<p>
  Millennials have been over-analyzed and unfairly chastised for most of their
  adult lives. Yet, the truth is they have been dealt a bad hand in more ways
  than one. Unfortunately, the pandemic is bringing a whole host of new
  challenges to this already disadvantaged generation.
</p>
<ul class="line-list margin-t-1 margin-b-1">
  <li>
    <span class="bold color-accent" style="font-size: 1.2em"
      >WFH isn’t working:</span
    >
    61% of Millennials are currently working remotely in some capacity.
    Pre-pandemic, 79% of Millennials wanted to be able to work from home. Yet
    today 36% say remote work during quarantine has been a difficult transition,
    and 34% say they are getting less work done.<sup id="fnref:1"
      ><a href="#fn:1" rel="footnote">1</a></sup
    >
  </li>
  <li>
    <span class="bold color-accent" style="font-size: 1.2em"
      >Playing double-duty:</span
    >
    More than 50% of families are without childcare, leaving them to balance
    eight hours of remote work with feeding, entertaining, and educating their
    children. 1 in 5 working parents said that either they or their partner are
    considering leaving the workforce to care for their children.<sup
      id="fnref:2"
      ><a href="#fn:2" rel="footnote">2</a></sup
    >
  </li>
  <li>
    <span class="bold color-accent" style="font-size: 1.2em"
      >Diverse and disadvantaged:
    </span>
    Millennials are an extremely diverse generation, making the current state of
    societal and political strife that much more pointed and personal. To make
    matters worse, the pandemic has hurt Black and Latinos populations
    disproportionately both in health and finances.<sup id="fnref:3"
      ><a href="#fn:3" rel="footnote">3</a></sup
    >
  </li>
</ul>
<p>
  From a marketer’s perspective, there are a number of ways to connect and
  provide tangible value to their fast-changing lives and priorities. Below are
  a few attitudinal and lifestyle shifts that rise to the&nbsp;top.
</p>
<h2 class="lead-in lead-in-lg margin-t-4">1. The Great Reshuffling</h2>
<p>
  This describes the exodus from high-priced heavily populated urban centers to
  towns that accommodate their new live-and-work realities. Older Millennials
  are driving this trend as they look to right-size their living spaces, get
  closer to family, or just feed their long-standing desire for homeownership.
  Only half of Millennials in their early thirties are currently homeowners, yet
  most view owning a home as the most important symbol of success, rating it
  higher than marriage or parenthood.<sup id="fnref:4"
    ><a href="#fn:4" rel="footnote">4</a></sup
  >
</p>
<h3 class="margin-t-2 color-accent lg">What it means for brands:</h3>
<p>
  The concept of home is being radically redefined for many Millennials. It’s
  about a general shift in values – from urban access, population density, and
  proximity to transit to privacy, space, and comfort. It also suggests a huge
  swath of Americans are going to be collectively embarking on a new life stage
  over the course of the coming months/year, and brands can tap into the
  excitement and optimism of new beginnings that comes with it. See
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/house-sales-plummet-real-estate-brands-zillow-are-marketing-value-home/2250626"
    >Zillow’s latest commercial</a
  >
  below that offers to be of value during a time of fresh, optimistic change.
</p>
<div class="embed-container margin-t-1">
  <iframe
    src="https://www.ispot.tv/share/nino"
    frameborder="0"
    scrolling="no"
    allowfullscreen
  ></iframe>
</div>
<h2 class="lead-in lead-in-lg margin-t-4">2. Bubbles. Pods. Quaranteams.</h2>
<p>
  These are all terms used to describe a recent trend where groups of two to
  three families agree to socialize restriction-free with each other, while
  continuing to maintain strict social distancing rules with those outside the
  pod. The idea offers a healthy compromise between a degree of normalcy and a
  sense of physical safety, which is especially crucial to the development and
  mental health of school-age children.
</p>
<h3 class="margin-t-2 color-accent lg">What it means for brands:</h3>
<p>
  Through this trend, we are witnessing a shift in the concept of extended
  family. While we’re quite accustomed to the concept of family plans and
  memberships, brands may begin to expand their product offerings to include
  this adjusted definition of family. For example, UK travel company G
  Adventures has introduced flexible<a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://globetrender.com/2020/08/06/g-adventures-launches-book-your-bubble-trips-for-groups/"
  >
    ‘Book Your Bubble’</a
  >
  tours, where guests are encouraged to book private group trips of 8 to unlock
  their ‘family’ promotion.
</p>
<div class="margin-t-1">
  <img
    width="1794"
    height="1060"
    style=""
    class="block-centered"
    src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/54V157AGbBPOcfo1HkQ4kp/125682e63b50c153d723554b44675b8c/blog_2020-09-16_g-adventures_1794x1060.jpg"
  />
</div>
<h2 class="lead-in lead-in-lg margin-t-4">3. Reimagining the staycation</h2>
<p>
  <i>Staycationing</i> is not a new concept. But as an audience that spent the
  last decade putting the experience economy into overdrive, Millennials are
  truly feeling the pain of being home-bound. This cohort is expected to be
  among the first to start venturing out as travelers post pandemic.<sup
    id="fnref:4"
    ><a href="#fn:4" rel="footnote">4</a></sup
  >
  But in the meantime, they’re taking advantage of an expanded definition of
  staycations – seeking out ways to stay entertained in and around their
  homebase.
</p>
<h3 class="margin-t-2 color-accent lg">What it means for brands:</h3>
<p>
  Brands are recognizing and responding to this audience’s pent-up desire for
  adventure in clever, inventive ways. Some are tech-forward in nature (Yeti and
  Audi), others take a more back-to-basics approach (Walmart and IKEA) and some
  straddle both worlds (the wine industry).
</p>
<div class="columns h-pad-1 margin-t-2">
  <div class="col col-left sm-1-1 md-2-5 margin-b-1">
    <img
      width="1794"
      height="1352"
      style=""
      class="block-centered"
      src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/6MdQWydywXkvQEoSsZcFs9/44d5cb57472859734fd583c2a88b51c8/blog_2020-09-16_yeti_1588x1279.jpg"
    />
  </div>
  <div class="col col-right sm-1-1 md-3-5 margin-b-2">
    <h4 class="med">Explore the great outdoors:</h4>
    <p>
      Yeti launched the
      <a
        target="_blank"
        href="https://www.yeti.com/en_US/yeti-plus.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=__iv_p_1_g_38898173662_c_309104562229_w_dsa-19959388920_n_g_d_c_v__l__t__r__x__y__f__o__z__i__j__s__e__h_9032056_ii__vi__&gclsrc=aw.ds&&utm_id=google_794219202_38898173662_309104562229_dsa-19959388920_c&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItJ2Z7dPQ6wIVJQnnCh2M5AwiEAAYASAAEgJzRfD_BwE"
        >Yeti+</a
      >
      platform featuring footage of pure, unadulterated streams across North
      America for their nature-loving fans.
    </p>
    <p>
      <a
        target="_blank"
        href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90486949/audi-made-a-four-hour-road-trip-video-to-help-you-deal-with-being-stuck-inside"
        >Audi Australia</a
      >
      created a four-hour video that takes viewers across a winding road in New
      South Wales, to simulate the joy of an epic road trip for isolated
      Aussies.
    </p>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="columns h-pad-1">
  <div class="col col-left sm-1-1 md-2-5 margin-b-1">
    <img
      width="938"
      height="740"
      style=""
      class="block-centered"
      src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/5KjZU0RYNj3x5XoXYZfm7w/24238ffd70f59bf8f6302365a490196e/blog_2020-09-16_virtual-tasting-1_938x740.jpg"
    />
  </div>
  <div class="col col-right sm-1-1 md-3-5 margin-b-2">
    <h4 class="med">Guided Virtual Tastings:</h4>
    <p>
      Tech-forward wineries are offering tasting packs that can be shipped to
      your home or picked up curbside; coupled with free remote group tasting
      sessions for at-home enjoyment.
    </p>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="columns h-pad-1">
  <div class="col col-left sm-1-1 md-2-5 margin-b-1">
    <img
      width="1320"
      height="660"
      style=""
      class="block-centered"
      src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/4mlnzQaMYnSrazxflLNQ3J/abfe09ac9b7655e4cec05438cd3875d5/blog_2020-09-16_ikea-decor_1320x660.jpg"
    />
  </div>
  <div class="col col-right sm-1-1 md-3-5 margin-b-2">
    <h4 class="med">Wanderlust-themed decor:</h4>
    <p>
      <a
        target="_blank"
        href="https://www.travelandleisure.com/style/shopping/ikea-vacation-in-a-box"
        >IKEA UAE </a
      >released a holiday-themed series of décor collections, dubbed Vacations
      in a Box. The four travel destination themed boxes contain a selection of
      items to transform the home into a mini-escape.
    </p>
  </div>
</div>
<h2 class="lead-in lead-in-lg margin-t-4">
  4. Converting civic attitudes into civic action
</h2>
<p>
  Whether it's their views on immigration, gun laws, income inequality, systemic
  racism or climate change, 20-and-30-year olds today are hyper engaged on
  topics of political and societal change. With the presidential election around
  the corner, there’s been a shift in focus for brands - from reflecting and
  participating in civic attitudes to inciting civic action by way of voter
  participation. After all, increasing voter turnout is both a non-partisan
  cause and a civic duty.
</p>
<h3 class="margin-t-2 color-accent lg">What it means for brands:</h3>
<p>
  Good for democracy, good for business – 76% of people claim to be more likely
  to work for a company that promoted democracy; 81% were more likely to buy
  that company’s products or services; and more than 80% were more likely to
  recommend the company to their friends and family.<sup id="fnref:5"
    ><a href="#fn:5" rel="footnote">5</a></sup
  >
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://fortune.com/2020/09/01/old-navy-election-day-voting-polls-volunteers/"
    >Old Navy</a
  >
  is the latest brand to play in this space, announcing that it will pay its
  employees to volunteer at the polls on Election Day, as well as give workers
  up to three hours of paid time off on Nov. 3 to cast their ballots.
</p>
<div class="margin-t-1">
  <img
    width="1999"
    height="1122"
    style=""
    class="block-centered"
    src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/6KkIAnkK7T4xxhQcZDpjLI/611db1a7d7e3be6af4f33dfa095a1265/blog_2020-09-16_old-navy-vote_1999x1122.jpg"
  />
</div>
<h2 class="lead-in lead-in-lg margin-t-4">In closing:</h2>
<p>
  The health and economic consequences of the pandemic have hit Millennials
  especially hard – their families, finances, and future plans. Yet to date,
  they’ve shown impressive resilience and resolve to rebuild. Much like the
  examples mentioned above, brands can begin to lighten the load and be of
  value, by offering optimism, a spirit of inventiveness, and real action in
  light of uncertainty.
</p>

<div class="footnotes">
  <ol>
    <li class="footnote" id="fn:1">
      <a
        target="_blank"
        href="https://www.ypulse.com/article/2020/05/07/millennials-wanted-to-work-from-home-this-isnt-what-they-meant/"
        >YPulse</a
      >
    </li>
    <li class="footnote" id="fn:2">
      <a
        target="_blank"
        href="https://hicleo.com/blog/return-to-work-member-survey-results/"
        >Return to Work Member Survey, Cleo</a
      >
    </li>
    <li class="footnote" id="fn:3">
      <a
        target="_blank"
        href="https://hicleo.com/blog/return-to-work-member-survey-results/"
        >Return to Work Member Survey, Cleo</a
      >
    </li>
    <li class="footnote" id="fn:4">Mintel</li>
    <li class="footnote" id="fn:5">Global Strategy Group</li>
  </ol>
</div>

blog 2020-09-16 header

blog 2020-09-16 thumbnail

Brands respond with optimism, as Millennials face yet another cruel setback. 

<h2 class="color-accent lg">
  Millennials & Their Fur&nbsp;Babies:<br />
  3&nbsp;Things Dog Brands Need to&nbsp;Know
</h2>
<p>
  Here at Camp + King, we’re factually dog-crazy. Dogs are part of our agency
  ID—and at one point, even in our email signatures. Given our collective
  obsession with dogs, we wanted to create an intersection of our love for dogs
  and our strategic muscle. So we set out to do trends research on dogs and pet
  parents—including both third party data and our own proprietary research.
</p>
<p>
  There’s a collection of reasons Millennials have been deemed the most
  pet-crazy generation of all. They’re famously “delaying” life stages, like
  getting married and buying homes, compared to the generations preceding them.
  And women are having kids later, if at all. Because of this, pets, and dogs in
  particular, now play a bigger role in Millennial’s lives than ever before. Not
  only do they own more pets than any other generational cohort, but
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="http://www.focusingfuture.com/data-driven-society/the-future-of-pet-ownership/"
    >76% of Millennials</a
  >
  see their pets as “beloved family members.”
</p>
<div class="block-centered margin-b-1 margin-t-1" style="max-width: 340px">
  <img
    width="700"
    height="858"
    src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/4YL7gZXrv98VjPgrJylg3w/c6119c7a3d38049e2fe2ecc702b120bb/blog_2020-09-25_dog-babies_700x858.jpg"
  />
</div>
<p>
  Prior to the pandemic, dogs were already a point of generational identity for
  Millennials. And COVID only amplified this further with people spending more
  time at home, The ASPCA saw a
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/one-of-the-pandemics-most-unlikely-offshoots-are-high-quality-dog-food-brands/"
    >70% increase</a
  >
  in adoptions in April of 2020 over the same period last year. A
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/one-of-the-pandemics-most-unlikely-offshoots-are-high-quality-dog-food-brands/"
    >study</a
  >
  from Mira-Pet shows that 73% of people reported that having a pet helped them
  stay sane during lockdown and, perhaps most surprising, was that 38% said
  they’d take a pay cut if that allowed them to continue working from home
  solely so they could stay with their pets.
</p>
<p>
  There’s a whole slew of new pet parents out there looking to navigate the
  wonderful world that is pet ownership and introduce new pet brands into their
  life. As a collection of pet-obsessed folks ourselves, Camp + King decided to
  dive in and understand Millennial pet parents a little more to help brands
  stand out.
</p>
<h3 class="lead-in margin-t-4 margin-b-1">
  1. Millennials Acknowledge & Celebrate Their&nbsp;Crazy
</h3>
<p>
  Keeping their dogs happy and <i>thriving</i> is a Millennial priority.
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/real-estate/one-big-reason-millennials-are-buying-homes-their-dogs-n790921"
    >Thirty-three percent</a
  >
  of Millennial home buyers’ decision to buy a home was driven chiefly by their
  dog. Dogs outranked getting married (25%) and having kids, too (only 19% of
  Millennials said the birth of a child was their prime incentive). Of those
  pet-owning Millennial homebuyers, 79% said they would pass up an otherwise
  perfect home if it didn’t meet the needs of their pets. And once Millennials
  do purchase a home, they often invest in upgrades just for their pets.
</p>
<h4 class="md margin-b-1 margin-t-1">Plus:</h4>
<ul class="line-list margin-b-1 margin-t-1">
  <li>
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://intelligence.wundermanthompson.com/2019/08/petrenthood/"
      >91% of Millennials</a
    >
    in committed relationships who have pets consider these pets their “de
    facto” children.
  </li>
  <li>
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/study-shows-millennials-demand-personalized-care-for-their-pets-to-remain-loyal-to-their-vets-300915777.html"
      >92% of Millennial pet parents</a
    >
    would rather spend time with their pet than their spouse, parents, and
    friends combined.
  </li>
  <li>
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="http://blog.qsample.com/inside-mind-millennial-pet-owner/"
      >76% of Millennials</a
    >
    are more likely to splurge on an item for their pet than they would for
    themselves.
  </li>
</ul>
<p>
  With dogs playing a bigger role in Millennials’ lives than ever before, and
  given Millennials’ love for dogs running so deep, culturally Millennials are
  proudly celebrating this irrational level of dog love. Millennial social feeds
  are filled with memes, like this one, that proudly exemplify that dogs are
  more important than anything else. And Millennials are quick to refer to their
  dogs as their “fur babies” –  with
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://s1.q4cdn.com/959385532/files/doc_downloads/research/2018/Millennials-and-Their-Fur-Babies.pdf"
    >67% of Millennial pet owners see their pet as a ‘fur baby.</a
  >’
</p>
<div class="columns h-pad-1 margin-t-2">
  <div class="col col-left sm-1-1 md-1-2 margin-b-1">
    <img
      class="block-centered"
      width="882"
      height="832"
      src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/1CstflCFBps6HAzjOSLlBt/150d37a14499bb8af6cf5aebe764e7e5/blog_2020-09-21_pie-chart_1200x1200.jpg"
    />
  </div>
  <div class="col col-right sm-1-1 md-1-2 margin-b-1">
    <img
      class="block-centered"
      width="882"
      height="832"
      src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/66H8m6zg9luPbm3XHRdElE/6dc9f7b88acb345c247c81715d997122/blog_2020-09-21_birthday_882x832.jpg"
    />
  </div>
</div>
<h3 class="lead-in margin-t-4 margin-b-1">
  2. Their Dog Food Choices are Just as Important as Their Own Food&nbsp;Choices
</h3>
<p>
  Millennials have prioritized wellness in various areas of their life, with
  food as one of their main points of focus - nearly 50% consider themselves
  foodies! (<a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.facebook.com/business/news/insights/catering-to-the-tastes-of-tomorrows-food-shopper"
    >source</a
  >) They’ve shifted their definition of “healthy eating” too - from counting
  calories and fat content to seeking out food that is fresh, less processed,
  and with fewer artificial ingredients.
</p>
<div class="block-centered margin-b-1 margin-t-1" style="max-width: 560px">
  <img
    width="1000"
    height="718"
    src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/7MKXmJ6WS1N2bVRWBYi4cx/5d25469c8f7154f2891e3eafb026487a/blog_2020-09-25_dog-at-table_1000x718.webp"
  />
</div>
<p>
  Naturally, the way Millennials think about food—and their focus on wellness—is
  impacting how they think about their dogs’ diets too. Millennials care just as
  much about natural and organic foods for their dogs, as they do for
  themselves, and in some cases more:
</p>
<ul class="line-list margin-b-1 margin-t-1">
  <li>
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://morningconsult.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Morning-Consult-Consumer-Trends-In-The-Food-and-Beverage-Industry.pdf"
      >75% of Millennials</a
    >
    purchase organic food for themselves for health reasons, and
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://www.earthboundfarm.com/newsroom-items/survey-finds-organic-consumers-lifestyle-choices-bust-stereotypes/"
      >78%</a
    >
    purchase organic food for their dog for health reasons.
  </li>
  <li>
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://morningconsult.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Morning-Consult-Consumer-Trends-In-The-Food-and-Beverage-Industry.pdf"
      >81% of Millennials</a
    >
    believe “natural / fresh food is vital” for themselves, while
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/44-of-millennials-see-their-pets-as-starter-children-and-thats-a-big-opportunity-for-brands/"
      >86% of Millennials</a
    >
    believe “natural / fresh food is vital” for their pet.
  </li>
</ul>
<p>
  It’s no surprise then that
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/study-shows-millennials-demand-personalized-care-for-their-pets-to-remain-loyal-to-their-vets-300915777.html"
    >92% of Millennial pet owners</a
  >
  are just as concerned about their pet’s health as they are about their own
  health.
</p>
<p>
  <i
    >Interested in digging deeper into Millennials’ concern for their dogs’
    wellness and how that impacts their purchase behavior, we fielded a
    quantitative survey of 550 Millennial dog parents who purchase kibble to
    learn more about them and their buy habits. One piece we found particularly
    interesting, the top 5 things Millennial pet parents find motivating and
    unique when it comes to choosing a dog food brand:</i
  >
</p>
<ol class="small-numbers margin-t-2">
  <li class="font-special" style="font-size: 1.2em">
    Meat is the #1 ingredient
  </li>
  <li class="font-special" style="font-size: 1.2em">Made in the USA</li>
  <li class="font-special" style="font-size: 1.2em">
    Sourced from farmers we know and trust
  </li>
  <li class="font-special" style="font-size: 1.2em">Minimally processed</li>
  <li class="font-special" style="font-size: 1.2em">
    Enriched with vitamins, minerals, nutrients
  </li>
</ol>
<h3 class="lead-in margin-t-4 margin-b-1">
  3. There’s An Opportunity for the Dog Category to Better Speak to
  Pet&nbsp;Parents
</h3>
<p>
  Most dog food brands fall into two overarching brand categories, which you’d
  probably recognize. The first is illustrated by the happy, healthy dog –
  because who doesn’t want that! With these brands, you’ll notice overused,
  stock-like photography of happy dogs, plus generic health claims, like
  “wholesome ingredients” and “added vitamins for health benefits.” The brands
  often feature images of bountiful, real foods on their packaging.
</p>
<p>
  The second category of dog food brands leans heavily into the science behind
  their food and how “biologically appropriate” it is for your dog. More often
  than not, these brands compare dogs to their wild ancestors, utilizing visuals
  of wolves and claims like, “nature’s evolutionary diet.” Packaging for these
  brands features stats, like “85% wild-caught fish ingredients” and “90% of
  protein from animal ingredients.”
</p>
<p>
  Because the majority of dog food brands fall into one of these two overarching
  categories—happy, health pet or science + nature—their products sound the same
  and once meaningful claims are now table stakes. More importantly, these two
  groups offer little for Millennial dog owners to connect with emotionally.
</p>
<div class="margin-b-1 margin-t-1">
  <img
    class="block-centered"
    width="1600"
    height="1067"
    src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/7sfmdbHlCJRNlsThW8NY0L/eb7470ce65420a3ad5859996d38d2bd3/blog_2020-09-21_dogs_1600x1067.jpg"
  />
</div>
<h2 class="margin-t-4 color-accent lg">In closing…</h2>
<p>
  Millennials are making monumental life decisions with their dogs’ best
  interest in mind. And they’re willing to go to the same lengths to keep their
  dog happy and healthy as they are for themselves—if not further. There’s an
  opportunity here for pet brands to reach this audience in a new way, and to
  demonstrate to Millennials that they’re just as dog crazy.
</p>


blog 2020-09-21 header

As the largest pet owning generation to date, we set out to better understand today’s pet parents and their needs from brands

blog 2020-09-21 thumbnail

We’re Dog Crazy

<p>
  Social media has become a cultural hotbed. Keeping that in mind, let’s dive in
  on how brands should be engaging in culture within the social space. First and
  foremost, brands should evaluate culture from a position of strength. This
  entails going on the offensive to locate and establish a narrative, rather
  than sitting back and allowing your product to define you. It’s no secret that
  every brand wants to have an identity. They're all looking to determine who
  they are and what they are, but the most important question when it comes to
  culture is “why they are.” Why is this brand here? Why do they exist? Why are
  they RELEVANT? The who and the what are universal, but defining the why is a
  goal that many brands struggle to achieve.
</p>
<h2 class="lead-in lead-in-lg margin-t-3 color-accent margin-b-1 margin-t-4">
  Engaging Culture
</h2>
<p>
  In order to set ourselves up for success, we need to identify any trends
  within culture that will help the brand achieve relevance amongst its
  audience. These can be revealed by the way an audience promotes, responds, and
  or creates content around the brand or its products. These trends also reflect
  the identity of the audience. The brand in turn, cultivates these behaviors in
  order to deliver powerfully to market.
</p>
<p>
  Arby’s is a great example of a brand that understands why identifying and
  engaging with broader culture is so important. They identify with relevance.
  So no matter what is taking place around them, they adapt, cultivate, and
  activate in a way that feels organic to their audience. The anime community is
  one that is niche and very tight knit, but grows more and more popular by the
  day. Arby’s took note of this and flipped it in a way that was authentic and
  inclusive by creating their very own anime campaign centered around their
  products. They identified the trends, the audience they needed to target, and
  presented it in a way that remained true to who and what they are. This is why
  they remain relevant. It's more than just “THE MEATS”. A breakdown of their
  top anime posts can be found
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://beneaththetangles.com/2018/01/25/top-ten-arbys-anime-posts/"
    ><b>here</b></a
  ><b>. </b>
</p>
<div class="row h-pad-1">
  <div class="col md-1-2 margin-t-1 margin-b-1">
    <img
      src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/1UaAqDEOQgLT2vFdjB9Wao/8da409d2ff3fc8ea4f68c76330c42ffb/blog_2020-08-24_arbys_shake_1200x1200.jpg
    "
      width="1200"
      height="1200"
      style=""
      class="block-centered"
    />
  </div>
  <div class="col md-1-2 margin-t-1 margin-b-1">
    <img
      src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/5BDoCINz4eENFkr7Vervsj/326a1d8f6ee7997e28cea5ba5f6d0883/blog_2020-08-24_abys_sandwiches_1080x1080.jpg
    "
      width="1080"
      height="1080"
      style=""
      class="block-centered"
    />
  </div>
</div>
<p>
  LEGO is another great example of a brand that enjoys tapping into specific
  niche communities and cultures. Sci-fi is a popular genre amongst consumers of
  all ages that LEGO continues to leverage in their favor. They’re deliberate in
  their storytelling and innovation when targeting the Star Wars community. This
  <i>Impact</i>
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.impactbnd.com/blog/9-brands-that-brilliantly-newsjacked-star-wars-the-last-jedi"
    >article</a
  >
  showcases how LEGO created a 360-degree video experience where you are placed
  into a LEGO adventure in the “same time and location of Star Wars ‘The Last
  Jedi.’” Despite having a product that’s geared towards children, they’ve
  created a culturally relevant experience for fans of all ages.
</p>
<div class="block-centered margin-t-1 margin-b-1">
  <img
    src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/1pqhRzrcs3LCFUzmFElGqr/e107ba4395153c2d9aa61c70a2ee30db/blog_2020-08-24_lego_last_jedi_01_1488x806.jpg
  "
    width="1488"
    height="806"
    style=""
    class="block-centered"
  />
</div>
<h2 class="lead-in lead-in-lg margin-t-3 color-accent margin-b-1 margin-t-4">
  Establishing an Audience
</h2>
<p>
  The makeup of our audience will always be important, but once again, we should
  be sure to understand why. We begin with who our audience is, age, gender,
  nationality, etc. When establishing this, brands should keep in mind that our
  target audience should be built around our culture but not limited by it. This
  means once the identity of our audience is known, we should look for ways to
  enter conversations both within and outside our target. It’s about growth. The
  purpose of finding your brand audience identity should be to shed light on how
  to grow and expand this group. By promoting a culture that is willing to
  explore a world outside their core target, you're presenting the brand as both
  inclusionary and culturally relevant.
</p>
<h2 class="lead-in lead-in-lg margin-t-3 color-accent margin-b-1 margin-t-4">
  UGC
</h2>
<p>
  User generated content can go a long way in establishing and cultivating the
  brand culture experience. We should be evaluating what types of content users
  are creating to show brand love. Whether positive or negative, this is going
  to reveal how our audience authentically views the brand. Memes, hashtags, and
  relevant events are all essential. We want to uncover where the brand resides
  within the lives of our consumers. Understanding how our audience feels and
  where they input the brand will provide the blueprint for how we’re able to
  reach them in the market. Lilach Bullock breaks down a few outstanding UGC
  programs in her
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.business2community.com/content-marketing/15-examples-of-big-brands-using-user-generated-content-and-how-to-adapt-them-for-your-campaign-02221251"
    ><i>Business 2 Community published article</i></a
  ><i>. </i>Here’s a highlight of two of the absolute best:<i> </i
  ><a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BnwqEaDhnMo/"
    >Louboutin asks their customers</a
  >
  to post photos of themselves wearing Louboutin shoes with the hashtag
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/somethingrouge/"
    >#somethingrouge</a
  >. The company then selects the best photos and reposts them on their
  Instagram page.
</p>
<div class="block-centered margin-t-1 margin-b-1">
  <img
    src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/BVrH8bK97HrimL53jkaYM/0c0028b4ff940adaa5e966756c7c0a40/blog_2020-08-24_somethingrouge_1870x1200.jpg"
    width="1870"
    height="1200"
    class="block-centered"
  />
</div>
<p>
  <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Byd2fZ2JeXR/"
    >Calvin Klein asks its fans</a
  >
  to fill in the campaign line “I_____in
  <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/mycalvins/"
    >#MyCalvins</a
  >.” After the inaugural campaign, thousands of their fans and followers took
  photos and posted their briefs, making the campaign go viral. In just a few
  months, over 500,000 photos were tagged on Instagram.
</p>
<div class="block-centered margin-t-1 margin-b-1">
  <img
    src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/1ObcNLckOeFOkWAYet4eXd/a5fda4262dd5b7f0412aeb363d5a6d5b/blog_2020-08-24_calvinklein_1630x1200.jpg"
    width="1630"
    height="1200"
    class="block-centered"
  />
</div>
<p>
  Imagine the insights each of these brands gained for simply asking their
  audience to showcase how their products are embedded within their everyday
  lives. There are endless amounts of ideas now available to both brands, their
  next step should be to simply activate on what’s already in front of them.
</p>
<h2 class="lead-in lead-in-lg margin-t-3 color-accent margin-b-1 margin-t-4">
  Where to Play
</h2>
<p>
  Having an understanding of the current social media climate is essential in
  identifying what cultural spaces to operate in. We can’t tell our cultural
  story without passing it through a lens of the current climate. We’re in a
  state right now in which everything needs a second set of eyes to ensure it is
  not perceived as insensitive. People are standing up and demanding to be
  heard. Brands need to understand this and adjust their messaging to adhere to
  the current landscape. It is not enough to just say the right thing, brands
  are now being forced to stand on their words and follow up with the right
  actions. That is the culture of today.
</p>
<h2 class="lead-in lead-in-lg margin-t-3 color-accent margin-b-1 margin-t-4">
  What Matters Most
</h2>
<p>
  The message going forward is clear. Those who choose to utilize cultural
  insights as a means of actionable data will set themselves apart from those
  who don’t. Strides forward are made on the strength of a brand’s cultural
  efforts rather than just that of their products. Become overly familiar with
  the primary social platforms. Every platform has its own nuances. Through
  platforms we’re able to discover where and how people are being the most
  creative. Twitter for example, is a conversation led platform that will
  provide the truest look into how your audience views the brand. Staying in the
  know of what conversations are taking place, what’s trending, and what verbage
  users are using to communicate, is an easy way for brands to help unlock the
  current culture. Relevance is the name of the game, while creativity and
  timing are indeed the weapons of choice. It’s going to be fun to watch out for
  which brands end up on top.
</p>
<p>
  Michael Plant is a Chicago‑based Community Strategist at Camp + King.
  Previously, he spearheaded UberEats social media engagement efforts, building
  its global engagement strategy.
</p>


blog 2020-08-24 header 2380x1080

blog 2020-08-24 thumbnail 1200x630

Helping Brands Engage Culture, Where to Play, & How to Identify What Matters Most 

blog 2020-08-17 header 2380x1080

Five Major Ways That U.S. Consumer Behavior Has Changed for the Long Term

blog 2020-08-17 thumbnail 1200x630

What Brands Need to Know for 2021

<p>
  We can all agree that our lives feel “interrupted” by COVID-19 in ways we
  could never have expected. For Gen Z, though, it’s almost as if life feels
  cancelled. Overnight they lost daily interactions with teachers, friends, and
  teams. They had milestones like proms, plays, big games, and graduation ripped
  away from them. These events are not only lifelong memories but rites of
  passage that are important to social and emotional development. Gen Z makes up
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.adweek.com/agencies/covid-19-generation-defining-internet-obsessed-gen-z/"
    >40% of the global population</a
  >
  and COVID-19 has become a generation-defining moment that will have lasting
  effects on how they view the world and live their lives. As such, they’ll have
  evolving needs from the brands they connect with. Here are three ways we see
  the pandemic impacting Gen Z and ways for brands to support and engage them.
</p>
<h2 class="lead-in margin-t-4 margin-b-1">
  1. Amplifying a Relentless Pursuit to Make a Change
</h2>
<p>
  This generation has always been social action-oriented but as the world has
  seen massively unsettling events in this past year, their desire to help has
  kicked into overdrive. Gen Zers are less optimistic about the future, but
  increasingly believe they can shape it: Just 19% of Gen Z say the U.S. is
  heading in the right direction, down 12 points since May. But on the flipside,
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://morningconsult.com/form/gen-z-worldview-tracker/"
    >62% of Gen Zers</a
  >
  agree they have the potential to impact the world, up six points since May,
  and 10 points higher than millennials. Part of this optimism is a recognition
  and pride that Gen Z will be the generation to lead the way, and taking action
  is deeply embedded into who they are even prior to COVID.
</p>
<p>
  Gen Z has always scrutinized brands and their values, with
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1nG9dzBIUIltNshV9P7gAbBw5jfA5oH_9szl3sKbfqP0/edit?ts=5eeb9ad1#slide=id.g82085ab194_41_62"
    >two-thirds of them stating</a
  >
  that their impression of a brand is positively influenced by its association
  with a social cause. However in today’s state of the world, brands must move
  beyond just being purposeful to being useful. Your brand should find ways to
  empower Gen Z through their purchasing decisions because here’s what they
  expect today:
</p>
<div class="row h-pad-1 margin-t-1">
  <div class="col sm-1-1 col-right md-1-3 margin-b-1 md-margin-b-0">
    <img
      style="max-width: 270px;"
      class="block-centered"
      width="500"
      height="566"
      src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/aJvgoibxGC4Sr0iHu5xMh/33e6dd764c94ac36743111cb147fff09/blog_2020-07-22_chart_1-1.png"
    />
  </div>
  <div class="col sm-1-1 col-right md-1-3 margin-b-1 md-margin-b-0">
    <img
      style="max-width: 270px;"
      class="block-centered"
      width="500"
      height="566"
      src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/21tcUG5tsCLPFmaytbVgBd/9e4127bef95efb141aad03d211d8c3fb/blog_2020-07-22_chart_1-2.png"
    />
  </div>
  <div class="col sm-1-1 col-right md-1-3">
    <img
      style="max-width: 270px;"
      class="block-centered"
      width="500"
      height="566"
      src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/2RUfRAwGBNFB75ZywzuNIk/62ffa2980c6a3be17df24d32307bc618/blog_2020-07-22_chart_1-3.png"
    />
  </div>
</div>
<p class="centered">
  <small>
    (<a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://www.adweek.com/agencies/covid-19-generation-defining-internet-obsessed-gen-z/"
      >source</a
    >)</small
  >
</p>
<h3 class="med color-accent margin-t-2">Example: Papa John’s</h3>
<p>
  Camp + King recently launched a campaign for Papa John’s called “Bigger Than
  Pizza” to promote its new product, the Shaq-a-Roni, in which $1 from every
  purchase goes toward the Papa John’s Foundation supporting community. This
  foundation supports issues like COVID relief, the fight against racial
  injustice and organizations like the Boys and Girls Club of America.
</p>
<div class="embed-container margin-t-1">
  <iframe
    src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vi2oNS2Kgdg"
    frameborder="0"
    allowfullscreen
  ></iframe>
</div>
<h2 class="lead-in margin-t-4 margin-b-1">
  2. Giving Super Creators More Time to Create
</h2>
<p>
  Gen Z’s digital capabilities and hyper-connectivity have equipped its members
  with unmatched creative expression. They are the super-creatives and faced
  with a quarantine, they have more time on their hands to create. Gen Z is used
  to shooting content at home for social media and have a unique ability to
  reach their peers across different platforms during this time.
</p>
<p>
  To connect with Gen Z through their passion to create, your brand should
  consider consulting and empowering them with opportunities to express their
  creativity in new and interesting ways. Whether by offering tools, inspiration
  or a virtual megaphone, the brands that help them amplify their passion will
  be remembered for it.
</p>
<h3 class="med color-accent margin-t-2">Example: Hollister</h3>
<p>
  Unable to shoot its typical seasonal campaigns, teen clothing brand Hollister
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.voguebusiness.com/consumers/marketing-to-gen-z-during-covid-19"
    >enlisted its community</a
  >
  to produce its brand content from home. Now, their own customers are featured
  across emails, their website and on social channels in place of typical
  models. The content is beautiful and reportedly performing very well.
</p>
<p>
  <img
    style="max-width: 400px;"
    class="block-centered"
    width="2150"
    height="4002"
    src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/3Zsxdt6gTse0PzV1uaat2Y/6ad6d99ba3d76a184385937602823ef2/blog_2020-07-22_hollister.jpg"
  />
</p>
<h2 class="lead-in margin-t-4 margin-b-1">
  3. A Negative Toll On Mental Health
</h2>
<p>
  Gen Z has been notoriously more in-tune with and vocal about mental health
  issues than previous generations. A recent study from DoSomething shows that
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://medium.com/dosomethingstrategic/gen-zs-thoughts-on-covid-19-2067b0f36af1"
    >65% of Gen Z reported</a
  >
  that mental health has become even more important to them in light of COVID.
  They are well aware of the disappointment, frustration, and sadness they are
  facing due to the disruption of important moments in young adulthood.
</p>
<p>
  As mental health becomes front and center for this generation, your brand
  should acknowledge this by considering messaging and tone through the lens of
  an audience who is likely learning how to process these difficult issues and
  emotions. Further, seek relevant connections between your brand and mental
  health issues and think about ways you may be able to provide tools and
  resources for young folks.
</p>
<h3 class="med color-accent margin-t-2">Example: Jansport</h3>
<p>
  In lieu of their usual product-focused back-to-school marketing efforts,
  Jansport launched a campaign called “<a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/jansport-aims-to-lighten-the-load-for-gen-z-with-mental-health-resources/"
    >Lighten the Load</a
  >.” The brand aims to be an ally for Gen Z during this time. Campaign
  executions include live online conversations with mental health experts
  touching on topics like isolation, compassion fatigue, uncertainty and family
  relationships. They also debuted a series of original films to provide young
  people with a platform to have conversations surrounding mental health. Each
  unscripted film showcases an individual offering a glimpse into their mental
  health journey and insights on what they’re doing to lighten the load.
</p>
<div class="embed-container margin-t-1">
  <iframe
    src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nnkSMOhPBOE"
    frameborder="0"
    allowfullscreen
  ></iframe>
</div>

<h2 class="lead-in margin-t-4 margin-b-1">In closing…</h2>
<p>
  COVID-19 hit during the most formative years of Gen Z’s lives. How your brand
  responds now may define your relationship with them for years to come. First
  and foremost, your brand should not be trying to solve their every need.
  Instead, look at your offering and values and identify the specific need(s)
  you could meaningfully respond to. More importantly though, empathy is key.
  Your brand must act with empathy in everything targeting Gen Z as we all move
  through this unpredictable future together.
</p>


blog 2020-07-22 header

A Generation Defining Moment

blog 2020-07-22 thumbnail

COVID 19 + Gen Z

<p>
  As a strategist, brand workshops are integral to our jobs — whether as a
  discreet agency offering, a component of a new business pitch, or as part of a
  new client engagement. We recently had the good fortune of on-boarding a new
  client and started to make plans to kick off an in-person brand workshop. And
  then we went into shelter-in-place.
</p>

<p>
  But the show goes on, and we successfully planned, conducted, and delivered a
  brand session that we're pretty proud of. Here are some of the learnings from
  it, that we figure could be useful to others planning the same.
</p>

<p>
  Note: This isn't about workshopping platforms, and there are plenty of other
  articles that get into that. We just used Zoom to keep things simple.
</p>

<div class="row h-pad-2 margin-t-4">
  <div class="col col-left sm-1-1 md-1-3 margin-b-1">
    <img
      style="max-width: 270px;"
      class="block-centered"
      width="400"
      height="400"
      src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/1Blc9m2Uj66YtVi4JQmh3d/29ece0f7e9c0df249204e012dd4b403f/blog_2020-07-06_01_collaboration.png"
    />
  </div>
  <div class="col sm-1-1 md-2-3">
    <h2 class="lg color-accent margin-b-1">
      Agency × Client Collaboration is&nbsp;everything
    </h2>
    <p>
      Unlike in-person sessions where attendees are expected to just show up
      with nothing more than a willingness to play along, virtual sessions need
      a ton more collaboration between the agency and brand team. This is
      because they require a committed facilitator on both sides of the fence.
      While we, the agency, facilitated the <i>what</i> and the <i>how</i>, our
      lead client facilitated the <i>who</i> and the <i>when</i>. And together,
      we collaborated on the most important component — the <i>why</i>, so that
      we were in absolute lockstep going into the workshop.
    </p>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="row h-pad-2 margin-t-4">
  <div class="col sm-1-1 col-right md-1-3 margin-b-1">
    <img
      style="max-width: 270px;"
      class="block-centered"
      width="400"
      height="420"
      src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/7t8TDZsQH9ikk8Jz7nVqY/95ae4514a21f8cf5ba9db06ea370cb2e/blog_2020-07-06_02_pre-video.png"
    />
  </div>
  <div class="col sm-1-1 md-2-3">
    <h2 class="lg color-accent margin-b-1">
      <span style="white-space: nowrap;">Pre-video</span> >
      <span style="white-space: nowrap;">Pre-read</span>
    </h2>
    <p>
      Here's the thing — brand workshops are fun. Mandatory Zoom meetings are
      not. Also, pre-reads only make them even more tedious. To lay the
      groundwork for a successful session with the right tone and energy, we
      recorded a simple 5-minute video as a pre-watch to all attendees. It
      detailed the vision and ambition of the session, a brief overview of the
      approach we would be taking, and ended with a simple homework assignment,
      so we could capture (and kick off the session with) top-of-mind sentiments
      from those closest to the brand day-in and day-out.
    </p>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="row h-pad-2 margin-t-4">
  <div class="col col-left sm-1-1 md-1-3 margin-b-1">
    <img
      style="max-width: 270px;"
      class="block-centered"
      width="400"
      height="250"
      src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/3EOKXEcX29cj4d21RZjLOj/4d2504a2d665467e43dfd9b73ab219fc/blog_2020-07-06_03_shorter-sprints.png"
    />
  </div>
  <div class="col sm-1-1 md-2-3">
    <h2 class="lg color-accent margin-b-1">
      Shorter Sprints, Spread&nbsp;Out.
    </h2>
    <p>
      It's important to recognize that with remote workshopping, you're up
      against screen-time fatigue and all kinds of WFH realities. Rather than
      forcing a single-day marathon approach, chunking down the session to 1-2
      hour blocks over 2-3 days, is a more realistic approach to maintaining
      momentum.
    </p>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="row h-pad-2 margin-t-4">
  <div class="col sm-1-1 col-right md-1-3 margin-b-1">
    <img
      style="max-width: 270px;"
      class="block-centered"
      width="400"
      height="308"
      src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/7j6hkOx1X7ySGFpajeAc99/025780a4c9cd95663891107c21bbd700/blog_2020-07-06_04_video-presence.png"
    />
  </div>
  <div class="col sm-1-1 md-2-3">
    <h2 class="lg color-accent margin-b-1">
      Video presence preferred (Tough&nbsp;Love Edition)
    </h2>
    <p>
      When it comes to brand workshops, video presence has an undeniable impact
      on quality of participation. We want all voices to be heard and that's
      hard to ensure when some are more visibly present than others. Of course
      we recognize that life happens, but it is important to set expectations
      early on the importance of on-cam presence as much as possible.
    </p>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="margin-t-4">
  <h2 class="lead-in lead-in-lg color-black margin-b-1">
    A few other learnings:
  </h2>

  <ul class="line-list margin-b-1">
    <li>
      <span class="highlight"
        >Breakout sessions on Zoom are a blast, if you haven't tried them.</span
      >
      You get to dispatch people into rooms, and then swiftly summon them back.
      The host can also broadcast messages to everyone and join separate rooms
      to check in on progress.
    </li>
    <li>
      <span class="highlight"
        >Use shared docs and shared slides where possible.</span
      >
      Make things easier on yourself with collaboration tools so you have all
      team exercises consolidated in one place. You'll thank yourself later when
      you're toiling over that post-workshop report.
    </li>
    <li>
      <span class="highlight"
        >Hire a great moderator, because they can't trust the DJ if the DJ
        sucks. </span
      >With remote workshops, you need a lead moderator, team breakout
      facilitators, and a technical facilitator for all that dispatching and
      summoning we talked about earlier. As strategists, we often try to double
      up and play multiple roles in a session, only for it to backfire. So
      contract someone great for the job and you won't be disappointed.
    </li>
  </ul>

  <p>
    Remote workshopping for us was definitely more work than the traditional
    in-person format, but we’re thrilled that we were able to maintain the
    quality of feedback and insight that we were hoping for. It certainly takes
    some getting used to, but will be an important skill to have in this new
    normal. Good luck to all of you out there. You got this.
  </p>
</div>


Newsletter 060620 2380x1920

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Remote Brand Workshopping

<p>
  In 2005, USA Today covered a new type of media, podcasts, describing them as
  “free amateur chatfests.” 15 years later, over
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradadgate/2019/11/18/podcasting-is-going-mainstream/"
    >67 million Americans</a
  >
  listen to podcasts every week, and there are over
  <a target="_blank" href="https://podcasthosting.org/podcast-statistics/"
    >1 million podcasts</a
  >
  to choose from. What began as niche and scrappy radio-esque programming has
  become the new darling of audio entertainment, as well as a blooming arena for
  advertisers.
</p>
<div class="margin-t-1 margin-b-1 md-1 md-2-3 block-centered">
  <img
    width="1480"
    height="1356"
    src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/TMWTxY1COqgiL5SNhcSgi/6292a8f561d5ea5724873ab25d42e013/blog_2020-06-22_podcast_listeners.png"
  />
</div>
<h2 class="lead-in margin-t-4 margin-b-1">
  Why are people attracted to podcasts?
</h2>
<div class="margin-t-1 margin-b-1">
  <blockquote class="bq-1 margin-t-1 margin-b-1">
    <header>
      <div class="name">Paul Zak</div>
      <div class="extra">
        Director of the Center for Neuroeconomics Studies at Claremont Graduate
        University
      </div>
    </header>
    <div class="bq-content">
      <span
        >A good story’s a good story from the brain’s perspective, whether it’s
        audio or video or text. It’s the same kind of activation in
        <span style="white-space: nowrap;">the brain.</span></span
      >
    </div>
  </blockquote>
</div>
<p></p>
<h3 class="med color-accent margin-t-2">Intimate listening</h3>
<p>
  Because podcasts are generally in an interview or co-host format, they have an
  intimate one-to-one atmosphere. Listeners feel like they are sitting in the
  living room with the hosts and guests, which leads to a sense of familiarity
  and trust. This also means podcast hosts are choosier about their advertisers,
  which lends itself to more inherent trust in featured sponsors.
</p>
<h3 class="med color-accent margin-t-2">Entertaining education</h3>
<p>
  Education is the
  <a target="_blank" href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/306174"
    >second most popular genre</a
  >
  of podcasting, following Comedy (which, is often a veiled form of education).
  Compared to written media, podcasting allows for much more room to play in
  delivering information in an attention-grabbing way. Studies have shown that
  “dramatized audio” yields increased levels of mental imagery and the retention
  rate of auditory learning is
  <a target="_blank" href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/306174"
    >2×&nbsp;higher than reading</a
  >.
</p>
<h3 class="med color-accent margin-t-2">Topical diversity</h3>
<p>
  Podcasting has exponentially expanded the topics traditionally covered in
  radio.<b> </b>The Apple Podcast app has 19 overall categories, the majority of
  which have subcategories. This range include podcasts like “<a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pen-addict/id909109717"
    >The Pen Addict</a
  >,” which features two friends talking about pens and pen-adjacent
  accessories. Another example, “<a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id979059619?ls=1&amp;mt=2"
    >Witch Please</a
  >,” is two literature professors who give a feminist analysis on the Harry
  Potter series. There’s something for everyone, which also means there is great
  opportunity for brands to reach and engage with hyper-specific audiences.
</p>
<h3 class="med color-accent margin-t-2">Focused multi-tasking</h3>
<p>
  In our proactivity-driven society, we are wired to consistently learn and do.
  This makes podcasting the perfect avenue to feed our brains while also being
  able to check off our long to-do lists. The majority of podcast listeners are
  listening while doing something else.
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.slideshare.net/webby2001/infinite-dial-2018"
    >11% of podcast listeners</a
  >
  even turn on programs while they’re working.<sup id="fnref:1"
    ><a href="#fn:1" rel="footnote">1</a></sup
  >
</p>

<div class="margin-t-1 margin-b-1">
  <img
    width="1480"
    height="537"
    src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/MLcOPJg2nuPBS7cgT12uK/33a02d9999ff1a7d9a24caf3e2c07268/blog_2020-06-22_where_listening.png"
  />
  <div style="text-align: center;">
    <small
      ><a target="_blank" href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/306174"
        >(source)</a
      ></small
    >
  </div>
</div>

<h2 class="lead-in margin-t-4 margin-b-1">
  If you aren’t already advertising, you’re late to the party
</h2>
<p>
  Podcast advertising
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.statista.com/chart/17824/podcast-advertising-revenue-united-states/"
    >quadrupled between 2016 and 2019</a
  >. Why?
</p>
<ul class="line-list margin-t-1 margin-b-1">
  <li>
    Podcasts have active listeners devoted to the content (<a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://musicoomph.com/podcast-statistics/"
      >80% of podcast listeners</a
    >
    listen to most or all of an episode.
  </li>
  <li>
    The vast amount of podcast topics allow advertisers to reach hyper-specific
    target groups and micro-communities (see pen-lovers above).
  </li>
  <li>
    Podcasts have longer shelf-lives as listeners tend to search for topics or
    specific podcasts over looking at what’s new.
  </li>
  <li>
    Compared to other paid channels, there are few sponsors per episode. This
    has led to podcast ads having both higher ad recall (podcast ads are
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://www.ebiquity.com/news-insights/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-podcast-advertising/"
      >4.4×&nbsp;more effective than display ads</a
    >), and purchase intent (Podcast ads lead to an average of
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://www.ebiquity.com/news-insights/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-podcast-advertising/"
      >10% uplift in purchase intent</a
    >).
  </li>
</ul>
<p>
  And the growth of the channel is showing no signs of slowing down.
</p>
<div class="margin-t-1 margin-b-1">
  <img
    width="1480"
    height="721"
    src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/30zaSEdpUhh50Lf8lMBmGc/031f37f8416234fecc67970d6e7a88eb/blog_2020-06-22_ad_revenue.png"
  />
</div>
<p>
  Including podcasts in your media mix extends beyond simply placing pre-roll,
  mid-roll, and post-roll ads. Advertisers have found creative ways to insert
  their brands into podcast content to add value to their audiences while also
  paying off for the brand. For example:
</p>
<h3 class="lg margin-t-3 color-accent">“How I Built This”</h3>
<div class="margin-t-1 margin-b-1">
  <a
    href="https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this"
    target="_blank"
  >
    <img
      style="max-width: 380px;"
      width="1400"
      height="1400"
      src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/4HDut6szJQc0w65FM0oi1B/8125dc82400ba2ac1f5d138e4e399ed5/blog_2020-06-22_how_i_built_this.jpg"
    />
  </a>
</div>
<p>
  Company leaders are increasingly coming into the limelight as consumers look
  for ways to build a deeper and more empathetic connection with brands. “How I
  Built This” is a podcast featuring interviews with some of the world’s
  best-known company founders like Ben &amp; Jerry’s (Ben Cohen and Jerry
  Greenfield), FitBit (James Park), and Birchbox (Katia Beauchamp). While the
  podcast is not a sponsorship opportunity, the founders get a platform to share
  not only their journey, but the values of their brand and their hopes for it.
  It’s a space for them to cultivate more intimacy between them, their company,
  and their current/potential customers.
</p>
<h3 class="lg margin-t-3 color-accent">“Slack Variety Pack”</h3>
<div class="margin-t-1 margin-b-1">
  <a
    href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slack-variety-pack/id1177619183"
    target="_blank"
  >
    <img
      style="max-width: 600px;"
      width="500"
      height="261"
      src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/4XQtfw5vBAoFLhJFzaUa7f/1cd6dc7d53d07d880089d7e89cbb5b10/blog_2020-06-22_slack_variety_pack.png"
    />
  </a>
</div>
<p>
  Slack had low brand awareness amongst its target audience, so it launched a
  podcast as a way to introduce the brand to consumers in the workplace. Slack
  knew that podcasters, eager to learn and life-hack, would be the perfect
  audience for its productivity-focused workplace app. The podcast features a
  mix of stories on work culture, teamwork, workplace innovation and how it fits
  in modern society. The content is aligned with Slack’s mission to change the
  way that people work forever—and each story is centered around such. The
  season had millions of listens.
</p>
<h3 class="lg margin-t-3 color-accent">McDonald’s “The Sauce”</h3>
<div class="margin-t-1 margin-b-1">
  <img
    style="max-width: 600px;"
    width="1280"
    height="720"
    src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/3dZKaJgZ75pOih1kY4UtH7/684737d8ee4d3fee1ce93d583e516d74/blog_2020-06-22_the_sauce.jpg"
  /><small>(this podcast no longer available)</small>
</div>
<p>
  McDonald’s announced it re-released its beloved Szechuan sauce via a
  three-part investigative podcast called “The Sauce.” The podcast, a mock play
  on the popular crime investigation genre, examined the controversy behind
  McDonald’s failed attempt at bringing back the Szechuan sauce months prior. It
  brilliantly capitalized on an obsessive (and angry) audience and gave a
  creative and transparent apology. The podcast made it onto the iTunes Top 100
  Podcast Chart less than 24 hours after its release and McDonald’s reported
  historic levels of online conversation about the brand.
</p>
<h2 class="lead-in margin-t-4 margin-b-1">
  How your brand can get involved now
</h2>
<p>
  Whether a paid ad, sponsorship, branded podcast or executive interview, there
  are a handful of creative ways brands can utilize this quickly growing
  channel. Our advice: be useful, be entertaining, and connect with your
  audience before promoting yourself.
</p>


<div class="footnotes">
  <ol>
    <li class="footnote" id="fn:1">
      <p>
        The author is not talented enough to listen to a podcast and write this
        blog post at the same time.
        <a href="#fnref:1" title="return to article"> ↩</a>
      </p>
      <p></p>
    </li>
  </ol>
</div>

newsletter062420 2380x1080

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Podcasts: The New Darling of Audio Entertainment 

<p>
  Major events have been cancelled, and office spaces remain fairly empty as
  employers continue to have staff working from home. But while many of us are
  struggling with the new normal, there are also those who are more content than
  others. We’re working from home, gaming, taking up hobbies we never knew
  existed, we’re reading, we’re cooking, our creative juices are pumping at an
  all time high. And then there’s social media, a place that cultivates any
  activity you could imagine. Is there any tool more equipped to shoulder us
  through these difficult times? There’s news, entertainment, updates on the
  crisis, memes, challenges, video chat etc... You name it and social media
  provides.
</p>

<h2 class="lg margin-t-4 margin-b-1">
  Social Media platforms have seen major spikes in time&nbsp;spent
</h2>

<p class="margin-t-1 margin-b-2">
  <img
    src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/17Bog25Y4gA1GoXzz2hrQC/7d4a6c176f87c629ed46b723b85554ef/blog_2020-06-01_mobile-use-change.png"
  />
</p>
<p>
  Naturally, with everyone being urged to social distance, time spent on
  Lifestyle apps has taken a rather large dip in a short period of time. Social
  media meanwhile has seen a vast increase in time spent. It wasn't too long ago
  that many of us began to question if we’re spending too much time on social
  media. Fast-forward to now, as we continue to venture down this road of
  quarantining, and we seem to have abandoned the notion. Platforms have
  responded accordingly by giving us even more reasons to spend time consuming.
</p>

<p>
  According to Matt Southern of
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.searchenginejournal.com/instagram-growth-in-2020/364490/"
    >Search Engine General</a
  >, video content consumption has seen enormous spikes. Matt elaborates on the
  rising video views with the following:
</p>
<div class="margin-t-1 margin-b-1">
  <blockquote class="bq-1 margin-t-1 margin-b-1 no-header">
    <div class="bq-content">
      <span
        >People are spending more time consuming content on social media,
        especially video content. eMarketer now projects that people will spend
        an average of 1 hour and 20 minutes per day with social media this year.
        That’s an increase of 6 minutes per day compared to eMarketer’s
        <span style="white-space: nowrap;">previous forecast.</span></span
      >
    </div>
  </blockquote>
</div>
<div class="md-2-3 block-centered margin-t-2 margin-b-2">
  <img
    alt="Social Media Use - +6 Minutes Per Day (vs previous forecast)"
    src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/2xKflOh0rkkXUMIyaFOGmj/d58b568818c4ee4f185ff9a1bc3f5a79/blog_2020-06-01_social-increase.png"
  />
</div>
<p>
  The article also indicates that Facebook has completely reversed downward
  projections in minutes spent on the platform per day. An unnamed Facebook data
  analyst dove deeper into the new projections with data showing a growth of
  4.3% as a result of COVID-19. This comes out to an increase of over one
  minute. While this may not seem like a lot, users are currently projected to
  spend thirty-four minutes per day on the platform. To completely shift the
  projections of the entire year as a result of a current trend taking place in
  such a relatively short time span is definitely worth noting.
</p>
<div class="margin-t-1 margin-b-1">
  <blockquote class="bq-1 no-header">
    <div class="bq-content">
      <span
        >So we’re now, because of the COVID-19 effect, showing a growth of 4.3%,
        which is positive. And we’ve been seeing declines on Facebook for a
        number of years now. So that’s about an increase of a little bit over a
        minute. So it’s not super significant like we’re seeing for some of the
        other socials like Instagram and Snapchat. But it is a
        <span style="white-space: nowrap;">positive story.</span></span
      >
    </div>
  </blockquote>
</div>

<h2 class="lg margin-t-4 margin-b-1">
  Out of the three major platforms, Instagram has seen the most improvements as
  a result of&nbsp;COVID-19:
</h2>

<div class="margin-t-1 margin-b-1">
  <blockquote class="bq-1">
    <header>
      <div class="name">Matt Southern</div>
    </header>
    <div class="bq-content">
      <span
        >Instagram was pretty flat growth. We projected a 1.5% growth in 2020,
        but because of COVID-19 it’s actually going to see the biggest,
        strongest growth out of all of the socials that we cover. Nearly 14%
        growth. That’s about 3.2 minutes when you add
        <span style="white-space: nowrap;">that up.</span></span
      >
    </div>
  </blockquote>
</div>

<p>
  This actually makes a whole lot of sense. We yearn for the things we’re
  deprived of. Instagram provides a multitude of different avenues for users to
  project a sense of normalcy. What better place to document the new norms of a
  social distancing world than on the gram. Those new found hobbies show off
  nicely in any filter. And what better way to keep in “touch” with loved ones
  than on Instagram where affection and adoration is given in the form of a
  double tap. 👆🏽👆🏽
</p>
<p>
  The current state has without question driven heavier usage across channels.
  Going forward it will be interesting to see how platforms find ways to
  maintain these numbers post pandemic without sacrificing other areas of
  strength. There’s definitely more to come and for someone who operates within
  the industry, I’m excited to see what upcoming strides will be taken.
</p>


blog 2020-06-01 header

blog 2020-06-01 thumbnail

Social Distancing: A World Made For Social Media?

<div class="note margin-b-2 md-margin-l-2 md-margin-r-2">
  <p>
    Since mid-March, we’ve been updating the Camp + King blog,
    <a href="/theplus">The&nbsp;+</a>, with the latest information and insight
    that we’ve offered to our clients to best help their brands succeed in a
    changing world. There’s an abundance of guidance for brands on the web, but
    guidance on how to produce video, film, and high-end digital work has been
    slower to come into focus. So, we asked our Director of Content Production,
    who’s safely and successfully executed remote shoots, animation, and UGC
    projects since the Bay Area’s shelter-in-place orders took effect, to offer
    some guidance on production guidelines for now and the near&nbsp;future.
  </p>
</div>

<p>
  Like everything else, production practices are rapidly evolving during the
  COVID-19 pandemic. As an industry, we need to be prepared to produce in a very
  different landscape than we’re used to. We
  <strong class="color-accent">can</strong> produce content without putting our
  employees, clients, and crews in harm’s&nbsp;way.
</p>
<p>
  The following outlines some best practices given the current solutions at
  hand. We initially presented this content to our own Creative teams at Camp +
  King to encourage them to concept ideas in such a way that still allows for
  the production of great work, with minimal interruption, and with
  consideration to the uncertainty of the coming&nbsp;months.
</p>
<h2 class="lead-in lead-in-lg margin-t-4 margin-b-1">
  Shelter-in-place still yields some lovely + creative production work
</h2>
<p>
  First, an acknowledgement: Sure, there’s some bad COVID-19-related work out
  there. But there’s some wonderful work being produced in this moment, too. If,
  at its core, creativity is problem solving, it’s been inspiring to see the
  range of creative thinking applied to the tools that are available to us to
  produce work now. Some examples include:
</p>
<h4 class="med color-grey margin-t-2">
  Budweiser – Checking in, that’s&nbsp;Whassup
</h4>
<div class="embed-container">
  <iframe
    src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eg5ZMkS8zfM"
    frameborder="0"
    webkitAllowFullScreen
    mozallowfullscreen
    allowfullscreen
  ></iframe>
</div>
<h4 class="med color-grey margin-t-2">Asaf Avidan – Earth&nbsp;Odyssey</h4>
<div class="embed-container">
  <iframe
    src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/408100395"
    frameborder="0"
    webkitAllowFullScreen
    mozallowfullscreen
    allowfullscreen
  ></iframe>
</div>
<h4 class="med color-grey margin-t-2 color-accent">
  Apple – Creativity Goes&nbsp;On
</h4>
<div class="embed-container">
  <iframe
    src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Kl1NW7h7lrY"
    frameborder="0"
    allowfullscreen
  ></iframe>
</div>
<h4 class="med color-grey margin-t-2">
  Thao & the Get Down Stay&nbsp;Down – Phenom
</h4>
<p>
  ↗
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/8/21213608/coronavirus-zoom-music-video-thao-and-the-get-down-stay-down"
    >The Verge – How Thao & The Get Down Stay Down made a music video on Zoom</a
  >
</p>
<div class="embed-container margin-t-1">
  <iframe
    src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DGwQZrDNLO8"
    frameborder="0"
    allowfullscreen
  ></iframe>
</div>

<h4 class="med color-grey margin-t-2">Uber – Thank You For Not&nbsp;Riding</h4>
<div class="embed-container">
  <iframe
    src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_e8XLnMiCOE"
    frameborder="0"
    allowfullscreena
  ></iframe>
</div>
<h2 class="lead-in lead-in-lg margin-t-4 margin-b-1 color-grey">
  Considerations for producing work today
</h2>
<p>
  When live-action production isn’t a viable option for brands and agencies, we
  can focus on other forms of production in which the assembly of crews, talent,
  and locations aren’t required. Safe, scalable options for the
  time-being&nbsp;include:
</p>
<h3 class="lg margin-t-3 color-accent">
  Found/stock footage, stock stills + UGC
</h3>
<div class="margin-t-1 margin-b-1">
  <img
    src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/1YGHXwFMwpBfWtTYkjLbPb/5e11e2e26b77867aeccf0bb4721ab45a/blog_covid_prod_stock.jpg"
  />
</div>
<p>
  There are more stock footage options than ever before and while it takes time
  to find the unexpected gems, there are also more talented curators ready and
  available to help collect&nbsp;footage.
</p>
<h3 class="lg margin-t-3 color-accent">
  Mograph, animation + mixed&nbsp;media
</h3>
<div class="margin-t-1 margin-b-1 cols h-pad-1">
  <div class="col md-1-2">
    <img
      src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/3Pe81Tb4r3cw2Z4wNo5VSa/01b39e06c1616930d386f5f30b517c04/blog_covid_prod_mograph_anim_mixed_01.jpg"
    />
  </div>
  <div class="col md-1-2">
    <img
      src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/6Da83BESmffbJWmAvHgz8B/ac8758062e768a4c9d2c3549326c4ce5/blog_covid_prod_mograph_anim_mixed_02.jpg"
    />
  </div>
</div>
<p>
  Adding animation to existing found or stock footage is an easy way to
  customize off-the-shelf video and create a unique, ownable look for a brand.
  The only limit is our imaginations. As more brands embrace existing footage,
  animation over live-action footage (like in the examples below) will become
  more&nbsp;commonplace.
</p>

<h4 class="med color-grey margin-t-2">Adidas – Powered by the Past</h4>
<div class="embed-container">
  <iframe
    src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WlgkOM0qLN4"
    frameborder="0"
    allowfullscreen
  ></iframe>
</div>
<h4 class="med color-grey margin-t-2">Coca&#8209;Cola – Mural</h4>
<div class="embed-container">
  <iframe
    src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2oxX4LkHD-A"
    frameborder="0"
    allowfullscreen
  ></iframe>
</div>

<h3 class="lg margin-t-4 color-accent">Influencer content</h3>
<div class="margin-t-1 margin-b-1">
  <img
    src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/Yd3ycwkaocERVhmgzOEs1/fd35ad0d3ec4863066c3c4394fe71a02/blog_covid_prod_influencers.jpg"
  />
</div>
<p>
  Influencers—they’re just like us! (In that, they’re stuck at home, too.) It’s
  a great time to engage influencers or influencer agencies to produce content
  on behalf of brands, with the added benefit of drafting off influencers’
  existing audiences for your&nbsp;clients.
</p>
<h3 class="lg margin-t-3 color-accent">
  Individual shooters, photographers&nbsp;+&nbsp;makers:
</h3>
<div class="margin-t-1 margin-b-1">
  <img
    src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/5fqqXrCyfqbj3JAZ5YP8AT/a66ad38d2864785c92a350c469d9ff0c/blog_covid_prod_maker_01.jpg"
  />
</div>
<p>
  Many individual photographers and filmmakers now allow you to shoot
  specifically what you request and pay per clip, adding a new element of
  flexibility. In some cases, we’ve been able to execute single shots with
  individual shooters at a fraction of the cost of what a full production would
  run. Additionally, in response to COVID-19, many of these individuals are now
  offering their imagery as stock—and even offering up their own homes and
  families as potential locations or&nbsp;casting.
</p>
<p>
  One collective we particularly like has thousands of content creators chomping
  at the bit to create both photography and video assets:
  <a target="_blank" href="https://thehhub.com/">The&nbsp;Hub</a>.
</p>
<p>
  And check out this collection of Photographers and Directors’ homes & families
  on offer:
  <a target="_blank" href="https://www.createinplace.com/">Create in Place</a>.
  (Ask them for the password. It’s worth a&nbsp;browse.)
</p>

<h2 class="lead-in lead-in-lg margin-t-4 margin-b-1">
  In the near future: Live-action considerations moving forward
</h2>
<p>
  We’ve already seen the rise of some production companies shipping talent
  sterilized Drop Kit camera + lighting set-ups to record in the talent’s own
  homes, teleconferenced casting sessions over Zoom, and some brands using
  high-end cameras with remote heads driven by an operator who is physically
  removed from the&nbsp;talent.
</p>
<div class="margin-t-1 margin-b-1 cols h-pad-1">
  <div class="col md-1-2">
    <img
      src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/1t0IkZiOwr8Y4ooqGa3pyy/d23d2e7821d5f799333871c51a21a649/blog_covid_prod_virtual_shoot_01.jpg"
    />
  </div>
  <div class="col md-1-2">
    <img
      src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/17a5WTLd34IM7r82ZAkjqO/c9fc5cb92ac56783f7da68dde39ffe4f/blog_covid_prod_virtual_shoot_02.jpg"
    />
  </div>
</div>
<p>
  Over time, as we build toward more traditional live-action shooting, there
  will be some important things to consider. ‘Is it <i>legal</i> to shoot’ is a
  very different question to ask than ‘is it <i>ethical</i> to shoot.’ Our
  position at Camp + King is to abide by best practices to help stop the spread
  of COVID-19. We will adhere to all social distancing requirements
  as&nbsp;necessary.
</p>
<p>
  It’s important to note, that even as local governments lift shelter-in-place
  orders, it is possible that permitting offices may continue to limit or deny
  production permits in public spaces for several months. Additionally, will
  homeowners and businesses be as willing to open up their locations to crews as
  they once&nbsp;were?
</p>
<div class="margin-t-1 margin-b-1">
  <img
    src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/6STOT88ZE7lyfIEUl2UV6J/52b6a74055e5954a24a50afc36f220c7/blog_covid_prod_production_01.jpg"
  />
</div>
<p>
  So, moving forward, production partners—especially directors—should be brought
  onboard earlier in the creative development process to help design a
  production effectively. Pre-production meetings and coordination will shift to
  video conference. During a production, we’ll likely need to assemble in much
  smaller groups than what we’ve all experienced in the past. At the least,
  expect smaller crews who will need to stagger their workflows—a production
  designer will dress the set, then leave; a gaffer will come in to light, then
  leave; the talent will be placed on set while agency and client attendees
  watch via a remote video&nbsp;village.
</p>
<p>
  Regardless of how this exactly takes shape, expect productions to require even
  more coordination and to move more slowly than before. The takeaway is that
  productions with many talent, crewmembers, and locations are soooooo
  last&nbsp;year.
</p>
<p>
  In the meantime, here’s what we’ve counseled our Creative team members to do:
  The future is uncertain. We can’t predict if there will be a second wave of
  the virus, forcing prolonged social distancing requirements. So, as you’re
  thinking through the most impactful work possible for your clients, pursue the
  ideas that can be successfully produced no matter the circumstance. We’re not
  settling for less craft. We’re acknowledging that we need to push past our old
  way of doing&nbsp;things.
</p>


blog covid prod header

blog covid prod thumbnail

Production Best Practices in the Face of COVID-19

blog covid trends header

blog covid trends thumbnail

Content Trends of COVID-19

<p>
  We’re all adapting. Days and nights are starting to blend. Homeschooling is
  now a part of our 9-to-5. Loungewear is the new workwear. And ‘zoom-hangover’
  is a thing. So much has changed about how, when, and where we work. But if I’m
  being honest, one of the most challenging aspects of this new reality is that
  as planners, we’re guiding clients on what they should be doing, when we’ve
  barely begun to process what it is that we’re feeling.
</p>
<p>
  As a society, we are collectively processing feelings of denial, shock,
  disbelief, anxiety, grief, and (even if we’re ashamed to admit it) bouts of
  boredom. These emotions are not being experienced in a linear fashion, we are
  in fact on a journey. A journey towards an entirely new normal. As strategic
  partners to our clients, our job is to appropriately and meaningfully navigate
  these mass cultural shifts taking place every single day.
</p>
<p>
  Of the few frameworks out there that attempt to capture and codify these
  stages, I’ve found <i>The Pandemic Stages Journey</i> by behavioral insights
  practice <a target="_blank" href="https://www.canvas8.com/">Canvas8</a> to be
  the most useful to brands. They have used historical models of past crises to
  craft a structure that plots not just consumer sentiment and behavior, but the
  corresponding tone, mode of operating, and leadership style, that people seek
  in those moments.
</p>
<div class="margin-t-1 margin-b-1">
  <img
    width="1480"
    height="548"
    src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/3GLNVV6sNXvGFG1dc9Ukj8/a99bc4bd658d0664bdf4423e3ae28c57/blog_pandemic_pandemic_stages_v1.png"
  />
</div>
<h2 class="lead-in margin-t-4">Let's go.</h2>
<h3 class="med margin-t-1">Stage 1, Denial.</h3>
<p>
  This is where we were a few weeks ago as a nation – walking the precarious
  line between downplay and panic. We had an overabundance of information, a
  good proportion of it false and misleading. Which is why our ask of brands was
  simple. Be clear and communicative, and proactively offer up solutions for
  your patrons, e.g. adjusted hours of operation, pick-up and delivery
  solutions, mobile and web solutions, and any other social-distancing response
  initiatives.
</p>
<h3 class="med margin-t-3">Next is Stage 2, Anxiety.</h3>
<p>
  This is the phase we sit squarely in today so I’m going to spend a bit more
  time here. The situation has escalated and feels very close and very real.
  Every day, more cases and deaths are announced and there seems to be no
  shortage of data visualizations and trend projections to dial-up that growing
  sense of dread. As seen in customer centricity firm
  <a target="_blank" href="https://ds.gongos.com/corona_microsite"
    >Gongos’ Coronavirus Sentiment Tracker</a
  >, consumer levels of concern continue to grow, and people are reporting
  heightened levels of anxiety and fear.
</p>
<div class="margin-t-1 margin-b-1">
  <img
    width="1480"
    height="680"
    src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/2AMyim0bqhoC9lNffSO0aO/679f249134aeb2e0bc2abd83eb28fa3c/consumer_concern_graph_v4.png"
  />
</div>
<p>
  In this stage, we’re looking for brands to show solidarity and generosity, or
  simply put – <i>Be Helpful</i>. Some themes here are:
</p>
<ul class="margin-t-1">
  <li class="margin-b-1">
    <div class="float-left margin-r-1">
      <img
      src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/2JFIDo3cltYQWDe78DVGmb/97898f67f721af1635450b4574de4a8f/blog_pandemic_response_icon_innovate.png"
      " class="sm-3-line md-4-line" width="500" height="500" />
    </div>
    <span class="ls-narrow bold">“Innovate for Good”</span> – Companies like
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://www.ft.com/content/e9c2bae4-6909-11ea-800d-da70cff6e4d3"
      >LVMH</a
    >,
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/26/tech/dyson-ventilators-coronavirus/index.html"
      >Dyson</a
    >, and most recently,
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90485000/how-under-armour-is-making-100000-masks-a-week-to-fight-covid-19"
      >Under Armour</a
    >
    have shown how they are genuinely increasing access to life-saving resources
    through the production of hand sanitizer, ventilators, and no-sew masks
    respectively.
  </li>
  <li class="margin-b-1">
    <div class="float-left margin-r-1">
      
      <img
        src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/1rj1TgDFZTTVmwqcaqfXnQ/a07232ea5a1277715638c58349305beb/blog_pandemic_response_icon_support_frontline2.png
      "
        class="sm-3-line md-4-line"
        width="500"
        height="500"
      />
    </div>
    <span class="ls-narrow bold"
      >“Support us all, by supporting the frontline”</span
    >
    – Companies like Uber (via
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://www.pymnts.com/coronavirus/2020/uber-pledges-free-food-delivered-medical-providers/"
      >UberEats</a
    >),
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://news.airbnb.com/hosts-offer-100000-places-to-stay-for-covid-19-responders/"
      >Airbnb
    </a>
    and
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/03/26/coronavirus-companies-donate-products-aid-for-those-in-need-unilever/5081149002/"
      >Unilever</a
    >
    are stripping the price tag off a portion of their offerings to take a
    burden off healthcare workers and first responders in a variety of ways.
  </li>
  <li class="margin-b-1">
    <div class="float-left margin-r-1">
      <img
        src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/LIOQz3jf8nCx95vaOMfc7/4498aa38e4c6e9f8e6022dfce2454988/blog_pandemic_response_icon_collab.png"
        class="sm-3-line md-4-line"
        width="500"
        height="500"
      />
    </div>
    <span class="ls-narrow bold"
      >“Cultivating community and connectedness”</span
    >
    - Brands like
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://www.adweek.com/digital/chipotle-together-hangouts-on-zoom-are-a-way-to-cope-with-social-distancing/"
      >Chipotle</a
    >
    and
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://blog.twitch.tv/en/2020/03/26/twitch-stream-aid-go-live-to-save-lives-on-328/"
      >Twitch</a
    >
    (via Stream Aid 2020) are using the lockdown as an opportunity to rally
    their own communities around common themes of togetherness, and charitable
    giving.
  </li>
  <li class="margin-b-1">
    <div class="float-left margin-r-1">
      <img
        src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/2i26qD9B3PlwWDy0S4DBRC/d74c92a5578fb60b9a9f701763bc8039/blog_pandemic_response_icon_solidarity.png"
        class="sm-3-line md-4-line"
        width="500"
        height="500"
      />
    </div>
    <span class="ls-narrow bold">“Messages of solidarity”</span>
    – These are messages of hope and inspiration, exemplified by the likes of
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://www.adweek.com/creativity/nike-rallies-all-sports-fans-to-play-inside-play-for-the-world/"
      >Nike</a
    >
    and
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/dont-worry-well-march-again-guinness-says-ad-after-st-patricks-day-parade-suspensions/2244471"
      >Guinness</a
    >. These tend to be most impactful when they’re playing the role of PSA
    disseminators, encouraging people to stay in, or pay it forward, rather than
    empty signals of solidarity.
  </li>
</ul>
<h3 class="med margin-t-3">Stage 3 will be next - Adjustment.</h3>
<p>
  Here, the curve is flattening as intended and we will have begun to adapt to
  changing circumstances. We will start to not just miss, but crave normality.
  We will have grown accustomed to life indoors and maintaining relationships
  virtually but will crave some change and interest around us. In this phase, we
  will likely turn to brands to innovate around our new realities, entertain,
  and engage us. We might begin to see some levity in messaging here, as content
  and technologies serve the role of a much-needed escape. The examples below
  are ones of brands starting to already play in this area.
</p>
<ul class="margin-t-1">
  <li class="margin-b-1 cf">
    <div class="float-left margin-r-1">
      <img
        src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/5vaLIMvzFKUbqfxYKKvQz4/f57952e84dec77303fa517bde6e05667/blog_pandemic_response_icon_upskill.png"
        class="sm-3-line md-5-line"
        width="500"
        height="500"
      />
    </div>
    <span class="ls-narrow bold">“Remote Upskilling”</span> - These brands are
    trying to support people trying to navigate their new realities, while also
    sustaining their self-improvement goals:
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://learning.linkedin.com/blog/linkedin-learning-resources/free-linkedin-learning-resources-to-help-you-navigate-the-impact"
      >Linkedin Learning</a
    >
    offering professional development content free of charge,
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/16/21182267/peloton-workout-app-trial-at-home-subscription"
      >Peleton’s free 90-day app trial</a
    >, and the
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/the-metropolitan-opera-is-streaming-a-new-slate-of-free-performances-every-night-this-week-040520"
      >Metropolitans nightly live shows</a
    >.
  </li>
  <li class="margin-b-1">
    <div class="float-left margin-r-1">
      <img
        src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/1vFH77fNKsFBBJXzCWgA4A/95c6004d10a31d95d79039ab7afde354/blog_pandemic_response_icon_fashun.png"
        class="sm-3-line md-5-line"
        width="500"
        height="500"
      />
    </div>
    <span class="ls-narrow bold">“Quarantine, but Fashun”</span> – Brands like
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://www.adweek.com/creativity/brands-are-creating-zoom-backgrounds-to-class-up-your-quarantine/"
      >Behr and West Elm</a
    >
    are creating Zoom backgrounds to class-up your quarantine. Because your
    coworkers don’t really need to know you’re taking this call from your kid’s
    fabulous unicorn-themed room. This approach may seem overly light and silly,
    but it is certainly a solidarity-booster in its own right.
  </li>
</ul>
<h3 class="med margin-t-3">Stage 4 is all about Re-evaluation.</h3>
<p>
  Here, we’re over the bell curve and life begins to return to normal. But we’re
  grieving the loss of loved ones, and the collective trauma within our
  communities and circles is still fresh in our minds. As panic subsides, we
  will enter a mode of reflection and recovery. We should see a slight rebound
  in consumption habits. Businesses will need to adapt fast to our changing
  values and sensibilities, and offer up hope and regeneration, through both
  words and action.
</p>
<h3 class="med margin-t-3">And finally Stage 5. The New Normal.</h3>
<p>
  We’re post-crisis. We’ve made choices between the behaviors from the past that
  we will fall back into and the new ones from this disruption that we’re going
  to sustain. What will our shifted priorities look like? We don’t know yet.
  What we do know is that it takes only 66 days for a habit to form, and we’ll
  be well past that window and then some.
</p>
<p class="accent"><b>All we can do is plan for change.</b></p>
<p>
  It’s important to note that we may know the general cadence of stages, but we
  certainly don’t know the calendar. A particular phase could span a few weeks
  to a few months, and there is little geographic consistency in how this
  epidemic is charting its path.
</p>
<p>
  As marketing teams around the country grapple with questions like - should we
  pull, pause, or push media currently in flight? Should we say something, or
  stay quiet till we have something of substance to say? Should we retain our
  brand tone, or make big shifts as we plan for 2021? – I suggest revisiting the
  stages above. I also urge brands to revisit those well-crafted mission
  statements and brand purpose pieces of the past decade and start to put them
  to the test. We don’t know where things will end up six months from now, but
  we do know that companies will be remembered for how they responded – or
  didn’t, when it mattered the most.
</p>

blog pandemic planning header

blog pandemic planning thumbnail

How Do You Plan Around a Pandemic?

The negative impact on the restaurant industry from COVID-19 is massive, of course. However, for those QSR brands able to pivot to takeout and (especially) contactless delivery, near-term demand may actually increase. We were interested to learn how COVID influenced Americans decisions to order takeout or delivery. So, last week, we partnered with The Harris Poll to ask 1,102 U.S. adults a simple question: <b class="accent">“Due to the impact of Coronavirus, how much more or less likely are you to order from a fast food/quick service or pizza restaurant for pick-up or delivery in the next two weeks?”</b>

For our food service clients, we were heartened to see that more than half of Americans are more likely to order food than they were before. More details below on how the data breaks down, including the specific audiences most likely to be receptive to takeout and delivery messaging now. Age, HHI, employment status, and the presence of children at home have the highest impact on a consumer’s decision to order food at home.

<div class="margin-t-3">

  
![covid infographic](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/4H440WSE3ds5hQBQioOnx8/0dc85714b950e1f58ab8f199bcaea276/covid_infographic.png)

  
</div>

covid infographic thumb

How Coronavirus Impacts American Consumers Likelihood to Order Food at Home

<p>
  It’s an unsettling time for the economy&mdash;and an incredibly difficult time
  for brands to identify how best to communicate. Generally speaking, consumer
  spend has dramatically decreased, and quickly. But whether businesses are
  taking a hard hit (sit-down restaurant traffic is down by 121%<sup
    id="fnref:1"
    ><a href="#fn:1" rel="footnote">[1]</a></sup
  >) or are actually seeing an economic gain (big box retail traffic is up 32%),
  brands’ overarching narratives are shifting to a purpose higher than what they
  sell: support and safety for customers and employees.
</p>
<p>
  We’ve watched the trials and tribulations of brand communications and
  advertising amidst COVID-19 in real-time. What was appropriate one day might
  not be the next, and a wrong move could have significant long-term
  consequences.
</p>
<p>
  So, how do you keep your business running by selling your product or service,
  while effectively communicating your COVID-19 safety efforts to your
  customers?
</p>
<p>
  There is hardly a blanket approach for how brands should be talking to their
  customers and employees. At Camp + King, as we help our various clients
  navigate their communications, we are noticing some guiding principles that
  apply across verticals. The following are some overarching guidelines, and
  examples of who, in our opinion, is doing it well and who missed the mark in
  the early stages of this new reality.
</p>
<div class="v-space-2"></div>
<h3 class="med">Communicate to your most sensitive consumer.</h3>
<p>
  People are overwhelmed, uncertain, and even panicked. Assume that even the
  most nuanced references can be a trigger. Word choice, visuals, tone, and
  topic should all be extensively reviewed for appropriateness. Some things to
  keep in mind that could solicit a negative reaction:
</p>
<ul class="line-list margin-t-1">
  <li>
    An overly casual tone, even if trying to provide a moment of levity
  </li>
  <li>
    Inviting conversation about previous safety practices by instilling
    &ldquo;new&rdquo; safety measures, which is proving to be a common pitfall
  </li>
  <li>
    Giving yourself a pat on the back for being innovative or empathetic
  </li>
  <li>
    Visuals of large groups of people or hands
  </li>
  <li>
    Topics or phrases surrounding sickness (even &ldquo;Spring Fever&rdquo;),
    in-person social gatherings, commuting, or parents/grandparents
  </li>
</ul>
<div class="v-space-2"></div>
<h3 class="med">Be transparent, but don’t inundate.</h3>
<p>
  Provide essential information on your safety efforts. However,
  overcommunicating may make an already fragile audience even more worried. Keep
  in mind that your communication is sandwiched between loads of brands within
  and outside of your industry discussing the exact same topic. This means two
  things:
</p>
<ol class="big-numbers margin-t-1" start="1">
  <li>
    Your brand likely doesn’t need to over- or re-define safety terms for
    consumers. For instance, phrases like &ldquo;no-contact delivery&rdquo; have
    become part of the broader vernacular.
  </li>
  <li>
    Your audience is already fatigued with COVID-19 communications from brands,
    news, and friends. They are looking for important takeaways, and then
    they’ll move on.
  </li>
</ol>
<div class="cols h-pad-1">
  <div class="col md-1-2 block-centered margin-t-1" style="max-width: 450px;">
    <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">
      <p lang="en" dir="ltr">
        Oh sweet, I was wondering how every corporation I&#39;ve ever given my
        email to was handling COVID-19.
      </p>
      &mdash; Jason Mustian (@jasonmustian)
      <a
        href="https://twitter.com/jasonmustian/status/1238586940833832962?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"
        >March 13, 2020</a
      >
    </blockquote>
  </div>
  <div class="col md-1-2 block-centered margin-t-1" style="max-width: 450px;">
    <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">
      <p lang="en" dir="ltr">
        *opens freezer*<br />*note falls out*<br /><br />“We here at Totino’s
        Pizza Rolls know you’ve been wondering about our response to COVID-19”
      </p>
      &mdash; social distance warrior (@IAmSpilly)
      <a
        href="https://twitter.com/IAmSpilly/status/1240030578142937088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"
        >March 17, 2020</a
      >
    </blockquote>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="v-space-2"></div>
<h3 class="med">Prioritize community management over content creation.</h3>
<p>
  There has never been a better time to showcase your empathy as a brand.
  Prioritize hours spent responding to customers over coming up with clever
  GIFs. Anticipate questions that will be asked tomorrow, next week, and beyond,
  and be ready with answers.
</p>
<p>
  This doesn’t mean that all content creation needs to shut down. This is a good
  time to add moments of levity in your followers’ feeds by highlighting the
  community formed by your product/offering. Your UGC library is a good place to
  source this content, but keep in mind communicating to your most sensitive
  consumer.
</p>
<div class="v-space-2"></div>
<h3 class="med">Take a leadership role to help humanity.</h3>
<p>
  Finally, the brands that will be remembered most positively are those that are
  stepping up to help people beyond providing easier access to their goods and
  services. We understand that businesses’ first priority should be the safety
  and well-being of their own people, as well as the health and sustainability
  of the business itself. But we’d like to applaud those that have taken it a
  step further to offer help to a wider net of people affected. For example,
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/15/lvmh-will-use-its-perfume-and-cosmetics-factories-to-manufacture-free-hand-sanitizer.html"
    >LVMH is using its perfume and cosmetics production sites to manufacture
    free hand sanitizer</a
  >.
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.campaignlive.com/article/jameson-keeps-st-patricks-day-spirit-alive-bartender-donation/1677401"
    >Jameson pledged $500,000 to support the US Bartenders’ Guild</a
  >
  and is matching every dollar donated up to $100k to the Bartender Emergency
  Assistance Program. And
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/ford-pulls-national-vehicle-ads-replacing-them-coronavirus-response-campaign/2244726?utm_source%3Dad-age-news-alerts%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_campaign%3D20200316%26utm_content%3Dhero-headline"
    >Ford pulled its existing national vehicle advertising</a
  >
  and replaced it with a message to reassure those who might be financially
  affected by the Coronavirus. Even if your business can’t financially afford to
  make a significant investment, finding unique ways to communicate solidarity
  with the larger communities you are a part of can go a long way.
</p>
<h2 class="lead-in margin-t-4">Who’s Doing it Well:</h2>
<h3 class="med margin-t-1">Guinness St. Patrick’s Day</h3>
<p>
  A video that acknowledges the situation but carries a hopeful tone by
  highlighting the power of community during hard times. The video ends on a
  brief mention of a contribution to the Guinness Give Back fund.
</p>
<div class="block-centered margin-t-1 margin-b-1" style="max-width: 600px;">
  <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/B9rzWNHJiC_/"
    ><img
      src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/YJJSWeCYbs1j1IFX4kmm4/9cc71ee616b2338a6125a8273e8bb43c/guiness.jpg"
  /></a>
</div>
<h3 class="med margin-t-2">&ldquo;Chipotle Together&rdquo; Zoom Hangouts</h3>
<p>
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://twitter.com/ChipotleTweets/status/1239613534222180352"
  ></a>
  Every day this week, fans can virtually mingle with celebrities and get
  Chipotle coupons. A fantastic example of using social to entertain and quite
  literally meeting customers where they are.
</p>
<div class="block-centered margin-t-1 margin-b-1" style="max-width: 450px;">
  <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">
    <p lang="en" dir="ltr">
      There’s a lot going on rn. If anyone wants to hang we’re going live on
      Zoom here: <a href="https://t.co/BveZZGXSeH">https://t.co/BveZZGXSeH</a>
    </p>
    &mdash; Chipotle (@ChipotleTweets)
    <a
      href="https://twitter.com/ChipotleTweets/status/1239613534222180352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"
      >March 16, 2020</a
    >
  </blockquote>
</div>

<h2 class="lead-in margin-t-4">Who Missed the Mark:</h2>
<h3 class="med margin-t-1">Marine Layer</h3>
<p>
  An attempt to make work from home more enjoyable comes across as
  commercializing the&nbsp;situation.
</p>
<div class="block-centered margin-t-1 margin-b-1" style="max-width: 300px;">
  <img
    alt="A screenshot of an marking email from Marine Layer with the headline 'Working from Home? Wear this?' with a photo of various knitwear below"
    src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/4fBFL0NDVF8zCY5wOt7fNO/f7bb5ef250eefab10e0d7672c88ee680/blog_covid19_marinelayer.png"
    title=""
  />
</div>
<h3 class="med margin-t-2">Lysol</h3>
<p>
  The brand continues to run heavy broadcast and digital advertising despite the
  real-world shortages of their products on store shelves. Meanwhile, Clorox
  suspended much of its media buy for the same reason.
</p>
<div class="block-centered margin-t-1 margin-b-1" style="max-width: 450px;">
  <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true">
    <p lang="en" dir="ltr">
      Odd to see Lysol disinfectant wipes ads running on TV. Poor look, on many
      levels:<br /><br />• reminds everyone they are out of stock<br />• brite +
      cheery ad tone is out of touch<br />• last thing they need to do rn is
      drive demand<a
        href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/coronavirus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"
        >#coronavirus</a
      >
      <a
        href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID%E3%83%BC19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"
        >#COVIDー19</a
      >
    </p>
    &mdash; andy (@adnys)
    <a
      href="https://twitter.com/adnys/status/1239244423793278976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"
      >March 15, 2020</a
    >
  </blockquote>
</div>
<div class="divider margin-t-4 margin-b-4"></div>
<p>
  This is an ever-evolving situation. While these guidelines may shift in the
  coming weeks, we believe that being clear, transparent, and empathetic will
  continue to be the guiding pillars of coronavirus communication.
</p>
<div class="footnotes margin-t-4">
  <ol>
    <li class="footnote" id="fn:1">
      <p>
        Coronavirus: What Customers are Buying, MFour, March 2020
        <a href="#fnref:1" title="return to article"> ↩</a>
      </p>
    </li>
  </ol>
</div>
<script
  async
  src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"
  charset="utf-8"
></script>


blog covid19 header

  Communication Guidance in an Evolving Situation

blog covid19 thumbnail

  Coronavirus: How We’re Advising Our Clients

<p>
  Over the last year or so, we’ve seen a major QSR campaign (Popeye’s Chicken
  Sandwich), and a major streaming service movie campaign (Netflix’s Bird Box)
  flourish once social media’s most active and engaged community, Black Twitter,
  got involved. The question now is, when will we see a major brand player
  intentionally and unapologetically target Black Twitter? Popeye’s came the
  closest. For other brands, there are many resources available to help them
  succeed within this space, but they’ve got to make a concerted effort to do
  so.
</p>
<div class="v-space-4"></div>
<h2 class="lg">The timing is right</h2>
<div class="cols h-pad-1">
  <div class="col-right md-2-5  margin-b-1">
    <img
      width="500"
      height="500"
      class="md-margin-r-1"
      src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/5sgEEW7azEHqEvYvpZbrAi/fcd24d9157a736468b400b744434e9c5/blog_black_twitter_timeisnow.gif"
    />
  </div>
  <div class="col-left md-3-5">
    <p>
      There has never been a better time for brands to tap into black culture. A
      recent
      <a
        target="_blank"
        href="https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/article/2015/black-influence-goes-mainstream-in-the-us/"
      >
        Nielsen report</a
      >
      indicated that 44% of African Americans earning over $100,000 per year use
      social media to show support for their favorite companies or brands. These
      households are also 142% more likely to react more positively than
      non-Hispanic whites about seeing other celebrities in the media that share
      their ethnic background. Furthermore, according to Nielsen’s findings,
      African American star power has become the most influential across all
      major entertainment categories. The following graphic indicates the top
      performers across each category based on their Nielsen score.
    </p>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="margin-t-2 margin-b-2">
  <img
    width="1480"
    height="724"
    alt=""
    src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/5HvM6rnPStoZlIiWgF2CjI/de199ff0c73816cef0acd3de7a9be884/blog_black_twitter_top_performers.png"
  />
</div>
<p>
  Further, it’s worth mentioning that African Americans also command $1.3
  trillion per year in buying power, according to a
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/report/2019/its-in-the-bag-black-consumer-path-to-purchase/"
  >
    2019 Nielsen report</a
  >. Black Twitter has proven to be a window into insightful and organic
  conversations, while boasting an ability to drive both social change and
  purchasing influence.
</p>
<img
  width="540"
  height="304"
  class="margin-t-1 margin-b-1 block-centered md-2-3"
  src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/6iPMT0MmxjgMVWxgPCPBD4/613540976b2fdf129b681e327eedee18/blog_black_twitter_1billion.gif"
/>
<div class="v-space-4"></div>
<h2 class="lg">
  Its LIT <span role="img" aria-label="fire" class="emoji">🔥</span>
</h2>

<p>
  Oh, how easy it would be if I were able to approach a brand and say
  &ldquo;Hey! if you want your social campaign to be lit, you need to
  intentionally target and integrate Black Twitter into your strategy.&rdquo;
  Many of the decision-making stakeholders within these brands are either out of
  touch with this particular vernacular or genuinely don’t understand or
  identify with the approach. Hmmm, so how about we breakdown the word
  &ldquo;lit&rdquo; in a way a brand can understand.
</p>
<div class="cols margin-t-2 margin-b-2">
  <div class="col  md-1-2">
    <img
      width="480"
      height="270"
      class=" "
      src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/VQrkXmsVDM6sO9kNROX9V/be25521e9afeee1b7a8e770d05ff9160/blog_black_twitter_lit1.gif"
    />
  </div>
  <div class="col  md-1-2">
    <img
      width="480"
      height="270"
      class=""
      src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/4iI4Ioe9lXEqlAuKZmgjuz/e7db20d88af31efd6f6c28d5cf28948b/blog_black_twitter_lit2.gif"
    />
  </div>
</div>

<p>
  Lit is...success! A &ldquo;lit&rdquo; campaign is highly engaging, it’s
  generating more sales, and driving more traffic to your channels than ever
  before. Essentially, if your campaign is &ldquo;lit,&rdquo; you’ve hit on any
  and every one of your campaign’s KPIs, and overall vastly exceeded
  expectations! Think the chicken sandwich wars initiated by Popeyes and
  amplified by Black Twitter. Or how about the
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/06/236203/beyonce-assistant-twitter-game-choose-your-own-adventure"
  >
    &ldquo;Choose Your Own Adventure: Beyonce’s Assistant for a Day&rdquo;</a
  >
  challenge, which was created by Black Twitter’s own, Green Chyna. What brand
  wouldn’t want this level of success?
</p>
<div class="v-space-4"></div>
<h2 class="lg">So how do you achieve this?</h2>
<p>
  The single most important resource needed to succeed within this strategy
  centers around &ldquo;The People.&rdquo; Simple as it may sound, brands need
  black people in order to reach black people. Journalist Brittany King’s
  article:
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.popsugar.com/news/Why-Diversity-Important-Advertising-Industry-44628212"
  >
    &ldquo;This Black Woman Is Putting an End to the &lsquo;Mad Men&rsquo; Era
    of Advertising,&rdquo;</a
  >
  highlights a 2017
  <a target="_blank" href="http://www.72andsunny.com/work/72andsunny-playbook">
    playbook</a
  >
  published by 72AndSunny that shows the advertising industry was 81 percent
  white and only 19 percent people of color. African Americans made up 5.8
  percent of that latter figure. How many times have we witnessed a brand
  attempting to reach this demographic only to see things fall flat or be called
  out for being insensitive? You can bet that the lack of black faces within the
  process flow of idea to execution is the reason for a campaign’s failure in
  this capacity. We saw Dove attempt to promote diversity within a
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/08/dove-apologises-for-ad-showing-black-woman-turning-into-white-one"
  >
    2017 body lotion ad</a
  >, only to have it backfire and be deemed racially insensitive. This could
  have been avoided by simply going the extra mile to pass their messaging
  through the appropriate internal lens before launching.
</p>
<p>
  Now that we’ve established that, let’s circle back. We’ve seen Netflix achieve
  success by leaving the door open for engagement without directly targeting the
  Black Twitter community. We’ve seen other brands achieve success by targeting
  the black community long before the emergence of Black Twitter: McDonald’s
  with its
  <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5Ak2z_pDBg">
    Oh Snap campaign</a
  >, or Coca-Cola’s
  <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djPDSIXy_eE">
    Alway’s Coca-Cola</a
  >
  campaign. We must now push forward and encourage brands to take that next
  step. Through my experience working in the social media space working on
  behalf of prominent consumer brands, I believe I’ve identified an underlying
  formula that translates into social media success.
</p>
<div class="v-space-4"></div>
<h2 class="lg">The formula is as follows:</h2>
<div class="margin-t-1 margin-b-1 block-centered" style="position: relative">
  <img
    width="480"
    height="270"
    class=""
    src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/6wTOgPIFtaLYUqKmiH72zP/529196c57c5878473fb78bedb8613675/blog_black_twitter_formula.gif"
  />
  <img
    width="480"
    height="270"
    alt="(Engaging content + Tapping into a culturally-shared experience) × Black Twitter = A lit campaign"
    style="position:absolute; top:0; left:0"
    src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/eavpOweH0GrDnvx0IKcDs/328901d671be3a5523b67b2a5bc7dd52/blog_black_twitterformula_4x.png"
  />
</div>

<div class="v-space-4"></div>
<h2 class="lg">Engaging Content</h2>
<p>
  This can be defined as many things. We all have different interests and
  tastes, so who’s to decide on what a piece of engaging content looks like. So
  let’s keep it simple. This is content that makes a person stop what they’re
  doing to spend time and energy to read and take in your message. This is
  music, videos, movies, a good gif with good copy, a photo, even something as
  simple as an engaging, well written tweet.
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/ehisosifo1/funnest-tweets-black-twitter-2018"
  >
    Buzzfeed</a
  >
  does an excellent job highlighting some of the more engaging pieces of Black
  Twitter content&mdash;most of which comes from users expressing free, organic
  thought. Brands can start here as they evaluate what types of Black Twitter
  conversation topics typically promote the most engagement.
</p>
<div class="v-space-4"></div>
<h2 class="lg">
  Tapping Into Culturally Shared Experiences
</h2>
<p>
  Now this is the tricky part of the formula, because it is very easy for brands
  to be labeled as insensitive when attempting to highlight a culturally shared
  experience. The key is to be clever in communicating your approach. Do your
  research on the experience you wish to highlight and utilize the appropriate
  people throughout the process. No idea should be finalized without passing
  through your internal lenses of black employees. Especially considering black
  culture lives and breathes off of these experiences. Many of us come from
  similar backgrounds, and were instilled with similar values and beliefs. As a
  result, if a brand targets one of these shared experiences within their
  messaging, they’re setting themselves up to reach a broad audience, while also
  maintaining authenticity. This ultimately helps a brand resonate with black
  consumers.
</p>
<p>
  In psychology, this concept is known as collective memory and defined
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="http://psychnet.wustl.edu/memory/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Roediger-Abel-2015_TiCS.pdf"
    >here</a
  >
  by Henry L. Roediger III and Magdalena Abelas of Washington University’s Dept
  of Psychology as: &ldquo;a shared pool of memories, knowledge and information
  of a social group that is significantly associated with the group’s
  identity.&rdquo; This is part of the reason why campaigns that promote
  nostalgia and family are typically successful. Karla Cook, author of
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/examples-nostalgia-marketing-ads"
  >
    15 Ads that prove Nostalgia is a Powerful Marketing Tactic</a
  >, describes it as the advertising equivalent to comfort food. She goes on to
  explain how nostalgia marketing gives consumers the feeling of continuity and
  meaning, while transporting them to a simpler time that they already know was
  great. Nintendo executed this with their
  <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJched2MvZ8"
    >Two Brothers</a
  >
  ad in promotion of the Nintendo switch.
</p>
<p>
  This is just a POV from someone who’s currently in the trenches of the social
  media marketing space. As both a black marketer and a black consumer, I yearn
  for the day that a major brand takes that next step. For there is indeed a
  cultural renaissance happening through social media, and I’m proud to say that
  it’s being driven by black culture. So who’s ready to hand Black Twitter the
  keys?
</p>


blog black twitter header

<p class="centered">
  <small
    ><i>
      This piece first appeared in
      <a
        target="_blank"
        href="https://www.campaignlive.com/article/nows-time-hand-black-twitter-keys/1676834
  "
        >Campaign US</a
      >
      on 3.11.2020.</i
    >
  </small>
</p>

blog black twitter thumbnail

  Now’s the time to hand Black Twitter the Keys…

<p>
  Burger King has always played the role of a feisty challenger brand, looking
  for new ways to disrupt people’s fast food decision-making and just generally
  be a thorn in McDonald’s side:
</p>
<div class="v-space-1"></div>
<ul class="line-list">
  <li>
    Remember in 2009 when it
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://www.cnet.com/news/delete-10-facebook-friends-get-a-free-whopper/"
      >encouraged people to sacrifice Facebook friends for a Whopper</a
    >?
  </li>
  <li>
    Or in 2015 when
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://www.businessinsider.com/burger-king-proposes-mcwhopper-burger-with-mcdonalds-2015-8"
    >
      BK published a full-page open letter on International Peace Day</a
    >, suggesting that it and McDonald’s put their differences aside and
    collaborate on a McWhopper?
  </li>
  <li>
    In
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2018/12/04/burger-king-penny-whopper-promotion-mcdonalds/2197166002/"
      >2018, the brand took to geofencing</a
    >
    McDonald’s locations through its app to offer people close to a competitor
    location a Whopper for just a penny.
  </li>
  <li>
    And last year,
    <a
      target="_blank"
      href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=44&v=BfEEY1nmW8o&feature=emb_logo"
      >BK resorted to size-shaming the not-so Big Mac® in the UK</a
    >.
  </li>
</ul>
<p>
  Burger King’s intended takeaway across each of these examples? Superiority.
  Burger King is superior to McDonald’s, and the Whopper is superior to the Big
  Mac.
</p>
<div class="divider margin-b-3 margin-t-3"></div>
<p>
  Last week, Burger King found a new way to demonstrate its brand superiority—by
  making the Whopper look, well, a <em>lot</em> less super. As Burger King wrote
  in a tweet,
  <i
    >“the beauty of real food is that it gets ugly. that's why we are rolling
    out a whopper free from artificial preservatives. coming by the end of 2020
    to all restaurants in the U.S.”</i
  >
</p>
<div
  class="block-centered margin-t-1 margin-b-1"
  style="max-width: 400px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;"
>
  <blockquote
    class="twitter-tweet"
    data-lang="en"
    data-dnt="true"
    data-theme="light"
  >
    <p lang="en" dir="ltr">
      the beauty of real food is that it gets ugly. that’s why we are rolling
      out a whopper free from artificial preservatives. coming by the end of
      2020 to all restaurants in the U.S.
      <a href="https://t.co/yQL6kAYZrY">pic.twitter.com/yQL6kAYZrY</a>
    </p>
    &mdash; Burger King (@BurgerKing)
    <a
      href="https://twitter.com/BurgerKing/status/1230115099660124160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"
      >February 19, 2020</a
    >
  </blockquote>
</div>
<script
  async
  src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"
  charset="utf-8"
></script>
<div class="v-space-1"></div>
<p>
  What more effective way to demonstrate that a Whopper is no longer chock full
  of preservatives than by documenting its demise? Or, at least, that’s the
  thinking. The
  <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSDC4C3_16Y"
    >45-second film</a
  >
  opens with a Whopper being carefully built and styled. Then, a cinematic
  time-lapse shows the lettuce begin to wilt, the bun to grow heavy, before the
  science-experiment mold starts rearing its fuzzy head. The 1959 Dina
  Washington hit song, “What A Difference A Day Makes” provides the perfect
  musical accompaniment.
</p>
<p class="block-centered margin-t-1 margin-b-1">
  <img
    src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/43HVa8BmS1LPqNl69uJh6I/2cf83992e78b2259c8c256d189360403/moldy-whopper-ooh-2.jpg"
    alt="Moldy Whopper Out of Home Execution"
  />
</p>
<p>
  As
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.adweek.com/creativity/why-burger-king-is-proudly-advertising-a-moldy-disgusting-whopper/"
    ><i>AdWeek</i> called out</a
  >, “The chain’s anti-preservatives pledge breaks just about every rule in
  advertising.” The film style is equal parts disgusting and beautiful—and
  entirely fascinating (hidden deep in my id is a junior high-aged kid who
  admits to watching the spot a dozen times or so).
</p>
<p>
  Turns out, BK has caught the attention of a lot of curious ids. In five days,
  Burger King’s initial tweet generated 1.2 million views, while the YouTube
  spot earned 1.7 million views. And Google News reported 85,000 news stories
  covering the Moldy Whopper.
</p>
<p>
  Excitement and coverage like that typically translates to a brand performing
  well in creative awards shows, but is no guarantee of sales. In fact, a
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://civicscience.com/a-whopping-48-of-americans-drawn-to-burger-kings-real-food/"
    >survey from Civic Science</a
  >
  asked 1,739 consumers how likely they would be to eat at Burger King now that
  some menu items are free of artificial colors and flavors. A whopping
  (pun-intended) 52% of people responded, “Not at all likely.”
</p>
<div class="block-centered margin-t-2 margin-b-2" style="max-width:700px;">
  <img
    src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/5MCo1M9PPdwW4XmiOnQ0ic/f21af1322a63793016e017b2510a71a2/blog_2020-02-25_graph_v2.png"
  />
</div>
<p>
  That said, we’re anxiously awaiting to see the impact of Moldy Whopper on BK’s
  sales. At C+K, we believe that every brand, in every category is made up of
  two key components: Product Integrity and Brand Magnetism. Put more simply,
  the rational and irrational components of what attracts a consumer to a brand.
</p>
<div class="block-centered margin-t-1 margin-b-2" style="max-width:400px;">
  <img
    src="https://images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/4dRHbSnNtNJ1q9ucrrDZ6Z/bad85cf679509e5591a926621c2f4257/integrity-magnetism-outlines.svg"
  />
</div>
<p>
  Some categories are inherently more rational, which means dialing up Brand
  Magnetism in communications can be very effective. The battery category is a
  good example of this, which is why C+K has been so successful in
  <a target="_blank" href="https://camp-king.com/work/energizer-bunny"
    >reimagining the iconic Energizer Bunny to create distinction from
    Energizer’s main competitor</a
  >, Duracell.
</p>
<div class="block-centered margin-t-1 margin-b-2" style="max-width:400px">
  <video width="100%" autoplay muted loop>
    <source
      src="//videos.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/42kGMqF5iYS5B9Qa3kR8kB/a49c000482f3ee1acd97f27a9797765a/bunny-evolution.mp4"
      type="video/mp4"
    />
  </video>
</div>
<p>
  Other categories are inherently more irrational—and in those cases, dialing up
  one’s Product Integrity can go a long way. Michelob Ultra is a fantastic
  example of this, as
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/allenadamson/2016/07/27/how-michelob-ultra-took-a-cue-from-nike-to-overtake-the-competition/"
    >it zagged from traditional beer industry advertising</a
  >, recognizing that its younger, more affluent, urbane audience celebrated a
  healthier lifestyle. Ultra tapped into this by expressing its Product
  Integrity in a unique way.
</p>
<p>
  QSR brands are generally magnetic and largely irrational. Don’t get me wrong.
  There’s always been rationality in the decision to choose QSR—perceived value
  and convenience are factors that especially push consumers to fast food. But
  what we’ve found at Camp + King in years of working with
  <a target="_blank" href="https://www.deltaco.com/">Del Taco</a> and more
  recently with
  <a target="_blank" href="https://www.papajohns.com/">Papa John’s</a>, is that
  while rationality may drive someone to a QSR category (pizza, burgers, tacos,
  etc.), it’s irrationality that typically drives brand choice or menu item
  choice within that category.
</p>
<p>
  That’s what makes this Moldy Whopper campaign so interesting to us. Will food
  decay (rationality) drive crave-worthiness (irrationality)? Historically,
  campaigns rationally touting good-for-you ingredients in products that are
  irrationally indulgent are ignored. Or, worse yet, these campaigns can
  actually adversely affect sales because people assume the healthier version of
  a product they love won’t taste as good. This is exactly what drove Kraft to
  wait three months to tell people that it
  <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4hpL3QyeSc"
    >updated the recipe of its beloved Mac & Cheese.</a
  >
</p>
<div class="v-space-2"></div>
<h1 class="med">One last note:</h1>
<p>
  In true BK fashion, it turns out that the Moldy Whopper is also a dig at
  McDonald’s and its heavy use of artificial ingredients as documented by the
  hashtag,
  <a
    target="_blank"
    href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/lastburgerselfie/"
    >#lastburgerselfie</a
  >.
</p>
<div class="block-centered margin-t-1 margin-b-2" style="max-width:500px;">
  
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  >
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            ></div>
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        <div
          style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"
        >
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            width="50px"
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        <div style="padding-top: 8px;">
          <div
            style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"
          >
            View this post on Instagram
          </div>
        </div>
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          style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"
        >
          <div>
            <div
              style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"
            ></div>
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              style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"
            ></div>
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              style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"
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              style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"
            ></div>
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              style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"
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              style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"
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              style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"
            ></div>
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              style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"
            ></div>
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      ></a>
      <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;">
        <a
          href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B4ZLE5ZlN_H/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading"
          style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;"
          target="_blank"
          >The chosen bun 🍔 REYKJAVIK (AFP) – A decade after McDonald’s shut
          down in Iceland, thousands of online users follow the live slow decay
          of the last order – a seemingly indestructible burger with a side of
          fries protected in a glass case like a precious gem. More details on
          www.borneobulletin.com.bn #borneobulletin #borneobulletinsunday
          #worldnews #mcdonalds #bun #lastburgerselfie</a
        >
      </p>
      <p
        style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"
      >
        A post shared by
        <a
          href="https://www.instagram.com/borneobulletin/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading"
          style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;"
          target="_blank"
        >
          Borneo Bulletin</a
        >
        (@borneobulletin) on
        <time
          style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;"
          datetime="2019-11-03T06:32:07+00:00"
          >Nov 2, 2019 at 11:32pm PDT</time
        >
      </p>
    </div>
  </blockquote>
  <script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
  
</div>
<div class="v-space-2"></div>
<p>
  That hashtag is assigned to an actual McDonald’s meal on display in
  Reykjavik—apparently the last McDonald’s meal served in Iceland before the
  business pulled out in November 2009. A decade later, the burger and fries
  still look more or less as first intended.
</p>
<p>Kudos, Burger King.</p>

moldy-whopper-header

On making the irrational, rational

moldy-whopper-thumbnail

Will a Moldy Whopper Whet Consumers’ Appetites?

<p>
  You’ve heard these things a million times at this point: Our lives are driven
  by visual-content. We have the attention spans of goldfish. Brands are
  competing for that attention among tens of thousands of other advertising
  messages every day.
</p>
<div class="v-space-1"></div>

<img class="block-centered sm-1-1 md-3-5" src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/7tYiZYLyXI9FLsnmlITkjc/1c1a114c827721b8055e844f9d1b5299/giphy_stat.png">
<div class="v-space-1"></div>
<p>

This is the reality we live in as marketers – and in this reality, GIFS are
one medium that have reached mass popularity. To put some data behind that,
<a target="_blank" href="https://giphy.com">GIPHY</a>(the largest GIF-hosting platform) sees
1 billion searches from 700 million unique users every single day.[^1] To put
that in perspective, it is estimated that there are
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.internetlivestats.com/google-search-statistics/">
3.5 billion Google searches</a> every day. That means there are nearly a third
as many searches for the perfect GIF as there are for anything else on the internet.

</p>
<p>
  As GIFs exploded in popularity, more and more brands have tapped into their
  potential as a way to connect with consumers. You’ve likely seen GIFs all over
  your own digital world, whether directly in a text message, across different
  social platforms, embedded in email newsletters or articles, etc. This makes
  that lingering question of “what should my brand do with GIFs?” even more
  complex. We’ve been hearing this question from clients more and more so we’ve
  put together an overview of ways for brands to approach using GIFS.
</p>
<div class="v-space-6"></div>
<h2 class="lead-in accent">A few key things to understand about GIFs:</h2>
<div class="v-space-1"></div>
<ul class="line-list">
  <li>

It’s not just for Gen Z. Yes, GIFs reach more than 80% of 18-24 year olds.
But GIFs also reach 60% of the entire population over 18.[^2]

  </li>
  <li>
    GIFs are a conversation tool. They are reactions, expressions,
    entertainment, or things you want to talk about.
  </li>
  <li>
    Most of the GIFs you see in the world come from the GIPHY database. When you
    hit the GIF button in Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snap Messenger,
    Whatsapp, iMessage and more, they are pulling from the GIPHY API.
  </li>
</ul>
<div class="v-space-6"></div>
<h2 class="lead-in accent">
  Here are few a ways brands can incorporate GIFs into their overall content
  strategy:
</h2>
<div class="v-space-2"></div>
<h3 class="lg">Create branded GIFs</h3>
<p>
  The most direct approach would be to concept and create branded GIFs. There
  are three types of conversational content you could capture to create these
  GIFs:
</p>
<div class="v-space-2"></div>
<h4 class="med">1 – Evergreen expressions or reactions</h4>
<p>
  Things like “Yes” “Excited” “OMG” “Exhausted”. Here at C+K we made some fun
  ones with the Energizer Bunny.
</p>
<div class="cols h-pad-1 margin-t-2">
  <div class="col sm-1-2 md-1-2">
    <div style="width:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:112%;position:relative;">
      <iframe
        src="https://giphy.com/embed/5k278bOJTumfCUhkka"
        width="100%"
        height="100%"
        style="position:absolute"
        frameborder="0"
        class="giphy-embed"
        allowfullscreen
      ></iframe>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="col sm-1-2 md-1-2 v-center">
    <div style="width:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:110%;position:relative;">
      <iframe
        src="https://giphy.com/embed/ywvaM3LlTLtSmORMXE"
        width="100%"
        height="100%"
        style="position:absolute"
        frameborder="0"
        class="giphy-embed"
        allowfullscreen
      ></iframe>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="v-space-4"></div>
<h4 class="med">2 – Timely happenings</h4>
<p>Birthdays, days of the week, seasons.</p>
<div class="cols h-pad-1 margin-t-2">
  <div class="col sm-1-2 md-1-2">
    <div style="width:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56%;position:relative;">
      <iframe
        src="https://giphy.com/embed/1nQ9JQ2JH9TcJmIFH3"
        width="100%"
        height="100%"
        style="position:absolute"
        frameborder="0"
        class="giphy-embed"
        allowfullscreen
      ></iframe>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="col sm-1-2 md-1-2">
    <div style="width:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:100%;position:relative;">
      <iframe
        src="https://giphy.com/embed/1oTQbVLsCtEPeYZwgS"
        width="100%"
        height="100%"
        style="position:absolute"
        frameborder="0"
        class="giphy-embed"
        allowfullscreen
      ></iframe>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="v-space-4"></div>
<h4 class="med">3 – Culture moments</h4>
<p>
  If it makes sense for your brand, you could create GIFs that align with
  holidays, award shows, or sporting events.
</p>
<div class="cols h-pad-1 margin-t-2">
  <div class="col sm-1-2 md-1-2">
    <div style="width:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:75%;position:relative;">
      <iframe
        src="https://giphy.com/embed/h59AQgAjTikZSBeCr4"
        width="100%"
        height="100%"
        style="position:absolute"
        frameborder="0"
        class="giphy-embed"
        allowfullscreen
      ></iframe>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="col sm-1-2 md-1-2">
    <div style="width:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:75%;position:relative;">
      <iframe
        src="https://giphy.com/embed/eHid7pNKlbut21bmrA"
        width="100%"
        height="100%"
        style="position:absolute"
        frameborder="0"
        class="giphy-embed"
        allowfullscreen
      ></iframe>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="v-space-4"></div>
<h4 class="med m-b-1">Pro-tip</h4>
<p>
  If you have community managers or customer service reps having one-on-one
  conversations with customers on social media or messaging apps, you could arm
  them with a bank of generic reaction or expression GIFs for more interesting
  engagement.
</p>
<div class="cols h-pad-1 margin-t-2">
  <div class="col sm-1-2 md-1-2">
    <div style="width:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:75%;position:relative;">
      <iframe
        src="https://giphy.com/embed/ei9pMw3x3MYVhtlBla"
        width="100%"
        height="100%"
        style="position:absolute"
        frameborder="0"
        class="giphy-embed"
        allowfullscreen
      ></iframe>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="col sm-1-2 md-1-2">
    <div style="width:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:75%;position:relative;">
      <iframe
        src="https://giphy.com/embed/dTXD2592LKRrqejtOt"
        width="100%"
        height="100%"
        style="position:absolute"
        frameborder="0"
        class="giphy-embed"
        allowfullscreen
      ></iframe>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="v-space-2"></div>
<p>
  For maximum reach, a brand would then house those GIFS on a GIPHY brand page
  and incorporate a tagging strategy so they are easily found in search. For
  further amplification, GIPHY does offer ad products like Promoted Search or
  Trending Feed.
</p>
<div class="v-space-6"></div>
<h2 class="lg">
  You’re already creating digital content. Make&nbsp;it&nbsp;GIF&#8209;like.
</h2>
<p>
  Instead of your usual image or video in social posts or emails, use looping
  videos to make these GIF-like. Your audience speaks this language and it will
  feel like a natural fit to them.
</p>
<div class="v-space-1"></div>
<div
  class="center"
  style="max-width: 400px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;"
>
  <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en" data-dnt="true">
    <p lang="en" dir="ltr">
      Well done to Kim-Joy for spicing up
      <a
        target="_blank" 
        href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GBBO?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"
        >#GBBO</a
      >
      with her biscuit brilliance!
      <a target="_blank" href="https://t.co/e7Rf3AZ8qI">pic.twitter.com/e7Rf3AZ8qI</a>
    </p>
    &mdash; British Bake Off (@BritishBakeOff)
    <a 
      target="_blank" 
      href="https://twitter.com/BritishBakeOff/status/1044680532750151680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"
      >September 25, 2018</a
    >
  </blockquote>
  <script
    async
    src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"
    charset="utf-8"
  ></script>
</div>
<div class="v-space-6"></div>
<h2 class="lg">
  Play with what you got.
</h2>
<p>
  Maybe a GIF-specific production is not in the books right now. Or maybe you
  need a little more convincing before diving in headfirst. Go through footage
  you currently have available to you and see if there are opportunities to
  create looping videos that represent expressions or reactions and can be
  easily uploaded to GIPHY.
</p>
<div class="cols h-pad-1 margin-t-2">
  <div class="col sm-1-2 md-1-2">
    <div style="width:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:100%;position:relative;">
      <iframe
        src="https://giphy.com/embed/10U4lyFT7SCi4M"
        width="100%"
        height="100%"
        style="position:absolute"
        frameborder="0"
        class="giphy-embed"
        allowfullscreen
      ></iframe>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="col sm-1-2 md-1-2">
    <div style="width:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:76%;position:relative;">
      <iframe
        src="https://giphy.com/embed/X1FeBsAYMQiwo"
        width="100%"
        height="100%"
        style="position:absolute"
        frameborder="0"
        class="giphy-embed"
        allowfullscreen
      ></iframe>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="v-space-4"></div>
<div class="divider"></div>
<div class="v-space-4"></div>
<p>
  These are just a few ways brands can use GIFS and we encourage you to try
  different approaches and see which works best with your audience. Lastly, if
  you’ve read this far and were hoping this post would answer whether it’s
  pronounced “GIF” or “JIF”... here’s what I have for you: The man who created
  GIFs in 1987, Steve Wilhite, made a very unpopular statement in 2017 that it
  is in fact pronounced, “JIF.” However, the editor of the Oxford English
  Dictionary was noncommittal, and has since stated that the dictionary accepts
  both pronunciations.
</p>
<div class="v-space-4"></div>

[^1]: Source: GIPHY Research
[^2]: Source: GIPHY Research


GIF the people what they want header image

GIF the people what they want thumbnail

GIF the People What They Want

<blockquote style="text-align:center;margin-bottom:3em;margin-top:3em">
<hr />


<span class="highlight">“Reddit kind of scares/confuses me, but I am trying to get into it!”</span>
  <br/>—C+K e-mail chain
<hr />

  
</blockquote>


Last week Reddit released its “Year in Review” report, a compilation of the most popular content and trends in key topics discussed on the channel.
 
As a non-Reddit active user, to me it’s a mythical social channel where people that truly “get” the Internet linger. From an advertising perspective, while it can be a goldmine for pop culture research, few brands have a presence on the platform as its audience is notoriously anti-marketing.
 
In the age of advertising-ridden, hyper-aspirational, and untrustworthy social platforms, Reddit is proving to be a much-needed breath of fresh air. The platform’s success reflects this – Reddit reported that its user base grew 30% year-over-year and that its active monthly user count reached 330 million, surpassing Twitter’s.
 
What surprised me about Reddit’s “Year in Review” was how the platform has moved far beyond niche internet culture and hosts a broad range of topics and audiences. Here are some of my key takeaways:

  
  
## <span>Reddit is not just for dudes.</span>

While in 2016 almost 70% of Reddit users were male[^1], female-oriented topics grew significantly in 2019. The skincare subreddit has over 1 million followers, the r/<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/thebachelor/">thebachelor</a> is #3 on TV communities, and subscribers in the top 50 beauty communities grew 63%.
 
## <span>Reddit could replace Facebook as a go-to news platform.</span>

With distrust in Facebook, people appear to be turning to Reddit more to consume and discuss news. The top 50 news communities saw a 17% YoY rise in subscribers. There also appears to be more room for humor within the news than other traditional social channels. For example, r/<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/nottheonion/">nottheonion</a> is amongst the top news communities and this <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/aohpmo/given_that_reddit_just_took_a_150_million/">Tank Man</a> post received the most upvotes in 2019.
 
![Tank Man Post](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/5keKkrK1pvJWSvXPq1efkO/42ae1794f8a0a1f5735e65b316fcf022/blog_2019-12-18_tankman.jpg)
 
## <span>Reddit is growing as an advice platform for big life moments.</span>
  
While Pinterest is aspirational (and often unattainable), Reddit is a place for practical, no BS advice. Weddings and parenting were two popular topics in 2019. r/<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingsunder10k/">weddingsunder10k</a> grew 209% and family and parenting communities grew by 87%.  

![50% of C+Kers trust Reddit advice over other platforms](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/1M0Cd13B4nkHW8O6ZRP2Mk/3a2fea2eebdbaadebd4542f35bd1bdc5/blog_2019-12-18_Survey-results.png)
 
## <span>People are talking ABOUT brands, just not to them.</span>
  
The viral Twitter sandwich war between Popeyes and Chick-fil-A also took place on Reddit. The r/<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Popeyes/">Popeyes</a> subreddit grew 390% compared to 122% for r/<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/ChickFilA/">ChickFilA</a>. While both brands were aggressively engaging on Twitter, Reddit conversation was left to the fans.
 
<hr style="margin-top:3em;margin-bottom:3em;" />
 
These learnings do not mean that advertisers should immediately try and establish their Reddit content strategy. However, the platform is an important research tool as well as an indicator of consumer behavior on social.
 
Here are some of the ways we’ll be using Reddit to help our clients in 2020:


<ol>
<li class="clearfloat">
  <div class="float right sm-1-4 md-1-6">
  <img aria-hidden="true" src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/5Q8PPuPw1rqZ73tdn8Fu3z/9ab6297d0c40c57ec98811e5f44e631c/blog_2019-12-18_Keeping_on_the_pulse_of_pop_culture.png" /> 
  </div>  
  <span class="highlight">Keeping on the pulse of pop culture.</span> While Reddit might not be as fast paced as Twitter, it is “the front page of the internet”. A broader range of content means more opportunity to uncover relevant ways for brands to engage.
</li>
<li class="clearfloat">
  <div class="float right sm-1-4 md-1-6">
  <img aria-hidden="true" src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/6Rql8X7v2Iz89rJom1pKqU/e80486b86c90585df99aaf3e8f82af1b/blog_2019-12-18_Going_deep_on_verticals.png" /> 
  </div>
  <span class="highlight">Going deep on verticals.</span> Reddit is an easy place to dig into more nuanced and emergent trends in a particular category. Using retail as an example, while Instagram might uncover broader trends like minimalism and athleisure, subreddits like r/<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/onebag/">onebag</a> and r/<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/rawdenim/">rawdenim</a> add a level of specificity.
</li>  
<li class="clearfloat">
  <div class="float right sm-1-4 md-1-6">
  <img aria-hidden="true" src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/mp8ijLdCfrXcD1TAOjeV8/06bb875103f9e3f92ba3ce793df3a6f3/blog_2019-12-18_Uncovering_influencers.png" /> 
  </div>
  <span class="highlight">Uncovering influencers.</span> As the audience for Reddit broadens and ‘likes’ disappear on other channels, Reddit could be a great place to uncover trusted and untapped influencers.
</li>
<li class="clearfloat">
  <div class="float right sm-1-4 md-1-6">
  <img aria-hidden="true" src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/68KArsiRbYXdkGcQm5bb9X/d0bc4a4a0244f282c945c2d030c3b03c/blog_2019-12-18_Monitoring_brand_conversation.png" /> 
  </div>
  <span class="highlight">Monitoring brand conversation.</span> While brands might not interact directly with Reddit users, this could be the best place to seek out the most brutally honest commentary about your brand.
</li>
<li class="clearfloat">
  <div class="float right sm-1-4 md-1-6">
  <img aria-hidden="true" src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/1j23L96Su9zTslHh0bE3gk/92b547f6e5e2a6eb1536404b2251877e/blog_2019-12-18_Embracing_more_long_form_content.png" /> 
  </div>
  <span class="highlight">Embracing more long form content.</span> Reddit has proven that visual, short form content is not the only way to be engaging on social. While we won’t normally recommend a 500-word Facebook post, in some scenarios text-only and/or longer formats is the best way to tell a story on social. 
</li>

</ol>
<p class="clearfloat">
Now excuse me while I go spend the next 3 hours on r/<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/aww/">aww</a>.
</p>

[^1]: [Statista](https://www.statista.com/statistics/517155/reddit-user-distribution-usa-gender/)


By Senior Strategist Sally Kallet

blog 2019-12-18 Reddit Newsletter

What Surprised Us About Reddit’s 2019 Year in Review

Paige here, Senior Strategist at Camp+King San Francisco. I recently had the opportunity to take a class in Data Analytics and had a few share-worthy takeaways from the experience. I wanted to learn more about analytics because a lot of Excel documents end up on a strategist’s desk and as a natural right-brain’r, my goals coming out of it were to A) be less intimidated by a screen filled with thousands of numbers so that I can B) better understand how to turn numbers into actionable insights and meaningful narratives. 

<h2><span>It’s a critical time for data</span></h2>

Data has come along way. In fact, in 1880 the US census took eight years to tabulate and create a final report. By the time it was completed, they were just two years from rolling out the next one![^1] To put that into perspective, today Google processes data from 40,000 search queries every second.[^2] Research suggests we are at the beginning of a revolution with data that will touch every business and every life. For example...

- Estimates show that by better integrating big data, healthcare could save as much as $300 billion a year — that’s equal to reducing costs by $1000 a year for every man, woman, and child.[^3]
- For a typical Fortune 1000 company, just a 10% increase in data accessibility will result in more than $65 million additional net income.[^4]

![But currently, less than 0.5% of all data is ever analyzed and used](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/7vO215gx36OTvDHA0mhtbY/bd1229138672bc1a24cab54194cd1be9/blog_2019-12-03_less_than_0.5.png) 

<h2><span>Why is data analytics important to us in advertising?</span></h2>

<ol>
<li>
<h3><span>Our partners want it</span></h3>

With more data being generated about consumers than ever before, clients are looking to us as their agency partners to be able to interpret this data and apply it in ways that will make their marketing more effective. 

![blog 2019-12-03 chart-biggest issues](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/6JlRrZclcI4vUWN1tIPiXV/b2cf3dee189b1d2e8e40822b3880dba4/blog_2019-12-03_chart-biggest_issues.png)

</li>

<li>
<h3><span>There’s an opportunity to use it creatively.</span></h3>

  
At the Cannes Lions Festival this year, not a single US agency won top honors in the Creative Data or Data Strategy categories. There is room for improvement here! As an industry we have to understand how we can tap into data’s potential from a creative standpoint to make our final product more interesting and relevant to its audience. Here’s “Go Back to Africa,” this year’s Grand Prix Winner, as an example of that.
  

<style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }</style><div class='embed-container'><iframe src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/KIzXBAxljW4' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
</li>
</ol>



<h2><span>What we’re doing at Camp + King</span></h2>

We know that data rules today and, as an agency, we’ve begun to expand our approach to analytics so that we are better able to bring the power of data to our process of making brands Conversationworthy. When do we think about how data can play a role? Here are a few opportunities:  


<h3 class="clearfloat"><span>Strategy Development</span></h3>

<div class="float sm-1-4">
  <img aria-hidden="true" src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/7Iy4lSHIh9AmzY3XIQ8Hvn/3b2ba90db2b9be3b01b6d4a5fb2ca80b/blog_2019-12-03_icon-strategy_dev.png" />
</div>
  
This is the obvious stuff. We get our hands on as much research and data as we can about culture, the category, consumers and the company to help with insight generation and communications planning. 

<h3 class="clearfloat"><span>Creative Exploration</span></h3>

<div class="float sm-1-4">
  <img aria-hidden="true" src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/1kakrl2CF4UZJiBkNVR9y4/1616f98c3e55493d7205b5ac0ad7e790/blog_2019-12-03_icon-creative_exploration.png" /> 
</div>
  
This is where we use data to influence our choices and build cool things. Data tells us when and where to reach people but also allows us to customize, personalize or make things interactive. Real-time data allows us to create things that change in the moment. We even use data to help develop new products or offerings. 
 
<h3 class="clearfloat"><span>Collaborating with Clients</span></h3>

<div class="float sm-1-4">
  <img aria-hidden="true" src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/5WUYQK8UAmidkwr0n5LH8K/574746b0cb38b21e2940ebb0de630763/blog_2019-12-03_icon-collaboration.png" />
</div>
  
This is when we use data to help our clients do great work. 
Numbers and charts give us a shared language with stakeholders across departments: marketing, tech, business and information groups. Using data with our partners helps us paint a universal picture to make sure everyone is on the same page and excited about what we’re building together. 

<hr class="clearfloat" style="margin-top:3em;" />

I was inspired by the endless possibilities for data beyond where we typically think about using it. There is so much that can be done with data to help brands grow today, I hope I’ve inspired you to think about different ways to tap its potential. 

<hr style="margin-bottom:3em;" />



<p style="text-align:center;"><i><small>Paige took this class as part of Camp+King’s +Minor Program. +Minor is designed to help employees pursue a minor area of study to develop a skill set outside of their day-job.
</small></i></p>


[^1]: Source: <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/24987147?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents" target="_blank">Scientific American</a>

[^2]: Source: <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2015/09/30/big-data-20-mind-boggling-facts-everyone-must-read/#d25960f17b1e" target="_blank">Forbes</a>

[^3]: Source: <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2015/09/30/big-data-20-mind-boggling-facts-everyone-must-read/#d25960f17b1e" target="_blank">Forbes</a>

[^4]: Source: <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2015/09/30/big-data-20-mind-boggling-facts-everyone-must-read/#d25960f17b1e" target="_blank">Forbes</a>


blog 2019-12-03 thumbnail

Let’s talk DATA

Dads today [spend nearly triple the amount of time](https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/06/13/fathers-day-facts/) caring for their children as they did in 1965. And they want credit for it. Homer Simpson is passé and “Dadvertising” seeks to realistically depict Dad’s role in modern society.


![Newsletter 2019-06-14 pie-charts](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/454cq4J0wTpQvQU04dcWFk/dcccb2866cc17596059cb06891519156/Newsletter_2019-06-14_pie-charts.png)

<p style="text-align:center;">
(<a target="_blank" href="https://www.adweek.com/creativity/infographic-fathers-present-unique-targets-for-advertisers/">source</a>) (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.adweek.com/creativity/fathers-are-tired-of-seeing-doofus-dads-in-advertising/">source</a>)
</p>

Advertisers and entertainers are making a solid effort to not make the faux pas of painting fathers as removed, bumbling and/or overly protective figures. Disney committed to do away with Dad stereotypes. The UK Committee of Advertising Practice banned companies from including gender stereotypes within ads, citing fathers as an example. Modern Dads are playing leading roles in Super Bowl advertising.

![Newsletter 2019-06-14 no-princesses](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/3c4ChNjwlUYK8DgcYfMRLW/27277f61ef6971ab21783850db1a9a4d/Newsletter_2019-06-14_no-princesses.png)

But appealing to Dads goes farther than avoiding the “Doofus Dad”. <span class="highlight">Brands shouldn’t turn Dad into Mom — he approaches parenthood in his own way and wants this difference to be reflected.</span>

One approach to showcasing Dad’s difference has been through lengthy and emotional spots that show everything Dad does. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=23&v=qmaOe4RVWGU">Dove</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pr4CRc_h-9w">HP</a> go to great lengths to paint a picture of an involved, loving father. However not all brands have the budget for this, and more importantly, not all brands are able to make such a direct tie of fatherhood to their brand’s purpose.

![Newsletter 2019-06-14 venn-diagram](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/6kdzRrIXefI5SjXR28OIQM/7b6f337874d6ce32a04e116118fbba0f/Newsletter_2019-06-14_venn-diagram.png)

Every brand has a different level of what they can push for when incorporating relevant Dad marketing without coming across as tone deaf. There are more nuanced ways beyond a father-specific spot to weave fatherhood truths into advertising. A social program dedicated to Dad Hacks with your product, art direction of modern family dynamics in a TV spot, an in-store experience catered to Dads, are just a couple of ways to make this audience feel understood and still create a meaningful tie to your brand.

![Newsletter 2019-06-14 changing-stations](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/2RXbYkCuComFNbhrCOS2Jw/996eb560fd6d4cae8236b6575a36ccff/Newsletter_2019-06-14_changing-stations.png)

There is rich cultural relevancy around what it means to be a Dad today. Taking the time to understand how Dads interact with your brand, product, and their family is more important than ever to gaining their attention and retaining them as customers. 




Newsletter 2019-06-14 thumbnail

Dad in His Own Right

In the age of rage against “isms” like racism and sexism, we can’t
overlook ageism. Let’s face it, advertisers (and their agencies) are
especially guilty of this “ism” as most remain hyper-focused on
advertising made for and made by twentysomethings. But, as we
aspire for better representation and diversity in advertising, let’s
embrace the beauty, wisdom and cash that comes with age.


![reebok-ad](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/lYg1foWkzjspdimZK7x96/6dce2065b7f156746b911b2714edac9e/reebok-ad.jpg) 

Reflecting age diversity in advertising makes business sense.
Americans over 50 are the healthiest, wealthiest, and most active
generation in history. Yet most feel completely ignored by marketers.
A recent survey from Fancy revealed that women over 40 feel brands
systematically underestimate her spending power (64%) and her
intelligence (80%) and continue to perpetuate negative age-related
stereotypes (76%)

![women](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/zZfVwMsfU2kSXBkZcz07W/1e5ba6a5d49ea8306fe23427921decca/women.jpg) 

Age also brings something every marketer is chasing: authenticity. Older models exude confidence and wisdom which allows them to serve as brand storytellers rather than merely just another pretty face. Google celebrated DJ Sumiko, the 84-years young DJ in Japan, while the silver fox Ron Jack Foley brought cachet and intrigue to Volvo.

![foley-sumiko](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/2QmOXuuqlc6APRGADoR4w4/e9755302a99908a4364ea1908bf3c5ed/foley-sumiko.jpg)

Where fashion leads, most marketers follow. And fashion is leading the way in the Greynaissiance. At the age of 94, Iris Apfel is represented by the same modeling agency as Gigi Hadid. Older Instagram influencers like Sarah-Jane Adams tags her posts with #mywrinklesaremystripes and the Accidental Icon, Lyn Slater, who at the age of 65 has a social media following that’s 65% under the age of 32. And, possibly the greatest example of the Greynaissance is Maye Musk, who at the age of 70 is fashion’s “It Girl” and says she’s just getting started. As one 19-year old commented on Maye’s account “When I grow up I want to be Maye Musk.” Aspiration is ageless, so let’s make ageism old news and embrace the beauty, wisdom and cash that comes with age.

![apfel-musk](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/7LZ9cqlPo6fZi0eWpF8GNn/26c77c969c5b2eb8abc3e28927c8be2e/apfel-musk.jpg) 


thumbnail

The Greynaissance

It’s likely impossible to have a bigger selection than Amazon or cheaper prices than Walmart, but retailers can win with a unique in-store experience. From simple classes to immersive retail residences, retailers can carve out a niche the big boys can’t match by enticing customers with the promise of doing something in store. And it’s what today’s consumers really want. A recent Harris Group study found 72% of Millennials prefer to spend money on doing things rather than buying things. Here’s how some brands are creating a living space, not just a purchasing place, in-store.

![2018-03-11 newsletter chart1](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/75hWF1onIr3dFkDHl2B76i/695795bafdd102a8523222e84be913e7/2018-03-11_newsletter_chart1.png)
<hr />

Challenger brands have managed to gain traction against their dominant competitors through retail experiences. Microsoft has managed to pull young consumers out of Apple stores with the addictive lure of Microsoft Fortnite Fridays, hosted evenings where kids can play Fortnite with friends unfettered by nagging parents. Reebok’s La Salle De Sport in Paris engages athletes with a branded space that blurs the line between store and gym.
 
![newsletter 2018-03-11 la-salle](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/Q8lATXjfvgVNC0jvXi7E0/1742b45e2fa178bac0bf9be4b0706d72/newsletter_2018-03-11_la-salle.jpg) 

<hr />

Lululemon was an early-adopter of the in-store experience hosting free yoga classes and now they’re venturing into relaxation pods for meditation. Casper’s Dreamery in NYC takes it to another level. It’s not a store, rather a spa for naps. You book a 45-minute nap and nestle into your own sleep pod equipped not only with a Casper bed (with Casper bedding, naturally), but also with free toiletries, luxury sleepwear, and cold brew upon waking.

![newsletter 2018-03-11 relaxation-pod](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/6USLnDbYeBSXWwh9iQxH0e/7bcd9350e9e6ef5d7c6609a9f143add1/newsletter_2018-03-11_relaxation-pod.jpg)

<hr />

Retailers are also taking the stay and play concept even further by creating retail residences. RH (formerly Restoration Hardware) is incorporating coffee bars, wine vaults and restaurants into their galleries (formerly known as stores). And opening their first boutique hotels, RH Guesthouse, in Manhattan and Aspen, following in the footsteps of IKEA, Gucci and other retailers turned hoteliers. These are definitely experiences you can’t replicate online.

![newsletter 2018-03-11 rh-guesthouse](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/5zxxJZMunEzFnmk8bFScii/4824aba46a61d49456beddcb70b57e5c/newsletter_2018-03-11_rh-guesthouse.jpg) 

<hr />

Finally, in the age of social media, retailers need to imagine their store as a backdrop for Instagram. Color Factory and Museum of Ice Cream are testament to the lengths we will go for a good ‘gram. Tiffany’s let consumers literally have breakfast at Tiffany’s and L’Occitane’s 5th Avenue store transports you to an idyllic bike ride through Provence - all styled and framed for a great Insta.

![newsletter 2018-03-11 instagrammable](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/7oENwHLkREmtLHzqcmeJkA/6f06f70561f0dfbabdcb105b0499fb3b/newsletter_2018-03-11_instagrammable.jpg)

So hey retailer, it’s not just about buying, it’s also about doing in today’s retail stores. From simple classes to immersive overnights, create an experience that can’t be had online. And frame it all to be easily shared 
on social.

2018-03-11 newsletter thumb

Hey Retailer, do something and win

In a post-truth era, most of us have become deficient in one critical area: trust. It’s effecting the way people look at leaders, how businesses approach consumers and even how we inherently feel about those around us. To understand people’s expectations and perceptions of trust in today’s world, Havas conducted a global study of 9,000 people in 24 markets, as part of its thought-leadership series, Prosumer Reports. Here’s what we learned:
 
## <span>Trust is one of our most important values</span>
 
Think about it, our day-to-day lives are built on trust. Without the assurance that people and organizations, for the most part, are going to do what we expect of them, things would be chaotic, and nothing would get done.
 
Societies are built on it, too. Trust is the social glue that holds together communities, cultures, and countries. In fact, most of us would argue that a good barometer of a nation’s health is the extent to which its citizens trust one another.

![trust graph](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/42kXsfy8qW0vkY6a9WzOly/65ba0e6215237b824d64ddd07dde7d67/trust_graph.png) 
 
## <span>In very few we trust</span>
 
![trust is rare](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/2vkU86ouFWasdWLBLkxmGC/5bbe4df57bced4b31568882438cda494/trust_is_rare.png) 

Because trust is so important, the fact that it’s increasingly lacking in our world has become arguably the biggest issue of our time.
 
And unfortunately, the situation doesn’t look like it’s getting any better. <span class="highlight">Whereas 77% of baby boomers said their inclination is to trust a person until proven wrong, just 61% of millennials said the same.</span> One can’t help but wonder whether growing up alongside email phishers, magnanimous Nigerian “princes,” and Russian bots has had a lasting impact on this first generation of digital natives.
 
![who do we trust](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/oKJjPysp8V3eFAcVnz1bz/1aab768cd39f0587f4fb432f6fe0493e/who_do_we_trust.png) 
 
What we see from these findings is that our circles of trust are small indeed. Our system of trust has become broken and a new model of trust has emerged. In the past, people’s trust extended from those within close physical proximity (family, friends) to their wider communities and then even further outward to include groups with which they had something in common (race, ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, etc.). Today, this sense of connectedness does not appear to extend nearly so far. Our windows of trust are getting smaller.
 
![expansion to contraction](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/5vXFX6jvO4A4Z3FAMfYZDA/ac7a4816dab85a43b7004bd4a4dfba4b/expansion_to_contraction.png)

## <span>Trust is at a tipping point</span>
 
There was a period of time not too long ago when people seemed to be shifting their trust from experts to their peers. We believed that new horizontal business models like Uber, Airbnb, and Trip Advisor, would bring back trust because these services allowed us to source information and recommendations from ordinary people like ourselves. Recently, however, these new models have given us reasons to lose trust in them. Headlines about racism on the Airbnb platform or a couple finding a hidden camera in their rental. Horror stories of Lyft rides gone wrong. Rumors of businesses gaming the system on review platforms like Yelp and TripAdvisor. Instances like these have caused these models to lose some ground. The 2018 Edelman Trust Barometer verifies this shift. The report states that just 54% rated “a person like yourself” as very or extremely credible—down 6% from 2017.

If we are beginning to lose faith in our peers, we can just go back to trusting the authorities...right? Unfortunately, we won’t be moving right back to a vertical trust model because leaders that we deem worthy of trust are in dangerously short supply.
 
![loss of trust](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/5ieUfDuUwEJj9tTcPbKx2r/8543062e67b4d9f1df47dd049c5a18c9/loss_of_trust.png)
 
However, there has been some resurgence of experts as voices of authority. Again looking at Edelman’s Trust Barometer, we see that technical experts and academic experts have increased 4% in just one year in the share of people who consider them very/extremely credible. While trust in leadership is lacking, we are becoming more open to listening to the voices of those with verified expertise.
 
## <span>What this means for brands</span>

1. <h3><span>Operate with transparency and amplify positive experiences</span></h3>
Two-thirds of people cited transparency as key to a company’s ability to establish trust. Part of being transparent is admitting mistakes and being open about how they are being addressed. It’s fact that it takes 12 positive experiences to compensate for a single negative one. In the age of social media, it’s critical to handle issues that arise promptly and publicly. It’s also critical to look for ways to amplify and celebrate positive experiences. 
 
2. <h3><span>Make use of the powerful voice of your employees</span></h3>
When people are deciding how they feel about a company or brand, they pay close attention to what it’s employees have to say. When asked “whom do you trust most to honestly tell you how a company operates?” 60% of people in the study said it’s employees.  Smart companies recognize the value of their employee evangelists, treat them accordingly, and make it easier for them to spread the good word.
 
3. <h3><span>Share your vision and bolster it with facts</span></h3>
Knowing that today’s consumers inherently feel more distrustful, it’s important that your motives are clear to those who are unfamiliar with your brand. Today’s consumers want brands to build a brighter future in some way, whether that’s innovation or standing for something, and they demand factual evidence for how you’re doing it. Forty-four percent of people say that supporting causes is one good way for a company to build trust. It allows brands to broadcast their values and build meaningful connections with those who share them.
 
4. <h3><span>Get a little closer</span></h3>
Just as people feel most strongly connected to those in close proximity to them, so, too, are they more apt to trust a company that is local. Companies can and should make efforts to connect with their local community but it doesn’t have to be limited to just physical proximity. In our view, the key to appealing to “local” sensibilities has less to do with distance or scale than with a company’s ability to establish a meaningful presence in people’s lives. Understanding your customer’s unique interests, wants and needs and relying on them to tell you what they want to see from your brand is a good place to start.

Learn more about the study and Havas’ global thought leadership series, Prosumer Reports <a href="http://mag.havas.com/prosumer-reports" target="_blank">here</a>.
 
<p style="text-align:center;"><small>Source: Havas, <a href="https://download.havas.com/prosumer-reports/the-future-of-trust/" target="_blank">Prosumer Report: The Future of Trust</a>, December 2018</small></p>

Brands need a new approach to connect with today’s guarded consumers

We’re living in a depleted state of trust


<p style="text-align:center;"><i><small>Originally published in the <a href="https://www.thesfegotist.com/editorial/2018/12/19/111300/" target="_blank">SF Egotist</a></i></small></p>

![Sally Kallet](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/4WhUiMsB0kgM6iMKA2MEOy/cb39d14fb482be78ac50d1c2138e2c70/sally.jpg)

At the beginning of this year, I nervously passed up an opportunity from a friend to write myself a letter that she’d mail to me at the end of 2018. I’m now kicking myself because A. that would have made writing this a lot easier, and B. I think this year turned out to be pretty kickass.

Here are some things I learned:

## <span>There is something interesting to uncover in everything.

In 2018 I committed to creating a one-second video every single day. It made me be acutely aware that there is at least one beautiful, interesting, or funny moment of each day. It’s also served as a fantastic reminder when working on a seemingly mundane brief or making too fast of an assumption about someone. I encourage everyone to give it a try.

## <span>Don’t let shiny things get in the way of what your brand stands for.

As new platforms, ad types, and technology are being introduced at lightning speed, I’ve noticed an increasing amount of activations that are prioritizing an “innovation halo” and the short-term impressions that result from it over making a memorable brand statement. I’ve learned take a step back and ask myself, “how does this idea change or reinforce what someone believes about this brand?”

## <span>People are extremely committed to 1-minute meetings.

OK, it’s attempting to hold a plank for one minute, not technically a meeting. But I’ve never seen so many people show up early to a recurring calendar invite. It’s a great way to bring people together that normally might not interact throughout the day. Plus, you learn some interesting things about your coworkers when trying to distract yourselves from searing core pain.

Not accomplishing the “10 Things to Do Every Morning to Make You 15x as Amazing” does not mean you are any less than.

While we are in an era of extreme self-improvement, we are also in a time where the definition of success is changing. I read these click-bait articles for months before realizing that doing 50 pushups at 5am followed by a 3-minute ice-cold shower in order to get through my emails 30 minutes faster just wasn’t how I wanted to prioritize my life. 

## <span>A ferocious work girl gang is crucial to my wellbeing.

60% of the Camp + King team is made up of intelligent, creative, confident, badass women. Whether applauding each other for a new innovative use of the panini grill or a breakthrough insight on the third iteration of a campaign briefing – I know this group has each other’s backs. There is nothing like females building each other up on the reg.

Here’s to an inspiring, plank-heavy, you-do-you 2019.

sally

What I Learned Last Year: 2018

## <span>Brands with Charisma Win</span>
We’ve written before about the importance of a brand having both product integrity and brand magnetism. We call the combination Brand Charisma. Brands that have it enjoy higher talkability, loyalty and faster growth - get a quick refresher [here](/blog/159797195839/finding-your-brands-charisma). 

![charisma](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/2uDUHOTNZuy6aWsso0Cuiw/5c8732979740609581fe9b6d97c3e89e/charisma.png)

## <span>What Are the 5 Ps?</span>							
The 5Ps are a framework for helping uncover a brand’s product integrity proof points. As marketers we can delve into each of the five Ps separately to look for inspiration.

![5P-Graphics](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/4TUqoq3Q52wyyKyuKAkGI4/d9d38ffdf186b02e8d44d1a1c3b21130/5P-Graphics.png)


## <span>LET’S BREAK IT DOWN</span>									

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#### <span><span class="highlight uppercase">Provenance</span> – Where a brand is born. Where they’re made. Where they’re sourced.</span>

Coors Light is a great [example](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW0PROlv2L4). The “Born in the Rockies” campaign leans into the brand’s heritage and creates a compelling mechanism for rooting the Coors cold aging process and tagline of the ‘world’s most refreshing beer’. 

<i>Other brands leaning into Provenance: Burberry, Fiji, Rolex</i>

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![coors](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/6oGM5UmMWA2qm8q2cESM20/44959d4aac7a800d801b80b5152fdf51/coors.jpg) 

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#### <span><span class="highlight uppercase">Process</span> – How it’s made. The steps taken. The science employed.</span>

Veggies from Green Giant are picked at the peak of perfection and flash-frozen after harvesting. It’s a process that locks in nutrients and flavor and provides a rational benefit for buying canned over fresh. 

<i>Other brands leaning into Process: Smirnoff, Ford, John West</i>

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![greengiant](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/4tWrOtmasgUGGCUSgsCg8g/c9d653d9bd79affcf40eacdd8c2581ba/greengiant.jpg)

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#### <span><span class="highlight uppercase">People</span> – The brains behind a product. The inventors, founders or team that brought us a product.</span> 

Del Taco’s Hardest Working Hands [campaign](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcKG7KFRP64) brings the Del Taco crew front and center. By celebrating their crew’s commitment, the brand also brings an important message front and center – Del Taco does more fresh prep than the competition.

<i>Other brands leaning into People: Dyson, Sam Adams, Beats by Dr. Dre</i>

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![deltaco](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/7JLaIAywWkAKwKIyaquokG/103220bbf51c90c5e6fccaf42b8231eb/deltaco.jpg) 

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#### <span><span class="highlight uppercase">Product</span> – The ingredients. The secret sauce. What we put in or what we leave&nbsp;out.</span>

Applegate Sausage pledges that all of its products are all natural, that each product is made without antibiotics and is GMO free. For this brand, talking about the products in a differentiating (and [hilarious](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQhHyHkCeBo)) way means talking about what <i>isn’t</i> an ingredient.

<i>Other brands leaning into Product: Dawn Soap, Cadbury Milk Bar, Intel</i>

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 ![applegate](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/4Wlgehfy3YEWaoc2S40Oeq/62417840709e30521981a9a30c81a200/applegate.jpg) 

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#### <span><span class="highlight uppercase">Proprietary</span> – The first. The only. No one else can claim it or no one else ever&nbsp;has.</span>

Dyson’s cyclone technology is a prime example of product integrity coming to life through a proprietary innovation. Dyson has patented this process and consumers don’t truly have to understand how it works to believe that it does, in fact, work and create better suction.	

<i>Other brands leaning into Proprietary: Energizer Ultimate Lithium, Spanx, Chevron with Techron</i>

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![dyson](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/1uI4u1R3aUIacIWQSyWaom/0b59f6a09aea69577e0de5e4ede1c1ac/dyson.jpg)

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## <span>What Does This Mean for Me?</span>
If your brand could use a bump in product integrity, consider conducting a workshop with key stakeholders from across teams and specialties to foster conversation and help discover new RTBs. It’s incredible what can be uncovered when we look beyond current proof points and delve into our brand’s provenance, process, people, products and proprietary claims.

A methodology to help unlock your brand’s product integrity

5P-Graphics-01

The 5 Ps Framework

## <span>Consumers want more</span>

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<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/10gKWsTZTWg8I86YUc2MkY/b0a87f20d4e480f5e187a99851b0fbde/Havas_Group_Newsletter.jpg" />
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In a recent study, “DIY + Data: Taking Healthcare To the Next Level,” the Havas Group surveyed 9,447 adults in 27 countries. The study found that across the globe, people are eager for the healthcare industry to advance significantly, but don’t believe that it will be the industry’s incumbents (traditional healthcare providers and pharmaceutical companies) that will create meaningful innovations. Instead, it’s a combination of tech startups, individuals’ growing tech savvy, and the wake of personalized data we create that consumers expect to have greatest impact. 

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## <span>In data, we trust</span>

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For many, tracking personal health data means the ability to move beyond passively taking a pill for everything and instead developing better long-term individual habits. The amount of personalized data we create and monitor has had such an impact on our life, that now more than ever, people are comfortable sharing their data with others—including for-profit third-parties. In the Havas Group study, half of all respondents agreed with the statement, “I am willing to give all my personal health information to pharmaceutical companies so they can better monitor my health.”[^havasgroup1]

It’s interesting to note that we’ve become so comfortable, in fact, that we’re willing to share literally the most personal of information to an industry that is among the least universally trusted. (And this is in an era in which we’re informed of a new data breach affecting our personal data seemingly monthly. Indeed, a staggering 67% of people globally believe that in the future, no one will be able to keep their private data secure.[^havasgroup2])

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## <span>The more you know</span>
Gone are the days when people put off visiting their doctors or investigating their personal health conditions out of fear of the worst-case scenario. (Warren Zevon’s final interview with David Letterman comes to mind, in which Zevon told Letterman, “I might have made a tactical error in not going to a physician for 20 years. It’s one of those phobias that didn’t pay off.”[^2]) Instead, 72% of people said that they’d want to know whether they are prone to develop a disease—even if prevention or a cure were highly unlikely.[^havasgroup3] 

![TheMore](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/2XKj0qU6x2G8a8mIqG2GCo/cb8b043ac2c4885e48e0bad200fc1cf1/TheMore.png)

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In other words, today, we fear being unaware more than we fear the incurable. That helps explain why testing one’s DNA is now mainstream, with 68% of people around the world saying that they’d be willing to take a DNA test to evaluate potential health risks.[^havasgroup9] In the U.S., 12 million Americans have already taken a DNA test. Beyond data privacy risks, what makes this especially notable is that direct-to-consumer DNA test kits didn’t even exist before 1999.[^3]

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![dna-companies](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/5qAAYs0MBqgQ4AI8ugEugW/51df1217e67dafe71b35af895efe6fdf/dna-companies.png)

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## <span>The perception of Big Pharma: It’s time to shift from cash to care</span>
Meanwhile, the consumer perspective on Big Pharma remains cynical, at best. Only about half (52%) of people globally trust drug makers to provide them with safe medications.[^havasgroup7] Nearly two-thirds of global consumers (65%) question the intentions of pharmaceutical companies, agreeing with the statement, “Most healthcare brands would rather make money off me than help me get well.”[^havasgroup4]

![BigPharma](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/2qeoCSmXJOCgA2a8c248oO/59484a09abb43b9c424c7c1e75e3b410/BigPharma.png)

Further, only about a third of people globally trust these companies to make ethical choices. This cynicism is even worse in the U.S. where 48% of Americans agreed with the statement, “I do not trust any healthcare company to be my advocate and do the right thing for me.”[^havasgroup5]

Conversely, the majority of American consumers (55%) believe that tech companies and startups will push aside drug makers to become the major players in the healthcare industry. While pharmaceutical companies are perceived as prioritizing profit over people, most respondents perceived technology startups as organizations driven by innovation and a burning desire to solve the most pressing problems in humanity. That faith runs so deeply that—incredibly—nearly half (47%) of all U.S. respondents to the Havas Group study said they would allow a private company to modify their DNA to prevent or cure a disease.[^havasgroup6]


## <span>The doctor Internet knows best</span>
With access to previously unimaginable amounts of personal health data—all conveniently sorted in a pretty UX from Apple Health or Fitbit—and a reliance on Googling anything and everything (roughly 3.5 billion times per day[^4]), people are also growing much more comfortable in challenging the opinions of their healthcare providers. 

In the U.S., this is likely bolstered further by the perception that people simply don’t have enough time with their doctors, and that doctors are quick to rush to a diagnosis. For instance, in a recent survey, the majority (56%) of American Primary Care Providers said that they spend fewer than 16 minutes per patient visit.[^5] Additionally, some experts estimate that the average PCP sees about 25 patients per day forcing them to run from one to the next.[^6] 


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<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/6E0nFZKFFYEW8Sw2Q0GmOg/5f32a693c080889b392ea3cd96faba73/TheDoctor.png" />
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Why? The U.S.’ fee-for-service industry model requires healthcare practices to continue to increase volume—more patients, more diagnoses, faster—to remain financially sustainable. The result is that doctors may rush to judgement with a potential diagnosis without hearing all pertinent information. (One infamous study found that, on average, primary care patients were interrupted 12 seconds into their appointments![^usatoday1]). 

Experts also believe that shorter, more rushed visits increase the likelihood that a doctor will prescribe a medication, rather than counsel a patient on a behavioral change.[^usatoday1] The Havas Group study certainly supports this: The perception of the majority of consumers globally (55%) is that their “doctors are better at prescribing drugs than they are at listening to people fully to offer the right individualized treatment.”[^havasgroup8] Ouch.

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## <span>So what does this mean for healthcare brands in the U.S.?</span>
For tech startups and large, established brands dabbling in healthcare, the future is bright. Consumers are pulling for them and welcome disruption to what is commonly viewed as a complex, belabored system. 

For incumbent healthcare brands, it’s time to rewrite the script. Recently, Camp + King conducted a competitive brand identity and messaging analysis for a healthcare client. We were surprised to find such an echo chamber in healthcare and pharmaceutical branding—a veritable sea of same. 

Consistently, imagery felt staged and inauthentic. Again and again, messaging spoke to leadership positions within the industry (but we can’t all be leaders, right?). Invariably, brands promised to develop critical innovations in treatments and medicine in the future. Unfortunately, it all rings hollow for consumers who are hungry for brands to communicate authenticity and humanity, humbleness, a higher-order purpose beyond profit and consolidation, and a reason to trust in the industry’s ability to invent meaningfully today—not tomorrow.

[^havasgroup1]: Havas Group; Prosumer Report: DIY + Data: Taking healthcare to the next level; 2018
[^havasgroup2]: Havas Group; Prosumer Report: DIY + Data: Taking healthcare to the next level; 2018
[^havasgroup3]: Havas Group; Prosumer Report: DIY + Data: Taking healthcare to the next level; 2018
[^havasgroup4]: Havas Group; Prosumer Report: DIY + Data: Taking healthcare to the next level; 2018
[^havasgroup5]: Havas Group; Prosumer Report: DIY + Data: Taking healthcare to the next level; 2018
[^havasgroup6]: Havas Group; Prosumer Report: DIY + Data: Taking healthcare to the next level; 2018
[^havasgroup7]: Havas Group; Prosumer Report: DIY + Data: Taking healthcare to the next level; 2018
[^havasgroup8]: Havas Group; Prosumer Report: DIY + Data: Taking healthcare to the next level; 2018
[^havasgroup9]: Havas Group; Prosumer Report: DIY + Data: Taking healthcare to the next level; 2018
[^2]: [Pareles, John; New York Times Magazine; Warren Zevon’s last waltz; January 26, 2003](http://ultimateclassicrock.com/warren-zevon-final-letterman/)
[^3]: Wikipedia; Genealogical DNA test; September 25, 2018
[^4]: Smart Insights; Search engine statistics; January 30, 2018
[^5]: Medscape; Amount of time U.S. primary care physicians spent with each patient as of 2018; sourced from Statista
[^6]: Referenced from Getzwell Pediatrics FAQ
[^usatoday1]: Rabin, Roni Caryn; USA Today; You’re on the clock: Doctors rush patients out the door; April 2014
[^usatoday2]: Rabin, Roni Caryn; USA Today; You’re on the clock: Doctors rush patients out the door; April 2014




Consumer expectations of the healthcare industry have propelled forward—can traditional healthcare brands keep pace?

Poster

Healthcare Brands Need a New Script 

<p style="text-align:center;"><i><small>Kendall Shaver is a Camp + King Strategy intern.<br /> She is a rising sophomore at San Diego State University studying advertising.</small></i></p>

## <span>The Conundrum of Marketing to Generation Z </span>

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Generation Z has grown up with a smartphone in hand. Although we could barely tell you what MySpace is, we live through Snapchat and Instagram. There are few brands and agencies who underestimate the importance of using social media as a channel to reach younger audiences. However, it is seemingly unclear which platforms Generation Z is on and how we are consuming media on each platform.
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## <span>Snapchat dominates Gen Z’s Social Media Usage</span>


![snapchat](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/2JfHdyiNmweM4eIagYymy8/aea5d5acd117ed3bf9effed319d536f6/snapchat.png)


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![snapchat-graph](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/1ZOxe5je16Gy6iuSKWMEks/d85e9d92f0f94e2d2969489a6f4d2079/snapchat-graph.png)

78% of 18 to 24-year-olds are on Snapchat. By contrast, only 54% of 25 to 29-year-olds are Snapchat users.[^1] As a platform, Snapchat has catered to our visual content obsession through providing us with the ability to share photos and videos with friends in real time. <span class="highlight">It is common to Snapchat in lieu of texting for day to day communications amongst friends.</span> We use the platform more to keep in touch with friends throughout the day than to watch Discover content and follow influencers.

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![snapchat-screen](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/1tdYS4QxWM2C46GWMwYICs/6530a94973820adcdfba1569794fbfec/snapchat-screen.png)

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## <span>Memes are the new influencers on Instagram</span>
    
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![instagram-graph](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/4GfrFIJmz6Auugss42462m/75cbe6103a77006ba17b18708ab2891d/instagram-graph.png)

71% of Generation Z uses Instagram, out-populating the 25 to 29 age bracket by a margin of 16%. 

While Snapchat is primarily used to engage with friends, on Instagram we are much likelier to follow our favorite influencers, celebrities, meme accounts, and brands that complement niche interests. If we stumble across a particularly funny, interesting or relatable post from one of these accounts, it is very common to direct message it to a friend or group of friends. More often than not, it is a meme.

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![instagram-screen](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/3dOX7WIhv2e8WKqey0Oi6i/4c45d1e202f162f64af5c752880d81fd/instagram-screen.png)

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## <span>UGC wins over Stylized Content </span>

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As a brand, Vans has done an exceptional job at gaining Generation Z followers. Their success on Instagram is credited to their inclusion of user generated content. The posts by Vans appear to be created with their UGC in mind and are all lifestyle focused.  

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![vans](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/57vmluI7JmKMQQiYkm6EwW/145820b9c87b9d62ef8759210f099e3d/vans.jpg)

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Their competitor Converse has staged photos of shoes that look and feel like a traditional advertisement. The brand also has 5 million fewer followers. The more native the content is, the more interesting it is to Generation Z.

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![converse](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/3Nd3Ce9sWkaYIa8CsegqoK/b611a5d753bd4bb4d88d7b0184134c23/converse.jpg)

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## <span>Facebook and Twitter are Never Top of Mind</span>

Only 45% of Generation Z uses Twitter. Those that do use the platform to follow celebrities and influencers.  It is not uncommon for us to follow celebrities on Twitter but not necessarily post content ourselves. 

![twitter-graph](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/520juAqAtyig2QcK0aOsqM/9f9e46ac5611c27ec82b4011cbdcc123/twitter-graph.png)

We have been crowded out of Facebook by older generations. In fact, it is the only social media platform where Generation Z does not have the majority of participants. Unlike the other social media platforms, Facebook is where we know our parents and extended relatives are looking into our lives. Therefore, our adopted persona and interactions on Facebook are almost always family friendly. 

![facebook-graph](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/6KklXgUhXicwCCaWIckUc6/a7d785960b65a1d8cf2df5556c7f5fe2/facebook-graph.png)


## <span>What does it mean?</span>

The way Generation Z consumes media is unique in comparison to any other generation. Not only in terms of the platforms we are on, but how we are using them. There is an emergent opportunity for brands to create content worth sharing. I’ll leave you with a couple things to remember about Gen Z: 
 - We are primarily on Snapchat and Instagram.
 - We pay attention to visual content that is both natural and eye-catching. 
 - We love memes but can immediately smell a brand that tries to infuse a marketing message when using or creating one.
 - We love sharing anything we find entertaining with our friends via direct messaging. Although it is typically user generated content we consume, there is an emergent opportunity for brands to create content worth sharing. 

[^1]: [Pew](https://www.pewinternet.org/2018/03/01/social-media-use-in-2018/)


Surprise! This is not written by a Millennial

fb-poster

Generation Z through the Eyes of Generation Z

## <span>What's happening?</span>

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![mobile-stats](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/4BQePtYhFCmWy0ICI8MuMa/dd8332d48a208331bce68d2129572342/mobile-stats.png)
  
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The data doesn’t lie, our lives revolve around our smartphones.  Of all time spent with digital media in the US, 71% comes from a mobile device.[^1] US adults are spending 5 hours a day on their devices[^2] and more than half are turning to their mobile devices first for anything they do online.[^3] <span class="highlight">Chances are, you’re reading this very newsletter on your mobile device right now.<span> 

For us as marketers, this requires a new way of thinking. The focus of our brand efforts moving forward should cater to the exponential growth of consumers who now use smartphones as their first – and many times only – device. 

But it’s not that simple. More and more consumers are installing ad-blockers (We recently came across one that replaces all ads with [cute cat pictures](https://getcatblock.com/). The internet never lets us down.) and the effectiveness of banner ads has dwindled to a mere .13% click-through rate.[^4] Today’s consumers expect more from brands and advertising and Camp + King has a few thoughts on navigating this goliath of a media channel.

## <span>Optimize creative for Mobile</span>

Rather than simply repurposing versions of existing assets that were developed and optimized for other platforms, creative that will live on mobile needs its own customized format. Research shows that units developed from the ground up for mobile, like six-second ads and vertical video, have been successful for advertisers, scoring higher on brand attributes: relevant, modern, and innovative.[^5]

With nearly 60% of today’s total digital ad budgets going to video [^6], let’s start there. Here are some ways you can be strategic with the vertical screen:

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1. <span class="highlight">Split your screen</span>  
  Dividing up the vertical space can create more opportunities for you to tell your story in newly arranged ways. You can split your screen in half or create a grid to show different angles or multiple products or stories at the same time.

2. <span class="highlight">Animate your ideas</span>  
Experiment with animation to delight viewers through 2D, 3D, stop-motion or motion graphics. Animations are a great way to capture attention and bring ideas to life.

3. <span class="highlight">Play with design and type</span>  
Stacking type in an eye-catching way can hook viewers and bring them into your story. Using overlays can also add texture and dimension to your videos.


</div>
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![johnny-walker-iphonex](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/2sXmgPLuocok0G60i8oME8/d7adc4fca176d4da32d4a164aaf9d9e5/johnny-walker-iphonex.jpg)

</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left:auto;margin-right: auto;max-width:420px;"><div style="width:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:177.778%;position:relative;"><iframe width="100%" height="100%" style="position:absolute" frameBorder="0" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/10DtGJdRZ5A?rel=0&amp;showinfo=0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div>

## <span>Experiment with new formats</span>

It’s hard to ignore the high reach of the mobile-web and ad-tech vendors are always exploring new ways to make display media more interesting and engaging on mobile. Think about experimenting with new formats as a way to breathe new life into this media. Here are a couple that caught our eye: 

1. <span class="highlight">Augmented Reality</span>  
The major challenge the AR industry has always faced is creating an environment of scale. Blippar has introduced a unit that offers web-based AR experiences natively within the device browser. Early executions are seeing 30% greater engagement rate and more than 11× the dwell time.[^7] [Check out this one](https://creative.blippar.com/pub/8c7d846c-7e61-4eb6-8926-4552c0b0f157/index.html) from Jaguar Land Rover that gives users an “inside” look into the new car using AR.

2. <span class="highlight">Mobile Web Stories</span>  
Popularized by Snapchat and Instagram, the “story format” lets users click through multiple videos or images in one post. To bring this familiar behavior to the broader web, PadSquad introduced a unit that behaves just like a story on Instagram would so that brands can create richer content. Early adopters like Clorox and Ben and Jerry’s have seen engagement rates rise by 400% and 11x the time spent with the ad.[^8] [Check out those examples here](http://info.padsquad.com/squadstories).

## <span>Understand your customer’s journey</span>

Most importantly, when planning your strategy on mobile, think through the customer journey  carefully and completely. Mobile will undoubtedly play a role in multiple phases but understanding your consumer’s mindset, behavior, and intent will uncover how and where you can strategically reach people on their device. 

For example, beauty shoppers spend 80% of the purchase journey in pre-search phase[^8] and brands like Glossier and Milk Cosmetics knew their target was killing time on their smartphones during their commute. Both brands have successfully built brand awareness through Instagram influencers and promoted product-education content that reaches their on-the-go target during these key moments. Additionally, Starbucks knew that most of their mobile loyalty program customers came in the morning vs. the afternoon, so this summer they began running promotions in the app specifically for afternoon store visits. 

By understanding the customer journey, these brands have found ways to reach their customers on mobile at key moments along the way. 

## <span>What does it mean?</span>
The rise of mobile has forced us to change the way we approach building brands and telling stories in advertising. But change doesn’t have to be scary, or limiting. The mobile screen may be small but the opportunities to reach and engage our consumer in new ways are mighty.


[^1]: [Entrepreneur](https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/306923)
[^2]: [TechCrunch](https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/306923)
[^3]: [Gartner](https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/306923)
[^4]: [Google](http://www.richmediagallery.com/learn/benchmarks)
[^5]: [Adweek](https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/infographic-the-mobile-ad-formats-that-consumers-like-the-most-and-why/)
[^6]: [IAB](https://www.iab.com/news/nearly-60-advertisers-digital-budgets-allocated-video-steady-rise-since-2016-according-iab-research/)
[^7]: [Blippar](https://www.blippar.com/blog/2018/04/09/reinventing-banner-ad-ar-increases-engagement-30)
[^8]: [Mobile Marketer](https://www.mobilemarketer.com/news/clorox-ben-jerrys-engagement-rates-jump-400-with-mobile-web-stories/526741/)
[^9]: [Mobile Marketer](https://www.mobilemarketer.com/news/study-beauty-shoppers-spend-80-of-purchase-journey-in-pre-search-phase/527852/)


Go Mobile or Go Home

## <span>WHAT IT IS</span>

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<div class="col-right col-2-3">

Esports (electronic sports) or professional gaming is competitive video game playing and it is <span class="highlight">big business</span>.  More people tuned in for esports tournaments in 2017 than all the NFL regular season games combined[^1] and most nights Twitch viewers outnumber cable network viewers.[^2] 

</div>
<div class="col-right col-1-3">

![intro-image@2x](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/6b08gS7VW8MQSKqaSsQMso/fec3d9e4a9802aeed68f4806f72997db/intro-image_2x.png)

</div>
</div>

## <span>A LITTLE HISTORY</span>

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<div class="col-left col-3-4">
  
Video game competitions first exploded as spectator sports in South Korea in 2000 and have become a part of their mainstream culture. Top players are household names, stadiums sell out, and millions of people tune in to watch game competitions on TV. 

The phenomenon is now global, and esports is estimated to be a $1.5 billion industry by 2020 following the business models of traditional professional sport leagues, complete with highly paid players, sponsors, advertising, media rights, ticket sales, and merchandise.

</div>
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![korea-world@2x](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/5HfCzGok7uawSOYwQ6y2KA/340240b75e8db446b184be83bd207a87/korea-world_2x.png)

</div>
</div>

## <span>THE ESPORTS ECOSYSTEM</span>

![esports-flowchart@2x](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/4zUCnaxq6I4WAIq2mm6ugi/87d8f643ef57c9770cc0962fba01a747/esports-flowchart_2x.png)

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![esports-devs+pubs@2x](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/5vZVSKudriWcg48GkI22WC/b92afeca8194d9212e1d862bd4b868d4/esports-devs_pubs_2x.png) 
  
</div>
<div class="col-left col-1-2">

![esports-brands-adv@2x](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/1awRF83YzUi2EI8qUM2a6Q/cd112173be79f24b3ac589f89e7dc7ce/esports-brands-adv_2x.png)

</div>
</div>

## <span>THE AUDIENCE & THE OPPORTUNITY:</span>

- Made up of <span class="highlight">young</span>, global participants, esports is an opportunity to market to an audience of <span class="highlight">cord cutters</span> often difficult to reach.  In fact, males ages 18-25 report that they spend more time watching esports than traditional sports, TV or news. Esports are second only to movies for this demographic.[^3]

- This audience is highly engaged with gaming, and <span class="highlight">brands that sponsor esports see better results with brand appeal and purchase intent</span>.[^4]

![esports-graph@2x](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/1mrtkTDYYg02uakKAGq2aG/5b0c957562754650bfe2e2cba01e9bee/esports-graph_2x.png)


- The esports audience is more open to endemic and semi-endemic sponsors of players, tournaments, and advertising.[^5] 

![categories@2x](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/5uR3TiM4akok4ee4MSe04m/18e526e3cf8b249346265f72f8e780eb/categories_2x.png)



## <span>BRANDS CREATING MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS:</span>
  
### <span>Coke – Feeding Fans’ Passion</span>
Coke was perhaps the first semi-endemic sponsor to enter the esports space. Over the years, their success has hinged on tapping into and facilitating fans’ passion for the games. Along with the expected digital sponsorships and advertising, Coke has included some more traditional techniques to bring fans closer to their favorite teams and players, like old-school cheer boards at events that allow fans to write messages of support or celebration on them. They also host viewing parties at movie theaters to let mega-fans stream championships in high definition, alongside other members of the gaming community.

### <span>Sephora – Promoting Diversity</span>
Sephora is one of the first big brands to specifically target women in the esports world. The GIRLGAMER Esports Festival’s mission to celebrate and promote women’s esports competitiveness makes it a natural fit for the beauty retailer. 

### <span>Snickers – Extending a Successful Campaign to Serious Snackers</span>
ELEAGUE’s “Official Chocolate Bar” tapped into the league’s viewing audiences through branding elements across television and digital. This included a sponsorship of the pre-game show airing on TBS and “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” moments airing post-game every week, which captured the biggest bloopers from that week of gameplay.

[^1]: [Wall Street Journal](https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-professional-video-gamers-train-for-a-world-championship-1524495294)
[^2]: [Business Insider](https://www.businessinsider.com/twitch-is-bigger-than-cnn-msnbc-2018-2)
[^3]: [Rolling Stone](https://www.rollingstone.com/glixel/news/us-millennials-are-watching-more-esports-than-regular-sports-w502850)
[^4]: [Statista](https://www.statista.com/statistics/630744/sports-and-esports-fans-engagement-with-brands/)
[^5]: [Nielsen](https://www.nielsen.com/content/dam/nielsenglobal/ru/docs/nielsen-esports-playbook.pdf)

An Introduction to Esports

esports-thumbnail

The Esports Revolution

## <span>The Situation</span>

Augmented Reality is one of the most talked about technologies of 2018. Brands are jumping on opportunities to differentiate themselves by utilizing AR within their products, advertising, retail experiences, and more. 

Generally, brands are using AR in one of two ways:

1. An adaption of AR technology to drive a functional benefit ([Ikea’s “Place” app](https://www.wired.com/story/ikea-place-ar-kit-augmented-reality/) to help furniture shoppers design their own home)
2. An execution/stunt that utilizes AR to flex tech muscles and offer people an interesting brand experience (Kate Spade’s [“My Little Paris Tapage”](https://www.mobilemarketer.com/news/kate-spade-new-york-guides-paris-tours-with-help-from-ar-and-influencers/505264/) that guided users through Paris to generate buzz around their first brick-and-mortar store)


## <span>A Recent AR Experience that Stands Out</span>
  
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<div class="col-left col-2-3">

Outdoor Voices is an athleisure company that has quickly risen in popularity to compete with athletic superpowers like Lululemon, Sweaty Betty, and Adidas. Their motto, “Doing Things” speaks not only to the athlete, but to the person who might just want to enjoy going outside to take a leisurely stroll or bike ride.

![“‘Doing Things’ is a resource for recreation, but it’s also about introducing people to new things in life.” – Tyler Haney, Outdoor Voices CEO](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/4qjbzgEmH6mY2uISoSecY6/73993df96720873093cc819c30ca6cbf/Newsletter_027_2018-05-18_quote.png)

Outdoor Voices recently announced on their Instagram Stories the launch of a trail running line. The announcement invited participants to download the OV Trail Shop app. On launch day, <span class="highlight">the collection would only be available to shop at 50 select running locations around the country.</span>

 
</div>
<div class="col-right col-1-3">

![An image from Instagram stories featuring a woman holding plate of food outdoors and the text "Bring your energizer bunny Vibes & #RunWithOV tomorrow 4/24"](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/14kiHdxwAy4wy4WEUcoeaQ/7daaac8667ecbad9ae0f215a763e7a57/Newsletter_027_2018-05-18_image1.jpg)

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</div>

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The brand also invited fans to meet at their brick-and-mortar stores to participate in the launch by running to the first locations unveiled within the app. 

A couple of Camp + Kingers (and OV superfans) geared up to meet at 7:30am at the store in Hayes Valley. The group then ran to the secret location, Dolores Park, to shop the collection.

Once at the virtual shop, using the app people could walk up to an item of clothing, move it, see the inside and outside and different color options, and directly buy it there.

While this experience is fun and buzzworthy, what stands out is that it capitalizes so well on the Outdoor Voices “Doing Things” motto. Fans actually needed to go outside and do something in order to shop the new line. <span class="highlight">The experience was able to be both a fun stunt and a statement of OV’s core belief.</span>

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![Newsletter 027 2018-05-18 image2](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/1PTV7YthSkaKOMoyq4aYww/1b61f410f8c913b9d8e3b1d7535360b0/Newsletter_027_2018-05-18_image2.jpg) 
  
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</div>

## <span>How Can We Learn from This?</span>

The OV Trail Shop app is an example of a brand doing an AR execution right. The following are some things to keep in mind when thinking about utilizing augmented reality for a brand experience:

<ol class="bold">
  <li>
    <span class="highlight">Don’t use AR just to use AR.</span><br />
    Brands often utilize AR to capitalize on its trendiness rather than provide an experience that makes a brand statement. Ask yourself, how does this showcase what my brand is all about? How can this change or reinforce what my customer believes about my brand?
  </li>
  <li><span class="highlight">Introduce the launch on mobile and continue to tell a story there.</span><br />
  OV knew their audience was very engaged on Instagram Stories so that’s where they teased the launch. They continued to publish Instagram content that showed all the launch runs with #RunwithOV to further drive excitement. Show your audience how this experience is bringing the brand’s community together. 
  </li>
  <li><span class="highlight">Utilize Superfans to help spread the word.</span><br />
  The ROI of downloading a branded app is far greater than a like on your Facebook    post because it involves so much more from your audience. Engage your superfans who are eager and willing to participate, get a first look, and talk about your brand.  
  </li>
  <li><span class="highlight">Ensure there is usability beyond the initial launch.</span><br />
This is one critique of the Outdoor Voices experience as there has not been an update to the app since the launch. Since a consumer is downloading an app, keep them intrigued with new updates and experiences.
  </li>
</ol>

### <span>Sources</span>

[Runner's World](https://www.runnersworld.com/gear/a20003515/outdoor-voices-running-collection/)  
[Wired](https://www.wired.com/story/ikea-place-ar-kit-augmented-reality/)  
[Mobile Marketer](https://www.mobilemarketer.com/news/kate-spade-new-york-guides-paris-tours-with-help-from-ar-and-influencers/505264/)  



Outdoor voices Blog Post

How Outdoor Voices Tied an Augmented Reality Experience to their Brand Motto

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	<img alt="Effie Logo" src="http://static.camp-king.com.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/20180423/effie_logo.png"/>
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The marketing and advertising industry is rife with award shows, but arguably none has the rigor in evaluating great work—and certainly evaluating the effectiveness of great work—than the North American Effie Awards. In first round judging alone, every case submitted to the Effies is evaluated by no fewer than five judges for advancement consideration.

At Camp + King, we were honored to have three of our team members invited to serve as 2018 judges: Kristin Barbour, Managing Director, who judged in Chicago in January; David Morrissey, Strategy Director + Head of Communications Planning, who judged in February in San Francisco; and Jamie King, Founder + CEO, who judged in New York. Of course, we are bound not to disclose the details of a single case we’ve reviewed. However, we wanted to share five lessons we learned as judges that you can put to use when writing your next award case submission.

## <span>1. Put yourself in the judges’ shoes when writing your&nbsp;case</span>

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	<img alt="" src="http://static.camp-king.com.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/20180423/image_01.jpg" />
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First thing first: Know your audience and recognize what’s happening in the judging room. Judges come from various senior agency and client-side roles. They’ve stepped away from the demands of their busy careers to volunteer for a half-day. Even the best judges bring their own stresses into the crowded room. They’re pressed for time and encouraged to evaluate as many cases as possible. They’re asked to be suspicious and critical in assessing each case. And they’re likely feeling exposed—chances are, many of the judges reading your submission know little about your particular industry or category. 

With this in mind, it’s important to focus on establishing context—help the judges understand why the business challenge you’ve set forth is particularly difficult in your category; why the results, which might appear inconsequential without category context, are actually dramatic; why the strategic insight or creative execution was breakthrough compared to traditional category work.


## <span>2. Ensure a simple, consistent narrative + voice&nbsp;throughout</span>
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	<img alt="" src="http://static.camp-king.com.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/20180423/image_02.jpg" />
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This may sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how often written cases lack clarity, simplicity, or consistency. In one case reviewed, it was evident that the organization had multiple writers tackle each of the different sections, resulting not only in an inconsistent voice, but also in each section regurgitating the case set-up, over and over again. 

The best cases follow the principles of good narrative, compelling the reader to move from one section to the next and building the case as simply as possible. One helpful tactic here: Use headlines and subheads to help the judge quickly absorb the skeleton of the story.

Before submission, ensure that someone completely removed from the campaign reviews the case with fresh eyes, looking for inconsistencies and things that mean little to category outsiders.

## <span>3. Carefully consider each one of the objectives you&nbsp;include</span>
<div class="float right sm-1-3 md-1-3">
	<img alt="" src="http://static.camp-king.com.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/20180423/image_03.jpg" />
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Just like gymnastics or figure skating, Effie judges are asked to consider each case not just on the achievement of results, but also on the degree of difficulty of the objectives set forth. You should also know that due to volume of submissions, it’s simply harder to advance in some categories than others. 

With that in mind, don’t get bogged down solely in media or perceptual metrics, such as impressions, views, click-throughs, or likes. Powerful cases demonstrate how upticks in those media or perceptual metrics led to real change—measurable impact in sales, reputation, or behavioral change by the target. Indeed, some of the most powerful cases show how the campaign created brand or product exposure far beyond the reach of the media plan.

Additionally, don’t bite off more than you can chew. Every judge will check to ensure that each objective listed was achieved. And, as you might imagine, the more disparate objectives you list, the more challenging it becomes for you to write a cohesive story—and for the judge to make sense of it. If your campaign included two or three major objectives, and lots of minor ones, why not focus your case narrative on the two or three only?


## <span>4. Don’t overlook the importance of the Insights + Strategic Idea&nbsp;section</span>
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	<img alt="" src="http://static.camp-king.com.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/20180423/image_04.jpg" />
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About half-way through each judging session, the judges are invited to take a short break and take part in a moderated conversation, discussing trends across cases and asking specific questions. In one of those conversations, someone asked which section of the Effie questionnaire is typically scored lowest. According to an Effie moderator, that is most often the Insight + Strategy section, which is given less attention by case writers than the challenge, creative, and results sections. 

The truth is that this section serves as the glue for your entire case. After you’ve established context and before a judge can truly consider the impact of your creative idea and your campaign’s results, she must really understand the value and uniqueness of the human insight your team has developed. Like any other section, you should take the judges on a narrative journey with you beyond the data. How was the insight developed? How did it reveal a universal human truth, but do so in a new or surprising way? How is it unique to your brand or product, and not those of your competitors?

## <span>5. Read last year’s winners in your&nbsp;category
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	<img alt="" src="http://static.camp-king.com.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/20180423/image_05.jpg" />
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As we heard in the Effie judging room, “You can’t write your way into winning an Effie. But you can certainly write your way out of one.” Each year, the Effie organization publishes the winning cases. Compare your draft to those who won previously. Does it feel on par with the winners? Be honest. If so, then look for specific storytelling devices, word choice and phrasing, and organizational cues the winners made and borrow with abandon. 

[^1]: [Women, Power & Money](http://fleishmanhillard.com/2013/07/news-and-opinions/women-around-the-world-becoming-more-future-focused-with-economic-improvement-finds-fifth-wave-of-women-power-money/)

[^2]: [Think with Google, “How mobile has redefined the consumer decision journey for shoppers.”](https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-resources/micro-moments/mobile-shoppers-consumer-decision-journey/)

[^3]: [Think with Google, “No decision is too small for today’s consumer”](https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/feature/mobile-search-behavior/#/)

[^4]: [Think with Google, “Are you worth it? Your customer wants to know”](https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/advertising-channels/search/brand-consumer-research/)

[^5]: [BazaarVoice “The ROBO Economy: How smart marketers use CGC to influence omnichannel shoppers”](http://www.bazaarvoice.com/research-and-insight/ebooks/The-ROBO-Economy-How-online-reviews-influence-offline-sales.html )

[^6]: [Pew Research Center, “Online shopping and Americans’ purchasing preferences.”](http://www.pewinternet.org/2016/12/19/online-shopping-and-e-commerce )

[^7]: [Podium “State of Online Reviews”](http://learn.podium.com/rs/841-BRM-380/images/2017-SOOR-Infographic.jpg)


Effie blog post

Five Lessons we Learned Judging the Effie Awards

## <span>What is it?</span>

<span class="highlight">Research online, buy offline (known as ROBO)</span> is the ever-growing trend of consumers seeking out online reviews, studying topic forums, even falling down #hashtag rabbit holes as they evaluate their product options before purchasing an item in-store. 

## <span>What’s happening?</span>

Consumers are increasingly looking to strangers online for help in purchase decisions. While it is not news that consumers conduct research online before making a purchase, what is new is the increase of online research for low ticket items. Specifically, the rise in use of mobile in-store to research.

In a world with an abundance of options, data paralysis on store shelves is very real. Nearly half of all women report that they are overwhelmed by all the product choices available.[^1] Over-choice paired with the fact that nearly every shopper has a smartphone in his or her pocket has resulted in ROBO becoming a key point of the consumer journey.  In fact, 82% of smartphone users consult their phones on purchases they’re about to make in a store.[^2] While in-store research typically consists of looking at reviews and ratings, consumers are increasingly asking for suggestions on social and looking at user generated content (UGC) as well. 

![82% of smartphone users consult their phones on purchases they're about to make in a store.](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/3kzpkk4XlmSmMQ0U0cmimk/2773c918ffc5e62f20a6287aab38f166/Image1.jpg)

### <span>No Purchase is Too Trivial</span>
Google’s search data shows that searches for words like BEST and REVIEW have increased YOY and that these searches are growing at a higher rate for “low-consideration” products than “high-consideration” products.[^3]  

![Searches for: Best Salt - +370%, Best Toothpaste - +125%, Best Umbrella - +140%](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/3ZCAJ0S99ewIyQuwa8qY0K/4c157b9ce6633371ac1d39bf1cff4f07/Image2.jpg)

Just as there has been growth in mobile searches for “best,” Google reports seeing a growth in mobile searches for “worst.” Google reports a 1.5X increase in mobile searches ending with “to avoid” in the past two years.[^4] For example, consumers are looking for “cooking oil brands to avoid” or “refrigerators to avoid.” 

### <span>Social Proof Informs Shopping</span>
Increasingly, consumers are looking for advice from other consumers—not from brands.  Consumers want to hear about experiences with brands from people like them. UGC has given researchers access to word-of-mouth recommendations at unprecedented scale.[^5] ROBO makes this connection possible while walking down an aisle.  A study from Pew Research Center reports that 62% of in-store shoppers use their phone to look up online reviews before making a purchase[^6] and 82% of consumers say that the content of a review has convinced them to make a purchase.[^7]   The value of positive consumer commentary cannot be undervalued.

![62% of in-store shoppers use their phone to look up online reviews before making a purchase. 82% of consumers say that the content of a review has convinced them to make a purchase.](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/5N0p0tFZEAE4GuuAg8UiUS/a0587aa27315c2b8f252cf82429dcdf4/Image3.jpg)

### <span>Brands Bringing Consumer Feedback to Life:</span>
<div class="columns">
<div class="col-right">
<p>Pinterest has incorporated a new feature, the ‘I’ve Tried It Checkmark’ making it easy to see and leave feedback on pins across categories.</p>
</div>
<div class="col-left">
<img alt="Image of a frying pan full of breakfast food, shown on a phone on Pinterest. The user has checked the 'I've tried it' checkmark." src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/6R8T2GWoBGI0WssQCOC6qu/3f280cf0ff39d3f8fb483d7b4e2bbaf5/Pinterest.jpg" />
</div>
</div>

<div class="columns">
<div class="col-left col-1-2">
<p>
Pawstruck combined UGC with customer reviews to create Facebook ads. This powerful combination increased conversion and allowed the brand to authentically connect with puppy parents.
</p>
</div>
<div class="col-right col-1-2">
<img alt="Image of Pawstruck advertisements on facebook with the caption 'Our satisfied clients love our 100% NATURAL bully stick dog treats.' Images of dogs are paired with user reviews." src="//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/5uUXcT7opq0cQw0q802SWm/f8e60ea397391e06381045fed2f519ec/Pawstruck.jpg" />
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## <span>What are the implications?</span>
- <span class="highlight">When thinking through search optimization (or even prompts for UGC) think about both lifestyle and product terms.</span> As Google notes, advice isn’t one size fits all. Sometimes it is product decisions consumers are looking for (“best anti-aging skin care products”), and sometimes it’s more lifestyle related (“best skin care routine for &rsquo;30s”). Explore search data for your own category. What is the range of things that people want to know?

- <span class="highlight">Make leaving reviews & ratings easy.</span> Build in the ability to easily review products on your sites. If this isn’t possible, use social listening to find testimonials from pleased consumers and incorporate these organically on owned platforms.

- When offering multiple products in the same category, <span class="highlight"> make the differences easy to decipher</span> so that buyers don’t just default to the less expensive option. Even if owned sites don’t allow for e-commerce, put as much content on your product pages as possible. 

- And, of course, <span class="highlight"> make sure that content is easy to find and navigate on mobile devices.</span>


[^1]: [Women, Power & Money](http://fleishmanhillard.com/2013/07/news-and-opinions/women-around-the-world-becoming-more-future-focused-with-economic-improvement-finds-fifth-wave-of-women-power-money/)

[^2]: [Think with Google, “How mobile has redefined the consumer decision journey for shoppers.”](https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-resources/micro-moments/mobile-shoppers-consumer-decision-journey/)

[^3]: [Think with Google, “No decision is too small for today’s consumer”](https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/feature/mobile-search-behavior/#/)

[^4]: [Think with Google, “Are you worth it? Your customer wants to know”](https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/advertising-channels/search/brand-consumer-research/)

[^5]: [BazaarVoice “The ROBO Economy: How smart marketers use CGC to influence omnichannel shoppers”](http://www.bazaarvoice.com/research-and-insight/ebooks/The-ROBO-Economy-How-online-reviews-influence-offline-sales.html )

[^6]: [Pew Research Center, “Online shopping and Americans’ purchasing preferences.”](http://www.pewinternet.org/2016/12/19/online-shopping-and-e-commerce )

[^7]: [Podium “State of Online Reviews”](http://learn.podium.com/rs/841-BRM-380/images/2017-SOOR-Infographic.jpg)


Online research is driving decision making in-store

ROBO Blog Thumbnail

The ROBO Revolution

After the holiday season and Super Bowl Sunday, Valentine’s Day advertising efforts are often overlooked by many marketers—but they shouldn’t be. Valentine’s Day is big business, with the National Retail Federation (NRF) reporting that consumer spending for 2018 would reach $19.6B.[^1] (Put into context, that’s roughly the same amount as the recently approved bipartisan Senate budget deal for nationwide infrastructure improvement projects.)[^2]

## <span>You can’t buy love—or can you?</span>

For many consumers, Valentine’s has become increasingly important—with the holidays behind them and the long winter months slogging ahead, chasing Cupid’s arrow gives people a reason to celebrate. And celebrate they do. Of that $19.6B, NRF estimated the spending breakdown as:

![](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/6CQ3A2yHiomioqQuCmOac6/667e6c4b1db9f51552cfc46052256488/spending.png)

These are not insignificant category spends for what was once thought of as just a “<a href="https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Hallmark_holiday" target="_blank">Hallmark holiday</a>.” With that in mind, Camp + King offers you a quick view into the winners and losers (not just those without dates) this Valentine’s season, and a few insights to ensure consumers fall in love with your brand for Valentine’s Day 2019.

## <span>The Way To Your Valentine’s Heart Is Through The Stomach</span>

Outside of the brands you’d expect to see ratcheting up advertising spend in February (candy, flowers, jewelry), it’s food and QSR brands that rise to the occasion with unique and creative initiatives. As the saying goes, food is love.

Our favorite from this category: Snickers, who perfectly extended its “You’re not you when you’re hungry” campaign to solve a common Valentine’s frustration—forgetting to make a dinner reservation. After all, Snickers suggested, you’re forgetful when you’re hungry.[^4] In London’s trendy Shoreditch neighborhood, Snickers parked a van and posed the question, “Need a table for tonight?” Passersby could pull a reservation card from the van for an exclusive table at a pop-up restaurant with a top UK chef.

<div style="width:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56%;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://giphy.com/embed/l3nSXopeBinCJKSAg" width="100%" height="100%" style="position:absolute" frameBorder="0" class="giphy-embed" allowFullScreen></iframe></div>

Other interesting executions: Land O Lakes quirky “Spread the Love” TV spot boldly claimed that “Love is like butter.”[^5] KFC tapped into the nostalgia of elementary school Valentine’s cards, offering fried chicken scented scratch-n-sniff Valentines.[^6] Meanwhile, McDonald’s sparkled with its “Bling Mac” social media contest, inviting fans to express their adoration for the Big Mac for the chance to win a $12,500 bejeweled ring in the shape of the sandwich.[^7]

![Bling Mac](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/43TIaly3ZS8k6MMCissAGo/a32abdb5e1926d0b4e2795ae36965df5/bling-mac.jpg)

And we’d be remiss not to mention that year after year, Valentine’s proves to be one of the most important nights of the year for two of America’s beloved greasy spoons—White Castle and Waffle House—both of which offer romantic, full-service dinners with reservations required far in advance.[^8][^9]

On the flipside of White Castle’s and Waffle House’s efforts to coyly poke fun at the Valentine’s Industrial Complex is Panera Bread, which invited people to propose at one of their locations for the chance to have their wedding catered for free.[^10] Here’s the thing: Put aside that there is no food less romantic than a soup bread bowl, those who did actually get engaged at Panera were then entered into a drawing for the free catering. Come on. Opportunity missed.

<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Love is in the air. This Valentine’s Day, get engaged at a Panera and we might cater your wedding, for free. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PaneraProposalSweeps?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PaneraProposalSweeps</a> <a href="https://t.co/mpL5VbjSOd">https://t.co/mpL5VbjSOd</a> <a href="https://t.co/VPRzu0QLNd">pic.twitter.com/VPRzu0QLNd</a></p>&mdash; Panera Bread (@panerabread) <a href="https://twitter.com/panerabread/status/961970453483896832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


## <span>This Modern Love</span>

Outside of food brands stepping up for Valentine’s, the other underlying trend in creative execution was brands using the holiday as a platform for social commentary, addressing gender and relationship norms, unhealthy relationships, and love in the era of the #metoo movement. Naturally, some brands did this well, while others extended beyond the bounds of the topics they have credibility addressing. For instance, while the sentiment is lovely, a UK-based frozen food brand, McCain, may have overreached with its celebration of the new normal with its “Here’s to Love” TV spot.[^11]

<div style="width:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56.25%;position:relative;"><iframe width="100%" height="100%" style="position:absolute" frameBorder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/79LtGHFAVlI" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

One interesting execution that effectively forced people to evaluate their own behaviors was the One Love Foundation #LoveBetter pop-up store in New York. In the week leading up to Valentine’s, a store opened seemingly offering traditional Valentine’s gifts like candy, jewelry, and stuffed animals. However, upon closer inspection, each item struck a darker chord, providing commentary on unhealthy romantic relationship behaviors to draw attention to the reality of abusive relationships.[^12]

<div style="width:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56.25%;position:relative;"><iframe width="100%" height="100%" style="position:absolute" frameBorder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OFYkslIiHmI" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

Two brands successfully contemporized themselves without entering into the broader cultural conversations listed above. Tiffany’s, long a Valentine’s brand favorite, has found it’s had to work harder to attract younger audiences. It created “The Tiffany Tattoo Shop” a series of tattoo-like stickers that users can add to their Instagram photos, creating branded customer photos for Tiffany’s, as well as offering its younger visitors a fun interactive experience.[^13]

![Tiffany Tattoo Shop](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/1e55AUuU9A4a8SMscOMccK/d226cd1f13e364b891bf1320c8609848/tiffany-tattoo.jpg)


Kudos also go to another Valentine’s classic, Sweethearts conversation hearts candy, for modernizing without stepping away from its heritage. In recent years, those silly heart-shaped candies with classic Valentine’s messages (“Be Mine” or “Kiss Me”) printed on them have begun offering more modern messages, too, like “Text Me” and “Tweet Me.”[^14] As a result, Conversation Hearts now command more share for Valentine’s candy purchases than the staid heart-shaped boxes of chocolate, suggesting that other gift and candy makers should take note and look for ways to modernize their offerings, too.

![Candy Hearts that say "Text me" and "Tweet Me"](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/2TzzKk8mHY4YOwkycC6CQE/f085512c291af6927df0f1e1e1ca5122/tweet-me.jpg)

## <span>Searching for love</span>

As you might imagine, consumers are turning to search more than ever to make their Valentine’s Day purchases. 1800Flowers proved to be the paid search winner for 2018, ratcheting up its search spend with 890 unique search ads that ultimately garnered ~35% of Valentine’s paid click-share.[^15]

While this is indeed impressive, search trends actually suggest that marketers are missing out on some big Valentine’s opportunities. According to Google, the top-searched Valentine’s topic for 2018 was “Valentine’s gift,” earning a whopping 60% of the search volume. What’s more, Google suggested that most frequently it’s women searching for gifts for men, instead of the other way around. Indeed, two of the top five most frequently Googled questions were “What to get your boyfriend on Valentine’s Day” and “What to get a guy on Valentine’s Day.”[^16]


![Chart showing search interest in "gift for boyfriend" tends to be higher than search interest in "gift for girlfriend" in the US.](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/148fd9KICycIQWOGUwGkUm/c64c9fc02c81014ef8740c77135fe644/trends-boyfriend-girlfriend.png)

This makes sense if you stop and think about it: Men have basically been programmed to buy flowers and chocolate for their significant others on Valentine’s, whereas women thinking about gifts for men are offered little direction. And, when you consider that according to Psychology Today, during other holidays (like Christmas), women give 84% of all gifts, but only receive 61% of them,[^17] there’s a huge opportunity for a brand to fill this void and capitalize on these search trends.

One final interesting tidbit from our Valentine’s search behaviors: In 48 states, people are more likely to search “Valentine’s flowers” over “Valentine’s chocolates.”[^18] The two states that need their sugar fix? Alaska and Maine—presumably to help get through the long winters.

[^1]: NRF; “NRF Says Consumers Will Spend Near-Record $19.6 Billion On Valentine’s Day;” January 31, 2018

[^2]: The Hill; Shelbourne, Mallory; “Senate Budget Deal Includes $20 Billion For Infrastructure Projects”

[^4]: AdWeek; Nudd, Tim; “Snickers Opened A Valentine’s Day Restaurant, Oublie, For Couples Who Forgot To Make Reservations;” February 15, 2018

[^5]: Stash; “Moving Colour ‘Spread the Love’ For Land O Lakes;” February 20, 2017

[^6]: The Drum; Smiley, Minda; “KFC Is Gifting Scratch-and-Sniff Fried Chicken Cards For Valentine’s Day;” February 12, 2018

[^7]: AdWeek; Gianatasio, David; “McDonald’s Absurdly Lavish ‘Bling Mac’ Ring Could Be Yours, If You Love It Enough;” February 13, 2018

[^8]: Business Insider; Tyler, Jessica; “I Went To White Castle’s Reservations-Only Valentine’s Day Dinner and Discovered Why Many People Are Obsessed;” February 15, 2018

[^9]: Waffle House; “Once Again, Waffle House Is the Perfect Spot For Valentine’s Date;” January 25, 2018

[^10]: AV Club; Worgaftik, Gabe; “Please Do Not Get Engaged At Panera Bread,” February 13, 2018

[^11]: [YouTube; McCain Here’s To Love Advert 2018; February 9, 2018](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79LtGHFAVlI)

[^12]: Now This News; “#LoveBetter Pop-Up Shop Wants To Teach People To Spot Abusive Relationships;” February 14, 2018

[^13]: Yotpo; “10 Best Valentine’s Day Marketing Campaigns”

[^14]: AdWeek; Klara, Robert; “Move Over Heart-Shaped Boxes Of Chocolate, Sweethearts Are Now the Most Popular Valentine’s Candy;” February 13, 2018

[^15]: Geomarketing; Kaplan, David; “How 1-800-Flowers Won Valentine’s Day Search Advertising;” February 16, 2018

[^16]: [Google Trends; “Valentine’s Day 2018;” pulled February 18, 2018](https://trends.google.com/trends/story/US_cu_J-BrTmEBAAAtLM_en)

[^17]: Psychology Today; Furnham Ph.D., Adrian; “The Psychology of Christmas Gift Giving;” December 17, 2014

[^18]: [Google Trends; “Valentine’s Day 2018;” pulled February 18, 2018](https://trends.google.com/trends/story/US_cu_J-BrTmEBAAAtLM_en)


Valentine's Blog Thumbnail

A Look back at 2018 Valentine’s Advertising

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Current attitudes toward data privacy, AI, and total connectivity

Our Relationship with Technology – Status: It’s Complicated

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How Brands Are Staying Holiday-agnostic in Messaging but Appealing to Christmas-lovers

A Secular Christmas for All

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The new role of social advertising in the buyer’s journey

171204 Newletter DigitalStorefronts Thumb 1x JM.1

Window Shopping in the Digital Era

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Current attitudes toward gender equality

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The Future is FeMale

![Newsletter 019 2017-09-05 v2 01](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/DnwPoO6d6C2AaQCiqocGu/4ea9c06091c0b1bea49b593ed76cbea2/Newsletter_019_2017-09-05_v2_01.png) 
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fb-cover-image

Is Your Brand Compass Pointed in the Wrong Direction?

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Defend higher prices or maintain a premium status

Going Clear: The Rise of Price Transparency

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A redefinition of social media usage

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A Lesson in the Social Etiquette of Gen We

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Tapping into the Heartland

Rural America

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A Perspective on Product Integrity & Brand Magnetism

Finding Your Brand's Charisma

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An opportunity to lead

Virtual Reality – It’s Here and It’s Hot

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Gen Z and the allure of talking vs. telling

Houseparty and Monkey – Two Social Apps to Know

![STRT Newsletter 2017-01-05 v1](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/14ouuwRpvsQGMWksGua6wO/0199d69db757851e4580e2e9df230031/STRT_Newsletter_2017-01-05_v1.png)

In social, bigger isn’t always better; it’s merely bigger

Rise of the Micro-influencers

![STRT Newsletter 2016-11-29 v4](//images.ctfassets.net/enzv3zmclegl/TIlK8fX0K2gmy2EOwCU6i/df4391ef7efb7f3318d7a481f7163fce/STRT_Newsletter_2016-11-29_v4.png)

Understanding the concrete benefit to brands

Power of Celebrity

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A plant-based burger aims to attract the heartiest carnivores.

Bridging the Expectation Gap

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The future canvas for wearable technology is built-in. Our skin.

Wait, What? Bio-wearables

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Effectiveness of personalized messaging is catapulted when it is delivered on a more trusted platform.

Using Social Videos for Customer Service

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The standard for what it means to inspire in the world of athletic apparel is changing dramatically.

A Post-athlete Culture

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Partnerships with podcasts offer brands an opportunity to speak to highly targeted and receptive audiences.

Lend Me Your Ears

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Food trends are still driven by authenticity, but what once focused on superficial exclusivity has evolved to encourage more purposeful lifestyle changes.

Food Beyond the Fad

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Gaining authentic endorsement and mass exposure via three distinct ad types.

Understanding Snapchat’s Ad Offerings

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Thoughtful and authentic communication with the Latino community is crucial; yet this segment is evolving and so should the way we think about talking to them.

Latino in Blood, American at Heart

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The rise in consumers craving content that allows them to dissect and rate is very real.

The Critic Bandwagon

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Brands respond with optimism, as Millennials face yet another cruel setback.

We’re Dog Crazy

Helping Brands Engage Culture, Where to Play, & How to Identify What Matters Most

What Brands Need to Know for 2021

COVID 19 + Gen Z

Remote Brand Workshopping

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