Agency Insights

The vast array of marketing options any given brand has at its fingertips have never been more diverse – and the winter holiday shopping season can be viewed as a barometer for how well these tools perform. One such example for 2018 is the social media giant, Instagram.

As November draws to a close, and with Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday already distant memories, the competition for sales in the holiday shopping blitz continues to rise full force. And with each passing year, the increasing number of digital options by which to sell and purchase makes this season even more overwhelming – for marketers as well as customers.

Thanksgiving is this Thursday, when many will celebrate and feast with family and friends. Then, on Black Friday, shoppers who have strong constitutions and determination will gather en masse before the crack of dawn in front of their favorite big box stores to take advantage of any and every sale within sight. The high voltage energy and anticipation which accompanies Black Friday might make the following day seem anticlimactic. But let’s give some attention to Small Business Saturday®.

Facebook has been through the wringer. Consider: The recent election may have stirred memories of the infamous Cambridge Analytica scandal. Then there was a data breach last month. It would seem  Facebook has “lost face” in some circles. And while it is unlikely that brands which post on this or other social media sites will abandon this avenue of marketing, it may be time for a refresher course in the power of advertising (brands, not politics) on social media – especially at this time of year.

Image Credit: MarketWatch

This Wednesday, homes will be visited by countless kids dressed as witches, vampires, zombies, and any other ghoul, ghost, or hobgoblin imaginable. Or, schools or local community centers will host parties where these kids-as-creatures will converge to devour candy, cakes, ice cream, and other goodies. Yes, Halloween will be here before we know it. And Halloween makes for marketing opportunities. Just look at a recent movie – of the same name – for some tips.

Since that page with blue, red, yellow and green lettering that spells out “Google” appears on many a desktop and mobile screen, this would seem the obvious “go to” place to conduct an online search. But Google has been facing competition as a search engine and is therefore doubling its efforts to keep retain its place amid the competition. How so? By intensifying usage of one of its subsidiaries – YouTube.

Security – online security, that is – continues to be a growing concern. Any person, place or thing which can be found in an online search is at risk. And when it comes to marketing, there are potential doubts as to what audiences are being targeted and whether the related data is reliable. In a perfect world, the answer to these issues would be for all online parties to stay transparent. But it is not a perfect world, and to “stay transparent” may be easier in theory than in practice. Until now. Introducing the “Data Transparency Label,” which may be a first step in handling these issues.

 Image Credit: MultiVu

Winter is coming.

To help get you through winter and safely to the next season, Johnnie Walker has created a special edition “White Walker” Scotch to commemorate what will be the final thrilling season of “Game of Thrones.” It’s true. Brace for them – both the product and the show’s end.

In a perfect world, a brand’s marketing campaign on social media operates at full capacity, with representation on all leading platforms. But should only one or two social sites represent a brand – and Pinterest is not one of them – now may be the time to establish presence on this platform. This image-centric social media site is poised to increase its already impressive impact in marketing.