From the Co-op ‘divi’ to the Andrex puppy, a new book lifts the lid on sales promotion, from small beginnings to a £26.5 bn industry

Sales promotion is a UK success story and for anyone aiming to prosper in the sector, industry experts Colin Lloyd and Ken Spedding’s entertaining new book Beyond Redemption is a must-read.

From the world’s first customer loyalty programme to the present day, the past, present and future of promotional marketing come under the microscope.

Subtitled “The sex, drugs and rock and roll of marketing”, the book is an observant and entertaining look into an industry that affects just about everyone in the developed world.

It highlights some of the best-known promotions, as well as looking atcampaigns that didn’t turn out as planned. Spedding said: “The highs and lows ofthe industry range from the Andrex puppy to the rather less successful Connections Card scheme launched by the government in 1999 and quietly closed five years laterat a cost to the taxpayer of £100m.”

Beyond Redemption also gives a look into the future with input from manyof the industry’s luminaries, such as John Hooper, John Williams, Andrew Marsden, Geoff Howe and Tim Arnold, who give their predictions for promotional marketing for the next decade.

Among the issues discussed are budgets, the influence of procurement, whether brands will become more courageous in testing new formats and ideas, advances in technology and the impact of green issues.

Lloyd (pictured right) said: “Sales promotion is one of the most powerful tools available to the world’s companies. It is a dynamic sector that pervades the marketing process, influences brand propositions and touches almost every citizen in the UK dozens of times a year. It can make the marketing difference between success and failure. It can build or damage brands. It can reward, motivate, amuse and create panic attacks. Careers and money can be made and lost and reputations enhanced or destroyed.”

The authors

Colin Lloyd is chairman of Motivcom plc and chairman of the Fundraising Standards Board, the self regulatory body for the charity sector. He was formerly president of the Institute of Sales Promotion.

Ken Spedding (pictured right) is a marketing consultant and a fellow of the Institute of Promotional Marketing. He has written numerous features for the trade press and shared his expertise at many conferences.

To order a copy of the book call 0844 991 6468 between 8.45am and 5.15pm Monday toFriday, or go online to www.beyondredemption.biz