Research has shown that workforce diversity leads to higher levels of innovation and creativity as a richer range of perspectives and life experiences are brought to bear. In an industry that exists to create deep, compelling consumer connections, it strikes me as a strategic imperative for our industry to ensure our staff is composed of…
In a saturated world of brand choices, it’s increasingly difficult to stand out and create memorable customer experiences. While there is no doubt that the brand landscape will continue to balloon in coming years, one thing that won’t change is human psychology and the principles that drive our interactions with brands every day. Understanding the…
A recent report released by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has marketers on edge. It breaks down the successful digital business strategies made commonplace by direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands like Warby Parker and Casper, whose customer experience-driven product strategy is systematically stifling growth for some of the world’s largest brands. The stakes are high. “Big brands…
A cultural context is an event or idea that shapes an era. Sometimes a cultural context lasts years, like Woodstock (peace and love) and 9/11 (fear and terror), or it can last a few months like optimism around the recently concluded Winter Olympics. Regardless how long it lasts it shapes how we see the world…
2017 was an explosive year for online video content. In just 12 months, Netflix released over 200 new originals and YouTube Hulu launched live TV services. Despite an overwhelming increase in original shows and movies across all services, it’s never been easier for audiences to get content when they want it, where they want it….
Brands have power when they have a purpose, a strong point of view that they can use to change the world around them. Granted, there are risks, but they can be mitigated through authenticity. In their article “Consumers Turn Shopping Into a Political Statement,” the Financial Times said, “67 percent of people will try a…
The resale market for sneakers is a billion dollars, the overall resale apparel market is $17 billion, used smartphones are $17 billion. From apparel to consumer electronics to cars, a significant number of people will own a brand’s product without having ever purchased from the brand directly. Traditionally past the moment of purchase, most brands…
This past week, the Twittersphere exploded after YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki referred to YouTube as a “library” for video from the stage at SXSW. This comparison seemingly infuriated the populace. Twitter comments ranged. If @SusanWojcicki is serious about making YouTube into a library I suggest she put together a team of librarians to consult and…
A marketer’s challenge is to get consumers to pay attention to them without sticking an ad in the middle of their mobile screens that might turn them off. Take a walk in any neighborhood and you’ll see why. People are wandering about, heads down, eyes glued to their phones, earbuds playing Spotify. Even when they’re…
Across continents and generations, research shows that the recommendations of friends are trusted more than any other form of advertising. People love to hear, watch and share stories with the people who matter most to them. The Story feature on Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and even Google encourages users to share their choices and experiences more…
First of all, a moment of pause that there are 180 women with C-level titles in advertising. Praise be. Then another nod of affirmation that they joined forces to declare #TimesUp for harassment and inequality in advertising. Those who speak truth to power and attempt to fix things from inside the machine are unspeakably brave….
The Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is coming up in a few months–June 4, to be exact–and Facebook’s annual F8 is shortly after that. Have you ever wondered how they select their partners to highlight during their keynotes? If not, you’re likely missing out on one of Silicon Valley’s least-kept secrets. For brands looking to…
Some of the most iconic advertisements of our time have featured celebrities endorsing brands and products. “Mean” Joe Greene was famous for his hall of fame football career, but arguably as well known for his “Hey Kid, Catch” Coca-Cola commercial. In the 1990s, supermodel Cindy Crawford remade Pepsi’s image in a Super Bowl ad. Michael…
As a kid growing up in the ’80s, I was no stranger to the family-friendly casual dining establishment. Both my parents worked, and they rarely felt like cooking after a long, hard day. We often found ourselves in a booth at our local Chi-Chi’s, digging into salty nachos and bland salsa. As I became independent…
Everyone’s talking about the retro trend in television as iconic shows from the ’80s and ’90s are getting 2018 reboots. The latest example is Roseanne, the sitcom that was lauded during its original run for its realistic portrayal of a middle-class American family. The show returns to ABC on March 27, complete with its full…
It’s Women’s History Month, an annual recognition of the many women who have made contributions to history, culture and society, and I find myself thinking about the impact women have had in the marketing space, particularly in recent years with the rise of influencer marketing. This vibrant, growing industry was essentially built by women out…
Ever since “people-based marketing” was introduced at Advertising Week in 2014, it has become a strategic imperative for almost every brand. Fortune 500 companies are investing in and adopting the tech, agency media buyers are mandating it in insertion orders, and DSPs, DMPs and measurement providers are strategizing around how they can implement this into…
Blockchain would be a success story in marketing and advertising if the industry determined how to harness its decentralized and distributed ledger concepts, but that’s something that has yet to happen. Speaking about blockchain in 2018 is similar to speaking about internet routers and switches in 1998. Those technologies were critically important to the development…
Social media is an integral part of media brands’ marketing and promotion. But accurate measurement and analysis remain a significant pain point in these efforts. Social listening and analytics tools abound, but it’s still difficult to answer the question: What’s the ROI of your social media promotion? The difficulty attributing marketing dollars to aspects like…
For as long as social media celebrities have existed, brands have been trying to tap into their star power. The reason is clear: Not only do these new stars have a massive number of loyal fans, but their connection to their audience is authentic and unmitigated by traditional gatekeepers. Considering the intimacy of this connection,…
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