Garbage Crisis
Garbage in, garbage out is a well-worn phrase that originated in the early days of computers when first-adapter users had to write their own paths and batch commands. But unlike old sayings that come and go, GIGO, as it’s also known, is even more appropriate today with the advent of artificial intelligence or AI. Some law enforcement agencies have come under intense criticism because their facial recognition programs leaned toward people of color. Why? AI reacts and responds according to the information that’s entered into it. If is weighed more heavily with information on people of color, that’s the kind of results it will deliver. Apple was one of the latest companies to get caught up in this because of…
Read MoreMetrics To Check Before Contracting an Influencer
Influencer marketing is a wonderful corner of the digital marketing industry because of its ability to be tailored to whatever the needs of a brand are. Influence is acquired by creating content — and finding the best ways to share it with as many people as possible — that resonates and connects with consumers. Whether the content connects on an aspirational level — ”I want to feel like that person does! That product might help me accomplish that.” — or on a more emotional level — “This person really gets me. I would like to be more like them.” — the precious metric that is loyalty can be accomplished with just one single Instagram post. Because of the influence these…
Read MoreTake the Lead
So, the company board of directors or senior management directed marketing to take the lead in the company being seen as an industry leader by recommending that it advocate for something aligned with their industry. Now what? Next Steps What a tall order! Before walking down the plank alone, here are some ideas. The biggest challenge will be in coming up with something provocative and novel, a position or road that’s never been taken before. Achieving this will set a company apart from everyone else. Tap every trustworthy asset and ally available. These may include loyal clients or customers, vendors, partners, and suppliers. Get their input, including not just about one or more possible products, but also potential events, conferences,…
Read MoreSnapchat is Growing: Should Brand Advertising Grow with It?
Despite weak forecasts ahead of the release of its most updated user numbers and revenue reports, Snap Inc. has come out ahead in its latest report, adding 7 million daily active users and showing growth for the third straight quarter. The social networking platform is immensely popular among younger millennials and Gen Z and has become a dark horse favorite among advertisers, who seek to reach users in their native habitats. Publishers have begun creating content specifically designed to be consumed on Snapchat in short, bite-sized video format. Using the Discover tab within the app, users can view stories published by brands designed to entice the viewer to click through the video and visit an external website. Other brands have…
Read MoreIs Everybody Happy?
Ted Lewis, a popular musician in the 1940s is credited with being one of the first, but certainly not the last person to say those words. While it’s not realistic to think that all employees within a company are happy, almost 80% of company executives surveyed about top business priorities cited employee experience as being number one. However, what they said and what’s being practiced are two different stories. What’s Employee Experience? In short, employee experience means recognizing and creating a workplace that environmentally and emotionally embraces and invites the entire workforce. One of the first industries to go down this path were high tech firms. Classified ads for workers included enticements like a fitness center, nursery, flexible schedules, and…
Read MoreBrands are Using Loyalty to Cut Acquisition Costs
The ongoing battle among brands today is the one raging over customer loyalty. The environment of digital marketing is shifting, and this causes competition in various forms. As more brands become aware of the importance of building a loyal customer base — while also keeping their new customer acquisition costs low — some creativity is needed to entice those customers not only to stay loyal, but to bring more people into the fold via referrals. This challenge has led to an increase in loyalty and rewards programs. For example, the recently announced Target Circle is one of the latest iterations of loyalty programs promising perks and benefits for those who choose to spend their money in Target stores. Another way…
Read MoreNew Research on the Buying Habits of Gen Z
Gen Z has become a focal point for many marketers seeking to connect with this up and coming generation with hefty buying power. In the most recent edition of the Piper Jaffray 38th Semi-Annual Taking Stock With Teens® Survey, released this month, new information has become available on the shopping and retail habits of Gen Z. This information is instrumental in forming a marketing strategy designed to tap into the estimated $830 billion contributions to U.S. retail sales made by this young generation. Gen Z is growing up quickly. These individuals, born between the mid-90s and the mid-2000s, are becoming more independent and are beginning to register their preference when it comes to everyday retail decisions. How can marketers harness…
Read MorePeople Hate Ads
That was the message nearly 100,000 attendees at the recent Advertising Week conference heard in New York from moderator on a panel of speakers talking about creativity. The speaker went on to say that today’s customer is more apt to sign up for ad-free services or skip to the end of an ad. Another panelist agreed. Add to that auspicious opening, a forecast that advertising revenue outside of political spending is expected to be down 3% this year from 2018. So, what do all these signs mean? Share of Culture One of the big takeaways from the panel discussion was talking about transitioning to achieve a share of culture in advertising. Many marketers have heard of share of category and…
Read MoreHow Digital Marketing Can Cater to the User Experience
Digital marketing presents a unique set of challenges when it comes to reaching consumers in the right way. Typically, finding innovative ways to accomplish this is the name of the game as marketing professionals seek to set their brands apart from the rest. As advertising becomes an integral part of virtually every platform consumers use, it’s important to strike a balance and remember that the interactions a brand has with a consumer should bring value to that consumer, not drive them away in annoyance. How does a brand accomplish this? One way that many brands are beginning to target users is through interactive or rewarding advertising. Consider the example of the Angry Birds game that was incredibly popular and still…
Read MoreDigital Transformation: Buzzword and Challenge
The term “digital transformation” is a popular one in digital marketing, and is never far from the lips of senior executives and marketing consultants the industry over. The spectrum of adoption, however, is wide: some firms have already begun to leverage the benefits of a total digital transformation. Still, others are still struggling to adopt the necessary shifts to their own business operations. The concept of a digital transformation, too, is a broad one: there isn’t just one definition of what it means, and expert’s opinions are varied. “It’s not about doing ‘digital marketing’,” says Ivan Menezes, CEO at Diageo, “it’s about marketing effectively in a digital world.” According to Brian Solis, principal analyst at Altimeter Group, a digital transformation…
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