Press information from Z-CARD. Specialist PocketMedia, BTL And Print Media Marketing and Promotion

Winner of the Business of the Year and the Best Business for Marketing at the South London Business Awards, attributes its success to a focus on core competence, and a defined strategy for growth and marketing which they have rigorously managed and measured.

Spotting a gap in the marketing communications market, Z-CARD^® has filled it with the niche product PocketMedia^® - print communications which are designed to be kept, remembered and valued for longer than more traditional forms of advertising. Recognising the need for concise, information in a targeted compact format, Z-CARD^® has been keeping brands in their clients' pockets for over 17 years. From small beginnings the Clapham Junction-based company has grown internationally with clients including 81 of the top 100 world brands and names.

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Lamination specialist Reflections will add its Micromotion lenticular finishing to one of Pocketmedia^® specialist Z-CARD^®'s latest campaigns.

According to Z-CARD^®, its French arm has trialled the finish, with very positive results and it is now rolling out the programme across all of its European operations, with a production run of more than 100,000 Z-CARD^®s.

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Everyday we are bombarded with up to 3,500 messages and information from brands attempting to capture our attention and engage us with their products. By tomorrow, 99% are forgotten.

The challenge for brands is not only to capture the right audience's attention, but to ensure they keep it front of mind and retain the key message. So what better place for a brand to be than in the audience's pocket? Z-CARD^® Ltd was recently featured in Marketing Week discussing the benefits of PocketMedia and how our clients campaigns benefit from using the Z-CARD^® format.

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The Novel A (H1N1) virus - commonly referred to as "swine flu" - has become a household term across the globe as the virus claims more and more victims. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised the alert on the pandemic to Phase 6, the highest stage in the progression of a pandemic.

As an organisation that cares for its people and their well being, Anglo American recently took the initiative to educate its staff on the virus and what preventative measures they could practice in order to stay healthy. To convey this vital information, the company chose the versatile and compact Z-CARD^® as its preferred means of communication.

The Credit card size Z-CARD^® contained a list of commonly asked questions, what the symptoms of swine flu are, an explanation of what a pandemic is and tips on how to stay healthy.

A week after delivery an additional order for more of the Z-CARD^®s was placed for distribution to staff.

"By choosing the Z-CARD^® format Anglo American has ensured that this vitally important information has been communicated to its staff - allowing them to continually refer back to it as and when necessary. In fact, Anglo American is the first company - worldwide - that has produced a Z-CARD^® specifically on swine flu, proof that the company really does put its people first! This retainable format of print is what makes the Z-CARD^® so unique." says Lyn Davis, Marketing Director of Z-CARD^® South Africa.

As a marketer how many times have you recently heard, "Should we cut our marketing spend and if so, where?" In light of the recent economic downturn, there has certainly been a great deal of debate around not only the importance of marketing during a downturn but also which mediums to use. In marketing circles of course the belief is that an economic downturn is probably the worst time to slash brand spend.

Right now companies need to focus on campaigns that drive business and have a direct impact on sales. Z-CARD^®, the global specialists in PocketMedia^®, offers an effective and creative alternative to traditional media spend during the recession. An alternative that not only generates a good ROI but also measures ROI effectively.

According to George McDonald, inventor of the Z-CARD^®, "For Z-CARD^®, today's economic challenge is also a time of unique opportunity. As brands revaluate their marketing strategies and budgets, they assess their position and opinions. Suddenly the Z-CARD^® is in high demand. We think this is because brands want smarter marketing tools and greater value for their investment."

"As a marketing business we understand the need for our clients to have campaigns which have both impact and longevity. We have practiced what we preach and have rigorously applied measurement criteria to all of our Z-CARD^® campaigns. These have allowed us to show a ROI of 1:4.2 and in 2008, have generated a 16% increase in enquiries and 12% increase in marketing generated orders."

"The universal appeal of Z-CARD^® has made it a very popular choice for below-the-line advertising campaigns. Consumers' attention span is stretched more so than ever, so it makes sense to market to them in a compact and concise format, which is ultimately what Z-CARD^® does better than any of its competitors," says McDonald.

Full story available here >

PocketMedia^® specialist Z-CARD^® Ltd has scooped the Marketing Award at the prestigious BPIF PrintWeek Excellence Awards. With a clearly thought-out multi market strategy, Z-CARD^® wowed the judges with its entry. The judges heaped praise on the clear measurement of Z-CARD^®'s campaigns and proof of their success, exceeding all its measured objectives including a 1:4.2 return on investment and a 16% increase in enquiries.

"Z-CARD^® is fully aware of the power of marketing to improve its fortunes with a dedicated marketing team with a clearly defined function in the business" says PrintWeek Magazine.

Liz Love, Z-CARD^® Managing Director says "We are delighted with our achievement. As a marketing business we understand the need for our clients to have campaigns which have both impact and longevity. Utilising Z-CARD^® as a key component of our marketing we have practised what we preach and have rigorously applied measurement criteria to all of our Z-CARD^® campaigns."

PrintWeek Article >
Marketing Award Press Release >

PocketMedia^® specialist Z-CARD^® Ltd has won the Best Business for Marketing and Business of the Year in the prestigious South London Business Awards. The awards, judged by RBS and the panel of category judges respectively, were given in recognition of Z-CARD^®s own marketing campaigns, growth and success in recent years.

"We are delighted with our achievement. As a marketing business we understand the need for our clients to have campaigns which have both impact and longevity. We have practiced what we preach and have rigorously applied measurement criteria to all of our Z-CARD^® campaigns. These have allowed us to show a ROI of 1:4.2 and, in 2008, have generated a 16% increase in enquiries and 12% increase in marketing generated orders" says Liz Love, Z-CARD^® Managing Director.

Please see the press releases below for the full story of each award.

Business of the Year Press Release >
Best Business for Marketing Press Release >

PocketMedia^® specialists Z-CARD^® Ltd have been announced as a finalist in 3 categories of the prestigious RBS South London Business Awards.

The finalist categories are Best Medium Sized Business, Best Business for Marketing, and Best Business for International trade. The awards received over 150 entries with a shortlist of 6 finalists announced in each category.

"We are very proud of our achievement in reaching this stage of the competition. This is a reflection of a lot of hard work by the management team and staff over the past few years in growing and improving our business. We have a committed and enthusiastic team who are dedicated to offering our clients a premium service and a wide range of quality products" says Liz Love, Z-CARD^® Ltd Managing Director.

The winners will be announced at a black tie awards dinner and ceremony on the 20th of May 2009

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and the new Victims Champion Sara Payne launched a new Z-CARD^® guide this week, aimed at helping victims of domestic violence.

The purse-sized card shows how friends and family-members can recognise if someone is suffering from domestic violence, and sets out what practical support is available. Distribution of the Z-CARD^®s is through branches of JobCentre Plus, Supermarkets, GP Surgeries and available on-line at the Home Office website.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "I hope that this new information about how the banks can financially support victims, ...will enable more women to feel they can take their first step towards breaking away from their abusers."

Lander Davidson, Head of Sales at Z-CARD^® Ltd 'Getting important messages into the hands of those that need it is what PocketMedia is all about. We are proud that we were able to provide a compact, targeted solution to launch such a worthy cause."

Full story available from GMTV here >

Pdf of artwork available here >

View video of campaign launch >

The 2010 Soccer World Cup is set to have a massive impact on South African tourism, business and economic growth as thousands of people from all over the world descend on South Africa for the first ever Soccer World Cup on African soil. This event offers companies the ideal opportunity to display their brand and, more importantly, reinforce and retain brand awareness through a variety of marketing and advertising strategies to both local and international consumers.

One marketing option is Z-CARD^® - the global specialists in PocketMedia® - which offers clients a range of opportunities to get their message across in an effective, interesting, compact and unusual way. PocketMedia® breaks through the usual marketing clutter by providing complex information in a concise, accessible form which is designed to be carried "on person" i.e. in your pocket, wallet or bag.

21 Z-CARD^® orders were produced in the UK and Europe for the 2006 Soccer World Cup held in Germany. Pizza Express in the UK ordered a whopping 330 000 cards which were distributed through its stores while UK sports retailer, JJB Sports, ordered 250 000 cards. Soccer fever ran high amongst many different industries with orders flowing in from the likes of the UK Ministry of Defence, Toshiba, and Shell Netherlands.

Caltex, the official sponsor of the Atlanta South African Olympics team, ran a promotional competition in conjunction with Coca Cola. The objective was to increase the number of people visiting the forecourts of Caltex Service Stations. The Z-CARD^®, complete with Olympic information and a tear-off competition entry form, resulted in an amazing 15% response rate from the competition.

During the 1999 Rugby World Cup, Guinness in the UK produced 250 000 Z-CARD^®s as part of an integrated campaign. The cards were distributed in customized dispensers in pubs across the UK and Guinness recorded a whopping 28% increase in pint sales for draught and 15% increase for draft in cans!

The Z-CARD^® is a great alternative to traditional printed media and is available in several "pocket size" formats from credit card size, to pocket size cards and bigger.

The unusual presentation of the Z-CARD^® is just one pioneering aspect; it has a variety of possibilities for companies to take advantage of in order to maximize their brand exposure and recollection. Companies can design their Z-CARD^® in a range of sizes and formats, for example, a die cut cover in the shape of a soccer ball for the 2010 Soccer World cup. In addition to this design flexibility, the Z-CARD^® can contain fixtures and features which can be regionalised. This is ideal for municipalities, for example, to draw visitor’s attention to everything the city has to offer.