Trends and Technology

When lockdowns began in March 2020, they accelerated a change in consumer behavior that gyms and other fitness studios had seen coming at a gradual pace for years. Wearables, health tracking apps, and digital media fitness experiences moved to the forefront, and brands had to adapt digital technology like apps and livestreams quickly to meet customers in a new setting — their living rooms.

The pandemic has had a devastating effect on the country’s health, economy, and psychological well-being. It’s also contributed to a severe lack of trust in major institutions, according to Edelman’s 2021 Trust Barometer. As the U.S. starts to recover from the virus, people are looking to companies to fix problems the government can’t.

Brands may need to assuage any hard feelings among consumers who believe they got stiffed during last year’s holiday buying season amid a wave of deliveries. Being transparent with customers about return policies is a good place to start — and an opportunity to strengthen relationships that many marketers may be missing.

The growing investments in dedicated brand content studios suggest that CMOs believe their futures lie in entertainment rather than killer ad creative. As the trend accelerates, the challenge for marketers will be to produce the kind of organic, emotionally driven content that will resonate with audiences.

More than 300 brands are participating in the Ad Council's COVID-19 Vaccine Education Initiative, rolling out various advertising campaigns that urge people to get vaccinated and address those who are reluctant to get the shot.

As online sports betting grows popular in the U.S., it’s creating new opportunities for brands. But hesitation around how it might affect a brand’s reputation, along with eyebrow-raising legislation in Europe, may undermine what could be a sure bet.

Having earned the trust of internal stakeholders, in-house agencies at The Hershey Co., Walgreens, and other mega retailers are quickly expanding their roles and responsibilities. Amid the pandemic, new tasks range from producing ads to selling them.

As consumers migrate to streaming services in droves, more and more brands hop on board to supplement their spending on linear TV. But the tide may be turning in favor of streaming services. Product placement may never be the same.

For brands born to a digital world, such as Uber, Twitter, or Airbnb, establishing a detailed set of brand guidelines is a natural course of action. But for more traditional brands forced by the pandemic to adjust to a future online, developing a digital-friendly set of brand guidelines may come with a bout of growing pains.

Theaters and other live performance venues are following changes in consumer behavior closely and creating new media plans that try to anticipate what people will want once they start returning to live theater. While the streaming of Broadway shows has helped keep theater in the public eye amid the pandemic, virtual shows pale in comparison to the real thing.

It’s up in the air whether megacasting will become the new normal. But running the same program across disparate networks should attract brands looking to land new audiences and stretch their marketing dollars.

Unlike the campaign-to-campaign mode of traditional brand advertising, content marketing requires brands to constantly refine their storytelling efforts and strategize for the long haul.

As the Biden administration takes charge, major brands are stepping up their efforts to educate the public about vaccinations and bracing for how the new tone in the nation’s capital will impact their overall marketing strategy.

The arrival of COVID-19 vaccines will spur additional opportunities in DOOH, as consumers return in droves to shopping in brick-and-mortar stores and eating inside restaurants after being stuck in their homes because of the pandemic.

Brands ranging from P&G to PepsiCo are rolling out various initiatives to tackle issues such as climate change and environmental waste across several touchpoints, including product development, packaging, and raw material sourcing.

The demise of third-party cookies provides marketers with an opportunity to be more transparent with consumers and recalibrate their methods of measurement.

Mailchimp's latest ad campaign draws on classic animation to help its small business customers build big ideas. Michael Mitchell, director of brand marketing at Mailchimp, calls the campaign a "love letter" to entrepreneurs making their way through the pandemic.

As space travel revitalizes, NASA wants help from commercial enterprises to support various missions. The move opens up new venues for companies and organizations eager to distinguish their brand on a cosmic scale.

As consumers stay home during the pandemic, they are spending more time than ever with screens and video games. The trend, which has sent many brands scrambling for innovative ways to reach their audiences beyond traditional methods of digital marketing, is expected to continue post-pandemic. Here’s how Hellmann’s mayonnaise and Rock the Vote, among others, are engaging consumers in the virtual space.

Creative, wide-ranging internships from brands like IBM and Verizon must become the rule rather than the exception if marketing is going to win an increasingly fierce battle for entry-level talent.