Alright, weâll admit itâŚweâre totally obsessed with the Olympics. The storylines, the heart rate-monitored parents in the stands, Snoop Dogg in the stands, the incredible athleticism, the raw emotion, and the opportunity to witness dreams coming trueâŚwe love it all (ok, maybe not the water quality issues during the triathlon, but still).
The Olympics reminds us of what engages human beingsâŚno matter where they come from. Itâs understanding humanity, the common struggle we all experience, and the joy of watching someone do something truly spectacular. Iâm not crying, youâre crying đ. As marketers, we have to remember this as we launch our campaigns.
Shameless Plug: Our EVP, Technology and Innovation, Kevin Dulaney will be speaking on the PRNews virtual panel, Leveraging Data to Measure PR Business Impact on the 14th. Weâve got a discount code for you so go give him a listenâŚI promise youâll learn something you can implement immediately. We doâŚevery day. Make sure to register here and use the code SPEAKER to get 20% off the PRNews Digital Learning Series.
So, on theme for this week of Olympics mania, we pulled some interesting articles on how to authentically jump on current trends, plus how to handle a negative reaction to your beloved creative, and some new insights on the changing B2B buyer profile. Some good stuff down below.
Until next time, friendsâŚ
Greg & Becky
Jump on current trends (without getting sued): How brands can get in on the winning conversation
TL;DR: If youâve been watching Simone Biles tear up the mat and Katie Ledecky beat her own records, then you might be thinking of how to tie this momentous event in with your brand marketing. The good news is that there are a few ways you can get involved from a brand perspective, but you should be cautious and aware of official bylaws (meet Rule 40) that restrict how brands can mention the Games.
Takeaway: First, the elephant in the room â Rule 40. This is the single most important thing for marketers and brands to be aware of when creating content around the Games. Among many rules, the official charter bylaw states that, âduring a specific time period, brands that are not an official sponsor cannot use the words Olympic, Olympics, or Olympiad. They cannot use registered trademarks like the tagline âGo for the Goldâ or âLet the Games Begin.â And they cannot use the name of the host city of the Games in conjunction with the year of the current Games (ie. Paris 2024).â But you can still get in on the conversations in two ways: engaging in trending topics (such as pommel horse specialist Stephen Nedoroscik) or collaborating with creators (either through its first-ever Paris Creator Collective or with athletes who have created their own content). It doesnât have to be that intimidating â we managed to not break any rules in this blurb!
Consider:
- Paris may be the talk of the moment, but you donât need to be talking about it. Think about whether or not jumping into these conversations makes sense for your brand. If it does, how could you jump in? With a meme or a fun takeaway?
- If you decide to jump into a conversation, take your time reviewing the asset before publishing it. Make sure nothing you publish violates Rule 40. No one wants to risk that legal team coming after them.
Utilize in-house experts: How your pros can help your brand story
TL;DR: Google released an ad during the Olympics this year highlighting its Gemini AI chatbot. The ad spot features a father trying to help his young daughter write a letter to American Olympic track star Sydney McLaughlin-Lecrone. Instead of helping his daughter himself, the father goes to Googleâs Gemini with a prompt to help write a fan letter to Sydney. The ad sparked negative reactions from viewers, saying it misses the mark and AI shouldnât be used to replace a childâs authentic (albeit imperfect) expression. The negative reactions were so strong that Google has since pulled the ad.
Takeaway: Whether or not you agree with the general sentiment, as communicators, we have to listen to what audiences are saying. You might spend months building a robust campaign, but if it falls flat â or in this case, becomes negative commentary â it should give you pause? Moves like this just make people more reluctant to embrace AI, which can have a domino effect of negative consequences. Itâs increasingly clear that people are more receptive to AI when itâs placed in the ideal context â not when itâs aiming to substitute quintessentially human experiences. In cases like this, it may be better to listen to what people want rather than trying to fit your product messaging to something it shouldnât be.
Consider:
- What consumer problem are you trying to solve? Make this solution the center of your messaging, and be realistic about it. People arenât receptive to messaging that seems out-of-touch and your brand may suffer because of it.
- Accept that many people are skeptical of new tech, which can be hard to remember when youâre deep in the industry. How can you lower the barriers of entry to your product or service through your messaging so that it resonates better with your audiences?
Crafting intentional content: Making content that leads to conversions
TL;DR: B2B buyers are increasingly growing younger with Gen Z and Millennials taking over the workforce, and these younger decision makers are different from the previous generation. Among many data points from a recent survey, social media is an increasingly used channel influencing buyer behaviors â from research, decision-making, valuing peer reviews, and understanding price. Also consistent with industry trends is the finding that 66% of Gen Z and millennial B2B marketers prioritize authenticity when creating brand messaging.
Takeaway: Look, Millennial buyers arenât even that young anymore (sorry to our fellow Millennials). The waves of change have been coming for quite some time now. Much of this studyâs findings are in line with the general trends of younger generations â they want more authenticity, originality, uniqueness, and less jargon, cold calling, and unhelpful data reports. So itâs not surprising that these generations value the same approach in a corporate setting. This can be tricky for marketers, especially those in B2B, to let that guard down a little and embrace a more imperfect, personal approach. But itâs a balancing act that many companies will need to embrace or risk being left behind.
Consider:
- Younger generations want more authenticity. How can your brand show up more authentically? Start to make note of areas that could use improvements and prioritize the most high-value ones to change.
- There is no industry immune from generational shifts in the workforce. Start to listen to what newer, younger workers in your industry are saying. Check social media and private groups to start getting a sense of these conversations. Let these insights frame your messaging so youâre not seeming out-of-touch.
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