‘Tis the season

summer travel is over and we’re back in the swing of all the EOY things and 2025 planning all the while getting used to our new we all get back into the mad dash to the 2024 finish line (we also can’t believe those words are coming out of our mouths!). So get out your rakes 🍂🧓💾😷, tissues, and fancy word processing machines, and let’s get to it. 

The past few weeks have been jam-packed with new business, opinioned thought leadership (looking at you Katie & Christa), awards judging, and year-end/2025 planning. 

Side note – has it really been 25 years since Y2K was going to send us all into chaos? We included a link for all you youngsters.  

Shameless Plug: Are you a brandside senior marketer in/around NYC? Come hang out with us. We’re hosting an event on October 16th called GrowthSource in partnership with Foresight Factory. Great networking, some unique consumer trend data from Foresight Factory, great food/bev, no nonsense. ➡️ RSVP HERE ⬅️

This week, we’re sharing Asics new awesome campaign with Brian Cox, the state of AI in the eyes of consumers and the current status of brands taking a stand…or pulling a Switzerland. Some good stuff.

Keep in touch, peeps!

Greg & Becky

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Make people nervous: How Asics used entertaining scare tactics to get people to care about workplace mental health

TL;DR: Asics launched a new campaign to urge employees to incorporate movement into the workday to improve their mental health with a PSA-style ad led by the scariest boss you know, Succession actor Brian Cox.

Takeaway: Jumping on the success of a show like Succession is just a smart move. Most people within the target audience (office workers) have seen it or at least know of it. Having Cox channel his terrifying character’s mannerisms in the ad leans into the entertainment factor and gets audiences to pay attention. While we can’t all hire Logan Roy for our ad spots, brands can lean into the key message here: antithesis marketing works. The ad spot aims for viewers to take workplace mental health seriously and notice the harmful effects of desk work. Asics’ approach takes a concept that could otherwise be boring and turns it into something actionable and real.

Consider:

• Traditional promotional approaches for important social campaigns can sometimes feel a bit dull. But they don’t have to be. How could you get someone scrolling through their social feeds to stop and actually absorb the message you’re sending?
• Leaning into scare tactics seriously can be effective, but it also runs the risk of pushing audiences away. What would the right balance of scare tactics and entertainment look like for your audience?

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Approach slowly: New research shows customers don’t trust AI or the companies pushing it

TL;DR: According to new research in the Journal of Hospitality Marketing and Management, consumers regularly indicate that they are skeptical of AI, and AI terminology can actually decrease customers’ purchasing intentions.

Takeaway: It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of AI. Many of us exist in tech bubbles where AI is becoming increasingly prominent and very much a part of everyday life. Which is why it’s so important to remember that the general population may have a different perception. Remember Google’s Olympics Gemini ad? The public response to it was so negative that Google removed the ad. The fact that research supports consumers’ skepticism of AI is not something to take lightly. The study mentioned here found that distrust comes from two places: AI underselling expectations and AI being a threat to consumers’ morals. Brands should make sure to maintain realistic expectations of AI features and maintain narratives that showcase AI as a supplement to our everyday tasks, not a replacement for humanity.

Consider:

• Be selective about when you use the word ‘AI’ in messaging. Think of it more as a differentiator than an immediate win. Using terms like ‘AI-enabled’ can highlight the tech without feeding the fears of consumers.
• If you’re a retail or eCommerce brand, your audiences may be more reticent to AI messaging. Make sure you’re putting AI in your messaging where it’s relevant and helpful to the product – not just as a buzzword without usefulness to it.

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Pick your battles: The benefits and drawbacks of ‘principled neutrality’ statements

TL;DR: The University of Pennsylvania is the latest of a number of institutions implementing “principled neutrality” policies, which restrict their public statements on national and global events that don’t directly impact their institutional functions.

Takeaway: While the piece here focuses on universities, this has also become a common trend throughout brands and businesses. Many have started to pull back DEI commitments and cut partnerships with social issue-driven organizations, including John Deere, Ford, and Harley-Davidson. It’s a decision that is so specific to each brand that it’s hard to come to a common takeaway. Our world is growing increasingly volatile, with consumers holding expectations for brands to speak up on major social issues. Speaking up may help brands align with some consumers while risking alienating others. There are benefits to both, and it’s up to you to decide what makes the most sense for your brand. 

***Additionally, with the upcoming election, there will be a lot of moving pieces to your communications strategies. Brands need to be prepared on how to speak to election-specific issues both internally and externally. Our EVP, Head of Client Services, Christa Conte has put together a 2024 Election Communications Strategy to ensure you’re prepared.***

Consider:

• It’s vital for brands to be aligned on one mission. That mission can inform what you do and don’t speak about publicly. What matters most to your brand and your consumers?
• You don’t always have to release a ‘principled neutrality’ statement – you can simply say nothing. Very public brands, like universities, are often badgered by consumers if they don’t speak up, which is where these statements can come in handy. But if no one’s asking, it might be safer to stay quiet to avoid inviting extra criticism.

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