Welcome to your monthly round-up for busy MarCom professionals. Each month, we share the latest news, strategies, tools and trends affecting the industry landscape. Check-in for the latest updates from all over the web.
Super Bowl Viewers Support Social Justice Ads, Study Says
It’s too early to tell whether this month’s rollout of COVID-19 vaccines will affect people’s plans to gather to watch the game, though 70% said they don’t plan to attend a Super Bowl party, according to Morning Consult’s Dec. 10-13 survey. Despite potential changes to watch parties and additional uncertainty around when the game will be held, it is likely that, as in the past, viewers will pay close attention to the ads. However, Morning Consult’s survey raises the question of whether Super Bowl LV ads will focus more on social issues in a reflection of how marketing evolved during 2020. Read more…
One View Of The Future Of Events: Niche And Hybrid
We’re all still trying to work out virtual events, as well as looking forward to next year when the COVID vaccine might ultimately herald a return of in-person engagement, perhaps in tandem with virtual content. Everyone has an opinion, not least Ben Hindman, CEO at event marketing platform Splash.
Earlier this month, he raised some hackles on LinkedIn by predicting that COVID would break the addiction to massive events, and that the shift to “bite size” is underway. Splash followed up Hindman’s opinion piece with some supporting data in their report “Online, Shorter, and Here to Stay: An Outlook on Virtual and Hybrid Events in 2021.” Read more…
How Marketers Can Get The Highest ROI Out Of Podcasts
The new at-home lifestyle brought about by the onset of COVID has driven a significant increase in the numbers of listeners and the numbers of programs in the podcasting and audio-streaming space, and where the channel was a secondary or tertiary option for most marketers, having a podcast strategy is now part of many marketing plans for 2021.
“Podcasting is still a vast, open space that brands are smart to jump into,” said Lindsay Tjepkema, CEO of Casted, a podcast-centered marketing platform. “When you consider there are about 1 million podcasts, but more than 600 million blogs, you can see how much opportunity still exists for brands to own their own space,” she continued. “And listenership continues to rise dramatically, even in the midst of a pandemic, as people are actively seeking connection. Podcasts that offer that ability to connect an audience with a brand like not other form of content can and, in doing so, build trust and loyalty.” Read more…
Facebook Reportedly Developing Cameo Copy To Key Into Custom Celeb Video Boom
Super is still in internal testing, according to Bloomberg, and NPE’s mission is centered on smaller digital experiments that Facebook acknowledges aren’t always likely to take off. Still, moving to capitalize on a trend driven by apps like Cameo wouldn’t be surprising for the social network: If it gains traction, Super could provide a powerful way for the social media giant to leverage a livestreaming boom in tandem with a broad network of creators and celebrities who already use Facebook-owned apps like Instagram to stay in touch with fans.
Cameo has continued an upward trajectory during the pandemic, serving as a moneymaking tool for celebrities who have seen work slow with production challenges related to COVID-19 and the shuttering of entertainment venues. Read more…
Marketing The COVID Vaccine Faces Familiar Challenges
Not only is the COVID vaccination effort the biggest in U.S. history; the public education campaign launched by DHHS — effectively to market the vaccination — is also large-scale. The Department has budgeted $250 million against a background of widespread mistrust. Some one in four Americans are currently reluctant to take the shots.
It’s a situation familiar to marketers. There’s a vast audience out there, but it’s unlikely to be responsive to just one, singular message (or, for that matter, to a single spokesperson). To better understand the challenge facing this campaign, we spoke with the founder and CEO of DeepIntent, a former Memorial Sloane-Kettering Cancer Center data scientist, Chris Paquette.
It comes down to empathy. “The campaign is in the planning stages right now,” said Paquette, “and they’re launching wave one in January.” Read more…
Technology Saving Retail Businesses From Going Under
The pandemic is changing the game for retail, and fast. Not only is the competition fiercer than ever before, but the coronavirus has been the cause of a dramatic decrease in in-store traffic, making it difficult for retailers to stand out from the crowd.
While the situation has forced some companies to shut down, many have realized that if they want to break through and maximize profits, they will need to adapt to more flexible business models with the adoption of new technologies. In order to remain competitive, online and offline experiences must “wow” the consumer. Having a great product is not sufficient to satisfy today’s buyer profile.
In order to master the art of selling in a COVID era, one must first focus on addressing the negative aspects of traditional shopping. Waiting in long queues to settle transactions and being immersed in large crowds are the most obvious customer pain points. Retailers need to understand that shopping experiences need to be quick and painless. Checkout processes must be safe and convenient. Extra effort should be put especially into converting a customer into a loyal one. Read more…
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