Karma Times Issue #1 by Folk

QUARTER ONE 2015

ISSUE #1

THE KARMA TIMES T HE PU R P OSE FU L C ONNE C TION QU A RTE R LY, FR OM THE HE A RTS A ND M INDS OF F O L K ’ S S T O RY T EL L ERS .

O N E S T O R Y, EVERYWHERE™ JO CRUI CKS H AN K S TAL KS O N E S T O RY, EV ERY WH ERE. F I N D O UT H O W I T CO UL D AF F ECT Y O UR B RAN D .

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THE DIGITAL FIX

A TELLING STORY

THAT’S THE SPIRIT

WHY WE FAIL

D A R R EN OFFE R S S OM E Q U IC K F IXES F O R YO U R

W IT H T HE HE L P OF P E TE R DOC K E R , PA U L SHE E HY EXPLO RE S THE R E A SONING B E HIND W HY

J ON’S C A SE STU DY OF C ON KER S P I RI T P RO V ES

A L O O K AT T H E N AT URE O F FAI L URE, AN D A

E C O M ME R CE S TOR E , GUARA NT EED T O INC REA SE CON V E R S ION IN THE FAC E O F HIGH T RA F F IC .

BRA NDS SHOU L D B E C OM E P U B L ISHE R S.

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W ITHOU T DOU B T THAT YOU D O N ’ T N EED T O B E

B UL L ET P RO O F AP P RO ACH T O KEEP I N G Y O UR

STU C K IN YOU R DE A D-E ND JO B .

RES O L UT I O N S I N 2 0 1 5 .

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WHO ARE WE, AND WHY SHOULD YOU CARE? If you’re reading this, then we admire you for one reason or another. You might be an ambitious brand, ever-striving to reach the top; you might be a brand who’s already up there, and showing the world how it’s done. You might be humble, and purposeful, doing everything right and just waiting for your tipping point. In any event, we’re Folk - we specialise in eCommerce telling stories, and delving to the core of your brand - to get you where you want to go. This paper is a collection of thoughts, ideas, advice and experience from us, our friends, and contributors - on leadership, retail, brands and commerce. In this, the first issue, we scour the digital landscape and beyond for inspiration, to invigorate your brands, lives and businesses. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed putting it together. Folk. wearefolk.com

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Dear friends old, new, and to-be,

KARMA IS ACTION The Karma Times is to inspire action

IN THIS ISSUE: Editor Ms Jo Cruickshanks | Production Director Mr Louis Pollard | Design Director Miss Natasha Spice Resource Supervisor Mr Jon Syrett | Feature Writers Miss Rebecca Hugo & Mr Darren Bull | Design Consultants Mr Tom Wittlin & Mr Dan Jones | Guest Contributors Mr Simon Woodroffe & Ms Fleurie Forbes-Martin | Guest Interviewees Mr Rupert Holloway, Mr Timothy Percival & Mr Peter Docker | Brand Contributors New & Lingwood, Kelly Hoppen, YO!Company, Hackett London, Folk, Wirehive100 & TheDRUM | Contributing photographer Ms Samantha Dolby With Special Thanks to Mr Malcolm McClean, Mr Dan Thompson, Ms Laura Bowker, Ms Harriet Vine, Mr Stephen Russell, Mr Paul Martin & Mr Max Strom

It’s with a mix of great pleasure and trepidation that I write this. First: the pleasure bit. It’s so great to see the Story Team do what they do best and bring the tacit nature of Folk to life. To have a printed record of what your brand and its people stand for, is in my view, a great accomplishment for any organisation. As marketeers, we all know that the key to the future of retail is brands becoming publishers. But we find it easier to succumb to the obstacles. It’s not easy: it takes time, and process. But it’s these challenges that makes it so rewarding. Imagine my glee as I write this, after giving a throw away challenge ‘to get Karma Times #1 done’ to our already very busy Story team. But here we are. It feels like we’re staying true to our beliefs in the face of those obstacles. It shows that work is somewhere you go to give, to align personal and organisational purpose, where you grow with likeminded people and ultimately, master your craft. This boils down to telling a great story. But, I have to say, at the same time as this is feeling good, it’s not comfortable. I’m scared what people ‘out there’ will think of our use of the word karma. I’m one of those pseudo-spiritual martyr types, sneering at incorrect use of terms from the philosophy of yoga and peripheral religions, and here I am putting something out there that has one of the most over and inappropriately used Sanskrit terms - karma. Forgive me if I too fall into that realm, but allow me to make my case. The use of the word in our own stories reminds us that really, the only important thing in life is not what you say, but what you do. Karma means action. It’s not about woo-woo fate. It’s dynamic. It’s founded on the idea that conscious, deliberate, wilful action is what determines our situation. So, our everyday choices dictate our karma. As an extension of this, I believe that it’s not just people who have karma. Organisations have karma too. It’s making the right choices for the right reasons, for a bigger purpose than the bottom line. This may well be a ‘hippy’ way of seeing things in business, but I know I’m not alone - and actually, this is the way the best leaders and teams in the world are heading: straight into the heart of business, the purpose, the why... the cause, the effect. The old way of hiding behind meaningless values, manifestos, stories and vision statements is, in my opinion, outdated. Brand storytelling and marketing today is about action, experience, and impact; what you are going to do to make a story that challenges, that creates change, or inspires a movement? As leaders, we have to remind ourselves that we’re not in business to create more transactions or conversions, we’re in business to create more human interactions. It’s our belief that the businesses that thrive in the next era of retail will be the ones who understand human needs and connection (hence ‘Folk’). They’ll be the ones who can respond quickly, from a place of purpose to the needs of their consumers; to create shared stories and experiences that challenge, excite, and serve real people. That’s our aim in this issue, and I hope we bring you a little bit of inspiration to do just that wherever you are. Jo Cruickshanks Editor and Folk Co-Founder

WHATS IN THE ISSUE: Pg.

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OURS VS. YOURS

POETRY FROM YO!

IN T HE WA K E OF THE M A K E R R E V OL U TION, DOE S

S I MO N WO O D RO O F E L I K ED WO RK I N G WI T H US

IT PAY TO P E R SONA L ISE , OR SE E M SE NSIB L E TO

S O MUCH O N H I S P URP O S EF UL S T O RY, H E G O T

SIMPLI FY? W E GO TO THE SOU R C E TO FIND OU T.

FOLK IT

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AN IN TR OD UCTION T O F O LK : F IND YO U R P UR P OSE OR F IND YO U RSELF LO ST

CREAT I V E AN D WRO T E US A P O EM

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AWARD LOVE

SOM E M OR E . W E ’V E GOT THE AWA R DS TO P R OV E IT. L O UI S S P EAK S CAN D I D LY WI T H P ET ER D O CKER, WH Y- CEN T RI C L EAD ERS H I P G URU, AN D UN CO V ERS S O ME P O S I T I V E, L I F E- CH AN G I N G

ASK FOLK: NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

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P H I L O S O P H Y.

NO BULL

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WE ASKE D TH E G OO D PEO PLE O F F O LK T O S HAR E THE IR N E W Y EA R’S RESO LU T IO NS. WE WE R E N ’T PART IC U LA RLY IMPRESSED.

INTERVIEW WITH PETER DOCKER

WE W OR K HA R D, P L AY HA R D, A ND W OR K HA R D

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BRANDS BECOME PUBLISHERS

DA R R E N OFFE R S SOM E QU IC K FIX E S FOR YOU R E C OM M E R C E STOR E , GU A R A NTE E D TO INC R E A SE C ONV E R SION IN THE FA C E OF HIGH TR A FFIC .

PAUL S H EEH Y EXP L O RES T H E REAS O N I N G B EH I N D WH Y B RAN D S S H O UL D B ECO ME P UB L I S H ERS .

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DON DRAPER Vs. JOEY TRIBIANI

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DEAR BRAND

DIGITAL IS DEAD

PR E PA R E TO C OV E R YOU R E A R S A S W E GR A B

IN A W OR L D OF OM NI CH AN N EL D I G I TAL AS A

BATTLIN G Y OUR INNER C RIT IC A ND HO W

T HE INDU STRY B Y THE SC R U FF OF THE NE C K ,

TO WIN . AN IN SIGHT F RO M O U R C REAT IVE

A ND J OU R NE Y TO THE C E NTR E OF ONE STORY,

DIREC T O R T O M W IT T LIN

E V E RYW HE R E .

SE P E RAT E EN T I T Y I S D EAD .

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HE CAME, HE SAW, HE CONKERED

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WOMEN & TECH REB ECCA TAK ES A L O O K AT T H E RO L E O F WO MEN WI T H I N T ECH ; WH ERE T H EY ARE, WH ERE T H EY ’ RE N O T, AN D WH ERE WE CAN F I N D MO RE O F T H EM.

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KARMA DINNERS, PAST AND FUTURE 2 0 1 4 ’ S I N CRED I B L E KARMA D I N N ERS I N B RI EF, AN D A S N EAKY P REV I EW O F T H E Y EAR T O

W E TA L K C ONK E R GIN W ITH I T S F O UN D ER, R U P E RT HOL L OWAY, A ND L EARN T H AT I F Y O U DON’T L IK E IT, L U M P IT.

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EVERYBODY FAILS, IT’S HOW WE SUCCEED F IND O U T HO W T O BREA K YOU R B A D HA B ITS, W HIL ST A C C E P TING YOU R SE L F FOR W HO YOU A R E .

CO ME.

London is positively brimming with outfitters and tailors, each laying claim to artisanship, heritage, and good, old fashioned traditions. And traditions are fine - if you like black, grey, and blue. New & Lingwood understand that the modern man is discerning; we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be pigeonholed into convention. Being a gent is about being confident in yourself, being uninhibited, and allowing your

true colours to sit comfortably in the foreground. We help people to uncover their own personal style, and to that end, we make more than suits, and shirts: we make gentlemen, and we have done since 1865. wearefolk.com/work/newandlingwood newandlingwood.com

THE KARMA TIMES

FOLK IT

Find your purpose or find yourself lost Words by Ms Joanna Cruickshanks

There’s a lot of talk about disruption these days, and as a result, many questions for brands - like “How do I tell our story in a fragmented world?”, “How do I create a brand experience across all channels?” and “How do I stay relevant and meaningful to your ever-distracted customer?” In the age of disruption, the most important question to ask is “Why are we here and where will this journey take us?” Finding your port in the storm is more critical now than ever. In fact, we’ll be as bold to say this: your Purpose will make a far larger difference to the future of your business than anything else you could invest in. It’s what will give you the strategy, leadership and courage to know the means to solve the challenges that the age of disruption is bringing to us all. About four years ago, we saw the disruption emerging. We could see that one of the biggest challenges to retailers were the operational silos

that kept everything departmentalised. We found ourselves working with brands on their digital only, with no real integration with the rest of the business. We could see that this was an outdated way of working, that retailers needed to see all channels as one experience. At the same time, fuelled by visionaries like Simon Sinek, we felt passionately that people don’t buy products, they buy stories. That’s why today, we don’t start any project without first asking “What’s the Why?”. Most eCommerce Directors aren’t used to a digital agency asking anything to do with their brand experience, let alone their raison d’etre. But we’re a challenging bunch, and we’re not satisfied with superficial vision/value sets laid out on a brief. You see, at Folk, we believe that purpose is an energy, not a strategy. Sounds weird, and a tad woo woo, but you’re going to have to take a leap of faith here, because it’s a vital business tool

for the future. Your brand purpose is the point of singularity in your brand universe. It’s the both start and end point of your brand story, and it’s what will set you apart from your competition in an authentic way. It creates a feeling and a connection. So, 2015 is the year of purpose - everyone is talking about it, from Coca Cola to P&G, and we love that. But what does it mean for you, and how do you find it whilst still doing your day job? These are questions we have been pondering over the past four years. We’ve been honing our Purposeful Story Framework, and now we have a fool-proof methodology for accessing the tacit purpose of your business, and mapping that into an integrated, holistic brand story, content strategy and content plan. Sounds big doesn’t it? Well, that’s just for starters. With purpose covered, we’re focused on then providing the very best eCommerce platform for

“Purpose is an energy, not a strategy” you to tell your story. We have a very talented team of experienced strategists, storytellers, developers and designers - all committed to making a difference to our clients’ businesses, despite the disruption. Our aim is to lead ambitious brands forward, to help them find the purpose and vision to stand for something bigger than conversion rates, and then to turn this vision into a reality. This is how we’ll Folk it in 2015. Join us if you dare.

Over the next thirty-or-so pages, you’ll find some of our favourite quotes from the Folk office. Entries remain anonymous to save face.

THE KARMA TIMES

18 9

15 8

19 10

5 16

People with Purpose We asked the folk of folk for their personal resolutions for 2015 in two words, here’s what they said:

1. ANDREW

7. FRANK

13. JO

19. RON

“World Peace”

“Train Cat”

“Breathing Out”

“Walking Dead”

2. BRAD

8. GLEN

14. LOUIS

20. REBECCA

“Smoke. Drink.”

“Do Stuff”

“Beer Run”

“Waking Up”

3. BEN

9. JAMES

15. LUKE

21. TASHA

“Good intentions”

“Keep on keeping on”

“Fried Chicken”

“Muffin Top”

4. DAN G

10. JAY

16. MICHELLE

22. TOM

“Trousers On”

“Give Up”

“Fresh Start”

“Give Up”

5. DAN J

11. JOHN

17. OTTO

23. WILL

“New Me”

“Gym Again?”

“Racing Driver”

“Lose weight”

6. DARREN

12. JON

18. PAUL

“Tequila Shots?”

“New Dan”

“Sea swimming”

Don’t forget to put the winkie at the end.

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“Your hair looks terrible!”

FOLK MANTRA #1

BE GENUINE We live in a world of conditioning, where we suppress and edit what’s really going on. Being genuine, is not permission to be rude, but a courage to say what’s real, even when it’s not good. wearefolk.com

I can’t concentrate. I just keep thinking about curly wurlys.

THE KARMA TIMES

THE CASE OF DON DRAPER Vs. JOEY TRIBIANI Folk’s Creative Director shares what’s on (or in) his mind. Words by Mr Thomas Wittlin

Every time I get asked to write an article for something, I instantly think, “Shit, I don’t know what to write about.” But, by remaining in this

pattern of thought, no ideas can appear. Instead, I look at the facts. I realise I could write about my experiences and trust my inner voice telling me I DO know some stuff, and heck, others might even like to hear it. That’s what this article is about: listening to and trusting your inner voice. There are tons of voices constantly in our heads: one that says you’re shit, one that says you’re right; one that says you’ve got more to do than everyone else... all seldom right. But there’s one voice quieter than the others, and the only one to which you need listen - because it’s always right. Recognising the difference between my true inner voice and my head took me ages. Once I did, I noticed a dramatic change - not only in my work, but how my work and I were received by others. Particularly at work. The inner voice is calm, steady and quiet - it feels right. I know when it’s talking to me because I’m afraid to share what it’s saying in case it’s wrong. The number of times I’ve kept my trap shut for fear of being mocked. When you get that feeling,

chances are, you’re not wrong, you’re right. Weird that, isn’t it? D’you remember that scene in Friends where Ross says to Joey, “Welcome to an adult conversation” after he proposes Ross drink a glass of fat? Yeah, that plays out in my mind quite a bit, with me as Joey. Incidentally, what Joey said turned out to be the alternative thinking that solved the discussion. So why are we afraid to use this inner guide and say what we think in front of clients, or put our real hearts into our work? Perhaps because it’s TOO obvious. To me, if the answer seems that obvious I think, “someone must’ve thought of doing this but it was rejected”. A lot of the time though, they haven’t. Seriously. And interestingly, what I’ve found is the times when I’ve spoken to clients with that inner voice, they sense its authenticity, and seldom disagree or fight back. On the flip side, if I’d just been spouting someone else’s opinion I read in a magazine just to get my voice heard, they wouldn’t have given me that attention. Probably because that’s the “Welcome to an adult conversation” stuff - not the things I’m scared to say. Listening to the head, or ‘the ego’, is an entirely different matter and can cause more

damage than good. You know this is in play when you want to fight your critics. When you feel you’re being done over, people aren’t listening to you or your idea isn’t working, ask yourself, “Am I really adding to this and taking it forward with what I’m saying or doing here?” D’you watch Mad Men? Don’s a perfect example of someone that speaks purely with that inner voice. It’s direct, no fluff, often harsh. It’s getting things done. He’s just not a relationships person. Once you understand that, there’s no problem. There’s a scene where one of his creatives makes a joke in a pitch review. Without hesitation Don responds with, “How are you even helping?”. I try to find my inner Don in situations when I’m about to say something meaningless in meetings or add something superfluous to a design. We know everyone’s a critic in creative industries. If it’s not the client it’s the boss, or the dev team, or the SEO guy saying “You’re a 10 for creativity, but 3 for search...”. All these people are designed just perfectly to wind you up after you ‘think’ you’ve put everything into something, and you’ll (want to) unleash all the terrors in the world at that person for criticising. Why? Because underneath it, you know they have a point. Or,

I got food poisoning from custard creams. I found some, so I ate them.

“Take emotion out, calm down. Absorb what’s been said and return with something 10 times better.” you know there’s more you could do to make it better and rather not admit it yet. Here’s where I go back to the inner voice. Take emotion out, calm down. Absorb what’s been said and return with something 10 times better. Eventually, satisfaction goes up and critics go down. Like you, every day I deal with this. I suppose the main thing I want to convince myself of as much as you, is ‘ask those questions you’re afraid to ask’. As a semi-famous Filipino action star said, “The only stupid question is the question that is never asked”.

THE KARMA TIMES

OURS VS. YOURS: The War Of The Titans Words by Mr Louis Pollard

the

wake

revolution , the

ongoing

brands .

consumer

louis

the

maker

talks

about

relevance

Where stand ?

does

of the

There’s a battle being waged, and it’s going to continue long into 2015. It’s the war between simple and personal. Some argue that brands lose their pazazz when they bend to consumer whimsy; these engineers and designers - they’re the pros, let them do their jobs. On the other side of the fence, we’ve got those in favour of customisation; the customer is king - so let them have it how they want it; empower and be empowered. Generally speaking, the online buzz leans towards the personalisation side of things. But is there some merit in leaving it to the professionals? Are there wider implications to this whole debacle? Looks like we’re about to find out.

“We have the whole alphabet at our disposal, and often we still can’t pick the right words to say.” says Timothy Percival, founder and owner of The London Telegram Company. In the fight between simplification and personalisation, it’s quite clear which side he’s on. In true niche-carving style, Mr. Percival and his one-man revival effort wander the path less travelled. He created the London Telegram Company, an app driven telegram service where you can turn a digital message into a hand typed telegram straight from your phone. “Products can’t just be simple,” he says. “Simplicity must be considered, just as complexity is considered.” As such, you’ll find no optional extras for the London Telegram Company. “I reach out to local coffeeshops. They love the telegrams, and pin them up on their notice boards, but really, it’s not for them. It’s for the Soho creatives that sit and drink there; they’ll see the

“Simplicity must be considered, just as complexity is considered.” telegram, and ask where to get one. The design’s simple and memorable, and customisation options would impinge on that.” The Courier-style font and the 1st Class stamp are set in stone - and it looks great that way. In fact, your message is the only variable. Of all the amusing quips sent so far, “Congratulations on the boob job” was probably my favorite. I personally believe the value of the physical touch

Your chair just undid my trousers.

is deeper than it may at first seem; I couldn’t name you one message in my various inboxes and feeds that I could single out as meaningful. Send me a telegram, and I’d probably frame it, put it on my wall, and reminisce about all the fond times we’ve had. But only if it looked good, and chances are the layman mightn’t do it justice. But, of course, there are two sides to every story. Coke is possibly the most recent brand to personalise on a mass scale, with their named bottle campaign. Aside from the logistical turmoil this offered to supermarket stockists - where customers weren’t just buying ‘a’ product, they were buying ‘their’ product - the campaign continues to perform exceptionally, overstepping the identity crises that prevent smaller brands from manufacturing personalised products. John Lewis offered a similar custom bag campaign - and indeed Nike and Ray Ban, to name just a couple, boast easy-to-use “build-your-own” engines on their websites. So is personalisation exclusively for the bigdogs? Tatty Devine don’t think so, to name just one of many. In fact, they seem to thrive on consumer empowerment - offering a wide range of quirky and individualistic stock jewellery, as well as their famous Name Necklace, where everything from font, characters, size, charm, and chain are ready for consumer moulding. As a matter of fact, this boutique ‘maker’ feel is something that’s becoming more and more popular. And it’s something which can turn the whole debate on its head. Brands can continue to manufacture products with a one-size-fits-all approach, but it’s becoming easier every day for consumers to make their own bespoke products at home. If you want it, and it doesn’t exist already (or even if it does), make it. You don’t need to own a factory, for example, to make your own range of action figures, or jewellery, or electronic device - thanks to advances in cheap and rapid prototyping. And what with the

THE KARMA TIMES

The design’s simple and memorable, and customisation options would impinge on that.” crowd-sourcing boom, you don’t need a polished sales pitch for the requisite funding. If your idea hits home with the people, you stand a bat’s chance in hell. Really, if we simplify the dilemma, it’s about market saturation. If a brand’s product is unique, and able to soar freely in its own market territory, it doesn’t have any (or at least as much) competition. It’s a rarity nowadays, of course, but if there’s no competition, there’s no need to offer customisation. It’s why the London Telegram Company works so well. But as soon as your offering has to fight for consumer attention, the market’s saturated, and you need something more than just your product to set you apart. There are tonnes of ways to do this, from simple marketing, to developing your One Story Everywhere (explanation to come in this issue of the Karma Times). Customisation is just one option, and it’s a catch 22. On the one hand, it’s becoming increasingly viable as a means to cut through all the brand noise. On the other, it’s so viable, that it’s generating a noise of its own. Nonetheless, if you represent a brand, and you want it to become futureproof, customisation is not a phenomenon to ignore. You might be sailing the clear waters of a new market now, but if your idea’s good, people will follow suit - and it might just be your ticket to the top.

Timothy Percival - Founder of The London Telegram Company

Find out more about Timmy and the London Telegram Company: londontelegramcompany.com facebook.com/londontelegramcompany twitter.com/londontelegram

Tatty Devine - Leading the way in personalsation with their famous Name Necklace

I’m sure you’re saying something useful but I don’t know what it is.

THE KARMA TIMES

AWARD WINNING ECOMMERCE It pays to have purpose Words by Mr Louis Pollard

The Kelly Hoppen mantra is ‘we are the space we live in’, and The Art of Home enables consumers to create a true, authentic feeling of home. simple

The site takes inspiration from the some of the best digital experiences - marrying storytelling and social media with a product range created entirely by one of the most respected experts in the industry. Crafted to guide its visitors, the website reads like a magazine editor, curating and editing product stories and concepts.

Visitors are immersed in ‘The Art of Home’ at every stage of their shopping experience. By harnessing Kelly Hoppen’s own expertise in interior styling, the store stands apart from its more traditional retail counterparts by enabling consumers to create the home of their dreams crafting compositions to suit individual style, mood and personality. Captured through a series of shoppable Style Secret videos, which allow visitors to shop the space in a more intriguing way, Kelly offers up her triedand-tested style formulas designed to dissolve fears and frustrations when it comes to making design

choices. The website’s aesthetic mimics the feel of a high-end luxury fashion brand with a generous use of space, large striking graphics, and engaging, inspiring content. The sizeable product ranges for each room also feature a selection of Home jewellery. Decorative accessories which, based on Kelly’s expertise of grouping items to compliment perfect neutral spaces, have each been photographed in various contexts to illustrate how they can be put to use once purchased. Ultimately, both the design and craft of the store, and the collections available for purchase

Oh, i inhaled too much air.

have been designed to transform the experience of home styling so it becomes a satisfying creative outlet that’s absorbing, expressive and fun. “ RAT H ER T H AN REP L I CAT I N G T H E K EL LY H O P P EN L O O K, T H E S I T E I S AB O UT I N S P I RI N G P EO P L E T O AP P RO ACH T H EI R H O ME AS A CAN VAS , AN D T H EN G I V I N G T H EM EAS Y- T O - AP P LY T O O L S AN D P RO D UCT S T O CREAT E T H EI R P ERF ECT H O ME. ”

Jo Cruickshanks

THE KARMA TIMES

H O NR A B LE MEN T IO N With a team of heart-centred technologists at the helm, Folk revolutionised the desktop and mobile web platforms for cold water surfers, Finisterre. Though their branding was excellent, the challenge was seamlessly transferring the brand story and message to mobile, without losing out on any functionality. Our designers crafted a mobile site using mobile-first best practices, which maintained maximum functionality, and retained Finisterre’s minimal vibe and brand integrity. We made some small changes in line with their own best practices, in order to make the user experience as effective as possible. The designs were fully annotated with the desired functions; how things moved, whether they slid or popped up for example, and then the comprehensive designs were polished by our producer. Based on the final designs, our developers built Finisterre the fully responsive and adaptive mobile site, and increased functionality of their desktop site. In addition, we developed an SEO strategy to maximise effectiveness of searches, and increase natural web exposure. Since the project, Finisterre’s productivity in mobile has increased by an astronomical amount, in addition to marked improvements in desktop and tablet conversion rate.

NO BULL Raising the bar for eCommerce in 2015 Words by Mr Darren Bull

Folk’s

client partner

Darren Bull

on a mission: he is out to raise the bar for eCommerce in

2015 - ‘ok’ and ‘fine’ are not acceptable standards for Darren, no siree. As a big believer in pioneering the customer experience to acheive greater results, he shares 5 insights to get the brave ones amongst you moving in the right direction this year. According to a recent article in Forbes, 70% of a buyer’s journey is complete before they even take action and get to your website. As we enter a new year, with new targets and new possibilities here are some insider tips on getting the most out of your eCommerce platform:

N U R T U R E not ACQUISITION

In the past, eCommerce has been all about acquisition rates and conversion, but driven by the always on-informed consumer, in 2015 it’s time to shift to a mindset of nurture. Commerce today is all about bringing your site visitors into what we call your ‘brand universe’ where they can then receive content that will slowly persuade them to like and love your brand, take action and ultimately, to purchase. The most straight forward step to a Brand Universe strategy is to make sure that people can be part of your story and then whether you are sending them content that they will be interested in.

USER GENERATED CONTENT

Everyone today has a story to tell - if you are a brand, people are no longer interested in hearing only your part of your story - they want to be part of it too. This isn’t all just woo-woo idealism - it’s been proven that simple reviews and ratings improves SEO and sales. But that’s not all, according to Econsultancy, 70% of people trust other people’s opinions posted online, so social proof goes beyond your website and has the potential to nurture a greater amount of people into your brand universe.

ALL ABOUT YOUR FOLK

EMBRACE RETURNS

The customer is king is an old adage, but never has it been truer than today. Not only does your customer want the very best service, they want the best value too. Everyone talks about fast and free shipping being everything. But really, it comes down to giving customers what they actually want. They want to choose - to be in control of their experience and service. These days, they can dictate where (post office of my choice, office, home, train station), how (gift wrapped, handwritten note, engraved), and when (same day, next day, timeslot, deferred delivery). So, here’s the key for 2015; ask yourself not just how you tick the eCommerce boxes of what the customer expects it won’t be enough. You have to be outstanding, extraordinary and relevant to stand out today. Go forth and delight!

In the world of One Story Everywhere™ where every touchpoint is an opportunity to create more nurturing, more goodwill and more good karma for your service, it’s time for another mindset shift. It’s usual for the brands and retailers to see returns as a plain old pain in the bottom(line). True enough, returns and exhanges do affect your margin, but if you don’t see them as another opportunity to delight and wow the customer, they will affect your margin in a more damaging way because that customer won’t come back for more. Of course, you should be doing everything (and more) to reduce the number of returns through better on site information about size and fit, etc, but you must take a leaf out of the Zappos book here. They allow consumers to return purchases for up to 365 days from the purchase date. (You’re in real luck if you buy on a Leap Year: They give you till the next Leap Year to return those orders – that’s a four year return window). Be brave, be visionary and make your returns policy too good to be true your customers will love it and talk about it.

You’ve got to be on your toes to catch a dinosaur.

Everyone today has a story to tell - if you are a brand, people are no longer interested in hearing only your part of your story - they want to be part of it too.

STAY FLEXIBLE Agile, flexible operations are going to

be the key to success for ambitious eCommerce brands. There is no time to rest on your laurels, the customer is going to get more demanding and discerning this year and you must make sure you have the right insights, products, strategies, content and courage to transform your business to meet their needs, whilst maintaining growth. The disruption of retail is only just beginning, so be prepared to transform everything; from value-chain supply, logistics, on demand global fulfillment, translation, production and transparency of provenence. Watch out for Darren’s ‘No Bull’ mini-seminar series for eCommerce coming in March. Sign up to our newsletter Folklore at wearefolk.com for more details. Follow Darren @darrenbull78

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DEAR BRAND A letter to brand experience Words by Ms Joanna Cruickshanks

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consumer

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what they really want.

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I’m the consumer. From the moment I wake up in the morning, to the moment I go to bed at night, I’m swimming in marketing soup. There are ads on my phone, on the radio, at the bus stop; online, in print, on the TV. They’re talked about, tweeted about, and written about... they’re simply in my daily sphere, whether I want them there or not. It’s thought that we see anywhere between 700

and 5,000 marketing messages in a day, so by the time I get home from work and switch on the TV, I really, honestly, don’t give a shit. Before the industrial heyday, back when new really was new, brands, businesses and their products were there to serve a purpose. Nothing was arbitrary. Everything was crafted with love and precision. Nothing was made with money at its heart… it was about passion, pride, and purpose. Craftsmen saw pains, and offered cures. They empowered and were empowered. They were successful because they made a difference. However, the mechanisation of retail meant things could be made at low cost... and all of a sudden,

purpose didn’t matter any more. It was all about making things as cheaply as possible, and quality took a backseat. This stood for a number of decades, and amongst other things, helped to catalyse the ad revolution. It seemed that all was in equilibrium. Then markets started to become saturated, and as technologies advanced, consumers started becoming more savvy, and more demanding. With the introduction of the Internet, brand communication was no longer a one-way street. Consumers could speak their minds widely, and with ever-growing spheres of influence. Soon, what people had to say mattered again, and it

If I saw jude law my fanny would be galloping.

“From the moment I wake up in the morning, to the moment I go to bed at night, I’m swimming in marketing soup.”

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“If you’re just about the money, and you’re sure that’s the case, put this down. Best of luck. ” forced mass market control to shift more and more away from the manufacturers, and more and more towards the people. They stopped needing you. That’s right. Suddenly the mass production model looked a little shaky. And, whether you’re scared or excited, that brings us to now. You can’t just churn out shit and hope for the best anymore. You have to think deeply about what and why you exist. You need to think about what pains you’re soothing. You not only have to think about the consumer, you have to put them first. You have to understand their needs, and solve their problems, because otherwise they’ll just leave you behind. It’s time to be meaningful, or fuck off. If you’re just about the money, and you’re sure that’s the case, put this down. Best of luck. Otherwise, buckle up - we’re going on a journey. You’ve probably heard of omni-channel retail. In the beginning there was only one channel - the bricks and mortar store - and life was simple. Then, with telemarketing, the Internet… things became a little more complicated. This gave birth to cross-channel; the engagement of digital with retail. And then just as we thought we had a handle on it, the Net became mobile, and gave us an even more complicated model to deal with: the multichannel model, the standardisation of a brand across any number of channels. Omni-channel retail is the most seamless and refined of the channel brethren, but for us, it’s still not enough. You might have your channels in alignment, and your user experience might be out of this world. Your product specs might be unrivalled, and your branding ‘cool’. So what? Why should I give you my money, over all of the other brands who claim the same accolades? I shouldn’t. And I won’t. This is why omni-channel is not enough by itself. You need to know just why you’re using the channels you’re using. It’s no good saying: “Everyone’s using Facebook, and Pinterest; everyone’s got a new scrolling website or flashy video”, they won’t mean anything unless you know, to a tee, what they’re for, why they’re useful, and how they’ll impact the world. That’s how you get our attention. Not with cheap prices, and arbitrary, bandwagon trend selling. Show me a brand who’s doing their own version of Gangnam Style, and I’ll show you a brand without their finger on the pulse. You need one purposeful story, everywhere. It’s omni-channel mk. 2.

Get your kfc out for the lads.

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The Eulogy; DIGITAL IS DEAD. KAPOOT. OVER. FINITO.

Just when you were getting to grips with all things labelled digital or ‘e’, it’s time to pay your respects. But don’t take longer than 40 characters to do that. Speed is of the essence. We live in a postdigital era where the days of thinking of digital as a seperate entity or department are over and the 24 hours of non-stop connected interactions and experiences are here to stay. Digital is everything and everything is digital. So, where does that leave you? It might sound a little scary at first, but digital’s public funeral marks an exciting new opportunity - where we can connect with consumers in ways we’d never have imagined, and where commerce roams as freely as we do. Enter: One Story Everywhere™ Shopping whenever and wherever we wanted seemed like a distant pipedream once upon a time, but ladies and gents, whether you’re scared or excited, that time is now. One Story Everywhere is the natural progression of eCommerce following digital’s timely death. A close cousin of ‘omni-channel retail’, One Story Everywhere is a philosophy of connected customer experience that we have created to fulfill our mission of making a meaningful difference to the brands we work with.

One Story Everywhere™ is our vision of the future of brand storytelling, retail and customer experience. It is a calling to brands to find their purpose whilst at the same time really get into granular detail and be real when it comes to the experiences and interactions they create. Every touch point, every message, every page, every piece of media and every word is an opportunity to tell a story that links to your brand purpose authentically. It’s not about the same story, repeated monotonously in every channel, it’s about a shared story with a shared purpose that is relevant to the people you are waiting to connect with. Don’t just take our word for it. Did you know that most people worldwide would not care if more than 73% of brands disappeared tomorrow. ‘Competitove advantage’ from now on is not about what it used to be about. You don’t just need to know how to grab attention and sell something, you have got to know how to be loved, cherished and remembered as an experience. You have got to start and end with people, their lives and what they are trying to do in life. This is both scary and exciting. It means that we have permission to do something different, impactful and life-changing in what we do. One Story Everywhere is our framework for being challenging and creating transformation, whilst

at the same time keeping growth and results in mind. Here are the 4 basic steps to One Story Everywhere™:

Know your why - we unapolegtically bang on about purpose, but that’s because we know it’s going to save you in the

future. You read it here. Business school Olins reckons that over 40% of today’s fortune 500 companies won’t make it in the next 10 years. And that’s the big fish. We believe the why is what will save brands from failure.

Create experiences that connect - Your brand is one story, one experience, one feeling told in ways that connect to

A never-ending story - You are never going to sit back with a feeling of completion that you have finished telling

your customer. There are a million ways to create happiness, growth doesn’t just mean money and delivering wow is different for different people. You must think outside of the box from your customer’s life and the context in which they are interacting with you. They are not going to want the same experience on Facebook as when they are in store - but both of those experiences need to be aligned and need to create the same feelings.

It’s very difficult to regulate a circular desk.

your story. When you are sharing your why with the world, you are making a call for others to share in your purpose. In this way, your story is a cause, a stand and a movement for others to make their own and it will go on and on, adapting and changing narrative, but never losing your original intention.

Deliver value for the greater good - do you really know what your customers are trying to do in their lives? Are they trying to look good? Are they trying to change the world or simply looking to get a job promotion? How can you be part of that? How can you make their lives easier, help them do what they need to do? This is what needs to underpin your story. It’s time to tell a story in service of others - that’s what purpose is all about - a greater good. You don’t have to do this alone - One Story Everywhere™ is a philosophy that we want to share with as many people as possible in the world. It’s a vibrant, change-making approach that we can help any ambitious brand live by. Stay tuned to Folklore for tips and advice for how to embrace the post-digital world we live in, or even better, come and have a chat with us. story@wearefolk.com 01202 289000

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Customers' priorities lie where the effort to take part offers them the most reward. The trick for retailers is knowing what actually adds value for their customers. To get that right they need to really know their customers in the first place, which is why data, and its manipulation, is really important. LEO N B A IL E Y GR E E N

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s move the moon into the board room.

breathe; verb Take air into the lungs and then expel it.

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THE FIERCEST SURF HAPPENS IN COLD WATER. Believe in people. Build to last. Source responsibly. wearefolk.com/work/finisterre finisterreuk.com

S I MO N WO O D RO F F E - F O UN D ER Y O ! CO MPAN Y

Folk by Simon Woodroffe There’s folk and there’s folk and none that’s so queer as the folk of the forest that’s them that’s right there. They’ll tell ‘em a story, and spin up some fame, that leaves you ‘a wondering: “What’s in that name?” It’s spells that’s aboilin’ up in that pot, and it’s quite some potion; it quakes... quite a lot. So if you’re adventuring out on the plain, pack well in your saddle, keep company sane. There’s plots and there’s thinking, and action and plans, but there’s nothing like magic to water the sands. The dogs will be growling; the frogs they may croak, but soon you’ll be sayin’ “That’s it… we are Folk.”

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HE CAME, HE SAW, HE CONKERED an interview with Rupert Holloway Words by Mr Jon Syrett

Jon Syrett, head of Folk’s Story Team, delves into the gin business with Rupert Holloway, and proves that you don’t have to stick with a job you hate. Have you ever found yourself in a job that you just don’t love? I suspect that at some point in your career, the answer has probably been “yes”. What did you do about it? Did you spend your time daydreaming about a new vocation? Did you spend your lunch breaks studying various job boards, hoping that something would just leap out at you? Or did you decide to ditch the security of your career to follow your passion? That’s just what Rupert Holloway did: a farewell bid to the financial stability of a career in chartered surveying, and a welcome “Hello” to the uncharted, mysterious, and exciting world of gin distillation. At Folk we love ambitious brands with a clear sense of purpose, so when I started reading about what Rupert was doing with Conker Spirit, I was immediately intrigued. Rupert found himself unsatisfied with the mundanity of a 9-5 office job; stuck at a desk dealing with a never-ending stream of emails just

didn’t do it for him. He needed more. He needed a job where he had complete creative freedom, where he could become the master of his own craft. The idea for Conker Spirit was coined in a pub in Christchurch. Like many great ideas, it was born of an observation. While there was always a good selection of locally produced ales and ciders, Rupert noticed that the only gins available were of the mass-produced variety, from large faceless distilleries. You’d see the same brands in every pub, bar, and restaurant across the country. No one was trying to do anything different. And there was a certain ‘loftiness’ about the big gin brands. The typography, the advertising, the marketing - even the flavours; it all came across as too high brow, upper-market, and way too far up its own arse. As a big fan of gin, Rupert set out on a mission to bring it to the masses, to make it more accessible, and to make it feel relaxed and fun. He wanted to remove the loftiness, and the association it had with middle-aged mothers, drinking it whilst playing croquet on the lawn, or at a la-dee-da cocktail bar. He wanted to bring gin to a younger crowd who spent their time surfing, and having BBQs on the beach.

But he had absolutely no experience. He just knew he wanted something that tasted amazing, and something he could be proud of. Luckily, without the constraints of an old family recipe, or the creative block that tradition can often bring, he was free to experiment. With just the Internet and a few books to hand, he slowly started creating batches. In the same way that we approach and develop marketing and email campaigns, Rupert began

No one was trying to do anything different. And there was a certain ‘loftiness’ about the big gin brands.

That’s full guinea pig shocked.

to tweak the batches - making tiny amendments to the recipe, until it became perfectly unique, balanced, and nuanced. One day, he arrived at Batch No. 38: A characterful and intricate blend of ten botanicals, fusing juniper bite and cassia spice with fresh notes of Dorset elderberries, samphire and handpicked gorse flowers. The final fantastic product: Conker’s Dorset Dry Gin. It’s still early days with the official launch set for February 2015, but having tasted some myself I can honestly say that it’s really, bloody good. It’s so refreshing and smooth, you can even forego the tonic - simply drink it over ice (mind how you go though). The Conker Spirit website sums it all up rather nicely: “No gimmicks. No fuss. Just top-notch small batch gin distilled in Dorset from British wheat spirit, and New Forest Spring Water”. Beautiful. Find out more about Rupert and Conker Spirits: conkerspirit.co.uk facebook.com/ConkerSpirit twitter.com/ConkerSpirit

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DORSET VESPER 5 0 ML CO N KER G I N ! 2 5 ML B L ACK CO W V O D KA 1 0 ML L I B ERT Y F I EL D S

Glasswear: Champagne Coup Chill your champagne coup with ice and water and place to one side. Add all the elements to a boston shaker and fill with ice cubes. Empty your champagne coup and proceed to shake your cocktail and strain into glass and enjoy.

DORSET 75 2 0 ML CO N K ER S P I RI T - D O RS ET D RY G I N 1 5 ML AN T I CA F O RMUL A RED V ERMO UT H T O P P ED UP WI T H F URL EI G H ES TAT E S PARK L I N G RO S É G ARN I S H WI T H H AL F A S T RAWB ERRY

Glasswear: Champagne Flute Garnish:½ Strawberry Cool the champagne flute with ice and discard. Pour 20ml of Conker Spirit - Dorset Dry Gin. Add 15ml of Antica Formula red vermouth, top up the glass with chilled Furleigh Estate sparkling rosé. Stir lightly to ensure the drink is well mixed, finish off with half a fresh strawberry.

Sometimes, i’m not sure when Dan stops and Jon finishes.

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Sorry, did i just bum you a little bit?

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AN EVOLVED SENSE OF PURPOSE Words by Mr Louis Pollard

Louis

with Peter Docker, Why Not Unlimited, about purpose, the limbic brain, and The Split. Meanwhile, Paul Sheehy, Folk’s co-founder, explains the need for brands to become publishers. chats

founder

In 1898, a Spanish native moved to Costa Rica. He quickly became successful, and opened a number of profitable businesses. Before long, his chain of grocery stores became the top priority; he was wholly passionate about them, and how they could change the way people shopped. At this time, the grocery shopping experience was vastly different to the one we know now. You’d walk up to the counter, and ask for your goods specifically; “a loaf of bread, a kilogram of flour, a litre of milk” and so on, and the clerk would dish out the amount required from an industrial-sized container. But the founder saw this as illogical. He wanted to empower the consumer. He envisioned the kind of self-service supermarket we’re all familiar with today. After much toing and froing with sceptical distributors - who, of course, had to repackage thousands of individual items - his dream began to come to fruition. People were baffled at first; they didn’t know how to shop. They scoffed, and said that people would steal goods from the stores. But the founder employed staff to teach people how to shop in this new way, and despite cynicism, theft wasn’t an issue. It revolutionised the Costa Rican grocery process, and went on to become one of the largest chains the country has ever seen. This story was told by the founder’s great grandsons. They’d just sold the company. They were distraught. They wanted to move forward, to turn the

capital boost into something meaningful, but their family legacy was gone. Could any sense of worth really compensate them for the baton pass of three generations? Well, yes. Because they’d only sold the ‘What’. Over one hundred tumultuous years had passed since their great grandfather built the business, and he passed two things down the family ladder. Along with the revolutionary businesses, he left each new member of the family a profound sense of purpose. They may have sold the ‘What’, but the ‘Why’ continued to live strong. It’s purpose that allows people to go out and do what they do. There are some dangerous professions out there. Think for a moment about the Armed Forces, or those in the oil, mining, or gas industries. These people go to work everyday knowing the potential risks of their jobs, and yet they continue to go out and do them. JMJ Associates are an unusual breed of consultancy, dealing specifically with these highrisk industries. They specialise in the development of culture, and help to make employees feel safe and empowered in the roles they do. The workshops are so effective that multinational groups of over 50 people have been known to work together like lifelong friends after just one 30-minute session. Mr Peter Docker worked closely with JMJ, and served over 25 years in the military. In our book, this makes him a veritable guru when it comes to culture and leadership. But like many, his philosophy was simply a series of abstractions until he found the right language to define it. Starting with ‘Why’ put recognisable and tangible labels to the mantra he’d lived for so many years. “A good leader is very clear on ‘Why’ they do what they do,” says Mr Docker. “You have to be when you’re asking people to put their lives on the line.” And it’s something that really rings true:

people don’t subscribe to the ‘What’ of warfare, it’s always the ‘Why’; the overarching belief that unifies everyone by a common goal; the belief that you’re doing something meaningful. No matter whether you’re in the military, or in a business environment; no matter how large or small the organisation is, we’re all people. We all operate on the same biological level, and your ‘Why’ - your purpose - sits above everything you do. It’s the context for your ‘What’ to fall into place. And it’s by prioritizing these components of the Golden Circle wrongly that we condemn our businesses to failure. ‘Stuck’ businesses quite often suffer from what Mr Docker refers to as “The Split”. When a business first comes into the world, they know why they’re here, and they know what they’re doing to achieve that goal. Their ‘What’ and their ‘Why’ are in alignment. As time goes on and the business grows, it’s likely (assuming this business isn’t Golden Circle savvy) that the focus will begin to lean towards the ‘What’, and the ‘Why’ will take a backseat. For a while, growth will continue, new people will join, and the ‘Why’ will drift further into the shadows. Years down the line, when the founding members have moved on, things will stop working, for seemingly unknown reasons. People will say, “It doesn’t feel like it used to”. They’re stuck. Chances are, they’ll get an auditor in to fix the ‘What’. It’s tangible, accountable, and easy to gauge success. But it’s not the core of the issue. It’s The Split; the digression of the ‘Why’ from the ‘What’, that’s forcing the business into stagnation. It’s only by realigning the business with its purpose that they’ll unstick themselves, and move forward positively. Take Richard Branson (a well-used but nonetheless perfect example). He left school at

Fundamental flaw of the sea: wetness.

“A good leader is very clear on ‘Why’ they do what they do. You have to be when you’re asking people to put their lives on the line” 16 with almost no qualifications, but founded one of the most successful, best-known, and diversely skilled brands in the world. Virgin handle everything from TV, Internet, and Mobile, to Banking, Transport, and Space Travel. So how does a high-school dropout nurture such a vastly complicated company to such astonishing heights? They’re united by purpose - make a positive impact whilst having fun. This is the thread that holds the company together, and it’s a meaningful way to connect with consumers. As Mr Docker concisely puts it, “[A ‘Why’] is the constant burning light that fires us up and moves us forward”. Find out more about Peter and Why Not Unlimited: whynotunlimited.com twitter.com/peterdocker

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BRANDS BECOME PUBLISHERS Words by Mr Paul Sheehy

You know that brands need to become publishers, but what does it really mean? How can you invest in it effectively and be sure that it’s actually going to make a difference? Becoming a publisher is really about having a bloody great content strategy and knowing who your ‘readers’ are. And a content strategy is not simply a plan for your blogs or your Facebook posts, it’s the architecture of your whole brand story and experience - and it’s rooted in your purpose and the needs of your audience. A good content strategy starts by understanding your purpose, and then really lifting the content bonnet of your business and doing a full audit. This is a long and detailed process: mapping all of the content you have right now, where it is, what the links are, the keywords, the meta data, what the engagement is now and what other media may be on the page. Only when you have a comprehensive understanding of your content assets can you really start to see what the gaps are. The next important step is to profoundly understand who you are actually providing content for, why they need that content and what the opportunities are. This makes sure, as a publisher, you are targeting your content to your customer in real-time. Every potential customer is at some stage in the lifecycle of buying states, and each state has a set of specific needs. For example, a customer in inspiration phase wants to see brand and product stories, see sets of products together, read about

trends, look at Pinterest, etc. Here the aim is emotional engagement and approval. A customer with an immediate purchase need wants direct product links - no messing about with fluff. They want price, service, specification information. It’s a functional state for the customer to be in, and the aim of the content is to create effortless conversion. This value-based content approach to your story is really important because like all publishers, knowing the ‘buttons’ to press in your audience is essential to creating action. The same applies for retailers as publishers - the more you can be useful and relevant to your ‘reader’ the more propensity they have to move through cycles, until they’re regulars in the one stage you really want - the purchase phase. This is all very well, but perhaps the biggest challenge is that there tends to be a general lack of budget allocated to the ‘content’ area for retailers. It’s understandable, it’s a fairly new concept and it might seem like a gamble. The big question on any CEO’s lips is “how do you quantify the ROI from becoming a publisher?” Well, it’s tough - but we managed it. Kelly Hoppen’s new “Art of Home” concept really broadcasts their ‘Why’: You are the space you live in. People that engage with this area of the site are 236% more likely to become a customer and when they do spend, they spend 50% more than those who didn’t view the “Art of Home”. This is just one example that shows us that great storytelling and owned media creates brand advocates, who spend more, more often. Brands and business owners alike need to commit to the publishing movement if they want to survive this new era of storytelling, as the next generation of audience demands a greater connection with the brands they engage with. So, how do you make the change ass easy as possible? K NOW YOU R SE L F

Firstly, you have to invest the time and budget to go inward. Like most of us in our 30s and 40s, my own journey of self-discovery has been inward through a more holistic, mindful practice than that

of my parents. There’s been a global surge in Yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and social responsibility. I think it’s now time for brands to follow suit, and invest in ‘going inwards’ - to ensure they communicate authentically with consumers. Only then will we share meaningful conversations about our brands. It is critical to their future success that they communicate clear and cohesive stories that touch the core of their purpose. Look at Unilever’s new commitment: to half their impact on the world, and at the same time double their turnover. When purpose becomes a story - it’s much more authentic and people buy into it. B E S MART

Secondly, you have to have a strategy that is smart. We work with clients to create a “create once, publish everywhere” set of stories linked to purpose. This not only creates alignment across the brand, it is also much more cost effective. M E A SU R E , E NHA NC E, MEAS URE, EN H AN CE

Turning into a publisher and viewing content as your marketing strategy can happen in phases, but you have to have clear goals and be measuring the effectiveness and engagement of what’s being published. If sales of American Vogue were down 10% Anna Wintour would be all over the editorial team looking at why and how to avoid it again the next month. You need to be the same with what you publish. Set KPIS and if the content doesn’t perform, look at why and learn from it. Not every piece of content will meet your goals at first, but after time, you will start to know what works. GIVE IT SPIN

So many brands cannot become publishers because they are too scared or too protective over what they think people think of their brand. The really brave publishing retailers are the ones who are real, who have a point of view and who are not afraid to be different with their content. People are really quite over the ‘7 Things successful women wear’ approach (ask yourself, would Anna let it in?). The calling in content-led retailing now is to think

Don’t worry - we can muddle through this with whimsical nonsense.

of ways to deliver that useful content in a more compelling way - to give it your spin. Content is an effective medium for brands when it maps back to a bigger narrative—the story you want to tell. I N V ES T I N T H E I N F RAS T RUCT URE

No amount of content will make a difference if the infrastructure of your platform and experience is not slick, streamlined, easy to measure, and quick to publish to. We’ve created a specific Magnento eCommerce content creator because we know that retailers need to be able to quickly create content story pages and editorial features and we are working with partners to deliver digital brand content in store. Disjointed technology that requires lots of human attention is too slow and too expensive. To be honest, becoming a publisher is a big topic and there are many factors to developing a fully integrated Content Strategy to enable this to happen. It is a blend of art and science and can take a team of specialists at least 4-6 weeks to complete. That said, just as you would invest in a store re-fit if your flagship was looking out of date or tired, so you need to make the investment in your content. Your digital presence is your brand flagship, it is what drives desire, demand and loyalty. Taking the steps to move to a publishing mindset is well worth every penny and will help in securing your growth in the future. If you’re serious in becoming a publisher, Paul and the Folk Story Team have a methodology that has developed over the past 11 years and would love to help you make it a smooth transition. story@wearefolk.com wearefolk.com/story

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WOMEN & TECH Words by Miss Rebecca Hugo

Though digital as an independent entity is dead, its presence impacts us on a daily basis. Everything about us is digital: our lives, our jobs, our communications. It’s no longer an add on, yet, some of us still seem to be running from the great Digital Monster that surrounds us. The future may not be written directly in code, but in the omnichannel language of collaboration and connections, in order to read from the same song sheet, we at least need to know the tune. We once lived in a world where electricity was a new and exciting commodity. You didn’t necessarily mind how it worked, you just wanted to marvel at the lights and the wonder it created. Now that it is an expected part of life, we dabble, we invent, we investigate; we learn how to wire a

plug or how to connect a console to a television at a young age. We no longer approach with anxiety before running away, screaming, “Leave it to the professionals!”. We’ve reached the same stage within digital - it is an expected part of everyday life, and we should be comfortable tinkering and finding out what’s going on in the background, to understand and apply its principles. Whilst this opportunity is open to all of us, you will find that some people are far more ready to dive into it than others. By and large and for whatever reason, they seem to be male. What impact does this have within the digital industry and marketplace? If 49.6% of the world’s population are women, roughly 49.6% of the world’s consumers are women (statistics actually show that women

consume more tech gadgets than the average man). Whether we want to develop brands or campaigns aimed at the female demographic or a wider sweep of the population, the female perspective is a valuable one. Understanding allows us to connect, and connection allows us to convert. As such, the tinkerer’s prerogative is for all of us, men and women - not just for the sake of equality, but for actual, tangible growth and ROI. What does this mean for digital, tech, and web industry? I was fortunate enough to attend an event this year in which Cathryn Posey, Tech By Superwomen founder, spoke about the role of women in tech. Before this talk – and this is candid honesty here – I didn’t think much

Is there, like, a school for dreams?

about the existence (or lack thereof) of women in technology. I work in an industry surrounded by women; digital and web designers, marketers and copywriters, project and account managers, creative and brand directors, all imperative to the existence and success of the digital industry. Gap? What gap? The females were all here! And then it dawned on me. Not one of them wrote code. The discussion of a female presence within digital is far from new and is still ongoing. The industry is still male-dominated, and there isn’t exactly an influx of women demanding roles as coders or thrusting newly developed apps into the laps of CEOs. We’re seeing an increase of women in the industry as a whole, but not within the

THE KARMA TIMES build sector. Whilst this may not seem important, considering the population is roughly half female, we could be missing out on an entire way of thinking about the subjects at hand. The facts and figures are in front of us - in 2014, overall employment statistics show that 46.5% of the workforce was made up of women, however we’re seeing only 21% of women in STEM industries (Science, Tech, Engineering, and Maths), 12.8% actually holding STEM occupations (8.8% excluding health roles), and 14.7% of women in ICT professions. These statistics do not necessarily denote something bad, simply that this is the way that things currently are. This is not about forcing people into tech or code or maths to average out the statistics. All of us - men and women - have an ability and a responsibility to broaden our horizons in any way possible. Taking a step back from that fear of “Math is too complicated for me!” or “I’ll never understand what all those squiggles mean!” and embracing the opportunity to learn something new can empower us, as a species, to go further. Understanding how something works or what components make up the whole makes it easier to work on and improve what we already have. This can help us as designers, marketers, CEOs, and Managing Directors; this can help all of us in any role that we’re in. Recently, I met two young girls, both under the age of ten, who profess their love of maths. I can’t help but wonder if/when the track will switch and they’ll find themselves on the train to Geography Land or English Mountain. Tech still seems to be a man’s game, but it’s hard to tell why the women aren’t playing. Governments and schools worldwide study this phenomenon to decipher why this occurs, with research showing that at a secondary school level, females appear to take the lead in humanities*2, but we’re still not closer to understanding why. Whether this is through fear or doubt or peer pressure, we deny the chance for greatness from those that could be the next Gates, Jobs, or Zuckerberg. Some are taking active steps to empower future female technologists. Lady Geek CEO and founder Belinda Parmar took the initiative and started the Little Miss Geek campaign, aiming to “inspire girls and women to want to change the world through technology”. The Little Miss Geek book provides valuable information, and anecdotal evidence of the current situation - with striking examples, such as, “Boys create tech; girls use tech.” and “Boys fix tech; girls need tech fixed.” These statements, accompanied with images of boys playing with lego and girls playing with dolls, strengthens the idea that the divide – and it is a divide – exists and is around us from an early age. Whilst we are fortunate enough for people like Belinda Parmar and her crusade to get girls interested in tech, what of the rest of us? Those that find ourselves with humanities degrees and no trade to speak of. Is it too late? What do we do next? What is stopping us getting into tech? Why should we even be interested in learning? I’ve witnessed, on various occasions, a nondeveloper ask for a ‘simple’ task to be complete - “Can you add this button to these pages? That will take, what, half an hour, right?” - only to be incredulous when they are told it will take x hours longer to complete than expected. This comes down to the divide that is often found in agencies where we find ourselves inadvertently

Belinda Parmer, Founder of Lady Geek & Little Miss Geek

perpetuating an us-and-them mentality; the Jocks and the Geeks, the Sharks and the Jets, the Greasers and the Socs. Acting in this way limits what we can do because we only know so much. Understanding the process behind a website build can aid in approaching design, content strategy, marketing, or storytelling, in very different ways. An architect must understand the structural limitations of a build before they design a house, and the same applies here. That extra knowledge could impact anything from the way in which a site is designed, to the way in which we approach a conversation with a team member. That extra knowledge could benefit us all for the better. Wondering where all of this knowledge is hiding and how to tap into it? Still thinking that this isn’t for you? Have a look at some tips and advice below. W HO NE E DS A DE GR E E ?

You’ve got your English/Geography/Art History/

Sociology degree and find yourself fighting through crowds to get a job in your sector. So what do you do? You start learning again - but this time it’s free. Codecademy and CodeFirst:Girls both offer free courses in coding and development that can be completed in your own time and at your own pace. With online tutors, forums, and mentors at your disposal, there’s really no reason not to give it a try. NO WO MAN I S AN I S L AN D

For those of you afraid to enter the treacherous wilderness alone, never fear for there are plenty of sites dedicated to female coders and developers. The Geekettes, W Kollective, and Ladies Who Code are just some of the amazing groups that all aim to help and encourage women to get coding. Both W Kollective and Ladies Who Code run regular meetups to hack, discuss, or generally talk about digital and coding, and they’re great places to spark your interest or just meet like

I look like a pea on a fork.

minded people. Whether you’re CSS savvy or a PHP plebian, you will be welcome. T O CO D E I S T O CREAT E

Coding doesn’t have to be boring and it certainly doesn’t have to be bland. If you’re concerned that your creative juices will never flow if you start learning code, then just look at the possibilities. Implementing a button that is created out of CSS is creative; writing hover effects that snap or fade or burst or alter reality is creative; writing code itself is creative. Whatever it is that you’re doing, you are creating something and are bound by nothing. Go have some fun with it.

*1 Information obtained from WISE UK Statistics Report. *2 A level results from 2014 show 72% of those studying English and 76% of those studying Sociology were female, whilst 38% of mathematics students and 13% of Computing students were female.

THE KARMA TIMES

FOLK MANTRA #2

MASTER YOUR CRAFT “Mastery is the urge to get better at something that matters” - Dan Pink wearefolk.com

Nuts and coffee - the fuel of champions.

THE KARMA TIMES

A YEAR OF GOOD KARMA A round up of this years events Words by Mr Louis Pollard

THE KARMA TIMES

Digital can’t thrive without meaningful human connection. That’s why we host Karma Dinners every month: to get the right minds in the right places; to eat, drink, and bring about incredible ideas. We had some fantastic evenings in 2014 but there’s even more excitement afoot...

#1 BE CURIOUS

#2 HAVE PURPOSE

#3 BELIEVE IN THE IMPOSS IBLE

#4 MAKE A DIFFERENCE

C U RIOS ITY IS N ’T A WAY O F T HINKING, IT ’S A

GO O D STOR IE S TE L L P E OP L E W HAT YOU DO,

W HE N W E SE T SA IL W ITH PAS S I O N AT E P URP O S E,

WI T H O UT A CO MMI T MEN T T O T RAN S F O RM EV EN

WAY OF BE IN G . WHE N W E LO O K AT T HINGS

GREAT STOR IE S TE L L P E OP L E W HY YOU DO IT.

NOTHING IS IM P OSSIB L E ; AN D S O I T I S I N L I F E,

T H E S MAL L ES T T H I N G - WH AT ’ S T H E P O I N T ? H O W

A S THOUGH TH R OUG H T HE EYES O F A C HILD,

WIT HOU T A ‘W HY’, A P U R P OSE , A M A NTR A , OR

A ND THE W OR K WE CRAF T.

WE S H O W UP I N T H E WO RL D AN D D O G O O D I S

TH E WHOLE UN IVE R SE B EC O MES A SO U RC E O F

BEL IE F, W HAT W OU L D W E B E HE R E FOR ?

WH O WE ARE.

IN S P IR AT IO N.

With Malcolm McClean Founder, The School of Curiosity

With Dan Thompson Founder, Revolutionary Arts

With Lauren Bowker Material Alchemist & Founder, The Unseen

With Jamie Catto Founder, 1 Giant Leap

“ G R E AT! VE RY SE R E N D IPIT O U S. I’M EXC IT ED T O

“PU RP OSE IS, OR SHOU L D B E , OU R B L OOD. I

“ I FE E L L IK E A W HOL E NEW P ERS O N . MY EY ES

“ T H I S EV EN I N G WAS I N CRED I B L E! A RO O M F UL L

E M BR ACE CU RIO SIT Y”

REA L LY A P P R E C IATE THE SE R V IC E OF YOU R

A R E OP E N ED . ”

O F REAL LY I N S P I RAT I O N AL P EO P L E AN D I WAS

Anon

A GENC Y TO M A K E THE W OR L D OF B R A NDS A

Joni Mortimore, Estee Lauder

H O N O URED T O B E PART O F I T. ”

BET TE R P L A C E . THA NK S FOR THE U P L IFTING E V E NT.”

Niamh Farrell, Jack Daniel’s

Bela Szabo, Vodafone

#5 MASTER YOUR CRAFT

#6 BE GENUINE

#7 CONNECT

#8 BREATHE & RIDE THE WAVE WH EN Y O U CAN B REAT H E I N T H E FACE O F F EAR,

TH E COUR AG E TO MOVE T HRO U GH F EA R, A ND

SPE A K W ITH TR U TH A ND A U THE NTIC ITY.

E V E RYTHING W E DO A FF ECT S O T H ERS O N E

L E A R N FR OM OUR MIS TA KES IN O RDER T O HO NE

DO N’T HIDE B E HIND THE M A SK , C OM E

WAY OR A NOTHE R , SO B Y N URT URI N G O UR

O U R UN IQUE CR AFT IS T HE T RU E MEA SU RE O F

A S YOU A R E .

C ONNE C TIONS, W E NU RT URE O URS ELV ES .

E XP E RT ISE.

With Harriet Vine MBE Artistic Director & Co- Founder, Tatty Devine

AN D ACCEP T T H E EB B AN D F L O W O F L I F E, CH AL L EN G E B ECO MES T H E WEL CO ME N AT URE O F EV ERY D AY.

With Dan Thompson Founder, Revolutionary Arts

With Paul Martin Mixxa Limited

“ GR E AT E VE N IN G, INT EREST ING PEO PLE.

“SPE A K W ITH TR U TH A ND A U THE NTIC ITY.

“ SE V E N DE GR E E S OF SE PA R AT I O N B ECO ME L ES S

“ WH EN Y O U CAN B REAT H E I N T H E FACE O F

H A R R IE T WAS A G R E AT SPEA KER - I’VE LEA RNT

DO N’T HIDE B E HIND THE M A SK , C OM E A S

R E L E VA NT E V E RY DAY A S T H E WO RL D G ET S

F EAR, AN D ACCEP T T H E EB B AN D F L O W O F L I F E,

TO G O DAN CIN G IF V O GU E EVER C A LL.”

YOU A R E .”

SM A L L E R , YE T P E OP L E CO N N ECT T H RO UG H

CH AL L EN G E B ECO MES T H E WEL CO ME N AT URE

Kate Magee, Campaign Magazine

Stephen Russell, The Barefoot Doctor

VA L U E S - NOT P OW E R AN D WEALT H . ”

O F EV ERY D AY. ”

Elaine , BCA Europe

Max Strom

With Max Strom Global author, Mentor & TED Speaker

THE KARMA TIMES

THE FUTURE OF KARMA IS WITH YOU THE 2014 KARMA DINNERS WERE BASED ON FOLK’S MANIFESTO. 2015 IS THE YEAR OF PURPOSE

Are you interested in joining us for one of our Karma events this year? Register your interest at: wearefolk.com/karmaevents

I think I’m going to write on lemons more.

THE KARMA TIMES

EVERYBODY FAILS Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how we succeed Words by Mr Louis Pollard & Ms Joanna Cruickshanks

That looks like a Francis Bacon banana to me.

THE KARMA TIMES

Find

out how to break your bad

habits, whilst accepting yourself for who you are.

A recent (albeit American) survey showed that 92% of people who vowed to stick to a New Year’s resolution have failed already, not even a month after committing to it in the first place. Research suggests that [the number one reason for failure is setting an unrealistic goal]. For example, a radical diet plan is a stark and uncomfortable shift from the indulgences of Christmas, and while it may seem like a quickfire jump to good health and selfconfidence, it’s a safe bet that you’ll fold before the month’s out. With this in mind, we’ve got a few simple thoughts and measures to ease you into the process, without leaving you feeling left out on all the good stuff.

A FEW FACTS TO MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER: SE L F-C OM PA SSION DR IV E S SU C C E SS

People who feel ashamed of lapsing (e.g. having some chocolate, when you’re on a veg-only diet) are more likely to suffer from a more major lapse, or give up entirely. If you forgive yourself, and move on, you’re far more likely to succeed. Remember: everyone messes up from time to time, and you’re still on track. A K R A SIA : THE NE W YE A R ’S PA R A DOX

We tend to fail so often because our goals

don’t produce tangible results quickly. That is to say, the benefits of avoiding cake, or quitting smoking won’t make themselves clear straight away, but our bodies will thank us later. The New Year allows us to step back and evaluate our problems and propose solutions, but as the stresses of life get in the way, we’ll start to crave that which we’re trying to avoid. And lo, before we know it, we’ll succumb to cravings, and we’re back on the cigs and cake. This “I know I need to stop, but not right now” attitude is called akrasia. Rest assured, if you’ve felt this in the past, you’re not alone.

TAKE I T AWAY EI N S T EI N

When it comes to breaking habits, blind optimism almost always guarantees failure, as obstacles and setbacks will catch you offguard, and knock you back even harder. Einstein, and more business-focused figureheads like Simon Woodroffe, see failure as a key stepping stone on the road to success. Psychologist, Gabrielle Oettingen, agreeably explains that people who map out the route to success, including any possible roadblocks they can think of, are far more likely to foresee and overcome those roadblocks, and go on to achieve their goals.

BODY DETOX SIMPLE A tarte, simple-to-make juice that boosts metabolism, and helps to flush your digestive system. INGREDIENTS: 1 pink grapefruit, peeled 2 oranges, peeled 1 bunch of mint 1 head of romaine lettuce METHOD: Throw into a juicer & enjoy. COMPLEX If you’re feeling adventurous, and you have the exotic ingredients to hand, this advanced juice is superb at boosting energy levels, and is packed with essential nutrients and minerals. Oh, and the colour changes depending on which berries you pick. INGREDIENTS: 250ml coconut water 500ml water Large handful of spinach Small handful of other greens like kale 1 large carrot 2 celery stalks Half a cucumber 1 capful of flax seed oil 1 capful of aloe 1 tbsp hemp powder A handful of seeds or nuts (pick your favourite!) 250g frozen berries (pick your favourite!) 1 tsp freshly ground lemon peel METHOD: Throw into a juicer & enjoy.

I liked his face, in a “you’re good at social media” kind of way.

THE KARMA TIMES

DETOXIFY YOUR MIND Words by Ms Joanna Cruickshanks

The very notion of ‘detoxing the mind’ is actually part of the problem when it comes to meditation and de-stressing. I have been practicing yoga for over 18 years and meditating on-and-off for about 10, but it’s only recently that I’ve really understood the nature of the mind and the real secret of meditation. If I’ve learnt anything, it’s that [no amount of meditation will truly stop mind chatter]. It’s always there - but it’s the degree to which it holds power over us that’s important. Buddhists talk about the idea of ‘monkey mind’, or jumping randomly and impulsively from thought to emotion to feeling without any logic. Meditation, especially in the beginning, is simply about observing the mind and letting it do its thing - minus the random jumps. So to masterfully detox the mind isn’t about taking away

the thoughts or emotions we have, it’s about seeing them and accepting them in a non-judgemental way. A yogi I once meditated with offered a very useful technique for doing this. He invited us to say, [“Come on mind, give me the worst, craziest, most out-there thoughts, feelings emotions you have”], rather than suppressing what our mad monkey minds might like to project. In other words, we ask for the most radical thing our mind has, and then we say ‘thank-you’ to that image or thought, without judgement of it being wrong or right. With this acceptance, we can relax and detach from the pull of the monkey mind. It’s a paradigm shift, where we can start to distinguish the mind and self - present and breathing and relaxed. There

“The only thing that I think all successful people have in common is that they don’t go around succeeding all the time, successful people are willing to fail and be rejected.”

is a part of all of us in every moment when we’re free from the madness of our own thoughts and feelings. Meditation is all about acknowledging what is going on in the here and now and leaning into that spaciousness. Once you have a grasp of it, you can do it anywhere, anytime. The easiest and fastest way to tune in is with the breath. Put two feet on the ground, sit up straight, but not rigid, close your eyes (if appropriate) and notice the breath moment by moment going in and out of the nostrils. Two minutes throughout the day will be enough to keep you calm and centred. [Mindful meditation is not something you go off to do in a cave or on a retreat, it’s an energy you tune into in each moment] - it’s like turning the dial on a radio. My advice is to notice how we approach the notion of meditation. I invite you to not get caught up in detoxing or getting rid of something we don’t like; [true meditation and peace comes from turning towards those aversions and embracing them like an old friend.] That’s where the real magic happens. Detoxify your soul Again, like the mind, your soul cannot be detoxed. There is nothing to be changed or edited with your soul - it’s the part of you that makes you who you are. The problem is that we spend so much editing ourselves that we lose touch with

S I MON WOODR OFFE

You like it when I cry.

who we really are, deep down. I mean, what is your soul anyway? There are many answers to this question, but I like the idea that the soul is the non-physical part of you; the bit that neurologists are searching for in the brain, but can’t find. Deepak Chopra says the soul is the source of all our lives. It projects as the mind, as the body, and the universe of our experiences. [In seeking peace or happiness, we need to look inward, without judgement to the soul.] To connect with your soul, I recommend journalling everyday, with no agenda. Just see what comes. Embrace the urges to dance and play and paint - do something crazy that you haven’t done for years. It is the part of you that has always and will always be present. It’s the part we often had as a child but have now buried somewhere in our subconscious. The TL;DR Set yourself challenges you know you can achieve Forgive yourself for any transgressions You might not see the results immediately, but you’re doing a world of good. Stick at it. Plan for failure, and you’ll be more likely to succeed. Meditation isn’t about blocking out the noise, it’s about accepting it. Take risks, and let yourself be free.

THE KARMA TIMES

Get in touch: wearefolk.com/karmatimes karmatimes@wearefolk.com 01202 289000 The Old Joinery Crescent Road Poole Dorset BH14 9AH

Can you get a trombone in there?