In my view, the Big Ad Show 2025 illustrated, for the first time, that the cultural art form of broadcast TV advertising is on the same declining curve as broadcast TV ad revenue. This is an increasingly “old school” advertising format, and it’s arguable that, to some degree, the ad creative is declining alongside the spend. In 2024, digital ad spend accounted for 77.7% of total media ad spending in the US—amounting to $302.77 billion. In contrast, traditional media ad spending is forecasted to reach $86.72 billion this year. The fact of the matter is that for most companies, there is a much smarter way to go to market, and that’s via digital and content marketing that is far more targeted, efficient and attributable.
The question often asked is, “Why would someone spend $7 million on a 0:30 second TV spot? And is it worth it?”
The answer is that there are still many reasons why this expense is justified within a marketing budget. An audience of 100 million and the grand statement that a Super Bowl commercial makes about a brand are the draw and primary justification. Obviously, advertisers in the game were all well-funded and had large budgets. Some, like Pfizer and Budweiser, need to improve their image for political reasons. Some, like Chat GPT and other emerging AI brands, were making the statement: “We have arrived.” Others can justify the spend because their products have a very broad demographic user base – think pizza, tax services and TV channels. Also present were companies whose products are highly consumable with a high purchase incidence, like snack foods, fast food restaurants, beer, energy drinks and home delivery services. They all need to stay top of mind. They all want to grow their relevance in the market.
For the most part, the creative was not special, but there were still some goodies. I’ve touched on a few below:
The Budweiser “first delivery” spot won the USA Today Ad Meter poll, and there is no surprise in that. It had all the hallmarks and time-tested formula of a fan favorite: Cute pony, amazing cinematography, Americana. It was a huge production, and they pulled out all the stops in an effort to recover from previous PR problems.
My favorite spot was by Pfizer. The “knock you out”spot about cancer was really well done with equal parts entertainment and emotion. Boy, did Pfizer need that one!
I thought the Michelob Ultra “pickleball” spot with Willem Dafoe and Catherine O’Hara was extremely fun and an excellent example of using a celebrity to boost your brand’s image by using the force of their personality and talent. Additionally, tying into pickleball appeals to the older demographic that would drink an ultra-light beer.
The Doritos “Bold” spot was worthy of note and really well done. Simple, entertaining and not overly produced, it was very entertaining and drove home its point. It’s much more memorable than most ads in the game.
By contrast, a spot I hated was the Hellman’s “fake orgasm” spot with Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal. Many people will like it because it reprised their favorite movie, but for me, it’s a bit of a creative cop-out to virtually remake a scene from an old movie. And are you buying that Hellman’s would create that reaction?
In the big picture, the best spots are the ones that get talked about the most after the game. In most living rooms, there will be disagreements about which were the best. Ultimately, if they got mentioned in a positive light at all, then the ad guys that wrote them earned their paychecks.
Every February, more than 100 million of us gather before our large screens to watch the Super Bowl.
Most of us don’t care about the outcome because our teams didn’t make it. We enjoy the best that the advertising and marketing industry has to offer and witness the best-funded marketing campaigns of our time produced by colossal advertising agencies.
Many of these Super Bowl commercials and the supporting promotional concepts are brilliant. Marketers in the audience wish they could have a campaign on that level for their brand.
Guess what? You can.
What makes these ads magical is complex but well within reach: Advertising creativity. Integrated marketing communications. Social media campaigns.
By being resourceful, you can follow the principles below without breaking the bank. Everything discussed here can be executed tastefully on a reasonable budget and at a local level. It does take some talent to create something special, but this doesn’t have to run in the millions.
Here’s what you’ll need to focus on:
Be brand relevant: Develop a core campaign idea relevant to your brand’s distinct identity. Tie into a benefit you offer the consumer (not a product attribute).
Entertainment value: You need to keep the viewer’s attention. It must be interesting and fresh. A retread of an old idea and overselling will not do.
Simplicity: Keep the idea very simple. Spots are only 30 seconds long. Try to get one idea and one image to stick in the consumer’s mind.
Genuine appeal: If you know your audience, you know their hot buttons and desires. Find a way to reach a level of appeal on an emotional and value-based level. They’ll love it, and they won’t even know why.
Create a disruption: Things that are out of the ordinary and unusual attract attention. Do something curious and leave the audience wanting more.
Share more online: Drive traffic to your website. Have more brand story content and something of value, such as a promotional offer to create conversion, available on your website.
Get people involved: Make it something people want to copy or participate in. Use social media to invite them to share comments. Give them an opportunity to submit photos that you can share across social media channels.
Leverage your small buy with PR: Creative advertising concepts that are truly unique, fun, curious and involve consumers can be worthy of traditional media coverage.
Create a scene: A public display or event in the real world and a well-timed press release will often produce media coverage and social media engagement. Extend your concept to retail merchandising and event marketing.
Do some good: Tie to cause-related marketing that people believe in. Find an organization with core values and benefits that parallel your brand’s. Give consumers a warm feeling and a reason to prefer you.
Remember your keywords: Do everything you can to drive your site’s SEO (search engine optimization). Develop a keyword strategy of phrases and words that tie to commonly searched terms. Tag and code all content appropriately.
Production value: Camera angles, musical scores, talent, wardrobe, graphic design and the set are all important. It sounds expensive, but you don’t need to go to Hollywood or Madison Avenue to find talented people who will give your work a proprietary look and contemporary finish.
Save the date! When you create all this consumer engagement, be sure you’re driving consumers to register whenever possible. Utilize digital retargeting to continue to cultivate those who have visited your website.
Unfortunately, following these 13 steps to brilliant work may not be as easy as reading this piece, but you can certainly get there with the help of talented and enlightened partners who are available to you. If your mind is open to working on this level, there is a creative advertising agency that will work with you within your budget.
As you can see, there is far more involved than a simple media buy and digital video production. Tremendous value is found in executing across multiple marketing platforms. Be certain the agency you choose has the integrated messaging capabilities and the strategic chops to design a Super Bowl-worthy campaign. Even if you don’t have the $7 million for a 30-second spot in the big game, your brand deserves the best.
Super Bowl LVII showed a resurgence of playful ads and a particularly astute use of comedic celebrity.
Many automakers dropped out of participation while there were plenty more snacks and alcoholic beverages present. Analysts say this has to do with economic hardships brought on by inflation and looming recession. Cryptocurrency was also notably absent this year. (Let’s just say that enjoyed its moment in the sun in 2022.)
While last year’s spots featured many seasoned celebrities with marginal performances, it seems that this year’s scriptwriters worked harder to come up with even more original ideas.
In several cases, advertisers did a better job of using the comedic talents of the celebrity rather than counting on a gratuitous appearance and a stereotype to gain attention and engagement — as we have often seen in the past. Combining distinguished talent, creative ideas, and quality performances seemed to do the trick in 2023. In years past, viewers couldn’t always count on all three in any given spot.
Here’s my take on which Super Bowl 2023 commercials scored and which dropped the ball.
The Touchdowns
PopCorners The “Breaking Bad” remake featuring Bryan Cranston (Walter White) and Aaron Paul (Jesse Pinkman) was masterfully done. In fact, I think it was by far the best ad in the game thanks to the incredible script and fully in-character acting. The Frito-Lay brand craftily turned a dark drama into cheeky comedy. Normally, I’m not too fond of “borrowed interest” rereleases, but in this case, the execution is exceptional. They really made it work. Now I just have to get my hands on one of those bags… Watch the ad
Pepsi Zero Sugar Pepsi used celebrity in the best possible way. By leveraging the comedic talents of icons Ben Stiller and Steve Martin and connecting the clever idea to their brand message, the all-American soda brand wins big. The 60-second spots are hilarious and memorable. Let’s see them again! Watch the Stiller ad | Watch the Martin ad
Kia The carmaker’s “Binky Dad” spot was the kind that wins both hearts and minds — a concept everyone can love and many can relate to. A big production with a flawless editing + perfect comedic timing + cute baby factor = Score! Watch the ad
M&M’s This particular PR hype machine and months-long ramp-up to the Super Bowl commercial is worthy of mention. After a seemingly innocent makeover of its characters generated some unwelcome feedback, M&M’s announced in January that they were pulling the spokescandies and replacing them with the one and only Maya Rudolph. Rudolph jokingly renamed the candy “Ma&Ya’s,” printed her own face on the colorful shells, and introduced “clam” as its latest flavor. The whole thing was a masterfully executed publicity stunt that generated a huge following. The spot inserted into the game was a head scratcher, suggesting the hoax wasn’t quite over yet. However, once the game was over, the candies made an appearance once again. I’m giving them points for originality and some serious guts! Watch the “Ma&Ya’s” ad | Watch the “Back for Good” ad
The Fumble
Rémy Martin Serena Williams in a football locker room giving a halftime pep talk about teamwork with several overused stereotypical statements thrown in… Brought to you by cognac. Nothing about the “Inch by Inch” spot made any sense. Bad call! Watch the ad
The pace of change in marketing seemingly accelerates each year. What was once considered avant-garde can become rote in a matter of months. Looking back, we see that the pandemic expedited the adoption of digital marketing by consumers and therefore, by brands. This led to rapid innovations and the revamping of best practices across disciplines.
Learning new skills and optimizing techniques is now a constant task in the professional lives of marketers. At STIR, we try to stay on top of all of this for our clientele, collecting knowledge and sharing insights in real time. But as we turn the corner to 2023, we’d like to draw your attention to just a few marketing trends we’re paying extra close attention to.
Consumers will seek values-based branding
In 2023 and beyond, consumers will continue to seek strong connections to their favored brands. These preferences will closely align with their interests and values. The digital marketplace readily sources products based on their basic attributes, so smarter brands have a need to create differentiation on a more meaningful level with this type of higher-order positioning. They often do this by using authentic human stories to connect to audiences.
To achieve this, brands — particularly emerging brands that are actively crafting their voice and image in the marketplace — must develop specific sets of values and establish the causes with which they can share an affinity with important target audiences. While some of these stances can potentially be polarizing, they are also critical to attract customers that will loyally advocate for them.
Therefore, brands using creativity and messaging through integrated campaigns can successfully separate themselves from the sea of sameness.
Web design is going retro
Today’s web users expect simplicity and ease while browsing for information, shopping, conducting business, and communicating with brands and people online. Exceptionally simple, straightforward, mega-intuitive websites are making a comeback — a far leap from sites that feature elaborate plugins and other bells and whistles that may interrupt the user experience and increase page load times.
From a UX and web design perspective, there will be a steep rise in nostalgic Brutalist styles. Think less muted and monochromatic color palettes, more old-school system fonts, bold images, underlined hyperlinks, and other mid-‘90s-esque design qualities. While such designs may seem difficult to process at first glance, they have high readability thanks to more conservative typography. Some good examples of Brutalist style websites include Radical Everything, Whitney Museum, and Typical Organization.
The bar will be raised in data collection and utilization
Universal Analytics, or GA3, is projected to stop collecting data on June 30, 2023. To prepare, companies will need to switch to Google Analytics 4 or find another tool to measure their website’s performance and ensure proper collection of historical data. And while brands are upgrading their data collection tools, we expect they will also redouble their efforts to use available data in more productive ways. So, heads up, competition for clicks and conversions is only going to get tougher!
There is a historical data limit of 14 months in GA4, while GA3 could be set to never expire. This may have significant ramifications for reporting. However, this also presents an opportunity to review and revise existing events and conversions set up in GA3, especially regarding naming conventions. GA4 is still being developed, so we don’t yet know the full picture, but it will certainly take time for agencies and clients to adjust to the transition.
Social commerce will prevail
Social media has evolved into much more than a series of websites we use to communicate with friends. Brands of all shapes and sizes are turning to social as a primary means to ecommerce, giving their customers a direct avenue to make purchases — without navigating away from the app. In other words, the platforms themselves include built-in browsers that act as virtual storefronts.
With the recent surge of in-app shopping, social commerce is expected to be another vital sales driver in 2023. When coupled with hyper-targeted ads, this creates a conversion-centric ecosystem right within people’s favorite social networks. Social commerce retail earnings are predicted to reach $80 billion in the U.S. alone by 2025, according to Shopify. Global sales were estimated at $992 billion in 2022, and forecasts suggest that social commerce sales will amount to $2.9 trillion by 2026.
TikTok is providing more than entertainment
No, it’s not going anywhere. In fact, TikTok, the global video-based app that has skyrocketed in popularity among people and brands alike, is also becoming a major player in the world of social commerce. According to Insider Intelligence, Facebook and Instagram are leading social commerce ($63.5 million and $41 million, respectively), with TikTok as the current runner-up ($23.7 million), surpassing Pinterest ($15.9 million) in in-app sales. TikTok Live Shopping is a new feature that allows influencers, large retailers, and small businesses to share products they love with their audiences in captivating ways. Rather than running away from TikTok, we anticipate brands and consumers will run faster towards it.
Media outlets are welcoming more contributed content
Newsroom employment has steadily fallen 26% since 2008, according to Pew Research Center. Considering these staff shortages, which are expected to continue in 2023, newspapers and magazines across the country have fewer full-time staff members to write content. This provides an open door for PR professionals to offer up contributed content from subject matter experts.
2023 will be the year to drive home the importance of thought leadership to clients who may not have wanted to invest in it previously. We recommend starting with smaller, local outlets, then casting an even wider net by reaching out to larger, more renowned publications.
Podcasting is climbing the ranks
Even though they launched in 2004, podcasts are becoming an even more powerful marketing tool. In fact, 26% (roughly 80 million) of Americans tune into podcasts on a weekly basis, according to Edison Research. Podcasts allow audiences to feel empowered when it comes to how, when, and where they consume audio content. They are also able to drive strong connections between the listeners and the hosts and guests, many of whom are brand representatives sharing the latest news and insights. Podcasts provide a constructive avenue to discuss topics that align with companies’ and listeners’ values.
If you would like to chat further about any of the above marketing trends or want to revitalize your advertising and messaging strategy in 2023, feel free to reach out.
Brand building is all about sharing information in creative ways that capture attention and spark imagination. At STIR, we work in partnership with our clients to develop compelling content that tells their unique stories.
Every one of us is wildly passionate about something. Many folks are self-proclaimed film buffs, foodies, health and wellness advocates, or bookworms. Our passions are also often career related. Ask any farmer, insurance agent, realtor, tradesperson, or artisan about their vocation. Chances are they’re enthusiastic to talk your ear off about what they do for a living and why.
Talking about what we love is, for the most part, easy. One-on-one conversations, such as those with close friends or colleagues at your local watering hole, come naturally to a lot of people. Writing about our interests and jobs, however, poses challenges for many. There are several proven techniques to help take that verbal fluency to the written form. There are various forms of long-form and short-form content in the marketing world, including blogs, social media posts, byline articles, advertisements, whitepapers, and emails — all of which require a dose of creativity to be effective.
So, how can anyone — including those who aren’t writers by profession or even by hobby — convey their passions on paper (or on screen)? Here are a few tried and true tips to become a more effective writer.
Start with an outline
Before heading out on a trip, you set aside time to research where you want to go and plan your route. The same concept applies to writing. Outlining your thoughts first is a useful technique to organize what you want to compose. No matter your skill level, staring at a blank page or document can be intimidating. But once you get started, you will find that the words and ideas begin to flow. Don’t overthink this step too much. An outline isn’t scripture etched in stone; it’s a guide.
Frontload your main point
If your reader must navigate through multiple paragraphs before you get to what you’re really trying to say, you’ll lose their focus. State your intention as early as possible. Begin with an gripping quip and elaborate from there.
Write in the brand voice
Just like people have their own personalities, your brand voice is totally unique. Whether you’re employed by a company or are an independent business owner, maintaining a consistent tone throughout your marketing channels is key. Write as if you’re having a conversation. Be yourself but channel the brand.
Brevity is key
When in doubt, follow the trusted KISS method: Keep it simple, [redacted]. Don’t worry about using an advanced vocabulary or lengthy sentences to get your point across. One popular rule of thumb when it comes to writing: Would your grandmother understand this?
Create an optimal writing environment
Setting the stage for a healthy writing mindset is crucial. For example, when it comes to ambiance, some people prefer complete silence when they need to concentrate. Others enjoy white noise. Others can tolerate background chatter or music. Meanwhile, investing in an ergonomic desk and chair goes a long way. Working in the natural light, if it’s available, is invaluable.
Solicit honest feedback
Remember that the first draft — and the second, the third, and so on — is highly unlikely to be the final version. Read your work aloud. This is a handy approach to detect any gaps as well as to determine if the piece makes sense in general. Keep in mind that even the most famous authors have worked with editors to polish their pieces. Recruit a trusted coworker, friend, or editor to review your work and provide constructive feedback.
There are several free tools we recommend that offer real-time feedback and explanations of mechanics. To name a few:
Hemingway App (Ernest Hemingway was an advocate of simple and clear prose.)
They say that imitation is the best form of flattery. Seek inspiration from books, magazines, blogs, and other published works — even those completely unrelated to your field. Browsing the web or scrolling through social networks can spark brilliant ideas. At the end of the day, you don’t need to be an expert writer or best-selling author to produce something worth reading and sharing.
Becoming a strong, comfortable, confident writer takes time. We totally understand it can be a lot to juggle. STIR specializes in content creation, and we would be thrilled to help tell your story.
“There’s a podcast for that.” It’s true: No matter the topic, you’re likely to find a podcast that fits a certain niche. With more than 2 million podcasts in existence, there is bound to be one that piques someone’s interest.
Podcasts – episodic series of digital audio files users can download and listen to at their convenience – continue to explode in popularity. A 2021 study conducted by Edison Research revealed that podcast listenership in America has grown a mighty 29.5% over the past three years. Podcasts’ average monthly audience size is 116 million people – a 61.5% increase over three years. It was also found that 57% of Americans have listened to a podcast. So, how can brands take advantage of this forum?
As global social media engagement has plateaued, per the latest GWI study, podcasts have the power to offer brands a new, growing medium to captivate new audiences. They provide different means of connecting with audiences in ways social media cannot. Here are some key reasons to consider adding a podcast to your company’s digital marketing toolkit.
Empower your audience on the go
Podcasts are long-form pieces of content with virtually no boundaries on length. For example, you can create an episode anywhere between a few minutes and a few hours. And unlike most video platforms and social networks, podcasts don’t always rely on internet connection. Once the podcast is downloaded to the device, listening can happen over the Atlantic Ocean or in the middle of a cornfield in Iowa. Not only is Wi-Fi not a constant barrier, but podcasts can also be listened to whenever, wherever without missing a beat. The pause/start button enables the listener to tune in when their schedule allows. In other words, your audience is free to choose the time and place to listen to your content.
When it comes to podcasts, the content you create empowers the audience’s control over when they want to listen. This is a significant advantage when compared to other forms of content that live on social media, which might be missed if the audience is not active during the time posts are published. Podcast listeners are opting to interact with your brand, which can make a greater impact on the success of your podcast and overall marketing goals.
Drive stronger connections
Podcasts, like the radio and other traditional media, are a one-way form of communication in which the sender is speaking to the listener, but the listener cannot provide immediate feedback nor participate in a dialogue. This form of communication often comes with a negative response. In other words, the receiver of the communication, i.e., the audience, may feel unseen or underappreciated, thus potentially hurting the brand’s long-term content goals. This is a possible concern for podcasts, but due to the nature of the technology, the receiver already understands the setup of the communication, as they voluntarily engage with the platform.
As listeners carry podcasts wherever they go – from their morning commute to the gym to doing chores at home – a bond is created between the podcast and listener – both literally and figuratively. The listeners can take a deep dive into assorted topics, no matter how niche or broad. Podcasts also humanize your brand by clarifying your values and displaying thought leadership and expertise. The bond grows stronger between the hosts and listener each episode, developing an emotional connection that is hard to break. It has been shown repeatedly that strong emotional connections between brands and consumers can generate more sales and foster loyalty. Additionally, the dialogue is longer and more in-depth on podcasts than on other channels.
Podcasts are an effective way to elaborate on topics related to the brand and feature guests with aligned values and opinions. Brands can elevate and amplify different voices otherwise not enabled to be heard on other channels. These unique opportunities build loyal relationships with audiences, which ultimately leads to trust. Trust drives repeat and new business, marketing responsiveness, loyalty, and even goodwill during hardships.
Podcasts are an affordable, versatile, and powerful way to engage with audiences, but should they be a part of your brand’s marketing strategy? In part 2, we’ll discuss how to incorporate podcasting into your digital marketing toolkit.
Imagery is an essential element of storytelling. Whether you’re a small artisan brand or a Fortune 500 company, the quality of the imagery and photography across your channels – including your website, social media, advertisements, and business collateral – plays a key role in your audience’s perception.
There is always a role for high-level imagery, and we often utilize professionals to capture our “A” shots. However, it can be challenging to afford professionals for any brand, especially a startup. We recommend that our clients cultivate some of their own abilities to generate shots in-house. Common needs for do-it-yourself photography include headshots for social media and quick photos of a new product. The good news is that you don’t need the world’s most expensive gear and design apps to produce quality images. Most modern mobile phones have powerful cameras that shoot clear, hi-res photos and videos. Today’s intuitive technologies have made it easy for everyone to be a creator. Here are some tips to help you gain the confidence to unleash your creativity and snap shareworthy content.
Have an idea and run with it
First things first: Before you even pick up your camera (or phone) and start snapping photos, you should have a solid conceptualization of what you’ll shoot. Ask yourself, “What story am I trying to tell?” and “How do I want to make the audience feel when they see this?”
There are times when inspiration strikes serendipitously, but without mapping out a plan, things can get blurry – literally and metaphorically. We highly recommend composing a shot list, which is a simple checklist of each photo you want to capture during a shoot. This will act as a guide to help you envision the content that will tell your story in a captivating, eye-catching way. In addition to the subject matter (more on that in a bit), have an idea for each photo’s setting, any props to add color and dimension, and other necessary elements.
Invest in technology that meets your needs
Year after year, major tech companies like Apple, Android, and Google immensely improve their mobile devices’ built-in cameras to take some of the best photos and videos you’ll ever see. Since 2014, Apple has been running its famous “Shot on iPhone” campaign, in which the electronics giant solely uses its own smartphones’ cameras to produce hi-res advertisements and digital content.
Using a tripod for your smartphone is a great place to start. Investing in a tripod with a Bluetooth trigger makes things super easy. You can also use light rings or a simple LED light package with stands to easily control the amount of light necessary for each shot. For a clean, crisp background – especially if your walls are not painted bright white – a large roll of white paper works nicely.
Here are some products we use at STIR and recommend:
Always make the subject the hero. Cramming too many elements into a single frame may result in a cluttered composition, causing the viewer to not know exactly what they should be looking at. Surrounding details can add color, complexity, and dimension, but by determining a clear point of interest, you’ll easily direct the viewer’s attention to the subject you intended.
Find a setting that draws immediate attention to your subject and find the proper position for it within the frame. Not every subject needs to be dead center. Many smartphone cameras have portrait mode, which provides a more selective focus.
One of the most trusted rules of thumb for photography is to get in tight. Minimize distractions and background clutter. Consider a shallower depth of field to ensure the focus is on the subject.
Composition is also important. Allow yourself roughly 15% larger images than you may think you need. Then, go in afterwards to crop out any excess elements around the edges.
Consider the atmospherics
It’s all about the lighting, baby! The word photography literally means “drawing with light,” making this element extremely important. Lighting can make or break a photo. Chase natural sunlight if possible. Take advantage of “golden hour” – the first hour after sunrise and the last hour before the sun sets. Many photographers swear by the magic light golden hours provide. So, if you’re shooting outdoors, utilize the sun, even on cloudy days. You may also buy a ring light, which produces ideal lighting no matter the atmosphere or time of day.
Below are a couple of diagrams that demonstrate how to set up your lighting gear for portraits and products. Note that these setups call for three points of light and some simple light diffusers.
Play around with angles
Think about the perspective of the viewer. Do you want them to view the subject matter from an aerial point of view? Perhaps it looks more appealing at an upward angle. Testing a few angles can help your content stand out as well as help you visualize what works best. Various angles create different illusions, including depth and height. Try taking multiple photos of your subject from different angles.
When it comes to using the zoom feature, use it sparingly, if at all. While it may be extremely tempting to zoom in if you’re further away from the subject, this feature can actually diminish the quality of the picture. If you’re able to, physically move closer to the subject to catch the details and avoid an inadvertent grainy effect.
Understand how to manipulate the files
Your phone and computer have intuitive, built-in photo editing tools. You can do wonders to improve your images by learning the basics:
Cropping
Automatic image enhancement
Vignette application
Color saturation (i.e. how to make a photo’s tome cooler or warmer)
Get inspired
Especially these days, it’s easy to seek and find inspiration from the world around you. For one, we have websites and social media apps to scroll through. In addition to staring at our phones, turn to nature, art magazines, and other resources at your fingertips. Study famous photographers’ work. Browse photography and art books. Visit a museum. Watch films that have won awards for cinematography. No matter where you look, you’re likely to meet a muse. And most of all, be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so take some time to practice and polish your skills.
If you’d like to discuss how to create visually compelling content for your brand, we’re happy to help. Contact Brian Bennett today to get the conversation started.
As a bonus, we recommend these sites that offer practical tips on how to master your photography skills.
This year, shoppers are expected to spend between 8.5% to 10.5% more – both online and offline – than they did in 2020, according to Forbes. To rake in profits and provide the best customer experience, brands need to implement solid social media strategies to drive traffic and transactions. In addition to the traditional flashy in-store promotions, direct mail catalogs, and catchy television commercials, social media is undeniably one of the biggest drivers of shopping.
Social media offers a personal way to connect with consumers that drives engagement and sales. Not only is social media affordable and approachable, but as the past several years have shown, it also has a more widespread audience than any other major marketing channel.
43% of shoppers research products via social networks.
Here are some simple ways to better leverage your company’s social media channels year-round.
Implement shoppable posts
If you’re promoting products on social media, it’s important to make sure your posts are shoppable. This makes it a cinch to complete purchases in just a few clicks. There are plenty of affordable and intuitive e-commerce solutions to implement for Facebook, including Shopify and BigCommerce. From browsing to checkout, Instagram and Facebook allow you to tag products directly in your posts and Stories so users don’t even have to leave the app to complete the process. When a user taps a product-tagged photo, a bubble appears with the product’s name and price. From there, they are led to the real product page within Instagram’s exclusive in-app browser.
Every month, more than 130 million Instagram users tap on shoppable posts to learn more about products they see.
Retargeting is a method by which customers who bounce from your website or social media page are reintroduced to your brand via digital advertising. These ads increase brand awareness and, ideally, total conversions.
Retargeting is a cookie-based technology that uses short lines of JavaScript code to “follow” customers around the web. For example, if someone visits a retailer’s website and lands on a particular product page but does not convert during that session (i.e., does not make a purchase), they will likely see an ad for that same product in their social feeds or on a banner ad soon after. This happens because the cookie is fired – or activated – on that page, gets stored in the web browser, tracks their online activity, and collects key behavioral data. Brands can set up timely and relevant retargeting ads to be displayed across websites and on all major social networks, including Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Another type of retargeting ad is one you’ve probably seen while browsing your own social media feeds. Dynamic ads are personalized retargeting placements that feature the exact product someone was browsing. This allows the customer to pick up right where they left off and regenerate their initial intent to purchase. With dynamic ads, brands can guide users further down the sales funnel and reduce the number of abandoned carts.
Employ the power of video
Time and time again, video has proven to be one of the most compelling visual media. Video allows brands to tell stories in a creative, concise fashion and capture viewers’ interest within mere seconds. Video content typically performs better than static images or plain text with most social networks’ algorithms. This is simply because videos naturally seize people’s attention for longer periods of time.
Videos on Instagram and Facebook generate more engagement than any other content type, and tweets that include video see 10 times more engagement.
To learn a few tips on how to constructively use video on your social channels, read STIR’s featured article in PR Daily.
Enforce a community management game plan
One way to humanize your brand on social media is to be consistent with community management – the way in which a brand interacts with its followers and prospects. Respond or react to comments as quickly as possible (typically within 24 hours) to engage in authentic conversation with your customers. You can even set up automatic responses in Facebook Messenger and your preferred email platform so when customers reach out with questions, they see an immediate message letting them know someone will respond as soon as possible. Of course, make sure to follow up with your promise by getting back to them in a timely manner and pointing them in the right direction. This avoids leaving someone hanging, which can be frustrating and stressful.
Optimize your search efforts
Search engine optimization (SEO) has no time to rest. For the most effective SEO, take time to regularly update your keyword strategy, which not only takes into account your brand’s main website but also your social media channels. The higher your brand appears on a search engine results page, the more likely a user is to navigate to your site or social network before your competitors’ pages.
Cross- and up-sell your offerings
Personalization matters more than ever, and knowing what your customers are buying and offering ways to fulfill their shopping experience is key. This is where cross-selling and up-selling often come into play. Cross-selling – a practice in which customers are encouraged to buy complimentary or supplementary products – and up-selling – a sales strategy in which customers are influenced to buy something that would make their purchase even better – are tried-and-true marketing approaches that have been leveraged since far before the advent of social media. For example, if you purchase a yoga mat online, the same brand may serve you ads for a matching travel bag (cross-selling) or an aromatherapeutic mat spray (up-selling).
To implement these methods effectively via social media, email, and other digital channels, it’s important to get to know your customers on a level that’s deeper than merely transactional. Keep track of their online behaviors, past purchases, engagements, and other key factors. From there, you can cater to them by serving personalized recommendations.
71% of consumers expect companies to deliver personalized interactions. 75% of consumers become frustrated when this doesn’t happen.
So, how exactly are users served these types of ads that entice them to check out additional relevant products? To put it simply, it all boils down to using the right data on the right channel at the right time. To accomplish this, it’s important to keep a well-maintained inventory system and customer relationship management (CRM) platform. This will allow you to manage and monitor your customers’ purchase history and other engagement points, which in turn allows you to engineer your retargeting, cross-selling, and up-selling efforts more effectively.
Openly express how your brand gives back
Now, more than ever, today’s consumers care about companies’ values and how they contribute to their communities and the world at large. Make it a priority to showcase how your brand is benefiting humanity. Some ways to use social media for good – other than purely promoting and selling products – are to pledge a dollar amount of every sale to a charitable organization or to share how your company’s staff is helping community members in need.
An example of a brand doing this well (and without being pretentious) is ThredUP, an online consignment shop that buys and sells customers’ secondhand clothes and accessories. In addition to showing off an incredible array of inventory on its social channels, ThredUP consistently promotes its core values, which include cutting waste, saving energy, spending less, and creating a better future for the fashion industry.
If you’re looking for more ways to enhance your social media presence, drop us a line. We’re happy to help! Reach out to STIR’s Social Media Director Josh Arter (josha@stirstuff.com) to get started.
Every brand logo and package presents a personality. If yours isn’t tremendously appealing, therein lies a problem to be addressed. The key to developing brand and packaging appeal is in the answer to this question: What really matters?
Matter = substance that occupies space and has mass. Infuse your brand with substance, meaning and relevance.
Imagery matters: Your logo is the face of your brand. Packaging is your brand’s suit of clothes. Every detail makes a statement.
Personality matters: Positively personify your brand by giving it a true personality.
Impressions matter: The unique and special get noticed. Strive to stand out among all competitors.
Integrity matters: Honesty, transparency and story-telling are not niceties in today’s marketplace. They are essential to success. Wherever you take your brand, it must ring with truth.
Success is found in marketing a brand, not just a product. De-commoditize your product by investing smartly in brand identity and packaging. This will do more to shape perception than any other single element.
Assess your market, the competitors and the consumer.
Understand, without question, what the key drivers to preference are.
What are you selling and to whom?
What do you really have and what do they really want?
What matters to them?
Plot your new brand positioning as well as the attributes of the perfect brand personality. Documenting these things will make the subjective decisions that need to be made later in the process much easier. It also will help you ‘sell’ your idea to management.
Words conjure images. When naming companies and brands, mine words and word sequences that project the right attitude, personality and have meaning that tie to a consumer need. We look for strength and simplicity. Choose words that connect with the right ideas. Even the shape and length of the word matters—it must be easy to read, say and remember. Alliteration matters.
For example, names we’ve given brands include:
Unison – For a nonprofit that builds communities, a name that is kind and powerful.
Fortress –For a food processing plant that is food safety focused, a name that projects security.
ICON – For a cookware product forged from Iron and Carbon using Oxygen and Nitrogen, a name that projects strength and durability.
Harbor Yards – For a waterfront development in the historic harbor district, a name that projects nautical location and expansive substance.
We can manipulate the shape of the names in many ways. Fonts have amazing powers of personality. Their weight and shape, how they are kerned, all caps or initial caps – all project strong imagery. Color and iconography also tell amazing stories. Experiment with many variations until a combination that is telling and memorable in all the right ways is found.
The logos that STIR develops each project a unique personality:
Projects freshness and modernity for a food product.
The package is a canvas that can hold your brand’s name, logo and more. Don’t forget the package must compete head-to-head in the busiest environment there is—a retail shelf. Simplicity is key and less is more. Try to say too much and you’ll say nothing. What feels tasteful in a competitive vacuum often becomes invisible at retail. Prioritize the elements on the packaging, and stagger their impact. Your brand’s packaging tells a story that must have a beginning, a middle and an end. Take into account the logical progression for the eye and mind to consume. If everything is equal, the story is a disconnected mess.
Our award-winning packaging work:
For an artisan cheese brand from an artistic enclave (Door County, WI), the packaging sells the source of the milk and that it is hand made.
Strength and innovation is depicted to assure the professional culinary community that this is a premium product and premium new brand.
A Farmstead is a place where they milk cows and make cheese – all inside an hour. Capturing the cleanliness and quality of that operation requires finesse.
The paintball enthusiast is living out a paramilitary fantasy. This package gives them everything they hope for, while staying true to the brand.
Finding polished and creative ways to illustrate to the customer what really matters to them adds a level of credibility to the brand. It gains consumers’ attention, which leads to purchase and trial.
NL Suits is all about high-style, a completely custom fit and curating timeless fashion. It needed new branding to reflect that. We started with a fresh logo that boasts artisan quality and craftsmanship. A custom-lettered “NL” was created to enhance the aesthetic and give the company a unique presence.
A theme line that resonates
We live in an age of athleisure and dress-down fashion. A new theme line was our chance to remind our audience that every man needs a stylish, well-fitted suit. This line also became NL Suit’s signature hashtag (#BeWellSuited) for all social strategy.
Posters custom tailored to the audience
Our poster campaign highlighted actual clients in their bespoke suits. A messaging refresh helped articulate the proper way for men to dress and how to get a unique look with a signature fit. To add some visual interest and convey a fit nothing short of perfect, we wrapped the font right around the model. The dimensional tailoring takes a classic fashion look, while adding a custom and unique twist.
What does your prospect/customer/consumer (prospective patients) know about your brand? And where do they get their information and impressions? These are perhaps the most important questions in marketing. It’s imperative that you have an accurate read on this.
The answers could range from little or nothing to largely negative to overwhelmingly positive. Each situation is different, but the vast majority of the brands I encounter would tell you that they aren’t where they want to be in terms of positive impressions and web/retail traffic. Critical perceptions are coming from a huge variety of potential sources. You’ve got to get a grip on it.
Consider this – they only know what you tell them. The extent of the positive imagery, the net sum of all good impressions are based on the impressions you’ve generated. Now, take a hard look at your advertising schedule, public relations efforts and social media programs with these questions in mind:
Have you produced enough content to stay top-of-mind?
Is the information you’ve generated interesting enough to break through?
Does this truly represent the vibrancy of your brand and the people involved?
Have you extended an invitation to engage?
Have you demonstrated goodwill?
Are people talking about what you are doing?
These are tough questions. Most brands would answer no to many, if not all, of these questions.
The point here is that you need to be an active brand to achieve success. You need to fill the communications pipeline with positive messaging and put positive thoughts and perceptions into the minds of your consumers. And you need to do so on a frequent basis. The pipeline is insatiable. Your audience has a short memory; you must be fluent and prolific. There is no substitute!
What is the true impediment to being an active brand? Most would point to a lack of budget and time.
I believe that the true culprits are confidence and commitment. I say this because the tools available to a brand do not need to be expensive, and the time committed to fluent and prolific publishing does not need to be all-consuming. We can turn to many cost-effective media options, such as email marketing, social media, PR, web marketing, event marketing, and even paid advertising in radio and transit out of home.
To become fluent and prolific, we need to truly understand the brand voice and values. We need to be confident that we understand what interests the consumer, and to do so, we need to have a conversation with the consumer.
My advice is to start that conversation today. Find ways to reach out. Spend time in the field. Understand where your customer is coming from and what they want. Then have lots of fun communicating with them. You will like the results.
