Interviews, insight & analysis on digital media & marketing

New Business Bulletin: Raspberry Ripple Collective, Heyday by Hootsuite, THRIVE and many more

Raspberry Ripple Collective, a group of collaborative cross-discipline creatives working with brands to launch, grow and expand campaigns, launches Ripple Consult, a consultancy offering that helps companies add a creative spark to all facets of their business. From positioning and marketing to briefs and team setups, it’s about putting the most imaginative foot forward. With over 12 years of experience in the creative industry, Daniel da Costa is leading Ripple Consult. Previously a creative department head, Daniel will be bringing not only the knowledge of creative campaigns to the consultancy but also how creativity runs through a business. 

Heyday by Hootsuite, the conversational AI platform, is proud to announce it has integrated Instagram Direct Messages and Facebook Messenger within its powerful ecommerce Shopify chatbot app, creating new opportunities for merchants to connect with their customers. This integration will help take merchants’ business to the next level by providing access to powerful conversational AI features across Instagram Direct Messages and Facebook Messenger, ensuring chats are operating 24/7 year-round, to both sell products and answer FAQs in real-time, any time of day. 

Learning and Skills platform THRIVE has launched Marketing Studio, a new service which combines consultancy and design to elevate effectiveness and engagement of learning campaigns. Inspired by customers, created for customers, Marketing Studio was developed to respond to the growing number of requests from L&D teams for additional marketing support. THRIVE listened to their customers, otherwise known as ‘THRIVE TRIBE’, and built a service to meet that demand. Backed by the Marketing Studio team of marketers, creatives and designers, L&D teams will be able to build beautiful campaigns, improve their content and distribution strategy, uplift their L&D brand and upskill their teams with exclusive marketing masterclasses. The design side of the service will provide platform teaser videos, campaign banners and a host of other branded resources, supporting L&D teams to deliver sleek, on-brand learning content and campaigns.

Ad tech service provider Tylie Ad Solutions and Peach, a specialist in video advertising workflow and delivery, has announced a new technology integration using Peach’s API to automate and streamline workflow, effectively speeding up error-free global delivery of broadcast assets and Traffic and Clearance services. Developed specifically for Tylie client Airbnb, the integration empowers Tylie to perform as an international advertisers’ traffic department, with capabilities to centralize asset storage, post production workflow, and activate global campaigns across the United States, Europe and Latin America.  Previously, Airbnb distributed their domestic campaigns globally by engaging multiple entities and various workflows. Now, thanks to Tylie’s integration using Peach’s Partner API, Airbnb is launching campaigns from within the Tylie Tandem platform, marking a streamlined option for international activation.  The integration is available to all Tylie clients. The announcement follows Tylie’s Q2 alliance with The TEAM companies, which enables music, talent and element rights directly from within Tylie Tandem, a collaborative cross-screen management platform. 

Venari Security, a London-based cybersecurity company, has partnered with Armadillo, specialists in cyber security advisory, managed security services and advanced technologies, to equip its customers with end-to-end analysis of their network’s encrypted communications for the first-time. Armadillo will integrate Venari Security’s pioneering Encrypted Traffic Analysis (ETA) platform into its existing product offering, enabling organisations to identify attackers in encrypted traffic, monitoring for any deviation. The platform uses a combination of AI, machine learning, behavioural analytics and a rules engine to provide actionable intelligence and detect potential threats, in near-real time.

Secret Sales, the premium non-full-price marketplace for fashion, sportswear and beauty brands, has announced its partnership with PUMA, one of the world’s leading sports brands. The alliance enables PUMA to sell non-full-price inventory and make strong margins while at the same time gaining new customers and maintaining brand equity. The first-of-its-kind partnership for PUMA, will enable the sportswear retailer to distribute excess inventory and made-for-outlet products on Secret Sales’ marketplace. This means PUMA can focus on full price inventory on its own sites and other channels whilst having full control of its brand, offer and pricing on Secret Sales. The partnership also enables PUMA to gain access to Secret Sales’ substantial customer reach, as well as acquiring new customers through Secretsales to re-target in their own channels in a fully GDPR compliant way. With growing inflation and a continued cost-of-living crisis, shoppers are snapping up the option of branded goods at lower prices, with Secret Sales seeing a 55% increase in active customers last year. The partnership is set to see significant growth as PUMA plans to double its active listings on Secret Sales to over 1500 products before the end of September.  

Starcom, part of Publicis Media, has announced the launch of its new microsite – Future Tensions in Sustainable Advertising, which can be accessed here. The report aims to address the marketing tension in the room; that advertising, growth and product sales are at odds with sustainability, leaving marketers with lots of questions around their advertising and how to make their media plans more sustainable.

On Thursday, 13 October, leaders across a range of industries, including retail, fashion and consumer goods, will gather to share insights about the future of commerce at the virtual DEPT® Commerce Day. From evolving customer journeys, the cookieless world and the rise of Web3, the event will explore the opportunities and challenges for how brands attract, engage and retain customers both today and in the future. Speakers for the virtual event include leaders from Gucci, Inter Milan, eBay, Vogue Business, FREITAG, C&A, Design Holding, Electrolux, Magasin and more.

US-based digital sports brand Overtime and football content and media company, Footballco has partnered on a strategic partnership that will provide brands and agencies in the US with unrivalled access to global football fans ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The partnership will entail both companies being able to include each other’s media in commercial partnerships, creating a market-leading and streamlined global proposition for brands wanting to engage consumers, especially those in the Gen-Z and Gen-A demographic, through football.

FDM Group, a professional services provider with a focus on technology, has announced a major expansion of its apprenticeship programme in a new partnership with London South Bank University. The FDM apprenticeship scheme offers new joiners the opportunity to gain degree-level qualifications as part of an innovative training course. Candidates are given full vocational training in key IT roles, alongside study, as part of the government-approved level six Bachelor of Science Degree in Digital and Technology. FDM has already seen its first candidate enrol on the BSc apprentice programme at London South Bank, with many more new joiners soon to follow. As part of FDM Group’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, the apprenticeship programme will aim to create a strong gender balance, encouraging women to sign-up and benefit from the scheme. FDM already has a partnership in place with Sheffield Hallam University and this new agreement is the latest in a series of collaborations with key academic institutions across the UK.