Maximising potential: Why joining the Institute of Promotional Marketing is a must for modern marketing agencies.
From the blog series: 30 Years of customer service success – insights from the team.
Background:
Peter Kerr is the founder of MRM and has been instrumental in driving the business through it’s many challenges. Well known in the industry through his long-standing association with the IPM, in this blog Peter discusses the benefits of membership.
“Promotions? That’s just the s*x, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll of marketing!” said the advertisers to the promoters during a milestone debate at the houses of commons… It was 10-0 in favour of advertising at half-time, as they painted promotional marketing as a quick and flashy way to make a buck. But what they missed is what we in promotions understand…”
About the author
I am Peter Kerr, the founder and Executive Chair of Multi Resource Marketing (MRM). With over a few decades in the marketing industry, I have had the immense privilege of working alongside the most innovative brands and creative teams across the UK. In this blog post, I will share some of the secrets to our success at MRM and how becoming a member of the Institute of Promotional Marketing (IPM) has enhanced my experience, fuelled our growth, and enabled us to continually raise the bar in promotional marketing. Of course, I’ll sprinkle in a few stories along the way that highlight just how creative, and occasionally comical, this industry can be.
About MRM – Multi Resource Marketing
For a little over 30 years, MRM has specialised on bridging the gap between the creative visions of your agency and delivering the promotional offer to the consumer or business through hundreds of innovative channels. Our expertise is taking your brief, designing the logistical mechanics, and building the systems that ensure your campaign is delivered on time, within budget, and with precision. All of our work is managed through a vastly experienced team to ensure the highest level of fulfilment logistics takes place.
This expertise covers the whole range of promotional marketing techniques, from e-commerce fulfilment to competition & prize draw management, cashback promotions, loyalty management systems to contract packing and retail couponing.
From conceptualising promotional ideas such as the UK’s first digital promotion in 1999 for Coke Cola – Coke Auction campaign, to individually personalised consumer gifting executed across multiple channels, we are passionate about driving results that exceed our clients’ expectations.
Since our inception, we’ve been committed to staying ahead of industry trends and delivering cutting-edge promotional strategies. One of the key elements to achieving this goal has been forging strong relationships with influential bodies in our field, such as the IPM. [1]
How did we get involved with the IPM?
MRM’s journey with the Institute of Promotional Marketing began as soon as we founded the business. We considered membership of the IPM as being essential in demonstrating to our clients that we subscribe to best working practice, contributing to the self-regulation of promotional marketing. I had been a member of the IPM under a previous employer, where I earned my Diploma in Promotional Marketing and saw firsthand how the Institute plays a vital role in shaping industry standards.
For the real benefits of the institute to manifest in your business, you have to be involved! It isn’t enough to be an innocent bystander, working with the membership is a key benefit.
Like most things in life, you get out what you put in —and that’s especially true when it comes to being part of an organisation like the IPM. Inspired by the market I was now working in, I was nominated to join the IPM Board in 1999, a position I was honoured to be elected to. Sitting at the board table with people I considered giants of our industry, senior brand representative, agency heads and leading service companies – and they were giants… I did feel slightly intimidated, but I was considerably more inspired. Over the years, that feeling never left, and neither did my place on the Board. In fact, I’ve now served for 32 years, including three as Chair.
Following a recent AGM, we have introduced a new Board structure that opens fresh opportunities for anyone passionate about our industry to get involved. If your journey is even half as rewarding as mine, I am confident that the time you invest will not only drive the growth of your business, but also enrich your personal and professional development.
My journey has been defined by significant contributions to education, award recognition, mentoring, networking, white papers, and best practice leadership. Representing the UK on the European Council IMPACT—an independent council of the EACA [2]—and now serving as its President [3], has broadened my perspective of the industry and underscored the value of continuous learning in an ever-evolving field. Beyond the accolades, this experience has brought immense joy and camaraderie, allowing me to collaborate with inspiring individuals, including our peer competitors.
The biggest brands need reassurance that you have the skills and experience to deliver results, collaborating through IPM members has repeatedly paid off and helped engage our largest and most profitable clients.
As a member, we have access to a wealth of knowledge, case studies, and expert advice that has significantly shaped our strategies for clients. The IPM also provides insights into consumer behaviour trends, legal advice, and new technologies that help us design promotions that truly engage and convert. As part of the UK’s advertising self-regulation the IPM sit on the CAP Committee and are responsible for the regulations around non-broadcast marketing. To the IPM’s credit there hasn’t been a single Promotional Marketing campaign that has fallen foul of the ASA after being approved by our Legal Advisory Service in the 75+ year history of the Institute.
Taking on Giants!
I have countless highlights of my time with the IPM, but the one that sticks in my mind is the debate in the House of Commons managed by the Debating Group. The question posed was,
“Is advertising more effective than Sales Promotion?”
I was one of 4 panellists – the other three significantly more qualified than me.
The advertising lobby was quick to dismiss Promotional Marketing, saying it was “the sex, drugs & rock n’ roll” of marketing and that “anyone can give product away”. In footballing terms, we were 10-0 down at half time.
Our reply was to pose how advertising could possibly get a brand out of the trap of Tesco’s demands for added value packs at a near break-even cost?
The client in question was Kimberly Clark, with a product struggling under the weight of a promotion offering 12 toilet rolls for the price of nine, which both devalued the brand and led to overstocking for the consumer.
The promotional solution was to remove the three free rolls and fill the space with a unique Andrex puppy fluffy toy. The pack was sold at almost twice the price, increasing both Tesco’s and KC’s margins, massively increasing market share, breaking the hold of the staple promotion – and all the purchasers had a brand icon in the home, further endorsing the Andrex brand.
We levelled up at 10 – 10 by full time. From the audience of 120, mostly practitioners in Advertising, 60 voted that Sales Promotion was more effective – What a result!
Be seen as an industry leader – or become an industry leader?
Joining the IPM has given MRM a competitive edge. The training programs have helped our team maintain a high level of expertise, while the legal and regulatory support has ensured that our campaigns are compliant with industry standards. Furthermore, being part of the IPM has opened doors to new business opportunities, as many clients appreciate working with agencies that are part of a reputable institution like the IPM.
Where next?
As we continue our partnership with the IPM, our goal is to further explore the network of innovation and strategies the institute and members provide. We’ll use the IPM Awards in September each year to showcase the achievements of our workforce and thank the customers and agencies that make it happen.