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.