47 minute read
Technology
TECH NOTES by Mike Hunter
RPA Can Drive Fintech Growth … Will the Industry Take Advantage of It?
Research shows that the use of robotic process automation (RPA) allows companies to cut costs and deliver a better service. However, the fintech industry needs to face up to issues that limit its most effective use.
RPA is the use of software to automate repetitive and rule-based tasks using crossapplication programs, also called “robots.” It is used for more than cost savings, as there are several types of tasks in which robots outperform humans; properly programmed robots don’t get tired or make mistakes. That is why robots are particularly useful in highly diligent and time-critical tasks.
However, despite its advantages — and a pay-back time that Digital Workforce estimates as three to nine months — companies are struggling with realizing the full potential of RPA. A particular challenge arises from the traditional separation of IT and business departments, which are both critical in implementing complex automated solutions.
However, for fintechs, which are inherently more focused on technology-driven business, the problem arises elsewhere. According to Marius Galdikas, CEO of ConnectPay, an online banking service provider for internet-based companies, many fintechs are still placing growth as their top priority. Thus RPA gets the back seat. “As the company matures and starts to look at how to optimize its day-to-day, only then RPA becomes the center of attention. Yet the late implementation might make the company lose its competitive edge before it even reaches that stage,” he says.
A study by Deloitte (www2.deloitte.com/ content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/processand-operations/us-cons-global-rpa-survey. pdf) suggests that many companies require a deeper shift in mindset for the change to be more effective: RPA should be a company-wide endeavor, not one that just involves its functional units. It also stresses the advantages, especially in freeing up the valuable human workforce to work on more fulfilling and productive tasks.
“Creativity and motivation are key drivers in fintechs, so it is essential to ensure that work done by employees is valuable and creative,” Galdikas notes. “RPA supports this idea by alleviating the burden of repetitive tasks, allowing to direct more attention towards long-term strategy.”
ConnectPay connectpay.com
Fintech Innovations Drive Business Worldwide
Fintech startups played a significant role in the global financial industry during the pandemic. Payments companies especially have brought rapid solutions to aid the transition in commerce, which shifted from physical to digital in a matter of months. Many brick-and-mortar businesses began to offer online services, which led to a significant 26% jump in global e-commerce activity last year, according to ecommerceDB. That said, the question whether the need for e-commerceboosting fintech solutions will remain after the pandemic still lingers.
Payments industry experts expect the increase of fintech solutions to continue driving the growth of e-commerce for the foreseeable future, citing the change in user behavior. In fact, we believe some challenges that have undermined e-commerce before remain unsolved and so the need for fintech solutions will remain for the foreseeable future.
The pandemic highlighted one of the main challenges e-commerce faced for years prior to 2020: the willpower to move toward digital payments. The pandemic restrictions, in turn, have forced many companies to accelerate the implementation of digital payments and virtual customer support in their businesses.
Prior to COVID-19, many retail companies around the world had been mulling over digital service offerings. However, a relatively small segment of early adopters treated it as an urgent need. The pandemic effectively drove many companies that previously relied on brick-andmortar stores to explore digital channels to ensure business continuity and survival.
E-commerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce and others allowed even small businesses to make a quick digital switch without going through huge infrastructural investments. They offer easy creation of an e-shop as well as access to payment gateways and plugins, which enabled business owners to manage essential customer relationship management (CRM) tasks like making appointments, creating a contact list and managing orders in real time.
During this time, fintechs working in the Payments industry have also introduced various services and solutions to ease the financial burden on consumers during the difficult economic situation. As an example, the “Buy Now Pay Later” (BNPL) option, which allows shoppers to pay in installments, was made available to many more customers in recent years. Mobile payments have also shown a dramatic growth, becoming a lifeline for the Emerging markets as mobile phones are more widely accessible than bank accounts. Experts regard this as a giant step toward achieving financial inclusion globally.
At Nikulipe, we are working on meeting consumers’ needs to be able to pay with the Local Payment Method of their choice — not just at their local but also at global merchants. This became even more relevant since the COVID-19 crisis. During the last one and a half years, fintechs working in the Payments industry came up with a number of solutions to ease e-commerce tool adoption, and they still have a significant role to play in the growth of e-commerce and global trends over the next decade.
As the world begins to make a gradual return to normalcy, e-commerce will have to continue solving the challenges it faces. While the move to digital payments has seen significant progress, a majority of LPMs still exclude global merchants, limiting consumer choice. Financial inclusion has moved forward as well, with BNPL and mobile payments gaining popularity, but suitable LPM solutions and internet accessibility remain restrictive to the wider inclusion. Region-specific regulations remain another hurdle to figure out, and these ongoing challenges could be solved only with continued fintech involvement. —Frank Breuss, CEO and co-founder of Nikulipe (www.nikulipe.com), a fintech company that facilitates Emerging and Fast-Growing market access for fintechs, payment service providers and their merchants by streamlining cross-border payment solutions
Coming Back:
How Marketing Will Build (Back) Business after COVID
What do business decision-makers need to know about expanding or jumpstarting their businesses as we emerge from the pandemic?
by RaeAnne Marsh
The term “new normal” is bandied about quite a bit these days. And, indeed, the consensus seems to be that consumers’ relationship with companies they turn to for goods, services and information has evolved in new directions from what was understood and accepted as recently as January of last year.
Some businesses, we know, have done exceedingly well over the past year with new opportunity for growth; others struggled with existential challenges.
We turn to experts in our community to help businesses understand what the changes are and the most appropriate and effective strategies to employ to connect with consumers in today’s environment.
by Bill Lavidge, CEO of LAVIDGE There are several questions businesses should answer before beginning any form of post-COVID marketing. The first question that a company needs to address is whether the business is truly ready to be marketed. As we know, many businesses post-COVID are currently struggling with staffing and product scarcity. Marketing before the business is ready can be considered De-Marketing, which can lead to a loss of customers and damage its image.
The second question that needs to be answered is, “Does the business have adequate financial resources to undertake a continuous marketing effort?” Too often, businesses underspend due to budget constraints, then are disappointed by the results. The third question is, “Has the business successfully used marketing in the past?” If so, they should have some residual benefit of past efforts that they can build upon. If not, then they must realize that starting from scratch will take longer to build up awareness and preference for their products and/or services. Finally, has the business created a wellresearched marketing plan that outlines the strategies that will be implemented, the dollars dedicated to each tactic, the timeframe, and the anticipated results? LAVIDGE is an employee-owned marketing communications agency that focuses on discovering and communicating insights that inspire, engage and motivate. Our unified approach encompasses advertising, public relations, digital and multicultural services. Since 1982, we’ve been successfully helping a wide variety of clients in industries that include healthcare, real estate, education, technology, sports, personal care, food service and government. lavidge.com
Now Is the Time to Seize Opportunity
by Andrea Aker, CEO of Aker Ink PR & Marketing
Has there ever been a better time in recent history to turn the page? A new chapter is upon us, and the greater business community is — finally — focused more on seizing opportunity than crisis mitigation or maintaining status quo.
The collective desire to move forward is clear. Yet, this desire comes also with its own set of challenges. How to move forward, which marketing strategies and tactics to employ and how to remain sensitive to evolving customer sentiment can be tricky. The emotions and challenges associated with the pandemic are complex, much like the recovery.
So, what’s next?
Businesses should reacquaint themselves
with their base. Times have changed, people have changed and needs have changed. Relaunching a pre-pandemic marketing strategy or approach — as is — may not fare well. It’s time businesses take a new, deeper look at their target audiences. Does that demographic have different pain points? Have the business’s products or services adapted to fill a different need? Is a new demographic better or differently suited to the business’s long-term goals? Businesses need to reexamine their target markets in a post-COVID world. What worked in 2019 may not fit the bill for 2022 and beyond.
It’s (still) a digital-first world. Boy is it nice to cozy up to strangers at a bar or fill a conference room. Big smiles, handshakes and other social subtleties once taken for granted now bring immense joy. In-person activities are back … but they’re not the same. “Normalcy” doesn’t equate to pre-pandemic life, especially depending on geography, and digital communication channels will continue to reign supreme.
Eyeing that big conference? Want a slew of press at that pop-up event? It’s possible, but not without a digital-first approach. Email and social media aren’t just tools for an invite. They are storytelling channels that need to replicate in-person emotions and interactions, even if someone can now fist bump in the flesh. That means video, mind- and soul-touching blogging, podcasting and other digital means of storytelling are essential to reinvigorating business. Companies must ask: • What is my (new) story? • What (new) value do I bring my customers? • Where are my (new) customers engaged digitally?
Digital storytelling is pertinent for B2B, B2C and DTC sectors. People love their sweatpants and life behind a screen, even if they can travel around with more ease. The sales process will continue to start online, and businesses will be challenged with forging that first connection — if not all connections — digitally vs. in person.
Ramp up or polish e-commerce strategies.
Retail was seriously rocked throughout the pandemic, heightening the importance of a sound digital shopping experience. According to Digital Commerce 360, nearly $1 in $5 spent in the United States during the first quarter of this year was from online orders. Further, e-commerce growth during this time has tripled since the first quarter of 2020.
Moving forward — even if brick-and-mortar sales are relatively strong — retail businesses need to invest in their e-commerce strategies. Specifically, this means ensuring the visitor flow is intuitive and easy, automating communications and processes to save time and amplify sales, and integrating brand storytelling into the overall experience. Customers will need to connect with the company, products and services on an emotional level to foster brand loyalty.
In terms of automation, some top considerations include abandoned shopping cart campaigns, product review requests and custom loyalty discounts. The frontend investment can yield significantly more sales and customer loyalty over time.
“Normalcy” isn’t really a thing. Our present is our normal, and businesses can’t look back to build their strategies. They must address present needs and meet current customer demand. It’s clear that now and into the future, a solid digital infrastructure and storytelling experience are key to business development success.
Aker Ink is a full-service PR and marketing agency that helps companies increase brand awareness, enhance thought leadership and generate leads. The team thinks creatively and critically, developing strategies that resonate with targeted audiences and incite action. Their approach blends digital and traditional forms of communication to ensure the right people get the right information at the right time. akerink.com
by Aric Zion, CEO of Zion & Zion Businesses have undergone tremendous setbacks as a result of the pandemic. Marketing was the least of a company’s worries, but now, as businesses begin to reevaluate and attempt to recover, it’s important to think about how to navigate the new marketplace with changing consumer behaviors, preferences and loyalty. There are a few things to consider when it comes to marketing in order to recover and prosper.
Consumer confidence has fallen. While it’s beginning to recover, marketers have to consider if their company’s product or service continues to be a priority in today’s marketplace. Have other products emerged as a result of the pandemic that may make their product or service less desirable? Consumer priorities have changed so marketers must evolve to meet those new demands. Additionally, businesses may need to reconsider where and how to reach their audience — are they watching more Netflix, shopping more online or putting their trust in social proof?
Data must be a priority for businesses. Realtime data will help brands understand their audiences’ behaviors in order to quickly pivot marketing strategies, if necessary. With this data, brands can optimize strategies and processes more frequently. Another marketing tactic to consider more closely is understanding the customer journey. Where are the customers in their purchase process? It’s critical to understand what affects their purchasing decisions in order to appeal to expectations and optimize the customer experience. This should be a priority post-pandemic. Businesses need to rethink their marketing strategy completely. What once worked may not now. They need to figure out if their customers have changed, where those customers consume content now and what is most important to them. One way to do that is to invest in a Customer Data Platform (CDP). With third-party cookies going away, reaching consumers will be much harder without a CDP. CDPs allow brands to aggregate, sort and analyze data, and then utilize that data for targeted marketing campaigns that will personalize the customer’s experience. This will be paramount as cookies go away. More and more of our clients are embracing CDPs, and it’s proven to be extremely profitable — and, quite honestly, the only way brands will survive in the future. As a result of any losses businesses may have experienced, it’s important they rethink who their true customer is and what message or medium will appeal to them. Demographics are no longer as important in identifying a business’s target market, but rather understanding that market’s core values and where those consumers are in the buying journey. This will affect every aspect of a marketing strategy.
FIRST STEPS
Business should: • Get to know their customer – whose needs and behaviors probably changed during the pandemic — and adjust their marketing plan to support those new desires. • Increase their online presence, as digital consumption has skyrocketed. • Develop a content strategy that aligns with the customer journey. • Capitalize on the business’s owned media such as its website, blog, social media platforms, etc. • Evaluate how their customers are making purchases. Are they simply relying on online reviews, or are they doing extensive research before purchasing? Businesses should make sure they are appealing to one or both shopping processes — depending on the individual customer — when considering advertising mediums and messaging.
Zion & Zion is a full-service national marketing firm with expertise in analytics, MarTech and CDPs, marketing strategy, advertising, public relations, social media, UX and interactive services. The work of the Zion & Zion team includes national and international brands, including Aristocrat Technologies, BD (Becton Dickinson), Goodwill, McDonald’s, NASCAR, the NBA and Walmart. zionandzion.com
How Marketers Can React, Reengage and Reemerge in a Post-COVID World
by Janelle Brannock, Senior Director of Strategy at Commit Agency Last year, as anxiety surrounding the pandemic was at its peak, the term “pivot” became all-too-common — and oversimplified — guidance for brands eager to navigate the ever-shifting crisis. And while the term itself became overused, the core of that principle remains to this day: To weather such dramatic change (pandemic or not), companies must evolve to be more nimble, adaptable and creative in their approach to business and their marketing strategy. Traditional and often slower internal processes that once provided a sense of measurement and practicality immediately became a thing of the past. And while having a long-term strategy for growth is essential, ensuring there’s flexibility to course correct as you go is perhaps the most critical component. Reassessments, planning and execution need to become second nature to everything decision-makers do. Helping clients to not only survive the height of the pandemic but thrive was no simple feat. However, what we’ve learned is invaluable.
REACTING WITH PURPOSE
In times of upheaval and change, business loss is real and expected — and 2020 was no exception. However, these are the moments that present the biggest opportunities to learn. While it may feel like halting a business’s marketing activities is the right thing to do in situations like this, this is not the time to press pause on all the
progress it has made to this point. In fact, when we first posted a blog on our website about this topic in the very early days of the pandemic, we referenced a Kantar survey that showed that most consumers — 92% — wanted to keep hearing from their favorite brands through myriad advertising channels. Instead of going completely dark, businesses should take this time to evaluate ways to speak with their audience in more effective ways.
REENGAGING THROUGH ADVERTISING
Advertising has never been more important. However, massive universal buys and one-sizefits-all content is a waste of resources, now more than ever. In a world where authenticity and intentionality in messaging rules, having a content strategy that reflects these trends will set a brand up for success. Businesses should do the needed research and truly “dial in” to their customers to understand what their triggers and needs are and not just give them what the business wants them to receive. What might bring value to their lives? Consumers crave brand experiences that resonate. This isn’t about price points or promotions; rather, this is about balancing what’s happening in the world and what’s most relevant (or not) to them. Everything, from content to messaging in advertising, should feel customized to their needs. And businesses should go where they go: Find the channels that enrich their customers’ lives. That’s where real connections and conversations can happen. They want to feel like the business is speaking with them.
REEMERGING WITH NEW PERSPECTIVES
As we enter a post-COVID marketplace, thanks in large part to expanding vaccine accessibility, businesses are beginning to see a future where the rollercoaster of the past year and a half subsides. The reality, however, is that while we may or may not be fully removed from the pandemic yet, we live in a world that continues to move faster than ever. From social issues to changing cultural and marketing trends, what we learn now will only help strengthen that foundation for future change — good or bad. This involves businesses understanding their customers instinctively and creating internal infrastructures that will better facilitate quick but responsible change.
The only true constant is change — in marketing most of all. Learning to assess and react both strategically and efficiently will be the key in determining both survival and success. Every moment is an opportunity to change, and as marketers, it’s our job to not only harness what we learn but to ensure our focus and strategy continues to evolve effectively.
Commit Agency is a full-scale brand definition, consumer experience and creative agency. Commit’s focus on bringing brands closer to consumers relies on innovative digital and social experiences designed to move audiences into action. Based in downtown Chandler, Commit has carved out an industry-leading reputation as renegade brand builders in an increasingly digital world. commitagency.com
2021 Is a Reset Year, and Opportunity Is Pounding on the Door
by Alexis Krisay, Co-Founder and President of Marketing at Serendipit Consulting In every type of downturn, the first thing businesses do is cut their marketing budget. We’d already anticipated that a recession would begin during 2020. We posted a premium download about “How to Market in a Recession” quite early in the year, stressing the importance of businesses sticking with their marketing efforts during bad times, but nobody could have anticipated the level of chaos that was looming just around the corner.
COVID has been really rough for most businesses, and marketing firms were not spared. When the Arizona lockdown came in mid-March 2020, more than $500,000 in planned revenue disappeared from our business virtually overnight. The reality we were facing led to some initial “breathing into a paper bag” moments for me and my business partner, but many of our friends at other agencies experienced even bigger cutbacks. Many made drastic layoffs to survive. Others folded. That’s not how we roll. So, we picked ourselves up and decided to win for clients without cutting staff, and that’s exactly what we did.
For example, we do a lot of university student housing and college marketing in multiple states across the country and we’ve earned a reputation for producing results. We reworked our clients’ training programs and converted them to virtual tours in record time, pivoting and adjusting strategies and tactics on a day-to-day basis. Our efforts and the trust our student housing clients put in us paid off big, and we managed to defy all the odds. One example we’re particularly proud of is Midland University, a small private college in Nebraska. In the midst of COVID-chaos, we launched a new student acquisition strategy and advertising campaign. We placed PR story after story, and the ad campaigns ended up increasing Midland’s enrollment numbers by an astounding 23% YOY. In the middle of a pandemic. That was a huge win. As we gradually emerge into a post-COVID world, business decision-makers who want to jumpstart their businesses should understand that 2021 is largely a reset year, but that just means opportunity is pounding on the door. The question is, will they recognize it and answer?
MAKING A MARKETING-DRIVEN COMEBACK: LOOK TO THE FUTURE
We’re looking to the future and lessons from the past. The first step for every business and decision-maker who wants to regain lost ground and revenue is to understand it will take some time. In order to build back better — no matter what the sector — businesses marketing teams should be performing regular deep reviews of all their business’s digital presences and channels, then digging deep into their website analytics to identify consumer behavior changes and areas of opportunity. It’s essential to understand that many new consumer behaviors established during the pandemic are here to stay, and demographics are shifting. I can’t stress this enough: Businesses must use real research data to drive their marketing! We invested heavily this year in a research tool that provides us access to real-time, proprietary research data that is refreshed monthly. Businesses will need to finetune their marketing strategies and tactics using real data accordingly or risk eating dust from savvy competitors.
And after more than a year of restrictions, consumer discretionary spending is up. For Arizona, travel and tourism rates are on the rise, which will be very important in the second half of 2021 and beyond. These are some of the most
exciting opportunities we see on the horizon. Why? We get to host the Super Bowl in 2023, and tourism soars in host cities and states for two to three years post-Super Bowl ... and it’s not just our hospitality businesses that benefit. When Arizona hosted Super Bowl XLIX in 2015, we saw a gross economic impact of $720 million. Add in legalized recreational cannabis, worldclass golf, resorts, shopping, dining and new tech industries, and we’ll be set for a shorter recovery time with great marketing and business opportunities. Businesses need to be ready for it and start planning how they can take advantage of Arizona’s coming economic boom. Believe it.
Based in Phoenix and serving clients nationally, Serendipit Consulting is a full-service advertising, creative and PR agency that practices Ideation Evolution — the process of blending imagination with core values to produce a continual state of creativity and consistency in an organization or culture — from the development of eye-catching creative campaigns to the implementation of KPIdriven marketing to making sure the right people know the brand’s story serendipitconsulting.com
Reigniting the Marketing Engine in a Post-Pandemic World
by Jennifer Kaplan, Owner and Founder
of Evolve Public Relations and Marketing
Being seen and heard is a necessary part of running a successful business. However, 2020 all but halted some companies’ outreach and impacted marketing budgets across the world. As businesses reemerge, branding and awareness are crucial in letting the public know a company is still open for business.
What are some of those first steps when restarting the marketing wheel? Having a team of professionals to consult with that can provide helpful insight on what practices may have changed in the industry during the pandemic is important. Some businesses never stopped marketing, so, for any company that did go quiet during the pandemic, it’s important to catch up. Companies should look at the “free” or inexpensive marketing tools such as social media or email marketing campaigns. They should consult employees and friends of the business and use their insight and expertise to the full extent to maximize exposure.
It’s important that businesses make sure to have a dedicated team — either internally or with an outside agency — that can offer a comprehensive marketing strategy. This is a great time to get creative and take a look at opportunities that may not have been present pre-pandemic. As speaking engagements and events within the business industry start up again, many continue to give a virtual option to both guests and speakers. This opens opportunities to go after some of those industryspecific events as a spokesperson. This also allows another avenue of exposure and can increase a business’s exposure to people in other states or even countries. Businesses that aren’t afraid to get creative and think outside the box will have the edge now. For instance, interest in podcasts has grown exponentially since the pandemic and can be another great avenue if there is an opportunity to be a guest on one. Cross-promotions with other businesses, collaborations with organizations and community-focused events or initiatives are becoming more popular and a great organic way to grow awareness. Businesses would be welladvised to consider working with a nonprofit or complementary business to expand their network and reach. Also, knowing what direct competitors are doing within a niche industry is important, so businesses should look at the trends in what other companies are doing to push further and stand out against others. It’s important to note that some pivots and industry changes are here to stay even after the pandemic ends. For instance, the hospitality industry has shifted focus to market more contactless, curbside or to-go options. Businesses need to capitalize on that and continue to market to that core audience who prefers this convenience over dine-in. Companies in the health field now offer virtual appointments or visits. Businesses need to embrace the changes that have occurred over the last year as a new normal. Just like when the world changed post 9/11, some things are here to stay.
Some restaurants have seen an unprecedented demand for dine-in amid an industry-wide employee shortage. This doesn’t mean the business needs to stop marketing, but its focus needs to shift to getting more media attention around other promotions like contactless or to-go. Businesses only get to make a first impression once and if the brand is marketing to a new audience, it’s important to leave a good lasting impression.
Marketing should always be an extension of the core values of any company. The key is staying true to core messaging while adapting to the changes within an industry. The world will continue to feel the impact of the pandemic for years to come but, as businesses open back up, now is the time to celebrate and let everyone know the open sign is lit.
Founded in September 2010, Evolve PR and Marketing in Scottsdale provides marketing and public relations services to an extensive list of clients with a fresh and innovative approach. Evolve’s broad client base proves its ability to adapt to a changing media environment and workplace. By helping businesses foster relationships with the community, Evolve creates the opportunity for clients to stand out in this competitive market. evolveprandmarketing.com
Savvy Business Leaders Focus Their Marketing on What Matters Most to Their Customers
by Tim Riester, Founder and CEO of RIESTER The pandemic of 2020 had differing effects on various industries. Many businesses in tourism and live entertainment came to a screeching halt, while others such as healthcare, financial services and certain consumer products — like furniture and groceries — flourished. In either case, savvy business leaders learned to change on a moment’s notice and focus on what mattered most to their customers.
In the tourism and live entertainment industries, marketing messages initially focused primarily on safety. However, there is a clear shift happening to include only a nod to safety as a secondary message as more people become vaccinated and begin planning, booking and enjoying their outings. Some large tourism destinations have taken the opportunity to smartly convert the safety of ourselves to safely protecting the natural beauty of our planet and what is special about their tourism destinations. This message will become increasingly appealing to travelers as values and principles become the currency of success in society.
Messaging is encouraging travelers to be more responsible and respectful in their behavior — to enjoy outdoor places but remain conscious of their choices once they begin to explore again. That’s the approach of RIESTER’s summer campaign for Park City, Utah. Called “On the Right Trail,” the destination marketing campaign takes advantage of the natural beauty of Park City’s vast open spaces and charm of its historic town to position the surrounding community as an ideal destination for safe and active family vacations. The area’s tourism bureau, Visit Park City, is doing an excellent job of focusing on protecting its community and the environment from the inevitable impact of returning tourists. Although many financial services and consumer products businesses have excelled during 2020 and the first half of 2021, they have an opportunity to secure their position of consumer preference. These businesses should connect themselves to the community and build an emotional bond with consumers that garners loyalty. This is the purpose of RIESTER’s “True to Your Money” campaign for MidFirst Bank. By featuring admirable characteristics of business owners and craftsmen and -women, MidFirst Bank is articulating its higher commitment to the people and communities it serves. As vaccines continue to be distributed and booster shots become necessary, people will become more comfortable gathering, yet public health will remain top of mind for an extended period of time. As a result, health-related businesses should capitalize on this momentum and use it to promote their role in contributing to healthier lifestyles and communities. That is why in time for this past 4th of July holiday, RIESTER launched a new, national burn helpline for its health self-care client Quest Products, Inc. and its Alocane Emergency Burn Gel, a product that treats everything from common sunburns to cooking burns and is used in hospitals for more severe injuries.
As Internet privacy issues continue to change the way marketers advertise, first-party data is going to become more and more valuable to all businesses. Attracting first-time visitors to a business’s website and capturing data will be the key to gaining a competitive edge. Firsttime visitors are looking to compare a business or product against the competitive set, so it’s important to make sure businesses invest in a robust content publishing schedule that will grow its website content and give people a reason to visit again. Linking videos and embedding them in YouTube will help the business appear in firsttime visitors’ personal feeds. Using click path analysis, sophisticated CRM and personalization will help ensure each audience group is catered to on future visits to the business’s website and allow it to curate emails that speak directly to the consumers’ preferences.
RIESTER is one of the largest independently owned digital marketing companies in the western United States. RIESTER was listed among Forbes’ “Top 100 Global Ad Agencies that Know Social Media and Google” and Advertising Age magazine’s “20 Hottest Creative Shops to Watch in America.” PRWeek awarded RIESTER “Campaign of the Year – Public Sector” for the United States in 2019. riester.com
Post-Pandemic, Doing Good Is Good for Business
by Brad Casper, Founding Partner and CEO; and Matt Moore, Founding Partner, President and Chief Creative Officer;
Heart & Soul Marketing
We are entering a period of post-pandemic growth, and there has never been a better time for businesses to consider their purpose — their “why.” Purpose is rooted in long-term strategy, aligning brand identity with consumer beliefs, and it has become the fifth “P” of marketing, creating connection, conversation and loyalty between businesses and their customers. Organizations now have a chance to lean into their values as they shake off the dust of stagnation. Brands that want to be relevant tomorrow need to think about what they stand for today.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
These past 16 months have been terribly difficult, but the first thing leaders can do is adopt an optimistic mindset. Paths to growth appear when decision-makers search for opportunities, not languish in negativity. This means not letting fear of failure stop companies from trying new things. After all, among the perils of risk is where the magic happens.
Similarly, brand purpose is most often discovered when embracing optimism. When brands envision their ideal world and ask what kind of unique impact they can have on it, ways to support positive change reveal themselves.
GETTING BACK TO GROWTH
To find their way back to revenue growth, decision-makers should conduct a thorough audit of consumer and shopper behaviors to guide their marketing strategy. Endless information is available at low or no cost online, but often an agency partner is a useful addition here due to the time required to pull research, glean insights and create action items.
The pandemic radically morphed attitudes and behaviors in a very short amount of time, and it’s critical to assess attributes of target consumers in order to connect with them. Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet answer for how to do this because every brand and demographic is different. This can mean anything from changes in messaging to shifts in how ad dollars are spent.
A current consumer packaged goods client has always been a value brand in the food space but, as research showed their target audience feeling the financial squeeze of the pandemic, we helped the brand embrace the messaging that you don’t have to sacrifice good taste for good value. Feeding families a satisfying meal without breaking the bank became the purpose and rally cry of this brand, driving double-digit growth and record sales.
Business leaders must ask two questions while assessing the research: 1) How can my business meet the new needs of target consumers; and 2) What unique impact can my business have on people, environment or communities while doing what it does best?
The answers to these questions will empower organizations to drive revenue while discovering a greater purpose bespoke to their strengths and abilities.
RAMPING UP AND DOUBLING DOWN
Ramping up post-pandemic means capitalizing on the new behaviors and using them to drive momentum. Rooting their actions in purpose, decision-makers need to understand what practices emerged during the pandemic that will never be the same and how their business can leverage those changes.
At the beginning of the pandemic, a former healthcare client of ours doubled down on telemedicine services to honor the business’s purpose of making healthcare accessible. When COVID-19 hit and safety measures required people to stay home, telehealth appointments soared, ultimately saving jobs and lives. This business was in the enviable position of having a fully trained telehealth team, up-todate infrastructure, and existing virtual care marketing efforts. Today, they continue to lean into the momentum created by their telehealth offerings and reaping the rewards.
Decision-makers must create momentum from post-pandemic behaviors in order to ramp up business, and doubling down on discovering and honoring purpose only amplifies their ability to leverage this current period of growth.
It may surprise some to learn how often doing the right thing is good for business.
At Heart & Soul, our purpose is to help brands dig deeper to connect to human hearts and minds. We believe in combining creativity and analytics to solve complex business problems and social challenges. We take great pride in thinking differently and pushing ourselves and our solutions to bring about change for our clients and for our world. gotheartandsoul.com
Consumers Bring a New Reality to Their Brand Interactions
by Scott Harkey, President and CEO of OH Partners
With more than half of Americans fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, the economy is in much better shape than a year ago. And while this is good news for businesses, we’re entering a new phase where the recovery is expected to continue at a slower pace.
It’s easy to understand why so many businesses are rushing to launch new marketing campaigns after such a dismal year. But the way consumers interact with brands has changed dramatically. And brands that take the time to understand their customers’ buying preferences, media consumption and other habits will be the brands that break through.
Our OH team has a process that we share with our clients to help them better understand their customers. We first do a deep dive to discover key insights about customer behavior and habits. We then analyze the competition and identify what threats they pose. After that, we take a good hard look at the brand to determine if messaging has been authentic. It’s a lot like peeling an onion, but when we’re done, we’re better prepared to launch a marketing campaign. Our work with Virgin Hotels Las Vegas is a great example. Virgin took over the iconic Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas property in February 2020, with plans to open their newly renovated integrated resort in November. The pandemic disrupted those plans, pushing the grand opening to March 2021. Our Las Vegas and Phoenix teams, including our sister agency, Matter Films, had already been working on a creative way to introduce the Virgin brand to Las Vegas. Through our market research, we learned that 78% of visitors to Las Vegas are returning visitors with the attitude of “been there, done that.” We also knew that Virgin’s target audiences are Experience Seekers — people who are insatiably curious. Each aspect of the property was designed to attract a unique audience, all with an inclusive, youthful exuberance that’s not focused on age. Audience relevance is attributed to life stages, primarily adults 35–49. For Las Vegas, it was time to do the “red rope” differently with a sense of approachability and inclusiveness and with choices that allow guests to truly be themselves — aspirational yet accessible. There was an overwhelming opportunity to deliver new exceptional experiences and to take advantage of location by leveraging an off-strip experience with an offthe-beaten-path approach. There is a soulless approach to Vegas, and we needed to bring the soul of Virgin to life to be a difference maker in our market.
The result was our award-winning “Us. Unstoppable” (www.youtube.com/ watch?v=qifo2wrcfiY) campaign, which features two eclectic, fun, high-energy spots that resonate with Virgin’s customers. Our strategically targeted media buy helped create excitement about Virgin’s grand opening, which
was the first major resort to open in Las Vegas since the onset of the pandemic.
A few other tips for businesses that are building back after COVID-19: • Get everyone on the team aligned regarding what the business will own as a brand. This is crucial, because too often, brands try to own too much. A losing sports team can’t own “winning,” but they can own “family fun.” • Enlist insights from cross functional
teams to gain a deeper understanding of consumer needs and desires. • Track consumer sentiment, aligning with behavior and confidence, and adjust messaging accordingly. • Finally, we’re living in a digital world, and it’s important to stay on top of social media and digital trends.
Businesses can ramp up for a much more robust year ahead. But those that will have the most success will focus on consumercentric strategic planning and authentic brand messaging.
OH Partners is an Inc. 500/5000 company that is recognized as one of the fastest growing advertising and digital marketing agencies in the country. OH Partners works with many notable national brands in diverse categories, such as gaming, tourism and hospitality, entertainment, healthcare and consumer packaged goods. ohpartners.com
Ditch the ‘Wait and See’ and Nurture Subject Matter Experts
by Veronique James, Founder and CEO of The James Agency There is no question that COVID was difficult on all businesses, but even more so on destination travel. As we started to turn the corner and see some sense of return to “normalcy,” it was important that we prepare our clients for the phases of reentry to ensure that they would be ready. Timing is of the essence as things were (and are) changing every day. TJA presented a phased approach to our clients while the stay-at-home order was still in place, when restrictions were first lifted, when hotels and shops began to open again, and for when things “returned back to normal.” Having assets for each stage pre-approved and waiting in the wings meant they were ready to go and able to pivot on a dime. For this destination travel client, the four-pronged phased approach strategy resulted in a 552% return on ad spend, a 60% boost in hotel bookings post campaign and 13,400,000 impressions to the local market.
Although things are seemingly starting to be more relaxed as it relates to COVID restrictions, we suggest that a plan be put in place for the rest of the year. Long gone are the days of “wait and see” advertising, as everyone is fighting to regain their share of voice. Building awareness through brand frequency and repetition will help regain that consumer confidence and loyalty that many brands once had. Clearly defining the brand value statement will be crucial as so many are jockeying for first position; thus, fluffy statements will be quickly forgotten. For businesses that were greatly affected in 2020 financially, digital media is an excellent way to quantify an investment while targeting specific audiences. For smaller budgets, this can be a fantastic way to broadcast the business’s message or product without casting a wide net of wasteful dollars. More importantly, COVID brought a heightened attention to brands that are genuine and scrutinized those that are not. Businesses whose marketing promise isn’t in alignment with their customer experience will be quickly measured up to those whose are. Remember, a brand is a promise of what is to come … not just a great commercial or campaign. Many businesses have in-house teams focused on marketing and public relations. Others may have lost their internal teams due to financial instability or possibly lost their trusted agency partner due to COVID impacting their businesses as well. Now is an excellent time to source those new relationships or augment existing ones. Several of our clients have smaller internal teams that are subject-matter experts in their verticals. We’ve engaged with these clients over the last six months to work in tandem with their key stakeholders as a trusted outside perspective to help them audit their current brand perception and campaign strategy. By having a third-party resource, businesses are able to vet their media spends and campaign messages to ensure there is proper alignment with the current consumer climate and, more importantly, confirm that they stack up with the competitive landscape. Those who are sourcing a potential new marketing partnership should be wary of the one- or two-man shops that have birthed from COVID. Those who lost their jobs or chose to work permanently from home have spawned off to start “boutique” firms. While some are strong, we are, sadly, seeing several of these tiny groups take on more than they can handle. Value statements similar to “value direct to the clients by not having any overhead,” or “direct access to experts” can sound financially enticing, but in reality these independent contractors have little liability to the client’s investment and could fold as quickly as they started. We suggest vetting partners with a long history in the market and/or a track record of managing adversity in economic downturns.
For businesses that are just returning to normal business practices as well as those that have been operating routinely for months now, having a plan in place while projecting an authentic message will position the business to face the balance of 2021 competitively.
The James Agency, founded in 2005, started with the goal of creating an agency focused on open communication and transparency with clients and employees. Today, the awardwinning, integrated agency specializes in consumer advertising, public relations and digital and continues to exemplify founder Veronique James’ original vision. thejamesagency.com
Rebuilding Your Brand, Growing Your Workforce and Supporting Local Business
by Martijn Pierik, CEO and Managing Partner of Kiterocket While COVID-19 certainly took its toll on many businessto-consumer market sectors — particularly entertainment, hospitality and travel — business-tobusiness sectors such as high tech, sustainability and life science experienced unprecedented growth. As we emerge from the pandemic, the marketing and business development needs of all these areas vary greatly, depending on both short-term needs and long-term vision.
Those who own a restaurant or retail establishment may be reevaluating their business model. Those in the high-tech sector may be trying to keep up with demand and navigate supply chain and talent shortages. At first glance, these may not seem to be areas where marketing activities apply, but nothing could be further from the truth. That’s why now is the perfect time for businesses to check in and evaluate their brand and align their business’s marketing efforts to come out of COVID stronger and more focused.
BRAND CHECK-IN
What a company appeared to be before the shutdown is likely not the same as it is now. Many companies have spent time pivoting their businesses during the shutdown, so before they decide to go back to “business as usual,” they should take a closer look at what has shifted. Have their customer preferences and needs changed? Is their business model still working or should they make changes to stay relevant and competitive? Is their team happy and engaged? Do they still follow the same mission, vision and brand values?
If things have changed, it’s important businesses spend the time and money to make sure their brand is aligned with the changes and focused on serving the needs of their clients and customers.
ATTRACTING NEW TALENT
COVID created an exodus of people quitting unsatisfying jobs. Many are looking for change and a fresh start. If they lost their job in a market that was hit heavy by the pandemic, they may be looking for work in a more stable or growing industry so they don’t have to go through that loss again. Hiring is suddenly a buyer’s market, and the stakes to attract and keep talent are at an alltime high. The work-from-home economy has eliminated geographic restrictions and given unlimited access to good-paying jobs anywhere in the country. Money is often not the main motivating factor. People want a meaningful career path that makes a difference in their world. They want to work for a company that aligns with their personal values, offers flexible schedules and respects a healthy work/life balance. To attract talent, a brand needs to speak to recent college graduates and other employable people. It needs to be clear about where it stands on social issues and showcase its corporate social responsibility to promote its company as a best place to work. This is essential not only to hiring new people but retaining the talent it employs today. To be competitive in today’s market, it is necessary that the brand invest some of its marketing budget in building up and promoting its employment brand.
MARKETING DURING A GROWTH CYCLE
The semiconductor chip shortage has hit the mainstream media spotlight. Suppliers to the semiconductor industry are struggling to keep up with explosive growth. A supply chain shortage is making it difficult for many to get the raw materials and components needed to make their products and keep up with demand. They are hesitant about marketing, because they can’t currently handle new business. However, now is actually a great time to focus on marketing. It may seem counterintuitive, but to stay ahead of the competition, a company should be open to new business opportunities. The supply chain issues won’t be here forever. Many businesses are actively looking for additional suppliers, so it may be possible to open up new sales channels. Besides, it takes time to onboard new customers and add orders. The best way to approach business development post-pandemic is to have a long-term mindset. That way, a business can ramp slowly, without compromising the quality and service its customers expect.
THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL
Regardless of how global industries are, to bounce back from the pandemic, companies should focus on rebuilding their own local communities first. They can do so by outsourcing to local businesses. There are many global technology companies based in Arizona. Rather than pairing with the big, national, full-service marketing agencies to handle all branding, communications and public relations needs, businesses should consider engaging with local agencies that specialize in these different areas. A healthy economy in our communities attracts more talent and builds a better lifestyle for our work force.
As a Phoenix-based agency, we’ve been fortunate to support technology and sustainability clients at home and abroad as they navigated through the pandemic. While we had to do some pivoting of our own, we’ve learned what it takes to stay strong by practicing what we preach. As we come out of this experience, we look forward to helping build a brighter future and a stronger economy for Arizona. kiterocket.com
A Cover Contest Creates Awareness for the ‘Come Back’ Issue
Six top marketing companies compete by submitting a creative cover
Each of our participants for this month’s cover story (see page 24) was asked to compete by creating an August 2021 In Business Magazine cover that depicted the Greater Phoenix come back from COVID-19. Six of our top marketing companies involved took on the challenge and worked internally with their creative teams to come up with a concept and execute it for the In Business Magazine August 2021 cover.
We asked each of the cover story participants to vote for their top three covers. Each was sent the covers not knowing which company was responsible for the cover submissions; only our design team knew which companies participated. With our “double blind” process, the candidates were voted upon and the Kiterocket cover, “We Are Coming Back,” was the cover that received the most overall votes.
We have included each of the inspiring covers in this section for all to see. We asked each to name their submission and tell us about about their inspiration and the people who were involved in creating the cover.
We want to thank each of the six companies that submitted a cover for their time and effort in this contest. It was fun to see what “Come Back” meant to you. We also want to thank all the companies for participating in our August 2021 cover story, “Coming Back: How Marketing Will Build (Back) Business after COVID.” These companies are all based in Greater Phoenix and are doing great work for the businesses in our community to create awareness and market their products, services and community involvement.
So please enjoy looking over these six covers and get to know how some of our top marketing companies in Greater Phoenix illustrate our business community’s come back from COVID-19.
AKER INK PR & MARKETING
Title: Coming Back in
Full Color Creative influence:
Adorned in the Arizona flag, the boomerang represents the role of marketing for local business. As it flies across the Phoenix city landscape, the once drab climate (represented in black and white) is brought to life in full color as the boomerang “comes back.”
Those involved:
Rob DiLorenzo Valliere Jones
THE JAMES AGENCY
Title: There is No
Crystal Ball Creative influence:
COVID shattered our long-held ideas of what works in marketing. Predictability is a thing of the past. Moving forward, creatives will need to remain mentally nimble and “shatter the crystal ball” to succeed.
Those involved:
Robert Limmer, Junior Graphic Designer
KITEROCKET
Title: We Are Coming Back Creative inspiration:
Our illustration reflects a sense of communities being rebuilt, of musicians getting back to stages, and coffee shops smelling like warm pastries again; of production lines rolling rhythmically, of construction cranes pivoting with purpose, and happy people soaking it all in. It carries symbols that represent aspects of marketing — text messages, email campaigns, social media, market analysis, search engine optimization, targeting, etc. — that support the rebuilding of our Phoenix community.
Those involved:
Martijn Pierik, Author German Wegbrait, Creative Director
OH PARTNERS
Title: Us. Unstoppable. Creative influence:
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas set out on a mission to break through the velvet rope barrier of Las Vegas — off the strip and out of the ordinary. To provide a proper introduction, OH Partners needed to create a buzz booming with anticipation, surprise, delight and a deeper message of inclusivity.
“Us. Unstoppable.” rose to the occasion inspired its people that make the place. This campaign embraced individuality and the unwavering “inclusivity for all” mantra shined bright, proving that the unconventional vibe of Virgin Hotels is the future of Las Vegas.
Those involved:
Dean Alexander, Director Kyle Gilbert, Sr. Producer Clay James, VP, Executive Creative Director Shawn Miller, Associate Creative Director Amy Valazquez, Sr. Copywriter
US. UNSTOPPABLE.
SERENDIPIT CONSULTING
Title: Business on the Top Creative influence:
The “new norm” was all about Zoom, leisurewear on the bottom and businessappropriate on the top, and pets popping their cute faces into important meetings. The advantage? Many have realized they can bring the faces of their business anywhere in the world, pushing them out of their normal comfort zone and into new opportunities.
Those involved:
Nichole Cook, Sr. Project Manager Dayna DeMaine, Graphic Designer Melissa DiGianfilippo, Owner and President of PR Andrew Leger, Director of Branding Wes Krisay, Creative Director Alexis Krisay, Owner and President of Marketing Justie Lim, Graphic Designer Alex White, Project Manager
ZION &ZION
Title: The Fuse is Lit Creative inspiration:
Businesses are ready to get back to, well … business. And they’re going to want come back with a bang (pun intended). Their brands have been bottled up for more than a year and marketing will help them take off. The design was inspired by Belgian surrealist René Magritte’s painting titled “Son of Man.”
Those involved:
Leslie Sonnenklar, Director of PR & Social Media Ken Spera, Creative Director Aric Zion, CEO
