The new Honda Civic scores on design, comfort and useful technology. And Artex made sure the launch communication scored a big hit too.    First impressions from the driver’s seat of the new Civic are that this car is designed around the driver. The attractive dashboard’s unique ergonomics and clean, intelligent design promise a high level of driving pleasure. And bring you into touch with a range of technological innovations that drive comfort to new levels.   In short, the new Civic builds on the achievements of its predecessor - and manages to exceed them. An achievement matched by Artex with its broad range of communication executions for the Belgian Motor Show.   Artex introduced the elegant and dynamic character of the new model to the public using direct mail, advertising road signs, window streamers, banners, posters, a TV spot and print advertisements.     Especially for the Belgian Motor Show, Artex created the stand display material, inserts for newspapers and magazines, outdoor communication at Brussels Expo, price lists and stickers.   And for the discovery days in March, the target market received an invitation to test drive the new Civic, via direct mail and advertisements. The aim, indeed, being to generate as much traffic as possible across the showroom floors of Honda dealers.         Make sure your launch is noticed too!  Get a free consultation from Artex.http://www.artex.be/en/news/n/135/artex-launches-the-new-honda-civicSocial media, everyone’s full of it. But few manage to express it as clearly as Stefaan Lammertyn, director of Pixular, social media coach and author of the book “Succesvol met sociale media”. Without doubt the right guide for a walk on the social side … Observing digital fauna and flora. During an Artex internal seminar, Stefaan took our whole team for an extensive nocturnal tour of the social media landscape. In typical no-nonsense style, flavoured with lighter moments and interesting examples, he guided us to the choicest social locations, national and international. With great enthusiasm he illuminated the digital flora and fauna, pausing carefully to point out interesting phenomena, with exotic names like Tracebuzz and Engagor.         Hitting the target, discipline - and SM. Stefaan left us in no doubt. Social Media is not hocus pocus. Nor is it a question of unleashing a hail of virtual buckshot in the hunt for Friends, Fans and Followers. Despite these having become the ‘big three’ of the social media big game hunt. To deploy social media with success, one must submit to the rigours of a targeted, organised and coordinated discipline. The departure point is undoubtedly the social media strategy: SM strategy according to Master Stefaan - to the obvious delight of his submissive followers. (Talk about whipping up a social media frenzy...!) Objectives make it work. His advice is as simple as it is logical: To make it work, be social. With pleasure. With conviction. And above all, with a clear objective. First set your goal. Then listen up, and become an interested and positive partner in online conversations. Advise and help where you can. Be coherent and bond with your target group(s). And keep it happening. Want to know more? Interested in what’s being said online about your company? Want to join the conversation? Need relevant content to build a relationship? Ask us – and follow us on Facebook. And because we don’t want to lose sight of the guide: Follow Stefaan Lammertyn’s digital spoor on Twitter: @slk8500 and #SM4KMOhttp://www.artex.be/en/news/n/137/at-artex-everyones-social How do you convince professionals to reserve a stand at the trade fair for the automotive industry? Very simple - you just ask us for advice. And that is exactly what i-One, the organiser of AutoTechnica did. Artex launched the exhibitor recruitment with a personalised invitation for Bizz&Ride, a kick-off event for which 120 out of 600 registered exhibitors quickly signed up - something unheard of in the industry, and even on Good Friday. During the lunch event, the new communications strategy was unveiled, with the Powerbox in the spotlight: a package of communication tools for every exhibitor, each branded with their company name, logo and stand number. Artex invented the Powerbox concept and also supports realisation of the various tools. An inviting exhibitor brochure stoked the interest of the potential exhibitor with relevant creativity, an attractive offering and facts and figures that emphasised the success of the previous show. Advertisements in the trade press, an extensive e-mail campaign and a follow-up by telephone kept the contact warm during the entire recruitment campaign. One can see that all of these efforts did not go unnoticed, as evidenced by the reaction of organiser Klaus Van Cauwenberghe from i-One: "Talk about a success! Out of the 120 attendees, there were also a number of new contacts strongly interested in trade fair participation. 100% of the attendees at the Bizz&Ride event have registered for AutoTechnica in the meantime. I am convinced that our integrated campaign and powerful database played a significant part in that. Thanks to Artex, of course." In the immediate run-up to the 2012 show, Artex will also launch the visitor campaign. In short: to be continued... Make a big draw out of your trade fair. Looking for an experienced partner for your trade fair communications to exhibitors as well as visitors? Please contact us for personal advice.http://www.artex.be/en/news/n/129/autotechnica-is-powered-by-artexIn March, the "Buyersphere Report 2011" was published. This annual study takes a reading of B2B purchasing behaviour, the information sources that are consulted during the decision-making process and the importance of various information channels. This study offers B2B marketers useful information for the implementation of a targeted communication strategy and helps them select the most appropriate tools to reach the B2B buyer during the purchasing process. Over 1,000 B2B decision makers were surveyed in 5 European countries (Belgium, Germany, France, Italy and the UK). Clear differences were noticeable, broken down by country. Have a look at the entire report here: Buyersphere report 2011 - The annual survey of changing B2B buyer behaviour View more documents from Blog Espace Direct At the IAB breakfast session on Tuesday, 8 November, the report was further explored and analysed. Artex did not want to pass over this analysis and was able to gain new insight into the impact of digital media on B2B purchasing behaviour. Some conclusions: An increasing need for information forces businesses to deliver more content. Social media are gaining in popularity as an information source for B2B buyers, even though they are not so quick to replace traditional channels. Local differences influence the strategy: Germany and the UK are the leaders in using social media. Buyers under 30 years old (digital natives) are markedly informing themselves to a greater extent via blogs than are 30-plus group. Offline events are experiencing a decline according to the study, but remain very important and more decisive than webinars. Curious about our views on the results of the Buyersphere report? Please do not hesitate to contact us. We will gladly assist you with strategic and creative advice to give your B2B communications concrete form!  http://www.artex.be/en/news/n/124/how-important-is-digital-for-the-b2b-decisionmaking-processThe house style manual is the ultimate guide for your own personnel and for external partners to use when implementing your house style … It contains guidelines and recommendations with concrete examples and templates for the most important standard documents up to the on-line and off-line house style media and promotional material. What information will be found in a house style manual? The trademark and/or logo (form, use, proportions, etc.) Colour palette (PMS, CMYK, RGB and RAL values) Typography Imagery Tone and language advice (slogan, jargon, style, etc.) Templates for print and digital media (letterhead, advertisement, presentation, e-mail, web page, clothing, company vehicles, etc.) A house style manual can be provided in a variety of printed forms. From a small, handy guide to a substantial loose-leaf binder in which new material can be added easily. It can also be made available on-line. As a microsite or PDF, for example.http://www.artex.be/en/news/n/121/corporate-identity----part-4-the-house-style-manualA house style is a complete package of elements (fonts, colours, symbols, etc.) that are common themes in all communication related to your company or brand. From business cards and letterhead to signage and promotional material to websites and applications for smartphones or tablets. Your house style gives you a consistent visual theme in your on-line and off-line publications and ensures that you have a uniform, representative image. A house style contributes to the identity of a company or brand, promotes the recognisability and ensures that you have a professional and reliable image. There is a price tag attached to the implementation of a new house style, of course. That depends on the size of the company and the number of corporate stationary you have.http://www.artex.be/en/news/n/118/corporate-identity----part-3-the-house-styleThe logo is the heart of your house style. A logo can consist of a trade name, a visual trademark or a combination of the two. The graphical elements, the typography and the use of colours combine to create the desired image that you determined during the preparation. A good logo starts with a good idea, of course. In addition, a logo should meet a number of conditions in order to have sufficient communications power. A GOOD LOGO IS … Full of impact: stands out by its visual strength. Unique: sufficiently distinct from the competition. Representative: communicates core values and looks professional. Simple: uncomplicated in design and without unnecessary elements. Immediately recognisable: easy to remember and associated exclusively with your own company/brand. Timeless: with its own style based on the uniqueness of the company/brand. Carefully designed: with attention to detail, spacing, proportions, etc. Scalable: can be enlarged or reduced without loss of information. http://www.artex.be/en/news/n/115/corporate-identity----part-2-the-logoIn the end, the secret of a good result is careful preparation. That applies to house styles, as well. When thinking about a new logo or new graphical style, one should ask several questions in advance: Who is our target audience? How do we want to appear as a company? What are our core values? What feeling do we want our new style to give our target audience? What do the logos of our competitors and suppliers look like and how can we stand out visually in our sector? On what media should our new style be implemented? http://www.artex.be/en/news/n/112/corporate-identity----part-1-the-beginningUnder the title Extra Special // Corporate Identity, Artex will soon be presenting a series with some important information and tips about house style … for a whole month. Subscribers to our ‘Extra’ newsletter will automatically receive this special series by e-mail. Are you also interested in our Corporate Identity series? Subscribe to our newsletter by using the button on the home page (bottom left).  http://www.artex.be/en/news/n/109/artex-gives-tips-for-successful-house-style Who runs the world? Women, wealthy Belgians and people above 50. That much became clear after the R-Evolution event on 12 September in Wolubilis. Our colleague Stephanie was there and relates the most notable conclusions. Conclusion 1: women are taking hold of the economic reins more and more, but still entertain traditional ideas about love.   That is the story told by the numbers from Jolanta Bak of the market research agency Intuition Paris: Women's' income will increase from 13 billion dollars in 2009 to 18 billion dollars in 2014, which is more than the GDP of China and India put together. 75% of women are of the opinion that their influence over the next 10 years will increase, and in this time, they will have more professional opportunities. Women represent 57% of the users of social network sites and also spend about 30% more time here than men. In addition, they send 62% of all the messages on Facebook and Twitter, they tweet more and have more followers than the other gender. Although women are striking a higher profile, their conceptions and beliefs about love remain quite traditional: they are still seeking their ideal - a modern man who listens to them, one who is sensitive and can communicate well. In the future, they will go for younger, less educated and less affluent men as they emanate more "female power”. Conclusion 2: the affluent Belgian follows current economic affairs closely,  is an active investor and requires an entirely unique approach.   Gerd Callewaert from Synovate presented the results of Focus on Fortune, a study dealing with the segmentation, profiling and media usage of affluent Belgians. The results of the study revealed that 59% of Belgians follow financial and economic news and 47% have a monthly net income between €2,000.00 and €3,999.00. 58% invest their money in investment products such as funds, equities and life insurance policies like Tak 21. When it comes to the question of how Belgians handle their money and what they expect from their banks, Gerd Callewaert introduced the following 5 segments: Easy followers (31%): people who would rather save and invest without having to worry about it too much; Safety seekers (28%): people who basically choose to put all of their savings in a savings account; Simplicity (18%): this group trusts one bank with their money; Self competent (13%): a segment that consists of people who have enough confidence in themselves in financial matters and describe themselves as such; Competent relationship seekers (10%): people who expect their bank to give them advice spontaneously, but want to maintain control when it comes to making decisions. If your goal is to reach these last two segments, you can among others use some of the media from Roularta (such as Knack, Kanaal Z, …). These media are particularly selective when it comes to this target group. Conclusion 3: the 50-plus segment is a group with strong growth, they are more active than ever and have a strong affinity with new communications technologies.   Finally, Jean-Yves Ruaux  from Editcommform gave us some insight on the role 50-plus folks will play in our future. Some of the facts at hand: Not long from now, one out of every two Europeans will be over 50, and one out of ten will be older than 80. The European market has 120 million people over 60. In 2010, Belgium had 10.8 million inhabitants. In 2060, that'll be about 13.5 million, and will include 6.8 million 50-plus citizens. The 50-plus segment will no longer be the "replacement  babysitters". They're starting a new life: they have a very busy agenda, often work as volunteers and often go on trips. Almost 90% of the 65 to 74 year olds have a mobile phone. Two out of three of folks over 75 have a mobile phone. This is really interesting information for those who wish to invest in mobile marketing. This target group is also very interesting for companies that deal in real estate (because of the common second homes for the active 50-plus crowd), plastic surgery and personal care. Sales of cars and boats also do very well in this target group. And finally: what does the behaviour of the 50-plus segment vis-à-vis the Internet look like? 87.5% use the Internet to communicate (compared to 77% of younger groups); 2 out of 3 compare prices and make plans to buy things using the Internet; 374,000 Belgian seniors (1/3) are active on social networking sites. It goes without saying that communication to and with these target audiences demands a creative approach. Curious about our R-Evolutionary ideas for your business? Contact us for more information.http://www.artex.be/en/news/n/101/who-runs-the-world At Artex, we asked ourselves this same question, so it seemed most appropriate to drop in to the Mobile Revisited seminar which took place on Thursday, 15 September at The Egg. The emergence of smartphones and tablets such as the iPad is simply enormous, and it offers many opportunities, but it also has some pitfalls. In this article, we'll be sharing some important findings. Worldwide Mobile Usage Study. InSites released the initial results of its worldwide mobile usage study regarding the use of mobile devices. Here's what we got from it: Reasons why people do not purchase a smartphone (too expensive, their current phone still works perfectly, and so on) will become much less relevant in the future (smartphones are getting cheaper, current phones will always need replacements, et cetera). 21% smartphone adoption in Belgium vs. 39% in Europe. 66% of smartphone users log in daily to social networks. 56% of smartphone users follow brands via social networks. Mobile users feel ‘connected’ to their brand more quickly. There are too many apps being launched with little regard to what the customers want. This is why it's of primary importance for mobile app developers to advise their clients. Consumer insights are a must: know your customer before launching an app. The World is Mobile #Eday11 View more presentations from InSites Consulting Insights for beginners and the advanced. After presenting the results of the study, there were two specific tracks offered, one for the Mobile Newbie as well as one for the Mobile Savvy, led by Belgian experts (Didier Ackermans from Isobar, Patrick Bosteels from Mobile Mondays, Wim Vermeulen from Momads and Hugues Rey from HAVAS Media). During these discussions, a number of very interesting insights came to light: Do we buy a smartphone to be able to go on Facebook or do you go on Facebook because of the convenience of a smartphone? Something to think about… The click-through rate of an online advertisement is 0.10% vs. 0.64% for a mobile ad. Mobile presents enormous opportunities for a high level of interaction at a low cost. Lead generation via mobile is limited by privacy laws. Awareness with regards to tablets such as the iPad is increasing: 90% of 17 to 70 year olds know it. 3% have a tablet, and 11% intend to buy one. No technology without psychology and strategy. The seminar was concluded by the inspiring speaker Jonathan MacDonald, a communications expert well known from TEDx Manchester and the co-founder of This Fluid World and Every Single One Of Us. Jonathan emphasised the importance of strategy in everything a company does. At the moment, there is too little strategy in the use of new media like mobile. The mobile channel is only relevant if you have a good strategy. Few companies ask themselves the "why" question, take into account their target audience and what is relevant for them. The failure does not depend upon the technology but the psychology. From interactions to relationships - through trust. Mobile is not above- or below-the-line, but through-the-line. Other media strengthen and support mobile marketing. It's not an "or/or" story but an "and/and" one.   The construction of a good relationship with your client and target audience which results in a thorough mutual engagement and confidence is one that is based upon trust. Everything begins with positive interactions that are made possible by that confidence. This trust can be achieved through the 3 Ps, described by Jonathan as the "trust catalyst": Privacy: respect the privacy of your target audience. Permission: ask for the permission of your target audience to communicate.  This is directly proportional to the efficiency of your campaign. There is no point in communication with a target audience that does not give you permission to do so. Preference: understand your customer and his or her preferences and take these into account in your communications. Jonathan concluded his presentation with 3 powerful points: Citizentricity: understanding your target group, respecting their values and approaching them in a way so they feel understood, respected, et cetera, ensures immeasurable trust and engagement. Collaboration: surround yourself with people who have the right qualities to come up with and to implement an appropriate strategy. Courage: don't be afraid of new developments like mobile - have the courage to try new things. Take that jump! Want to know more? Don't hesitate to contact us. We're happy to support you with strategic and creative advice!http://www.artex.be/en/news/n/99/is-the-world-going-mobile     Following a bidding competition, Westtoer (the West Flanders Provincial Agency for Tourism and Recreation) awarded the budget for the launch of the ‘Kustwandelroute’ (the Coastal Walking Route) to Artex. This route is a new walking network that links up the entire coastline. With junctions in the coastal villages and towns between De Panne and Knokke-Heist. Artex was selected because of its strong creative proposals and a detailed communication plan that provided an efficient mix of media whilst staying within budget. Over the next few months Artex, in close collaboration with Westtoer, will further refine the concept for the walking guide and the communication surrounding it. The key focus will be on a promotional campaign aimed at day-trippers and overnight visitors, as well as those with second homes in the area, local residents and active walkers. The walking route will be signposted with starting point indicators, junction signage and progress indicators showing the walker’s position from the start, the finish and the next point along the walk. The official opening of the route will be in the spring of 2012. http://www.artex.be/en/news/n/95/artex-walks-off-with-the-kustwandelroutebrcoastal-walking-routehttp://www.artex.be/en/news/n/92/biab-back-in-a-bitAfter a competition against two other agencies in the region, Artex was allocated the budget for the Province of West Flanders’ ‘Afvalwegwijs’ waste guide communication project. Artex devised a refreshing concept that provides an original approach to the familiar waste sorting guide. In this guide, the province goes into more depth on the various waste types (PMD, HHW, glass, etc.) and gives prevention tips and sorting advice. Watch out for more news! http://www.artex.be/en/news/n/89/artex-wins-competition-afvalwegwijsOur new account executive Dafne Verhelst quickly consumes advertising slogans like ‘Image is nothing, thirst is everything’. Because this 31-year-old professional has a mighty thirst. For refreshing communication, for example. And that’s something we’ll be pleased to offer her at Artex. For 7 years Dafne’s role as account manager made her the driving force behind the casting of actors and models for commercials, advertisements, corporate videos, TV series and full-length films. After recently joining Artex she can imbibe in new projects and fine contacts with clients. We’ll drink to that!http://www.artex.be/en/news/n/86/new-ae-will-quench-her-thirst-at-artex-from-now-onFrom 27 March 2011, Benoit De Backer, Benelux Marketing Director at Initial, is taking part in the prestigious Cape Epic mountain bike stage race far away in South Africa. Artex is among his remote supporters. Shortly before his departure, we gave Benoit a helping hand … in the form of an original, creative mega-poster designed to boost his motivation. For several years now Artex has been producing all Benelux communication for this provider of facility services. As its company motto “for a healthy working environment” suggests, Initial ensures through its impeccable services that people feel good and safe at the workplace and thus perform better. Benoit De Backer obviously feels like a fish in water at Initial. Besides the challenges that Benoit takes on in his profession, he also looks for them in his spare time... The Cape Epic is easily the world’s most arduous mountain bike stage race, straight through South Africa’s unspoiled nature parks. In 8 days the riders cover around 800 bumpy kilometres. Some 600 duos from 50 countries battle for victory, including Benoit and team-mate Vincent Baert. Follow here the adventures of Benoit and his team-mate in the Cape Epic race. http://www.artex.be/en/news/n/83/a-helping-hand-to-back-up-de-backer-Artex has a lot of beautiful projects on the horizon. So we are on the lookout for an experienced account executive, a commercial heavyweight. As our account executive, you will be responsible for managing and cultivating an attractive portfolio of clients. Your experience in the communication sector will enable you to coordinate the campaign process from start to finish and to advise your clients on the most effective communication strategy. If you think that you are the enthusiastic and motivated team player that we need, somebody keen to take the initiative and in possession of proven marketing skills, we have some beautiful projects waiting for you. So email your CV today to geert.neutens@artex.be, accompanied by a letter telling us what makes you right for this job. View the vacancy here.http://www.artex.be/en/news/n/82/beautiful-projects-need-account-executive   Hansgrohe specialises in taps and showers and is synonymous worldwide with top-class innovation, design and shower enjoyment. So it's no wonder that we are particularly proud to welcome such a household name as a new client. For the Batibouw 2011 trade fair, Artex advertising agency produced a refreshing radio commercial. In the Dutch version of the commercial, Koen De Bouw and Maaike Cafmeyer allowed their purest emotions to flow freely. In the French version, Philippe Drecq and Cécile Florent were the voices that poured from the radio. The commercial ran from 22 February until 4 March on Q-music, JOE fm and Bel RTL. Listen above to the Hansgrohe radio commercial.http://www.artex.be/en/news/n/81/hansgrohe-and-artex-evoke-the-purest-emotionsArtex advertising agency got a comprehensive answer to this question at an inspirational workshop with Steven Van Belleghem, Managing Partner of market research agency InSites Consulting and author of the marketing book of 2010, “The Conversation Manager”. Consumers are increasingly basing their decisions on recommendations made by other people. This faces companies with the challenge of managing conversations between people and their brand or company. On Monday 28 February, Lien Desmet (Artex account supervisor) attended an Expert Seminar organised by Erik Van Vooren on the intriguing subject of how to become a successful conversation manager. In just one afternoon, Steven Van Belleghem brought those present up to speed with the latest insights into conversation strategy, the impact of social media and mobile communication on customer behaviour, how a company can adapt its culture accordingly and can leverage high-impact communication that mobilises customers. Click here for some impressions of the seminar. Want to find out more about conversation management? Contact us or visit www.theconversationmanager.com.http://www.artex.be/en/news/n/80/how-to-become-a-successful-conversation-managerDaelprinting is the premier specialist in large-size promotional material. Artex advertising agency developed for this giant printing company a new logo and associated house style. Not surprisingly, we are gigantically proud. http://www.artex.be/en/news/n/79/new-house-style-for-daelprinting A new face joined Artex advertising agency mid-February in the person of Jeroen Ribbens. At 30 years of age, Jeroen has already navigated countless creative waters. He reinforces graphic design and online communication at our agency. His work includes lay-out, logos, websites and concepts that stick in the mind. In short, he's a valuable acquisition for our creative department. We wish Jeroen every success! http://www.artex.be/en/news/n/78/design-that-sticks-in-the-mindArtex advertising agency gives you a different outlook on communication. Now you can take that quite literally. For Artex recently went out and changed its look. Our new, fresh style shows more clearly who we are and where we are heading. We are an agency with our feet firmly in the present, but with respect for the past and our eyes focused on the future. It's your future too, one in which you might want to change your visual identity, launch new products in the market or boost awareness of your brand. Don't hesitate to ask us for advice.http://www.artex.be/en/news/n/77/ready-for-a-new-outlook-on-communication