Last spring, the media and marketing world experienced a tipping point of sorts around the topic of supporting minority-owned and diverse-targeted media. There were high-profile pledges being publicized from marketers and agencies on an almost daily basis during the upfront season. However, it’s been thought-provoking to see the conversation cool off, especially in the current…
Drinks brand Innocent is making impressive progress when it comes to sustainability, but there’s still a long way to go before we can see the positive environmental impact. “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,” is arguably one of the most successful advertising slogans ever created. Teachers, neighborhood busybodies and unimaginative politicians have been rolling out this mnemonic for…
After two years of accelerated ecommerce adoption, it’s safe to say that the retail consumer experience (CX) will continue to evolve at a blistering pace in 2022. But how will 2022 differ from the previous two years? In a word: complexity. At the height of the pandemic, when stores were closed and vaccines weren’t yet…
Welcome to the newest buzzword flooding your feeds and tantalizing the industry, creating a sense of intrigue and raising a multitude of questions all at the same time. Say hello to the metaverse. Many of us are turning to articles and experts for help in understanding this new virtual reality, but one question pops out…
It doesn’t happen during every Super Bowl, but every few years an iconic commercial airs that will be remembered long after the winning team becomes a historical footnote. I believe this will be the year that crypto goes mainstream. But once the buzz dies down, what will these brands have to show for their investments?…
For years, brands have co-opted Black culture in a performative effort to appeal to a population who previously ignored or didn’t find their products relatable. From the recent over-utilization of “pushin P” to apparel brands adopting Megan Thee Stallion’s “Hot Girl Summer,” digital blackface has become ever apparent as brands rush to post culturally relevant…
We are at the beginning of the defining revolution of our time: The Fourth Industrial Revolution, also known as Industry 4.0, was first marked in 2015 by a team of scientists in Germany. Whether you know the terminology or not, the effects of Industry 4.0 are all around us–artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, cloud computing,…
Many would assume that the new space race–as extravagant, complex and dangerous as it is–has nothing to teach us about how to be better at marketing. But it does. It’s precisely that extravagance, complexity and danger that has given rise to important lessons in how to innovate safely and inexpensively, whilst avoiding the bloated, bureaucratic…
You just spent $7 million on a 30-second Super Bowl ad… and it flopped. Sure, the Big Game winners get their share of fanfare; this year it was the Coinbase QR code spot, which offered a limited time promotion of $15 in free Bitcoin to new users, along with a $3 million giveaway. But the…
Every year, the advertising and branded-content landscape surrounding the Super Bowl is a feeding frenzy to attract consumers attention. Brands in this year’s big game reportedly spent $7 million for a 30-second spot, making the price of an ad on Super Bowl 56 the most expensive game to advertise on to date. Across all advertising…
“Differentiate or die” is a common business mantra–or as the irrepressible Coco Chanel once said, “In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.” However, that world-famous marketing guru Jim Morrison of The Doors also once sang: “No one remembers your name when you’re strange.” This view isn’t something that we often hear about…
Despite the number of brands scrambling to learn about Black Americans and how to be supportive during the height of the George Floyd protests in 2020, there are a significant number of Black consumers who believe they are misrepresented or not represented at all in brand advertisements. When it comes to advertising, Black American consumers…
Few new technologies have generated as much buzz in recent years as nonfungible tokens, or NFTs. As with social networks, virtual reality and cryptocurrency when they first hit the scene, the excitement surrounding these unique digital assets has led many to question whether they will live up to the hype. But NFTs are not a…
Getting a Super Bowl brief is one of those opportunities you dream about as a creative. Nailing it can change the trajectory of your career. Then, about five minutes after getting briefed, reality sets in. Your palms start to sweat. Your brain draws a blank. And the faster you realize what’s riding on it, the…
Welcome to the holy grail of advertising: the Super Bowl, where $7 million nabs you 30-seconds in front of a live audience of 200 million eyeballs (give or take a few who run to the restroom during the commercials). Part of the reason for this high price tag is the newcomer brands that want to…
It’s been encouraging to see the role of chief diversity officer (CDO) gaining prominence in the business world, as calls for a more equitable society rightly become increasingly urgent. In the creative industries, some senior leaders have taken on the additional role of chief diversity officer, which helps to put the diversity, equality and inclusion…
2023 will mark a decade since I departed Winston-Salem State University in service to something bigger than myself. In retrospect, there are certain core principles and experiences that prepared me for the advertising and marketing field specifically. In sharing just a few, the hope is that recruiters, agencies and portfolio schools further create space and…
As we count down the final hours to Super Bowl 56, there’s only one question left to answer–what the question is, though, depends on whether you are a viewer or a marketer. For fans, of course, the question is whether the LA Rams or Cincinnati Bengals will dominate the gridiron. But for marketers, it’s not…
Today’s websites fail to meet accessibility standards. In fact, only 2% of all websites meet best practice guidelines. That means people with disabilities are struggling to access information and services online. This affects millions of people. Simply put, we must work harder to build a future of inclusion for everyone. Every company must build accessibility…
As we enter Black History Month, we will once again find our social feeds filled with the swirl of Instagram posts, the one-time signature events and that single brand campaign to spotlight Black talent. And yet, here’s what too many marketers fail to remember: Black History Month is not a “check the box” exercise or…
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