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.

With a permanent sale season on the high street and online sites such as MyVoucherCodes.co.uk and MoneySavingExpert.com, the recession has driven consumers to become sale savvy and expect a discount whenever they spend money.

MoneysSavingExpert.com had only a 1,000 recipient mailing list back in 2003 and now it receives 15 million visits per month, with a 3 million person weekly e-mail list.

www.quantcast.com reported that MyVoucherCodes.co.uk receives approx 60,000 visitors per month, which is 4% up in the last 3 months according to Alexa – www.alexa.com

As consumers hold companies to ransom, unwilling to shop without the hint of a discount, how can companies distance themselves from the permanent sale but remain on the ever successful money saving bandwagon?

From a business point of view the danger of the constant sale trend, is the possible deflation of the brand’s value, as the consumer starts to view the sale price as the norm. There is no doubt that sales help in the short-term but they can ultimately be damaging to a brand’s image.

Many businesses have come to realise that offering discounts through loyalty and membership programmes is a more long-term solution that is actually beneficial to the brand’s image; yet still wholeheartedly jumps on the money saving bandwagon. And that is why the popularity of membership and loyalty programmes has soared.

The Rocket Marketing Group has seen membership numbers of its range of loyalty and membership programmes increase dramatically to 120,000 people over the last few years. The benefits for businesses include free marketing through member websites and brochures that reach a huge customer base. All they have to do is give the consumer what they ultimately desire – a discount. By offering consumers a discount in this particular way the offer remains ‘special’, as it’s only offered to a closed group of people; the brand’s image and values remain intact and the customer gets they want.

The media will have you believe that we’re all sitting at home afraid to spend any money, amid the fear of redundancy and destitution. How true is this? In reality how is the recession really affecting the way people dine? And what can restaurants offer the public to turn the tide?

A recent survey conducted by the business advisory firm Deloitte found that: “Cost reduction is the top priority in 2009 for senior executives in the food and beverage industry.”

Livebookings, a marketing and real-time booking service for restaurants and diners have analysed their UK figures to monitor the amount of discounts used in their restaurants. Below is the table of results.

The amount of people using offers when booking through Livebookings has clearly increased dramatically. These results are echoed through the many things we hear and read in the media, as prudence seems to have become the latest trend, whatever your financial situation. It is clear that restaurants have taken note as there is a noticeable increase in the number of discounts and ‘credit crunch deals’ available. A popular way restaurants have found to channel these discounts, is through a dining club such as The Midweek Dining Club, Top Table, Taste London. The clubs give its foodie members a full directory of restaurants and special member discounts, easily accessible from comprehensive websites. Dining club membership figures have rapidly increased in the last few years and restaurants are recognising them as an essential tool for promoting their brand and combating the public’s reluctance to spend money.

Lawrence Hutter, Global Head of Food and Beverage at Deloitte, said: “The economic downturn has presented food and beverage companies with new challenges. It is impacting how much money consumers spend but also the way in which they spend it. Footfall in discount grocers is rising and many shoppers are trading down.”

Recognising the need for restaurants to promote their businesses in a different way, based on special offers, The Rocket Marketing Group set up and currently operates The Midweek Dining Club. Our clients have found that it is a great way to promote their restaurants by encouraging potential diners to take advantage of some fantastic discounts. With over 25,000 members, restaurant brands are promoted to a vast customer base. The special offers and discounts range from 50% off the food bill to a free bottle of wine. The best thing is that it’s completely free to register a restaurant with The Midweek Dining Club. All restaurants have to do is provide an offer for club members. It is an effective marketing tool especially for independent restaurants that don’t have a large advertising budget. And because we also pride ourselves on excellent customer service, a partnership with us is a happy experience.

So visit The Midweek Dining Club website for a taste of what we do.

We have just launched our brand new corporate site, with some great new information about The Rocket Marketing Group including our latest news and updates, our core values, info about the team and a selection of our key products and services that are helping to bring substantial savings to our members!

There’s never been a better time to get in contact, and see how we can work together.