How Boutique Marketing and PR Firms Can Compete with Big Agencies

boutique marketing

When seeking marketing and public relations services, many companies lean toward the larger, better-known agencies. The reasons aren’t surprising: many heads equal many ideas, access to more resources, perceived authority—the list goes on. And obviously, a large agency is doing something right to get as large as it is. However, don’t underestimate the benefits of working with a smaller, boutique-style agency that you might miss out on if you’re exclusively focused on the big guys.

In fact, working with a boutique firm may be the best choice you ever make. How can a smaller firm compete with a Goliath? Let’s consider some of the ways:

Small Is Agile

Like any startup, today’s boutique firms can turn on a dime. Smaller means agile, and that is a huge competitive advantage. A large agency can often be unwieldy; decisions take longer and are often risk adverse. It takes longer to coordinate a multitude of calendars, ideas are tossed around, and approvals move up and down the ladder of seniority until finally, the project is underway.

With so many people involved in the process, pivoting to a new idea can be nearly impossible. This isn’t the case with a boutique marketing or PR firm. If trends change, a boutique marketing agency can change direction, reboot plans, and respond more quickly to market and customer needs.

Always Catch the Big Fish

In a small pond, all the fish are huge. That means you’re more likely to work with one of the founders of a boutique firm than you are when you contract with a larger agency. While size does matter to some clients, the majority of the ones we meet hire based on the quality and chemistry of the team. Need some reassurance about that new strategic direction you’re taking? At a smaller firm, you can pick up the phone and talk to a principal, rather than an assistant to the assistant.

Perhaps even more importantly, that principal you’re working with will remain the same throughout the life of your project. If you’re tired of watching your account change hands as new account managers are introduced, promoted, or let go, then you may be ready to work with an agency that functions as an extension of your company and in-house marketing team.

Smaller Agencies But Equal Staffing

Even with larger agencies that have hundreds on staff, there are a finite number of team members who actually work on your business—probably close to the same number of staff that would work your account in a boutique firm. But the smaller firms understand that they don’t have to keep all of their talent under their own roof. They build ongoing relationships with outside production teams because they know the pool of talent outside their walls is deep, plentiful, and easily engaged.

Boutique marketing and PR firms also have the freedom to structure their business in innovative ways that work best for their clients. The model can be a flexible mix of office and virtual staffing, eliminating the need to hire by geography and lowering infrastructure costs. Today’s technology has significantly improved the ability for people to connect and work from anywhere, regardless of location. You have the freedom to hire the best people – period.

Provide a Specialty Niche

Sure, bigger firms may have more resources at their disposal, which might seem like a better deal. However, those agencies may be more inclined to walk the straight and narrow with their immense resources. Companies looking for highly specialized PR and marketing campaigns may end up with something that leans toward safe and predictable.

This typically isn’t the case with boutique agencies. In fact, many find success by providing specialized services that precisely meet your needs. They may specialize in a particular type of work (influencer engagement, content marketing strategy), industry (health & wellness or food & beverage marketing), or in a specific audience segment (marketing to women or millennials). With a specialized focus, boutique firms can more easily demonstrate their expertise in a particular area.

Neither the big agencies nor the boutique variety are the “best” choice in every situation. But I’d argue that smaller firms more often than not have the luxury of being fearless, resourceful, clever, and nimble—a departure from the larger agencies that may be more inclined to play-it-safe because of the big numbers they have to meet. If you’d like to learn more about how a boutique marketing agency can help with your marketing and communications needs, reach out. We’re excited to talk to you.

5 Influencer Marketing Insights That May Change Your Strategy

influencer marketing

It’s no secret that traditional advertising is losing its reach. Television ads are now fast-forwarded; pop-up ads can be disabled. Along with that, celebrities are not the endorsers they once were. They can build brand awareness, but not necessarily sales. Social influencers have eclipsed celebrities in consumer trust. In fact, 92% of consumers trust word-of-mouth and recommendations from friends, family, and social influencers above all other forms of advertising, including celebrity endorsements.

The power of these social influencers isn’t based on their follower count but on their ability to influence through authenticity and curation. Following are some key influencer marketing insights:

1. Why marketers love influencer marketing.

An authentic recommendation by a trusted influencer is effective for several reasons. First, influencers know what kind of content their followers want to see. The influencer’s interpretation of how to showcase content may not always be exactly the way you’d like, but when given the freedom to create, they produce what most resonates with their audience.

Influencers are also a more affordable choice than traditional celebrity endorsements. That equals more content, greater reach, more reliable advocacy, and ultimately, more engagement with your brand.

2. How to find the right influencers for your brand.

Influencer marketing isn’t new; the only thing that’s changed is the status of the influencer. Realistically, most of us aren’t influenced by what Emily Ratajkowski is tweeting. We’re much more likely to be influenced by friends, family, and the people we’re following on Instagram, Twitter, or our favorite blogs.

There are great tools available to help find your best influencers, including BuzzSumo, or Moz’s Followerwonk. Sometimes it’s as easy as examining your brand’s current fans on social media feeds. You may have already caught the attention of influencers who love your products and services.

3. How to work with influencers for the best outcome.

It’s important to note that not all influencers are right for your brand, so before jumping on board with someone merely because they have the most followers, take the time to make sure you’ve chosen the perfect advocate for your products.

You should be comfortable with the influencer’s style, and how it will mesh with your brand vision. Don’t try to control the relationship; for the best results you need to trust the influencer to weave your brand messaging into their narrative in an authentic way. They’ve invested time building their audience relationships based on their own unique voice, perspective, and storytelling style, and they need to maintain their credibility to be effective. Though they should have control of how they talk about your brand, certainly be clear about what you’re trying to achieve. Authenticity and transparency are essential in a successful relationship, so make it as easy as possible for them to understand your vision, and then step back and let them do their thing.

4. Influencer marketing gone wrong.

Sometimes influencer campaigns can go horribly wrong. The blame may rest on the influencer, on the brand that doesn’t deliver on its promise, or both.

Consider the Fyre Festival, forced to close on opening day due to poor planning and execution. The marketing plan for this disaster was missing a key component of any good influencer campaign: transparency. The organizers contracted 400+ celebrity influencers, including Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid, who pretended to have an interest in the festival and promoted it through their social media channels, encouraging fans to buy tickets. Rather than the transparency and honesty required for a successful partnership, these young celebrity influencers didn’t disclose that they were paid to promote the festival, per FTC rules. Ultimately, the organizers spent so much money on influencers that they didn’t have enough money to execute the actual event.

Each influencer and brand have their own stories, and when working together, they can reflect poorly on each other. In Pepsi’s recent “Live for Now Moments” ad featuring Kendall Jenner, the objective was a message of unification and diversity. The campaign, however, was wrong for both the influencer and the brand, and the result was a complete backlash by the public. A smart approach would have been to test the concept before investing in the campaign to gauge public reaction.

5. Benefits of micro-influencers.

Influencers with large followings may not be the best choice for your brand. Micro-influencers with fewer followers often have more quality influence and deeper engagement with a more tailored audience. That engagement leads to trust, which leads to more response.

The benefits of micro-influencers are many: they are typically more affordable, their audiences more targeted, and they produce quality content in a genuine way that can ultimately result in a higher response rate.

Influencer marketing shows no signs of slowing down in the immediate future. As it continues to grow, brands need to search for those influencers who align with their marketing objectives to generate impactful campaigns that are believable, transparent and honest. If not, the trust you’ve spent years building for your brand can be gone in an instant.

If you’re planning to work with influencers this year and would like some guidance, give us a call. We’re always here to help.

Why It Pays for Brands to Embrace Baby Boomers

marketing to baby boomers

Madonna. Bono. George Clooney. Tom Hanks. Oprah. All Baby Boomers.

Not exactly the clichéd stereotype of grandma and grandpa using a walker to get from one room to another.

Though Millennials (75.4 million) have recently surpassed Baby Boomers (74.9 million) in sheer numbers, today’s Baby Boomers represent nearly 40% of the U.S. population and control 70% of all disposable cash in the United States. That’s $3.2 trillion in spending power. So why are marketers so willing to ignore this vibrant and lucrative market?

Following are key reasons why Baby Boomers represent a great opportunity for marketers trying to identify a consumer sweet spot:

They spend $400 billion more than younger demographics each year on consumer goods, including restaurants, personal care, and entertainment
Contrary to popular thinking, these consumers are willing to try new brands that talk to them and earn their loyalty
They dominate spending in 119 out of 123 CPG categories
Boomers are hungry for experiential products and services, and on the prowl for the next big thing
They plan to leverage technology for a more fulfilling, comfortable life
Boomers spend nearly $7 billion online annually, well ahead of Millennials
They purchase 62.5% of all new cars and 80% of luxury travel products
By 2022, Baby Boomers, particularly women Baby Boomers, will have inherited nearly $15 trillion from their parents and spouses

Women Baby Boomers, in particular, represent a huge opportunity based on their significant spending power. Consider these facts:

As a whole, women over the age of 50 have a combined net worth of $19 trillion
Having focused on looking after families in their younger years, these now empty nesters have become the biggest consumers of luxury, security, and convenience items in the country
Women over the age of 50 spend, on average, 250% of what the population in general spends in any given year, including purchases of technology-related items, cars, and various financial services

Boomers are social, mobile, and online. They’re working well beyond the traditional retirement age, creating new businesses and products, and staying healthy beyond their years. Boomers are most interested in the experiences their money can buy, so key industries that will flourish with this group include health & wellness, travel, auto, entertainment, and pets. Whether they’re spending $120 billion on travel or $30 billion on pet care, they’re spending their money differently than previous generations as they reinvent aging.

It’s unfortunate that these two vibrant generations are pitted against each other in the media and for the attention of marketers. It shouldn’t be either/or; both Millennials and Baby Boomers, particularly female Baby Boomers, represent powerful economic forces. Marketers would be wise to welcome Baby Boomers into their fold and establish meaningful connections that prioritize this group.

Is marketing to Baby Boomers part of your business strategy? If so, give us a call. We’d love to talk.

What Marketers Should Know About Health and Wellness Trends of 2017

health and wellness trends

Heath and wellness is a way of life and a rich opportunity for brands. The global wellness economy was $3.7 trillion in 2016 and is expected to grow by 17% over the next five years.

Now that we’re firmly in the second quarter of 2017, we can point to several health and wellness trends that have emerged. Many of these trends vary by age and are often influenced by the environment and community of consumers, so understanding your buyers is more important than ever. Whether it’s massages at the airport, gluten-free beauty products, or smart wearables, many consumer brands are now part of the health and wellness space by delivering comfort, wellness, or both.

Go Natural

Consumers are eschewing chemicals in favor of all-natural products. This spans the board, from the make-up they use to the supplements they take. Buyers are looking for products that they feel are safe for themselves and their families.

This trend has shown itself in consumers’ embrace of probiotics for gut health and their purchases of anti-inflammatories at the grocery story—such as ginger tea and turmeric lattes, or even their avoidance of inflammatory foods like gluten and dairy. They’re drinking kombucha instead of soda, smoothies instead of milkshakes, and eating zucchini noodles and spaghetti squash instead of pasta.

Fight the Fear

Consumers are seeking information about health and wellness that relies less on invoking fear and more on how being healthy makes us feel. Marketers should focus messaging on how products can improve the daily lives of consumers in order to strike the right note.

Popular diets, such as the paleo diet and plant-based diets, have resonated with so many consumers because they want to believe that a simple change in what they eat can also change how they look and feel.

Get Comfortable

Athleisure, or athletic clothing designed to wear anywhere—even the office, has gained a lot of ground this year. Instead of creating clothes that are acceptable only at the gym, big brands like Lululemon and Under Armor are designing comfortable clothes that can be worn behind a desk or on the tennis court.

The busier we get, the less time we have to exercise, so we need the ability to get moving any time we get the chance. This ability to move from boardroom to bicycle has made it easier for people to get and stay more active, so don’t expect this particular trend to slow down anytime soon.

The Age of Agelessness

More and more older consumers are embracing a youthful mindset. Faced with the challenges of aging, they’re seeking to redefine what it means to be 50, 60, and beyond. Their focus is more on having an ageless image and attitude through an active lifestyle, rather than looking younger. At the same time, Millennials are taking an active approach to staying young, with 40% using anti-aging products.

Stress Free Zone

Stress is an epidemic, and wellness retreats are the cure. Consumers love the idea of escaping the distractions that lead to debilitating stress. Wellness retreats offer the chance to cleanse their diet with healthy menus, develop new exercise programs, and to relax with natural beauty treatments.

In fact, these retreats are the embodiment of many of the trends of health and wellness today, including clean eating, experiencing new cultures, and the Millennial cry of “Treat yo’self.”

While the trends may change from year to year, one thing is abundantly clear: more and more consumers want to live a healthy lifestyle, and are willing to spend the money to do so. Marketers should aim to target their customers focused on health and wellness with a quality experience in 2017.

The Changing Face of Moms: What It Means for Marketers

marketing to single moms

Many marketers are missing the mark when it comes to reaching moms, relying on the one-size-fits-all stereotype of the married, harried mom. But the reality is that today’s mothers are ever evolving and multi-faceted. They are working moms and stay-at-home moms, single moms and married moms, boomer moms and millennial moms – moms of every imaginable kind. Not recognizing that moms are a much more diverse group than represented will result in marketers continuing to struggle to engage these consumers who make 85% of all household purchasing decisions.

The Rise of Single Moms

A generation ago, single moms were rarely if ever even recognized by marketers. Today, the birth rate outside of marriage has reached 41% compared to 20% just thirty years ago. Single motherhood is so common that statistics indicate half of all U.S. children will live with a single mom at some point before turning 18.

Single mothers may not have been attractive to marketers because they were perceived as younger and from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Today, many moms are single by choice — well educated, employed and financially independent. Some are even living with partners. Many are older and feel they’ve reached a benchmark where it’s time to start a family, with or without a husband.

Marketers need to recognize today’s moms as a richly diverse group and create campaigns that embrace that diversity. Following are some guidelines for reaching and connecting with this important demographic.

Portray Moms Accurately

Moms aren’t perfect, and they’re not striving for perfection. They’re ever evolving, emotionally complex and multifaceted.

According to Saatchi & Saatchi’s global study on “Moms and Marketing: IRL (In Real Life), 51% of respondents said advertisers don’t understand them. Not a good sign for marketers, given that there are approximately two billion moms in the world. Do the math: roughly one billion moms feel marketers are not speaking to them in authentic ways. That’s a lot of potential customers.

Keep It Real

Create real, inspirational stories that resonate with your target mom. Relatable, relevant content with information she can use and that makes her life easier. Moms not only do most of the physical work in the household but the majority of the mental and emotional work as well. They decide what needs organizing and what needs delegating. They do most of the worrying, research, information processing, and planning. Content that presents an honest portrayal of motherhood will say your brand gets her and will make her sit up and take notice.

Be Where They Are

The overwhelming majority of moms are online, researching product information, finding product recommendations and engaging with their communities. Brands that provide authentic interaction and meaningful connection can spark lasting advocacy and ongoing engagement with moms who come to view the brand as essential to her parenting experience.

Moms Are Mobile

American moms spend an average of 2.3 hours per day on their mobile devices. Mobile marketing campaigns are an important part of any campaign designed to reach moms.

Short videos and digital content designed for co-viewing with children that is both entertaining and educational will get her attention.

Support A Cause

By all measures, moms lead the way as the demographic most amenable to cause marketing. Moms want a better world for their children; to that end, 92% say they want to buy a product that supports a cause. They’re also more likely to switch to another brand if the other brand were associated with a good cause.

Most moms see themselves as a work in progress, which provides brands with many different opportunities in which to engage them. Smart marketers will recognize those opportunities and reach out authentically to understand and connect with them.

Here Comes Generation Z

generation z

Just when you’re confident that you’ve figured out how to reach the Millennial market, along comes a new audience: Generation Z. This group makes up a quarter of the U.S. population and by 2020 will account for 40% of all consumers. And while many are teens still living with their parents or grandparents, Generation Z holds nearly $44 billion in spending power. If you consider their influence on household spending, that number can top out at $200 billion.

That’s a lot of money on the line, so understanding the needs, aspirations, and behaviors of Generation Z should be a top priority for marketers in 2017. If you want to reach them, you have to understand how they think. Here are a few thoughts to get you started.

Offer True Multi-Channel Experiences

Generation Z are digital natives in the truest form. They’ve been completely influenced by technology their entire lives, and spend most of their time online. They’d rather have a digital conversation than a face-to-face discussion any day.

Consequently, the easiest way to reach Gen Z is through your social media presence. Social media is where they live and play, and where they discover the brands they love. This generation is used to seamlessly moving between television, laptop, desktop, tablet, and smartphone—from websites to social media to apps. Smart brands will invest in digital platforms that allow these consumers to co-create shared brand experiences. Gen Z is hands-on: they want to try it, take it apart, and recreate it.

Be Truly Engaging

Authenticity is a must with Generation Z. They’re savvy, and they want to see that a brand is authentic and aligns with their own values. They don’t stick around for brands that don’t ring true. They want to be amused, and appreciate social content that is funny and entertaining. A great example is Chubbies. Constantly posting humorous photos to Instagram and other social platforms, Chubbies’ frat-boy mentality and the catchphrase “sky’s out, thighs out” set the brand apart.

Another key part of authenticity is engagement. Real, two-way conversations, where questions are answered and relationships are forged are the way to Generation Z’s heart and wallet.

Recognize Their Mindset

Gen Zs are much more realistic than Millennials. They’ve lived through 9/11, witnessed an ever-increasing number of school shootings, and watched their parents lose jobs during the Great Recession. As a result, this generation is more cautious and more focused on social causes, as well as their own financial futures. Having seen the effects of the failing economy firsthand, Gen Z consumers will work hard to avoid debt and are less likely to make impulse purchases.

They also have a genuine desire to have a positive impact on the world. Show that your brand believes in social good by finding something you really care about as a company, and let that passion shine through in your marketing messages. Share your story so that Gen Z can determine if your brand values match their own.

Video Content Is Huge

With 90% of Generation Z saying they watch YouTube videos daily, video content is one of the most effective ways to engage with this generation. They even get their television content—both broadcast and cable options—through streaming options like Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu.

Videos that are both educational and entertaining are especially effective. Thinking along the lines of “edutainment” can reap big rewards. But this group is not just watching videos; they’re making their own, too. Give these teens and young adults a chance to shine by creating user generated content contests and watch your audience grow by leaps and bounds.

Look for ways to let your brand personality shine through in your marketing, because Gen Z consumers want relationships with brands they can genuinely connect with. If you’re interested in learning more about how you can reach this generation and others, give us a call. We’re here to help.

What Does the Gender Gap in Charitable Giving Tell Us?

gender gap in charitable giving

Women have a tremendous amount of spending power, ranging from $5 trillion to $15 trillion in the United States alone. They account for 85% or more of all consumer purchases, from new homes and cars to food and healthcare. Women even drive vacation decisions for their families.

The power women wield with their money doesn’t stop at consumer goods and services, either. It seems there’s quite a gender gap in charitable giving, with women more likely to reach into their purses for a good cause.

A Look at the Statistics

In almost every situation, women are more likely to give—and give more —than men. In fact, in the latest studies, boomer and older women gave 89% more than men of the same age. Women of all demographics are influencing philanthropy in new ways and use their clout to change the way funds are raised and distributed. And, as the boomer women experience the largest transference of wealth this decade as they inherit from parents and spouses, this trend should only continue.

The reason? Studies show that, because of the way they’ve been socialized, women tend to be more empathetic than men. That ability to understand what less fortunate people are going through often translates to their relationship with charitable giving.

Because of that empathy and the need to feel they’ve made a real difference, female-deciding households are more likely to give to youth and family services charities, like emergency relief, homeless services, food assistance, and legal aid. Men, however, are less likely to give to these organizations, and more prone to giving at higher levels to sports, adult recreation, veterans’ aid, and civil rights organizations.

What Prompts a Donation?

Studies show that men give to maintain the status quo or to serve their interests, while women give to help the less fortunate or to promote social change. It’s the message that reaches the giver; men want to hear that their donation will better their environment, while women are driven by knowing they’ll make a real difference.

Men may also be more likely to give in situations where there is a competition or someone to impress. This often becomes obvious in charitable auctions, where bidding against another reflects on the depth of the wallet. This doesn’t mean that men don’t have noble intentions. It’s simple biology. Basic competitiveness is evolved and related to testosterone. The way competitiveness is displayed, though, depends on the context.

Flipping the Switch

While women give more in almost every situation, there is one occasion where the numbers flip: in workplace charitable giving, where women tend to give less, and less often than men. It may be that men in the office feel the need to support their employer or impress with higher donations, or that women simply prefer to give to charities of their own choosing rather than ones selected by their employer. Aligning workplace charitable causes with women’s interests could result in more giving.

One thing is clear: Non-profits and other charitable organizations would benefit from understanding how gender comes into play – particularly with charitable donations. If you’d like to examine techniques and tactics for reaching female consumers, give us a call.

6 Ways Food Brands Can Tap Into the Millennial Mindset

how food brands reach millennial mindset

It’s clear that Millennials, like the rest of us, love to eat. And with so many choices available, from healthy to cheap, Millennials think differently about how they spend their hard-earned dollars. Brands that want to appeal to the Millennial mindset need to understand what’s important to them, starting with these six tips:

Use Humor

Millennials certainly aren’t the only ones who appreciate humor in advertising. As humans, we buy from people we like. And being funny is a sure-fire way to make us like you.

Not only that, but we also tend to remember funny ads—not just the content of the commercial, but also the product being sold. The real difference when marketing with humor to Millennials is knowing what they find funny.

What Millennials find amusing can sometimes walk a fine line between funny and offensive. Always know when to use humor and just how far you can go. Millennials love to be entertained and bond over the inside jokes of their generation, but make sure that humor works to reinforce your brand proposition.

Emphasize Health

Healthy eating is a big selling point for Millennials. Some are interested in fresh organic food while others just want healthier options for fast food. The end result is the same: offer healthy alternatives and Millennials will love you.

Consider Millennial favorites Whole Foods and Chipotle. No one could claim these two brands are anywhere near similar, except that both are perceived as healthy choices among the sea of junk food and fast food offerings available.

Get Nostalgic

It seems like Millennials had to grow up faster than any other generation before them. Many were kids during crushing financial crises, and dealing with college debt, choosing careers, and surviving on their own stole a lot of their youth.

Is it any wonder they like to relive the “good old days,” back when they were able to just be a kid without a care in the world? If you can tap into that nostalgia, you’ve got some marketing gold.

This nostalgia is why Pokémon GO was such a massive hit, why people are right now clamoring for the Nintendo Switch, and why Colonel Sanders is back at the helm in all the latest KFC commercials.

Be Socially Conscious

Millennials have a lot of spending power, but that doesn’t mean they’ll part with their money without thought. Brands with social consciences provide the opportunity for Millennials to buy the products they love while also helping others.

Consider the immense popularity of TOMS shoes and Warby Parker glasses. Both of these companies have a one-for-one program that provides shoes and glasses to people in need. Patagonia donates a portion of their proceeds to environmental causes. Ben & Jerry’s engages in grassroots activism and supports social justice through their own foundation.

Not only do they support the big brands that give back, they also like to support their local businesses. Fresh, local produce and local, chef-driven restaurants see a lot of dollars from Millennials, because this generation likes to feel as though they’re helping their neighbors and local economy.

Get Engaged

More and more consumers want to engage with their favorite brands, especially the Millennial generation. It’s not enough to answer their tweets and Facebook comments, either. They want to be a part of the story whenever possible.

Lay’s took advantage of this with their “Do Me a Flavor” contest, inviting their buyers to submit wild and wacky potato chip flavors for production. When they followed through and put the winners’ flavors on the market, they cemented themselves as one of Millennials’ favorite brands.

Create a Revolution

Millennials also love specialty foods—the more unusual, the better. From craft beer to craft ice cream, this generation’s tastes are revolutionizing food choices.

That desire for different has also led to the customized, build-your-own bowl meals, from rice and noodles to salad, quinoa, and poké. These bowls allow creative freedom, as well as the ability to choose quality, healthy ingredients.

What will you do to tap into the Millennial mindset this year? If you would like to discuss any of these strategies for marketing food brands to Millennials, give us a call.

5 Tips for More Effective Influencer Marketing

influencer marketing

Most experts agree: 2017 is the year for influencer marketing. In fact, 87% of marketers plan to launch at least one influencer marketing campaign in 2017. The reasons that this particular marketing strategy is surging right now are many. The first, and probably the largest reason is social proof.

According to research firm Yankelovich, Americans are exposed to 5,000 advertisements a day. Overwhelmed consumers are now experiencing “banner blindness” as they mentally tune these ads out. With 47% of consumers using ad blockers, more and more brands are moving away from targeted ads and moving toward paying these influencers to represent their brands.

Though now is a great time to experiment with influencer marketing, it’s important to consider the following to make sure you maximize the return on your marketing dollars.

1. Consider Your Brand

Before you seek out influencers, you should first consider your brand. Many industries have influencers that are easier to identify than others. Fashion and beauty brands are already using influencer marketing, with 60% having a strategy in place and 21% planning to create campaigns in the next 12 months. Other brands that work well with influencer marketing include food and beverage, consumer technology, and health and wellness.

2. Find the Right Influencers

The hardest part of influencer marketing is finding the right people for the job. In fact, 73% say finding the right influencers is the hardest part of influencer marketing. Once you’ve tapped someone to share your products, that person becomes an extension of your brand.

So, do your due diligence. Investigate an influencer’s previous posts to determine that they’ll be a good reflection of your brand’s mission and vision. While you can afford to work with influencers that don’t have large followings, you may never recover from a social media faux pas.

3. Don’t Sweat Small Follower Counts

While a social media celebrity might be the ideal influencer on paper, look beyond the A-list. Remember that 72% say relevancy is more important than reach. If your influencers are reaching the target market for your brand, then you’ve hit the jackpot, no matter how large or small their audience may be.

4. Allow Creative Freedom

Your chosen influencers resonate with their audience for a reason. Once you’ve determined that your chosen advocate matches your brand standards and speaks to your brand’s mission, let that influencer fly free. If you try to impose rules and regulations, the relationship may break down. Worse, you might dampen the spirit of that influencer’s posts, which means their followers won’t engage anymore.

5. Track your Metrics

The only way to know if your campaign is working is to track its success. You can’t make changes if you don’t know what’s working and what isn’t, right? Google Analytics and other automated software show you exactly where your traffic is coming from. If one of your influencers isn’t producing results, you’ll know early enough to make necessary adjustments to your campaigns.

Influencer marketing campaigns can be a great tool for driving brand awareness, but only if you’re willing to put forth the effort. If you’d like more thoughts on developing successful influencer campaigns and engaging new audiences, give us a call.

5 Food and Beverage Marketing Trends for 2017 You Should Know

Food and Beverage Marketing and PR

The transition from 2016 to 2017 brought more change than we have yet to realize. If you’re ahead of that turn, aware of what people will want—and not just what they want now—then you can craft successful food and beverage marketing campaigns for your brands. Let’s take a look at some of the growing trends we’re already experiencing.

A Return to Roots: Traditional Food and Beverage Products

A feeling of home and belonging is paramount at the moment. In the current political climate, many are seeking out foods that take them back to their roots. Traditional and retro-inspired products, designs, and campaigns will be huge. After all, no one will forget this Budweiser Super Bowl commercial soon:

In addition to a return to roots, consumers may also seek out foods that teach them about other cultures. Connecting to their fellow man through the things they eat and drink is just one way consumers will continue to broaden their worlds. Two emerging trends are Asian dishes such as pho and ramen, which are inexpensive and include fresh ingredients, and Jewish comfort food with a contemporary twist.

Searching for Youth in Foods and Beverages

Middle-aged and older consumers are enjoying healthier lifestyles and, thus, more youthful appearances. This health and confidence leads older buyers to act younger than generations before. Midorexia, or the middle-aged millennial, will react to food and beverage marketing that focuses on their health and wellness.

Magnum Ice Cream is one brand that really understands, as you can see in this particular ad. Also, FitBit — thought not a food and beverage brand — understands this quest for longer life spans, as you can see in the commercial below:

The Rise of the Child: Fostering Independence with Food and Drink

People aren’t just trying to look and feel younger; they’re also teaching children to act older. Parents will continue trusting their children to give opinions on the food and drink purchased for the family. Quaker has really reached out to children in their ads, giving them reasons to choose the healthy options. There’s also this truly funny commercial for Halos:

Part of the reason for this increased independence for children is the struggle for parents to find a work/life balance. With both parents (or single parents) in careers, the time needed to plan shopping and meals is limited. Giving children the responsibility of helping with those choices relieves some stress for the parents but also encourages more mature decision-making in the kids.

The Need for Time: Marketing Quick, Healthy Meals

That work/life balance that working couples or singles strive for means that the time needed to plan and cook healthy meals is limited. Studies show that 43% want meals that are easy to cook, 34% want something that’s quick, and 18% want to use as few pots and pans as possible.

That need for time must also balance against the desire for healthy choices. Tech-driven start-ups like Plated, Hello Fresh, and Blue Apron are dominating the scene, giving consumers the ability to cook gourmet meals without added hormones, preservatives, and colors. Food brands that can provide a similar experience will see a big boost in 2017.

The Multichannel Experience: Food and Beverage Marketing Beyond Traditional Media

Our changing world leaves buyers with a lot of questions. They will look to several different channels to get those answers. When marketing your brand, be where your buyers are – online, in stores, on apps, in both social media and traditional media, and anywhere else your buyers live on a daily basis.

Brands can never again tell consumers what they want. It’s the buyer who shapes the narrative and determines the need for their families. The buyer controls the cash. It’s up to marketers to create an experience with as little friction as possible, while also helping consumers sift through the enormous amount of data they receive from the various channels they use to get their information.

What will you do this year to enhance your buyers’ experiences? How will you help them return to their roots and recapture their youth? How will you create experiences that draw them closer together and give them time to enjoy their lives? If you need help with your food and beverage marketing, we’re here for you.

1 2 3 4 5 >»