How voice will transform the brand toolkit
The traditional brand toolkit is a linear, one-way dialog, while voice enables an inherently two-way, responsive, proactive and social experience.
Why mega-famous creators don’t define influencer marketing
Brands can shell out the big bucks for a lukewarm celebrity endorsement, or invest in the true powerhouses when it comes to influence: micro and nano creators.
How the plant-based trend found its roots in fast food
As fast food brands capitalize on the growth of plant-based diets, they have the scale to take a growing movement mainstream
Blended experiences are the branding medium of the future
Consumers are embracing a world of hybrid digital and physical experiences — and brands are getting on board.
Three reasons why sustainability is here to stay
Brands that lean into sustainability, especially through strong imagery, will connect with a broad consumer audience on one of the most universally important issues of our time
Corporate brands must lead the charge on social responsibility
Corporate social responsibility only succeeds when it comes from the top down.
Why nearly half of marketers are unhappy with their brand’s COVID-19 response
"In this environment, it is more important than ever that brands clearly understand their role in consumers’ lives and know how to take action based on that role."
The 'un-marketing' of the Olympics and how brands can do better next time
The 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang were a marketing fail, says Organic's VP of client services.
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Leapfrog past the competition with purpose
What audiences say about a brand is more important than what the brand says about itself, says AHA's executive creative director.
Want to increase love for your brand? Bare your soul.
Brands that don't look deep within to find their souls will make hollow progress, says TBWA\Chiat\Day LA's chief strategy officer.
PyeongChang 2018: The quest for Olympic gold...for brands
Just like the athletes, whether or not marketers have what it takes will play out on the global stage, says Momentum Worldwide's president and CMO.
The new rules for media giants
A host of new and well-financed players are moving in and complicating the picture for content producers, says Possible's Rebekah Smith.
Marketing predictions for 2018: the year of brand transformation
Brands will have to decide what purpose they wish to serve, says Stylus' head of media & marketing.
Breaking barriers with branded content
Chris Uettwiller, executive producer and partner of Oscar-nominated production company Dirty Robber, discusses the importance of fluidity in creating compelling content.
Gaming isn't a boys' club anymore, and brands need to catch up
The gaming industry is still often missing the mark when it comes to reaching and engaging with women in impactful ways, says Untitled Worldwide's CEO.
How amplified consumer voices are changing the role of brands
Thanks to the ease of organizing, consumers are protesting brands with the very same force they use to protest social issues, says Droga5's chief intelligence officer.
Trump them all: Five things the 45th president shows us about using emotive language
While his comments often come across to some as ridiculous or outrageous, it's hard to deny his choice of words is powerful, says Persado's co-founder.
Innovative brands must build equity, not just borrow it
Meaningful transformation isn't about tacking on a new product service but about designing a total brand experience, says Redscout West's head of strategy.
The best way to rack up online reviews isn't by paying for them
This quick-and-dirty attempt to bolster online ratings is like fast food: It might taste great at first, but it eventually comes back to haunt you, says the founder of Convince and Convert.
Does winning a Cannes Lion actually help brands?
A new study unmasks the growing disconnect between what juries view as a success and public reaction says Ace Metrix's CEO.
Why Whole Foods' changes could mean profit for national brands
The grocery retailer's efforts to fix the "Whole Paycheck" problem means big brands can help fill a void with their own offerings.
Amazon is looking, but where is your next innovation hub?
Companies that want to set up a base in a new city should consider a few things first, says JWT Atlanta's head of innovation.
How sponsors and Fox can bounce back from disappointment at the World Cup
After the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team's devastating loss, how can brands pivot their messaging?
Inclusivity: The missing denominator behind advertising mishaps
Dove had a compelling message it wanted to communicate, but somewhere along the internal process, it got lost in translation, say Stylus' head of media & marketing.
How marketers can make the world sound better
Marketers must apply the same level of rigor and attention that is given to their visual identity to sound, says creative music agency Listen.
Branded content takes a bow at the Clios
Compared to just three years ago, there is a sense of excitement and anticipation about the trajectory of the category, says Geometry Global's CCO.
Building a brand with purpose
Users require a brand that aligns with their values and sparks a personal connection, says Blackbaud's svp of global marketing.
The new playing field for sports fans and advertisers
Here's how brands can capture the attention and hearts of sports fans and turn them into loyal customers, says Oath's head of US field sales.
Building an inclusive brand: lessons from Charlottesville
Brands are using their platforms and capital to support greater inclusion and diversity, says a strategist at Siegel+Gale.
A brand's one purpose is to provide purpose to its employees
To build a strong core, a brand's highest priority should be instilling its employees with a larger sense of purpose, says Brand Union's senior manager of development.
How to design your brand for disruption
Achieving the clear articulation of a simple purpose is anything but simple, says Mono's CMO.
Will Amazon devour brands?
Retail is being eaten alive by Amazon and brands could be next, writes the director at Furthr.
Dove's body bottles botched the 'real' conversation
Brands must understand that there's often a gap between intended meaning, and how that meaning is received by others.
Disempowerment: Why good intentions often backfire
Brands typically dramatize transformative product benefits, but instead inadvertently take consumer power away, writes the director of strategy for Burns Group.
How's your Japan strategy coming?
If Western agencies are serious about helping Japanese brands go international, they need to treat them with the respect they deserve.
Advertisers stay faithful to online ads, despite mounting concerns
WFA advertiser members were quizzed on their views regarding online advertising and their investment intentions for the year ahead. This is what the survey found.
How to stop brand apathy at a neurochemical level
Our brains are wired to react to newness and the potential for reward, writes an associate strategy director at Deutsch.
Look again: How to fight data blindness
Quantitative methodologies can tell you the what, but they often fail to tell you why, writes Possible's global chief strategy officer.
Ad industry's reaction to that Pepsi ad ignores a sad reality
Agencies seem to have forgotten our job is to sell stuff, says the chief creative officer at Droga5 London.
Airbnb's Mildenhall: Entertainment can be a marketing platform
The CMO of Airbnb on the evolution of entertainment as a marketing platform and how brands can carve out new creative spaces for consumers.
It's time to break up the Facebook-Google duopoly
In an era when two companies seemingly own the customer, it's no wonder marketers are seeking the elusive "third option," writes the chief strategy officer at iCrossing.
Pepsi broke my heart, again
The Kendall Jenner ad confirms suspicions that brands only want to do good in a transactional and inauthentic way, writes the co-author of "Good is the New Cool: Market Like You Give a Damn."
Google shouldn't let a good crisis go to waste
The company needs to give brands the visibility and transparency they deserve, writes the founder of The&Partnership.
When content is rotten, brand safety is a zero tolerance game
The democratization of information and publishing comes at a price. That price is societal and commercial risk, writes GroupM's chief digital officer.
A hell of a culture clash: Why it's good that the Kraft Heinz merger with Unilever is dead
Daryl Fielding, who has worked with both companies, gives her view on the aborted merger.
GoPro's first scripted ad delivers a relatable message about being in the moment
"Capture Different" outperformed the camera brand's user-gen videos, according to Ace Metrix.
The death of the anthem ad
Clients love them, but not every brand can pull off an inspirational message, says a principal and writer at Young & Laramore
The power of purpose: What the hacked Clinton e-mails tell us about branding
Thousands of emails leaked from the Clinton campaign reveal little about the Democratic presidential nominee's beliefs, writes chief global analyst at Kantar Millward Brown
Ad of the Week: 'A Love Story' signals an emotional comeback for Chipotle
The 4-minute animated film is Ace Metrix's highest-rated QSR ad of all time, writes its VP of marketing
The silent damage of a bad Chinese brand name
Resonance China's Jerry Clode explains how a poorly-chosen Chinese brand name can cause "silent damage" to your brand over the long run
Ad of the Week: Mercedes-Benz drives to 'The Future' with style and grace
The 30-second spot featuring a self-driving car outperformed nearly 100 ads tested in the category, writes Ace Metrix's VP of marketing
Five ways to reverse advertising's 'less for more' trend
Spend is up, and recall is down. It's time to adopt new approaches to content distribution, writes Heat's managing director
Ad of the Week: Gatorade's 'Never Lose the Love' inspires the young at heart
The minute-long spot held viewers' attention and affection, writes Ace Metrix's VP of marketing
Ad of the Week: Droga5's 'employee-made' Johnsonville spot scores big in the Midwest
A winning combo of comedy and authenticity, right down to the accents
What you need to know about the latest wiener war
Intellectual property is a matter of opinion in Parks vs Park's, writes Siegel+Gale naming strategist
Ad of the Week: Grey Goose's lush fantasy sells the experience, not the product
Liquor brand scores high by taking research on Millennialls to hear, says Ace Metrix's VP of marketing
Ad(s) of the Week: Ford and Nissan take different paths to consumer success
Both ads scored high, but one hit home with people shopping for cars, says Ace Metrix's VP of marketing
The rise of the rebel brand
Frpm Trump to Equinox, brands with polarizing positions are proving popular, writes the Brand Union strategist
Unilever CMO Keith Weed on why trust is the magic ingredient that builds brands
We need trust to break down traditional barriers of working if we want game-changing creativity, Keith Weed writes
Marvel vs. DC: May the best names win!
What gives one moniker greater power than another?
Ad of the Week: P&G dazzles again with "Thank You, Mom - Strong"
Wieden + Kennedy delivers another knockout punch, according to Ace Metrix research
Liar of the year
Anyone who won an award for VW work last year should be running to give it back, writes the co-founder of Genius Steals
When did Agency of Record become a dirty word?
The CEO of The BAM Connection examines the unintended consequences of project work
Evolution or extinction: The path to brand survival is fraught with peril
Beardwood & Co. managing partner offers three strategies for success
How to fight for your ads like Bruce Lee
Take out the enemy like a martial arts master, says Conversant's SVP of products
Don't get angry at the IAB for blocking AdblockPlus. Just get angry
Trade associations and conferences won't solve what's wrong with online advertising
Forget your logo. Sign with words
How smart brands are using language to brand themselves in a way simple images never could
3 things we learned from Cards Against Humanity in 2015
The 'party game for horrible people' has a lot to teach us about taking risks and throwing out the rule book
Pitch secrets of 2015's big media winners
What separated the winners from the losers in the year's big media pitches? The CEO of search consultancy ID Comms gives an inside glimpse
Content marketers: Think like a teacher
The time is right for brands to deliver valuable educational experiences, writes the president of GoKart Labs
Socially responsible advertising: A marriage proposal between science and marketing
Three leading child development scientists offer some ideas on how to advertise to kids better
A poisoned lemon
Genius Steals' co-founder says betrayal always hurts more when it's someone you really like
Part 1: Can you buy good content from a creative agency?
While many ad agencies claim to have deep expertise in content strategy and creation, there are few that can actually deliver against it, says Meredith Xcelerated Marketing's EVP
When interface brands enter the real world
The manifestation of interface brands in the offline world is a collective yell for substance, writes TBWA\Chiat\Day LA's chief strategy officer
Why it's time to turn back the clock on Baby Boomers
With Baby Boomers controlling 60% of consumer spending in the US, marketers who obsess over Millennials are missing out on a huge opportunity
Why brands should buddy up with Snapchat
Tash Whitmey, CEO of Havas Helia, argues it is time for brands to make friends with Snapchat
My Cannes prediction: Awarding bravery
The courage to lead rather than follow is a virtue the industry must reward
My Cannes prediction: Predictability
72andSunny partner and ECD says "Like a Girl," "The Other Side" and "Penguin" will continue their awards season sweep right down The Croisette
What Generation Z spells for brands
The worldwide director of J. Walter Thompson's Innovation Group takes the measure of the next market
Restoring Barbie: The CEO's Golden Rules for modernizing a legacy brand
Grace Blue's North American CEO describes what it takes to bring a brand back from the brink
Why Whole Foods' play for Millennials misses the mark
Cintell CMO says Whole Foods' demographic segmentation is primed to backfire
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