How Marketing Can Inspire Positive Change

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In August 2019, prAna launched a contest calling on fans to quit their day job and pursue their dreams for a chance to win $100,000. Rooted in prAna’s “clothing for positive change” ethos—one the brand has maintained through a long commitment to sustainability— the Dream Job Promotion exceeded the brand’s expectations, generating over 2,000 entry videos, 50 million PR impressions and over 200,000 visits to prAna’s site.

During a panel on “How Marketing Can Inspire Positive Change” at this week’s ninth annual 3% Conference, prAna vice president of marketing Jeff Haack, junior partner and head of brand at Camp + King Emily Dillow and prAna contest winner Queena Bergen discuss how purpose-driven marketing can create a positive domino effect, how prAna prevented unconscious bias in its winner selection process and how brands can support racial equality.

When Bergen came across prAna’s Day Job to Dream Job challenge on Instagram, she was a software engineer who had just accepted a new job. As her emotive submission video showed, however, she had bigger plans: to travel the world and inspire people through her poetry. In addition to awarding Bergen $100,000, prAna is helping her kick off a national poetry tour this year.

“Instead of judging people based on whether they met our expectations or whether they looked and sounded like our target customers, we did our best to really judge them on their originality and their uniqueness, and how much passion and commitment they demonstrated,” Haack said.

One of prAna’s pillars is a notion of adventure for all, encompassing all genders, all ethnicities and all sizes and shapes. Inviting everybody into the brand who has an interest in its mission, then, was equally important, Haack added.

Bergen used the cash prize to open her own video production company and pay the positivity forward. At the onset of the pandemic in mid-March, Bergen set out to treat the graduating seniors of her former alma mater, New Jersey’s Franklin High School, who were unable to graduate in-person, to a virtual keynote speech from the school’s principal and a spoken word piece by Bergen, who’s been reciting poetry since she was 9 years old. Bergen and her team shot a virtual reality (VR) video of the entire school and gifted 600 students VR headsets to partake in #FHS360, a 360° fully immersive graduation experience. 

Corporate America’s moment of racial reckoning has proliferated discussions on how brands can eliminate bias in their workforce and content.

When asked how brands can genuinely support diversity, Bergen said that to prevent the Black Lives Matter protests from fading into just another trend or hashtag, brands must aim for consistency in their racial equality messaging and initiatives, as well as seek out the opinions of racial and ethnic minority groups within organizations.

Haack agreed, adding that before externalizing support for the movement, brands should ensure they’re being thoughtful with their internal communities, then devise a plan the brand can get behind to create a concentrated, long-term diversity mission.

Gary Goodman’s Creative Picks: The Rules Don’t Apply

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Ayzenberg creative director Gary Goodman explores his top picks for the most resonant campaigns he’s seen in the wild. This week, Gary is turning his attention to creative campaigns that draw knowingly and unknowingly from the fact that the rules we were living, operating and communicating by pre-pandemic no longer apply.

I’ve got quite a fun range to share this week: there’s cinematic video game badassery, a mythical journey into the world of haute couture and a comedic look at something we are all way too familiar with: WFH chaos. Watch our snapshot above or the full versions of my picks below.

“The Whole Working-From-Home-Thing”  –  Apple

Let’s get going with the latest comedic romp from Apple.

Why it matters: Apple reintroduces us to the “Creative Team” that we first met in April from the 3-minute spot “The Underdogs.” Now they’re back in this nearly 7-minute sequel, but the tone of the film has evolved into more of a comedic romp. Back in April (pre-quarantine for those that remember April), Apple used a more inspirational storyline to show how their fictional team collaborated to pull off a seemingly impossible assignment using its products.

Three months deep into the surreal WFH landscape and there’s way more to have fun with. Content-wise, every cliche in the book is on display—but that’s the fun of it—almost like watching a Zucker Brothers film where there’s a joke every twenty seconds. They don’t all have to land but the sheer volume keeps you hooked. I even learned a few things about how to use their products that I hadn’t even considered.


The details:  The aspect that resonates with me is the underlying message that we may all be doing some of the best work of our careers right now. It might be messy and uncomfortable. Maybe none of the rules of yesterday apply today (but who knows about tomorrow?). Maybe it’s because of this that we’re exiting our safety zones, rethinking our approach to almost everything. I’d like to think that fundamental change at this level makes us all rise to new heights. It certainly has for me and my team.

Far Cry 6 Opening Cinematic – Ubisoft / Antibody

At first blush, what appears as the opening for the next Bond film or a new streaming binge-a-thon is actually for the next installment in Ubisoft’s Far Cry franchise.

Why it matters: As games continue to rival Hollywood franchises in their scope and scale, it’s no surprise that for this year’s entry of the Far Cry series, Ubisoft turned to Emmy Award-winning director Patrick Clair to sum up the themes of the new installment, this time set in Cuba. If the work looks familiar, it’s probably because Patrick was the creative force behind opening title sequences for shows like True Detective, Westworld, The Man In The High Castle, American Gods and Halt And Catch Fire. He’s an expert at using simple iconography, beautifully filmed, to land the tone of a franchise and layer in the unexpected. It hooks you instantly.

The details: According to Clair, “the creative team behind Far Cry 6 wanted to introduce the game in a way reminiscent of television main titles. The world they’ve created is rich with history, culture, and imagery. It’s a land of cyclical violence and bloody revolutions.”  He goes on to say, “we wanted to evoke a time of conquistadors with the uprisings of the 20th century…the fascinating world of circular history translated into a poetic string of symbols centered around the icon of a circle.” Sign me up!

Dior Autumn-Winter 2020-2021 Haute Couture

For anyone that knows me, this last one will probably surprise you. Let’s enter into the world of haute couture. 

Why it matters: It’s generally expected that in fashion, the season’s newest lines are launched alongside glitzy fashion shows and parties filled with tastemakers and celebrities. But these are not normal times. Expectations are being flouted, so no place better to do that than in high fashion. Introducing Christian Dior’s short film for Winter 20-21, an evocative dreamscape filled with fairies and dryads. And the real magic of it is that this film not only captures the beauty and story behind each meticulously constructed piece of Dior’s newest line; it also weaves itself into the very fabric of our collective myths and fairytales and elevates these images through the power of shared storytelling and sheer imagination. Designer Maria Grazia adds: “Surrealist images manage to make visible what is in itself invisible. I’m interested in mystery and magic, which are also a way of exorcising uncertainty about the future.”

The details: Dior brought on the talented Italian filmmaker Matteo Garrone who had explored similar dreamlike territory in his film ‘Tale of Tales’ starring Salma Hayek and John C. Reilly. The stunning Garden of Ninfa located just outside of Rome is where all of the outdoor magic happens. The miniatures and the trunk being carted through the forest by bellhops is a nod to the ‘Théâtre de la Mode’ of the 1940s: a traveling exhibit of miniature mannequins placed in realistic sets wearing the latest designs, all done in an effort to help revitalize the fashion sector after the war in Europe.

Dr. Myriam Sidibe On Building Purpose Into Your Growth Strategy

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A global study by Zeno Group asked 8,000 consumers across eight global markets to rate more than 75 brands on their perceived strength of purpose. The findings revealed that consumers are four to six times more likely to purchase, protect and champion purpose-driven companies.

Despite research that suggests integrating a social purpose into a business model pays off, many brands are reluctant to take action. Taking a stance, especially amid a global pandemic and push for racial justice, however, isn’t just a luxury, it’s a necessity.

We spoke with Dr. Myriam Sidibe, former social mission director at Unilever and the author of “Brands on a Mission: How to Achieve Social Impact and Business Growth Through Purpose” about how brands can drive impact through purpose and the kind of leadership necessary to produce transformational change within a company.

What are some actionable steps brands can take to build purpose into their growth strategy?

The way brands can drive purpose and shatter stereotypes is through their marketing and advertising, making sure that they’re showcasing minorities and people with disabilities, in different kinds of positions, respectfully. This involves choosing words and images that reflect the reality of all of the different communities portrayed, whether it’s gender, race, LGBTQ+ or differently-abled bodies. Showing images of people from racial and ethnic minorities in positions of power and leadership is also very good for role modeling.

In my book, I call the brands that stand up “brands on a mission” because they will go far. Whereas the ones that don’t have a mission will actually fall behind. 

Between Ben and Jerry’s launching a new Justice Remix’d flavor with the Advancement Project National Office and Walmart committing $100 million over five years for the creation of a center devoted to racial equity, many brands have taken great action to promote social change. 

How can brands drive social change responsibly without exploiting or inflaming situations?

Brands need to uphold values mindfully. You don’t want to cause unintended harm, but you do want to be very truthful in what you stand for. Be really intentional about choosing your messages. You may choose to be controversial, like Nike with its 2018 Colin Kaepernick ad. But if you’re going to express your stance, you need to do it with integrity and good intentions. You need to follow up with what I’m calling the distinction between “brand say” and “brand do.” Where “brand say” is the advertising talk, “brand do” is what you do in terms of partnerships, what you put in your advertising to drive positive behavior change and what you do in terms of driving systemic change that’s bigger than just your brand advocacy.

You can do quite a lot with measurement to track whether you’re making a real dent in terms of changing attitudes, educating people the right way and getting the right engagement you’re looking for.

If you’re going to stand for anything, that cause must manifest across the board—from the advertising to the product and the supply chain, to the hiring of talent and retaining of black people, including at the senior and C-Suite levels. Those actions set apart the brands that are just jumping on the bandwagon versus ones who want to make a real difference.

What advice would you give to brands who have typically shied away from social issues?

Start by educating yourself and looking internally. If you’re going to stand for racial equality, you’re going to have to make sure your house is in order and that indeed you’re putting policies in place, you’re calling out micro-aggressions and you’re being very honest about your ability to create safe spaces and to grow and retain in-house black talent. That doesn’t mean taking a big public stance.

For brands that have never voiced a purpose, they need to understand that right now is more about listening than actually saying, unless they’ve previously consistently stood for a cause. For example, a brand like Ben and Jerry’s has stood for equality for the last 20 years. They have stellar brand ethics, their board is really diverse and they’ve worked with black and LGBTQ+ communities to effect change, so you know when they come out with a public statement or a plan of action that it’s really genuine.

For a brand that’s new to backing a social cause, I’d say follow the Black Lives Matter movement, but don’t be the first one to launch the next advertising around how much you care for black people if you haven’t done anything by first demonstrating at least a medium-term commitment and working on a coalition with partners. 

At the leadership level, what type of talent is required to drive these transformational changes?

Everybody in a company should be responsible for driving change. At every level, an inclusive culture that doesn’t tolerate micro-aggressions should be implemented. A lot of brand mishaps you see are a result of excluding some diversity members in the team who would have been able to see things differently and who would’ve expressed their point of view—to say, ‘I feel rather offended by this,’ or ‘I’m not sure this would make my community feel comfortable.’

This diversity requires richness at all points in time. The more you take a chance on someone who doesn’t look and doesn’t sound like you at all levels of the corporate ladder, the better chances you’ll have to get better input.

Getting on a social mission is a business imperative because brands that do not adopt moral values are going to find it really hard to survive in the future. Before quality was just the right differentiator between brands. Today, having morals that you stick to will enable brands to set themselves apart.

At the heart of this kind of leadership is passion. You need to find somebody who feels extremely passionate about the issue to drive that social mission across because she will call out when things are wrong in the organization. She or he won’t be scared. They need to know that leadership is going to back them up and that there won’t be consequences for speaking their truth. If you really want to see whether diversity has been embraced and embedded throughout, ask a company how many black people have been in their company for 20 or 25 years, and at which level? 

What are the benefits of integrating a social purpose?

Purpose is not only a differentiator, but in many cases, it drives retention and creativity. If what you’re looking for is employees that are energized, imagine how much retention you’re going to get by infusing purpose at the heart of what you do.

If your purpose is very well aligned with the business end goal, it will also bring about innovation and creativity within the brand itself. For example, let’s say you’re a soap company like Lifebuoy and your purpose is to reduce child mortality by getting 1 billion people to wash their hands then you’re also driving volume, you’re driving penetration and you enter into new markets with a differentiation right upfront. Those are all reasons to put a purpose at the core of your business strategy.

In my experience, some brands are reluctant to act on social issues because they’re scared or they lack the confidence. They may not have a portfolio within their company that aligns with that purpose so they’re worried some part of the business is so wrong that it will taint anything they try to do. So they just choose inaction. 

Can you name a few brands that you think are doing a great job at this?

The Lifebuoy soap brand and its handwashing programs are trying to get 1 billion people to wash their hands. Durex has done a great job in terms of safe sex promotions, HIV prevention and breaking the taboos around it.

Another great brand that’s putting healthy behaviors at the core of what they do is Vitality insurance, which encourages consumers to adopt healthy behaviors. For example: If you use your seat belt, eat healthy foods and exercise more, they reduce your premium.

There’s also Lixil, which is a Japanese brand that’s doing some great stuff with improving sanitation around the world.

TikTok Launches New Immersive Ad Templates For Brands

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Updated throughout the week of July 20th, 2020.

This week in social media news, TikTok launches interactive ad templates for brands, Twitter says the direct message inbox of hacked accounts were exposed, Facebook convenes a team to study minority users’ experiences, LinkedIn’s revenue grows 10 percent, Twitter’s Q2 revenue decreases 19 percent year-over-year and more.

TikTok Launches Interactive Ad Options, Gamified Branded Effects

TikTok is introducing a variety of templates called Gamified Branded Effects to its self-serve ad platform that brands can use to create more immersive ads.

Why it matters: As rumors about TikTok’s potential ban in the US circulate, some brands may be reluctant to use the new templates as they have already started to distance themselves from the platform and shift focus elsewhere.

The details: Brands can access 20 formats customizable to their campaign “for a fun and competitive video shooting experience.” The Gamified Branded Effects are similar to Snapchat’s augmented reality (AR)-building tool, Lens Web Builder, which offers hundreds of 3D effects.

Twitter DMs Of High-Profile Accounts Were Accessed In Breach

Last week, Twitter experienced a major security breach of over 100 high-profile accounts as a result of a social engineering scheme. Twitter says the hackers were able to access the direct message inbox of some of these accounts, as well as other private information.

Why it matters: Twitter’s response to the situation included restricting functionality for many Twitter profiles, but for 45 of the targeted accounts, the attackers were still able to reset the password, log into the account and send tweets.

The details: As per Twitter:

“We believe that for up to 36 of the 130 targeted accounts, the attackers accessed the DM inbox, including 1 elected official in the Netherlands.”

For all the accounts that were hacked, attackers were able to see email addresses and phone numbers but not previous account passwords.


Facebook Convenes Team To Study Minority Users’ Experiences

Facebook is convening a new equity and inclusion team tasked with studying how black, Hispanic and other minority users in the US are affected by Facebook’s and Instagram’s algorithms, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Why it matters: The move to examine disparate racial impacts comes as an advertiser boycott over Facebook’s hate speech policy persists. The issue of algorithmic bias arose last year, when Instagram set new thresholds for disabling or deleting accounts after an internal analysis revealed black users were 50 percent more likely to have their account suspended than other users. Instagram said the issue was due to the fact that the company’s existing data doesn’t accurately capture race.

The details: A spokesperson from Instagram confirmed to WSJ that both Instagram and Facebook will create an inclusion team to see if their systems contain algorithmic bias. Facebook’s team, the Inclusivity Product Team, will seek advice from black users and experts on race.


LinkedIn Revenue Grows 10 Percent In Q2

In the most recent quarter, LinkedIn’s revenue increased 10 percent and its sessions grew by 27 percent, Microsoft’s Q4 2020 report shows.

Why it matters: A glimpse into LinkedIn’s performance comes after the company announced that it would reduce its global workforce by six percent due to the pandemic.

The details: After seeing record levels of engagement in April, LinkedIn is experiencing more usage as those out of a job seek to make new connections. However, as the report notes, “LinkedIn was negatively impacted by the weak job market and reductions in advertising spend.”


Twitter Q2 Revenue Drops 19 Percent Year-Over-Year

According to its Q2 earning report, Twitter generated $683 million in revenues, a 19 percent decrease year-over-year, but reached 186 million daily monetizable active users (mDAUs), a 39 percent increase YoY.

Why it matters: Twitter’s performance update reflects an ongoing struggle among social platforms whose ad businesses have been hit hard by COVID-19.

The details: Twitter’s mDAUs grew from 166 million at the end of Q1 to 186 million in Q2. Its ad revenue represented $562 million, down 23 percent YoY.

As per Twitter: “We saw a gradual, moderate recovery relative to March levels throughout most of Q2, with the exception of late May to mid-June, when many brands slowed or paused spend in reaction to U.S. civil unrest.”

Snapchat Q2 Revenue Grows 17 Percent To $454 Million

Snapchat’s revenue increased 17 percent to $454 million in Q2 from a year prior and reached a user base of 238 million, the company’s quarterly report shows.

Why it matters: Given the increased usage it experienced at the onset of the pandemic, Snapchat overestimated its Q2 growth. However, Snapchat chief financial officer Derek Andersen said the surge “dissipated faster than we anticipated as shelter in place conditions persisted,” adding that the company’s net loss grew 28 percent to $326 million from a year earlier.

The details: Snapchat’s revenue growth in Q2 pales in comparison to the 44 percent revenue increase it saw in Q1, potentially a result of the gradual easing of restrictions. Snap’s revenue is up 32 percent during the first few weeks of Q3, but Andersen estimates it’ll reach 20 percent by the end of Q3.


Instagram Launches Personal Causes Fundraising Feature

Instagram is testing a new feature that lets you raise money for a personal cause with a select group of Android users in the US, UK and Ireland.

Why it matters: Instagram says that since January, people have raised over $100 million for COVID-19 fundraisers globally across Instagram and Facebook. In addition, donations on Instagram have doubled in the US in the last 30 days.

The details: Users eligible to donate through Instagram’s donation sticker can now donate to a personal fundraiser by tapping “edit profile,” adding a fundraiser and selecting a fundraiser category. Instagram must review fundraisers before they go live. Once approved, the fundraiser lasts 30 days and can be extended another 30 days. When the fundraiser ends, the funds are transferred into the user’s bank account, which they connect via Facebook’s payment processor Stripe.

US Bans TikTok On Government Devices

According to Politico, the House voted to prohibit federal employees from downloading or using TikTok on government-issued devices as part of a $741 billion defense policy bill.

Why it matters: The move comes as national security concerns about TikTok’s ties to China and its data privacy practices abound.

The details: Part of a package of bipartisan changes to the National Defense Authorization Act, the proposal was passed by lawmakers who voted 336-71 and would extend to members of Congress and congressional staff.

Facebook Clarifies Its Content Monetization And Brand Safety Practices

Facebook announced that the Media Rating Council (MRC) will perform an audit of its partner and content monetization policies and brand safety controls it makes available to advertisers. It also said it’s considering opening up its content moderation systems to external audits to validate the figures it publishes in its Community Standards Enforcement Report (CSER), which is released on a quarterly basis.

Why it matters: Still in the thick of a boycott by advertisers and civil rights groups over its content moderation policies, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently announced new changes that would prevent potential voter suppression and expand its ad policy to protect people from different races, gender identities and immigration statuses.

The details: MRC will evaluate the development and enforcement of its partner monetization policies and content monetization policies. The MRC will also assess Facebook’s ability to apply brand safety controls to ads displayed within publisher content. Facebook will provide an update on the audit by mid-August.


TikTok Suspends Plans To Build Global Headquarters In The UK

TikTok is suspending plans to build a global headquarters in the UK amid a potential trade war between London and Beijing, as reported by The Guardian.

Why it matters: Based in Beijing, TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, halted plans for a UK-based headquarters after the UK government banned Huawei, a Chinese telecoms firm, from developing Britain’s 5G mobile phone network.

The details: ByteDance underwent months of negotiations with the Department for International Trade to expand operations in the UK, according to The Guardian. Now it will look to Dubai, where many TikTok employees are already located.


Google Launches All-In-One Video Shopping Platform Shoploop

Google’s in-house lab for experimental projects, Area 120, is rolling out an interactive video shopping platform called Shoploop that lets users discover, evaluate and buy products all in one place.

Why it matters: Shoploop is Google’s latest project to expand shoppable content. Last month, it launched shoppable video ads on YouTube.

The details: Users can browse videos of products in action, which are 90 seconds or shorter, read reviews, then either save or buy products later. Google has convened a group of Shoploop creators who will make tutorials displaying products, with a focus on beauty brands for now. Shoploop is available on mobile devices, but Google says it’s creating a desktop version.

Twitch Launches A Standalone Sports Category

Amazon’s Twitch is launching a sports category, which will include streams from soccer clubs and serve as home to the existing NBA, NHL, RFL, UFC and NWSL content that’s available on the platform, The Verge reports.

Why it matters: Twitch has become one of the top destinations for live sports watching. A few weeks ago, the platform streamed Premier League soccer free for the first time.  

The details: In addition to creating a new sports category, Twitch is re-launching its “twitchsports” channel to showcase the available sports content.

Instagram Prepares For Global Launch Of Reels

Facebook is set to launch its TikTok-like feature, Reels, in the US and over 50 countries in a few weeks, unnamed sources told NBC.

Why it matters: Instagram Reels’ forthcoming global rollout comes as the White House is considering a ban on TikTok in the US over its handling of user data. Reels could catapult Instagram to TikTok’s level of popularity among its billion-plus user base.

The details: Reels enable users to create and share 15-second video clips and borrow and remix music from other people’s videos. Facebook introduced Reels in Brazil last November, expanded it to Germany and France last month and more recently launched it in India.

Snapchat Enables Four Snap Mini Apps

Four of the seven Snap Minis, simplified versions of apps on Snap’s Chat section, that Snapchat introduced last month went live on the platform, as reported by TechCrunch.

Why it matters: Snapchat’s relationship with Tencent, a Snap investor who has seen over a million mini apps on its WeChat app, influenced its plan for mini apps, which could lead to increased user engagement on Snapchat.

The details: Designed by developers via HTML, Snap Minis let users perform various tasks without leaving Snapchat. The four mini apps that went live include Headspace, Flashcards, Prediction Master and Let’s Do It. The other three mini apps coming soon include a festival trip planning app by Coachella, a class schedule comparison app called Saturn and Atom’s movie ticketing.

Zoom Downloads Surpass TikTok In Q2

A new report from Sensor Tower shows that Zoom was downloaded over 300 million times worldwide in Q2, outperforming TikTok and making it only the third app in history to surpass 300 million downloads in a three-month period.

Why it matters: Zoom’s popularity has grown since the onset of the pandemic, when businesses shifted to working remotely. In Q1, Zoom’s revenue spiked 169 percent to $328.2 million from a year earlier. The company doubled its revenue forecast for 2020 from $905 million to $1.78 billion.

The details: In Q2, Zoom received 94 million downloads worldwide on iOS devices, beating TikTok’s 71 million installs. On the Google Play store, however, TikTok led the way with 230 million downloads.

Globally, app downloads reached an all-time high of 37.8 billion in Q2, a 31.7 percent increase year-over-year.

Ad Spend In North America Declines 31.6 Percent Near End Of Q2

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Ad spend declined by 31.6 percent across North America during the last two weeks of Q2 after increasing by 91.7 percent near the end of Q1, according to Socialbakers’ Q2 2020 social media trends report. The decease is likely a result of hundreds of brands pulling their Facebook ads in a show of support for a civil rights groups-led boycott against the platform.

Socialbakers’ findings show that worldwide ad spend bounced back, growing by 26.2 percent in Q2 compared to Q1. The period of April to May, when many businesses reopened, saw a dramatic increase in ad spend and cost-per-clicks (CPC). In the US, CPC increased by 31.1 percent and globally, by 55.3 percent. CPC in East Asia rebounded earlier than most regions, causing CPC to slightly decrease, from $0.158 to $0.148.

CPC for brand ad accounts, on the other hand, hit a low of $0.075 in April, but picked back up with a 42.7 percent increase to $0.107. Still, CPC were still 23.6 percent lower than they were in Q2 2019, at $0.140.

Overall, most industries returned to normal ad spend across regions in Q2, seeing an increase of an average of 27.1 percent. Looking to recoup losses suffered during the onset of the pandemic, the accommodation industry’s ad spend surged by 151.3 percent and ecommerce’s ad spend grew by 76.3 percent compared to Q1.

Despite signs that paid advertising was inching toward pre-pandemic levels, ad spend declined by 31.6 percent near the end of June, which could be linked to the anti-Facebook boycott.

Social media ad spend hasn’t shown signs of returning to normal. In fact, ad spend for the Facebook news feed dropped by 2.6 percent, part of an ongoing decline that started in January 2019—from a high of 64.1 percent of total spend to 57.7 percent in June 2020.

Among the top five platforms by relative ad spend, the Facebook news feed decreased by 34.6 in CPC and by 40.6 percent in cost per mille (CPM).

Facebook Instream Video, however, increased by 21.4 percent in CPC and 18.9 percent in CPM.

Spend on the Instagram feed also decreased, by 4.2 percent. Instagram feed and stories declined by about 37 percent in CPC and 28 percent in CPM.

In terms of organic social media, video content on Twitter and Facebook Live spiked in Q2.

Across platforms, Twitter had the highest percentage of video. Over the last three quarters, more than 20 percent of tweets from brand profiles with over 1,000 followers included a video. That figure rose to 27.3 percent in June.

Facebook Live represented just 0.99 percent of all posts from Facebook brand profiles, resulting in an increase of 26.9 percent in Q2. From March to June, Facebook Live increased by 126 percent, indicating its importance in the time of lockdowns.

The data also show increased activity around podcasts, with the number of brands on Instagram who mentioned podcasts growing from 510 in June 2019 to 1,087 in April 2020.

The pandemic has also impacted influencer marketing. In Q2, the number of influencers who used #ad in their posts decreased by 11.4 percent year-over-year.

These findings are based on Socialbakers’ analysis of a minimum of 50 Instagram profiles and 50 Facebook pages for any given category.

What We’re Reading—Week Of July 20th

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We’re searching for the most pressing marketing insights this week.

Gen-Z And Covid-19 In The New Heartland: Are They Reacting The Same Way To Your Brand?

Forbes

Research from Gen Z Identity Lab supports the notion that COVID-19 is a generation-defining moment for Gen Z, especially for those in the New Heartland, where Gen Z is clinging more closely to their core values of faith (not religion), community and family.

Why it matters: Over half of New Heartland Gen-Zers say they’ll refrain from direct contact with others in the long-term and 35 percent won’t travel on airplanes.

How Employee Buy-In Drove Results For A B2B Marketing Campaign

Ad Age

Boomi’s chief marketing officer, Mandy Dhaliwal, says treating staff as brand ambassadors was key to the success of its new positioning around accelerating business outcomes.

Why it matters: As of today, Boomi has 36 percent of all its direct customers as publicly referenceable, while the industry average is 15-20 percent.

Twitter Purges QAnon Conspiracy Accounts

Adweek

Twitter said it’s taking further action on content related to “QAnon” theories, which it says have engaged in behavior connected to well-documented offline harm.

Why it matters: Twitter will permanently suspend accounts in violation of its “multi-account policy, coordinating abuse around individual victims, or are attempting to evade a previous suspension,” resulting in 7,000 accounts being banned over the past several weeks.

Fewer Than 3% Of US Executives At Ad Giant Havas Are Black

Business Insider

Havas employs around 20,000 people and about 4,000 in the US alone. Yet only 6.1 percent of its US staff is black, with 2.67 percent at the executive level.

Why it matters: Havas outlined a seven-step plan to increase diversity, and global chief talent officer Patti Clarke said the company would publish its diversity report annually to keep leadership accountable.

9 Smart Tips For Creating And Optimizing Mobile Ads

Ad Age

Some key ways to optimize mobile ads include geotagging ads, creating ads that work without audio and making ads legible on a small screen.

Why it matters: As COVID-19 cases resurge, targeting consumers on their devices will be critical to reaching them during lockdowns.

Half Of Agency Staffers Don’t Feel Secure About Their Jobs

Digiday

Half of agency employees don’t feel that their job is secure, 40 percent are currently looking for a new one and 32 percent have taken a pay cut, Digiday’s research found.

Why it matters: The pandemic has made things difficult for the industry overall, as 59 percent of agency workers say they’re working longer hours and 32 percent feeling pressured to produce more work.

How to Brainstorm — Remotely

Harvard Business Review

To avoid groupthink while brainstorming remotely, have small groups capture their ideas in a document then send a shared document of solutions to the entire group to build on them.

Why it matters: Solving complex problems in remote environments makes it easier to bring in a diverse group of participants and enables people to think more abstractly about a problem.

Why Intersectionality Is Key To Brand Success

Adweek

Bonnie Smith, the founder of Studio B Entertainment, a brand experience agency made up of women of color, says brands need to ensure they have internal representation at every level of their company before spending marketing dollars on Black Lives Matter campaigns.

Why it matters: As per Smith, “I needed to do my own thing to make sure brands could become aware and stop advertising to us as if we’re one person, and start recognizing many of us claim multiple identities.”

Shopify Adds Virtual Shopping Feature With Hero

Mobile Marketer

Shopify merchants can now create a more immersive experience for their customers with Hero-powered virtual tools, including mobile text messages with personalized recommendations and the ability to answer product questions and check inventory.

Why it matters: As lockdowns persist, many shoppers will continue shopping online, making it important for brands to mimic the in-store experience digitally.

Reimagining Marketing In The Next Normal

McKinsey & Company

To thrive as the pandemic continues, marketers must rethink how to connect with consumers, redesign shopper journeys, engage with smart devices and interfaces across the home and localize their marketing.

Why it matters: Harnessing the imagination may be just as critical to planning during the pandemic, if not more so, than the granular monitoring of data and trends.

Nielsen Announces Changes To Its Digital Audience Measurement

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Nielsen is transforming the methodology behind its digital measurement products in response to evolving data privacy regulations and the decreasing reliance on third-party cookies.

The new methodology will apply to Nielsen’s suite of digital products, including Digital Content Ratings, Digital in TV Ratings, Digital Ad Ratings, Total Content Ratings and Total Ad Ratings.

Though it hasn’t provided full details, Nielsen says the privacy-centric methodology will help provide more transparency across third parties and the internet, enhance reporting of personal and connected devices and enable measurement flexibility by reducing reliance on third parties. 

Nielsen’s end goal is to position digital companies to better monetize their assets, optimize spend and confirm cross-platform campaign delivery. For marketers, this means a more holistic view of both television and digital data.

To support the revamp of its digital measurement, Nielsen will leverage its census data collection technology, proprietary network of walled gardens and platform data providers and new deduplication methodologies.

Nielsen chief operating officer Karthik Rao told TechCrunch that a focus on the portability of data and data models, plus the deduplication of audience, will ensure it doesn’t inadvertently count the same users on different platforms.

Nielsen will launch the new methodology in phases starting in early 2021.

The pandemic has prompted companies to adopt a host of digital services, posing new risks over data privacy breaches. Cillian Kieran, the CEO and founder of Ethyca, says that businesses can de-risk by performing diligence on third parties that process customer data, designating a data protection officer and ensuring clarity of privacy policies for consumers.

Diageo’s CMO For Europe, Amrit Thomas, Departs

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Updated throughout the week of July 20th, 2020.

This week in leadership updates, Diageo’s European CMO departs, Schnuck Markets names a new chief marketing officer and Land O’Lakes brings on Heather Malenshek as CMO.

Diageo’s Chief Marketing Officer For Europe, Amrit Thomas, Departs

Diageo Europe CMO, Amrit Thomas, has left the company after their business shifted from a single central market structure to a regional market model, Campaign reports.

Each market has a marketing and innovation director. Anita Robinson will assume the role for Great Britain.

Thomas served as Diageo’s European CMO since 2018. Prior to that, he was president and CMO for Diageo India for nearly five years.

Schnuck Markets Hires Bill Bradley As Chief Marketing And Communications Officer

According to Supermarket News, Schnuck Markets is bringing on Bill Bradley as CMO, effective August 3.

Bradley’s background includes 29 years at Anheuser-Busch, most recently in the position of VP of community affairs.

Land O’Lakes Names Heather Malenshek As Chief Marketing Officer

Land O’Lakes has appointed Heather Malenshek as CMO. Malenshek will oversee the brand’s business-to-consumer and business-to-business branding and marketing strategy, as well as the Land O’Lakes subsidiary FLM Harvest.

Malenshek joins Land O’Lakes from Harley-Davidson Motor Company, where she was CMO.  

Washington Names Terry Bateman Executive Vice President And Chief Marketing Officer

The Washington NFL franchise is bringing on Terry Bateman as EVP and CMO to lead its marketing efforts and brand revamp.

Bateman has over 40 years of executive experience in the sports, entertainment and media industries.

The move comes after the team retired its name and logo, which included the racial slur “Redskins.”

Lowe’s Appoints Lisa Schoder As Vice President, Integrated Media And Partnerships

Lowe’s has hired Lisa Schoder as VP, integrated media and partnerships, to oversee the company’s communications channel planning and strategy for key marketing partnerships.

Schoder joins Lowe’s after 21 years with Ford Motor Company, where she most recently served as the head of US media, digital optimization and multicultural marketing.

TravelPerk Hires Tal Zohar As Chief Marketing Officer

Tal Zohar was named TravelPerk’s new CMO.

Zohar joins TravelPerk after 10 years with Wix.com, where he held a series of senior roles, including online marketing director and vice president of business analytics and data science.

Engaging Gen Z With JUV Consulting

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During this 217th episode of “Marketing Today,” I interview Ziad Ahmed, chief executive officer, and Shaina Zafar, chief people officer, at JUV Consulting.

On the show today, we talk about how these young entrepreneurs began their already remarkable careers and JUV’s first big break. We talk about JUV’s purpose-driven mission and its unique workforce of Gen Z consultants.

Ahmed and Zafar share how JUV has innovated and grown beyond their expectations. They emphasize their focus on big purpose-driven ideas. Zafar says, “As a purpose-driven company, we always think about people and purpose first.” They explain their services and provide the example of fourteen-year-olds consulting with Fortune 500 companies on campaigns that are fundamentally disruptive. They emphasize that JUV is not business as usual, and they do not believe their clients are always right.  Ahmed speaks with passion when he says, “I would rather lose every client that we have by speaking truth to power than ever gain a single client by being something that we’re not.” As they discuss the significant events of 2020, they speak with hope about the future. Ahmed says, “We exist to empower young people. That was always true, and we’ve always shown up for that.” We have an exciting conversation that highlights young entrepreneurs that are genuinely making a unique impact. 

Highlights from this week’s “Marketing Today”:

  • How JUV began. 02:27
  • Concerns and worries JUV faced in the first couple of years. 04:13
  • JUV’s first big break. 06:32
  • JUV’s services. 08:11
  • Shaina’s daily life. 09:49
  • How they get started with clients. 12:11
  • JUV’s unique market positioning. 15:19
  • The impact of 2020 on JUV. 18:54
  • How JUV differentiates itself. 25:34
  • Shaina and Ziad reflect on their purpose. 30:28
  • JUV’s long-term goals. 35:19
  • Shaina shares a defining experience. 37:36
  • Ziad shares a defining experience. 40:22
  • Shaina reflects on advice she would give to her younger self. 43:00
  • Ziad reflects on advice he would give to his younger self. 44:56
  • Ziad shares about an impactful purchase he made in the last 6-12 months. 46:41
  • Shaina shares about an impactful purchase she made in the last 6-12 months. 47:22
  • JUV’s take on the top opportunity and threat facing marketers today. 49:41

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Alan B. Hart is the creator and host of “Marketing Today with Alan Hart,” a weekly podcast where he interviews leading global marketing professionals and business leaders. Alan advises leading executives and marketing teams on opportunities around branding, customer experience, innovation and growth. He has consulted with Fortune 100 companies, but he is an entrepreneur at his core, having founded or served as an executive for nine startups.

Listen In: Knowing When To Shift Culture And When To Let Culture Shift You

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(Originally aired July 21st on LinkedIn Live.)

We’re back with another episode of Listen In. This week, we’re featuring a conversation between Ayzenberg’s Matt Bretz and cultural expert, keynote speaker, author and CEO of Talk To Jess, Jess Weiner.

About Listen In: Each week on Listen In, Bretz and a rotating cast of hosts from Ayzenberg interview experts in the field of marketing and advertising to explore uncharted territory together. The goal is to provide the a.network audience with actionable insights, enabling them to excel in their field.