A current marketing project for a client has been to build them a website. Part of the project has been to develop content both to get found on the web and importantly to get interested parties to pick up the phone.
In developing the copy for the website it became clear that the selection of holiday accommodation is a very emotive decision. This brought home to me how when you tell a story from a personal experience it creates a powerful message. For example

• "When i first drove up the driveway to the cottages, I was amazed by the remoteness of there location"
• "I couldnt wait to sit down and relax by the log fires"
• "We were all excited about using the outdoor hot tub"
• "Its the best cottage we have ever stopped in"

True stories that reflect the needs of your customer will engage with them. If you are looking to engage with your customers through words, then stories could be the ideal medium. There is no need to glorify or exaggerate, just illustrating the examples, issues, problems that a customer has and highlighting how your product / service has helped the customer experience is enough.

For more information on creating marketing stories see http://www.bdolphin.co.uk/marketing-training-courses/how-to-write-for-the-web/

Events fundraising is on the increase, according to a number of surveys carried out by the Event Managers' Forum. Apparently 46% of charities claim that the recession has had only a small impact on their events fundraising, while 23% say that it has had no effect at all. Mass participation events are still regarded as the 'Holy Grail' of fundraising, such as the 'Race for Life' and challenge events are becoming more popular.
Third Sector, 20 October 2009, p35

London's The Evening Standard is to become a free newspaper, in the interests of achieving a wider circulation, despite the loss of £12m in revenues. The plan is to distribute the paper in London high streets, supermarkets and railway stations.
The Daily Telegraph, 2 October 2009, p29
The Independent, 5 October 2009, p45

According to research from the Advertising Association, buy-one-get-one-free (BOGOF) promotions don't necessarily encourage consumers to buy things they don't want. More than two-thirds of consumers see these promotions as a way of helping out with their finances and only one in five say it encourages them to buy things unnecessarily. However the Chartered Institute of Marketing has pointed out that it is difficult for a brand which has price promoted heavily to return to its former premium positioning.
Marketing Week, 1 October 2009, p7

Are young people the same in these two cities in terms of their needs and interests for marketing purposes? In fact they are probably more similar than they were ten years ago because of the ubiquity of communications and entertainment. However the use of geo-demographics and socio-demographics only allows for segments and sub-segments – one also needs to understand cultural differences.
Springboard, Autumn 2009, p31

An EU court has ruled that the clothes and jewellery maker, JOOP! cannot register an exclamation mark as a trade mark because it will be seen by consumers as just 'laudatory advertising or an eye-catching gimmick'.  The exclamation mark is not deemed distinctive enough and is unlikely to indicate to consumers the commercial origin of the goods, which is the function of a trade mark. JOOP! had applied to register a trade mark for both a single exclamation mark and a boxed exclamation mark!
Out-law.com, 1 October 2009

Coke Recycles
Coca-Cola has produced its first ad   encouraging consumers to recycle. 'The Keep it Going. Recycle' campaign will support the company's strategy to reduce its carbon footprint. Southampton will be the first city to benefit from the launch of Coke's recycling bins. Coke Recycling Zones have already appeared at Thorpe Park and Manchester Airport. Research by the Carbon Trust has found that packaging accounts for the greatest proportion of a drinks company's carbon footprint.
Marketing Week, 17 September 2009, p5

The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) is introducing a social media resource to stimulate debate and understanding amongst its members. The IPA has identified Ten Principles of Social Media and would like agencies and brands to include social media in all marketing activity.
New Media Age, 17 September 2009, p6

Cadbury's Dairy Milk has launched a music single and video to mark the brand's conversion to Fair Trade products. The single has been released on the Glass and a Half Full Records label, specially created for the campaign and launched on TV at the weekend as a 60-second ad.
Campaign, 18 September 2009, p1