Digital marketing may be the latest trend in the advertising world, but is it replacing the traditional 'company logo on a water bottle' technique? Judging by full-year results from 4imprint (FOUR), the answer is no. The direct marketing company - which specialises in putting graphics on everything from bags to teddy bears - has reported revenue up 13 per cent, after adjusting for a 53rd week in 2015 and a 2 per cent decline in the UK business caused by currency movements.
But it's the US where 4imprint does the majority of its business, and here, performance was good. Revenue growth of 13 per cent was substantially ahead of the wider industry, driven by the addition of 240,000 new customers. But growth slowed in the fourth quarter, which management attributed to uncertainty caused by the US election. Weak trading patterns correlated directly with the six- to eight-week period leading up to the November vote.