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This past winter, one of the most popular artificial intelligence (AI) tools, ChatGPT, made headlines for its ability to compose blogs, releases, social posts, and lengthy stories.
Has this and other AI tools rendered in-depth journalism and expert storytelling moot? Of course not, but it’s certainly big news for media professionals and consumers alike, which made it a hot topic at a recent Martin Group-attended PRSA chapter event in Dallas, Texas.
During a panel discussion entitled “The Changing Newsroom”—intended to review some of the best ways public relations professionals and journalists can collaborate, optimize pitches, and generate strong stories—the topic of AI and its evolving impact on journalism took over the conversation.
The PR professionals in attendance were eager to talk about the implications AI may have on communication careers across the board, including their own. What we’ve seen in the past is that often new technologies are met with some fear and maybe even a little resistance. According to the panel, AI technology brings a lot of unknowns to the industry, as well as a rising concern for maintaining industry standards in journalism.
Amy Hollyfield, managing editor of the Dallas Morning News, pointed out that AI has the potential to impact the accuracy of news information, newsroom competition, and most importantly, ethics. While the Dallas Morning News has no plans to embrace AI just yet, other outlets are jumping in – which brings up a few essential questions:
How will the implementation of AI change the newsgathering process?
Will news outlets cut even more jobs if AI proves to be efficient and effective at storytelling?
How will news outlets compete and continue to provide readers with the enterprise content they are asking for when AI is generating so much new information at a moment’s notice?
The use of AI transcription services (such as Otter.ai) is already common practice for news reporters, as well as content producers and PR professionals at The Martin Group. This tool provides a real-time service to free up more time for storytelling and meaningful conversations with sources. Some reporters are even using AI-generated images to help illustrate their stories. With the evolution of the news cycle and the constant demand for new information, AI may be a tool that newsrooms choose to employ just to keep today’s consumers satisfied.
The Associated Press openly uses automation to generate articles like earnings news and sports recaps. AP editors believe that AI can bring a new level of empowerment to newsrooms. For example, assignment editors may potentially look to activate AI to take on more mundane stories, localize national content to increase audience engagement, or leverage the technology’s insight to identify trending regional topics.
With this noted, AI comes with plenty of risks, including the capability to manipulate photos and video, plagiarize, and potentially generate false soundbites. Let’s face it, AI doesn’t necessarily follow the same code of ethics engrained in reporters during Journalism 101. And just like with traditionally created content, inaccuracies are possible.
It’s becoming clear that, despite certain advantages, editors will have to maintain diligent oversight if they welcome AI into their newsrooms. Some wonder if more outlets leverage AI for research or story development purposes, will they notify readers with disclaimers, similar to how sponsored content is handled today. For instance, when CNET first quietly rolled out AI-generated articles, the outlet received major criticism.
If transparency and editorial independence are not maintained, it could incite a variety of issues, including an acceleration of the already-eroding trust between consumers and media.
On the PR side, it’s hard to ignore some of the AI workflow efficiencies. Aside from instant transcription services, AI can churn through content to make research easier and, with a little help, polish up articles, emails, and news releases to ensure messaging is hitting the mark for the intended audience. AI can also help PR pros do our jobs better by aiding in identifying media contacts, tracking media impressions, and monitoring coverage trends. We can even hold brainstorming sessions using AI to generate new ideas and strategies.
Ultimately, this amped up collaboration between humans and our inventions is the biggest takeaway from the tech’s enhanced possibilities. AI can help skilled reporters, content creators, and PR professionals do their jobs better – and this is a positive development. The real value comes in realizing how AI and communication professionals can augment one another – while managing the line that separates appropriate teamwork from scary takeover.
If you’d like to learn more about how our content and PR teams can use AI to help your business, reach out to us here.
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Strategic communications are an essential offering from integrated agencies, encompassing such elements as comprehensive stakeholder outreach, editorial direction, and analytics measurement that can point the way forward.
But over the past three years, how this offering is understood and accessed has changed significantly. Communications services are finally being accessed for the whole of their capabilities, and are bolstering company content needs from the ground up. This progress is tremendous news for businesses and communications professionals, but note: it’s just the beginning of the service realizing its true connective potential.
This year, the sixth annual PRWeek/Cision Global Comms Report highlighted this rise of strategic communications and content creation in the overall operation of a business. Throughout their comprehensive breakdown, the report’s authors pointed to various takeaways that will help refine tactics throughout the communications industry—including within our operations at The Martin Group.
Here are three takeaways we found particularly insightful, with each informing the work we’re currently doing for our list of local and global clients.
Working closely with the C-suite—finally
In recent years, there has been a breakthrough in the presence of strategic communications in the C-suite. As a result of managing a global pandemic, responding to social issues and navigating other tricky areas, top executives have become receptive to the role communications can play in companies’ overall business strategies—and not a minute too soon.
Communications professionals have a role in activating the considerable amount of persuasive power nestled in the C-suite, one of an organization’s most powerful sources to inform consumers. According to the PRWeek/Cision Global Comms Report, 31% of global respondents cited executives as their top influencer in determining which brands they should support (compared to 41% for celebrities), especially in the realm of financial services (46%) and tech (44%). The report also revealed that customers want to build relationships with companies they trust.
These numbers indicate that customers are more likely to support a brand if they feel executives are transparent and authentic, and demonstrate a commitment to social responsibility. More frequently, especially over the past two years, The Martin Group has been working with clients eager to amplify their executives, and in turn, strengthen this needed connection with customers. Through the development of comprehensive public relations plans—led by the creation of thought leadership, sponsored content, and curated content as well as strategic placement of executives in key speaking and media opportunities—we’ve raised the public profile of C-suite members across various industries.
And by introducing diverse, insightful perspectives through this executive-led content, we’re answering strategic communications needs—and having an impressive impact on hard business numbers that affect the bottom line.
Employing an integrated approach to analytics
According to the report, “The work of strategic communicators has always been based on human relationships and creativity. However, the discipline has long trailed other corporate functions in their embrace of and ability to best take advantage of data and analytics.”
Details from this year’s Cision findings indicate those days are over.
One in four global respondents in the report cited content ideation, strategy, and creation as the single-most important function when they consider using analytics-measuring tech tools in their PR/communications efforts. (Closely behind was measuring impact/ROI of PR efforts at 21%.) Analytics are being used to strengthen anecdotal details about a company or brand, providing solid mathematical support to back up these flowery assertions—and this is a positive. Not only does this help build credibility with an audience, but this combination of statistics and story provides the C-suite with an engaging story they’d like to lead.
Over the past year, this has helped our communications and analytics professionals to collaborate on content that tells a bigger story about a company’s progress and plans. Whether interspersing numbers on geographic poverty rates with the personal stories of a nonprofit, or leaning into positive statistics to tell a story of the impact of healthcare services, this amalgamation of numbers and narrative is now an essential tool in any communications plan, and its use should only continue to expand.
Keeping companies in the conversation
Throughout the recent shift in how strategic communications are utilized, companies and brands have recognized the importance of participating in conversations—whether online, in the media or elsewhere—about trends or topics that align with their operations or mission.
In many cases, these trends or topics can allow companies to highlight a variety of machinations associated with their operations, but can also allow them to highlight supplemental aspects—like DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion), ESG (environmental, social, governance), or other employee-related matters—to build a deeper connection with their communities.
Throughout the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the constraints of our world brought about a feeling of disconnection. This translated to the relationship between businesses and consumers as well. Both sides were desperate to reclaim this connection; through this need, an opportunity arose for companies to tell a deeper story not just about their operations, but about their place in the complicated conversations of the day.
Now, this element of communication has become a critical tactic we use in social media and thought leadership content, op-ed development, sponsored content creation, and more: 43% of communicators polled for this year’s PRWeek/Cision Global Comms Report listed “ideate and create compelling content” as one of their most valued tools, and this value continues to rise. Depending on the client—be it managing the financial needs of their customers in a fiscally volatile economy or answering the call during an environmental disaster with important healthcare equipment for impacted communities—we’ve sought to pronounce their roles as business and community leaders, each vital to answering the concerns of their followers as customers and neighbors. Accessing this dichotomy can allow an organization’s brand voice to flourish. Without doing so, their voice can be muted, and they may lose their spot in a conversation they absolutely need to be a part of—and in some cases, leading.
This shouldn’t happen. But thankfully, with the heightened and ever-diversifying role of strategic comms, it doesn’t have to.
Access the entire 2023 PRWeek/Cision Global Comms Report here. To find out how The Martin Group’s team can help you answer your strategic communications needs, reach out here.
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Starting in 1907, 141 Washington Avenue housed The University Club, a private, all-male association until it began allowing women members in 1983. Deshanna C. Wiggins, CEO of the Albany Black Chamber of Commerce & Social Club offers the inside scoop on the transformation of the building in the heart of downtown Albany into a community-inspired location aimed to catalyze diversity and collaboration. Learn more about the Albany Black Chamber of Commerce and Social Club’s mission to empower Black and minority entrepreneurship and drive economic growth to the Capital Region community.
The Martin Group: What is the Albany Black Chamber of Commerce and Social Club, and what do you do?
Deshanna C. Wiggins: We are here to bring local businesses together, so they can work together, learn from one another, and get their needs met. We provide information on partnerships, resources for federal funding, and working/collaborative space to aid in any stage a business is in. Not only are we a Chamber, but we are a social club. The demographic of BIPOC people is increasing [in the Capital Region], but there is a lack of minority clubs for subgroups, cultural groups, and there’s never been anything like this for Black people in this region.
TMG: Can you tell me more about the new headquarters?
DCW: We wanted to make sure that we were a full-service organization that can execute big ideas and goals for the future. The 40,000-square-foot building with four floors including the basement will be utilized for business engagement, mentorship, and leadership.
Our main level hosts a beautiful lobby with two fireplaces, lounge seating, and seminar space that can be converted into an event and dining space for community and social gatherings.
The second floor is dedicated to small businesses and entrepreneurs who are not quite ready for brick and mortar but have the desire to rent offices. These spaces are available to rent for a day, week, or a month. There are also general co-working spaces available.
The basement will be accessible for recreational use with a bowling alley, full-service bar, pool hall, conference rooms and restrooms. The estimated plan of completion is by the end of the spring, early summer 2023.
While not yet available to the public, the upstairs areas of the building are slated to be additional rentable office and residential space.
TMG: There have been several Black Chambers of Commerce before. What do you feel sets Albany Black Chamber of Commerce aside from others?
DCW: Resources. The elders’ chambers in this area are about 206 years old. The demographic of small and Black businesses who belong to that chamber is probably less than 5%. Our partner, Business for Good, has supported us so much financially and with resources. They knew that investing was important to assure that we had a permanent space. So, I think the biggest thing that sets this chamber apart is that we are a fully supported resource.
TMG: In August 2020, The Albany Business Review released a story, “Lack of Diversity at the Top. It revealed the shocking lack of diversity in Albany’s executive suites. How do you feel the work the Chamber is doing will impact changing that narrative?
DCW: I think it is going to make the biggest impact! For so long, especially in this area, there was not one place for diversification, information on happenings in the minority community, etc. Now that the infrastructure is being built, it won’t be hard to access that information. It gives us the opportunity to put those middle managers on display; the ones who have been in their careers and have done the work for so long but haven’t been able to get to the next stage. We’ll be able to highlight them and the work that they’re doing so they have more access and more visibility. A lot of times, things happen simply because of access. The chamber will break down a lot of those barriers.
TMG: What is your vision to continue to change the landscape of the Capital Region community?
DCW: I’ve had a very particular career set on figuring out the best inroads to meet numerous needs and align with organizations who see the value and benefit of investing in a place like this. I want this space and our demographic here to be able to put BIPOC at tables and involve them in conversations that they have not been a part of before.
TMG: What is your favorite part about working at the Albany Black Chamber of Commerce?
DCW: I came into this organization not having anybody else’s shoes to fill. It was very freeing for me. It gave me full autonomy to listen, and curate what needs to happen and how to develop it.
It’s also very challenging when you don’t have a guidepost – being the person responsible for creating everything from its inception. It is a lot, but it is setting me up to be a much stronger leader, more detail oriented and more collaborative. I’m appreciative of this experience, and the impact that the Chamber and I will have for generations to come. I get goosebumps just thinking about the ideas the team has. It’s really going to catapult the Black and minority community here and really put us on full display. I am super honored and blessed to be able to do it.
TMG: How does it feel returning to your home city of Albany after living in Atlanta for 16 years?
DCW: It feels good because it was always intentional. From a very young age, I have been very focused on the type of life that I’ve wanted to live, and more importantly, what I want it to feel like. I always had a desire to come back home to do this type of work. I needed to do something that’s going to add impact for my community. So, understanding that this area for me, despite what you see in the news, despite the naysayers, is a beautiful place to live, work, and raise a family.
TMG: What is the most important piece of advice that you would give to someone who’s looking to break the glass ceilings of executive roles?
DCW: The biggest thing that has helped me is showing up. The quickest way to learn is when you’re in someone’s corner, and they can rely on you, because they will continue to give you more responsibility and more access. Always leave your ego at home. You’re not above anything. So just do the work!
TMG: The Albany Black Chamber of Commerce offers various mentoring and educational programs. Can you speak on those?
DCW: In our social sector, we are planning to have annual conferences and galas. We want people to come and know that this is a safe space that will highlight and elevate them.
We will also have quarterly seminars with experts who can speak to our pillars and in areas such as HR, accounting, and taxes. We will be highlighting locals involved in various subject matters, industries, and themes. The goal is to really galvanize the spirit of togetherness, as well as big business.
TMG: How can interested individuals get involved in the Albany Black Chamber of Commerce and Social Club?
DCW: We have had tons of individuals excited to get involved. Our membership is forthcoming. To stay up to date, go to www.albanyblackchamber.org and provide your contact information for alerts on membership information and all upcoming events.
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Brands, styles, and faces may change year to year, but the Super Bowl annually showcases the smartest creative, hottest celebrities, and trendiest companies as part of one of the world’s most-watched events. Thirty-second Super Bowl LVII ads cost a reported $7 million, putting estimated ad revenue from this year’s game likely north of $700 million.
With automotive and travel brands cutting back, AB In-Bev giving up its alcohol advertising exclusivity during the Super Bowl, and last year’s Crypto Bowl a distant memory, this year’s advertisers looked a little different. It was clear, though, that if there were a few overarching trends, humor, big-brand collaborations, and QR codes were the preferred engines of 2023.
We surveyed our expert associates to see what ads resonated most during this year’s Super Bowl:
Babies and animals always garner a lot of attention, and this ad, featuring a baby wedding, was a great evolution of the concept E*TRADE has used in past Super Bowls. It also gave a subtle nod to how fast life goes, stressing the importance of investing young. – Kelli Putney, VP | Business Development
This one had it all for me: a concept that directly communicated that it was a new product, a good story narrative that kept you interested, multiple celebrities, and a nice surprise cameo at the end by Elton John. Jack Harlow’s acting was on point, the product was tastefully included throughout, and it even featured the winner of their TikTok dance challenge. – John Jiloty, SVP | Growth Channels & Content
This one had this millennial hooked from the start – Google Pixel’s Magic Eraser and Photo Unblur tech can fix it all, allowing people to literally erase their ex-boyfriends out of their pictures, for example, and stabilize those blurry shots of their wild toddlers jumping on the couch. The ad explained the product in a perfectly engaging and emotional way. I’m a loyal Apple user, and this is the first time I’ve ever thought twice about switching to something other than an iPhone. – Kate Measer, Senior Public Relations Manager
Loved T-Mobile’s blooper-esque approach to the spot. Obviously, Bradley Cooper’s acting chops are well-documented, but this came off totally unscripted and real, making it instantly appealing and relatable. Even a 9-time Oscar-nominated actor can’t escape the universal smack-down that moms can dole out. Drawing the viewer into the hilarious chemistry between Bradley and his mother was effective and memorable. After all, who doesn’t like to laugh? – Alexa Christopher, Senior Advisor, Strategy
This one snuck up on me. I am a sucker for heartwarming or corny ads (what can I say?), so this had me immediately with Lee Fields’ “Forever” playing and scenes of a cute kid giggling with her pup. I was swept into the story and anticipated a tidy wrap-up to a fairly typical, emotional ad. What I didn’t expect was to completely lose it when she sings sweetly to her now older pup, their whole lives flashing by from the dog’s point of view. While it’s common for us to show how much our pets mean to us, the shift from human to dog’s point of view for the emotional wallop at the end took me by surprise and left an enduring impression. – Jen Hunold, General Manager, Albany | Account Supervisor
As an older millennial, I’m slowly realizing that the 1990s culture I grew up with is making a comeback, and I couldn’t be happier about it! As Alicia Silverstone reprised her iconic role as Cher Horowitz from the 1995 movie Clueless, this walk down memory lane proved to be a great sensation. The use of nostalgia in advertising has pros and cons. On the one hand, it can arouse strong feelings and build an immediate bond with viewers. However, it can also be viewed as a crutch, a lack of imagination, and an indication that businesses are running out of original ideas. For me, this was a superb example of two brands collaborating to create a fantastic advertisement. – Brendan Kennedy, Public Relations Manager
Tubi couldn’t have written a better script for its 15-second gag ad. Tight game, fourth quarter. The broadcast comes back from commercial break for the stretch run. Out of nowhere, our Roku goes on the fritz, navigating to another app on its own. Or so we thought. During those few seconds, my wife and I scrambled for our respective remotes (yes, we each have our own clicker, one on each side of the couch), and managed to blame each other for the interruption. “It’s not mine! It’s yours!” Turns out, we all got played by Tubi. To perfection. This was a spot so memorable that I’ll be thinking of Tubi whenever I accidentally change the channel, which happens a LOT. (Just don’t tell my wife that I’m admitting it.) – Chris Colton, Public Relations Director
The thing that struck me about this Super Bowl ad was the collaboration between two of America’s most recognizable brands — but what I loved most was the smart use of budget to maximize the impact of placing an ad during the country’s biggest sports event. Both brands will get a lift – Netflix reminding people of its depth of content, and GM amplifying one of its most essential key messages as it pushes into electric vehicles. And by engaging the always-hilarious Will Ferrell, they’ll create buzz on social media and generate impressions for days after the Vince Lombardi trophy was hoisted by Kansas City. This ad wins for leveraging a notable collaboration and maximizing marketing budgets. – John Mackowiak, VP | Public Relations
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Public relations professionals and journalists depend on each other to do their jobs. But it’s not always the easiest relationship to manage. As a former TV producer and newsroom manager, I have dealt with my share of pesky PR people who simply don’t get it. Now that I’m on the other side, I can see why PR practitioners feel frustrated and ignored, and why some writers and reporters may come off as apathetic or smug. Understanding both perspectives equally, I’ve compiled some guidance on ways you can strengthen your relationships with journalists and become their go-to source for story ideas and credible experts.
Help them find a lead story
There’s a perception that local news went “soft” during the pandemic when viewers were desperate for stories that made them feel good. Now that newsrooms are getting back to normal, there’s a concerted effort to return to basics and focus on finding a unique lead story – the most visible story in a newspaper or the very first story in a TV newscast – that will hook the viewer or the reader. The lead usually incorporates the outlet’s brand pillars, which often includes investigations, tough questions, holding people in power accountable, and celebrating the community. It’s typically the biggest story of the day. Topics like crimes, accidents, fires, new legislation from local government, or the President of the United States coming to town are all good contenders. It must be something the majority of viewers or readers are interested in or impacted by.
So how do PR pros fit into that decision making? If clients are the subject of the lead story, it’s often for all the wrong reasons. But there are ways we can weave their messaging into the narrative in a different way. PR pros should be aware of the headlines of the day and be ready to pitch their clients to news outlets as credible experts. For example, if the lead story is about vaccines for kids, do you have a health care client on your roster with a media-friendly pediatrician ready to go for an interview? Prepare your clients ahead of time for last minute requests and be ready to pitch them to reporters before decisions are made in their editorial meetings. The more quality content, guests, and experts you come through with, the better chance you’ll be top of mind for journalists when they’re searching for stories.
Provide all the information upfront
Most journalists are juggling multiple stories at a time and attempting to make tight deadlines amid quick schedule turnarounds and last-minute staffing changes. The last thing they need is to have to chase PR people down for more information. With that in mind, don’t hold anything back if you can help it. Be sure to clearly and concisely provide all the information they would need to tell your story up front – that includes a clear news hook, relevant data, credible experts to interview, and links to additional information.
Diversity is a top priority
The last few years have brought some of the largest protest movements and social reckonings that we’ve ever seen in America. Black Lives Matter and the #MeToo movement have people and institutions across the nation tackling deep-seated biases to become more inclusive at their core and to avoid being left behind – and newsrooms are no exception. According to analysis by the Pew Research Center in 2016, just 23% of newsroom employees were people of color and 61% of newsroom employees were men. News organizations have realized that not only is it important to employ journalists that better represent the communities they serve, but that having those journalists makes for more accurate, well-rounded, and well-reported news content. That also includes diversity in interview subjects. PR pros can help by being thoughtful about the subject matter experts they pitch and being conscious to offer up more women and minorities for these opportunities to form content that reflects a wider range of experiences and perspectives.
Follow up the right way
Most journalists prefer email to receive PR pitches. After emailing your pitch, allow for a reasonable amount of time to pass before following up (the amount of time will vary from one pitch to another). A follow up should simply be a second, and sometimes third and final, email. If you don’t hear back, it could be because they’re still mulling it over or became overwhelmed with other assignments or pitches. It may simply need to be bumped back up to the top of their inbox. Depending on your relationship with a journalist, a text message or call may be appropriate. But the rules aren’t clear cut. Try your best to read each situation individually and use the phone as a last resort.
Take the time to really understand their world
We know time is money on this side of the divide, but taking the time to research a newsroom, connect with journalists, and truly understand how an individual newsroom operates will go a long way. Learn reporters’ schedules. Find out who produces each newscast. Get to know the assignment editor. Understand how each person you interact with does their job; some like to plan, others work in newsrooms with limited staffing and will almost always be assigned to the big headlines of the day. Understand that their deadlines are your deadlines. For a TV reporter, get to know their set and understand their equipment. Don’t just ask for blanket coverage. Be specific about what would make their coverage unique. Learn the lingo and identify opportunities for unique presentation (what sound bite would work great in a cold open, what information would look great as a fullscreen, what story a producer might consider while stackingtheirrundown, and what story would make for a great kicker). Becoming an expert on how journalists do their jobs is a great way to gain their respect.
Write like a journalist
Smart PR pros will craft tight and compelling stories in their pitches to grab a journalist’s attention. The smartest PR pros will go the extra mile to produce grab-and-go content – something a reporter can use with little to no rewrites. That copy should always be in AP Style, avoiding common style errors and cutting out jargon or extraneous punctuation. Be sure to always lead with the most newsworthy content and to point out any unique pieces of information that could stand out as part of a larger, long-term trend.
Lead the visual storytelling process
In the same way visual content captures an audience’s attention, it will likely also capture a journalist’s attention. Consider the story and what visuals might help a journalist better understand your pitch. That might include still images, video, interactive graphics, simple data charts, and illustrations. If it’s a good visual, it might help a reporter tell the story in an engaging way and make their job easier.
Understand the platforms
Newsrooms are challenged as technology creates more options for storytelling, making reaching a target audience more nuanced, and difficult, than ever. Journalists are being asked to create content for multiple platforms beyond the mothership (the newspaper or the newscast) and are learning that not every story is meant for air or print. PR pros should do their homework before pitching to determine the best way to tell their client’s story – both from their perspective and the reporter’s. While a “top ten” list may not make for a traditional news story, it might make a great TikTok for the outlet’s social media team. If your client is an expert on a story making national headlines, consider pitching them to news media as a great long form interview for their streaming platform, a Facebook Live, or extra content for their YouTube page. Get creative.
Keep engaging
Opinions differ among PR professionals about this, but I believe maintaining a genuine connection with journalists is important, especially when you have nothing to pitch. Grow your relationship by watching their stories, reading their articles, sharing their coverage on social media, and, if you have value to add, engaging with their posts. Show them that you’re paying attention. This will help grow your professional relationship beyond your emailed pitches and press releases.
In short, great public relations professionals are experts in the industry and on whatever they’re pitching. But understanding who you’re pitching to and what they need from you can be the difference maker that keeps journalists coming back for more.
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Our team recently attended the “Scaling Your Innovative Food Startup: Trends and Lessons in Consumer Packaged Goods”, hosted by Cornell University, with six esteemed keynote speakers whose areas of expertise included product innovation, funding, manufacturing, and branding. The panel was extremely informative, especially for startups in the CPG category, but their insights really transcend any CPG brand that is focused on growth in the face of a perfect storm of economic challenges and realities. Here are some key takeaways:
Preparing when your forecasting is a moving target
For even the most established brands, accurately forecasting sales and revenue continues to be more challenging than ever. Even when there is strong data supporting consumer demand for a certain product, timelines have been pushed out extensively based on securing time on a manufacturing line, receiving equipment to produce the product, or having your packaging printed and delivered.
So if you can’t accurately forecast when you’ll be ready to go to market or your sales, how can you prepare a product launch? The best advice is to prepare as much as you can and as much as you can afford to, leaving yourself with flexibility to pivot and make the necessary changes when it’s go time. If you’re charged with developing a go-to-market campaign, you can build out a framework of the plan knowing the launch date is TBD. If new content must be created, develop the concepts and assets, and take it as far as you can so that it’s “on the shelf” and ready to go. And if you keep the lines of communication open, your internal and external partners should be able to work with you on being as flexible and accommodating as possible.
Showing a pathway to profitability
When brands are looking for investors, especially in the early stage of funding, they’re finding that process is also more strained than ever. People are holding on to cash longer, they’re investing in fewer deals, they’re focused on the deals they’re already invested in and making those as profitable as possible, and they’re expecting a much shorter runway to showing a profit.
Focusing on tightening cash flow as much as possible and managing your margin is acutely important. Experts recommend that if you already received some funding but need additional funds, get out to your investors as soon as possible, be honest with them about how the product is selling, and be transparent and detailed about your unit economics in the hopes that they’ll extend your runway.
For brands seeking new investors, be focused on who you’re talking to; in other words, find funders whose values and interests align with your brand and company vision. For example, look for funders who are interested in your specific category, such as food and beverage or serving the needs of your target audience. In addition, research alternative sources of funding like supply chain financing, and try to find ways to “slow the burn” to get you through the next several months until investors can reassess their portfolio in quarter one and two next year.
Shopper insights to inform marketing decisions
Many large CPG retailers have their own shopper marketing tools and software focused on collecting all sorts of data from their customers through their respective shopper loyalty cards and programs. Whether it’s Kroger, Walmart, or Shop Rite, they want the brands in their stores to use their tools and data but it’s likely going to come with a cost to the brand, which can be very expensive and perhaps not feasible depending on your revenue. Without full access to the retailer’s data, the challenge we hear most often is that brands have limited visibility into campaign results, specifically attributing sales at point-of-purchase back to their campaigns, making it difficult for them to justify what and how they’re spending their marketing dollars.
A couple of recommendations to help close that gap include investigating potential turnkey loyalty programs that are built to be more accessible and hence affordable to smaller brands. One that was referenced during this Cornell seminar was Fetch Rewards, a shopping app that rewards users with free gift cards for uploading shopping receipts. A second consideration is working with a digital marketing partner who can guide you through developing an informed digital marketing strategy that considers your awareness, consideration, and conversion goals, and how to start building an informed campaign dashboard that pulls in various streams of data.
By building your own data points, you’re better equipped to make smarter decisions, and to go to your retail partners and see what additional data they might be willing to share with you at no additional cost. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t feel like you have enough information to get started – more often than not, we typically find that brands actually have a lot of useful data; it just needs to be analyzed into useful and actionable insights.
Using brand positioning and brand storytelling to form relationships
Whether you’re selling direct to consumer, through a retailer or both, never underestimate the value of brand positioning and storytelling to form relationships. Think of your brand story as your icebreaker when you’re meeting with a potential investor, pitching your brand to a retailer, or ultimately connecting with your consumer. More than ever it’s important you’re clear and concise about the value of your brand, why it exists, and the problem your product is solving for a consumer.
Your brand narrative can and should be threaded throughout your pitch deck, incorporated into your online marketing channels, and within your product packaging. This does not have to be an overwhelming process. Whether you’re creating your brand from the ground up or evolving your existing one, look for a marketing partner who understands brand and has an established branding process to keep things efficient.
Building your community
And finally, there’s no better way to say it: It takes a village. For a startup, this means getting to know others in your community and leveraging their experience and partnerships. Get creative and see how you might start to build some brand awareness within your own community, whether it’s through local food co-ops, markets, food festivals, the media, etc.
There are likely things you can do locally that won’t be as feasible nationally, so take advantage of what’s in your own backyard. From a big CPG perspective, one of their challenges is how they can take their national brand and have a more local impact. This may mean turning to local organizations that you can partner with who can help you strategically engage and activate within a certain community in a way that’s authentic and genuine to those who live there. Consider public relations and marketing firms who understand that local landscape to provide you with strategic counsel.
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It’s no secret that TikTok is dominating the top of the social media charts. Gaining most of its traction during the COVID-19 pandemic with no plans to slow down anytime soon, TikTok describes itself as the leading short-form video platform, with over 1 billion active global users.
No matter what your objectives are, TikTok may be able to help you achieve them. According to Oberlo, audiences spend an average of 52 minutes per day engaging with TikTok. The app also boasts that 92% of its users are compelled to take action after interacting with TikTok content. This presents an incredible opportunity: TikTok for brands. Whether the goal is awareness, engagement, or action, brands are getting results on TikTok.
But because TikTok is still so cutting-edge and different from the more commonplace social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, it can be intimidating to grasp from a marketing perspective.
In this guide, we’ll explore how to get started with TikTok for brands who are new to the space, why this platform is such a key player, as well as best practices when it comes to creating both posts and ads.
In the past few years, TikTok has become the birthplace of many of the latest trends on the Internet. The app describes itself as “a place where brands of all sizes and industries can be seen, grow their following, foster global connections, and achieve big results.” Users are flocking to TikTok for everything you can imagine: sports, dinner ideas, fashion inspiration, workouts to try, advice, books and movies, and more.
Whether you’re a small business owner or CMO of a large enterprise, if your goal is to reach a younger audience, you may want to seriously consider adding TikTok to your strategy in 2022 and beyond. Here at The Martin Group, we recently hosted a group of interns who fall under the Gen-Z demographic, so we had the opportunity to learn from these audiences firsthand about their social media use. We discovered that the majority we spoke to are not using any other social media platform, including Instagram, which added similar functionality with Reels in August 2020. TikTok is still the place to find young people on the Internet today – at least 47% of TikTok users are between the ages of 10 and 29.
What makes TikTok unique from other social media platforms?
What’s so puzzling about TikTok from a business and marketing perspective is the frequency at which content gets produced, and the unconventional ways that content creators are going about the production process. Historically, video content has not been a tactic that is known for having a quick turnaround. A TV commercial, for example, can take up to six months of planning and execution. But users are not going to wait six months for your brand to post its next TikTok – they’ll have moved on.
Trends also come and go very quickly on TikTok. Pre-planning and scheduling out content may not be as reliable or effective as a strategy like it once was on other social media platforms.
So, what does this mean for TikTok for brands? As TikTok will tell you, “Big stories don’t need big budgets,” and a shift to an “always-on, and always intentional” strategy is the way to go.
Here are five actionable steps brands should prioritize as they get started with TikTok:
1: Post Often.
In order to see results, TikTok itself recommends that brands should “aim to post 1-4 times per day to test how different types of content are received.” They also suggest adding a paid boost to get the most out of what ends up being the top-performing content. This approach has become the best practice for captivating new audiences. It also forces content creators to consistently strive to share the freshest, most diverse content – which seems like a massive undertaking compared to the way company pages have operated on social media for years.
One to four times per day is also a significant increase from other social media sites like Facebook (average of once per day, according to Hootsuite), and Instagram (average of 3-7 times per week). Brands may be used to being able to schedule out content calendars as far as months in advance for platforms like Facebook and Instagram, but on TikTok, trends come and go in days and expire as quickly as a week or two. That said, it’s important to keep a pulse on trends and to find an efficient approach to creating content that doesn’t require months of preparation.
For example, the NFL has been an early adopter of the platform, with over 8.8 million followers and 320+ million likes across all their videos on TikTok. They post often – multiple times per day – and have found a way to repurpose TV/news videos, adding filters to make it feel more authentic to the platform. They also weave in content that takes viewers behind the scenes.
One strategy that has proven effective for successful TikTok content creation is plotting out specific days to create content and then creating in bulk on that content creation day.
Content that has a human element always seems to perform better, and according to TikTok, “what makes TikTok content truly unique is creators addressing the community directly, often looking the audience straight in the eyes.” TikTok also has found that almost half of the best performing ads feature creators telling their stories in authentic, emotionally appealing ways.
When it comes to TikTok for brands, creating content in bulk might mean finding a spokesperson, mascot, or influencer to represent your brand, then scheduling content creation days with that person. Outfit and setting changes can make it appear as though the content was created at different times. Another option is to feature yourself or members of your team as the video’s subject, which might feel intimidating at first, but the results that these types of videos attain tend to speak for themselves.
For instance, Oreo posted this series of TikTok videos featuring the same content creator, then broke that fourth wall when they created a TikTok that shows their social media team addressing the camera.
From BookTok to PlantTok, there’s truly something for everyone on TikTok. That’s the beauty of the platform – there is an endless variety of communities to connect with. Can’t find a community?
Here are some examples of how TikTok is being leveraged across different niches and industries:
TikTok for Sports Brands
The Washington Commanders recently announced the team’s first-ever “Commanders Social Media Correspondent,” Katie Feeney, a 19-year-old social media influencer from Maryland. Feeney has been tasked with providing media coverage and content for the team to her nearly 7 million TikTok followers.
Feeney received an all-access pass for her efforts to help cover the Commanders on and off the field, including their training camp and tickets to all games that fall within the 2022 home game season. In addition to views from Feeney’s followers, the Commanders will be able to repurpose the content she’s creating, so fans will be able to access behind-the-scenes content from both pages.
“Influencer marketing and the creator economy are still huge, untapped growth areas for U.S. sports,” says Morning Consultant. Sports brands on TikTok also have a real opportunity to reach their fans on this platform – with TikTok users stating they are “most interested in using social media to stay updated on sports game highlights and game day content.”
Watch as Katie Feeney goes behind the scenes at the Commanders draft party as an example:
PostFinance has become one of the most successful finance brands on TikTok – with a case study on TikTok’s website to boot. Their TikTok campaign to raise awareness towards opening new bank accounts with younger audiences in Switzerland was deemed a total success.
The brand, a subsidiary of the Swiss Postal Service, ran two types of TikTok ads to reach its audience – a TopView ad and an In-Feed ad. TopView ads are popular among TikTok advertisers because of the way they completely take over the screen upon a user opening the app. In-Feed Ads are subtle in comparison and feel more organic to the feed.
For the ad creative, PostFinance kept it simple. Their ad was only 15 seconds long and featured an individual’s hand waving money, which transitioned into the many different items that money can buy, from plants to gummy worms to an inflatable raft for the pool. The caption included the offer: “Spend your cash how YOU want. ? Open a youth or student account now and receive CHF 50 ?.”
Although it was run as an awareness campaign, the campaign did receive a good number of clicks (click-through-rate of 16.47%), generated over 6 million impressions, and had an engagement rate of 17.37%.
One way that healthcare providers use TikTok is to debunk myths or share health tips with audiences. A good example is Doctor Jess, a Pediatric and Sports doctor from Boston, who does a series of videos on the importance of getting enough sleep, recently posting an 11-second TikTok of herself dancing while text appears on the screen speaking to the negative effects of what happens when you don’t sleep:
Brands like the Cleveland Clinic have grown to nearly 40k followers using the “tips” technique, sharing ways to avoid getting sick, ways to exercise with asthma, as well as timely ideas for the season, such as how to swim safely and how to store cookout leftovers in the summertime.
When it comes to debunking myths, Cleveland Clinc has posted a variety of content, from disproving “healthy soda” trends with input from a dietician, a fact versus fiction approach to myths surrounding the female menstrual cycle, ways to avoid getting sick from contaminated pools or lakes, and more:
Does your period really sync up with close friends and is it from the moon, pheromones or just a coincidence? Deciphering fact from fiction on some common menstrual myths. #fyp#womenshealth#YouFirst 👆 🩸
Consumers don’t go on social media platforms to be advertised to – they go on TikTok to watch TikToks. And the word “TikTok” has become synonymous with “entertainment, education, and authenticity.”
This led TikTok to introduce the mantra “Don’t make ads. Make TikToks” as a way to communicate that TikTok for brands should behave no differently than TikTok for consumers.
There are six different ad types that TikTok has available for advertisers to choose from:
In-Feed Ads: use TikTok’s standard format and will auto-loop on the user’s “For You” page
Spark Ads: allow you to boost organic content or use an authorized creator’s trending content
TopView Ads: can be up to 60 seconds; appears on the “For You” page upon opening the app
Brand Takeover Ads: is full-screen, immersive ad that appears when the user first opens TikTok
Branded Hashtag Challenge Ads: invite creators to respond to your brand’s sponsored hashtag
Branded Effect Ads: let brands add logos or other elements to a custom filter for up to 10 days.
Before you put time and money into producing ads for TikTok, how can your brand get the most return on your investment? Check out these brands that got it right when it comes to advertising on TikTok:
TikTok for Colleges and Universities
This advertisement from a college in the UK didn’t look like an ad – it looked like a TikTok – and that’s why it worked. Lancaster University had a tight budget, but was able to use In-Feed ads on TikTok to achieve over 9 million engagements and over 90k clicks. These ads promoted their open enrollment day webinars, but in a way that felt authentic to the Gen-Z audiences the university was trying to reach.
Why did it work so well? According to TikTok, “Lancaster University handed the creative reigns over to its students – these were ads created for young people, by young people.” The ads also focused on harnessing popular trends such as dancing and filters to feel more authentic and genuine to audiences.
The best way to generate ideas for TikTok is by spending time on the platform, following other brands like yours, and saving any videos that you feel would be feasible for your brand to make.
To get an idea of what’s trending, click around on hashtags and on popular audio. Once you have a running list of TikToks you want to make, the next step is to plot out the strategy for each video. You can either capitalize on what’s popular or put your own spin on the latest trend.
Jot down a script for each video you want to make, with a list of the video clips you’ll need to create for each TikTok. Then it’s time to shoot! Be sure to shoot appropriately for the platform – keep the orientation vertical and get the point across in the first few seconds.
But don’t worry too much about production quality – some of the best TikToks are captured on a whim with very little planning, and many of which can be recorded in as little as 30 seconds.
Still stumped on where to start? The Martin Group is a fully integrated marketing communications agency, and our mission is to move audiences to take action across channels – including TikTok. We can assist you in creating TikToks for your brand no matter the size of your needs, from vetting out content creators, to iterating on creative concepts, to executing entire organic or paid campaigns in-house.
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By Caitlin Tracy
Banking is a highly competitive industry, making it increasingly difficult for banks to find innovative ways to stand out and achieve long-term success. This problem is especially true for regional banks since they lack the resources and scale of their national and international counterparts. However, regional banks have a strong local authenticity, which can be a huge advantage if utilized correctly.
Below are several strategies regional banks should incorporate to capitalize on this opportunity.
Building Real Connections with Customers
For regional banks to connect with their community, there is a need to establish relationships and build a loyal customer base. Utilize your employees and customers to understand what is lacking in the area. Learning from those around you will teach you what the community needs, allowing your team to fill in those blanks. Every member of your organization is part of the surrounding neighborhoods. Ensure there is open communication company-wide to hear all the different stories from the CEO down to tellers and the customers they serve. The best way to achieve that local authenticity is through listening, learning, and making change where needed.
Your employees are your biggest assets. Not only are they often the forefront of the organization, but they are also directly part of your communities. Real people and stories are a huge resource to connect the organization to the public. At the same time, it provides a familiar face that draws the community to the bank. People love seeing highlight stories of someone they know or have a commonality with online. Therefore, showcasing your employees along with their interests and expertise through your social media platforms is a great way to connect with your local society. Your team should constantly be trying to research and present messaging that will impress and resonate with your clients.
Next, be clear in your offerings. A bank has a purpose, and your customers need to be able to work with your team easily. There are now a multitude of options and offerings with online and digital banking, and these services simplify so many portions of banking for consumers, which makes their lives much easier. If you have out-of-date online services, customers may be deterred. Poor offerings will lead to unsatisfied customers who move their business to competitors with better options. Remember, the customer relationship is the root of your business and the best connection to the community. Without them, your business would not exist.
With that in mind, always engage, strengthen, and update your retail locations. This is where the consumer meets your organization, creating the need for a well-executed “customer experience.” When heading into a branch location, customers are looking for a welcoming environment where they can get everything they need through a short and simple meeting. This only happens if your branch employees are motivated to connect with customers and provide great service, while also building relationships.
Localization
In order to build authentic and impactful connections with local communities, banks need to find their niche. Research local partnerships, communities, and objectives that align with your company’s mission and culture. Not only will this help build a better company culture internally, but externally you will have aligned partners and groups that assist in building your network across the local region.
As mentioned, partnerships are a great way to connect with other brands, retailers, and companies in the area. By aligning yourself with the appropriate companies, you will not only be exposed to additional collaboration opportunities, but also show your local involvement. This is another avenue of growth and trust-building with your customers and the local community.
When building partnerships, there is room to add perks and fun for current and prospective customers. Perks can include early-access, exclusive discounts, rewards, free swag, and other innovative benefits. Similarly, fun can be brought to many areas throughout the community and bank. Local partnerships and events can be exciting through the addition of a sponsored intermission trivia or T-shirt cannons at games, drink tents, and more. By offering these positive engagements to the community, you are creating a differentiated brand with a strong local footprint.
Every community is different, which means that a local bank has a unique opportunity to provide support in a specialized manner. This can be done through searching the community, finding a need that resonates with your own mission, and developing a plan to assist. There are a multitude of ways for a bank to partner and help local communities, ranging from volunteering, funding scholarships, creating loans or grants for small businesses, development, and eventual employment opportunities. There is also often a need for increased diversity and inclusion efforts through multicultural banking. This can be done through providing equitable options for different marginalized communities and groups. By building programs and connections with the local community that your team is passionate about, you will watch your efforts help the local region flourish. Stay connected and informed to continually watch your impact benefit those around you.
Use your customers and community; their stories are perfect highlights and testimonials for your organization. Taking the time to feature these people and their stories helps amplify important issues in the community, while also showing that your bank cares. This method will help the bank share important news and issues, ultimately making themselves community activists. Highlights can range from your employees volunteering, customers who have successfully utilized your services, and local community leaders who are aligned with your missions. Not only will they be able to share their own message, but also show how your bank assisted them in achieving a goal or effort. Featuring your employees in your content (as thought leaders, community leaders, volunteers, neighborhood supporters, etc.) will position your brand as relatable and connected to your region while also shining a much-deserved spotlight on your people, the lifeblood of your organization.
Overall, a bank is an organization people look to for security and trust. If you provide competitive offerings your everyday customers will be satisfied. However, if you want to make an impact in your local environment, you need to differentiate yourself through your mission and motive. Listen to your customers, community, and local employees to be the organization creating change in your region.
You searched for new era cap – Page 21 of 31 – The Martin Group
As the world moves in a more sustainable direction and continues to recover post-pandemic, our resident packaging experts—Lianne Coogan, Melissa Ortiz, and Rachel Giralico—collected their thoughts on packaging trends happening right now. From color choices and design, consumer targeting and e-commerce, we break down the best ways to balance practicality with style.
What trends are you are currently seeing in the packaging world?
Transparency
With all the uncertainty in today’s current events, coupled with the massive amounts of data and information at our fingertips, honesty and clarity are going a long way with how consumers are perceiving brands.
Whether it’s presenting information in a clear, concise way, or being completely open about how “clean” a product is, consumers are gravitating towards that honesty in a world filled with gimmicks and false information. Being less about the bottom line and more about authenticity and truth is connecting with today’s consumers.
Colorful & Simple Design
There has been a steady trend of bold and simple packaging design for years and it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. Bright and colorful, sometimes neon-colored palettes have been on the rise, with an obvious move to grab consumers’ attention. Simple design and ease-of-use packaging have also held strong, supporting our customers’ continued disdain for excessiveness in packaging. These days, less is truly more.
Recycled and Sustainable Materials
Although they were introduced a generation ago, with concerns of climate change and global sustainability on all our minds, recycled materials and the green movement have never been more popular. Current consumers are being more intentional about reducing their environmental footprint than in years past, and companies are listening. Brands are converting to more biodegradable materials, and reducing the amount of packaging for each product, which cuts down waste, helps keep prices down, and lowers shipping costs because of the reduced weight. Beneficial for everyone!
E-Commerce Packaging
We’ve seen a surge in the amount of online shopping due to the pandemic, so it’s no surprise that the strategy and presentation of online orders and packaging have become even more relevant.
Many of the same basic principles as in-store shopping apply to online orders. Product packaging should feel sharp and impactful even when viewed online rather than in person, and messaging still needs to be direct and quick to digest in order to stand out from competitors.
Other considerations for e-commerce include packaging that has a high tolerance for the challenges of shipping, and keeps products fresh through transit (in the case of perishable food products).
Many products typically purchased in brick-and-mortar stores are also now being fulfilled online. Things like refill formats are also on the rise, especially with cleaning and beauty products. Consumers can purchase starter kits, and replacement refills are then ordered once the product runs out, both helping reduce waste and packaging, and adding convenience to the consumers.
Sharing online purchases on social media is also trending. With “unboxing” product reveals on the rise, the presentation of a product and its first impression is bringing customer experience and engagement to a new level.
Consumer Targeting
When we see a package intended for more practical purposes – —mainly utilized by families – —the trends lean more towards bright colors, eye-catching fonts, various textures and movement within the composition of the principal display panel (PDP) to create interest quickly and effectively, to a wide range of demographics. On the flip side, when products are marketed towards consumers who want the premium option, we see trends toward sleek, simplified packaging, like solid floods of color and crisp, clean fonts. Rather than the visual texture we see in the “family-friendly” example, with the more premium products, tangible textures are more forward. There may be varnishes added to select areas of a package, or matte substrates used to help enhance higher-end products.
From a design standpoint, what do you feel is most important when it comes to product packaging?
A quote from American designer April Greiman has stayed with me since college and became a core mantra: “Design must seduce, shape, and perhaps more importantly, evoke an emotional response.” With packaging, this sentiment still rings true, though the amount of time to “seduce” a customer—from the moment of first sight to the decision to purchase—is short.
The PDP (front of the packaging) is also important. If a product sells itself, it must do it quickly! Consumers will be walking by and only spend 3–5 seconds before they decide to purchase or keep walking.
Hence the “sell” of the package—whether through color, photography, design, or storytelling—should be unique and impactful enough to grab a customer’s attention in an instant, and captivating enough to hold that attention, with the goal of making them feel like they can’t live without it.
Additionally, any positive or healthy benefit being pushed for a product is irrelevant if there are any potential hazards that aren’t being called out directly. Today’s consumers are fatigued by being overly marketed fake benefits; they’ve built up a lot of skepticism. True authenticity, clarity, and honesty should be at the forefront of any good product message and design.
Has the pandemic changed the landscape in terms of packing materials?
The pandemic, recent supply chain issues, and even bad winter weather in the U.S have led to a large disruption in the packaging industry, where many manufacturers have had to pause operations or work at a lower capacity, all of which trickles down to many retailers.
It’s hit small- to mid-sized businesses significantly, with smaller companies having to fight for access to materials, which are often being snatched up by big-box retailers with large financial reserves, such as Amazon.
With no end in sight to the supply chain issues, many businesses have been forced to think of out-of-the box packaging solutions (no pun intended), sourcing more readily available materials, or designing with smaller packaging footprints.
What are some of the “do nots” in packaging?
DO NOT get too busy or fussy with a design or message. It will only confuse the customer, who will walk away in an instant. Keep messaging clear and direct, and the design easy to absorb. Listing too much information will cause a consumer to overlook, so a better solution would be to call out product attributes in noticeable “bugs” on the PDP or separated with an appropriate amount of spacing or a dividing line.
DO NOT make packaging that is difficult to get into or navigate. Customer experience should always be at the forefront.
DO NOT skimp on using high-quality printers and vendors if it can be helped. If a product looks low-quality, the customer will believe it’s low-quality.
DO NOT play with too many “fun fonts.” While these fonts can help a product stand out, they also need to be easy to read. Font size also comes into play with legibility. You want a consumer to be able to look at a package and understand what it is all about within a matter of seconds. If the font is too small or hard to read, it could be hard for them to understand what the product is and what it has to offer.
