Gene Begin, Managing Director, CP Education

Day 8. In a way that causes much annoyance and anger for those who know me. Eight is my favorite number and many decisions in my life are strangely shaped by my infatuation with it. What better day than Day 8 then to write a blog post about my transition from inside higher education to an outside partner and add some context to what starting as the inaugural Managing Director of CP Education actually means to me and Connelly Partners. 

I would be remiss in not sharing that leaving Wheaton College Massachusetts after becoming its inaugural VP of Marketing & Communications seven years ago certainly came with sadness. I learned so much from so many during my time within that amazing environment and I will take that knowledge and evolved mindset with me forever. From a brand strategy framework redesign and a college-wide website reimagination, to bringing enrollment marketing in-house and finding continued success despite the pandemic, a new foundation of integrated marketing was built to showcase the Wheaton story and brand to new audiences and advocates.

After 23 years in higher education, it was important for me to still be connected to the industry and continue to market and showcase the value of education to change lives. I have found so much joy in being part of brand evolution and digital transformation at multiple institutions and I really wanted to bring that energy, excitement and evolution to more organizations. As CP’s first managing director within the education vertical (BTW, we have an amazing practice for the health industry that I have already learned so much from!), I will get the opportunity to work with new and existing education clients on brand strategy and integrated marketing to digital transformation and media campaigns.

What I have discovered as I grow older (I mean, more experienced) in my career is that I have an entrepreneurial bug to build within established organizations. Having been at Babson College for 15 years as both an employee and a student, and intimately involved in the promotion of entrepreneurship as a mindset and not simply a start-up venture, I certainly can attribute my interest to that education, experience and environment. 

I may have a fear of starting something on my own, but I’m glad Steve Connelly did not in 1999. The opportunity to work with the leadership, senior partners and talent within Connelly Partners had always been an intriguing idea, something that was not quite dormant and ready to be activated. I have long admired CP throughout my career from close (as a client for five years) and from afar (as we built our Wheaton MarComms division over the past seven years). 

The education marketplace is at a transition point that is ripe for marketing excellence. The value of higher education in particular is often being questioned and sometimes being attacked as there is a lot of angst and disgust with it within some factions of society. Price sensitivity and a more educated, digitally-fluent consumer has also led to a more authentic search process for education seekers. Audiences are driven by truly understanding the value of the offered experience by matching the student needs and desires with the why and expertise of the educational organization. Delivering and amplifying the right message of your purpose at the right time to the right audience is more crucial than ever. This is why I’m excited to build upon and amplify the great work CP has already done in the education industry and help deliver solutions for even more educational organizations to showcase their why. 

Unrelated, but if you did make it this far and enjoyed the randomly intentional references to the movie Inside Out, a sequel is coming out in 2024.

Learn more about CP Education here.

At CP, we are always asking “why?” We’re fascinated and ever curious about customer mood and mindset. Here’s a few observations and constructive fodder for discussion from our anthropology and strategic planning teams from this past quarter.

1. Division Begets Division:
Don’t get sucked into taking a side.

Observation: The U.S Midterm Election illustrated again how voters of both parties no longer view elections as chances to shape the direction of government policy, but as existential battles. Voters are willing to stand by questionable candidates rather than defect to the other party. 

Due to the rigidity on the two sides, where independent voters go, so goes a midterm election. It begs the question of how brands should speak with the left, right AND middle when choosing or switching sides seems like the last thing on people’s agenda.

What brands can do: Don’t fall into the same cycle. You have a timely opportunity to recognize and celebrate shared values that remind us that, as humans, we still care about the same basic things…that everyone has some goodness in them; that we all want to do the right thing when we can. 

Sources: The Atlantic, The Economist, Cook Political Report

2. Hate Is Still Hot:
Anger is easier than love, and also less effective.

Observation: Kyrie Irving and Kanye West are the latest examples of the unhealthy state of hate, and how people are using their social platforms to spread hate and incite anger. West unleashed a myriad of antisemitic comments and Irving publicly defended a documentary laden with antisemitic views. The takeaway…further division and the clear diagnosis that hate and injustice of all kinds still remain at the forefront of society, even today. (Data shows a 128% increase in antisemitic-related internet searches in the past three months.)

What brands can do: There is a growing need to pragmatically and authentically position your brand in a place of love, inclusion and positivity. To overly address the platforms of hate, risks giving them credibility, rather embrace tactful ways to invite all people into your brand.

Sources: The New York Times, NBC News

3. Twitter Is a Mess(age):
Look between the lines.

Observation: It’s well-documented and roundly-reported that since Elon Musk completed his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter, the influential social network has shed staff, lost users, and seen advertisers pause their participation in the platform. 

As people see more and more institutions being influenced by strong, centralized powers they’re more likely to seek brands that guard against that power. So will other stakeholders. 

What brands can do: This is about empowering others across, up and down your organization to share responsibilities when it comes to company policies tied to culture, work environment and human resources. This allows business leaders to decentralize aspects of leadership while still owning and driving longer term business and growth strategies.

Sources: CNN, Twitter, The Guardian, Yahoo News, Buzz.ie 

4. Cash Stuffing, It’s a Thing:
As the recession arrives, so is financial discipline – even for those who had reputations for lacking it.

Observation: Cash stuffing is a method of budgeting that involves withdrawing money from your account and physically allocating it to different spending pots. Banking platforms and technology are now being used by people to plan, budget, and monitor spending in more responsible ways that give a sense of control.

Google searches for ‘cash stuffing’ have increased by 274% and the TikTok hashtag has generated over 498 million views to date.

What brands can do: Understand that financial safety is a key element within the consumer mindset. Brands should encourage improved budgeting skills to lower anxiety around finances and speak to overall value as a way to be more relevant with younger audiences.

Sources: Irish Mirror, Planning Finances, USNews

5. The Hidden Significance of Yellowstone:
We all need to escape every now and then. 

Observation: Yellowstone’s season five, ratings-breaking premier brought in 12.1 million viewers, and interestingly, viewership among 18-34 years old grew 53% from the show’s past season. 

This is an example in modern media of networks leveraging escapism, a behavioral tendency which has become increasingly prevalent and popular. This is likely due to the fact that many consumers are using media, particularly since the pandemic (and especially TV) as an outlet to escape their respective realities in search for something else. In this sense, they are using media to connect with ideals and values that they may not be as strongly represented as they’d hope in their lives and in modern society as a whole.

What brands can do: Simply being aware of the visible cues and subject matter that consumers are drawn to can provide content guidance across branded digital channels. Whether it’s discussing or making reference to a favorite show or a specific character, it’s an easy way to spark engagement with your customers.

Sources: Entertainment Weekly, The Guardian, The Atlantic

All good things expire. Look out for more reports coming soon.

Michele Hart-Henry, Managing Director, Connelly Partners Health

Groceries, Electronics and Primary Care Visits – Amazon’s Newest Entry at Your Fingertips

A few years ago, convenient care meant visits to the retail walk-in clinic in pharmacy chains, big box stores and some grocery stores. COVID-19 brought new emphasis to telehealth visits, expanding the definition of “convenient” out of necessity. Amazon, which has long been making forays into healthcare, recently announced its entry into the world of convenient care – Amazon Clinic.

Amazon’s latest service literally puts the power of primary care in the palm of your hand. I recently tried it out. While efficient, my experience with Amazon Clinic needed more clarity and, more importantly, humanity. 

After a quick registration process, I started a brief, text-based health questionnaire about my visit and why I sought care. I then received a text stating that the healthcare practitioner would follow up with a treatment plan within four hours. Two minutes later, I received another text message from a nurse practitioner who said she would review my visit. After an additional  five minutes, she texted again to say that she couldn’t help me and that I’d need to visit my primary care physician.

After that, I received yet another text from the nurse practitioner informing me that my visit was under review. At that point, a physician, new to the visit, let me know that their treatment protocols had picked up on the word “dizzy” and kicked me out of their treatment locus. The doctor then said it was no problem to send a prescription for motion sickness patches to my pharmacy.

In multiple news stories about Amazon Clinic, company officials tout the convenience and ability to get treatment for about 20 lifestyle and non-urgent medical conditions. The company doesn’t take insurance for the visits, instead charging a flat fee by condition or treatment.

At the recent HLTH 2022 conference in Las Vegas, speaking about Amazon Clinic, Nworah Ayogu, M.D., Amazon’s chief medical officer, said that the online retail giant is “leading with its competency” of connecting customers to the products and services they want. “We’re connecting customers to providers who provide care. We’re playing matchmaker and building a great customer experience. It’s a win-win,” Ayogu said.

While Amazon Clinic uses the term “visit” to describe the exchange, it’s essentially a transaction driven by pre-determined protocols and algorithms with minimal human intervention. Depending on your needs, that could be a flaw in the offering. It is a convenient route for some types of ordinary care; however, Amazon’s connections are superficial compared to traditional care relationships among practitioners and patients. 

Connecting people to the care, products, services and therapies they need to reach their life’s goals is critical in our approach to healthcare marketing at Connelly Partners Health. Furthermore, we lead with empathy and humanity to do so. 

Will I use it again? Probably. It’s a viable option for some routine, non-urgent care needs. But, for most things, I prefer my care with a decidedly more human touch.

Colin Hetherington, Managing Director, ZOO Digital
Martin Byrne, CTO, ZOO Digital
Rachel Carrigan, Head of UX/UI, ZOO Digital

It’s estimated that in 2023 we will hit peak internet – we just won’t be able to fit any more into our daily lives. With that comes a new battle for brands to gain customer attention. So what does that mean for what’s ahead this year? 

Well, at ZOO we are predicting a strengthening of the “human” online experience, even greater interactivity, increasing “subliminal digital,” continuing data visualisation and not to forget good old email marketing, which can get overlooked but still plays a key role. From a pure user experience point of view, we predict brands will realise that improving customer experience will bring new sales, that there’ll be an even greater holistic approach to CX while the “always above the fold” approach to website building will be no longer. 

Read about all the 2023 trends predicted by the ZOO team below. 

Peak Internet

2023 will be the year of peak internet. In 2022, according to GWI, the average global time spent online hit 6 hours 43 minutes per day, down from an all-time covid-induced high of 6 hours 56 minutes in 2021. Next year, we estimate global daily online usage will plateau at 6 hours 40 minutes.

Combine this with further predictions that global digital media spend will increase by 12% in 2023, meaning brands and businesses will be competing fiercely for audience attention online. 

To grab people’s attention, many brands will take a more holistic and complete approach to their digital strategy by adding new channels, focusing on their user experience and identifying the real value they can provide through content.

Even More Interactivity

According to HubSpot, 90% of marketers will increase the use of short-form video in 2023. This is despite video engagement rates decreasing across certain formats and platforms. 

A TikTok case study cited 3.33 seconds as a strong result for an average campaign video view. So, brands have 3 seconds to capture, engage and keep a person viewing a piece of short-form video – that’s not a lot of time at all.

Don’t get us wrong, short-form video is important but we predict that in 2023 we will see brands beginning to move away from video content to create even more engaging and interactive experiences – think Burger King’s classic Subservient Chicken or Red Bull Strike – that combine both creativity and technology to create something special.

Subliminal Digital

With attention hard to earn and video views being short, we will see the emergence of a new practice called Subliminal Digital. The objective will be to use every fleeting half second to create brand awareness. 

This will involve reviewing all brand elements (colour, logo usage, audio cues, opening frames, product placement) across digital channels with a view to maximising every micro opportunity for brand recognition.

Strengthening the “Human” Online Experience

The threat of recession, reduced customer spending power and the battle for attention will result in higher cost per acquisition rates in 2023. With customers becoming harder to get, there will be an even greater focus on keeping those you have happy.

According to a PwC report, what makes a good customer experience is speed, convenience, consistency and friendliness. And one big connector: the human touch. In 2023, we will see the rapid advancement of AI and its ability to replicate human interaction through the adoption of chatbots and digital assistants that offer personalised services. 

Email Marketing Still Quietly Does Its Thing

Not a trend for 2023 but something that needs to be given the credit it deserves, as it is often overlooked in these types of lists, is email marketing. With the ever-increasing importance of first-party data, email marketing should be core to creating ongoing, cost effective communications with customers. Whether a customer opens it or not, the fact they see you in their promotions folder is a micro reminder that you’re there. 

Data Visualisation Is Still Key

Another area set to continue to play a major part in 2023 is data visualisation. The fact is that marketers continue to be overloaded with data, which too often forms a meaningless mass of numbers. However, there’s gold in that data. Through clever curation and interpretation, UX teams can derive better evidence-based insights to act upon. A great example of bringing data to life was released just recently – Spotify’s creative visualisation with Instafest let you create your own festival lineup from Spotify playlists and 2022 Wrapped – Story of your year with Spotify. We predict more of that from brands in 2023.

More CX, More Sales

The thing is, customer expectations are now pretty high when it comes to a lovely, positive experience on websites and apps. And it’s that experience that makes them increasingly return and spend. 

We’re going to see the continued realisation by businesses that their customer experience should be front and centre in their acquisition, sales and retention strategies. That’s going to mean some investment, particularly in a test-and-fix cycle in how they improve their online offering. 

There is a growing appreciation that fixing the online user experience (UX) is only a part of the puzzle. Customer experience (CX) will begin to encompass all customer touchpoints so that they all work in concert, using the same language, intent and purpose. Your digital, OOH, DM and everyone speaking to your customers will need to use the same language and synchronise their efforts – especially sales. 

RIP “The Fold”

The ongoing chat about “below the fold” will finally be put to rest and nobody will come to the service. Analysts will finally convince sales VPs that customers scroll and that the top of the page isn’t the only show in town. 

We’ve known for years from heatmaps and eye tracking that users scan for words they recognise and have been trained to ignore the hero banner (well, mostly). Journey mapping, AB testing and easy-to-interpret measurements will all help convince the CEO that there’s more to the store than the front window. 

The CP Data & Analytics Team

Procrastinators Play Catch Up on Google Analytics 4 (GA4) 

It’s impossible to talk about data and analytics in 2023 without acknowledging the official sunsetting of Universal Analytics (UA) on July 1, 2023, a date set by Google back in early 2021 after the release of GA4. As of mid-year, there is no more sitting on the fence – GA4 will be the only option for Google Analytics. And while many organizations have prepared for this moment, there will undoubtedly be ample last minute scrambling among the stragglers who have failed to adequately plan for the UA to GA4 transition.

Cookieless Future Fuels Innovation 

While Google has officially delayed the depreciation of third-party cookies in Chrome until the second half of 2024, the inevitability of a cookieless future will stoke innovation during 2023 as organizations search for new tracking and measurement solutions that are not dependent upon cookie-based identifiers. Google’s decision to delay is, in part, allowing them to further test their Privacy Sandbox solutions that are scheduled to be made generally available in Q3 2023. On parallel paths, however, there are a plethora of organizations racing to develop their own proprietary solutions ranging from clean rooms to universal IDs, from digital fingerprinting to ID graphs.

Acceleration Toward First-Party Data 

In light of cookie depreciation, the trend toward more actively collecting, integrating, and leveraging first-party customer data will accelerate in 2023. And while some organizations have never lost sight of the value of first-party data, many others will have to jump-start their efforts by first navigating a shift toward first-party, data-based customer strategies. On a parallel path, they will have to contend with the tactical and operational realities of the underlying technical and analytical investments that will be required to support the transformation of data to insights in order to generate a positive return.

Data Visualization Shifts From Being Production-Focused to Consumption-Focused 

Where data exists, it can always be turned into colorful charts, graphs, and diagrams. That makes it visually interesting. To be sure, the many tools and platforms used in this space are arming analysts with an endless stream of new options for producing visualizations that are more dynamic, mobile-friendly, shareable, etc. But the real shift in 2023 will be toward making visualizations more user-centered and story-based as meaning is increasingly prioritized over metrics.

Evolving Consumer Privacy Landscape  

GDPR-type regulations are fast coming to the United States. California passed the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) back in 2018, but has new regulations, as part of California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), going into effect on January 1, 2023. Because of the large number of consumers represented in CA, the California legislation tends to get a disproportionate amount of attention, but it’s worth noting that a number of other states have passed similar consumer privacy laws in the past couple of years and we expect 2023 to see the rollout of new state-level laws that are currently at various stages of legislative consideration. See IAPP tracker here. 

Exponential Data Growth Increases the Need for Data Security

With the average cost of a data breach during 2022 totalling nearly $10M (Statista, IBM), organizations are going to be pushed to make more significant investments in the security of their exponentially growing volumes of data. As organizations work to secure their environments with firewalls, IP protocols, etc., one of the best countermeasures to a security breach is to build awareness across an organization’s workforce and provide training for identifying potential cyber security threats. In 2023, we expect to see this kind of training increasingly prioritized.