News: Recent Episodes
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Plus, xAI reportedly expected to close its current funding round at a valuation of around $18bn.
Apple brings AI to the iPad with powerful new chipDuring a virtual event to showcase upgrades to the iPad on Tuesday, Apple highlighted some new AI features which it hopes will boost its competitive edge in the industry-wide race to commercialize the technology.
The latest iteration of the iPad Pro is quipped with the new M4, a new chip which incorporates both a CPU and a GPU. It’s also built with a new and improved “neural engine,” enabling AI-powered features like Visual Look Up, which identifies specific objects in images and video.
“The neural engine in M4 is Apple’s most capable yet, and is more powerful than any neural processing unit in any AI PC today,” Apple wrote in a press release.
While other tech giants like Google, Microsoft and Meta have been gaining headway in their efforts to build AI tools, Apple has thus far been relatively and conspicuously quiet about its plans for deploying the technology. The company is expected to make major AI-related announcements during its annual Worldwide Developers Conference next month.
Dotdash Meredith partners with OpenAIOn Tuesday, Dotdash Meredith (DDM) – the digital media giant behind publications like People, Better Homes & Gardens, InStyle and Investopedia – became the latest major publisher to sign a licensing deal with OpenAI.
Through the deal, ChatGPT users will begin seeing content from and links to articles from DDM-owned publications. DDM content will also now be used to train the large language model powering the AI chatbot, and OpenAI has agreed to help the publisher develop new AI products.
The agreement also includes provisions for OpenAI to enhance the capabilities of D/Cipher, DDM’s AI-powered ad-targeting system.
"D/Cipher is built upon billions of first-party data signals from across our incredible brands – we understand consumer intent based on context, not personal identifiers," Jon Roberts, chief innovation officer at DDM, said in a statement. "We can tap the power of OpenAI's models to make D/Cipher ad targeting more granular, more nuanced and more effective in engaging consumers. This combination will be a game changer for advertisers."
A similar deal was struck last week between OpenAI and the Financial Times.
Musk’s xAI reportedly on track for $18bn valuationxAI, the start-up founded by Elon Musk last summer to compete with OpenAI, is expected to reach a valuation of around $18bn, according to a Wednesday report from Bloomberg. The funding round is expected to finalize before the end of this week.
The AI company’s roster of investors includes Sequoia Capital, arguably the most famous tech-focused venture capital firm.
In a pitch deck to investors, xAI reportedly emphasized Musk’s decorated history as an entrepreneur and CEO. Additionally, it highlighted that Grok – xAI’s chatbot – would be trained on data from the social media platform X, which Musk also owns.
Meta begins rolling out new image- and text-generation features for brandsMeta is ramping up its generative AI offerings to advertisers with new features designed to quickly create imagery and text for branded social media content. The new features, unveiled on Tuesday, are currently being rolled out in an early testing phase and are expected to be globally deployed by the end of this year.
Meta head of monetization John Hegeman told reporters gathered at Meta’s Mnahattan offices on Tuesday morning that the company is currently working on the best way to approach labels for AI-generated ads, and that those will be in place before the new features are released globally.
The features are currently unavailable to advertisers promoting political campaigns or other culturally charged social issues.
Experts discuss the evolving role of generative AI in marketing at The Drum Live USThe Drum Live US kicked off on Wednesday morning with a panel discussing generative AI and its myriad impacts within the marketing industry.
The tone was generally optimistic. All three panelists – Bacardi’s Laila Mignoni, Uber Advertising’s Mrinalini Nair, and Runway’s Emily Golden – agreed that the technology presented huge new creative opportunities to marketers. They also noted its capacity to free them from some mundane and time-consuming tasks.
The conversation also touched on some of the legal and ethical risks presented by generative AI, including the fact that many models are trained on content from the internet that wasn’t gathered consensually – a subject that’s become especially salient in popular culture in the wake of the recent Hollywood writer’s strike, among other high-profile incidents.
For more on the latest happenings in AI, web3 and other cutting-edge technologies, sign up for The Emerging Tech Briefing newsletter.
From tech-enabled family reunions to AI-powered career assistance, these brands and agencies are redefining how we honor moms today.
As Mother’s Day approaches in the US, brands and agencies are not only offering traditional gifts this year but also crafting innovative campaigns that resonate deeply with the essence of motherhood.
From heartwarming reunions facilitated by DoorDash to MullenLowe planting career opportunities for moms, these initiatives are reshaping the celebration.
Let’s delve into these unique and truly helpful campaigns that celebrate moms in meaningful ways, from Dove Chocolate, MoneyGram and others.
DoorDash closes the distance between mothers and their childrenLoading...DoorDash isn’t just delivering flowers; it’s delivering heartwarming reunions and unbreakable bonds, whether you’re near or far from your mom. To mend the bittersweet feeling of being away from your mom on Mother’s Day, DoorDash teamed up with Dept, a digital marketing agency that is helping facilitate the remote delivery of both flowers and loved ones to doorsteps.
The campaign is supported through a content series of people reuniting with their moms and even an AR lens that allows people to connect to the moms in their lives, all in an effort to deepen connections between mothers and their children.
MullenLowe ‘Trojan Bouquets’ plant career opportunities for momsLoading...This year, creative agency MullenLowe partnered with Momternship, an internship program for moms, to tackle the bias mothers face returning to the workforce.
With 73% of moms reporting that they have encountered bias in the hiring process due to their parental status, MullenLowe’s approach involves delivering flowers wrapped in past Momtern resumes to industry recruiters who are also mothers in the form of ‘Trojan Bouquets.’ Visit momternships.org/employers to learn more.
Dove Chocolate uses AI to bridge the ‘Mommy Gap’ in employmentLoading...For Mother’s Day 2024, Dove Chocolate unveiled an AI tool, the ‘Mom Experience Translator,’ to empower mothers re-entering the workforce. Given the challenge of resume gaps from raising children, the technology transforms the skills moms acquire during motherhood into marketable assets for recruiters and hiring managers.
With over 60% of individuals with extended employment gaps being women, Dove’s initiative aims to combat bias and highlight the strengths of motherhood in professional settings. As part of its celebration, Dove Chocolate launches a sweepstakes offering financial support to 10 lucky moms, alongside a charitable contribution to aid women re-entering the workforce. Visit DoveChocolate.com/PromiseOfMoms to access the ‘Mom Experience Translator.’
MoneyGram: ‘Make Your Mother’s Day’ with an AI-generated photoLoading...MoneyGram, a money transfer platform, wants consumers to celebrate Mother’s Day in a unique and hilarious way with its ‘Make Your Mother’s Day’ campaign, which swaps generic greeting cards for personalized, AI-generated cards. With over 180 potential scenes, possibilities are endless. To make a MoneyGram Mother’s Day card, visit mgrm.link/makeyourmothersday, upload a photo of you and your mom and let the AI work its magic.
What’s more, from now until May 15, residents of the US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, France, South Africa, El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico can enter for a chance to win a plane ticket home to visit their mom by following @MoneyGram on Instagram and uploading the photo to their Instagram Story.
Genentech debuts ‘A Beautiful Sight’ animated shortGenentech, a pharma company, recently released an animated short film for its Vabysmo brand, a medication designed to treat two types of eye problems called wet age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema.
Created in partnership with Grey Health, ‘A Beautiful Sight’ honors mothers and caregivers dedicated to preserving their sight. Inspired by real stories and featuring innovative animation techniques, the short celebrates the bond between a mother and her son, their shared vision for the world and the profound impact of community in the face of vision loss. It narrates the importance of caring for our loved ones, especially when faced with challenges like wet age-related macular degeneration.
Interested in creative campaigns? Check out our Ad of the Day section and sign up for our Ads of the Week newsletter so you don’t miss a story.
The brand, a favorite among skincare lovers, has shunned a flashy, celebrity-endorsed campaign in favor of spotlighting its clean ingredients. It’s the best ad today.
The Ordinary is championing science over celebrity in its latest outdoor campaign, which highlights all the ingredients in its products. Known for its no-nonsense approach to naming its lotions and potions, the brand is advocating for transparency within the beauty industry.
What makes this ad brilliant is that it emphasizes what’s inside its products in a way that is distinctive to the brand. Notably, the color palette remains entirely monochromatic, a signature characteristic of the brand’s identity.
The clean aesthetic also cleverly feeds into wellness trends that promote a simplified beauty approach. It’s refreshingly understated while still packing a punch.
Loading...Loading...Credits
Creative Studio: Uncommon Creative Studio
Media: Decoded Advertising
New findings published by Adalytics suggest that Colossus stood out in a field of 16 SSPs for consistently declaring user IDs in ad exchanges that did not match actual IDs.
Update: Since this story's initial publishing, Colossus has shared a statement with The Drum asserting that it plans to pursue legal action against Adalytics over what it sees as “false and misleading information“ in the company’s report. Adalytics, however, defends the legitimacy of its report, telling The Drum that its research was peer reviewed by 14 technical experts before being published.
A report released today by Adalytics, an advertising quality and transparency platform, alleges that a supply-side provider (SSP), Colossus SSP, systematically misrepresented user IDs in ad exchanges.
The report – which analyzed publicly-available data via ad source code and bid responses served by demand-side provider (DSP) The Trade Desk on behalf of various advertisers and across a range of publishers – found that, out of 16 common SSPs, 15 accurately matched declared user IDs with those stored in user browsers. Colossus, however, stood out as an outlier, frequently presenting mismatched IDs.
So why does this matter? Programmatic advertising relies heavily on user IDs to deliver targeted ads to specific audiences. These IDs, like digital fingerprints, hold valuable information about user demographics and browsing habits. For advertisers, accurately targeting these IDs can significantly impact the effectiveness of their campaigns. Thus, a mismatch between the IDs stored on user browsers and the IDs presented to media buyers could result in ads being served to the wrong audiences.
“The information and evidence we saw suggests … that Colossus, in this case, was misrepresenting IDs in a way that is inconsistent with what advertisers believe they are buying,” says Jay Friedman, chief executive officer at Goodway Group, a digital marketing agency.
Outside of advertisers’ interests, misrepresenting user IDs could have significant implications for users’ data privacy. Inaccurate user IDs might, in theory, prevent users from exercising their rights under key privacy legislation like the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation or the US’ 15 state privacy laws, as users may be unable to verify the information being collected about them.
A spokesperson for Colossus’ parent company Direct Digital Holdings (DDH), said in a statement shared with The Drum it was not given the opportunity to see the report before its publication, in spite of “repeated requests.”
Nonetheless, the company spokesperson said: “We believe that there has been a concerted effort to seek financial gain by attempting to discredit the performance and operations of DDH … We have learned that there is a so-called research report from Adalytics, a for-profit entity, making intentionally false, misleading and inaccurate statements…”
The blame game gets muddledColossus feels Adalytics’ statements “do not accurately represent the connections within the programmatic value chain and the role of Colossus SSP through The Trade Desk,” the spokesperson said.
Specifically, they said that Colossus doesn’t directly share any user IDs from The Trade Desk when participating in ad auctions, but through “a publicly traded intermediary” – something the company does, according to the spokesperson, in order to comply with both The Trade Desk’s rules and OpenRTB, a standardized framework governing how media is traded in the programmatic ecosystem.
That intermediary is BidSwitch, a ‘middleware’ that connects players within the programmatic ecosystem.
Though it would appear that Colossus is pointing the finger at BidSwitch, Criteo defends the integrity of BidSwitch’s role. “BidSwitch operates as a neutral ‘passthrough’ platform, sending traffic from SSPs to DSPs without manipulating the content of bid requests from SSPs or bid responses from DSPs,” Criteo’s general counsel, Ryan Damon, said in a statement. “Bidswitch has been doing this for over 11 years with hundreds of partners throughout the industry, including the very largest. Any claims or implications by Colossus SSP that BidSwitch is to blame for Colossus SSP’s manipulation of the content of bid requests are untrue and we encourage all parties to investigate further into the merits of any such statements before publishing untrue statements.”
The Adalytics report also explains that, in comparing Colossus with another SSP that transacts via BidSwitch, TrustX, discrepancies between declared and actual user IDs were only observed with Colossus, not TrustX.
So, what could be going on?Adalytics does not allege that Colossus has misrepresented user IDs knowingly, nor does it speculate on the company’s motivations. However, one source tells The Drum that the findings insinuate that Colossus could have been purposefully misrepresenting user IDs – a practice that could potentially trick media buyers into thinking they are buying higher quality audiences than they actually are.
“This research shows us that it's possible the millions of dollars spent identifying target audiences, and aligning creative to said audience could be wasted,” a Fortune 500 brand executive said in the report. “This also creates a worse experience for the consumer, as the advertising being shown could be completely irrelevant.”
An executive at a media publishing network, who spoke with The Drum on the condition of anonymity, said that, upon reviewing data from their own properties, they initially thought that Colossus may simply be practicing user ID bridging.
User ID bridging is a technique that links user identities across different platforms or environments, particularly in scenarios where traditional tracking methods like cookies are not available or effective. It involves correlating user IDs from one environment, such as a browser with third-party cookies, to another environment with limited third-party cookies or different kinds of data signals, such as mobile apps or a cookieless browser like Safari, ultimately helping adtech players to make an educated guess at a user’s identity.
The practice aims to maintain continuity in user targeting and tracking across touchpoints, enabling advertisers to deliver more personalized, consistent experiences. In lieu of deterministic signals, it’s generally thought to be acceptable so long as it’s done transparently and ethically, in a privacy-preserving way.
While there are legitimate reasons for ID bridging, it’s not always necessary, especially when long-term deterministic identifiers like third-party cookies are available. In fact, misrepresenting user IDs (via ID bridging) in cases where accurate, deterministic identifiers are readily available, might fall into the Media Rating Council’s definition of ‘Sophisticated Invalid Traffic,’ and may therefore be considered fraudulent.
However, it’s possible that Colossus is up to something more complicated and potentially nefarious.
If an SSP like Colossus wanted to con media buyers into paying higher sums, it’s possible that it could routinely swap out the ID associated with a user’s unique profile or device, misrepresenting the user ID during ad auctions. The SSP might do so to trick a media buyer into believing they are reaching a more high-value user or to bypass frequency caps and thereby get a bigger paycheck by bombarding one user with the same ad over and over.
This behavior, known as ID rotation, can of course lead to inaccuracies in ad targeting and measurement. ID rotation is generally considered to be an unethical practice in the industry.
“ID rotation helps SSPs – in the very short-term – increase revenue for themselves and their publishers on a given ad call,” says Goodway Group’s Friedman. But it’s a dangerous game, he warns. “Of course, once it’s been discovered, it’s more likely to lose significant revenue for them as advertisers lose trust.”
The media publishing executive we spoke to said that their team, which uses Colossus, found some anomalies in its source code. The team set up a variety of devices to test what kind of IDs popped up and won bids on its site. Among the 33 SSPs used by the company, all but Colossus presented IDs that matched the IDs of the devices they’d set up. Colossus sometimes presented IDs that did not match the device IDs. The source caveats that their team’s in-house experiment was limited in scale and that a third-party evaluation by a group like Adalytics is likely to present a more comprehensive picture.
The source says that a number of demand-side providers (DSPs) have flagged their own concerns about Colossus. On Tuesday of this week, the source’s company paused all business with Colossus.
A failure on the part of ad verification partners?Colossus partners with at least three ad verification and anti-malware partners – Human, Oracle Moat and Confiant. While these partnerships suggest a commitment to combating ad fraud, the observed discrepancies in user IDs raise questions about the effectiveness of these measures.
The spokesperson for Direct Digital Holdings said: “Colossus SSP has always been diligent when it comes to quality and transparency, working with Human, Confiant, Moat and other trusted industry partners to ensure we meet the highest standards in supply.” The spokesperson also emphasized that “integrity, accountability and transparency” are “core values” at the company.
The company’s website indicates that Human works with the SSP on both the pre- and post-bid sides to mitigate fraud, while Oracle Moat provides Colossus with viewability and invalid traffic metrics. Both Human and Oracle Moat are Media Rating Council-accredited for ’Sophisticated Invalid Traffic Detection/Filtration,’ as well as Trustworthy Accountability Group-certified.
Confiant, meanwhile, offers creative scanning and security measures to the SSP to prevent malware or ad hijacking.
However, not all industry players are confident in verification providers’ ability to spot inaccuracies, misrepresentations or bad behavior in the ecosystem. Goodway Group, for its part, “has advised its clients to use analytics platforms – like Fou or Adalytics – in lieu of, and not in addition to, verifications vendors,” says Friedman. “In side-by-side tests we saw analytics platforms reveal significantly more, and more useful information about how we could minimize ad waste than we were exposed to with verification vendors.”
A spokesperson for Confiant told The Drum: “Confiant is not an ad verification or fraud prevention vendor. Creative verification – anti-malvertising, our expertise – is often confused with ad verification.“
At the time of publishing, neither Human nor Oracle have responded to The Drum’s requests for comment.
A financial incentive at play?Though the extent of Colossus’ knowledge about its ID misrepresentation issues is unclear, the company appears to be facing some degree of financial pressure. Direct Digital Holdings revealed in mid-April that its independent accountant, Marcum, resigned in the wake of a late SEC filing. (An extension was needed, the company said in early April, because it needed additional time to finish the audit of its financial statements).
The company, however, denies that it’s facing financial trouble. “DDH remains operationally well-positioned and financially strong with estimated 2023 [financial year] earnings of $157 million and is experiencing continued growth into 2024,” the company spokesperson said in a statement. “We maintain a solid financial relationship with our partners and are committed to continuous improvement and strengthening our products and services.”
The spokesperson said: “We will vigorously defend our company’s reputation and will pursue all appropriate legal actions and remedies to address these intentionally false statements and fundamental misrepresentations.”
The need for media buyers to audit their own investmentsAdalytics’ handling of this report, the spokesperson suggested, indicated that the ad quality firm is “seeking attention instead of accuracy.”
It’s certainly not the first time Adalytics has stirred the pot with allegations of bad behavior in the adtech world. Just last month, the company accused Forbes of operating a secretive, spammy, ‘made for advertising’ subdomain that misled major brands like Microsoft and Disney into believing they were buying media on the publisher’s flagship news site. Last summer, Adalytics took over headlines when it shined a spotlight on some of Google’s unsavory ad practices.
Adalytics’ report on Colossus concludes with a call-to-action urging media buyers to be scrupulous in assessing SSP and DSP partners – and ultimately to take the health of their media investments into their own hands.
“Brands and ad tech entities are encouraged to audit their own media buys,” the study reads, “to analyze how much each entity transacted with any given vendor and whether the ad delivery via that vendor was consistent with their expectations.”
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Our quickfire analysis of the brand, marketing and media stories that might just crop up in your meetings and conversations today.
Apple admits fault in iPad Pro campaignApple has issued an apology for its latest iPad Pro advertisement, which has been condemned for being “out of touch” with its creative community.
As we reported yesterday, few ads in recent memory have elicited the kind of backlash this Apple commercial faced from the ad industry and beyond. Writing on X, the actor Hugh Grant summarized it as “the destruction of the human experience, courtesy of Silicon Valley”. Now, it has been pulled from TV broadcast following negative reactions across social media and Apple has promised to revisit its campaign strategy. Read more on AdAge.
The ad industry observers who panned the commercial will treat Apple’s concession as vindication. But with some of their counterparts decrying that the outpouring of fury over the ad left little room for nuanced debate, did the backlash go too far?
WPP CEO deepfake scamMark Read, the CEO of WPP, the world’s largest advertising company, has reportedly been used as the focal point of a sophisticated deepfake scam in the agency. Using publicly available imagery, Microsoft Teams, and an artificial voice clone, scammers attempted to solicit money from an agency leader.
Read has since offered the network some pointers on avoiding scams, likely expecting more attempts in future. Remain vigilant, imagery and audio can now be faked and cloned. Ask yourself how likely Mark Read, whose pay package was £4.5m last year, is to ask you for money before getting out those card details. Full story on The Guardian.
O2 withdraws strobe lighting adMobile carrier O2 has removed one of its adverts from circulation following a complaint from the Epilepsy Society. The ad, which contained rapidly flashing images, was deemed potentially harmful to individuals with photosensitive epilepsy. O2 has expressed regret for the oversight and affirmed its commitment to safer advertising practices. Details at Epilepsy Society.
Warner Bros Discovery faces financial missesWarner Bros Discovery’s latest earnings report shows a significant miss on quarterly profit and revenue estimates. Advertising revenues decreased by 6.5% to $2.14bn. Disappointing box office returns have prompted the company to reassess its upcoming film slate and strategic priorities. Analysis on Forbes.
Burning flag ad lights up South African politicsA provocative ad from South Africa’s Democratic Alliance (DA), which features the national flag burning, has stirred intense debate three weeks before the national election. Viewed over 3 million times, warns of a potential “coalition of corruption” involving the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and radical parties if the ANC loses its majority. President Cyril Ramaphosa condemned the advert as “treasonous,” and other officials have criticized it as unpatriotic. Critics argue the ad’s imagery is excessively divisive in a country still striving for unity post-apartheid. More on the Financial Times.
The S4 Capital slide continuesS4Capital, founded by Sir Martin Sorrell, experienced a significant slowdown in revenue for the first quarter, with a like-for-like net revenue decline of 11.7% and a reported revenue decline of 14.9%. The company attributes this downturn to ongoing client caution and a reduction in technology activity services, particularly affecting its technology services division, which saw a 28.4% decline.
Sir Martin Sorrell expressed confidence in the company’s strategy and market position, particularly highlighting the potential of AI and new business ventures. City AM reports.
Stay tuned to The Drum for more updates and in-depth coverage of these stories and more from around the advertising and media landscape.
The road to bad brand experience is paved with good intentions. Ben Ireland of Unlimited explains how to make good on the promises you set out to deliver.
We’ve all been there. You see a social post about a product you’re interested in. You click through to view it… and land on a generic homepage. You try to search for the product but don’t quite know its name.
A little scrolling through various similar options and there it is. But the product page is a little… underwhelming. You have a question about the item, which sends you on a wild goose chase involving FAQs, a charmless chatbot, and maybe even a disappointing phone interaction thrown in to boot.
That’s the brand experience, right there.
Customers are hard won and easily lost
Forget that flashy, expensive brand book that was launched to a fanfare of buzzwords in a series of presentations to various teams across several countries. What your customers see is this disjointed, frustrating, generic journey. All that work on brand differentiation sadly didn't become a reality.
And what’s the impact of this? According to Forbes, 87% of customers who say they had a great brand experience will make another purchase from a company, compared to 18% of customers who had a very poor experience. PwC surveyed 15,000 consumers and found that one in three customers will leave a brand they love after just one bad experience, while 92% would completely abandon a company after two or three negative interactions.
But it’s not all about purchases. Not to be morbid, but no one’s hoping for a repeat purchase on a funeral. But what more important a time is there to meet expectations, remove friction, and make the experience as seamless and customer-centric as possible? The point is, no matter what your sector or who your customers are, delivering on your brand promise is paramount.
In our work with a well-known automotive brand, aligning car-dealer website behavior with the brand site experience, we saw a 35% increase in test drive bookings – their primary conversion driver. Similarly, working with an in-home care business, we saw dramatic growth through aligning customer experience in home and apps with partner experience for GPs and local authorities, and employee experience for carers administering care. This alignment delivered a seamless, consistent experience for the brand, making it attractive to investors, customers, and the workforce. It’s no surprise that this company has grown from a start-up to being the UK’s largest in-home care provider. So, the value of ‘getting it right’ is clear.
How to get it right
The brands that get it right are easy to spot: Apple, Nike, Innocent. Big companies, with lots of resources. And budget. The good news? It’s often simpler to align your brand experience in smaller, more nimble businesses.
But also, if we believe that your people and products are your brand, then we need to consider those internal experiences that employees have. At all levels.
Then there are partners, suppliers, and investors. Secondary, tertiary, and quaternary audiences, all of whom we have interactions with. Having delivered brand experience for many small, medium, and international brands, we know that identifying all touchpoints, internal and external, is essential. Otherwise, you’re not practicing what you preach. All of this sounds complex, and it is, but let’s pull out a few key steps:
Defining your brand at a detailed level is key. Tone of voice, values, mission, and brand strategy should all be inputs, but these are directive, not executional. Determining a set of behavioral principles is also important. This is where your values become, well… behaviors. Brand personality isn’t so much what you say, as what you do, so behaviors really are key.
Testing the principles comes next. Now we can start to think about how to apply these principles to your channels, customers, and missions. This phase of stress-testing, consideration, and iteration is critical. It’s harder to re-position your brand after a bad approach than it is to test it and be sure. Then, deploy this across your audience touchpoints.Internal, external, web, apps, stores, call centers, internal platforms, employee training… you get the idea.
Lastly, get measuring. You’ll want to measure brand sentiment, net promoter score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI), or whatever metric you align with, but generally the more insight and understanding, the better. And now? You’re actually delivering on those brand promises made way back in the rose-tinted days of creating your brand book.
Obviously, we’ve simplified this description of our process for the sake of a) brevity, b) sanity, but the gist is, brand experience is an achievable goal with massive upsides. Studies suggest that 45% of a brand’s image can be attributed to what it says and how it says it. And also, that 54% of people don’t trust brands. It’s hard to gain trust, and easy to lose it, so the sooner you align your brand experience, the more effective the brand will become.
It doesn’t all have to be delivered at once. As long as you’re focusing on the most impactful areas first. And have a roadmap for the rest. Because no one likes that wild goose chase feeling.
What exactly does a media buyer do? Ryan Lewis of RocketMill explains the benefits of enlisting their services – and the dichotomy between cost and value.
In the ever-evolving marketing landscape, the role of media agencies has become increasingly pivotal. These agencies serve as conduits between brands and their target audiences, navigating the complex terrains of advertising platforms, media owners, consumer behavior, and industry trends. However, still in discussions about media agency partnerships, a crucial question often arises: the disparity between cost and value.
Cost is a tangible metric, representing the monetary investment required to engage the services of a media agency. It encompasses expenses such as agency fees, media buying costs, production expenses, and any additional charges incurred during the campaign lifecycle. For brands, cost is a significant consideration, especially in today’s competitive market where budget allocations demand careful scrutiny.
On the other hand, value is a more nuanced concept, encapsulating the outcomes and benefits derived from the partnership with a media agency. Unlike cost, which is quantifiable in financial terms, value encompasses a broader spectrum of factors such as brand visibility, audience engagement, market share, brand equity, and long-term growth potential. Value reflects the effectiveness of the media agency in achieving the business objectives as well as delivering tangible results.
Brands must recognize the disparity between cost and value and understand that prioritizing one over the other can lead to divergent outcomes. While minimizing costs may seem appealing in the short term, it could compromise the quality and efficacy of the campaign, ultimately diminishing its impact on the business. Conversely, prioritizing value may require a higher initial investment but can yield superior results, fostering brand loyalty, driving sales, and enhancing market share.
Long-term growth v short-term performance
Most businesses strive for long-term sustainable growth balanced with short-term performance, but unexpected business pressures can often change this. A media agency that is value-focused can help marketing teams navigate these pressures by achieving both.
To bridge the gap between cost and value, brands must adopt a strategic approach that emphasizes alignment between their objectives and the capabilities of the media agency. This begins with clearly defining what value means to the brand: it rarely equates to “hit this Cost Per Action (CPA)” or “improve platform return on advertising spend (ROAS) by 10% year-on-year”.
Being direct and fostering open communication and collaboration between the business and the agency is essential for ensuring alignment and maximizing value. Too often there is a clear disconnect between the agency delivering good results, and the brand feeling like they’re not getting value. A transparent partnership fosters trust and accountability, laying the foundation for a mutually beneficial relationship built on shared objectives and mutual respect.
The experience to provide good scrutiny
A media agency may, or may not, have greater buying power than the brand if it were to buy directly from a media owner. However, it’s the value that really sets apart a good media buy from a great media buy. Media agencies must demonstrate their ability to showcase their understanding and expertise across the landscape and highlight why buying direct with media owners is not necessarily the best route for advertisers.
Scrutinizing media plans often reveals hidden complexities. Understanding a high cost-per-thousand (CPM) compared to industry benchmarks is one thing. But the real challenge lies in understanding the nuance and context: why is the CPM overpriced – and can it be negotiated down to secure additional value? Why do those particular digital out-of-home DOOH screens have such good late availability? Is the radio plan’s high number of impacts due to late-night broadcasts in specific counties? These are just a few examples of questions raised when reviewing a brand’s media plan received directly from media owners.
The true value of a media buyer is in their ability to balance multiple objectives – on a daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly basis. These include ensuring maximum visibility and reach and achieving impact and incremental gains, all while maintaining efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Ultimately, that value is founded in expertise and experience, not the cost of media, or whatever the CPA happens to be that month.
Media agencies that are focused on value tend to yield greater, deeper, and lasting relationships. Data maturity drives value over time and, by working with an agency to adopt a data-driven approach with robust frameworks, organizations can unlock growth through digital transformation. This value extends beyond media buying, by enabling education, optimization of time, and clear strategic direction for brands.
Creating a transparent yet mutually challenging relationship tends to breed better: better processes, better media strategies, better media executions – and more often than not, better value.
The event’s opening panel yesterday morning highlighted the central role that AI-generated content is increasingly playing within the marketing sector.
There are few subjects that are more salient in the minds of marketers today than generative AI. It was fitting, therefore, for The Drum Live US to kick off yesterday morning with a panel discussion about the technology and its growing impact throughout the ad industry.
The three panelists – Bacardi’s Laila Mignoni, Uber Advertising’s Mrinalini Nair and Runway’s Emily Golden – brought a wide and illuminating range of perspectives to answer the central questions discussed throughout the conversation: How is generative AI currently transforming marketing, and how is it poised to do so in the future?
While the tenor of much mainstream conversation about this technology in recent months has had a foreboding edge, given its potential to sow confusion and misinformation during a critical election year in the US and elsewhere, yesterday’s panelists were optimistic about its potential for the marketing industry.
Golden, who works as head of growth marketing at Runway – a company that builds AI models for generating images and video – highlighted what she views as the technology’s democratizing effect within creative fields. “What we're really aiming to do at Runway is bring more people to the table to be able to tell stories,” she said. “Now anybody with an idea can create something.”
But AI models themselves, she added, are not enough to ensure the generation of high-quality content; like any other creative tool, they’re only useful in the hands of a competent artist. “Just because you hold a paintbrush, [that] doesn’t make you Picasso,” she said.
Technically skillful use of generative AI is one thing (many of us have been honing our prompt engineering skills over the past year and a half or so), but ethical use is quite another. As the fame and sophistication of this technology has continued to rise, so too has public awareness of its more unsavory qualities, including the fact that models are in some cases trained using copyrighted materials, or content that’s been nonconsensually scraped from artists.
The issue was brought to the fore during the latest Hollywood writers’ strike, and again in a recent open letter signed by a throng of well-known musicians which called for an end to "the predatory use of AI” within their industry.
Brands can assume a leading role in this respect, according to Mignoni, global head of brand marketing communications at Bacardi. In the latest iteration of its Music Liberates Music campaign, the rum brand recently partnered with superstar hip-hop producer Boi-1da to build an AI model that could then be used to empower up-and-coming artists. The model was trained exclusively on Boi-1da’s catalog of beats, plus some of his unreleased tracks, ensuring that the output would not include any material that was gathered without consent.
In the absence of federal regulation, Mignoni added, marketers should first and foremost turn to their own moral compasses when trying to navigate the sometimes hazy ethical waters of generative AI. “We don't have to wait for the exact [regulatory] guidelines to come in,” she said. “We already know what's right, [and] what's not.”
If there was a single, unifying theme that emerged throughout the 35-minute panel yesterday, it was this: Generative AI is a powerful creative tool, but it’s also very much still in its infancy, and marketers – like anyone else – should approach it with a mindset of experimentation and playfulness, tempered with a touch of healthy caution.
As Nair – head of global partner solutions at Uber Advertising – succinctly put it: “We are all learning at the same time.”
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The super-rich give away a substantial amount of their wealth, says Joanna Lewis of Relevance. From medical research to the environment, here are the ways they donate.
The world’s richest are showing an increasing interest in philanthropic endeavors according to a report by Altrata.
The Ultra-High-Net-Worth Philanthropy Report 2024 highlights that the world’s ultra-wealthy – individuals with assets of more than $30m – gave a total of $190bn to philanthropic causes in 2022, up 25% compared to 2018.
The world’s super-rich account for almost 38% of global giving despite representing just a tiny fraction of the population.
The report’s findings align with Relevance’s own audience profiling research, which shows that a significant portion of Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals (UHNWIs) are actively involved in philanthropic giving, including through their own charitable organizations. According to the report, one in five UHNWIs has a private foundation, increasing to 30% for those with a net worth of more than $100m.
As individuals become wealthier, they feel a greater obligation to give back, particularly in a world witnessing growing financial inequality, escalating environmental issues, and political instability. The evolution in Ultra-High-Net-Worth (UHNW) demographics, including the growing number of young, super-rich individuals, is also driving this change.
“When marketing to UHNWIs it’s vital that luxury marketers understand the current and evolving priorities and interests of the world's richest. There are significant gains for luxury brands that can tap into this wealthy cohort’s desire to give back through carefully crafted marketing campaigns,” Relevance’s CEO Rumble Romagnoli says.
UHNW numbers are growing
A major driving factor for the growing UHNW philanthropic landscape is the surge in the global UHNW population. According to the 2024 Knight Frank Wealth Report, in 2023 70 UHNWIs were created daily, a 4.2% rise compared to a year earlier.
Not only is the number of UHNWIs growing, but there has been a surge in the world’s super-rich, enabling an exclusive group of high-profile individuals to make larger charitable donations.
This growing wealth, coupled with shifting attitudes to civic engagement, has resulted in an upward philanthropic trend and, in some cases, a transformative and direct impact on charitable organizations and institutions.
The UHNW population in North America was the source of almost half of all global UHNW donations in 2022, giving a total of $91bn, up 20.8%, reflecting the long-standing tradition of public giving in Canada and the US.
By comparison, Europe’s UHNW population gave a third of all UHNW donations in 2022, totaling $62.9bn, up by 29%.
UHNWIs in Asia were the least giving, accounting for just 13% of global donations, despite being the second-largest ultra-wealth region. Total UHNW donations were $24.2bn, up 28.3%. The report highlights that more modest UHNW giving in Asia is partly due to cultural and regulatory factors, as well as a less developed non-profit sector.
UHNW philanthropy by demographic
According to the report, ultra-wealthy donors are more likely to be male and over the age of 70. However, there are significant variations by region. One in six UHNW donors in Asia and Europe, for example, is younger than 50, whereas in North America, the share is just 5%.
The report also shows a clear correlation between the scale and proportion of liquid assets and giving, with the availability of liquid assets tending to increase with a person’s age and overall net worth.
UHNW women are a rising force and, as a group, are more likely to be philanthropic and have a private foundation. While the report states that women make up just 11% of the global UHNW population, they account for 22% of the larger givers.
According to the report, UHNWIs are drawn to philanthropy out of a desire to use their substantial wealth to make a visible and transformational impact on society.
The report found that there has been a shift away from more traditional philanthropic approaches that focus on donor’s interests, and instead, UHNWIs are more focused on reactive ‘crisis response’ such as providing funds for urgent targeted aid and humanitarian support.
The top charitable causes for UHNWIs globally are education, arts and culture, health care and medical research, social services, the environment, conservation and animals, children and youth development, and public affairs.
The environment is likely to become a growing charitable interest as wealth passes down to younger UHNWIs who are more likely to be environmentally aware.
Timed for Mother’s Day, the ‘Mom Experience Translator’ is the brand’s sweet solution to turn ‘mommy gaps’ into career leaps.
For many women, the decision to take a pause from their careers to focus on raising their children – a phenomenon known as the ‘Mommy Gap’ – can be both rewarding and fraught with challenges upon re-entering the professional world.
Recognizing these challenges, Dove Chocolate launched the ‘Mom Experience Translator’ for Mother’s Day – a pioneering AI-powered tool designed to bridge the gap between the invaluable experiences gained during motherhood and the skills sought by recruiters and hiring managers.
The necessity of such a tool is underscored by statistics revealing the prevalence of women experiencing employment gaps. According to a JobList Survey, over 60% of individuals with a 12-month or longer gap in employment are women. Furthermore, research highlighted in the Harvard Business Review indicates the persistence of bias against applicants who have temporarily stepped away from the workforce to fulfill caregiving responsibilities.
“Dove has long been a brand that empowers and uplifts women,” said Gabrielle Wesley, chief marketing officer at owner Mars Wrigley. “We’re thrilled to inspire moments of everyday happiness this Mother’s Day by helping to provide additional support and highlight the incredible strength, power and excellence moms bring to the table in all aspects of life.”
As part of its Mother’s Day celebration, Dove Chocolate also announced a sweepstakes initiative to further assist mothers on their career journeys. Starting May 10, the sweepstakes offers 10 moms the chance to win $1,000 each, intended to cover expenses related to their career aspirations. Additionally, Dove Chocolate pledges to contribute $10,000 to a charity supporting women re-entering the workforce.
The agency behind this US campaign is Weber Shandwick. The Mom Experience Translator tool is accessible at DoveChocolate.com/PromiseOfMoms.
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Ahead of the winners being revealed at live events in London, New York and Singapore, we can share who is in the running at our annual global marketing competition.
The Drum Awards for Marketing 2024 reward the industry’s most effective work, its best people and most successful companies across the Americas, APAC and EMEA.
In recent weeks, judging panels convened in person in all three regions to pore over a record number of entries and make their final decisions on who will collect Gold, Silver and Bronze awards, as well as the coveted Grand Prix.
Chairing the EMEA panel in London last week was Cristina Diezhandino, chief marketing officer at Diageo, owner of brands including Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Bailey’s, Smirnoff Vodka and Tanqueray Gin. She was joined by top marketers from Dunkin’ Donuts, Compare The Market, Boots UK, Lloyds Banking Group, Barbour, Adidas, Britvic, Puma, Pret A Manger, British Airways, Tui, Unilever, William Grants, Greggs, Hyundai and more.
In APAC, Siew Ting Foo, global head of brand and insights at HP, was in charge, heading up an enviable group of senior marketers from brands such as The Walt Disney Company, AB InBev, Citibank, Hubspot, Ferrero, LinkedIn, Visa, P&G and Electrolux.
The Americas judging took place in New York earlier this week, chaired by Julie Haddon, chief marketing and commercial officer at National Women’s Soccer League, who was supported by judges from TikTok, Hasbro, Cisco, Ally, Heineken, Microsoft, Sony, EA Sports, Warner Bros and more.
To check out all the nominations, see below:
- The Drum Awards for Marketing APAC nominations
- The Drum Awards for Marketing EMEA nominations
- The Drum Awards for Marketing the Americas nominations
Awards will be presented at live events to be held in Singapore, New York and London and full details and tickets can be found below:
- May 30: The Drum Awards for Marketing APAC (Singapore)
- June 5: The Drum Awards for Marketing Americas (New York)
- June 13: The Drum Awards for Marketing EMEA (London)
Agencies stand on shifting sands, now more than ever it seems. The Drum recently hosted a panel to examine just how the industry is changing.
In-housing, economic factors, the rise of AI. What’s an agency to do? Stick to what you know or shift with the times?
The Drum got together a panel of experts last year to discuss the merits of pivoting, rebranding, and reskilling to meet the needs of today’s mercurial market.
The good news is – it’s not all bad news: agencies have always had to adapt, and this might just be the latest example of that, in a history of never-ending change.
“How do we evolve while still staying true to ourselves?” Emil Bielski, former UK managing director of Croud, asked the panel.
The bill, please
The first challenge, of course, is identifying the headwinds and tailwinds buffeting the business models of agencies.
James Coulson, managing partner at Kepler, identify in-housing as “probably the biggest fundamental change in the industry, from a very traditional model of ‘advertisers always used to do this, and agencies always used to do this‘. Now that’s breaking down and the roles are shifting.”
He explained that with that, the way Kepler bills is changing. “We are in the process of moving most of our clients from a percentage of media spend- that’s the legacy historical model, clients like it because they just need a media budget - to an FTE model.” This allows clients to tap into more specialist resources, Coulson said.
Strategy stands out
“Our largest expansion of services has been on the strategy side over the past several years,” said Rob Blasko, senior vice president of creative, strategy, and brand at Mas, adding: “Expanding strategy has been both a combination of intentional, but also forced because of the marketplace and what our clients are wanting to spend dollars on."
Blasko said that helping brands to “shape and craft” their strategy and what they’re doing in the marketplace was now a large part of the agency's business.
Wendy Dixon, global chief growth officer at M&C Saatchi Group, identified that while most of the transformation in the sector over the last ten years had been around integrating and upscaling digital tech and data, AI had automated much of that.
“Now the value is going back up the funnel to the strategy side, which is a good thing and interesting,” Dixon said. “It’s another pendulum swing, and I think our industry continuously is back and forth, but in new ways as technology pushes the whole thing forward.”
Sophie Caswell, head of innovation and strategic growth at Brew Digital, explained how, while smaller, her agency had done well over the years to pivot to respond to changes in client needs. “We evolved from design-and-build on the web. But when you take expertise that’s strategic and put it in a new discipline, and once people with that capability to do critical thinking are moved into a different discipline, and they get to grips with that, then you can evolve the strategic consultancy that you can give.”
Caswell added: “One of the things that people ask for, and we specialize in now, is helping people scale, and helping them with the strategy of how they scale and how they change and evolve.”
So, are all agencies are destined to become strategic consultancies? Perhaps not; Bielski argues that the cyclical nature of change in the industry is in “constant tension”. He pointed out that during his 18-year career, he’d first seen a big shift towards “all-under-one-roof” networks, focusing on digital and integration – before the pendulum swung back again to smaller agencies with specialisms. “You had this dominant period by networks and then back to specialisms,” he explained.
While managing agencies might be more work, he said, it was the best way for brands to ensure they have the most engaged people, with the greatest specialisms, working for them. “Mushing it all together, I think that business would lose something," he added.
It's just about being the best
Both Kepler's Coulsonand Elizabeth Lindsey, president of brands and properties at Wasserman, pointed to recent experiences of losing clients as a result of restructuring - only to see them returning in a short space of time to request their agencies’ services.
The panel seemed to agree that agencies and advertising are in flux, but so it has ever been.
All change then, but with some constants remaining. Having worked for an agency focused on sports, media, and entertainment for 21 years, Lindsey suggested it best to conclude with a sports metaphor, which emphasized that the basics will always be crucial.
“The surest way to win the race is to know where the starting block is, where the finish line is, and to make sure that you are the best in between," she said.
"That, to me, is a perfect metaphor for how we run agencies: the starting block is ‘who you are, what you do, what are you good at, who do you have with you, what are the foundations you have to operate from’. The finish line is where your clients want you to be and what they need you to do.
"In between, if you can’t be the absolute best and operate with excellence then don't try.”
There are more ways than one to speak about sustainability, says Denise Melanson of Wasserman. Which is lucky, because it's a conversation that we need to get right.
I was recently part of a roundtable discussion with teams from live event venues on the subject of sustainability. No matter how many catastrophic facts or alarming forecasts were discussed, it always came back to: “How can one venue change the world?”
But once the conversation shifted toward long-term financial benefits and the halo effect for active brands – which in turn means increased revenue – the mood shifted. Suddenly it was viable for one venue to do something to help their community exist more sustainably.
This speaks to a fatigue around issues essential to societal survival. At some point sustainability became more about politics than what it actually means; UCLA Sustainability defines it best as ”the balance between the environment, equity, and the economy.” Still, just hearing the “S word” makes some people shut down.
Linguistic discrepancies can lead to disagreement among folks who all want the same thing – obstructing progress because of semantics, not substance. A problem we all face is dividing us. This means we have an urgent challenge: to discuss a problem we all need to solve together, but where the rhetoric of the discussion is usually a non-starter.
Light at the end of the sustainability tunnel
But there’s hope. Many eyes light up when addressing eventual cost savings and improved optics. This comes down to two types of audiences: those who care, and those who only care when they feel the burn. And the uninformed typically associate sustainability with plastic straws, but it's much more than that.
Businesses need to care because people care more than ever. Per Harvard Business Review, “Consumers—particularly Millennials—increasingly say they want brands that embrace purpose and sustainability. Indeed, one recent report revealed that certain categories of products with sustainability claims showed twice the growth of their traditional counterparts.
But it’s difficult to make businesses care as the political, linguistic divide has made it hard to assess and act on the divided consumer sentiment around factual, inevitable disasters. In surveys, consumers claim concern about sustainability and climate change, but when it comes to paying more for products or changing their consuming habits, most aren’t truly committed. Without full, unified support, it’s harder to move forward with major changes.
It all begins with the right conversations. Because people care about the outcome of sustainability but not the process of discussing it, leaders for change need to reframe the discussion: win over challengers by speaking less about the practice of sustainability, and more about the world it creates for them.
Three ways to discuss sustainability
The rhetoric that “the world is on fire and it's your fault” is not an effective motivator, or it would have worked by now. But people love to hear “I know how to improve the bottom line of your business.” So, lead with that.
The pivot will shift the conversation, to address the financial savings that arise when leaders choose to invest in long-term sustainability. That renewed focus will not only save money but build a better business and uplift the company’s profile.
Start the conversion with financial futures, which happen to be greener.
The discussion that “companies should fear their actions being labeled as ‘greenwashing’” will lead to immediate shutdowns. Again, consider the truth people want to hear: that the "greenwashing" label is easily avoidable if actionable steps are taken to move forward sustainably.
Gone are the days when “hot air” statements on a company's website were the proper approach. Businesses can move beyond those statements when they understand the positive impact that meaningful sustainability investment has on their reputation. Once lifts in brand perception and integrity are realized, a company will see overall gains in finance and brand optics with both their staff and consumers.
Start with an aspirational brand position, and what it would take to live up to it.
The “s word” dismissers get bogged down in the overwhelming depth of the conversation. Sustainability seems intimidating, and folks often think there is too much required between costs, time, and products. It drives that “I can’t fix this” negativity.
Consider the truth they’d love to hear: that with continued advances in sustainable vendors, products, equipment, and supplies, impact is more accessible and cost-efficient than ever. And that drives a conversation around how “I can do my part more easily these days.”
With more companies investing in sustainability, there is now a tried-and-true, collective, systemic way forward. Once you make the choice to tackle the issue in a positive, affirmed manner, not only will your company see long-term financial gains, but an ease of mind.
Start with the idea that the endgame is important but not as urgent as your first step.
When discussing sustainability, know your audience and prepare accordingly. If history has shown us anything, it's that innovation and change are inevitably going to happen. So why not make that change positively, with new conversations inviting people to create new futures?
Street art is alive and well, thanks partly to collaborations between artists and brands. Lee Bofkin of Global Street Art says this relationship is a win-win, and murals are the ultimate crowd-pleaser.
At Global Street Art, our mission is to live in painted cities. Since 2012, we’ve painted over 3,000 ‘pure’ art murals across the UK but our work also includes hand-painted advertising for brands, some at the 150 exclusive media sites we have across the UK; public art commissions; our unique Art for Estates program in housing estates; plus our Building Sights construction hoarding program; and the London Mural Festival. The 2024 edition will be one of the world’s biggest celebrations of street art, with over 100 murals planned across the city from some of the best UK and international street artists and muralists working today.
So where did it all begin? The truth is there is no one origin of street art – commentary on this subject often references Mexican muralists like Diego Rivera from the ‘20s-‘50s, the rise of graffiti in the ‘70s and ‘80s and political murals in Northern Ireland.
The original outdoor advertising
Street art is by its very nature public and born out of creativity and performance, often with elements of activism and protest. While British murals from the ‘70s and ‘80s weren’t always legal, there also wasn't the same framework for authorization, objection, or enforcement as exists today. Street art now encapsulates every style of art imaginable and is constantly evolving. Its rise has been profoundly impacted by technology: social media and smartphones have allowed fans of street art to document and share photos of art from all over the world, improving quality and accessibility. The shareability of craft inherently appeals to brands.
Together with the increasing popularity of street art and murals is the rise of hand-painted advertising, which has had a resurgence since the 21st century – it was the original form of outdoor advertising. Partnerships are, of course, another way that brands can and do show up all the time in popular culture – and the options are myriad.
Artist partnerships offer brands the chance to reach customers in a way they never could on their own. At the inaugural London Mural Festival, we creatively produced House of Zippo in Camden. The lighter brand wanted to show off its improved high-definition, high-colour decoration process by pairing its windproof lighters with brilliant artists. So we created an immersive pop-up event including live painting, interior murals, body painting, DJ sets, and a light show – as well as a huge exterior mural by celebrated artist D*Face. This mural, along with designs by four other artists from our network, were then licensed through us and turned into a series of limited-edition lighters that completely sold out in stores.
Brands and artists embrace collaboration
But the relationship between brands and street art can go further: supporting murals in public spaces is a way for brands to deliver real public good. As companies are the predominant institutions of our time, it’s imperative they work with culture because they, and only they, can fill the gap left by public bodies after austerity decimated their funding. Companies definitely recognize the importance of this: we work with a vast network of property owners, developers, and councils across London to ensure the murals painted in collaboration with specific boroughs – and as part of the London Mural Festival – can be enjoyed for years to come.
We recently worked with local artist Baiyu Liu and Southwark Council and two private investment firms – Maya Capital and Veld Capital – to create a permanent 300m² mural in Southwark that celebrated the area’s rich heritage. The design shows the seamless merging of day and night, alongside the area's rich tapestry of diversity and history. Commercial partners of the festival will be able to support permanent works of art that become a celebrated part of the local area, which is incredibly rare.
Given street art’s anti-establishment beginnings, there have always been artists who don’t associate with brands. However, more artists now recognize the unique opportunities that the right brand partnerships can bring, as well as meeting the heavy costs that go into creating work on this scale. There have been so many successful projects involving brands and artists working together in the past decade, that the conversation has moved more from “should we?” to “who with?” and “doing what?”
Industry commentators have been taking to social media to share their thoughts on the tech giant’s latest spot. And they’re not holding back.
Yesterday, Apple released a new ad to promote the launch of its 13-inch iPad Pro. Set to All I Ever Need is You by Sonny & Cher, the spot shows a range of artistic items such as musical instruments, paint tins and sculptures being crushed by a huge hydraulic press.
The reaction online from people within or adjacent to the advertising industry has been thick and fast. Overwhelmingly, they argue that it appears Apple is highlighting how the rise of new technologies is pulverizing human-led creativity. On the other hand, some commentators have argued that it simply shows how we have the whole world at our fingertips through our phones and computers. (You can judge for yourself.)
One prominent advertising industry creative who posted that she was in favor of the ad has received over 90 comments, most of them angry in tone and not necessarily conducive to constructive debate. When approached by The Drum to comment on the furor, she declined due to how out of hand the trolling had become.
The ‘pile-on’ attitude, with sexist undertones, has done little to add to what could have been an interesting conversation about a divisive bit of advertising. Creativity in all forms is subjective, after all.
So what does all of this say about how, as an industry, we voice our opinions on work that doesn’t resonate with us? We asked some experts to weigh in.
Jerry Daykin, client-side media consultant and WFA ambassador: “I’ve had 50,000 views and over 1,000 interactions on my Tweet suggesting the whole thing could be resolved by playing it in reverse. They’re pretty distinctly divided between the advertising and creative community who thinks it’s a massive fail and the strict Apple loyalists or crypto bros who think we’re all stupid for not understanding the premise.
“Like most things, the reality is probably in the middle. It’s an OK advert that’ll probably work fine, but could just have been a lot better and conscious. It is a cautionary moment for Apple, which has gone from being the creative industry upstart to the dominant corporate force, but the main lesson is probably not to get lost in social media echo chambers.”
James Cross, chief creative officer and founder, Meanwhile: “It is brilliant to see ‘Advertising Twitter’ spring back to life, and all because of a wonderful piece of film that is probably the best of the year so far.
“Apple is doing what it does better than just about anyone; an exquisitely beautiful product demo. Chef’s kiss.
“But, it seems Advertising Twitter has forgotten how to behave. The reaction to good friends voicing delight has been extreme and frankly bonkers. The metaphorical compression of these tools into a single device has also been (clearly mis-)construed as the literal destruction of creative tools forcibly submitting to Apple’s ‘thinnest iPad yet.’
“I don’t get, or even believe, some of the outrage. The ad is, clearly, ‘big things made small.’ A simple analogy for ordinary punters, AKA consumers. So think about this, my grumbling colleagues; just like the camera/microphone/calculator/laptop/newspaper/satnav/calorie counter/TV/stereo that each of us carry around in our pockets (you know that iPhone thing?) it is still smaller than the new iPad and has never replaced your trumpet or paintbrushes. AI won’t either.
“Get a grip.”
Tamryn Kerr, co-founder and chief creative officer, Hijinks: “I think the reaction to this ad is totally over the top and the subsequent Twitter pile-on is completely out of order. Given the AI doom and gloom in the ad industry, I can understand the sensitivity.
“However, like 9.43 million other people, I subscribe to the @HydraulicPressChannel on YouTube. It’s one of many channels that prides itself on squashing literally everything. So, my read on this was that it was borrowing from culture, not killing creativity. Perhaps the ad industry needs to get out more..”
Noa Dekel, creative strategist (ex-Facebook and Publicis): “Like a good art piece, it can be interpreted in many directions, and further, it ought to do so. The harsh response from the marketing community has been exaggerated and felt very personal.
“Some comments are truly ridiculous, such as ‘It mocks creators,’ ‘Steve wouldn’t have shipped it,’ ‘probably best to kill it’ and ‘I’m ashamed of Apple’ as a response, which is outrageous.
“Ironically, this type of criticism comes from the same members who complain about ads playing it too safe and not pushing the limits of creativity. Sure, it’s not a perfect ad; it’s not particularly happy, clear or comforting. But it’s provocative and it got people talking, which is exactly what ads should be doing.
“I must admit there were times in the past when the response was indeed justified (eg, Kendall Pepsi and ‘Facebook is Like Chairs’). But this is solid work, with a great tune, strong visuals and an underlying legitimate analogy – compressing creative tools into one device.
“Perhaps if we were a little less afraid to make ourselves feel uncomfortable and more open to (gasp) destroying an AI piano, the industry wouldn’t be losing its relevance and magic.”
Alan Young, joint chief creative officer, St Luke’s: “Apple was the client that made me want to work at Chiat Day. Right from the start, Apple was the brand that stood for making the work of creative people possible and this latest ad is, intellectually, a demonstration of that.
“So why does the creative community hate it? The issue is not so much the idea as its timing. Suddenly, illustrators, photographers, filmmakers and music composers are seeing their craft competently handled by AI and, to many of them, it feels, literally, crushing.
“The comments are OTT when you look at the ad without its cultural context, but understandable from a community that fear AI makes many of their old-school craft skills redundant.”
Jo Bromilow, social strategy director, Golin: “I do think it’s demonstrative of the issue we know the industry has with making ads for everyone other than consumers; it’s notable that most of the ire has come from the creative and artistic community in media and in agencies while the consumer reaction hasn’t risen to the top at all.
“I understand the outrage among creative folks, however; it’s a strikingly uncomfortable visual metaphor for an industry that’s being increasingly impacted by technology and will potentially prompt an interesting change in the way creative companies represent technology as a partner, rather than an enabler, in advertising campaigns.”
Jonny Turnbull, senior planner, Saatchi & Saatchi: “I think there has been a bit of an overreaction, but it’s entirely based on the execution, not the idea.
“The overreaction has come in different flavors. One rages against the visual crushing of nostalgia and analog entertainment and another rages against Apple becoming what its 1984 ad stood against.
“But fundamentally, I don’t think the idea is any different from the ‘1,000 songs in your pocket’ when Jobs launched the iPod or the ‘Battery For Miles’ iPhone 14 launch. This is just ‘all the creative tools you need crammed into the slimmest iPad yet.’
“So, in short, yes, there has been an overreaction, but it’s because people are responding to the execution, not the idea. And I think we should respond to the idea for what it is: a tried and tested approach to brilliant product advertising.”
Lucy Hudson, managing director, McCann Birmingham: “This discussion again highlights the importance of healthy debate in advertising, but for anyone still sitting in creative reviews in agencyland, you will know it is still alive and well!
“However, crucial to that debate in the ‘real world’ is that we remember the purpose of advertising – to bring the truth about a brand or product to life in consumers’ lives. The response to this work comes from a very impassioned community, but it remains unfair to measure the advert against anything other than what it is designed for – illustrating why these products are so well loved by consumers.”
Jacob Brodmann, creative director and founder, An Honest Day’s Work: “Adland has gone soft. Let’s have a bit of perspective here. The world’s going to shit and you’re moaning about fucking advertising.
“Some people forget what we’re trying do here. Some people take life too seriously, but advertising is just that – advertising. That’s what I love about this industry. Fail today, pick up tomorrow.
“You want to be mad about something… be mad… but fucking change it. Make it better.”
Eurovision correspondent Jerry Daykin assesses how sponsors are activating in the run-up to the big night on Saturday 11.
How does Eurovision come around again so quickly? With the final this Saturday, I’m on the ground in Malmö, soaking up all the action and seeing how brands have chosen to activate their sponsorship this year. Earlier in the week, I gave some wider context on the 2024 event, which is worth reading as a primer if you aren’t up to speed.
- The lay of the land at Eurovision for sponsors
First things first, who’s going to win?
Unusually the UK has some realistic hopes of not coming last, though a win might be a stretch even with Olly Alexander of Years and Years fame and some impressive staging. Having struggled to make it to the final, Ireland is also tipped to trouble the top of the leaderboard with a ‘witch’ inspired song that isn’t exactly radio-friendly but works as one hell of an on-stage production.
The smart money, however, sits on Croatia’s Baby Lasagna, who have more than a passing similarity to last year’s runner up Käärijä from Finland’s Cha Cha Cha. A religious number from Ukraine, a bonkers ode to Europe from the Netherlands, and a sophisticated pop song from Switzerland are just some of the other contenders in a very close year.
What the sponsors are doing at EurovisionWhen it comes to advertisers, ‘Moroccanoil’ maintains its spot as the main Presenting Sponsor, benefiting from exposure on every piece of content the show produces, which in itself now equates to billions of views.
It is primarily a B2B hair brand working directly with salons, but this year has launched and advertised to consumers a special edition pack leveraging the Eurovision brand alongside a volume promotion. The focus of the sponsorship seems to remain its presence behind the scenes at the show itself - both offering hair and makeup services to the contestants and, even more crucially, with a monster hospitality program of their own, which is so large it runs separately from the other advertisers.
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Diageo’s Baileys brand continues its multi-year partnership not only with the contest but also with Conchita Wurst. While the team downplayed a focus on bringing the sponsorship directly into products, it did this year launch a special edition ‘Eurovision Chocolate Microphone’ sold as part of a bundle on Ocado or directly from its own TheBar website.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C6ttB8QidEX/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_linkThis chocolate item and the various cocktail suggestions found in its content lean heavily on the brand’s established treating platform, pushing into occasions outside of normal drinking or shots. Building on Diageo’s wider corporate commitment to responsible media, the activation around the show itself is focussed specifically on accessibility - offering a range of audio description tracks on Spotify and their own Instagram for those wanting to better enjoy the show without being able to see it. The push is in line with their wider industry participation, alongside P&G and the WFA, to champion accessibility across advertising. Check it out here [must be logged into Instagram and over 18]. EasyJet swooped in to take a travel sponsorship that Booking seemingly discontinued this year. It has been relatively proactive in leveraging the event in its comms. Notably, it organized a special Eurovision flight on Monday out to Malmö (or at least across the bridge to Copenhagen, which is as close as it flies) packed with super fans. It looked like a lot of fun, though it wasn’t quite as well leveraged as Pride flights I’ve seen Virgin Atlantic put on before. Elsewhere, it engaged colleagues in social content, talking about the show and digging up former UK Eurovision contestant Scooch. While its song ‘Flying the Flag’ is already about flying, it was given a fresh 2024 makeover.
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Royal Caribbean also entered the fray as a travel sponsor this year in what I believe is a multiple-year deal.
Although only announced a couple of months ago, it still made some effort to leverage the sponsorship this year by declaring a number of its cruises to be ‘Eurovision Cruises,’ which would show the contest on big screens and put on special entertainment. It seems a slight niche market that is so passionate about the show that they want to travel for it but that decides to go on a cruise ship rather than to the event itself, but time will tell.
There has long been an unofficial Eurovision cruise that runs later in the year, attracting many acts and performers, so perhaps there is something in it.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Royal Caribbean Europe (@royalcaribbeaneurope)
TikTok also returned as a sponsor this year, though it was missing marketing materials until just weeks before the show, promoting some speculation it might not. TikTok mainly leverages the partnership to ensure exclusive early access video content, such as from the rehearsals, is initially exclusive to their profiles.
The Eurovision Village itself, which last year in Liverpool was a giant extravaganza with huge brand pavilions, is a bit of a disappointment on all fronts. Some combination of budgets and security risks have massively downgraded the scale of the setup, and sponsors have perhaps widely chosen largely to sidestep it, with EasyJet as the only partner with a slight presence.
Similarly, while the contest itself, and the logos that go with it, was almost ubiquitous across Liverpool, it’s perfectly possible to walk a mile around parts of Malmö without any idea it’s going on. The Swedish hosts SVT have similarities with the BBC in ultimately being a non-commercial broadcaster which no doubt complicates things, though they do allow more active sponsorship of their own Melodifestivalen national selection.
That said, the role of sponsors will continue to be critical to the show’s success - in an interview ahead of this year’s show, its producer Martin Österdahl is quoted as saying: “Without commercial revenue, I think it will be tough for the Eurovision Song Contest to survive in the future.”
This year it cost host broadcaster SVT 130m SEK (£9.5m) to host the event, about half of the total cost which sponsors, tickets and other countries have to make up.
If you’re considering whether your company might want to be a sponsor in the future, then there’s a nice piece of research from UK publisher network Ozone that might help inform you - they see an almost two-fifths engagement boost this time every year across music and audio content, and a staggering 30x increase around world and international music. Certainly, Europe continues to pay attention.
Jerry Daykin is The Drum’s semi-official Eurovision reporter. Having led a number of regional and global client-side media teams, he is now an independent brand media consultant and fractional chief strategy officer at Adfidence.
‘YourWagen’ is a new brand platform for the car manufacturer that emphasizes the emotional connection people have with its cars and it has landed it our top spot today.
Volkswagen, which translates as ‘people’s car,’ has championed the true meaning behind its name in a new ad from Adam&EveDDB that commemorates the love drivers from all walks of life have for its vehicles.
Titled ‘Without the Volks, there is no Wagen,’ the ad brilliantly puts the real-life car love stories of Volkswagen owners front and center. There’s a whole range of people featured too, from grans to mums and, of course, vacationers.
It’s a heartwarming and feel-good ad that demonstrates the brand’s iconic status in a humble way. The campaign was created in genuine collaboration between Volkswagen and its fans, with drivers being involved from the early stages of creative development.
As the lungs of the Earth gasp for breath, a fictional short created with an Indigenous tribe aims to awaken global consciousness to the necessity of conservation.
Vivo, a Brazilian telecom company under Telefônica Brasil, has just unveiled a new project alerting to the point of no return in the Amazon Rainforest.
The short film ‘Amazon Desert Rally’ highlights the unprecedented threats of drying rivers, deforestation and desertification in the Amazon rainforest through a fictitious race. With the tagline ‘Don’t sponsor this race,’ the film urges consumers to consider the origins of the wood products they consume.
Vivo, which bills itself as Latin America’s most sustainable tech company, developed the campaign with Brazilian indigenous tribes, such as the Paiter Suruí, environmental organizations like the IPAM (Amazon Environmental Research Institute) and the Stock Car racing series in Brazil. Meanwhile, Africa Creative, which is part of Omnicom Group’s DDB Worldwide and one of the largest ad agencies in Latin America, led the effort.
Filmed on the Rio Branco in Roraima, the film portrays a dystopian future where indigenous people from the Paiter Suruí village, their ancestral homeland, train for a race on dry riverbeds.
While the rally depicted in the campaign may be fictional, the Amazon’s drying rivers are not. In 2023 alone, the rivers in the Amazon basin have lost 120tn liters (roughly 31.7tn gallons) of water.
Meanwhile, illegal logging is encroaching on Indigenous territories designated for sustainable logging. Illegal logging, which accounts for 40% of logging in the Amazon according to a recent study published in Nature, results in the eradication of forested areas the size of Denmark each year.
Paulo Moutinho, a senior researcher at the IPAM, commented: “We envision a future where forests and flowing rivers reign supreme, where nature thrives and humanity finds harmony with the environment.”
“Without water and without forests, humanity will lack the vitality to rally,” added Almir Suruí, president of the Paiter Suruí territory and UN-appointed Forest Hero.
Vivo’s campaign doesn’t stop at cinematic storytelling; it extends its reach through seven compelling woodcut printed posters, each crafted by Indigenous artists at the visual arts studio Black Madre. The artworks, showcased at the Museum of Modern Art in São Paulo, serve as poignant reminders of the environmental cost of deforestation.
In tandem with the campaign launch, Vivo also pledged to use certified wood and oppose illegal deforestation.
Interested in creative campaigns? Check out our Ad of the Day section and sign up for our Ads of the Week newsletter so you don’t miss a story.
Our quickfire analysis of the brand, marketing and media stories that might just crop up in your meetings and conversations today.
Ofcom implements Online Safety Act
The UK’s communications watchdog, Ofcom, is gearing up to enforce the Online Safety Act to shield children from harmful digital content. This sweeping legislation will hold platforms like Meta and TikTok accountable for the content accessible to young users.
Source: The Verge
Apple’s iPad Pro ad draws flak
Apple has come under fire for its latest iPad Pro commercial, which shows everyday items crushed into the device. Critics, including Hugh Grant, believe it’s a combination of gloating at the tech’s success; others claim it is soulless. The backlash highlights concerns over the ad’s tone. It also showed many retro items we may have nostalgia for crushed into a single device. We’re at the stage where people may see the value in not having everything in one device.
Source: Variety
The rise of scent marketing in retail
Retailers are increasingly turning to scent marketing to enhance customer experience and stimulate sales. This strategy uses specific fragrances to positively influence shopping behavior and strengthen brand identity.
Source: The Guardian
Amazon launches ‘pause ads’ on Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video introduced a new advertising format called ‘pause ads,’ which presents ads on the pause screen. For Amazon, it’s yet another unmonetized surface and a less interruptive one. For viewers, they’d rather Amazon pause its new ads rather than introduce pause ads.
Source: The Verge
Boy Scouts of America rebrands to Scouting America
Amid evolving societal norms and ongoing challenges, the Boy Scouts of America has rebranded as Scouting America. This name change reflects a commitment to inclusivity and modernizing the organization’s image.
Source: AP News
Shopify stocks dip following profit warning
E-commerce giant Shopify’s stock has plummeted following its announcement of ongoing profitability challenges driven by tough market conditions and strategic investments.
Source: Yahoo Finance
Keep up with The Drum for more updates and analysis on these stories throughout the day.
In light of widespread signal loss and an uptick in data privacy regulations, ad targeting and measurement are becoming increasingly challenging feats.
At The Drum Live symposium in New York on Wednesday, adtech, media and publishing leaders opined on the future of ad targeting, addressability and campaign measurement amid widespread signal loss on the open web and the impending demise of third-party cookies.
While conversations spanned a wide gamut of topics, these are eight of the top takeaways from the sessions spearheaded by adtech and media experts from Warner Bros Discovery, Reddit, Lotame, Comcast, Kantar, Quantcast and Comscore.
1. The increasing importance of first-party data strategiesAs the curtains close on third-party cookies, first-party data is becoming an increasingly valuable asset for marketers and advertisers. Experts urged brands to foster direct relationships with customers to gather actionable insights, transforming every interaction into a data-gathering opportunity.
“Having … an idea what [kind of] data you want to use or not use is going to be very important. The more honest conversations that a brand can have with consumers and with its customers – on what you’re doing and why you’re doing it – creates a sense of trust between the brand and the consumer. And that will encourage consumers to share more with brands that are doing that,” said Steve Silvers, executive vice-president of global creative and media and ecosystem at Kantar.
However, collecting data is just the beginning. The real challenge lies in activating this data in meaningful ways that drive customer engagement without intrusion. Activating on that data begins with gaining a deeper understanding of it, argued Michael Sandor, sales director of adtech firm Quantcast.
As Sandor put it: “As the amount of first-party data and deterministic datasets gets smaller and smaller as privacy regulation increases and the cookie goes away, [it’s important] for brands to place additional emphasis on really getting an understanding of that first-party dataset,” said Michael Sandor, sales director at adtech firm Quantcast.
2. The proliferation of privacy regulation and privacy as a driver of changeAmid an influx of data privacy regulations across the globe, data signal loss across the web and the growth of consent-based models of data collection, consumers have come to expect more of a say over how their data is collected and used by advertisers and publishers. Obtaining explicit permission from consumers to use their data for targeting purposes is becoming a cornerstone of trustworthy digital marketing practices.
Marketers must stay agile and adapt to evolving legal frameworks, especially in the US, where states are taking privacy legislation into their own hands in the absence of a comprehensive federal law like the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation.
“Privacy legislation is going to continue to increase and there are going to be less identifiers … It just magnifies the importance of getting ahead and having a multi-signal approach,” said Quantcast’s Sandor.
3. Incrementality as a problem worth solvingTesting incrementality – assessing the lift that advertising spend provides – helps marketers justify budgets and refine strategies. But it’s easier said than done, experts agreed.
“It’s not enough any more to just measure exposure and an outcome,” said Seth Goren, group senior vice-president of subscriber growth and media at Warner Bros Discover. “You’ve got to figure out how to do experimental design at scale and in realtime and it’s an easy thing to agree to … but it’s a very challenging thing to do in practice.”
4. The critical role of data collaboration post-cookieIsolation is becoming increasingly infeasible in an environment with limited data signals, making collaboration all the more critical.
Lotame’s Theriault also highlighted the importance of data collaboration by bringing together first-, second- and third-party data to enhance insights and decision-making capabilities. This collaboration extends beyond the confines of individual organizations, involving external partners to deepen the data pool available for analysis and activation.
But clean rooms are only one tool for effective data collaboration, Theriault said. “In [data collaboration’s] simplest form, there are cleanrooms – the likes of Snowflake [and] AWS. And they’re simply trying to join together two different datasets, [like] a brand’s first-party data and a publisher’s first-party data.” Advertisers who team with a range of partners, however, can unlock different levels of data insights that enable them to move beyond simple privacy-safe ID resolution.
5. The danger of over-indexing on walled gardensThe data-rich, logged-in environments of the world’s largest social platforms have, in some ways, become a crutch for advertisers as they face an uncertain, cookieless future.
As Lotame’s Theriault explained: “Because there’s no real clear path [for addressability beyond third-party cookies], a lot of brands are migrating to social media and walled gardens [because] it’s just easy and the industry is really complicated. [Today,] 66% of digital ad dollars are spent within walled gardens, but, interestingly and ironically, 66% of consumer time is spent outside of gardens. So, there’s a ton of competition within the walled gardens for those eyeballs, but there’s all of this green field outside of it. We’ve relied too heavily [on the walled gardens] historically. And so I don’t envy the brand marketers who are trying to figure out how to retain addressability outside of the walled gardens.”
6. Witnessing contextual advertising’s renaissanceWith cookies crumbling, contextual advertising is having a renaissance. Understanding the environment where ads are placed can often be as powerful as who is seeing them.
“We’re having a ‘what’s old is new again, moment – like it's 2003. We’re talking about contextual, we’re talking about [marking] mix models – this is bleeding edge stuff from the early aughts,” said Silvers.
At Reddit, said Belliveau, the platform has invested significantly in contextual and interest-based targeting – a decision the company has found useful from both ad performance and measurement perspectives. “It also helps us have a better connection with our advertisers and communities because they’re open [to receiving branded messages] What we find is, if we’re connecting them with brands that make sense for them – that’s part of their journey in the world, or they’re discovering new products – they’re receptive to that. And so those signals are strong and they work. And then we’re able to showcase success and measure things.”
7. Leveraging AI for targeting and measurement post-cookieArtificial intelligence and machine learning are beginning to play key roles in predicting consumer behavior and refining targeting strategies, offering a glimpse into the future of automated marketing.
“AI is going to be so transformational – in ways that we don’t even understand yet,” said Mary Ann Belliveau, vice-president of large customer sales at Reddit. “It will be able to read, interpret, digest and extrapolate. We know that. [In that case], the details of some of what marketers are doing now [will] become less important because AI will understand smaller datasets, and [AI] will understand how to work with it.”
Reddit itself, Belliveau said, has made significant investments in AI and machine learning in the last couple of years across a variety of applications, including determining “how we can make sure that, if we’re really anchored on contextual and interest-based targeting, machine learning and AI can help us match the ads better to that situation.”
8. Combining measurement tactics for maximum impact Measuring the impact of advertising spend becomes trickier without cookies. Marketers are exploring new models to attribute conversions and understand their media performance. While tried-and-true measurement approaches such as multi-touch attribution will remain front-and-center for many advertisers, the resurgence of contextual and the debut of a range of both deterministic and probabilistic ID solutions are introducing new means of measurement in lieu of the third-party cookie.
As Kantar’s Silvers said: “We have a ‘Swiss Army knife’ approach to both targeting and measurement because the signals that are available in a particular channel or on a particular event will be different. And if you limit yourself to a single method, you will be blind to those opportunities.”
The idea was echoed by Quantcast’s Sandor, who said: “We’re constantly thinking about how we can appropriately balance deterministic [ID data] – which is limited in scale but can be very effective – with some of the other multi-signal approaches like probabilistic [ID data], cohorts and certainly contextual, which can be applied in a smart and relevant way. I don’t think there will be one solution that replaces the cookie.”
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In the lead-up to high-stakes election seasons across the globe, political advertising is getting heated.
In the feverish run-up to the U.S. general elections, political parties are expected to spend a staggering $3bn on media campaigns, signaling not only the high stakes of political power but also the evolving battleground of advertising strategies.
At the heart of this evolution is the convergence of politics and commercial marketing, a topic explored in-depth during a recent episode of The Drum’s podcast series, 'Politics for Drummies,' recorded live in New York as part of The Drum Live event in New York on Wednesday.
Valerie Davis, CEO of Assembly, a Stagwell-owned omnichannel media agency, sat down with Gordon Young, co-founder of The Drum, to discuss the intricacies of political advertising and its broader implications for brands.
Davis, whose firm handles a hefty portfolio of both political and commercial clients, emphasized the unique demands of today's advertising landscape, stating, “Political advertising impacts all media for all clients, not just during election cycles but across all marketing efforts.”
As brands gear up for their own campaigns, understanding the dynamics of political advertising could provide crucial insights. Davis explained how techniques honed in political arenas, such as real-time response strategies and advanced demographic targeting, are invaluable for brands aiming to navigate the increasingly fragmented media environment.
“We’ve built dashboards and technology that allow us to track not just how candidates are performing but how market sentiments are shifting, almost in real-time,” Davis noted, underscoring the importance of agility in message delivery.
One critical takeaway for brands is the impact of political advertising on market saturation. During election cycles, key battleground states like Arizona, Nevada, and Pennsylvania see a deluge of political ads, which can lead to commercial messages being drowned out. Brands must be strategic about when and where to place their ads to avoid being overshadowed or, worse, inadvertently aligning with a political message that could alienate part of their audience.
The discussion also touched on the potential ramifications of a TikTok ban, a topic of significant relevance given the platform's substantial reach among younger demographics.Davis expressed concerns about the platform's future, given its prohibition of political advertising and the ongoing scrutiny over data privacy and misinformation. “TikTok has become a critical platform for reaching millennials and Gen Z, who are less responsive to traditional media. The uncertainty around its operational status could significantly disrupt current marketing strategies,” Davis elaborated.
Moreover, the conversation veered into the ethical landscapes navigated by agencies like Assembly. “Our job isn’t to take a political stance but to ensure our clients can engage effectively with their audience,” Davis said, highlighting the delicate balance of maintaining neutrality in a polarized atmosphere. This aspect of political marketing— navigating public sentiment without compromising ethical standards—is particularly pertinent for brands aiming to engage on social issues without appearing insincere or opportunistic.
As brands consider their future advertising strategies, Davis’ insights from the political arena offer a clear message: the need for rapid adaptation to changing media landscapes, understanding audience sentiment in real-time, and navigating the ethical considerations of engagement are more crucial than ever. In an era where consumer attention is a prized commodity, and digital platforms are continually evolving, the lessons from political advertising are not just useful but necessary for staying ahead in a competitive market.
This conversation, a part of The Drum's 'Politics for Drummies' at The Drum Live event, not only highlighted the blurring lines between political campaigns and commercial advertising but also set the stage for a broader discussion on how brands can learn from the high-stakes world of political marketing to better craft their own messages in a rapidly changing digital landscape.
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The new capabilities are designed to help brands ramp up their social content strategies without veering from their core messaging and aesthetic.
Meta is continuing to accelerate its generative AI investments with new creative features designed for advertisers. The tech giant today unveiled a suite of new AI-powered tools, each of which is designed to help brands quickly create social media marketing content.
The first new feature revolves around AI-generated imagery: advertisers using Advantage+ – Meta’s automated ad-targeting platform – can now generate new variations of original ads, including images with overlaid text.
“For example, imagine you are promoting your coffee bean business by advertising a steaming cup of coffee,” Meta wrote in a blog post, “our generative AI will be able to create other variations of your ad creative, including scenery that embodies a lush and idyllic farm, and also provide adjustments to the coffee cup to offer you more creative options you can choose [from].”
Loading...Images can also be refitted to various aspect ratios in order to accommodate posts for Reels and Facebook.
The new AI-generated imagery features have begun to roll out and will be followed with an option to generate background images via a text-prompt interface “in the coming months,” according to the company.
Meta has also launched a new AI-generated text feature for ad headlines. The brand wrote in a blog post that it’s in the process of testing a capability for the underlying AI model to gradually recognize and reflect a particular brand’s unique voice and tone when generating text.
The new text-generation feature has also begun to roll out, and Meta aims to have it available globally by the end of this year. It will also soon be integrated with Llama 3, the latest iteration of Meta’s open source large language model, according to the company.
John Hegeman, Meta’s head of monetization, told reporters at Meta’s Manhattan headquarters on Tuesday morning that the new generative AI features will not be available to advertisers promoting political or social campaigns. In November of last year, the company announced that all such advertisers would need to disclose any use of AI or other digital alteration tools when posting to any of its platforms.
Following the publication of its first quarter earnings report last month, Meta chief financial officer Susan Li told investors that the company plans to “invest aggressively” in the coming year, which would likely increase the company’s capital expenditures. Investors were clearly rattled – the company’s stock fell by about 10% following the call.
Meta isn’t the only big tech company that’s been leaning into generative AI for advertisers. Adobe, for example, recently unveiled a bundle of new creative features for brands based on its Firefly model.
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TikTok argues that a new US law aiming to force it into a sale or face a nationwide ban is unconstitutional, potentially violating millions of Americans’ free speech rights.
TikTok on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against the US government, contesting a law signed into effect by President Biden last month mandating that the platform’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, divest from the platform within nine to 12 months or face a nationwide ban.
The dispute centers on constitutional issues concerning free speech rights and national security concerns. TikTok alleges in its lawsuit that the law infringes on First Amendment rights by potentially restricting the free expression of TikTok’s 170m monthly US users.
The platform contends that complying with the mandated divestiture within the mandated timeframe is practically unfeasible due to technical and political obstacles involved in acquiring a suitable buyer.
“For the first time in history, Congress has enacted a law that subjects a single, named speech platform to a permanent, nationwide ban, and bars every American from participating in a unique online community with more than one billion people worldwide,” TikTok wrote in its complaint.
The platform argues that the law does not provide an adequate path for the app to continue operating in the US, suggesting that the bill is, in essence, an outright ban, since divestiture is “simply not possible.”
TikTok’s legal challenge addresses the complexities of its global operations and technical dependencies and also highlights its investments in data security and privacy in recent years. The company agreed in 2022 to move all of its US user data to Oracle servers in the US – and has also drawn up a 90-page national security agreement that aims to address demands from the US government about how it processes, handles and stores US users’ information. The lawsuit points to these decisions in an effort to counteract lawmakers’ concerns about the app's approach to data privacy and security.
TikTok also underscored the fact that its content recommendation system is under third-party oversight, aiming to dispel worries regarding content moderation and the spread of misinformation and propaganda on the platform.
The company claimed that national security concerns leveled against it are purely “speculative” and don’t justify the potentially widespread restrictions of US citizens’ free speech rights.
The company is seeking a ruling on the law’s constitutionality to halt its enforcement by US Attorney General Merrick Garland.
The US Department of Justice, which was involved in crafting the legislation, is expected to defend it on the grounds of national security.
This legal dispute adds another chapter to TikTok’s ongoing battles with US authorities, which have spanned concerns about data privacy, national security, commerce, children’s safety and mental health.
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The Australian swimwear brand relaunches with a global campaign just ahead of the 2024 Olympics.
In a bid to reclaim its status as a cultural icon, Speedo, the 110-year-old Australian swimwear brand, is making a splash with a global campaign that’s as bold and cheeky as its infamous swim briefs.
Directed by Australian Scottie Cameron, the ‘Go Full Speedo’ campaign is aimed at celebrating Speedo’s Aussie heritage and rekindling the spirit of adventure and confidence that the brand is known for.
At the forefront of this splash-tastic campaign is none other than Dacre Montgomery, best known for his role as Billy Hargrove in the hit series Stranger Things. In the ad, Montgomery ‘goes full Speedo,’ flaunting his Aussie charm and confidence as he dives into the ocean with reckless abandon.
But Montgomery isn’t the only star making waves in Speedo’s latest venture. Joining him are Californian skateboarding legend Peggy Oki and the heroes of the TV show Bondi Rescue. Its soundtrack is an original song called “Go Full Speedo,” by the band The Beefs.
Simon Breckon senior vice-president of Speedo International, commented on the campaign: “Go Full Speedo embodies the indomitable spirit that resides within us all - an unwavering determination to seize every opportunity, both in and out of the water, and take commitment to the next level,” he said. “We’re incredibly excited to be launching the new campaign alongside a star such as Dacre and all our athlete partners.”
Indie creative agency Miramar created the campaign’s three films — the ‘Go Full Speedo’ launch film, ‘Towel Change,’ and ‘What Do You Call Them’ — along with various cutdowns.
“Go Full Speedo is a mindset that can transcend the pool and live in culture to celebrate anyone that’s giving it a red hot go,” said Nick Morrissey, executive creative director at Miramar. “Growing up in Bondi before moving to the US, Speedo was always more than just a swimwear brand — it was iconic for the people and the lifestyle it represented.”
The ads will run now through October in the USA, UK, Germany, France and Australia, with media focusing on paid online video, influencer channels such as Meta and TikTok, and athlete-owned social channels.
And if that wasn’t enough, Speedo is pulling out all the stops with PR stunts, social media activations and athlete endorsements.
Luke McKelvey, Miramar’s co-founder, added: “We love that this new platform can encompass everything from a kid jumping from the high board for the first time to an Olympic athlete breaking a world record.”
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With festivals, sporting events, and plenty of shopping opportunities on the horizon, Lucy Cutter at Kinetic (also known as GroupM OOH) says now is the time to remind clients of the power of out-of-home marketing.
This summer looks set to be a big one. From annual favorites such as Wimbledon and Glastonbury to the Olympics in Paris, the Men’s European Football Championships kicking off in Germany, and the Champions League final in London.
With such an action-packed summer ahead, now is the perfect time to remind brands of the vital role out-of-home (OOH) plays in reaching huge numbers of people in the real world – at moments when they’re active, together, and in a good mood.
Life outside of our homes is an integral part of our daily routines. Our nationally representative Alfresco LifeUK consumer survey tells us that 82% of individuals value the time they spend out and about, attributing it to uplifting their mood. Meanwhile, 72% of respondents explained they value real-life experiences more than online ones.
This research chimes with recent trends that indicate a collective effort, particularly among younger audiences, to reduce screen time and embrace real-world activities. Millennials, in particular, are increasingly prioritizing their health and wellbeing (77%) and exploring new hobbies (61%).
Whether it's hitting the gym, grabbing drinks with friends, attending cultural events, or simply enjoying a movie night out, people are increasingly opting for real-world engagement that promises entertainment and social bonding. So, it makes sense for brands to integrate themselves into leisure and social environments, tapping into the human desire for connection and enjoyment.
Bricks and mortar still strong
Despite disposable income remaining tight for some, the appeal of in-store shopping remains strong with 95% of us still shopping in-store at least once a week. With 75% of fashion purchases still made in-store, physical shopping experiences remain important to many, especially among younger demographics who view shopping as a social activity. Brands should actively target these groups within shopping environments to leverage the power of shared social experiences.
For online brands, establishing a visible presence in the real world is crucial for building trust and consideration. When times are tough, OOH’s status as one of the best channels to build trust becomes more important than ever, offering a tangible connection with consumers.
Food shopping also presents a ripe opportunity for brands, with a large portion of the population engaging in weekly in-store visits. The proliferation of digital screens in-store and at the point of purchase opens new avenues for targeted advertising and consumer engagement.
The commute has changed, but the audience is back
Commuting patterns have changed post-pandemic, but over 80% of us are still commuting to our workplace at least three days per week. Even among those working from home, over 90% leave their home at some point during the working day.
According to out-of-home data providers Route, around 50m entries and exits are recorded every week on the London Underground according to TfL and Global, and we saw these numbers rise in 2023.
You might think that most commuting takes place Tuesday to Thursday, but numbers are actually spread fairly evenly across the week, with 17% of all journeys taking place on a Friday.
On railways too, the story is a positive one. In 2023 rail commuters surpassed pre-covid numbers according to JCDecaux’s research Portal to Cities. As a result, OOH in the rail environment saw an increase of 7% in audience impacts in 2023.
So, with life continuing to be lived outside, leisure, social, shopping, and travel environments all have a big role to play for brands in 2024.
However, it’s not just where you see an ad that matters, but who else is seeing it too.
The ubiquity of OOH advertising ensures that brand messages reach large and diverse audiences. This phenomenon, known as cultural imprinting, enhances the impact and memorability of advertising campaigns by embedding them into the fabric of daily life.
In a nutshell, this summer presents a prime opportunity for brands to capitalize on the real-world power of OOH advertising. By embracing the human desire for social connection and experiential engagement, brands can forge meaningful connections with consumers and elevate their brand presence in physical locations.
With strategic deployment across multiple environments and a keen understanding of consumer mood and behavior, brands can leverage the immense potential of real-world interactions to drive growth and foster lasting brand affinity.
Eurovision correspondent and marketing extraordinaire Jerry Daykin shares the lay of the land as Eurovision week gains momentum ahead of the televised semi-finals.
This time last year, all eyes were on Liverpool as the city proudly put on the 67th annual Eurovision Song Contest. Hosting the show for a record-setting ninth time, the UK quite rightly had a pep in its own step, having beaten a bad run to finish second the previous year.
For once, even among the media elite here in London, Eurovision felt like a positive force and something everyone could get behind. Indeed they did - having attended close to a dozen contests in person I’ve never seen a whole city embrace its responsibility so fully. There was branding everywhere, countless side events and an enormous public Eurovision Village that was packed every day.
When I first became The Drum’s Semi-Official Eurovision Correspondent a decade ago, it was purely so I could write passive-aggressive articles on how ridiculous it was that the marketing community was ignoring a cultural and entertainment moment bigger than both Beyonce and the Super Bowl largely because it wasn’t ‘cool.’
Fast forward to 2023, and things felt entirely different - Diageo, Google, Booking, TikTok and others all proudly had their names on their contest and their presence felt in the Eurovision village itself. Mondelez International, who, with a bit of arm twisting from my good self, had first dipped its toes in the Eurovision water back in 2016, had the contest’s logo emblazoned on special bars of Cadbury Dairy Milk and Philadelphia in stores.
So what do we know about this year’s contest, set to take place on Saturday, May 11, with semi-final shows on Tuesday and Thursday that week?
From a UK perspective, the BBC is still backing it big, with the semis airing on BBC One again for the second time ever and surrounding it with a range of TV and radio programming. In much of Europe, most notably Iceland where it attracts a high 90% audience share, Eurovision remains the biggest night of TV of the year.
The contest will be hosted in Malmo, Sweden, this year, after Loreen’s triumphant return with the song ‘Tatoo’ last year. Almost too conveniently for some, this brings the contest back to Scandinavian soil exactly 50 years after ABBA triumphed with the song ‘Waterloo’. While it has denied any participation of the band, you can expect at least to see the considerable tribute paid on stage and, who knows, perhaps their ABBAtars appearing on screen, if nothing else.
Eurovision makes a strong point of saying it is non-political and banning any songs with overtly political meaning, but the contest itself emerged directly as a way of getting European nations to better work together in the aftermath of the Second World War.
In the past, it’s been the trigger for a coup in Portugal, upset many a right-wing politician with its LGBTQ+ inclusion, and, of course, in recent years, seen Ukraine triumph while Russia was banned. You’ll find far better accounts of the politics involved elsewhere, but whether the organizers admit it or not, the inclusion of Israel in the contest this year casts a very heavy political shadow over proceedings.
It seems uniquely detrimental for all involved, including the singer selected to represent Israel this year, that the participation is going ahead. There have been calls for artists and broadcasters to boycott, and despite exceptionally high security, it is highly likely to attract protests in many forms. In some corners of the fan community, it is being seen as an irreparable act of vandalism against the contest’s reputation and newly permanent ‘United By Music’ slogan.
I’m sure most advertisers weren’t imagining that as a consideration when they negotiated or extended their partnerships last year, and for the most part, I imagine the casual viewer will enjoy the show very much as normal - and indeed as a reminder that casual audience was 162 million across all live shows in 2023, substantially more than the Super Bowl.
Many of the same advertisers are back this year - headline sponsors Morocanoil, entertainment partners TikTok, and Diageo’s Bailey’s brand chief among them. While Mondelez and Booking haven’t returned, the latter’s travel sector is still well represented, with EasyJet and Royal Caribbean stepping in as official airline and cruise companies. Southern European real estate agents/property search company Idealista also returned as a sponsor for the third year.
Although true fans understand Eurovision to be a six-month-long season starting with the earliest announcements and song selections at the end of the previous year, for most people, it’s just one or two nights of good TV. That’s always been one of the challenges of sponsoring the event, and why we’ll also have to wait right until the last minute to see how brands are truly bringing their sponsorship to life this year. Stay tuned for what I discover online and on the ground in Sweden.
Jerry Daykin is The Drum’s semi-official Eurovision reporter. Having led a number of regional & global client-side media teams, he is currently an independent brand media consultant and fractional chief strategy officer at Adfidence.
The CIM’s Mark Scott explains how the UK PM’s anti-smoking crusade should encapsulate vaping too, especially shirt sponsorship in football.
Last Wednesday, Rishi Sunak was asked a question on the topic of football shirts that feature vape company logos. Despite vaping and smoking regulation having been high on the prime minister’s political agenda recently, he gave a non-committal answer that suggested it should be up to individual clubs to decide what goes on the front of their shirts.
The question was set against the context of the Conservatives’ Tobacco and Vapes Bill, the predominant aim of which is to create a ‘smokeless generation.’
More relevant for marketers, however, is the bill’s secondary goal, which is to introduce new powers to restrict vape flavors and packaging to make them less appealing to children, something we’ve been calling for repeatedly.
With such strong legislation in the works, it’s concerning that the prime minister showed no desire this week to support a ban on the marketing of vapes in football. As the national sport, football attracts huge numbers of viewers and is a favorite among many young children. With child vaping on the rise, it would be unacceptable that children’s favorite players and teams are wearing vaping brands on their kits every weekend.
Sports and sponsorship have an uneasy history when it comes to advertising. Football shirts were dominated for a long time by alcoholic drinks logos and, more recently, betting companies, while Formula 1 cars became synonymous with cigarette brands. While there has been some progress, lessons must be learned if the government is serious about protecting children from the dangers of vaping.
Whether there’s a place for the marketing of vapes and tobacco products more generally is an open discussion. What is clear is that any campaigns or partnerships must be firmly aimed at adults who can make informed decisions.
Clear regulation, backed by the government, can help leading bodies like the FA shine a spotlight on the great work that brands do invest in football from the grassroots, right up to the national team, rather than sponsorship deals that sit uncomfortably with many.
Our view - which is shared by the overwhelming majority of the public - is that the vaping rules should align with the marketing for cigarettes and other tobacco products. Our research shows that four in five (79%) support rules for vaping products that would mean no advertising and plain packaging, as with cigarettes. A similar proportion (81%) agree that there should be more regulation to prevent the marketing of vapes to 11 to 17-year-olds.
My hope is that, given the health implications, further regulation from the government is forthcoming. It’s vital that the measures are comprehensive in order to protect children. As well as supporting the measures outlined in the Cigarettes and Tobacco Products Bill, we’re calling on the government to take the proposed restrictions further and extend them to wider sectors such as football, whether that’s via the introduction of laws on sports products, or removing advertising from spaces that children are likely to be around such as football grounds.
Technotronic's Pump Up the Jam gets a fresh spin in Jam Shed's reactive London Marathon ad.
Sweet wine brand Jam Shed has dropped a wacky music video featuring a viral dancing gran as part of its strategy to make wine fun.
Last month a zebra print touting gran became an online sensation after dancing for hours cheering on runners at the London Marathon. One track, Technotronic's Pump Up the Jam, was the most shared video, which Accolade Wines brand Jam Shed then decided to jump on.
The two-and-a-half-minute music video released on Jam Shed’s social channels features the gran herself dancing along with a DJ and a comedian. Filmed on a green screen the background is a series of trippy visuals with subtle references to Jam Shed wine.
Video of Jam Shed | Pump up the Jam | Music Video | The Jammiest Music Video ever!Loading...Jam Shed featured in another viral video from the London Marathon when wine influencer Tom Gilbey, who drank a glass of wine at every mile of the 26-mile race, said the wine "tasted like piss". Gilbey has continued to criticize the taste of Jam Shed in follow-up press interviews.
Shaking up the wine category The ad comes after Accolade Wines marketing director Tom Smith told The Drum about the company’s plans to shake up the wine category. Smith, who is responsible for the marketing strategy of Accolade Wines brands like Echo Falls and Hardy’s, believes wine has a generational challenge on its hands. “We’re not going to recruit new people to the category just by talking about vintages and chateaus that exist in France,” Smith said in October.
Sweeter wine brand Jam Shed has been positioned to recruit non-traditional wine drinkers, hence the playful marketing strategy and fruity flavors. “The wine world is often viewed as traditional, serious and complex, but Jam Shed recognizes consumers are looking for brands who can deliver enjoyment and fun, free from constraints and rules and helping to keep things simple,” Smith says. “The brand isn’t afraid to go against the grain, celebrating how it stands out with its unapologetically different attitude, which goes against category conventions.”
Sister wine Echo Falls had a similar reactive campaign during the Super Bowl dropping a limited-edition wine to cater to Taylor Swift fans who were engaged with the tournament for the first time. “It was another great example of being able to react quickly to popular culture,” Smith says.
Reactive marketing is an important part of Accolade Wines strategy for making the wine category more fun. “Brand acts and interacting with the world are just as important as paying to put your message in front of consumers,” Smith says.
The agencies Above+Beyond and Yonder Media are behind Accolade Wines’ reactive campaigns. Smith adds: “The team has autonomy to make decisions when they feel right and, when it comes to being reactive, quick conversations and decisions are key.”
Men with receding hairlines finally have the last laugh as part of a new countrywide promotion and ‘empathetically’ written advertising campaign that rewards all follicly challenged Brazilians with a free Whopper.
There are many types of baldness – the Magic 8 Bald, the Baldilocks and the Northern Hairyshere, to name a few. But Burger King in Brazil is paying tribute to a specific type of baldness - The Bald Thru. With entry on one side, a wide passage through the back and a handy exit on the other side, the ‘bald thru’ is the perfect ambassador to promote BK Drive. All Brazilians need to do is drive through, flash their ‘bald thru,’ and get a free burger.
Scooping The Drum’s Ad of the Day accolade for its sheerness silliness, high-quality production, well-crafted script, perfect casting and overly enthusiastic voiceover, the ad was created by David São Paulo.
The spot covers all the details of the promotion, including the concept of ‘The Bald Thru’ and how to participate. The campaign is running across Brazil and also on social media platforms META, X (Twitter), and TikTok.
“In just a few days of the campaign, hundreds of sandwiches were distributed, and the action became the most talked-about on social media, a real success,” says Rogério Chaves, ECD at David São Paulo. “The campaign upholds the lighthearted tone synonymous with the brand’s other successful campaigns in Brazil, demonstrating cheerfully and amusingly that BK embraces everyone with open arms,” adds ECD Fabrício Pretto.
Our quickfire analysis of the brand, marketing and media stories that might just crop up in your meetings and conversations today.
UK EV brand Wayve gets $1billion investmentDespite electric vehicle brands Tesla and BYD facing challenging times with falling sales in recent months, UK self-driving technology start-up Wayve is on the up after securing more than $1bn (£800m) of investment to develop the next generation of artificial intelligence-powered vehicles.
The $1.05billion investment is backed by Japan’s SoftBank along with the California chipmaker Nvidia and Microsoft, and is the biggest investment to date in a European AI startup.
Wayve, which was founded in London in 2017, will use the funds to develop and launch the first 'embodied AI' technology for self-driving vehicles in the UK. Embodied AI will enable automated vehicles to learn from and interact with a real-world environment, including the ability to learn from situations that do not follow strict patterns or rules, such as unexpected actions by drivers or pedestrians.
Wayve’s technology is integrated into six vehicle platforms including electric cars such as the Jaguar I-Pace and the Ford Mustang MachE, as part of advanced driver assistance systems.
Source: The FT
UK retail brands face stagnant monthsRetail and restaurant brands in the UK are ‘enjoying’ a dismal start to the year as bad weather and ongoing worries about spending amid high-interest rates and energy bills have kept consumer spending flat.
Sales were flat during March and April against the same period a year ago, according to the latest figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC)and advisory firm KPMG. That was despite prices continuing to rise with inflation, suggesting a drop in the volume of items sold in the key Easter period.
In the four weeks to the end of April, sales were down 4%, but this number was partly affected by Easter falling early this year at the end of March. Non-food sales were the hardest hit, down almost 3% with in-store and online orders down.
The number of shoppers visiting high streets and other retail destinations slumped more than 7% in April, far worse than the 1.3% fall recorded in March, because of poor weather and the shift in the timing of Easter, according to separate data out last week from the BRC and monitoring firm Sensormatic Solutions.
The report also found travel was being prioritized, with airline spending up nearly 10%. By contrast, clothing sales were down 1.8%, according to the lender, as spring showers deterred shoppers from visiting the high street, while restaurants had another challenging month, down 12.6%, a similar fall to that in February.
Source: The Guardian
AI is the next nuclear weapon says BuffettWarren Buffett has likened the creation of AI to the creation of nuclear weapons during a speech at his annual shareholder meeting.
Issuing a stark warning about the potential dangers of the technology, he said: “We let a genie out of the bottle when we developed nuclear weapons. AI is somewhat similar — it’s part way out of the bottle.”
He acknowledged that he has little idea about the tech behind AI, but said he still fears its potential repercussions. His image and voice were recently replicated by an AI-backed tool, he said, and they were so convincing that they could have fooled his own family. Scams using these deep fakes, he added, will likely become increasingly prevalent.
“If I was interested in investing in scamming, it’s going to be the growth industry of all time,” he told the crowd.
Buffett also acknowledged that the technology could change the world for the better, but said he isn’t sold yet. “It has enormous potential for good and enormous potential for harm,” he said. “And I just don’t know how that plays out.”
The AI explosion has already transformed workplaces worldwide, and nearly 40% of global employment could be disrupted by AI, according to the International Monetary Fund. Industries from medicine to finance to music have already felt its effects.
Source:CNN
Beer brand Heineken to re-open 60-plus UK pubsHeineken is set to reopen 62 'lost' pubs across Britain after they were shut amid the cost-of-living crisis.
The larger giant's retail arm, Star Pubs & Bars, is planning to reopen or upgrade more than 600 pubs across the UK in a £39million expansion in a bid to attract punters working from home.
The move will include reopening more than 60 pubs in 2024, with 94 other sites set for refurbishments and the rest set to receive other varying upgrades.
It comes as the British Beer and Pub Association reported that more than 500 pubs shut permanently last year, leaving 45,306 still running in the UK.
The brewing giant said it wants to 'broaden each pub's use and appeal' following a surge in the number of people working remotely.
Source: Daily Mail Online
The Drum’s opinion editor, John McCarthy, explains why marketers need to make more outdoor mistakes.
Marketers often suffer from the spotlight effect, an assumption that the public’s eyes are on their work at all times. That happens while the public largely tries to avoid said work, which is quite funny really. Some go a step further and assume the apathetic mass ‘loves’ the brand. Smarter marketers know how hard it is to get noticed, never mind remembered. They color within the lines and never put a foot wrong.
There is a tier above. An anthropologist type, usually a sociopath who learned at a young age how to ‘understand humans’ to best cover up their trail of animal graves.
To err is human. To pretend to err is smart marketer.
And ladies, gentlemen, and those dancing around outside those particular boxes, that’s today’s topic.
Why it’s a mistake to underestimate the ‘mistake’We’re talking about publicity stunts and special ops ads that gather attention due to a perceived accident/flaw/mistake. There’s been a few recently that will almost certainly snap up some awards.
But why am I so sure?
Well, I’ve been working at The Drum for a decade now. I know what ads people search on the internet to watch. And I know what work wins awards. And yes. It’s mostly the same work.
I have a few theories as to why.
We humans supposedly have a negativity bias; it’s why you remember the breakup more than the first date. Or the stinging aftermath more than the balanced spices of the curry itself. Or the scratch from the kitten over your scritches under its neck. This is probably a leftover from our monkey-brain era, but it sure is a handy tool to avoid pain and misfortune; it’s why we don’t eat the mystery mushrooms or put our hands in the campfire twice.
Now, I’m not suggesting marketers want to hurt us until we sing the jingle (although this patent suggests they would if they could). But they can definitely play into these executive functions to give you some ‘fries with that.’
After a few weeks obsessing about ‘fake ads,’ work that marketers pretend to run in the real world for online clout. Now, it’s time to look at ‘faux flaws’ - when marketers play possum for publicity.
- For fakes’ sake, let’s talk about ‘real ads.’
Crash and earn (media)First of all, it’s worth saying that the United Kingdom is a safe nation. Yes, if we swim in our rivers, we need to do so with our mouths shut, but ultimately, we can’t so much as break into a tap dance without first having to identify the nearest fire extinguisher and first aid practitioner.
We excel at forming orderly queues, even in the face of inevitable disappointment. It’s why Greggs is now the mandatory national meal.
The best visual metaphor explaining our safety fetish was a recent ad by Saatchi & Saatchi for Waitrose, a premium supermarket a journalist like me can’t afford to enjoy. The campaign revealed that Waitrose is actually affordable now. I’ll believe it when it see it, there aren’t a lot of Waitrose in Scotland. This was a paradigm shift in messaging from the brand. It needed a big moment to make the news stick.
The answer was a special build poster, a wonderful wonky ad that garnered some attention because some hardhat council man thought it posed a hazard to the public and promptly cordoned it off. And after 12 minutes of scouring the internet, I couldn’t find a single negative comment from real humans who don’t clap with glee when they get to watch a new ad.
Loading...From the nation that seemingly specializes in pointing at potholes in newspapers, we love a dash of danger to the otherwise mundane. We’ve got no guns, we wear seat belts even when idling, and our healthcare’s free (when it’s actually available). Our most dangerous predators are the XL Bully, Jack Russell Terrier, Conservative politicians, cavernous potholes, and the humble cow. Probably.
So, when on a bus and we see a billboard hanging on by a thread, we stop tripping out to the pattern of the bus seats and pay attention.
Consider the case of Specsavers, whose marketing stunt involving a crashed van became the talk of the town. Specsavers built upon its long-term fluent device, ‘Should’ve Gone To Specsavers,’ for a fun piece of real-world mayhem. ‘Oh boy, some fella’s in real trouble,’ was probably the public’s reaction. Are they being deceived or amused? I’ll let you decide. Even time we choose to get immersed in a book, isn’t that a level of self-deception?
Loading...It’s a Last of the Summer-Wine-style gaffe we can enjoy... if we allow ourselves some respite from the dystopian truth that, if real, this person would never work again. My negativity bias aside, it’s worth noting how few brands are willing to show any vulnerability.
I first stumbled across this trend in 2015 when Richard Shotton wrote a blog about ‘The Pratfall Effect.’ I know it’s an old trick, but it blew my mind. Deliberately doing things wrong felt like such a strong tool in the armory.
I’ve since used the Pratfall Effect as the excuse for every mis-utterance, typo and frankly cancellable act I’ve conducted ever since. This doesn’t work, I’ve learned the hard way that people have to like you enough to get in on the joke. It’s something brands must be aware of when deploying this tactic.
One of Richard’s paragraphs that has aged well in the subsequent… decade is: “Everyone assumes that brands are fallible, so if a brand is open about its failings, it can persuade consumers that its weaknesses lie in inconsequential areas. This theory partly explains the success of budget airlines. At launch, they openly admitted that the trade-off for cheap prices was a compromised service: no reservations and a small luggage allowance. If they hadn’t admitted as much, consumers may have assumed the cost-cutting had come at the expense of safety.”
In print, when KFC faced a chicken shortage crisis, marketers didn’t hide in depot freezers; it lifted the lid on the situation with the ingenious ‘FCK’ ad. The very same brand also reformulated its chips/fries, agreeing the old ones were a bit shit. Carlsberg did a similar thing with its old beer before it became the tipple of Hannibal Lecter.
- Piss to Pilsner: Carlsberg UK marketer explains the lager’s self-effacing rebirth
By acknowledging the problem head-on and injecting humor into the situation, KFC and others transformed a potential disaster into something vaguely positive.
Uncommon’s Hiscox work appears to be playing out of the Specsavers playbook rather admirably, too, with the gaffes in the insurance, rather than healthcare, spectrum.
Loading...In our rush to portray humanity and authenticity, we often overlook one fundamental truth: imperfection is what makes us human. Just as Kate Moss’s gap tooth became an iconic feature of her beauty, and I can say that as a person whose gap whistles in the wind, so too do the flaws of brands that draw us in, making them more relatable and engaging.
In a world where perfection is often portrayed as the ultimate goal, it’s refreshing to see brands embrace their imperfection. Whether it’s a dodgy billboard or a humorous response to a crisis, these imperfections humanize brands and make them more accessible to the public.
Brands have been telling us all we have flaws for decades. Why do they then get to present themselves as the idols of our time? We know it’s a lie.
So why are flawed ads more interesting?Well to start, the risky marketer is probably better at their job.
A marketer who can conceive a ‘flawed’ ad that builds upon an established strategy, navigates that through a boardroom that can’t show any weakness to the market lest they lose a percentage point, and then execute it in a way that resonates with the public... is probably making a better ad than the schlub throwing out the ‘safe’ option.
And then maybe it’s because behind the glossy facades of advertising lies a world filled with real people facing real challenges who like a simple idea and a bit of entertainment. Maybe it’s because, in a society that often feels sanitized and sterile, these moments of vulnerability offer a glimpse of authenticity or at least someone working for your attention. Or maybe people actually don’t like brands that much and like to see them ‘fail.’
For me, 32, the OG in this category is O2’s ‘Oops.’
Loading...In 2018, there was no worse feeling than the terror of analyzing a dropped phone for damage. Oops indeed. Things have changed in 2024; I only trust the people who have tried to destroy their phones to stop X (I mean Twitter) from bleeding into their dreams.
The ad is so simple. So correct. Subversive. Engaging. Solving a common problem. One that evokes a gut feeling in us. So far, so good. Of course, the medium announcing a screen repair scheme should be smashed to pieces and cordoned off.
It’s a slightly cleaner message than Waitrose’s discount billboard. Smashing a screen to talk about smashed screens is neater than sloping a billboard to talk about sliding prices. What both campaigns have in common is the publicity-grabbing use of a cone. And if you are skeptical, just look at why Banksy chose Glasgow as the home of his world-famous exhibition. He’s really into cones. And he’s our national artist, therefore, we all are.
Loading...I dusted off the phonebook and had a chat with a strategist who’s always hunting for these special ops. I asked if it really was just as simple as chucking up a few cones and going to the pub.
Take a look at what they said: “People love it when brands fuck up, show a bit of self-deprecation or hack the media. It’s probably time to take these intentional fuck ups to the next level. And it’s worth honing in on Specsavers in particular, it has been building this platform and developing and executing it for a while now. It’s its birthright to bring out the cones and win awards now.”
I’m no subscriber to the ‘all publicity is good publicity mantra,’ although, in the age of ceaseless social media, yes, you can monetize stupidity and hatred for a while, at least.
But, I know as the purveyor of a publication, the hardest thing in life is to get someone to take a second look at something. Three things are certain in life. Death, taxes and people slowing down to gawp at a car crash. Thanks for reading mine.
When I’m not obsessing over advertising conspiracies, I edit The Drum’s opinion section. It’s where I get all my good ideas from. Give it a read, we've just finished a health marketing focus.
As generative AI sends shockwaves throughout the music industry, BBDO New York interactive producer Marcelo Hanta-Davis reflects on some lessons learned from a recent project.
Last month, a long roster of musicians including Billie Eilish, Stevie Wonder and R.E.M. signed an open letter calling for an end to the unethical use of AI within the music industry. The letter argued that the unchecked use of AI – using an artists' songs without consent to train a model, for example – can damage an artist's image and livelihood.
As an interactive producer at BBDO with experience working on AI music industry projects, I consider this a watershed moment and a much-needed call to action. This letter marks the first-time artists of this caliber have come together to call out the predatory use of AI within their industry. But since musicians are not unionized, it’s harder for them to collectively push for change. In my view, we need legislation on a national scale in the US to protect artists from being adversely affected by AI.
The adverse effects that AI impersonations can have on music have become increasingly apparent. On April 13th, an early demo version of Drake's diss track, "Push Ups," aimed at Kendrick Lamar, was leaked to the public. Fans quickly speculated that the demo was an AI-generated song, a claim that was later disproved when Drake released a final version. On April 15th, Kendrick Lamar seemed to drop his own diss track, but this was later revealed to have been created by AI. The confusing back-and-forth led fans to take to social media and ask for an end to AI impersonations without the artist's consent. Clearly, unrestrained AI in music is bad for everyone, whether you are an artist, fan or part of the music rights business.
Drake's latest use of AI to rap in the voice of Tupac and Snoop Dogg highlights an even more significant moment for AI in Hip-Hop, marking the first time that a prominent artist has used AI to recreate the voice of real people in a song. Now, Tupac's estate is suing Drake for the usage. Is it OK to do AI impersonations in music when they are comedic? Would that count as a parody and fair use in this situation? As questions like these continue to arise, it's becoming more apparent that clear guidelines are necessary.
We should not rely only on legislation. Marketers need to set a standard for ethically using AI in music. At BBDO this past year, we saw the possibilities of what can happen when artists, brands and tech companies work together to embrace AI responsibly. Over the past decade, we’ve worked with Bacardi on a program called Music Liberates Music (MLM) that empowers up-and-coming artists with new tech. Through our time working on this project, we noticed that these artists often don’t have access to high-quality production. That led us to an idea: What if AI could help to provide a solution?
We convinced Grammy-winning producer Boi-1da to train an AI model on his beats as part of our most recent iteration of MLM. In collaboration with ethical AI companies Tuney and Audioshake, we created a tool which allows artists to upgrade their demos to a Boi-1da-style song with the help of AI. Our interface would analyze the artist's demo, insert Boi-1da instrumentals, and output a new song – all while keeping the artists' vocals intact. All the AI training was done tracks that were provided consensually.
We had three main takeaways from this project. First, the ethical use of AI-generated music is scalable. Second, we’re in the Wild West for this technology; the people making deals now will set a precedent for the future. And finally, making AI-generated music can be fun. When artists heard their vocals over new instrumentals, it enhanced the creative process and got them excited about the possibilities.
As generative AI has grown in popularity, many music industry leaders have focused either on leveraging the technology to quickly generate ideas or produce content more affordably. But if we zoom out, its real potential lies in speeding up the process from ideation to execution. Many people can come up with great ideas, but executing these thoughts is often the hardest part. There are limitless opportunities to turn the ideas in our brain into something real. We just need to make sure we do so ethically, consensually and transparently.
For more on the latest happenings in AI, web3 and other cutting-edge technologies, sign up for The Emerging Tech Briefing newsletter.
What do a sports mascot, a messenger and a firefighter all have in common? Their ‘Hard Days Deserve A Hard Lemonade,’ according to the brand’s new campaign.
Mike’s Hard Lemonade, a spiked fruit juice brand and vanguard of the flavored malt beverage (FMB) category, is ringing in its 25th anniversary today with a hilarious ad campaign.
Created in partnership with the ad agency VCCP, the creative seeks to remind the nation that ‘Hard Days Deserve A Hard Lemonade,’ as its title suggests, via three 30-second spots: ‘Mascot,’ ‘Delivery’ and ‘Firefighter.’
Each of the commercials follows a similar scenario: a tired worker walks into a liquor store, where two men question whether or not their day was “hard enough” to warrant the purchase of a six pack of Mike’s Hard Lemonade.
In ‘Delivery,’ for example, the two men working the liquor store ask about a delivery man’s arduous day, during which he was viciously chased down by what appears to be a toy border collie.
Next, we have ‘Firefighter,’ which sees our two prudent protagonists ask a fatigued fireman about his “hard” day, which involved rescuing a cat from a burning building and enduring a fall from several stories high.
Campaign assets will run across multiple channels, including social, online video, streaming TV, linear TV and out-of-home.
Interested in creative campaigns? Check out our Ad of the Day section and sign up for our Ads of the Week newsletter so you don’t miss a story.
The candid ad ensures those who serve others every day receive the recognition and respect they deserve.
Amid a marketing milieu where celebrities dominate billboards and glossy ads, one brand dares to shine the spotlight on the true heroes among us.
Figs, a medical apparel brand known for its support for healthcare professionals, is launching a new campaign today coinciding with Nurses Week, a time to appreciate nurses for all they do. Titled ‘I am a Nurse,’ the work celebrates these unsung heroes, who do much more than just “give Tylenol,” as the hero spot states.
The stars of the ad comprise 11 RNs, each with their own story, specialty and background. Among them are Taniqua M, a travel nurse driven by personal experiences, Jake G, a neuro progressive care unit nurse and advocate for work-life balance, and Tawanda S, a geriatric nurse whose professional journey was born out of familial necessity.
The work, ideated and developed entirely in-house, is an effort to garner more public appreciation for nurses. Assets will grace Times Square billboards, with the nurses appearing in ads and even ringing the bell at the New York Stock Exchange today.
But Figs’ support doesn’t end with a flashy campaign. Behind the scenes, the brand also offers an ambassador program, which offers various programs to address the unique challenges faced by healthcare professionals, such as free therapy sessions with licensed therapists and organized events for fostering community.
Interested in creative campaigns? Check out our Ad of the Day section and sign up for our Ads of the Week newsletter so you don’t miss a story.
The top talent responsible for this new spot is pretty iconic. There’s legendary director Steve McQueen behind the camera and actor and musician Ashley Walters in front of it. And together this dynamic duo have landed our Ad of the Day accolade.
PG Tips hasn’t been on TV screens in almost a decade, but today it's back with a fresh approach, a new agency and some top talent. What makes this ad brilliant is the total revamp of the brand and the modern approach to a pretty traditional and conventional sector.
It’s the work of London indie shop Calling, which has created a powerful story of overcoming self-doubt and finding inner courage. There’s a lot to love about this ad, but primarily it’s the message of sitting down, with a cup of tea and having a chat with yourself that makes it so strong.
By using the product to start important conversations is clever and widely recognizable. Think about it, how many times have you been offered a hot cuppa while talking through important issues? It's relatable.
Underscoring the spot is a top soundtrack by Mercury Prize-winning Ezra Collective, which fits it perfectly.
Overall, this ad brings the brand back into the modern age and speak to consumers who are prioritizing their health and wellness.
Read our interview with Calling and PG Tips about this new campaign.
Everyone loves a rebrand – or do they? Leading marketers tell us which brands they think should never change. Because if it ain’t broke…
Lucozade recently underwent its first major rebrand in a very long time, with the threat of flop always looming (just look at Abrdn and the Royal Mail).
Still, some old favorites can certainly do with the refresh. But others have a timeless feel that, fans feel, just shouldn’t be messed with. We asked members of The Drum Network to tell us which brands they hope will forever stay just the way they are. Now, pass me the Opal Fruits and we can kick off.
Francois Boshoff, creative director, Media Bounty: Lego
“Brand loyalty: anyone remotely connected to marketing spends a significant amount of their lives trying to encourage it, nurture it, and (God forbid) bring it back to life when it’s on its way out. Brand love is a different animal: a deep emotional connection that’s so strong, so personal, it could only be called love. Which brings me to Lego, perhaps the most beloved toy of the 20th century. Amid a bit of a rebranding frenzy, Lego has thankfully sailed along quite nicely. Many of these rebrands frustrate me, but the thought of waking up to a completely new Lego logo would hurt on a very personal, very human level. So, to Lego, if somebody’s banging on about how they can repackage you as more ‘dynamic’, ‘energizing’, ‘vibrant’ or… ‘youthful’. Don’t. We like you just the way you are.”
Alice Thompson, creative strategy lead, The Fifth: Chanel
“As a child, I was personally offended that Opal Fruits rebranded to Starburst. How dare they change something that had been steadfast in my life? These days, I’m reserving any outrage for a select few brands. Top of my list: Chanel. I’d be astounded if it ever did change its logo, given that it hasn’t since 1925, but I’ve been thinking about why I’d be personally wounded and why I might be emotionally attached to two interlocking Cs. I wear Chanel perfume because my auntie wears Chanel perfume; I inherited it from her and, as a result, it feels like a family heirloom. For me, it’s a taste of luxury from a largely unaffordable brand, but I still feel part of the generations of women before me who’ve worn it, despite decades of changing fashion.”
Amy Gilfeather, strategist, Designwerk: The NHS
“It’ll be a dark day when a misguided, self-appointed changemaker sees fit to rebrand the NHS. It's reassuringly sturdy; a big blue beacon that speaks to the solidarity of the system. As the service itself is pressured to a point of fracture, the brand remains emblematic of a long history of care: not soft and squishy care, but universal, comfortingly functional care; the official brand of ‘here-for-you-no-matter-what’. It wasn’t long ago we were clapping the service from our front doors, and the brand popped up proudly on windows, shopfronts, and badges: a symbol to the world that we were here for one another, too. The brand has the power to represent that history, and set the tone for the future.”
Nadine Smith, paid social strategist, Rawnet: TFL
“A brand that many of us see every day but often don’t even notice is Transport for London. The iconic bar and circle icon (which even has its own name, The Roundel) was first introduced in 1908 and has witnessed two world wars and the evolution of a city. Unlike the majority of brands, it has remained largely unchanged throughout its lifetime. Instantly recognizable to everyone from daily commuters to first-time visitors, it stands as a proud emblem of British culture. To alter it would be to do more than just change a logo – it would erase a significant piece of history and a vital part of our collective identity. In a world quick to chase the latest trend, maintaining the classic look of the London Underground is a tribute to the enduring power of thoughtful design. This steadfast symbol anchors us to our past but also guides millions through the complexities of modern London.”
Liam Edwards, senior designer, AgencyUK: Tunnock’s Caramel Wafers
“In the cozy corners of my grandparents’ kitchen cupboard, amid treats that tempted young fingers, there was always one constant: a box of Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer bars. That iconic red and gold packaging stood out like a beacon of comfort, promising moments of pure delight. I’d often sneak into the cupboard, drawn by the promise of that familiar box. It wasn’t just about the taste; it was about the warmth of shared moments, the stories exchanged over a cup of tea and a caramel wafer. The packaging, unchanged over the years, is timeless. Its beauty lies in its authenticity, devoid of photoshopped product cameos or exaggerated (and disingenuous) benefit claims. It's a testament to tradition and the enduring appeal of life’s small pleasures. In a world of rabid consumerism, an old treasure staying true to its morals is worth celebrating.”
Claire Elsworth, strategy director, Impression: Marmite
“Marmite is the perfect brand. Yes, it landed on an outstanding aural hook 30 years ago which is still recognizable today. Yes, the 30-year-old campaign idea is based on an unmistakable truth that has become its brand identity. But the real reason it’s perfect is because the brand identity is so on point that it allows for activation way beyond funny ads. It gives a space for such delightful divisiveness that no other brand can get away with. Some people hated their Christmas lights sponsorship. “It’s got nothing to do with Christmas!” they cried. Other people loved it, for exactly that reason. That’s just one example in a rich history of brilliant brand marketing activations over the years. Marmite absolutely does not need messing with, ever (unless by ‘messing with’, you mean putting it on toast with a bit of crunchy peanut butter on top).”
Dan Roberts, creative director, The Romans: Cadbury, Marmite, HP Sauce
“In a rapidly changing world, the allure of a refresh is understandable. But some brands are cultural cornerstones. Cadbury. Marmite. HP Sauce. These are the ones embedded in our identity. Messing with these icons is like tampering with a cherished family recipe passed down through generations. Staying true to a brand's roots holds value. Instead of chasing trends, brands should embrace what has made them beloved for so long. Sometimes, the best path forward is to look back.”
Paul Taylor, chief executive officer, BrandOpus: Most legacy brands, except Bass
“If you’d have asked me a couple of weeks ago, I would have said Tate & Lyle’s Golden Syrup. Too late! I would tend to advise any heritage brand with long-standing, meaningful, and distinctive visual symbolism not to rebrand. But that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t refresh. The challenge for brands with historic identities is to remain visually connected in an increasingly fragmented world. Still, I would relish the challenge of reinvigorating a brand like beer brand Bass. To refresh and bring relevance to the world’s first ever trademarked logo feels like a task befitting the once great stature of a brand that has moved into obscurity over time.”
Ian Flynn, executive creative director, RocketMill: Virgin Atlantic
“My father was a flight engineer, so I spent a lot of time on Virgin Atlantic flights as a nipper, making it the first brand I fell in love with. Its red and purple colorways, risky tone of voice, attention to brand experience, and inclusive outlook (for the 90s) was the decor of my family holidays, and was an irresistible two fingers up from Sir Richard to the stale, corporate inertia that existed in the category. Since then, it’s had some cosmetic tidy-ups and new brand ideas to anchor to, but the essence of what Virgin Atlantic stands for is very much alive and kicking. Long may it continue.”
Alistair Robertson, creative partner, Nucco: General Electric
“B2B isn’t necessarily where people first look to find heritage brands. But one immediately jumps to mind: General Electric (GE). Take a look at its logo; it’s a work of art, one that I suspect would never get signed off in the current environment of design refinement to the point of banality. GE has recently been broken up into three separate companies. So it’s not impossible to envisage a slow creep away from the original brand. But having worked on the business, I would be disappointed (though not surprised) to soon read a design article about how each organization’s ’dynamic new sense of purpose’ needed a fresh branding approach… Which has the charm of a car park.”
Wes Morton, chief executive and founder, Creativ Strategies: Coca-Cola, or Dr Pepper
“It appears every brand has embraced modernism. Minimalist design, serif fonts, black and white. Brands that have done it right have either simplified while maintaining their original identity (Dunkin') or reinvented using a bolder, novel aesthetic that differentiates them while embracing futurism (KIA). Too many others have modernized to a sea of sameness, modeled after the Spartan, lifeless tech logos. I'd hate to see Dr. Pepper or Coke lose the iconic cursive that makes their brands indelible.”
Anca Rhone, group strategy director, The Mx Group: John Deere
“The B2B world has been a bit hit-or-miss when it comes to brands. Brand stewardship sometimes means building brands, but other times it means protecting the brand and its long-time equities. One brand I've long admired for its consistent branding is John Deere. Its iconic green-and-yellow 'jumping deer' logo, dating to 1873, is an enduring symbol of American ingenuity and craftsmanship, instantly recognizable across generations. While the logo has slightly evolved through the years, its core visual equities remained unchanged; 'John Deere green,' like the country song says. For someone like me who grew up abroad, few brands capture the essence of Americana quite like John Deere.”
Graham Sykes, executive creative director, Landor: none
“In today’s dynamic landscape, is any brand truly an untouchable monolith? There's always room for improvement in search of heightened relevance and differentiation. Brands should wholeheartedly embrace the zeitgeist, engage with their community, and adapt to shifting perspectives. The most important thing to consider is: ‘Why the change?’ and: ‘What should change?’. Care must be taken, but if we are emphatic about what is sacred versus what is versatile, the gates are open to shaping brands that can transcend time. Nike. Apple. The Golden Arches. That green mermaid. All enduring world-famous signatures, leveraging brand to shapeshift through category and audience demands with ease, and meet cultural and technological challenges head-on. Paradoxically, the brands I'd think of as untouchable are the ones I'd relish the chance to re-imagine, to waves of adulation, outrage, and creative punditry.”
After an eight-year hiatus, the brand is back with a hefty investment, a new agency in London indie shop Calling and a determination to make tea cooler than coffee.
PG Tips has long been a household staple in Britain. Initially celebrated for its memorable advertising campaigns featuring its iconic monkeys and renowned comedians like Peter Sellers, Bob Monkhouse, and Johnny Vegas, the tea brand gradually lost its resonance with modern audiences.
Around a decade ago, it fell into severe neglect. The monkeys were retired, the brand ambassadors appeared outdated, and its parent company, Unilever, significantly reduced its advertising investments.
Today, it’s back on TV screens for the first time in eight years with a new brand campaign aptly titled ‘It’s Not Just Tea. It’s Progress’. For its huge return, PG Tips has enlisted legendary director Steve McQueen, with Top Boy actor and acclaimed musician Ashley Walters in front of the camera to excite a nation of tea drinkers. It’s the brainchild of indie agency Calling, which is making a name for itself by modernizing heritage brands.
“We separated the tea business from Unilever just under two years ago,” explains Karen Owen, global senior marketing executive at Lipton Teas and Infusions. “PG Tips hasn’t really been invested in for many, many years. So, we said no, this is the nation’s tea. It is the nation’s favorite tea.”
‘Rock Solid,’ which is the first ad in this new approach, forms part of a £12m marketing push that aims to help PG Tips reclaim a place at the heart of modern British culture as well as connect with a younger demographic of tea drinkers.
Owen continues: “When you look at Gen Z culture, there’s a real fear of burnout. They are not interested in coffee because that’s burnout culture; it’s pushing the problem down the road. They are much more about recovery and reconnecting with their self.”
It's an idea that Calling brought to the table in the formative chats with PG Tips. Owen says the initial storyboard had relatively few tweaks, and the whole team was beyond excited. “The way we positioned it in our strategy is that tea is recovery, not a drug,” says Calling co-founder and executive creative director Josh Tenser. “And that felt like a massive unlock for the value system of those younger audiences. And then we were like, OK, so what is it about recovery that people might want to lean into?”
Tea tends to have lower caffeine levels than coffee. Tenser says that this thought process led them to having a cup of tea while reconnecting and having a conversation with themselves.
What transpired in a powerful 70-second film tells the story of overcoming self-doubt and finding inner courage. In the spot, viewers watch as Walters coaches himself out of the doldrums over a cup of PG Tips before inviting the nation to summon their self-belief and positivity too.
Tenser continues: “We wanted to use talent that shows the world what a progressive modern Britain could be like, and that’s why Ashley is so great. He’s had ups and downs in life, they’re well publicized. He’s a hero to so many people because he isn’t perfect, but he’s been very open about his mental health.”
The other aspect that makes Walters such a brilliant choice to bring PG Tips back to the nation is that he connects with many audiences, the ones that remember him from his music career and the newer fans that know him from acting in Top Boy.
Tenser says they knew that if they were going to bring back this heritage brand, they had to have someone equally iconic behind the camera, and that person was Steve McQueen. The 12 Years A Slave director doesn’t do a lot of commercials, but apparently, this one didn’t take a lot of convincing.
“One of the first comments Steve made when he started talking with us was that tea is the lifeblood of the nation,” recalls Owen. “He grew up with PG Tips, and he said, ‘You know what, it’s really important that we write something together that is about creating moments of progress.’ So, we showed him the draft storyboard that we had, and he came up with some amazing additions.”
It wasn’t like working with a typical commercial director; everyone on the team thought about this as more of a film than an ad. Walters talking directly to the audience through the TV screen feels personal and refreshing.
“It was amazing to work with Steve; he’s a wizard,” adds Tenser. “There was just such a deep level of respect between Ashley and Steve that it made the whole thing. They both felt totally invested in each other. A different director talent combo wouldn’t have given you that beautiful comfort that you could feel in the performance.”
The ad is an address to the nation in a way. Gone are the days of the dreary grey day being made slightly better by a cuppa, this is people’s moment to take a moment of reflection with themselves rain or shine.
“It’s a real honor to be working with such an iconic British brand and be part of a campaign that encourages taking time out, putting the kettle on, taking a break and giving ourselves some time to re-calibrate,” added Walters. “We’ve all grown up with tea being a big part of our lives, marking every occasion from starting the day to a family celebration. For me, enjoying a cuppa is a moment to pause, re-gather, re-energize, focus and then press play.”
It’s a long-term play for the brand. Recently, there’s been a further £40m investment in new machinery, training and blends at its Trafford Park site in Manchester. Owen says aside from traditional media, they will be launching this campaign across social platforms too which is a key area for reaching younger audiences that are invested in the rising wellness trends. She believes firmly that tea can play a role in that.
“We’re not looking for everything to be perfect and polished. We want to understand what matters. And that’s how we’ll see the campaign evolve,” she concludes.
“We don’t know quite what’s going to happen next but what we do know is it’s going to be about progress. And Steve, when I was with him last week, he’s said, ‘So, what are we going to do next?’”
Plus, Google reportedly planning to pay News Corp – owner of The Wall Street Journal – up to $6mn annually to support the publisher’s AI efforts.
Financial Times signs content licensing deal with OpenAIThe Financial Times announced on Monday that it had entered into a strategic partnership with OpenAI.
Through the new licensing deal, OpenAI will gain access to the FT's content to train large language models; ChatGPT users will begin seeing quotes from, summaries of and links to FT articles. The AI company will also help to build new AI tools for the FT.
“The FT is committed to human journalism, as produced by our unrivaled newsroom, and this agreement will broaden the reach of that work, while deepening our understanding of reader demands and interests,” John Ridding, CEO of Financial Times Group, said in a statement. “Apart from the benefits to the FT, there are broader implications for the industry. It’s right, of course, that AI platforms pay publishers for the use of their material. OpenAI understands the importance of transparency, attribution, and compensation – all essential for us. At the same time, it’s clearly in the interests of users that these products contain reliable sources.”
A handful of other media powerhouses, including Axel Springer and the Associated Press, have inked their own licensing deals with OpenAI. The New York Times, however, has taken a different approach: the publisher sued OpenAI and Microsoft in December, claiming that their copyrighted content was illegally used to train GPT-4.
Microsoft to invest billions in Malaysian and Indonesian tech industriesMicrosoft pledged on Thursday to invest $2.2bn to help develop Malaysia’s cloud computing and AI infrastructure.
The brand wrote in a blog post that the investment, which will be deployed over the next four years, will also be aimed at “creating AI skilling opportunities” for some Malaysians and establishing a national AI Center of Excellence to strengthen the country’s cybersecurity infrastructure, along with other efforts.
“The investment demonstrates Microsoft’s commitment to developing Malaysia as a hub for cloud computing and related advanced technologies, including generative AI. This will support the nation’s productivity, competitiveness, resilience, and economic growth,” the company wrote in the blog post.
Two days prior (April 30), the tech giant made a similar commitment to invest $1.7bn in Indonesia’s cloud and AI infrastructure.
The planned investments from Microsoft reflect a broader push among some leading tech companies to establish a more powerful presence in Southeast Asia, drawn in by the region's large population and growing cloud and AI sectors.
Google reportedly planning to pay millions annually to News CorpGoogle will pay News Corp, parent company of The Wall Street Journal, between $5mn and $6mn annually to fund the media company's efforts to build “new artificial intelligence-related content and products,” The Information reported on Tuesday, citing anonymous sources.
News Corp has denied the claim. “We absolutely do not have an AI content licensing deal with Google, though we do have a number of partnerships with Google across our businesses," a company spokesperson told Reuters following the publication of The Information’s report.
The new deal, according to The Information, builds upon a preexisting partnership between News Corp and Google which kicked off in early 2021.
Amazon announces general release of Q chatbotAmazon Q, an AI-powered chatbot designed to help businesses manage internal data, was released to all Amazon Web Services (AWS) customers on Tuesday. The chatbot was first unveiled in November – one year to the day after OpenAI released ChatGPT – in a limited preview.
The chatbot has been marketed by Amazon as an automated business assistant that can, for example, help software engineers debug code and field employee questions about various company policies. In other words, it’s intended to handle some of the more mundane yet time-consuming tasks that most brands using AWS are routinely handling.
Daniel Faggella, CEO of AI research firm Emerj, makes the case that Amazon’s AI chatbot strategy appears to closely mirroring Microsoft’s: the latter recently integrated its Copilot AI assistant into its suite of Office 365 platforms. “This feels like more of a reach for Amazon than it does for Microsoft … [and] a little bit like an also-ran,” Faggella says. “It also seems like it’s a world that [Amazon] can’t not be a part of because so much of today’s work is going to be augmented and automated by artificial intelligence.”
CFTC names new chief AI officerThe Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), a federal agency overseeing the US financial markets, announced on Wednesday that it had promoted Ted Kaouk to be its first-ever chief AI officer.
In October, President Biden signed an executive order aimed at giving the federal government more direct oversight of the private sector’s development and deployment of advanced AI models. Five months later, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued guidelines around federal agencies' use of AI, part of which mandated the designation of a chief AI officer – responsible for "[coordinating] the use of AI" – within each agency.
Kaouk’s new role at the CFTC will build upon his current position as the agency’s chief data officer and director of the division of data. He previously served as chief data officer and responsible official for AI at the US office of personnel management (OPM).
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Wellness and sustainability measures at events are nothing new – but marketers are working to make them more robust, says Paulina Piekarska-Léveillée of agency Mas.
It’s time to roll up the yoga mats and donate those scented diffusers.
As experiential programs charge into 2024, event producers can design programs that prioritize attendees’ well-being and sustainability while having a lasting impact on the local community. Going beyond the basic stretch and snack, events can craft wellness experiences that nourish bodies, connect communities, and leave a positive footprint on the planet.
1. Sharper sessions and shorter screen timeGone are the days of cramming ten informational sessions into one marathon day. B2B events should prioritize mental well-being by creating agendas that breathe. Information overload is a recipe for glazed-over eyes, exhausted brains, and attendees looking for an escape.
Shorter, more focused presentations with interactive elements keep attendees engaged. Think Ted Talk-style presentations or panel discussions that encourage audience participation.
Because, let’s face it: Staring at screens all day can be draining. ‘Digital detox’ periods, where attendees are encouraged to put away their devices to focus on real-life interactions or themselves, make us more engage. At Imex America, for example, a ‘Be Well Lounge’ offers guided meditation breaks, serving as welcome respite from the hustle and bustle for attendees.
2. Healthy, eco-conscious food & drinkWith an increasing awareness of dietary choices, incorporating creative, non-boring vegan and vegetarian options is expected. Organizers can partner with eco-conscious caterers who offer locally sourced, organic options that are kind to both planet and gut, leaving attendees energized.
Forget nap-inducing, carb-heavy pastries and sugar-crash cookies. Switch it up with brain-boosting snacks like nuts, berries, and dark chocolate to keep those cognitive gears turning. Plus, hydration stations with infused water and herbal teas ensure attendees stay sharp. Place these hydration stations strategically throughout your floor plan to remind attendees to hydrate and refuel so they can stay focused on your content.
Serving vessels are also key. With single-use plastics’ negative impact on the local environment and planet, eco-friendly and compostable options such as bamboo, paper, or plant-based materials are a great option. This also offers an educational opportunity for your program, allowing organizers to highlight the minimal carbon footprint of both attendee and event.
For example, at Mas’ recent program, Braze Forge 2023, cloud-based software company Braze wanted to make Forge their greenest event ever, with zero single-use plastics and exclusively reusable serveware. Implementing color-coded stations to ensure everything was disposed of properly was also key, as was a partnership with Cup Zero, which uses infinitely recyclable thermoplastics to create cups that can withstand use at 8-10 events before being reconstituted. We also used Yeti bottles and Bombas socks as sustainable swag – freebies that we knew people would actually use (if not, then they could donate onsite, and the useful items would be taken to homeless shelters).
Click on the button above to create your content3. Community-driven donations Event organizers recognize that wellness extends beyond the actual event and individual attendees. Why not also have a positive, lasting impact on the local community?
Teaming up with an eco-caterer who can donate extra meals to a local food bank not only eliminates food waste, but helps those in need. When rental furniture is not an option, instead of sending perfectly good furniture and supplies to storage purgatory, partner with a donation organization to give these items a second life. This also serves as an education opportunity for attendees, informing them how their participation could translate into meals for those in need or organizations equipped with donated supplies.
At another recent Mas program, the Google for Education Partner Forum, we partnered with a local middle school to donate school supplies on behalf of Google as part of their sustainability initiative. From backpacks to notebooks, educational tools, math and science supplies, more than 300 items were donated, resulting in some very happy and grateful students.
Click on the button above to create your contentSkip the quick wellness fixes and drive more impactBy embracing a focus on health and wellness, events are creating a more invigorating experience for attendees that not only fosters those much-needed in-person connections, but leaves a lasting positive impact on the environment and the local community. Prioritizing wellness creates a ripple effect and a powerful reminder that doing good in business can, and should, mean doing good for the world.
You’ll have a tough time not whistling along to this short. It’s an upbeat, memorable and fresh approach for Confused.com, landing it as our top ad today.
Confused.com has revealed its new brand position ‘Just used Confused.com’ that utilizes catchy whistling to grab attention. Cleverly, the jingle is a bona fide earworm, making this new approach memorable as well as fun.
It’s the debut campaign from ad agency Leo Burnett, which has infused the brand with a healthy dose of humor and originality. From the father of a bride giving a wedding speech to a referee who can’t be flustered and hundreds of commuters packed on to a train platform, the spot builds up to a crescendo. There is a sense of collaboration in the ad, almost as if the whole nation is joining in with the whistle.
In a sector often characterized by dry and mundane advertising, the charismatic spot offers a breath of fresh air to viewers. It modernizes the way insurance is marketed, injecting a much-needed dose of energy and excitement by reimagining the brand’s position.
The combination of humor and originality is a bold move and one that is bound to be memorable for a wide-ranging audience of potential customers.
Credits
Campaign title: Just Used Confused.Com
Client: Confused.Com
Head of advertising and social media: Maria Howell-Jones
Advertising agency: Leo Burnett Uk
Chief creative officer: Mark Elwood
Executive creative director: Andrew Long, James Millers
Chief production Officer: Emily Marr
Creative director: Gareth Butters
Copywriter: Conrad Swanston
Art director: Alex Bingham
Designer: Rupert Knowlden
Planner: Nicola Willison
Business lead: Lauren Martin
Account team: Rebecca Dickens, Nicola Kuan, Zainab Raji
Agency producer: Helen Choonpicharn
Media buying agency: Zenith
Media planner: Ingrid Leddin, Jade Holmes
Production company: Mjz
Director: Matthijs Van Heijningen
Editor: Russell Ike @ Whitehouse
Producer: Donald Taylor
Post-production company: Black Kite
Audio post-production company: Sam Robson @ No8
Photographer: Tom Cockram
Photography production: Prodigious
You shouldn’t be so quick to trust your pregnancy app or others with your health data. The Ethical Tech Project’s Jonathan Joseph explains.
The story of how our health data became weaponized starts in 2022, when the Supreme Court overruled Roe v Wade in the landmark Dobbs decision.
What followed didn’t just impact reproductive rights. The decision intensified public scrutiny on how personal data – especially sensitive information – is managed and manipulated. Specifically, the case highlighted how location and search data could be exploited to track visits to reproductive health services, such as Planned Parenthood. People began to worry about the extent of data collection and how that data might be used.
They were right to worry. For example, despite Google’s commitments to enhance the privacy of health-related data by removing location entries deemed “personal”, a report published just months after the Dobbs decision revealed that the tech giant still retained detailed records of searches and directions to abortion clinics for weeks.
There’s one key takeaway here: even with increased privacy assurances, some businesses or interests will continue to collect and retain your data – which can be used to infer sensitive details about your health – for nefarious purposes, or just to feed the advertising beast.
The Dobbs case and the ensuing concerns about health privacy really put into the spotlight how location and health data can be used against us. It underlines the double-edged nature of our digital footprint, where convenience can very quickly, and unexpectedly, morph into vulnerability.
Let’s look at some examples.
Period tracking and fertility apps
In 2023, the fertility app Premom misled users by secretly sharing their sensitive personal information with advertisers. Similarly, Flo, a popular period-tracking app, was caught selling data about women's pregnancies.
These apps, ostensibly designed to support women during a transformative life phase, doubled as troves of marketing data. Moms are a lucrative demographic for marketers because they often make the purchasing decisions for the home. But expecting moms are especially vulnerable - marketers know that during pregnancy, women often switch brands, even ones they’ve been loyal to for years.
Premom and Flo were flagged by regulators, but don’t be lulled into a false sense of security just because your chosen cycle or pregnancy tracking app hasn’t faced similar scrutiny.
Regulators usually focus on a priority area where they see rampant infringement or to make a statement in an industry where there might be widespread practices. pregnancy apps the playful element can be disarming. These engaging apps might feature fun comparisons of a baby’s size to various fruits or manage your pregnancy shopping list. But behind this charming front, something sinister could be happening. These apps are harvesting extensive data–your due date, ultrasound images, location, baby’s gender, and potential names—and share it with platforms and third-party advertisers. The sheer volume of data being collected is mind-blowing.
Don’t let the charming exterior of these quirky, cutesy apps deceive you. Apps marketed as supportive health tools could be covers for aggressive data exploitation.
A wake-up call in mental health
The breach of trust in digital mental health services is equally alarming.
Companies like BetterHelp and Cerebral have incurred hefty fines from the FTC for their irresponsible disclosure and use of health data. Despite their assurances of confidentiality, these companies have been caught sharing sensitive user information with advertisers, deeply betraying the trust placed in them.
Imagine this: you’ve scheduled therapy sessions online, naturally believing it’s confidential, but behind the scenes, your pursuit of mental health support–along with private information about your problems–is being tracked and exploited by advertisers.
The FTC revealed last year that BetterHelp shared the information of over 7 million consumers with platforms like Facebook and Snapchat for advertising purposes, among other serious data privacy transgressions. This disturbing practice represents a predatory approach to vulnerable individuals seeking help.
Just this month, the FTC has required Cerebral, another mental health telehealth firm, to pay a $7m fine for carelessly handling patient data and actively sharing it with third parties for advertising without clear and proper disclosure.
You might hope these companies would learn from their competitors’ mistakes, and see a chance to gain a competitive edge by prioritizing user data privacy. BetterHelp was raked over the coals by regulators and suffered extensive reputational damage. Did those consequences deter Cerebral from following in BetterHelp’s footsteps?
No.
Unfortunately, Cerebral made the same mistakes. While promising “safe, secure, and discreet” services to users, Cerebral instead buried details in its privacy policies about sharing sensitive data with third parties for advertising.
As patients or individuals seeking medical advice, we naturally expect a veil of privacy. We trust that our interactions with medical professionals – whether in-person or online – are safeguarded, that our intimate health data is protected as if behind a fortress.
These brands have exploited that trust.
Toward transparency and trust
In the state of Washington, the My Health, My Data Act strengthens protections for health data and offers a private right of action for citizens. At the federal level, the proposed American Privacy Rights Act, which generally provides “opt-out” controls for target advertising, adopts stricter “opt-in” consent rules for sensitive data such as biometrics.
The FTC and State AGs are working with the tools they have available to help close the gaps in data protection for our health data. The FTC action in particular, regulates mostly through the misleading and deceptive conduct provisions in the FTC Act. A federal privacy law, with specific protections for health-related data will help tremendously.
As people’s awareness of how their health and related data is used, and with regulators gaining more power to hold businesses accountable - there is hope of an ethical internet that respects our data dignity.
What we do–or don’t do–right now, will define how much we can trust digital health services moving forward. Let’s make sure they earn that trust.
This piece ran as part of The Drum's Health and Pharma Focus.
- Listen to your heart, not healthtech, if you want to live longer
Welcome to the world of digital influencing, where AI avatars promote products and sing pop songs. Iva Filipović of EPAM Systems, Inc. explains why this trend is here to stay.
The world of digital influencing is undergoing a significant shift, propelled by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), spatial computing, and 3D modeling.
This presents a huge opportunity for forward-thinking brands to create deeper connections with their customers. Before diving into the cases and opportunities hiding behind the trends, let’s explore the differences between digital influencers and virtual characters, and how virtual influencers combine the best of both worlds.
Virtual influencers combine the best of traditional digital influencers – such as TikTok’s Charli D’Amelio – and virtual characters, such as those often found in video games or CGI movies. These fictional, immortal, and computer-generated virtual influencers can range in appearance from realistic humanoids to imaginative and fantastical creatures. A good example being Lil Miquela, who has starred in campaigns for Dior, Calvin Klein, and BMW.
Their purpose? To influence the opinions or behaviors of audiences on social media, blogs, or other digital platforms.
The virtual influencer takeover begins
BMW is not the only brand taking note of virtual influencers. In 2023, cosmetics titan Maybelline enlisted its first virtual persona, May, for a mascara launch.
Aitana Lopez, a 25-year-old AI-generated model who is passionate about gaming and fitness, sells exclusive content on Fanvue. This subscription platform combines AI messaging, voice notes, and analytics all in one place. Her creators, The Clueless, claim Lopez earns around €3,000 monthly. With around 300,000 followers, she has yet to reach the popularity of virtual influencers like Lil Miquela and Nobody Sausage. Nonetheless, she’s already endorsing brands like Olaplex and Pandora.
These cases are testament to the growing acceptance and appeal of virtual personas in advertising. They are not a passing trend, but a significant force shaping the landscape of influence in the digital age.
In July, virtual influencer Ayayi appeared alongside a human anchor during a live stream on the online selling platform Tmall to endorse the Shiseido Ultimune collection. In markets like China, where digital trends often set the global pace, the success of this partnership confirms the appeal of virtual influencers within the beauty industry.
A month later, IMG, a prominent modeling agency, signed Zlu – a virtual model and influencer, highlighting the expanding scope of digital personalities in fashion. Zlu has partnered with big fashion brands like Karl Lagerfeld, Chimi, and Swarovski.
In the entertainment sector, the success of virtual K-pop group MAVE, created with Unreal Engine Metahuman Creator, whose 2023 single ‘PANDORA’ garnered almost 30m views, illustrates the immense potential of virtual performers. MAVE consists of four virtual humans powered by AI motion capture and real human voices.
Unsurprisingly, studios are already substituting expensive motion capture equipment with AI-powered motion capture and creation tools. Conveying desired motions to AI can be challenging, but text-to-motion tools like Mootion AI provide a safer option compared to hiring stunt performers. Similarly, human voices are being increasingly used primarily for AI model training, as illustrated by the surge of AI-generated covers that have populated social media platforms in 2023.
AI-powered virtual brand endorsements
Meta’s Connect 2023 event was filled with exciting announcements, such as the Meta AI Studio, which will enable businesses to build custom AI chatbots and deploy them across all Meta platforms, including the Meta Horizon Metaverse. This indicates that the future of virtual influencers extends beyond merely starring in campaigns, to actively interacting with customers across all digital channels.
In China, livestreams featuring AI-powered virtual influencers are garnering massive attention, with providers like Baidu and Silicon Intelligence claiming that live-streaming anchors can be created in minutes. HeyGen and Synthesia offer similar AI persona services.
The creation of AI-powered virtual beings, like EPAM‘s own virtual assistant Vivien, and AI-generated personas will only get easier. But as with any new trend, brands need to understand and explore the rapidly changing technology behind them. It is important to think very carefully about their limitations, purpose, and value-add for customers before jumping in. And, as the distinction between real and virtual content fades, the importance of ethical practices and transparency escalates. Brands must carefully balance these factors to build trust and establish genuine connections with their audience.
As we embrace the opportunities and innovation that AI unlocks, we must also adopt responsible AI practices to ultimately help drive value and foster unique, tailored experiences that resonate with our users and customers. For those that get it right, integrating virtual influencers as part of a broader digital transformation can turn basic campaigns into rich, interactive experiences that can be hugely beneficial for users and businesses alike, positioning you at the forefront of the digital age and securing a loyal customer base in the process.
Why marketers want more martech cohesion – and how Vistar Media’s end-to-end solution is evolving to meet the demands of the fast-moving DOOH marketplace.
‘Martech is just a tool; to deliver it right, it must be addressed throughout the entire marketing ecosystem’; so say 66% of CMOs, in a recent survey from The Drum and AAR. And when marketing leaders say there’s a problem with how their martech solutions are stacking up, their partners must evolve and adapt to answer their call.
Take digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising. This fast-moving market is one of the most exciting emerging media to watch in 2024. Why? Because as the medium has evolved, so too have its targetability and buying flexibility benefits, making it a must-have for today’s marketers, increasingly capturing eyeballs and generating action from consumers in effective and innovative ways.
It’s no wonder that players on the demand and supply side are jostling to grab their individual slices of the action. But, in doing so, they’re in danger of splintering the potential of DOOH martech to piecemeal.
Calling for more cohesion The big challenge for more than half (55%) of marketing leaders over the next 12 months is the ability to link marketing to business growth, finds The Drum and AAR research. That means that squeezing the most value from every investment is crucial, yet the majority say they’re not using their platforms to their full potential.
Has marketing got a cohesion problem? According to nearly half (46%) of marketers, digital, content and media strategies need to be more integrated and less silo-ed. Little wonder, then, that the majority (66%) know that an end-to-end approach is key for delivering martech success.
With more than 10 years’ experience in the adtech and martech space, Karan Singh, the newly-appointed general manager of Vistar Media, knows this all too well:
“CMOs are under more pressure than ever to prove their worth to CEOs. But there’s so much unfulfilled potential from today’s martech investments. Today’s need for cohesive customer experiences calls for a cohesive – yet specialist - approach across all channels and technologies. And that’s especially important when it comes to an evolving marketplace like DOOH.”
Joining up the DOOH opportunity With 45% of total OOH spend predicted to be digital by 2027, the dynamic, interactive, targeted and measurable nature of DOOH ads prompt 65% of consumers to search, post, or visit a brand. That’s no small outcome in today’s fickle, fragmented marketplace.
Programmatic buying is playing a massive part in the DOOH boom, with spend forecast to grow at an annual rate of 39%, to reach $4.7bn by 2028. This potential is thanks to the combination of driving awareness at scale and packing a creative punch, in a way which is highly measurable. Recent programmatic innovations include dynamic ads which adapt their images and messaging to the time and place. Meanwhile, consumers who have been exposed to a campaign can now be retargeted on mobile and other channels.
“Thanks to programmatic buying, DOOH is increasingly connected to the wider omnichannel mix,” says Singh. “Its audience insights serve more meaningful interactions that benefit brands and communities, at scale. And its immersive experiences bridge the physical and digital worlds to reach consumers in the moments that matter. In this sense, programmatic DOOH is the glue in today’s marketing ecosystem, providing the cohesion that marketers crave.
“And so, it makes sense to adopt an equally cohesive, specialist approach when it comes to choosing DOOH martech.”
An end-to-end approach Currently, the DOOH marketplace is teeming with players who offer marketers a demand-side platform (DSP) which allows marketers to reach audiences. Or those who offer a supply-side platform (SSP), connecting media owners with the marketers wanting to buy their ad spaces. Then there are others selling digital signage software. With so much fragmentation, how do marketers deliver the holistic approach they know will get the best out of their martech investment?
Vistar Media is a DOOH player who thinks it has the answer. The company’s rebrand underlines its end-to-end proposition for a marketplace crying out for cohesion. It connects marketers, media owners and audiences at scale, offering an integrated DSP, a SSP and digital-signage software solution which enables more transparent, efficient, future-proofed DOOH investments which aren’t reliant on third-party cookies.
“Our end-to-end approach means that marketers have direct access to an extensive inventory, so they can target any audience, on any screen with more data-driven, personalized, creative, resulting in more ‘action-driving’ attention, but in a less intrusive way,” explains Singh. “At the same time, we offer media owners the technology they need to monetize their ad spaces more effectively and set their prices according to real-time demand.
“Meeting marketers’ need for end-to-end solutions throughout the whole marketing ecosystem can’t just be about a tech sell. Global knowledge on a local scale is also key to maximizing DOOH investments, so we also provide marketers and media owners with specialist consultancy and strategy support.”
The evolution of DOOH will continue to be one to watch throughout 2024. From data-driven creativity to increased targetability and measurability, its storytelling canvases will rewrite the story of advertising. Adopting a cohesive, end-to-end approach will help marketers own that story and futureproof their advertising performance this year and beyond.
To find out more about Vistar Media’s rebrand and how it is supporting advertisers to deliver a more cohesive programmatic DOOH buying experience, visit here.
The consumer health company behind brands like Buscopan, Allevia and Dulcolax won its first-ever Cannes Lion last year. For The Drum’s Health and Pharma Focus, we look at the seven-point plan that brought creativity into the organization.
Health marketing isn’t exactly known for its creativity; it’s not the cool sector everyone is desperate to make ads for. But Alberto Hernandez, chief growth officer at Sanofi Consumer Healthcare, wanted to challenge that notion and make health advertising a bit sexier.
“As a previously boring self-care company, we were not a destination for creatives who wanted to explore crazy ideas: they prefer to go to a Heinz or a P&G or a Unilever or Nestlé or anyone else rather than us,” he tells The Drum.
We’ve all seen the traditional healthcare ads, starting with a gray-scale world and a person in pain who takes some medication before the world around them suddenly brightens and life is wonderful again.
“That ecosystem, which has been perpetrated over decades, has been so ingrained into the brains of people in this industry that it generally doesn’t allow us to go outside and explore different ways of expressing our brands,” says Hernandez.
Yes, healthcare advertising is regulated, but Hernandez says the industry holds itself back with what he calls “perceived constraint,”
“There is a little bit of weight that we carry with us that hasn’t allowed us to unlock the potential of our brands to the degree that other industries have been able to do, even if they’re regulated. We did it to ourselves.” He gives the example of the financial and travel industries, both highly regulated but able to connect with consumers emotionally.
For Hernandez, healthcare has more license to inject emotion into its communications. These are products that can help people sleep, relieve their back pain or help with digestion. “The relief we can generate can create an emotional connection with a brand that is far beyond any other industry. The only thing is that we have been our worst enemy.”
The task then was to “evangelize” the business.
Looking outside the categoryTo execute his plan, Hernandez and 12 marketers from different Sanofi brands went to Cannes Lions to learn from creatives outside the health category. “While other people go to Cannes to do the partying, we had a full-on four-day agenda. We wanted to see who does experience planning better than anyone else, who does brand better than anyone else, who talks about emotional connection in health better than anyone else.”
On the fifth day, the group came together to compare notes and create a seven-point plan to make Sanofi a more creative place. The plan was presented to the leadership team, who approved it, and then the marketing function began implementing it.
Some highlights include the formation of the ‘Creative Lab,’ which brings together internal and external experts to meet for three hours a month to review Sanofi’s previous month’s marketing output. The group also invites marketers from aspirational brands such as Red Bull and Dove into its offices to see what it can learn from them.
Then there is the ‘Crazy Creative Fund,’ which permits Hernandez to take money from the budget to fund out-of-the-box ideas. Anyone from the Creative Lab can pitch an idea and the commission is decided by democracy. So far, the lab has funded nine ideas, including its Cannes Lions win.
Video of Enterogermina Ready Player MomLoading...One other action point Hernandez flags is the changing of the briefing process – what he calls “a dramatic simplification of the process,” It’s now a single page and the word ‘and’ is banned, as are bullet points. He says that allowing people to make choices makes them less brave. “This then translates into less bravery in the way that creatives look at your brief and translates into less brave ideas.”
The strategy has seen Buscopan run a Fashion Week campaign and Enterogermina produce a gaming activation called ‘Ready Player Mom,’ the latter landing Sanofi its first Cannes Lion.
Since Hernandez introduced his plan, Sanofi has seen a 437% increase in creative awards compared with the previous year.
“By embracing creativity as a way of operating the organization, agencies are now telling us that we’re considered a destination because talent wants to come and work for us because they can bring ideas.”
Amid all the talk of cookie deprecation, we can’t forget that many digital marketing strategies still rely on getting users to opt-in to data sharing, says Space & Time’s Tom Gillan. In healthcare, that’s not easy.
You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it accept cookies.
In healthcare professional (HCP) marketing, as elsewhere, achieving high cookie acceptance rates is a common goal. But it’s not easy, amid concerns over privacy, regulatory compliance, and limited time and attention spans.
- Read more on medicine, marketing, and media at The Drum’s health and pharma focus
These challenges underscore the importance of navigating the delicate balance between data acquisition and privacy concerns. The good news is that there are viable strategies to enhance cookie acceptance rates while addressing the unique needs of HCPs. They all start by understanding those three factors that make cookie acceptance rates so low for HCPs (privacy, compliance, and time/attention).
1. Personalized privacy policies
Navigating the delicate balance between data acquisition and privacy concerns is a constant challenge for HCP-only landing pages. David Reim of healthcare identity company DMD IQVIA sheds light on this issue, noting that “44% of polled HCPs reported encountering a growing number of sign-up barriers.” These hurdles often manifest as content hidden behind paywalls or registration forms, as companies strive to gather valuable HCP data.
Comparative analysis with other industries, as highlighted by Deloitte’s 2020 study on cookie benchmarks, reveals intriguing insights. Opt-in rates for consent management platforms within the life sciences & healthcare sector appear to surpass those in the consumer and public sectors. However, despite these variances, a concerning trend emerges across industries: 55% of websites lack the option for users to tailor cookie consent settings.
But we have to focus on personalizing the user journey, advocating for tailored creative and experiences based on channel and audience segmentation. Extending this sentiment to encompass the entire user journey, from awareness to conversion, necessitates comprehensively addressing privacy concerns. To mitigate these concerns, HCPs should be empowered with personalized privacy preference settings, allowing them to fine-tune consent preferences and ensuring a more transparent and tailored user experience.
2. Regulatory compliance
Ensuring compliance with relevant regulations, such as GDPR in Europe and the UK’s Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR), is paramount for consent management platforms operating in healthcare.
Pharmaceutical product or congress landing pages must adhere to these regulations to safeguard the privacy and data rights of healthcare professionals. While the EU provides a general privacy framework through GDPR, individual countries also have their own specific regulations governing this sector, leading to a complex regulatory landscape.
Concentrix states that, for advertising medical devices, “11 out of 22 countries had EU healthcare regulations that require restricting medical device marketing to healthcare professionals only”. This variation necessitates careful consideration and implementation of compliance measures that extend beyond regional boundaries.
Relying solely on regional websites may not suffice due to these diverse regulatory requirements. Instead, consent management platforms must adopt a comprehensive approach that accounts for the nuances of each country's regulations. By diligently adhering to GDPR and other applicable regulations, consent management platforms can build trust with healthcare professionals and mitigate legal risks.
3. Limited time and attention
HCPs are busy. They have a lot on their plates: caring for patients, professional development, administrative tasks. So, when they're online, they're usually focused on what they need to get done. When they see those cookie consent messages pop up, they often ignore them. They’re more interested in their patients or finding the information they need about a particular therapy.
To make sure HCPs pay attention to cookie consent requests, companies need to make them easy to understand and not too intrusive. This is always a difficult balance to achieve.
Educational resources related to data privacy, can make more likely to engage with the landing page, and build long-term trust with the advertiser. Researcher Sarah E. Carter has said that “re-purposing notices for value-centered privacy decisions could retain the original normative underpinnings of notice – to respect autonomy – while also promoting more meaningful data privacy decisions and an overall better experience”. What this might mean in practice is the provision of more autonomy to target HCPs (alongside educational content, imbuing the user with self-determination).
… And don’t forget about UX
Each of these points is compounded by user experience. We have to make it easy for users to accept or decline cookies with clear options and intuitive design. It’s also all dependent on driving qualified leads to your desired landing page; the cookie opt-in process must be envisioned within the marketing funnel, as a separate step after consideration.
For more analysis of the health and medicine landscapes, head over to our health and pharma in focus hub.
Our quickfire analysis of the brand, marketing and media stories that might just crop up in your meetings and conversations today.
Peloton loses CEO as sales tumbleHome fitness brand Peloton has lost its CEO Barry McCarthy and is slashing 15% of its workforce to tackle a post-pandemic slump in demand for its connected fitness equipment.
Sales at Peloton had boomed during the pandemic as gyms closed and people tried to stay fit from home. However, despite aggressive marketing and advertising sales collapsed as the world reopened and McCarthy attempted to revamp Peloton as a subscription business.
Peloton has not made a net profit since December 2020 and the brand expects connected fitness members for the year to be between 2.96 million and 2.98 million, lower by 30,000 members from the prior forecast.
Once valued at over $50bn, the company is now worth just $1.1bn.
McCarthy is a former Netflix and Spotify executive and joined Peloton in February 2022, replacing co-founder John Foley. Under McCarthy, Peloton tried numerous tactics to revamp its business. The company ended its app’s free membership option, expanded into corporate wellness and brokered deals with brands including Lululemon and Hyatt hotels.
Source: The Guardian
Guardian cuts jobs as revenues tumbleA sharp slowdown in advertising revenues has led The Guardian to launch a redundancy program as it looks to cut costs by up to 5%.
Editor-in-chief Katharine Viner sent an email to staff outlining plans for a “small number of voluntary redundancies” as it seeks to cut its costs.
The note said an “advertising recession and challenging market conditions are impacting negatively on all media companies, including the Guardian”. Viner’s email added that The Guardian was now 60% funded by its readers through sales and donations, cutting its reliance on advertising and newsstand sales.
However, she said the business still had to make “difficult decisions” over budgets after warning the ad slump would drive the business to a £39m loss in 2023.
The company employed 1,014 journalists last year, up from 860 in 2019, while staff costs increased by more than £30m over the same period.
Source: The Telegraph
Apple sales fall, but bosses remain positiveApple is reporting its biggest losses in a year, but boss Tim Cook is remaining bullish about the outlook for the tech giant.
Sales slumped 4% year-on-year in the first three months of 2024 to $90.8 billion (£72.5 billion), weighed down by a sharp drop in demand for iPhones.
Executives said the results were distorted by Covid-related supply disruptions, which led to unusually strong sales during the same period last year. They said sales would return to growth in the months ahead, noting upcoming product launches and investments in artificial intelligence (AI).
At Apple, quarterly sales of iPhone dropped more than 10% year-on-year and sales slipped in every geographic region except for Europe, with the firm's critical greater China market seeing a fall of 8%.
"I couldn't be more excited about the future we have ahead of us," said Cook.
Source: The FT
Sony and Apollo make $26 billion offer for ParamountSony Pictures and Apollo Global Management are understood to have made a $ 26 billion offer to buy troubled media brand Paramount.
Paramount is home to some of the world’s biggest media brands including Paramount Pictures, CBS, MTV, the UK’s Channel 5 and Australia’s Channel Ten. The movie studio’s blockbuster hits include the Mission: Impossible franchise and The Godfather.
But Paramount has struggled with the transition to streaming media and has been hit by internal power struggles. Bob Bakish, Paramount’s chief executive and one of the longest-serving media bosses in the US, was ousted amid reports that he had clashed with Shari Redstone, Paramount’s current controlling shareholder, over her plans to sell the company.
Paramount has been considering a merger with Skydance Media, a production company led by David Ellison, the producer, and son of Larry Ellison, the billionaire tech tycoon.
Skydance has backed Paramount movies such as Top Gun: Maverick, but the deal has reportedly infuriated some shareholders who have argued it short-changes shareholders and is too generous to Redstone. Skydance has now increased the amount of money that could go toward Paramount’s balance sheet to $3bn, from $1.5bn.
Source: The Guardian
Nostalgic Nokia phone to get a rebootThe retro Nokia mobile phone is to get a reboot and the new phone will once include the addictive game Snake.
HMD has recently launched its own mid-range smartphones, but that doesn't mean it's exiting the Nokia nostalgia business as a leak has revealed its imminent reboot of one of Nokia's most-loved phone models.
The Nokia 3210 was launched back in 1999 and became known as the 'mobile' that virtually everyone owned. HMD recently hinted on X (formerly Twitter) that it'd be rebooting a Nokia classic soon.
Expected to be more colorful than the functional grey phone we all remember, the reborn Nokia 3210 will be officially launched on May 8 (with an on-sale date of May 15). The design isn't exactly a faithful replica – there are similarities in the button layout, but it's otherwise arguably closer to a Nokia 3310 from the early 2000s.
Source: Tech Radar
The brand is offering a lifetime supply of OJ, plus a check to cover honeymoon expenses to couples who are willing to commit to a lifelong pulp preference.
Few things portend marital bliss like a long list of shared interests. And according to orange juice brand Tropicana, there’s one big question that every engaged couple needs to come to an agreement on before stepping up to the wedding dais: pulp or no pulp?
The brand is capitalizing on the fast-approaching summer wedding season with a new marketing campaign, titled “Pulp Prenup.” Launched just ahead of National Orange Juice Day (May 04), the campaign calls upon couples to commit to a shared, lifelong devotion to one of three pulp categories: #TeamPulp, #TeamSomePulp and #TeamNoPulp.
Applicants need not be engaged in order to apply. “While prenups may be traditional for engaged couples, Tropicana believes it's never a bad time to decide with your partner which Tropicana Pure Premium orange juice you're going to enjoy till pulp do you part,” the brand wrote in its press release.
One pair of applicants will be selected to win a lifetime supply of OJ with their chosen pulp quantity and a check to cover honeymoon expenses. (An amount that would be credited was not specified.) Unlike a traditional prenuptial agreement, or prenup, the brand doesn’t seem to be making any kind of claims about who should take custody of this huge supply of juice in the event of a divorce.
The campaign follows a survey commissioned by Tropicana which found that just over half (52%) of participants, all of them American adults, reported having “strong feelings” about pulp, according to a press release from the brand. 26%, furthermore, believe that it’s important to agree on pulp preference with your prospective life partner before tying the knot, while 19% – somewhat alarmingly – reportedly said “they would not consider starting a romantic relationship with someone if they had a different orange juice pulp preference.”
Available to all legal US residents, Pulp Prenup is being hosted on a dedicated microsite between the 4th and the end of the month.
For more, sign up for The Drum’s daily newsletter.
Healthcare is (rightly) among the most tightly regulated spaces in marketing. But it’s still possible to be agile and creative, says Impression’s Amy Stamper. Here’s how.
In any vertical, there’s capacity for good and bad advertising. But where health advertising holds significant sway over public perception and medical decision-making, ethical considerations are arguably far more important.
- Read more on medicine, marketing, and media at The Drum’s health and pharma focus
Brands in this space grapple with potential dilemmas every day, including in their work to effectively engage users online despite blockers including platform rules, and external guidelines.
First, go Meta
This all starts with platform choice: whichever you choose needs to navigate regulatory compliance, audience targeting, content moderation, and brand safety considerations. Many advertisers find their audience with Meta, used by over 3 billion people around the world.
On Meta, ads with medical terminology/imagery receive additional scrutiny (both automated and human) to ensure compliance with community standards and avoid misleading or harmful content, as laid out by the social giant’s guidelines around how we talk about health (for example: avoid close-up imagery on the health condition of a person). So, even if an advertiser is qualified by Meta to promote prescription medication, creatives need to avoid click-bait imagery of medical issues. All ads (animations, graphics, or photos) about social issues such as health may also need to add a verified ‘Paid for by’ disclaimer, or risk removal. Both animations and disclaimers can seen in ads by the likes of Pfizer, and the wider Meta ads library.
Including terms & conditions (T&Cs) within the ad itself can ensure transparency and compliance with regulatory requirements – as with traditional print ads with their (usually tiny-fonted) disclaimers. Or due to space limitations and the need for concise messaging, providing a link to T&Cs may be more practical and effective. Ultimately, whether to include T&Cs within the ad depends on the complexity of the message. If a message is complex and shortening it into a few words of copy is misleading, then more text or switching format (for example to video), might be advantageous.
Health-related targeting is over, so what now?
Health-related targeting (along with most other granular audiences) has been deprecated, so we find ourselves in the broad targeting paradigm.
Against this backdrop, we can still lean heavily on creative to find the right audience and get them to self-select by engaging. We just need to avoid calling call out personal attributes. For example, ‘asthma clinical trials in London’ would be acceptable, but ‘Do you have asthma? Find a clinical trial’ would not.
Getting creative
Ethics regulations can dictate how we speak within this vertical. Sticking with the clinical trial example, rules state that we can’t emphasize payment, but can mention compensation if available. In recent work, we’ve found that communicating only the altruistic benefits of trials performed poorly on its own versus including a reference to the compensation for volunteer time and inconvenience.
Ultimately, ads need to contain multiple messages, which can necessitate longer-than-standard ad copy to get approval while also ensuring that click-through rates remain high.
Advertisers also need to be aware of the requirements to get formal approval of all advertising collateral for compliance (“Any health-related research project [...] must have been reviewed and be in receipt of a favorable opinion from a recognized Research Ethics Committee (REC)”). This means that advertisers may not be as reactive with changing assets - even adding emojis or shortening copy needs approval. We’ve found that submitting a bank of copy and creative every few months (both iterations of existing ads and new concepts) results in bulk approvals, rather than an always-on approach where we change ads regularly. It’s also best to include full technical details in the submission documents. Reviewers are typically not marketing experts, so providing details such as character length and full mockups leads to speedier decisions.
Yet, there’s still room for creativity. User-generated content (UGC) generates 6.9 times more engagement on social media platforms than brand content, and 80% of consumers say that UGC strongly influences their purchasing decisions. The health vertical is slower to adopt trends, but pharma giants like Pfizer are testing the UGC waters. The value of UGC is proven in our recent work, where our top ads are UGC-inspired – a far cry from historic text-heavy formats. It can take time to demonstrate to clients that UGC can abide by guidelines, but a gradual pivot toward informal, authentic content reduces costs over time.
Marrying compelling messaging with a commitment to transparency and accuracy isn’t easy.
Strategic ways of working, alongside necessary compromises on best practise for regulators, is the best way to walk the tightrope between compliance and creativity.
For more analysis of the health and medicine landscapes, head over to our health and pharma in focus hub.
Our quickfire analysis of the brand, marketing and media stories that might just crop up in your meetings and conversations today.
UMG and TikTok sign music dealUniversal Music Group (UMG) has struck a new licensing deal with TikTok, allowing its artists’ music back on the platform after a previous contract lapse. This follows UMG’s move to remove its artists’ songs from TikTok in February due to failed negotiations.
The agreement resolves disputes over compensation, granting UMG’s extensive catalog access to TikTok’s billion-plus users. Notably, this deal benefits UMG’s artists and songwriters with improved pay and promotional opportunities.
Additionally, both companies plan to explore new revenue streams through TikTok’s e-commerce features and collaborate on AI development to safeguard music industry economics.
The pact underscores the growing influence of social media platforms in the music industry and the ongoing efforts to ensure fair compensation for artists.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Snapchat gets an AI makeoverSnapchat is rolling out an array of fresh features, including the long-awaited ability to edit sent messages, correcting those cringe-worthy typos with ease. This update also introduces emoji reactions and map reactions, enhancing communication dynamics. Moreover, a new AI-powered reminders function aims to keep users organized and on track.
The edit message option comes with a five-minute window and is contingent on the recipient not yet opening it, initially accessible to Snapchat Plus subscribers. This mirrors a trend seen in Elon Musk’s Twitter Blue, now X Premium.
Post-sent message editing has become a sought-after feature across messaging platforms, with Meta’s Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp adopting it recently. Apple integrated it into iOS 16, potentially followed by Google.
Snapchat amplifies its AI capabilities, leveraging My AI chatbot and introducing features like personalized Bitmoji clothing creation and '90s-style AI Lenses. Additionally, users can now send regular emoji reactions and location-based reactions, enhancing interaction. These updates are live, with editable messages for Plus subscribers arriving soon.
Source: The Verge
Netflix axes Basic tier, angering subscribersNetflix faces backlash as it discontinues its non-ad-supported Basic tier, forcing users into ad-supported plans. Despite promises of cost savings and enhanced features, subscribers in the UK and Canada express frustration and threaten cancellations.
The move, driven by a quest for increased ad revenue, signals Netflix’s prioritization of profits over user satisfaction.
With previous controversies like password sharing crackdowns and frequent price hikes, the streaming giant risks alienating its loyal fanbase.
While executives anticipate financial gains, the decision underscores a growing trend of consumer distrust. As competitors vie for market dominance, Netflix must tread carefully to maintain its position as the premier streaming platform.
Source: Tech Radar
Roblox to show ads to users aged 13+Roblox is opening its video ad offerings to all advertisers, including Warner Bros Pictures and Walmart. Ads will target users aged 13 and up, comprising over half of its 71.5 million daily active users, with the platform emphasizing its ability to engage Gen Z consumers and drive global awareness
New features include genre targeting and brand suitability controls. Ad publishers must meet specific requirements for participation. Brands can leverage these controls in the Ads Manager to choose suitable content.
Later in 2024, a cost-per-completed views model will be available, along with IAS’s viewability and IVT measurement products.
Source: Variety
Food giants accused of manipulating kids with packagingA report by Bite Back, which is affiliated with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, accuses major food companies of using colorful packaging and cartoon characters to manipulate children into craving unhealthy snacks.
The study analyzed 262 foods with “colorful, child-appealing wrappers” and deemed 78% as unhealthy due to high fat, salt or sugar content. Bite Back singled out brands including Kinder Surprise, M&Ms and Monster Munch Giants.
Mondelez International, Ferrero, Mars, PepsiCo and Kellogg’s were highlighted for marketing numerous unhealthy products to kids.
James Toop of Bite Back is urging government intervention, emphasizing the need to curb these tactics. However, companies including Mondelez refute the claims, stating adherence to marketing regulations and targeting adults.
Amid growing concerns about childhood obesity, calls for stricter regulations on food packaging and advertising intensify, with some suggesting a 9pm watershed on advertising such products. The debate underscores the ongoing battle between health advocates and food industry interests.
Source: The Guardian
Bulgaria votes for sweeping gambling advertising banBulgaria’s government has approved a bill banning almost all gambling advertising, which affects online, TV, radio, print, and building displays.
The bill also mandates responsible gambling messages in ads, with penalties for non-compliance up to 50,000 Bulgarian Lev ($27,000). The Council for Electronic Media will monitor adherence and violators will be reported to the Bulgarian National Revenue Agency.
Amendments to gambling law include raising slot machine license capital requirements and limiting gambling to areas with populations over 10,000. Licensees face a new “socially responsible fee” benefiting addiction treatment.
These changes reflect Bulgaria’s evolving gambling market, with recent efforts to combat money laundering and regulate self-exclusion. This move parallels Romania’s similar legislative action, signaling broader shifts in Eastern European gambling regulation.
Source: iGB
The Norwegian forward is a self-confessed fan of the game, and this epic spot has fans all hyped up. The fusion of sports and gaming has landed this David New York work as our top ad today.
Clash of Clans is one of the world’s most popular games, having been downloaded over 2bn times. Now, soccer legend Erling Haaland is set to become the famous ‘Barbarian King’ within it.
The partnership is brilliant because it’s unexpected, with many football and gaming fans discussing the news online, enhancing the brand’s visibility and reach. But what makes it even more clever is that the Manchester United player is truly a fan of the game.
Apparently, Haaland has already built an impressive in-game village that he’s defended from rival clans. Players can now try to defeat this, which adds another immersive aspect to the campaign.
Additionally, the cinematic ad is dramatic and engaging. The spot adopts an action-movie style and even comes with a unique ‘Haaland’ soundtrack that gets stuck in your head.
New legislation puts people before procedures, says Lucy Hobbs of Inizio Evoke for The Drum’s health and pharma focus.
We’re no strangers to aesthetics. In fact, the number of people receiving ‘tweakments’ has grown to 11% of the UK population. So it’s no surprise that governments, both in the UK and elsewhere, are looking to shake up legislation around non-surgical procedures – and that those changes are sparking conversations across the aesthetics industry.
Why the change now? Well, we’ve all heard horror stories of botched cosmetic procedures. For some people, the physical and emotional impact is immense. Devastating, even. Yet, reports of inexperienced aestheticians have continued to rise along with complaints from patients.
Calling time on unregulated cosmetics
Here in the UK, since a recent amendment to the Health and Care Act 2022, the secretary of state for health and social care now has the power to bring in a licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England.
The upshot? We have to get ready for a new traffic light system. Under the scheme, all cosmetic procedures will be categorized by their risk: red, amber, or green.
Red (high-risk) will include procedures like thread lifting and hair restoration surgery. Soon, these will only be allowed to be carried out by regulated healthcare professionals (HCPs).
Botox and dermal fillers will fall into amber (medium-risk). Under the new legislation, non-healthcare professionals will need licensing and oversight by qualified HCPs.
Green (low-risk) will cover microneedling, ‘photofacial’ techniques based on ‘intense pulsed light’ (IPL) and LED therapies, and mesotherapy. Practitioners meeting agreed standards will be able to perform these without additional oversight.
The future of aesthetics
Though there's no set date for these changes, doctors, dentists, pharmacists, and nurses have a unique, time-sensitive chance to stay at the forefront of aesthetics.
When the licensing scheme comes into effect, healthcare professionals will be required to have their premises certified. Getting ahead of the curve will help them safeguard their businesses.
Introducing a licensing scheme means patients can be reassured that their chosen practitioner is medically qualified to perform ‘amber’ and ‘red’ procedures in a clean and safe environment. Most importantly, adverse effects can be regulated and handled professionally, which are a common risk of these types of procedures.
What will happen to the big aesthetic brands?
These changes could have a huge impact on big brands and their marketing strategies. Aesthetic companies may need to adjust their messaging or marketing tactics to comply with the new regulations. They might also need to have more oversight on procedures that use their brands. This way, they can make sure they maintain a premium offering and protect their reputation.
While all this will take some work up front, these adjustments could actually benefit big brands, which have a clear opportunity to differentiate themselves from competitors by collaborating with clinics to help streamline compliance efforts. Brands might offer support in the form of consulting services, or partnership agreements to ensure that clinics have access to the necessary resources and expertise.
Aesthetics companies, meanwhile, can play an essential role engaging in advocacy efforts to shape the development of the licensing scheme. This could involve working with regulatory authorities (as mentioned above), industry associations, and other stakeholders to ensure that the needs of both brands and clinics are taken into account.
Big brands could benefit from investing in educational initiatives to help clinics understand and comply with the new licensing requirements as well as championing those that do. This could include providing detailed guidelines, online courses, and in-person training sessions to ensure that clinics are equipped to meet regulatory standards.
Investing in educational initiatives for clinics not only ensures compliance with regulatory standards but also presents significant opportunities for big aesthetic brands to enhance their reputation, differentiate themselves in the market, mitigate risks, foster relationships, and drive sales. It's a win-win situation for both brands and clinics, strengthening the overall ecosystem of the aesthetic industry and ensuring a safe and reputable environment for patients.
Overall, big aesthetic brands would need to adapt to ensure compliance while also supporting clinics in meeting their regulatory obligations. Collaboration, education, and innovation are likely to be key strategies in navigating this evolving regulatory landscape.
For more analysis of the health and medicine landscapes, head over to our health and pharma in focus hub.
Ever shared an article on social media after reading only its headline? Jamie Bailey of Ledger Bennett explains that slowing down can be key to making meaningful content
“Polar bears face starvation threat as ice melts.”
What's the point of a headline? To give the newspaper reader a clear picture of an event.
That’s a good newspaper headline because the message has been shared concisely and clearly. You don’t really need to know anything else. You can infer that the melting ice results in a lack of food for polar bears. It doesn’t take much work.
But there’s a big difference between newspapers reporting a factual story and the kind of thing we tend to see in the marketing articles all over our LinkedIn feeds. Polar bears starving is one thing, a deep dive into the transformative power of AI-driven omnichannel marketing is quite another.
Unfortunately, we’re all guilty of reading a headline and assuming we know what the rest of the content will say – and that affects how we read it, if we read it at all. And we’re just as guilty of forming opinions based on those initial assumptions.
It's the same with B2B content. We see a snappy headline like: “AI-driven omnichannel marketing is the future of B2B marketing“ and share it on social media, without really knowing what the content is about.
Before you know it, there’s a ripple of: “AI-driven omnichannel marketing is the future of B2B marketing“ posts on social media from people who couldn’t tell you the first thing about omnichannel marketing – or all the other considerations and caveats that come with it.
And that’s a dumb thing for us to do.
Think slowly to avoid wrong conclusions
Many compelling stories are just waiting to be heard. But to be able to dive into world-changing arguments, we first need to get past the clickbait world of headlines.
Because some ideas need several paragraphs, not 70 characters.
So why do we often pay more attention to compelling headlines than the content that comes after?
Thankfully, it’s not our fault for thinking this way.
In Thinking, Fast and Slow,Daniel Kahneman outlines two systems of thought. System one (thinking fast) is responsible for our intuitive knowledge and the split-second decision-making we don’t even notice taking place. System two (thinking slow) is responsible for deeper, more deliberate, more active thought and decision-making.
But system two is notoriously lazy. If it can leave the heavy lifting to system one, it will.
The problem with system one? Its ability to map stored knowledge onto new events leads to a tendency to jump to conclusions. And they aren’t always right.
Deciding “ice melts“ means less food sources for polar bears – and less food for polar bears means a heightened risk of starvation – is an example of our system one jumping to a correct conclusion.
But deciding: “AI-driven omnichannel marketing is the future of B2B marketing“ means that all you need to succeed in 2024 is some more AI-driven omnichannel marketing – whatever that means – and you can ditch everything else?
That’s clearly a bit dumb.
And yet, that’s what you might end up thinking if you scour LinkedIn posts re-sharing the article.
It's not all bad news
The good news is – it isn’t all bad. I’m not lamenting every single marketer in existence. Consider this more of a rallying cry to engage your system two brain a bit more and take the time to properly think about what the experts in our industry are really trying to tell us.
Think deeper. Think slower. Stop taking things at face value.
It won’t end world hunger.
But it might end a LinkedIn feed full of know-nothings.
Atomic Matter’s Frankie Everson has lost patience with healthcare’s dependency on language like ‘patients.’ She shares how her time with illness revealed just how dehumanizing the term actually is.
As a strategist working on health brands, I’ve spent the best part of my career trying to imagine and evoke what has always been described as the ‘patient experience.’ I’ve diligently mapped out ‘patient journeys,’ trawling the internet for quotes and blogs that help bring to life the intricacies of living with a particular disease. I’ve tried my best to bring ‘patient insight’ into my briefs.
Yet it was only a couple of years ago, by becoming a ‘patient’ myself, that I recognized I had barely been scratching the surface. Having experienced the emotional trauma of acute illness and having been at the whim of an often painfully slow health system, I was able to see with great clarity how the single bullet point on many of my patient journey maps - ‘awaits results’ - is actually an agonizing, emotional ordeal which can feel insurmountable. I was utterly in awe of the angelic powers of nurses, once relegated to ‘additional touchpoints’ on my detailed diagrams. I was struck by the loneliness of sickness, no matter the size of your support network; and how abstractly and carelessly I grasped that notion before.
There is a huge chasm between what we think we know as healthcare marketers and what we actually know about the experiences of people living with illness. For an industry where humanity should be at the very heart of what we do, there’s a startling lack of empathy.
Why is this the case?
I believe the word ‘patient’ has a lot to answer for. It’s a word which, as an industry, we use all the time; yet there’s a certain detachment to it which I now find uncomfortable (though using it is a hard habit to shake off).
It allows people to be described in functional terms, presented as case studies in medical textbooks: ‘23-year-old woman with bi-lateral ovarian tumor’; ‘55-year-old man diagnosed with stage four non-small-cell lung carcinoma’. It allows us to bypass the moment of devastation when you’re 23 and single, and the doctors explain that you may never have children, or you’re 55 and you’re told you have 3 months to live and need to find a way to explain this to your wife and kids. It allows us to sidestep the idea that these are people. It could be any one of us.
The word ‘patient’ also allows us to make huge generalizations when creating marketing communications - ‘Cancer patients wouldn’t be playing tennis’; ‘She doesn’t look enough like a diabetes patient.’ At best, this kind of generalization is careless; at worst, we risk implying that a disease state defines a person.
So, let’s ditch that word: ‘patient.’ ‘Person’ will do.
Let’s step away from our desks - from research reports, from social listening, from blog scraping - and actually talk to people. Whether it’s a chat over coffee and cake, or something more formal like an ethnography study, we must find ways to go beneath the surface and understand what really makes them tick: their hopes and fears, their likes and dislikes, what keeps them up at night. By grounding our work in a place of truth and realism and seeing ‘patients’ as the individuals they really are, we bridge the gap between marketing intentions and the raw realities of illness, creating impactful and deeply resonant stories.
It’s time to stop the sense of detachment that so often plagues our industry and to put humanity back into healthcare. It’s the motivating factor behind the launch of Atomic Matter, and, drawing from our own personal experiences with serious illness, we’re making it our mission to do more of the kind of work that strikes a chord: work that has a measurable impact on the world, because it comes from a place of truth. Our health matters, and the words we choose to talk about it matter - more than in any other industry. Watch this space.
Frankie Everson is co-founder and head of strategy at the newly launched creative healthcare agency Atomic Matter.
This piece ran as part of The Drum's Health and Pharma Focus.
More than a minor disruption, the deprecation of third-party cookies is a transformative shift in the digital advertising landscape - and advertisers need an action plan.
The post-cookie world isn’t coming, it’s here. Google Chrome, following Firefox and Safari, has finally started deprecating third-party cookies.
This new reality undoubtedly poses some tricky questions and challenges for brands: how can advertisers keep - or indeed improve - on marketing performance without third-party cookies? How is consumer data gathered and analyzed now? What does the new advertising landscape look like in the era of signal loss, where traditional tracking, targeting, and measurement methods are no longer viable?
LiveRamp has the answer to those questions in a new e-book exploring how to elevate campaign targeting, activation, and measurement strategies in the age of cookieless, to ensure a smooth transition into this new world, and steps to ensure swift implementation.
Download the advertiser action plan: how to navigate the post-cookie era e-book to:
- Understand how cookie deprecation will transform digital
- Learn how to build trust and loyalty by adapting your advertising strategies
- Find the key steps to ease your transition into a world without cookies.
As part of The Drum’s Health & Pharma Focus, Green Square founder Tony Walford analyzes mergers and acquisitions in the sector and looks at what is driving investor interest.
Given medicines and therapy purchases are often necessity purchases, less prone to reductions in discretionary spend, and coupled with the significant size of pharma marketing budgets, it becomes obvious why healthcare marketing has always been high up on investors’ wish lists.
Historically, medical communications tended to be the preserve of the network advertising groups, all of which have their own healthcare subsets containing various specialist agencies (think Omnicom Health Group, Publicis Health, Havas Health and You – the list goes on), but given the attractiveness of the sector, it’s no surprise we’ve seen a rise in the number of PE firms entering the fray.
Some of these are huge $500m revenue life science commercialization firms, such as Eversana (backed by JLL/Water Street) and Blackstone-backed Precision Medical Group, but there are also more marketing-focused groups of varying size, many of which are just as significant.
For example, take Avalere Health, previously known as Fishawack. Following an LDC-backed MBO in 2017, it made several strategic acquisitions before reaching a pivot point in 2020 when more substantial investment was needed. This came in the form of Bridgepoint and it has since undergone significant transformation, having acquired 19 agencies and consultancies globally and employing over 1,500 staff.
OpenHealth started in 2011 as a joint venture between Chime and its founders. The management team scaled it through acquisition before selling it to Amulet Capital in 2018. Having scaled it further, Amulet subsequently sold it to Astorg in 2022. It’s now around $250m in turnover with over 1,400 staff.
Real Chemistry is a major player in the healthcare-integrated communications space and, with New Mountain’s backing since 2019, has invested further into its AI and data analytics capabilities, enhancing its service offerings. At its current 2,000 people and $600m turnover, it’s yet another example of how the right investment-backed strategy can achieve real scale. You can see the trend here.
Then there are the more mid-market players, such as Knox Lane-backed groups Spectrum Science and Fingerpaint, Waterland’s Sciris and Levine’s Prime Global. These firms have historically focused on investing in agencies delivering at least £2m profit, but there’s some new and entrepreneurial players entering the mix who are happy to look at smaller opportunities where the skills are a fit for what they are looking to build.
When it comes to selling a healthcare agency, there’s no one size fits all. That said, the majority of acquirers are looking for at least £1m EBITDA (and preferably at least twice that) for it to move the needle in terms of their own scale, unless it’s a niche offering or in a market they don’t already cover.
So, what’s the market currently doing? In 2023, partly impacted by the hike in debt funding costs and combined with many pharma companies reining in spend, which impacted some agencies’ revenues and profits, the headline number of deals declined. That said, it was still a busy year across the piece with 28 healthcare marketing transactions of note being completed.
2024 has started well and, again, it is predominantly the PE-backed acquirers leading the charge. Eight of the nine marketing-specific deals since January have involved PE and it has been a blend of healthcare comms, digital healthcare, market access and payer advisory agencies being bought. In some ways, we should probably stop referring to these groups as being ‘PE.’ The reality is they are now big trade buyers in their own right and sit at the acquisition table next to the publicly listed outfits – it’s become a bit irrelevant where the funding is from.
At Green Square, we’re finding digital health is a particularly active and sought-after area, with a growing focus on AI applications. This includes increasing interest in teletherapy platforms and mental health apps, which are attracting significant investment. AI-driven health tech is one of the hottest topics right now as acquirers seek to gain a competitive edge by incorporating these technologies into their existing marketing offerings, driving better insight and faster results for their clients.
Overall, M&A activity in healthcare marketing is likely to remain very dynamic, with those agencies that have specialist disciplines, particularly in data and tech, or of scale, being the most sought-after. We’re seeing no reduction in appetite from buyers and, coupled with potential Capital Gains Tax changes on the horizon for those based in the UK, it’s a good time for independent agencies to consider going to market.
EY’s master brand builder John Rudaizky shares his recipe for building enduring brand strength and measurable, long-term commercial and valuation impact.
Competition in the B2B landscape is fierce. Building a strong, distinctive global brand that stands the test of time requires many different ingredients. According to John Rudaizsky, partner, global brand & marketing leader at EY, five ingredients stand out among the rest.
In what can only be described as a mini-masterclass at B2B World Fest presented by The Drum in partnership with global B2B agency Stein IAS, Rudaizsky compares his own brand building journey at EY to climbing a mountain, and shares tips from his journey helping EY grow from a $27bn business to a $50bn business.
Here are his top five ingredients for building a successful B2B brand:
1. Define how to accelerate your brand through what you do and what you say
“The brand that you build has to start with the services that you provide,” says Rudaizsky. He suggests that these services - what a brand does - make up 70% of its success. But the other 30%, which focuses on what the brand tells people it does, is hugely important.
While products, services and solutions are obviously important, Rudaisky says, brands should not refrain from advertising in an attempt to remain humbly. He suggests that B2B communications is an essential way for brands to provide value to its audience,
EY does this through a long-running campaign based on asking better questions, which leads to better answers (that EY is well suited to provide).“Every question, every ad, that we push out actually provides value to the audience, as opposed to being seen as selling ourselves,” he says.
2. Have the confidence to do things differently
Building a strong brand requires the confidence to do things differently. Rudaizsky refers to an EY campaign launched recently to introduce its AI platform, EI.ai. The global campaign, named “Faces of the Future,” used AI technology to create a series of AI-generated talking heads from over 200 people describing the platform.
“You need confidence to push ideas forward,” he says. “In B2B, we're seeing a shift in the expectation of creativity. And so I do think that as a community, we've got to up the game and push the boundaries in the same way consumer advertising historically has done.”
3. Surround yourself with the best talent
Building the right team is critical in any discipline, and it’s especially important when building a strong B2B brand. “The team around you is the answer to everything,” says Rudaizsky. He emphasizes the importance of leveraging the skills and talents brought by different team members, and also of the necessity of working together with a team that truly believes in the brand vision.
4. Build extra-strength brand insulation
Rudaizsky says that there is a “fundamental need” to “insulate” any B2B brand so that it can withstand challenges, especially unexpected challenges.
Insulating a brand involves creating a positive brand perception so that customers are committed to the brand and become ardent defenders of it, even in the face of challenges.
To provide this insulation, he suggests building a metaphorical “coat” of armor around the brand by taking actions that increase brand resiliency, such as working together with other brands to build communities, and maintaining consistent messages, quality, and delivery over time to create strong customer relationships. This requires time and patience, but the payoff is worth it.
5. Pick yourself up when you have a challenge
No matter how much confidence you have, how well-insulated your brand is, and how strong your team is, building a brand is not plain sailing. Not every idea will work. Rudaizsky points out that even when you do find something that works, things can change quickly: a new technology is invented, a new competitor emerges, and you have to start again.
He doesn’t let this deter him – and suggests that others should not let it deter them, either. “One of the things I've always loved about the business I'm in is you just don't know what peak you’ve got to climb the next day,” says Rudaizsky. “Because it is a never ending journey to build a brand.”
Building a brand is a long-term transformation that doesn’t happen overnight. Rudinsky explains that EY has grown significantly over the past few years, and that its brand rating has also increased.
These metrics are constantly shifting, but this is part of what makes brand building so exciting. Having the confidence to bring others along and building a dedicated team is key when it comes to overcoming challenges and building enduring brand strength.
Catch up on Rudaizsky’s mini-masterclass for building an extra strength B2B brand at B2B World Fest 2023 from The Drum and Stein IAS, here on The Drum TV.
VML Health’s Jason Gloye is also a musical theatre major, two jobs he argues are surprisingly similar. For health brands, the marketing playbook was ripped up after the pandemic, opening up new approaches. Here are five.
Having dreamed of performing on Broadway, only to wind up on the adland side of Brooklyn, I’ve always told myself that advertising is just another form of theatre.
A pitch is really a production, a campaign is actually like directing a show, and brand loyalty – that’s a standing ovation. The metaphor works, I promise. Except in health. We’ve needed to evolve it. After years of traditional productions, we’ve finally ditched the old scripts.
Five years ago, health marketing had a predictable rhythm. Creative processes were as routine as the Brooklyn commute. Whether we were launching a brand or pushing for growth, there was a playbook for everything or a center of excellence to consult.
Today, the playbook is dead, replaced by critical thinking, creative collaboration and laser-focus on solving complex business challenges.
Redefining patient engagement
The focus on building ‘patient-centric’ brands has shifted from checking a box to deep collaboration and understanding. At the heart of any health issue is the story of life – we’re all people, not patients. That’s why, in recent years, we’ve adopted a more human-centered approach to engagement, partnering with communities across the spectrum to uncover insights that connect with real life.
Multimedia events like ‘A Night for MS’ are building communities and sharing patient stories to raise awareness of disease. Creative like ‘Invisibles’ - inspired by conversations with patients that reveal real-world truths. And initiatives like ‘The Cancer Currency’ – which helped change cancer policy in Europe – show patients aren’t just guiding the creative; they are creative.
Five years ago, we validated work with patients. Today, we’re co-creating with them.
Health equity: built-in, not bolt-on
Where you live shouldn’t determine if you live. Neither should age, ethnicity, gender or income. But they do. Health disparities are everywhere.
Just a few years ago, the standard approach to this felt bolt-on – content translated into multiple languages or ads featuring people from different ethnic groups. Today, we’re putting health equity at the heart of our campaigns as the industry goes full throttle to accelerate equitable care for all. Brands are showing up at Events like the Essence Festival to amplify voices in underserved communities. And campaigns like ‘Advil Believe My Pain’ show that equity considerations are being baked into work from the outset.
Going above brand
There’s no one in adland that won’t wax lyrical about the power of brands. They’re why we’re here. But partners are increasingly looking above-brand to cement positions as leaders in their space and get to the heart of unmet needs.
Disease leadership strategies have been around forever, but too often those budget lines were cut as companies pushed to improve brand revenues and see a “direct tie to sales”.
That’s history. Clients recognize disease leadership can galvanize change, providing opportunities to connect stakeholders, define challenges and co-create solutions. All agnostic of products. And all intent on improving the lives of people living with (and treating) conditions.
We’ve relaunched the launch
The blockbuster launch is dead – there, I said it. The ‘matching luggage’ approach – where core campaign messaging was crowbarred into every channel, ad nauseum – has been displaced by derivative, dynamic campaigns and messages built more natively for different audience segments.
The way we work at launch has changed too. 18 months of linear working is no longer a thing. Expectations are higher, and leveraging the power of a global footprint to ‘follow the sun’ is driving real-time delivery of breakthrough thinking.
Advances in tech and data obviously help – AI, for example, gifts us speed, scale and efficiency – but we’re maximizing the opportunity to create personalized experiences that make a difference to lives. For proof, Google ‘I Will Always Be Me’ or ‘Scrolling Therapy.’
That’s how far we’ve come.
Killing cancer with creativity
Arguably, our best showcase of creative transformation is cancer, where science is advancing at pace, but cases are stubbornly increasing. Brands are turning to creativity to disrupt cancer, with bold ambitions to revolutionize outcomes. Examples of creativity stepping up are popping up everywhere as the industry throws everything at cancer. They show what’s possible if we dump the old templates and boldly explore a more agile approach.
That’s the message. Health advertising isn’t changing, it’s already changed. So, if your agency offers you a playbook, don’t get Frozen in time. Instead, remember the theatre, channel your inner Elsa and ‘Let it Go.’
This piece ran as part of The Drum’s Health and Pharma Focus.
Iris’s Helen Brain explains how climate will be at the root, if not the core, of health messaging in the coming years.
A global increase of 1.5°C above the pre-industrial average and the continued loss of biodiversity risk “catastrophic harm to health that will be impossible to reverse”, according to medical science journal The Lancet.
This has huge implications for all brands, but especially those operating in the health sector- an industry that’s responsible for 4% of all global emissions and nearly 10% of all material consumed globally.
Undoubtedly, the climate and ecological crises will increase the demand for health organizations. Increasing temperatures, sea level rises, changes in growing seasons and extreme weather will cause air and water pollution, reduced food security and quality, changes in infectious disease transmission and an increase in allergens. As a result, we’ll see more heat-related illnesses, more cardiovascular diseases, more strokes, more injuries, more mental disorders, and more respiratory diseases.
The impact will be felt beyond our imagination, and everything will be about health. This is an opportunity for brands to meet real human needs.
For most of us in the west, health sits at the bottom of the hierarchy of human needs, and for the past century, we’ve been focused on progressing up that hierarchy. The health impacts we are experiencing now, however, because of the climate and ecological crises, will pull us back down, unsettling society and increasing the demands placed upon organizations in the health sector simultaneously.
The healthcare sector already knows this, so we’re seeing progress from many brands in the industry, such as:
Reducing business emissions and waste: As with other industries, the health sector is trying to reduce carbon and waste - the NHS, for example, aims to be the world’s first net zero national health service. This is necessary but not enough, and it’s not the most interesting part of the puzzle.
Redesigning products and circularity: One example in this space is the work being done by Philips to deliver helium-free MRI to more patients in more places, with more than 1,000 systems now installed worldwide. As a result of using less helium, MRI can be delivered in ever more remote areas, increasing access for underserved communities, plus it reduces the volume of helium being used, which is vital as this is a finite and non-renewable resource.
Philips is also investing in building circularity into its business, as is Siemens, which buys back used CT scanners, refurbishes them and then sells them to customers at a discount. This process allows it to reuse around three-quarters of the machine’s weight, saving tonnes of CO2.
Business model innovation: The health sector is also starting to step into the sharing economy. One brand leading the way here is Cohealo. Recognizing that machines in many hospitals are in use less than 50% of the time, it has created a simple platform that allows doctors and nurses to access machines from any hospital in their network - saving millions of dollars and increasing usage rates – essentially, it’s Uber for hospitals.
Redefining the meaning of health for a more sustainable future: Plenty of brands are participating in culture to support people in living healthier lives - although this currently leans toward B2C brands more than B2B.
We see brands like OFF! encouraging new behaviors with its #ViraOJogo Challenge in Brazil. The brand partnered with influencers to launch the ‘Mosquito Protection Social Media Challenge,’ encouraging people to ‘flip the bucket.’
This is a simple behavior that tackles a growing problem - standing water in some countries is an ideal home for mosquitos - a species that is spreading across the globe in line with warmer temperatures. The campaign generated awareness of the problem of waterborne disease while providing a way to tackle it and is part of a wider effort by OFF! to increase knowledge.
Community resilience is going to be more and more important as people feel the impact of climate change and need on the ground support. Finding brands doing work that truly connects at the local community level is challenging, but there are organizations out there that are getting it right. For example, Transport for Greater Manchester promotes ‘Active Neighbourhoods’ - these are places where people are prioritized over cars. The area is made easier to enjoy for people to gather, play, exercise, and just exist outdoors - with benefits including improved air quality, personal health, and neighborhood safety.
We’re also likely to see more brands promoting nature as a route to wellbeing. The NHS, for example, already has a commitment to Green Social Prescribing, which supports people in engaging in “nature-based interventions and activities to improve their mental and physical health.”
So, what do marketers in health organizations need to do to help meet the huge challenges we face?
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Gather data: where are you now, where are your competition, how do your plans for the next five years stack up?
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Innovate internally: how can you improve product and business models while reducing negative impacts and increasing positive?
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Participate in culture: eventually, all brands will have similar products, just as all brands eventually catch up with the leaders of the digital revolution - how can you stand out through culture, education, and service?
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Ensure your work serves everyone: Some groups are more at risk than others when it comes to the health impact of the climate crisis. This includes those living in poverty, women, children, the elderly, outdoor workers, as well as those with chronic health conditions, those living in small island states, megacities, or at-risk regions. Our response to the climate crisis can only be judged effective if it serves all.
With our health being the real price of climate change, it’s imperative and likely that we will see some amazing innovation coming from health brands in the coming years.
This piece ran as part of The Drum's Health and Pharma Focus.
Both ads from Lola-MullenLowe rely heavily on dark humor while nodding to the Unilever brand’s history of using its fragrances to ignite attraction, landing it our top spot today.
Lynx (Axe in the US) is capitalizing on the rise of dark humor with two new ads as part of its ‘The Power of a Fragrance’ campaign.
The premise of both is seemingly straightforward: a funeral and a robbery gone awry, but the tone sets them apart. The writing is quick-witted and dry, infused with slightly uncomfortable yet captivating visuals.
For a deodorant brand, both ads are daring and stand out among a saturated market while still playing into the tried and tested approach that Lynx has taken over the years – that its body spray will increase your attraction level.
It would have been easy for Lynx to fall into typical advertising tropes that rely on aspirational imagery, but this approach seems a bit more risky – and rewarding – for the brand.
The era of humor in advertising is back and Lynx is having fun with it.
Credits
Client: Unilever Axe-Lynx
Client team: Caroline Gregory, Matthew Yocum
Client regional producer: Attilio Gianfrancesco / Lorraine Warner
IPG/Unilever lead: Federico Duberti
Agency: Lola-MullenLowe
Executive creative director: Tomás Ostiglia.
Creative director: Jorge Zacher, Dante Zamboni.
Creative team (Robbery): Augusto Callegari, Pedro Mezzini.
Creative team (Funeral): Lucía Villalva, Corina Martínez Panés
Account team: Oscar Fernandez Baca
Agency producer: Felipe Calviño
Production: Czar.be
Director: Lionel Goldstein
Executive producer: Eurydice Gysel
Producer: Lander Engels
Director of photography: Grimm Vandekerckhove
Set designer: Pepijn Van Looy
Casting: Sasha Robertson Casting
Editor: Manu Van Hove
Grading: Olivier Ogneux
Online graphics: Dries Derycke
Post-production: Czar.be
Post producer: Bieke De Keersmaecker
Sound and mixing studio: Senstudio
Our quickfire analysis of the brand, marketing and media stories that might just crop up in your meetings and conversations today.
Next sales rise as clothes and shoe sales blossomClothing and homeware retailer Next has seen its full-price sales rise by 5.7%, more than the 5% rise the brand had been predicting earlier this year, which comes as a positive marker for the whole UK fashion sector.
Next has around 500 physical stores in the UK and Ireland and a large online operation, which means its performance is closely watched as an indicator of broader retail conditions.
The retailer attributes this sales rise to easing price pressures on consumers, which is boosting shoppers’ desire to buy clothes and shoes.
Next has, however, stuck with its outlook – that it will generate £960n ($1.2bn) of pretax profit with group sales rising 6% this fiscal year – pointing to a likely weaker second quarter affected by colder-than-expected weather.
Since the start of the year, inflation has been easing in Britain, prompting more demand from shoppers. Clothing and footwear prices slid into deflation for the first time since January 2022 at the start of April as retailers sought to entice customers with promotions, according to the British Retail Consortium. That’s helping to boost consumer confidence.
However, the recent cold weather is not helping. Next said it expects sales to decline by 0.3% in the second quarter now, as last year’s warm weather has made for a tougher comparable period.
Source: Bloomberg
ChatGPT and Microsoft sued by eight US newspapersEight US newspapers are suing ChatGPT-maker OpenAI and Microsoft, alleging that the technology companies have been “purloining millions” of copyrighted news articles without permission or payment to train their artificial intelligence chatbots.
The group of newspapers, including The New York Daily News, Chicago Tribune, Denver Post and others, collectively filed a lawsuit on Tuesday in a New York federal court.
The other newspapers involved in the lawsuit are MediaNews Group’s Mercury News, Denver Post, Orange County Register and St Paul Pioneer-Press, and Tribune Publishing’s Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel. All of the newspapers are owned by Alden Global Capital.
A written statement from Frank Pine, executive editor for the MediaNews Group and Tribune Publishing, stated: “We’ve spent billions of dollars gathering information and reporting news at our publications, and we can’t allow OpenAI and Microsoft to expand the Big Tech playbook of stealing our work to build their own businesses at our expense.”
In December, the New York Times sued both OpenAI and Microsoft on similar grounds, alleging that the creation and training of ChatGPT involved the illegal use of copyrighted material. The Times said the tech companies’ product “threatens the Times’s ability to provide that service.”
Source: The Guardian
Millions using WhatsApp in countries where it is bannedAccording to WhatsApp boss Will Cathcart, tens of millions of people are secretly using technical workarounds to use the messaging platform in countries where the platform has been banned.
The statement casts further doubt on the reality of governments banning social media platforms when so much tech exists to enable users to get circumvent embargos.
TikTok is currently facing a potential ban in the US because US regulators are concerned about how Chinese owners ByteDance may be sharing private user data with the Chinese government.
Like many western apps, WhatsApp is banned in Iran, North Korea and Syria, while China last month joined the list of those banning users from accessing the secure platform. Other countries, such as Qatar, Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, restrict features such as voice calls.
Because WhatsApp can see where its users truly are, thanks to their registered phone numbers, bosses know that bans are not effective.
Cathcart told BBC News: “We have a lot of anecdotal reports of people using WhatsApp and what we can do is look at some of the countries where we’re blocking and still see tens of millions of people connecting to WhatsApp.”
Source: The BBC
Qantas data breachAustralian airline Qantas is the latest brand to suffer a data breach as it reveals it is investigating a privacy breach on its app that left customers with access to others’ personal details.
Some users reported seeing several boarding passes and flight details belonging to strangers, including names and frequent flyer information.
It took Qantas around three hours to fix the problem and the airline has apologized to customers, adding there was “no indication of a cyber security incident.”
Social media was flooded with criticisms of the carrier and posts from people claiming to be affected. Users on X shared screenshots of the glitch and alleged phishing attempts. Some appeared to show accounts posing as Qantas customer care agents asking for people’s personal information in order to assist them.
Some passengers told media outlets that the app breach appeared to allow them to cancel another passenger’s upcoming flight to Europe.
Source: The BBC
Co-op Live venue to open after delays and criticismCo-op Live, the UK’s largest music and entertainment venue situated in Manchester, is due to open today after numerous delays and criticism from artists and attendees.
The £365m music venue, located in Eastlands next to Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium, had first opened for a test preview to audiences earlier this month with an event featuring Rick Astley and Danny Jones from McFly.
But, following the test event, bosses at the arena – which can seat 23,500 people at full capacity – announced that its first set of gigs, made up of two homecoming shows from comedian Peter Kay, would be rescheduled following the need to continue works on the building.
Those shows, originally set for April 23 and 24, were rescheduled to this Monday and Tuesday before being rescheduled once again to May 23 and 24. Last Saturday’s show from The Black Keys was also rescheduled and will now take place on May 15.
But Co-op Live bosses have said that Wednesday night’s gig from American rapper A Boogie Wit da Hoodie will be taking place as scheduled.
Source: Manchester Evening News
For The Drum’s health & pharma focus, Dan Russell of agency Revolt shares findings from recent research into what people really care about – and examples of brands doing their bit.
What do people care about when it comes to healthcare?
According to my agency Revolt’s annual survey of the 50 most important issues for our populations, people around the world are significantly focused on treatment, rather than prevention. ‘Access to healthcare’ was the highest-ranked health issue globally. Notably, coming in fifth place, it is far more pressing on people’s minds than the consequences of ill health, such as ‘obesity, access to healthy food and exercise.’
This isn’t a surprise. People are feeling the strain of the cost-of-living crisis, wars, political unrest, and the direct consequences of climate change. So it’s perhaps understandable that they are increasingly concerned that the healthcare they rely on might become inaccessible. But this presents a fundamental shift in what it means to market healthcare and the greatest opportunity for the sector in the decade ahead. It also presents huge opportunities to play a significant role for brands that are active in, and support, healthcare.
Causes that count
Revolt’s Causes That Count 2024 report surveyed 5,000 people across five global markets – the UK, US, India, China, and Brazil – to find out what issues matter most to them. With public health, access to healthcare services, and food and nutrition being some of the most important issues for people around the world, we launched Causes That Count, Health: a deep dive into the key issues in physical and mental health.
Access to healthcare was the highest-ranked health issue across all markets, scoring in the top ten of all issues across the US, UK, Brazil, India, and China. Many of the causes and consequences of ill health, however, ranked significantly lower: obesity, access to healthy food and exercise (29th), addiction to drugs, alcohol, and gambling (34th), and the negative impacts of technology (43rd). This suggests that people's attention is orientated toward treatment rather than prevention of ill health and the maintenance of wellbeing.
Concern for global public health registered one of the biggest drops in this year’s findings, falling eight places from last year to 17th position. This shift away from a focus on prevention is concerning, but perhaps understandable given the easing of the Covid-19 pandemic. There’s a clear opportunity here for brands to step in and work to shift public attention towards prevention, to help stop it fading from awareness.
Brands tackling health
A big area of focus in prevention is women’s health, covering important issues such as closing the gender health gap and contraception. Brands looking to get involved need to understand local situations when tackling global issues. Bug spray brand Raid responded to the issue of women in Rwanda having poor access to health by creating a program to help them train as care workers in the treatment of malaria.
Meanwhile, Mastercard’s Where to Settle program gained plaudits for helping refugees from Ukraine to find housing. More brands now have the opportunity to get involved and make a real difference.
There are many causes to support. Tackling obesity is another key area where greater preventative measures are needed. The World Obesity Federation estimates that more than half of the world will be overweight or obese by 2035. But brands can drive leadership in tech initiatives that support fitness and healthy lifestyles. SkipTheDishes in Canada is one brand tackling poor access to healthy food head-on with The Inflation Cookbook app, which tracks the prices of over 400 ingredients across 100 stores to predict price drops each week.
Education around nutrition can help people to make the most of their limited resources, and to prioritize whole foods over processed ones. Food brands have a particular opportunity to provide affordable, sustainable, and tasty, nutritional support in the form of product innovations and partnerships.
Mental health issues dropped two places in our survey to 13th, but this is a critical area where brands can step up to help with preventative solutions. We now face a global mental health crisis affecting around 1 billion people and responsible for 14.3% of deaths worldwide. One in four older adults in the US is experiencing a mental health condition such as depression or anxiety.
Several brands have risen to the challenge. Xbox’s Beyond Generations helps elderly communities forge new relationships through gaming and shows there's value in finding new audiences to serve.
Meanwhile, the cost-of-living crisis is itself a major stress contributor to mental health issues. Cashapp partnered with Kendrick Lamar to help people get on top of their finances showing that brands can forge new relationships with consumers by offering shrewd financial advice.
The public’s focus on treatment rather than prevention presents a shift in what it means to market healthcare. This is arguably the greatest opportunity for the healthcare sector in the decade ahead. Brands have an opportunity to use their influence to explore new ways of improving healthcare access and to go beyond ‘sick care,’ eg treating people when they are unwell. They can find ways to support consumers in pursuit of good physical, mental, and social well-being, and make these options attractive and affordable in a way that drives growth for them and delivers a positive impact for all.
For more analysis of the health and medicine landscapes, head over to our health and pharma in focus hub.
For The Drum’s health & pharma focus, Jack Ryan’s Ryan Dunlop looks at the gap between theory and practice in public health comms.
If you’ve recently had to endure time in an accident & emergency waiting room (or even just a hospital visit), then you’ll have been subject to leaflet overload, poster fatigue, and a mismatch of communication styles, from cringe-worthy animations to stock images that belong in old PowerPoints that never see the light of day.
This is the reality of health communications, whatever the theory we talk about at a higher level.
The way that health communications are devolved to local levels sounds excellent on paper: being able to talk to local people through their local issues. But in practice, what we’ve seen is a race to the bottom, with marketing procurement determined that something physical they can touch, fold, and pop on a shelf is proof that they’ve done their job, rather than thinking of the audience. We are essentially living in an alternate reality.
The public health communications gap
In other words, despite living in a world where marketing effectiveness, measurement, and accountability for media investment are paramount, there’s a significant shortfall in one of the most critical communication campaign types we could be involved in as marketers: public health.
I’ve had the recent privilege of leading strategy across several high-impact cancer campaigns for the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). In this kind of work, enabling early diagnosis is paramount. So is understanding that behavior change is crucial to encouraging and nudging people towards these better outcomes. Yet, there’s a clear emerging difference when you talk to NHS trusts and regional health boards regarding how they communicate – clear enough that you can see it from any waiting room in the country.
Why is it this way?
Can we the NHS, or health boards, for this predicament? The answer is no.
As marketers, it’s our responsibility to educate. We have profiling and audience insights, and we understand what works.
There’s that old idea, perhaps apocryphally attributed to Einstein, that “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result”. This is the loop that a lot of our health boards are in, and the only way of breaking it is to up our game; we need to take these local communications and marketing procurement teams on a journey.
Is it all down to a lack of knowledge or understanding about what is possible? Possibly not, as we see a clear difference between national activations and those at a regional level.
Perhaps, then, the process is the villain. When we consider what KPIs these campaigns focus on and the sheer volume of ‘needs’ of a health service, we start to realize that although overall budgets are healthy, they are cross-divided up to such an extent that it all ends up being about how quickly things can be actioned, and we end up with a silo effect. Or something like a silo effect – in my experience, teams are willing to share, but with self-imposed barriers, it all ends up rather silo-y.
Nudging the nudgers
The way around all this is to bring people together. We’ve seen recent successes by organizing sessions bringing together trusts and health boards. By removing self-imposed barriers and looking at collaboration, you’ll soon see the enthusiasm to finally do away with the ‘that’s just the way we always did it’ logic. Just think of how we nudge people for vaccine uptake during more extensive campaigns; we’re doing the same thing to drive actions among health boards.
To improve health communication campaigns, we need to start by changing the mindset of those involved. Instead of focusing on physical materials that can be touched, folded, and left on a shelf, we need to focus on the audience and what will engage them. By doing so, we can create campaigns that are more effective in encouraging behavior change and improving public health outcomes.
Next, we need to break down the silos that exist between national and regional health boards. By working together and collaborating, we can create more cohesive campaigns that are more effective in reaching the target audience. This will require a shift in mindset and a willingness to embrace change. The benefits will be worth it.
For more analysis of the health and medicine landscapes, head over to our health and pharma in focus hub.
The tech giant has been selling its AI chatbot as an automated assistant that can help businesses develop software and field employee questions.
Amazon announced this morning that Q, its generative AI-powered chatbot designed to help organizations manage and leverage internal data, is now available for all Amazon Web Services (AWS) customers.
Initially unveiled in November in a limited preview, Amazon Q has been positioned by the brand as an AI assistant that can help AWS customers build software, debug code, answer employee questions related to internal operations and handle rote technical and administrative tasks.
The name is a play on two fictional characters of the same name: one from Ian Fleming’s 007 series, a nerdy but brilliant and charming inventor who constantly equips James Bond with new gadgets, and another from Star Trek. It’s also meant to suggest the word ‘question,’ a nod to the chatbot’s ability to answer queries.
“Amazon Q is the most capable generative AI-powered assistant available today with industry-leading accuracy, advanced agents capabilities and best-in-class security that helps developers become more productive and helps business users to accelerate decision making,” said Dr Swami Sivasubramanian, vice-president of AI and data at AWS.
“Early indications signal Amazon Q could help our customers’ employees become more than 80% more productive at their jobs; and with the new features we’re planning on introducing in the future, we think this will only continue to grow,” he added.
While Q’s mandate might not be as attention-grabbing as, say, Sora, a recently unveiled (but not yet publicly accessible) AI model from OpenAI that creates high-resolution video imagery, it nonetheless marked a significant step for Amazon in its efforts to secure a competitive edge in the escalating race among big tech companies to build and commercialize generative AI.
Amazon “is making a big step in its efforts to solidify its status as a pioneer in creating and making AI technologies widely available,” says Brian Prince, founder and CEO of Top AI Tools, an online education resource focused on the AI industry. “Not only is [the company] able to leverage its AWS cloud infrastructure with this release, it also allows it to appeal to a broader audience of business clients.”
The starting gun for the generative AI race went off in November 2022, when OpenAI surprised the world with the launch of ChatGPT (one year to the day, incidentally, before Amazon introduced Q). Other tech titans such as Google, Amazon and Meta soon began investing significant talent and resources into their own efforts to build AI.
“There’s a general vision that these [AI] chat agents are absolutely going to be ubiquitous,” says Daniel Faggella, CEO of Emerj, an AI research firm. “And that really is the truth – that is where the future is heading.”
According to Faggella, Amazon’s strategy for Q closely mirrors Microsoft’s approach with the deployment of Copilot, an AI assistant that was embedded into the company’s Office 365 suite for all clients in November. Just as Microsoft offers GitHub Copilot for software developers as well as a more general-purpose enterprise version of Copilot, Amazon has made Q available in two formats: Developer and Business. A third format, Apps, which, according to Amazon, enables employees to build their own AI-powered apps using their company’s data, was also released today in a limited preview.
Amazon, in Faggella’s view, seems to some degree to be following in Microsoft’s footsteps. “This feels like more of a reach for Amazon than it does for Microsoft … [and] a little bit like an also-ran,” Faggella says. “It also seems like it’s a world that [Amazon] can’t not be a part of because so much of today’s work is going to be augmented and automated by artificial intelligence.”
Amazon upped its ante in the generative AI race in September when it began a series of investments – eventually totaling $4bn – in Anthropic, a startup founded by former OpenAI employees. Anthropic has since become a leading presence in the AI industry; early last month, it launched Claude 3 Opus, a model with capabilities that reportedly exceed OpenAI’s GPT-4 in some important metrics.
In-house, meanwhile, Amazon has set out to build AI catered specifically to businesses. A little over a year ago, the company unveiled Bedrock, a platform designed to help AWS customers build their own apps using generative AI.
Though Amazon is “a little bit behind where Microsoft is in terms of its current positioning,” according to Faggella, it’s too soon to determine which brand will ultimately come out on top. “These things are going to be improving so rapidly it’s going to make people’s heads spin.”
For more on the latest happenings in AI, web3 and other cutting-edge technologies, sign up for The Emerging Tech Briefing newsletter.
The Drum’s Gordon Young, a magazine man himself, reflects on the closure of Reader’s Digest in the UK.
The recent announcement that Reader’s Digest UK will cease its print operations after 86 years is more than just the end of a magazine; it’s a dramatic example of what happens when companies fail to adapt quickly in a world of relentless change. The closure of this once trailblazing publication underscores a crucial lesson for all businesses: adapt swiftly or risk obsolescence.
Reader’s Digest was once at the forefront of the publishing industry, pioneering direct marketing strategies that became the gold standard. With targeted mail campaigns and enticing sweepstakes, it carved a niche that drew millions of readers. At its peak, the magazine’s circulation soared above two million in the UK alone. But those glory days are long gone. The publication’s circulation had plummeted to about under 200,000 copies recently, reflecting a stark decline in reader engagement and subscription revenue.
This decline speaks volumes. It wasn’t just the digital revolution that outpaced Reader’s Digest; it was the magazine’s inability to keep up with the rapid transformation of consumer preferences and the media landscape. The digital age demands agility and a willingness to pivot strategies quickly, traits that Reader’s Digest, saddled by traditional methods and legacy issues–including a hefty pension deficit–struggled to embody.
The truth is, the fall of Reader’s Digest isn’t unique. It’s a scenario playing out across various industries where longstanding giants find themselves outmaneuvered by nimbler, more innovative competitors who are not only ready to embrace new technologies but are also driving them.
The magazine’s journey from a market leader to a casualty of industry evolution is a cautionary tale highlighting the peril of resting on one’s laurels.
For businesses today, the message is clear: the pace of change is not slowing, and the tolerance for inertia is lower than ever. Companies must continuously seek out and implement innovations, not just in technology, but in all aspects of their operations, from marketing strategies to customer engagement and beyond.
In this era, even giants can fall. The story of Reader’s Digest serves as a stark reminder that no brand, no matter how once revered, is immune to the forces of change. To survive and thrive, evolution isn’t optional–it’s essential. This is the age of adapt or die, and the closure of Reader’s Digest UK is a poignant, if unfortunate, illustration of this reality.
St Luke’s Ed Palmer asks whether the council’s brief but column-conjuring closure of Saatchi & Saatchi’s Waitrose poster was really an unintended consequence.
Outdoors’ potential for impact and fame is huge. But it needs to be simple. At least, that’s what’s been drilled into us since time immemorial. It’s all about simple messages, presented in an engaging enough way to grab the attention of passers-by just long enough to land the message. We’ve all been lectured with the well-intentioned but generally arbitrary rules like five words maximum. Or was it seven? Or two?
But because outdoor also has stature and is a very public and broadcast medium, it’s long been the source of great PR, a popular tactic for politicians and brands alike. Think political campaigning, from ‘Labour isn’t working’ to the infamous Brexit bus.
So it’s entirely natural for advertisers to challenge themselves to think, ‘How can this poster be clever enough to be a PR opportunity?’
Special builds are not cheap when measured against standard reach. So, you need to be confident that they are going to be clever enough to generate the attention to justify the investment. But with outdoor, cleverness shouldn’t be subtle.
During the Partygate scandal, Butterkist drove an advan with the slogan ‘here for the drama’ right up to the gates of Downing Street, handing out popcorn to passers-by. That was anything but subtle.
Loading...When Hiscox put posters up with intentional mistakes and blunders recently to highlight the need to insure your business against unforeseen calamities, it left little room for nuance.
If we’re too subtle, it will just go unnoticed or even backfire. Unless it’s perhaps part of a more ingenious masterplan. Take the recent Waitrose poster, for example.
The ad was deliberately put on the slant to reinforce a point about lowered prices. The subtlety was apparently lost on Wandsworth council, who thought it was a health and safety risk and cordoned it off. So, you could be forgiven for thinking this fell into the ‘too subtle for its own good’ trap.
However, there is another, riskier way to amplify attention: the manufactured debate/outrage/derision. Brands will rarely own up to doing this, as it will make the commenters on whom they depend for exposure feel manipulated and stupid. So often, it’s a matter of conjecture as to whether this has been done deliberately or not. But it’s an attractive approach in a polarised world where the algorithm adores the shrill and the ranty. [Editor’s note: Can confirm.]
Sometimes it’s fairly transparent what the advertiser is doing. Farage’s anti-immigrant poster was less dogwhistle politics, more dog foghorn. Other times, it’s not so clear-cut. Was the recent FKA Twigs Calvin Klein poster campaign carefully calibrated to court the right amount of controversy and indignation while retaining the support of enough of the core audience?
We’ll probably never know.
Did Ed Gamble deliberately put a hotdog on his TfL poster so he’d be forced to replace it with a cucumber because of unhealthy eating rules and get bucketloads of PR? Actually, I don’t think anyone saw that one coming.
So, back to Waitrose. Was this poster designed to confuse Wandsworth Council and attract the media’s attention, thereby getting millions of free eyeballs for the brand? If that was the intention, it’s certainly worked, and Waitrose can feel good about that.
But to what extent will these apparently ingenious ways to get short-term PR create subtler, longer-term brand impact? Will a little bit of our subconscious think that a brand that stands for meticulous quality has lost its edge and got a bit sloppy? Or will we perceive that brand as being that little bit smarter and sassier in the face of neanderthal local council ways? We’ll probably never know.
Oscar Levant said there’s a fine line between genius and madness. When it comes to outdoor PR stunts, it can sometimes be hard to tell.
The Drum got an exclusive press pass to Google’s annual Measurement & Effectiveness Summit in London - here’s a quick recap of what we heard.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a catalyst for change. There’s not a single area of marketing it’s not going to reach and it is going to disproportionately impact marketing in a positive way, from brand to creative to measurement. That’s a pressure that many marketers will feel, but it’s also an opportunity. And the opportunity to relieve that pressure will come from partnerships, experimentation and breaking down the lines of communications between business divisions.
Marketing has the power to be the ‘unifier’ within organizations, with the gateway to the tools and strategies helping to drive immediate marketing wins, as well as long-term business success. With strong data and measurement foundations, the power combination of people + AI working together will be the driver that elevates the credibility of marketing in the boardroom.
Google’s annual Measurement & Effectiveness Summit in London brought together marketing, measurement and analytics specialists to explore this new world of AI-led measurement through a series of keynotes, fireside and lightning talks and breakout workshops, with marketers from Asda, Asos, Boots, Carwow, Colgate, Dell, John Lewis, Skyscanner, Vodafone, and a number of agencies and partners.
Keep scrolling for a quick round up of 11 interesting soundbites we heard across the day and visit here for a deep dive into the learnings in our full event exposé.
Sarah Byrne, director of sales for agency, UKI, Google: “Measurement is kind of like nutrition. You are what you eat. Quality in, quality out. But it sounds easier than it is. Changing habits is hard but it’s easier to do it with the right support around you. It’s not just about using data and measurement to surface what’s happening now but as a capability to project and predict. That’s where things go into sixth gear very soon. This is marketing’s moment - as a team, as a function, to harness AI and become champions and leaders in this space.”
Paul Stringer , managing editor, research and advisory, WARC: “There’s a tendency in our industry to treat numbers and data as an objective truth. While it’s true that data is useful for challenging our preconceptions about the world, it also comes with its own limitations and biases that we need to be aware of if we want to make smarter, and better informed decisions. Measurement is a fantastic tool for calibrating human-decision making. But we mustn't forget the human in that process, particularly with the advent of artificial intelligence.”
Dyana Najdi, managing director partners and specialists UKI, Google: “It’s not AI versus humans, but with humans. AI is the enabler to help you transform and grow businesses and realize the value from your marketing investments. But despite all of the incredible power that AI can drive, AI is not a marketer. AI is the enabler that will support you, the marketer. We ran a study with BCG that showed the combination of AI and the skills and experience brought by people delivers a 15% increase in potential performance, versus AI on its own.”
Richard Wheaton: managing director, fifty-five UK: “Getting the brilliant basics right is important. You need to really understand how data is operating with platforms and apps, working with media partners to consistently adhere to best practices. Based on that, you’ll be able to build robust results.”
Vanisha Vaghela, media lead, Vodafone: “As our evaluation needs change, our measurement evolves, enabling more empowered conversations. Don’t worry about striving for perfection, it will continuously evolve. Contextualizing results and cascading insights across the business will enable more interesting and impactful conversations.”
Nadia Sotiropoulou, head of marketing and product analytics, Carwow: “It’s the sexy yet frustrating intersection of marketing and analytics [but it] can be the secret weapon towards an organization’s sustainable growth. Once you start - whether it’s Pringles or data - you unlock more opportunities to improve. But you can’t solve the measurement challenge alone.”
Shari Cleary, global head of reach and third-party measurement, Google: “Next gen third-party cross-media measurement must be comprehensive, fair and comparable, privacy preserving, independent and trustworthy and, importantly, actionable for advertisers.”
Hannah Walley, head of media, Kantar: “Building brands isn’t easy, marketers are under increased pressure and budgets aren’t always generous. We often say that ‘difference makes the difference’, that means that successful brands are seen to be meaningful, different and salient. Not only does difference make your brand stand apart but it is a powerful profit-driver. Digital is key in driving that difference.”
Peter Grant, head of media effectiveness, Boots: “The word traction is the most important for media effectiveness. Having that traction with the finance team is what’s really important. We don’t talk about media as a cost, we talk about media being an investment.”
Rachael Green, finance business partner, Asda: “Celebrating metrics that look good on screen but don’t mirror business outcomes is a dangerous game to play. [Attributed] ROAS is just an indication of campaign efficiency but not a multiplier for revenue.”
Biren Kalaria, managing director, data, measurement and analytics, Google: “Whilst all this change is exciting, it can be incredibly uncomfortable. It feels like having to change the engines of an airplane when it’s still in flight. The future of marketing belongs to those who embrace the powerful combination of capturing durable signals, proving value and driving growth.”
Visit here for The Drum’s in-depth exposé of the key learnings and actionable takeaways from Google’s Measurement & Effectiveness Summit.
Our quickfire analysis of the brand, marketing and media stories that might just crop up in your meetings and conversations today.
Getir pulls out of the UKGrocery delivery brand Getir is to pull out of the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and the US to focus on its home market of Turkey amid heavy competition and waning demand for rapid home deliveries.
This retreat comes after Getir cut more than 10% of its workforce – some 2,500 jobs – in 2023 and pulled out of France, Spain, Italy and Portugal as the cost of living crisis dampened demand for grocery deliveries in less than 20 minutes, while its own costs have also gone up.
The closure marks the latest shakeout of the fast grocery delivery industry, which grew rapidly during the Covid pandemic but has sharply retreated since.
Getir said it would retain its US arm FreshDirect, which it bought only a few months ago, and said the closures only affected 7% of sales.
Set up in 2015, Getir grew into one of the largest of more than a dozen delivery app companies, promising to deliver groceries in minutes and offering hefty discounts to attract customers.
Source: The Guardian
BYD profits fall as EV car wars escalateProfits and sales at BYD, the Chinese electric car brand, have fallen, mirroring the downward sales spiral at rival Tesla as demand for electric vehicles continues to slump.
BYD made $630m (£502m) in the first three months of the year, some 47% lower than the previous quarter. In the same period, BYD sold just over 300,000 battery-only cars, down from a record 526,000 in the final quarter of 2023.
Reacting to the blow of softer demand in China, BYD has also been looking to expand into new markets and exported 240,000 cars in 2023 and is looking to grow that number significantly in 2024.
However, that aggressive push into overseas markets has sparked a backlash in the US and Europe as governments look to protect their domestic car makers.
Source: The BBC
Premier Inn brand owner shifts focus away from restaurantsThe Premier Inn brand owner Whitbread is to cut around 1,500 jobs across the UK amid plans to slash its chain of branded restaurants by more than 200 to focus on building more hotel rooms instead.
Whitbread made the announcement after its latest financial report showed strong sales in Premier Inn hotels, while its food and beverage section – which includes Beefeater and Brewers Fayre – has dropped two percent in sales.
The restaurant division has dragged since the pandemic - likely due to the energy-led cost of living crisis - which led to customers spending less.
Other restaurant brands owned by the hospitality business include Back + Block, Thyme Bar & Grill, Table Table and Cookhouse + Pub.
Whitbread plans to sell 126 of its less profitable branded restaurants, with 21 sales already completed. It will also convert 112 restaurants into new hotel rooms.
Dominic Paul, Whitbread’s chief executive, said: “We recognize that our transition will impact some of our team members, so we will be providing support throughout this process and we are committed to working hard to enable as many as possible of those affected to remain with us.”
Source: Sky News
ChatGPT to be trained on FT journalismMicrosoft-backed OpenAI has struck a deal with the Financial Times that grants it access to the newspaper’s archives to train its artificial intelligence.
Though specifics of the partnership remain undisclosed, the FT will receive compensation for its content while jointly developing AI features.
The deal means ChatGPT users will be able to access summaries from FT journalism, as well as links to articles, in response to queries to the ChatGPT chatbot.
Source: The Times
WeWork ownership wrangle goes onIt looks like WeWork founder Adam Neumann is to fail in his bid to regain ownership of the shared office space provider after it announced a settlement with its junior creditors and a new cash infusion from its senior lenders to move ahead with a bankruptcy deal that rejects a $650m offer from Neumann.
During a hearing in Newark, NJ, US bankruptcy judge John Sherwood approved the New York-based, SoftBank-backed company’s sending its restructuring plan to a creditor vote, putting it on track to exit bankruptcy by the end of May.
The restructuring, now supported by all of WeWork’s major creditors, would hand the company’s equity to its senior lenders and cancel its $4bn in debt.
Neumann and his new company, Flow Global, have argued that WeWork is selling its equity to “hand-picked” insiders instead of trying to get the highest bid. His attorneys say that the $450m provided by WeWork’s lenders was really a sale of the company’s equity disguised as a bankruptcy loan.
Source: New York Post
Transformative HSBC Boss quits unexpectedlyGlobal bank brand HSBC is to lose its group chief executive, Noel Quinn, who unexpectedly announced his retirement after five years in the role.
Europe’s largest bank says it is in the process of finding a successor for the 62-year-old who will stay in the role until a new CEO is named.
The retirement comes as the UK-based lender reported a 1.8% drop in profit for the first three months of 2024, compared with the same time last year; however, the bank said pre-tax profit for the period was $12.7bn (£10bn), which was a little better than expected by market analysts.
“[Quinn] has driven both our transformation strategy and created a simpler, more focused business that delivers higher returns,” HSBC’s chairman Mark Tucker said.
Source: The FT
Next-generation CRM in healthcare is here – but are ethics and personalization at odds? For The Drum’s health & pharma focus week, Merkle’s Dagmara Scalise and Erin Kelsh investigate.
Today’s dominant personalization framework is all about knowing the individual and applying that information to intercept their journey and serve up relevant content that meets their needs. The end goal is to drive a relationship with the brand or product.
That’s the theory.
But the way it tends to play out in the real world is much less compelling. How useful, really, is it to send (or receive) an email saying, “Hi, Sarah,” if the email content is only tangentially related to who Sarah is and what she needs?
Personalization in name only is particularly common in healthcare, and it’s no wonder, given the sheer effort involved in building out robust identity solutions, standing up clean rooms, and building look-alike audiences to target customers all while avoiding that third rail of healthcare marketing: incursions into patient privacy. But we can do better.
A tough market for personalization
Healthcare marketers routinely struggle with the ethics of targeting consumers based on health conditions or other sensitive information.
According to data security firm BakerHostetler, healthcare (including biotech and pharma), is the industry most impacted by data security issues, accounting for nearly 1 in 4 (24%) incidents.
Pixel litigation (lawsuits related to website tracking technologies) has surged in recent years. The company’s 2023 Data Security Incident Response Report notes that, since 2022, more than 50 lawsuits have been filed against hospitals alleging they track and disclose patients’ identities and online activities via third-party analytic tools without the website visitors’ knowledge and consent.
It’s little wonder that healthcare marketers are generally happy to achieve even minimal levels of personalization given the complexity and risk associated with audience tracking, targeting, and retargeting.
The paradox of data and personalization
The scaffold for personalization is the often-extensive data collection and mapping process, wherein we stitch together a mosaic of data points about an individual’s behavior across the digital (and, if possible, offline) ecosystem over time.
Again, that’s the theory.
Our industry and culture are awash in data, and reams of it confirm that consumers and healthcare professionals want us to know, or better yet, anticipate their needs. They prefer personalized, relevant offers and services and multi- or even omnichannel engagement. According to McKinsey, nearly 60% of HCPs say they prefer omnichannel engagement. This preference drives efforts to build out detailed data portraits of who is engaging, where, with what kind of content, and how. However, too often, that data doesn’t actually lead to better experiences, engagements, or ROI.
What if instead of focusing on stitching together a 1:1 identity, we first stepped back and approached our customers not based on who they are (and what their journey looks like), but on what they do? How might reframing the goal from personalization to relevance change tactics and results? What if the current approach to personalization is all wrong?
Speed, content, and the need for relevant messaging
Outside of privacy risks, possibly the biggest roadblock to personalization is the scale at which we need to deliver personalized experiences once we move into omnichannel marketing. The omnichannel machine is demanding: the more channels we use for activation, the more content we need. And today, there’s strong demand from pharma companies, providers, health retailers, payers, and others in the healthcare space to deliver content at scale, at speed, and compliantly. We’re challenged to meet people where they are and to know more about them and their health journey.
So, how do we navigate the twin roadblocks of privacy and scale? With data-driven, user-forward messaging. This means thinking about personalization differently, and shifting strategy (not necessarily changing data collection itself).
Rather than determining Sarah’s experience based on a pre-defined journey (‘if she clicks X link, serve Y message’), we look for data signals in her behavior and use that information to personalize her experience based on her real actions.
User-forward messaging leverages both unified customer profiles (accurate, secure data) and their customers’ behavioral actions, but is flexible and reactive, enabling organizations to create content that can be modular and personalized at the same time. It’s a simpler approach to personalization, without the same level of risk as targeting or retargeting messages based on personal identifiable information (PII), and a more robust and agile approach that enables an organization to create a library of content that can be delivered quickly.
The components of a user-forward messaging approach
All of this does mean making some changes. In brief, that includes:
- Identity analysis to determine the percentage of your database that is known versus unknown, and developing strategies for each audience.
- Using anonymized data to help build understanding of user behavior, preferences, etc (when identities are unknown).
- Building a repository of approved audience data that can be activated in real-time with approved modular content, developed to dynamically react to the individual and not to a large subset of personas.
- Deploying creative generative AI messaging strategies that enhance marketers’ capabilities by setting new standards for efficiency, production, campaign/journey optimization, and personalized customer experiences.
- Developing large language data sets that follow brand-approved guidelines to achieve secure, ethical copy and content.
- Using behavioral triggers that don’t mimic retail historical use cases like ‘abandon cart’, but assist the provider or patient during their journey.
User-forward messaging enables us to reach customers with information that is genuinely relevant to them, which, after all, is the intent of personalized messaging. And it allows organizations to leverage scale since content can be developed and repackaged into many different formats, quickly (or at least agilely) in the service of building brand trust and nurturing patient and HCP relationships. It’s truly a win-win-win.
For more analysis of the health and medicine landscapes, head over to our health and pharma in focus hub.
The cola brand is teasing its partnership with the Uefa Champions League ahead of the June 1 final at Wembley Stadium in London.
A cinematic global ad campaign from Pepsi, launched on Monday, sees football stars from across the globe convene for a good old-fashioned game of street footy.
Developed in partnership with Copa90, a football-focused media firm headquartered in London, the two-minute film is fronted by Manchester City star Jack Grealish, Real Madrid forward Vini Jr, Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min and England women’s national team captain Leah Williamson.
In the high-energy spot, the athletes challenge a group of locals to a classic game of ‘don’t let the ball touch the ground.’ The stakes? Whoever drops the ball buys a Pepsi for the others. The group juggles the ball dramatically as crowds of bystanders assemble to cheer them on against the backdrop of the iconic Wembley Stadium in London, where the 2024 Uefa Champions League final will be played on June 1.
Just as it looks like Vini Jr is set to win the game, in swoops Vinnie Jones, legendary former British footballer, actor and presenter, who boots the ball to the sky. “Oy, there’s only one Vinnie J,” he quips. Vini Jr shrugs off the jab, laughing, and the crowds rejoice with cold cans of Pepsi. In the end, it’s Vini Jr left with the tab.
Sports journalist and former footballer Karen Carney also makes a surprise cameo.
“Being thirsty for more – Pepsi’s philosophy – means feeling that wherever there is a ball, there is an opportunity to find new and unexpected ways to find enjoyment through the game,” said Eric Melis, vice-president of global brand marketing for carbonated soft drinks at PepsiCo.
The spot, which formally announces Jack Grealish as the newest Pepsi ambassador, is the first in a series of films that will roll out as part of Pepsi’s broader ‘Where There’s a Ball, There’s a Way’ campaign.
Its debut today coincides with Pepsi’s partnership with the Uefa Champions League leading up to the final. With the campaign, the brand aims to engage with the world’s flourishing football community and tear down barriers to entry by reminding people that, per a statement from the brand, “all you need is a football [and] the right attitude and you’ve got yourself a game.”
As Melis put it: “Whether you’re playing on the biggest stages in the world or on city streets, there’s an opportunity to unlock the enjoyment that [football] brings.”
Pepsi is planning a number of additional football-focused marketing initiatives this year as part of the ‘Where There’s a Ball There’s a Way’ campaign, including films that focus on each of the four individual ambassadors that appear in this first installation. The brand has also teased forthcoming fashion collaborations, entertainment content and social activations.
Pepsi said that the campaign “will see the brand unlock unexpected ways to play, both on and off the pitch, in the years to come.”
The new ‘don’t let the ball touch the ground’ film debuts today and will be aired on TV and digital channels worldwide.
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Havas Market’s Alex Walker reflects on whether social media is really winning the e-commerce battle.
In 1897, Mark Twain was said to have read his own obituary and then remarked, “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.”
For anyone who, like me, is a long-in-the-tooth e-commerce practitioner, you may feel empathy with Mark Twain as you read what the pundits say about the current online retail landscape and its supposed demise following the introduction of shinier, new platforms and the rise of social commerce.
Analysts have been quick to question whether the Chinese digital juggernauts, such as the Temu marketplace or the TikTok social media platform, will displace Amazon, Google, and the current e-commerce ecosystem. All this against a backdrop of generative AI and current challenges for direct-to-consumer retail, the doom-mongers are quick to signal that a new era has arrived for the digital realm.
Over the past 20 years, having worked at Amazon, run an in-house ‘etail’ team at a multi-brand global vendor, and now leading the e-commerce function of a large agency network, I recognize that while the shiny and new things garner all the attention and column inches, a more pragmatic and nuanced approach is necessary. Even in the fast-paced world of online retail, the evolution of marketplace and social commerce platforms, while inevitable, will not happen overnight.
Though my background allows me to appreciate the nuances here, a sense of FOMO is certainly beginning to pervade conversations with clients around social commerce, which I have experienced countless times already this year. Anecdotes of overnight successes and hyper-growth stories have sparked a surge in appetite to get involved in platforms like TikTok and its e-commerce offering, TikTok Shop.
My ethos is that these new innovations should be explored as long as connected and integrated approaches are taken. TikTok could form a key pillar of a brand’s test-and-learn growth strategy, but it needs to sit alongside a considered creative and paid media approach to be successful. Much like a three-legged stool, to function effectively, all elements need to be part of the plan.
Activating on nascent social media platforms should not come at the expense of more established platforms like Amazon, but budgets should be distributed incrementally, with holistic consideration. These platforms are new to the retail market, and the reach and high-converting traffic offered by Amazon has immense value for brands. Amazon now holds 26 years of experience in the UK retail sector and is not your typical retailer. Globally, Amazon’s advertising grew 24% YoY from $38bn in 2022 to $47bn in 2023, primarily driven by sponsored ads. Amazon has now expanded its streaming TV advertising by introducing ads into Prime Video shows and movies, where brands can reach over 200 million monthly viewers. It is no wonder that brands that have recognized Amazon’s value and taken ownership of content and advertising execution on the platform are thriving, even taking category share from incumbents who have more cautiously embraced it.
Significant opportunities still exist for brands to level up on Amazon, using the platform’s own advanced data and tech innovations to enhance strategies. A cursory audit of the leading brands on Amazon shows that in nine out of 10 cases, there is considerable room to optimize content and advertising. Many brands are yet to lean into Amazon Marketing Cloud, and the launch of Prime Video Ads earlier this year provides brands with some exciting attribution data.
Making the most of what long-standing platforms have to offer doesn’t mean that the shinier, new ones should be ignored, or vice versa. For any brand that asks whether it should invest in TikTok and its e-commerce proposition, the answer is likely to be yes. But this will always be partnered with the following guidance: invest in optimizing your current channels, too, because the yields of doing so are likely to be significant.
As e-commerce continues to evolve, my advice to brands would be to embrace this transformation and stay curious but to always ensure any strategy is underpinned with a connected commerce and media plan, supported by the appropriate talent, tools and technology.
For the last decade, VML has been revealing the trends that will change the world in its annual report, The Future 100. To set the scene for The Drum’s Health & Pharma focus, Emma Chiu and Marie Stafford highlight some of the biggest disruptions in the space from this year’s edition and the archive.
Health is wealth and more people are on board than ever. Advances in science and tech have made healthcare more consumer-facing, especially as health and wellness holistically integrates into every facet of our lives.
Wellness is a huge market, worth $5.6tn in revenue in 2022, according to Global Wellness Institute, making it a rich space for brands to profit from, but it is also desired by people. In a 2023 global survey by VML, which asked respondents what the role of a brand should be today, respondents selected first and foremost “make the world a better place” (40%), closely followed by “improve people’s health and wellbeing” (38%). Lifestyle industries, including technology, retail and hospitality, increasingly have people’s health at the heart of their offerings.
Today, access to comprehensive health diagnostics, from DNA to hormones, can be conducted from the comfort of our homes: a DNA at-home kit can cost as little as £35. Medical-grade facilities are no longer exclusively found in hospitals; they are making their way into gyms and spas. And for $2,500, individuals can get a full-body scan by Prenuvo, a US company that considers its scanner a “life-saving machine” (Future-proof Beings, 2024.)
Over the past decade, health and wellness shifted from emphasis on the physical condition to our mental state. In VML’s 2017 The Well Economy report survey, 77% of global respondents associated “health” with overall physical condition, followed by 75% who said they think about mental health. In the 2023 VML survey for this report, the order reversed, with mental health topping the charts.
People are seeking ways to optimize their best selves from the outside in and expect brands to help them be their Superself (2023). It is also clear that wellness does not have to be an isolating experience, as more events focus on workouts for the masses, embracing community and healthy lifestyles (Fitness festivals, 2017.) Meanwhile, music festivals have been incorporating a host of wellness activities including breath work, cosmic humming and enlightenment exercises (Healing festivals, 2020).
In fact, health is bigger than just us. Some 84% of global respondents agree that human health depends on the planet’s health, with 80% believing that there are no healthy people without a healthy planet, according to VML data.
Loading...Mental wellness era Mental wellness is increasingly a priority, especially for younger generations. Health means mental health first (43%), then physical condition (36%), a divergence that is even more pronounced for Generation Z than in general (47% compared with 30%). As our 2024 trend Well ambition signals, people are ever more conscious of safeguarding their mental health, even if it means sacrificing career goals.
This transition has unfolded over the past decade, nudged by franker conversations on mental health. VML has tracked a wave of ‘untabooing’ in the wellness space relating to sexual, intimate or personal conditions, and mental wellness unquestionably benefited from more open dialog, as noted in 2017’s New mental health. Advice and treatments are more accessible too, with therapists popping up in pharmacies (Mental health pharmacies, 2022) and even on social media (TikTok therapy, 2022).
New advice, practices and behaviors have emerged and evolved, reflecting era-defining issues, including burnout, technology addiction and even eco-anxiety. Work wellness (2016) tracked the rise of corporate wellness programs, while Trippy wellbeing (2018) noted the growing popularity of nootropics and ayuahuasca retreats for stressed-out Silicon Valley execs. Revolutionary rest reported on the need for inclusive therapies that address the specific lived experience of marginalized populations, while Next gen mental wellbeing (2022) noted spiraling mental health diagnoses among younger cohorts.
Working on mental health is now an everyday pursuit for many, with a growing industry to support those who want to optimize emotional wellness and keep issues at bay. As far back as 2016, we charted the rise of physical fitness for mental health benefits (Fitness: it ain’t about the ass) and since then there’s been an explosion in tools and activities that help shore up happiness reserves. From sleep-conducive environments (Circadian rhythms, 2019) to soothing and enriching content (Calmtainment, and Digital nutrition, 2021) to exercise routines designed to uplift (Joy workouts, 2023) there’s a plethora of ways to tend to our personal happiness. Even cultural activities now play a role in better mental health (Cultural prescriptions, 2023).
As society confronts a global loneliness crisis, one of the latest markers for well-being is a sense of belonging (Prosocial effervescence, 2024). Facilitating meaningful connections is now a key opportunity for brands, especially since 81% of people believe they should be making an effort to improve people’s mental health.
Food farmacies The benefits of food for wellness are almost universally acknowledged: 90% of respondents in our 2023 survey tell us they eat to stay healthy. However, what ‘healthy’ means is ever-evolving.
In the 2010s, health fans ditched low-cal and diet foods and entered their foodie era in earnest, marked by a continual quest for the latest superfood ingredients (Charcoal, Kale and Bone broth, all 2015, Ancient superfoods, 2016) and a fascination with diets that promised optimal health (Ayurvedic eating, 2017). Over time, food has become highly functional: we ate specifically for specific health concerns or simply to enhance looks, mood or performance (Beauty foods, 2016, Nootropics, Mood food, 2017).
Rising concern for the planet in tandem with worries over industrial food production and poor animal husbandry made food a political choice, spurring the evolution of the vegan movement whose adherents called for upscale dining (Haute vegan, 2015) and unprocessed vegan foods (New vegan, 2017). As plant-based eating took off, even meat-eaters experimented with dialing down their consumption (New omnivores, 2016).
Continuing the abstinence theme – take note Generation Z – Teetotal millennials (2015) were first to seriously dabble in sobriety. Healthonism (2015) charted their efforts to drink more mindfully by offsetting alcohol with clean mixers and antioxidants or even mashing up drinking sessions with exercise. The trend evolved to encompass lower-proof drinks (Spiked seltzers, 2017) a new wave of Sober bars (2020), and ultimately a commitment to Zero-proof lifestyles (2023)
Nascent awareness of the human microbiome and the importance of gut health informed pioneers producing fermented food and drink products (Ferment fervor, 2015, Microbe-based cocktails, 2016). VML Intelligence even reported on the fascinating and eye-opening practice of Stool banking treatments for those with severely depleted gut health in 2015.
Nutritional know-how became ever more personalized, thanks to a proliferation of smart devices, apps and AI-powered trackers that enabled understanding of everything from the calories on our plate (Nutritional snapping, 2019), to how we metabolize food (Metabolic brands, 2022), while DNA and blood diagnostics informed subscription services offering meals prescribed to individual health needs (Prescription nutrition, 2018, DNA dinners, 2019). This data-enabled era now promises an unprecedented understanding of nutrition at the collective and individual level.
Today, healthy eating is increasingly preventive, targeted at tackling or preventing conditions like diabetes, heart disease or for holistic wellness. But as the global cost of living crisis persists, healthy food is proving harder to access for some. In a sign of the times, doctors in some nations are now prescribing fresh produce as ‘medicine’ to those on limited means (Food farmacies, 2024).
Loading...Prolonging healthspansThe age-old quest for longevity ensues. In 1901, the average life expectancy at birth was 47 years old. Fast-forward to 2019 and the average life expectancy is 73.3 years, according to the World Health Organization. Today, the idea of living to 100 is not only achievable but appealing: seventy-four percent of people globally like the idea of living to be a healthy centenarian, according to VML’s data.
There are a growing number of health experts and businesses, dedicated to promoting healthspans (Centenarian futures, 2024.) Longevity expert, Peter Attia, endorses proactive illness prevention and maintenance for late-life quality, what he calls Medicine 3.0. Entrepreneur Bryan Johnson surrenders his life to data, in pursuit of living forever. Big tech has also been exploring ways to extend lifespans (Aging: Silicon Valley’s next frontier, 2015.) Breakthroughs in technology have also played a significant role in health with the commercialization of CRISPR (Gene editing, 2017) allowing the ease of modifying DNA.
In 2015, Time Magazine released a health edition, featuring a baby on its cover and the headline, “this baby could live to be 142 years old.” The science of living longer has evolved over the past decade from hacking methods that promise maximum health benefits with minimal effort (Superhuman nutrition, 2016) to seeking gradual improvements (Bioharmonized spas, 2024) in long-term therapeutic treatments. Wellness resorts such as Six Senses and Clinique La Prairie are also designing programs to optimize longevity, (Longevity resorts, 2024) whilst in 2020, Health concierges provided travelers with personalized programs incorporating nutrition, fitness and holistic spa treatments.
Technology and research in prolonging healthspans are now paving the way to make healthy centenarians the new ambition. But prevention remains key. Eric Verdin, chief executive of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, predicts that most people could live to 95 in good health and says, “lifestyle is responsible for about 93% of your longevity – only about 7% is genetics.”
Healthcare futuresHealthcare is shifting from the doctor’s office, the clinic and the hospital and into the home as smart technology, data and AI increasingly enable people to manage their own health.
The transition to self-care has been underway for some time. Quantified health data via smart devices and watches was already well established by the time that home testing and diagnostic kits (Quantified blood, 2017) emerged in the mid-2010s offering early identification of health issues and data dashboards that helped users gain an overview of their health status. Over time, these test kits evolved to encompass a wider suite of health concerns, including fertility, hormone health and sexual wellness (Health homekits upgraded, 2019). Meanwhile, startups began ferrying drugstore staples, then prescriptions to the home too (Subscription health, 2018).
Telemedecine, or remote appointments with doctors, have existed for decades, but virtual consultations became increasingly common during the 2010s, which also saw the first AI doctors set up practice. The pandemic, of course, effectively normalized remote healthcare for all.
Today, we are entering an era of hyper-personalized health in which people will be armed with an array of wearables, devices and sensors that keep track of their vitals. When patients do seek out medical help, they will come armed with personalized data and insights surfaced by generative AI (Healthcare Reimagined, 2024). As lifespans extend and healthcare systems creak, this transition to self-managed care will be crucial to keep health sustainable.
The home will be alive with ambient health-tracking technology gathering physiological data and offering remote diagnostics, from smart toilet seats to mood-detecting AI mirrors, to selfies that can monitor blood pressure. In the latest iteration of wellness tourism, those who can afford it will invest in comprehensive preventive screening and therapies at five-star wellness resorts (Hospital-ity, 2023).
AI will enable remote patient surveillance, enabling doctors to offer pre-emptive care, staving off illness before it can take hold. Doctors will also benefit from AI as a thought partner (Top three tech trends: AI, 2018), helping them generate notes and case histories, suggesting diagnoses and care plans while taking on routine admin like prescription refills.
The path to ‘consumerized’ healthcare is set and VML data shows that people are open to the idea of helpful technology: 54% say they are interested in their own AI health advisor, while 61% would be interested in digitally delivered proactive health nudges.
In the long term, the category looks set for even more seismic change. Take Synthetic biology (2024), which has already produced the world’s first model of a human embryo using only stem cells. Might we one day program human biology like software? Already 26% of VML’s panel say they would be open to the idea of gene editing. Meanwhile, 30% would be open to receiving lab-grown organ transplants and almost a quarter say the same for robot-led surgery.
Today, every brand needs to be a healthcare brand. Whether it is offering healthier lifestyles, access to personalized health data or better work conditions for employees, the all-encompassing world of health includes everything. Innovation in biotech is further opening doors to better opportunities for prevention and, therefore, longer, healthier lives.
The Future 100 is VML Intelligence’s annual futures report charting 100 key trends to watch in the year ahead. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the report, offering a comprehensive retrospective of each sector and its evolution over the past decade. The Future 100 is led by Emma Chiu and Marie Stafford, global directors of VML Intelligence.
As part of The Drum’s Health & Pharma Focus, we revisit the World Creative Rankings to find out which campaigns from the ever-evolving sector were the most awarded last year.
Recently, we have been revealing the world’s most-awarded advertisers, agencies, people and campaigns. This week, to coincide with The Drum’s Health & Pharma Focus, we dig into the campaigns list once more, spotlighting work from the healthcare and pharmaceuticals industries that picked up the most gongs at 2023’s award shows.
1. Eurofarma ‘Scrolling Therapy’ by Dentsu Creative Buenos AiresThe most-awarded Health & Pharma campaign in the World Creative Rankings 2024 came from Dentsu Creative Buenos Aires. Its ‘Scrolling Therapy’ campaign for Eurofarma promoted an innovative new app that is helping people with Parkinson’s disease regain their facial expressions. Many people with Parkinson’s have facial masking, which means they are unable to smile or frown, and the app provides them with regular exercises by using their facial movements to scroll and control their mobile phones.
2. French-Brazilian Oncology Society ‘Dogs Without Borders’ by VML New YorkThe second-most-awarded Health & Pharma winner in the World Creative Rankings was ‘Dogs Without Borders,’ a campaign by VML New York for the Society of French-Brazilian Oncology and Kdog. Research shows that 55% of the world’s population lives in rural areas, with billions many miles from medical attention. VML’s campaign promoted Dogs Without Borders, a first-of-its-kind initiative using medical dogs to sniff out diseases such as cancer in remote areas where doctors and diagnostics are out of reach. Dogs Without Borders rescues dogs waiting to die in shelters and trains them to save people living in isolated locations.
3. Horizon Therapeutics ‘Eyedar’ by Area 23The third-most-awarded Health & Pharma campaign of 2023 was ‘Eyedar’ by Area 23 for Horizon Therapeutics. An initiative driven by tech and AI, the Eyedar app allows blind people to visualize the world around them through echolocation. Lidar scanning, 3D mapping and some training enable blind people to interpret the sounds around them to build a simple mental visualization of the world, giving them added independence and improving quality of life.
The World Creative Rankings are compiled by exhaustively analyzing the performance of thousands of pieces of creative work across 22 major industry awards programs throughout the previous calendar year.
That data is then used to determine the people rankings – the CCOs, ECDs, creative directors, art directors and copywriters responsible for the most creatively awarded work in 2023. Their companies are then ranked, with these rankings including the best agencies, networks and holding companies, which are then split by country and region. The advertisers who fund the world’s most awarded work are also ranked, while the sectors that offer the richest return in creative gongs, whether that be Food & Drink, Automotive, Retail or Charity, are also evaluated.
Head over to our dedicated World Creative Rankings hub to see the full list of most-awarded entertainment campaigns in the world, plus all of our other tables and breakdowns, as well as full details of the methodology that goes into the production of the rankings.
Our quickfire analysis of the brand, marketing and media stories that might just crop up in your meetings and conversations today.
YouTube experiments with pause ads
Google recently reported positive results from a pilot program introducing pause ads on YouTube’s TV app.
Despite being confined to the TV app for now, there’s speculation about extending this ad format to mobile and desktop platforms, raising concerns about user experience. YouTube heavily relies on ad revenue, prompting efforts to counter adblockers and explore new ad formats, sometimes at the expense of user satisfaction.
Ultimately, it’s another example of a media owner trying to monetize every surface.
Source: PC Gamer
Thousands of AI girlfriend ads found on Meta
There is a proliferation of explicit AI “girlfriend” ads on Meta platforms. Wired discovered over 29,000 such ads, many with NSFW content, violating Meta’s adult content policy.
Despite community guidelines banning nudity and sexual solicitation, these ads seem to bypass scrutiny. This exacerbates longstanding concerns among sex workers, educators and LGBTQ users who feel unfairly targeted by Meta’s policies. Even legitimate sexual health ads have faced rejection. Meta claims to be reviewing and removing violating ads, yet their persistence suggests shortcomings in policy enforcement.
This issue underscores broader challenges in content moderation and raises questions about Meta’s commitment to user safety and inclusivity. It’s a common issue now, with The Drum tackling the Miss AI pageant just last week.
Source: Wired
AI fakes BBC presenter’s voice to greenlight ad campaign
Liz Bonnin, a BBC presenter, found her likeness used in ads for insect repellent after a company was tricked by AI-generated voice messages.
A fraudster reportedly created a message faking her voice to grant permission for the campaign. The CEO of Incognito, the company behind the ads, believed he was corresponding with Bonnin and even sent £20,000 for the endorsement. However, Bonnin denied any association with the campaign, leading to the realization of being duped. AI experts confirmed the voice message’s artificial origin due to inconsistencies and stilted phrases. Bonnin sees this as a warning about AI’s potential misuse and lack of regulation. Incognito reported the incident to the police and its bank, emphasizing the rise of sophisticated scams. While the BBC and Wildlife Trusts declined to comment, Incognito apologized for any harm caused.
Source: The Guardian
Adland job searches fall, suggesting…
How bad is it out there, really? It’s a question we try to get to the bottom of for our audience and the latest research from Adzuna gives a hint.
It was found that industry job postings in advertising, marketing and PR were down 11% in March, month-on-month. It was the largest fall of any sector in the UK.
We know what happens to businesses when they sack (or don’t hire) marketers. It’s also an issue facing blue chip brands, including Tesla and Nike, the world over.
Source: The Telegraph
Council accidentally improves billboard stunt
Marketing LinkedIn loves this billboard. Bringing the news that Waitrose might actually be affordable now, a Saatchi & Saatchi billboard adopts a bit of wonkiness to draw attention.
So much so that the local council has reportedly cordoned it off for the safety of pedestrians. The agency will happily pocket that extra earned media.
No pedestrians were crushed in the making of this ad.
Source: The Guardian
Even though many have had a rainy start to the warmer seasons, KFC still wants people to enjoy the taste of BBQ. For that, we’re giving it our Ad of the Day.
Looking forward to a summer filled with lots of outdoor activities? Of course you are. Sadly, though, if you live in a rainy country, that doesn’t always pan out. The reality is that many places are experiencing more rain than ever, which means that lounging in the sunshine can be curtailed by downpours.
Not to worry – KFC is bringing the taste of BBQ season to you. In its recent ad from Mother, the fast food chain is cleverly elevating a common reality in a joyous film that celebrates different weather conditions. It brilliantly champions the inner pleasure of a great BBQ burger, come rain or ... rain.
The overall aesthetic of the dancing spot is great because the energetic demeanor of the protagonist, who is strutting down the street with her food in hand, contrasts with the gloomy weather. It puts the product at its heart, too, without being overtly in your face.
As part of The Drum’s Health & Pharma Focus, we’re using insights from Kantar’s Marketplace, an automated market research platform, to look closer and creative trends and effectiveness in this huge category.
When advertising in the health and pharma domain, there are often so many messages that brands need to get across to an audience – such as product benefits – that campaigns aren’t always the most enjoyable for viewers.
But with the use of humor, brand mascots or catchy slogans and audio, brands in this sector can creatively capture the attention of consumers.
It’s an ever-growing category with huge potential for advertisers. Here, we outline the companies that are creating bold work and explain what makes their campaigns stand out.
From Essity’s Tena and Bodyform products pushing boundaries to Colgate’s purpose-driven work, we’re deep-diving into why these ads have resonated and how other brands can get inspired by their approach.
Essity: ‘Periodsomnia’ by AMV BBDOEssity-owned Libresse and its creative ad agency AMV BBDO have been disrupting this category for the past decade. Beforehand, the period care category was a very different place, full of airbrushed, hairless bodies and a weird blue liquid that was meant to represent menstrual blood.
With their now iconic campaigns, such as ‘Bloodnormal,’ ‘Viva la Vulva’ and ‘Periodsomnia,’ however, this partnership has been shifting the narrative with its lack of sugarcoating.
Sales of feminine hygiene products are up 17% in the past year – having recruited new shoppers (up 6%), thanks in particular to strong sales of wipes and washes.
Essity: ‘Keep Control’ by AMV BBDOAnother spot from this stellar partnership and this time it’s for Tena. What this ad does brilliantly is convert a message around an extremely sensitive topic but with humor. This approach takes guts from the client as it is a very fine line to get comedy in ads right, especially within the health category.
The serious message comes across, the brand is noted, but viewers also leave with a smile on their faces.
According to Kantar’s in-depth analysis, in the UK alone sales of men’s incontinence products have grown significantly ahead of the market average (up 22% versus 13% overall).
Colgate ‘Smile Stories’ by WPPThis campaign by WPP showcases Colgate’s almost 30-year impact in South Africa and is a testament to the brand’s commitment to oral health and education. By aiding 23 million schoolchildren over the years, Colgate has not only promoted the importance of regularly brushing teeth but has also effectively communicated its brand purpose.
Nurofen: ‘Smile Stories’ by McCann LondonThis clever TV ad for Nurofen by McCann London uses color to amplify the brand. Kantar’s global knowledge manager, Polly Wyn Jones, says: “By leveraging the recognizable tones of yellow, orange and red from the brand’s logo, the assets are dramatically woven into the spot and become part of the story.”
Set against a white backdrop, the use of color makes the ad distinctive and memorable and reinforces every part of the brand from start to finish.
“In Britain, sales of kids’ pain relief have seen a 3% decline year-on-year due to comparison with an exceptionally strong performance in 2022 when sales grew 34%,” explains Matthew Maxwell, business unit director at Kantar’s Worldpanel Health and Beauty. “Winter illnesses drive a significant proportion of sales each year, so it’s important for brands to be visible during this time, but lower levels of illness this year resulted in lower demand for the category and the brands within it.”
Panadol: ‘Delivery Man’ by Grey Group SingaporeThroughout this spot, the branding is front and center and portrays what the product is used for. With each message that appears on the screen, the viewer’s eyes are always drawn back to the Panadol logo.
“There’s a great use of audio throughout the ad,” adds Wyn Jones. “With each ping of a message being received, the audience can empathize with the protagonist.”
View the winners and emerging trends from Kantar’s annual Creative Effectiveness Awards.
From fat busting to FitTok, everyone can tell you how to live a healthier life, but only you can actually make it happen. Harry Lang discusses the dangers of health misinformation.
There should be a government-sponsored service that tells you how to handle the next decade as you hit your 30th, 40th, 50th and 60th birthdays. A bullet point memo would neatly summarize the learnings and wisdom of millions of humans who have completed said decade.
It could cover all the big topics - health, work, mindfulness, ethics, parenting, money, politics, sex and maybe a bonus segment on having fun. We won't bother the 70-year-olds - if they haven’t got things pretty sorted by then, they’re either extremely good, extremely lucky, or hopeless at taking advice.
If I could send such a memo to a younger self, I’d have suggested looking after my back a little better, perhaps getting back into Pilates and stretching. It almost certainly would have warned me that my eyesight might deteriorate if I spent the next decade staring at a screen all day. A balanced diet would have been mentioned, and the dreaded IBS. And that’s not mentioning sleep, I'd want more than five hours a night despite my daughter’s attempts to turn me nocturnal.
I suspect none of the guidance would have suggested following a plethora of health and fitness influencers and then ingesting a bunch of synthetic weight-loss drugs. But that’s what we’re all being told to do constantly in 2024.
Half the problem, as it tends to be, is about money, while the other half is about human frailty.
I could write the most effective weight loss book in history titled ‘Eat Better, Don’t Drink, Avoid Sugar, Exercise More,’ but unfortunately, there would be little else to say beyond that title. Sure, this method would require effort, discipline and take away some things people like. And there would be little for anyone else to profit from. This reminds me - I DID publish that exact diet book as a joke during lockdown. You can buy it on Amazon here (don’t though).
Instead of pragmatic and truthful reasons, we’re treated to a daily tsunami of trite fitness content and snake oil poured through the constant enema of digital media.
Let’s take a look back at a snapshot to November 2022, when TikTok was popularizing some of its more ludicrous health trends:
- Rice water hair - users were cautioned to be careful with the rice water trend, arguing it can also cause hair breakage depending on your hair type.
- Benadryl challenge - Johnson & Johnson, which manufactures the drug, released a statement noting it was “extremely concerning” and “should be stopped immediately.”
- Nature’s cereal recipe - literally just cereal with fruit in it, but with added, yet ill-defined ‘benefits.’
- Sunscreen contouring - giving the perception of a toned physique using checks notes ‘sunburn.’
- 12-3-30 workout - just exercising for an exact amount of minutes.
- Chlorophyll - drinking the stuff from plants because - and there is zero scientific evidence to back this up - it gives you lovely skin. Those plants sure are lovely.
- NyQuil Chicken - Literally Darwinism personified. I’ll say no more.
- Proffee (Protein + coffee) - at this stage, creators had worked out that more insane = more likes.
- Dry-scooping workout powder - I mean, if you want to bulk up, then fine, but it says ‘add protein powder to water on the packaging. Eating it dry and can “...lead to heart palpitations, lung infections if the powder is accidentally inhaled, and digestive problems”.
- Lemon coffee - they say this aids weight loss.
The trends got worse. Today, online health trends are omnipotent; even everyone’s formerly favorite entrepreneur, Steven Bartlett, has been drinking the Kool-Aid.
When he’s not espousing the virtues of various protein shakes, he’s sullying his credibility as a brand ambassador for health tech brand Zoe, which claims its “...home test kit can provide comprehensive insights into your biology, covering the gut microbiome and your blood sugar and blood fat responses”.
Says Steven on Zoe’s website: “There’s an incredible correlation between what I’ve eaten, my blood glucose levels, and how I’m feeling.” …this must be a contender for the 2024 ‘No shit, Sherlock’ award.
Good health is important, obviously, or more accurately, it’s vital if we’re planning to stay vertical past retirement age.
As with all vital things in the world, it’s being monetized to the max.
This is because actual healthcare has become unaffordable, and fake healthcare products are being sold with little real thought as to whether they actually work.
If you were ever in doubt as to how obscenely valuable the wellness industry has become, a report by Bloomberg in November 2023 (quoting The Global Wellness Institute) makes for gut-wrenching reading, stating that it made $5.6trn in revenue in 2022. Research from the GWI said the industry “...is expected to grow an additional 57%, to $8.5trn” by 2027.
Eight point five trillion dollars.
That’s just over three Apples, or four and a half Alphabets, and because health, wellness, nutrition, meditation and athleisure trends are designed as quick fixes for perceived physical and mental problems, are incredibly sellable on social media.
I wrote in these pages last month about Big Social’s hold over society, especially young people. In the digital health market, women have been targeted, in particular, flagged in a recent BMJ report about how corporations co-opt feminist narratives to promote non-evidence-based health interventions. The report states that “...promoting healthcare interventions that are not supported by evidence… “...increases the risk of harm to women through inappropriate medicalization, overdiagnosis, and overtreatment”.
In short, women are being aggressively sold health products, medication and treatments that are not only useless for them, they might actually be dangerous. So for my 50th, I’d hope ignoring these charlatans would be the top tip in any health memo.
Harry Lang is VP of marketing at game developer and publisher Kwalee and author of ‘Brands, Bandwagons & Bullshit,’ available on Amazon. You can find Harry at @MrHarryLang and connect with him on LinkedIn.
For The Drum’s Health & Pharma focus week, VML Health’s Claire Gillis argues that marketers and researchers alike have to renew their focus on gendered gaps in health outcomes.
For all of society’s talk about how much women count, the systems that underpin healthcare don’t count us properly at all. The net result is a women’s health gap at odds with advances in medicine. Something doesn’t add up.
Despite headline achievements in the fight for equality, the small print shows that women spend 25% more time in poor health than men. Almost half of that burden occurs during our working years, limiting our ability to earn money, build careers, and support our families. It’s hardly the platform for equality we need.
The drive for gender parity is contingent on our health. If we don’t level the playing field there, hard-won progress made elsewhere will be undermined. So, if we’re going to maximize pathways to equality of opportunity, we need to make health a priority focus.
The trillion-dollar question
Recent analysis from McKinsey says that the women’s health gap is a “$1 trillion dollar opportunity to improve lives and economies” – a claim that says as much about our current failings as it does the size of the opportunity ahead. According to the report, closing the gap will bring more women into the workplace, lifting many out of poverty, and creating a ripple-effect in quality of life.
But how do we do it? A good starting point might be to redefine our focus. Think ‘women’s health’ and your mind will probably leap to the obvious: menstruation, pregnancy, gynecology, menopause, etc. But women’s health is much more than reproductive or gynecological health. To limit our focus to those areas only wholly underrepresents the health challenges we face.
According to McKinsey, women-specific conditions like maternal or gynecological health account for just 5% of the women’s health burden. More than half of the total burden (56%) is caused by general conditions that are either more prevalent in women or manifest differently in women. Conditions like headache disorders, depression, and autoimmune diseases affect women disproportionately, while women are also more likely to become disabled during their lifetime. They’re also more likely to be obese, and are at a higher risk for heart failure or heart attack death.
So why the variation? Why do women spend 25% more time in poor health when only a fraction of their health burden comes from diseases specific to their gender or sex? The answers largely boil down to the usual suspects: gender disparities in access to health services, gender bias in patient care, and variations in the effectiveness of (or access to) medical treatment.
Two other factors quietly contribute to the disparity – and they’re two factors we have the power to change.
Limited sex- and gender-specific research
Studies indicate that a systemic deficit in disease understanding in women’s health correlates with a lack of sex- and gender-specific research. Nature analysis published last year reveals that conditions that disproportionately affect women (like migraine, headaches, CFS and anxiety) attract much less research funding than other diseases. According to the report, women’s health is “undervalued and understudied”.
Women are also underrepresented in clinical trials. It shouldn’t surprise us – they weren’t allowed to participate in trials until 1986. But it’s something we need to put right if we’re to better understand the sex-related biological differences that influence health, and develop more effective medicines for women.
Gaps in data
The shortfall in research inevitably leads to gaps in data, inhibiting evidence-based decision-making. According to McKinsey, many of the epidemiological and clinical datasets widely used today “fail to provide a complete picture of women’s health because they undercount and undervalue the health burden”. As the report warns: “when women’s health is invisible, there are missed opportunities to improve lives.”
An example can be seen in metastatic breast cancer (MBC), where flaws in the way cancer registries are built mean we cannot accurately count the number of people with MBC. Consequently, data is incomplete, compromising everything from drug development and policy decisions to treatment choices and experience design. It’s just one reason why people with MBC feel undervalued: when no-one can count you, it’s hard not to feel like you just don’t count.
Gaps in data are delaying progress in women’s health across the board. Communications can, of course, play a role in driving change, shining a light on disparity and reinforcing the value of lives reshaped by disease. Our recent initiative with Europa Donna, The Cancer Currency – does exactly that by ensuring that women with MBC are counted and valued.
Women count. We’ve got the tools to close the women’s health gap and maximize opportunities for gender equality. Let’s make it count.
For more analysis of the health and medicine landscapes, head over to our health and pharma in focus hub.
An effortlessly cool protagonist showcases how a pair of stylish smart glasses makes mundane moments extraordinary.
Ray-Ban Meta has unveiled a new ad campaign for the spring and summer launch of its next-gen smart glasses.
Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, which run between $300 to $380, come in over 150 different color and lens combinations of the classic Ray-Ban frames. They boast high-quality audio and camera capabilitie, and an LED indicator on the left that lights up every time users take a photo or video.
To showcase the glasses’ capabilities, Ray-Ban Meta enlisted the help of Charles Todd, a director and executive director at the creative agency Scheme Engine, to direct the hero spot for its new campaign, ‘Smart Glasses for Living All In.’
It follows a chic young woman donning what looks to be pair of retro Ray-Ban Wayfarers. But, there’s a twist — we quickly see that they’re actually a pair of Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses.
As she navigates through her day, we see the magic unfold. She starts her day off by getting her nails done. Instead of disrupting her relaxation to snap a pic of her fresh manicure, she simply commands her smart glasses to do the job. Click, and the moment is preserved.
Next up, a friend’s birthday bash. Even though her buddy couldn't make it in person, thanks to a quick video call from her glasses, she’s virtually blowing out the candles along with the rest of the gang.
As the day turns into night, our protagonist hops on the back of a motorcycle, en route to a party. A sign in Spanish catches her eye, but no worries — her smart glasses come to the rescue, seamlessly translating it into English. “Dance all night,” it reads.
“With Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, we have made a product that can help people thrive in any moment, whether they are out for a big night or just walking down the grocery aisle,” Shachar Scott, vice-president of marketing for Meta Reality Labs, told The Drum. “We have iconic fashion and powerfully useful technology for those scenarios and everything in between. We worked with our long time trusted partner and Creative Agency, SpecialGuest, to create an integrated retail, social and ad campaign to bring that vision to life under one big creative platform, ‘Smart Glasses for Living All In.’”
SpecialGuest led the creative, while Scheme Engine led its production. The new work marks SpecialGuest’s second ad campaign for Ray-Ban Meta, and the agency is already planning the brand’s upcoming holiday campaign.
“The teams at Meta Reality Labs and Ray-Ban are bringing something truly transformational into the world and it's thrilling to get to be a part of that. They are some of the most creative and innovative people around and collaborating with them on this technology and fashion fusion is a dream for us,” added Aaron Duffy, Executive Creative Director & Co-founder of SpecialGuest
The spring/summer launch of Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses will run globally across retail, out-of-home, digital out-of-home, paid social, online television, audio and web.
Interested in creative campaigns? Check out our Ad of the Day section and sign up for our Ads of the Week newsletter so you don’t miss a story.
The new channels — Barbie and Friends, Hot Wheels Action and Mattel Jr. — will launch in the coming months, with around-the-clock entertainment featuring American Girl, Fisher-Price, Thomas & Friends and more beloved toy brands.
An exciting collaboration between Samsung TV Plus and Mattel is bound to bring joy to kids, adults and advertisers alike.
The two companies have teamed up to release three new Free, Ad-Supported Streaming (FAST) channels: ‘Barbie and Friends by Mattel,’ ‘Hot Wheels Action by Mattel,’ and ‘Mattel Jr.’ - each set to launch later this year.
Barbie and Friends is the first dedicated, 24/7 streaming channel for all things Barbie. Hot Wheels Action by Mattel will have heart-pounding races, epic battles with He-Man and Skeletor and railway adventures with Thomas & Friends. And, for the littlest viewers, Mattel Jr. offers enchantment, education and endless fun, with Kipper the dog, Pingu the Penguin and other Fisher-Price favorites.
“We always aim to engage our fans in new ways with their favorite Mattel characters and storylines,” said Michelle Mendelovitz, global head of Mattel Television Studios, in a statement shared with The Drum. “We are pleased to partner with Samsung TV Plus to advance Mattel’s content strategy and provide audiences with a premium viewing experience.”
These channels mark Mattel’s first foray into the world of FAST streaming services, offering shows inspired by globally revered brands like American Girl, Barbie and Hot Wheels, and many exciting opportunities for family-friendly advertisers.
And the best part? They’re all available on Samsung TV Plus, Samsung’ s Free TV Streaming Service, accessible on Samsung Smart TVs, Galaxy Devices and on the web.
“Mattel choosing to launch its first FAST channels with Samsung TV Plus is a testament to the service and audiences we have built,” added Sarah Nelson Uberto, head of business development and partnerships at Samsung TV Plus. “Barbie and Friends, Hot Wheels Action and Mattel Jr. add even more choice to Samsung TV Plus’ stable of family-friendly, brand-safe content we know both viewers and advertisers will love.”
For more, sign up for The Drum’s daily newsletter.
Plus, Microsoft and Apple scale down the size of their AI systems – but not their AI ambitions – with new small language models.
Meta shares drop following plans to continue to ‘invest agressively’ in AIMeta reported its earnings for the first quarter of 2024 on Wednesday, exceeding analyst expectations with $36.5bn in revenue.
Investors got spooked, however, by Meta’s plans to push more money into AI R&D – an area which Meta has been expanding into rapidly but which is not yet profitable for the company. According to CNBC, the tech giant’s stock fell by 10% on Thursday, marking its worst day since October 2022.
Meta chief financial officer Susan Li said during a call with investors on Wednesday that the company’s capital expenditures for 2024 will range between $35bn and $40bn as it continues to ramp up infrastructural investments in AI.
Li added: “We expect CapEx will continue to increase next year as we invest aggressively to support our ambitious AI research and product development efforts.”
Last week, Meta unveiled 8bn- and 70bn-parameter versions of Llama 3, the latest iteration of its open-source large language model. CEO Mark Zuckerberg told investors on the Wednesday call that the company is currently training a 400bn-plus-parameter version of Llama 3 that “seems on track to be industry-leading on several benchmarks.”
The Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses go multimodalSpeaking of Meta’s investments in AI, the company announced on Tuesday that multimodal AI had arrived on its Smart Glasses for all users.
The glasses, designed in collaboration with Ray Ban, were released last fall. An experimental multimodal AI feature was rolled out to a cohort of early testers earlier this year.
Multimodal AI models are capable of processing multiple forms of content, such as video, images, and text. Thanks to the technology, someone wearing the Meta Smart Glasses can now, for example, take a picture of a dog, ask the glasses to identify the breed, and a robotic voice (they come with built-in speakers that turn the glasses into open-ear headphones) will respond. Or they can take a photo and generate a social media caption for it. Users need only to prompt the glasses by saying: ”Hey Meta, look and...”
Meta’s announcement of the universal deployment of multimodal AI for its Smart Glasses arrives shortly after Humane’s AI Pin was scorched by early testers who reported a slew of technical problems.
Such reports did not bode well for the future of AI wearable technology – which is being positioned by some brands as the eventual successor to the smartphone – but Meta’s Smart Glasses hint at a possible new and more commercially successful path for the technology.
New "small language models" hit the marketBig tech is starting to take a smaller approach to generative AI.
On Tuesday, Microsoft introduced its Phi-3 family of small language models – which, according to a company blog post, are ”designed to perform well for simpler tasks, are more accessible and easier to use for organizations with limited resources and ... can be more easily fine-tuned to meet specific needs.”
Phi-3 comes in three models: Mini, Small and Medium. Mini – which has just 3.8bn parameters and is, as you've probably deduced, the smallest of the three – is the only one that has yet been publicly released.
Despite their comparatively small sizes, Microsoft reported that the three Phi-3 models either closely rivaled or outperformed leading LLMs like GPT-3.5 and Claude-3 Sonnet on a number of key industry benchmarks.
Loading...Their smaller size means that Phi-3 doesn’t always communicate as accurately or as fluidly as leading LLMs, but it also means that they’re less expensive to operate. Microsoft is betting that clients looking to offer AI tools to their customers will be willing to accept the trade-off.
On Wednesday, Apple followed up on Microsoft's announcement by releasing eight small language models of its own.
The models, collectively called OpenELM, are reportedly compact enough to run on a smartphone, signaling possible future efforts from Apple to bring AI offerings directly to users’ individual devices. The OpenELM models are primarily in proof-of-concept form at the moment, according to Ars Technica.
Perplexity launches Enterprise ProOn Tuesday, Perplexity announced the release of Enterprise Pro, the company’s first B2B offering.
Little more than a year old, the San Francisco-based start-up has been making waves throughout Silicon Valley after receiving financial support from the likes of Jeff Bezos and being billed in the press as a potential challenger to Google, which has long hailed as the more or less unrivaled ruler of the online search industry.
Leveraging generative AI, Perplexity’s search engine responds to user queries by providing detailed but not overwhelmingly long text responses – including links to relevant sources – as opposed to an effectively bottomless list of internet links. The algorithm also encourages further digging from users by prompting them with relevant follow-up questions.
Perplexity is positioning Enterprise Pro as a more business- and IP-friendly alternative to other leading AI companies, like OpenAI, which are known to scrape copyrighted data in order to train their proprietary models.
”Enterprises feel comfortable that we're not training our models based off of their prompts – it's all kosher on that front,” Perplexity chief business officer Dmitry Shevelenko told The Drum in an interview. ”And so that will turbocharge usage even further.”
Enterprise Pro is now available for $40 per month or $400 per year per seat.
Generative AI now being used for gene editingResearchers are now using generative AI in an effort to edit DNA and develop more individualized treatments to certain illnesses and diseases, according to a report published on Monday by The New York Times.
Described in a research paper published on Monday by a Berkeley, California-based start-up called Profluent, the technology is based on a method of bioengineering that was introduced with Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, or CRISPR. Biochemists Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna shared the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work on CRISPR.
OpenCRISPR-1, as the system is called, also harnesses neural networks to analyze huge quantities of genomic data and suggest new mechanisms for editing DNA.
For more on the latest happenings in AI, web3 and other cutting-edge technologies, sign up for The Emerging Tech Briefing newsletter.
The beloved orange tabby settles into his new role by designing cozy orange suites to promote his upcoming film, The Garfield Movie.
In a whisker-twisting announcement today, Motel 6, an affordable hospitality brand founded in 1962, welcomed Garfield, the famous orange housecat, as its chief pet officer.
The announcement comes just before the upcoming release of The Garfield Movie, slated to premiere on May 24. The cat’s first order of business? Designing his own orange suites for cats and dogs to enjoy, complete with cat condos, plushies and other pet-friendly amenities.
Travelers can experience a Garfield Movie-themed room in Hollywood, as well as 10 additional Motel 6 locations across the nation, from May 21 until mid-June.
Loading...“Garfield is well-known for his appreciation of naps, so he’s an expert when it comes to a comfortable night’s rest,” said Adam Cannon, chief brand officer of G6 Hospitality, parent company of Motel 6 and Studio 6. “Motel 6 has been welcoming pets for free for more than 60 years and is one of the top reasons guests stay with us. Garfield will help take our love of our four-legged friends to the next level.”
The campaign was created in partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment.
“Through this creative and impressive campaign, Motel 6 will certainly raise the bar for the ultimate pet experience with Garfield’s high standard seal of approval,” said Jeffrey Godsick, executive vice-president of global partnerships and brand management and head of location-based entertainment at Sony Pictures Entertainment. “Who better to provide his expertise to help pet travel be a little easier than everyone’s favorite pampered, Monday-hating, lasagna-loving indoor cat.”
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Let’s toast to the memories of Wernham Hogg with a glass of Gervais’ Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka.
Today, Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka, Ricky Gervais’ eco-friendly spirits label, debuted its first out-of-home (OOH) ad in Slough, a commuter town in Berkshire, England and the iconic home of ‘The Office.’
The ad arrives 10 years after the British comedy series ended.
Gervais, never one to shy away from speaking his mind, has infused Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka with his signature brand of authenticity. The black and white billboard encourages consumers to buy Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka to make “a person rich & happy” (with the caveat being, “that person is Ricky Gervais”).
The advert was originally posted on Gervais’ Instagram last week, following a series of un-traditional and unserious promo posts on Gervais’ social media.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais)
Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka, produced by certified B-Corp Ellers Farm Distillery, boasts a carbon-neutral status, using largely recycled bottles and supporting reforestation efforts around the globe.
Gervais became a co-owner of the brand in November of 2023.
“Since bringing Ricky onto the Dutch Barn team, we have been committed to his vision of un-traditional, honest advertising, and our authentic approach to media buying is no exception,” said Ellers Farm Distillery’s chief marketing officer, Ross Haddow, in a statement shared with The Drum.
“As an independent B-Corp brand we’re already doing vodka differently, and that means we do advertising differently too. While Slough might not be the traditional choice for a billboard debut, it was the only place we wanted to launch our first OOH advert.”
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Prepare to be spellbound watching the grocery delivery app’s most ambitious creative to date.
Gopuff says it isn’t just about the convenience of online grocery delivery any more; it’s about weaving magic into the mundane. Today marks the launch of the brand’s largest marketing endeavor yet, ‘Bring the Magic,’ aimed at bringing a touch of magic to the everyday hustle and bustle.
The campaign’s centerpiece is a surrealist and cinematic commercial directed by Smuggler’s Adam Berg. It follows a superhuman protagonist dressed in everyday clothes who appears to effortlessly melt through walls and float to the tops of skyscrapers — all in an effort to deliver necessities to customers. In other words, as the creative would suggest, the speed, quality and consistency that Gopuff offers inserts a sense of magic into the everyday.
“With a business predicated on speed and a team with its finger on the pulse of culture, Gopuff does more than deliver products – we create experiences,” said Tyler Stewart, head of marketing and creative partnerships at Gopuff.
“‘Bring The Magic’ is a strategic campaign designed to share that magic with a broader audience while also serving as a promise to our existing customers that, with Gopuff, their every day can be a bit more special. By taking a more refined approach with this campaign and the creative, we’re growing up without growing old.”
The full-funnel campaign encapsulates activations, movie theatres, influencers, linear TV, connected TV, OTT, out-of-home and social.
Loading...Mother New York led the creative while Media by Mother handled its assets and distribution.
“There’s a belief at Gopuff, from the founders to the micro-fulfillment centers, that there’s an opportunity to make life’s simplest moments and everyday necessities exciting,” said Oriel Davis-Lyons, chief creative officer at Mother New York. “You feel it anytime you open the app and that’s what we wanted to capture with this platform and the work. The brand is on the threshold of becoming a household name and we’re proud to partner with it on that journey.”
Launch day includes a TikTok takeover and presence within the NBA playoffs on ESPN, ABC and Turner. The commercial will also run in theaters for the opening weekends of Challengers, starring Zendaya, and The Fall Guy, starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt.
Gopuff also plans to make its brown paper bags famous by issuing a series of limited-edition premium tote bags, first in New York City, Philadelphia and Miami. Later, Gopuff will collaborate with talent and brand partners. In addition, and as an invisible thread throughout the campaign, Gopuff is launching culturally relevant collections such as ‘The Yes Chef Bag,’ ‘The Situationship Bag,’ ‘The Prepper Bag’ and ‘The Dial Up Bag.’
Stewart added that the work is designed to build brand awareness and define Gopuff’s next chapter.
“We wanted to ensure that this film sets the stage, not only for the feeling of magic through the visuals but also how it positions us in consumers’ minds,” he told The Drum. “It’s elevated and polished, while still being fun and spontaneous.”
Interested in creative campaigns? Check out our Ad of the Day section and sign up for our Ads of the Week newsletter so you don’t miss a story.
The pre-loved furniture marketplace is playing Ikea at its own game with an eye-catching and playful campaign by 10 Days that doesn’t hold back. It’s our favorite today; find out why.
Vinterior is taking on ‘fast furniture’ in a bold way with a follow-up to its viral London Underground campaign. The narrative of making second-hand furniture the norm is key and the lighthearted jibes toward the mass-produced, flat-pack furniture industry are fun.
Brilliantly, the copy continues to play into the mindset that “You’re better than flat-pack,” but now with updated slogans such as “The only screwdriver needed is 1 part vodka and 2 parts orange juice” and “Life’s too short to have a one-night stand with an allen key.”
Overall, the campaign has a real David v Goliath tone, which is bound to raise a few smiles among consumers – especially those with sustainability on their minds.
Lastly, the media buying is chef’s kiss and is bound to gain traction across social media. By cleverly using a bus, Vinterior is able to place its message right outside the Ikea store on Oxford Street.
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Our quickfire analysis of the brand, marketing and media stories that might just crop up in your meetings and conversations today.
ByteDance holds its ground
ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, is standing firm against pressure to sell TikTok in the United States, despite new legislation demanding such action or facing a ban.
"ByteDance doesn’t have any plans to sell TikTok,” the company declared on its official Toutiao account. This declaration follows TikTok’s recent vow to legally challenge what it deems an “unconstitutional” law.
Responding to reports from The Information suggesting a potential sale of TikTok’s US operations without its defining algorithm, ByteDance refuted such claims as “false rumors.” It accompanied their denial with a screenshot of the article marked with Chinese characters denoting “false rumor.”
As the case comes to a head, it will have to keep tight control of comms, Chinese or otherwise.
Source: BBC News
Google’s AI search progress
Alphabet announced its Q1 results hours ago. It boasted strong performance. More of interest was Sundar Pichai's CEO remarks. Here are his views on the firm’s AI search developments:
“We’ve been through technology shifts before – to the web, to mobile and even to voice technology. Each shift expanded what people can do with Search, and led to new growth. We’re seeing a similar shift happening now with generative AI.
“For nearly a year, we’ve been experimenting with SGE in Search Labs across a wide range of queries. And now we’re starting to bring AI overviews to the main search results page. We are being measured in how we do this, focusing on areas where gen AI can improve the Search experience, while also prioritizing traffic to websites and merchants.
“We’ve already served billions of queries with our generative AI features. It’s enabling people to access new information, to ask questions in new ways, and to ask more complex questions.
“Most notably, based on our testing, we’re encouraged that we’re seeing an increase in Search usage among people who use the new AI overviews, as well as increased user satisfaction with the results.
“And with Circle to Search, people can now circle what they see on their Android screens, ask a question about an image or object in a video, and get an AI overview with Lens.”
It seems that after an initial shock, and arguably a slow response, Google is finally able to cash in on the AI buzz.
Ad spend up again in the UK
The latest Advertising Association/Warc Expenditure Report unveils a dynamic shift in the UK’s advertising landscape. In 2023, online ad spending surged by 11%, hitting £28.7bn, constituting a significant 78.4% of total UK ad expenditure.
Among traditional mediums, only out-of-home advertising saw growth, climbing by 9.7%. The decline in TV (8.9%) and direct mail (12.6%) starkly contrasts with this trend.
James McDonald, Warc’s director of data, intelligence and forecasting, characterizes 2023 as a “challenging year,” with minimal gains and a concentration of spending in online formats, particularly social media.
McDonald predicts that digital formats, led by search and online display, will soon command four-fifths of UK ad spending, a substantial increase from 51% just five years ago.
Despite this surge, the UK’s overall ad market reached £36.6bn in 2023, marking a 6.1% increase. However, adjusted for inflation, this growth amounts to a marginal 1.2% contraction.
McDonald contextualizes these findings within a challenging business landscape in 2023, where marketers, striving for efficiency, maintain performance marketing spend amid fierce competition for sales.
Snap shares finally soar
After the closing bell yesterday, shares in the parent company of Snapchat soared by 21%, riding high on the back of better-than-expected quarterly revenue and user growth, surpassing Wall Street’s projections.
Snap attributes its stellar performance to enhancements made to its advertising platform. The social media giant reported a surge in daily active users, reaching 422 million in the first quarter, outpacing analyst forecasts of 419.6 million. Concurrently, revenue for the same period spiked by 21% to $1.2bn, exceeding the analyst consensus of $1.12bn.
Snap has historically grappled with competing for ad revenue against industry giants like Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. However, its concerted efforts over the past year to refine ad targeting mechanisms and streamline user interaction with ads are paying dividends.
In a letter to shareholders, Snap credited heightened demand for features facilitating brand-driven sales and website engagement.
Source: The Guardian
Off its trolley?
UK supermarket Morrisons is enhancing its retail media offerings with the launch of a new trolley (that’s carts for our American readers) advertising network across its nationwide stores.
Teaming up with Retail Media Group, the supermarket giant is rolling out trolley media across 300 of its largest stores, amplifying brand visibility within its retail spaces.
This retail media initiative is part of a series of moves by Morrisons to innovate its advertising platforms. It accompanies the introduction of digital screens to its Market Street food counters, enabling brands to showcase products that complement the counter range and engage with shoppers in an area traditionally devoid of their products.
According to IGD Research, trolley advertising stands out as one of the most impactful touch points during a supermarket visit, offering brands heightened visibility and effectiveness.
David Lambert, deputy chair of the Retail Media Group, said that each customer is exposed to 45 minutes of brand visibility, making it a valuable addition to the network. At the moment, the inventory will be printed but you could imagine a screen-based future...
As part of LinkedIn APAC’s Take the Lead Executive interview series, LinkedIn sat down with DKSH Healthcare’s Bijay Singh for insights on tailored strategies, quality, and efficient prospecting in Southeast Asia.
In today’s world, bringing your business beyond borders is becoming less of a nice-to-have, and more of a growth imperative. LinkedIn data shows that, in the past 24 months, the top 39 active countries on LinkedIn saved a cumulative 1.6 billion leads in Sales Navigator — and 35% of those leads were international.
The business development team at DKSH Healthcare has certainly contributed to this number as they seek to advance DKSH’s purpose of enriching people’s lives and providing healthcare for patients, particularly in underserved regions of Southeast Asia. To do so, they partner with healthcare and medical device companies and help these brands penetrate and grow in the region.
To understand their growth strategy, Navin Raina (head of Asia enterprise at LinkedIn Sales Solutions) hosted Bijay Singh, DKSH’s global head of healthcare, for a special episode of Take the Lead when he visited Singapore recently. Take the Lead is LinkedIn Sales Solutions’ thought leadership series in APAC, where we have insightful conversations with business leaders.
Navin’s conversation with Bijay surfaced a number of interesting takeaways that can be helpful for other business leaders seeking growth in international markets.
Think global, act local Entering, growing in, and eventually succeeding in a market takes commitment. New entrants need to respect the market, invest time and effort to understand how it operates, and tailor their go-to-market strategy accordingly. For healthcare and medical device companies, this extends to establishing a local logistics and distribution presence, which can add yet another layer of complexity.
This is especially true in Southeast Asia, where Bijay strongly cautions against a globalized, one-size-fits-all approach.
“We talk about Southeast Asia but really, we’re talking about a collection of several different markets,” shared Bijay. “You've got small, emerging markets like Laos and Cambodia coming up, and then you've got very large, high-potential markets — the VIP countries of Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines. And they’re all very different. You’ll find with the markets that we serve in Asia, there's almost always a bespoke model that you need for the same company; sometimes, the same product.”
Bijay goes on to explain that the regulatory environment can also differ significantly, running the full gamut from the likes of Singapore, where registration information from other major countries can be quickly repurposed and approved, to markets like Cambodia, where the process can take up to three long years.
This deep market know-how is highly valuable to DKSH Healthcare’s clients, many of whom may not have the capacity or appetite to navigate these markets on their own.
In addition to prioritizing quality as a “non-negotiable,” DKSH’s sustainability efforts also check the right boxes, especially as more companies extend their sustainability practices to the partners they work with. Leveraging technology in this regard, Bijay reveals that operational efficiency and renewable energy rank among the company’s key focuses today.
“We recently built Taiwan’s first fully automated healthcare distribution center where everything is processed electronically. We’ve also installed solar power on the roof and put in place systems to capture, store and use this energy. It’s reduced our footprint drastically. We’ve replicated this, to a lesser extent, in Laos,” he added.
With a solid value proposition to bring to the table, the question remains — how does DKSH Healthcare’s business development team get in front of the right people?
Banking on a single source of truth Having had his start as DKSH Healthcare’s vice president of global business development & strategy, Bijay has walked the ground and acknowledges how LinkedIn Sales Navigator has helped his team identify the right decision makers to engage.
Now, he wants to take it a step further and leverage LinkedIn’s sales intelligence to drive business growth in the form of whitespace opportunities.
“There are plenty of companies that we don't know about. Everybody knows the large companies but there are plenty of what I call “sweet spot companies”: smaller, with very good technology, very interested to grow in Asia, but not knowing who to talk to,” he said.
Personally, I’m glad we had this conversation when we did, because Sales Navigator is piloting two Generative Artificial Intelligence features that could help Bijay and his team reach their goals faster.
Our AI-assisted search now makes searching for prospects more efficient with conversational language prompts. To dive into the surfaced results, sellers can switch over to Account IQ for account research made easy with key information across different sources compiled and summarized, directly in Sales Navigator.
With technology doing the heavy lifting, as sellers, we have more time to focus on making the human connections that matter. These are exciting times, not only DKSH Healthcare as it advances its growth ambitions in Asia, but for all of us in sales.
Inspired?Tune in to more episodes of the LinkedIn APAC Take the Lead Executive interview series here or discover more by getting your own copy of LinkedIn’s Deep Sales: The B2B Sales Playbook to Boost Revenue in 2024.
Knowing what you want in business is one thing; getting it is another. James Scott-Flangan of Tangent says the key to delivery is executable strategy.
The most common cause of failure across digital transformations, from experience, results from the initial transformation strategy not being grounded in business reality or technological possibilities – an idea explored by my colleague in this earlier article.
It concludes that agencies, not traditional consultancies, are best placed to take up the mantle in owning end-to-end digital transformation, from strategic definition to technology rollout. Why? In short, because agencies are the ones better placed to understand the realities of delivery.
It’s also our agency’s view that strategies need to be both deliverable and likely to stick despite technological and organizational constraints – not to mention budgetary. We call this ‘executable strategy.’
Cracking the ‘why,’ ‘what’ and ‘how’
It’s important to first consider how you link day-to-day consumer-facing activities to macro business objectives. We’ve seen success in taking a KPI-driven approach, ‘laddering down’ metrics from a central business vision.
These metrics should be as follows. Strategic KPIs: indicators of strategic performance against the mission or value proposition, such as revenue growth in a particular area or cost efficiencies. Marketing KPIs: underlying marketing indicators that drive the strategic metrics, for example, growth in brand awareness or preference. Operational KPIs: measures of how well business ways of working are set up, for example, delivery speed or quality. And, diagnostic KPIs: indicating how key marketing channels perform and run.
It may sound obvious, but the first step in delivering an executable strategy is to start at the top with your business vision and work from there. When working with our clients, we start by asking three questions: Why are you trying to achieve something? What is your overall business vision? And what is your macro-organizational mission and how does this translate into key strategic objectives? These could be increasing revenue in a particular business geography or expanding product portfolio. Strategic KPIs should be set at this stage.
Once the overarching business direction is clear, it’s important to understand how it translates into marketing objectives. These could be to improve brand reputation or to generate brand awareness with a specific audience. Marketing KPIs should be developed at this stage.
When thinking about the ‘what,’ we refer to the specific marketing business capabilities required to deliver upon marketing objectives. Marketing business capabilities are simply the ‘things that you can do as an organization’ – for example, brand and reputation building or lead generation. These capabilities are the building blocks to achieve a given strategy. Marketing KPIs should be delivered upon at this stage.
We break down the delivery, the ‘how,’ into two core layers: the operating model and underlying digital tools and architecture. The digital operating model should be set up to deliver specific use cases in service of each of the business capabilities across product activation and its day-to-day usage and expansion of new features/functionalities. Operational KPIs should be defined against these use cases.
The underlying digital tooling and architecture refer to the specific tools and how they are set up and integrated to deliver the same use cases. Diagnostic KPIs should be defined against the same use cases.
Implementing executable strategy
Now you know your target destination and how it breaks down into a corresponding what and how, the next goal is to ensure it’s delivered incrementally to avoid the fateful big bang/waterfall approach. This is critical as strategy can be made or broken in its execution phase.
A strong partner should be able to advise on all key areas as well as be able to identify what is missing in order to guide your decision-making should there be internal inertia. An actionable roadmap is important, but making a new business strategy a reality can be daunting, not to mention the need for business stakeholder buy-in and investment.
Start by developing a business case that includes route to value, level of investment required and anticipated return on that investment. In a world where capital expenditure decisions are ever scrutinized, this will help cut through with senior leaders. Then review your partnerships, questioning if you have the right support in place for your journey.
A partner who can help you develop the strategy as well as deliver above all else will be much more bought in and more likely to facilitate success. All that’s left is to ask yourself, can you risk going it alone?
The e-commerce giant is looking to eat up a bigger slice of post-Thanksgiving consumer pie today with its notorious Black Friday deals.
Amazon this week debuted a couple of playful new Shakespeare-inspired spots to promote its holiday sales.
The TV commercials add a medieval spin on the classic trope of awkward and tense family gatherings by bringing the famously feuding Montagues and Capulets into one room for some seasonal festivities.
“Getting the in-laws together for Christmas can be a teensy bit awkward,” a voiceover actor relays against a flute-forward melody. One man slams his goblet down on the table pointedly while another not-so-subtly sharpens a knife. The tense scene unfolds as Romeo and Juliet eye their guests anxiously.
Luckily, the star-crossed lovers had thought ahead: they saved big bucks when they bought a gold-plated karaoke microphone during Amazon’s Black Friday sale. As a result, “tragedy was avoided,” the voiceover artist chimes. The ad cuts to a lively scene of the Capulets and Montagues rowdily singing a karaoke version of the viral TikTok song Jiggle Jiggle by Duke & Jones and Louis Theroux.
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet aren’t the first fabled characters to front an Amazon campaign this year. Last month, ahead of Halloween, the company ran a spot in the same style and structure featuring Red Riding Hood, who transforms the wolf into a playful pup with a squeaky toy she bought on Amazon. The spot was especially popular: the 30-second version garnered more than 5.6m views on YouTube.
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The retail giant’s Black Friday event runs from November 18 through November 28 and offers shoppers the opportunity to snag popular products for as much as half off.
Amazon’s seasonal marketing efforts are in full swing. Earlier this month, the company unveiled a touching holiday spot directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi called ‘Joy is Made,’ which sees a young girl enamored by a Christmas snow globe. Seeing her love of the object – as the girl totes the snow globe from dentist appointment to dinner table – her father recreates the snowy scene for her within the family greenhouse. The ad was created in partnership with creative agency Lucky Generals.
Check out the best 2022 holiday ads so far and subscribe to The Drum’s daily US newsletter here.
The digital experience lab is the latest investment in virtual influencer tech from agencies.
Ogilvy has announced the launch of Reality, a digital experience ‘lab’ dedicated to researching and creating new applications of technologies such as AR, VR and NFT.
The studio is to be led by Dickon Laws, Ogilvy’s global head of innovation, and will provide an “innovation translator, pathfinder and risk navigator” service to the network’s clients. Laws estimated that the wider market linked to the studio’s tech expertise would be worth $1.5tn by the end of the decade.
“Although most brands have experimented with emerging tech, there is still a lot of IDK and WTF attached to AR, VR, AI, ML, NPC, NFT and web3,” said Laws. “When you think that the metaverse and its associated technologies are projected to be worth almost $1.5trn dollars by 2029, that’s either a lot of growth to miss out on or a lot of mis-invested budget for brand leaders to be accountable for through poor understanding and unfamiliarity.”
“Reality has been designed to de-risk that investment and unlock the value for brands by translating what these emerging and maturing technologies can mean for customers. Although we are emerging technologists, really we want to get technology out of the way and focus on needs based adoption.”
According to an agency spokesperson, the studio will focus on three principal areas: AR, ‘synthetic experiences’ including virtual humans and brand avatars and ‘decentralized experiences’ such as NFT design and web3 applications.
The announcement makes Ogilvy the second network agency to seriously invest in virtual brand avatar design. Though indie shops such as Virtual Influencer Agency and Californian firm Brud had produced virtual humans in the past, Dentsu Creative launched a ‘virtual identity’ service for brands in August, based out of its Singapore office.
Laws will report up to Clare Lawson, Ogilvy’s chief executive officer for experience in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Though Ogilvy hasn’t said how many staff will be attached to the lab, Laws will be joined by chief technology officer Michael Tidmarsh, head of strategy Chris Hilton, head of emerging tech Lorenzo Cardioli and senior experience director Maurizia Le Ro. Executive creative director James Ramsden will also be involved. Other staff members will be drawn from Coley Porter Bell, AQuest, BottleRocket and Jussi.
Clients that had previously made use of unofficial ‘innovation teams’ from Ogilvy include Gucci, VW, PizzaHut, Cadbury’s, Estée Lauder, Greenpeace and Lamborghini. The lab will make use of WPP’s formal partnerships with Snap, Meta, Epic Games and Soul Machines – a New Zealand firm that develops virtual characters for commercial applications, such as artificial bank tellers.
Laws added: “Emerging tech is not new, but businesses do not explore its potential. Reality will unlock exponential value that clients can’t access elsewhere. The industry is drowning in acronyms and umbrella terms that are confusing and misleading. Bringing the focus away from whatever the tech flavor of the month allows brands to focus on what is going to drive real business growth, something that is needed more than ever in periods of slow economic growth.”
Members of the jury for The Drum Awards for PR talk us through the trends that emerged from this year’s entries.
With The Drum’s week-long awards festival right on our doorsteps, running December 5-9, we will be celebrating the agencies, brands and people at the very top of the global PR business at The Drum Awards for PR. The awards ceremony will be held at The Drum Labs in Shoreditch London on Thursday December 8. Find out how you can attend here.
Ahead of then, we caught up with this year’s judges on the stand-out entries and the trends they saw emerge from the best work.
Daisy Pack, managing director, Hunter PR
I love a clever twist and this year saw some corkers, with brands building news value through lateral thinking. Taking an accepted truth and turning it on its head provided creative manna for strategic comms teams, with highly engaging results that really earned their audiences’ attention. Within this trend, well-planned strategic hoaxes sparked a reaction from the judges this year.
It was also inspiring to see established platforms injected with fresh energy and purpose. It’s not easy to land a brand-new territory and give legs to a long-term, well-recognized initiative, even when those reputable programs are brilliant. Hats off to the teams that executed truly rousing work. Linked to this, campaigns with purpose at their core continue to engage as audiences support brands giving back to the greater good.
I judged the Best Integrated Campaign, which was blessed full of exceptional, inspiring entries. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts when it comes to integrated work, and we found plenty of examples where teams leveraged multi-platform campaigns to amplify messaging across different channels – reaching more people more often with compelling, unified communications.
Hugo Bebbington, communications manager, Twitter
As many of these entries took place during the coronavirus pandemic, there was a need to balance being confident and considered when approaching campaigns. There was an incredibly impressive amount of adaptability and creativity on show to ensure entries were in line with the circumstances we were all living through.
I was obviously interested in campaigns that utilized social media successfully, but entries that had a deft approach to using data in a creative way caught my eye as well. The strongest categories gave us campaigns that captured a particular moment of time and certainly stood out. For example, any entry that involved working in the hospitality or tourism industry during the pandemic and navigating its many restrictions practically made me break out in a cold sweat.
The origin stories of so many of these successful campaigns came from quite humble beginnings – be that a big brainstorm, taking a fresh look at the account, or outreaching in a way you wouldn’t normally consider. It was a really welcome reminder to approach things with an open mind and to try and be ambitious with your delivery.
Brandon Dixon, director of communications, Stagwell
Digital-first activations won out – handily. The proof was in their results. Creativity was wicked across the submission set, but it was only when digital and creative were pointed purposefully toward the client’s business goals that the campaigns started to sing.
You could see the impact of the creator economy on this year’s submissions. Influencer engagement was a strong anchor across the best submissions – and those teams that curated content, experiential formats and outreach around driving mass engagement aided by nano-influencer boost saw wicked results.
Hyperlocal activations were personally the most compelling, and an excellent reminder to activate locally for global results. The best storytelling happens among communities – IRL and digital. When an agency located its core strategic motivation in regional appreciations, urban legends and indelible community moments (the tragic and the comic), it drove results and inspired more innovative thinking.
The limits of mass culture structured the best creative work. The agencies that took aim at social taboos and digital platforms featuring those obscure conversations like period equity felt most authentic to marketing’s current age – where brands are caught between the seesaw of purpose and profit.
Billboard in Shepherd’s Bush comes complete with twinkling lights and an enormous lottery ticket.
In ‘Christmas Love Story’, released last week, a young woman and man meet on a train and, after realizing they have a connection, frantically try to exchange phone numbers as she leaves the train. Sadly, the phone number that is written on the back of a lottery ticket gets smudged and viewers are left on the edge of their seats wondering if the pair will meet again.
To coincide with the film, a special build out-of-home ad featuring the couple will run at The Pump Station at Westfield Shepherd’s Bush for the next two weeks.
Standing 2.6m high and 7.6m across, the billboard comes complete with twinkling Christmas lights and an enormous lottery ticket that waves in the wind.
Anna McInally, head of marketing communications at The National Lottery, said: “We want to bring our Christmas love story to as many people in as many formats as possible. Our special build at Westfield is designed to raise awareness of our lucky love-struck couple and bring a bit of Christmas magic to people as they do their Christmas shopping.”
Interested in creative campaigns? Check out our Ad of the Day section and sign up for our Ads of the Week newsletter so you don’t miss a story.
Concerns that challenging content will cast a negative shadow on brands cause many advertisers to take a hyper-conservative approach to brand safety. But fear of tarnishing a brand’s reputation may be unfounded – and may result in a missed opportunity to make a powerful brand statement, writes Ara Kurnit of New York Times Advertising.
Brand safety is a topic that has long been hotly debated in the industry. There have been many attempts to decode brand safety to help brands navigate what is ‘safe’ to align with.
In 2019, the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) created a ‘brand safety floor’ and ‘brand suitability framework.’ The organization distinguishes between the concepts of brand safety – which it defines as content not appropriate for any advertising support – and the newly-introduced brand suitability: sensitive content appropriate for advertising supported by enhanced advertiser controls. GARM’s brand suitability framework assesses whether the risk is high, medium or low for brands aligning with certain types of content, creating a subjective set of guidelines.
While we commonly use the term ‘brand safety’ with clients, what we are almost always actually talking about is brand suitability. Brand stewards want to ensure the brand is seen in the right light, surrounded only by content that is unlikely to be distasteful. However, the subjective measure of brand suitability is often guided by misconceptions, and brands are missing out on opportunities to make powerful statements.
The counterintuitive draw of the controversial
As we have heard countless times, in the current environment brands can’t afford to play it safe. 62% of global consumers want companies to take a stand on issues they’re passionate about, and 64% see brands that actively communicate their purpose as more attractive, according to Accenture data.
This means that the exact content that brands are trying to avoid taking a stand on – including broadly relevant issues such as sustainability and fair employment practices – is the kind of content consumers expect brands to proactively engage with.
And while we’ve heard a lot about news fatigue, Americans aren’t avoiding negative news – in fact, they’re continuing to seek it out. Many of us have heard the saying ‘if it bleeds, it leads,’ referring to humans’ fascination with negative news. Articles that elicit feelings of hate in The New York Times (NYT) have actually been shown to have a positive impact on brands.
According to NYT research on the international fashion category, advertising that is aligned with articles that elicited feelings of ‘hate’ and ‘disappointment’ outperformed the industry by 25%. They are among the top-performing ad units by clickthrough rate, only slightly behind articles that elicit feelings of being ‘informed.’
There are many reasons for this, but those of us familiar with retail therapy know the psychological impact of browsing and buying – a well-documented phenomenon in scientific research. The burst of dopamine a consumer gets from an in-store purchase is the same as online shopping – and clickable advertising can be the fastest way to get there.
The case for motivation data
At the same time, as a culture we are soaking in a lot of stressful entertainment.
People want to see a realistic picture of the world. And with the rise of content showcasing challenging real-world issues, brands can provide support by creating spaces for people to learn, reflect and even share their own experiences. They can enable people to express the collective, emotional burden of an event to create a more unified, communal experience.
Certain types of content can make people feel frustrated and helpless in the face of everything that needs to be remedied in the world. While brands may be motivated to do something for positive change, ways to help can feel out of reach. Some organizations have been experimenting with motivation targeting, which allows advertisers to align their messages with motivations such as achievement and belonging. As long as it doesn’t feel opportunistic, brands can target motivations and satisfy needs by providing an outlet for action.
It’s safer than you think
An environment deemed ‘trustworthy’ provides more leeway for brands. In light of the recent challenges facing Twitter as the brand becomes less trustworthy – with hate speech on the platform increasing, for example – advertisers are exercising caution and pulling advertising to avoid damage.
On the other hand, if an outlet is deemed trustworthy, that fact has a positive halo effect on brands advertising there, regardless of where the content appears.
A study by MAGNA Media Trials in conjunction with Disney Advertising Sales revealed that consumers generally see news content as more valuable, trustworthy and interesting – and as such, ads in news felt 8% more relevant, 6% more valuable and 4% more trustworthy when compared with non-news content.
Regardless of industry, staying silent on cultural issues can be detrimental to a brand’s audience. Attempting to distance a brand from the most challenging issues of our time is becoming increasingly difficult as these issues are central to the cultural zeitgeist.
Though it’s still frequently a topic of conversation, brands should reconsider their definition of what is ‘suitable’ and ‘safe’ when it comes to their messaging and marketing efforts.
Aligning with hot-button issues is expected of brands and can prove beneficial in certain situations. Brand stewards can rest assured that in trusted environments, fewer topics can be off-limit topics, and brands have a voice regardless of the leading stories of the day.
Ara Kurnit is vice-president, managing director of strategy, New York Times Advertising.
Worth $4bn in ad revenue in the US, free ad-supported streaming TV channels are only now gaining momentum in the UK. Here’s what you need to know…
Free ad-supported streaming TV (Fast) channels are, as the name suggests, free and funded by ads, and they now populate internet-connected TVs in their thousands. To viewers, they’re almost indistinguishable from linear channels of old, but instead of being broadcast, all of their content is streamed. To broadcasters, they’re inexpensive, flexible and easy enough to stock with library content.
Why should advertisers care?
The US Fast market is several years ahead of the UK and Europe. The first thing to realize is just how vast the landscape is, with more than 1,400 channels across 22 networks. These are served through platforms such as Pluto TV, Xumo, Tubi, Roku, Samsung TV Plus and Amazon’s Freevee (formerly IMDbTV). S&P Global Market Intelligence estimates that US Fast ad revenues are worth $4bn in 2022, with this projected to hit $9bn by 2026.
Channels are spun out by niches, such as cooking, crime or sci-fi, similar to satellite and cable channels, or dedicated to re-runs of much-loved shows such as The Walking Dead Universe channel or Hell’s Kitchen. Because they are fairly quick and easy to roll out, channels can be reactive – say a World Cup-dedicated channel or royal documentaries following the Queen’s death.
Audiences are watching these channels to complement the premium shows and movies on their paid-for TV subscriptions, such as Netflix and Disney+, with this style of viewing reminiscent of the satellite and cable days.
We don’t quite know how many people are watching these thousands of channels because the channels aren’t yet covered by ratings measurement firms Nielsen or Barb, but Roku, as an example, is available in around 61m US homes, so penetration is high.
Advertising is bought via programmatic auctions rather than pre-buys and is arranged with the channel operators using the broadly the same ad-buying tools they would use online. There’s also much talk of the power of contextual advertising, aligning relevant brands on suitable niches.
But are UK advertisers interested?
Jon Manning, client investment director at Starcom, says Fast viewing is “not normalized in the UK”. It isn’t yet on his clients’ media mixes, but he says that will change with the launch of ITVX (ITV’s new streamer will launch on December 8 with 10 Fast channels).
“ITVX will make Fast more mainstream in the UK and should normalize the behavior.” But until the UK ad industry has seen proof from ITV’s channels, Manning says it is difficult to assess advertiser appetites.
“I don’t know if anyone is specifically saying I want to buy Fast channels at the moment in terms of the inventory, but it will probably get advertisers excited to buy top-level sponsorship to align their brand to the channel.”
These could be a good buy if they keep viewers in the video environment for a good duration, topped with channel sponsorship opportunities. “On the face of it, it seems like a really innovative way to increase supply and increase audience stickiness.”
According to Rufus Radcliffe, the managing director of on-demand at ITV, Fast channels were strongly favored by focus groups, hence their elevated status on the streamer. “They will offer content in a more lean-back curated way, which we know is a benefit to some viewers when there is so much to choose from.”
ITV’s editorial team will use consumer data to understand what channels are working, then they’ll “dial up and dial down channels accordingly, in response to viewer demand,“ he says. The ad sales team will sell inventory to either sponsor or to place mid-rolls.
Richard Young, who is director of syndication at Little Dot Studios, is responsible for running the company’s seven Fast channels (Real Stories, Timeline, Wonder, Real Crime, Real Wild, Real Life and Don’t Tell the Bride). “What we’ve forgotten in the move to AVOD and SVOD is that people actually quite like channels and that is happening across all demographic groups,” he says.
The issue of discoverability on SVOD is a known risk to advertisers. A survey by Now (formerly Now TV) found that nearly half of viewers have at some point decided not to view TV after failing to find something to watch. “People like the experience where they don’t have to search for content, where someone is programming it for them and they can lean back and be entertained,” says Young.
While TV will be increasingly delivered online, that doesn’t mean audiences only want to watch premium on-demand content on Netflix, Disney or Amazon. “SVOD will always be there but for certain types of content – it doesn’t need to be a premium paid environment,” adds Young.
What are other UK buyers saying?
Kieren Mills, who is head of broadcast for Total Media, says Fast channels offer brands an opportunity to connect with viewers who have left the linear ecosystem. Total Media is building up its Fast channel client offering, although Mills says: “It isn’t for every brand just yet.”
He says: “Fast allows brands to be a little more flexible in scheduling campaigns within a less competitive environment, compared with the more considered longer-game linear broadcast advertising schedule.”
Meanwhile, Chris Camacho, the chief executive officer at Cheil UK, says that, “given the economic crunch and the fact consumers are looking to tighten their purse strings,” Fast channels are particularly appealing to viewers as they cut back on SVOD services.
“Fast channels will allow easy access to content via traditional advertising routes. This is a great opportunity for brands to reach audiences as they migrate away from subscription models while still maintaining a high demand for content.”
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Luxury fashion house has faced severe criticism after its Christmas campaign was found to include several references to child abuse. Can it really deny any blame?
Balenciaga came under fire for two, now deleted, photoshoots that appear to have sinister undertones. The first was its Christmas campaign, shot by Gabriele Galimberti, which depicted young children holding the brand’s ‘plush bear bags’ that appear to be wearing S&M-style harnesses. This came alongside its Spring 23 ad, which Newsweek attributes to photographer Chris Maggio, in which a Supreme Court document on child pornography cases can be seen on a table.
The backlash has resulted in a social media blame game, with brand and creatives each pointing the finger at each other.
A Balenciaga statement on Instagram said: “We take this matter very seriously and are taking legal action against the parties responsible for creating the set and including unapproved items for our spring 23 campaign photoshoot. We strongly condemn abuse of children in any form. We stand for children safety and well-being.“
Photographer Galimberti immediately stated that his role was simply to point the camera: “I am not in a position to comment Balenciaga’s choices, but I must stress that I was not entitled in whatsoever manner to neither chose the products, nor the models, nor the combination of the same.
“As a photographer, I was only and solely requested to lit the given scene, and take the shots according to my signature style. As usual, the direction of the campaign and of the shooting are not on the hands of the photographer.”
It has been reported that Balenciaga will not be taking legal action against Galimberti or Maggio, but will be targeting the creative teams behind both shoots, who aren’t full-time employees.
However, advertising industry execs who’ve worked on high fashion shoots say that, ultimately, the buck stops with Balenciaga.
“There are months of planning and ironing out every detail of an idea between the brand and the production team/photographer,“ explains Zara Ineson, executive creative director at House 337, which works with M&S and SimplyBe.
“On the day, there are big teams and people running around all over the place – it can feel chaotic and things can slip through the net. However, the brand or agency’s creative director rules the roost. If they’re doing their jobs, they scrutinize every detail of a shot and make the final call on when they’ve got it right to move on.“
Galimberti’s assertion that he wasn’t “entitled“ to choose products or models is something Ineson finds “hard to swallow“. She says most luxury brands will have a partnership between the creative director and photographer and will collaborate on ideas together.
“Even if it wasn’t a collaborative process between himself and the brand, any photographer (or at least their agent) would investigate the idea before they took the job.“ Not to mention the pre-production meetings where set design, propping and casting are agreed upon ahead of the shoot.
“There are numerous occasions before a shoot where a photographer could pull the plug on being involved if things didn’t feel right.“
With any project, many people have a shared responsibility to nail the brief and there is a sign-off process. In the weeks leading up to the shoot, there is the set design, styling and casting to think about. Ineson adds that, with a Balenciaga campaign, “these decisions would likely have been signed off by Demna [Balenciaga’s creative director] himself“.
She continues: “It doesn’t matter if he was on the shoot or not. He would’ve signed the campaign off before it was released.“
World-renowned photographer Rankin, who has worked on campaigns for brands including Diesel and Rimmel,argues that Galimberti and Maggio are complicit, both failing in their duty of care to the model.
He says: “It’s entirely inappropriate to have children modeling those bags and the buck stops with the creative director on the shoot and, consequently, with the brand. But when a photographer looks through a lens, they have a responsibility to the subject.
“There’s a duty of care to your talent, especially when it’s a kid. In this instance, they’ve really dropped the ball from both sides, the creative direction and the photography.”
Some of Balenciaga’s biggest critics accuse the brand of setting out to create controversy in the hopes of generating PR. Laurent François, managing partner at 180 Social and 180 Luxe, which counts Dioramong its clients, says the whole campaign highlights the problem of ”flirting with boundaries and looking for the next buzz”.
He says: ”Instead of nurturing its community around a narrative, progressively building a deeper understanding and helping them move to something less expected and more subtle, Balenciaga jumped into the trap of the next-day headline obsession.”
He says it is a reminder that for creativity to impact, especially in the advertising field, it has to be ”obsessed with a certain understanding of deep brand values and a forecast of community reactions... not to mention a certain moral compass within the brand territory”.
The Drum has reached out to Balenciaga for comment, but at the time of writing has not received a response.
According to brand, 52% of the UK public feel additional pressure to be happy and pretend everything is OK at Christmas.
Radio presenter Roman Kemp has lent his voice to Walkers’ annual festive campaign, which hopes to encourage people to open up about their mental health.
In ‘It Feels Good to Share,’ viewers see a young man called Larry turn up at a gathering where he is greeted by various family members. He’s followed by an emoji near his shoulder that conveys how he is truly feeling inside, even if he doesn’t let it be known on the outside.
During the final scene, Larry is in the kitchen with his friend who asks him how he’s getting on, to which he replies that he’s “fine“. Thankfully, his friend presses him further and questions him on how he really doing, which is when he begins to open up fully.
- Watch all of the latest Christmas ads
A previous version of the ad aired digitally in 2021 but has since been re-edited and voiced over by Kemp, who said of the campaign: “Christmas is an amazing time of year, but it’s also a very challenging time for a lot of people, so I’m hoping that through this campaign and encouraging people to ban what is undoubtedly the most offensive ‘F***’ word out there, we can help open up the conversation surrounding mental wellbeing and get people having open and honest conversations about how they’re really feeling.
“Let’s stop saying we’re fine because we think it’s polite, or because we think it’s what the other person wants to hear. Most of the time, if a friend or family member is asking you how you are, they do genuinely want to know because they care.”
Interested in creative campaigns? Check out our Ad of the Day section and sign up for our Ads of the Week newsletter so you don’t miss a story.
Ad by House 337 marks International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
Women’s Aid and House 337 have subverted England’s ’It’s Coming Home’ call to highlight increased cases of domestic violence around the World Cup.
The chilling minute-long film is a single shot panning across an ordinary English street as people enjoying the game, but it then hits one home with a flag reading ‘He’s coming home.’
Women’s Aid developed the campaign in response to the stat that domestic violence cases increase by 38% during the winter months and the fact more men are staying home to watch the games.
Christopher Ringsell, who is creative director at House 337, said: “During this time, as the nation comes together, we want to subvert the usual football tropes and shine a light on the chilling fact that for many women it’s a time of fear, not celebration. They need your support too. The visual spectacle of the flag retains its power, but with a new, chilling twist.“
The spot airs for the first time today, after England’s second group game against the USA. November 25 is also the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
To support the video, there will be out-of-home sites displaying the ‘He’s coming home’ flag. The flag was designed by Corbin Shaw, whose work typically features hard-hitting words over the St George’s flag. Post-campaign, the flags will be auctioned with proceeds going to Women’s Aid.
Credits
Executive creative director: Jo Moore
Creative director: Chris Ringsell
Senior creative: Holly Fallows
Senior creative: Charlotte Watmough
Head of strategy: Georgina Murray-Burton
Strategy director: Laura Sammarco
Senior influencer strategist: Paul Lynch
Business director: Kat Thompson
Senior account director: Marianne Roberts
Account manager: Catia Fernandes Poon
Agency senior producer: Tash Dean
Senior project manager: Chelsea Chapman
Design director: Aaron Pacey
Head of production: Victoria Fischer
Executive producer: Melody Sylvester
Photographer: Felicity Crawshaw
Director: Sara Dunlop
Production company: The Corner Shop
With the 2022 World Cup under way, we take a look at which Recommended agencies offer specialist sports marketing services.
The Drum Recommends is a free service designed by The Drum to help marketers find relevant, trusted agencies. Recommendations are based on reviews by the people best placed to judge their expertise – their clients.
Every year, The Drum Recommends receives thousands of ratings from advertisers. Marketers complete a survey that scores their agency’s performance and the quality and range of their services, as well as price. In order to become recommended for a service, agencies must receive a minimum of three client ratings.
Since the 2022 World Cup kicked off this week in Qatar, it’s a good moment to take a look at the Recommended agencies that have expertise in sports marketing. Below you’ll find each agency, plus its staff headcount and office locations.
Agency
Number of staff
Location(s)
Absolute Digital Media
32
London
Agency Inc
20
London
Altar Group
38
Dundee
BBJ&K Ltd
20
Birmingham
Burn
25
London, Richmond upon Thames
CSI Media
30
Crewe
Cygnus
28
Milton Keynes
Favoured
23
London
Friend
28
London
Genie Goals
30
Cambridge
Hydra Creative
20
London, Sheffield
Launch Online
25
Bristol, Exeter, London
Mark-making
23
Chipping Norton
Positive
39
Richmond upon Thames
Purpose Media
35
Derby, London
Reech Media Group Limited
20
Shrewsbury
Reflect Digital
32
London, Maidstone
Soap Media
21
Preston
Storm
20
Southend-On-Sea
White Label Productions
24
London
XYZ
27
London
Yoyo Design
30
Tunbridge Wells
Would you recommend your agency partner to another marketer? Tell us all about your experience by rating their services. And if you work for an agency that you think deserves to be recommended, all you need to do is register with The Drum for free. Your ratings will also count toward The Drum Awards Agency Of The Year categories.
For this installment of his series on cult design classics, Andy Myring of The Maverick Group pays homage to Margaret Howell’s minimalist style, which celebrates practicality and timelessness.
Over the last 50 years, Margaret Howell has quietly carved out a place in the British fashion pantheon with her unfussy, functional style. Utilitarian but tasteful, her clothes have become classics, and often come in subdued, natural tones.
Howell’s minimalist fashions have won her fans worldwide, particularly among creative people. Chefs, actors, film directors, designers, architects – they’ve all been seen sporting a Howell original. What sets Howell apart is that her clothes are clothes, never fads or trends. They support a broader philosophy that values quality fabrics and well-honed techniques, rejecting ostentation in favor of genuine usefulness.
Inclusive design
A Howell garment is built not just for everyday use, but for everyone. With an egalitarian edge, she designs clothes that are not beholden to age, body shape or gender. In her world, passing trends remain just that, with negligible influence. Howell’s clothes are designed to be kept forever: timeless and durable.
For Howell, the goal isn’t spectacle, but rather ease and comfort. She prefers to see people wearing their everyday clothes rather than ‘all dressed up’ in uncomfortable items like formal shoes. Taking all this into account, it’s perhaps no surprise that Howell doesn’t see herself as a fashion designer, and is reluctant to attach this term to her name. In her view, the public regard fashion as something that’s excessive, flamboyant and superficial – which it has every right to be – but it’s not her ethos at all.
Instead, Howell’s work focuses on the use of superior materials, outstanding workmanship and undeniably British style. Right from the beginning, she has made use of British fabrics, from English worsted wool and corduroy, to flannel, Irish linen and fine cotton shirting. Howell is drawn to materials that wear well, with their own distinctive charm. Her fabrics have qualities that aren’t easily reproduced.
The challenge lies in using these materials innovatively, while preserving a sense of heritage. Howell likes to retain a sense of tradition, no matter what country the fabric is from. In the UK, Howell still works with names that she was drawn to when she was just starting out such as Fox Brothers, Harris Tweed and Spence Bryson Linens, as well as various Scottish knitwear mills.
Feeling-first
While Howell never dreamed of being a designer, she had always taken pleasure in drawing and creating. It set her on the path to art school, where she enjoyed life drawing and the challenge of working to a brief. Art school also enabled her to explore the work of designers past and present, as well as different disciplines, from printing to sculpture.
Ultimately, it was this art school experience that cemented Howell’s career choice in her mind. She recognized that her talent lay in ‘making things’ and decided that this was where her future lay. In many ways, ‘designer’ was Howell’s destiny, rather than a job title.
Howell’s first sketches were not based on collections or themes, but more on people’s requirements. She thought not just about the visual impact of a piece, but about how it would feel to wear it.
Howell believes her fondness for handmade designs originated in her childhood, watching her mother make clothes. As a young girl in the leafy Surrey suburb of Tadworth, she saw dress-making close-up and developed a love of good fabrics.
An early appreciation for the arts
Following these formative experiences in the forties and fifties, Howell went to Goldsmiths College, University of London. She graduated with a degree in fine arts and began making jewelry from papier-mâché. Although successful, Howell switched to making men’s shirts at home in Blackheath, London, armed with a single pattern cutter and finisher. By 1973, she had opened a workshop selling wholesale garments to everyone from Ralph Lauren to Paul Smith.
Howell opened her first shop in London in 1977, initially stocking men’s clothes. In the eighties, she added women’s clothing to satisfy growing demand from female customers. Fast forward the decades and the aesthetic of Howell’s ranges has changed very little, still bearing the hallmarks of good design and painstaking care and precision.
There is no pretension or extraneous detail – just thoughtful consideration of use and purpose. In a materialistic, fast-fashion world, Howell’s clothes are not ephemeral, luxury purchases. That’s why her customers will still find their favorite shirt (or its descendant) on the shelves in her 100+ stores and concessions, even though they may have bought the original many years ago. Howell’s outlets are now present in the UK, Europe, South Korea and Japan.
Multidisciplined
When she isn’t applying her eye to fashion, Howell creates calendars revealing her passions and interests. These range from the predictable (modern design, photography, fine art and architecture) to the less expected (swimming, swimming pools, coastal landscapes and traditional British crafts). First produced in 1995, the calendars are sold to raise money for Open City, Margaret Howell Ltd’s chosen charity.
Today, Howell splits her time between Lewisham, London and her sixties modernist holiday house in Suffolk. As unassuming as her clothes, she continues to calmly shape British style with her low-key, unaffected taste. Her stores not only stock her collections, but also limited-edition items by the great and good of British design: Anglepoise lights, Robert Welch cutlery and Ercol furniture (the same Ercol with whom she worked on a series of vintage chair designs).
Juxtaposing design masterpieces with Howell’s understated pieces is a totally logical move. Together, they form a display that radiates heritage and enduring, iconic style.
Authentic and distinctive, Margaret Howell’s clothes embody timeless functionality. Her simple aesthetic continues to influence quietly, but compellingly.
Outside Red Bull’s Salzburg headquarters, protesters have unveiled a 20x20m banner calling out the brand for operating in Russia – one of the biggest brands still doing so.
The stunt, enacted by the Ukraine Solidarity Project, accused Red Bull of giving Putin wings – a play on the famous brand catchphrase – by continuing to operate in the nation.
On the company website, Red Bull said it “suspended all marketing activities and new investments in Russia in early March and complies with all EU and US sanctions.” However, such action has left the drink on the shelves in the nation while the likes of Pepsi and Coca-Cola have pulled out.
Campaigners came to the Red Bull headquarters in Salzburg, Austria and accused security of being more “concerned about us stepping on their grass than they did about the war in Ukraine.”
It comes after Nobel Peace Prize-winning Oleksandra Matviichuk made a projected night-time plea to world champion Max Verstappen at the Red Bull F1 HQ in the UK, claiming that while the sport may be dangerous, it is not as dangerous as being a Ukrainian civilian.
“Max, you are a leading brand ambassador at Red Bull. Can you ask them why they are still for sale when so many brands pulled out? Why does Red Bull still continue to help Russia to finance this war? I do believe that Red Bull must abandon Russian money but not people.”
Why the hell is @redbull still in Russia? To give Putin wings? Activists and Nobel Prise winner @avalaina projected this plea on the Red Bull F1 HQ overnight. pic.twitter.com/W9kAvKWZye
— Валерія Voshchevska (@Val\_Voshchevska) November 22, 2022
While the racing team operates as a separate brand from the drinks giant, there’s enough of a connection to drive home the message.
BREAKING: @RedBull doesn’t want anyone talking about how they’re still operating in Putin’s Russia (other companies like Pepsi and Coca-Cola have pulled their drinks). So we came to their HQ in Austria to launch a new, honest Red Bull advertising campaign for them pic.twitter.com/D31fgfMZv9
— Ukraine Solidarity Project (@SolidarityUKR) November 24, 2022
The Ukraine Solidarity Project said that Red Bull is “one of the world’s biggest brands, and its decision to stick with Putin’s Russia is highly significant. Companies that sell their products there are paying taxes to the Kremlin and signaling that they’re comfortable with the illegal invasion of Ukraine.”
The Drum has reached out to Red Bull for clarification and will update accordingly.
It’s seemingly hard for brands to resist the allure of the metaverse, but is it for everyone? Callum Gill of DRPG unravels the complexity of marketing on the platform.
‘We want to do something in the metaverse’ is a common client request these days. But it’s about as useful as saying ‘we want to do something on the internet.’
The question that must be answered when this is asked is why? With what can only be described as a tech gold rush, the past few years have seen a lurch from marketers and communicators to be on the latest platform, without so much as really understanding why; they’re fueled by buzzwords and FOMO. The reality is that it is a surefire recipe for wasting money and chasing shadows.
People are more predictable than platforms
Why should you focus on people rather than the platform itself? Well, people are more predictable and stable than tech and the wider macro environment.
There are those who swear demographics are the ultimate useful tool, but others say they are less useful. Do I laud or lambast the usefulness of demographics? I think they’re particularly useful in telling us the technology people were exposed to in their formative years, because we know when they were born – and by knowing this, you can catch your core market in their natural habitats.
You also need to understand why they are where they are. This is a much more successful strategy than blindly following media hype. This is where, however, the usefulness of demographics can fall off a cliff edge. BBH Labs did some excellent research showing there is better group cohesion and affinity among daily nut eaters and Orangina drinkers than within demographic groups.
Group Cohesion by Generation v Other Groupings
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Know who you’re dealing with
Clients and brands are desperate to enter the metaverse. Yet, the perception that only gamers who are young with no disposable income occupy this space is incredibly naïve. True, the primary audience enjoying the metaverse is gamers; however, the average age is not as young as one would expect at 35. Brands that we talk to view gaming audiences as young and without disposable income – and therefore not worth targeting. The reality is hugely different.
Armed with that, you can start to align your audiences with wider platform demographics and make a solid case for investment, approach and deployment. Jaws drop when I tell clients that recently a virtual Gucci handbag sold for 350,000 Robux (approximately $4,500) – a whopping $800 more than a physical Gucci bag. This proves a whole new digital ecosystem is on the rise – and it is worth billions.
It doesn’t matter if you can’t understand why anyone would want such a thing – the point is that there is a market, and you need to tap into it. There is a market that values this kind of transaction, and knowing this is more important than trying to understand why.
Wait until the time is right
If you’re a luxury fashion brand, it’s likely you needed to be in the metaverse yesterday. If you’re a B2B stationery company, your entry point is probably a lot further down the line, because your audience’s entry point is further down the line.
Without understanding the audience, you can deliver at best ham-fisted campaigns, and at worst tone-deaf and offensive campaigns (think Pepsi and Black Lives Matter).
Now is the time to do some considered audience work. No matter the brand; the turmoil of the last few years, the pandemic and the war in Europe have all upended customer expectations and behaviors. The impending cost of living and energy crises promising to bite in November and December will further shift behaviors and buying patterns.
If you can get to grips with your segments now using market data from sources such as CACI and Experian, your own first-party data, third-party digital data (while it lasts) and direct contact with your consumers and audiences, you stand to make platform choice a secondary concern.
The World Cup footballer helps to challenge stereotypes and shine a spotlight on loneliness in this ad for Campaign Against Living Miserably (Calm).
In the UK alone it’s estimated that 3 million people feel lonely at some point in their lives. To help combat this and encourage folk to seek support, Calm has enlisted the help of premier league footballer Declan Rice.
In ‘The Invisible Opponent 2,’ viewers see the West Ham star playing a game of football in front of huge crowds while silently battling inner thoughts of unhappiness. In the end, a hand reaches out to help him up as the message ‘You don’t have to be alone to feel alone’ appears on the screen, followed by a rallying cry of ‘Let’s tackle it together.’
Created by AMV BBDO and Seven Stones, the film is a metaphor for the mental health struggles that people face and the sense of isolation that comes from tackling them alone.
“Everyone suffers at different times in their life, and there are so many people out there who feel like there isn’t a light at the end of the tunnel – but all it takes is a conversation,” said Rice.
“It’s about having that support network and having people you can speak to. Because no matter who you are or what you’re going through, it should be easy to speak to the people you love. Just one conversation can make a positive difference.”
Sky Sports launched the film during Soccer AM last week and the wider campaign includes TV, outdoor, social media and media partnerships.
Simon Gunning, chief executive officer of Calm, added: “In the UK 125 people die by suicide every week – with 75% of those deaths being male. That’s not OK, and it doesn’t have to be that way. Now, more than ever, we must continue to challenge the stigma that prevents people from seeking the help they need.”
Interested in creative campaigns? Check out our Ad of the Day section and sign up for our Ads of the Week newsletter so you don’t miss a story.
We dive into the creative trends spotted by the jury for The Drum Awards for Social Purpose.
As we draw nearer to The Drum’s week-long awards festival (running December 5-9) we will be rewarding the people and brands making a positive contribution through socially responsible marketing globally at The Drum Awards for Social Purpose. The awards ceremony will be held at The Drum Labs in Shoreditch, London on Thursday December 8. Find out how you can attend here.
Ahead of then, we caught up with the award’s judges for their thoughts on this year’s entries.
Fleurie Forbes-Martin, story and growth director, Stronger Stories
Whether action came in the form of meaningful investment, creativity, technological innovation or holding space for new voices, the most powerful work kicked fluff to the curb.
In its place, agencies and brands came together to invent revolutionary ways to elevate voices, shine a light on inequities and put power back into the hands of people that are owed it. In doing so they have and will continue to inspire a ripple effect that reaches far beyond their original briefs. I felt proud to be part of an industry that is leading by example. Perhaps it’s because we have less tolerance for empty promises than ever before, or perhaps it’s because there’s a fundamental shift happening in the collective psyche.
Either way, I hope with all my heart that businesses and agencies entering other Drum Awards take notice of these purpose-led renegades and feel a deeper sense of urgency to join the right (and most fantastical) side of history.
Graham Nolan, co-chair, storytelling and partnerships, Do the WeRQ
There is no progress toward purpose without innovation. For all the intent for change in this world – and we know the intent is genuine and widespread – the awarded work made clear that if our current tactics were working, we wouldn’t still need change. The most powerful cases didn’t augment and reinforce old policies; they addressed genuine tension and demanded new answers, collaborations and thinking. The education category didn’t just find new needs for enlightenment and augment old tactics for new solutions; they simply and effectively reinvented approaches to how people should be educated specifically to the needed impact.
In the most celebrated work, the metric was lives changed, and the leaders and collaborators involved understood what a changing world must look like. Our challenges as a society feel unrelenting; this work shows that creativity is an infinite resource for human connection and relief.
Meg Beckum, executive creative director, Elmwood
The good news is that there’s plenty of socially conscious work happening in the world. I was particularly impressed by the diversity of social issues – from the environment and sustainability to the war in Ukraine to sexual health, education and alcohol and substance abuse – and so much more.
The best work was enabled by two things: extraordinary innovation in technology and deeply authentic expression and storytelling. Artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) transformed brilliant ideas into reality and did so with tremendous scale. Also, the most successful entries tapped into today’s interwoven stream of entertainment, news, politics, social media and advertising. Awareness and educational campaigns spoke their audiences’ language, attitudes and values – delivering highly engaging and relevant content.
Ary Ganeshalingam, global chief marketing officer, Change Please Coffee
The marriage between technology, storytelling and impact was a standout for me this year. I particularly loved entries that didn’t necessarily talk about what good they were doing as the core of their campaign, but showed how they could help the audience (or more importantly, those in need) get involved in doing good, and all very effectively (driving the great conversation and potential for further amplification, and provoking real change). Overall, the best ideas were built on simplicity and not overly theorized or convoluted, and this ends up being the most powerful and engaging as a judge. The attention bandwidth of consumers is fast diminishing, and the impact of the message is forced to behave accordingly.
Andrea Hartley, chief executive officer, Skating Panda
The overall theme I saw from judging entries – and this pleases me greatly – is the gradual shift to focusing on outcomes versus just looking at outputs in terms of real impact. Integrated campaigns are getting returns on budget by focusing on long-term behavioral changes in society, and that is exciting. Social impact and purpose have been buzzwords for such a long time now, and over the years I’ve seen them being used loosely for campaigns to sound cool and tick an ESG box. So it’s reassuring to see an increasing level of work that is delivering real impact, properly, and for good.
There’s an intricacy and rigor in both the agencies doing the work as well as their submissions, and it shows how, as an industry, we are taking this work seriously. With everything going on in the world – from war to the climate, gender inequality and driving diversity and change – it wasn’t a surprise to see that the submissions reflected these most pressing issues. Personally, I found ‘Creativity for Good’ the hardest to judge, purely because the level of entries was so high due to the world context in their submissions and the real impact that they delivered – and still are delivering.
The five-day festival kicks off on Monday, December 5. Here’s everything you need to know in advance.
The Drum Awards Festival will bring together the best in class across the advertising and marketing industries, rewarding all the hard work of the past 12 months.
The week-long event will kick off live from our studio in London, filmed in front of a live audience, and will be broadcast around the world. Each event will start off with a pre-show at the bar in The Drum Labs where our reporters will get the celebrations started, chatting with judges and nominees.
From there we’ll head to the main show, joining our presenters in the studio as they reveal the best of the best across B2B, social media, social purpose, experiential, out-of-home, PR, agency business and digital.
You can purchase tickets to attend the live shows now (or if a show you wish to see is sold out, you can still register to watch live online).
Here’s an overview of the agenda:
Monday, December 5 1pm (GMT): The Drum Agency Business Awards [SOLD OUT]
The Drum Agency Business Awards recognize the success of the whole agency, from strong leadership to the vital teams and functions often overlooked at other shows. These awards are for agencies that excel through strong workplace culture, effective management and excellent performance.
The live show will be co-presented by Lynn Lester, head of live events at The Drum, and senior reporter Chris Sutcliffe. In our bar area, the head of The Drum Network Niki McMorrough will be interviewing judges and nominees.
You can catch up on the entries here.
7pm (GMT): The Drum B2B Awards [LAST FEW TICKETS REMAINING]
The Drum Awards for B2B celebrate the companies and people that bring creativity to B2B marketing around the world. We know that B2B is no longer a poor relation to B2C marketing.
Revealing the winners at the live show will be The Drum’s editor, Cameron Clarke, along with Lynn Lester. And keeping our bar audience company will be head of The Drum Network, Niki McMorrough.
You can catch up on the entries here.
Show me entity :: 43100
Best Digital Campaign nominee FCB New York for Spotify Advertising
Tuesday, December 6 10am (GMT)/6pm (SGT): The Drum Awards for Digital Advertising APAC
The Drum Awards for Digital Advertising highlights the very best digital media and technology in APAC. When creativity and technology come together effectively, digital advertising delivers. These awards celebrate the best of the best in APAC.
Lynn Lester will be back to present, along with editor-in-chief Gordon Young. You can find out how to watch the show live here. And in the meantime, check out all of our nominees.
1pm (GMT): The Drum Awards for Experience [SOLD OUT]
Events and experiences look very different today, but the same principles that have made live events such a powerful medium still apply as the industry transitions to a new future. The Drum Awards for Experience celebrate the very best activations, but also the teams, technologies and venues that made them successful.
The show will start out in the bar with Dani Gibson, senior writer at The Drum, before heading into the main celebrations with co-hosts Cameron Clarke and Diane Young, a co-founder of The Drum.
Catch up on the entries here.
7pm (GMT): The Drum Awards for Out of Home [LAST FEW TICKETS REMAINING]
The Drum Awards for Out of Home (sponsored by Alight Media) celebrate the campaigns, people and companies driving innovation, creativity and excellence around the world. Out-of-home advertising traces back to the Egyptians, but remains relevant and effective today.
Jenni Baker, assistant editor at The Drum, will kick things off in the bar before we head over to co-hosts Lynn and Gordon to get the party started and reveal the award-winning work.
Catch up on the entries here.
Wednesday, December 7 1pm (GMT): The Drum Awards for Social Media [LAST FEW TICKETS REMAINING]
The Drum Awards for Social Media rewards the most talented people, the best agencies and social media campaigns from around the world. Whether you market to a broad or niche audience, everyone now has a social media plan.
Reporter Amy Houston will get the show started in the bar. Co-hosting the main event are Chris Sutcliffe and journalist Hannah Bowler.
Catch up on the entries here.
7pm (GMT): The Drum Awards for the Digital Industries [LAST FEW TICKETS REMAINING]
The Drum Awards for Digital Industries reward the best work, companies and people behind the most effective digital campaigns around the world. The digital transformation agenda has presented a huge opportunity for marketing, with more tools, data and channels than ever before.
Dani Gibson will be back as bar reporter, with Lynn and Gordon revealing all the amazing winners revolutionizing the digital world.
In the meantime, check out all the nominees here.
Show me entity :: 43101
Nominees for Most Effective Use of Branded Content VMLY&R Commerce for Pizza Hut
Thursday, December 8 1pm (GMT): The Drum Awards for PR [LAST FEW TICKETS REMAINING]
The Drum Awards for PR recognize the firms, agencies, brands and people at the very top of the global PR business. Guiding the communications of companies, governments and organizations effectively remains the skill of a select group of PR professionals.
Reporting live from the bar will be Amy Houston and co-hosting the event are Jenni Baker and Cameron Clarke.
Catch up on the entries here.
7pm (GMT): The Drum Awards for Social Purpose [LAST FEW TICKETS REMAINING]
The Drum Awards for Social Purpose celebrate the people and brands making a positive contribution through socially responsible marketing globally.
Getting you ready for the main event is bar reporter Jenni Baker, while the main event will come to you live with co-hosts Lynn and Gordon.
Catch up on the entries here.
Friday, December 9 1pm (GMT): The Drum Awards for Content [LAST FEW TICKETS REMAINING]
The Drum Awards for Content celebrate the world’s best branded content. Branded content and native advertising have become commonplace, but what does it take to really cut through?
Ending the week on a high, bar reporter Nikki will return along with Lynn and Gordon.
Catch up on the entries here.
6pm (GMT): The Drum Wrap Show
Come and hear who will be crowned the Agency of the Year 2022 and Grand Prix of Grand Prix winner (the best overall campaign of 2022). Mingle with our judges and award winners, learn about their amazing campaigns and make contacts in the industry. Find out how you can attend here.
Do celebrities risk crossing a line when engaging with politics? Gary Jenkins debates whether those with a platform are necessarily qualified to use it for political activism.
Public support for politicians has always been known to spark quite the storm when it comes to celebrities and influencers, as it could be seen as an attempt to sway voter decisions and impact reputation. In the US, celebrity endorsements have long been weaponized, with the likes of Beyonce endorsing Hilary Clinton in the presidential race, while Trump himself used his celebrity status to launch his political career.
In the UK, political parties are now putting greater focus on the sway of celebrities and influencers. However, the decision to declare political leanings can have a major impact on a celebrity brand, and we’ve seen plenty of examples of this over the years.
Spice Girlgate: Geri Halliwell and Nadine Dorries
Following England’s 2022 Euros win over the summer, an image of Halliwell clutching Conservative politician and avid Boris Johnson supporter Dorries quickly circulated on social media.
As is usually the case with the internet, Twitter users weren’t shy to vocalize their opinions on the pairing. Fans questioned how one-fifth of a household-name girl band, promoting girl power and LGBTQ+ rights for over two decades, could now have her arms wrapped around a politician who voted against gay marriage. However, having branded former prime minister Margaret Thatcher as ‘the first Spice Girl’ in 1996, it seems as though Halliwell has never shied away from politics.
Gary Neville joins the Labour Party
Another celebrity not afraid to speak their political mind is Gary Neville, who was highly critical of the government’s handling of Covid-19 and partygate in Downing Street, gaining a huge Twitter following in the process.
Gary has now joined the Labour Party and was a guest of Kier Starmer at its annual conference in Liverpool. However, as the former footballer entered the world of politics, his personal brand became further exposed.
Some have looked to scrutinize his career as a property investor, and his decision to work for a Qatar-associated TV network during the World Cup landed him a roasting when he guest-hosted Have I Got News for you.
Ella Henderson performs at the Tory Party conference
Another celebrity appearance happened at the Tory Party conference in Birmingham, where X Factor star Ella Henderson performed for Conservative members. The clip of her at the scene quickly circulated across Twitter, and fans were less than supportive.
In the face of the backlash, a spokesperson for UK Music said her performance didn’t reflect her political views, with the statement reading: “These events do not indicate political affiliation and are held to highlight the importance of the UK’s music sector and the success of our talent on a global stage. It’s vital that those in government and opposition appreciate the importance of the UK music industry both economically and culturally.”
However, it’s unlikely this reply cut it, given that a party conference is an inherently political event. Ella Henderson may have work to do to prove her apolitical views, or otherwise.
What does the public have to say?
Let’s look at the data. According to a YouGov poll, only 9% of Brits favor celebrity endorsement on political issues, while 52% of the population were opposed to celebrity involvement in politics.
A quarter of Brits said celebrity involvement in an area of politics would have a negative effect on how they felt, while only one in 20 voted in favor of celebrity involvement around a certain issue having a positive impact. However, the majority (63%) said celebrity advocacy would have no bearing either positively or negatively on how they felt about politics.
Is it wrong to condemn a public figure on their political views?
Well, there’s cause to support both arguments. Some may argue that public figures who have the platform to inspire change should be responsible for advocating for positive political engagement, such as exercising the right to vote.
Others argue that celebrities should avoid vocalizing their political beliefs, as their own personal beliefs shouldn’t influence another’s without proper research. For the Fordham Observer, Srushti Kshirsagar wrote: “Most celebrities are not educated on the issue of politics to be credible commentators.”
Whether your political opinions lean to the left, the right or somewhere in the middle, broadcasting a strong political stance can have a huge impact on a celebrity’s public image, but very little impact on voter decision, it seems.
When a celebrity or public figure openly supports a political figure, in the eyes of the public they are not only supporting them personally but endorsing all they believe in – such as the ways in which they have previously voted – and siding with any stigmas that may be associated with that political party.
Anyone with such a huge platform should remain conscious that the political views they are expressing could be highly influential to impressionable fans, which poses a new question: is it ethical for celebrities to use their platform to persuade fans to follow their political beliefs?
Websites can sometimes suffer from style over functionality. Jonny Longden of Journey Further encourages those thinking about a full redesign to carefully reconsider.
Many years ago, I worked for an agency that worked on the full redesign of a high-profile retailer’s website. It cost them around £1m in total to design, build and deploy the new website. There was very little research done and the project was driven by user experience (UX) ‘expert’ opinion.
Within three weeks of launching the new site, the business had lost nearly £1m in revenue due to a huge drop in conversion rate, and they were forced to revert to the previous version of the site. It ditched the vast majority of the work and simply updated the visual look and feel of the new site. A lot of money was wasted.
Anyone who has worked in digital marketing for any length of time can share similar stories. But what is far more common – which you won’t hear about – is big redesign projects where there is very little impact on performance. Many businesses consider this to be a success, but what was the point of doing it? Why spend £1m on something that doesn’t improve performance?
Why are you redesigning your website anyway?
On average, only around one in 10 experiments can prove an uplift on whatever they are measuring. This means that 90% of ideas are a waste of time, or worse. When you redesign your website, you are essentially applying opinion and guesswork to everything, and it risks a lot of investment; there is genuinely very little reason or logic for anyone to redesign a website. Let’s look at some of the most common reasons that people give.
‘The style and brand are outdated and need refreshing’: OK, so just reskin the website then. You can update the visual look and feel (styling, fonts, images) without remotely touching the UX or functionality. So why redesign the way it works as well?
‘We need to re-platform’: Re-platforming a website is inevitable sometimes; however, the point of doing this is to make the process of managing the back end and content more efficient or effective. This has absolutely nothing to do with the front-end experience for the user, so why are you redesigning it?
‘It doesn’t work very well’: Really? Says who? This is mostly just another way of saying, ‘I don’t like it.’ Well, what about your entire customer base? Even if there are fundamental issues with the site, then just resolve those specific things. Why redesign the entire site?
Evolution, not revolution
Amazon, in its entire history, has never completely redesigned its website. There have been times when a significant difference was made, but primarily to its look and feel. Otherwise, it’s a very gradual process of evolution and iterative development.
Instead of a full redesign, you need to evolve your website through careful iterative experimentation and learning. If you think there are things wrong with your website, break them down into separate things and test them. You will be wrong nine out of 10 times, but when you are right, you can then develop and build on those ideas.
Proper experimentation takes far more skill than most people realize, but given the alternative massive spend associated with large redesigns, investing in these skills will be a fraction of that cost.
But if you absolutely must
OK, so sometimes – for whatever reason – you are going to redesign the website. And if you have to do this, then this is the best way to go about it:
- Break down all the things you think are wrong with the existing site and all the things you want to see in the new site (list them separately)
- Find a way to test these things on your existing site. You can’t always test things in full, but you can always find a way to test something smaller in order to validate whether your reasoning seems correct
- Learn, learn, learn. Very few people understand the real point of experimentation, which is learning. What do the results of your tests tell you about your theories and how people behave?
- Consolidate all this learning into a design brief
- Continue to test on your existing site throughout the redesign. Anything new the designer wants to include, test it on the existing site
- Build and deploy
- Once live, continue to test. You should have a really good idea at this point about the different hypotheses and theories that have gone into the redesign, so keep testing
- Never stop testing
The software company is doubling down on its sustainability efforts with its #TeamEarth platform.
Back in February during the Super Bowl, Salesforce tapped A-list actor Matthew McConaughey to front its commercial that urged people to take care of our own planet before attempting to travel to others.
Fast forward to this week and the organization has released ‘New Frontier,’ a 60-second spot that sees the Academy Award-winner double down on the message.
In the spot, the actor says: “Hope and trust are in short supply. As businesses, we can blame and shame or we can make a change, we can make work work for our communities.
“Maybe, just maybe, have a bit more unity. Let’s have less cancelation and more conversation.”
Walking down the street, it’s almost like a chant as the actor claps in time to the rhythm – a possible homage to his role as Mark Hanna in The Wolf of Wall Street.
The ad ends with the slogan: “It’s not goodbye word, it’s hello team Earth.”
Credits
Salesforce
Brand advisor: Matthew McConaughey
Senior vice-president, global brand marketing: Colin Fleming
Vice-president, head of creative: Scott Larson
Senior director, brand creative: Kim Baffi
Senior director, brand creative: Paul Nowikowski
Senior copywriter: Lucy Sandwick
Senior art director: Donald Rusimbi
Senior director, brand and creative strategy: Darren Brady-Harris
Program manager: Jenny Lidington
Senior producer: LauraLe Wunsch
Producer: Clementine Ngo-Anh
Business affairs: Bess Cocke
Production
MJZ, Los Angeles
Director: Dante Ariola
President/executive producer: David Zander
Senior executive producer: Eriks Krumins
Producer: Natalie Hill
Director of photography: Philippe Le Sourd
Production designer: Quito Cooksey
FinalCut
Editor: Jeff Buchanan
Assistant editor: Julio Samaniego
Executive producer: Suzy Ramirez
Producer: Taylor Rousseau
Managing director: Justin Brukman
VFX The Mill
Executive creative director: Chris Knight
Creative director: James Allen
Executive producer: Hillary Thomas
Producer: Daniel Beldy and Dave Wein
Shoot supervisor: Chris Knight
2D lead artist: James Allen
3D lead artist: Chase Webb
2D artist: Brad Scott, Eileen Chan, Krystal Chinn, Paul Heagney, Theo Maniatis, Jyoti Tiwari, Dilipan J, Mangesh Vasant Borkar, Nelikanti Goutham Raju, Akhil A S, Shraddha Sharma, Rajesh S and Renjith I R
3D artist: Cinzia Pegorin, Elizabeth Hammer, Jason Mortimer, Jessica Groom, Marco Capparelli, Matt Connolly, Matthew Bell, Matthew Choy, Robby Wong, Daishi Takishima, Kailash Prasad, Thirumoorthi Sivakumar, Ragul Sundaramoorthy, Rakshit U, Manthena Sainitesh Reddy, Avinash Kumar, Nishant Amin, Deepak Kumar, Sumant Akshay Bej, Dakoju Shashi Kumar, Pradeep Kumar Katta, Bimal Bose, Biswajit Tarafder, Vinod More and Kanishk Chouhan
Matte painting: Itai Muller, Tomas Muller, Dark Hoffman and Tim Matney
Designers: Gary Inloes
Motion graphics: Alex Braddock and Greg Park
Production coordinator: Sarah Abiharb
Colorist: Paul Yacono
Executive producer, color: Krista Staudt
Color producer: Denise Brown
Color assist: Gemma Parr, Baptiste Carrara and Jacob Suffern
Interested in creative campaigns? Check out our Ad of the Day section and sign up for our Ads of the Week newsletter so you don’t miss a story.
B&BAN partner with BRiM to launch ‘The Changemakers’ awards program designed to challenge the perceived lack of Black and Brown talent ready to lead in the UK media industry.
The Black and Brilliant Advocacy Network (B&BAN) has partnered with Black Representation in Marketing (BRiM) to launch ‘The Changemakers’, an awards initiative designed to challenge the idea that there is a lack of Black and Brown talent ready to lead in the UK media industry. There is a gap between reality and perception. Changemakers show that talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not.
In an attempt to close this gap and seize the opportunity to move from good intentions to meaningful actions, B&BAN and BRiM worked together to launch ‘The Changemakers,’ to recognize and celebrate Black members of the industry doing extraordinary work and in some cases working against many odds. Scroll down to see the full list of winners.
“We wanted to spotlight and showcase Black and Brown talent in the UK media because we feel it’s an area that lacks visibility,” says Perky Noah-Effik, head of operations at B&BAN. “We had really great outreach through our networks and through word of mouth.”
Data from the Advertising Association’s 2021 ‘All In’ survey shows that Black representation in the industry is 3% – significantly less than the 11% Black working population. In C-suite positions, it drops to 1%. The survey also revealed that one-third of Black respondents planned to leave the industry within two years due to a lack of inclusion.
Such a drastic lack of diversity within the industry means that marketing is helping to perpetuate stereotypes and systemic bias. To make meaningful changes, organizations must steer away from tokenistic gestures, and seize the opportunity to harness the power of brands to foster a more diverse and inclusive society.
How to turn good intentions to meaningful actions The birth of BRiM, is centered around turning good intentions into meaningful actions. It’s a cross-industry initiative launched in 2021 to improve the representation of Black people in marketing and is supported by The UK Advertising Association.
BRiM is powered by a group of the world’s largest brands and agencies (including Wunderman Thompson, Meta, Publicis Groupe, TUI, VCCP, Publicis Groupe, Pepsico and more), leading members of the Black community, and industry diversity, equity, and inclusion experts. Its research has discovered that while 70% of marketing professionals understand the need for fairer Black representation, more than 40% of professionals have not made any decisions to increase Black representation in the past 12 months. Enter The Changemakers - BRiM’s partnership with B&BAN.
Advocating for positive change B&BAN is an advocacy group working to create a more diverse workforce by advocating positive change into every boardroom. It aims to celebrate, inspire and connect by providing networking opportunities and supporting Black, Indigenous, Asian, and minority ethnic communities.
The group was founded in 2020 by husband-and-wife team, Perky Noah-Effik, an entrepreneur and current head of operations at B&BAN, and Tony Effik, managing director at Google and adjunct professor at Columbia University.
The group discovered very early on that the biggest hurdle for many Black professionals was making it through middle management. They called this ‘Breaking through the middle.’ They also identified four key building blocks to an anti-racist diversity and recruitment agenda more organizations should adopt:
- Diversity in recruitment
- Culture add, not culture fit
- Internal mobility
- Supplier and partner diversity
Over the past couple of years, they have sought to overcome these hurdles by working with major advertising and technology organizations to connect them to talent, mentors, and mentees and organized networking events.
Earlier this year they partnered with Codecademy to train over 150 data scientists as part of a tech career accelerator program for underserved groups. They have also worked with BuzzFeed to spotlight Black talent through a partnership called ‘Get to Know.’
“We want to carefully watch this list of winners over the next few years to track what we call their ‘career velocity’. Based on their credentials, experience, and grit they should soon be holding very senior positions in the industry. We want the industry to know they exist, and respond to their talent,” states Perky Noah-Effik.
Spotlighting Black talent in UK media The awards selection committee judges involved a wide range of Black industry leaders, some with lengthy tenures, including global experience at noteworthy media companies. They all hold great insights, and a shared focus on community based initiatives to help close the gap for Black and Brown professionals. They include:
- Justin Copeland-Thomas, president & chief executive officer at DDB North America, and DDB WorldWide
- Marvyn Harrison, chief growth officer at BELOVD Agency, and founder at Dope Black CIC
- Kamiqua Lake, founder & chief executive officer at Coldr and UK Black Comms Network
- Natalie Trye, global program lead at Meta
- Tony Effik, managing director at Google
- Elfried Samba, head of social at Gymshark.
As part of The Changemakers, people were able to nominate themselves, a colleague, a friend, or a family member for one of two categories: ‘Emerging Leader’, and ‘Senior Leader’. Candidates were judged against several criteria, including expertise of the industry; internal, community, and industry awards and recognition; being bold and taking on new challenges; inclusive leadership, and community engagement through activities such as volunteering, advisor roles, trusteeships, board roles. Resulting in a wonderful array of British talent.
The Changemakers Award Winners Senior Leaders Category
Asher Gordon, global digital partner at Dentsu X
Deborah Womack, partner, marketing transformation lead financial services
Nick Smith, executive vice-president, formats at all3media International
Yolande Battell, executive vice-president, client management, Jellyfish
Yaw Owusu, creative consultant
Annika Allen, head of DE&I at All3Media & co-founder of the Black Magic Awards
Shannon Walker, founder & chief executive officer at Social Disruption
Deborah Williams, founder at The Women's Association
Louis Persent, creative director & co-founder at Weirdo
Sacha Owusu, PRO account director at Mediacom
Tobi Asare, business development director at OMD UK
Gerry Anyanwu, founder of The Uncommon Collective and client development director at Global
Emerging Leaders Category
Dereck Maruma, account manager at Tapin
Ria Chin-You, head of CRM at News UK
Chanelle Harrigan, data strategy associate director at Essence
Kenny Dada, account director at VCCP
Lemarl Freckleton, senior content manager & art director
Lucy Daramola, client partner lead at Microsoft
Naomi Smith MCIPR, account manager at Ketchum
Bonita Samuels, senior associate director, creative systems lead at Mediacom
Josh Akapo, co-founder & head of strategy at Archtype
Bianca Hamilton, senior manager, UI visual designer at Deloitte Digital
Mercy Abel, communities manager at John Doe Group, podcast creator & host
Liseli Sumbwanyambe, junior associate at McKinsey & Company
Alicia Emejulu, senior creative producer at Girl & Bear, co-founder Mother of all Media UK
Claudine Grant, campaign designer at TUI
Rianna Woods, art director, Wunderman Thompson UK
The Drum readers will have the chance to learn more about these trailblazers in part two of this series - The Changemakers Winners. Going forward, the ambition for B&BAN is to turn The Changemakers into an annual event and celebration. Find out more about The Changemakers, the winners and the people involved.
To encourage people to buy tickets, the organization has released three moving festive films this year.
Each Christmas, the Spanish National Lottery releases a much-anticipated ad campaign. Similarly to John Lewis in the UK, it’s one that many people look forward to, and this year there are three separate films to enjoy.
The first spot ‘Vika’ is a tale of friendship between two co-workers. The protagonist Vika has recently moved to the country and doesn’t speak much of the language. She and her friendly new workmate communicate as best as they can, and eventually the pair decide to go halves on a lottery ticket.
The second tells of a fisherman who finds a winning lottery ticket stuck to the window of his boat and his subsequent decisions about finding the rightful owner, with the third detailing the story of a shepherd who gifts a ticket to his friend in hospital – bringing his sheep along on the journey.
Interested in creative campaigns? Check out our Ad of the Day section and sign up for our Ads of the Week newsletter so you don’t miss a story.
Taylor Swift has a clear marketing playbook refined over her 15-year career. Salesforce strategy exec Martin Kihn reveals its secrets.
Taylor Swift has a way of breaking things: records, superlatives, hearts, and even – when she committed the previously inconceivable magic of occupying all 10 spots on the Billboard Top 10 with tracks from her 10th album Midnights – herself. See below.
Show me entity :: 43098
She also broke Ticketmaster, apparently startled by demand for the 2.5 million tickets available for her 52-city 'The Eras' tour, her first since 2018.
"It's a function of Taylor Swift," said the CEO of the largest shareholder in Live Nation/Ticketmaster's on CNBC. "We had 14 million people hit the site, including bots." Even non-humans love Swift.
What's her secret? After Midnight dropped at, of course, midnight on October 21st, Swift became the most-streamed artist with the most-streamed album in a day on Spotify, breaking records set by her own Red (Taylor's Version) and 2020's folklore.
By now, it's clear Taylor Swift's only rival is herself.
"Taylor Swift is nearly unimpeachable as a human, role model and brand," Aaron Kwittken, Chief Executive of the PRophet, told The Drum recently.
As a brand – setting aside her artistry for a moment – Taylor Swift is a global phenomenon. Capital One, Target, Starbucks, Keds, CoverGirl, Diet Coke, Apple, Comcast, American Greetings – just a partial list of partners who have contributed to her estimated $400 million net worth in recent years.
Make no mistake; she's a marketing engine. And it turns out brand Taylor Swift has a definite playbook, refined over her 15-year career. She still has a lot to teach marketers.
1. Be an Anti-Brand The first single from the 13-song Midnights was called "Anti-Hero," which Swift claims is about her "insecurities." (Remember that number 13: it's important.) In many ways, Taylor Swift is an Anti-Brand.
Traditional branding calls for a definite identity, promise and voice. It requires research-driven lines in the "brand space." But Taylor Swift doesn't have these things – she's more of a "Blank Space" on which any of us, no matter how different, can see anything we need to see, especially ourselves.
Earlier this month, Midnights sponsor Capital One revealed two spots for the World Series called "Multiple Taylors," featuring versions of Swift from 1989, Speak Now and others. It recalled the cryptic video for her song "Look What You Made Me Do," from Reputation, unleashed at the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards, which featured 15 versions of Swift, from the Red ringmaster to the stunned victim of Kanye's notorious trophy-snatching.
She dared to ask us: "Who is the real Taylor Swift?" And the answer: We all are, pick the one you want.
She's an oddly malleable brand, ideally suited to an age of creators, remixes and memes. It makes sense that there are multiple versions of two of her albums, with at least four more to come. Another celebrity, Ryan Adams, famously rerecorded her entire 1989 himself.
And then there are the lookalikes: it's possible to become TikTok famous just for looking a little bit like Swift. And the oddly Teflonish quality: famous people who seem to want to feud with Swift somehow end up fading away (like Katy Perry) or on stage at one of her shows singing a duet (like Hayley Kiyoko), best friends forever.
Sociologist Emile Durkheim talked about totems as supernatural objects within which tribes can see themselves. Brands like Taylor Swift are totems for the age of TikTok.
2. Make your fans work It's not easy being a fan of Taylor Swift; just ask us. Between buying $75 pajamas at her Official Store, waiting on virtual lines that break, and pre-ordering 13 copies of the expanded 20-song Midnights (3am Edition), there's barely time to decipher all the clues she's left in her TikToks, lyrics and Insta captions.
Mainstream fans might not know it, but Swift has long embedded Baroque ciphers into her marketing materials. She does this to encourage social media action, conversation, digital engagement – and of course to repay our attention.
Swift's code-work started early. Her first album, Taylor Swift, released in 2006 when she was 16, featured liner notes with random capital letters, embedding messages like "Date Nice Boys." She told the Washington Post: "That's how it started, and my fans and I have since descended into color coding, numerology, word searches, elaborate hints, and Easter eggs."
Examples abound – so many, in fact, that at least one commentator has ranted that "people treat Taylor Swift's albums like they're the damn Da Vinci code!"
Many of these Easter eggs are simply rewards for the faithful, references to outfits and props from previous albums. In the video for "Anti-Hero," a stand-in breaks a guitar from the Speak Now tour, and a character wears a dress from Fearless. Others are aimed at completists: there are four versions of the vinyl album cover for Midnights that can be tiled to build a clock.
In her more Gothic Reputation phase, Swift packed the video for her first single with references to Mean Girls, her "Out of the Woods" video, a dollar bill she won in a notorious lawsuit, snakes and tea referring to various Kardashians, and so on.
It's all harmless fun but can get hyperbolic in an overwired age. Swift's fans often work harder than required, locating clues that aren't actually there. Last September, the NFL made the mistake of issuing an announcement at midnight. Immediately, Swift's conspiracy-minded cadre built a widely-reported rumor that Swift herself was going to be the half-time show at the Super Bowl because – well, of course – Taylor Swift owns midnight.
The announcement had nothing to do with Swift. Sometimes midnight is just midnight. (Rhianna is doing the half-time show.)
There's a sociological theory that the successful cults are those that make their adherents work harder. Brand Taylor Swift is annealed by all the work we put into it.
3. Master the art of suspense On October 7, 13 days before Midnight's release, Swift started posting videos on TikTok under the title "Midnights mayhem with me." The singer pulled titles from a bingo cage at random, announcing them and providing backstories. At the same time, Spotify co-branded billboards appeared in New York City and London with enigmatic snippets of song lyrics.
As the Drum's Audrey Kemp wrote recently, these tactics were part of the masterful rollout of Midnights.
Swift has always made the most of withholding and releasing facts most prized by fans: release dates, album and song titles, co-stars. Last year, for Fearless (Taylor's Version), she combined suspense with her penchant for puzzles, tweeting a video of a vault filled with scrambled letters. These were unscrambled by the intrepid to reveal the names of collaborators Phoebe Bridgers, Chris Stapleton and Ed Sheeran, and song titles such as "All Too Well."
For 2019's Lover, Swift provided both a Monday and a Saturday version of the mystery. She admitted the video for "ME!" contained the (unknown) title of her next album, but fans rejected "Lover" because it was too obvious, appearing in huge pink neon letters on the top of a building. The album was called Lover.
Then some sharp-eyed owners of her official calendar noticed a butterfly stamp on April 13 (there's 13 again), and 13 days later, Lover's first single debuted.
This kind of suspense makes her releases more poignant. Combined with a sense of scarcity, carefully cultivated through the ticket-buying (or not-buying) process, it puts Swiftys into a state of near-continual brandemonium around these key launch windows.
So, brands, be like Taylor: malleable and flexible, demanding in a way that rewards close attention, and above all unpredictable. Taylor Swift is in show business, of course, but now so is every brand.
Martin Kihn is senior vice-president, strategy, marketing cloud, Salesforce.
There’s an untapped media channel that presents a unique opportunity for advertisers to engage with on-the-go consumers. Not heard of the third space? Here’s everything you need to know.
Hey marketers, have you heard about the third space? It’s got four wheels (actually, five), people spend a lot of time in it, it gets talked about a lot in the media, and still, it’s probably the most underutilized advertising platform out there. We’re talking about the car, of course.
Transforming from what was simply a form of transport to get people from A to B to a place where experiences happen, the car has remained one of the last digital dark zones for advertisers. Yet as cars become more connected, they are becoming smarter and gathering more data every day. In today’s omnichannel journey, it’s a vital medium for brands to reach on-the-go consumers.
Waze is calling it the third space – and while the third space can technically take multiple forms, ‘it represents both the new state and boundless future of on-the-go in-car connectivity’. In fact, the third space is so important that Waze has dedicated a whole new report for advertisers on why and how you need to build a third space strategy into your marketing mix, and where it’s heading next.
“As cars get smarter and more connected, we’re increasingly expecting in-car technology to match our habits and preferences,” says Ruairidh Roberts, country manager, Waze UK. “Brands have a huge opportunity to personalize in-car experiences that deliver on the needs to create personalized content and experiences to delight drivers and create competitive advantage.”
More than two-thirds of new cars registered in the UK are connected and that number is predicted to rise year-on-year until 2026 when 100% of new cars sold in the UK will be connected. As cars become more integrated with every aspect of consumers’ digital lives, what does that mean for brands and how can they start building a third space strategy into the marketing mix?
Earn consumers’ permission The relationship that drivers have with their car is personal. It’s an intimate marketing area which requires a thoughtful approach to resonate positively with the in-car audience, and brands must establish implicit permission to be there. That starts with data transparency and clear expectations about how consumers’ data is being used, and assurances that their data is kept private and secure.
Once that is established, brands can start building the relationship by targeting personas in a privacy-compliant way with valuable promotions that lean into contextual relevance. As privacy-compliant, connected car data becomes more prevalent, it will become easier to provide a legitimate value exchange.
“The car is considered a personal space for many, so ensuring brands show up respectfully and don’t annoy drivers is important,” says Roberts. “Marketers looking to connect with on-the-go consumers need to lead with value and be welcomed along for the ride.”
Build frictionless experiences Now that brands have that permission, they have an opportunity to build frictionless experiences. Drivers expect their car’s capabilities to match – or at least mirror – their phones, and they want the same level of intuitive functionality from marketers speaking to them through third space integrations as well.
To build long-term relationships and optimize conversions, marketers must consider the experience they create and ensure that it is frictionless – whether that’s through voice commands, a minimal number on on-screen taps in a safe environment or features yet to be created.
Experiment and optimize With the third space foundations in place, marketers can then test their skills in a data-rich environment. Waze suggests three approaches to do this:
Emphasize the new – position your brand as a challenger that consumers need to try for the first time, or build on a new opportunity
Drive them to experiences, not just transactions – give them a variety of engagement avenues, instead of a constant sell, as a path to increased favorability and consideration
Timing is everything – identify patterns in how consumers travel and interact to unlock optimization opportunities and boost return on ad spend.
“The third space is an exciting opportunity because of the exclusive, in-the-moment communication it creates,” says Roberts. “That means brands should treat it as such by offering different ideas and promotions than they may for their core campaigns. It’s a chance for brands who are new to those individual consumers to really stand out.”
As marketers continue to grapple with omnichannel customer experiences, findings new ways to connect all the dots of the customer journey, the third space is the final piece of the puzzle.
“When you think about the opportunities brands have to make their case to consumers, almost nothing tops the intimacy and opportunity of the third space,” says Roberts. “It’s exciting to think about what innovations brands who master the third space will introduce to the world, as they’ll not only be seen as visionaries, but also reap more market share in what is destined to become an extraordinarily important and competitive marketing space.”
For more insights and data on drivers and the short-term opportunities for advertisers, download The Marketer’s Guide to the Third Space: How and Why Brands Must Reach On-The-Go Consumers Through the Untapped In-Car Market here.
Production company’s founder talks us through the follow-up to last year’s melting ice film for the conservation organization.
“The next one should be with fire!” That’s the joke Yannis Konstantinidis remembers being bandied about after his animation production company, Nomint, completed its first brief for WWF, highlighting the effect of climate change on the Arctic environment.
The award-winning short depicts a frantic polar bear made of melting ice and rightly received reams of praise from the industry. Could the agency really create that type of buzz for the client again?
That’s what the conservation organization wanted to know when it approached Nomint earlier this year to help it start a conversation about the cause and effect of devastating wildfires. Konstantinidis remembers being asked how this might be shown on screen. “I said, ’it isn’t possible, let’s not go there!’”
Unable to get the idea out of his head, however, a few weeks later he gathered his team together. “I said, ’assuming this can be done, how would we do it?’”
As the brainstorming got underway, the team soon realized the key would again be to convey emotion. A search for inspiration quickly led to Disney’s Bambi and the scene where the deer’s mother dies after furiously fleeing through the woods. While Nomint’s film didn’t end up the homage first envisioned, it is an obvious reference point as you watch the rabbit trying to evade the roaring fire.
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“The project changed a lot from the moment we pitched it,” explains Konstantinidis, although the fundamental story remained the same throughout, he says. “There was a lot of experimentation, the period of testing lasted around six months and we tested different materials and techniques and assessed how dangerous things were.”
The shoot was challenging, with the team working with real fire along with time-sensitive and time-consuming techniques such as stop-motion and time-lapse. “There was always a danger that things could burn to the ground, plus for many of those shots we only had one try.”
Once the miniature set was lit, there was no going back. “Initially, everything was meant to be made from wood, but then that proved to be extremely difficult to make because of the 500 different poses, as well as carving everything. We went into a weird rabbit hole and ended nowhere.”
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In the end, almost everything used to construct the set was natural, the house made from items found in a nearby forest and the rabbit with wool and a needle felting technique, which was then placed over an armature puppet.
It took around four weeks to shoot the whole thing, according to Konstantinidis, who says that some scenes were particularly hard to capture. The shot where lines of fire race toward the rabbit, for example, was particularly grueling, with the team having to work in complete darkness. “A lot of it was trying to figure out how to do the shoot, but the effect is so powerful.”
Working with natural elements is always unpredictable, but after their experiments in ice, it is something the team knew they would have to lean into. “It is going to do what it does and then whatever we like as a visual representation is what we used. The fire was so strong. There were many ways we could push it before we brought out the extinguishers.”
Konstantinidis is proud of the resulting film and what his team achieved, and also of his company’s continued relationship with the WWF. “We spend most of our time working with big corporate clients, advertising and creating a desire for things that we don’t necessarily need. When we can communicate important messages and put them out into the world in a way that is interesting and different and that cuts through the noise, that is wonderful.”
Interested in creative campaigns? Check out our Ad of the Day section and sign up for our Ads of the Week newsletter so you don’t miss a story.
That's a wrap for series two TV Talks. To mark the end of the eight episodes and the end of the year we've digested some of the biggest changes in streaming in 2022.
Media editor John McCarthy and TV journalist Hannah Bowler recap the past 12 months of streaming news and boy it was a big one. 2022 was the year Netflix got ads, Warner Media merged with Discovery, and cinema was dealt a huge blow by changing streaming habits.
The biggest win for the marketing industry is that 2022 was the year TV returned to advertising as saturation led subscription services to embrace AVOD models. Along with Netflix, Disney+ gave the greenlight for ads on its service, Peacock and Discovery+ also adapted their original models to include various ad-package options.
Explore it with us here.
Hannah and John also discuss ITV's shiny new AVOD streamer ITVX which drops on December 8. In last week's podcast we caught up with Vice, Channel 4 and eBay to chat all things branded content, you can listen here.
You can catch up with the entire TV Talks podcast here. Thanks for listening and don't forget to subscribe!
While major social players struggle, community-focused platforms such as Discord and Mastodon seek new audiences. We asked five expert marketers what the opportunities are, and how to capture them.
The idea of the internet as a gathering place for tight-knit communities is not new, but over the last few years the gathering places themselves have changed. Discord has grown out of gaming to become a major hub for all sorts of communities, and brands have started to take notice. Earlier this year, Reddit made a major stride toward major brand respectability with a Love Island deal. And amid Twitter chaos, even the seemingly-niche decentralized network Mastodon has seen user counts rocket.
But given the community-driven nature of these platforms, brand opportunities are not always clearly-defined – and there remains peril for brands that jump in clumsily. What opportunities are out there, and how can brands claim them with the kind of authenticity that communities demand?
Joe Flowers, content strategist, PMG
The hard part is the idea of ‘entering culture.’ A lot of the time, we hear from brands that they want to be culturally relevant, which is the new way of saying ‘I want to go viral,’ versus ‘I want to enter and affect culture.’ Those are two very different things. My recommendation is to take time, listen, be involved and be really considerate and intentional about what you’re going to do in an initial learning phase.
Whether you want to create a community, join a community or cultivate one, it starts with understanding your goal and purpose – to effectively enter culture and not just try to get this flash-in-the-pan moment of, ‘look, we got 1000 likes on something!’
Dan Jackson, creative producer, Jellyfish
Start with your end goal. Why do you want to be in these spaces? What is your purpose for even being on these platforms? It’s a case of knowing your objectives, and then being able to work backward. If you’re there just for the flash-in-the-pan instant moment, then you’re probably not in the right space. It’s a long-term investment that you need to be committed to.
You need to have something to say. If you don’t, it’s probably not right for you – but if you’ve got a message; if you’ve got an ethos about your company; if you’ve got a voice that you want to give to other people and give them the opportunity to have their say, then it’s worth looking into.
Meghan Stephens, senior director of strategy, Laundry Service
I would just say to any marketer tomorrow: first, join a Discord server. Then find something that resonates with you, join the server, start participating and see what strikes you. Then we’ll talk.
Rachel Greenspan, connections supervisor, social, VMLY&R
Step one: figure out what your brand wants to do and say. Step two: find out who you’re trying to say those things to. Step three: find those people on the internet. Step four: join them where they already are. It’s as simple as that. You’re not going to force people on to platforms they don’t want to be on, and you’re not going to meaningfully interrupt someone’s internet usage if they don’t want to see you there.
You have to align all of those things before making the decision of where it makes the most sense to invest.
Robbie Murch, founder, Bump
We’ve got a five-step process – the ‘community marketing blueprint.’ You’ve got to recognize that, as a brand, you’re contributing as a corporation; you’ve got to contribute to that community through an economy.
Number one is to gain a nuanced understanding of the group; do your research and find out who they are. Two, get community leaders to co-sign; get the most important representative ambassadors to back your campaign and make sure that you can provide value for everyone within it. Three, get them to co-deliver it; don’t just involve them in the strategy, but also deliver the whole campaign. Four, find long-time allies, not short-term sponsors. No one likes a flash in the pan; you’ll look like a cash grab – too often in music, for example, alcohol brands do this with no long-term understanding of what they’re talking about. Finally, iterate: do it again and again to show you’ve actually got skin in the game. Otherwise no one’s going to take you seriously.
The iconic Jordan brand has created a series of documentary-style films to celebrate the brand’s 25th anniversary in China.
Created by Wieden+Kennedy Shanghai, the ‘Different Courts, Same Drive’ campaign aims to celebrate the brand’s spirit through a series of stories about the famous faces who share Michael Jordan’s insatiable hunger for greatness.
The films feature Chinese comedian Tong Monan, who plays the Jordan brand “Air Historian”, “a genius sneaker-head dedicated to philosophizing over greatness and Jordan's rich history”.
The six films cover a range of stories from basketball to street dance, skateboarding, hip hop, and fashion and use deeply rooted Chinese metaphors, fables, and idioms to support the Air Historian’s stories.
The aim is to inspire fans to find their own JORDAN spirit and aim higher no matter what court they play on.
Nick Partyka, associate creative director at W+K Shanghai, said, “We wanted to create a larger-than-life, charming, walking/talking JORDAN encyclopedia. Since that person obviously doesn’t exist, we invented him. This dude can convince you how a little sparrow is related to two-time CBL champion Guo Ailun or why bean sprouts are the perfect metaphor for Jony J’s meteoric rap career.”
The campaign is supported by an interactive digital museum, which was developed for the anniversary. The films are running online and across social media.
Australian advertising equality movement, shEqual has set its sights on regulatory and legislative change in a bid to achieve greater gender equality in advertising.
ShEqual, which was created by Women’s Health Victoria (WHV) in 2020 as part of its commitment to improve the health and well-being of all Victorian women, aims to connect the advertising industry, consumers, regulators and government to demand better representations of women.
To date, ShEqual has focused on raising awareness of sexism and gender inequality in advertising through research studies, surveys and regular newsletters highlighting ads that harm gender equality.
However, Linden Deathe, project manager at shEqual, told The Drum now is the perfect time to step things up.
“There is a strong sense that this is the time to push for action. Global events and campaigns have showcased that gender equality is far from ‘solved’. While we have made progress, we are well into the 21st century and the advertising industry must step up,” says Deathe.
“The first two years of shEqual has been primarily focused on establishing relationships with the industry, bringing our existing research and trying to fill research gaps through our shEqual Survey and Female Stereotypes in Ads guide,” says Deathe.
“The next two years will see us focusing on another element of our strategic framework – regulation. Advocacy for legislation and regulatory frameworks that support and reinforce gender equality in advertising is important and we are perfectly situated, with our relationship to government and neutral standing outside the industry, to tackle this in the next phase of our funding.”
Deathe said there has been “a substantial growth in gender equality initiatives within the industry”, citing groups such as F*ck the Cupcakes, Be the Change, The Aunties, Never Not Creative, Assisterhood, Mums.In.Ads, Unstereotype Alliance - Australia, The Mavens, The Only One in the Room and Never Not International Women’s Day.
“Even the Advertising Council of Australia is getting on board and working on addressing gender inequality in the industry. Each in our own way and together, we are changing the landscape and progressing equality in advertising.”
This positive industry movement, combined with a recent $1m funding boost from the Victorian Government, will help the organisation to scale and launch training initiatives - Gender Equality in Advertising and Gender Equality in Advertising Workplace - which will serve as micro-credentials for the industry.
ShEqual is also working on a slate of new research projects and initiatives and next year plans to release a research project created with Kantar.
“Those who are already working towards gender equal ads keep coming up against opposition, being told that sexist ads just sell. Our work with Kantar aims to critically examine that and give those in the industry fighting for change the numbers to back them up.
“We’re also continuing to build that evidence base for the industry, from our shEqual Survey that surveyed almost 600 people in the Australian advertising industry about their experiences with gender equality which gave us some concrete data about the state of the industry for women and where and how we need improvement."
This week the organisation rolled out a video series called SH!FT, which featured industry leaders discussing shEqual’s research into the seven common female stereotypes which appear in advertising. These include: ‘The Model Mother’, The Sexualised Woman’, ‘The Passive Little Girl’, ‘The Observed Woman’, ‘The Pretty Face’, ‘The Magical Grandmother’ and ‘The Ticked Box’.
Stereotype 01 - The Model Mother from shEqual on Vimeo.
Deathe says the series “brings together leaders in the industry to not only talk about these stereotypes but how they come to exist, from initial pitch to post-production, and the challenges and responsibilities the advertising industry has to shift this narrative.”
Deathe admits that while progress has been made, “gender stereotypes are still prevalent in ads” however, shEqual’s unique position outside of the industry enables it to influence change.
“While there are so many incredible initiatives from within the advertising industry, what makes shEqual different is that we aren’t in the industry. Our health promotion and feminist approach brings robust gender analysis, a focus on the impact advertising has on consumers wellbeing and a connection in the broader gender equality work happening across Australia in different industries and communities. It also helps us, as outsiders, build trusted relationships with advertisers,” says Deathe.
“shEqual was founded with the vision that advertising will show all people, regardless of gender, as authentic and multi-dimensional – supporting a society in which all people are viewed and treated as equal and live free from violence.
“Our main priorities for action are to support culture change within the advertising industry, empowering communities to recognise and call out sexist advertising, and improving regulation and policy from industry bodies and government.
“These are interrelated, as advertising content is influenced by the culture of the industry that creates it, as well as consumer expectations and values, and by the regulatory and legislative environment the advertising industry operates in,” says Deathe.
Meta’s latest effort to sell its version of the metaverse is hard to watch. (WATCH THE VIDEO HERE.) Experts chime in on what marketers can learn from this past weekend's monsterous misstep.
Godzilla attacked the Wendyverse over the weekend, but footage is scarce.
According to Forbes, Meta tweeted a video promoting a virtual experience taking place at the Wendyverse — a branded virtual space launched by Wendy’s earlier this year — featuring the ruins of a Wendy’s restaurant that had been destroyed by Godzilla. The tweet and video were then reportedly removed by Meta on Saturday.
But we can still get a sense of what the experience looked like through a video that was uploaded by the YouTube account Meta News from Horizon Worlds, which does not appear to have any official ties to Meta.
One minute, we're watching one legless avatar interviewing another inside the hull of the destroyed Wendy’s. A moment later, they both float into some kind of office hallway with a refrigerator and a microwave at the far end. The journalist avatar disappears into the fridge and is teleported to a hill outside.
All of the avatars' movements are characteristically jerky as they struggle to keep up with the movements of their human counterparts.
Meta has spent something on the order of $15bn on metaverse-related projects in the past year. At the same time, it recently announced that 11,000 employees were going to be laid off. All that sacrifice, and still Meta is left promoting a virtual world with graphics that, in the words of New York Times tech columnist Kevin Roose, "look worse than a 2008 Wii Game."
It should be noted that Meta is new to the virtual experience industry, which means it's inevitably going to have to navigate some trial-and-error. "Meta has limited-to-no experience in truly making enjoyable gaming and entertainment environments where people really want to be," says Neena Koyen, global chief communications officer at Universal McCann Worldwide. "Meta still has a lot to learn."
Patrick Hanlon, author of Primal Branding, adds: “The metaverse is not for everyone, and experiments like this are just a part of the learning curve.”
'The player is set up to be underwhelmed from the start' Horizon Worlds has reportedly lost around 100,000 players between February and October of this year, bringing its user-base down to roughly 200,000 people. For context: Roblox — which is not virtual reality-based but has nonetheless become more or less synonymous with the vague virtual world called "the metaverse" — has well over 43mn daily active users.
"Why is Horizon struggling for adoption? I think the biggest reason is people simply expect too much from Meta," says Lee Kebler, director of virtual world building at design consultancy Journey. "There's this idea that billions of dollars can do anything, and that's just not true ... [When] I enter Horizon Worlds, a platform advertised to inspire and promote connection and exploration, I'm greeted with an untextured, flat-feeling environment that was put together with basic geometric shapes. The player is set up to be underwhelmed from the start."
Mark Zuckerberg launches Horizon Worlds in France and Spain with an eye-gougingly ugly VR selfie. Meta's metaverse ploy is surely dying in the dark. pic.twitter.com/j0l6yTYye4
— Ordinary Things (@ordinarytings) August 16, 2022
The Godzilla in the Wendyverse incident is reminiscent of another recent social media debacle for the company: In August, Mark Zuckerberg published an image on his Facebook profile of his Horizon Worlds avatar. It was lavishly mocked — so much so that Zuckerberg quickly followed up with another image of a more high-resolution avatar, assuring the haters that the image of the original avatar “was pretty basic” and that “it was taken very quickly to celebrate [the launch of Horizon Worlds in France and Spain].”
Since Horizon Worlds is clearly in the early stages of its development, "brands who want to experiment with the metaverse will have more success on established franchises such as Fortnite or Roblox,” says Koyen.
While the Godzilla incident is currently being dunked on, it probably won't matter in the long run, says Kebler: "I don't see that as some debacle. People try things, and I applaud them for doing something even if it didn't play out as they expected. In the grand scheme of things, no one will remember [Meta's] tweet and frankly Twitter has much bigger content problems at the moment that should concern everyone who still has a Twitter account."
Wendy's declined to comment for this story. Meta did not respond to a request for comment.
For more, sign up for The Drum’s Inside the Metaverse weekly newsletter here.
A departure from bundled services and an investment in augmented reality could be on the horizon for Disney, experts say.
Less than a year after he stepped down from his post at Disney, Bob Iger is returning to head the $170bn media and entertainment conglomerate.
It’s been reported that the company’s board reached out to Iger last Friday – and by Monday morning, Disney had its old leader back. It was a move that effectively blindsided sitting CEO Bob Chapek, about whom other senior leaders had expressed growing concerns. Namely, CFO Christine McCarthy had told the board that she lacked confidence in Chapek following an earnings call on November 8 in which the company announced fairly dismal results, including a quarterly loss of $1.5bn associated with the Disney+ streaming service.
Now Chapek – alongside his right-hand man Kareem Daniel, who headed up media and entertainment – have been ousted. Experts believe the move had to do with financial concerns linked to the poor performance of the organization’s streaming stack, which includes Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+.
“Fundamentally, the financials just weren’t going in the direction they needed,” says Michael Goldstein, head of communications strategy and innovation at Omnicom-owned ad agency DDB North America. “Disney rarely misses projections and the latest they missed by a significant amount. Deep investment into streaming production was winning subscribers, but they hadn’t figured out how to translate subscriber growth into revenue to recover debts.”
Goldstein is certainly onto something: following the 2019 acquisition of 21st Century Fox – which put Disney out $71bn – debt is an especially salient concern for the company.
But what precisely caused Chapek’s downfall? And what will Iger’s reinstatement mean for the future of the entertainment titan?
Where Chapek fell short
It’s clear that some of Disney’s troubles over the last three years have been out of Chapek’s hands – the organization took major hits during the Covid-19 pandemic with the closures of theaters and amusement parks, and in light of restrictions that put entertainment production on pause.
But other failings fell squarely on Chapek, according to Goldstein: “He was so focused on winning the streaming wars that he didn’t stop to think if the war was worth winning. It wasn’t.” Plus, Goldstein says, getting Disney embroiled in highly-publicized political disputes with Florida governor Ron DeSantis was “ill-advised.”
Plus, Chapek – who had taken the CEO post from his position as chairman of Disney parks, experiences and products – leaned heavily on his team in the parks department, including Kareem Daniel, in his efforts to bolster Disney’s streaming business. It was a move that didn’t pan out well. In spite of growing subscribers, the company’s streaming services incurred loss after loss, to the point where its 2022 Q3 losses in streaming were up $800m year-over-year.
Since Chapek took the reins in early 2020, Disney shares have plummeted approximately 19%, to a two-year low. (Meanwhile, the S&P is up around 34% for the same period). In the hours following the news that Iger would return, shares jumped 6%.
In a memo sent to employees Monday, Iger made clear his first priorities as CEO. He reportedly wrote that a “reorganization of Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution” is needed and told staff that he intends to implement a “new structure that puts more decision-making back in the hands of our creative teams and rationalizes costs.”
It’s been widely speculated that, as part of Iger’s mission to restructure Disney’s media and entertainment distribution divisions, the executive will prioritize better monetization of the organization’s streaming stack, which includes Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+.
This job is an especially crucial one: while some experts, like DDB’s Goldstein, don’t believe the effort is worthwhile, others believe the right leadership can make all the difference. Gijsbert Pols, director of connected TV and new channels at media measurement firm Adjust, suggests that “the looming recession and a major growth in [ad-supported streaming] channels” creates new challenges for premium video providers. And with more supply, ad unit prices are dropping. So for providers, “if you don't have the right person for the job right now, you are in trouble,” he says.
'Disney should buy Snapchat'
As to how Iger’s return will impact Disney – and its streaming business more specifically – the jury is out. But experts have a few predictions.
Goldstein, for his part, anticipates that Iger may move away from bundling its services (under Chopek’s leadership, the company offered a bundled package of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+) and shift to individual subscription offerings. “Streaming has taught audiences to be picky with what they watch and what they pay to watch. Instead of trying to sell bundled services, similar to cable structures, Disney should offer à la carte’ options where you pay a base for ad-free streaming and can pick and choose live and premier television and pay per event or series.”
He also believes Disney’s streaming business could make a U-turn and head back toward linear ad formats – a move that might appease brands. “Advertisers are screaming for more synchronous opportunities,” he says. “Amazon just offered linear style ad buys on its live Thursday Night Football [program], and Disney should look into creating opportunities to do the same. Offering high-reach ad formats in 30-second spots gives advertisers a rare opportunity to create emotional and narrative-led spots that are currently missing from the media mix.”
Finally, Goldstein predicts that Iger may attempt to create a unified tech platform that links all of its offerings and experiences under one roof. This model could help to cross-sell streaming, gaming, films, parks and more.
Other industry leaders say that a renewed attention to original content may be a key priority for an Iger-run Disney. “In a world where streaming content is becoming more saturated, more premium and more competitive, Iger may see a return to creativity – which has long been Disney's greatest asset – as a key initiative to turn the division around,” says Mike Seiman, CEO and chairman of Digital Remedy, a tech company that specializes in ad performance.
And perhaps there are some curveballs on the horizon, too. “Snapchat makes a lot of sense. It has a young audience, is a link between online and offline – think AR overlays at the parks, or added interactivity with a show – and can serve as a seamless ecommerce link between experiences and merchandise. Disney should buy Snapchat,” says Goldstein.
If one thing is clear, it’s that Iger has his work cut out for him. “He certainly has a difficult road ahead as he seeks to obtain the profitability for the streaming segment that neither Chapek nor Daniel were able to,” says Hunter Terry, vice-president of solutions consulting and CTV commercial lead at data solutions firm Lotame. And he has a limited time to do so, considering the board has given Iger a timeline of just two years to find a successor.
Terry predicts that the days ahead will be turbulent: “We should expect to see even more swift and potentially harsh changes coming from Iger in the weeks to come.”
For more, sign up for The Drum’s daily US newsletter here.
The connected TV (CTV) goldrush shows no sign of slowing, with ad-spend forecasts continuing to be revised upwards, despite a decelerating global economy. For The Drum's Future of TV initiative, John Tigg from Yieldmo provides perspective and advice for digital marketers jumping ship to CTV, including the areas of overlap with the digital ecosystem, the unique capabilities of the platform, and which essential features still have the scaffolding up.
Despite the turbulent global economy, the CTV gold rush continues. Inflationary pressures and the cost of living crisis are squashing consumer confidence across the globe, and marketers are having to make tough decisions on their budgets in response. Adjustments are certain, and we can expect a greater focus on short-term performance outcomes and markets that can demonstrate immediate results, with CPAs likely to be the top metric of the season.
The exponential growth of CTV as a destination for digital advertising is sure to appeal to budget-scrutinizing marketers. CTV ad spend forecasts keep being revised upwards as the year goes on, attracting established players in the TV space and newcomers from elsewhere in the digital advertising ecosystem. But marketers accustomed to the digital world have high expectations for measurement, attribution, and targeting — areas where CTV has a lot of catching up to do.
To understand how CTV can fill the gaps and realize its full potential, let’s look at its similarities and differences to digital advertising, the current and future solutions on the platform, and how marketers can make the most of its unique capabilities.
CTV is closer to digital than it is to traditional TV
CTV is in a transitional phase as traditional linear television budgets are gradually reallocated to the digital sphere. Those with a background in linear often attempt to replicate their prior strategies — following the same patterns in terms of who they target, where they distribute, and how content is evaluated — in the hopes they will see similar results in CTV.
This is a remarkably similar approach to that seen in the dawn of mobile advertising when advertisers would take a digital banner from their web campaigns, squeeze it down to mobile, and consider their job done. It resulted in an awful experience for users. We’re seeing a comparative lack of imagination in TV today, with assets made for linear dropped into CTV with minimal to no changes or any utilization of the platform’s unique attributes.
Despite sharing content with linear broadcasting, CTV is more of an extension of digital than it is an extension of TV, and the marketers who treat it as such will see the best results. As a platform, CTV lives on various fully-connected digital devices — from smart TVs and streaming boxes to the laptop or phone you are likely reading this article on — which offer interactive advertising capabilities far beyond a simple screen.
Innovation in CTV is more likely to come from digital-native marketers who are familiar with creating personalized, interactive, and sales-focused adverts. Many of these marketers are entering the TV space for the first time, as the barrier to entry is significantly lower than traditional broadcasts, where ads must comply with various region-specific clearing codes. However, in CTV, they’re right at home, with campaigns measured by impressions rather than impact.
The engagement opportunities of advertising on CTV
One of the most important features CTV platforms must provide to advertisers is a method to identify whether the person viewing the ad is engaged with the display rather than simply playing content in the background, and also prevent devices from playing ads when the TV is turned off, a problem that has been estimated to affect 10% of all CTV ads.
While streaming doesn’t provide the depth of attention signals that can be gathered from web browsing or app activity, there are still interactions that can be used as indications of activity and opportunities to insert content. For example, when a user pauses what they’re watching, short-form ads can be inserted to grab their attention at that moment, while a dynamic “skip ads” button can identify periods of inactivity to revalue inventory.
There are even ways to incorporate “clicks” into CTV ads via QR codes or — if devices share a network — via “send to phone” prompts, providing insights into when, where, and on what device an interaction occurred. The ability to immediately direct a viewer to a website or app — and even automatically add an item to their cart — is ideal for direct-to-consumer brands that depend on immediate sales uplift from their marketing over the long-term and the mass media brand building for which TV is traditionally known.
Measurement, targeting, and privacy remain major concerns
The main problem with measurement in CTV is that the industry hasn’t collectively decided on what to measure. There has been progress in gauging attention, views, interactions, and so on, but the sector lacks standardization across measurement providers, and the industry has not reached a consensus on each metric’s value. This is part of the reason why CTV advertising is still primarily recycled creative from linear TV.
The TV space has never before had so much access to user data through smart TV sets, location data,, user accounts, and the various other tracking capabilities of CTV platforms and devices. Not only is CTV lacking a standard for measurement, but it is also lacking a standard for gathering consent, and how to tackle the tricky issue of guaranteeing consent in multi-user households. Exploiting this grey area can have serious consequences, as Vizio discovered when their covert smart TV data-gathering practices landed the company in a lawsuit.
In our push for CTV measurement and the personalization it enables, we must be careful not to repeat the tracking mistakes of online advertising that turned audiences off, led to masses of adblocker installs, and caused regulatory crackdowns. This is where CTV’s digital heritage comes in handy, as the talent coming over from digital advertising has learned — often the hard way — how to walk the fine line between targeting and creepiness.
Hopefully, CTV advertising can take the best parts of the digital advertising ecosystem and escape having to drag its reputation out of the mud like digital had to. By learning from digital’s missteps and implementing the advanced measurement techniques that fueled the industry’s soaring success, CTV’s unique blend of high-attention content, captive audiences, and advertising technology will be able to offer both engagement and scale to advertisers, like no other platform.
The postal service used data from Norway’s Climate Index that highlighted only 10 out of 100 companies have cut emissions in accordance with the targets set in the Paris Agreement.
After the success of last year’s ‘When Harry Met Santa’ film, Posten has launched an equally bold and important Christmas ad that details the damage being done to the planet over the festive period.
In ‘Father Christmas and Mother Earth,’ viewers see the dynamics between the two characters as they navigate their differences. Father Christmas is intent on bringing as much joy to people as possible through gift-giving, whereas Mother Earth views overconsumption as problematic.
- Watch all the best Christmas ads so far
According to the organization, the hope is that this year’s Christmas campaign will motivate other companies to “step up their climate action and be inspired to contribute.”
Credits
Client: Posten (The Norwegian Postal Service)
Agency: POL
Agency
Copywriter: Rikke Sofie Jacobsen
Art director: Pia Emilie Lystad
Planner: Simon Karlsson
Account director: Marius Eriksen
Account manager: Kristin EB Scheele
Designer: Benjamin Rogers
Motion designer: Ole Jacob Bøe Skattum
Production
Company: Arts & Sciences
Director: Sean Meehan
Director of photography: Sean Meehan
Executive producer: Sam McGarry
Executive producer: James Bland
Head of production: Lauren Highman
Goody bag (A&S rep Scandinavia): Tom Rickard
BAS productions (Line Production)
Producer: Andrej Caruso
Production manager: Alja Primec
Production designer: Miha Knific
Costume designer: Valter Kobal
Editing
Company: Cut+Run
Editors: Moss Eletreby and Steve Gandolfi
Assistant editor: Thomas De la Rosa
Managing partner: Michelle Eskin
Executive producer: Amburr Farls
Head of production: Brady Fiero
Producer: Brian Scharwath
Music
Company: Massive Music
Sound Design: Simon Kane
Foley: John Simpson/FeetnFrames
Final mix: Simon Kane
Turning Studios
Composer: Elliott Wheeler
Post-production
Company: Alter Ego
Executive producer: Hilda Pereira
Producer: Andrew Tavares
Senior colorist: Eric Whipp
Lead VFX artist: Joel Osis
VFX artist: Igor Boros
VFX artist: Eric Perrella
DMP artist: Bojan Zoric
VFX assistant: Victoria Gaston
VFX assistant: Nupur Desai
Color assistant: Daniel Saavedra
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Three years ago, agency Vertical Leap looked into the then-future of neural storytelling. Now Chris Pitt imagines the future role humans will have in AI content creation thanks to rapid advances in deep learning.
Artificial intelligence (AI) never seems to not be in the news, with constant enhancements to the technology making headlines. Increasingly, AI algorithms are writing news stories, creating works of art and generating video content for commercial purposes.
We’re not quite at the point where AI is writing and directing its own movies yet, but the prospect seems more plausible with every year that passes. This raises a lot of questions for marketers and other storytellers about the role that smarter AI algorithms will play in the near future, and how best to use them.
Successful experiments in neural storytelling
The days of AI writing articles for major publications are already here. In September 2020, The Guardian published an article eerily titled: ‘A robot wrote this entire article. Are you scared yet, human?’ The British publication was neither the first nor the last to publish AI-written content, with the likes of The Wall Street Journal and Lifehacker among others to publish journalism penned by machines.
We’re now at a point where algorithms can write articles and even create imagery for them. These articles were all written using OpenAI’s GPT-3 system.
With so many articles written by AI, it would be easy to think the technology is ready to take over the helm from professional journalists, but all is not as it seems. As explained by Ben Dickinson in his teardown for TechTalks, The Guardian’s GPT-3-written article can easily give readers the wrong impression about AI.
In reality, creating an article with GPT-3 requires a journalist or editor to provide a topical prompt or title and write an introduction for the model to work with. From here, the algorithm essentially pieces together sentences from the web to produce 500 words of (hopefully) relevant content. In the case of The Guardian’s article, the publication repeated this process eight times and edited down the results into the most coherent version possible.
The marketing benefits of smarter machines
AI powers some of the most sophisticated predictive analytics systems in the industry, and the technology has a lot to offer marketing teams as it continues to mature. Neural networks may not be able to write full, coherent articles by themselves, but they’re already providing basic customer support and automating lead generation with AI chatbots.
We’ve touched on its potential to generate images and visual content. OpenAI, the company behind GPT-3, also has its own solution for this called Dall-E 2.
Image created with Dall-E 2
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Again, the system requires users to input descriptions and artistic styles, much like GPT-3. Operationally, the algorithm is essentially doing the same thing as GPT-3 too, except it’s generating images by combining elements from images across the whole web.
The algorithm itself isn’t a breakthrough (no more than GPT-3), but it illustrates how the technology is more applicable to some tasks than others, such as the subjective qualities of visual media rather than the precise meaning of words.
The pitfalls and risks of AI-generated content
Data scientists have a responsibility to recognize potential risks AI may pose, and so do marketers or anyone else using the technology for commercial purposes. We’ve seen plenty of AI systems melt down in recent years with varying consequences.
Microsoft has had its fair share of PR blushes, namely when its Tay chatbot started spewing Nazi propaganda for the whole world to see. It was embarrassing for Microsoft, but it highlighted the dangers of bias, misinformation and other factors working their way into algorithms.
This is particularly concerning in a society already struggling with disinformation and misinformation. Today, we’re talking about algorithms writing stories, but bigger discussions are already taking place about the risk of deepfakes sparking nuclear wars.
Every year, AI technology becomes capable of saying more, and saying it more convincingly. The danger is it has no understanding of what it’s saying or the potential implications its words can have on people or society in general.
AI holds great potential for marketers and content creation but, as with any tool, it’s vital that the people using it understand its capabilities, risks and limitations – and, above all, how to use it safely.
After navigating the trenches of graduate life in a pandemic, Priya Johal at digital performance agency Tug reveals what it’s like on the other side.
What are the thrills of being a part of gen Z? There aren’t too many when faced with a global climate crisis and the likely prospect we will never be homeowners.
I graduated university amid a global pandemic and growing uncertainty about the world of work. When I started searching for jobs, my experience was entirely remote, with online applications and virtual interviews. Although it was nice to be in the comfort of my own home, it was hard for me to picture working with people I had never met, in an environment I had never encountered. As a result, I struggled to find the right fit, leading to frustration and questioning whether a career in marketing was what I wanted to pursue.
After a few months, I was finally invited to an in-person interview day at Tug Agency in London. It was refreshing to be around other recent graduates, share experiences of our job search and meet colleagues (unbeknownst to me at the time) that I would work closely with for the next year.
My first few weeks and introduction to the industry were mostly remote. Navigating a move down to London while learning the ropes of my new role led to a rather stressful time. Learning how to interact and communicate with clients alongside virtually getting to know my colleagues felt slightly disjointed, and I found it hard to see the bigger picture I was working toward.
Tug, you definitely passed the vibe check
The new year brought new changes: the office was busier, and I could finally meet the colleagues I’d been speaking to for months in person. Watching how others on my team interacted with clients – just by sitting next to them in the office – helped me develop so much quicker. Office perks including drinks on a Thursday and a long-awaited work Christmas party (in April) felt like the missing pieces I’d been looking for since I graduated.
It’s now been a year since I started at Tug, and it feels natural for me to compare how far I personally (and the world we live in) have evolved. We have recently introduced a ‘core day’ in the agency – everyone comes in on a Wednesday. This has been a great way to get everyone in one place, and it also means that some meetings can take place on the sofas rather than jumping on different meeting links all afternoon.
It feels great to work in the same environment with colleagues who have the same attitude and goals: work hard and be nice to people. Drinks on Thursday, in-person client meetings and lunch with colleagues are all part of normal life now – which a year ago I could not possibly have imagined. The thought would have, in all honesty, really stressed me out.
Working three days a week in the office consistently has given me a balanced routine and has allowed me to grow in confidence by speaking to clients in person. Not to mention I’m able to work more effectively (I love my dual screens in the office).
However, I really value my work-at-home days. After all, I get more of a lie-in and don’t have to worry about a busy commute. Perhaps I’m biased in saying that hybrid work is the best way, having never experienced the opposite, but for me it has made me value my time in the office more and allowed me to look forward to my days at home.
The glow-up of the workforce
We have all been through a lot in the last three years, and the world has undoubtedly changed. We have grown and re-established our priorities in life and challenged ourselves to work more efficiently to ensure we make time for our personal lives while continuing to push ourselves professionally.
Five days in the office may not have been my experience, but I haven’t met a person who would want to go back to this. Being able to take control of your work-life balance is a true privilege; long may working in pajamas on a Monday and office drinks on a Thursday continue.
The new TV spot, debuting nationally on Thanksgiving Day, is part of the brands’ collaborative ‘Share more joy’ campaign.
Imagine getting together with your friends in a cozy winter cabin to celebrate the holidays, only to have all of your drinks and snacks stolen by a cunning snowman thief.
This is the plot of a new holiday TV ad from Frito-Lay and PepsiCo Beverages, titled ‘Melt.’ The spot – which includes Hall & Oates’ timeless classic You Make My Dreams (Come True) as its soundtrack – is part of a return of the two brands’ collaborative ‘Share more joy’ campaign.
“Our core mission is to create more smiles,” Aidan Kingerlee, PepsiCo’s vice-president of marketing, said in a statement. “The holidays are a time to bring loved ones and friends together, and PepsiCo beverages and snacks are the perfect complement for holiday celebrations.”
The two brands also collaborated for the ‘Share more joy’ campaign last year to produce an ad featuring Jimmy Fallon.
This year’s iteration of the campaign also includes Frito-Lay’s ‘Holiday Village,’ a virtual experience in which visitors can shop for snacks and branded holiday gear (inflatable Doritos sled, anyone?), play with an augmented reality-powered portrait studio and view the new video spot.
‘Melt’ was directed by Emmy Award-winner Robert Stromberg and debuts nationally on Thanksgiving Day.
In other PepsiCo-related news, the brand just released a limited-edition nutmeg flavor (not yet available for purchase) as an extension of ‘Nutmeg Royale.’ The new short film celebrates ‘nutmegging’ – sports slang for moving a ball through an opponent’s legs.
Show me entity :: 43094
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Marketing and innovation consultancy TD Reply used Chinese social media data to investigate which fashion brands were able to attract the most buzz on Singles’ Day 2022.
During Singles’ Day in China, the world’s biggest shopping festival, fashion brands do their best to attract consumers’ attention with attractive discounts, spectacular PR stunts and other marketing activities.
The Berlin-based marketing and innovation consultancy TD Reply measures which brands attract the most attention every year on Singles’ Day. The measurement is based on one digital metric: buzz. In other words, this is the number of mentions a brand has in discussions on social media, e-commerce and other online platforms.
A brand’s share of the total buzz for a particular category (such as fashion brands) says a lot about how much attention the brand is able to generate in relation to the competition. This metric can be a good indicator of brand visibility and the effectiveness of marketing activities, particularly in the context of important events like Singles’ Day.
Louis Vuitton successful with boy band as brand ambassadors
The French luxury brand Louis Vuitton clearly won the battle for attention this year. With a 17.1% share of the total buzz, it generated almost twice as much attention during Singles’ Day activities as second-placed Italian luxury shoe and bag specialist Tod’s (9%). Yves Saint Laurent comes in third position (3.6%).
TD Reply specialists attribute much of the buzz generated by Louis Vuitton this year to two activities: the recent opening of the first Louis Vuitton restaurant in China in the city of Chengdu, and the partnership with the boy band Teens in Times, which Louis Vuitton has picked as brand ambassadors. In the Chinese market, partnerships with well-known influencers, the so-called key opinion leaders (KOLs), play a key role.
The communities of leading KOLs – which are much larger than the communities of western influencers – usually respond very positively to the business partnerships of their idols. As a result, these partnerships are among the most important marketing instruments for companies with ambitions in the Chinese market.
It is important to note, however, that Louis Vuitton has been one of the most popular non-Chinese brands in China for years thanks to its good understanding of Chinese cultural codes and sensitivities. In 2020, for example, the Chinese public reacted overwhelmingly positively to Louis Vuitton’s decision to hold the ‘See LV’ exhibition in Wuhan – a comparatively insignificant city in terms of economy (and the probable place of origin of the Covid-19 virus).
Li-Ning gets more attention than Adidas and Nike
Chinese sportswear brand Li-Ning lands in a strong fifth place with a buzz share of 3.1%, but drops two positions compared to last year.
It performs considerably better than competitors Adidas (1.3%) and Nike (1%). However, Adidas still manages to garner significantly more attention than last year, when it could only claim a 0.3% share of the total buzz.
JD ahead of Tmall
Somewhat surprisingly, JD.com outperformed its main competitor Tmall.com this year, which is considered to be the most popular Chinese e-commerce platform. JD.com received 43.1% of the share of total buzz with its Singles’ Day promotions, while Tmall.com only gained 24%. Last year, Tmall.com (42.8% at the time) was still narrowly ahead of JD.com (38% at the time).
TD Reply experts in Beijing state that about 20% of JD.com’s buzz can be attributed to social media posts by the popular actor Xiao Zhan, with whom JD.com cooperated this year – again, underscoring the importance of KOLs for generating buzz in China.
Western brands are still dominant
Our analysis of last year revealed the growing importance of domestic fashion brands in the Chinese market, with four out of the 10 top brands coming from China. The Chinese brand Bosideng, known for its down jackets, also generated the most buzz last year by a wide margin.
This year, only three Chinese brands made it to the top 10. Bosideng dropped from first to 10th position. The first four positions are held by western brands, showing that western brands are still dominant in terms of generating attention from Chinese consumers – in spite of having to navigate increased political pressures in view of deteriorating relations between the west and China.
Social media company has a new advertising boss, but can he win back the brands that have left the platform in droves?
Twitter has reportedly appointed Chris Riedy as its new head of ad sales. Riedy will have the difficult challenge of taking up the role at a time when advertisers are pausing spend on the platform in the wake of new owner Elon Musk’s changes, which now include the unbanning of former president Donald Trump.
Riedy does, however, have the benefit of having been at Twitter for 10 years, spending a significant proportion of that time in ad sales, which could serve to quell some advertiser fears. His most recent role was as Twitter’s vice-president for EMEA, which at time of writing is still displayed on his LinkedIn and Twitter bios. Riedy has also previously worked at Wikia (now Fandom), the community site set up by Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales.
His ascension to the top advertising role follows a bizarre series of events in which Elon Musk appeared to accept the resignation of previous ad sales head Robin Wheeler, who he then convinced to stay only to fire her a few days later. The sticking point was that Wheeler refused to cut any more jobs within the team, according to reports. And while no further cuts are expected, Riedy is left working with a very different team than just a few weeks ago.
Jordan Bitterman, the chief marketing officer at TripleLift, says Riedy’s ”long history” at Twitter means he’s ”respected by his peers and has good relationships in the industry”. Bitterman adds: ”There are two main issues as he starts in his new role: most of his colleagues are now ‘former colleagues,’ so he’s dealing with a diminished team, and the customer environment created by the new owner is in a historically bad place.”
Beyond experience
Despite Riedy’s experience, the uncertainty around ad sales on the platform goes beyond a simple changing of the guard. The prevailing wind is that brand safety on the platform is far from assured. Divisive figures including Trump and Kanye West have been allowed back on the platform due to decisions from Musk, despite him having previously intimated those decisions would be up to a council.
Ellie Bamford, the senior vice-president and global head of media and connections at R/GA, explains: “Brands don’t want to be associated with controversy or negativity. Relaxing regulations on the platform makes it a dangerous place to put media investment – and a dangerous place to be as a user. The big question that any advertiser should be thinking about when they’re in a media environment is, ‘What content am I going to be next to?’ And right now on Twitter that is completely unhinged.”
To that extent, Riedy will have a bigger challenge on his hands – in short, he simply can’t guarantee advertisers what they want to hear.
For Tom Bradley, associate director at Red Consultancy, the biggest priority for Riedy is simply to be a stable and consistent figure as head of the ad sales and partnerships team during what remains a volatile time for the wider company. “From a C-suite perspective, those who are aware of who Chris Riedy is will in theory be reassured by his presence in such a key part of the social network. But, as the wider infrastructure is still so up in the air, it may make more sense for advertisers to wait until more of the dust has settled before investing a large amount of financial spend into the platform.”
A disdain for advertising doesn’t seem to last long in the big tech scene.
Elon Musk does not have a love-hate attitude toward advertising: he hates it. At least, that’s what he said – on Twitter, of course – back in 2019: “I hate advertising.”
This may be a curious attitude for a new media mogul whose most recent acquisition – that same Twitter – is almost entirely ad-supported.
But it turns out that Musk is not alone. The history of major ad platforms is littered with righteous founders who did not like the business they now dominate. In fact, it’s difficult to find a founder who expressed any fondness for ads, let alone adtech.
But when revenues are required, attitudes change; call it a pivot to reality.
Here – in alphabetical order – are the original attitudes of the great modern ad businesses. What’s the lesson? That we change as we grow? Maybe. Or maybe, like Musk, we all need to learn a little respect.
Amazon
“Advertising is the price you pay for having an unremarkable product or service.”
– Jeff Bezos, founder (2009)
Apple
“If a business [ie advertising] is built on misleading users, on data exploitation, on choices that are no choices at all, then it does not deserve our praise. It deserves reform.”
– Tim Cook, chief executive officer (2021)
Facebook (now Meta)
“I say it’s time to start making money from Facebook but Mark [Zuckerberg] doesn’t want advertising. Who’s right?”
– Eduardo Saverin, co-founder (2004), quoted in The Social Network
“... [W]e expect that advertising-funded search engines will be inherently biased towards the advertisers and away from the needs of consumers.”
– Sergey Brin and Larry Page, co-founders (1998)
“If we were to just build a product for advertisers, we would have no consumers.”
– Kevin Systrom, co-founder (2012)
“Silicon Valley is not particularly good at marketing.”
– Reid Hoffman, co-founder (2021)
Netflix
“We want to be the safe respite where you can explore, get stimulated, have fun, enjoy, relax – and have none of the controversy around exploiting users with advertising.”
– Reed Hastings, co-founder (2020)
Oculus
“It’s not clear right now that advertising is the right model for virtual reality anyway.”
– Palmer Luckey, co-founder (2015)
Snapchat
“I got an ad this morning for something I was thinking about buying yesterday, and it’s really annoying.”
– Evan Spiegel, founder and chief executive officer (2015)
“Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don’t need.”
– Jan Koum, co-founder (2014) [channeling Fight Club]
Yahoo
“We are probably the last people in the world that want to do this [ie advertising], but it will be tastefully done, and that will keep it free to the users, like TV.”
– Jerry Yang, co-founder (1995), quoted in Inside Yahoo by Karen Angel
Martin Kihn is senior vice-president, marketing cloud, Salesforce.
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Members of the jury for The Drum Awards for Social Purpose walk us through the main themes that emerged from this year’s entries, including rooting environmental campaigns in hard data, and the rise of technological solutions to do good and authentic storytelling.
As we draw nearer to The Drum’s week-long awards festival, running December 5-9, we will be rewarding the people and brands making a positive contribution through socially responsible marketing globally at The Drum Awards for Social Purpose. The awards ceremony will be held at The Drum Labs in Shoreditch London on Thursday December 8. Find out how to purchase your tickets for the event here.
Ahead of them, we caught up with jurors for the Social Purpose awards to find out their thoughts on this year’s entries.
Whitney Dailey, executive vice-president, purpose, Allison+Partners
I loved the work I saw coming out of the Best Environmental Cause Campaign category this year. There were two things that struck me. First was how many of these campaigns brought to life eye-opening environmental data points that are not part of the mainstream understanding of sustainability issues – like the fact that whales contribute as much carbon capture as all the rainforests on land. It’s critical we root environmental campaigns in hard data that can not only help inform our narrative, but open our eyes and minds to complex environmental realities in an easy-to-understand way.
The second aspect that jumped out to me was how many of the campaigns really leaned into creativity. So often, the world’s environmental issues can seem insurmountable, bewildering and even dire. Yet many of these campaigns led with creative and compelling activations that helped audiences understand how sustainable action can be exciting, engaging – even easy.
To solve the complex and critical environmental challenges we face as a globe, we need to lean in on this type of game-changing, creative thinking that disrupts routine behavior and allows for scalable solutions with accelerated effects. These campaigns brought to the table not only persuasive activations rooted in strong insights, but an impressive impact that goes far beyond impressions.
Carole Diarra, global vice-president marketing, UGG
The standout entries leveraged exceptional creativity and new technology to galvanize communities and solve pressing and often complex problems. The key trends were related to the creative use of new technologies such as augmented reality (AR) to break through and mobilize people for a worthy cause; new approaches to diversity and inclusion that used clever ways to cut through the noise and make their voices heard; and simple yet provocative campaigns that used the digital medium to stand out and make a point for the greater good.
The rigorous judging process centered around the value these campaigns have made in the world and the ‘multiplier effect’ they had on others beyond the immediate target audience. The Grand Prix was an important decision because the recipient should produce the most inspirational work for other brands and organizations that are looking to use creativity and media to make an impact in the world. At UGG, we are consistently looking for like-minded partners who authentically connect with their communities and use their voices to champion others. Many entries served as powerful examples, with campaigns focused on inclusion and the amplification of underserved voices.
Hanisha Kotecha, chief client officer, Creature
There will always be societal problems that need the public’s attention. The challenges are pretty rife out there. From the war in Ukraine and the lack of justice for Grenfell victims and survivors to the seemingly never-ending challenge around inclusion and representation, there’s a lot to be mad about. Through judging, I get to see how people have turned that hate into powerful stories that make us stop and stare for a moment.
One significant difference this year was the rise of technological solutions to do good. From fighting political misinformation to turning hate into funding to capturing lost heritage, the ideas that have stayed with me are those that made me feel grateful for their existence. Grateful that someone (especially a brand) took the time, energy and money to grab attention on behalf of a group of people or cause that otherwise would have their story untold or forgotten.
Weaker entries were those that stopped and started with a stunt, fleeting in their limelight and impact. The best found the right balance between story-telling and societal impact, and are measuring the longer-term impact on their brand too so they can continue to meaningfully champion the cause they have chosen.
Lisa Merrick-Lawless, co-founder, Purpose Disruptors
I was struck by the diversity of ideas and thinking around some of the most pressing social and environmental issues of our time. These are the most important briefs around – the ones that create real and lasting change in the world. Our vision at Purpose Disruptors is an industry transformed in service of a thriving future, and it is incredibly exciting (and reassuring) to see live work in this area.
As a judge, I was looking for real-world impact. Yes creativity, yes clear thinking, but above all, is it going to create real, lasting change? It was interesting to see entrants still missing the mark, wanging on about brand affinity and brand awareness, rather than basing success on doing good in the world. Also for those brands trying to do it all on their own, find partners already doing some of the hard work. Support them to create sustained change on the ground rather than pursuing fleeting fame for PR stunts.
I was blown away by some of the winning submissions that combined real creativity (thinking and output) with unique approaches to solving problems in the world, some with new tech or innovative partnerships thrown in for good measure. We need everyone in every agency to be creating this work above all else. The winners here set the bar for others to follow.
Mark Fawcett, chief executive officer and chairman, We Are Futures
The strongest theme this year has been the pre-eminence of real ‘Story Making’ rather than just Story Telling. The best entries, and the strongest award winners, built their activities on the firm foundations of making a real, strong and positive impact on their audience and communities first. They identified a real social need and then went out into the world using their own corporate strengths, skills and people to tackle that need. It was only after that that they focused on their storytelling to engage wider audiences and customers. Today’s audiences can so easily see through stories that are not backed up by substance.
And the best of the best were those campaigns that were characterized by bravery and ambition, and totally relevant to the brand.
To be a leader and drive real brand and social impact, focus first on making real, relevant and bold stories happen – then on creatively telling them second.
Returning CEO has already begun dismantling corporate structure set by his predecessor.
The Walt Disney Company board took the shock decision this week (November 21) to bring Bob Iger out of retirement, ousting his hand-picked replacement Bob Chapek in the process.
Big changes are expected to impact Disney’s media and advertising departments, with Iger having already removed media sales boss Kareem Daniels.
Iger stepped down as chief executive officer in February 2020 and selected Chapek as his successor, but stayed on as executive chairman until December 2021 to help steer the company through the pandemic.
His return is a two-year interim reappointment, which the board hopes will see Disney out of a turbulent period while it hunts another permanent replacement. Shares in Disney rose 6.3% on the news.
With 15 years at the top, Iger was the orchestrator of some of Disney’s biggest acquisitions, including its purchase of Marvel, Star Wars and Pixar Animation Studios. He also oversaw the 20th Century Fox merger, where Disney took control of National Geographic and FX. The success of Disney’s streamer is largely owed to bringing all of those assets under one roof to offer a diverse roster of programming for all ages.
It is Iger’s ambition to dismantle Disney’s corporate structure and place decision-making power back in the hands of creative execs. In his first email to Disney staff, he wrote: ”I fundamentally believe storytelling is what fuels this company...and it belongs at the center of how we organize our business.”
On his first day back, Iger removed Daniels who had overseen the Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution department, which was formed under Chapek in 2020. Daniels’s removal is said to be the first step in Iger’s plans for that unit.
Chapek’s reign
Chapek’s ousting was the result of a revolt from senior Disney execs who went to the board claiming they had lost confidence in the 33-year Disney veteran. This distrust in his vision was compounded by Disney’s abysmal third-quarter earnings, which reported a $1.5bn loss to its streaming business despite adding 12.1 million subscribers. Disney also missed its total revenue estimates by $1bn, posting revenues of $20.1bn across the quarter.
After publishing its losses, Chapek announced job cuts, telling staff the business would have to “make tough and uncomfortable decisions”. Disney blamed the lack of premium access to content for its financial strife – box office films cost $30 to stream.
Chapek was responsible for Disney’s decision to introduce an ad tier, which is set to land on December 8. He set the Disney+ ad tier at $7.99 and upped its standard tier by $3 to $10.99, despite Iger’s previous strategy of gradual small price hikes.
- Disney+ has the power to ‘determine the future’ of streaming ads... and it just did
- Why Disney+ and Netflix plans for targeting kids with ads may be different, yet the same
Disney’s pricing sits $1 higher than Netflix’s ad product, which rolled earlier this month. Like Netflix, Disney isn’t expecting its ad option to significantly grow subscriber numbers but instead accelerate revenue and profit.
Ownership over Hulu
Disney and Comcast were due to renegotiate the ownership of Hulu in January 2024, but it’s being reported that Disney intends to bring the deal forward and up its 67% stake to 100%. According to Ampere analysts, a combined Disney/Hulu would carry the biggest number of US titles of any streaming service – approximately 30% compared with Netflix’s 23%.
Disney has been quietly investing in Hulu’s catalog to triple the number of shows and films it has distribution rights to from 6% in 2016 to 19% in 2022. At the same time, Ampere reports that competing studios have reduced their contribution to Hulu’s pipeline. According to Ampere, content from NBCUniversal, Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery now make up less than 10% of all TV shows and movies on Hulu.
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The animated spot from the animal rights group wants to put people off their turkey dinners.
Created by Dream Farm, Peta’s holiday campaign tells the tale of Toby the Turkey, who is thrown off an abattoir-bound truck by his mother to save his life. The lovable bird ends up being taken in by a loving family, becoming integrated into their lives.
There’s a tense moment towards the end where viewers wonder if Toby will end up becoming the Christmas dinner, but thankfully he’s welcomed around the table and not on it.
“Turkeys like Toby are gentle, gracious and gregarious individuals, and each one has a story that should not end on a fork,” said Mimi Bekhechi, vice-president at Peta. “Peta urges everyone to share comfort and joy this Christmas by enjoying a delicious vegan feast. We stand ready to help with our free vegan starter kit.”
The campaign film will be shown in cinemas across the UK, including Vue, Cineworld and Odeon branches, throughout the festive season.
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The recent ‘Generation Twitch’ research outlines a series of new behaviors from emerging audiences. In the fourth of a five-part series, we focus on the benefits for brands in recognizing the shift from ‘passive to collaborative’ digital experiences.
Dystopian fiction frequently paints an incorrect picture of people feeling isolated and alienated by digital technology - but this isn’t the case. The reality can be far more positive.
Tech allows people to work, play and interact with each other in new ways. The adoption of collective connectivity is not a new concept, it’s just been accelerated and reframed differently due to the pandemic. In the gaming world, developments include Roblox launching its one-click Collaborate Button to help creators work together with others, and also in the growing levels of support for esports gamers from their fans.
This emphasis on the collective experience is especially important to a new generation which prizes the collaborative nature of interactive digital services above passively waiting for things to happen. ‘Generation Twitch’ is an audience that has only ever known a digital world, has always been connected, and who are now taking center stage. This generation embraces both gen Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) and those most swayed by their influence, namely millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996) and, soon to come of age, generation alpha (post-2012).
The emergence of this behavior features in the fourth in a series of five new behavioral trends identified in ‘Generation Twitch: Leading Cultural Change’ research from livestreaming service Twitch. It describes a shift in demand from “passive to collaborative” digital experiences among this emerging audience of young adults, following on from ”curated to authentic”, ”fixed to fluid”, and “exclusive to inclusive”.
There’s undoubtedly something here for brands to focus on because ‘Generation Twitch’ is predisposed towards building communities based on shared values and passions. Advertisers that adopt a forward-thinking, community-first approach will set themselves up for success and build lifetime value.
Interaction is everything The report reveals how today's audiences understand that entertainment can deliver a more interactive experience that means they are not relegated to passively watching from afar. They instead favor forming a community, and building a real sense of unity. The extent to which the future involves active collaboration is uncovered in the finding that 74% of Twitch viewers agree that interaction with the community is everything.
In order to reach new audiences, brands should look to understand this behavior, and find proactive routes to communicate in relevant ways.
Adam Harris, global head of brand partnerships studio at Twitch, says that binge watching a favorite series on a streaming service, or attending a live concert, are among the more “passive” forms of entertainment. While these are at times still very enjoyable, based on the research, he argues that the emerging generation is looking for more. “Today, with technology – be it livestreaming, augmented reality (AR), online gaming or beyond – we are able to work, play and interact together like never before and take part in experiences together.”
A strong sense of this emerges from interviews Twitch conducted with its audience. As one viewer says: “Twitch encourages active attention. Many of my friends enjoy streaming, and it’s special to be able to support them and interact with their streams.”
This supports the notion that today’s audience wants a collective experience that generates a real sense of unity. Twitch has a role to play here because providing people with the support to make meaningful contributions is an inherent part of the Twitch service. Interactions are encouraged through chat features and interactive polls. As another viewer of the service says: “Twitch offers a lot of features to encourage collaboration, such as hosting other creators, which often leads to people finding and meeting people to network with more often.”
Active collaboration with brands Forward-thinking advertisers have a great chance to build on the emergence of a more collaborative spirit among digital audiences.
“To really build loyalty, brands need to not only align their values but add value to a community. They should go beyond passive push interactions and actively encourage participation from a willing community,” says Harris.
The demand for this is clearly there among the Twitch audience. A third viewer featured in the research says: “Twitch advertisements have an opportunity to be more interactive. What makes Twitch unique is the ability of the streamers to play ads on their terms and for people to interact through emotes [icons similar to emojis that the Twitch community use to convey sentiments].”
WhatsApp is an example of a brand that has looked further than passive observation to encourage participation from a willing community. The brand sponsored a Twitch stream to showcase the multiple layers of security and privacy it offers. To make the experience more collaborative, WhatsApp replaced streamers' mid-stream breaks with mini-games, in which viewers worked together to win.
Twitch achieved this with an extension that allowed the viewers to use an integrated extension to click on the screen and target intruder enemies. Projectiles would then launch towards the majority voted areas, making it a truly democratic, collaborative experience. The shots were all registered and displayed on screen so that all viewers could see how they contributed to the group effort.
The future of digital experiences is collaborative, and the success of WhatsApp's activity shows that there is clear value for advertisers in fostering active co-operation based on shared values between a ‘virtuous triangle’ of creator, community and the brand.
For more insights on Generation Twitch, download Twitch’s ‘Generation Twitch: Leading Cultural Change – Advertising in an Emerging World’ report.
Alessandro Bogliari of The Influencer Marketing Factory digs into findings from the agency’s recent study on livestream shopping in 2023.
Livestream shopping is a way for consumers to purchase items in real-time, making it convenient for audience members to purchase directly from the brands they love (and the influencers they trust).
Livestream shopping gives customers a way to preview products live and have their questions answered by experts. This interactive experience allows customers to feel as though they are a part of the brand experience, fostering trust between buyer and seller.
We recently conducted a study on the state of livestream shopping; here are some of our findings.
Livestream shopping for entertainment
We ran a survey with 1,000 users based in the US, and 1,000 based in the UK, to understand if and how they shop during a live video event. We looked at their livestream shopping and social commerce preferences, behavior and approaches. Our target audience was 18-67-year-old users.
For US participants, 36% confirmed purchasing something during a livestream shopping event. Their preferred platforms were Facebook Live at 26%, Instagram Live at 19%, TikTok Live at 18%, Amazon Live at 18% and Pinterest at 6%.
UK participants were similar, with some nuances. 25% confirmed purchasing something during an event. Their preferred platforms were TikTok Live 30%, Amazon Live 18%, Facebook Live 17%, Instagram Live 16% and Pinterest 6%.
What are the top reasons our study participants attend livestream shopping events?
The number one reason for US participants was entertainment, followed by being able to take advantage of a discount, knowing and liking the host and accessing an exclusive drop collection. The number one reason for our UK participants was being able to take advantage of a discount followed by entertainment, knowing and liking the host, and access to exclusive drops.
Livestream shopping in 2023
Hosting a livestream shopping event can boost your brand’s conversion. In our study, a surprising number of respondents confirmed spending $100-$300+ while attending such events. Let’s break it down.
This means that 27% of our study participants in the US confirmed spending $100-$300+; a further 24% confirmed spending $50-$100. In the UK, slightly fewer spent big, but it was still a considerable portion: 14% confirmed spending $100-$300+.
This confirms our belief that livestream shopping is not just for low-ticket items; you can have success at a variety of price points, along with leveraging these types of events for B2C and B2B marketing efforts.
How to make livestream shopping work for your brand
To make livestream shopping work for your brand, you’ll want to dig deep into data and trends. We’ve done a lot of the hard work for you with one of our recent studies on the state of livestream shopping.
You’ll want to learn more about past events hosted on platforms such as YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. You’ll also want to research and review case studies from the various livestream shopping hosts and platforms. In a world of artificial intelligence (AI), consumers crave human connection. What better way to entice an audience of buyers than hosting a livestream shopping event with a known influencer in your niche?
Just like any other new marketing tactic or trend, explore the opportunity and don’t close the door on livestream shopping before giving it a fair chance.
England’s 2022 World Cup opener against Iran opened to a peak of 8 million in Qatar, according to stats from Barb – a mere shadow of what the previous tournament in Russia saw.
In the 1pm winter slot on Monday November 21 – clearly not a box office position – England routed Iran 6-2 on the BBC, although the platform suffered some issues. 5.8 million viewers stuck around for the full fixture.
How does that stack up to the 2018 World Cup, which aired from Russia in the summer? In a fairer comparison, England’s 2018 dramatic World Cup opener against Tunisia beat the Royal Wedding between Prince William and Catherine Middleton to be the year’s most-watched event at the time (beaten by later fixtures), as more than 21 million people tuned in (18 million live with the add-on of three million via the iPlayer – marking one of the first World Cups where consumers engage digital platforms that have since grown in prominence).
We’ve still to see the overnights on the England v Iran game – with it being on during the working day, there’s potential to seize back millions in the evening – but the figures are fairly low.
Later in the tournament, England’s final defeat was watched by 26.5 million people. That included the most-watched five minutes of British TV since the 2012 Olympic opening ceremony. As home nations progress through the tournament, audiences grow as the football becomes appointment viewing.
Meanwhile, in 2018, England’s World Cup record scoreline over Panama hit 14.1 million viewers on BBC One. There were a further 2.8 million livestream requests online.
Then, closing the group stages, England’s defeat to Belgium drew a peak of 18.5 million. An average of 13 million stayed for the whole game on ITV. Even in a game when England was being outplayed, more than 10 million stuck around.
Going further back, at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the opening game between England and Italy kicked off at 11pm and saw a peak of 15.6 million, with an average of 11.5 million. The later spot clearly favors audiences.
Then in South Africa in 2010, the opener between England and the USA, ending in a 1-1 draw, saw an audience of nearly 20 million on ITV1’s Saturday schedule from 7.30pm. It averaged 17.65 million viewers.
In that decade-plus, linear viewership has generally declined, with sports events being one of the few exceptions. But broadcasters too are becoming more flexible and are letting viewers watch games on demand after the fact and through streaming on mobile devices, which enables on-the-move viewing.
But England wasn’t the only home nation to make an appearance. Perhaps more instructive of how this World Cup will fare on the viewership front, Wales drew with the USA (which peaked with 12.5 million viewers on ITV for a 7pm kick-off), receiving an average viewership of 7.8 million. At 7pm, more viewers would have been likely to be group viewing at home or in the pub.
Should Wales’ first World Cup match since 1958 have drawn a larger audience?
Amid all the friction around the tournament hosts Qatar; the clashes between England and Wales and Fifa over LGBTQ+ support; the unusual air time; and the rushed marketing hype window (interrupting normal football seasons), the Qatar World Cup might need a home nation in the knockout stages to really heat up to audiences.
- The brands taking a stand against the controversial Qatar World Cup
- Why Budweiser’s World Cup beer ban might not be all bad for the brand
- Qatar’s ‘sportswashing’ efforts to boost tourism industry likely to fail, per experts
Welcome to The Drum’s Christmas marketing campaign round-up for 2022. Here you’ll find all the latest ads from around the world.
The festive season is upon us as brands release their Christmas ads earlier than ever. Online retailer Very was once again first off the mark, this time with an upbeat short that played into its eagerness for the festive period.
Amid global economic uncertainties, however, the usual celebrations will look starkly different for many people this year. According to industry experts that The Drum spoke to back in September, brand campaigns must mirror the upcoming frugal festive period if they don’t want to seem grossly out-of-touch.
Here are all the best spots so far from major brands.
Nov 21 Peta: Toby the Turkey by Dream Farm
Video of PETA’s First-Ever Christmas Ad, Featuring Toby the Turkey
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Peta’s holiday campaign tells the tale of Toby the Turkey who is thrown off an abattoir-bound truck by his mother to save his life. The lovable animated animal ends up being taken in by a loving family and becomes integrated into their lives.
There’s a tense moment towards the end where viewers wonder if Toby will end up becoming the Christmas dinner, but thankfully, he’s welcomed around the table and not on it.
Nov 18 The National Lottery: Christmas Love Story by adam&eveDDB
Video of Just Imagine a Win | The National Lottery | Christmas Ad 2022
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Directed by Oscar-winner Tom Hooper, this ad tells of a chance encounter between two people who meet on a train and exchange a phone number on the back of a National Lottery ticket. When the girl realizes the number is smudged, viewers are left on the edge of their seats wondering if the pair will meet again. As the new breaks of an unclaimed winning lottery ticket, the tension mounts. Will they find each other?
Nov 15 Waitrose: It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas by Adam & Eve/DDB Waitrose is celebrating its partners and suppliers in its annual Christmas campaign. Created by Adam & Eve/DDB, the 60-second spot showcases the level of care and commitment that goes into the supermarket’s food all year long.
The film highlights the icy conditions farmers work in throughout the winter months, the delicate task of beekeeping and even the attention to detail when it comes to picking crops.
Nov 14 Cadbury: Secret Santa by VCCP Cadbury launched its ‘Secret Santa Postal Service’. The activation will pop up in digital and static posters across the country for six weeks until Christmas Eve.
The campaign hopes to unite the nation around a simple gesture that echoes the true spirit of Christmas and inspiring people to send a free chocolate bar, in secret, to someone special.
Nov 14 Amazon: Joy Is Made by Lucky Generals Amazon has released its annual Christmas ad campaign – and it’s a real tear-jerker. In ‘Joy Is Made,’ viewers see a young child completely captivated by a festive snow globe. Carrying the ornament everywhere, from school to the dentist’s office, the youngster’s father begins to notice the obsession and wants to add to the magic.
He devises a plan to create a life-size version of the snowy world in the greenhouse in their garden, much to the delight of his daughter.
Nov 14 Heathrow: The Gift by St. Luke's This heart-warming story details the feeling of being with loved ones over the festive period and features a couple who will be spending Christmas away from their grown-up children.
It’s the first work with St. Luke’s as lead strategic creative agency, since it won the pitch for the brand in August.
Nov 10 John Lewis: The Beginner by Adam & Eve/DDB In this year's John Lewis viewers see an older man who is attempting to learn to skateboard. Set to the tune of Blink-182's punk pop tune 'All The Small Things', you might be forgiven for thinking the man is going through some kind of mid-life crisis. Turns out, he's learning the new skill to help bond with a young girl that he and his partner will be fostering over Christmas.
The closing scene ends with the note that 108,000 children within the UK currently reside within the care system. It highlights the 18-month-long project that John Lewis has undertaken in partnership with Action for Children and Who Cares? Scotland, with a John Lewis spokesperson noting that while the campaign features a story set at Christmas, the project itself extends past the festive season.
Nov 10 Aldi: Home Alone by McCann Aldi’s teaser ad dropped last week and saw Kevin the Carrot and co waiting for a flight. Sadly, the root vegetable got distracted playing a game of football (think along the lines of Nike’s famous 1998 World Cup ad) and separated from his family.
In homage to the Macaulay Culkin Christmas classic Home Alone, Kevin spends the holidays in his house setting traps for a pesky intruder that is lurking outside.
As the scene progresses, and his family makes a speedy return from Paris, the true identity of the home intruder is made known.
Nov 10 McDonald's: The List by Leo Burnett Fast-food chain McDonald's hopes to showcase the 'little things' that carry a deeper meaning this Christmas.
Turning the notion of gift-giving on its head, the campaign encourages friends and family to document the shared activities and experiences they would wish to have on the holiday rather than more presents.
Airing on prime time ITV and in cinemas for the release of Black Panther, the heartwarming campaign follows a young boy and his mum as they prepare for the big day, devising an ever-expanding Christmas list while his mum makes all the preparations.
Nov 7 02: The Snowgran by VCCP London This endearing ad from 02 tells the tale of a 'snowgran' who longs for some human interaction during the festive period.
Written by Simon Connor and Stephen Cross, the ad has a happy ending when a young girl named Billie sees the women's seclusion and gifts her a sim card so she can connect with family and friends over Winter.
With the campaign, the network hopes to raise the Christmas spirit with real action as it commits to gifting one million GB of data to those in need this festive season.
Nov 7 Biscuiteers: The Nutcracker Biscuit Ballet by Mother Studio For its first TV ad, hand-iced biscuit company Biscuiteers has drawn inspiration from the classic ballet 'The Nutcracker' for its festive campaign.
In the film, viewers see the sweet treats being constructed and then brought to life on a theatrical stage. Fans of the story will notice familiar characters such as Mouse King and Clara.
The ad was designed and delivered by the Biscuiteer team, working closely with Mother Studio who produced the animation and edited the film.
Nov 6 Aldi: Feast of Football by McCann Aldi is leaning into the anticipation surrounding this year’s Christmas World Cup with an ad that once again features Kevin the Carrot and co for the seventh consecutive year.
The teaser is a homage to Nike’s famous Airport 1998 World Cup ad, and sees the nation's most-loved carrot make a glorious comeback.
Nov 6 Tesco: The Christmas Party by BBH Tesco has pledged to help during the cost of living crisis this Christmas with a commitment to delivering an affordable festive season for everyone.
The supermarket's festive advert takes the style of a political party broadcast and features a message from the ‘Christmas Party,’ setting out its manifesto to #StandForJoy by helping people celebrate in style, irrespective of budget.
Nov 4 Barbour: One of a Kind-ness by againstallodds Barbour has enlisted the help of a beloved children’s book character to spread the Christmas cheer this festive season. ‘One of a Kind-ness’ sees Paddington Bear delivering gifts when he notices that Mr Curry, the grumpy neighbor who appears to be a little misunderstood, feels left out by the local carol singers.
To cheer him up, the marmalade sandwich-loving bear decides to get the neighbor a gift. Paddington presents Mr Curry with a unique Barbour jacket that he loves, making him feel part of the community again.
Nov 4 Asda: Have your Elf a Merry Christmas by Havas London To mark the festive period, Asda and its creative agency Havas London have recruited a very enthusiastic team member in Buddy the Elf, using footage from the hit Warner Bros movie. Read our interview with Havas London's Vicki Maguire to find out more about the ad.
Nov 4 Matalan: The Christmas Cupboard by McCann Manchester This festive spot from Matalan sees a woman travel through her wardrobe and into the future, where she's able to watch herself enjoying the festive holidays.
She's bought herself a new Christmas dress, gifts for all her family and even set a glorious table for the all-important hosting.
Nov 4 Lidl: Lidl Bear by Accenture Song Lidl's Christmas ad begins in a typical family home where, after a dad shrinks his jumper in the wash, his young daughter has the ingenious idea of putting the tiny sweater on her toy bear – and so our stuffed star is born.
Then, in the supermarket aisles, people begin to take photos of the toy and post them on social media. As fame ensues, the bear goes on to enjoy all the perks of going viral. The jet-setter becomes the face of Lidl, pens a memoir and even records a hit Christmas jingle.
All the while, his previous owner just longs to have him back at home with her
Nov 4 Sainsbury's: Once Upon a Pud by Wieden+Kennedy London Alison Hammond has adopted the role of a picky countess for this year’s Sainsbury’s Christmas ad. Narrated by Stephen Fry, the ad is set in a land far far away where a feast is being planned in the castle.
One by one, chefs present their dishes to the countess for approval, but when it comes to the Christmas pudding she has a few choice words. Declaring that she doesn’t like the dessert, the disappointed chef retreats to his kitchen to come up with something better.
As an orchestral version of the hit noughties tune Teenage Dirtbag plays in the background, the nervous cook presents Hammond with a caramelized biscuit Christmas pudding that she loves.
Nov 4 Boots: Joy For All by VMLY&R The ad follows Holly, played by It’s a Sin actor Lydia West, who finds a pair of magic glasses on the bus that let her see the hidden ’joy’ all around her.
The 60-second spot first aired during Channel 4’s Gogglebox last night.
Hall & Oates track You Make my Dreams (Come True) backs the ad, which was directed by Si&Ad through Academy Films.
To ensure the ad hit the right notes, Boots worked with marketing research company System 1 to test the creative with customers from storyboard to the edit.
Nov 4 Morrisons: Farmer Christmas by Publicis.Poke Morrisons aimed to highlight the quality and value of its festive range, with his ‘seal of approval’ the common thread running through it all.
In the 60-second TV ad, the character appears as the other hero of Christmas as Morrisons once again illustrates the work British farmers do to help make it so special.
The spotlight is also on the supermarket's own colleagues – the “real life elves” who help make more than half the fresh food that Morrisons sells. Many of them feature in the ad.
Nov 2 Disney: The Gift by Flux Animation Studios ‘The Gift’ marks the final installment of the ‘From Our Family To Yours’ trilogy and tells the story of a little girl who is trying to adjust to the changing dynamics as her family prepares to welcome another child.
It’s a touching story of sibling relationships, with the brand’s iconic mascot Mickey Mouse the constant that connects past, present and future generations.
Nov 2 M&S Food: Fairy and Duckie by M&S in-house creative team In this feel-good campaign from M&S Food, Dawn French reprised her role as the festive Fairy – this time joined by her comedy partner Jennifer Saunders.
As the animated ad begins, we see Fairy on the hunt for a new friend to celebrate the festive period with. After rejecting some unsuitable candidates, she heads to the dog’s bed in the living room and finds an adorable chew toy that she magically brings to life.
Voiced by Saunders, Duckie looks a little worse for wear and in need of some cheering up. As if by magic, a selection of enticing M&S food then appears on the table and the two chat about all the delicious things they are going to eat.
Nov 2 Shelter: Brave Face by Don't Panic Following on from last year’s acclaimed film ‘The Drive’, Shelter has released another hard-hitting video that details the realities many families will face over the coming months.
Nov 1 Not On The High Street: Celebrate Christmas by New Commercial Arts Following on from its ’Celebrate Life’ campaign, Not On The High Street is highlighting the smaller gifts that go a long way this festive season.
The spot starts with a man doing sit-ups in his living room, when the narrator informs him that the only six-pack he needs to work on is the beers that magically appear in his hand. It goes on to feature various other characters receiving gifts including a photo album, personalized birthday cake and jazzy earrings.
Nov 1 Etsy: Gifts for All Kinds of Giving by 72andSunny Etsy's Christmas campaign includes two emotive ads. 'To the Travelers' and 'To the New Parents' both emphasize how the gift of giving can connect people, whether it is a small present or a grand gesture.
It's the first campaign introducing the online retailer's new creative platform 'Etsy has It,' which hopes to showcase the one-of-a-kind items available to purchase from independent sellers.
Nov 1 Lego: Build to Give by Lego Agency Lego has gone all out for its festive campaign. Rather than picture-perfect shots of snow, festive feasts and open fires, its ad shows a group of kids delivering presents on a giant vehicle of their design. Riding atop is pop star Katy Perry, who belts out her hit Firework during the journey.
Nov 1 Lindt: You Choose the Moment, We’ll Provide the Bliss In its first-ever Christmas television ad, Lindt is petitioning itself as the luxuriously smooth chocolate treat of the festive season. In the spot, viewers see a family coming together and sharing sweets together in a cozy, decorated home.
Launching November 1, the ad will be shown across ITV, Channel 4 and 5, plus digital platforms including Sky Atlantic, 5 Select, Drama, Eden, Alibi and E4 right up until Christmas day.
October 27 TK Maxx: Nail Christmas for Less by Wieden+Kennedy London This fun ad from TK Maxx tells the story of Sam, a woman who absolutely nails her gifts this Christmas. After being praised by a family member, Sam then goes on to create a frenzy in her hometown, with many people looking to congratulate her for her successful shopping spree.
Soundtracked by Cerrone’s 1977 hit Supernature, it is the seventh time Wieden+Kennedy London has worked with the retailer.
October 27 Dobbies Garden Centre: Dobbies, Where Great Value Comes to Life by Elvis This magical spot from Dobbies sees a sparkling Christmas bauble being watered, which brings it to life and spreads festive joy across the garden center.
As the ad continues, viewers see a jolly Santa Claus, a cozy family wearing Christmas jumpers and a huge tree adorned with decorations and gifts.
October 24 H Samuel: Unwrap the Sparkle by Bulletproof This TV ad from British jewelry chain H Samuel begins with a glimpse of presents under a Christmas tree and a family excitedly waiting to open them. As they begin to pass the gifts around, viewers see each person open them to reveal a piece of sparkling jewelry, from a gold chain to a watch, and even a ring as a surprise proposal takes place beside the tree.
October 18 Ocean Spray: Power Your Holidays by Orchard Creative Ocean Spray introduces its infectiously wiggling cranberry jelly as the most powerful party guest in the house. In the ad, viewers see the humble berry go from a traditional side dish to a bold center-stage star in this light-hearted spot.
It begins with bored dinner guests all sitting around a beige-looking spread, but when the bright red accompaniment is brought out the mood begins to change. As the jiggly cranberry jelly wobbles on the table, the guests mimic the movements in a hypnotic way.
October 15 Wish: Forced Smiles by Whale This fun holiday ad from e-commerce platform Wish taps into the relatable scenario of receiving a gift from a loved one that you wouldn’t necessarily have chosen for yourself.
In the spot, viewers see a man being gifted with a tennis-racket-shaped present, leading to him putting on his best-forced smile to appease his family.
A Wish portal then opens above him and different items from his wish list begin falling into his living room. One of those items is a set of bagpipes that land in his arms, giving him the gift he really wanted and igniting a genuine smile.
October 13 Very: Gifts For All Your Christmasses by Grey London Very was the first UK brand to release its festive campaign this year. The film plays up to the earliness and begins with a mother looking at the camera and stating that: “Christmas isn’t just one day, it’s lots of days” as her family exchange gifts.
As the video continues, viewers see the woman watching her partner put their decorations up during the autumn months in what she calls ‘early Christmas.’ She then attends a karaoke-themed office party at her ‘work Christmas,’ celebrates ‘birthday Christmas’ with her kids and continues the festivities on ‘Boxing Day Christmas.’
What’s the best approach to get an idea past corporate gatekeepers? Experts from Carat, 72andSunny and Wunderman Thompson weigh in.
At work, we’re pitching all the time – even if we don’t know it. But even if your initiative is perfectly rational, profitable and Novel Prize-winningly brilliant, selling it to the decision-makers – whether they’re a supervisor, chief exec or client – can be another matter.
One person’s epiphany can be another’s gobbledegook, and where one colleague might respond to a logical approach, another might require an appeal based on emotion. There are tricks and techniques to improve your approach, however – call it sales craft, call it managing upwards, call it inception – and we asked a range of agency experts for theirs.
How do you solve a problem like... selling an idea to the boss?
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Edd Weller, global head of partnerships, Carat
Working in partnerships is all about how you collaborate – whether that’s with senior or junior, this is a selling skill set. The way that I train my team to find the win is by taking the time to fully flesh out the idea, making sure you’ve connected with the right stakeholders prior and then clearly structuring a narrative with the benefits and considerations and making the time to get their attention. Like all good media, a clear message at the right time will always win. Focus on positives but be open to feedback and builds. And lastly, of course, wait for them to have sat down and had coffee if you’re going to approach them first thing.
Bryant Lambert, vice-president and group acount director, EP+Co
Selling an idea to your boss isn’t so different from selling an idea to your client. It all comes down to making the benefit of what you want to do undeniable. In other words, you’ve got to make the juice worth the squeeze. If you know what you’re asking for (and why), getting a yes will be much easier. First, make your objective clear by outlining the big picture and articulating how the end goal is achievable. Then be direct about any action items needed from the boss – and show them you’ll be there to help accomplish everything.
Chris Arakelian, executive director of growth, Wolff Olins
Moving an agency forward demands thinking beyond business as usual. Like any great pitch, it requires a bold strategy, a relevant idea and a well-devised plan for success. If your idea is born from a pain point or an acknowledged need, you’re halfway there. To gain the blessing of your boss you need to apply these three principles:
- Believe – if you aren’t fully aligned with the change you want to see made, leave it at the door
- Know what’s needed for a successful outcome, then create a clearly-defined plan that’s respectful of time commitments. Demonstrate quick wins along the way for bonus points
- Paint the vision for how your idea will drive impact for the business – help your approver understand how you will improve overall operations, employee sentiment and client satisfaction
The more conviction you bring, the more difficult it will be for your boss to say no.
Morten Grubak, executive creative director of innovation, Virtue
It’s 2018, before the metaverse has hit mainstream marketing. Our client has just referred to our pitch as “the strangest meeting of my life.” We’d just tried to convince them to make a digital clothing collection. Their response: silence.
Two weeks later we tried again. A different approach, with exactly the same idea. That time, they got it. The client slammed his fist on the table and said: “Let’s do it!”
The lesson? Being the first to do something is scary and, ultimately, client buy-in is the only one that matters. Perseverance, confidence in our idea and not taking no for an answer enabled us to build a Grand Prix-winning project.
Emma Harris, chief executive officer, Glow London
Selling is selling – which means whether it’s to the boss, the board or a customer, you have to start with understanding their need; do they want to make themselves look good? Are they risk mitigators? Are they into the big picture or detail? Either way, the trick is in crafting the message so they get what they need out of it.
In a previous life, I had a boss who loved to think that everything was his idea. I would give him just enough information that I knew would lead him to the conclusion I wanted him to reach. He would then present the idea back to me as entirely his own. Of course, my response would be to tell him how brilliant he was and trundle off and deliver it. When it comes to delivering a great idea, it’s by whatever means necessary.
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Emily Rule, head of planning, Wunderman Thompson
It’s never going to be easy to sell a truly great idea because, by nature, great ideas make people, clients and your mum really uncomfortable. But there may be a method to make our selling a little bit more effective:
- Provoke: force your audience to pay you their undivided attention
- Persuade: forget who you are selling to and focus on what you are selling
- Persist: great ideas are never bought in the first meeting. Keep showing it to your ‘clients’ until they understand it, buy-in and even love it as much as you do
- Protect: with every fiber of your being, ensure that your idea doesn’t fade as it goes through the washing machine of democracy
Danielle Melia, creative director, We Are Social
’If you don’t believe in your idea... then no one else will.’
That’s one of the best bits of advice I’ve been given. As a creative director, you know when you’ve got a good’un. It’s an epiphany. Our job is to ‘be like a bulldog’ protecting that idea. That doesn’t mean being bull-ish. If anything, it is the opposite. It’s about knowing how different personalities work.
Some people, like my boss who is smart and strategic, prefer an informal chat. Some people want an impassioned presentation. There’s never a ‘one size fits all’ approach. It’s about knowing something is great – and then flexing your personality to make it happen.
Armando Potter, strategy director, 72andSunny Amsterdam
If you’re coming from a place of ‘what’s the trick?’ you’re already coming at it from the wrong place. To convince the boss to believe in the idea as much as you do, it needs to come from a place of genuine conviction, not pulling strings.
The one simple rule I use to sell an idea to anyone, whether it’s my boss or my brother: don’t underestimate the power of your own passion. How can I land on an idea that I believe in so fervently that I can’t help but spread that excitement to everyone else too?
Will Ferguson, senior vice-president and managing director of addressable solutions, Dentsu Media
We’re all in sales roles, whether we signed up for them or not. In my experience, the key to wielding influence, internally or externally, is in democratized ownership. Your idea may be objectively ‘right,’ but to win leadership’s support you must identify their internal motivation, adjust your narrative to highlight how it advances that agenda, and present the benefit in a way that compels leadership to adopt the idea as their own.
People can be too protective of sole ownership of an idea. Good leaders will ensure you get your credit; first, make sure there’s something to get credit for.
Andrew Godley, managing director, True
Of course, the golden adage is to make it feel like their own idea. But it’s more complicated than that. For me, it’s ensuring the idea aligns to bigger objectives – company, scorecard and personal goals (and passions). You need to understand how they make decisions: are they emotional, excited by the big idea, the end game, the fame? Or are they more rational, needing to understand the detail, the specific steps? Top-down versus bottom-up? And everything’s a pitch – it needs to be concise. Try it out on others first. Remember always: professionals practice, amateurs don’t seem to feel the need.
Ben Kerr, managing director, Somethin:Else
Selling ideas doesn’t happen like in the movies – there aren’t many successful ta-das. They happen over many conversations. Your boss probably isn’t even waiting for your idea – they have eyes on all the other shit in front of them. So sell them the problem, the strategy, the idea and then how it’ll be easy to deliver. That’s at least four conversations. Don’t rush it – each is a chance to modify your proposal using their perspective. If you try and do it in the 60 secs in a lift, you don’t know your boss very well and the idea is going down.
Frances Dennis, chief commercial officer, Brandwidth
People don’t care what you can do – only what you can do for them. Harsh maybe, but this reminds us to be relatable. Be explicit about how your idea helps your boss – whether it’s efficiency or opportunity – and be clear about how it will benefit them.
Pick your moment. I remember reading that parolees tend to receive harsher judgments when they are being heard just before lunch, where the board would be hungry and tired. Being human, bosses are influenced by external factors that affect their state of mind. Consider when they’ll be more receptive, having headspace to process your suggestions.
Rachel Segall, chief operating officer, NBZ Partner
Some of the highest-stakes buying and selling moments of an idea happen in a pitch environment. And those principles of persuasion can be applied to almost any circumstance. It requires a shift in thinking away from a ‘big reveal’ and thinking of it as micro-moments of buy-in.
It’s about psychologically bringing your boss along the journey and engineering moments for your employer to feel some ownership over the idea. It’s much harder for people to reject an idea that they helped arrive at.
Katie Streten, head of creative strategy, WRG
The key is to understand how your idea fits into your boss’s objectives. There’s no point going with a brilliant idea that meets none of their needs. If it’s not an obvious fit, find ways to demonstrate the value by choosing just one of their interests and linking it to your idea. Also make sure you prepare the ground before your conversation by chatting to other interested people and getting them onside so that your boss has already heard about your idea from other people they trust before you even get in the room.
Carsten Glock, creative director and founder, Glock
My advice? Be direct. Whether they’re good or bad, bosses always want to hear your ideas. I’ve never experienced pushback to a straightforward “I have this idea...” – even in my early career.
From experience, people need structure and encouragement to approach their boss with a new concept. Everyone talks about open-door policies, but 90% of the time this doesn’t work. No one ever comes knocking on your desk.
So we introduced ‘Calibration Sessions,’ which are open forums with a couple of questions for people to think about in advance – eg ‘What do you need to be more successful in your role?’ – and come ready to share.
And it gets great results. One of our team suggested evolving our shorter ‘Summer Hours’ program (which ended in October), instead using this time for more training and proactive briefs. This was a brilliant idea that gives our team a better understanding of client challenges and allows them to proactively propose solutions and take ownership of them. We put it into practice straight away.
Andrew Fatato, co-founder and creative director, Major
Selling to a boss is like selling to any other human – you need to figure out what they want, deep down, and show them how your idea gets them exactly that. So put yourself in their shoes. What are their challenges? What are their fears? What are their goals? What are their dreams? Or, simply, what will get them their bonus? Then work to frame your idea as a way they can get one or all of those things.
Want to join in with our weekly discussions? Email me at sam.bradley@thedrum.com.
PirateShip.com has introduced a new character – called the Captain – who has a passion for helping people with their shipping needs and a flagrant disregard for human life.
Shipping company PirateShip.com has launched its first-ever marketing campaign, which stars a brand new character dubbed the Captain.
In a series of 30-second video spots, the Captain appears at a moment of crisis for individuals who are in grave danger. He assures the hapless victims that he is there to save them – only to clarify that he’s referring to their money, not their lives.
In one spot, for example, the Captain approaches a woman who is struggling to maintain her tenuous grasp on a wooden fence as her body is pulled into a UFO hovering menacingly just overhead. She implores him: “Save me!”
“I will,” he responds. “Up to 89% off your shipping with PirateShip.com.” He grabs a package that’s sitting in the basket on the woman’s bike, which is perched on the fence nearby.
“But...” the woman says meekly as she loses her grip on the fence and floats slowly towards the ship.
“But nothing,” says the Captain happily. “Happy to help!” He walks away, leaving the woman to her fate.
The new spots close with the tagline: “Pirate Ship will save you. Money. On shipping.”
Credits
Brand: Pirate Ship
Campaign: PirateShip.com will save you
Creative agency: Mother London
Creative: Mother London
Strategy: Mother London
Branding agency: Oktopods Hamburg
Media: Media By Mother
Production company: Outsider UK/Dummy Films US
Director: Harold Einstein
DOP: Glynn Speeckaert
EP: Richard Packer, managing director, Outsider and Michael Kanter, Dummy Films
Editor: Sean Lagrange, Arcade Edit
Color: Tim Masick, Company 3
Post-production producer: Polly Roberts, The Mill
Post-production: Ben Turner, Alan Williamson, John Leonti and team, The Mill
Sound: Sam Robson, No8
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For years, Trump has managed to keep the spotlight on his brand — and stay in the hearts and minds of Republican voters — by pushing a narrative of a stolen election. But the results of this month’s midterm elections suggest that he could be using his allure, writes Isobel’s Jamie Williams.
Last week, Donald Trump announced his candidacy to be the next President of the United States. And to make America Great Again. Again.
It’s been two years since Joe Bidden defeated Donald Trump to become the 46th President of the United States. And despite the continued investigations into Trump’s finances, the FBI raiding Trump’s home to take back highly classified documents, the constant drip feed of horror from the January 6th commissions, and the recent announcement of a special counsel to investigate former President Trump, Trump has until recently been the clear bookies’ favorite to be president again in 2024.
Trump has continued to fundraise, hold rallies, and pick Congressional and Senate candidates (that preach his ‘stolen’ election message), and he remains by far the most popular and influential figure within the Republican party. Rather than move on, over the past two years, the MAGA (Make America Great Again) brand has been very much alive and well in grassroots conservative America.
And after Elon Musk’s announcement over the weekend, Trump is now back on Twitter, his favorite social media platform.
So the assumption from many has been: Trump wins the Republican nomination by default, and then he runs against a weak Democratic party, with inflation sky high, the economy on the floor, and an incumbent President Biden (if he decides to run again) with historically low approval levels. The stage seemed set for a Trump victory in 2024.
But things are changing ... and fast
The last couple of weeks have been very bad for Donald Trump.
The expected ‘red wave’ in the 2022 midterms failed to materialize, and against all the odds, the Democrats performed incredibly well, holding onto power in the Senate. Almost every single one of Trump’s hand-picked and endorsed candidates failed to win very winnable races. And the broad opinion is that they failed to win because they were weak candidates. The golden glow of the Trump brand was felt to be enough for them to win, but that turned out not to the case.
2022 midterm losses have now been added to setbacks in the 2018 midterms (when the GOP lost the House majority under Trump), the 2020 election (when Republicans lost the White House and the Senate majority under Trump), leading to voices of discontent growing inside the GOP.
For a brand that’s built solidly on winning, losing elections is not a good look. As Trump himself has said, “America loves winners, period.” Just from those words alone, it’s easy to see why the “stolen” election message has been so important to Trump’s ego.
So why the downturn in Trump’s brand’s reputation?
Put simply, it’s about relevance. For the last two years, Trump has had one message: That the 2020 election was stolen from him — the ‘big lie,’ as the US media calls it — with zero evidence to back up the claim. It’s all Trump’s interested in, and it seems to be his one key condition when he’s selecting candidates to endorse. They must preach his stolen election theory.
The problem for Trump, and Trump-backed candidates, is that people have moved on, and people have new priorities — such as the economy, inflation, interest rates, the price of fuel, education, crime, the change in abortion laws. These are the issues that winning candidates (both non-Trump backed Republicans and Democrats) campaigned on in 2022, not the results of an election two years in the past. Every brand must stay relevant to its audience; it can’t just keep talking about itself all the time. Unless you’re a hardcore fan, it gets boring.
The new kid on the block poses a brand challenge
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was the big Republican winner in this month’s midterms, significantly increasing his majority in a landslide reelection. At 44, he’s 32 years younger than Trump, he’s ultra-conservative, and he talks about the future — not past elections. And it seems to be resonating with Republican voters, at least in Florida.
As he does with all his political enemies, Trump has already tried to re-brand DeSantis, giving him an attack name – Ron DeSanctimonious. It’s a sign he knows he’s in a serious fight.
So, is it the end of the road for Trump?
Not yet. According to many polls, he’s still the favorite to win the Republican nomination, and the presidency. But his brand is not what it once was. His hardcore base is shrinking. He may struggle for major media backers, and most importantly, his ‘big lie’ message of a stolen election is increasingly irrelevant with today’s voters.
Brands can have triumphant comebacks. But many also fail miserably and are redefined by modern, fresher and more relevant brands.
Either way, it will be fascinating to watch what happens.
Jamie Williams is managing partner of Isobel.
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While Twitter may not fold amid mass resignations and ongoing layoffs as some predicted last week, it’s at risk of ostracizing more advertisers by welcoming back highly divisive voices.
Billionaire Elon Musk, in his latest divisive move as Twitter’s owner – has reinstated a handful of previously-suspended Twitter accounts, including those belonging to former US president Donald Trump and rapper Kanye West, also known as Ye. This follows a turbulent month that’s seen mass layoffs followed by mass resignations, advertisers running for the hills amid content moderation concerns and flip-flopping platform changes.
Both celebrities had seen their accounts removed for violating the platform’s content policies, including rules around hate speech and speech that incites violence. West was suspended less than a month ago after posting a string of antisemetic tweets that also resulted in the loss of major brand deals. Trump, meanwhile, was banned from Twitter just two days after the January 6, 2021 riots at the US Capitol – at the time, the platform published a blog post documenting the many ways that the former president violated its rules.
Now, Musk has reinstated both accounts, along with a handful of others that had previously been suspended. The decision came after the Tesla and SpaceX CEO polled Twitter users over the weekend on whether or not Trump should be allowed back on the platform. Some 52% of respondents expressed their support for his return, though the entertainer-turned-politician has since responded that he’ll stay on his own social site Truth Social (which has seen a growth spurt of late).
West, meanwhile, sent out a test tweet Sunday afternoon, which he followed in the evening with a tweet reading: “Shalom : )”, a clear nod to the reasons behind his suspension, which took place before Musk took over the platform. West in October completed the acquisition of Parler, a social site and ‘tech services’ organization favored among the far-right.
The decision from Musk comes just over two weeks after he tweeted: “Twitter needs to become by far the most accurate source of information in the world. That’s our mission.”
Some users are pointing out the apparent hypocrisy in that statement in light of the executive’s decision to welcome Trump, West and other formerly-banned accounts back.
https://twitter.com/MaxKennerly/status/1594539525749063687 Others, however, are celebrating the decision and view it as consistent with Musk’s prior statements about prioritizing free speech on the platform.
https://twitter.com/lavern_spicer/status/1594134427046711297 Now, experts are assessing the potential business impact of the decision to grant Twitter access to divisive figures who have historically violated Twitter’s content policies and stoked misinformation on the platform.
Some believe it’s all a symptom that Musk is trying anything and everything to recoup the billions he poured into the acquisition. “We are seeing a real-time pilot of Elon Musk in search of a business model that works,” says Joe Pulizzi, an entrepreneur, podcaster and author of various marketing books. “Accurate information, first amendment, free speech – all that is secondary. Elon has $27bn of his own money in this and he's desperate to find a model that will significantly increase the value of Twitter over time. Adding Trump and Kanye back on the platform is good for monetizing eyeballs. That's it.”
Pulizzi predicts that Musk will try to keep both Trump and West on the platform “for as long as possible” – regardless of whether or not they violate the platform’s terms of use, “because Twitter is more interesting with them than without them.”
If this strategy works – and Twitter sees its user base and engagement metrics rise – it will spell dollar signs for Musk.
Others have expressed differing predictions. Kara Swisher, a popular journalist who has covered internet-related news, predicts that Musk may as soon boot Trump from the platform for rule violations to appease the left just as soon as he reinstated Trump to satiate the ‘free speech’ demands of the right. “If Trump returns … he’ll violate the rules egregiously & Elon will toss him,” Swisher wrote in a tweet Saturday night. “Then, as a smart person just said to me, he’ll have the best of both worlds.” In short, Musk may be able to win brownie points on both sides of the aisle by bringing Trump back only to kick him off later.
A ‘completely unhinged’ Twitter Regardless of whether or not Musk or West see their accounts suspended again, much of the damage has already been done. Advertising previously accounted for some 90% of Twitter’s total revenue. But with major brands like Volkswagen, Pfizer, General Motors and Audi pausing ad spend on Twitter amid concerns about an influx of hate speech and misinformation – and the world’s biggest advertising holding companies including IPG and Havas advising clients to drop Twitter – the platform is bleeding.
And advertisers’ fears are “completely founded,” says Ellie Bamford, senior vice-president, global head of media and connections at R/GA, an IPG agency. She points out that the use of racial slurs on Twitter shot up almost 500% in the 12 hours after Musk’s takeover deal was finalized – and that is symptomatic of a larger, troubling trend. “Bottom line: brands don’t want to be associated with controversy or negativity. Relaxing regulations on the platform makes it a dangerous place to put media investment – and a dangerous place to be as a user. The big question that any advertiser should be thinking about when they're in a media environment is, ‘What content am I going to be next to?’ And right now on Twitter that is completely unhinged.”
It’s not just ad agencies and brands weighing in on the conversation. A group of some 60 activist groups including the Anti-Defamation League and GLAAD have banded together to form an initiative dubbed StopToxicTwitter, calling on advertisers to commit to ceasing all advertising activity on Twitter globally. They’re also campaigning for a preservation of Twitter’s existing content moderation policies and urging Musk to crack down on harassment, hate speech and misinformation.
Bamford believes that the decision to allow voices like Trump’s and West’s back onto Twitter will only hurt the platform, which previously put advertisers at the heart of its business model. “Reinstating banned accounts from many notorious people will send more users and advertisers – and Twitter employees – running for the hills,” she says.
The latter point – about spooking Twitter employees – is especially salient considering that last week more than 1,000 staffers resigned in response to an ultimatum that Musk issued demanding that workers commit to long, intense hours or leave the company immediately. Many fear that as the app loses critical staff – from engineers to content moderators and legal advisors – it could be on the brink of buckling.
Pulizzi, for his part, believes those fears to be somewhat overblown. “In our community, so many creators have been leaving the platform or talking about leaving. Regardless, I believe Twitter is here to stay, and there will be some kind of business model that will ultimately work,” he says. What that model looks like remains to be seen, but Pulizzi anticipates that it will likely include “a combination of subscription and data services.”
If one thing is clear, however, it’s that even if Musk’s Twitter finds a way to flourish, many brands won’t go back. “The advice that we – at R/GA and at IPG – are giving to all our clients is: if you are still advertising on Twitter, wake up, pay attention and stop now,” says Bamford. ”Your response as a brand matters to not only your customers but your employees as well.”
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Netflix originals Queer Eye, Drive to Survive and Narcos are among the titles currently not available on Netflix US Basic with Ads tier.
Netflix rolled out its ad-funded platform Basic with Ads this month with a disclaimer to subscribers to its ad option would have access to 5-10% less content.
Licensing restrictions have prevented Netflix from making its entire library available to Basic with Ads subscribers. The streamer said it is “working on” existing deals to add more content. The restrictions also prohibit users from being able to download Netflix titles.
According to the streaming guide JustWatch, Netflix currently has 1,263 movies and 91 TV shows missing on the Basic with Ads US option. Among them are a number of key Netflix originals like Queer Eye, House of Cards, Drive to Survive.
The list of available titles changes frequently with Netflix adding and removing titles as deals get negotiated.
Bridgerton producer Shonda Rhimes and other Netflix creators including a showrunner for Inventing Anna and the team behind The Haunting of Hill House have hit back at Netflix for adding midroll ads to their shows.
Here are just some of the TV shows not available right now
The Sinner
The Good Place
Death on the Staircase
The Last Kingdom
New Girl
After Life
Formula 1: Drive to Survive
Trailer Park Boys
House of Cards
Narcos
Good Girls
Dirty John
Hollywood
Our Planet
A Model Family
Queer Eye
Innocent
High: Confessions of an Ibiza Drug Mule
The Adventures of Puss in Boots
Here are some of the films not availble
The Bad Guys
Where the Crawdads Sing
Sing 2
Father Stu
The Munsters
The Mist
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
Last Seen Alive
Road House
Oblivion
Skyfall
Notting Hill
Casino Royale
Umma
Phantom Thread
Raw
Deliverance
A Knight's Tale
8 Mile
Les Misérables
Following the inaugural Anthropy conference about Britain’s future, Fenella Grey of Porter Novelli (a key partner of the event) reflects on its message and case for change.
John O’Brien founded Anthropy to create a new vision for Britain, originally out of the challenges and opportunities caused by Covid-19. The event was postponed due to ongoing social distancing restrictions and a tsunami of other crises; ‘permacrisis’ has now earned its way into the Collins dictionary.
Fast forward to the start of November and Anthropy, the largest recent gathering of leaders in the UK, took place in the style of a ‘Glastonbury for Good.’ It was the culmination of 18 months of work and resulted in the development of the largest ever co-created, cross-sector agenda bringing diverse experiences and perspectives together at the wholly appropriate Eden Project in Cornwall.
When Sadiq Khan closed out the gathering, we were left not just with new (and inspiring) connections, but with what feels like collection upon collection of genuinely progressive partnership ideas and the raw tenets of a new vision for Britain: a systems approach to creating a better world step-by-step. These tenets aren’t just going to sit in our notebooks, phones or socials, but are actually going to drive change, top-down and bottom-up.
Utopian? Idealistic? Overoptimistic? Yes, possibly, but as leaders we must believe that we can effect change; ultimately, it’s not about us, but the next generation who we must not further fail. If we can’t believe in effecting change as a collection of leaders and experts across business, politics, culture, media, technology, NGOs and the creative industry, then we have no hope. We have to do it together. A simple word with big implications.
I had the privilege of interviewing special guest Rory Stewart on stage. He gave it straight-up with a heavy dose of rightful realism given the challenges we face: “There are no easy choices or answer and no silver bullets to the current crisis Britain faces... and we all need to feel the pain.”
So how to marry hope and optimism with the realism of now? I work in comms, and comms can bring division, but above all, it can bring togetherness. It’s comms that can help us out, assuming we take an actions-focused approach first and foremost. We’ve built our business Porter Novelli entirely around helping brands and organizations close the say-do gap (or rather do-say gap, given many of the clients we represent).
That’s why we chose to run a series of ‘closing the say-do gap’ sessions at Anthropy. Think about the power of aligning ‘say’ and ‘do’ during Covid and super-powering that alignment with effective comms. As a female leader, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that countries and businesses run by women during Covid have come through more successfully. My gut instinct tells me that female leadership focused on active listening, empathy (intentional ‘do’) and the ability to get stuff done with honesty and authentic ‘say’ leads to positive outcomes.
Three lessons
Here’s what I learned in our ‘closing the say-do’ sessions. First, ‘how to do business better’ with Sarah Webster from Britvic, David Bentley from Porter Novelli, Afua Basoah from Rapp and Chris Baker from Serious Tissues. We must define ‘better’; embed or operationalize it; measure what we treasure; and take baby steps.
Second, ‘how to live out a new brand of leadership’ with Josh Bayly from PepsiCo, Sarah Ellis from Amazing If, Liana Fricker from Inspiration Space and Sarah Shilling from Porter Novelli. We have to know what we’re un-learning and re-learning; build ‘squiggly’ careers; establish ‘dream academies’; divide project leaders from team leaders; and remember that change follows action
Finally, ‘how to close the political say-do gap’ with journalist and radio presenter Carole Walker and Harriet Lamb of Ashden. We must move toward a more participatory democracy with devolution to local communities as it’s “the power of community that will create the change.” Plus a reminder that although the Iraq war is his legacy, Tony Blair’s government did match his say and do.
Active listening
None of this is possible if comms is a poor afterthought. Without effective comms; no action is inspired; no support is galvanized; no audiences are engaged; things unravel and head the wrong way. I don’t need to use the obvious political examples over the last few weeks and months to demonstrate the point.
As Kamal Ahmed so beautifully said, “all great storytelling starts with listening to what audiences want as opposed to ‘professors of news’ saying who are goodies and baddies and polarizing opinion.” The time is ripe for new offers to support today’s audiences, but it starts with active listening.
Anthropy has started the active listening, systems change approach, and it will deliver as its founder is the very model of say-do. We need to follow Julie Brown of Burberry’s guidance, the responsibility of which will remain ringing in my ears: “Leaders are enablers of making change happen.” Sprinkle in Richard Walker of Iceland’s advice to do it “authentically and stay true to your values.” Simple...
If you’re interested in building a new vision around the four pillars of Anthropy’s conversation (people, place, prosperity and global perspective), I encourage you to lean in to Anthropy 2023. The first tangible step this year is to take a manifesto to the House of Lords in March. I lay rest to my case of the power of say and do.
With both Cop27 and Ad Net Zero wrapping last week, the marketing industry is paying more attention to its role in the climate crisis. But what is that role, and what should it be? We asked seven industry leaders.
A recent report found that advertising adds 32% to individuals’ carbon footprints. Some industry figures have made radical proposals, such as a windfall tax for marketers. But what does the rest of the industry think about its own responsibilities and capacities for change? We asked seven leaders from The Drum Network.
Ben Essen, global chief strategy officer, Iris
I was lucky enough to be there in Egypt, speaking ahead of the launch of the industry’s latest Advertised Emissions data. The headline is an 11% rise in emissions that need to halve by 2030 – a stark post-pandemic reminder that business-as-usual marketing will accelerate us in the wrong direction. We can’t blindly rely on client net zero pledges to reduce our impact for us.
I also got to hear first-hand Africans speaking about the devastating impact on their lives of a crisis they didn’t create, and their sense of powerlessness to stop it. Loss and damage is a big theme from Cop: this isn’t just about CO2, but damaged lives and lost identities. We need to start telling these stories.
As communicators our job is to start joining the dots. We need to help the public see the connections between climate and race, gender and human rights. The climate crisis is the canvas on which all the world’s challenges are happening. We do still have the power to change it.
Tom Dore, global head of production and sustainability, Across the Pond
I’d love advertising for high carbon-emitting products or services to have similar disclaimers to the alcohol, gambling and tobacco industries. Or something akin to the red, orange and green system that we’ve now become familiar with on food packaging.
Take the recent British Airways: A British Original campaign. Potential travelers are offered 500 reasons to hop on a plane: “to feed the social feed”; “olives the size of your fist”; “because French boys.” It’s intended to be fun and relatable, but the broader impact is that it normalizes flying for frivolous, rather than more meaningful, reasons. It promotes a consumer decision entirely at odds with what our planet desperately needs.
Imagine if that ad was mandated to have a disclaimer: ‘the average European flight contributes 0.3 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent to your carbon footprint’ or ‘flying from London to Paris emits 14 times more carbon than traveling by train.’
Sure, it’d ruin the minimal art direction. But these reminders would help consumers remember that their decisions have an impact, and ultimately help to drive sustainable behavioral change.
Nita P Woods, sustainability strategy director, Radley Yeldar
It’s unsurprising to see climate front-and-center right now. Much like every other pressing sustainability issue, environmentalists believe it should remain there all year round. In the run-up to Christmas, I find advertising particularly abhorrent. Most brands encourage us to indulge in every way while downplaying the non-commercial joys of the festivities: time with people you love; helping those with less than you.
These brands could have a greater impact by investing in genuinely effective sustainability strategies, rather than telling us who they have partnered with for their Christmas ad campaign. While Cop is about public policy and systemic change, corporate sustainability needs to be less about lofty aspirations and more about their tangible progress toward goals that support the planet, not just their investors.
I sit on the ASA Council. Last month it banned a series of misleading HSBC adverts that failed to disclose the bank’s contribution to the climate crisis. While we still see far too few adverts promoting degrowth (Patagonia’s infamous Black Friday ad was more than a decade ago), I’m proud to be part of a system that now forces companies to be transparent about their role in the world emerging around us. Only in the face of humble acknowledgment will I be more supportive of (and connected to) ads telling me what they’re doing about the climate crisis.
Charlie Bennett, head of client services, Media Bounty
The climate crisis pits the limited impact of the individual against the collective indifference of the masses. Meanwhile, consumers and businesses alike have more immediately visible threats to their quality of life.
Short-term economic performance rules in a capitalist market, but as brand-builders we can look to the future. So often we achieve financial objectives by appealing to emotion and identity, and by normalizing the aspirational.
Individuals know they won’t change the world by going electric, but if the masses want to do it anyway, businesses will never ignore a growing market. Collectively, advertising has the power to influence from the bottom up.
We can represent the world we want to live in.
Joanna Yarrow, founding partner, M&C Saatchi Life
Advertising can play a huge role in creating new climate-positive norms: showing an inspirational vision of a lower-carbon future and celebrating the products, services and behavior changes that can help make it a reality.
But as well as promoting better ways of life, we also need to move away from clients that aren’t serious about being part of the solution.
Not enough of us can genuinely say we know the impacts of the products and services we sell on planet and people; that we know our clients are genuinely committed to positive change, with a vision for a sustainable version of their business that they’re acting on with urgency. As an industry we need to accept greater responsibility for the things we sell and ask harder questions about the types of businesses we choose to work with. It’s why we apply a three-step filter process to steer decisions about the briefs we take on, because we want to put our skills towards accelerating positive solutions rather than prolonging planetary problems.
Natalie Plowman, senior strategist, Earnest
49% of marketers are wary of sustainability campaigns, afraid of being accused of ‘greenwashing.’ When talking about the climate crisis in B2B, we’ve seen a reliance on goal-setting as the main vehicle for climate communications. Goals create a seemingly safe space where brands can commit to desire rather than action. This has made sourcing responsible providers even more challenging, putting more distance between brands and customers. ‘Greenwishing’ is the new ‘greenwashing.’
Rather than focusing on goals, marketers should see this as an exercise in brand authenticity and an opportunity to get closer to customers by opening up about their climate action – and inaction. They should welcome increased scrutiny for their work and feel comfortable talking about sometimes-uncomfortable truths. You can’t be ‘called out’ for something you’ve already called out yourself.
Hannah Thompson, head of programmatic and above-the-line, Tug
As a high-polluting industry, it’s completely fair to have more scrutiny over our sustainability efforts. In practical terms, though, independent agencies struggle with the realities of net-zero advertising. While we’re often able to choose to work with challenger brands with strong environmental bona fides, there is some painful truth to the saying ‘climate consciousness is a luxury for the rich.’
Even with all the good intentions in the world, some companies cannot afford to turn down business. As we head into a recession, many agencies don’t have room in their lean budgets to pursue a B-Corp certification and clients won’t necessarily pick up the tab for efforts like carbon calculation and offsetting.
Independent agencies need a space to come together and share ideas on how to achieve sustainability goals without breaking the bank. This can’t be a singular process; we’re not going to get through this crisis without industry unity.
The department store chain is positioning its new virtual experience as an opportunity for brands to supplement brick-and-mortar operations during the holiday shopping rush to enhance data insights and experiment with new layout designs.
In anticipation of the holiday shopping rush – and in an effort to capitalize on the recent hype surrounding all things virtual reality (VR) – Bloomingdale’s has constructed a virtual store.
The new virtual experience also celebrates Bloomingdale’s 150th anniversary. Officially dubbed “Bloomingdale’s 150th-anniversary holiday virtual store,” the space itself has been emblazoned with a sign reading simply ‘Bloomingdale’s 150.’
In what Bloomingdale’s describes as “a first-of-its-kind multi-brand virtual shopping experience,” the retail giant has teamed up with Chanel, Nespresso and Ralph Lauren, each of which will have their own, separate locations in the new virtual mall. Those three branded spaces have been designed with the playfulness and imagination that has recently been drawing huge numbers of brands into virtual spaces including Roblox, Decentraland and Meta’s Horizon Worlds: Chanel’s outlet is set on the moon, Nespresso’s space at a Parisian cafe and Ralph Lauren’s at “a magical holiday forest,” per Bloomingdale’s.
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Each of those brands, notably, has already dabbled in virtual experiences. In October, for example, Ralph Lauren announced a partnership with video game giant Epic Games.
The new virtual holiday mall, launching today, was developed by Emperia, a company that designs virtual experiences for retail and fashion brands.
“This holiday season, virtual stores will be a key component in brands’ e-commerce and marketing strategy, becoming an extension of retailers’ physical stores and aligning with their holiday campaigns,” Emperia CEO Olga Dogadkina said in a statement. “Technology will allow retailers to measure product engagement, demographics, stock demand and layout effectiveness, all in real-time and based on data insights.”
Bloomingdale’s 150th-anniversary holiday virtual store is accessible via desktop and mobile on the brand’s website.
For more, sign up for The Drum’s Inside the Metaverse weekly newsletter here.
Thinkbox has hit back at a report from Isba warning of a cut to TV ad spend, saying the research simply shows the industry is undergoing a “rebalancing.”
The survey of 59 advertisers conducted by the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers (Isba) and media investment analysts Ebiquity found that linear TV ad spend will bear the deepest budget cuts. 67% said they will make their deepest cuts on broadcast TV – a channel where they tend to put a lion’s share of spend. Meanwhile, four in 10 chief marketers said they planned to lower investment in traditional media such as TV, radio, print and outdoor.
The research surveyed some of the UK’s largest advertisers, including Unilever, Tesco and Procter & Gamble. This will leave commercial broadcasters such as ITV, Sky and Channel 4 bracing for tough times.
Phil Smith, the director general of Isba, added: “The survey clearly shows the impact of the recession on the spending plans of major brands. There’s a general shift towards more flexibility of commitment and a significant swing towards digital delivery in every medium.”
But Lindsay Clay, chief executive for Thinkbox, the marketing body for commercial TV, downplayed the findings. She responded: “Nothing works harder than TV advertising, but with businesses under economic pressure, it’s no surprise they’re considering their advertising spend. What this survey shows is that most plan to invest more in broadcaster VOD and less in linear TV. This is a rebalancing that has been happening for a while. They’re changing how they use TV as it evolves. Total TV advertising will be resilient.”
She added that a decrease in demand from advertisers may be the perfect time for some brands to invest, with prices likely to decrease upon current levels. “This is an opportunity and competitive advantage for those advertisers who can still invest. It also opens the door for brands that might not have thought they could be on TV before – which is what we saw during the pandemic.
“All the evidence shows that maintaining advertising in a downturn is the best way to emerge from it quicker and stronger, but this isn’t always possible. We hope that advertisers examine the evidence of what media offer the best value for money, the least risk and the greatest return. Free tools like the Media Mix Navigator are there to help inform investment decisions with impartial data.”
News that the UK has slumped into recession has set marketers scrambling to recalibrate budgets for more chastened times. While the loss of linear spend will hurt broadcasters, they are currently seeing high demand in their digital networks like ITVX and All4 as buyers get used to more targeted buying. Spend may also pursue logged-in BVOD viewers to cut out on wastage, especially while belts are being tightened.
In the Isba study, one-third of respondents are intent on upping spend on paid search and social. Another area to see a likely increase in investment is brand-building activities, with 30% of companies surveyed committed to investing for the longer term.
Recent research from Thinkbox and numerous media agencies finally proved that ad campaigns that use linear and BVOD tend to be more effective and offer more reach to younger audiences. Broadcasters are undergoing an evolution to reflect the importance of streamed video to their business models. Most recently, ITV refreshed its brand to lend equal weight to broadcast and streaming.
Any price decreases will be a return to the norm after several quarters of inflated prices. For the brands that can afford TV, there remains value to have.
- British ad spend growth will slow to a snail’s pace in 2023
Channel 4 is partnering with Hertility to begin a trial offering reproductive health and hormone testing to its employees, in what is believed to be a first for any major UK broadcaster.
Channel 4 has united with women’s health company Hertility to give employees access to an NHS-approved health assessment and blood test which can screen for reproductive health issues.
The ‘at home’ blood test can highlight why someone may be struggling to conceive, or where a hormonal imbalance may be causing a wellbeing issue. It will clarify what healthcare steps should be taken next, and will guide people to specialist care.
Employees will also be offered a series of educational workshops which will focus on different reproductive health issues and hormonal wellbeing.
In addition to helping women who plan to have children, Hertility can also screen for 18 health conditions such as polycystic ovaries or endometriosis, as well as assessing the onset of menopause.
- ‘I completely lost confidence’: meet the women pushed out of work due to menopause
Since 2019, Channel 4 has led the way in committing to support women’s health and the wellbeing of staff, launching menopause, pregnancy loss and parents and carers policies.
“We are incredibly proud of this innovative new partnership with Hertility, made possible by the fantastic work of our 4Womxn staff network,” said chief executive Alex Mahon.
- Channel 4 ushers in pregnancy loss policy for staff
Deirdre O’Neill, Hertility co-founder added: “This partnership is not just a landmark for Hertility and Channel 4, but for all women worldwide. Until now, workplace benefits may be fertility or menopause friendly, but being a Reproductively Responsible employer, means fully supporting employees across every life stage, from menstruation through to menopause. We're so proud to be pioneering real change and to be partnering with such a forward-thinking company like Channel 4, that is not just talking about equality in the workplace but actually taking action to make it a reality.“
- What to know when putting together your firm’s miscarriage policy
The sports culture site has drawn from the hit Disney film that stars Woody and Buzz Lightyear to mark its coverage of the football tournament.
Bleacher Report is tapping into some serious 90s nostalgia to promote its Fifa World Cup coverage.
As the tournament begins, the San Francisco-based organization has developed a fun ad that sees Messi and Ronaldo toys that belong to a football fanatic kid. In homage to the Pixar classic, after the youngster leaves his bedroom, the toys spring to life and chaos ensues.
- Watch all of the latest Fifa World Cup ads
Joined by other famous faces like Erling Haaland (left in a box, seemingly because his home country didn’t qualify), Son Heung-min and Alphonso Davies, the various players compete against each other take the crown.
Interested in creative campaigns? Check out our Ad of the Day section and sign up for our Ads of the Week newsletter so you don’t miss a story.
Members of the jury for The Drum Awards for Social Media talk us through the trends that emerged from this year’s entries.
The days are closing in for The Drum’s week-long awards festival, running December 5-9. As part of the festival, we will be celebrating the companies and people from around the globe who bring creativity to social media marketing at The Drum Awards for Social Media. The awards ceremony will be held at The Drum Labs in Shoreditch London on Wednesday December 7. Find out how you can attend here.
To prime us up for all the social media creativity, we caught up with this year’s panel of judges on this year’s entries and the trends they saw emerge from the best work.
Candice Beck, director, social and influencer, Chipotle
The best campaigns started with an insight, told a cohesive story and featured plus-ups that made the content and activations even richer. Those that authentically executed their brands, channels and media placements strategically weren’t afraid to address some tension. These brands didn’t take themselves too seriously, stood out among the competition and thrived in the award rankings.
If there are any opportunities for future content, it’s filling the gap in purpose-driven work that I’d love to see next year. In a divisive climate, it seems there’s some apprehension for risk, perhaps for fear of polarization or losing customers. I hope to see more disruptor brands submitting their meaningful, culture-driving work.
Overall, I’m encouraged by what brands brought to the table this year. The more we marketers obsess over the consumer perception around our campaigns, the more successful they’ll be.
Nicole Nunez, manager, social media and digital marketing, North America, Burger King
The biggest trends and themes coming out of the creative in this year’s submissions tie into human truths (discovered through deep social listening), making advertising emotional and functional, and impacting social changes. The work shows that social media is not just a place for entertainment but a true playground of inspiration that can move people to buy products, become brand advocates or feel a part of culture through a social movement.
My favorite category was Best Use of Social Media Advertising due to the breadth of work that showcased how brands leveraged a myriad of platforms to promote products and services. Whenever you have an idea that can answer or solve a consumer problem, it’s magic. It’s always interesting to see brands take things one step further and even create products for their fans to purchase.
I was surprised to see so many stunts in the submission versus truly social-first campaigns. Sometimes the simplicity of an idea rooted in data and people shines through in the clutter of big budgets and productions.
Lee Goodger, director of corporate communications – digital and social media, Huawei
The evolution of social media, noted by the excellent number of submissions, still provides brands with many ways to interpret how to best use this channel. Encouragingly, no idea was the same.
From the entries that caught the eye of the judges, they had one thing in common: ‘Intelligent Simplicity.’ This translated as being confident in their brand’s social media purpose, with applied audience insights to a unique creative treatment; and, most importantly, it was an idea that was easy to understand with a clear value exchange.
Interestingly, taking this approach to the next level, the submissions that stood out further either fused social media to a CRM purpose or had significant levels of audience participation, not simply chasing vanity numbers.
It was disappointing when a submission was broadcast (not social by design), expected too much of its audience or conveyed too many generic messages.
It’s a confident brand that doesn’t get distracted by shiny new objects and forgets the basic principles of marketing communications. One thing is for sure – social media is still providing many creative ways for positive brand impact. All of this year’s entries should be proud of the work they’ve achieved in pushing new ways to engage and inspire.
Beckii Flint, director and co-founder, Pepper Studio
Moving into the New Year, the social media landscape is only continuing to accelerate. From my background with influencers, I have a keen eye focused on emerging trends, particularly from a native user’s perspective, and how we can tap into these as marketers.
I’m fascinated by the social trend towards less permanent content by default, as part of an overall theme toward more privacy for users – and how this can be incorporated within marketing campaigns that understandably typically have a longer window of delivery and performance. When judging the Snapchat category, it was interesting to observe how brands were considering the quirks of this platform within this context. And while we saw a lot of focus on publishing for Snap, I’d have liked to see more of the opportunity for creativity within a confined space come to life in this category.
The entries that stood out the most were the ones that had far-reaching potential, beyond performance and brand metrics. For example, within the LinkedIn category – an arguably tricker-than-most social platform to creatively execute – we saw some stellar campaigns that used the clever role-based targeting that LinkedIn can offer to deliver messaging to decision-makers, with the power to change how all of us express ourselves within the world of work.
This is Meta’s first-ever 3D Piccadilly Lights takeover, with the wider campaign running until the end of the year.
The organization has developed a holiday campaign to promote Meta Quest 2, the virtual reality (VR) headset developed by Meta Platforms.
The campaign for the latest headset comes at a critical time for the company. Just weeks before the campaign launch it was forced to execute a round of mass layoffs as it struggled to balance its investment into VR with investors’ expectations on returns. This campaign will be hoping to significantly shift the dial on sales.
As well as a 90-second film, the ‘Wish For Extraordinary’ project also includes a hero 3D out-of-home (OOH) activation in London, as well as Waterloo iMax, Oxford Street and TFL London Underground escalator takeovers.
By digitally transforming the building, the social media platform aims to highlight that you can play and interact with people from all over the world and transport to anywhere within the universe.
- The story behind WhatsApp’s 3D billboard
Outside of London, the campaign will also feature on billboards in Manchester and Nottingham.
In the coinciding Christmas short, viewers see people’s imaginations come to life after being given Quest 2 as a gift.
The project will also be rolled out across social media and a media buy across ITV, Channel 4 and Sky, as well as nationwide cinemas.
Chelsey Susan Kantor, director of marcomms at Meta Quest, said: “Asking for a Meta Quest 2 isn’t just unwrapping a piece of technology – it’s unwrapping your most extraordinary wishes. With this campaign, we wanted to capture the joy of having big, extraordinary wishes and actually having them come true with Quest 2. Whether that’s suiting up and taking to the skies as your favorite superhero or simply spending the afternoon at the International Space Station, it’s all possible with VR.”
Interested in creative campaigns? Check out our Ad of the Day section and sign up for our Ads of the Week newsletter so you don’t miss a story.
Susana Figueredo, legal and compliance manager at Incubeta, explains why GDPR is not fit for purpose for advertisers.
The data reform bill replacement doesn’t spell the end for UK advertisers. When Michelle Donelan, the UK’s secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport, confirmed plans to replace GDPR, advertisers may have felt a little deflated. Though the GDPR was implemented more than four years ago, many advertisers will feel like they have only recently fully gotten to grips with the regulations.
While the development may seem like a negative for those advertising in the UK, it could end up being a blessing for brands, with many viewing GDPR as having been unsuitable for advertisers for a while now.
Lagging behind
When GDPR was officially implemented in 2018, it vastly improved data privacy and security for consumers. However, for marketers, it was not fit for purpose and the reality is that it was created to protect consumers, not businesses.
The regulation has been outpaced by the introduction of new, innovative ways of gathering data, which allow advertisers to run interest-based targeting while reducing the collection of personal data and the amount of data shared with third parties. The eventual deprecation of Google Chrome’s third-party cookies, as well as the disappearance of various other identifiers, has led major technology players to develop alternative tracking solutions that embed user privacy features from the offset.
- Marketers urge UK government not to stray too far from GDPR in post-Brexit data reform
The fast-moving digital industry will always outpace any regulation that’s put in place – which raises questions about what governments can actually do.
For now, with or without the regulations in place, the industry is dedicating far more effort to ensuring that consumers’ rights to data privacy and security are better respected. These consumers will continue to see the positive impact that GDPR provides for them. Because of GDPR, people have more information available to them about how their data is being used, and more power to stop their data from being collected.
There’s plenty of room for improvement, but GDPR did help to set in motion a shift in how personal data is perceived by consumers and businesses alike.
An answer to everybody’s problems
The UK, while small in stature compared to the might of the EU or the US, has the opportunity to influence data privacy regulation across the world – should the nation get its answer to GDPR right. Although finding a solution for privacy concerns with interest-based targeting that is well received by all players involved would be difficult, there is room for improving other areas of the regulation which would benefit most businesses.
When Donelan announced the government’s intentions at the beginning of October, she claimed that “no longer will our businesses be shackled by lots of unnecessary red tape.” It’s difficult to say what the government views as “unnecessary red tape,” but it’s important that the entirety of GDPR isn’t fed to the shredder.
To enable UK businesses to continue operating freely within the EU, the UK’s adequacy status must be maintained, which is how the EU determines if a non-EU country has an adequate level of data protection, and is one of the core protections provided by the GDPR.
The UK should avoid any amendments that place severe restrictions on the rights or security of consumers and reductions to the requirements for valid consent.
On the other hand, the government could – and looks set to – remove some of the administrative burdens around GDPR, making it easier for UK businesses to operate. The Data Protection and Digital Information Bill currently being discussed in parliament would remove or simplify the requirements around data protection officers, data protection impact assessments and records of processing activities, which will come as a welcome relief for most businesses.
The government could also consider taking a more sensible approach to cookies, shifting analytics cookies into the “strictly necessary” category because they are non-intrusive and help businesses to improve the experience they deliver for consumers.
Being seen to take these steps to simplify data regulation compliance could encourage the rest of the world to follow suit and begin to adopt a more reasonable approach to the issue of data privacy and security – a balanced approach that considers the needs of both businesses and the fundamental rights of consumers.
GDPR may not be entirely fit for purpose, but the UK is well-positioned to improve on it and pave the way for data privacy regulations that benefit one and all.
Reflecting on previous recession data, Holly Anstee of Optimizon urges brands to think twice about ‘going dark’, and advises on how they can use this time to grow.
The Bank of England recently warned that the UK may be facing the longest recession since records began, and economic headwinds are building around the globe. Your business, however, is not doomed to suffer. In fact, many brands have flourished during economic downturns. How? Simple: protect your brands, take the long view, and have a strong and adaptable marketing strategy.
In previous recessions and other times of strife like wars, the advice has been to spend more on advertising. Time was kind to those who did; their brands tended to bounce back when the bad times were over. But that was back when press ads, TV, posters and radio were the main media channels. Now, protecting your e-commerce brand means being omnipresent on marketplaces like Amazon, eBay and Wayfair, as well as social media.
Keep your share of the market
Research shows that there is some truth in the old adage ‘when times are good, you should advertise. When times are bad, you must advertise.’ The reason? Businesses that cut back on advertising to reduce costs lose their greatest assets: audiences.
A study by Millward Brown following the 2008 recession showed that 60% of brands that went ‘dark’ saw brand use and brand image decrease by 24% and 28% respectively.
Tempting as it is, reducing marketing budget now could cost more in the long run. It can cost five times more to acquire a new customer than to keep an old one. Meanwhile, research shows that increasing customer retention rates by 5% increases profit by 25-95%.
Less advertising competition = greater customer impact
McGraw-Hill Research’s Laboratory of Advertising Performance’s study of 600 companies’ advertising strategies and sales during the 1980s economic crisis showed that businesses that maintained or increased their marketing expenditure during the recession enjoyed considerably higher sales after the economy recovered. Businesses that advertised aggressively during the recession had sales 256% higher than those that ceased advertising.
The best businesses push their brands during economic downturns while others cut their advertising budgets. Many businesses reduce their ad spend, making it easier for those still pushing their brand to dominate the market.
The volume of brands scaling back advertising spend can bring down the floor price of pay per click (PPC) ads, particularly on Amazon and Google. Fewer competitors will mean you get more bang for your buck. Similarly, an increase in ad spend can have a greater impact within your market if there's budget available.
Understanding your customers during financial crises
Analyzing customer behavior during previous recessions is a good way to see how you can ensure your brand continues to appeal even when customer budgets are tight. Harvard Business School professors John Quelch and Katherine Jocz identified four types of consumers that consistently arise in times of financial difficulty.
1. Slam-on-the-brakes consumers
Low-paid and unemployed consumers with little or no disposable income will meet their financial obligations by cutting spending in all areas where possible.
These customers are drawn to brands that focus on value. You can appeal to this segment by focusing brand messaging on the long-term savings your products create and reassuring customers that they're receiving excellent value for money for products that are essential to daily living.
2. Pained but patient consumers
People who are optimistic about the future of their personal finances but concerned about maintaining their standards of living in the short term will reduce spending in all areas (albeit less aggressively compared with slam-on-the-brakes consumers).
These customers are looking for the best deals available and are willing to do extra research to get them. You can attract this segment by showing your brand offers excellent quality at reasonable prices.
They also occasionally buy small luxury items. In previous recessions, data showed that customers preferred to buy multiple small treats over making a larger purchase. Try positioning your products as modest luxury items: something customers can indulge in without feeling excessive or extravagant.
3. Comfortably ‘well-off’ consumers
Financially stable consumers who feel confident about their ability to ride out any economic difficulties will likely not change their spending, although they may be less conspicuous in making expensive purchases.
To appeal to this segment, focus on promoting the superior quality of your products. Customers in this segment are easier to retain, but your brand still needs to maintain a strong market presence to minimize their tendency to try something new.
4. Live-for-today consumers
People who continue spending as usual regardless of income and changes in the economy will be reluctant to view their favorite products as expendable purchases, but they may delay larger purchases.
This segment is unlikely to deviate from their preferred brands unless offered special deals. You can attract these customers by offering subscription services or limited-time deals. They also respond positively to messaging focused on aspirational living and unique experiences.
Now is not the time to retreat
History shows that bucking the trend and investing more now can help create healthier long-term profits. It may seem easy to cut back on marketing spend ahead of a looming recession, but research shows that while everyone else zigs, it’s time to zag.
Make sure that your customers have the same emotional experience with your products when they shop on marketplaces or social media as they do when shopping online or in store. Invest in the creative and advertising that these platforms offer, and you’ll be in the best position to guarantee your brand’s continued success during the upcoming recession and beyond.
In response to a grim autumn statement in the UK, Strategiq’s Emma Burley reminds us that the recession isn’t forever, arguing that customer relationships should be more than simply transactional.
In last week's autumn statement, Jeremy Hunt delivered a gloomy but realistic game plan to help plug the £60bn hangover from the pandemic and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
It’s official: the office for budget responsibility (OBR) confirmed that the UK is in a recession and living standards are set to fall by the largest amount on record.
With the whole country hit (arguably in some markets harder than others) and inflation topping 11%, brands will need to identify customers with needs that can be met at the right moment with their products, while communicating brand values that people want to be a part of.
On average, it costs five times more to acquire a new customer than it does to sell to an existing one. But with inbox fatigue looming and adverse buying conditions reigning, how can we communicate brand values and drive loyalty without spamming discounts in an already saturated space?
This isn’t forever: think long-term
It all centers around a potent mix of brand communication and position coupled with unparalleled customer experience (CX). Prioritize these two components, and the rest of your marketing strategy should fall into place as you develop a strong, loyal and growing customer base.
Let’s not lose sight of one thing: this is a storm, and storms end. Interest rates are forecast to fall over the next two years and we will enter a period of recovery, so brands who position themselves front-and-center as part of a long-term strategy, and invest now in CX, will ultimately fare best.
It’s not about the money
If price is your only weapon, then you'll face an uphill climb with your brand’s values, standards and personality. People will only buy into a brand whose shared values underpin a relationship; when people buy into a brand and its values, they tend to buy again (and refer people on).
81% of consumers want to form relationships with a brand, and the same number would make a buying decision based on their level of trust. In an unstable economic climate, this number is set to rise. If you aren’t already, investing in communicating genuine values that galvanize your market will create the tribe you need to continue to drive sales and referrals.
It’s important to fight through the doom and gloom. Rankin, founder at Rankin Creative, recently cited emotion as a tool to bring together your audience during adversity with a "we’re in it together" sentiment, with retailers wanting to "convey a spirit of partnership; of weathering the storm together and a rallying cry of igniting the ‘Great British spirit’ to keep us going".
This approach extends beyond the festive period. Consumers will want more than just a purchase and a product from a value exchange. They want to partner with brands that stand for something and understand the adverse conditions we're all facing. Last week's autumn statement and the coming months are likely to heighten that feeling of needing to pull together even more as taxes rise and living standards decline.
Tech will prevail
Personalization and a shift in messaging from appealing to customers' wants to their needs is critical in framing your value proposition and positioning your brand as an invaluable resource and partner. But do you really know what your customers need?
You’ll need to consider: what can we do to create messages that target customers at the right time, about the right topic? The most straightforward approach is to create messages triggered by certain behaviors. For example, visiting a particular web page, reading a certain article or using certain phrases in a chat message, that speak directly to what they're likely thinking about or want to do at that point in their customer journey.
You can also use tagging and segmentation in your customer relationship management (CRM) and email marketing software to ensure you continue to send relevant messages to people according to their circumstances, preference and stage in their experience. The best way to do this is to have an integrated tech stack, so you have an all-encompassing picture of your customer and their priorities.
Recessions impart untold strain on buying decisions, so it’s vital to implement a frictionless buying process to support your timely communications and minimize drop-offs.
Patience is critical, as buying decisions are likely to be better considered and therefore take longer. UX and moving people through the process has to be watertight.
Moving forward
There's work to be done, and it starts with back-to-basics mapping. First, the prospect/buyer journey, followed by the customer journey. It’s easy to assume what both look like, but the results may surprise you. Involving people across the business is essential.
With your maps in place, you can identify touchpoints at every stage and ensure that you have the right content, tools and messages in place to shore up a high quality experience, whichever stage at which people decide to touch your brand.
86% of consumers may leave a brand after just two poor experiences, but the overwhelming majority (89%) are likely to buy again if the experience is positive: a much needed pillar (and reason for festive cheer), regardless economic headwinds.
Oppo is tapping into football fever with a documentary exploring some of fans' most inspiring games in the UEFA Champions League.
The documentary is part of a global campaign which invited fans to vote for the league's most inspiring games of all time. The inspirational games were brought to life through the experiences of fans who witnessed the games and shared their views and perspectives.
The four-and-a-half-minute documentary film features stories from a Paris-based field photographer, A Madrid pub-owner and a visually-impaired Liverpool fan.
The documentary is part of the brand’s ongoing 'Inspiration Ahead' brand platform, which aims to “explore meaningful innovations regardless of the difficulties that lie ahead.”
Oppo hopes the film helps more people to “enjoy the inspiration in life” and “become a witness to their own moments of inspiration”.
The film is part of Oppo’s multi-competition sponsorship deal with UEFA which includes the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, UEFA Futsal Champions League Finals and UEFA Youth League Finals. It is one of several sports sponsorships held by the brand, which is currently in its fourth year of partnering with Wimbledon and Roland-Garros and is a global partner of the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Oppo is the world's fourth largest smartphone brand, with a 10% global market share, according to research firm Canalys. Samsung holds the top spot with 24%, ahead of Apple, which has 18% and Xiaomi, which holds a 13% market share.
The Pacific island nation of Tuvalu has begun to create a Digital Nation in the metaverse as the country faces the reality of rising sea levels.
Tuvalu enlisted Accenture Song-owned agency The Monkeys and Collider to co-create its presence in the metaverse, starting with its smallest island Teafualiku Islet.
The project, which was announced by Tuvalu Minister of Justice, Communication & Foreign Affairs Simon Kofe at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27), will catalogue, map, record and save historical documents, records of cultural practice, family albums and traditional songs. The aim is to capture as much of Tuvaluan island life as possible.
Kofe said, “As our land disappears, we have no choice but to become the world’s first digital nation. Our land, our ocean, our culture are the most precious assets of our people. And to keep them safe from harm, no matter what happens in the physical world, we’ll move them to the cloud.”
As Kofe addressed Cop27 it was revealed that he was delivering his speech from the metaverse.
The Monkeys have created a dedicated website showing the digital project's progress.
Viewers who tuned into the iconic show’s finale were delighted to see legendary deceased characters – brought back as zombies, of course – in five different spots.
After 11 seasons, 177 episodes and 12 years, AMC’s The Walking Dead came to an end last night.
To commemorate the momentous occasion, Ryan Reynolds’ creative agency Maximum Effort, AMC Network’s Content Room and Kimmelot’s Dan Sanborn devised a five-spot campaign that aired during the finale. The series of spots for Autodesk, Deloitte, DoorDash, MNTN and Ring bring back four characters who died throughout the series’ 12-year run.
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“Tapping into cultural moments like this AMC campaign allows us to show up in unexpected ways and bring some fun to our brand,” Ring’s head of marketing Lindsey Scheftic said in a statement. “This collaboration is another way for us to delight customers and reach new audiences in helping make neighborhoods (and zombies) safer.”
The ads, lighthearted and gruesome at the same time (like the show, of course), are sure to hold nostalgic significance for millions of viewers. “Everyone thinks walkers are scary. You know what’s scarier? Humans,“ Gareth, played by Andrew West, says in the ad for Ring.
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“Ads should be fun,” Reynolds said in a statement. “The Walking Dead has generated more cultural conversation over the last decade than any other property and we wanted to honor that by bringing a few characters back from the dead in some fun contextual ads. We were blown away by the total support of AMC Networks’ Content Room and the willingness to be untraditional shown by Deloitte, DoorDash, Autodesk and Amazon Ring. I would also say MNTN but that one was easier since I control that budget. Ads can be a part of the cultural conversation as they once so frequently were. They just need a little more love, attention and mischief.”
Credits
Ideation and Creative Concepts by Maximum Effort
Produced by Really Original
Directed by Maximum Effort’s Bryan Rowland
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The time Harry Styles’ eye was struck by a Skittle has been immortalized by a print ad for the candy in the LA Times.
Skittles is the one winking after one of their candies struck one of the most famous eyeballs in the music industry: that of popstar Harry Styles.
The brand revealed a full-page ad in today‘s print edition of the Los Angeles Times, reminding all fans not to throw candy on stage, especially towards Styles. The spread alludes to an incident that occurred last week, during which a fan threw a Skittle at the singer’s eye at a Los Angeles show. Styles, being ever-so-resilient, ensured the show went on, albeit with one eye shut for the rest of the night.
Following the event, Skittles posted a painfully obvious PSA on its social media accounts.
Didn’t think I needed to say this: Please don’t throw Skittles.
— SKITTLES (@Skittles) November 15, 2022
The new ad, which jokingly reads “Protect the rainbow; taste the rainbow,” seizes the pop culture moment, and even features the iconic sunglasses from Styles’ “Watermelon Sugar” music video (2019).
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Alleged human rights’ violations during the construction of the World Cup stadium. Accusations of bribing FIFA officials. And just this morning, the sudden decision to ban in-stadium alcoholic beverages during the tournament. Can Qatar manage to paint itself as an attractive country for future tourists amid such scrutiny and scandal? Experts are skeptical.
Earlier this week, Qatar — host country of the 2022 World Cup — launched a “Feel more in Qatar,” a marketing campaign aimed at boosting the country's tourism industry. The new ads star Andrea Pirlo, coach of the Italian professional soccer team, who is shown in a variety of exciting environments in Qatar — sandboarding down a dune, kiteboarding at the beach, conversing with a woman in a market. The slogan in the new ads — "No Football. No Worries" — positions Qatar as a country that has much more to offer than just the World Cup.
That could be a difficult sell in light of recent developments.
This morning, it was revealed that Qatari officials have decided to ban in-stadium sales of alcoholic beverages during the 2022 World Cup, which kicks off in less than 48 hours in Doha, Qatar’s capital city. The decision appears to have taken AB InBev-owned Budweiser — who reportedly paid around $75mn to be the tournament’s official beer sponsor — completely by surprise.
This announcement pales in comparison to some recent allegations that have been leveled against Qatari and FIFA officials. Qatar, the first Arab country to be selected as the host country for the FIFA World Cup, landed the prestigious position in December 2010. Shortly thereafter, the country began construction began on the vast infrastructure that’s required to accommodate the more than 1mn fans that are expected to flood into Doha and the surrounding region for the World Cup.
The country has allegedly exploited and endangered a significant portion of the migrant labor force that was mobilized to meet the huge construction demands. According to a 2021 report from The Guardian, more than 6,500 migrant workers have died in Qatar from a wide swathe of causes — including the country’s infamous heat and accidents that occurred during the construction of the World Cup stadium — since the country was named as the host country of the 2022 World Cup in December 2010. Both FIFA and Qatar officials have reportedly disputed those claims.
The decision to make Qatar the 2022 host country over the United States also sparked bribery and corruption allegations directed towards some FIFA officials. In 2015, former FIFA president Sepp Blatter resigned during a separate bribery scandal revolving around the selection of South Africa as the host country for the 2010 World Cup. Earlier this month, Blatter told a Swiss newspaper that choosing Qatar as the host country for this year’s tournament was “was a bad choice” and that he “was responsible for that as president at the time.”
“Hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup has placed Qatar at the center of international attention, so in one sense the emirate has achieved the goals of elevating its presence as a global player and of distinguishing itself from other Persian Gulf locales such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi," says James Andrews, founder and CEO of A-Mark Partnership Strategies and adjunct lecturer at Northwestern University School of Professional Studies. "But since much of the attention has been negative, it is highly unlikely that this effort will drive tourism and could very well dissuade visitors from many western countries.”
The World Cup has also put a spotlight on Qatar’s official prohibition against homosexuality. In response, the US Men’s soccer team has unveiled a rainbow-colored logo to adorn their training facility and media room in Qatar in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
This is the factor which could have the most devestating impact on Qatar's tourism industry, says Bread & Law founder Andrew Graham. “I don't think the beer ban is a long-term factor here — I think it's more of a blip in the news cycle. The LGTBQ backlash is really what could drive tourism down over the long-term.”
Some have accused Qatar of “sportswashing”; that is, leveraging a beloved sporting event like the FIFA World Cup to put a more attractive veneer over its highly conservative politics and alleged human rights violations in an effort to draw in more tourists. But the worsening PR crisis that the country now faces probably won't be overcome simply by hosting a World Cup or making ads with a celebrity football coach. “There are two campaigns going on – the World Cup campaign for the sport, and the campaign for Qatar as a country," says Karen Freberg, professor of strategic communication, University of Louisville. "The focus of the World Cup will not be what is happening on the field, but what is happening off the field.”
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Twitter has become a mainstay for brands looking to cut through to consumers, but thanks to Elon Musk's disastrous takeover, it looks like their days on the platform are numbered.
As Twitter hurtles towards what feels like an inevitable demise, we reflected on some of the brands that made the best use of the bird app down the years.
Wendy’s Best known for its sassy responses and snarky roasts, the US-based fast food chain set an early standard that many brands have echoed over the years.
Its unconventional social strategy previously found its outlet in partnerships such as cult animated sci-fi sitcom, Rick & Morty, and through its annual roasts on the platform.
Make it an NFT so we can not buy it. #nationalroastday
— Wendy’s (@Wendys) January 12, 2022
Innocent Drinks A UK fan favorite for its particular brand of irreverent comedy, even Innocent's bio of 'We make healthy drinks. Please buy them so we don't get fired' points to its sense of humor. A popular moment was when the healthy drinks brand took to the site to raise spirits during the first UK national lockdown in March 2020, posting daily updates and observations.
WEEKLY SCREEN REPORT Your screentime was up 78% last week, for an average of 26 hours a day. — innocent drinks (@innocent) March 30, 2020
Lidl The supermarket chain garnered clout for its quippy responses, like this time a customer lashed out for some crisps missing from his packet.
Poor Carl Goldfinch originally reached out to the retailer for some clarity on his missing snack, but found himself on the sharp end of Lidl's customer service, which went viral.
Hi Carl we’re sorry to hear about your missing 4 inches... https://t.co/SitXl7WMAe
— Lidl Ireland (@lidl_ireland) February 11, 2021
Greggs The queen of the British meme. Its affiliations with British pop culture can be seen all over its brand platform, including its collabs with retailers like Primark, but never more so than on Twitter. In this instance, riffing on the popular Come Dine With Me moment, the British bakery chain celebrates the return of its seasonal Festive Bake.
10 months with no Festive Bakes? What a sad little life... pic.twitter.com/xSUJRFvp5g — Greggs (@GreggsOfficial) November 2, 2022
RyanAir The UK budget airline has always taken the biscuit for its self-deprecating humor, this time alluding to its less than generous baggage policy that has seen many take drastic action to bring items on board free of charge.
Don't even think about it https://t.co/omBBxGffMt — Ryanair (@Ryanair) July 14, 2022
Netflix At the coalface of pop culture, Netflix has always had a witty response for fans of its content. In 2017 its A Christmas Prince trilogy kicked off, though no one could have predicted quite how popular it would be.
To the 53 people who've watched A Christmas Prince every day for the past 18 days: Who hurt you? — Netflix (@netflix) December 11, 2017
Digital audiences will be healthy for the upcoming Fifa World Cup tournament, but advertisers can really win by combining strong targeting with ‘in-flight’ measurement and optimization.
The Fifa World Cup is almost upon us. The month-long football festival kicks-off on November 20 in Qatar, and is expected to be among the largest-ever sporting events for brands in the digital space.
It’s also the first time that the tournament will be held in the final quarter of the year, shifting from its usual June/July slot. The World Cup will overlap with the holiday season, creating a unique opportunity for brands to turn football fans into festive shoppers. This has prompted healthy forecasts that advertisers will spend a total $2bn on World Cup-related activity globally.
Audiences were already turning towards digital and streaming options for the 2018 tournament, and that has only ballooned in the years since. That means success for World Cup advertisers this time around will require investment in the correct mix of advertising across broadcast, streaming, social and influencer marketing to reach a target audience that's passionate about football.
Reaching World Cup fans online Advertisers should meet audiences where they are, and sports audiences are online. They’re watching live matches on YouTube, reading content across platforms, and honing their own e-skills on streaming game sites.
To appreciate just how digital things have become, the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament was the most digital yet, generating 7.5 billion interactions and views on social media alone. We can expect this figure to be surpassed easily by the World Cup.
The data points to a clear evolution of the tournament experienced predominantly on streaming channels and social media. According to Nielsen Fan Insights, 80% of sports fans, 76% of NFL fans and 89% of football fans have regularly or sometimes watched sports on any streaming or online channel in 2022.
Last year’s Olympics also indicates the digital opportunities available to brands looking at investing around massive global sporting events like the World Cup. Highlights clips from the event placed on YouTube helped streaming reach a 28% share of US viewing in July 2021 (following the start of the Olympics coverage), up 2% when compared with May, and well ahead of broadcast on 24%.
And sports content is especially effective at attracting groups of people viewing the action simultaneously. A recent Nielsen study commissioned by Google found that 26% of the time multiple 18+ viewers are watching YouTube together on the TV screen, compared to 22% on linear TV.
These strong audience figures are particularly powerful when you consider how easy it is to throw ad budget at the wrong people. Brands waste nearly 40% of their digital advertising on unsuitable audiences, and 29% of CTV ad spend reaches off-target audiences. Therefore, having large numbers of like-minded sports fans viewing content during the World Cup is an attractive option.
Maximizing World Cup ad strategies The key to any effective ad strategy is delivering the right message to the right audience at the right time. But how do World Cup advertisers actually do that? Refined targeting strategies and the ability to track ‘in-flight’ campaign performance.
When the opportunity is as big as a Q4 World Cup tournament, brands have to create feedback systems that allow for real-time experimentation, adjustment and optimization.
Advertisers and their partners can address this in two ways. The first is by investing in a measurement tool that analyzes unique reach (which acts as an early indicator for new customer acquisition), frequency and gross rating points across platforms. Better still if it can deliver performance data in nearly real-time, regardless of the platform, device or campaign size, so you can make updates before a campaign completes.
An alternative is for a brand to own its marketing performance data, making it less dependent on partners that use different metrics or that lack transparency. This is even more pronounced when your data partners work on different timelines to your organization. Consumer trends and tastes are evolving at such a rapid pace that marketers don’t want to be waiting on metrics that are days or even weeks old to make crucial decisions.
Either way, it’s important to push for measurement resources that provide open access to near real-time performance data.
Boosting ROI with targeted audiences Nielsen research shows that delivering more ads to highly targeted audiences leads to an increased ROI of $2.60 per $1 spent.
Detailed audience data also reveals better ways for brands to hone their World Cup advertising content to specific audiences. For instance, while more men watch football than women overall, women’s interest in the World Cup dwarfs all other major international football competitions, and women currently make up 37% of all global football fans.
This is even more relevant given the tournament’s proximity to the festive period, when women have started to outpace men in retail spending during the holidays, both online and in stores. Nielsen Scarborough data found that 81% of US female consumers shopped online in Q4 of 2021, up 9.5% from Q4 2019, while male consumer online shopping was up 6.7% over the same period.
The Qatar World Cup is a massive opportunity for advertisers. Not only because it will be watched by two-thirds of the world’s population at some point, but these fans will be highly engaged, and well-disposed towards buying brands that reach them with the right content.
To find out more about how to reduce media spend waste during the Fifa World Cup and intel on in-flight campaign optimizations, download Nielsen’s report here.
The new device transforms any pizza into a turkey shape – something we all secretly wish to gobble up next Thursday.
Finally: pizza instead of turkey has come to Thanksgiving dinner tables nationwide.
Today, Little Caesars Pizza released its Thanksgiving campaign, aptly titled ‘Introducing Turkey 2.0.’ The spot riffs on 2001: A Space Odyssey, down to its low-light zooms and even its theme song, because it announces the next feat of human innovation. That is, the ‘Turkey! Turkey! cutter’ of course, which we learn cuts pizza into a turkey shape.
The 30-second spot was made in response to a recent survey that found that Gen Z prefers pizza to turkey – especially as poultry prices soar. Still, the brand encourages consumers to be festive.
Developed by creative agency McKinney, the campaign will be launched alongside social support.
Credits:
Creative agency: McKinney
Production Company: Spang
Media Production: CYLNDR
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Who will cash in on Twitter’s demise? Here are six likely benefactors.
After slashing 50% of Twitter's workforce, Elon Musk on Wednesday morning issued an ultimatum to the remaining Twitter staff, who numbered around 3,700. He demanded that they either explicitly commit to working intense, long hours to bring “Twitter 2.0” to fruition or resign effective immediately and receive three months’ severance. It’s now been reported that between half and 75% of the remaining workers chose the latter.
On Thursday afternoon, employees took to Twitter to post the saluting emoji, which has become an unofficial symbol of quitting or being laid off at the company. Employees told CNN that internal Slack channels were flooded with the same emoji when Musk's 5pm ET deadline arrived.
It’s the latest – and perhaps most damning – in a series of ongoing dramas at the social platform since Musk took over the app on October 27. Amid mass layoffs, key leaders – from the company’s chief marketing officer Leslie Berland and head of product Jay Sullivan to chief information security officer Lea Kissner – chose to resign. Musk was threatened with a lawsuit. Then, with fears that the Tesla CEO would trash the platform’s content moderation policies – considering he’s a self-proclaimed “free speech absolutist.” Once he implied that he wanted to take a more lax approach to governance – advertisers pulled out en masse. Musk’s decision to roll out $8-a-month verification to any user further ostracized users and brands over concerns that the tool would be abused and lead to an influx of misinformation on the platform.
Now, the platform is at a truly critical juncture: with a staff at less than 25% the size of its prior form – and lacking in technical talent and legal advisory – there is widespread concern that the whole platform could buckle, as soon as today. Friday morning, hashtags including #RIPTwitter, #TwitterShutdown and #TwitterOff were trending, along with the name of twitter founder Jack Dorsey. Users expressed – with a mix of humor and genuine sentiment – their feelings of approaching Twitter’s twilight.
Now, those same users – and the advertising industry players who have pulled back from the platform – are wondering what’s next. Here are some leading theories:
1. TikTok
Industry leaders have predicted that TikTok could easily seize the moment to grow its user base, boost engagement and consume a larger portion of the advertising pie.
For one, it already appeals to users. “More and more people are getting their news from TikTok, and the algorithm continues to become increasingly addictive,” says Joe Pulizzi, an entrepreneur, podcaster and author of various marketing books. “There is no doubting that TikTok is cleaning up after every other social platform out there, [Twitter’s troubles] aside.” Nonetheless, he says, “a fall in Twitter will help TikTok the most.”
It also looks increasingly attractive to advertisers who may be concerned about brand safety and suitability in a place like Twitter. “TikTok is definitely a viable and safe platform for businesses to advertise on right now,” Mike Allton, head of strategic partnerships at social media management platform Agorapulse previously told The Drum. “And it’s incredibly effective. With a massive user base spanning all demographics, and more tools ... adding professional support, businesses can easily leverage the platform to reach their target audiences. That’s the opportunity that exists today.”
He pointed out that TikTok essentially repurposed Meta’s modus operandi: it invested in a product that “creates sticky behaviors that drive up user count and usage time simultaneously.” It’s a formula that’s proven to be highly effective for driving user engagement while also enticing advertisers, who are eager to cash in on attention.
Others echo the sentiment. “From an advertising perspective, brands are already flocking away from Twitter,” says Matt Woodruff, co-founder and chief product officer at Constellation. “This is a massive opportunity for other social platforms to lure brands and help them win over customers. TikTok and Meta are the obvious answers.”
TikTok may not be the perfect place for brands – though it doesn’t come with the same brand safety concerns that Twitter faces, it’s not free of content moderation issues. Plus, as a fairly nascent platform, some experts have pointed out that many brands don’t feel comfortable jumping into its deep end quite yet. “For many advertisers, TikTok still sits in the experimental bucket,” leading social media consultant Matt Navarra previously told The Drum. “A lot of small- to medium-sized businesses particularly – and some larger ones – are still not confident and convinced by TikTok in terms of its potential as an advertising platform.”
Still, key industry voices predict that TikTok will win over at least some of the Twitter spillover.
2. Reddit
Not everyone is convinced by the TikTok argument, however. As Sarah Jardine, social strategy lead at ad agency Wunderman Thompson posits, the video-sharing app isn’t built for the same kinds of interactions that Twitter users want.
Instead, she predicts that users may flock to Reddit, which promises a similar kind of microblogging experience. “You won’t see Twitter users rushing to set up a TikTok – it’s not their ball game, at least in the short-term,” says Jardine. “If you bring it back to the basics, Twitter users want to have conversations. TikTok is almost entirely entertainment-driven, so those reeling from Twitter imploding won’t get those needs fulfilled from TikTok. That being said, Reddit’s recent resurgence could position them perfectly to gain a bigger community.”
Regardless of what may happen, she says, “all social platforms should be ready waiting in the wings for what is to come.”
3. Mastodon
Earlier this month, decentralized social network Mastodon reached 1 million monthly active users. The platform itself has said on its blog that it aims to position itself as a “viable alternative to Twitter.”
And many experts believe the hype. “I've heard of more people talking about Mastodon in the last week than the last two years,” says Pulizzi. “While still clunky, Mastodon has the same feel as Twitter, and it's decentralized, which gives users hope that one individual won't come in and mess with it [like Musk has with Twitter].”
It’s the same kind of appeal that has some experts forecasting that Discord could be the new, hot place for ex-Twitter users and brands.
And while Mastodon may appeal to former Twitter devotees, advertisers face a handful of unique challenges on the platform. Critically, Mastodon doesn’t allow paid advertising – if they want to be part of the conversation, brands need to join individual servers and integrate themselves organically. The platform’s infrastructure isn’t inherently friendly to advertisers.
Eric Dahan, TikTok marketing partner and chief executive of creator marketing agency Open Influence, has put it this way: “Mastodon is a federated platform rather than a social platform. For brands, this means that they have to both identify the communities they want to engage on the platform and then find a way to insert themselves into the conversation organically,” he says. “This is easier said than done, making it harder for brands to scale up their marketing easily.”
And because Mastodon is essentially a network of independently-run servers – each of which are self-managed – its content moderation and governance capabilities are minimal, which presents the same kinds of brand safety issues that advertisers fear on Twitter.
Plus, Mastodon is still a challenger in a larger pool, which can dissuade ad spend. “Mastodon is an unfamiliar platform, and its reach is still very small compared with established digital platforms,” Jasmine Enberg, a principal analyst at Insider Intelligence’s eMarketer specializing in social media, told The Drum earlier this month. And for Twitter advertisers, who Enberg claimed “primarily use the platform for upper- to mid-funnel marketing goals and tend to be more risk-averse than performance advertisers focused on sales and conversions,” the draw isn’t strong. “Any organic posting on the platform would be an experimental play for brands, and not a high priority right now.”
4. LinkedIn
Professional networking platform LinkedIn has garnered some attention as users and advertisers ponder what’s next.
“In the immediate term, some new eyeballs are going to go to LinkedIn because it has some of the same characteristics with a lot less disinfo and hate speech,” says Andrew Graham, founder and head of strategy at Bread & Law, a New York-based PR firm.
Others agree. “If a network like Twitter goes away, it’s the most well-known and accessible networks at that moment – that most closely mirror the lost platform – which will benefit,” says Agorapulse’s Allton.
Other competitors simply can’t provide the environment and kinds of engagement that Twitter users will be looking for, he says. “While I’ve seen an uptick in conversation about Mastodon, it’s LinkedIn that stands to benefit the most. TikTok and Instagram require a completely different style and medium than Twitter, and there’s too much animosity toward Facebook currently. LinkedIn’s culture and style are different, but a heavy Twitter user can still easily replicate a lot of what they were doing previously. And they’re assured that most of the profiles they were following previously will be there.”
Plus, LinkedIn by its nature is brand-friendly and safe.
5. Pinterest
Though it’s surely not a one-size-fits-all platform, a growing number of experts suggest that Pinterest looks promising.
When I sought out opinions on where Twitter users will flock in light of potential demise, one Twitter user DMed me in all-caps: “PINTEREST.”
There’s potential for advertisers, too, experts say. “If brands are seeking strong audience ties and engagement, a decentralized platform like Discord or Mastodon could be perfect,” says Rachael Berkey, vice-president of social strategy at PR firm Clarity. “But if they are solely seeking traditional marketing growth and goals via paid campaigns, TikTok, Meta and Pinterest may be the best choices."
Constellation’s Woodruff agrees that the image-focused social platform is in a strong position to capture reallocated ad spend: “Pinterest will become even more valuable for advertisers.”
6. A yet unknown newcomer
Others are on the lookout for something fresh and new on the horizon.
“I do not see a direct competitor for Twitter on the horizon,” says Paul Roberts, CEO and founder of ad agency Kubient. Nonetheless, he says he’s “sure there are plenty of teams attempting to build Twitter 2.0 in the event that it does go dark.”
It’s a difficult recipe to duplicate, though – and not only for product and engineering teams. It’s also difficult for brands to find a place for short-form text-based and multimedia content to flourish. “Twitter presents a unique audience for most brands due to the short-form content style. Smart advertisers are crafting their unique messages to specific audiences, regardless of the environment. If Twitter were to implode, advertising dollars would quickly shift to other more stable channels targeting the specific audiences,” says Roberts.
Graham, for his part, believes that LinkedIn promises immediate-term benefits, but he’s not sold on the idea that it will be the long-term choice. Instead, he suggests, it’s likely that a decentralized player like Mastodon could win out – or, that an entirely new player will swoop in.
It may take some time for a new platform to take off, though, he says, because so much of the user experience on Twitter has been curated by strong content moderation – and those moderating teams are currently unemployed. “Twitter’s product isn’t an app you post stuff on – it’s the moderation that defines the experience for advertisers and users. And right now, there are a lot of folks who know an awful lot about moderation looking for new roles.”
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With the future of the platform in doubt, adland Twitter users ponder whether to stay or go.
If you’re looking to gossip, gripe, complain and plot about working in adland – or dissect work produced by adland – Twitter is the platform par excellence.
Every day creative directors battle over the merits of new campaigns, veterans bicker over the state of creativity and copywriters trade bon mots. But, should the app change significantly in form (or disappear entirely), is there anywhere else for the industry’s wittiest go?
Chapin Clark, the executive creative director behind R/GA’s laconic Twitter account, estimates that he spends “easily three or four hours a day” on the service. It’s been the focal point of industry debates for years, in part due to the platform’s text-first format. “I'm a copywriter and Twitter has always felt like home to me,” says Clark.
- Which ad agencies are advising clients to evacuate Twitter?
“I do it because I get something out of it. I always find things that amuse me or open my eyes to something or I find things that are pleasingly weird. I would have to be a pretty big masochist to be doing it all that time if I didn't really enjoy it.”
Some of the pillars of advertising Twitter, though, are looking towards the exit door. Robyn Frost, a prominent art director at TBWA\Chiat Day New York tweeted a 50-word elegy for the app this morning, closing on the invitation: “Let’s stay in touch on ig.”
welp. if this is the end of twitter, it’s been real. met loads of brilliant, really lovely people here. been hired into almost all of my agency jobs by wonderful people i’ve met on here. career and life truly changed because of it. let’s stay in touch on ig: robynhfrost ✌
— Robyn Frost (@robynhfrost) November 18, 2022
The nascent Creative Communications Union, a nascent trade union for British agency workers, initially relied on Twitter to build awareness and organizing networks – but earlier today, it began directing followers towards more discrete homes on Discord and Mastodon.
Well, it looks like it might really be happening. The workers who’ve made Twitter happen for all these years have asserted their power ✊. We, of course, are going nowhere as there’s still so much to do See below for how to keep in touch pic.twitter.com/9BIosnGsGN — Creative Communications Workers (@CreativeCommsW) November 18, 2022
For his part, Clark is skeptical that users will relocate en masse. “I don't think there really is a comparable alternative right now,” he tells The Drum. “For all the people posting about going to Mastodon, doesn't seem to be much heat around it. It tends toward the polite and boring… it lacks the edge of Twitter.”
The account has provided a unique outlet for R/GA and Clark, who’s used it both to prick at the agency business and make political statements. “It's a place for the vital exchangeof information, and connecting and organizing,” he says.
Clark argues that, despite the talk of decline and fall, ad Twitter has livened up since the Musk acquisition. “I will stay and be active on Twitter as long as it’s around and functioning, and as long as it stays interesting. The last, you know, few weeks have felt very spot like a very vibrant place with a lot of good posting. If it’s a wake, it’s a pretty entertaining one.”
LinkedIn's adland opportunity arises Cindy Gallop, another stalwart of marketing Twitter, says she’s “personally committed to staying on Twitter until it absolutely disappears.”
But she suggests that the conversation will shift, bit by bit, onto LinkedIn. Though the platform is thought of as a purely professional arena, there’s more room for personal debate, Gallop says. “Professionals are human beings too. And people on LinkedIn are enormously welcoming to sharing what one is doing in one’s life as much as what one is doing in one’s business.”
Furthermore, she says the platform is a more effective networking and broadcast tool. She’s been able to parlay LinkedIn into an effective tool for pulling in investment to her business, Make Love Not Porn. “I have to make synaptic connections happen that will attract investors,” she says, “and I am personally gobsmacked by the amount of incoming investor interest I get from LinkedIn. Right now, LinkedIn is my single most effective mechanism for attracting investors.”
Rather than look for like-for-like replacements, she suggests users consider alternatives built with the potential harms of social media in mind. “There is huge opportunity for the social media of the future, especially through the female lens. That opportunity is only bigger today. The time is now for anybody who is not a white man, to start the social platform of the future. The young white male founders of the giant social platforms that dominate our lives today, and Elon Musk is absolute proof of this, are not the primary targets of online or offline harassment, abuse, sexual assault, violence, rape, revenge porn – and they do not proactively design for the prevention of any of those things on their platforms.”
Clark also thinks new competitors could break through. “I'm optimistic. People are people are creative and new things are built all the time. People will find a way to new ways to express themselves.“
Future models of social media – and future homes for advertising discourse – could involve the industry at a much earlier stage, Gallop notes. “I would like to exhort members of the advertising industry, to think about that huge opportunity for a new kind of social platform. Within the advertising industry, you absolutely have the skills and the talents, that could bring a whole different lens to building the social platform of the future. Who better than us to think about ways of building that social platform that make it enormously beneficial for advertising in a way that also integrates advertising into community receptivity within that platform? At a moment when the field is wide open for the new Twitter, I think people within our industry should be asking themselves, how they might be able to do that as well.”
As part of The Drum’s Data & Privacy Deep Dive breakfast session, leaders from Permutive and Space & Time discuss the importance of the first-party data collaboration between advertisers and publishers to responsibly make invisible consumers visible, and why the time to act is now.
As an increasingly empowered public get into the habit of saying no, it’s estimated that advertisers can reach only 30% of consumers – with the other 70% having gone data dark. With iOS updates making it easier for consumers to opt out of tracking and the deprecation of third-party cookies on Chrome on the horizon, is there a way for advertisers to make invisible audiences visible again?
The answer lies in creating scale through more direct first-party relationships between advertisers and publishers, using adtech as an enabler not an intermediary. That will help rebuild trust in advertising and ensure there is a fair value exchange with consumers in a way that is privacy-safe, according to Andra Mititelu, business director, audience platform for advertisers at Permutive.
Speaking at The Drum’s Data & Privacy Deep Dive breakfast alongside Chris Jones, chief executive of digital marketing agency Space & Time, the panelists agreed that the industry has been so focused on changing privacy regulations and tech policies that we’ve almost forgotten about the consumer.
But when looked at through the consumer lens, you’ll see that all these things are happening to provide consumers with the choice to be in better control of their data, not to say no to advertising altogether but to opt out of the data used by adtech to collect, process, package and sell on to third-party companies that have no direct relationship with them.
“Consumers now have more choice, and they are deciding to exercise the choice that is given to them by privacy changes,” said Mititelu. “They are opting out of their data being used by the ad tech layer in the middle but they’re not necessarily opting out of direct first-party relationships with brands and publishers they know and trust. They understand that where they have a direct relationship with a brand and there’s a fair value exchange, they don’t mind sharing that data."
Weighing in with advice on how Space & Time is supporting clients on this journey, Jones added: “Brands need to understand their customers and their first-party data better – whether it’s through customer acquisition, customer retention, customer value – whatever the metric is. The adoption of the right analytical structure and data ecosystem to facilitate that has been relatively slow so we’ve been doing a lot of education on it – not just in the marketing, comms or tech teams, but there’s a much broader remit here and senior leadership needs to be involved in a lot of these decisions.
“You need to have a very clear pathway to best understand what you’re trying to do and what the value of those customers look like. You need to provide all the tools to do all these things, bring leadership in and create a strategic goal that you can aim for. The data will support that growth but you can’t do one without the other. Don’t lose sight of the experience that you provide to customer – that will become a real benchmark for how brands measure success. Establishing that as a legitimate goal within your organization or your brand will be critical. It all comes down to your customer.”
So, how can advertisers reach the 70% of consumers who have gone data dark?
“We’ve created so much complexity in the adtech ecosystem that it’s about time we take responsibility and clean it up to find a better, cleaner, smarter way of doing things,” said Mititelu. “Advertisers and publishers are the two end points that frame the digital advertising ecosystem, so they’re in a good position to continue to use consented consumer data in a way that is scalable while respecting consumer privacy and choice. This will also help address the challenge around consumers going dark, because publishers can still see them, advertisers can still access them. And this way of working is more sustainable because it reduces the complexity that we have created within ad tech.”
Watch the full discussion for more insights on reaching the invisible 70% in the video above.
Just 48 hours before kick-off, alcohol sales have been banned at the tournament in Qatar. Could the brand use this blow to its advantage?
Budweiser was to be the only alcoholic beverage available to fans at the eight match venues in Doha – a privilege it had secured in an estimated $75m sponsorship deal inked with Fifa.
“Well…this is awkward,“ the AB InBev-owned brand wrote in a now-deleted tweet as headlines emerged that a full alcohol ban was coming. The reasons for the last-minute U-turn are unclear, but some reports pin blame on the Qatar royal family putting pressure on organizers at the 11th hour to ban all alcohol sales within the venues to adhere to the country’s strict laws. The Guardian has also suggested that Qatar organizers remained concerned, even after years of negotiations, that the large number of supporters it expects from Gulf and Asian countries would find it uncomfortable to be in stadiums among people drinking.
Hinting that all was not well between the beer brand and organizers, Budweiser’s branding and serving stations had already been given a less prominent position in stadiums, according to reports earlier in the week.
“Following discussions between host country authorities and Fifa, a decision has been made to focus the sale of alcoholic beverages on the Fifa Fan Festival, other fan destinations and licensed venues, removing sales points of beer from Qatar’s Fifa World Cup 2022 stadium perimeters,” said Fifa in a statement confirming the decision.
It continued: “There is no impact to the sale of Bud Zero, which will remain available at all Qatar’s World Cup stadiums. Host country authorities and Fifa will continue to ensure that the stadiums and surrounding areas provide an enjoyable, respectful and pleasant experience for all fans.
“The tournament organizers appreciate AB InBev’s understanding and continuous support to our joint commitment to cater for everyone during the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022.“
An AB InBev spokesperson simply said: “Some of the planned stadium activations cannot move forward due to circumstances beyond our control.“
According to Amar Singh, who is senior vice-president for content and comms at sports and entertainment agency MKTG and a former marketer for Budweiser in Europe, the decision will be “very disappointing“ – not least because there have been 12 years of conversations and preparations with the brand, Qatari authorities and Fifa. This resulted in Bud making compromises to ensure local customs and laws were respected while also giving western fans the option to drink during matches.
“Putting marketing and the value of the sponsorship to one side, there will be logistical, operational and HR-related issues to sort out,” adds Singh. “Beer will have been long ordered and in place in stadia, staff trained up and protocols established – so that will be an immediate focus as we are two days from the tournament.“
He stresses, however, that in-stadia beer sales at the tournament – while significant – are ultimately a small piece of the sponsorship pie and that Budweiser won’t necessarily be losing sleep on the volume of sales it is going to lose in Qatar.
Instead, the brand should see this as a golden marketing opportunity, with Dark Horses strategy director Mark Lloyd advising that Budweiser’s comms teams and agencies should quickly focus on the massive PR win that could balance the negative publicity it has had for being associated with the tournament in the first place.
This World Cup has been problematic for almost all sponsors, with them being forced to defend their decision to support a tournament in a country with a poor human rights record and strict laws on homosexuality. “Budweiser was among those that decided the potential gains of the year’s biggest sporting event were too much to miss out on, using it as a platform to promote both beer and tolerance with its slightly opaque ‘No Matter Your Tunnel’ campaign,” says Lloyd.
“But this decision by Qatar to ban beer – and effectively Budweiser – from tournament venues gives the brand the best of both worlds. It still gets to be a sponsor of the World Cup and reap the benefits of pitch side exposure and glossy global campaigns, but it can also cast itself as an outsider to the corruption and atrocities committed in the name of football.”
Jonny Fordham, media relations director at CSM Sport & Entertainment, agrees: “The brand’s now-deleted tweet shows that it was initially keen to lean on the comically bad timing of the ban. Consumers will side with Budweiser over Fifa and Qatar, and the brewer can profit from increased brand sympathy and sentiment. With thousands of supermarket concessions around the globe, don’t be surprised to see fans at home showing solidarity and having a cheeky dig at their mates in Qatar... as at least they can drink Bud back at home while watching.”
But the fall-out post-World Cup will be concerning to Fifa. Commentators have speculated that AB InBev might have grounds to take legal action, with James English, a partner at sports marketing agency Fuse, saying that when it comes to contractual implications, the brand could claim breach of contract and/or request compensation.
He explains: “Contractually, Bud may or may not be able to claim breach, but that is not to say that rights holders will not engage in compensation discussions. We have seen this countless times, not least following Covid, where rights holders across various sports engaged in compensation discussions to support long-term relationships with their sponsors. We would expect any such discussions to be focused around the infrastructure costs of setting up for the tournament, the cost of the beer itself and the lost commercial opportunity from this decision – particularly since all of this will have been in place ahead of the tournament starting in a couple of days.
“Ultimately, it may be that Fifa will look to offer Bud some extra inventory to compensate as a good commercial gesture, but I don’t think the relationship will be drastically soured or any suing will take place – but we will see.”
Budweiser has been a partner of the Fifa World Cup since 1986 and the footballing body will be hoping the strength of that relationship will help it weather this situation. ”Fifa also knows full well that the onus will be on it to demonstrate how it can mitigate the commercial and optical benefits that would have come with fans in stadiums cheering with Buds in hand,” continues Singh.
Ultimately, though, it’s unlikely AB InBev would risk its sponsorship for future tournaments. “It is the world’s largest brewer and a company that pours millions into the sport via multiple brands – the 2026 Fifa World Cup, taking place in Canada, USA and Mexico, will offer much more familiar territory and a considerable opportunity to go bigger on the ground than it ever could with Qatar thanks to an extensive network of on-trade and off-trade partners and established relationships in their heartland,“ adds Singh.
As part of The Drum’s Data and Privacy Deep Dive, Revieve’s Juliana Pereira argues that effective personalization is the key to incentivizing consumers to share their data with brands.
With the upcoming cessation of third-party cookies, marketers and business leaders across all industries are being forced to navigate a new challenge: to continue building and improving their relationships with customers, they now need a new way to gather data. According to Epsilon research, about 80% of marketers still rely on third-party cookies, with 38% feeling frustrated and overwhelmed by the news.
High consumer expectations are becoming larger issues for brands wanting to encourage more purchases and increase customer loyalty. Consumers will only place an order if they feel complete confidence in what they are buying by getting the value they expect. This expectation is prompting brands to shift their relationship with consumers to one that is reciprocal and beneficial to both sides.
Brands today are realizing the importance of relationship-driven commerce and are deploying personalized programs to create a ‘give and get’ scenario with their customers that allows them to gather zero- and first-party data. This is instrumental in deepening the customer and brand relationship, which is positive for the brand and also provides better service for customers.
This shift to relationship-driven commerce helps brands drive purchases and build loyalty. A Boston Consulting Group survey says that consumers today are “110% more likely to add additional items to their baskets and 40% more likely to spend more than they had planned” when their shopping experience is hyper-personalized. And we at Revieve have seen that this correlates directly to loyalty growth and repeat purchases.
Delivering personalization at scale is imperative. Customers interact with brands in a myriad of ways and expect an individualized approach across every brand touchpoint. Let’s take a moment to dig a little deeper into the different ways that personalization advances business success.
Strengthening the brand-customer relationship
Personalization allows consumers to develop their preferences and make informed purchase decisions. It ensures the consumer feels recognized as an individual rather than being clustered into a group by generation, age group or gender. It provides individual recognition. Consumers are learning that brands can anticipate their needs if they provide those businesses with data. By sharing their data, consumers allow brands to create these bespoke experiences for them to enjoy. And consumers can feel more confident that their data is used appropriately to their benefit since they provided it willingly to the brand for a better experience in return.
In digital environments that lack a human touch, the best way for brands to personalize the customer journey is through the collection and analysis of data to inform their recommendations to customers. The more data collected, the better for the customer. This is where the symbiotic relationship emerges.
By gathering zero-party data, brands are empowered to deliver continuously improved personalization. For example, in a category as personal as beauty, brands can gather and analyze data from variables like skin types, hair color, beauty preferences, etc, to provide consumers with specific advice and information tailored to and relevant to them. Because customers are providing their information of their own accord, they are training the brands to provide even better recommendations and advice on addressing their concerns.
This data trade creates a seamless interdependent relationship: customers provide their information freely to inform the brands on how to provide better experiences for them, and brands now have additional information from their customers to continuously provide better recommendations and advice. As both sides continue this exchange, the customer experience improves and the relationship between both sides is strengthened. This builds loyalty and trust, and ultimately, is a win-win scenario.
Personalization as a driver for brand differentiation
Personalization can also be a key avenue for developing brand differentiation. According to a data report from McKinsey, 71% of consumers today expect brands to deliver personalized experiences, and 76% become displeased when this doesn’t happen. Brands can use personalization as a competitive advantage to set themselves apart from the rest of the pack.
When a brand makes the customer experience convenient and delightful, the chances of a customer returning are higher. Personalization programs that collect first- and zero-party data help improve those odds. And what should underlie an engaging customer experience is a brand strategy that emphasizes building symbiotic relationships with consumers. This type of relationship can set brands apart because it’s based on responding to customer needs, fulfilling their expectations and making them feel valued. It takes the brand-customer relationship to the next level. But unfortunately, creating this type of relationship isn’t as easy as it sounds, and few brands are doing it right.
In beauty retail, many brands have set a new baseline for their customer experience, one that blends online and offline experiences to provide customers with a seamless and tailored customer journey through every channel. However, this requires the use of digital tools to enable a consistent digital and in-store experience to deploy AI-powered product recommendations or quizzes to uncover precisely what the customer wants and needs. The brands that can offer this level of customization for each individual customer can secure their place as leaders in the space by setting themselves apart through a truly customer-centric approach.
Exceeding customer expectations
Customers are complex individuals with rich, varied stories. Figuring out how to start a dialogue with them is a step toward providing customers with what they want from a brand. According to a recent study by Accenture, 83% of consumers are willing to share their information so that brands will create a personalized experience for them. But businesses must be transparent about how they will use this data and that customers have control over it. In addition, 91% of consumers are more likely to shop with brands that “recognize, remember, and provide” relevant offers and recommendations. Consumers need to get something in return for sharing their data with a brand – otherwise, why would they do it? There needs to be something in it for them.
A brand that remembers consumers when they return to their site and recognizes their preferences makes customers feel special. In fact, I truly believe that personalization is about respect. It’s proper manners to recognize that people are different and unique when you interact with them. Just as you don’t treat each in-store customer in exactly the same way, brands shouldn’t treat online customers like clones. Making consumers feel like true individuals will increase their propensity to become repeat buyers.
Henry Ford famously stated, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.“ Customers are quick to describe their problems but aren’t always as adept at finding solutions. Customers might recognize something is missing from their shopping experience but not actually know what it is. That’s where brands can step in and really shine. This is the moment where brands can exceed customers’ expectations and provide them with what they need and what they didn’t even know they needed yet. And personalization is what can drive brands to take that proactive approach. This can impress even the most discerning customer.
What’s next?
Personalization is often a factor that brands don’t fully address. And yet, it can be the magic to better understand their customers and give them exactly what they have been wanting, even if they haven’t thought to ask for it. Data plays a critical role, but the exchange must go both ways so both sides benefit. As long as brands can instill confidence in consumers to volunteer their personal information to get something in return, then brands can forge a symbiotic relationship that has greater benefits in the long run. And that approach is what can truly create the best scenario for both customers and brands alike.
Juliana Pereira is the chief marketing officer at Revieve. For more on how the world of data-driven advertising and marketing is evolving, check out our latest Deep Dive.
US performance marketing company Wunderkind has launched in APAC in a bid to grab a stake in the region’s booming ecommerce markets.
The martech business has opened its doors in Sydney, Australia, appointing Jamie Hoey, the former managing director of digital agency Croud, as country manager.
Wunderkind already has experience in the market through its global clients such as Glue Store, HelloFresh and Uniqlo.
Hoey told The Drum Wunderkind aims to expand quickly, winning local clients and building its local headcount. The company is keen to capitalise on Australia’s booming ecommerce markets, which is projected to grow 14% to pass $69bn by 2025.
The launch comes at a challenging time for marketers as consumer spending declines and marketing budgets get tighter.
“People are still going to buy things, but they're going to be a lot more selective. There aren't going to be as many impulse purchases; it's going to be a little more considered. So, if you've got people on site, that might be comparison shopping, for instance, and you're not serving them a message at that point, or you're letting them go away from a site, you're going to have to work a lot harder to bring them back.
“At Wunderkind we believe once they're on site, we can work at that stage, to try and keep them on site, or to try and keep them within that purchase flow. Marketers have an opportunity to improve their customers individual shopping experience. The fact you don't need to go and re-find these people and then bring them back and then try and get them to convert, were trying to make sure that the conversion path is a little smoother and easier.”
Wunderkind focuses on opt-in, first-party data and owned channel optimisation, and as a cookie-less solution, Hoey believes it is well-placed for the future.
“At some point, cookies are going to disappear. We know that Google are working on phasing them out. We are a cookie-less solution. We work on device identification, and that's where I would say our main USP is. We are future proofed against whatever changes are going to come out. Our aim is to help brands achieve more with the traffic that's already on their site," said Hoey.
The Australian office is the latest in the company’s global network, which includes offices in New York, London, Indianapolis, Montreal and Amsterdam.
Wulfric Light-Wilkinson, general manager International at Wunderkind said, “Wunderkind has an ambitious global expansion strategy in place which will see us open three new offices in high priority markets by the end of 2023. Australia has been earmarked as one of these key areas of opportunity.”
The Drum breaks down Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the meaning of Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, and how they pertain to the advertising and marketing industry.
Following a dip during the Covid-19 pandemic, fossil fuel emissions are set to reach record highs in 2022, and every industry is becoming increasingly aware of the need for it to accurately track and report its carbon emissions if we are to effectively tackle the ongoing climate emergency.
But understanding your corporate carbon footprint, and the different types of emissions classified as Scopes 1, 2 and 3, can be a challenging process.
Here, The Drum breaks down the terminology to help marketers get a clear view of where they need to focus.
What’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol got to do with it?
The 2007 Paris Agreement on climate change dictated that limiting the global temperature increase to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels by 2050 was a global responsibility. But that target is looking increasingly out of reach.
At this year’s Cop27 summit, UN general secretary Antonio Gutteres warned “we are on a highway to climate hell with our foot on the accelerator” and urged world leaders to “cooperate or perish.”
From there came the message to business leaders that measuring corporate emissions is no longer a supplement to businesses’ sustainability plans – it’s an urgent necessity.
That’s where the GHG Protocol comes in. It’s a global, standardized framework used to measure and manage greenhouse gas emissions from the operations, value chains and actions of a company.
Developed by the World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the GHG Protocol accounting standards, tools and training help businesses measure and manage climate-warming emissions. It provides guidelines and requirements for companies to enable them to measure their greenhouse gas emissions using their Corporate Carbon Footprint.
The GHG Protocol Corporate Standard then categorizes greenhouse gas emissions associated with a company’s Corporate Carbon Footprint (CCF) as Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions.
We break those down here and highlight where they are most relevant when it comes to marketing activities.
Scope 1 – Direct Emissions
These are the emissions created through a company’s owned or controlled sources – in other words, the emissions created in the day-to-day running of a company.
In adland, these emissions are relatively low as we mainly produce ideas – compared to, say, a high-carbon industry such as aviation or automotive.
The average annual operational carbon footprint of someone in a UK advertising agency is 3.4 tonnes CO2e. That is comparable to other professional service sectors such as accountancy and law, which have similar offices and travel habits.
Action one in Ad Net Zero’s five-point plan to tackle adland’s direct emissions highlights the two key emissions sources within the industry. Those are travel (especially flying), which is typically around 60% of an agency’s emissions, and office energy use, typically 40% of emissions.
Agencies should adopt a science-based target to determine a program for reduction that will achieve net zero by end-2030, in line with the Ad Net Zero industry goal.
Scope 2 – Indirect Emissions
This is where it gets a little more complicated. Scope 2, or indirect emissions, are classified as purchased or acquired energy, or energy that is generated offsite.
In advertising, this occurs in two key areas – ad production and in media buying and planning.
The emissions created in actually developing a creative campaign can be high, particularly when it comes to location shoots with high levels of travel, hospitality and complex supply chains.
As a result, they can also be hard to measure. But the AdGreen calculator – which launched in September 2020 to help measure advertising production carbon footprints, thus allowing project teams to understand which activities have the biggest impact – is a good place to start.
Media planning and buying is the biggest hidden carbon creator in the advertising supply chain. Last year, WPP found that 55% of its carbon emissions came from the media it was distributing ads on, be it social networks, connected TV (CTV), billboards or the longtail of the web.
- Is the climate cost of digital billboards too high to justify?
However, the first wave of media carbon calculators was “imperfect,” and panelists at the recent Ad Net Zero summit are now calling for an industry best standard practice to be set in order to accurately measure and subsequently reduce media’s impact.
Scope 3 – Value Chain Emissions
This is the biggie. And hardest to quantify. Scope 3 includes all indirect emissions that occur in the value chain of a company.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) describes Scope 3 emissions as “the result of activities from assets not owned or controlled by the reporting organization, but that the organization indirectly impacts in its value chain.”
In essence, it’s everything advertising stands for. The ability to promote other industries, change behaviors and lifestyles and, indeed, drive consumption.
‘Advertised Emissions,’ a term coined by industry activist group Purpose Disruptors, are defined as the uplift in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that result from the increase in sales generated by advertising.
In its recent report, Purpose Disruptors measured that through this uplift, advertising as an industry adds an extra 32% to the annual carbon footprint of every person in the UK.
So even though these emissions are out of the immediate control of agencies, they arguably represent the largest portion of their greenhouse gas emissions inventory.
Ad Net Zero’s action five is dedicated to urging agencies to “work together to use advertising to promote more sustainable choices between competing products and services, to back innovations that deliver greener solutions to people’s needs and desires, and to persuade society to adopt behaviors that reduce carbon emissions.”
Driving these changes require increasingly strict regulations around the green claims made by advertisers. In the UK, CAP codes and ASA regulations highlight the need for clarity, substantiation and evidence for environmental claims. And the ASA has recently committed to a broader review of its responsibilities around climate change and human impact on the environment.
Dentsu’s chief sustainability officer Anna Lungley recently called on the industry to adopt science-based targets, including the GHG protocol, in order to understand its true environmental impact and incite meaningful change.
The GHG Protocol requires that companies account for and report all Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. Even though Scope 3 emissions accounting is optional, it is likely unavoidable for a genuine climate action strategy to be effective.
- ‘Fight for the soul of the industry’: adland under scrutiny from watchful green activists
- What will it take for adland to clean up its act and wash its hands of greenwashing?
- ‘I have to put up with it’: adland reveals the cost of working with fossil fuel clients
Chipotle‘s ’Constant ingredient’ reveals what USMNT midfielders Christian Pusilic and Weston McKennie order at the restaurant.
Chipotle seeks to be a team player and support the US Men’s National Soccer Team while they compete on soccer’s biggest stage.
Next week, during the FIFA World Cup, the popular fast-food chain will debut ‘Constant ingredients.’ Comprising two spots, the campaign provides candid, intimate portraits of midfielders Christian Pusilic and Weston McKennie. Followed by a hand-held camera, Pusilic and McKennie practice alone and muse on their triumphs and trials, as well as what ingredients go into their Chipotle orders. Both were filmed in Turin, Italy.
Show me entity :: 43042
In an effort to support US soccer, Chipotle has committed to dropping 5,000 free entrée codes every time the team scores a goal during its upcoming international tournament. In addition, the brand will give away up to $1 million of free Chipotle throughout the program.
Credits:
Agency: Venables Bell & Partners
Production Company: Believe Media
Editorial: Exile Exit
VFX/Finishing: Pariah
Telecine: The Trafik
Mix & Sound Design: Barking Owl
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Candy Crush, one of the most successful gaming franchises of all time, helped redefine the mobile space. As the game celebrates its 10th anniversary, The Drum questions King and Activision Blizzard about the saga’s next decade.
When quizzed on the longevity of the series, the unexpected answer is narrative. While many Candy Crush players open the app for a quick fix, at King’s headquarters in Stockholm the narrative and design teams work to create a context for all those puzzling. Working alongside the audio and level design team, the brand is preparing for a mobile gaming ecosystem that’s seeing real change.
Jonathan Stringfield, vice-president of global business research and marketing at King owner Activision Blizzard, explains that the mobile gaming ecosystem in 2022 has parity with other parts of gaming in terms of engagement and community. “Diablo Immortal is an example where it was previously a very specifically PC-based franchise, but now anyone can play on mobile.
“Things like consoles and big powerful PCs and whatnot, that’s going to continue to become less important. Candidly, that’s good for the gaming industry on the whole, because, in general, what we’ll see is that it just creates more surface area for folks to be able to interact with these games.”
Todd Green is general manager of Candy Crush. He believes that the longevity of the title can be chalked up to the constant updates. While the core experience changes iteratively, with the introduction of new levels and icons, there’s a consistent sense of novelty for the players. A huge amount of effort goes into keeping the candy fresh.
Green says these updates have kept the community strong, and specifically cites some of the fan-run Wikis as being proof points for the scale of engagement that users have with the game. Those gaming communities, which have existed around King’s properties since it was building games for Facebook, are part and parcel of why advertisers are attracted to mobile titles. That and the fact the organization was the first gaming organization to sign up to the IAB UK’s Gold Standard.
Beyond advertising, Candy Crush is also demonstrating that brands can get involved with games beyond just sticking a video ad between levels. The King team went out of its way, for example, to form a meticulous explanation for why Sonic the Hedgehog would appear in its world, for example.
Sweet celebrations
For the 10th anniversary, Candy Crush is celebrating within and without the app itself. A refresh of the music – for the first time in 10 years – involved a live orchestra recording new arrangements at Abbey Road Studios in London, while the characters within the app are now more animated than before.
Meanwhile, a number of activities outside the game aim to introduce the anniversary changes to a wider audience, including a drone show over New York City.
Stringfield argues that, while publishers and developers should aim for parity in terms of quality respective to platform, the gaming ecosystem is wide enough to allow for a wide array of monetization methods. “Activision Blizzard, among many other game companies, wants the entire world to be playing our games. And for that to be possible, we need to be really flexible in terms of how we transact with customers. Some of them are going to be very happy to pay upfront for a certain experience, cool. Some of them want a free game where they just buy some stuff as they go on... also cool.
“What we’re seeing is that these apparatus are going to get built, both with respect to the complexity of the economics of the game industry, but also as a reflection of [trying] to be as wide as possible.”
To that end, King’s president Tjodolf Sommestad acknowledges that the company is “always looking” at the advent of new tech such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), which could potentially upend the industry as thoroughly as mobile platforms once did. It was, he notes, King’s early transition from Facebook to mobile that ultimately led to King’s success in the space.
However, he also notes that King is first and foremost a mobile gaming company. The scale of advertising spend in the space goes some way to explaining that – but that is all predicated on the engagement that users have with the games themselves. All the behind-the-scenes work on updates that might seem minor – such as updating an icon for licorice – end up refreshing the experience in totality.
For Stringfield, that is why the marketing industry and media buyers should be paying more attention to gaming. He explains: “I’m sympathetic to the plight of the marketing community, or honestly any business community outside of gaming, because gaming historically has been a cloistered industry.
“Now, again, to be clear, there are a lot of missed opportunities there. Because some of the biggest technical innovations that we’re doing now are founded in gaming, including things like digital distribution of content.”
So as Candy Crush turns 10, those behind the game are keeping their eyes open for the new opportunities that will arise around gaming in all its forms. In another decade, the space will have changed significantly, but the fundamentals around keeping players engaged and interacting will remain the same.
The wilderness preservation organization used real fire and stop-motion techniques to hit home the devastating effects of wildfires on the planet.
WWF has released a short film detailing how climate change is wreaking havoc and making our planet more susceptible to fire.
In ‘A Flammable Planet,’ viewers see a menacing flame that consumes everything in its path. A lonely hare frantically tries to run and escape the burning heat as the world crumbles around it.
Creative agency Nomint used a combination of a highly flammable set and props and real fire to create the film. It was shot entirely in-camera and used traditional stop-motion techniques, together with slow motion, timelapse and long exposure to create the original visuals.
Credits
Client: WWF
Agency: Nomint
Campaign: Flammable Planet
Production: Nomint
Creative direction: Yannis Konstantinidis
Director: Yannis Konstantinidis and Christos Lefakis
Animation/storyboarding: Jua Braga, Yannis Konstantinidis and Christos Lefakis
Previz: Jua Braga
Sound and original music: Ted Regklis
Color grading: Tom Mangham (at Black Kite studios)
Vo: Russel Binns
Producer: Yannis Konstantinidis and Marilena Vatseri
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As part of our Data and Privacy Deep Dive, we explore how emergent blockchain-based technologies including the metaverse, cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) could reshape the data privacy landscape.
For most of us, the rise of big tech companies has been a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it has provided us with the shiny and powerful technological tools that most of us use and love: everything from the iPhone to Spotify to Gmail. On the other, many of those very tools – in addition to being dangerously addictive – have forced us to sacrifice control over a resource whose value many of us didn’t even realize until it was too late: our own data.
The web2.0 era, which began in around 2010 and extends through the present day, has been the era of centralization. The ascent of major tech corporations Facebook (now Meta), Google, and Microsoft has created a model in which users must provide vast quantities of personal data, which is then used to generate increasingly sophisticated ad-targeting technologies. The users have become the products.
The advent of web3 – a technological ecosystem based upon blockchain technology and which is widely regarded as the third evolutionary phase of the internet – could potentially reverse that trend, putting the control of data back into the hands of individuals. The key, and one of the core principles of blockchain technology, is decentralization – that is, a framework which is controlled in equal measure by a vast number of separate nodes in a network, as opposed to a single, centralized server.
To put it more simply: decentralization makes it impossible for any single entity (be it an individual, a corporation or a government) to control the flow of information.
In addition to being decentralized, blockchain networks leverage cryptography, a practice that uses mathematical principles to protect sensitive information from adversarial entities. Cryptography is nothing new; for millennia, humans have used various forms of encryption to protect personal or institutional secrets. Starting in the mid-twentieth century, we began relying increasingly on digital computers to encrypt (and decrypt) information for us. And in recent years, encrypted messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal have enjoyed widespread adoption.
The rise of those platforms, says Alex Pruden, chief executive officer of Aleo – a company that is devoted to building privacy on blockchains – reflects a growing awareness among laypeople that their activities online are in many cases being monitored and exploited by big tech companies: “People are starting to wake up to the fact that in the digital world, all of our interactions are permanent, [and] we have no idea who is watching anything,” Pruden says. “It is a totally new universe, that humanity is trying to wrap their heads around … this is why you’ve seen crypto be adopted more and more: people who are more tech-forward as they realize the implications, and I think slowly but surely, people will come around to see that we have to have protections, we need to use cryptography to protect our information online.”
The crypto crossroads
Many web3 enthusiasts consider crypto, roughly speaking, to be the lifeblood of the decentralized future, a financial system that’s completely unmoored to the centralizing power of greedy and often irresponsible banks, governments, and corporations. But crypto transactions, contrary to popular belief, are far from private. “The majority of the population thinks about Bitcoin as a private means of exchange, which is very far from true, actually,” says Adam Gągol, cofounder and CTO at blockchain platform Aleph Zero. “I want to claim that it’s much less private than normal bank exchanges. The problem with Bitcoin and many other blockchains is that basically anyone can track your transactions, provided that they interact with you once.”
There are services known as crypto mixers that are capable of scrambling the transaction histories of crypto assets, thereby making them impossible to track (by, say, law enforcement officials). But these have to some extent fallen into disrepute. One example: Tornado Cash, once one of the most well-known of these services, was banned in the US earlier this year.
According to Gągol, the crypto industry has now found itself at something of a crossroads: “We are at this moment where we’ll be defining how private the exchange should be,” he says. “What should be possible to reveal for an auditor? What should be possible to conceal for the user?”
Lost in the metaverse
The metaverse – a vaguely defined virtual space where visitors will theoretically be able to work, play, shop and interact with one another as avatars – also raises some privacy concerns. Or rather, the concern stems from virtual reality (VR) – the technology through which, thanks primarily to the efforts of Meta, has come to be perceived by much of the public as roughly synonymous with the metaverse. According to a recent study, VR can be leveraged by bad actors to glean sensitive data metrics – from weight to income level to age and ethnicity – from users. The authors of the study write: “VR attackers can covertly ascertain dozens of personal data attributes from seemingly-anonymous users of popular metaverse applications like VRChat.”
For all its promise of ensuring data privacy, web3 still has a long way to go before that dream is realized.
From a PR point of view, web3 has been having a difficult year. The onset of the ’crypto winter’ in May, and the recent collapse of the once-leading crypto exchange platform FTX, has caused many to lose faith in crypto as a viable alternative to traditional, centralized banking. Then there’s Meta’s much-publicized internal struggles. Though many dyed-in-the-wool web3 enthusiasts would cringe at being grouped into the same industry as Meta, the company – by hook or by crook – has in many important respects become the public face of the metaverse. Since Meta is starting to experience some serious growing pains (the company recently announced that it would be implementing sweeping layoffs for the first time in its history), some speculation about the viability of virtual reality and the metaverse has begun to percolate. Snap founder and CEO Evan Spiegel, for example, recently said in an interview that the metaverse is “pretty ambiguous and hypothetical.”
Time to walk the walk (albeit with non-existent avatar legs)
That’s not to say that web3 is doomed. Like any other major technological innovation, the widespread adoption of the blockchain will take time. Web3 is still in its earliest stages and, for the time being, some experts insist that the dark night of the soul through which web3 is currently navigating could ultimately be a good thing for the space – a time to reflect, to separate the wheat from the chaff, to dial back on hype-driven marketing and focus instead on the actual value – in terms of data privacy protection and individual empowerment that web3 can (theoretically) provide. “The best thing we can do is rebuild our industry’s credibility, not just in the eyes of the regulators, but in the eyes of the public,” says Pruden. “There are a lot of people in the public, who are very respectable, who view this entire thing as a Ponzi scheme or as a joke … we need to practice what we preach … there’s so much marketing hype around all this stuff about how it’s going to change the world, and the marketing hype bleeds into misrepresentation throughout the space: We talk a big talk, and we don’t walk the walk.”
Ultimately, the promise of web3 to reshape data privacy hinges on one invaluable resource: the freedom of choice. “What blockchain … brings to the table is the fact that users can choose whether they want to reveal their data or not,” says Antoni Zolciak, cofounder, COO and CMO at Aleph Zero. Pruden voices a similar sentiment: “The fundamental thing is choice,” he says. “[Blockchain] enables choice: you choose – it’s your data, you can choose where to share it, you can choose how to protect it.”
For more, sign up for The Drum’s Inside the Metaverse weekly newsletter here.
Marketers, who have always valued performance, are looking to CTV as the answer to their ills. For our Data & Privacy Deep Dive, Digital Remedy’s David Zapletal explains why this nascent channel must now be a go-to for DTC brands.
As the direct-to-consumer (DTC) marketplace becomes more saturated and competitive, marketers are under constant pressure to understand campaign performance and to explore new channels for their brands. They’re concerned with cost and convenience. It’s a challenging proposition, especially for DTC brands that don’t have gigantic budgets. And DTC marketers are increasingly recognizing CTV allows them to address those challenges.
Many of the reasons why DTCs are increasingly upping their CTV investments are straightforward – even intuitive. DTCs, from already doing so much business digitally, have access to the first-party data that enables efficient CTV targeting. CTV is high-quality media, with low levels of fraud relative to many other digital channels, and with 100% viewable inventory. They can use similar KPIs in CTV that they use in online campaigns – online conversions, site visits, and the like. And they can target very specifically, allowing them all the benefits of consumers’ engagement with the TV screen, without dealing with the cost of reaching all viewers of a program via linear. DTCs are seeing the value of developing compelling creative for CTV, and shifting spend to the extent that Drizly now says CTV is its top advertising channel.
Mobile and social fading from the marketing mix
Mobile and social have long been preferred channels for DTC marketers. But it’s becoming increasingly difficult to capture ROI in both: newer privacy measures affect campaigns in mobile and brands face the prospect of social campaigns becoming more siloed than ever as third-party cookie deprecation challenges holistic targeting and measurement. Channel saturation and rising mobile CPMs lead to diminishing returns for DTCs. CPMs increased on iOS by 19.5% and Android by 17.4% in 2021, after Apple implemented ATT. In short, all these factors have led to diminishing returns on traditional performance channels like search and social and heighten the urgency of finding new channels that can deliver on their campaign goals.
DTC marketers need to focus on customer acquisition, and they need to measure performance accurately. The former is an expensive prospect. Leading DTC brands may spend upwards of 30% of their entire revenue on digital advertising. The cost of acquisition in digital has only grown in recent years and shows no signs of leveling out. Given these stakes, DTC marketers must be able to gauge incremental lift, to recognize their best-performing audiences and channels and to avoid wasting budget on strategies that don’t boost incrementality. Clearly, DTCs need more options if they’re going to meet their campaign objectives while keeping the cost of media from gutting their overall revenue.
CTV and OTT services are such options. CTV is where the growth is, in terms of consumer adoption. Streaming services are proliferating and viewers have demonstrated they like variety – 33% of streaming viewers in the US subscribe to four or more streaming services today. Among DTC consumers specifically, approximately 70% say they spend more time watching streaming services than on social media. And DTC marketers recognize CTV as a highly engaging channel, with an inherently ’lean-in’ UX and non-skippable ads. Those marketers also appreciate the ability to reach audiences across multiple devices in a fragmented media environment – and the efficiencies CTV offers, compared to linear TV, with campaign activation, ad insertion, and real-time insights.
New channels, new opportunities
New media channels are always of interest to DTC brands. Larger DTCs in particular have been advertising in linear TV and OOH for ages, and more recently on public transit and even retail stores. These are essential acquisition tactics. And unlike those older channels, CTV offers robust options for data-driven optimization and measurement. Not a lot of DTCs have the budget to try out an evenly distributed media mix. The rest must prioritize making the most out of interactions with consumers, to truly drive incrementality – when it comes to both engagement and showing ROI.
Indeed, today, a growing number of DTC marketers use insights from CTV and OTT campaigns to inform their linear strategies. Those insights can help address some of the difficulties marketers have traditionally had in understanding how linear TV drives outcomes along the entire funnel. CTV allows marketers to define outcomes and choose a sophisticated attribution model – important, as a custom attribution window allows brands to define their conversion window, methodology (for example, first and last touch, but also more advanced methods like linear and time decay), and performance or outcome KPIs.
From there, they can optimize towards the interactions that drive performance – and to measure that performance. DTC marketers are under a great deal of pressure to find the most valuable channels and strategies for their brands and budgets, and CTV offers exceptionally broad insights to help meet their goals. Impressions and video completion rates don’t tell the whole story of a campaign. Marketers need to look at user actions all along the funnel. And CTV advanced reporting considers factors including site visits, on-site purchases, in-store visits, and incrementality – not just brand lift and awareness.
When making a push into CTV, DTC marketers will need to consider the metrics and outcomes that are important to them and understand where and how to get insights on those metrics and outcomes. Defining outcomes and understanding attribution models allows marketers to better measure incremental lift – based on specific media placements that are shown to influence outcomes – and optimize toward media sources and audiences driving incrementality.
CTV isn’t simply the next emerging channel for DTC marketers to explore. It’s a powerful channel that can drive performance metrics where previously ’tried and true’ channels aren’t cutting it and can inform cross-platform campaign optimization. And it represents a natural expansion of their existing digital strategies. DTC brands that understand the power of CTV – and how to get the insights they need from it – will gain real advantages over their competitors.
David Zapletal is chief innovation and media officer at Digital Remedy.
Check out The Drum’s Data and Privacy Deep Dive for more.
E-commerce brands can adopt gamification to entice customers this Christmas. Chantel Piper of Reflect Digital reveals how, with a guide to digital advent calendars.
Christmas is one of the most competitive seasons for e-commerce, with brands all over the world looking to grow their bottom line. So, how can your business stand out from the crowded online marketplace?
A digital advent calendar can support your entire marketing funnel by adding a layer of gamification to your marketing messages, capturing users’ attention and, through word of mouth, generating fear-of-missing-out (FOMO) among your target audience.
Reaching new audiences
Partnering with other brands to offer exclusive discounts can expose your brand to new audiences who might have otherwise missed your Christmas offers altogether. Journalists enjoy anything gamified and will jump on the opportunity of sharing your digital advent calendar with their readers as part of an outreach campaign, again helping you to reach new customers.
Be careful to not make your calendar too sales-y if reach via publications is your goal. While journalists love a game, they’ll be put off by anything too commercial.
If done right, your digital advent calendar might also get picked up by bloggers or influencers who will share your offers as part of their content, free marketing and word-of-mouth recommendations.
Amplified reach also helps create a conversation which your brand can lead via social media. Social conversation acts as a form of social proof but also drives FOMO among users. Encourage users to share their thoughts on your digital advent calendar via their own channels using a hashtag.
Re-engaging old or stagnant databases
Email databases get stagnant. Every marketer experiences this, no matter how long their email list is. The festive season is the perfect time to cull your database and a digital advent calendar is a great incentive to re-engage those in your lists who might have been left feeling uninspired by previous campaigns.
Try segmenting your database and creating an email series for those who haven’t recently engaged in the run-up to December, promoting what they can expect to see in your advent. When December 1 ticks around, use this opportunity to leverage exclusive messaging to drive those users to your site.
Those who continue to not engage with your brand (even after some amazingly crafted campaigns) should be removed from your list, as should any hard bounces or contacts who have never opened an email from you. Mailchimp is good at ‘cleaning’ contacts (those whose emails have bounced). It’s worth checking if your own system automatically does this or not.
Building advocacy with customers
If there’s one thing e-commerce consumers love, it’s an exclusive discount or offer. There's a phenomenon known as 'hyperbolic discounting', wherein people put an unrealistically high value on the here and now, and an unrealistically low value on the future.
Give loyal customers access to a different set of discounts, or give them secret insight into what offers are coming each day, so they know when to check in and make their purchases, and when to hold out. Scarcity is a great tactic when it comes to creating exclusivity with offers.
This form of VIP messaging can help build advocacy with customers and those are the ones who are going to shout about your brand online, helping you reach their friends, family and followers. Plus, with repeat customers spending on average 67% more than new customers, it’s a no-brainer.
Converting more users: growing your bottom line
We all know that feeling of wanting to buy something but being put off by the price tag, only to be swayed by a 10% discount or free delivery. Now imagine having 24 days of exclusive offers and discounts in the run-up to Christmas.
Digital advent calendars give consumers what they want from your brand: more for less, all while encouraging them to spend more on your products. These interactions also help create memories with users who might not be ready to purchase yet, increasing the likelihood of them remembering you when they are, especially if your advent calendar calendar makes them feel as if they’ve landed on a best-kept secret.
Start thinking about next year's numbers by releasing a set of offers with discounts for early 2023 to get consumers excited about the future, too.
Building new mailing lists
If you include a competition or registration element as part of your digital advent calendar you’ll also get access to new data from users, allowing you to build new mailing lists for marketing in the new year.
Plus, you can use this data to remind users to come back each day; increasing the footprint of your brand in their inboxes and helping you stay top-of-mind while brands all over are also trying to reach your customers.
Gathering consumer insights
Your digital advent calendar doesn’t have to be 24 days of offers. You can mix it up with polls or other incentives. If you’ve got a prize draw for those who open your calendar every day, you know people will get involved.
Polls can give you invaluable insights into your customers, their wants, needs and challenges so that you can then optimize your marketing strategy into 2023.
You can check out our demo advent calendar here.
B2B chief marketers have taken a magpie’s approach to their marketing strategies in recent years, raiding the consumer brand bag of tricks. How useful will that approach prove over the long term?
One of the biggest stories of this year’s advertising Super Bowl didn’t come from a household-name brand or meta-narrative bravado, but from a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform.
Salesforce brought in the big guns – Matthew McConaughey in a sly nod to his Interstellar role, soaring rhetoric and the grandiose opening movements of Strauss’s Thus Spake Zarathrustra – to bring its brand to the widest possible audience.
Speaking at The Drum’s B2B WorldFest, Martin Kihn, Salesforce Marketing Cloud’s vice-president of strategy, explained the ad had two key aims: “Top-of-funnel growth and brand perception.”
In particular, he pointed out the spot’s optimistic message of a clean future brought Salesforce in line with other purpose-driven brands. “This particular ad was around business platform change,” he explained. “That’s an important part of the brand mission... and the Super Bowl is a big platform. And so the whole purpose of that ad was to promote net zero and sustainability and to align Salesforce with it.
“B2B brands are increasingly taking a stand on issues that improve life for everybody.”
B2B brands borrowing B2C marketing tactics isn’t necessarily new, but Kihn and fellow chief marketer Kirsten Allegri Williams of Optimizely argue that TV commercials, mass campaigns and brand awareness are now all part of the permanent B2B playbook.
“The industry has grown up in a very product-led environment. In order to really break through the noise, you have to connect your brand strategy to the core truths,” said Williams.
What’s more, B2B marketers don’t have to sacrifice efficiency or preciseness while wielding these tools, added Williams. “It has to drive outcomes,” she said. B2B brands should aim to have “the ability to create inclusive collaboration across the entire digital team, which now includes marketing, product and engineering. It’s about customer foresights, using data and analytics insights to actually inform the next best action for customers.”
Williams said she expects the “humanity” in B2B marketing to become more apparent, and that a better understanding of customers, plus the fact that many tech B2B companies are maturing, will trigger more B2C-style marketing from those brands. “I do not think it’s going to get easier. It’s going to get more nuanced. And to the point of connecting from a story perspective, you got to understand the motivations and drivers and risks and fears that every single influencer in the C-suite is embarking upon in that context.”
Kihn noted that, as the number of business decision-makers affected by tech purchasing grows, B2B brands need to have the ability to reach broader audiences. “The decision-making process has expanded to the point where there are more people with relevant opinions. Ultimately, the tools that you’re using [need to be] relevant for different departments.”
Watch the full session with Salesforce and Optimizely at B2B World Fest, and others, on The Drum TV.
From Nike’s ‘Airport’ to Carlsberg’s ‘Old Lions’, we find out which World Cup ads have stuck with the industry’s top creative directors over the years.
The Fifa World Cup has produced some of the best-known and most-loved ad campaigns ever, so in the run-up to this year’s tournament we spoke to some of the ad industry’s top creatives to find out their favorite of all time.
Here’s what they had to say...
Nike ‘Airport’ (1998) Tom Drew, executive creative director, Wunderman Thompson: “Nike wrote the future of World Cup ads in 1998 when it shot the Brazil squad having an impromptu kickabout in an airport. An immensely watchable spot that started a Mexican wave of ads that showed football being played everywhere but a pitch.”
Ruben Van Maldeghem, creative director, Mutant: “I don’t have to dig deep to find the one World Cup ad that stuck with me the most. It is surely Nike’s ’Airport’ film for the 1998 World Cup in France. No expensive special effects, simply world star players like (the real) Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos portrayed as a group of friends having fun at the airport. I was 7 years old when I saw the commercial and, just like any other kid who played football himself, I fell in love with the Brazilian vibe and the whole ‘Joga Bonito’ campaign that followed. That love stopped briefly in 2002 when Brazil unfairly eliminated Belgium in the quarter-finals due to a referee’s mistake, but fortunately we took revenge a few years ago.”
Adidas ‘Footballitis’ (2002) Beth Anderton-Allen, associate creative director, Amplify: “Who would have thought that sausage dogs, Beckham and what looks like a golden syrup cure would make up the perfect ingredients for a great World Cup advert? ’Footballitis’ gives a cheeky wink to the emotional, epic and fast-paced football ads with a surreal 70s spy movie meets retro educational film that stands out from the crowd and raises a smile or two.
“While experts struggle to analyze football’s feverish effect on professional players and pooches, Adidas subtly gives viewers a glimpse of the official World Cup 2002 official match ball, aptly named Fevernova, before the tournament kicks off. What a memorable and humorous way to show that football fever is spreading around the globe.”
Carlsberg ‘Dreams’ (2002) Mark Shanley, creative director, Adam&EveDDB: “The best World Cup ad is one you have almost certainly never seen. It’s Carlsberg’s 2002 World Cup spot ‘Dreams’ in which Ireland escapes their group and makes it all the way to the final (dispatching England en route), where Jason McAteer scores the winner before his alarm clock abruptly wakes him up. Am I biased? Yes, extraordinarily biased. But a great ad should make you feel something and, call it a lack of imagination, but I can’t think of a better feeling than this one.”
Nike ‘Joga Bonito’ (2006) Tayfun Sarier, creative director, The&Partnership: “I still remember the moment when Nike’s ’Joga Bonito’ campaign came out for the 2006 World Cup that was held in Germany. Nike raised the beautiful aspects of the game. I loved the way it was captured as I felt invited into the dressing room with the Brazilian squad (Ronaldinho, Kaka, Ronaldo…) playing with the ball and having fun like concert musicians warming-up before performing. My football-obsessed friends and I were all trying to mimic their tricks and skills.
“The spirit of creative play resonated with us as it suddenly wasn’t about goals, winning, trophies and titles. It was about promoting fair and creative play as well as team spirit and the Brazilian ethos to leave room to entertain.”
Carlsberg ‘Old Lions’ (2006) Charlie Hue Williams, art director, MadeBrave: “This ad captures the nostalgic heritage of football, while conveying its timeless appeal, in a nice homage to the purity and accessibility of the sport. Cleverly, it merges both fame and reality with a twist of time to create an authentic yet unexpected narrative, which ladders up to a great gag.
“Carlsberg uses retired English legends to perfectly deliver its proposition: ’Carlsberg don’t do pub teams, but if it did, they would probably be the best pub team in the world.’”
Matt Lever, chief creative officer, BMB: “Carlsberg’s ’Old Lions’ is pretty much perfect. A bunch of aging lads come together on a Sunday morning for a pub football match. Except they’re not just any lads. They’re some of the greatest footballers to have ever pulled on an England shirt.
“The scenarios are all too familiar to anyone who’s ever blearily run around a waterlogged pitch the morning after the night before, just dusted with the magic that comes from seeing some of the nation’s heroes playing grassroots football for the love of the game.
“The perfect execution of a long-term brand idea, it speaks to the idea and manages to be incredibly relevant to a big tactical moment like the World Cup. Is it the second-best football ad of all time? Probably…”
Nike ‘St Rooney’ (2006)
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Nicola Wood, creative director, Ogilvy: “Every four years football piques my interest (but don’t tell that to my avid Arsenal fan husband who I pretend to care about results with). I might not be a lover of the sport, but I am a fan of the World Cup because it’s not just a tournament but a cultural moment, one that transcends the sport to tap into pride, identity and love of country. All of these are at the heart of this truly memorable Nike poster. It’s hard to create something this unforgettable. The striking image of Wayne Rooney painted red in the shape of the St George’s cross is bold, iconic, controversial.
“Every World Cup is full of drama and 2006 was no different: Zidane headbutted Materazzi, Ronaldo winked after Rooney got a red card and this poster caused outrage, mostly for its religious connotations. Where some people saw the crucifixion, I saw something that beautifully captured the spirit of the World Cup at that time. Rooney was back. There was hope. England could do it (except of course they didn’t).”
Nike ‘Write The Future’ (2010) Trevor Robinson, founder and executive creative director, Quiet Storm: “A benchmark of a great ad is if you wish you’d done it yourself. I remember when I first saw this film, I was so envious of the creatives who made it. Because it’s a truly epic ad. It does not feel like three minutes; at no point do you feel your concentration lapse. The energy that radiates is electric. Even watching it now I’m still full of envy and awe. It’s so dense with ideas, it’s scary!
“This ad really encapsulates the effect that football can have on your career. You’re a hero one minute, a villain the next. 12 years later, we still face this dichotomy, as seen with what happened to Sterling, Rashford and Sancho after they missed their penalties in the Euros. They went from being national heroes to receiving racist abuse and the defacing of murals. And that is a dark and scary reality that this film also captures so impactfully.”
Polina Zabrodskaya, creative partner, AMV BBDO: “A great World Cup ad is bigger than football and can engage people who otherwise wouldn’t care. I think Nike’s ’Write The Future’ is hard to beat. To quote the Sea Snake from House of the Dragon, ’What is this mortal life if not the pursuit of legacy?’ The insight, the story, and the impeccable craft still hold up over 10 years later. I’ve just watched it again and loved it as much as the first time.
Watch all of the latest ads from the Fifa World Cup 2022 tournament here.
AT&T 5G will have college football devotees around the nation tuning in, and blurting out inappropriate things, throughout the season.
AT&T is calling on all sports fans to get their hands on their 5G network, because ‘Too much college football is never too much.‘
AT&T‘s new college football advertising campaign will premiere this weekend and lead into the AT&T sponsored College Football Playoff National Championship. Developed by BBDO Los Angeles, ‘Too much college football is never too much,‘ highlights some of the extreme lengths college football fans will go in order to stay on top of the season's biggest moments.
In one spot, a short goal line drive interrupts a wedding and an inopportune time when the officiant asks if anyone has any objections. "He's short!" a wedding attendee exclaims, as the other guests look on in horror.
In another, a caddy is streaming football with AT&T 5G during a golf tournament. As one golfer makes his swing, he inappropriately says"Trash" under his breath.
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Beginning November 5, the campaign will run across broadcast, digital, audio platforms and out-of-home and through the AT&T-sponsored National Championship game on January 9. OOH is focused on major college football markets and Bowl game host cities like Miami, Phoenix, Atlanta, New Orleans, Dallas, Pasadena, and Los Angeles, with placement around and in-transit to their respective stadiums.
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The sportswear company is releasing two new pairs of lifestyle shoes dubbed the “UI Collection,” which come with a NFT and can only be purchased using cryptocurrency.
Asics has launched a new campaign aimed at promoting physical activity in the web3 community - and also at positioning the brand as a big stepper in the emerging space.
Today, the Japanese sportswear company unveils the “UI Collection,” created in partnership with blockchain brand Solana. The collection - which according to Asics “has been exclusively designed for everyday activity” - includes two versions of Asics’ GT-2000 shoe: a white “light mode,” and a black “dark mode.”
“The understated Solana-inspired design comes from the user interfaces (UI) on computer and phone screens to symbolize a healthy balance between screen time and physical activity,” Asics said in a statement.
“We see web3 as an opportunity to take our mission to inspire physical activity for healthy body and mind to a new audience - at a global scale - and encourage them to be active through fun and exciting blockchain-based experiences built around our products,” Joe Pace, director of web3 and digital goods at Solana, told The Drum in an email.
Every shoe purchase will come with a “loyalty Asics Badge NFT,” which the brand says “will unlock access to future tokengated ASICS rewards and experiences.” Purchasers will also unlock a chance to receive additional NFTs from Asics and web3 brand Stepn via airdrop which will provide access to an app called “Move and Earn” that rewards physical activity with NFTs.
The UI Collection is exclusively available for purchase via Solana Pay, Solana’s free payment platform. Payments can only be using USD Coin (USDC), an Ethereum-based cryptocurrency known as a “stablecoin” - which means its value is programmed to fluctuate in lockstep with that of a fiat, reserve currency, in this case the US dollar.
“The launch of the Asica x Solana UI Collection is a major step forward for Asics web3 commerce,” Pace said in a statement. “We’re proud to leverage Solana Pay and partner with Stepn to help us scale our mission to inspire the global web3 community to create healthy habits with our products.”
Last year, Asics released an NFT collection called “Sunrise Red,” the profits from which went to the digital artists who had created the designs for the tokens.
The new UI Collection is available for preorder now through 1:59am ET on November 9.
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The lawsuit follows a slew of high-level resignations, user backlash and ad spend cuts that have rocked Twitter in the days since billionaire Elon Musk took the reins.
Editor's note: Since publishing, The Drum has learned that affected Twitter employees will remain on the payroll until the first week of January 2023, though laid-off employees were immediately locked out of all Twitter systems including their email accounts. The attorney who filed the lawsuit Thursday, Shannon Liss-Riordan, told Bloomberg that Twitter “is making an effort to comply” with the law. We will be following this story as it develops.
In the latest chapter of Elon Musk’s turbulent Twitter takeover, the company has been slapped with a class-action lawsuit for allegedly violating a federal law that requires employers to give 60 days’ notice of mass layoffs.
Five plaintiffs in the lawsuit – filed Thursday night – are current or former Twitter employees. One of the plaintiffs, according to court documents, was let go effective Tuesday.
“We filed this lawsuit tonight in an attempt to make sure that employees are aware that they should not sign away their rights and that they have an avenue for pursuing their rights,” Shannon Liss-Riordan, the attorney who filed the suit, told Bloomberg.
The news comes mere hours after an internal memo was reportedly shared with Twitter employees, explaining that layoffs were happening on Friday, November 4 “in an effort to place Twitter on a healthy path.” Recipients were told they’d find out their fate via email on Friday morning.
By this morning, hashtags including #TwitterLayoffs, #OneTeam and #LoveWhereYouWorked were trending amid the upheaval.
It’s been widely reported that Musk, whose acquisition of the platform was completed last week, plans to slash around half of the company’s 7,500-person staff.
Experts believe Musk’s approach to laying off staff will ultimately hurt him. “Keeping the company in a constant state of uncertainty doesn’t bode well for Musk’s plans for the future of Twitter,” says Jasmine Enberg, a principal analyst at Insider Intelligence’s eMarketer specializing in social media. “Fear isn’t a great long-term motivator for the employees who remain to execute on Musk’s vision, and Musk needs all hands on deck to navigate through this period of change.”
Plus, some predict that employees who remain are likely to disengage. “People who don’t get cut are going to start looking for new opportunities, not do their best work and ultimately leave for something else,” says Zaven Nahapetyan, co-founder of Web3 content platform Niche. “Job security is more important than ever for tech workers right now, given the current economic climate, so people will be looking for work that feels stable and secure.”
Not to mention that the drama may not bode well for future talent acquisition efforts. “The challenge going forward will be how to attract and retain new talent with the way Musk has treated a large population of Twitter employees, many who have been there since the beginning,” says Paul Roberts, chief executive and cofounder of adtech company Kubient. “The tech community is relatively small … and the fact that Musk has very publicly decided to fire people a few days before stock vesting and bonuses are due will not quickly be forgotten.”
Meanwhile, Musk’s intentions of loosening the reins on content moderation – which many fear will invite an influx of hate speech and misinformation on Twitter – has caused a stir among users and advertisers. The hashtag #TwitterMigration has been trending as users move to other platforms like microblogging site Mastodon.
Brands – whose advertising spend accounts for the majority of Twitter’s revenue stream – are pulling back, too. Data from ecommerce marketing firm MikMak reveals that Twitter has witnessed a 42% drop in advertising traffic for brands over the last week. Major organizations including General Motors, Audi, Volkswagen and Pfizer have paused their advertising on the platform.
A wave of executive resignations, paired with Musk’s plans to charge users $8 a month for verification, has only spooked advertisers more.
Layoffs – with the added layer of a class-action lawsuit – aren’t likely to persuade brands to come running back anytime soon, says Enberg. “In the near-term, Musk’s management style isn’t going to help soothe advertisers’ concerns,” she says. “Internal stability is an important consideration for advertisers when they’re allocating their budgets, and Musk’s erratic behavior and seeming indifference toward employees and the law is another reason on a long list of why advertisers are choosing to pull ads from the platform.”
And ultimately, Musk needs them more than they need him. “Twitter is not an essential platform for most advertisers, so it's already easier to justify pulling or pausing ads on the platform than on more important platforms like Meta or Google,” says Enberg. In fact, Insider Intelligence data indicates that Twitter will account for just 0.8% of worldwide digital ad revenues this year.
“Tack on very valid concerns about brand safety and a user exodus,” Enberg says, “and it’s a relatively easy and painless decision for Twitter’s advertisers to cut their spending there.”
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Skoda, T-Mobile, Crocs and Bacardi among those in the running at The Drum Awards for Social Media.
The Drum Awards for Social Media reward the most talented people, the best agencies and the amazing social media campaigns from around the world that are changing the media landscape for the better.
In the past few years, we’ve seen TikTok take over, we’ve seen video content become the preferred medium with younger audiences and augmented reality breaching the mainstream audiences. Whether you market to a broad or niche audience, everyone now has a social media plan.
Our judging panel, chaired by Candice Beck, director of social and influencer at Chipotle and Philippa Dunjay, director of strategy at TikTok, was on the lookout for fresh, impactful, polished and effective work.
Winners will be announced at a ceremony at The Drum Labs in London as part of our week-long awards festival running from December 5-9 and you can check out the full shortlist of nominations below:
Automotive or Transport
- Twitch for Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG
- Create & Create Production for Volkswagen Middle East
- Eight&Four for Genesis Motor Europe
- OneFifty Consultancy for Mazda UK
- Digital Voices for Virtuo
B2B
- Brands2Life for Sitecore
- The Tree for Anglo American
- Digital Voices for Meta
- Media.Monks for T-Mobile (T-Mobile For Business)
Best Celebrity/Influencer Brand Partnership
- Whalar for Clé de Peau Beauté
- Barbarian for JBL
- Whalar for DirecTV
- Sputnik Floyd FZE for Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority
- Billion Dollar Boy for GetYourGuide
- Digital Voices for Meta
Best Influencer Campaign
- Collectively for Dove
- Whalar for Clé de Peau Beauté
- Brands2Life for LinkedIn
- QYou Media for Paramount Pictures
- Crystal Ski Holidays
- Adobe/Relatable
Best Integrated Campaign
- Rethink for Kraft Heinz Canada
- Spark Foundry for Takis
- Purpose.Ant for Oppo Vietnam
- Push Live for Oracle Red Bull Racing
- Tangerine Communications for Specsavers
Best Response to Change
- Mind
- OneFifty Consultancy for Harvester
- Barbarian for Fenty Beauty
Best Social Media Diversity & Inclusivity Program/Initiative
- Zulu Alpha Kilo for Black Business and Professional Association, Toronto Metropolitan University's Diversity Institute, Canadian Congress on inclusive diversity and workplace equity, Pride at Work Canada
- Havas Atlanta for Coca-Cola Trademark (The Coca-Cola Company)
- Brands2Life for LinkedIn
- UKTV (Dave Channel)
- VaynerMedia EMEA for Indeed
- Ogilvy UK for Skoda UK
Best Social Stunt
- Rethink for Penguin Random House
- McCann Manchester for Aldi UK
- Qumin for Marriott International
- Havas Media for BBC
- Movement Strategy for Showtime Networks
- Volt Studio/Inside Ideas Group for Molson Coors
Best Use of Facebook
- Buxton Water
- Propel/Oliver Agency for Swoop
- Purpose.Ant for Generali Vietnam
- RocketMill for Huggies
Best Use of Instagram
- Hey Honey for Crocs Europe
- Hubbub Foundation UK
- 1DS Collective for Liver King
- Frisson Creative for Laureus
- Movement Strategy for Adult Swim
- Ogilvy UK for Hoka
Best Use of LinkedIn
- FCB Inferno for Virgin Group
- Wavemaker UK and The&Partnership for RNIB
Best Use of Live Video
- Twitch for Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG
- Propel/Oliver Agency for Swoop
- VaynerMedia for TikTok
- McCann Manchester for Aldi UK
- OMD UK for Bacardi
Best Use of Snapchat
- Dentsu for Apache Pizza
- Havas Media for BBC
Best Use of Social Media Advertising
- Rethink for Kraft Heinz Canada
- Empathy Inc for Lifeworks
- LadBible Group for Tango/Britvic
- Sputnik Floyd FZE for Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority
- The Works for Destination NSW
- Uncovered Group for Yo!
- Team Whistle for eBay
Best Use of Tik Tok
- Whalar for Clé de Peau Beauté
- VaynerMedia for EMEA + The Kitchen at Kraft Heinz
- 180 Amsterdam for PepsiCo
- OneFifty Consultancy for Toby Carvery
- OK Cool for Nike x JD
- NatWest
Best Use of Twitter
- Adidas and Twitter for Next Adidas
- McCann Manchester for Aldi UK
- Twitter Next for Netflix UK
- Wavemaker UK and Twitter for Netflix UK
- Volt Studio/Inside Ideas Group for Molson Coors
Best User-Generated Content
- Delightful Communications for Microsoft
- Oliver Agency for Manulife
- The River Group for Co-op
- River Island
Best Viral Campaign
- 1DS Collective for Liver King
- McCann Manchester for Aldi UK
- Coolr for Burger King
- El Pollo Loco
- Volt Studio/Inside Ideas Group for Molson Coors
Community Manager of the Year
- UKTV
- UKTV (UKTV Play)
- TMW Unlimited
Consumer Products or Services
- The Kitchen for Kraft Heinz
- Volt Studio/Inside Ideas Group for Molson Coors
- RocketMill for USN
- U-Studio/Oliver Agency for Unilever/Klondike
- TMW Unlimited for Emmi Caffè Latte
Fashion/Health/Beauty/Luxury
- Collectively for Dove
- Barbarian for JBL
- MG OMD for Mac (Estee Lauder)
Finance/Professional Services
- NatWest
- Purpose.Ant for Generali Vietnam
- CHS for The Allianz Group
- Flying Object for Monzo Bank
- American Express and Eulogy
- TMW Unlimited for NS&I
Healthcare/Pharma
- Jungle Creations for Haleon (formerly part of GSK)
- Born Social for Dettol
- Empathy Inc for Lifeworks
- BCW for Novartis Pharmaceuticals
In-House Brand Team of the Year
- D3 In-House Agency at Frito-Lay North America Inc.
- T-Mobile
- Baker Hughes
- Ivanti
Largest ROI From a Social Media Campaign or Strategy
- Spark Foundry for Rail Delivery Group
- Oliver Agency for WestJet
- Scoppechio for GE Appliances
- Universum for Unilever MENA
- Dentsu for Apache Pizza
- Hey Honey for Crocs Europe
Low Budget
- Havas Atlanta for Sprite (The Coca-Cola Company)
- Bark, makers of BarkBox
- Volt Studio/Inside Ideas Group for Molson Coors
- Ginga for Burger King
- Scoppechio for GE Appliances
Most Effective Use of Group or Community
- Whalar for DirecTV
- U-Studio/Oliver Agency for Unilever/Klondike
- Volt Studio/Inside Ideas Group for Molson Coors
- McCann Manchester for Aldi UK
- Qualcomm
- Ogilvy UK for Hoka
Most Effective Use of Insight/Monitoring
- Movement Strategy for Showtime Networks
- Havas Atlanta for Sprite (The Coca-Cola Company)
- Part and Sum for The Nature Conservancy
Most Effective Use of Video
- Reach Agency for Hulu
- Jungle Creations and Spark Foundry for Taco Bell
- Oliver Agency for WestJet
- Prophet for Scoperta! Wine
- Envision Racing for Palo Alto Networks
- Premier League/Team Whistle for Premier League
- Tangerine Communications for Specsavers
Most Innovative Use of Social
- Adidas and Twitter for Next
- McCann Manchester for Aldi UK
- Movement Strategy for Netflix
- Twitter Next for Netflix UK
- Big Village for HBO Max
- Propel/Oliver Agency for Swoop
Music, Entertainment, Gaming and E-Sports
- 33Seconds for Sky
- Big Village for HBO Max
- Movement Strategy for Showtime Networks
- Battenhall for Google EMEA (YouTube)
- OMD UK for Channel 4
Not-for-Profit/Charity
- Rethink for YWCA Metro Vancouver
- Mind
- The Kite Factory and Don't Panic for WaterAid
- Cubaka for Plan International UK
- Frisson Creative for Laureus
- Eight&Four for British Heart Foundation
Public Sector or Government
- The Met Office
- OmniGOV at MG OMD for Office for National Statistics
- Wavemaker UK for Counter Terrorism Policing
- Sputnik Floyd FZE for Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority
Retail or E-Commerce
- Oliver Agency for WestJet
- Adidas Brand Design/Oliver Agency for Adidas
- mSix&Partners and LadBible for Tango
- Ginga for Mercado Livre
- The Tree for Wenzel’s
- Twitter Next for Heineken/Strongbow
- Oliver Agency for Professional Bull Riding
Travel/Tourism/Leisure or Sports
- OneFifty Consultancy for Airbnb
- Spark Foundry for Rail Delivery Group
- Ogilvy UK for Hoka
- Billion Dollar Boy for Heineken UK
- Ogilvy UK for Skoda UK
Use of Social Media for Good
- FCB Inferno for Virgin Group
- The Met Office
- Lorraine – ITV Daytime
- Motive Agency for Guide Dogs UK
- Lime Pictures for Channel 4
- Rethink for YWCA Metro Vancouver
Omnicom comms agency has put a ‘significant investment’ behind the initiative.
Marketing messages aren’t broadcast in a vacuum. They’re read, listened to or watched by audiences in the middle of the rest of their lives, experienced alongside the triumphs and petty tragedies of everyday life.
Brands need to take the latter into account, argues comms agency Ketchum – not just to better communicate advertising messages, but to avoid adding to the struggles of those affected by personal and societal traumas.
With that in mind, it has launched a ‘trauma-informed’ PR and comms practice to help lead brands along the right path.
What is ‘trauma-informed’ consulting?
“The world has collectively experienced the trauma of the pandemic, of social justice issues, of everything going on in the global economy,” explains Michelle Baker, executive vice-president and managing director of corporate strategic initiatives and public health, who’s spearheaded the project.
“Any sector or organization can only benefit from being trauma-informed and having that extra lens on how you communicate, whether it’s with your employees, your constituents, your communities or your consumers.”
She says there have been so many moments of “collective trauma” in the United States in recent years, such as the murder of George Floyd or political threats to the rights of women and the LGBTQ+ community, that businesses must become more empathetic to the concerns of their audiences.
To address that issue, Ketchum has hired three experts – clinical social worker Dawn Shedrick, psychologist Kate Licastro and attorney and author Katharine Manning – to teach its own staff to mend their ways, and then lead clients towards a more understanding way of communicating.
51 of the agency’s senior staff have been trained in a pilot scheme over the last three months, and the company is preparing to spread the program out further. “We’re taking things in and out of that to refine it, and then we’re going to roll it out to everyone, at every level,” says Baker.
Eventually, the agency aims to instruct every staff member in consulting this way, adding expertise in navigating trauma to its toolkit. US chief executive officer Jim Joseph tells The Drum “across all of our clients, the idea will be that every single person will become trauma-informed. It’s not really one tool or one product, it’s about the way we work. Everything we do should be trauma-informed.”
Baker adds that “that thinking will then be embedded from the generalists, but they’ll be able to tap teams with more expertise, as they would for strategic planning or direct client counsel.”
Ketchum staff will be enabled to ‘audit’ clients’ marketing efforts to check whether they’re sensitive enough to target audience concerns, says Joseph. “We’ll take a look at their marketing and communications programs and assess whether they are in fact trauma-informed or if they need to be tweaked. We’ll train them, do workshops for them and for their marketers and communication folks, and then we also will offer consultant services so that as they develop a program and put it out into the marketplace, we will make sure that it’s trauma-informed – particularly if it is targeted to a marginalized community.”
Why launch now?
According to Baker, the impetus for the project came from a growing awareness of the impact of shocking events on society. “You can’t help, in every news article today, but see how trauma is impacting populations that are hard to reach and underserved. It was a culmination of looking at how we tackle some of the health equity and justice and larger DNI issues of the day, combined with some of the things we’re seeing in workplaces and industries.”
In practical terms, Joseph says that clients in disadvantaged communities or audiences will find the expertise most useful. “The example we give is if we’re working with underserved Black women and breast cancer, you have to communicate with them and offer them programs that are trauma-informed – not only are they going through a health scare, they have other many forms of trauma that they’re dealing with in their life,” he explains.
“The fact that they have cancer is just one of them. So when you develop programs for them to try to get them, to become compliant to therapy, you’ve got to communicate with them knowing what they’re going through in their life.”
Half a dozen clients are already on board, Baker notes, but Ketchum’s own staff have pushed the scheme forward most of all.
“Internally, we’ve talked a lot about how our own people are going through trauma. How do we help them balance the needs of their life and the stresses they’re going through along with their workload in what is a very stressful industry? We needed it for our own people too.”
Joseph says the training means a “significant investment” from the company. But he’s adamant it’s worth doing. “If you’re communicating to the public, then you need to be understanding what’s going on in the world.”
Job cuts add to uncertainty for marketers, with media buyers advising clients not to commit to future spending on the platform.
Only a few short days after Elon Musk was compelled to complete his purchase of Twitter, the social media platform has begun laying off vast numbers of its staff. For advertisers that were already concerned about Musk’s changes, it creates more uncertainty at a time when they wanted to see stability.
Musk has apparently acknowledged the impact of brands pausing spending, though he argues it is due to activists rather than uncertainty.
Twitter has had a massive drop in revenue, due to activist groups pressuring advertisers, even though nothing has changed with content moderation and we did everything we could to appease the activists.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) On Thursday, Twitter staff were informed they would need to check in the morning to see whether they had retained their jobs. It was part of a vast swathe of cuts to Twitter’s cost base imposed by new owner Elon Musk in an attempt to service the vast debt incurred by the purchase. For marketers it adds to a period of uncertainty, causing some big brands to pause spend on Twitter while media buyers advise clients not to commit to future spending. Companies including General Motors, Volkswagen, Audi and Pfizer have reportedly paused ads on the platform, pending reviews of what the platform ultimately looks like. Mondelez International has also reportedly paused ad spend. Even before the job losses, major brands were reappraising their plans. A spokesperson for General Motors, for example, stated: “We are engaging with Twitter to understand the direction of the platform under [its] new ownership. As is the normal course of business with a significant change in a media platform, we have temporarily paused our paid advertising. Our customer care interactions on Twitter will continue.” The news of job losses was met with disbelief, about both the manner in which they were announced and the scale of the cuts, which reportedly run to 3,700 jobs. The loss spans many aspects of Twitter’s operations, from curation to product development teams.
Extremely messed up! They’re trying to destroy free speech in America.Just to be clear, he fired the team working on this. https://t.co/56I1uyBIIR
— sillyrobin is a fmr Tweep (@SillyRobin) Marketers are concerned about the impact the loss of key staff will have on the platform’s ability to remain a safe place to spend. Jordan Bitterman, chief marketing officer at TripleLift, says: “I believe that Twitter has succeeded largely because of its people: people who built a strong and diverse culture and engaged in earnest dialogue with their customers. I have a deep respect for the team behind the platform and for what they achieved. Growing revenue from essentially zero to over $5bn in 2021 is an impressive feat no matter the industry.”Yep, the team is gone. The team that was researching and pushing for algorithmic transparency and algorithmic choice. The team that was studying algorithmic amplification. The team that was inventing and building ethical AI tooling and methodologies. All that is gone.
— Joan Deitchman (@JoanDeitchman) Musk’s memo to staff notes that all offices are temporarily being closed and that employees are prohibited from discussing the cuts. It read, in part: “We acknowledge this is an incredibly challenging experience to go through, whether or not you are impacted. Thank you for continuing to adhere to Twitter policies that prohibit you from discussing confidential company information on social media, with the press or elsewhere.” Twitter was then immediately sued by former workers who argue that the notice period is too short and breaches federal law in California.aaand the first class action lawsuit has already been filed:https://t.co/ECAlJIzh65 https://t.co/sPHvoUUSKq
— Jesse Lehrich (@JesseLehrich) For marketers, the lack of certainty is likely to cause further consternation. Many of the reported changes Musk intends to make at Twitter appear to run counter to brand safety priorities, but until we know what Twitter will ultimately look like the uncertainty will continue.
Children tell how special it is when a superhero “looks just like me” in Wakanda Forever Happy Meal spot from DDB Chicago.
Excitement is building for the release of Marvel Studios‘ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which hits theatres next week. To celebrate the movie, fans in the US can now get their hands on a superhero toy when they buy a McDonald‘s Happy Meals.
To mark the occasion, a short film by DDB Chicago details how important representation is – especially to young people. In the video, viewers see a cast of Black children talking about the feeling they get when they see someone on screen that looks like them.
“The first Black Panther movie inspired a new generation of Marvel lovers – and that‘s because of the powerful story it told, brought to life by an incredibly talented cast,“ said Jennifer Healan, vice-president of US marketing, brand content and engagement at McDonald‘s.
“It set a whole new standard for representation on the big screen. And now, we‘re excited to bring that experience to our restaurants and help fans see and celebrate their inner hero with this new Happy Meal – because seeing is believing.“
Interested in creative campaigns? Check out our Ad of the Day section and sign up for our Ads of the Week newsletter so you don’t miss a story.
We catch up with the supermarket’s creative agency to hear all about the Christmas miracle that led to Buddy starring in its fantastic festive film.
Asda today premiered its jolly Christmas campaign starring Will Ferrell’s lovable character Buddy the Elf from the Warner Bros film Elf. It was a wildcard for Asda, but one that is bound to raise a smile – which is exactly what the creative team at Havas London set out to do.
“We want to bring Christmas cheer this year – that’s your brief,” says Vicki Maguire, chief creative officer at Havas London and self-confessed Elf fanatic.
Originally, the team didn’t set out to use a character. “We were playing this game, which was basically, ’if Asda at Christmas was a person, who would that be?’” The thinking was that, whoever that person is, they would have to be optimistic, love Christmas, be funny, cheeky and, ultimately, green. “That’s Buddy. But we were like, ’yeah, Will won’t do it.’”
So, with the seed firmly planted, Maguire’s team presented all their ideas to Asda. Out of the three or four routes that were suggested, the supermarket excitedly gravitated towards Buddy. Now it was time to convince Ferrell.
The actor is notoriously precious over the character. It is widely reported that he frequently turns down a sequel to the hit movie, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary next year.
Havas “tentatively” approached Will’s team and Warner, and both were interested in the logistics of making it happen. “We couldn’t get excited. We were really excited, but we couldn’t, just in case,” laughs Maguire. Before anything could happen, Ferrell wanted to make sure the footage was in safe hands. “We were almost kind of tested on our love for it. I mean, it’s my favorite film ever. Will and Warner are really protective around it – they were asking what our favorite parts of the movie were.”
After proving their dedication and respect for the character they got the green light, which is when they brought renowned director Danny Kleinman on board. “We needed somebody who was going to geek out on taking the footage and re-mastering it and dropping the original into an Asda store. His attention to detail is next level. When he said it could be done, we went back to Will’s team and to Warner and said we’d found a way to do it and that’s when things got real.”
Firstly, a digital Asda store was then created using lidar remote sensing technology, scanning a real bricks-and-mortar location as well as an existing studio set. Buddy himself was snipped from the original film background while an on-set double was used for eyeline reference and to provide shadows and natural interactions. The team had to then seamlessly integrate Buddy into the ad footage.
Everything you see in the film is original dialogue and action. Kleinman even went so far as to find out what cameras were used to film the 2003 movie, the film stop that was used, whether it was shot inside or outside. The attention to detail was immaculate.
And the meticulous approach didn’t stop with the creatives. Ferrell’s team was involved every step of the way. Every script iteration, every scene and even what Buddy could eat was considered.
“We wanted to show Buddy eating something, but just like the film we only had four food groups to choose from. We wanted him to eat pigs in blankets and, luckily, Asda sell maple syrup-covered ones. That’s the ones he would eat because he covers everything in maple syrup. That’s how much knowledge I have got about this. If there’s ever a pub quiz on Elf, I’m your girl.”
It has been a long but rewarding process, with the project taking around four months to complete. “I’ve watched that film more than 100 times since May and I could still watch it. I’m not sick of it yet.”
Want to see more Christmas ads? Check out all the other campaigns that have been released so far from big brands.
Following the rules might get your brand seen, but breaking a few will make sure you’re remembered. Richard Preedy of creative communications agency DRPG explains why it’s the risk-takers that really make a marketing impact.
How many ads do you see in a day? Whatever number sprung to mind, I’ll bet it was a long way short. The latest research suggests that the figure sits at around 5,000. And it’s only going to grow. Standing out in this unbelievably crowded market can be tricky. But it’s certainly not impossible.
There’s a clear route to marketing that makes an impact, and it starts with creativity. As infamous ad man Bill Bernbach said, “creativity is the last unfair advantage we’re legally allowed to take over our competitors.” With a good dose of creativity, you can outsmart the competition. With one big, bold idea you can leave every brand you once jostled with for space in the consumer’s mind firmly in the background.
Beyond conformity
No question, this takes vision and more than a little courage.
Conformity is human nature. Long ago, fitting in with a larger group was key to survival. People who explored anything new or different, or took a big step outside the status quo, didn’t last very long. All these years later, the desire to fit in is still hardwired into our DNA. We feel safe when we blend in with other people and we feel comfortable when we’re accepted by a larger group. We feel this more keenly when there’s something on the line. That’s why so many clients can be tempted to revert to what we might call ‘safer’ concepts, even when the bold idea that could make a real impression is right in front of them.
It’s because of this comfort with conformity that most automotive adverts boil down to ‘car drives on mountain road,’ and almost all finance businesses feature blue as a primary brand color. There are rewards when you fit in: understanding what you offer is easy for consumers and you don’t risk failure when you never rock the boat. But when you’re part of the herd, it’s hard to get noticed. It’s almost impossible to gain a greater share of attention than others in the same space.
This is why the vast majority of marketing is entirely forgettable. It might look good in the moment, it might even win prestigious awards, but it doesn’t leave a lasting impression. Ask someone about the advert they saw half an hour ago, amid a selection of others, and they’re unlikely to recall any detail. Psychology explains why it’s so easy to forget the concepts that play by the rules.
Breaking the mold
Our minds look for patterns in everything. We like to group similar items together, so when every ad we see follows a set style or form, we file them away in one group. If something breaks the mold, though, we’re immediately drawn to it. When they each follow a similar, established formula, we might see 20 adverts and remember none. Swap one for something disruptive and our mind forms two distinct groups. There’s a group of 19, getting half our attention split between them. Then there’s a group of one, getting the other half. A single rule-breaker with an incredible share of focus.
This is the power of disruption. It’s a less-used and somewhat less-revered term than its close neighbor innovation, but this approach holds endless potential for marketers who want their content to inspire real change. Where innovation starts with the established norm and pushes it a little further, disruption flips that established norm on its head.
It might seem scary to present your audience with something they’re completely unfamiliar with, or to take a bold step beyond what your team has done before, but it really does get results. Marketing is all about people. Different mediums will fall in and out of fashion, but real human connection will always be our goal, so we have to put people at the heart of what we do.
The most successful marketers aren’t afraid to stand out from the crowd. They’re not nervous about breaking the odd rule. Change-makers are risk-takers by definition. Are you?
Female creatives across APAC will be offered places in a new leadership and creative development program that aims to close the gender gap across the region.
Developed and led by Natalie Lam, the chief creative officer at Publicis Groupe APAC & MEA, the L’avenir program, aims to change the gender ratio among creative leaders across the region.
“Globally at Publicis Groupe, more than 50% of our workforce is female and 41% of key leaders are women: we’ve made huge strides when it comes to gender representation overall. Yet industry-wide, the percentage of female Creative Directors remains comparatively low,” said Lam.
L’avenir, which means the future, aims to lead the charge with the annual program offering mid-and senior-level creatives with the skills to become creative leaders. The program includes monthly one-on-one mentorship meetings, as well as leadership masterclasses and the opportunity to shadow creative leaders. The program will culminate with participants partnering with a major client for a project.
“We’ll identify our top female creatives, because true diversity makes the work better. L’avenir is a tailored program that pairs mentees and mentors according to specific skills and potential, backing up their positions as future leaders with a strong portfolio of work,” said Lam.
The mentors have been recruited from across the Publicis Groupe network. APAC mentors include: BBH China CCO Kelly Pon, MetaDesign China Group CD Sally Anderson, Publicis Groupe Southeast Asia CCO Ajay Thrivikraman, Leo Burnett Australia CEO Emma Montgomery, Publicis Groupe South Asia CEO Anupriya Acharya, MSL APAC & MEA CEO Margaret Key and Publicis Groupe ANZ Chief People Officer Pauly Grant .
They will be joined by Publicis Groupe’s Chief Creative Officer; Ed Booty, Chief Strategy Officer; Anthony Wong, Chief Client Officer; Laurent Thevenet, Head of Creative Technology; Jason Williams, Head of Creativity and Lam.
Loris Nold, CEO for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Publicis Groupe, said: “This program is tailor-made to the needs of each participant’s skills, strengths, gaps and career goals. For our clients, this means boundary-breaking work and more progressive, modern thinking that avoids unconscious bias and stereotypes. For our culture, it means creating an inclusive environment that supports the creative development of our next generation of leaders.”
The first L'Avenir program kicked off in October 2022.
Media owner Clear Channel has hit an out-of-home (OOH) milestone with its digital screen portfolio.
Outdoor communications specialist Clear Channel has marked a major milestone in its bid for ubiquity on Britain’s streets with the installation of 3,600 digital screens.
The media provider has invested heavily in expanding its mall network with the installation of 600 ’Live Screens’ in high-traffic retail environments, augmented by a further 3,000 AdShel Live Screens on the high street.
Clear Channel is investing in ever more screens to provide brands with a budget-friendly refuge from the spiraling cost of media. This is underscored by in-house research suggesting that 60% of UK retail spending is still conducted in physical retail environments.
By commanding the attention of shoppers close to the point of sale, Clear Channel is betting that brands will choose it to reach the 29% of consumers who dither over purchases until they hit the shops.
Richard Bon, UK joint managing director and Europe commercial lead, said: “Not only do these significant additions to our digital out-of-home (DOOH) network unlock more opportunities for brands to reach consumers at scale – from leading shopping malls to busy high streets – but it also demonstrates the hard work and dedication of all teams involved from sales to operations across the UK.
“DOOH’s ability to shape consumer experiences in the real world, with flexibility and creativity at its core, is something we take great pride in and will continue to do so in the future.”
Clear Channel boasts that its DOOH network is the largest in the UK, with a presence in 185 towns and cities. Investment in new screens has also enabled the adoption of new technologies such as Waferlite panels, which it claims consume up to 50% less energy.
Less than a week into Elon Musk’s reign over the Twitterverse, things are looking tenuous for advertisers.
Elon Musk fired the entire Twitter board – after dismissing chief executive Parag Agrawal and chief financial officer Ned Segal – just three days after his $44bn takeover of Twitter was made official Friday, October 28, per a securities filing. The billionaire executive made himself the sole director and has reportedly pulled more than 50 Tesla employees – most of whom are software engineers – on board to handle code reviews at Twitter.
Now, many of the executives who remained are leaving in droves. Chief marketing officer and head of people Leslie Berland is the latest to signal her resignation. The executive, who’s been with Twitter since early 2016, tweeted out a solo blue heart emoji Tuesday evening, inviting a wave of replies and quote retweets that seemingly confirmed her departure.
The company’s vice-president of global client solutions Jean-Philippe Maheu, per reports by the New York Times and Bloomberg yesterday, has also left his post. The news follows a handful of other public resignations from Twitter’s top dogs, including chief consumer officer Sarah Personette and chief people and diversity officer Dalana Brand. Meanwhile, the company's head of product Jay Sullivan deleted his Twitter bio, leaving many to suspect he's also made an exit.
A parting of ways
Experts believe the executive exodus has multifold causes. For one, many long-standing employees may have strong oppositions to Musk’s ideological and operational objectives. “There’s probably a great deal of people who have been at Twitter for many years and have a strong belief in what Twitter is, in what Twitter should be and where it should be going next,” says social media consultant and industry analyst Matt Navarra. “I imagine some of them will have quite opposing views to where Elon Musk might be wanting to take Twitter based on what he’s told people so far. From an ideological, ethical and moral point of view, some … [may] not want to be a part of something they feel they can’t support.”
At the same time, he says, there may be strong financial incentives for some executives to cash out while they can. “Many of them can make a fair bit of money from exiting the company at this stage. They’ve had that feeling of being unsettled at Twitter for some time with this takeover looming over them – this is their opportunity now to move out and escape that issue.”
Others point out that churn is expected in cases like these. “It's actually quite normal to have a great deal of movement and turnover in employees when there's a major change in leadership,” says Mike Allton, a social media expert and head of strategic partnerships at social media management platform Agorapulse.
Still, Allton also acknowledges that Musk may have an outsized impact due to his public persona: “Of course we're seeing more movement than normal now with Twitter due to the fact that it's Elon Musk. He has a distinctive style and approach to management that many would not be comfortable with. He's also a polarizing figure with his comments and perspectives, more so than most other executives.”
Users and advertisers flee
It’s not just executives who are spooked; users and advertisers alike have withdrawn amid the tumultuous takeover. The hashtag #TwitterMigration has been trending as former devotees flock to platforms like Discord and microblogging site Mastodon in hopes of replicating the ‘people’s platform’ feel that the blue bird app once promised. News of aggressive changes to Twitter’s platform and user experience – including Musk’s plans to charge $8 monthly for users to maintain their verified status (which would fundamentally upend Twitter’s ad-based business model) – have only accelerated departures.
Meanwhile, top advertising holding companies including IPG and Havas are advising clients to cease all paid ad activity on the platform until the noise dies down.
Some industry leaders believe this is the right approach. Many predict that Twitter is likely to see an influx of hate speech and misinformation in the coming months as Musk – a self-proclaimed “free speech absolutist” – takes a more lax approach to content moderation.
These issues, says Andrew Graham, founder and head of strategy at Bread & Law, a New York-based PR firm, will inevitably create a hostile environment for brands. “I’ve … [called] for brands to cease all engagement on Twitter immediately until, at the absolute least, there is clarity on the moderation issues that are evident under Musk,” he says. “While I doubt disengagement will happen all at once, the new company is just not shaping up to be a particularly serious or useful place for brands to be.”
He argues that brands that continue to advertise on the platform are likely to see “real reputational consequences” as a result. “You can’t go viral in a positive way on a platform that’s actively trying to destroy democracy, and that is the political identity of Musk’s Twitter.”
The complex future of advertising on Twitter
Allton, for his part, believes the panic may be overblown. For now, he says, “Users and advertisers [should] stay calm and be patient. This is going to be a tumultuous time within Twitter, but the impact on us as users remains to be seen.”
Though he acknowledges that hate speech and controversial opinions may abound on Twitter moving forward, Allton is still hopeful that Musk will make positive changes that benefit both users and advertisers. “I'm actually quite excited about the potential development of the platform. Musk's recent announcement regarding Vine and similar features demonstrates a better understanding of where Twitter needs to invest and improve their capabilities.” A revitalization of short-form video platform Vine – which Twitter acquired in 2012 (only to shutter it in 2016), Allton argues, would help Twitter compete with TikTok and Instagram Reels while supporting the burgeoning creator economy and creating a potentially valuable channel for advertisers.
However, Musk’s pivot to a partial subscription-based model could also limit opportunity for advertisers. “I expect Twitter is really going to go hard at subscriptions in the next few years, and possibly even make it work, without a care in the world for innovating on the ad side,” predicts Shiv Gupta, managing partner at U of Digital, a digital marketing education firm. “Big picture, if Musk can get a subscription model off the ground, that sets quite a precedent for other social media platforms – companies like Meta, Snap and TikTok may follow suit, which may then limit a very valuable source of advertising for marketers.”
Although all signs point toward a hybrid subscription-based model, Musk has indicated that he still aims to support advertising on Twitter. Last Thursday, just before the final ‘i’s were dotted and ‘t’s crossed on the takeover deal, the Tesla chief exec put out a statement saying that “Twitter aspires to be the most respected advertising platform in the world that strengthens your brand and grows your enterprise.”
Now, as brands reevaluate their position on the platform, Twitter has sent out emails to advertising agencies assuring them that it has “not yet made changes to Twitter's content moderation policies,” according to Morning Brew's Ryan Barwick – a plea that seems designed to keep them from pulling spend.
In the interim, major resignations and forthcoming platform changes are likely to have immediate impact. As Gupta puts it: “These resignations, along with Musk's promise of shifting the business from advertising to subscription and reducing content moderation, have spooked advertisers everywhere. Expect a precipitous decline in Twitter's ad revenue in the coming quarters.”
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Experts join us to untangle the issue of the third-party cookie phase-out, looking at the opportunities in a new privacy-centric world.
The deprecation of the cookie has been kicked down the road a few times as Google delays implementing the change. For marketers, that has been both a blessing and a curse; at the last delay announcement in July, the IAB UK’s Jon Mew urged marketers to use the time wisely.
He argued: “By being proactive and adopting alternative ways to effectively target and measure campaigns – regardless of this delay – businesses are not only future-proofing their operations but making sure they are in line with our increasingly privacy-first present.”
At The Drum’s Media Summit today (November 2), a panel of experts joined us to untangle the technical aspects of cookie deprecation from the very real challenges of privacy and personalization. Marketers, they tell us, are increasingly asking if the death of the third-party cookie is not an existential threat so much as an opportunity.
Jamie Barnard, the chief exec of Compliant, notes that the great opportunity for advertisers is to transition from adhering to the rules around GDPR from a strictly commercial imperative to a moral one. All of our guests, meanwhile, argue that there is a need to engage with consumers in a way that adds value to their experience, rather than simply by adhering to the letter of the law
However, one of the sticking points around cookie deprecation has been articulating the value exchange with consumers. A proportion of internet users have leaned into the ‘blanket’ approach imposed by the UK government and simply opt out of everything for the sake of ease. Even in the US, where roughly half of users instead opt in to all cookies, lack of knowledge is rife: only 13% of US consumers described their understanding of cookies as ‘very good’, while more than a third (34%) say it’s not very good or not good at all.
But while the industry recognizes the need for cookie alternatives that cater to users’ privacy concerns and the needs of advertisers, there is still clarity required around what alternatives can fulfill both those needs.
Our panel argues that there are already workable solutions when it comes to personalization, from contextual advertising to location data. Ben Fenster, co-founder of Anzu, notes in particular that more tech-savvy audiences recognize the value inherent in that sort of personalization – especially when it doesn’t breach the public’s right about data.
And the stark reality of the ’lazy’ way in which marketers have thought about use of consumer data is brought home by Barnard, who references the bounty system in use in anti-abortion rights states in the US as an example of data overreach and misuse.
There is still plenty of work to be done from government, platforms and marketers to ensure that the issue of cookie deprecation does not impede marketing activities. But as the best agencies and brands already understand, the real opportunity is in building a trusted relationship with online audiences. Cookies are a useful tool, but ultimately the relationship between brand and audience is paramount.
More brands in films? It’s coming, writes 20Nine founder Greg Ricciardi.
If Netflix and other streaming services wish to scale without compromising their unique business models, they should learn to embrace the age-old marketing strategy of product placement.
We all are aware that James Bond drives an Aston Martin. But do we know what the British automaker spends for that awareness? How about Smirnoff, the vodka that gets “shaken, not stirred” in 007’s martinis? If reports after the success of last year’s No Time to Die are any indication, brands spend well into eight figures to be included within the narrative of these films.
Heineken elbowed its way into the Daniel Craig sophistication with a $45m film insertion that included placement of its familiar green bottles in multiple scenes, along with other creative units that ran in theaters and elsewhere. Not just your usual commercials, these 60-second units used compelling creative that looks and feels like the Bond films, and a two-minute-long version aired during the 2020 Super Bowl to wide acclaim.
And that’s the point. Obviously, that media was not part of the film’s input/output – but seamlessly inserting a brand into a narrative requires ancillary buys to augment and amplify the point. The brand has to rise to the narrative, not just be present in it. Heineken won with Bond and assuredly enjoyed compelling profits for its spend, while the film’s producers recouped a significant portion of their production budget with one insertion.
So, what does this have to do with Netflix?
While the Bond insertion makes sense for Heineken, not all brands align so seamlessly, let alone so favorably, with characters in narrative films. The massive investment in No Time to Die followed Heineken spending $36m to appear in 2012’s Skyfall. Smart marketers don’t generally increase a budget by 25% unless they can point to compelling ROI. Clearly, it isn’t guessing about its effectiveness – it knows these insertions work. When a big-budget movie can recoup 30-50% of its production budget back from a few product insertions, what can a vertically-integrated connected TV (CTV) content producer like Netflix do?
Netflix reportedly delivered $27m to Coca-Cola for product placements in its Stranger Things serial, though we don’t know what Netflix charged for that exposure. Other reports suggest that Netflix is asking for CPMS (costs per mile) upwards of $65 for old-style ads. What sort of premium will they charge for virtual product placements in Netflix serials or feature films? And what will consumers think? Furthermore, with so many ads already bombarding consumers, how can Netflix build this out without making it look like linear TV?
How product placement can scale
Obviously, a lot of alchemy is required whenever a producer aligns a character with a brand. This isn’t merely a linear celebrity endorsement along the lines of Jennifer Aniston with Vitamin Water. Any product placements – be they virtual product placements or actual ones – must make sense within a film’s narrative, and brands must accept that characters convey certain values that may or may not align with their own.
Netflix made a savvy choice with Microsoft as its partner, creating an arms race among all those who would enter and add value from the open web, versus the walled garden approach that would have ensued had it chosen Google. The same programmatic technology that streamlines buying at scale while addressing consumers via their profiles or relevance via content is already providing a lot of this scale more seamlessly – and consumers are noticing, in a good way. Amazon has rolled out multiple efforts at virtual product placement in Amazon Prime Video streams, but the largest company delivering virtual product placement advertising programmatically, Mirriad, already serves over 82m impressions per month on CTV platforms.
Mirriad recently completed a study with Kantar that suggests consumers not only favor this kind of virtual product placement advertising over ads that interrupt or overlay, they favor the products in them. Just under 80% of consumers in the Kantar study reported ‘liking’ the in-content advertising format, preferring it seven times more than legacy units. Broadcasting and cable reported that the audience for in-content advertising was much higher (22-49%) than that for commercial breaks. That drives higher retention, which obviously drives better results – according to the Kantar study.
Netflix just hired two of the smartest sellers on the planet to run its nascent monetization effort. Jeremi Gorman and Peter Naylor departed Snap for Netflix just days before Snap laid off 20% of its workers. As they build out their team and devise a strategy to generate more revenue without losing subscribers, bank on an investment in scaling virtual product placement. It doesn’t require interrupting what consumers are watching, it can’t be skipped, it generates tons of revenue and it works for marketers.
Greg Ricciardi is founder and chief executive at 20Nine.
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The PSVR2 will be released in February, 2023 for $549.99.
This morning, PlayStation announced in a blog post that its second virtual reality headset, the PlayStation VR 2, will be released on February 22, 2023 for $549.99. The headset will also be available for preorder in select markets beginning on November 15.
Made specifically for gaming, the PSVR2 “will allow you to escape into new worlds while feeling a groundbreaking sense of immersion,” PlayStation wrote in the blog post. In addition to the headset itself, the PSVR2 package will include two Sense controllers and stereo headphones. A charging station for the Sense controllers will be sold separately for $49.99.
With capabilities that include hi-fi visuals, haptic feedback via the Sense controller, eye tracking, 3D sound, as well as a more lightweight design compared to its predecessor (the PlayStation VR headset) PlayStation says that its upcoming VR headset provides “a true next-gen gaming experience for players to enjoy.”
The video game manufacturer also announced eleven new video game titles made specifically for the PSVR2 this morning, including Crossfire: Sierra Squad and The Light Brigade. (PSVR games will reportedly not be playable on the company’s new headset.)
Last month, Meta unveiled its latest VR headset, the Quest Pro 2. In contrast to the PSVR 2, the Quest Pro 2 has thus far been positioned largely as a tool for the workplace — a gadget which will help people collaborate over long distances, visualize projects using virtual 3d projections, and so on. Meta has also been positioning its vision for the future of VR as a space where people will not only gather to work, but also attend concerts, play games, and generally hang out.
The PSVR2 will cost almost $1,000 less than the Quest Pro 2.
For more, sign up for The Drum’s Inside the Metaverse weekly newsletter here.
Zulu Alpha Kilo, Spark Foundry, Deloitte Digital and VMLY&R among those in the running at The Drum Awards for Digital Industries 2022.
The Drum Awards for Digital Industries rewards the people and companies behind the most effective digital campaigns from around the world, recognizing them for their excellence.
Our global judging panel – which includes experts from Forbes, CNN, TMW Unlimited, Deliveroo, Uefa, MediaCom, Wunderman Thompson, Tinder, Danone, YouTube, BBDO Worldwide, Airbnb, Rapp and Twitch – was on the lookout for fresh, impactful and effective work.
Winners will be announced at a ceremony at The Drum Labs in London as part of our week-long awards festival running from December 5-9. You can check out the full shortlist of nominations below:
Not-for-Profit/Charity
- Eight&Four for British Heart Foundation
- Geometry Colombia (A VMLY&R Commerce Company) for Fundación Rescátame
- The Digital Age for My Name’5 Doddie
- The Kite Factory and Don’t Panic for WaterAid
- Torchbox for Disasters Emergency Committee
- Zulu Alpha Kilo for Black Business and Professional Association, Toronto Metropolitan University’s Diversity Institute, Canadian Congress on inclusive diversity and workplace equity and Pride at Work Canada
B2B Sector
- Canon Content Hub (Canon Europe and Nelson Bostock) for Canon Europe
- Finally Agency for LG Business Solutions
- Hidden for ABB, Formula E and Johnson & Johnson
- Peak Ace AG for Softgarden
- TMWI for Raja Workplace
- VMLY&R Commerce USA for Continental
Finance/Professional Services
- Adthena for Legal & General
- iCrossing UK for Fidelity
- Nomensa Ltd for Swissquote
- OmniGOV at MG OMG for UK Government
- Yard Digital for Wealthify
- Zulu Alpha Kilo for Interac
Retail and E-commerce
- Adthena for L’Oréal USA and Armani Beauty
- Deloitte Digital for Chipotle
- Herd for Steamforged Games Ltd
- Novos for Piglet in Bed
- Peak Ace AG for SharkNinja
- Spark Foundry for Currys
- VMLY&R Commerce for Pizza Hut
- VMLY&R Commerce USA and Mexico for Elena’s
- VMLY&R Commerce USA for General Mills
Automotive and Transport
- Artefact for Hertz
- Candyspace for Mazda
- Eight&Four for Genesis Motor Europe
- OneFifty Consultancy for Mazda UK
- Spark Foundry for Rail Delivery Group
- Twitch for Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG
Consumer Products or Services
- Publicis One Touch for Nivea
- RocketMill for Kimberly-Clark
- The Kitchen/Kraft Heinz (powered by Hogarth) for Heinz
- VMLY&R Commerce Mexico for Corona
- VMLY&R Commerce USA and Mexico for Elena’s
- VMLY&R Commerce USA for General Mills
Music, Entertainment, Gaming and E-Sports
- GLTCH Group for HoYoverse
- Herd for Steamforged Games Ltd
- Sony Pictures Entertainment India
- The Park for NBCUniversal DreamWorks
- TheSoul Publishing for TheSoul Publishing
- ViewSonic
Travel/Leisure/Tourism/Sports
- Brandnation for Merrell
- Delve for EconomyCarRentals
- OneFifty Consultancy for Airbnb
- Performance Art for Black & Abroad
- Qumin for Marriott International
- Uefa Women’s Euro 2022
- WMX for Delta
Healthcare and Pharma
- AnalogFolk for Canesten UK, Bayer Consumer Health
- Deloitte Digital for NYU Langone Health
- Equator for HCA Healthcare UK
- SilverCloud Health
- Spark Foundry for GSK/VOltarol
- The Boulder Group for SCIEX
Public Sector or Government
- Digital Communications and Ministry of Justice
- Great State for The Royal Navy
- Karmarama, part of Accenture Song, for National Citizen Service (NCS)
- LadBible Group for British Army/Capita
- OmniGov at MG OMD for Office For National Statistics
- OmniGov at MG OMG for UK Government
- Yard Digital for VisitScotland
Most Effective NFT Campaign
- Gravit8 for Shell PLC and Pennzoil
- Highlight PR for Papa John’s International
- Publicis One Touch for Nivea
Best Metaverse Activation
- Anzu.io for American Eagle Outfitters
- McCann New York for Mastercard
- Metavision for John Lewis & Partners
- Metavision for Timberland
Digital for Good
- Ministry of Justice
- Performance Art for Black & Abroad
- The Boulder Group for SCIEX
- Wongdoody for The Financial Times
- Wunderman Thompson UK for BT Sport
- Zulu Alpha Kilo for Black Business and Professional Association, Toronto Metropolitan University’s Diversity Institute, Canadian Congress on inclusive diversity and workplace equity and Pride at Work Canada
- Zulu Alpha Kilo for Royal Canadian Legion/HomeEquity Bank
Most Effective First-Party Data Strategy
- Deloitte Digital for Dow Jones & Company/The Wall Street Journal
- Delve for EconomyCarRentals
- iCrossing UK for Fidelity
- Journey Further for Luxury Ratan
- Spark Foundry for George
Fashion, Health, Beauty or Luxury
- Adthena for L’Oréal USA and Armani Beauty
- Barbarian for Fenty Beauty
- Clinique/SharpEnd for Clinique
- Coty UK & I
- Silverbean for Ralph Lauren
Best Website Design
- Cambridge Creative for The Astbury
- Candyspace for Chateâu d’Esclans
- Evensix for Rowse Honey
- Herd for Steamforged Games Ltd
- Real Estate Management UK (LTD) for The Shard
- RocketMill for 1st Central
- Third and Grove for UKG
Best In-house/Self Promotion
- LoveThat (creative services of BECG)
- Yard Digital
Best Response to Change
- Barbarian for Fenty Beauty
- Channel Bakers for Jason Markk
- Deloitte Digital for NYU Langone Health
- Delve for Unicef USA
- Essence for The International Olympics Committee
- Salesforce
- Samba TV
Best Responsible Digital Engagement with Kids & Teens
- Anzu.io for Istanbul Grand Airport
- EE, Essence, Digitas and Saatchi & Saatchi for EE
- Inbrax for Techo Chile
- Initiative/Venatus for The Lego Group
- PHD, SuperAwesome for Gap Teen
- The Lego Group
- We Are Tilt and Collingwood Learning for Diageo
Best Tech Platform
- Bidstack
- Frameplay
- Hidden for ABB, Baker Huges, Formula E and Johnson & Johnson
- Multivitamin Group for SkyBound Rescuer
- Ogury
- Piano
- Vamp
Best Digital Transformation
- Channel Bakers for Jason Markk
- Delve for Gerber Life Insurance Company
- Great State for The Royal Navy
- VMLY&R Commerce Mexico for Corona
Technical Innovation
- Fifty Technology
- Gravit8
- Infinity
- MG OMD for LNER
- Multivitamin Group for SkyBound Rescuer
- VMLY&R Commerce Mexico for Corona
UX/Usability
- Scoop and Spoon for Allianz SE
- TPXimpact for Thinkuknow
- Un.titled (part of Williams Commerce group) for The Courtauld Institute of Art
- VMLY&R Commerce Mexico for Corona
- Williams Commerce for Ping Europe Limited
Most Effective Use of Social Media
- Essence for EE
- Qumin for Marriott International
- Spark Foundry for Rail Delivery Group
- The Kitchen and Kraft Heinz (powered by Hogarth) for Heinz
- VMLY&R Commerce Mena for Twitter
- Zulu Alpha Kilo for Campbell’s Co of Canada
Best Digital Brand Experience
- Coty UK & I
- Lowe Lintas India/White Rivers Media for Hershey India
- Nomensa Ltd for Swissquote
- Performance Art for Black & Abroad
- Scoop and Spoon for Austrian Olympic Committee
- Twitch for Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG
Most Effective Use of Video
- Karmarama, part of Accenture Song for National Citizen Service (NCS)
- Lemonlight for Yogibo
- M&C Saatchi Indonesia for Manan Shah
- PinkNews
- Razorfish for Church & Dwight
- Salesforce
Most Effective Use of Branded Content
- Clinique/SharpEnd for Clinique
- Gravity Global for Embraer
- Karmarama, part of Accenture Song for National Citizen Service (NCS)
- Spark Foundry for GSK/Voltarol
- Spark Foundry for Woodford Reserve
- Twitch for Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG
- VMLY&R Commerce for Pizza Hut
Most Effective Use of Data
- Deloitte Digital for Dow Jones & Company/The Wall Street Journal
- Performance Art for Black & Abroad
- Performics at Starcom for Primark
- Spark Foundry for George
- Wunderman Thompson for BT Sport
Most Effective Use of Organic Search
- Accelerate agency for Dialpad
- Housekeep
- Performics at Starcom for Domino’s Pizza Group
- Reddico
- Urban Decay Cosmetics
Most Effective Integrated Marketing Campaign
- Brandnation for Merrell
- The Kite Factory for White Claw
- ViewSonic
- VMLY&R for Human Rights Campaign
Most Effective Use of Paid Search
- Artefact for Hertz
- Equator for HCA Healthcare UK
- iCrossing UK for Fidelity
- Launch for IMSM
- Netpeak for ARX Insurance Company
- Peak Ace AG for SharkNinja
- Spark Foundry for Takis
- Torchbox for Disasters Emergency Committee
Most Effective Digital Media Strategy
- LadBible Group for KFC
- Lane Media for Fairfax & Favor
- Serotonin for ASSOS of Switzerland
- News UK for The Times and The Sunday Times
- ViewSonic
Most Effective Use of VR and AR
- Bidstack and Starcom Worldwide for Paco Rabanne
- Performance Art for BMW Canada
Most Effective Use of AI/Machine Learning
- Adthena
- Amplified Intelligence
- BrightBid for Moneypenny.co.uk
- CatapultX
- Cognitiv
- LoopMe for La Colombe
Digital Team of the Year
- Incubeta
- Megaphone
- PinkNews
- RocketMill
- The Kite Factory
- TheSoul Publishing
- Torchbox
Trader of the Year
- Brecht Debels, Omnicom Media Group
- Lucy Aplin, Digitas
- Ornella Grillo, Marita Fontichiari & Stefano Forcinetti, PHD
- Manuel Lecona, Hearts & Science (Team AMQ/TeamX)
- Melissa Morrison, Spark Foundry
- Sezgin Gündüz and Simon Strohmann, PHD
There’s also a captivating ad from Guinness highlighting how passionate football fans are, while Nike challenges refugee stereotypes in a documentary with Bayern Munich player Alphonso Davies.
Every Wednesday, The Drum picks the top global campaigns from our Creative Works. You can submit your new work here.
This week, Disney pulled on heartstrings with a Christmas ad about the arrival of a new baby, Visit Sweden spooked potential tourists with an audio horror story and This Is England star Michael Socha fronted a scary story about workplace classism.
Disney: The Gift by Flux Animation Studios
Marking the final installment of Disney’s ‘From Our Family To Yours’ trilogy, this spot tells the story of a little girl who is trying to adjust to the changing dynamics as her family prepares to welcome another child.
It’s a touching tale of sibling relationships, with the brand’s iconic mascot Mickey Mouse the constant that connects past, present and future generations.
Visit Sweden: Kiln by Weber Shandwick
Visit Sweden’s audio story is set in a vast forest filled with various mythological beings.
Written in the first person, listeners really feel like they are walking in the main character’s shoes, but in a plot twist you can only hear the story if you actually visit the Scandinavian country – there’s a geo-restriction.
Department for Opportunities: Stay Down by Creature London
In this trailer, Michael Socha portrays a working-class-hero-type character who is ridiculed and patronized due to his upbringing. He’s told to use his accent a “little less” and that he’s not “right” for various job roles, seemingly without much explanation, portraying how classism is still holding people back in the workplace.
Guinness: Brother by AMV BBDO
Set in a bustling Nigerian football viewing center (an extension of stadiums in many African cities), this Guinness ad tells the story of two siblings bound by their love of the beautiful game.
Nike: Home by We Are Pi
Nike is challenging refugee stereotypes in this documentary with Bayern Munich player Alphonso Davies.
Ahead of Davies playing his first World Cup for the Canadian men’s team, Nike has retold his story from a refugee camp to professional football.
Lego: Build to Give by Lego Agency
Lego has gone all out for its festive campaign. Rather than picture-perfect shots of snow, festive feasts and open fires, its ad shows a group of kids delivering presents on a giant vehicle of their design. Riding atop is pop star Katy Perry, who belts out her hit Firework during the journey.
M&S Food: Fairy and Duckie by M&S in-house creative team
In this feel-good campaign from M&S Food, Dawn French reprises her role as the festive Fairy – this time joined by her comedy partner Jennifer Saunders as Duckie the dog toy.
Shelter: Brave Face by Don’t Panic
Following on from last year’s acclaimed film ‘The Drive’, Shelter has released another hard-hitting video that details the realities many families will face over the coming months.
Crest and Oral-B: Closing America’s Smile Gap by MSL
This ad campaign from Crest and Oral-B aims to shed light on the grave oral health inequities that exist – and help solve them.
RepresentUs: Protect America’s Election Workers by RepresentUs
Facing threats of violence, many US election workers fear for their lives and jobs. Advocacy group RepresentUs tapped actors Jennifer Lawrence and Ed Helms to help raise awareness of the worsening issue.
Interested in creative campaigns? Check out our Ad of the Day section and sign up for our Ads of the Week newsletter so you don’t miss a story.
The iconic not-for-profit aims to modernize its brand with a new look, feel and messaging.
The American Cancer Society, the organization with a vision to “end cancer as we know it, for everyone,” today launched ‘Meant to be together.’
The new campaign from Havas New York focuses on the American Cancer Society’s ‘Hope Lodge,’ which provides a free home away from home for tens of thousands of patients who must travel for cancer treatment each year. The spot highlights a couple where the man is undergoing cancer treatment. As his hair begins to fall out from chemotherapy, his supportive partner shaves the rest of it off. Thanks to the support from the American Cancer Society, the two can finish making their home their own, together.
“As the only cancer not-for-profit that addresses research, patient care and advocacy, we have a unique opportunity to reimagine how we present ourselves,” American Cancer Society’s chief marketing officer Kymm Martinez said in a statement. “Havas New York has been instrumental in partnering to help us move away from telling stories about what we do to instead telling stories about the impact we make. ‘Meant to be together’ sheds light on the massive impact and scale the American Cancer Society has.”
The campaign also emphasizes the American Cancer Society’s refreshed brand, which includes a new logo, typeface, brand colors and ‘Every cancer. Every life’ tagline.
“We’re excited to play a role in bringing to life the American Cancer Society’s transformative mission and vision,” Havas New York’s chief creative officer Dan Lucey said in a statement. “We worked to introduce language ensuring that people with cancer and their families understand the full scope of services this truly amazing organization provides.”
The creative campaign rolls out across TV, streaming audio, digital display, social, search and out-of-home (OOH) – in both English and Spanish – throughout November and December.
For more, sign up for The Drum’s daily US newsletter here.
Ahead of speaking at The Drum Media Summit 2022, NBCUniversal’s vice-president of digital Hayley Cochrane calls for a multi-currency approach to TV measurement.
We all know that measurement has fallen behind the consumer as the advertising landscape has significantly changed. Viewers are no longer distinguishing between linear and digital – they are choosing to tune in to what they want, where, when and how they want to watch.
We must now embrace a multi-currency future, and jointly drive innovation that ensures more accurate and complete measurement approaches. Measurement needs to accurately reflect the reality of audience trends for marketers to effectively allocate their advertising investments and serve the entire ecosystem. And that will require more than one solution.
- Cochrane is appearing on the Strictly Data show during the second day of the Media Summit (November 3) – register here to watch
We need to step away from just counting impressions. Instead, we need to measure those impressions to the various impacts they have on our advertisers – measuring all of their media investments for a more targeted and high-quality user experience. Only then will we be able to truly harness the benefits of the growth we’ve seen in our industry.
Building consumer trust
Today, two-thirds of the global population is online – that’s 5 billion internet users, and the pace at which those users’ media consumption habits change accelerates every day. We all know that the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted every sector around the globe. Even as consumers stayed at home, their viewing and spending habits were on the move, driving unprecedented growth for our industry.
In order to keep up as an industry and stay ahead of consumer behavior, we need to ensure continued consumer buy-in, which starts with consumer trust.
Consumers are the foundation, so we need to build trust with them each and every day. That starts by providing them with the best possible experience. We’ve all had frustrating ad experiences on our devices, from blank screens to overlapping ads and repetitive creative (not just twice, but sometimes four or five times in a row). This experience doesn’t just irritate us as viewers – it also undermines the marketers and the brands they represent who are looking to engage us as consumers.
For NBCU, that has meant building trusted partnerships across our entire business. We believe in the power of partnerships, working together with those who align with our own values, to enhance consumer trust and the user experience. Beyond our client and agency partners, we are investing deeply in partnerships with digital and social platforms, and adtech, measurement, data and technology providers.
We recently announced our partnership with Apple to act as its exclusive sales house for Apple News in the UK. Apple News is built on a foundation of trust, privacy, transparency and quality, delivering premium audiences, premium content and a premium ad experience. This perfectly aligns with what we think and do every day at NBCU as we show how effective, impactful and exciting campaigns can be delivered in this new world.
Creating a high-quality consumer experience starts with knowing who our viewers are – not just their ages and genders, but their interests, passions and backgrounds. These are what we need to focus on to accurately measure and execute effective marketing campaigns for our clients.
Audiences are consuming content when and where they choose, so we all need to invest in first-party data and develop a uniform approach to identity resolution while safeguarding consumer privacy. In a world where third-party identifiers are fading, first-party data is the future – which is why we are investing significantly in our identity platform NBCUnified.
NBCUnified enables more personalized and measurable consumer experiences, in support of our own brands and advertisers. While NBCUnified is currently only available in the US, we’re working to expand out as part of our global vision.
The charity estimates that 119,500 children will be without a home this winter, waking up on Christmas day in temporary accommodation.
Following on from last year’s acclaimed film ‘The Drive,’ housing charity Shelter has released another hard-hitting video that details the realities many families will face over the coming months.
In ‘Brave Face,’ viewers watch a typical day unfold for a young boy. Throughout the course of the day he receives bad grades, misses out on pudding at lunchtime and lets in a goal at football practice. Yet, throughout all of this, he keeps smiling.
As the day ends, the youngster heads home and it‘s only then we realize that he and his mother will be spending Christmas in a noisy and cramped bedsit. The final message reminds viewers that no child should have to put on a ‘brave face‘ but, without a home, many do.
The campaign, created by agency Don‘t Panic, is being promoted across owned social media channels, as well as TV.
Credits
Agency: Don’t Panic
Founder: Joe Wade
Creative partner: Rick Dodds
Strategy and engagement partner: Ellie Moore
Client partner: Jane Marshall
Creative director: George McCallum
Senior project manager: Rosie Johnstone
Senior account manager: Rheia Chand
Executive producer: Jennifer Clare Houlihan
Junior producer: Ani Bosco
Production company: Academy Films
Directors: Si&Ad
Head of production: Gemma Priggen
Executive producer: Medb Riordan
Producer: Lexi Kiddo
Production manager: Colum Ewart
1st AD: James Sharpe
Director of photography: Alex Barber
Gaffer: Niko Kalimerakis
Production designer: Fletcher Jarvis
Stylist: Katie McGoldrick
Make-up artist: Marta Wozniak and Jin Jin Ong
Stills: Jim Fenwick
Cast
Jayden: Maxwell Smith
Mum: Uru Eke
Dinner lady: Nicci Andrews
Football kids: Asantewaa Manfo, Jayden Savage, Jude Ugbehe, Stanley Potter, Taaraz Sesay and Tristan Orgill-Faulkner
School: Bush Hill Primary
Edit
Edit: Final Cut
Editor: Joe Guest
Assistant editor: Leah Burton
Edit producer: Nikki Porter
Post-production
Post: Electric Theatre Company
Colorist: Jason Wallis
Producer: Alasdair Patrick
Sound
Audio post-production: String & Tins
Sound design and mix: Joe Wilkinson and Culum Simpson
Audio producer: Alina Miroshnichenko and Eimear Gorey
Music: Dean Martin – When You’re Smiling
Music supervisor: Stephen Ettery, Wake the Town
Interested in creative campaigns? Check out our Ad of the Day section and sign up for our Ads of the Week newsletter so you don’t miss a story.
The e-commerce boom is undoubtedly among the biggest business behavioral shifts caused by the pandemic, creating a surge in new online businesses disrupting every conceivable category. In the UK, for example, e-commerce sales grew five-fold in 2020 to reach 24% of retail sales, according to McKinsey, and over 24,000 e-commerce companies launched in 2021 alone.
These new businesses are hugely dependent on marketing for sales and growth. Unsurprisingly, the entry point into advertising for the vast majority of e-commerce brands is focused online – harnessing the combined power of search, social media, and online video.
But that approach only nourishes these brands for so long. Eventually, most hit a ceiling. When they do, it’s time to move beyond the relative safety of online media and easily identifiable online customer journeys. TV advertising can play a crucial part in this next phase of their marketing-driven growth.
That explains why Thinkbox, the marketing body for commercial TV, commissioned econometric consultancy Magic Numbers to conduct research based on advertisers that have successfully grown their volume of web traffic through TV advertising. The findings provide online businesses with a comprehensive TV playbook, a specialist guide to help unravel and navigate what can be a daunting journey.
The research, based on qualitative interviews with seven industry experts, together with econometric analysis of 10 online businesses that have successfully grown web traffic through TV advertising, focuses on three important areas for e-commerce advertisers: how to know it’s time to use TV advertising to grow your online business; the positive impact that TV can have on an online brand's performance; and how to go about getting your online business on TV.
The right time for TV Invention and innovation are key reasons for businesses to turn to TV advertising - when a company has a clever new product and needs to convey a clear sense of its benefits, for example. The study highlights one home gym equipment business, with a novel proposition, that reached 200,000 visits per week at a cost per visit 300 times lower than its hero product’s price through its TV campaign.
Cazoo, the online used-car retailer, has also experienced the positive impact of TV in communicating its service offer. Lucas Bergmans, brand director at Cazoo, says: "It was really important to explain the Cazoo proposition, and land the two or three different points with a customer. Yes, you can buy a car online and have it delivered, and that’s really easy and convenient. But we also own all the cars and refurbish them to a really high standard, and you've got a seven-day money-back guarantee."
Investment in TV can also help e-commerce businesses reach scale at pace. For example, a second-hand online car dealership achieved 500,000 visits per week after boosting TV spend. The medium is also powerful when a brand needs to encourage efficient online buys and drive incremental value. Magic Numbers’ modeling revealed that a dieting brand had a peak weekly web traffic of 111,000 visitors, and an average of 23,300, prior to trialing TV. Following its TV launch, the peak rose to 378,000 visitors and the average increased to 99,000 visitors.
Boosting brand and business performance Cost-efficiency also emerged as a clear benefit of TV. Of the 10 brands modeled in the study, six had a TV cost per visit between £1.90 and £2.50. This compares favorably to generic search where the costs are hugely variable but a typical cost per click (visit) in gift delivery is £1-3, and in financial services £5-11. TV is also very effective at brand building for e-commerce businesses. Brand-focused TV advertising (alongside out-of-home activity) was shown through the modelling to have the longest-lasting effects, delivering 50% of sales in the first 14 weeks following activity, and the other 50% in the remaining two years after airing. Cheryl Calverley, chief executive of eve sleep, explains that TV advertising has a longer-term impact on brand equity that can provide "continuous and underlying improvement in organic sales." This then delivers the opportunity for e-commerce brands to launch more premium products because, through TV advertising, "people have much more confidence and trust in your brand."
That's due to the universality of the medium, says Calverley. Its ability to bring people together, and to lend confidence that the consumer is buying from a reliable company, which is important for ecommerce because it's not possible to touch and feel the product.
Strong impact on search Beyond this, TV also drives cost effective web visits because it prompts people to search by brand rather than category. Of the web visits initiated by TV, 66% were direct/URL or organic search visits (which carry zero additional cost), 20% were paid for brand search clicks (which carry a small search cost), and 14% were for paid generic searches (that carry a high search cost).
Abba Newbery, chief marketing officer at investment platform CIRCA5000, says that by improving organic and brand search results TV commercials help e-commerce businesses to be "discoverable and interesting," adding that "we see a linear pattern between our click-through rates and our brand awareness. The more our brand awareness grows, the better our search grows."
But how can this be delivered in practice? The study recommends a two-step approach. First, establish the business case for TV advertising through an acquisition/response focused campaign. Then, once this has been optimized, gradually move away from efficiency-based acquisition targeting. It's when reaching this phase that working with both a media and creative agency will benefit e-commerce businesses looking for the next stage of growth.
To explore these issues further, and to provide answers to e-commerce brands looking to maximize the impact of their advertising spend, Thinkbox is partnering with The Drum for a panel discussion featuring Matt Hill, research and planning director at Thinkbox, and Dr Grace Kite, founder and economist at Magic Numbers.
Meta has come under fire for alleged regulatory violations involving children’s data. The latest admonition is just one sign of a growing crackdown on consumer data privacy issues.
Meta-owned Instagram is under the gun for allegedly mishandling the personal information of children. The social platform has been hit with a fine of approximately $402m by Ireland’s privacy regulator, the Data Protection Commissioner (DPC), on the heels of a two-year investigation into the site’s handling of children's data.
The investigation, launched in 2020, sought to examine how Instagram handles the data of 13-17 year-old users – particularly those who switched to business or creator accounts (possibly to access analytics on profile visits and post engagement). Instagram business accounts previously made more personal data about the user – such as their phone number and email address – publicly available.
“We adopted our final decision last Friday and it does contain a fine of €405 [$402] million,” Graham Doyle, the DPC’s deputy commissioner said in a statement. The penalty is the largest ever issued by the DPC for a violation of Europe’s sweeping General Data Protection Regulation (other regulatory bodies, however, have issued more aggressive fines; last year, for example Luxembourg regulators fined Amazon nearly $886m for data protection violations).
Per a Meta spokesperson, Instagram cooperated with the Irish regulatory body throughout the investigation. However, it disagrees with how the fine was calculated and says that the decision was made after the platform’s privacy settings had been updated. “This inquiry focused on old settings that we updated over a year ago, and we’ve since released many new features to help keep teens safe and their information private,” the spokesperson told The Drum.
In 2019 the company made it optional for business accounts to publicly display contact information and subsequently took steps to notify teen users who operated business or creator accounts to let them know that their settings could be changed to hide their personal information. Today, users under the age of 18 automatically have their accounts set to ‘private’ in order to protect their safety and that adults are not permitted to message under-18 users who don’t follow them.
The spokesperson for Meta said the company intends to appeal the DPC’s decision.
More penalties on the horizon
The two-year investigation represents just one of a handful launched by the DPC into the data handling practices of Meta and its properties. In the last two years, the regulatory body has fined Meta a total of some $641m, including a $223m fine issued to WhatsApp and a nearly $17m fine issued to Facebook.
“This indicates that regulators are not prepared to let companies get away with fundamental privacy breaches and that privacy is here to stay,” says Husna Grimes, vice-president of global privacy at adtech firm Permutive.
The news adds to a growing surge of crackdowns on data privacy. Late last month, the California Attorney General’s office took its first enforcement action on the far-reaching California Consumer Privacy Act in a $1.2m settlement with Sephora. Mere weeks before, the US Federal Trade Commission instigated new rulemaking plans designed to “crack down on commercial surveillance and lax data security practices.”
“While all of the events of the last few weeks aren’t coordinated or causal, they are certainly correlated – a function of many years building up to a moment where these regulations have teeth, and the market has a desire to see them used to protect consumers,” says Cory Munchbach, president and chief operating officer at customer data platform BlueConic.
As a backdrop to the spike in regulatory enforcement action, the US is closer than it’s been in decades to passing a comprehensive, federal privacy bill in the bipartisan American Data Privacy and Protection Act.
Though the consumer-data based advertising model and ‘surveillance capitalism’ at large are under the gun, the data practices of tech titans like Meta are attracting the most scrutiny.
“This comes at a time when the entire business model of Meta is being attacked from all fronts, with threats to privacy rife throughout Meta’s platforms,” says Paul Coggins, chief executive officer at mobile advertising platform Adludio. “The news adds fuel to the belief that social media channels are the wrong environment for advertisers. Soon, they will begin to pull ads if these environments continue to be unsafe.” He says that all major social platforms are likely worried about growing scrutiny of their data privacy practices, “as they should in the fight to maintain user trust.”
Children's privacy at the forefront
Children’s data privacy in particular has become a hot-button issue among privacy advocates and policymakers. Just last week, California passed new safety and privacy rules for children that requires online sites and services “likely to be accessed by children” to evaluate potential risks for users under the age of 18 and implement new safeguards for such users (including default ‘private’ versus ‘public’ account settings – an issue at the heart of the DPC’s decision to fine Instagram). If signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, the bill will become law.
Meanwhile, federal lawmakers are also under pressure to take action on young people’s data privacy. In his State of the Union address in March, US president Joe Biden made it clear that children’s online safety and privacy is a top priority for the administration. “It’s time to strengthen privacy protections, ban targeted advertising to children, demand tech companies stop collecting personal data on our children,” he said.
Experts predict that the focus on children’s privacy from lawmakers and enforcement agencies is not likely to wane anytime soon. “We can certainly expect sustained regulatory emphasis on online safety and privacy for children and teens,” says Arielle Garcia, chief privacy officer at media agency UM Worldwide. The new DPC penalty against Instagram, she says, “may serve to accelerate prioritization of these changes by Meta and other platforms.”
For more, sign up for The Drum’s daily US newsletter here.
The September 14 deadline for The Drum Awards for B2B and Out of Home (OOH) is fast approaching, and there is no better time to enter your amazing teams and work to gain the recognition they deserve.
The Drum Awards for OOH celebrates the campaigns, people and companies driving innovation, creativity and excellence worldwide. This space has been creating amazing work, such as the ever-evolving 3D billboards. Earlier this year, we spoke to the OOH jury about the 3D NYC billboard for Netflix’s latest series Resident Evil, which revealed a realistic zombie-like creature.
Markéta Kristlová, global marketing manager of Cadbury at Mondelēz International, will chair the OOH program alongside a panel of jurors.
The jury includes experts such as:
- Anna Bager, president and chief executive officer, Out of Home Advertising Association of America
- Eric Dennis, creative director, 360i
- Jim Wilson, chief executive officer, Talon Outdoor America
- Stephanie Gutnik, global head of DOOH, Yahoo
- David Payne, chief executive officer, Mediabridge Global
John Brockelman, chief marketing officer of State Street Global Advisors, will head up the jury for the B2B Awards. He will be joined by experts from Google, Samsung Electronics America, IBM, Meta, VMLY&R, Wunderman Thompson and American Express. You can read more about this star-studded jury on the awards website.
Brockelman believes this is an exciting time in B2B marketing. “Brands are rapidly evolving their use of data, personalizing client experiences and dialing up creativity. I am honored to judge these awards to not only be inspired by the amazing campaigns from the past year, but also to learn from the very best in the world – across agencies, industries and platforms.”
Remember, the deadline for both awards programs is September 14. You can check out the 2021 winners for both on The Drum Awards site, including Mower’s Caring is Your Calling and Playstation’s PS5 launch.
The speculative fiction writer has teamed up with crypto pioneer Peter Vessenes to launch Lamina1, a layer-1 blockchain designed to give creators the tools they'll need to launch their own projects in the metaverse.
Neal Stephenson coined the term “metaverse” in his 1992 novel Snow Crash. Now, with the metaverse emerging from the realm of science fiction into reality, the author is back as the confounder of Lamina1, a new company which aims to provide the framework for an “open metaverse” - in other words, one that’s more aligned with the core vision of web3, and which prioritizes independent creators over corporations.
Many marketers have probably never heard of Stephenson, but almost all by this point will have heard of the metaverse - an as yet poorly defined virtual space that’s commonly described as being the next evolutionary stage of the internet and which is built upon blockchain technology, rendering it (at least in theory) completely free from the top-down control that’s come to dominate the flow of information in the web2 era.
Unlike Snow Crash - and the various visions of the metaverse that are being broadcasted by companies like Meta - Lamina1 does not offer any long-term prognosis for the future of the metaverse. Rather, it aims to provide the foundational tools that technical and creative developers will need in order to be able to bring their own, various projects to life. “Despite my 30-plus-year history of being ‘the metaverse guy,’ I feel uneasy about trying to predict or dictate what [the metaverse] is going to be, or what it ought to be, because the way that technologies develop in the real world is that people find uses for them,” Stephenson says. “The best thing one can do at this point is to help contribute infrastructure and provide tools that the people who are going to build the metaverse will find useful … I'm more looking forward to being surprised.”
He quotes the author William Gibson, who's often credited with inventing the cyberpunk subgenre: “The street finds its own uses for things.” (It’s worth noting that “The Street” is the name that Stephenson gives to the metaverse's main throughway in Snow Crash.)
Still, driven by the promise of huge potential profit, many companies have been attempting (some would argue prematurely) to find uses for the street, generating hype about the metaverse as if it’s already arrived. “You can tell when someone says ‘we're building a metaverse,’ or ‘our metaverse’ that they don't quite understand the basic concept,” Stephenson says. “There is only a metaverse — the metaverse.”
Lamina1 is by no means alone in their efforts to build an open metaverse. In July, a cohort of leading web3 brands - including The Sandbox, Dapper Labs and Decentraland - united to form the Open Metaverse Alliance for Web3 (OMA3).
As its name suggests, Lamina1 has been designed as a layer-1 blockchain, meaning it will be able to establish its own rules and validate its own transactions. (Bitcoin and Ethereum are also both Layer-1 chains.) As Stephenson describes, “the advantage to starting your own [blockchain] is that you can make engineering decisions to suit your own purposes, as opposed to just kind of being along for the ride with somebody else's system.”
Stephenson founded Lamina1 earlier this year alongside Peter Vessenes, an early and influential crypto pioneer who serves as the company’s chief executive and chief cryptographer. On August 25, the company announced that it had hired creative strategist and product expert Rebecca Barkin as president. Barkin and Stephenson had met during their tenures at Magic Leap, an augmented reality (AR) company that released its first headset in 2018. Barkin - who says she was brought onboard in part “to bring order to chaos and really get everything off the ground” - describes Lamina1 as being “purpose-built to enable experiences in the metaverse, with an emphasis on things that we know matter, [such as] data storage, on-chain interoperability, identity, commerce, and of course quality and ease of use. By really emphasizing those things, we can really help grow a real community.”
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Barkin also underscores the need, as she sees it, for the Web3 community to reflect on and learn from the past in order to build a better future: “We have the opportunity here to undo some of the decisions that we all made for convenience or lack of knowledge early on in the Web2 era,” she says, “and really return a lot of that power to creators and consumers ... There's a cultural movement towards agency and ownership ... We want to be a part of that. We want to be the leaders of it and say, ‘look, you have a lot to offer the world, and we want to be the place where you come to do it.'”
For more, sign up for The Drum’s Inside the Metaverse weekly newsletter here.
In a new webinar, NetBase Quid’s Jackie Balchin shares five key lessons for brands to turn raw social and online data into insights to drive real business results.
We’ve all heard that data is the new oil but, actually, data is more like the new crude oil. It takes a lot of work to turn crude oil into something useful like petrol or aviation fuel. And after that, you need to make sure you’re putting the right stuff into your car or your airplane.
Data is the same. There’s a lot of work to be done to turn raw data into insights, and you need to make sure you’re using the right insights to drive your business.
To look at turning data into insight in more depth, The Drum partnered with consumer and market intelligence platform NetBase Quid to produce a webinar, Get More From Your Data: Finding The Consumer & Market Insights That Actually Matter.
In it, Jackie Balchin, senior social strategist at NetBase Quid, explains the importance of continuously monitoring what your customers, your competitors, and your competitors’ customers are saying, not just on social media but also in blogs and the news media, and putting that in the context of your data as well as broader business data.
Balchin has five key lessons that brands need to be aware of:
1. Go beyond the numbers
Companies and brands tend not to look behind their sentiment scores to find out what’s driving them. But doing so will show you what people really like about you – so you can do more of it – and can also spark ideas for other activities, products, content etc. You’ll also find out if there are things people don’t like.
“Once you discover these conversations, it’s really important to track them,” Balchin says. “Track the topics with positive sentiment to make sure it’s not diminishing. Likewise with your negative sentiment categories, ensure that the changes you’re making are making those numbers go down.”
2. Get granular
You need to break conversations down into smaller sub-topics in order to avoid overlooking issues that are just beginning to emerge.
“Having a tool that scans conversations for sentiment and groups them is a super-powerful way to take away your bias, and allows you to find your blindspots and opportunities. Once you’ve done that, bring it back into your monitoring. See whether it’s something consumers are still talking about, or not talking about. Could you do something to re-instigate that conversation? Or, if it’s a problem and you think you’ve fixed it, has it stopped being a topic of conversation?”
3. Benchmark yourself against the competition
Don’t just stick to market share or share of voice. Compare how you score against your competitors for all the sub-topics, all the individual drivers of conversations.
“You may be the market leader overall, but there may be some segments where you’re not,” she says. “Those segments may be insignificant for you right now, but some day they might be the reason why your challenger brand overtakes you, because you weren’t paying attention to the little conversation drivers that were slowly getting eaten up by a competitor.”
4. Don’t just measure success in social by the amount of noise
According to Balchin, brands tend to monitor the success of a campaign in terms of impressions and engagements. It’s much less common to benchmark it against all the other content the brand is producing at the time, and against other data from the business.
“Campaign success is not just a case of hey, there’s lots of volume about it, there’s lots of impressions around it,” she explains. “It’s also understanding whether or not the campaign has had any impact on the purchase funnel. That allows you to say okay, the campaign may not have had much volume, but during this time, the purchase indicators have increased. It’s not an exact correlation, but it’s a soft metric that you can add to your campaign reporting.”
5. Keep track of what’s being said across your whole sector
Don’t just focus on what people are saying about you. By monitoring and clustering conversations about your entire industry, you can gain insight and spot opportunities.
Balchin analyzes the meal kit delivery sector to illustrate this point: “We can say within the meal delivery conversation, consumers are talking about affordability and subscriptions. But they’re also talking about giving this meal delivery service as a gift for new mums. So if you’re HelloFresh or Gousto, that’s potentially a new product offering, or a new marketing campaign, a business innovation, perhaps even a new partnership.
“If I had just looked at a word cloud, that topic might not have been visible, because you just see the key words. Grouping the conversations by commonalities can help you find an opportunity or spot an issue that might be happening.”
As a final word of advice, Balchin stresses the importance of carrying out this monitoring constantly.
“This is not just something you can dip into and then look at again in a year, or every three months or six months,” she says. “This is something that is always evolving. Social chatter, customer opinion is always changing. You need to be able to discover conversations, or discover new companies entering the market, new patterns coming into the market, and then be able to monitor how these things are evolving through time.”
To watch The Drum and NetBase Quid’s webinar Get More From Your Data: Finding The Consumer & Market Insights That Actually Matter in full, click here.
French plant-based food brand La Vie is taking a gamble with its marketing efforts by advertising in the UK, even though it is not available in the country – yet.
To intrigue hungry Londoners, the startup has painted the city pink with a range of cheeky out-of-home (OOH) activations. With self-deprecating copy including ‘the best plant-based bacon in town that isn’t available in town,’ the brand aims to leave an impression with locals and get the product into UK supermarkets.
“In a moment when the urge to reduce the carbon footprint of our plates is stronger and where the intensive animal farming model is showing the world it has reached its limits, vegans and meat lovers are paradoxically more divided than ever,” said Romain Jolivet, chief marketing officer at La Vie.
He continued: “La Vie was created to resolve this tension and bring everyone together at the same table. First with our product, which finally reproduces everything we love about bacon without the pig, followed by a unique brand character that is entertaining, guilt-free and inclusive. In a country of bacon-lovers, we could not make a shy entrance and decided to provide our consumer cohorts with a good laugh.”
Created in partnership with Paris-based creative agency Buzzman, the campaign included a print wrap in The Guardian on World Bacon Day (September 3).
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- How Heinz’s agency used machine learning to prove its ketchup is the dominant condiment
- ‘Help us pay our lawyers’ asks Glebe Farm in ad after winning Oatly lawsuit
Interested in creative campaigns? Check out our Ad of the Day section and sign up for our Ads of the Week newsletter so you don’t miss a story.
Television audience measurement service Barb has opened a consultation on extending its reporting to all ‘television-like’ content hosted by video-sharing platforms by establishing an agreed measure for such viewing.
The move follows the body’s embrace of audience metrics for streaming video on demand (SVOD) platforms including Disney+ and Netflix back in November last year, as well as reporting on video-sharing portals such as TikTok and YouTube.
Now it is looking to spread its wings further, but not before establishing an industry-wide consensus on how to define ‘television-like’ content. To get the ball rolling, Barb has singled out three key requirements that it feels correspond with the EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive and pronouncements made by advertisers.
These include a stipulation that videos and channels should fall under the control of a professional media services provider and operate to industry-agreed standards on brand safety. Channels should also be classified by genre to guide the placement of ads within editorial content.
Barb chief executive Justin Sampson said: “Innovation carried Barb to a significant milestone last year. Since November 2021, we’ve been delivering daily audience data for SVOD and video-sharing services. This enhances what was already the most comprehensive and granular measurement service for all forms of television on all devices.
“Now we are ready to specify the next evolution in our industry’s gold-standard measurement of what people watch.”
Headed up by Paul Evans, the former global head of media at Vodafone, the consultation will draw on inputs from media agencies, advertisers, broadcasters and video-sharing platforms before presenting its findings in the autumn.
Christmas 2022 is shaping up to be a frugal affair, according to new research conducted by WPP media agency Mindshare.
Mindshare’s Reality Check report solicited the opinion of over 1,000 adults to glean advance sentiment toward the pending holiday season, unearthing widespread gloom in the process – with those feeling very negative on the calendar endpoint standing at 14%, almost five times higher than last year.
Only a quarter of those quizzed felt positive about the pending break – a 25% decline on last year, with four in 10 concerned that they will not be able to afford the day of decadence.
The souring sentiment is blamed on the cost of living crisis, with three in 10 expected to fall back on credit card spending to tide them over, with those aged 35-54 most likely to voice concern.
Asked what will be prioritized this Christmas, 78% said they would emphasize saving over spending – with 79% expecting to stay in rather than head out and 74% holding back from indulgent excesses.
Julia Ayling, head of research and insights at Mindshare UK, said: “Regardless of financial position, people will behave very differently this Christmas. All brands, even those that have traditionally been fairly recession-proof, will need to adapt to this.
“The ‘squeezed middle’ are making changes to make sure their loved ones can still enjoy Christmas. This group needs support from brands to spread the cost over a longer period, treat their kids and find alternatives and substitutes that celebrate the joy of giving rather being about the monetary value.”
Amid the gloom Mindshare strikes a note of optimism, pointing to the fact that 67% are reining in gift expectations and 56% are prioritizing scarce pounds and pence on loved ones rather than themselves.
The findings follow a separate YouGov/LTK study, which found consumers were still willing to spend, but only if the price was right.
KFC is tapping into the gaming habits of Britain with a new rewards scheme called ‘Rewards Arcade.’
Playing on the history of arcades in the UK, the KFC Rewards Arcade is a rewards program that attempts to reinvent the idea of a loyalty scheme.
While to date most consumer loyalty schemes have been based around earning points incrementally, KFC’s new scheme is instead designed to offer all consumers a better opportunity to earn rewards rather than just the super-users.
As a result, the Rewards Arcade is a gamified experience that allows consumers to play an arcade cabinet-inspired simple game to win rewards. To play, customers receive an in-app invite after every order of over £3. They are then in with a chance of winning one of twelve food items available, including Bargain Buckets and Popcorn Chicken.
The first game – ‘Hammer Time’ – resembles the classic festival-style game where players choose one of three hammers and ‘swing to win’ by ringing a bell atop a pillar.
The scheme was designed by Rapp UK. Its chief executive Gabby Ludzker argues that most points-based systems create an unfair “generosity balance” – which prioritizes super-serving a brand’s most regular customers while de-prioritizing the largest cohorts of the consumers by design. In doing so, brands are choosing to create a perverse incentive to overspend with a single brand – which works well for higher-value items such as furniture, but limits choice among FMCGs and food and drinks.
Ludzker said: “Loyalty has moved on from points means prizes, and brands need to keep up with their customers’ behaviors and motivations. The Rewards Arcade is a dynamic way to reward loyalty – customers can have a go, win and claim their prize immediately, making it a win-win for KFC and its guests.
“We wanted to give every KFC guest an entertaining, interactive and competitive space where they can try out a range of retro games to win free food. The games are exciting and fun, and will definitely keep customers coming back for more.”
The rewards scheme is live within the KFC app.
To amp up even more buzz around football season, Snickers has brought back its ‘Rookie Mistake of the Year’ program to celebrate fans’ biggest blunders and missteps.
Ever ‘called in sick’ to a family gathering, only to foolishly post a pic with friends on Instagram? Rookie mistake. This football season, Snickers, the ‘Official Chocolate Bar Sponsor of the NFL,’ is restoring the honor of fans everywhere by rewarding their biggest rookie mistakes with prizes and Super Bowl tickets, and even recreating some stories with NFL stars.
Starting today, fans can submit videos, photo or written examples of their rookie mistakes to Snickers’ website or on social using the #SNICKERSROOKIEMISTAKE hashtag. The most hilarious and relatable submissions will be highlighted throughout the NFL regular season, giving fans a chance to be featured across all Snickers platforms, and will also be rewarded with autographed merchandise and NFLshop.com gift cards. At the season’s end, a panel of NFL experts will deliberate and select one ‘Snickers Rookie Mistake of the Year,’ with the winner receiving two tickets to Super Bowl LVII in Arizona, as well as the opportunity to celebrate on the field after the game.
“The Snickers ‘Rookie Mistake of the Year’ program is back ... to once again reward fans for sharing their rookie mistakes with us,” said Michelle Deignan, senior marketing director at Mars Wrigley. “As the ‘Official Chocolate Bar Sponsor of the NFL,’ Snickers continues to show up as the satisfying solution to make sure rookie mistakes don’t happen twice, while amplifying sporting experiences for fans all season.”
Snickers bars everywhere also now have new packaging with codes. Later in the season, those codes will link consumers to an augmented reality (AR) experience featuring Buffalo Bills’ wide receiver Stefon Diggs and a ‘magic football’ that acts like a Magic 8 Ball, where fans can ask Diggs a question or submit a rookie mistake of their own.
Diggs, along with NFL running back Najee Harris, will also recreate fan-submitted rookie mistakes in a series of videos. The debut in the series, which goes live today, shows Diggs recreating the story of one fan who left a game early to beat traffic, only to miss a team’s epic comeback in the fourth quarter. “Last year’s entries were hilarious, but I know the fans have more they’ve been holding back,” Diggs said in a statement.
Campaign content will run exclusively online across social channels. Creative and strategic support came from BBDO NY, Weber Shandwick, Mediacom, The Hive, MKTG and The Mars Agency.
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