Thoughts in Industry

Industry

An agile approach to marketing is here to stay

Agile has been a buzzword for a while now and typically describes a wide range of approaches to project management and software development – and although there’s a fair amount of misunderstanding about what it actually is – if done right, being Agile can make a big difference. And lately, there’s been more and more talk of an Agile approach (and its benefits) in a marketing environment. In fact, the State of Agile Marketing 2021 report reveals that more than half of marketers surveyed – 51% – reported using agile marketing methods in their work.

Industry

Death of the third-party cookie calls for customer-centricity

Over the last decade, the way consumer data is collected, used and regulated has changed immensely. Tracking tools like web cookies have allowed advertisers sophisticated and personalised ways to target consumers, but they have also led to privacy violations. However, Google is planning to phase out cookies by 2022, which means companies will have to get clear permission from users to utilise data generated. But because users are more informed about how their data is used, they are unlikely to give their consent.

Industry

What the rise of TikTok means for marketers

Social media platform TikTok has become one of the world’s favourites over the last couple of years. If this acceleration feels somewhat sudden to you, you are not entirely wrong. According to CNBC reporting on TikTok, the app had 54 million active monthly users worldwide in January 2018. By August 2020, TikTok’s active monthly users increased to 689 million worldwide. With 2 billion downloads so far, it is fast becoming one of the most downloaded non-gaming apps, according to Jenn Guidry from eclincher.

Industry

Email Is Not Dead

It has become more important than ever to take the time to understand what is changing and why, so that your brand doesn’t miss the opportunity to build stronger customer-brand relationships. But when you’re looking for the next new thing, don’t forget to look at what has worked in the past. Because in trying times, people seek comfort in the familiar. Last year saw a renewed interest in some old-school marketing formats like newsletters.

Industry

AI Influencers: More than a passing fad.

With over a billion social media users worldwide, it is more difficult than ever for brands to break through the noise, but the social media influencer has proven very effective. Over the last ten years, brands’ investments in influencer marketing have been increasing rapidly. Which comes as no surprise; results of this study proves that influencer-promoted ad content garners remarkably higher engagement than brand-promoted ad content on Instagram.

Industry

Will authentic online conversations dominate the next wave of marketing?

The way that we communicate online is constantly shifting, and every round of new technology changes acceptable response rates. Today’s consumer wants honest help – instantly- not another generic and overused marketing message. Companies must aim to provide the right information, at the right time, to the right person, on the right channel – every time. And that is where conversational marketing comes in because it is all about building relationships through customised, one-on-one content.

Industry Social Media

What resonates, replicates.

Going Viral has become a buzzword, and something brands, influencers, and campaigns often aspire to. And although going viral can generate tremendous interest around your brand or campaign, it can also be for the wrong reasons, as we have seen ample times recently both locally and internationally. Shifting the focus slightly away from going viral and more towards creating what resonates, allows us a less myopic view and moves us more towards long-lasting impact as opposed to a ‘get-rich-quick’ approach.

Industry

The Age of Assistance

Recent research from Google shows that 80% of people want to understand the world around them. Our power to decipher and interpret the world around us sit in the palm of our hands – giving rise to the age of assistance. Access to information and attentive audiences have pushed brands to assist customers in providing valuable information and experiences. The notion of assisting customers requires brands to think outside their product and service offerings and consider what customers’ pain points, needs and wants are.

Industry

Having a Systems Mindset Can Build Your Brand

2020 has placed our interconnectedness and interdependency under the microscope. What we see under this magnified view is how even the most seemingly minuscule individual actions form part of larger experiences, which in turn creates collective circumstances and, in some cases, global impact – a notion we are all well acquainted with by now. There is an acute awareness of the systems and structures we are a part of, whether by choice or by organisational, societal or political design.

Industry

Brand Activism: A Key Element for Brand Strategies

For any businesses to successfully introduce itself to the market, it has to develop a well-thought-out brand strategy, which delineates how the brand will present itself to the market both visually and narratively. From time immemorial, branding has been about how the business wants to be perceived, and it has been about generating leads and establishing a relationship with consumers so that they can eventually become loyal advocates of that brand.

Industry

Opportunism or Fair Play: Excessive Pricing During a Global Pandemic

As most of us know, a relationship faces its greatest challenge when the environment within which it exists is hit by tragedy and uncertainty. The current COVID-19 crisis is posing a challenge to your relationship with both your prospective and loyal customers. 2020 is most certainly the year that your brand promises and value propositions are being put to the test in an unprecedented way; your response is being carefully monitored.

Industry

Remote Working – Does It Work?

Creative agencies are no strangers to remote working and flexible work schedules. Most creative agencies have a workforce that comprises full-time employers and remote freelancers. Interestingly enough, there are still some creative agencies that are reluctant to explore remote working as an option for their employees; this is due to the stigmas surrounding remote work and the mistrust that most managers have regarding on-time delivery and productivity.

Industry

Exploring the Rise of the Podcasts with Mashudu Modau

Over the past couple of years, podcasts have been growing in popularity as more and more content creators realise the increasing need for content on-demand. There is a podcast for almost everything under the sun and most people have that must-listen-to podcast that they’re recommending to friends and relatives. Whether it’s about romance, politics, business or mental wellness, there is a podcast for everyone.

Industry

So, What’s the Big Deal About Trends?

The notion of trends has been around for over a decade but hashtags, famous futurists and trend talks and conferences have gained rapid popularity in the past ten years. So, what’s the big deal? Is it something worth taking notice of or is it just another short-lived sensation equal to one-hit-wonder and overpriced vegan ‘meat’? Moreover, how can brands benefit from practices such as trend research, analysis, forecasting?

Industry

The Psychology of Christmas Marketing

Nostalgia is a powerful marketing force and brands are fully aware of people’s sentiments regarding the festive season and Christmas; they set up campaigns to convince consumers that their products are what they need to have a fulfilling festive season. In order for you to gain the consumer’s attention during the festive season, you have to appeal to the memories and emotions that are associated with the time of year.

Industry

The Politicisation of the Internet

The internet is a powerful global resource that connects and empowers us. It contributes immensely to our personal, professional and intellectual development by making it easy for us to access and disseminate a plethora of information. More than giving us access to unfettered knowledge, the internet is a gateway to platforms for voicing our opinions regarding global and local socio-political issues and decrying systems that are oppressive.

Industry

Ten Things You Didn’t Know about Subliminal Messaging

Subliminal messaging has been viewed with much suspicion since the concept surfaced in 1957. Over the years, studies have revealed that people can consume information that influences their decisions and actions without being aware of the fact that their perception is being manipulated. Do brands and political organisations really use subliminal messaging and, if so, how effective is it as an advertising technique or a tool to push a certain agenda?

Industry

There’s Life Beyond LSMs

There are various ways to perform market segmentation. For a very long time, the most common segmentation tool was the Living Standards Measure (LSM), which has now lost its weight as a solid market segmentation tool. Since South African consumers are multi-dimensional and ever-evolving, most marketers will agree that behavioural and psychographic market segmentation approaches are the most relevant way to group consumers and gauge which customers will resonate the most with your brand.

Industry

Understanding the Actual Impact of Branding Part 3: Brand Consistency

The work of building a brand is continuous and does not necessarily stop at a particular point or stage. Your brand must be hard to miss, customers must encounter it in everything related to your company that they can see, read, hear and, if possible, feel. It is important to ensure that the brand’s personality, voice and message are in sync and incorporated into the content. The same uniformity needs to be applied across all marketing mediums.

Thoughts in Industry

An agile approach to marketing is here to stay

Death of the third-party cookie calls for customer-centricity

What the rise of TikTok means for marketers

Are Your Customers At The Heart Of Everything You Do?

Email Is Not Dead

Marketing Trends 2021

AI Influencers: More than a passing fad.

Will authentic online conversations dominate the next wave of marketing?

What resonates, replicates.

The Age of Assistance

Having a Systems Mindset Can Build Your Brand

Brand Activism: A Key Element for Brand Strategies

Opportunism or Fair Play: Excessive Pricing During a Global Pandemic

Re-imagining Storytelling

Marketing During Chaos and Crisis

Remote Working – Does It Work?

Exploring the Rise of the Podcasts with Mashudu Modau

What the Hype is Going On?

So, What’s the Big Deal About Trends?

The Psychology of Christmas Marketing

The Politicisation of the Internet

Ten Things You Didn’t Know about Subliminal Messaging

There’s Life Beyond LSMs

Understanding the Actual Impact of Branding Part 3: Brand Consistency

Creating Content that Stimulates Customers’ Minds

Can Creativity Destroy the Mind? – Mental Health and the Creative Industry

Understanding the Actual Impact of Branding Part 2: Personality

Understanding the Actual Impact of Branding Part 1

The Impact of the 4th Industrial Revolution: What’s Your Next?

Tips on What We Look for When Hiring

Our Origins and the Future