this impressive organisation. It’s essential that HYELM’s mission, to provide affordable housing for young Londoners, is successful and we’re looking forward to working with B1 Creative to help HYELM work even more effectively with all stakeholders and build the brand’s awareness.”

Sally Bell, Director, B1 Creative, stated:

HYELM has been housing young people of limited means, and our much needed key workers, in London for generations. Over the last year B1 Creative has worked closely with HYELM to re-develop their brand, enhancing their presence in our current modern and technologically connected society. We are delighted to continue our work with them, and look forward to working with Lucre to raise awareness of the great work they do. This new partnership will allow HYELM to reach more people and help house the future of London for generations to come.”

Community spirit soars in latest COVID-19 research findings

Giraffe Insights last week announced that it was teaming up with The Lucre Group to provide a weekly barometer for community spirit, unveiling the first results with its COVID-19 CHART, plotting the mood of the nation against a scale of 1 – 10 (1 being ‘None’ and 10 being ‘A lot’).

Week on week, community spirit has seen a significant sentiment increase, with 76 per cent of those polled answering 6 or above for strong community spirit in their locality, an increase of 11 per cent. However, whilst the national mood was slightly lower before, it has seen a huge increase this week, rising from 61 per cent to 80 per cent.

In addition to polling 200 people on a weekly basis for community spirit sentiment tracking, brands and businesses are being invited to put forward any questions they would like asking to insights@lucre.co.uk. The first of these suggestions was to track household contentment throughout the day.

With polarised results based on whether there are kids at home or not, it seems that parents are actually the most content during quarantine, especially during traditional school hours of 9am – 3pm (average of 84 per cent across time period).

Happiness for adults without children peaks between 19.00 and 21.00 hours (86%) but overall, they were much less content, suggesting that children bring joy to a life in quarantine.

Maxine Fox, Managing Director at Giraffe Insights, said:

“It’s great to see that community spirit has not only remained strong but increased this week with us coming together through initiatives such as ‘Clap for Carers’. As specialists in kids, youth and family research, we were not surprised to see parents as the most content and although a difficult balancing act, children can be a welcome distraction in challenging times. Giraffe Insights are tracking further attitudes and behaviours amongst parents and children every other month through ‘Little Voices’. To find out more about these data and insights and how you can be involved please get in touch.”

Tamarind Wilson, Co-founder and Director at The Lucre Group, said:

“We’ve been really interested to see such an uplift in community spirit this week which is symbolic of how the country has come together to help combat this national emergency. Through the bad we’ve seen some incredible acts of community spirit and kindness, from the rainbow drawing campaign through to likes to Best Western Hotels opening its doors to key workers, there’s never been a better time to show the nation how much you care about it.”

Lucre partners with Giraffe Insights to unveil public mood barometer

As we approach the pending peak of the COVID-19 crisis, a time that will test us all, Giraffe Insights has teamed up with The Lucre Group to provide a weekly mood barometer for community spirit.

Testing the variances by week, The COVID-19 CHART plots the mood of the nation against a scale of 1 – 10 (1 being ‘None’ and 10 being ‘A lot’). It will also pose further questions each week aligned to the latest news surrounding the crisis, with this week’s topic exploring purchasing patterns. Posing the question of which items, if any, people were planning to purchase this week, Video Games (18 per cent), Puzzles (16 per cent), Board Games (14 per cent) and Colouring Books (14 per cent) topped the table.

Community spirit locally remains high at this time, with more than half (53 per cent) of respondents rating it at 7 or above. Conversely the national mood is slightly lower, with just 41 per cent selecting 7 or above.

Polling 200 people on a weekly basis, brands and businesses are being invited to put forward any questions they would like asking to insights@lucre.co.uk

Maxine Fox, Managing Director at Giraffe Insights, said:

“At Giraffe Insights we believe that research has never been so powerful, and we are working with brands to help shine a light in this period of darkness, informing both current and future decision making. We are dedicated to keeping brands connected through the latest insights – and understanding public mood forms an important part of this.”

Tamarind Wilson, Co-founder and Director at The Lucre Group, said:

“Insights inform how we best communicate and during these challenging times, understanding public mood week by week will be vital to brands. It is important that our industry rallies together and we hope that by giving businesses the opportunity to add a question to our poll FREE of charge, it may help those faced with limited budgets right now.”

The best brands going above and beyond in the fight against coronavirus

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “a woman is like a teabag – you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water”.

It seems somewhat appropriate to say that now – as the country enters uncharted territories due to the Coronavirus pandemic – Britain is proving itself to be a force to be reckoned with (a bit like a cup of Yorkshire Tea if you ask us!).

The quick actions of brands and retailers around the UK, combined with the resilience of Brits, leaves us feeling hopeful that we’ll be able to get through whatever faces us.

There are so many amazing businesses making a positive change, but we’ve picked out a few that we think showcase how brands are really caring for their customers around the country.

They’re Feeding the Country

Supermarkets are leading the way in supporting their customers, suppliers and staff as the country faces a period of uncertainty, particularly in regard to food and drink provisions.

Both Sainsburys and Iceland have already set aside an hour when stores open each morning to allow the elderly and vulnerable to shop in a clean and safe environment, with other supermarkets likely to follow suite in the near future. Aldi has also donated an incredible £250,000 to Age UK to ensure the vital service will be able to continue.

Morrisons has set out a number of measures to support colleagues, suppliers and customers over the next few months. Its measures include working with Amazon Prime to offer more delivery slots and collection points, supporting customers who are self-isolating and unable to get into stores. The supermarket chain is also implementing immediate payments for smaller suppliers and offering a colleague hardship fund for those impacted by Coronavirus.

They’re Supporting the NHS

The work of the NHS staff is crucial during the next period; McDonalds and Pret a Manger are offering NHS workers free drinks, with the latter also offering 50 per cent off its food range.

LVMH, the parent company of many luxury brands including Louis Vuitton, Dior and Givenchy, has begun the process of developing hand sanitiser for hospitals in place of perfume. Brewdog and Bristol-based gin manufacturer Psychopomp and Circumstance are using in house expertise to fill a desperate need.

They’re Keeping us Entertained and Informed

The BBC will be utilising its extensive platforms across channels, stations and online to keep the public up-to-date with ongoing news around Coronavirus and providing much needed entertainment, such as bringing many of its much loved box sets to BBC iPlayer.

In light of the recent announcement that schools will be closing for most students for the foreseeable future, the BBC has also increased the educational programming across iPlayer and its red button, ensuring school children of all ages won’t miss out.

Local radio stations in England will be launching a virtual church service, led by the Archbishop of Canterbury on Sunday mornings. The BBC is exploring ways it can provide services for other religions, especially in the run-up to Ramadan.

We’re proud to work with some incredible brands which are also doing their bit, including Best Western, which is offering 15,000 hotel bedrooms and over 1,000 meeting rooms to help the NHS and local authorities through the next few months – helping to take the strain off hospital wards and thus allowing the NHS treat the most vulnerable patients.

As a nation, we are heading into a period of uncertainty, but it’s comforting to know that we have some incredible businesses here in the the UK who are ready to step up for the good of the people.

Generation A to Z: Understanding a new consumer era

Generation Z is anticipated to be one of the most purposeful and individually influential generations of this century; highly connected and with a set of emerging values very different from any we have seen in recent times.

The Lucre Group will be unveiling new research into the behaviours and preferences that drive this exciting group of young people. Focusing specifically on 10-18 year olds, we will be assessing their webs of influence and any shifts in comparison to their immediate predecessors, the much discussed, Millennials.

A must-be-there event, organised by the Lucre Group in conjunction with ResearchBods, we will be revealing fresh insights achieved through polling and passive monitoring, to help understand Gen-Z’s values and aspirations.

Appealing to this exciting new audience and corralling their interests and aspirations will be a challenge for any brand. Our findings and experts will shed light on how to effectively engage with this group of confident and opinionated young people.

Join the Lucre Group and signature speakers from ResearchBods, TenEighty Magazine and MediaTrust to debate the findings.

Thursday 30th January
2pm – Arrival
2:30pm – 4:30pm – Discussion
4:30pm onwards – Networking and drinks

Location
Agas Harding Room
The Goldsmiths’ Centre
Clerkenwell
London
EC1M 5AD
(3 minute walk from Farringdon Station)

Numbers are limited, so please RSVP to nick@lucre.co.uk or phone Nick Smith-Shefford on 0113 243 1117.

Lucre News: The Chips are up for The Lucre Group

Leading snacking brand Kettle Foods, which is home to the nation’s favourite hand-cooked crisp brand, Kettle Chips, and one of the UK’s fastest growing Popcorn brands Metcalfe’s, has appointed The Lucre Group to be its UK agency.

A six-figure appointment which follows an extensive pitch process, The Lucre Group, encompassing Lucre ‘Search Savvy PR’ and RICH ‘Content that moves you’, will handle PR across the entire brand portfolio.

Strengthening the agency’s food and drink credentials further, Lucre’s remit will span both digital and traditional media with content creation and seeding via its in-house RICH division in support.

With a number of new products in development, a key part of Lucre’s role will be brand and SKU launch to both the trade and consumers, driving awareness, engagement and of course sampling. Appointed in August, the first campaigns are set to go live in October. In the meantime, work is already underway on supporting the existing range and seasonal variants in the lead up to Christmas.

Kizzy Beckett, Senior Brand Manager, Kettle Brand, said: “Lucre’s love of food oozed from the first meeting and their ethos mirrors our own to make for a perfect partnership. That combined with their Search Savvy approach, which is audience-led but google-aligned, fits perfectly with our strategy. It is an exciting time right now for Kettle Foods with huge investment taking place in our products, factory and people, so The Lucre Group will be a vital partner in helping us to effectively share that via both traditional press and digitally.”

Tamarind Wilson, Lucre co-founder and Director added: “With a wealth of experience in snacking, this latest win is the perfect complement to our existing portfolio of Food and Drink clients. Kettle Chips is a household name and being part of the team, which helps spread the word even further will be a real pleasure. Similarly, being able to work with Metcalfe’s which leads in the fast-growing formats of popcorn, rice cakes and corn chips, will be a true joy for the team.”