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Industry Insights

  • How Brands Can Work with Creators to Capture Seasonal Moments

    Leading Edge   December 6, 2023  

    Seasonality is a cluttered space for brands. We often see the same messages rolling out on loop, with brands following category conventions and packaging up old messages in a fancy new ad. So, it’s little surprise that partnering with influencers in the battle for cut-through is gaining traction; it’s an effective way to tap into the unique traits that have made creators popular with their specific audience. Influencers' opinions carry credibility, and their audience trusts them.

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  • Think Made for Advertising Sites Are Bad Now? AI Will Make Them Much Worse

    Leading Edge   December 5, 2023  

    In its audit of the programmatic supply chain, the ANA found that 21 percent of ad impressions landed on made for advertising (MFA) sites — content farms designed solely to syphon ad spend — wasting a stunning $13 billion a year. Such sites typically rely on low-paid labour to churn out web pages, but the proliferation of generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT could send production into overdrive.

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  • 5 Ways to Capitalize on Retail Media’s Rise

    Leading Edge   December 4, 2023  

    Retail is enjoying a rebirth. As third-party cookies fade and walled gardens tighten, retail media networks (RMNs) and their valuable first-party shopper data have become the coveted keys that brands need to drive sales and accurately measure performance.

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  • Three Intent-Based Strategies to Address Lead Velocity

    Leading Edge   December 4, 2023  

    I recently hosted a webinar on How to Sharpen Your Scoring Model and Increase Lead Velocity as part of the ANA's B2B Thought Leader Webinar Series. In it, I covered how data enrichment and employing intent help keep your focus on in-market buyers and encourage a faster transition from lead to customer. If you missed it, you can check out the recording here.

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  • Agency Costs: New Developments & Trends

    Leading Edge   December 1, 2023  

    Agency operating expenses, which are the combination of direct labor and overhead costs can vary dramatically from one organization and one market to the next. While there is no standard for overhead rates, which are often expressed as a multiple of direct labor costs, advertisers and agencies largely agree on the components of each of these categories. Direct labor consists of payroll and related payroll expense. Overhead covers indirect labor, space and facilities, some categories of corporate expense and professional fees.

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  • How Connected TV Is Changing the Game for Advertising

    Leading Edge   November 30, 2023  

    An increasing number of consumers are ditching their cable subscriptions in favor of more flexible and personalized viewing experiences. As of the most recent statistics, an incredible 88 percent of U.S. households own at least one internet-connected TV device, while the number of CTV users amounted to more than 110 million among gen Z and millennials.

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  • The 4 Biggest Postal Developments Around the World

    Leading Edge   November 30, 2023  

    Physical mail is still a huge factor in everyday life, with data from the Royal Mail finding that in 2022, more than 7.9 billion letters and 1.5 billion parcels were sent and received throughout the financial year. With the amount that we send and receive, the way that mail is both processed and delivered has changed and evolved to meet the needs of the industry.

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  • The Top Marketing Predictions for 2024

    Pulse   November 30, 2023  

    2024 will be a year of disruption, transformation, and change. From the continued rise of AI to the growing importance of first-party data, it’s safe to say nothing will stay as it is now. Marketers will continue to prioritize finding ways to enhance segmentation and personalization — how they will do that, however, will change as regulations, tech advancements, as well as labor and partnerships adjust to evolving needs.

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  • How Retailers Can Make Better Connections with More Shoppers

    Leading Edge   November 29, 2023  

    The weeks leading up to the holidays can be stressful for retail marketers desperate to hit their goals, and that can lead many to throw good money after bad tactics to gain some quick traction. A common example is the focus on reach. Too many retail marketers focus on acquiring customer contact information (usually email addresses) to get in front of net new shoppers and hit acquisition goals without any focus on the relevant data that can help them turn those email addresses (read: shoppers) into first-time buyers.

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  • Maximizing Media Impact with Custom Audiences

    Leading Edge   November 29, 2023  

    For marketing teams, the fourth quarter of the year can feel like a tug of war between wanting to maximize the seasonal opportunity and wanting to keep advertising costs under control. Between rising media expenses and declining share of voice, brands must make each dollar work harder. In fact, ads in November are 43 percent more expensive on Meta, according to Good Rebels, meaning buyers are literally getting less for their dollars. In many cases, brands may attempt to optimize advertising spend by adjusting a media plan, updating creative or including a new offer.

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  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Marketing Luminaries Weigh In

    Pulse   November 28, 2023  

    Marketing Futures Podcast host Mike Berberich shares top marketers’ thoughts on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

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  • 5 Trends to Sharpen Your Brand's Social Media Strategy in 2024

    Leading Edge   November 27, 2023  

    Though we cannot predict exactly what 2024 will have in store, we can certainly make a few educated guesses. Consider these macro trends when planning your brand’s 2024 social media strategy.

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  • What Is a Single Customer View? A Guide

    Leading Edge   November 23, 2023  

    In today’s data-driven world, businesses strive to understand and connect with their customers on a personal level. This connection goes beyond mere transactions; it’s about building meaningful relationships.

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  • Why Cultural Innovation Is the Next Frontier of Inclusive Marketing

    Leading Edge   November 22, 2023  

    Marketers have now spent considerable time discussing why inclusivity is the future of marketing. By now, the term has become a staple part of the business lexicon. Brands are slowly evolving, with inclusive messaging no longer being confined only to isolated cultural moments.

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  • Don’t Be Afraid of AI

    Leading Edge   November 21, 2023  

    People are scared of AI, and it's our collective responsibility to try to understand this fear. Because, after all, as experience has suggested in the past, it is through the act of making sense of the unknown that we are able to move beyond our existential anxieties regarding it.

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  • The Keys to an Effective Brand/Agency Relationship

    Pulse   November 21, 2023  

    Leslie Miller of Unilever and Smita Reddy of Edelman spoke to Marketing Futures Podcast host Mike Berberich about the keys to their strong, effective partnership.

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  • Designing Multi-Sensory Experiences for Your Brand Activation

    Leading Edge   November 20, 2023  

    Sights and sounds have always been part of branding and marketing. However, modern brand activations need to include a multi-sensory experience for customers and potential customers. By using sensory marketing efforts, you can appeal to a wider range of customers and better influence purchase decisions and brand loyalty.

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  • Equality & Inclusivity Drive Brand Growth and Offset Potential Risk

    Leading Edge   November 20, 2023  

    In 2020, more than 500 companies and marketing executives signed the ANA AIMM Pledge, doubling down on eradicating systemic inequities and achieving equity in the marketing and advertising industry. In the years that followed, there were remarkable transformations, increased investment in diverse media, improved representation behind and in front of the camera, a rise in inclusive marketing and authentic cultural portrayals in ads and content, and far-reaching commitments to diversifying talent.

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  • 3 Practical Tips for Unlocking Programmatic’s Potential in 2024

    Leading Edge   November 17, 2023  

    With 2024 on the horizon, the challenges presented by the market’s unhealthy addiction to cookies and the limitations posed by misguided investments in walled gardens like Google and Meta have shifted from constant chatter to clear and present danger for those who have not shifted practices to hit their goals. The good news? The gaps that will increasingly prevent those invested in programmatic from reaching their full potential are evident and addressable.

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  • Data Principles That Could Help Brands Regain Trust with Consumers

    Leading Edge   November 17, 2023  

    Three principles are crucial in changing ad experiences for people. The first is what I call Less is More. Over time, we have allowed the Big Data approach to guide our thinking. Big Data is data led and looks for insights without any assumptions. Prior to that the approach was based on hypothesis testing; it still exists but our data strategies are led by the Big Data approach. The Big Data approach works with volume; hence the focus of most organizations has been on collation of data and investment in infrastructure to process these large datasets.

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