Trends and Technology

In the wake of the pandemic, a rapid shift in experiential marketing is underway — and none too soon. The industry as a whole is expected to decline more than 15 percent this year following years of solid growth. Brands are scrambling to pick up the slack.

In gender-related marketing, ads no longer adhere to pink-and-blue protocols. An increasing number of companies realize that moving beyond the binary is not only good business, it cultivates brand affinity among communities that might not otherwise pay attention to their products and services. Here’s how P&G, Mastercard, and Mattel, among others, are evolving their marketing to avoid gender stereotypes and be more inclusive of trans and nonbinary people.

The recent decline in podcast advertising is merely a pandemic-induced blip on the radar. The longer-term outlook remains quite attractive, with spending projected to reach more than $1 billion in 2021. Marketers are whetting their appetite.

Marketers need to develop a plan for catered messages for different audiences, as consumers have had starkly different experiences during the pandemic based on factors such as geography and income level.

Companies that don’t realign their priorities toward a digital-first strategy will cede their business to competitors, says Geoff Ramsey, chairman and co-founder of eMarketer. In an interview with ANA magazine, Ramsey discusses how the pandemic has put pressure on marketers to sharpen their online platforms and make sure their data reflects the new reality.

Despite growing privacy concerns among consumers and a lurch toward the ‘dark web,’ brands can still drive actionable insights from social listening.

Following the initial rush among brands and organizations to donate money and supplies, some companies are opting to build on their relief efforts and assist the community at large.

Since the coronavirus outbreak, European consumer perceptions of American brands have worsened, and purchases have declined. There are various marketing strategies to deploy to get things back on track.

Beyond updated TV ads to reflect the current climate and some new in-broadcast signage, what are brands doing to reimagine their sponsorships for professional sports leagues and maximize their value — even with fans relegated to their living rooms?

The initial shock and continuing uncertainty caused by the pandemic have led many companies in the travel sector to put the brakes on their marketing efforts. Yet evidence suggests that keeping up engagement with consumers can help lessen the impact of the blow.

Amy Brothers, brand manager for Pebbles cereal, and Brian Hurley, creative director at Public Works, discuss the kid-centric “Daily Yabba Dabba Doo” series and provide insight into the most effective ways for brands to harness user-generated content.

Brands and organizations need to recognize that consumer patterns and behaviors are now being exclusively shaped by the pandemic, rather than demographics. Brian Solis, global innovation evangelist at Salesforce, discusses the digital transformation companies are now confronting, how the pandemic will fundamentally change marketing, and why it’s time to get to know generation N.

The recent crackdown on hate speech among various social media platforms provide an opportunity for brands to reset their social media strategy (not to mention their budgeting).

The deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, among others, reignited a national conversation around racial injustice and systemic inequalities. With consumers increasingly expecting brands to take a stand against racial injustice, keeping silent is not an option for many companies. But to help effect real change, companies need to resolve the problematic practices that exist within their own houses first. Here’s how they can get started.

The term ‘brand safety’ has taken on a more literal meaning during the pandemic, with consumers acutely interested in how the products they buy are manufactured, packaged, and distributed.

The pandemic will require marketers to master a new set of media buying skills, adopt KPIs that transcend return-on-advertising spending, and move e-commerce toward the center of their marketing strategy.

To both keep advertisers in the fold and attract new ones, Facebook has rolled out new tools to bolster brand safety and make it easier for brands to reach their intended audiences.

A crisis may not be the best time for companies to stress test their brand purpose. However, the past few months have forced companies to reexamine why their brand exists, or perhaps more important, what’s needed to better articulate their purpose.

As the internet has matured from a novelty to a mainstream source for news and entertainment, digital content creators have carved out massive audiences who are enormously loyal. Many fans consider this content essential to their lives, and they are willing to support the brands that make it possible.

Brands are cutting back on producing commercials as marketing budgets are curtailed and social distancing measures remain in place. The good news is that scaling back on ad shoots can have broader benefits.