Who grew faster than Apple, Google and Facebook last year?
THE PROBLEM
Many marketers operate without a sound understanding of evidenced-based marketing principles. This means they’re probably spending a lot of money on brand activities that don’t work. Without evidence, fanciful theories grab the popular imagination and become accepted wisdom, even to the most educated of people.
THE SOLUTION
The secrets of empirical-based marketing are unlocked through UniSA’s Ehrenberg-Bass Institute. As the world’s largest centre for research into marketing, its researchers are advancing marketing knowledge, busting pseudo-science and marketing myths, and teaching marketers how marketing really works and how brands grow.
Academics are sometimes accused of not practising what they preach. But while this is true for some ivory tower establishments, it is certainly not the case for UniSA’s Ehrenberg- Bass Institute. Their research on growth has led to the Institute growing its own revenue faster than Apple, Google and Facebook—who are hardly slouches. The Ehrenberg-Bass Institute is now the world’s largest centre for research into marketing, with more than 70 marketing scientists, most of whom are employed in Adelaide.
Their research on growth has led to the Institute growing its own revenue faster than Apple, Google and Facebook—who are hardly slouches. The Ehrenberg-Bass Institute is now the world’s largest centre for research into marketing, with more than 70 marketing scientists, most of whom are employed in Adelaide.
“The Institute’s growth is a good news story for Adelaide. Providing employment for intelligent young marketing scientists, and bringing in export dollars for South Australia,” says Professor Marie Wilson, Pro Vice Chancellor, UniSA Business School.
“Most of our researchers are based in Adelaide, though they work with their corporate sponsors interstate and overseas, and collaborate with academics at Oxford University, Wharton School, Harvard Business School, and Kings College London.”
The Institute’s research is funded by a consortium of sponsors. Most of this research income comes from overseas, from the headquarters of global corporations such as Coca-Cola, Colgate-Palmolive, MasterCard, and Procter & Gamble seeking the discoveries of the Ehrenberg- Bass Institute.
While it’s nice to be known in New York and London, UniSA Business School’s engagement with South Australia is immensely important, hence the Institute’s new appointment of Associate Professor Anne Sharp as the Director of Local Engagement. As a founding researcher of the Institute, Anne will be connecting with local companies to share the research and insights that have been so successful on the international stage.
So, what can local businesses learn from the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute? The Institute’s website talks to ‘the journey’ that corporate sponsors of the Institute can take, as they craft new marketing strategies built on the Institute’s discoveries. Gradually they develop a culture of evidence-based marketing, replacing traditional marketing decision-making that was based on hunches and myths.
“Without science, without evidence, fanciful theories grab the popular imagination and become accepted wisdom even among well educated, highly experienced people,” says Professor Byron Sharp, Director of the Ehrenberg- Bass Institute.
“A decade or so ago, marketers were obsessed with loyalty programs and customer relationship management systems. They made big investments that they hoped would power growth. The problem is that the logic behind it is half-baked and cannot deliver substantive growth. The empirical evidence is there to prove it.”
Today online customer engagement, mobile advertising, content marketing, and behavioural targeting are all at the top of the marketing agenda. Yet according to Professor Sharp, “The same rule still applies: why waste dollars on marketing strategies with no evidence?” While South Australian companies may look overseas for the secrets behind sustainable sales growth, the world’s best marketing advice is right here, on their doorstep.
BRANDING TRUTHS
Don’t ever be silent. Continuously reach all buyers of the category through communication and distribution.
Make it easy to need and easy to buy. Communicate how it fits into the user’s life.
Get noticed. Create advertising that people want to look at, again and again.
Be remembered. Refresh and rebuild memory structures, respect existing associations that make the brand easy to notice and buy.
Look like you, and only you. Create and use distinctive brand assets.
Be consistent. Keep the brand fresh and interesting, but avoid unnecessary changes.
Stay competitive. Keep the brand easy to buy and remove features that are reasons not to buy.
"At first the discoveries were controversial, but we’ve now seen them in our data too." Annabel Hamilton, People’s Choice Credit Union General Manager, Marketing and Product Management
"If you don’t understand evidence based marketing principles, then you are probably spending a lot of money on brand activities that don’t work. The Ehrenberg-Bass Institute teaches marketers to make smart decisions." Bruce McColl, Mars Global Chief Marketing Officer
"The Ehrenberg- Bass Institute has helped us to understand the principles underpinning brand growth." Malcolm D’Sa, Diageo Next Generation Marketing Implementation Director
"The Ehrenberg-Bass Institute actually is the language of the C-suite. It does lean more towards the scientific, empirical, economic language that lends more credibility in the boardroom." John Broome, Kellogg’s Marketing Director, Australia & New Zealand