Welcome to The Stream: Allison+Partners’ content hub that features the latest news and trends making the biggest waves in media and marketing.
Data siloes ‘holding marketers back’
New research reveals 98% believe future improvements are held back by data silos, justifying the cost and in-house skills shortage.
Data-driven marketing is vital for today’s marketing teams. But a new report by global marketing communications agency Allison+Partners revealed that while marketers have made progress to becoming more data-driven, nearly all respondents cited numerous barriers preventing them from getting the most out of data.
READ MOREKFC brings back its fried chicken-scented Firelogs
The logs, made from recycled materials via a partnership with Enviro-Log, will be available for $18.99 exclusively at Walmart.com with free two-day shipping. READ MORE
Instagram introduces birthday checks to create ‘age-appropriate’ experiences
Facebook-owned Instagram has enacted a major policy change to limit access to content restricted to older audiences, such as gambling, alcohol and birth control. From now, all new users must provide their date of birth when signing up.
The measure follows criticism on both sides of the Atlantic that Instagram and others are routinely exposing children to inappropriate content, raising the spectre of tough new child safety and privacy regulations.
READ MOREReddit Ends 2019 With 430 Million Monthly Active Users
Reddit has grown its user base by 30% year-over-year, according to new data released by the company Wednesday. The self-proclaimed front page of the internet now reaches 430 million monthly active users, who collectively have created 199 million posts and 1.7 billion comments.
The announcement comes some 20 months after Reddit announced that it had surpassed 330 million monthly active users. The service surpassed the 430 million mark in October, according to a release distributed Wednesday.
READ MOREWhy the sponsored post model is obsolete in China
Traditional advertising is being outperformed these days. This stems from the fact that traditional marketing strategies, including counting "likes," no longer resonate with most consumers, while younger consumers consider content marketing to be much more genuine, honest, and real.
According to the quantitative study Storytelling: The Current State of Branded Content, "consumers perceive branded content as being more consumer-centric because it is less about selling products and more about providing value to consumers."
READ MOREChick-fil-A encourages giving the gift of time with multichannel campaign
The Time Shop allows consumers to create custom gift cards for friends, such as a coupon for a date for a two-hour cooking session. The company will print and mail the cards for free during the holiday season. The pop-up shop is in the SoHo neighborhood and will be open Dec. 4-17 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (closed on Sundays). READ MORE
Facebook Testing a Way to Let You Move Photos to Rival Sites
LONDON — Facebook is trying to make it easier for users to move photos from the social network to rival online services, reacting to European privacy laws and criticism from regulators that its size and control over data hinder competition.
On Monday, Facebook said it would begin testing a “data portability” tool in Ireland that would allow users there to move photos and videos from Facebook to Google Photos. Critics immediately said the initiative did not go far enough.
READ MOREMarketers still have further to go on best use of data
Marketers have made considerable progress to become more data-driven, yet there remain numerous barriers preventing them from getting the most out of data, a new survey has revealed.
Allison+Partners, the global marketing communications agency, reached this conclusion after working with research firm Censuswide to poll 500 marketing directors in the UK and Germany in October.
READ MOREMAJORITY OF MARKETERS CLAIM DATA CONFIDENCE BUT HURDLES REMAIN
In a survey of 500 marketing directors ( 250 in the UK, 250 in Germany) working for companies with a revenue of over $50m, 87% believe that their department’s use of data was either somewhat or far above average, compared to similar organisations, and 89% were confident in their own ability to extract insights from data.
Despite this, almost all respondents ( 98%) agreed there will be obstacles in improvements to how data is used moving forward, and the main barrier is data being siloed across organisations, cited by 45% of respondents.
READ MOREMarketing bosses struggle to get most out of data - report
A new report by global marketing communications agency Allison+Partners has revealed that, despite the rise in data driven marketing, many are struggling to get the maximum out of their data.
The survey, which included input from 500 marketing directors in the UK and Germany, showed that, despite the vital role of data in marketing, marketers are only scratching the surface on what data-driven approaches can do.
READ MOREWhat’s Preventing Marketers Turning Data Into Gold?
Data-driven marketing is vital for today’s marketing teams. But a new report by global marketing communications agency Allison+Partners revealed that while marketers have made progress to becoming more data-driven, nearly all respondents cited numerous barriers preventing them from getting the most out of data.
The survey, which included input from 500 marketing directors in the UK and Germany, showed that:
READ MOREWhat’s Preventing Marketers Turning Data Into Gold?
Data-driven marketing is vital for today’s marketing teams. But a new report by global marketing communications agency Allison+Partners revealed that while marketers have made progress to becoming more data-driven, nearly all respondents cited numerous barriers preventing them from getting the most out of data.
The survey, which included input from 500 marketing directors in the UK and Germany, showed that:
READ MORE40 under 40 2019: Asia-Pacific's top rising talent
Our in-house judging team, made up of members of Campaign Asia-Pacific's senior editorial staff, had difficult decisions to make, but ultimately agreed that these 40 candidates stand out at the top of their class, representing Asia Pacific’s next generation of leadership.
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How Driscoll’s capitalized on a millennial drinking trend
Driscoll’s released a new line of strawberries and raspberries with a decidedly millennial twist. Instead of the traditional red color and sweet flavor profile, the berries were light pink and had notes of floral and peach.
The taste was "silky and creamy, almost like a creamsicle," said Frances Dillard, Driscoll’s senior director of brand and product marketing.
READ MOREGreyhound and Audible team up to banish bus boredom
Greyhound has partnered with Audible to help make the journey as relaxing as the destination when it comes to holidays by introducing an audio storytelling app to the coach operator’s onboard entertainment offer.
As a bonus, travellers who avail themselves of the narrated offer will benefit from free two months of Audible in addition to two free book downloads to ensure no-one misses out on reaching the end of the story.
READ MORERed Lobster knits ugly holiday sweaters for online pop-up shop
The "Cheddar Bay Biscuit Ugly Holiday Sweater" is covered in snowflakes, shrimp and biscuits, and also features a built-in insulated pocket that's intended to keep the chain's Cheddar Bay Biscuits warm. READ MORE
Exclusive analysis: How Facebook’s targeting can help parties win marginal seats
The social media platform has become a propaganda weapon of choice for campaigners across the political spectrum.
A PRWeek analysis of Facebook’s reach compared to official population data illustrates how quickly and cheaply the platform can be used to target political messaging to swing voters in vulnerable seats.
READ MOREAd-free engagement: Is organic virality a quest or a happy accident?
Enthusiastic fans sparked significant engagement — and product shortages — for White Claw and Popeyes this year, grabbing the interest of media outlets, marketers and business pundits by exemplifying a paradigm where consumers lead the way and brands reap the benefits of all the buzz without much investment.
But while the allure of a viral hit is as strong as ever 15 years after Facebook's launch, the formula remains elusive for how brands can manufacture organic success in the digital era and questions persist over whether that's something even worth pursuing.
READ MOREHungry for the right reasons
Broadly speaking, most brands have come to understand that "doing good" has become a business necessity. However, consumer savvy has grown to the point where companies have to not only zero in on precisely how they "do good," but how they tell that message.
In the food and beverage space, this is particularly imperative. After all, we’re talking about products that go into people’s own and their loved ones’ bodies, so the direct impact on lives is clear. The messages that convince them to purchase these items must be spot on.
READ MORETikTok users deem Home Depot’s jingle a ‘certified banger’
The Home Depot’s repetitive jingle is suddenly a top hit on TikTok.
The theme song has become a meme in recent weeks, with social media users deeming it a "certified banger." The song is serving as background music in videos of TikTokkers dancing in the store’s aisles or simply making relatable jokes or observations about shopping at Home Depot.
READ MOREWHY HIDING 'LIKE' COUNTS ON INSTAGRAM ADDRESSES ABSOLUTELY NOTHING
After Instagram tested making “likes” private in seven other countries this year, the company’s CEO Adam Mosseri announced that, starting this week, a “small portion” of its U.S. users will be rolled into that same trial. Those affected will still be able to see the number of likes on their own posts but no longer on others’ posts. Instead, like counts will be replaced by a mention of who liked it “and others.”
Instagram hopes that this new feature will help to “depressurize” the social media platform by reducing the inherent compulsion to compare likes and place the emphasis back on the actual content being shared. But here’s the thing: Social media anxiety is a far bigger and more complex issue than any one superficial change could address. And, in that regard, it feels as though this is a mere concession, allowing Instagram (and parent company Facebook) to say they’re taking measures to tackle a growing backlash around the addictive effects of social media.
READ MORELike it or not, influencer marketing is changing
Despite this increase in spend, there is a big measurement gap – brands and agencies still struggle to understand the real impact of influencer campaigns due to a lack of transparent, third-party measurement. The need for greater understanding of the return on investment is especially important at a time when social media platforms are testing the removal of traditional engagement metrics such as "likes", views and shares. If this takes off industry-wide, both influencers and influencer agencies may have a hard time proving the value of a post or story. READ MORE
7 brands getting in on OK, Boomer
OK, Boomer, one of the latest memes to sweep the internet, is a viral phrase that millennials and Gen Zers are using to clap back at those close-minded and out-of-touch Baby Boomers.
And it was only a matter of time before brands picked up on it. Here’s how seven used the expression this week.
READ MOREE-Cigarette Brands Are Continuing Marketing Efforts Following Juul’s PR Crisis
A public perception crisis around electronic cigarettes seems to have materialized overnight, triggering a variety of responses from the industry.
News of vaping-related hospitalizations began circulating in August while teen use continued to trend upward. Juul Labs’ share of the e-cigarette market fell to 64% as of Oct. 5, compared to over 72% of dollar share in August 2018, according to Nielsen. While the category leader has responded by shying away from advertising, its competitors continue to spread their messages.
READ MORENatural Light jabs rival with beer giveaway for Miller Lite 'unfollowers
Miller Lite last month brought back its former slogan, "It's Miller Time," in a campaign that mocked those who obsess over social media and offered free beer to the first 118,000 people who could prove they had "unfollowed" its social media accounts. The campaign highlighted how people can connect in real life while enjoying a Miller Lite.
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US replaces China as the top AI venture capital investment hub
US has toppled China to take the top spot as the global artificial intelligence (AI) venture capital investment hub.
United States commanded the most AI investment values in 2018 globally at 52.3%, according to ABI Research.
READ MORETWITTER CEO JACK DORSEY ANNOUNCES BAN ON POLITICAL ADS
Twitter is banning political ads, CEO Jack Dorsey announced on his platform today. The move to block political ads comes as rival Facebook faces intensifying criticism for allowing campaign ads that contain false information.
It seems Twitter’s best answer to the problem of disinformation in political ads is to just bar them.
READ MOREWhy gaming is advertising's new Darwinian struggle
And if consumers aren’t playing, they’re watching esports on channels like Twitch, Nimo TV, YouTube, and social media—at a higher rate than traditional sports. APAC accounts for over half (57%) of global esports enthusiasts, and for the first time ever, online gaming will be featured as a medal sport at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games next month. READ MORE
Airbnb teams with The Dodo on animal-related travel experiences
For instance, hiking with Penni the dog, a popular animal on The Dodo, will be offered to people visiting Arizona. The dog's owner will lead a hike through a canyon to some hot springs while sharing the dog's therapy story. READ MORE
Spotify Kids: Music Streamer Wants to Lure Family-Plan Subscribers With Purpose-Built App
Spotify is trying to sell more multi-account family-plan subscriptions — by setting up a special “playground of sound” just for kids.
The new Spotify Kids app brings together a hand-picked selection of age-appropriate music, singalongs, soundtracks, and stories for kids as young as 3 years old. The app is available in a beta test period initially only in Ireland starting Oct. 30, and will come to other countries where Spotify Premium Family is available in the next few months.
READ MOREICCO Global Awards 2019 Shortlist
‘OK Boomer’ Marks the End of Friendly Generational Relations
In a viral audio clip on TikTok, a white-haired man in a baseball cap and polo shirt declares, “The millennials and Generation Z have the Peter Pan syndrome, they don’t ever want to grow up.”
Thousands of teens have responded through remixed reaction videos and art projects with a simple phrase: “ok boomer.”
ESPN PULLS THE PLUG ON 'MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL' HALFTIME MUSICAL PERFORMANCES
ESPN has pulled the plug on the musical component of its Genesis Halftime Show, swapping out the performance segment for a more traditional interval of chalk talk and game analysis.
“Monday Night Football” viewers will be made aware of the format change starting with tonight’s telecast. The dialed-down halftime show will feature an expanded breakdown of the action in the Dolphins-Steelers game, as well as a roundup of breaking news from across the league served up by Senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
READ MOREPopeyes references Kanye in chicken sandwich announcement
After a shortage that lasted more than two months, Popeyes’ chicken sandwich is finally set to return on Sunday.
The chain announced the big news on social media on Monday morning with a video and the caption, "Y’all…the sandwich is back Sunday, November 3rd. Then every day."
READ MOREPRovoke19 Recap: Day Two
The second day of The Holmes Report’s PRovoke19 reinforced topics discussed on day one with in-depth conversations around the evolving role of communications, the importance of authenticity and the power in an ignited audience. Here are more insights from the two-day inspirational, thought-provoking conference with professionals from around the world.
READ MOREEvolving Role of Communications
CCO, CMO, CRO, CIO, CTO – never before has the C-Suite been so deeply involved in the communications process and budget discussions. Part of this is because as practitioners become more integrated, so do our clients. Given the role tech plays in how we measure success, more comms departments report to CIOs and CTOs. But even more so, as we contemplate a possible recession on the horizon, CFOs and CROs now play a larger role in budget allocations.
We heard directly from a CFO (at a PR conference?!) about his concerns and how he pushes his comms and marketing teams to tie results back to business goals and show how they drive business/sales impact. They want more than awareness metrices, impressions, site click throughs; they want to see deeper ROI -- how do marketing teams drive conversion and purchase.
This is something we have struggled with as an industry. Not just because PR traditionally hasn’t been set up to have that direct sales impact, but navigating the channels inside our client organizations to get those metrics can be challenging. While there is more scrutiny than ever before on PR to justify dollars spent and resulting impact, the consensus remains it is the channel to invest; and budgets have risen as more traditional marketing activities, such as blended content, now reside in PR.
Brand Purpose + Authenticity
Authenticity was discussed again, but in relation to brand purpose. In the politically driven world we live in today, brands face immense pressure to take a stand on everything from gun violence and the travel ban to sustainability. While many CEOs and employees may feel personally passionate about an issue, it’s imperative to take a step back and really think about how this ties to our core business and our employees.
We heard from long-time IKEA CEO Lars Petersson, who ran the company through the lens of its motto “What’s good for people is good for IKEA.” This helped filter out and prioritize campaign efforts, weigh the benefits and fallout of taking risks, and remove inherent personal bias. Under his tenure, sustainability was a core focus, because Ikea uses 1% of the world’s wood and cotton in products; this was a natural tie to the business.
Lars also took a quick, strong stance against the travel ban in an employee letter because of his personal beliefs and how this would affect IKEA employees around the globe. The letter was leaked and created controversy around the brand. But in the end, he felt it was the right thing to stand up for his employees globally and for human rights.
March for Our Lives
The day ended in a powerful talk with three of the women who lead the March for Our Lives movement. They spoke about the communications strategy at inception and how it has evolved in the past 20 months.
- Audience Platform: The students, who range in age from 14-18, understood the key to reaching your audience is to talk to them on channels where they are already active. This is an audience that grew up online and knows how to activate a base by communicating through Twitter and social media to share how they felt and knows where they can control the narrative. Social media is organic to this age group, so they used it to rally an audience that traditionally is not vocal around political issues.
- Diversity: Self-proclaimed, the group was far from diverse at inception. But in listening to criticism, learning the history and larger issues of gun violence and who it affects, and wanting this to be more than about them, they took active steps to make the organization and effort as diverse as the issue itself. “You can’t cure one without the other.” Without evolving the effort to include voices of those who have been affected by gun violence for decades, they never would have had the impact they’ve achieved.
- The Power of Silence: This group taught all communicators the power of staying silent as they led a moment of silence at a march in Washington, D.C. featuring 800,000 supporters – silence for as long as the rampage in Florida. All too often, we have an urge to say something, defend ourselves, our brand. But sometimes, silence says a lot more.
Tara Chiarell is the general manager of Allison+Partners’ Washington, D.C. office.
Using Technology to Close the Autism Job Gap
Byran Dai was 24 when he promised his mother, who passed away less than two months later, that he would look out for his younger brother Brandon, who is autistic. Brandon, 15 at the time, was receiving special education and social services, but Mr. Dai knew that by 22, his brother would phase out of the services and education provided by the state.
“In the autism community, we call that ‘falling off the cliff,’” Mr. Dai said. “It’s what a lot of families are worried about.”
READ MOREMiller Lite asks to be unfollowed on social media in 'Miller Time' revamp
Miller Lite is "going dark" on social media. In a nod to how serious it is about this message, Miller Lite is giving away free beer to up to 118,000 people — the number of the brand's Instagram followers — who unfollow Miller Lite on Instagram or Facebook. The brand also debuted a dark can on Twitter. READ MORE
REI’s #OptOutside effort pushes environmental message
REI is once again urging its customers to #OptOutside on Black Friday, but this time the retailer is also encouraging people to save the environment.
On Black Friday in 2015, REI shut down all of its stores, halted online orders and gave its 13,000 workers a paid day off.
READ MOREGAP FOCUSES ON DIGITAL WITH A HOLIDAY CAMPAIGN THAT WON'T AIR ON TV
This holiday season is going to be a lot different for the Gap. The brand has a new chief marketing officer, is working with a new agency and is about to separate from its sister brand and longtime sales booster, Old Navy, which will spin off from the publicly traded clothier next year. There’s a lot riding on the sales success of the coming months, so Gap is going in a different direction with its holiday campaign.
Under CMO Alegra O’Hare, who joined San Francisco-based Gap from Adidas in February, the brand is pursuing a more emotional marketing tone for holiday—a departure from the typical jazzy musical numbers of previous campaigns that doubled down on nostalgia. One 60-second anthem spot follows the growth of a young boy, his single mother, and his trusty red Gap hoodie.
READ MOREPRovoke19 Day One
Attending PRovoke19 was like bringing an integrated campaign to life -- the agenda spanned a variety of topics from measurement, media and influencers to leadership, diversity and culture.
While it would be impossible to capture every valuable insight from day one, there were several key themes that resonated:
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DIVERSITY
Inclusion: Inclusiveness and participation by everyone is key to building a strong culture that supports diversity efforts. Creating an environment where different ideas and opinions can be shared is key to success. Without this foundation, diversity initiatives will not resonate or be successful.
Empathy. We must have empathy -- for oneself and for each other. Practice empathy for yourself and you will be happier, more engaged and more productive. This practice will also become a catalyst for empathy for others. Learn where others come from, what motivates them, what paralyzes them. Helping others self-actualize will drive team productivity and engagement.
Mirroring. Brands today are focused on reaching diverse external audiences. However, to achieve success, you must have a project team that mirrors your target audience. Sometimes you need to go outside your organization to find key perspectives who will take your idea from good to great.
LEADERSHIP
Reliability. According to Elena Botelho of ghSMART, the most important behavior for a leader to demonstrate is reliability. This should shine through in every day activities from being on time to resisting the urge to overpromise. Many leaders struggle with the latter because they want to do-it-all and are driven to deliver results. Reliability is a mindset; habits of reliability need to be practiced; and leaders must surround themselves with people who can help them stay on track. Integrity is paramount, if leaders can’t live up to what they say, employees, partners and stakeholders will have trouble trusting them.
Authenticity. Balancing the idea of what a leader should be and who you are as a person is an antiquated mindset. Employees need to trust their leaders and feel connected to them through authentic interactions and conversations. Leaders who are true to themselves rather than playing a role, are more likely to motivate employees and drive business results. Leaders should set the example -- hold themselves and employees accountable and challenge other leaders to arrive at the best outcome.
MEASUREMENT
Customization. Measurement requires a custom strategy for each company, brand and campaign. While the measurement will differ for each, the approach is the same. We must understand what the business goals are before we can understand how our campaign will impact business results. As we know, we must move beyond impressions. We must focus on how our activity and investment will move the needle for the business. As marketing and comms professionals, we must understand the metrics the C-Suite is focused on in order to showcase value.
Accountability. Marketers, internal and external, have a responsibility to manage spending responsibly. When requesting budget, we must challenge ourselves to answer the following questions:
- How much money are you requesting and why?
- What is the business impact of spending those dollars?
- Convince me why we should spend here instead of another idea?
- Is there something we should stop doing and move resources around?
MarComm has a great opportunity to educate brands about investing in Demand channels to drive revenue, provided we can show why and impact.
Stay tuned for more insights out of Day 2!
Tara Chiarell is the general manager of Allison+Partners’ Washington, D.C. office.
Discovery’s Food Network Kitchen Subscription Service Launches in U.S. With Live Cooking Classes
Discovery launched Food Network Kitchen, its biggest direct-to-consumer streaming play to date, in the U.S. with a programming lineup that includes 25 live cooking shows each week.
For the initial launch, Discovery is offering a 90-day free trial period Food Network Kitchen, along with a limited-time discounted price of $47.99 per year ($4 per month). The full service will be priced at $6.99 per month (the same as Disney Plus) or $59.99 per year.
READ MOREAmazon move into the spirits market with premium gin brand launch
Amazon has further established its direction of travel in the grocery sector with the launch of its premium gin brand as it diversifies its offer.
Premium drink Tovess will retail for £24.99 and is described as offering a ‘smooth Mediterranean taste’ for fans of the distilled alcoholic drink.
READ MORENatural Light Seltzer kicks off ad blitz amid reported White Claw pullback
Developed with VaynerMedia, the creative continues Natural Light Seltzer's messaging around "crashing the party hard." One spot shows a college marching band interrupting a boat party and then breaking into a fight song at the behest of one of the attendees. READ MORE
Nike VP of purpose comms: ‘I train for my job like an athlete’
CHICAGO: Vanessa Garcia-Brito, VP of purpose communications at Nike, told the audience at PRDecoded on Thursday that she trains for her job like she would for an athletic competition.
Garcia-Brito shared the inside story of her unique job title and role with PRDecoded attendees on Thursday. She stepped into the position last August, right before Nike’s 30th anniversary Just Do It campaign launched with controversial former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick as its star.
READ MOREApple’s reputational crisis in China: between a rock and a hard place
Apple "had few options" but to bow to Chinese rule and pull an app that was being used by Hong Kong protestors from its store, but it must now decide whether it can survive in China in the long term, according to corporate affairs expert David Wolf.
The electronics giant last week found itself in the eye of the China-Hong Kong storm following its decision to remove two apps for reasons related to the escalating Hong Kong protests.
READ MOREBacked into a corner, Apple must now decide where its long-term allegiance lies
Jose Cuervo sponsors short documentary about Mexico's Day of the Dead
Dive Brief:
- Tequila brand Jose Cuervo Tradicional announced this week a new film series that spotlights the Mexican holiday of Día De Muertos, or Day of the Dead, according to information provided to Marketing Dive.
Snapchat’s targeting direct-response advertisers with new dynamic ads product
With Snapchat’s new dynamic ads product, the company is targeting direct-response advertising spending from retailers and direct-to-consumer brands.
Dynamic ads, which have been in beta testing for more than a year, enable marketers to create ads on the fly. Because the ads connect directly to product catalogs, that means they’re always up-to-date, and they can also be automatically created and targeted based on a Snapchat user’s past behavior.
READ MOREInstagram adds privacy feature for third-party apps
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WHAT MARKETERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DEEPFAKES
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg gives a chilling address, speaking directly to the camera from behind a desk at his company’s base in Menlo Park, California. “Imagine this for a second: One man, with total control of billions of people’s stolen data, all their secrets, their lives, their futures,” Zuckerberg says.
The truly sinister part of this public web chat is that Zuckerberg never said those words. The Facebook CEO was deepfaked. The video was real enough, picked from a 2017 publicly streamed speech, but the audio was dubbed by an Israeli startup called Canny AI as an exercise to demonstrate the possible dangers of deepfake technology.
READ MOREThe Stream
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