Interviews, insight & analysis on digital media & marketing

New Business Bulletin: DPD UK, Canva, Uber for Business and more

DPD UK, an innovative carrier in the express parcels sector, has chosen Blue Yonder’s SaaS-based Returns Management solution to provide a digital returns portal, that will be made available to all of its retail customers. DPD UK is a member of Geopost, a European leader in parcel delivery and solutions for e-commerce and part of the La Poste Groupe. The company operates more than 10,000 vehicles in the UK from 85 locations and delivers over 400 million parcels a year. With a strong focus on customer service and sustainability, DPD UK was looking for a digital returns management solution that would work alongside its existing capabilities and that could give it a strong competitive advantage in helping its retail customers manage returns efficiently. DPD turned to Blue Yonder and its recently acquired returns management solution from Doddle. Thanks to the Blue Yonder Returns Management solution, a DPD retail customer can get a new portal live within a few hours. This will allow consumers to book a return in seconds and drop off their items at one of over 10,000 DPD pickup locations across the UK. They will experience a fully digital, branded journey to choose which item to return, select a return reason, and either print a label or generate a QR code to use in the drop-off location. They will also receive tracking updates once the parcel is handed over.

Canva, the world’s only all-in-one visual communication platform, has released new insights from more than 1,360 CIOs on their priorities, opportunities and the challenges of managing their IT amid the AI boom. The company commissioned Harris Poll to survey CIOs from the UK, US, France, Germany, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, India, and Australia to understand how they’re managing application sprawl and making decisions about workplace tools in the AI era. The top findings specific to UK respondents include: More apps are entering the workplace, but consolidation and reducing complexity are top of mind. CIOs report the pace of new apps in the market is rising globally, with 69% expecting to adopt between 30-60 new apps in 2024. With the rise in the number of new applications, application sprawl (the growth in individual applications used in a workplace) is a challenge for 77% of CIOs. As a result, nearly half (45%) are planning on some level of consolidation, with 19% planning for significant levels.

The majority of UK travel managers (89%) say travel is a growing business priority in 2024, anticipating increased budgets driven by return-to-office policies, inflation and ESG requirements. This is a key finding in new research by Uber for Business – a global platform managing rides and meals – which reveals the resurgent demand for business travel. The research, drawing insights from over 250 corporate travel managers across the UK, reveals the top business travel trends and challenges to watch in 2024. In this landscape of shifting dynamics, where emphasis on ESG requirements is intensifying, there is an increasing need for innovative travel management solutions.

Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0%, the super-premium Italian beer brand from Asahi Europe & International, has announced a new global partnership with Ferrari. The multi-year partnership will see Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% enter a new racing chapter alongside Scuderia Ferrari and Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli series, continuing the motorsport sponsorship journey. To celebrate the partnership and to initiate the elevated experiences to come, Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% has unveiled a limited-edition product run of Tifosi Nastro Azzurro 0.0%; a love letter to the Scuderia Ferrari fans, the Tifosi, who we tribute for their great passion on the F1 racing grid. Throughout the partnership touchpoints, Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% will be visible, including branding on the Scuderia Ferrari cars and driver uniforms. The Italian beer brand will also partner with Scuderia Ferrari to create bespoke social media content dedicated as a special saluté to the fans providing special access to the team and releasing the Italian passion inside them all.

According to a new study of business and marketing leaders across the country, 39% of respondents in the South West don’t have a written marketing strategy for their business. This was significantly less than the national average, where almost eight in ten (78%) said they had a written strategy. The research was commissioned by Favour the Brave, an agency based in Bristol that specialises in helping service brands grow. Sarah Stratford, strategy partner and founder at Favour the Brave, comments, “Now that there are so many marketing channels to take advantage of, it’s more important than ever to have a single, coherent plan that brings everything together. “Without one, it’s almost impossible to know whether you’re doing the right things to grow your business effectively. This research points towards an untapped opportunity for South West business leaders to make their marketing work harder to achieve the growth they deserve.”