Global marketers tend to agree that using diverse model images helps a brand’s reputation, according to new data from Censuswide and Shutterstock. Those who put this philosophy to use, however, varies by generation. Younger marketers more likely to choose a diverse representation in campaigns than their older counterparts.
Censuswide surveyed over 2,500 marketers from Australia, Brazil, Germany, US and UK in October. Each professional was asked about how they made visual decisions for imagery in their campaigns within the last year. For the past two years, Shutterstock has conducted research on marketers’ use of imagery beginning in the UK (2016), followed by Australia, UK and US in 2017.
Marketer attitudes around diversity in campaigns varies by generation and region, the study found. For example, Brazilian marketers used more images of non-professional models and gender-fluid, non-binary, or androgynous models in their campaigns.
The same goes for Generations Y and Z marketers, who had used more images featuring diverse models within the last year as compared to Generation X and Baby Boomer marketers.
Despite the nobility these actions may imply, marketers believe they are expected to use more diverse representation. This was especially true among Gen X and millennial (Gen Y) marketers, at 91 and 92 percent, respectively.
Older generations don’t feel the same pressure, it seems, less than a quarter of Baby Boomer marketers have started to use more diverse images in the last year.
This includes racially diverse models (16 percent), same-sex couples (12 percent), transgender models (six percent) or people with disabilities (12 percent). Five percent of this group have started using gender-fluid, non-binary or androgynous models in the last 12 months.
However, Gen X and Y talk a lot of diversity but haven’t followed through as much as you might expect—especially when it comes to representing gender-fluid and transgender models. Despite strong feelings about representation, less than 20 percent of these generations began using such model images in the last year.
One reason for this could be a simple lack of confidence in the C-suite. Among US marketers, for example, over half admitted company concerns that gender-neutral advertising would impact the bottom line.
There is one thing that most marketers agree on, however, and that’s a need to eliminate gender stereotypes. The UK enforces strict policies about gender stereotyping in advertising and several marketers agreed with the practice. In fact, a majority of marketers in Australia (73 percent), U.S. (72 percent), Brazil (67 percent), and Germany (60 percent) agree that regulation similar to the UK’s ASA Gender Stereotyping rule should be standard practice in their countries.
“There’s no doubt that advertising and marketing visualize much of what we believe to be true in the world, and it has tremendous power to further influence and shape our beliefs,” said Shutterstock. “To that end, the visuals in campaigns representing people, society, and culture require thoughtful consideration.”
US advertisers spent a record $49.5 billion on digital advertising in the first half (H1) of 2018, according to the latest data from PwC and the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) appearing in the Internet Advertising Revenue Report. Surprising no one, mobile continues to spend more on mobile marketing but audio is proving to be a strong platform for growth.
The survey includes data concerning online advertising revenues from websites, commercial online services, free email providers, and all other companies selling online advertising.
Specifically, digital advertising in the US rose 23 percent in H1 2018 compared to $40.3 billion in H1 2017.
The report found that marketers are focusing their efforts—and budgets—on mobile, video, social media and audio while backing away from desktop and performance-based revenue pricing models.
Digital audio advertising revenue grew 31 percent in H1 to reach $935 million and nearly two percent of total digital revenue in the US. This includes podcast marketing, which is proving to be a lucrative new frontier for consumer engagement.
Public Media Marketing president David Raphael is on the IAB Audio Committee, which was formed to establish a standardized metric for downloads.
“[Podcasts are] different from any other form of media,” Raphael toldAList in a previous interview. “Each listener is a program director. They get to take their devices and decide what they’re going to listen to. They’ve made the choice to listen to something, and that’s an experience that delivers different results for advertisers than from the TV or radio world.”
It’s clear that the marketing industry is starting to realize this, as are the brands that sell advertising. In fact, Pandora unveiled a new podcast format in beta on Tuesday and Oath recently debuted new programmatic audio ad inventory.
Meanwhile, digital video advertising revenue reached $7 billion in the first half of the year, up 35 percent from a year ago. A majority of this revenue (60 percent) is attributed to mobile video, specifically.
At $30.9 billion, mobile advertising is the Internet’s leading platform. It accounted for nearly two-thirds of all digital ad revenue, compared to 54 percent in the first half of 2017. Desktop search was flat at $9.3 billion, but mobile search advertising grew 37 percent YoY to $13.5 billion. Mobile display also grew in H1 to $11.7 billion, accounting for 74 percent of all display ad revenue.
Revenue pricing models changed slightly compared to the same period last year. Impression-based models were slightly more popular, while performance-based models were less so. Hybrid models grew significantly in popularity, however. They increased from $691 million in H1 2017 to an impressive $2.3 billion in H1 2018, accounting for nearly five percent of revenue models.
Forbes 30 Under 30 is here once again, listing the young marketing and advertising professionals to look out for 2019. Among the honorees, here are six brand marketers that stand out.
As with the Forbes 30 Under 30 list itself, these marketing pros are listed in no part icular order and are acknowledged equally.
Brown joined Twitter in 2012 when the company acquired Posterous, where he served as product marketing manager. Taking it all in stride, Brown now oversees content strategy and production for the social media giant. He was there when the brand launched its massive IPO and played a major part in the debut of Twitter’s live experiences as well. Among his accomplishments, Brown helped launch a campaign for the NBA that earned over 100 million related tweets ahead of the league’s June 2018 finals.
Half of Twitter’s Q2 income was from video ads and the platform continues to invest in its live streaming capabilities. Twitter signed 50 new video livestreaming, highlight, Amplify and video-on-demand agreements in Q2, with 30 of them from international markets. Some prominent partners include ESPN, NBCUniversal and Viacom, and the company aims to bring hundreds more on board
Shavone Charles—Head Of Global Music And Youth Culture Communications, Instagram
Charles oversees communications for Instagram’s global music and youth culture and is the first person to occupy this position. She is credited with Instagram’s first Black History Month in 2018, which reached more than 19 million people and #BlackGirlMagic, another first-time initiative partnership with Spotify.
Instagram now boasts over one billion MAU and has become a go-to destination for the world’s youth. Amid Facebook’s constant stream of controversies, there is one silver lining—while teenagers are using the platform less, they are using Instagram more. The photo-sharing social media network has taken an active role in public engagement recently from voting to bullying and even the opioid crisis. This makes Charles’ role at the company even more important to the well-being of its users.
Sabena Gupta—Director Of Brand Strategy, The New York Times
In less than four years, Gupta’s career has risen at the New York Times from associate brand strategist to director of brand strategy. She joined the publication in February of 2015. Since then, she has been instrumental in the continued brand strategy of The New York Times during a period when mass media is scrutinized by both the President and many citizens.
To combat this, Gupta was pivotal in the launch of marketing campaigns such as “The Truth Is Hard” and “The Truth Has A Voice,” which aired during the 2017 Oscars and Golden Globes, respectively.
Sana Merchant—Senior Manager Of Club Social Media Strategy, NFL
Merchant joined the NFL in December of 2015 as the manager of club social media strategy and quickly worked her way up the ranks. In addition to managing the NFL’s social channels, she advises 32 clubs’ executive teams on social media strategy. She also helps analyze the data and oversees reporting that is distributed from the NFL to its clubs.
The NFL, like the press, has found itself in the middle of heated debates over the last few years as the public debates on policies like touchdown celebrations and kneeling during the National Anthem. Merchant’s social media strategy continues to engage millions of football fans while integrating new campaigns like “Get Ready to Celebrate,” which puts those previously forbidden dances front and center.
Srikanth heads AI product management at IBM and builds AI product marketing from scratch at Red Hat. For the past four years, she has made a name for herself as a female in the technology space. She is a member of the Forbes Communication Counsel as of October and has been a keynote speaker for several events. In addition to being one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30, Srikanth was named one of the “Youngest Influential Woman in AI” by Entrepreneur.
A newcomer to IBM Watson, Chang joined the company this past June and is responsible for product marketing strategy, positioning, messaging and go-to-market plans. He previously served as a digital marketing director for Kickstarter and continues to advise brands in their strategies. In addition to his work at IBM, Chang teaches marketing at New York University, General Assembly and Yale’s pre-college program, EXPLO.
In an age of data-driven marketing, IBM Watson is in a unique position to meet the needs of a variety of industry leaders. The brand entered its third year as an official partner of the Tribeca Film Festival in 2018 where it connected filmmakers with technology. IBM began testing AI ads in 2016 that interacted with users in a way that coincided with the product. For example, an ad for Theraflu displayed during cold and flu season answers questions about symptoms. Campbell’s AI ad helped users create new soup recipes based on what ingredients they already had.
Congratulations to all this year’s honorees! You can see the complete Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Marketing and Advertising here. Is there someone you think should have made this list? Join the conversation at @alistdaily.
Seth Godin is well known in the marketing industry as both a businessman and an author of over 18 best-selling books. This year he was inducted into the American Marketing Association’s Marketing Hall of Fame and today releases his newest book, This Is Marketing. Below is a short excerpt from the book in which Godin waxes poetic on fame and trust, and where marketing fits between those two ideas.
What’s Fake?
The internet thrives on affiliation. At its core is the magic that comes from peer‑to‑peer connections.
But the forces that prefer dominion instead of affiliation see this as a threat. And they’ve created waves of distrust around the voices and channels that we built our cultural trust around.
In addition, alas, the exposed misbehavior and greed of many of the pillars we count on have also destroyed the benefit of the doubt we’d like to give those who we look to for leadership.
The result is a moment in time when more people are connected and fewer are trusted. When science and fact are often thrown into a blender of willful misinterpretation and hurried misunderstanding. We’re not supposed to trust spiritual institutions, the mainstream media, politicians, social networks, or even the person down the street.
Add to this the cacophony of noise (with less signal than ever before) and the prevalence of fakes and rip‑offs, and trust is endangered.
What’s Trusted, Who’s Trusted?
Into this vacuum of mistrust, marketers find themselves on one of three paths:
Ignored
Sneaking around
Trusted
If you’re ignored, you can’t accomplish much, because in addition to not earning trust, you haven’t earned attention either. If you’re sneaking around, pretending to be one thing while acting in a different way, you might be able to steal some attention and earn some faux trust, but it won’t last.
The third method—trust—is the only one that pays for the investment required. And it’s nice that it’s also the easiest to live with.
A trusted marketer earns enrollment. She can make a promise and keep it, earning more trust. She can tell a story, uninterrupted, because with the trust comes attention. That story earns more enrollment, which leads to more promises and then more trust. And perhaps, if the story is well organized and resonates, that leads to word of mouth, to the peer‑to‑peer conversations that are at the heart of our culture.
Benefit of the doubt is not a myth. There’s a ton of doubt, and you’re likely not getting the benefit of it. It’s only when people are actually going where they think you’re going, when their identity and status are already on the line—that’s when you get the benefit.
And then change happens.
The Trust Of Action
In a world that scans instead of reads, that gossips instead of researching, it turns out that the best way to earn trust is through action.
We remember what you did long after we forget what you said.
When we asked for a refund for a defective product, what did you do? When you lost our data, what did you do? When you had to close the plant and our jobs were on the line, what did you do? Marketers spend a lot of time talking, and on working on what we’re going to say. We need to spend far more time doing.
Talking means focusing on holding a press conference for the masses.
Not talking means focusing on what you do when no one is watching, one person at a time, day by day.
Famous To The Tribe
Fame breeds trust, at least in our culture.
Everyone is famous to fifteen hundred people.
Some people are even famous to three thousand.
And that’s a fascinating new phenomenon. When there are three thousand or ten thousand or five hundred thousand people who think you’re famous… it changes things. Not simply because they’ve heard of you, but because people they trust have heard of you as well.
If you’re a business consultant, a designer, or an inventor, being famous to the right three thousand people is plenty.
The goal isn’t to maximize your social media numbers. The goal is to be known to the smallest viable audience.
Public Relations And Publicity
Usually, marketers seek publicity. They want clips. Write‑ups. Features. Getting the word out. If you hire a public relations firm, it’s more likely that you’re hiring a publicist.
And good publicity is great if you can get it—why not?
But what you probably need more than publicity is public relations.
Public relations is the art of telling your story to the right people in the right way. It willingly turns its back on publicity that seeks ink at all costs (“As long as they spell my name right”) in exchange for the marketer’s reliance on building an engine for an idea.
The race to be slightly famous is on, and it’s being fueled by the social and tribal connections permitted by the internet. We give a lot of faith and credit to the famous, but now there are a lot more of them. Over time, once everyone is famous, that will fade, but right now, the trust and benefit of the doubt we accord the famous is quite valuable.
Trumpy Bear, a mysterious and yet very real toy for purchase, has resurfaced after a new TV ad. A local commercial on Fox News sparked a trending conversation on Monday, leading audiences to once again speculate the bear’s origins.
According to the advertisement—for two payments of $19.99, viewers can order a 22-inch stuffed bear made to look like President Donald Trump, down to the blonde comb-over and business suit. Trumpy Bear features an American flag hidden in a secret pocket. The flag compartment is located behind its neck—despite what critics have so colorfully referred to as, “up his butt.”
Trumpy Bear picked up media attention this week when a commercial aired on Fox News. The spot aired locally, a spokesperson told HuffPost, denying any national business relationship with Exceptional Products. Regardless, Fox News found itself on the receiving end of mockery and questioning for running the ad.
Trumpy Bear is a case study in memetic marketing. Note the word-of-mouth and media amplification. Even Snopes took the bait. pic.twitter.com/RQ7Bk5OpPr
Whether the bear was meant to support or belittle the President is still a mystery, but its origin is not. Trumpy Bear is sold by Exceptional Products—a Texas-based company, although not much else is known about how the product came to be. A description on the Exceptional Products website claims the company is a “direct response marketing company that specializes in creating nationally known brand names for new products by using infomercials, direct response television and other marketing methods.”
Trumpy Bear appeared on the scene last July in the form of an infomercial. The toy is presented in a tone so over-the-top that audiences could not determine whether a real product was for sale. Trumpy Bear is shown riding with a former Marine on his motorcycle and on a golf cart, making his owner’s game “great again,” all to the booming voice of a dramatic narrator.
If the bear is a joke, someone is paying a lot of money to spread the laughs. In October, the two-minute infomercial began running on four networks: Animal Planet, Discovery, Grit TV and INSP. Over the past week, the TV campaign has expanded to 10 networks including the Outdoor Channel and the American Heroes Channel.
We know it’s real, but what consumers really want to know is, does it tweet?
Bumble has partnered with Moxy Hotels to create the first of many “BumbleSpots” where members can meet and hang out. BumbleSpot #attheMoxy will debut this month with experiential activations, profile services and bar promotions across the US.
The female-focused networking app will launch its first event on November 13 at the new Moxy Hotel in New York’s financial district, followed by Chicago on November 15 and Denver on November 29. five additional events will take place this year including Seattle, New Orleans, Tempe, New York Times Square and Minneapolis.
BumbleSpot #attheMoxy will serve to increase awareness around Bumble’s offerings beyond dating, to include friendship and business networking. BumbleSpots are chosen based on inclusivity and activities available to enjoy as a couple or group while in a safe environment.
“We’ve worked so hard to cultivate a safe and empowering community online and we’re always looking for opportunities to help our users bring those connections to life,” Andee Olson, director of partnerships at Bumble said in a statement.
Guests will gain access to Bumble’s Profile Doctors, who will advise on presenting themselves within the app. Professional headshots will be provided that together with the Profile Doctors’ consultation, will help earn members a profile seal of approval. To help break the ice, attendees will be invited to participate in improv workshops by the Upright Citizens Brigade, which became a Moxy partner earlier this year.
BumbleSpots will become a fixture at participating Moxy hotels following each event that will be open to Bumble users and Moxy guests. Showing a Bumble app at the bar will earn food discounts, a custom drink menu and twist on regular bar programming, such as giant Jenga.
Bumble has taken an experiential approach to match its users that goes beyond the digital realm. The brand hosted speed meet-ups at SXSW this spring and a number of talks about gender equality. In August, the brand teamed up with HBO to host an exclusive “stay home to the movies” event inside a $30 million townhome.
Aldi UK debuted the second installment of its holiday campaign starring Kevin the Carrot and his family. Despite leaving his previous cliffhanger unexplained, Kevin’s new adventure introduced new characters and has garnered positive attention across social media.
Last week, Aldi parodied Coca-Cola’s famous “Holidays are Coming” ad that ended with Kevin and his truck dangling off the side of a cliff. The spot had internet fans pleading for the carrot’s safety and speculating his fate. Even Coca-Cola offered to help.
The UK retailer pivoted its campaign on Thursday from the cliffside to a far off castle, where Kevin’s family is held captive by Pascal the Parsnip. Kevin arrives on the scene of a banquet table to find his wife Katie and three children locked in a cage.
“Kevin the Carrot and the Wicked Parsnip” features music from Edward Scissorhands and is once again narrated by actor Jim Broadbent.
It’s no coincidence that Kevin must again traverse a massive holiday feast to achieve his goal (a similar table appeared when he met Katie in last year’s ad). Aldi UK wanted to make viewers’ mouth water with the selection of foods they sell.
Kevin and his family will return for the remainder of the holiday ad campaign, retelling popular fairy tales with the theme of food. Stories will include “Kevin the Carrot and Pea-nocchio,” “Katie the Carrot and the Fairy Cake Mother” and “Kevin the Carrot and RhubarbStiltskin.”
Aldi did not indicate if or when #SaveKevin will be concluded. In fact, the title of the press release says that Kevin survived, leaving us to wonder if we will ever witness his harrowing escape.
To promote the holiday campaign, Aldi has added Pascal the Parsnip to its line-up of plush toys. Delivery trucks have been transformed into Kevin the Carrot trucks, identical to the one he drives in last week’s ad.
As with “Save Kevin,” social media fans have shown tremendous support for Aldi’s new campaign. The latest spot has received nearly 40,000 engagements (likes, shares and comments) on the first day.
This week’s executive moves include a new chief marketing officer for Citi, a marketing VP for Civilized, Avon continues its brand rejuvenation with a VP of global fragrance hire, Mamamia snags a Foxtel veteran as its new marketing director and Mount Sinai places its faith in a new marketing executive.
Also, Rakuten promoting for CMO and Forbes reinventing its marketing approach. We saw SPI/FilmBox appoint its first CMO, Yale welcomes Spotify’s former chief marketing officer on campus, Collective Medical appoints a CMO, Roostify names a marketing chief and Airbnb’s former chief marketing officer creates his own brand. Pinterest’s first chief marketing officer, Twitter hires a marketing executive to connect brands with community groups and the Asia Marketing Foundation appoints a president.
Citi Appoints Toys ‘R’ Us Veteran As Chief Brand Officer
Carla Hassan will join Citi as chief brand officer later this month. Hassan previously served as chief marketing officer for Toys ‘R’ Us. She succeeds Dermot Boden, who left the company early this year. Prior to her role at Toys ‘R’ Us, Hassan ran branding and marketing for PepsiCo’s Global Beverage Group.
“This position is central to our efforts to bring Citi’s mission of enabling growth and economic progress to life through our marketing and sponsorship efforts and leveraging them internally as well as externally,” Ed Skyler, executive vice president of global public affairs told colleagues in a memo made available to AList. “This work has helped to rebuild trust and revitalize the Citi brand, which has grown faster than any other financial services company since its re-launch in 2012. I am confident that Carla is the right person to continue to help move our brand forward, working collaboratively with our colleagues in Global Consumer Marketing and in our institutional businesses.”
Former Spotify CMO Becomes Yale Executive-in-Residence
Seth Farbman, former Spotify chief marketing officer, has named executive-in-residence at Yale School of Management. Farbman exited Spotify in September amid a reshuffling of the marketing team. In his new role, Farbman will be embedded in the life of the school, regularly sharing his expertise with students, and offering a glimpse into the experience of a senior executive.
Civilized Nabs Hennessy Veteran As Marketing VP
Cannabis lifestyle media brand Civilized has named Elisabeth Baron its new vice president of marketing. Baron brings over 20 years of experience that includes head marketing roles at Diageo, Omnichannel and LVMH Möet Hennessy USA, where she relaunched the Hennessy brand with “Never Stop. Never Settle.” Baron was also formerly VP of marketing at Stillhouse Spirits Co.
“Elisabeth is a senior marketing professional at the top of her game,” says Derek Riedle, publisher of Civilized. “She’ll be guiding our marketing team with expertise and strategy as we break into new regions with new activations. With her leadership, we’ll be bringing branded, cannabis-culture campaigns to our audiences that they won’t forget.”
Avon Names VP Of Global Fragrance
Tatiana Piccolo has been named Avon’s new vice president of global fragrance. Her experience spans nearly two decades, having served in regional and global roles for Natura.
Piccolo will report to newly hired James Thompson, who joined Avon as chief beauty and brand officer November 1. He said of the hire: “This is a new era for Avon’s brand and product marketing as we inject new talent, unleash existing talent and overhaul our approach. Tatiana brings invaluable experience of growing market share in key categories and geographies and I’m delighted that she is joining the team at this pivotal moment.”
Mamamia Hires Foxtel Exec As Group Marketing Director
Female-focused media brand Mamamia has named Rob Farmer as group director of marketing and partner solutions. Farmer joins the brand from sports TV network Foxtel, where he served as marketing director for six years.
In this new role, Farmer will head B2B and B2C marketing, research and insight, in-house design and commercial content solutions for partners across Mamamia, Social Squad and any new ventures.
Mount Sinai Health Systems Names Marketing Exec
Mount Sinai Health System has hired David A. Feinberg as SVP and chief marketing and communications officer. Feinberg brings more than 30 years of consumer and healthcare marketing experience. Feinberg was most recently CMO for tghe Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Joining the senior leadership team, Feinberg will provide strategic guidance for all traditional and digital marketing, communications, and branding efforts for all seven hospitals under Mount Sinai.
Rakuten Promotes For Chief Marketing Officer
Japanese ecommerce giant Rakuten has appointed Naho Kono to the new position of chief marketing officer. Kono has served at Rakuten for over 15 years, most recently as managing executive officer and president of ecommerce. Her continued success in the company has set an example for other Japanese women. She was the first female to be appointed to the executive officer at Rakuten and the youngest female to achieve this position.
Forbes Expands Marketing Role
Forbes announced that it is “re-imagining” marketing under its CMO, Tom Davis. In addition to his chief marketing officer duties, Davis will be responsible for the diversification of the company’s revenue base with an emphasis on full-funnel marketing and lead generation for marketers.
A global, mobile-first product will be unveiled in the coming weeks under Davis’ leadership that “leverages Forbes’ vast premium video content that celebrates entrepreneurial capitalism.”
FilmBox Names First Chief Marketing Officer
SPI International, the parent company of OTT service FilmBox, has named Haymi Behar to the role of chief marketing officer. Behar most recently served as VP of digital media and sales at Dogan Media, where he helped launch BLUTV—the largest OTT service in Turkey.
In his new role, Behar will be responsible for advancing SPI’s brand reputation across all platforms, strategic communications, media planning and buying, media relations and publicity.
Speaking of the new appointment, Berk Uziyel, SPI CEO, said: “SPI continues to invest in valuable talent to achieve our ambitious international business goals. We are excited that Haymi is bringing his marketing and digital experience as our business is becoming increasingly global reaching over 55 million subscribers. Haymi has been a pioneer in building brands in media, his collaborative and energetic style will contribute to the brand’s reputation and our strategic growth.”
Collective Medical Appoints CMO
Care collaboration network Collective Medical has named Kat McDavitt as chief marketing officer. McDavitt joins the company from her own communications firm, Insenna Communications. Prior to that, she held a number of strategic communication roles within the healthcare industry.
As CMO, McDavitt will facilitate the rapid growth of the Collective Network across all points of care by raising awareness among caregivers.
Roostify Names Chief Marketing Officer
Lending provider Roostify has appointed Courtney Keating Chakerun as its new chief marketing officer. Chakerun previously served as SVP of marketing and innovation at CoreLogic, preceded by over a decade of leadership roles at GE.
“As Roostify advances along the growth trajectory powered by our world-class customers and emphasis on digital innovation, strong and focused marketing leadership is imperative to position ourselves for continued success,” said Rajesh Bhat, CEO of Roostify. “Courtney’s extensive leadership experience, marketing prowess and proven track record of driving growth will be great assets to Roostify, and we’re excited to welcome her to the company.”
Former Airbnb CMO Launches TwentyFirstCenturyBrand
Jonathan Mildenhall, former CMO of Airbnb, has officially launched his own marketing consultancy firm with Alexandra Dimiziani and Neil Barrie. Mildenhall served four years as CMO of Airbnb. Mildenhall says the mission of TwentyFirstCenturyBrand is to “enable founders and CEOs of the world’s most innovative companies to realize transformational growth through excellence in marketing.”
Pinterest Appoints First Chief Marketing Officer
Andréa Mallard has been named the very first CMO for Pinterest. Mallard previously served as chief marketing officer for Gap Inc.’s Athleta Division. Her 20+ year career includes several roles in marketing and strategy for Omada Health and IDEO, with a focus on retail and customer service.
In her new role, Mallard will be responsible for “telling the Pinterest story” to both users and global partners ahead of a potential 2019 public offering.
“I am very excited that Andréa has joined our team,” said Francoise Brougher, Pinterest’s Chief Operating Officer. “Her wealth of experience in building great brands will be an asset to our company as we continue to expand globally. She is exactly the right leader to help us illustrate why hundreds of millions of people rely on Pinterest to get inspiration and do what they love.”
Twitter Taps Ad Exec For New Community Marketing Position
God-is Rivera has been appointed Twitter’s first global director of culture and community. Twitter created this new position to help marketers reach unofficial, yet highly influential communities like “Black Twitter.” Rivera previously served as the director of inclusion and cultural resonance at WPP PLC’s marketing agency, VMLY&R.
“The purpose of this role is to sit at the intersection of marketing, communications and culture,” said Leslie Berland, chief marketing officer and head of people at Twitter.
Asia Marketing Federation Names DSI Sampson Group CMO As President
The Asian Marketing Federation (AMF) has appointed Rohan Somawansa as its new President. Somawansa is currently the head of marketing and corporate communication and CMO for DSI Samson Group, the largest footwear manufacturer and retailer in Sri Lanka. Somawansa has served on the AMF board since 2011 and was appointed first vice president last year.
Editor’s Note:Our weekly careers post is updated daily. This installment will be updated until Friday, November 9. Have a new hire tip? We’re looking for senior executive role changes in marketing and media. Let us know at editorial@alistdaily.com.
This week in social media news, Google tests carousel ads and Facebook enters the dating scene in two more countries.
Also, Pinterest launches advertising in France while Facebook swears it isn’t spying on you… much. Instagram lets users share IGTV favorites and Nintendo Switch users have noticed a YouTube app suggestion. Stories Ads can now cross over from Instagram to Facebook, LinkedIn opens a new Campaign Manager beta. Facebook addressed its role in Myanmar and removed suspicious accounts while British youth crave the perfect travel brag more than alcohol. Snapchat teams up with ComScore, Instagram tests the ability to promote Stories, Facebook opens a pop-up store and launches a beta for Instagram/Facebook page analytics.
Google Tests Carousel Ads In Search Results
YouTube movie trailers have been spotted as a carousel ad above Google search results in an apparent test.
Why it matters: Since the carousel is labeled “Ads,” it could be a sign that Google is testing carousel ad formats and using YouTube as a guinea pig. Carousel ads have proven successful on other platforms like Snapchat and Pinterest, so it makes sense that the world’s largest source of advertising would want to get in on the action.
Details: Digital marketing platform SEMrush spotted something new on Google this week—YouTube movie trailers in a carousel above search results. There weren’t any changes to the Google Ads panel, suggesting an internal test.
Facebook Dating Expands Test With New Tools
Facebook’s dating feature is now being tested in Canada and Thailand along with the previous launch in Columbia.
Why it matters: Additional test demographics could mean that Facebook is finding some success with the beta—either that or they want to see how different regions use the feature.
Details: Canada and Thailand now have access to early testing for Facebook’s dating feature. In addition to the basic controls, users can also try a new tool called “second look.” The tool allows users to review those they have previously passed on. Users can also pause the feature when they want to take a break from the dating scene.
Pinterest Ads Now Available In France
After a successful testing period, Pinterest ads have officially launched in France.
Why it matters: France is the first non-English speaking country to offer Promoted Pins. Pinterest has had a dedicated team in France for the last several years, laying the groundwork for partner relationships. The company says that in France, over three million Pins are saved on a daily basis.
Details: Promoted Pins are now available in seven countries including the US, UK, Australia, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand. Early French brand partners include Guerlain, Picard, TIPTOE, Louis Vuitton and Air France.
Facebook Explains Portal Privacy And Advertising
While Facebook ads are not shown on Portal devices, the company posted a blog addressing widespread concern about how much they are listening or watching.
Why it matters: Despite a string of controversies and admitted shortcomings, Facebook usage remains steady (although growth has stalled). The convenience of Facebook may keep users logging in, but that doesn’t necessarily translate to adoption of data-gathering devices. The brand has a long way to go before it earns global trust.
Details: In a blog post, Facebook assured users that it does not listen to or record conversations that occur on its new Portal devices. However, they do pay attention to how often you use the device, the volume level, frame resolution and other details. This information, Facebook says, may inform ads that consumers see on the Facebook platform, but not the Portal device itself. Facebook also claimed that it does not show ads based on any voice commands given.
IGTV Can Now Be Shared As Instagram Stories
Instagram is promoting its IGTV app by allowing users to share previews with their followers.
Why it matters: IGTV is a stand-alone app and while brands are taking it for the spin, user adoption hasn’t been the stampede Instagram hoped for. The solution may be to let existing Instagram users market the app for them.
Details: Instagram now lets users share clips of their favorite IGTV programs. While watching IGTV, users can share to to their Instagram accounts in the form of Stories. The function creates a clip that leads viewers to the full video on IGTV.
Now you can share your favorite IGTV videos to your story. Tap the paper airplane at the bottom of the video you want to share. When friends see your story, they can tap the preview to watch the whole video in IGTV. pic.twitter.com/oaatUoOqZY
Some gamers have noticed the YouTube app appearing on Nintendo’s website as a suggested download, according to reports.
Why it matters: YouTube has been a highly requested feature for Nintendo’s latest console and for the moment, Hulu is the only way to stream video on Switch. Access to Nintendo’s large user base—especially since YouTube is no longer available on Wii—would help build visibility for Google’s video site.
Details: As reported by Polygon, users in both the US and France have reported seeing a suggestion to download the YouTube app while browsing Nintendo’s website for Switch titles. Although there is no dedicated product page for such an app, the suggested download has gamers speculating about what it could mean.
Stories Ads Expanded To Facebook
Brands that want to promote their Stories on Instagram can now extend that audience to Facebook users.
Why it matters: Facebook says that 68 percent of people become more interested in a brand or product after seeing it in a story. The format has largely been successful on Instagram, making the Facebook integration a no-brainer.
Details:Instagram Stories ads can now extend to campaigns on Facebook Stories. Ads appear the same on both platforms. In addition, ads in Facebook Stories support the same objective, targeting and measurement capabilities used in Instagram Stories ads.
LinkedIn Overhauls Campaign Manager
LinkedIn has released a beta for Objective-Based Advertising in Campaign Manager.
Why it matters: Designed to make advertising easier, LinkedIn says this new campaign creation experience will lay the groundwork for objective-based optimization and pricing to come mid-2019.
Details: Among the new features coming to the Campaign Manager are easier navigation, a new forecasting panel, redesigned targeting experience, faster interface and live ad preview.
Facebook Admits Failure In Handling Of Myanmar Abuse
Facebook commissioned an independent study to determine how it might have better handled its role in inciting violence in Myanmar.
Why it matters: Facebook is no stranger to scandal, and it has been highly criticized for allowing users to incite violence on its platform. The company is admitting fault and vowing to take better steps now, as well as in the future.
Details: Facebook commissioned an independent human rights impact assessment on the role of its services in Myanmar. The assessment was completed by BSR (Business for Social Responsibility), which concluded that Facebook failed to act before it was too late. Facebook admits that prior to this year, it did not do enough and vowed to continue its role in abuse both online and off.
British Youth Values ‘Travel Bragging’ Over Booze
Getting trashed abroad doesn’t have the same appeal that it used to, according to the World Travel Market London study.
Why it matters: It should come as no surprise that young travelers are obsessed with catching the perfect Instagram-worthy photo. That being said, brands hoping to capture the attention of British Millennials should focus on idyllic photo ops more than drinking opportunities.
Details: In a poll of 2,000 British holidaymakers, just nine percent of millennials said their priority is to get trashed while on vacation while 78 percent of respondents aged 25-34 said they seek to make their friends and Instagram followers jealous with perfect Instagram photos. This number was 64 percent among respondents aged 18-24.
Facebook Removes Inauthentic Behavior Ahead Of Election Day
Around 30 Facebook accounts and 85 Instagram accounts were removed over the weekend for coordinated inauthentic behavior, possibly originating from foreign entities.
Why it matters: Facebook was alerted to this activity not by internal teams, but by law enforcement, showing that they still have a ways to go before preventing this type of behavior. Still, the company is opting for transparency so that the public knows they’re aware and taking action.
Details: Almost all the Facebook Pages associated with these accounts appear to be in the French or Russian languages, while the Instagram accounts seem to have mostly been in English—some were focused on celebrities, others political debate. Facebook has promised to keep the public up to date, especially if it turns out these groups were affiliated with the Russia-based Internet Research Agency or other foreign entities.
Snapchat Measures Discovery Audience With ComScore
Snapchat Discover traffic is being integrated into ComScore’s digital audience measurement solutions.
Why it matters: ComScore integration will allow Snapchat publishers to get a holistic view of their audience that includes demographics, engagement and scale. Measuring ROI is an attractive feature for marketers as Snap tries to become profitable in 2019.
Details: Publishers on Snapchat will soon be able to measure audience reach through ComScore’s digital audience measurement solution.
“We are committed to helping our partners and advertisers have a better understanding of their audience in order to build long-term, sustainable business models,” said Nick Bell, vice president of content at Snap. “Our integration with Comscore is another important step in our continued progress towards establishing valuable measurement practices.”
Facebook Announces Small Business Pop-Up Stores
Facebook is sponsoring 100 small business pop-ups inside Macy’s stores this holiday season.
Why it matters: Facebook shows a lot of love to Fortune 500 companies but this effort shows a commitment to helping small businesses, as well. The activation also signals a more physical presence for the digital brand.
Details: The pop-up will take place in The Market @ Macy’s in New York City, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, San Antonio, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle from November 5 through early February. Facebook is promoting the campaign with ads throughout New York City’s Grand Central Station.
Instagram Tests Ability To Promote Stories
A boost tool has been spotted on Instagram that would allow brands to promote their Stories to more users.
Why it matters: Stories has become a runaway hit for Instagram, making it an obvious choice for brands to engage with users. However, it can be easy to get lost in the shuffle, making promoted Stories an obvious solution.
Details: Instagram confirmed a test that would allow brands to promote their Stories for a fee. A spokesperson told TechCrunch that they are testing the feature globally but do not have a definite rollout timeframe yet.
Facebook/Instagram Opens Beta For Advanced Page Analytics
Brands can now sign up to test an analytics tool that measures performance by segment, funnels or omnichannel.
Why it matters: Over the past few years, Facebook has prioritized user content and made it more difficult for brands to gain organic reach. Analytics tools would allow brands to measure engagement on Facebook Pages, as well as accounts on Instagram. Previously, users could only analyze Page engagement on posts.
Details: Beta testers can now view Facebook Post impressions, Page follow/unfollows, Page like/unlikes and more. Instagram analytics allow businesses to compare engagement with retention rates, measure customer lifetime value, create segments and understand the overlap between Instagram/Facebook audiences and purchases, website visits, etc.
Editor’s Note:Our weekly social media news post is updated daily. This installment will be updated until Friday, November 9. Have a news tip? We’re looking for changes to and news surrounding social media platforms as they relate to marketing. Let us know at editorial@alistdaily.com.
Chief marketing officers plan to increase budgets in 2019, prioritizing innovation over new hires and focusing on the link between technology and ROI. According to Gartner’s latest CMO Spend Survey, marketers are growing more confident in technology investments, but with new ventures comes additional pressure to demonstrate business value.
Gartner surveyed 621 North American and UK marketing executives in July and August of 2018. The analyst firm released its initial findings to members on Thursday and will host a webinar with additional data on November 18.
Marketing budgets remain steady, accounting for 11.2 percent of company revenue, compared to 11.3 percent in 2017. Over a quarter of that budget has been allocated to marketing technology in 2018, Gartner observed, a decline from 2016 but increase from last year.
Ewan McIntire, research director for Gartner, observed that one-in-six dollars will be spent on marketing innovation. In fact, 63 percent of CMOs expect marketing budgets to increase in 2019. Despite a growing confidence in new technology, however, CMOs must make sure those funds are spent in the right places.
“Simply putting one-sixth of your budget toward innovation is not enough, said McIntire. “You need to drive a strategically powered innovation program.”
With new technology comes new challenges, as CMOs will undoubtedly feel pressure to demonstrate a business value for such investments. Gartner found that just seven percent of marketers considered ROI to be the most important metric they measure, compared to 12 who said “brand awareness.”
“While ROI is still difficult to measure accurately for many, CMOs must not underplay its strategic importance,” warned Gartner. “Today, brands must commit to delivering robust customer experiences, as well as growth and value to the business, and therefore must elevate the specific metrics that track these efforts.”
Innovation budgets may be up, but labor budgets took a slight hit in the last year. The CMO Spend Survey found that 24 percent of marketing budgets were allocated to the acquisition of talent in 2018, compared to 28 percent last year.
One’s first thought might be to assume that employees are being made obsolete by automation, but Gartner says this may not be the case. Rather, the analysis suggests this shift in marketing spend is the result of “organizations dealing with capabilities, resources and talent in an increasingly complex way.”
