CP’s Cultural Anthropologist, Paul M. Capobianco, spoke at the Blanquerna-Emerson Global Communication Pre-Summit, a conference held in Boston, featuring speakers from around the world on global issues and trends. This year’s theme was “Building Bridges in Uncertain Times: Finding Commonalities Through Communication.” 

Paul was part of an animated panel discussion alongside Prof. Nejem Raheem and Cordelia Kelly, both of Emerson College, called: “Can Luxury Save the World?” 

His answer may surprise you… 

Our team sat in the audience, sharing highlights on Twitter.

Hillary Williams, Group Brand Director

This year’s Warrior-themed annual Ad Club Women’s Leadership Forum came at a pivotal moment, a time where many feel as though instead of taking strides forward, women’s equality has shifted into reverse over the past year. It was an uplifting day of female empowerment, an opportunity to learn and seek inspiration from an impressive range of standout women alongside fellow colleagues and clients I respect and admire. 

The forum centered around the power of women’s voices, passion and determination to influence culture, policy and overall societal change on a local and global scale. But above all, one theme that stood out to me across each woman’s perspective was their focus on empathy. 

As marketers, we talk a lot about the notion of empathy for others – for our teammates, clients, colleagues, target audiences … but what hit hard with me throughout the conference was the importance of empathy and compassion not just for each other, but for ourselves. As women, it’s our natural inclination to lean into the “mental load” and take on as much as we can, often without realizing the effect. 

The importance of starting with yourself in order to empower others and drive change resonated with me in three key ways:

Know Your Worth. 

One of the most remarkable speakers of the day was Andrea Campbell, the Democratic Nominee for Massachusetts Attorney General. Campbell lost her mother to an accident at eight months old, didn’t meet her incarcerated father until she was eight years old and lost her brother, who passed away in prison. Despite these adverse circumstances, she went on to become the first member of her family to attend college, going to Princeton, followed by UCLA Law, and was elected to Boston City Council in 2015. While this is an admirable story of perseverance, what resonated with me most was the mentality she embraced to get where she is now. 

Campbell refused to let the immediacy of her early childhood define her and from a young age she knew she was more than the traumatic family experiences that surrounded her. Despite moments of  imposter syndrome that so many of us face, she fostered an inherent confidence in the value she brought to each day and focused on what she could vs. couldn’t do. She started each day by celebrating herself, what she had accomplished and what she wanted to accomplish – as she says, doing her “mirror work” as a morning affirmation ritual to take on the day’s challenges. By starting with herself and the unwavering determination to own her story, she was empowered and braced to give back that empathy and compassion to so many others in her life. 

Be Your Own Best Advocate. 

As colleagues, mothers, spouses, caregivers and friends, our focus is rarely on ourselves and society is quick to reward and recognize women for our selflessness. New York Times Bestselling Author, Eve Rodsky, talked about the need to be consistently interested in your own life – as much as you are for the work and lives of those around you. Fittingly, when I started to write this note on my phone during the conference, “family life” automatically popped up before I could type “own life.” [Sigh], even iPhone algorithms are set up to hero female selflessness. 

Rodsky says that by being your own champion, you’ll in turn be the best advocate for those around you. Her work is centered around solutions to combat the mental load of women shouldering ⅔ or more of the unpaid domestic work and childcare for their homes and families. She brings the honest perspective on the inequality of her own previous marriage and has developed a gamified system for partners to evenly distribute domestic responsibilities of “invisible work.” 

Rodsky offers a practical day to day approach we can apply vs. other abstract advice around inconsistent self care and “you time” that don’t actively alleviate the chaos of everyday core responsibilities. Through her interviews of more than five hundred men and women, she developed a list of 100 common household tasks and the guidelines and discussion points for how partners can prioritize and get it all done, together. Empathy for ourselves, prioritization of our own needs and a practical system that alleviates tangible work can help lighten the mental load and create space for a truer, more present version of ourselves. 

Don’t Judge What You Don’t Know.

With the reversal of Roe vs. Wade last June, women’s physical and emotional health has taken center stage as passionate advocates on both sides make their case. Guest speaker and award-winning author, Jennifer Haigh’s, new book Mercy Street highlights the disparate perspectives on all sides of reproductive justice through the stories of the workers and protesters at a Boston clinic. The book is based on her own experience volunteering at a women’s clinic, and while she is pro-choice, her main point is that regardless of stance, “the majority of people know very little about what abortion actually means in an individual personal’s life” or the empathy each woman must have for herself in order to make the right decision. 

It’s a statistically common experience, as one in four American women will at some point have an abortion – but each situation is unique and deeply intimate. At the crux of her pro-choice belief, is the notion that each woman knows what is best for her body based on her individual circumstances and experience. Female intuition is powerful and extremely personal. The “climate of secrecy” society has fostered around the issue limits honest dialogue and perpetuates stigmas that many cannot see past. She argues that having empathy for ourselves and our right to make the right choices for our own circumstances and bodies will foster empathy for others and break down the knowledge gap on both sides of the issue. 

The inspiring women at this year’s Ad Club conference were an important reminder that while a “warrior” paves the way for others, that perseverance often starts with an unwavering dedication to and respect for themselves.

Will Maslach, Paid Social Manager

As advertising planning for 2023 becomes a priority, Twitter is a platform that’s top of mind. Elon Musk’s official buyout of the company, and subsequent leadership takeover, has led to a wave of discussed and enacted changes at the popular social media platform that have advertising executives questioning their current and forecasted media mix. With so many eyes on the conversational platform right now, many advertisers are asking if Twitter should be a part of their advertising efforts?

The multiple pieces of recent news coming from Twitter HQ has given advertisers more reason for concern, and some are already leaving the platform out of their current and future media mix:

Elon Musk plans to charge $8 a month for verification on Twitter receives heavy backlash

In response to a reduction in advertising revenue YoY, Elon Musk is considering having users pay a subscription for a cherished and revered status symbol, the blue verified check mark. The blue check mark originated as a device to let users know that messages coming from a popular account were authentic, so that users could trust that each tweet from that account was actually from that user. Some users have begun to poke holes in this strategy already by changing the username of their already verified accounts to “Elon Musk,” and misleading users with their messages. As paid partnerships and social proof become the norm in strategies, advertisers will need to keep a close eye on authenticity and fake accounts that may misconstrue their message.

Twitter’s promised reduction of censorship leads advertisers to question brand safety

But not if you mock Elon Musk…

One of Elon Musk’s main goals coming into the sale six months ago was to reduce censorship on the platform and move further towards complete free speech. While it’s not surprising that the self-claimed “Free Speech Absolutist” would direct Twitter’s path towards less censorship, it’s striking fear into advertisers and brand managers that could have their organic and paid messages live directly next to sensational, misleading, or explicit content. Elon Musk recently met with 100 or so advertising executives in a “closed door” meeting, where the execs voiced brand safety as their chief concern. Preemptively, many brands are considering pulling their advertising dollars from the platform and moving them towards more reliable platforms. Prominent companies like Volkswagen, General Motors, REI, and the Carlsberg Group have already pulled all of their spending from Twitter while it undergoes massive changes. 

Thousands of Twitter Employees laid off as social media platform undergoes massive changes

The recent layoffs pose the largest, immediate concern for advertisers as thousands of Twitter employees have involuntarily parted from the social media platform. Concern comes naturally when any layoffs occur as less employees are present to complete the same amount of work. Add on top of these layoffs, the number of changes that leadership wants to make, or has already made, on the platform and now the demand for labor has vastly overtaken the supply. With the reduction in labor force, it’s safe to assume that it will take longer for customer / advertiser problems to be solved with support or reps, and for communication with any employees to become much less frequent. This could pose problems for advertisers in the near future, especially if the Content Moderation team was hit hard by these layoffs. Civil rights groups including GLAAD and the Anti-Defamation League are urging companies to abandon Twitter entirely saying that mass layoffs are gutting an already understaffed content moderation team.

So, as an advertiser or brand manager, how should you think about Twitter in your media mix?

If you aren’t advertising on Twitter:

1. Don’t start yet. Wait for the dust to settle to avoid potential crises.
2. Watch carefully for new features and/or policy changes.
3. Keep tabs on brands that ARE advertising on Twitter that are your competitors, or have similar business strategies.
4. Re-evaluate whether your brand has a value proposition that justifies spend on Twitter once changes have gone into effect.

If you’re already advertising on Twitter:

1. Maintain or reduce your advertising budget while changes take effect, but don’t increase your spend.
2. Have your brand safety top of mind, and regularly check for any undesirable placements for your advertisements.
3. Avoid run of network targeting, and double-check the feeds of any lookalike account targets that they’re safe for your brand.
4. Stay close to your Twitter rep to get as much lead time as possible on upcoming changes.

Alyssa Stevens, Director of Public Relations & Social Media

Learnings from the Influencer Marketing Show London 2022

As an influencer marketing professional, I’m consistently impressed by how rapidly this industry continues to grow and evolve. For marketers who understand the value of influencer collaborations and have the desire to revolutionize the way they collaborate with them, there is no better time to capitalize on the power that the creator economy can have for a brand than now.

While living in Dublin as part of Connelly Partners’ CP Abroad program, I attended the Influencer Marketing Show in London. With panels on topics ranging from how to make your influencer strategy recession-proof to the role of artificial intelligence in creator engagements, one thing was very clear…influencer marketing is no longer a “nice to have” for your 2023 marketing strategy. It’s an essential component for how a brand can effectively reach its target audiences, capture their attention, and foster trust that translates into conversion.

As an industry born out of aesthetically pleasing, well-curated photos, influencer marketing has evolved into a multi-dimensional approach for reaching consumers at every stage of their journey. With 2023 on the horizon, I wanted to share takeaways from the Influencer Marketing Show, along with tips for how you can create an impactful influencer marketing strategy for your brand. 

Let’s Create a Community! 

Web3 is being touted as the “community-based era,” where brands, creators, and consumers can come together to be part of inspiring content and experiences. With so much of our lives being spent on social media, today’s consumer craves a sense of belonging. 

Influencers can help a brand to foster a sense of community with its target audience by creating content and experiences that allow for a better brand-consumer connection. These communities can be built around a singular topic/interest, and they can even function to provide critical feedback to a brand around its own products and innovation. In fact, in a presentation by Maira Genovese, it was noted that businesses who invest in communities can increase their innovation speed by 52%. 

Activating influencers, who possess a loyal following that resembles your target audience, and empowering them to help that audience feel part of the brand’s evolution will foster brand loyalty and trust, on and off line. Simple online interactions are no longer enough, consumers want to feel like they ‘belong’ with the brands that inspire them.  

Interests Trump Social Connections.

The early days of social media were fueled by personal social connections; we regularly logged into Facebook to see what our friends and family were doing. While people still visit social networks like Facebook and Instagram to connect with the people they know, through the rapid adoption of TikTok, we’re beginning to see the primary use of social media shift to people’s desire to connect around similar interests. At the same time, we’re seeing a new crop of influencers emerge across a diverse array of topics.

Now more than ever, consumers visit social media to discover. Whether that’s learning something new (a recipe, money-saving tip, or hairstyle) or seeking inspiration (to visit a new destination, try out a different restaurant, or find a hobby), social media users are actively looking for unique content around specific topics and interests. With users spending upwards of 95 minutes per day on TikTok, brands have a clear opportunity to capture their attention by collaborating with influencers who focus on content creation around their niche. 

This shift from a social focus to an interest focus allows brands to connect with their target audience in an exciting, new way. However, it’s also becoming increasingly important for brands to find the best influencer partners to communicate their subject matter. Navigating TikTok’s creator community around specific interests can be like searching for a needle in a haystack. At Connelly Partners, we’ve invested time and resources to make the search for the best partners streamlined and fruitful. TikTok has shown us that it prioritizes engaging content over follower count, which means that when a brand marries the right creator/influencer with their product or service, magic can happen. 

Don’t Skip the ROI Beyond Social Posts.

There’s no denying that influencers can create amazing social media content for your brand, but it shouldn’t stop there. When influencer marketing campaigns are executed to their fullest potential, influencers are utilized across a brand’s digital footprint, paid media, earned media, and creative programming. That’s because when you select the right influencers for your brand, their creativity and authenticity can help cut through the clutter both on and off line. 

First, beyond a brand’s owned social channels, influencer content should be repurposed across a brand’s website and product pages to increase conversion. People want to see “real” photos of your product or service vs. stock photography of it. Second, influencer content assets can be utilized in paid social media. If you work with influencers who resemble your target audience and brand interests, they can act as a ‘demographic figurehead’ for your brand and offer content that really resonates with your consumers. In fact, in a panel led by the agency What They Said, it was noted that 61% of people trust influencer content over brand content on social media. Third, if you work with a notable macro or mega influencer, you can further capitalize on their influence by using their likeness and association with your brand in media outreach to secure earned press coverage. Last, many influencers are first and foremost creators; brands can leverage the expertise and vision of their influencer partners to inform their creative. Influencers have their finger on the pulse of what a brand’s audience wants to see, so by allowing influencers into the creative process, brands can pressure-test concepts to their target demographic before they commit. 

Influencer marketing is no longer confined to the social feed, and as we continue to work with brands to maximize their investment in the creator economy, we are keeping a keen eye on out-of-the-box ways we can leverage influencers for an increased ROI.

Want to learn more about our influencer marketing capabilities at Connelly Partners? Click here.

Eoin Welsh, Creative Director

“Figures show that roughly 90% of the money spent on advertising in the UK is wasted, because it’s neither noticed nor remembered.”

That’s how advertising legend David Trott started his talk at the TAM (TV Audience Measurement) Ireland Long Lunch event.

Which, as an advertising creative, is not exactly what I want to hear. We creatives like to think of ourselves as do-what-it-takes, blood-sweat-and-tears types, forever fighting the good fight.

Turns out, around 90% of that effort is for nothing.

So, what’s the problem?

Well, that’s the beauty of listening to Trott. In a cockney drawl thick enough to be served in a pint glass, he sweeps aside all the industry-speak and double-talk and cuts to the chase: If advertising doesn’t get noticed, everything else is academic.

So, is our industry in denial? Are we afflicted with a severe case of “Emperor’s New Clothes?” Do we put out work that’s so bare of sticking power that it’s barely noticed? Trott makes a pretty convincing case, and he’s got the data to back it up.

But why? Trott believes it’s because we’ve lost sight of who we’re talking to. He defines advertising as “the voice of marketing” – the interpreter who translates the language of marketing into the language of the real world. But we’ve become so wrapped up in the marketing and business side of our industry, that we’ve lost the ability to “talk normal.” To talk, well, like Trott.

We talk to show how clever we are. How much we know. How much research and study we’ve done. To show off, basically. As Tyler Durden said in Fight Club, “We’ve stopped listening and we’re just waiting for our turn to speak.” Problem is, no-one understands what we’re saying. So, it just gets ignored.

Trott then walked us through some of the straight-talking, iconic brands who never forgot who they were speaking to. While all around them were bragging their lips off to little avail, VW asked us to “Think Small.” Avis told us that they “Try Harder” because they’re only No.2. Nike challenged us to “Just Do It.” These were brands that refused to talk down to anyone. That made the effort to learn the language of the locals whose world they were guests in, while others just did that tourist-y thing of shouting louder in their own language, somehow believing that would help make them understand.

Trott is easy to listen to. He makes sense. He keeps it simple. And so he gets noticed. And remembered (I took no notes during his presentation, and didn’t need any to do this write-up).

So, what did I take out of all this?

Well, if we can all make work that “talks like Trott” – simple, engaging and intriguing – maybe we can learn to speak fluent, Everyday-Speak again. And stop talking to ourselves. Which, if memory serves, is the first sign of madness.