Shannon Shearer

Source[De]Coded: 😵‍💫 How to (actually) tackle innovation

Hey, all!

It’s been a wild two weeks. We signed our biggest client EVER, brought on two new team members, pitched an even bigger piece of business this week, and generally knocked it out the park for clients. The team is flying.

This week, we recap some of the campaigns we loved off the back of the solar eclipse, dive into how Dior is leveraging technology to increase e-commerce conversion, and highlight how the research industry has changed…for the better. 

We have a few events on the horizon with the upcoming PRovoke North America Summit and Collision in June. Let us know if you’ll be around!

Oh, one SMALL CTA….help us hire! We’re still actively seeking a number of roles. We’ll love you forever if you refer us to some of your favs! Ok, ok fine…we already love you. See ya next time. 

Becky & Greg

Having fun with trending events: How brands made the most of the recent solar eclipse

Krispy Kreme's Total Solar Eclipse specialty dozen. Courtesy Krispy Kreme

TL;DR: Whether or not you were able to experience last Monday’s solar eclipse across North America, you may have experienced brands’ eclipse-themed offerings to celebrate the occasion. A few of note: Moon Pie’s solar eclipse survival kits, Krispy Kreme’s Oreo-covered donut, SunChips’ limited-time new flavor (available for free only during totality), Warby Parker’s ISO-certified free solar eclipse glasses, and our own client TouchTunes’ data on the popularity of Bonnie Tyler’s Total Eclipse of the Heart (a 1000% surge in plays).

Takeaway: When major cultural events and conversations are happening, you might benefit from asking whether or not your brand could be involved in a thoughtful, creative way. It makes a lot of sense for an eyewear brand like Warby Parker to offer up free solar eclipse glasses, introducing them to audiences that may not know about the brand and cement loyalty with their existing fanbase. Or, for a brand with timely data like TouchTunes to pull some relevant insights on the trend. When executed through an attention-grabbing or unique campaign, jumping on current events or cultural conversations can be a fun and relevant brand opportunity.

Consider:

• What cultural conversations are happening or about to happen? Does it make sense for your brand to take part?
• Equally important is knowing when not to take part in a cultural event. Make sure you’re aware of what’s going on in the zeitgeist, but hold strong what makes sense for your brand.

Positioning high-quality tech: How Christian Dior made virtual try-ons a luxury experience

TL;DR: Augmented reality (AR) has come a long way when it comes to helping businesses with physical products (that are typically seen in person before purchasing) evolve into the e-commerce space. Popularized by brands like Wayfair and Target for allowing users to imagine furniture in their homes, AR allows customers to visualize products in their spaces before committing to a purchase. Now, we’re seeing luxury clothing brands like Christian Dior using the tech as well in order to reach wider audiences and help convert buyers online, while still managing to maintain the allure of their elite reputation – something that may not always be the first thought when it comes to new tech like AR. Using virtual try-on (VTO) technology, the results of Dior’s AR campaign showed a 17% increase in respondents recognizing the brand as premium and a 36% lift in purchase intent.

Takeaway: While AR tools can be useful, the tech still has limitations when trying to replicate an in-person buying experience– colors can be off, the tech glitches, or it simply doesn’t look the same as it would in an in-person experience–  leading to slower adoption by some brands (particularly those that want to maintain a feeling of a luxury shopping experience). But Dior’s campaign shows that those perceptions can be beaten and, with a robust virtual experience mirroring the luxury in-person experience, the conveniences of AR are proving they can support premium products. While tech innovations like AR or even generative AI tools aren’t going anywhere, they aren’t perfect yet, which sometimes leads to negative perceptions about their limitations. But that will change. Through carefully curated content and aligning with a modern, more responsive audience – like Dior did in their campaign – just about any brand can find a way into technological innovation.

Consider:

• What is your industry’s perception of tech tools like AR or AI? What are typical concerns or negative sentiments you’ve heard about it within your industry?
• If you’re a high-end brand or work with a premium product, what does innovation look like to you? How can you get ahead of the game while maintaining your brand?

Using your users: What the future of user research looks like

TL;DR: User research company Maze surveyed over 1,200 product professionals in January 2024 to understand current trends in the user research landscape. Their report summarized the data into three key trends: demand for user research is growing, research democratization empowers stronger decision-making, and new technology allows product teams to scale research.

Takeaway: In the study, user research was shown to have an 85% impact on improving product usability, 58% impact on improved customer satisfaction, and 44% impact on improved customer engagement. That’s a tremendous amount of cross-functional benefits with just one action. Furthermore, more than 60% of respondents use AI to analyze user research data – meaning you don’t have to invest massive amounts of team effort to glean insights from user data. By investing in user research initiatives like focus groups, surveys, and concept testing or even async web tools like Hotjar or UserTesting, you can get a quick read of how your brand is resonating with audiences and where you should be allocating your resources for maximum impact.

Consider:

• What do you want to know about your users? What could you ask them?
• In lieu of involved initiatives like hosting focus groups or usability testing, what tools could you use to automate user research?

by shannon.haggerty

Source[De]Coded: 📣 Call Your Brand Boring

Hey all! We hope you all had a nice Easter weekend.

From our side, we recently spent an awesome week on the trade show floor in Vegas with TouchTunes for Amusement Expo, and after a HUGE account win, we’re hiring like crazy. Did you love working with someone…or maybe you are that person? Reach out!

We have some good stuff for you this week. We spent some time thinking about influencer marketing for the B2B space, the future potential TikTok ban, and how PNC bank has taken a creative approach in their latest campaign.

Enjoy and we’ll catch up soon!

Best,

Greg & Becky

Find value in collabs: Influencer marketing isn’t just for DTC brands anymore

TL;DR: More and more B2B brands are taking advantage of the value of influencer marketing, covering niche areas from healthcare to SaaS brands. Creator agencies have seen a 25% YoY increase in B2B brands inquiring about influencer marketing due to brands “becoming aware of the fact that a business person doesn’t just consume business content” and a growth in more workplace-focused creators.

Takeaway: While influencer marketing might not be the first strategy B2B brands think of, there is a clear potential value in using this approach to meet your customers where they are, outside of just a business context. Plus, there’s the benefit of getting engaging, creative content without having to rely solely on in-house resources. This can add a layer of extra productivity and innovation to your campaigns. More so, we’re living in a time where influencers can be extremely niche—meaning you might find a creator that deeply resonates with your target audience (for example, a software engineer creator talking about optimization software). Finding this ideal influencer can create a synergy that results in more conversions, more brand affinity, and better use of your ad spend.

Consider:

• How can you work an influencer partnership into an upcoming campaign or content peak?
• What type of influencer would you ideally want to talk about your product?

Diversify your content mix: How the potential TikTok ban could impact businessBrand advocacy over advertising: Take a note from Tesla and GoPro

TL;DR: If you’ve looked through marketing news in the last few weeks, you’ve probably been inundated with articles and opinions on the potential TikTok ban in the United States. Long story short, the U.S. House passed a bill two weeks ago that would require TikTok’s parent company ByteDance to sell its stake in the platform or face a nationwide ban. The bill still needs to pass through the Senate, so the future of TikTok is still TBD. But brands who rely on TikTok are getting worried about a world without the generous promotional help of the app.

Takeaway:Anytime there’s a shakeup in the world of marketing (which feels increasingly frequent these days), there’s a general phrase people like to throw around: don’t build on borrowed land. Now, that’s just an unrealistic premise for marketers who thrive on going where the people are, forced to rely on the powers of platform algorithms. But the one way to navigate around this is by diversifying the mix of platforms where you share your content. Don’t just rely on going viral on TikTok – resurface that content on Instagram Reels, turn it into a written piece of content on your blog or newsletter, or keep the camera rolling and make it into long-form YouTube videos. By planting multiple seeds across each platform, you’re able to lean into the benefits each network provides while never solely relying on one (in case we do lose a whole platform).

Consider:

• Are you leaning on one sole platform for all of your content? What would happen if that platform was gone tomorrow?
• Can you repurpose any of your existing content onto other platforms or mediums?

Embrace public opinion: PNC prides itself on being called ‘boring’

TL;DR: It’s no secret that certain industries are just… less flashy than others. Instead of trying to be something they’re not, PNC just launched a new ad campaign in which they embrace the label of being a ‘boring’ banking company. As the ad mentions, you don’t want your banking company to be reckless or crazy—boring is safe, responsible, and caring. The contrarian approach is a unique way to address public perception without negativity.

Takeaway: The classic approach to marketing has been about perfecting your image, crafting a strategic brand persona, and maintaining that narrative. While there’s still value in that, society has caught on to promotional tactics, and brands have struggled to stand out in the growing market. We’ve seen the emergence of trends like de-influencing, anti-consumerism, and plain old roasts of brands and people. The general message? Don’t take yourself too seriously. Brands have to tread a fine line between not appearing too polished but also not being too cringe. Starting with how the public is talking about you and embracing whatever that means (in an authentic way) can help you get ahead of the conversations to create a more relatable, more modern brand.

Consider:

• What are audiences saying about your brand?
• Can you embrace something that people might typically view as negative and turn it on its head? (i.e. a banking brand being ‘boring’ is actually exactly what they should be.)

by shannon.haggerty

Source[De]Coded: 😳 Getting Outside the Comfort Zone

How on earth is it almost Q2? It feels like we were all reading a zillion 2024 prediction pieces and now we’re a quarter of the way through the year. Jeez. Anyway, you’re going to love this week’s newsletter…a brilliant campaign from Whirlpool, a new performance metric we all have to start thinking about, and a nice reminder of the real impact thoughtful storytelling can have on brand value. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Shameless plug - we just won a PRWeek Award for Best in Data Storytelling and The Observer named us a Top Agency in Tech & AI. Needless to say, it’s been a good week!

Keep in touch.

Greg & Becky

Go outside your lane: Appliance maker Whirlpool is having fun on social media with dating profiles

TL;DR: When we say “household appliances,” the first thing you think of probably isn’t online dating… yet, appliance maker Whirlpool has combined the two in its new consumer campaign. The campaign, which experimented with seven Chicago-area bachelors, depicts the importance of equity in household chores when finding a partner by swapping out the bachelors’ profile photos for shots of them doing laundry or washing dishes.

Takeaway: Knitting these two concepts together may seem out of the norm. However, the brand first conducted research that showed equity around house chores was important for 94% of singles seeking a relationship. And the results of the campaign don’t lie either – the bachelors saw, on average, 79% more DMs and 46% more matches compared to three weeks prior to the experiment. We’re not saying that you should pivot your brand to online dating, but the essence of the campaign is pretty interesting: can you weave your brand into cultural conversations outside your typical niche? Not only does this strategy help you reach new buyers, but it also allows your team to flex your creativity and stand out from the crowd.

Consider:

• What’s your “lane” or market niche? What’s a lane you wish you could be in? What else are your target customers interested in? 
• Think outside the box. What fun, unique conversation could your brand be a part of?

Predicting new metrics: Why you should care about “Share of Model”

TL;DR: Move over “share of voice” and “share of market,” there’s a new hot metric in town. Share of Model describes how each large language model (LLM) perceives your brand, measures it against competition, and suggests your products to customers. With the emergence of LLMs and generative AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, Meta’s Llama 2, and Microsoft’s Copilot, it’s becoming increasingly important to recognize how your brand shows up in these conversations and how you can use it to shape your strategy.

Takeaway: Share of Model still has a ways to go before we can accurately analyze it against SoV or SoM. But even with how imperfect the LLMs are, consumers are increasingly turning to these resources to learn more about brands and make buying decisions. At the very least, check how your brand is being perceived by these models by asking simple prompts of the four core LLMs. Ask the bots what they think of your content, your strategy, and your approach. See how they’re ranking and viewing other brands in your space. Consider the LLMs like an audience focus group that’s always available and never tires of your questions. And remember, just like consumer behavior, these models are changing all the time. So, you might need to integrate this into your process to really stay up to date and reap the benefits.

Consider:

• How are the major LLMs (Gemini, GPT4, Llama 2, and Copilot) perceiving your brand? How are they perceiving your competitor brands?
• How can you include LLMs in your content creation and brand strategy process?

Brand advocacy over advertising: Take a note from Tesla and GoPro

TL;DR: Can you remember the last time you saw a Tesla ad? With very little advertising, the company has managed to take a significant share of the market based mostly on consumer excitement. Similarly, GoPro launched itself into a majorly competitive camera and video market by positioning itself around capturing immersive experiences, not just selling professional gear. Both brands have managed to use this emotion-driven strategy to turn customers into brand advocates: people who will promote the brand simply because they love it.

Takeaway: We can’t all have a flashy product like Tesla or GoPro, but we can manufacture a similar brand sentiment through strategic storytelling. What problem is your product or service trying to solve? Tesla just sells cars, but they’ve modernized what cars can do and made it easier on the operator. GoPro just sells cameras, but they’ve made cameras for extreme activities and life’s best adventures. You can tell the same brand story every other brand in your niche is telling, or you can lean into what makes you different and exciting. That emotion can capture audiences, then it’s just a matter of fostering and keeping that audience engaged. An engaged and excited audience? Well, that’s where the magic of brand advocacy naturally occurs.

Consider:

• How can you tell your brand’s story in a way that excites your audience?
• What could you do to foster and maintain a community of brand advocates?

by shannon.haggerty

Source[De]Coded: ✏️ Rewrite Old-School Marketing Tactics

Hey all!

Greg spent a few days down at the University of Florida engaging with students and helping faculty update their curriculum. Despite all the news around the defunding of diversity programs in Florida, the future is bright. Faculty remains steadfast in their goals to make sure all voices are heard and these kids are whip-smart. It’s clear, they may have lost a battle, but everyone is focused on winning, and we’re in it with them 🤜🏼

This week’s newsletter takes a look at a new key lead gen metric all organizations should keep an eye on, how to have more fun with your consumers, and why you should be optimizing your marketing for mobile (especially as a B2B organization).

Until next time!

Prioritize brand building: Why brand affinity is a vital lead gen metric to track

TL;DR: Lead gen measurement and attribution have always been the gold standard in measuring B2B marketing success… but perhaps there’s another metric to keep in mind. The underlying goal of demand generation is to foster more leads and turn them into customers. In addition to generating more leads, we should also consider fostering more qualified, warm leads. This is where brand affinity and brand interest can help swing the demand generation curve into a more elevated, strategic focus.

Takeaway: Proving ROI can be a complex art of analyzing lead gen metrics. Site traffic and ad engagement can help you understand how your content is performing and whether there’s interest in your messaging. But at the end of the day, lead generation should be focused on bringing people together who are interested in your solution, your niche, or the pain point your brand solves. Lead gen metrics can help signify the level of intent of a potential buyer, and we’re seeing that strong brand recall and preference are often at the top level of intent. How can you invest in brand building? Create robust content engines, pivot your ads with a focus on brand recall and recognition, or prioritize audience engagement. It’s just like the old saying goes: if you build it, they will come.

Consider:

• What are your current success metrics for analyzing ROI? Are there other indicators of success you may not be considering?
• Could your company benefit from a more brand awareness-focused campaign?

Get creative with customers: Olipop’s latest campaign employs fans to create brand content

TL;DR: DTC better-for-you soda brand Olipop is looking to hire two best friends to join the company as “senior soda consultants” and send them on an all-expenses-paid trip across the U.S. to create content for the brand. The campaign showcases Olipop’s commitment to influencer marketing and showcases how creators still hold relevance in marketing plans.

Takeaway: Olipop’s campaign comes at a time when research shows creator-led ads have a 1.4x greater impact on building brand loyalty and a 1.3x greater impact on inspiring brand advocacy. The data shows that influencer marketing still has value. So much so that 44% of marketers this year plan to increase their investment in content creators. Looking beyond the potential metrics for success, a campaign like this is a fun and creative way to engage your customer, and make them feel appreciated and included in your brand’s trajectory, while providing a new avenue for engagement. Olipop is betting on their biggest fans and letting them in on the brand process – a win for all parties involved.

Consider:

• How could you have more fun with your consumers?
• Could your brand benefit from influencer marketing? Influencers and creators are everywhere within every niche, serving almost every product focus.

Optimize for mobile: Mobile marketing isn’t just for B2C orgs anymore

TL;DR: 85% of Americans own a smartphone, and 15% of American adults rely on their mobile phones as their sole internet outlet, so don’t assume that your audience is only reaching your brand through your desktop website. While the use case for consumer brands has long been an obvious one, there’s a lot of value for B2B brands to also integrate mobile marketing into their campaigns, including in mobile-optimized websites, SMS or text message marketing, and mobile-friendly email marketing and advertising.

Takeaway: There are many opportunities for B2B brands to integrate mobile marketing, from small edits to device-targeted and segmented campaigns. The no-brainer move is to ensure all of your content is optimized for mobile – this includes making sure your website, landing pages, and emails are optimized for smaller screens, simplified navigation, and fast loading times. Another key area may be examining your mobile metrics to understand how much of your traffic is already coming from mobile. This can help you figure out which mobile tactics to employ and set a baseline for success. The future of marketing is increasingly mobile, so the earlier you can identify opportunities for your brand, the better.

Consider:

• Is your brand content and digital presence optimized for mobile devices? If not, where can you improve?
• How does your digital audience spend time on mobile? Think about the social networks they scroll, the emails they get in their inbox, and how they communicate with colleagues through calls or SMS. Understanding their actions can help you understand where your brand should show up.

by shannon.haggerty