Hilton Chief Marketing Officer Kellyn Smith Kenny Departs

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This week in leadership updates, Hilton CMO Kellyn Smith Kenny steps down following company-wide furloughs, Estée Lauder names Jane Lauder as executive vice president, enterprise marketing and chief data officer, Yoshinoya hires Kim Freer as CMO and more.

Hilton Chief Marketing Officer Kellyn Smith Kenny Steps Down

According to Adweek, Hilton CMO Kellyn Smith Kenny is departing just two days after the company furloughed nearly 2,100 employees.

Kenny Smith joined Hilton in 2018. Prior to that, she served as CMO of Uber from 2016 to 2018.

Estée Lauder Names Jane Lauder As Executive Vice President, Enterprise Marketing And Chief Data Officer

Jane Lauder will assume the newly created role of executive VP, enterprise marketing and chief data officer for Estée Lauder.

In her new position, Lauder will be tasked with leveraging strategic insights to drive the personalized marketing for the company.

Lauder has been with Estée Lauder for over 23 years and was most recently global brand president of Clinique. She will be succeeded by Michelle Freyre, who will join Clinique as senior vice president, general manager.

Yoshinoya Hires Kim Freer As Chief Marketing Officer

Yoshinoya brought on Kim Freer, Blaze Pizza’s former vice president of brand marketing, as CMO in March, QSR Web reports.

Freer will be responsible for launching the company’s digital expansion including its first loyalty program.

Kimberly-Clark Names Zena Arnold As Chief Digital And Marketing Officer

Kimberly-Clark has appointed Zena Arnold to the newly created role of chief digital and marketing officer, which will require her to oversee the company’s global marketing teams and drive digital transformation of its brands.

Arnold was most recently global head of growth of Google’s Chrome OS business. Prior to Google, Arnold held global and US brand management positions at Kellogg Company and Procter & Gamble.

Buffalo Wild Wings Chief Marketing Officer Seth Freeman Steps Down

Buffalo Wild Wings CMO Seth Freeman is departing after two years with the company, citing no reason for his departure.

Freeman joined the company six months after it was acquired by Inspire Brands in February 2018.

According to brand president Lyle Tick, the company is actively seeking a replacement.

AT&T Chief Brand And Advertising Officer Fiona Carter To Depart

According to an internal memo obtained by Axios, AT&T chief brand and advertising officer Fiona Carter is leaving the company to pursue other opportunities.

Carter joined AT&T in 2015 from Omnicom where she served as chief operating officer of advertising, branding and research.

Rakuten Rewards Names Dana Marineau As Chief Marketing Officer

Dana Marineau has joined Rakuten Rewards as CMO, with the responsibility of strengthening Rakuten’s consumer recognition and launching new loyalty programs.

Marineau comes from Credit Karma where she was VP of brand, creative and communications.

Prior to that, Marineau served as a marketing executive at Electronic Arts for over 15 years in the global advertising, design and creative space for video game brands.

NASCAR Hires Brandon Thompson As Vice President, Diversity And Inclusion

NASCAR has appointed Brandon Thompson to the newly created position of VP, diversity and inclusion. Thompson will expand the company’s diversity efforts and oversee an existing team of employees responsible for multicultural programs including the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Program, and partnerships with the Institute for Sport and Social Justice and the Diversity and Inclusion Sports Consortium.  

Thompson was previously managing director of the NASCAR Touring Series.

Merrell Promotes Janice Tennant To CMO Position

Merrell, an outdoor footwear brand in Wolverine Worldwide’s portfolio, announced the promotion of Janice Tennant to chief marketing officer. Her appointment to senior leadership was announced in April and made effective just last week, according to Grand Rapids Business Journal. 

Tennant’s previous roles include serving as CMO for Cat Footwear, global footwear licensee of Caterpillar, Inc. She was also previously director of marketing at Kimberly-Clark and PepsiCo.

Universal Music Group Nashville Promotes Leigh Parr Malleus To VP Of Media Marketing

Leigh Parr Malleus has been promoted to VP of media marketing at Universal Music Group Nashville, where she will oversee the publicity department including Capitol Records Nashville, EMI Records Nashville, Mercury Nashville and MCA Nashville.

Before joining UMG Nashville in 2013, Malleus was a publicist with Essential Broadcast Media and worked in artist management for McGhee Entertainment, respectively.

How To Make Your Organization More Inclusive

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The wave of protesters marching for Black Lives Matter has accelerated major change at a variety of companies including executive resignations over racist behavior and discussions on how to bolster underrepresented voices in the workplace. In response, the World Economic Forum (WEF) has laid out seven steps organizations can take to promote diversity.

The first step is actively acknowledging the prevalence of systemic racism and remembering that you can do better—to rebuild a racially just world means taking one step each day toward that goal.

Organizations should also be transparent in their commitments to diversity and inclusion. This means using concrete language that expresses a clear understanding of why you’re using that language and how you’ll accomplish your goals.

The influence of these commitments largely depends on the level of diversity in your leadership team. To truly uproot systemic racism in the workplace, organizations must promote black and Latino employees to executive roles. Black people account for just 3.2 percent of senior leadership roles at corporations and hold only 0.8 percent of Fortune 500 positions. And Latinos hold fewer than two percent of these positions.

The WEF suggests companies capture anonymized data on who’s hired, who’s promoted and who leaves to reveal any hiring trends around gender identity, race and ethnicity; then make that information publicly accessible.

When promoting people of diverse backgrounds, avoid approaching the process with a scarcity mentality; promoting diverse employees doesn’t mean you can’t promote others.

Lastly, WEF encourages organizations to continue the dialogue at the internal leadership level, the internal management level and at the all-staff level to expose and break down unconscious biases.

Though companies have publicly expressed a commitment to increasing representation in the workplace and educating themselves and employees about systemic racism, many leaders reported feeling ill-equipped or afraid to address these issues. That’s what president and CEO of the nonprofit Living Cities, Ben Hecht, found in speaking to two dozen executives of Fortune 500 companies, an experience he shared in the Harvard Business Review.

Abandoning mainstream norms around organizational leadership provided Hecht with three valuable lessons for moving toward racial equity at Living Cities. Hecht says the first step was addressing the norms, values and practices that advantage white people and ways of working, to the oppression of underrepresented groups. That meant understanding history, exploring personal biases and building empathy. To do this, Hecht and his team underwent multi-day anti-racism trainings, facilitated by Living Cities’ permanent, in-house staff, Colleagues Operationalizing Racial Equity, or CORE. New staff members are required to take this training within 90 days of hire.

“For me, in my role as CEO, that meant relinquishing some of my formal authority to a group of more inclusive decision-makers so that our most mission-critical decisions reflected a diversity of perspectives, even if I would have made a different decision on my own,” says Hecht.

The second lesson Hecht learned is that organizations must understand and embrace conflict. To help staff and leadership become more comfortable with conflict, Living Cities uses a “comfort, stretch, panic” framework to discern boundaries and commit to staying engaged when faced with challenges.

Like the WEF, Hecht found that tracking staff engagement, satisfaction and tenure by race, role and level are helpful for identifying disparities. Additionally, Living Cities’ annual competency survey reveals how race impacts the company while holding each staff member accountable.

“Instead of trying to change some people to fit the organization, we must focus on transforming our organizations to fit all people,” says Hecht.

Zoom And American Heart Association Create Program To Address Lockdown Fatigue

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Virtual work meetings, concerts, therapy sessions, birthday parties, happy hours—COVID has thrust people’s lives into video calls, resulting in what’s been termed Zoom fatigue. To help people combat burnout and address mental wellbeing during lockdowns, Zoom has partnered with the American Heart Association (AHA) Bay Area to launch a monthly webinar series that calls on employees to #TakeABreak.

The first Zoom webinar of the series, “Happy Half-Hour Mental Wellness Webinar” will start on July 16 at 4 p.m. PST to offer employees of Bay Area companies “fun, relaxing activities” around mental health strategies and tactics to approach telework. Employees can register here.

Through September the AHA and Zoom partnership will also provide resources for companies to support their employees’ mental wellbeing.

Lastly, the program will include an unspecified “new kind of happy hour” that encourages employees to spend an hour outdoors or with loved ones.

The #TakeABreak campaign will be funded by a $500,000 grant from the Zoom Cares Foundation to AHA.

Experts say that video calls wear on the psyche because the experience is devoid of the non-verbal cues that, in a physical interaction, normally help paint a holistic picture of what another person is conveying. In addition, if held too long, prolonged eye contact can feel overly intimate or threatening. 

Gallery view only exacerbates the issue, forcing our brains to decode so many people at once that it creates a prolonged split in attention. The result is a feeling of being drained while having accomplished nothing.

Despite the dawn of virtual spaces and Zoom fatigue, 35 percent of people say they’d like to continue working from home full-time after stay-at-home orders are lifted.

Additionally, 38 percent of Americans say their view of the tech industry has become more positive since the start of the pandemic, the Harris Poll found in a survey conducted in early May.

The same report found that even when things return to normal, 67 percent of Americans are now more likely to have a virtual happy hour with friends vs. going to a bar (33 percent). At the same time, 73 percent are more likely to live stream sports at home vs. attending an in-person sports event (27 percent) and 79 percent are more likely to watch a movie at home vs. going to the movies (21 percent).

What We’re Reading–Week Of June 8th

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We’re searching for the most pressing marketing insights this week.

Will COVID-19 Push Contactless Payments Into The Mainstream?

Retail Dive

As consumers get more comfortable shopping online in lockdown, they may be more inclined to use contactless payments after the pandemic ends though the data suggests mixed consumer habits. An early April PYMNTS.com report found that Apple Pay consumer usage peaked in late 2017 but has declined to about 5.1 percent of eligible transactions. Whereas a MasterCard survey found that 51 percent of US consumers are using some type of contactless payments.

Why it matters: As some stores remain closed, it’s difficult to determine where contactless payment adoption is growing. For brands, barriers to adoption include cost, training and reliable internet connectivity. The bottom line: Merchants should move at the same speed as consumers.

Programmatic Ad Spend Increasing: Three Strategies For Marketers During COVID-19 Recovery

Chief Marketer

As some parts of the country reopen, Peer39 CEO Mario Diez suggests the post-pandemic playbook will require marketers to pay attention to contingency planning, creative messaging and regional sentiment.

Why it matters: Given the suddenness of the pandemic, every media buy must now be executed with a clear backup plan in place, creative must be respectful of the different attitudes around COVID-19 and brands must layer in geographic data to their ad buys to ensure they understand varying regional sentiments while different parts of the country reopen. 

How Diverse Is Your Board, Really?

Harvard Business Review

In a study of the effects of cognitive diversity on board performance among eight underperforming companies, Harvard Business Review found that cognitively diverse directors helped expand the board’s understanding of the company’s strategic and operating issues and were more likely to ask tough questions and challenge management’s proposals. Identifying directors who can introduce new views and perspectives can also improve board decision-making. But for a board to benefit from this diversity, it must possess a culture that values diverse perspectives.

Why it matters: Companies interested in diversifying their boards should recruit demographically diverse director candidates who have strong business backgrounds and have experience in areas that meet the company’s current and anticipated needs; have in-depth discussions with the candidate about their background and life experiences; and involve multiple directors in the interview process, in a variety of settings, to get an accurate read of the candidate.

Apple Commits $100 Million To Racial Equity Initiative, Boosting Black Partners

Venture Beat

Apple CEO Tim Cook announced Apple would dedicate $100 million toward supporting black developers with a new developer entrepreneurial camp, boost spending with black-owned partner companies, form a partnership with the Equal Justice Initiative and diversify its supply chain and workforce. Apple’s vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives, Lisa Jackson, will lead the racial justice program.

Why it matters: Apple has a ways to go in achieving diversity, as just 24 percent of its workforce is made up of underrepresented minorities.

Sephora Commits To Stocking More Black-Owned Brands

Adweek

Sephora currently carries just seven black-owned beauty brands, however, the beauty giant says it will offer a concrete plan for bringing the number up to 15 percent, as well as connect black entrepreneurs with venture capital and launch support. Additionally, it will refocus its small incubator program to highlight women entrepreneurs of color.

Why it matters: Sephora’s move is in response to a campaign fashion designer Aurora James launched this month called 15 Percent Pledge, which calls on major lifestyle retailers to make their supply chains comprise 15 percent black-owned businesses.

51% Of Marketing Professionals Expect Virtual Events To Stick Around, Survey Finds

Marketing Dive

A little over half (51 percent) of marketers believe live gatherings will feature some kind of virtual element after the pandemic, according to a new survey from The 614 Group, conducted from April 16 to May 13. Sixty-four percent of respondents see virtual events as a “way to meet new business prospects and generate leads” whereas 56 percent view live events as an opportunity to “spend quality time with current clients.”

Why it matters: Teleworking could either stymie the marketing business that’s reliant on in-person meetings or produce novel ways to forge connections.

Mini’s Marketing Chief On The Dive Into TikTok Advertising

CMO

Mini launched a TikTok campaign in May to promote its inaugural Mini Electric Hatch First Edition in Australia after having to dial down other channels like cinema and out-of-home amid the pandemic. The 15-second video enables viewers to experience the Mini website, configure a car and make a refundable deposit.

Why it matters: As per Mini’s head of marketing Alex McLean: “We really didn’t have much to base decisions on with regards to performance. Our position was to build our brand learnings so we can make greater decisions for campaigns down the track. We have another model arriving later this year, for example, and we can evaluate TikTok’s role in that mix based on insights from how we’ve performed with this electric product test.” 

There Are No Easy Answers For Our Biggest Global Problems

Harvard Business Review

Asking brands to be part of the solution to solve major global problems like poverty and climate change will not achieve social stability or environmental balance.

Why it matters: The pandemic is a reminder that the desire for easy solutions can be harmful if it preempts the implementation of dull but proven ones.

Refinery29 Founder Christene Barberich Steps Down As Editor-In-Chief In Response To Accusations Of Racism And Toxic Company Culture

Fashionista

Co-founder and global editor-in-chief of Refinery29 Christene Barberich has resigned after Refinery29 blacked out its homepage on June 2 for Blackout Tuesday, spurring some of its former black employees to speak out about pay disparities and a toxic company culture.

Why it matters: Barberich wrote: ”I will be stepping aside in my role at R29 to help diversify our leadership in editorial and ensure this brand and the people it touches can spark a new defining chapter. It’s time for a new generation of leadership that’s truly reflective of the diversity of our audience with divergent points of view.”

Virtually Perfect: Will Lockdown Lead To An Explosion In Agencies Without An Office?

The Drum

Pre-COVID, full-service virtual ad agencies were on the rise though they never really got any traction. Teleworking has forced the ad industry to adapt to virtually serving clients, making now an opportune moment to champion a new way of working.

Why it matters: While some see the office as a hotbed for agency culture to thrive, others believe that working remotely could give the industry a chance to retune its cultural norms.

Kids Spend Nearly As Much Time On TikTok As On YouTube

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This week in social media news, kids spend almost as much time on TikTok as they do on YouTube during lockdowns, Twitter tests a new prompt to prevent users from retweeting articles they haven’t read, the EU calls on tech giants to produce monthly reports detailing their COVID misinformation practices, Twitter confirms it’s testing a new verification system and more.

TikTok Viewership Among Kids Equals Nearly That Of YouTube

Kids spend an average of 85 minutes per day watching YouTube videos compared with 80 minutes per day spent on TikTok, according to Qustodio’s first study on children’s digital habits, which surveyed 60,000 families with kids aged 4 to 15 years old in the US, the UK and Spain, from February 2019 to April 2020. 

Why it matters: The data shows how quickly TikTok has risen to the top among young viewers, indicating a threat to YouTube’s reign. The trend will likely continue as Qustodio found that TikTok drove growth of social app use by 100 percent in 2019 and 200 percent in 2020.

The details: Children are now watching twice as many YouTube videos per day as they did four years ago, with kids in the US spending an average of 100 minute a day on YouTube as a result of COVID lockdowns.

Between May 2019 and February 2020, kids’ average viewership on TikTok grew 116 percent in the US to 82 minutes; 97 percent in the UK to 69 minutes; and 150 percent in Spain to 60 minutes.

During lockdowns, kids are spending an average of 95 minutes a day on TikTok, just two minutes less than time spent on YouTube, 97 minutes.

Among kids, Roblox is the most popular video game app, played by 54 percent of kids in the US and 51 percent of kids in the UK. 

Educational apps have become household names too, with 65 percent of kids in Spain using Google Classroom.


Qustodio will publish these insights on an annual basis.

Twitter Tests New Prompt Asking Users If They Want To Read An Article Before Retweeting It

Twitter, citing the powerful but sometimes dangerous effect of retweeting articles, is testing a prompt on Android that would ask users if they want to open an article first before retweeting it in hopes that they’ll read it before retweeting it.

Why it matters: The prompt in testing comes as Twitter attempts to slow the spread of misinformation, which first started by labeling Trump’s inaccurate and/or violent tweets.

The details: As per Twitter product chief officer Kayvon Beykpour: “It’s easy for links/articles to go viral on Twitter. This can be powerful but sometimes dangerous, especially if people haven’t read the content they’re spreading. This feature (on Android for now) encourages people to read a linked article prior to Retweeting it.”

If a user tries retweeting an article they haven’t opened, a prompt would appear that notes “Headlines don’t tell the full story. Want to read this before Retweeting?” Then users can choose from three options: read, retweet or retweet with comment.

EU Requests Tech Giants Publish Monthly Reports On How They Combat Fake COVID News

The EU, worried that misinformation about COVID-19 on social media platforms could prolong the effects of the crisis, has launched a program calling on Google, Facebook and Twitter to produce reports on how they’re preventing the spread of misinformation about COVID.

Why it matters: The fight against misinformation is especially important now as scientists rush to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, which could be met with resistance from the anti-vaccine community.

The details: Google, Facebook and Twitter all told The Verge they support the EU’s efforts and have accelerated efforts to slow the spread of misinformation; Google and Facebook said they’ll release new monthly reports and Twitter, though unsure how it’ll present this information, will for now regularly update its COVID-19 blog.

Twitter Testing New, Transparent Verification System

Twitter is reviving its public submission form for verifications with the addition of a new “Request Verification” option, which reverse engineer Jane Manchun Wong first spotted before Twitter confirmed the feature.

Why it matters: Twitter’s verification system came under fire in 2017 when users learned the platform gave a blue checkmark to Jason Kessler, the creator of a fatal white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Twitter thereafter removed the public submission form for verifications, though in 2018 it announced shifted efforts to verify political candidates. Most recently, Twitter verified the accounts of health experts who were tweeting factual COVID-19 information.

The details: Twitter told TechCrunch that its improved in-app verification system will include public documents showing what qualifies a Twitter user to be verified. This marks the first time the app will provide transparency on its rules around verification.

Facebook Adds An Insights Update To Comments

Facebook is working on a new feature that provides users with comment engagement stats, as noticed by social media expert Matt Navarra.

Why it matters: Revealing a user’s comment performance could incentivize people to comment more, which would result in an increase in activity for Facebook.

The details: Navarra’s screenshots show Facebook’s comment insights would be viewable as an update under “See more insights.” There Facebook would show a percentage figure related to how many more reactions and impressions your posts received when you’ve added a comment. Comments that generate more engagement would yield this note from Facebook: “When you comment on posts, people tend to connect with you more deeply.”

TikTok To Open Transparency Center In Washington D.C.

In a company post, TikTok chief information security officer Roland Cloutier laid out the app’s plan to strengthen its data privacy practices including the opening of a transparency center in Washington D.C. and a bi-yearly transparency report.

Why it matters: TikTok’s move to enhance its security infrastructure follows the opening of its first transparency center in Los Angeles in March.

The details: TikTok says it’s also working on a centralized global security function outside of the US which it will deploy across all the markets it serves. In Washington D.C., TikTok plans to hire 100 security, data and privacy protection experts by the end of 2020.

TikTok’s goal with the transparency centers is to “give lawmakers and experts the opportunity to look under the hood of TikTok.” 

Cloutier also notes that TikTok has been working with firms to ensure its compliance with globally recognized security standards.

Zoom Reports A 169 Percent Surge In Q1 Revenue

According to its first-quarter results, Zoom’s revenue surged 169 percent year-over-year to $328.2 million in Q1.

Why it matters: Zoom has become the go-to video calling service to stay connected during coronavirus, leading the company to raise its revenue forecast for 2020 to nearly $1.8 billion, or a doubling of prior projections of nearly $915 million.

The details: Zoom’s strong Q1 performance includes a 354 percent increase year-over-year to 265,400 businesses with over 10 employees that use Zoom and a 90 percent increase year-over-year to 769 customers contributing over $100,000 in trailing 12 months revenue.

On a call with analysts, CFO Kelly Steckelberg said Zoom plans to increase its internal capacity and rely less on outside services in order to cut costs.

Instagram Tests Content Recommendation Listings, Suggested And Older

Instagram is testing a new format in the main feed that would split post recommendations into two sections, one marked as “Suggested” and the other as “Older.”

Why it matters: Splitting the feed into two sections could help brands who use Instagram’s selling capabilities reach more people via suggested posts.

The details: The split content recommendation listings would appear after a user has scrolled through all the new posts in their feed and gotten the “You’re All Caught Up” notice. Then they’d have a chance to scroll suggested posts or scroll older posts they’ve already viewed.

Twitter Reaches Record-Breaking Weekly Installs Amid Black Lives Matter Protests

Twitter exceeded its record for weekly installs, according to data from Apptopia and Sensor Tower.

Why it matters: In the past week Black Lives Matter protesters heavily used Twitter to share footage from demonstrations and share messages in support of racial justice, likely leading to Twitter’s milestone.

The details: Apptopia reports that on June 3, Twitter saw 677,000 worldwide downloads and 140,000 installs in the US alone. Sensor Tower, on the other hand, says Twitter experienced over a million installs on June 1—the most single-day installs since the firm started analyzing app store data—and around 1 million installs on June 2.  

Alexis Ohanian Leaves Reddit Board In Support Of Racial Justice

In a post on his website, founder and former CEO of Reddit Alexis Ohanian announced his resignation from Reddit’s board, calling on the company to fill his position with a black board member.

Why it matters: Reddit is not without its own history of inaction against racism. Not only did it once continue hosting subcommunities like The_Donald and blackpeoplehate before banning them or removing them from search, it also faced backlash when over a dozen employees quit after interim CEO Ellen Pao stepped down in 2015 due to issues over race.

The details: As per Ohanian: “I believe resignation can actually be an act of leadership from people in power right now. To everyone fighting to fix our broken nation: do not stop.”

Current Reddit CEO Steve Huffman said the company would honor Ohanian’s request to replace him with a black board member.

In addition to leaving the board, Ohanian says he will be using future gains from his Reddit stock to donate $1 million to Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp.

Facebook Publishes Group Admin Tips On Navigating Conversations Around Race

Facebook has published a comprehensive list of starting tips for group admins who may be unsure of how to manage important discussions around racial justice.

Why it matters: Facebook’s guidance comes at a time when the company’s CEO faces backlash for taking a hands-off approach to President Trump’s controversial posts about the current Black Lives Matter movement and protesters.

The details: Facebook recommends that group admins educate themselves and their team on issues before engaging with conversations with members. Other ways that admins can approach conversations on race include: diversifying their team by enlisting advocates to host live training with your group; acknowledging current events via an announcement to your community and outlining how your community will engage moving forward; deciding whether or not to institute post approval to review incoming posts, setting up keyword alerts and turning off comments; and listening to member feedback to address burnout.

Moving And Shaking On TikTok With Evan Horowitz

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During this 211th episode of “Marketing Today,” I interview Evan Horowitz, CEO of Movers+Shakers, a go-to agency for TikTok.

On the show today, we talk about how Movers+Shakers came about, how it’s a family business with his partner, and we talk about some of the record-setting campaigns with e.l.f. Cosmetics, among other work.

Horowitz tells us how he started thinking like a marketer while giving campus tours as a Stanford engineering student. Then he shares how the idea for Movers+Shakers came out of the vision that “using original music, using movement, using dance, would be a way to stop the scroll and drive more engagement.”

Horowitz tells us how the viral e.l.f. campaign came about when they created an original song for a TikTok challenge, which leads to a discussion about what works on TikTok. Horowitz says, “I think one of the biggest challenges for brands when they’re looking at TikTok is they recognize quickly how different the platform feels from other platforms.” Movers+Shakers is translating brands into culture through music and movement, which is a great fit for TikTok. This episode will help you think about creative ways to create an emotional connection with your customer.

Highlights from this week’s “Marketing Today”:

  • How Evan started in marketing. 01:14
  • Evan’s transition from engineer to agency CEO. 02:27
  • The beginning of Movers+Shakers. 03:14
  • Evan describes running a company with his spouse. 04:38
  • Finding TikTok. 06:31
  • The elf campaign. 07:37
  • The extension of the original song “Eyes. Lips. Face.” 09:39
  • What works on TikTok. 10:38
  • The role of influencers and celebrities in the elf Campaign. 12:26
  • The DNA of Movers+Shakers. 13:34
  • Is there an experience in his past that defines who he is today? 18:18
  • What is the advice Evan would give to his younger self? 20:04
  • The most impactful purchase he has made in the last 6-12 months of $100 or less. 20:58
  • Are there any brands, companies, or causes that Evan follows that he thinks other people should take notice of? 22:20
  • Evan’s take on the top opportunity and threat facing marketers today. 23:32

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Alan B. Hart is the creator and host of “Marketing Today with Alan Hart,” a weekly podcast where he interviews leading global marketing professionals and business leaders. Alan advises leading executives and marketing teams on opportunities around brand, customer experience, innovation, and growth. He has consulted with Fortune 100 companies, but he is an entrepreneur at his core, having founded or served as an executive for nine startups.

Listen In: Steven Lai On Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Influencers (But Were Afraid To Ask)

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The third episode of a.network’s new weekly series Listen In, hosted by Ayzenberg principal and ECD Matt Bretz, features a conversation with ION’s VP of talent and content strategy, Steven Lai.

Steven Lai runs the Influencer Orchestration Network – or ION – creating bespoke, always-on programs partnering top brands with digital content creators.

We chat with Steven about the leading edge of influencer marketing and how marketing insiders can find their way to the front.

Content marketing is now arguably a decade old. But to some degree, it remains a frontier in marketing and advertising that many marketers have been cautious about dipping their toe into because of its perceived volatility. 

Steven has been in the space from the beginning and he is very clear that there has never been a better time than this post-COVID-19 era to wade into influencer waters. He explains why and also how to think about making this move.

About Listen In: Each week on Listen In, Bretz and a rotating cast of hosts from Ayzenberg will interview experts in the field of marketing and advertising to explore uncharted territory together. The goal is to provide the a.network audience with actionable insights, enabling them to excel in their field.

What We’re Reading–Week Of June 1st

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We’re searching for the most pressing marketing insights this week.

How To Speak Up When It Matters

Harvard Business Review

What makes a thoughtful leader and compassionate colleague is lending your voice to difficult conversations. To do so successfully, you must acknowledge how psychologically challenging, albeit worthwhile, speaking up can be; avoid pushing buttons by showing you’re giving feedback on impact, without making assumptions about intent; and create a plan for how to speak up by identifying in advance the type of situations that occur in roles that may require you to speak up.

Why it matters: Research suggests that most people tend not to say something when ethically questionable situations arise then rationalize their inaction.

How To Use Your White Privilege To Help Black + POC In The Marketing Space

Elise Dopson

Freelance B2B writer Elise Dopson advises people to call out racism in their own networks and at home, as well as educate themselves about the black community. 

To make your marketing more inclusive, Elise suggests using black-or POC-owned businesses for examples in explanations; asking marketers of color to contribute to your content; recommending black and POC speakers for conferences you’re attending; making a conscious effort to refer POC for jobs; using stock photos that show POC and putting pressure on your boss to implement these and similar changes.

Why it matters: Elise admits that, though she’s always thought of herself as a non-racist, the Black Live Matters protests made her realize she’s not doing anywhere near as much as she can to help amplify black voices.

Marketers Are Embracing Black Lives Matter

Marketplace

Many brands, including those who’ve been wary of conflict in polarized times, are embracing anti-racism initiatives in light of protests over the police killing of George Floyd.

Why it matters: Experts say that brands that express solidarity could either run the risk of alienating some “law and order” consumers or appear hungry for PR and/or more sales.

Brands Have Nothing Real To Say About Racism

The Atlantic

Atlantic writer Amanda Mull says that by invoking the Black Lives Matter movement, brands are able to associate themselves “with the zeitgeist in a fast, low-effort way during periods when their typical advertising efforts might need to be paused,” thereby pulling a neat sleight of hand when there’s little else appropriate to say.

Why it matters: Scores of brands have contributed to the recent outpouring of public support against police brutality and racism including Twitter, which, Mull notes, “has been notoriously resistant to years of pleas to remove the accounts of virulent neo-Nazis.”

Delivering Value In A Pandemic With MetaCX President Jake Sorofman

BY

During this 210th episode of “Marketing Today,” I interview Jake Sorofman, president of MetaCX.

Today, we talk about what it’s like to join a company and transition from CMO to president in a global pandemic. We talk about how Sorofman is thinking about company culture. We also discuss MetaCX’s founder and the overall vision of the company.

Sorofman describes how his role as chief marketing officer prepared him for his new role at MetaCX. Then he shares his perspective on creating company culture during a global pandemic. He says, “You need to be even more intentional. My feeling is that cultures don’t happen by accident.” He suggests leaning into the awkwardness of video conferencing and shares that they’re engaging their employees in a fun 100 Mile Challenge.

We learn more about MetaCX and why there may be no better time than now for them to launch, given their unique value proposition. Sorofman remarks on the opportunities that are available to us in this unique time. He says, “This is the time of transformation. This is the time of thinking about the things that you couldn’t get to when business was robust. It’s also a time of thinking about what it’s going to look like on the other side.” This interview reminds us of the importance of providing value no matter what the circumstances may be.

Highlights from this week’s “Marketing Today”:

  • Why Jake joined MetaCX. 01:45
  • Jake’s relationship with MetaCX CEO Scott McCorkle. 03:25
  • How the CMO role prepared Jake to take on the additional responsibilities of president. 04:54
  • Company culture during the pandemic. 06:37
  • Learn about MetaCX and what the company is trying to achieve. 09:29
  • The MetaCX customer. 13:33
  • Jake’s top priority for this year. 14:23
  • Building a revenue pipeline during a pandemic. 16:45
  • Is there an experience in his past that defines who he is today? 22:39
  • What is the advice Jake would give to his younger self? 23:57
  • The most impactful purchase he has made in the last 6-12 months of $100 or less. 24:48
  • Are there any brands, companies, or causes that Jake follows that he thinks other people should take notice of? 26:24
  • Jake’s take on the top opportunity and threat facing marketers today. 28:28

Resources Mentioned:

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Alan B. Hart is the creator and host of “Marketing Today with Alan Hart,” a weekly podcast where he interviews leading global marketing professionals and business leaders. Alan advises leading executives and marketing teams on opportunities around brand, customer experience, innovation, and growth. He has consulted with Fortune 100 companies, but he is an entrepreneur at his core, having founded or served as an executive for nine startups.

What We’re Reading–Week Of May 18th

BY

We’re searching for the most pressing marketing insights this week. Updated daily.

Brand Insider: Skullcandy’s ‘Content-to-Commerce’ Model Was Ready For A Crisis

Media Post

Skullcandy chief marketing officer Jessica Klodnicki says that for the last two and a half years, the company was fine-tuning a program that connects the dots between the brand and commerce investments with more traditional product marketing and product launches, leaving Skullcandy well positioned to support the environment of people shopping online.

Why it matters: Skullcandy tailored its long-planned “Mood Boost” campaign slightly to fit COVID messaging and after the first month of launching, in April, saw 76 million impressions, 10 million video views and 162,000 engagements.

How A Data-Driven Marketing Approach Enables Effective And Efficient Media Strategies

eMarketer

In eMarketer’s Tech-Talk Webinar, Datorama global VP of product marketing and head of evangelism Nathan Barling and Ayzenberg’s Chris Strawser, VP of product and technology and Piotr Urbanksi, associate director of marketing science, discuss the need for a system of record that enables marketers to measure performance and to act quickly.

Why it matters: With the increasing importance of digital channels amid the pandemic, prior effective strategies may no longer be enough.

Adobe Study Suggests Consumers Have Grown Tired Of ‘We’re With You’ Ads

Ad Age

A new Adobe survey of more than 1,000 people found that brand marketers are almost 20 percent more likely to believe that consumers want ads showcasing how they’re engaging with communities in COVID than everyday consumers. 

Why it matters: Brands should consider focusing on everyday essentials and things that offer a much-needed reprieve from the pandemic.

Funding For Beauty, Personal Care Startups Drops

Adweek

According to a new report from CB Insights, in Q1 2020, private market funding for young companies in the beauty and personal care space declined by over 50 percent compared to Q4. 

Why it matters: During the lockdown, verticals like fitness technology and the food and beverage industry have seen a burst in investor interest.

Skittles Goes Rainbow-Less For LGBTQ Pride Month

Adweek

Skittles partnered with GLAAD to create colorless versions of its candies, retaining their original flavors and available for purchase in the US for the first time. One dollar from each pack will go to GLAAD.

Why it matters: The move to strip its rainbow coating is an inventive twist timed for Pride month when all large celebrations this year are canceled.

When Times Get Tough, Your Marketing Needs To Get Agile

The Drum

During COVID, marketers should take advantage of decreased levels of competition and lower ad costs by rolling out a micro-campaign to test hypotheses and collaborating with existing partners. Thereafter they should assemble and share data in real-time to inform future collaborative decisions.

Why it matters: In times of economic uncertainty, marketers are shifting from deliberate strategies to emergent ones.

Apple Buys Virtual Reality Content Startup NextVR

Mobile Marketer

Apple bought virtual reality (VR) startup NextVR, a deal reportedly worth $100 million. NextVR works with sports leagues and media outlets to offer programming that people watch while wearing a VR headset.

Why it matters: Acquiring NextVR is part of Apple’s plan to make advertising and user experiences more interactive.

Inside Sony Music’s Strategy To Amplify Songs Trending On TikTok Like ‘Break My Stride’

Business Insider

Matthew Wilder’s 1983 song “Break My Stride” recently became a popular video challenge on TikTok, which has recently become a major driver of music industry trends. When Sony Music’s Legacy Recordings, which manages the song, notices one of its songs trending on social media, it drops a note to the artist and works with them to create new video assets to help users track down the song. Legacy Recordings will also sometimes change a song’s name or track description so that it references the new context.  

Why it matters: Legacy Recordings has found that proactive campaigns are “far less effective” than user-generated challenges that make a song go viral.

Instagram Debuts Guides Feature With Initial Focus On Wellness, Mental Health

Adweek

Instagram rolled out a new “Guides” feature that enables users to find recommendations, tips and other content from influencers, public figures, publishers and organizations. The feature will debut with a focus on wellness and mental health-related content, in partnership with organizations dedicated to wellness causes and publishers such as BuzzFeed, Refinery29, Shape and Parents Latina. Users can access the content by tapping the middle icon to view “Guides” on the profiles of participating organizations.

Why it matters: As social media usage surges amid the pandemic, Instagram and Facebook have overtaken traditional mediums for news consumption among millennials and Gen Z.

Opinion: What Happens When Live Sports Takes A Timeout?

AdAge

The no-live sports brand playbook will require brands to engage with customers in a new way using social and/or connected television solutions, and build on the continuity of their brand. Core messages shouldn’t change, just the approach.

Why it matters: Live sports events are canceled but many brands have quickly adapted, reformatting in-person activations to digital and social channels.