The current economic climate is forcing businesses to reduce advertising budgets and find new cost-effective ways of marketing their brand, which reflect and respond to the public’s state of mind. Brand loyalty on the high street has gone out of the sale-stickered window as consumers switch products in response to the latest offers. But loyalty and membership programmes such as The Entertainment Club, are a way in which businesses can turn this behaviour to their advantage. Clients offering discounts through The Entertainment Club include: Cineworld, Blockbuster, HMV, Bowlplex, London Pass, Theatre Tokens and Virgin Experience Days.

So the exciting relaunch of The Entertainment Club is a thrilling prospect for businesses looking for a cost-effective way to market their brand. It essentially targets 18 – 30 year olds but has a much wider appeal, by offering exclusive discounts on CDs, DVDs, magazines, food, wine and beer plus activities such as snowboarding and bowling. There are 7 fantastic new offers included such as 10% off quad biking with Quad Nation, 2 hours for the price of 1 at SNO!zone, 10% off clay pigeon shooting with The Big Shoot and every new member of the club will receive 2 free cinema tickets plus discounts at a wide range of restaurants nationwide.

The new website will give members clear and comprehensive information on new, ongoing and seasonal offers as well as articles about the latest film releases and tips on ways to save money and use the member discounts. Membership numbers have predictably increased in recent years, to an ever growing total of 26,000 members. The fun new website will keep these members in touch with the exclusive and exciting world of entertainment.

Andy Huggins, MD of the Rocket Marketing Group comments: “The Entertainment Club has a great new look and a fantastic website that is as informative as it is fun. There are some amazing new discounts for members, on everything from movies and music to fun, food and drink. And because membership numbers are constantly increasing, then so is the opportunity for businesses to promote themselves, during the harsh economic climate.”

Preview memberships are priced at just £1.99 for 21-days and only £29.99 for a full 12 months. Members can enjoy some really great discounts that beat offers on the high street hands down. Here’s just a sample:

25% Off at Odeon Cinemas – watch all the latest movies!

Free Movies for 6 Weeks with Blockbuster – enjoy the latest hit movies from home.

7% Off at PC World – save on big purchases like a brand new computer, printer, scanner, computer games, software and lots more.

£5 Free Voucher at Firebox – have a bit of fun with a great office toy or gift!

Get 4 Free Beers from The Beer Club of Britain! – enjoy some great ales and premium lagers for a lot less.

15% Off London Pass – Visit Windsor Castle, St Paul’s Cathedral, the London Aquarium and lots more great attractions at a big discount.

Despite the recession there are still a number of companies, across a range of industries that are experiencing profit growth. We should be celebrating these successes and not let our focus be consumed by the negative stories. Recession is almost certainly a time for change, but not necessarily failure. Brands may have to adapt to reflect how people are spending; like Waitrose, which recently introduced a lower priced range to their traditionally high-end selection of products, to encourage profit growth.

This change from Waitrose came days before, supermarket Morrisons reported in its preliminary results for 52 weeks ending on the 1st February 2009 that like for like sales were up 7.9%; proving that value is currently an important issue for supermarket shoppers. Chief Executive, Marc Bolland, said: “Our focus on fresh food and value appeals to shoppers everywhere and provides a strong platform to take Morrisons from national to nationwide.”

This, it seems is a theme that unsurprisingly repeats itself across many areas, not least entertainment. As people are watching the pennies, cheaper entertainment seems to be an easy way for people to cut back. This is good news for companies such as Cineworld, which operates 75 cinemas. The company has just released its figures showing that sales for the year rose by 4.4%.

On this, Chairman, Anthony Bloom commented: “Movies have an enduring appeal and a visit to the cinema is relatively low cost when compared with other forms of leisure and entertainment.”

Operating in a similar sphere, LOVEFiLM.com, Europe’s largest online DVD & games rental service and entertainment has also had a phenomenal year achieving success during recession: “40 per cent increase in memberships since the credit crunch began. Now renting over 3 million DVDs per month from a catalogue of nearly 70,000 unique titles, the latest figures reveal further proof that for Britons, staying in is the new going out.”

Commenting on the recent success during recession of LOVEFiLM CEO Simon Calver said: “This is further evidence of what another great year it’s been for us. Given the uneasy economic climate, we’re thrilled that customers increasingly recognise LOVEFiLM as the affordable and accessible entertainment option. Coupled with our recent acquisition and integration of the Amazon DVD rental business in the UK and Germany, we are looking forward to what the next year brings.”

A few other success stories include KFC announcing the creation of 9,000 jobs, McDonald’s sales increasing by 7.6 per cent in the final quarter of 2008, Cadbury announcing a 30 per cent annual profit growth as consumers turn to chocolate treats during the recession – and the list goes on.

This small selection shows the success of businesses offering cheaper options and reflects the way people are choosing to spend their time. For the average Briton adjusting to the difficulties of a recession may mean spending less, but that doesn’t have to mean enjoying life any less. Value brands and cheaper entertainment options are the obvious choice for consumers, so how can every other business align themselves with value brands to ensure steady trade, without damaging the brand’s values?

Businesses such as LOVEFILM and Cineworld have capitalised on marketing their brands through loyalty and membership programmes, which give members further discounts and build loyalty at a time when the public are looking for extra value. But these clubs are also a way that brands such as Virgin Experience Days and Theatre Tokens can offer customers discounts and drive sales without devaluing their usually more expensive products.

The Rocket Marketing Group has a range of products that offer businesses a way to tap into the discount market. These products include The Entertainment Club, The Midweek Dining Club, The Big Savings Club and The Home and Garden Club.