the mag
Branded content for Intel
THE MARKETING MAG
In This Issue 3
Snapshot of Today’s Consumer
6
Stats & Industry Benchmarks: The State of Digital Marketing & The Data You Need To Know
10
Gen Z’s Power to Resurrect Brands
14
2020 Key Dates: Content Calendar
24
CMO Q&A: The Mind of a Marketer
30
Extending The Shelf Life of Influencer Content
33
GLOW: A Professional Womens’ Network
36
Best of 2019: Content Awards
Branded content for Crocs
THE MARKETING MAG
Welcome to the first edition of Social Native’s Marketing Mag! Over the last 5 years, the marketing and advertising industry have been evolving at unprecedented rates. From new technologies to changing consumer needs, the role of the marketer has never been so dynamic, and keeping up with trends and trajectories has never been more crucial. This magazine not only showcases some of the amazing content that has been produced by our new media landscape, but also serves as a critical observatory into the future of marketing. With a whole new world of endless marketing possibilities, I hope this magazine offers valuable insights and actionable tips that you can actively implement into your marketing strategy. By the way, as you review this, a fun fact is that all the branded content used in this magazine was created via the Social Native platform.
Branded content for Clinique, Perrier, Entenmann’s
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SNAPSHOT OF TODAY’S CONSUMER
Today’s Consumer Branded content for Dr. Jart
A SNAPSHOT OF TODAY’S CONSUMER:
#1 24/7 Content Consumption
A lot has happened to the marketing industry in 2019, and its rapid evolution has only just begun. Here’s a snapshot of some of the most prominent trends and impactful developments reshaping today’s consumer landscape.
There are currently over 5 billion unique mobile users. With consumers always on the go, they expect their content to be too. The proliferation and advancement of smartphone technology has created an always-on world in which content is being consumed in all places, at all times, and in all formats. The result? The explosion of an on-demand media landscape in which all people have instant, constant access to content. Here are some of the most critical pillars in today’s consumer landscape.
AU DI O Modern life is busy, and it reflects in our content consumption trends. We are now seeing more people spending less time watching or reading, and more time listening. Why? Because audio content can be accessed whenever, wherever. From podcasts to smart speakers, brands can now leverage a revamped, more direct way to tap into consumer groups—through their ears.
103 million Americans listen to podcasts weekly, listening an average of 6h 37m per week1
Audiobook revenue in 2019 grew by 24.5% and totaled $940 million2
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33% of Americans use on-demand voice assistance monthly3
3
SNAPSHOT OF TODAY’S CONSUMER
SOCIAL The explosion of social media has now diffused, and networks have become a part of everyday life. With the number of social media users up 9% year-over-year and users spending an average of 136 minutes active per day, the focus has now shifted to developing these existing platforms so they can better engage users in more sophisticated, captivating ways.
3.2 billion pieces of content are shared each day via social media4
On average, Instagram posts get a total of 4.2 billion likes per day5
Facebook properties account for 14% of all digital consumption6
MO B I L E The mobile vs. desktop discussion is increasingly relevant because more and more content is being consumed on smartphones. Not only does this mean the format needs to evolve, but also the intent. Marketers must consider when and where the content will be consumed. Whether on the couch or walking down the street, these nuances drastically impact purchase intent and behavior.
The average person checks their phone 85 times a day7
#2 On-Demand Economy
58% of site visits are from mobile devices8
Mobile devices make up 42% of time spent online8
The always-on world has created a consumer that expects their products instantaneously. They want it, and they want it now, and luckily for them the rise of connective platforms unlocking the power of the gig-economy has enabled this desire to become a reality. From having McDonald’s delivered to your door in 15 minutes to binge watching a whole television series in one night, the on-demand economy plays a significant part in the shaping of today’s consumer identity.
Uber provides 40 million rides per month in the U.S. alone10 Postmates reached 70% of U.S. households in 20199
44% of users listen to Spotify on a daily basis12 Netflix’s streaming accounts for 15% of the world’s bandwidth11
S OUR C ES
4
1. MusicOomph
3. Canalys
5. Sprout Social
7. Deloitte
9. Postmates
11. Sandvine
2. Audio Publishers Association
4. AOL/Nielsen
6. Fast Company
8. Perficient Digital
10. BuildFire
12. Business of Apps
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SNAPSHOT OF TODAY’S CONSUMER
#3 1:1 Connection
The greatest threat to marketers today? Diminishing attention span and content saturation. Consumers are exposed to 10,000 brand messages a day, spending, on average, only 1.7 seconds on each one. To cut through the noise and stand out, marketers need to create meaningful and personalized connections with consumers. With advancements in advertising technology, both in targeting and creative capabilities, brands have the ability to target consumers with a true 1:1 advertising experience. Imagine a world where no two people receive the same ad experience. A girl who loves surfing gets an ad featuring a female surfer, and the same goes for the girl who loves yoga, the boy who loves bike tricks, and the little girl who plays soccer. With billions of smartphones with HD cameras on the planet, there are unlimited opportunities for authentic and unique content creation, it’s only a matter of finding the talented creators and activating them at scale.
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#4 Purposeful Purchases
With so much choice and transparency in consumerism today, brands need to offer more than just a product or service for customers to feel fulfilled. People now make choices based on their values,
so to connect authentically with today’s values-led consumer, brands must clearly define their purpose. 63% of consumers prefer to purchase from purposedriven brands. 76% of Gen-Z said they have purchased a brand to show support for the issues the brand supported. Whether a brand is built on purpose, solving issues through technology, or has started to embrace a purpose-driven approach within their existing business model, purpose-led
brands stand to grow 2x faster than those without any higherorder societal aim in 2019.
“Purpose is a core value, not an ad campaign. Get it right, and purpose will be the best thing you ever did for your business and the world around you.” -GEMMA CRAVEN, PURPOSEFUL MARKE T ING E X P E RT & C MO WATCH HER SPEAK >
Nike took a stance on racism in sports and their stock increased by 5%. REI focuses on protecting nature, and sees 6% year over year growth. Dick’s Sporting Goods took a stance on gun control and their profit margins increased.
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STATS & INDUSTRY BENCHMARKS
The State of Digital Marketing The Growth of Personal Devices Mo bi
48%
g in et
Mobile is the preferred online device for consumers 1
or Outbou cal F i nd t i r Ma C Is rk le
43%
While 91% of shoppers want emails from companies they do business with, emails that display incorrectly on mobile may be deleted within 3 seconds 2
9%
Mobile Computer phone /laptop
Don’t lose hope: mobile readers who open an email a
Tablet
second time from a computer are 65% more likely to click through 2
More than 46% of Americans check their smartphones before getting out of bed 2
Inbound Continues to Dominate
70%
of people would rather learn about new products through content over traditional advertising 2
47% of buyers view 3-5 pieces of content prior to engaging with a company 2
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STATS & INDUSTRY BENCHMARKS
The Data You Need To Know Top Social Media Platforms Among U.S. Teens 3
Top Social Media Platforms in 2019 4 2,271M
1,900M
50
1,500M
Users
30
1,000M
20
500M
10
330M
326M
303M
287M
250M
0 2015
2016
2017
2018
2019 Fac
ebo
ok
You
r e p st at In ok dit m itte Tub atsA p ked napch tere gra Red TikT Tw Lin Pin S Insta Wh
Engagement Rate By Industry 6 2.05%
$5.20
1.78%
.98% .92%
5
.21%
.24% .10%
.10%
.07%
InstagramT
Facebook Hotels & Resorts
Food & Beverage
Health & Beauty
.06%
.04%
.04%
witter Fashion
Engagement Rate By Follower Count 7 10%
13.7X
7.5% Engagement Rate
% of Teens
40
5%
2.5%
0% 1K-10K 1K-10K1
10K-100K 0K-100K
100K-1M
1M+
SOURCES 1. Hubspot (1) 2. Hubspot (2)
3. Statista (1) 4. Statista (2)
5. Influencer Marketing Hub 6. Rival IQ
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7. Creator IQ
7
Branded content created by Social Native
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Shockingly good UGC. Learn more: socialnative.com/Q4
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GEN Z: POWER TO RESURRECT BRANDS
Who are they?
What do they value?
The oldest Gen Zers were born in 1997 1
Authenticity
Gen Z is the most ethnically diverse, best-educated generation yet 1
67% of Gen Z would prefer to see real people rather than celebrities in advertisements 2
Reviews 47% of Gen Z research items on mobile devices while shopping at brick-and-mortar locations 3
Understanding the youngest generation and their power to resurrect brands
What are they interested in?
Social Media 45% of Gen Z say they’re online almost constantly 4
Streetwear Gen Z is all about streetwear, athleisure, and fast fashion—Nike and Adidas dominate the Gen Z shopping cart. 5
Video Games 73% own video game consoles. 6
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GEN Z: POWER TO RESURRECT BRANDS
What is their buying power? By 2020, Gen Z will represent 40% of all consumers 7
Gen Z influences about $600 billion in spending by others 7
What drives them to make a purchase? Personalized Experience
Social Currency
Thriftiness
64% of Gen Z think brands should provide a personalized experience 8
44% of Gen Z cite social media as a popular source for product inspiration 9
72% of Gen Z say that cost is the most important factor when making a purchase 10
SOURCES 1. Pew Research Center 2. Deep Focus
3. Retail Touchpoints 4. Pew Internet
5. Business Insider 6. VOX
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7. Millennial Marketing 8. Adobe
9. Accenture 10. Visual Capitalist
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GEN Z: POWER TO RESURRECT BRANDS
Chunky sneakers were all the rave in the ‘90s, but went out of style into the early aughts, as low-rise, flared jeans and platform sandals became popular. After a 20 year hiatus, it seems like the trend is back and flourishing among Gen Z—scroll through Instagram today and you’ll see multitudes of budding fashionistas sporting a pair of chunky “dad” sneakers in every color. Fila has been making sportswear since the beginning of the 20th century, long before chunky shoes became fashionable. As a brand, they’re frontrunners in crafting the mix of athleisure and street style that is explosively popular among Gen Z. But it wasn’t just ‘90s nostalgia that allowed Fila to reclaim its status as a top brand in the late 2010s—it was intentional and strategic marketing, made for the digital age.
Fila’s team leveraged the power of influencer marketing to create a sense of FOMO that truly rang in Gen Z’s ears. As a teen, being fashionable and cool is important. As a Gen Z teen, being fashionable and cool in your own way is important. So when Fila activated hundreds of different influencers to create hundreds of different looks with their shoes, they spoke to the generation that values individuality, diversity, peer recommendations, and social media when making buying decisions. And it worked.
Gen Z consumers are more likely to support and share a brand, product or company if they see another friend sharing it as well. 11
11. Forbes
12
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GEN Z: POWER TO RESURRECT BRANDS
of household purchases are influenced by Gen Z. 12
While Fila was in hibernation, Crocs was on the up-and-up. Crocs was a huge hit in the early 2000s, selling 50 million pairs of shoes a year by 200713. But in just one year, the brand lost its attractiveness to consumers and saw a staggering $200 million loss in 200813. To regain popularity, they implemented a clever marketing strategy that showed self-awareness of their own brand perception and also full understanding of what would grab the younger generation’s attention. Crocs began building a robust influencer marketing strategy to show how their product could once again fit into consumers’ lives. With each new release of platform clogs, slides, or sneakers, they leveraged influencers to create the looks that went with the shoes. They relentlessly reminded consumers of their existence and that the shoes they made were evolving.
12. IBM
13. CNN
In addition to micro-influencers, the brand collaborated with Balenciaga, a high-end brand known for its ironic take on fashion, and Post Malone, whose personality has become a meme among Gen Zers, to capitalize on what people thought about Crocs: that they were bulky, uncool and too chunky. They took ownership of this perception and turned it into a fashion statement: chunky shoes are in, and everyone’s wearing them. As of 2019, Crocs has reclaimed its place as a market leader, being ranked the 13th favorite brand among teens and is continuing on an upward trajectory14. RE AD MORE AB OU T C ROC S : “HOW CROCS LEVERAGED UGC TO C AP I T AL IZ E ON IT S GE N Z FA N B A S E ” “ F AR F ROM C ROC B OT T OM ”
14. CNBC
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k r a M r u o Y r a d n e l a C Branded content for Coca-Cola
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2020 CONTENT CALENDAR
As a marketer, it’s critical to keep up with all of the holidays and events people from around the world are celebrating. Use this content calendar as a guide for posting relevant and timely content for your customers.
20/ Key 20 Dates New Year’s Day
Branded content for Perrier
JANUARY
Happy New Year! If one of your goals for 2020 is getting in front of new consumers, we can help!
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New Year’s Day
5
Golden Globes
20
Martin Luther King Jr. Day National Cheese Lover’s Day
21
National Hugging Day
23
Sundance Music Festival begins
25
Chinese New Year
15
2020 CONTENT CALENDAR
D O W N L O A D T H E CALEND AR >
Superbowl LIV
Branded content for Tostito’s
2
Super Bowl LIV
4
World Cancer Day
7-15
9 14 Superbowl Sunday What kind of food and drinks are essential for the big game?
Valentine’s Day
Branded content for Shari’s Berries
february
2
A special treat How do you show your love? Give your customers some sweet gift ideas for Valentine’s Day.
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15-19
17 19-25
NY Fashion Week (Women’s)
National Pizza Day
Valentine’s Day
London Fashion Week (Women’s)
Random Acts of Kindness Day President’s Day Milan Fashion Week (Women’s)
20
Love Your Pet Day
22
National Margarita Day
23
Oscar’s Academy Awards
25
National Cupcake Day
2020 CONTENT CALENDAR
International Women’s Day
Branded content for West Elm
6
National Day of Unplugging
8
International Women’s Day
9
Holi
14 Who run the world? Empower your female customer base and show them how you support International Women’s Day.
National Puppy Day
Branded content for Rachel Ray Nutrish
march
3
16-22
17 22 23 25 27-29
30
Ruff day Switch out your human content creators for their fluffy pals on National Puppy Day!
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Pi Day
South by Southwest (SXSW) (Austin, TX)
St. Patrick’s Day
World Water Day
National Puppy Day
Waffle Day
Ultra Music Festival (Miami, FL)
National Doctor’s Day
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2020 CONTENT CALENDAR
D O W N L O A D T H E CALEND AR >
National Sibling’s Day
Branded content for Fanta
1 10
April Fool’s Day
National Sibling’s Day
WonderCon (Anaheim, CA)
10-12 Coachella Weekend 1 (Indio, CA)
Twinning! There are some moments only siblings share, and they are usually goofy. No more fighting, there’s enough of your product for everyone!
Denim Day
Branded content for William Rast
april
4
12
Easter Sunday
17-19
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Coachella Weekend 2 (Indio, CA)
20
420 Day Boston Marathon
22
Earth Day (50th Anniversary)
24
Denim Day
26-28
Wear jeans with a purpose Take this time to educate your customers about preventing sexual assault.
18
11
National Pet Day
Stagecoach Festival (Indio, CA)
2020 CONTENT CALENDAR
Mother’s Day
Branded content for JCPenney
may
Her special day We love our moms 365 days a year, but especially so on Mother’s Day.
5
1
International Worker’s Day
2
Kentucky Derby
4
Star Wars Day (May the Fourth Be With You)
5
Cinco de Mayo National Teacher’s Day
6 10 12-23
25
Nurse’s Day
Mother’s Day
Cannes Film Festival (Cannes, France) Memorial Day
Father’s Day
Branded content for Barbie
june
6 Show him you care We love our dads too! Take time today to celebrate the dads.
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7
Donut Day (#NationalDonutDay)
8
Best Friend’s Day
20
June/Summer Solstice Midsummer Day (Sweden)
21
Father’s Day National Selfie Day
27
Tour de France begins (Nice, France)
28
World Pride Day
19
2020 CONTENT CALENDAR
D O W N L O A D T H E CALEND AR >
Back To School
Branded content for Graze
JULY
Class is in... ...And don’t be late! There are so many necessities we need for the start of school. What are yours?
7
4
Independence Day
7
World Chocolate Day
17 20 22 24
World Emoji Day
National Moon Day
Back to School Season begins Summer Olympics begin (Tokyo)
Outside Lands Music Festival
Branded content for Cyo Cosmetics
AUGUST
8 It’s festival szn! Stay trendy by posting relevant content from creators attending all the hottest festivals.
20
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2
National Beer Day
4
Single Working Women’s Day
7-9
Outside Lands Music Festival (SF, CA)
15
National Relaxation Day
30
Burning Man Music Festival begins (Black Rock Desert, USA)
2020 CONTENT CALENDAR
Labor Day
Branded content for Cars.com
september
Road-trip time! What’s better than a 3-day weekend? A 3-day road-trip (before we all get sick of each other)!
9
7
Labor Day
8
National Grandparents Day
11-16
12 17 21
Halloween
Branded content for Solo
23
Fashion Week (NY, USA)
National Video Game Day
Oktoberfest begins (Munich, Germany)
International Day of Peace
Women’s Fashion Week begins (Paris, France)
october
Boo! Halloween parties are for people of all ages! How can you ensure your product is a part of the fun?
10 THE MARKETING MAG
4
National Taco Day
30
Checklist Day
31
Halloween
21
2020 CONTENT CALENDAR
D O W N L O A D T H E CALEND AR >
Thanksgiving
Branded content for Marie Callendar’s
NOVEMBER
I’ll take a slice. What are you giving thanks for this year?
11
3
Election Day
4
National Candy Day
11 13 26 27 28 30
Veteran’s Day
World Kindness Day
Thanksgiving Day
Black Friday
Small Business Saturday
Cyber Monday
Christmas
Branded content for Coca-Cola
december
12 ‘Tis the season! How does your brand fit into your customers’ holiday traditions? Show them!
22
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4
National Cookie Day
10
Nobel Prize Day Hanukkah begins
18
Ugly Sweater Day
24
Christmas Eve
25
Christmas Day
31
New Year’s Eve
#SuperBowl
#MothersDay
#NationalSandwichDay
#NationalCoffeeDay
#Halloween
#Christmas
Create content for every major holiday and event. Social Native’s Content 365 program creates custom social content for all major holidays, tentpole events, sports and social media events. Never miss another opportunity to join the conversation.
Learn more: socialnative.com/Q4
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CMO Q&A:
The Mind of a Marketer Ever wanted to gain insight from the top marketing executives in the industry? Check out some of our favorite conversations from a few brands featured on our Marketing Mix podcast with co-founder Jeff Ragovin. Marketing Mix picks the brains of the leading CMOs and CEOs of today to discuss the strategies of tomorrow. Jeff covers topics from industry trends & predictions, to first looks into ad campaigns and emerging technologies.
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CMO Q&A: THE MIND OF A MARKETER
“The more we can create personalized marketing at scale, the better off we’ll be.”
Eric Edge, SVP Marketing & Media at Postmates talks how the company name became a household verb, the creative success of its current out-of-home advertising campaign and the future of the ondemand gig economy. In discussing how celebrities such as Iggy Azalea have become an integral part of the Postmates brand, Eric shares his tips on how and when to leverage macro-influencers. Postmates has some great out-of-home advertising campaigns. Are billboards making a comeback, especially for online brands?
There are so many benefits across each marketing channel, but no one marketing channel is going to be the key driver for your business. Out-of-home is part of our strategy to keep our brand top of mind. When you’re driving you’re not on your phone, so when you look up and see a beautiful piece of eye-catching creative from Postmates, hopefully, when it comes to thinking about what to eat for dinner that day, Postmates comes into your mind as the solution. No single media or marketing channel is going to win the game. Out-of-home marketing is one piece of it, but you still need an integrated approach that brings in digital and traditional.
Do you have different campaign strategies for each channel you leverage?
The goal is to have a truly integrated and personalized marketing strategy. The more we can create personalized marketing at scale, the better off we’ll be.
What advice can you give marketers who want to be provocative without being offensive?
There is a very fine line between being provocative or risky in the brand tone, and being totally inappropriate. There’s no formula you can apply homogeneously every time. It has to be inherently baked into your brand. It needs to be clever. Clever is very different from being irreverent. For us, it’s about having a pulse on what’s important to consumers today, understanding and being part of those key seasonal or cultural moments, and then bridging that with our core brand attributes and assets when it comes to our tone and our voice. Every brand should go through the process of deciding what their brand truths are. LIS TEN TO THE EPI SODE >
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CMO Q&A: THE MIND OF A MARKETER
“When you take a derogatory label, and the impacted group takes ownership and flips the meaning of it, you regain your power.”
Melissa Hobley, Global CMO at OkCupid talks driving positive social change through marketing, her experience in launching OkCupid’s infamous DTF campaign and the value of anthropologists for brands wanting to make a cultural impact. Let’s talk about your recent DTF campaign. How did you guys come up with this concept?
DTF is a label that straight guys use with each other when talking about girls, and it’s derogatory. It’s associated with the word “slut,” and we decided that this was a term that needed to be redefined. When you take a derogatory label, and the impacted group takes ownership and flips the meaning of it, you regain your power. Take the word queer, for example. This was a derogatory, negative label placed on a marginalized group, which they reclaimed and made it something to be proud of. That was the mission with DTF.
What challenges did you face rolling out such a provocative campaign?
Certain cities banned it outright. The city of Chicago and SF wouldn’t run our campaigns on any public transportation, billboards or real estate developments owned by the state. We got a lot of press whenever someone said no to us. For example, when we turned on DTF in Portland and blitzed the city, a group called “Citizen Go” started a petition that became so talked about that even Fox News and the New York Post covered it which was great exposure for us.
What were your motivations for taking a stand?
There are two reasons why we did this. First, OkCupid has a legacy of taking a stand on social issues over the last fifteen years. We were the first to create an actual workable solution if you identify as non-binary, and doing that in a dating app is challenging—it’s almost like building the Empire State Building and then changing the plumbing! There’s no business case that said you will ever recoup the cost, time, or energy. So our legacy and history really enabled us to say that this was the right thing to do. The other reason was simply to get attention amidst a competitive market—when you are a brand that has been around for a while in the world of dating apps, you have to do something to capture attention. The dream was to end up on Instagram feeds, and we did in the thousands. We couldn’t believe it. LIS TEN TO THE EPI SODE >
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MARKETING MIX PODCAST
The Marketing Mix Podcast Hungry for more insight? Listen to Marketing Mix, the podcast where Jeff has conversations just like these with CMOs and CEOs of brands like Impossible Foods, Sprinkles Cupcakes, Tender Greens, Philadelpha Eagles, Taco Bell, and more! Check out some of our favorite episodes below.
Sandra Campos CEO, Diane Von Furstenberg MARKETING MIX EP 25
Sandra talks successfully shifting luxury heritage brands into the digital landscape, the value of localized influencer marketing strategies and how to avoid the risk of offensive brand messaging. In discussing the impact technological innovations have on the fashion industry, Sandra shares how Diane von Furstenberg is using nuanced methods of customer service to provide the ultimate shopping experience by bridging the gap between online and in-store. L I STE N TO THE EPISODE >
Jackson Jeyanayagam VP, GM DTC, The Clorox Company MARKETING MIX EP 32
Jackson discusses what makes a great marketer, the rising demand for unicorn marketers, and how the role of the CMO is evolving. Having extensive experience in both the agency and brand side of marketing, Jackson shares his top tips for transitioning within the industry.
L I STE N TO THE EPISODE >
Jessica Appelgren VP Communications, Impossible Foods MARKETING MIX EP 8
Jessica talks market based solutions to sustainability, achieving impact at scale, and the importance of earned media. With the recent launch of the Impossible Burger 2.0, Jessica discusses success at CES 2019, a new partnership with fast-food giant Burger King and how they’re handing the keys over to consumers with new supermarket distribution plans.
L I STE N TO THE EPISODE >
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Content that takes you places. Learn more: socialnative.com/Q4
Branded content created by Social Native
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EXTENDING THE SHELF LIFE OF INFLUENCER CONTENT
Extending The Shelf Life of Influencer Content The explosive growth of social media over the past decade handed a digitized mega-phone to consumers and, in doing so, has entirely redefined word of mouth marketing forever. By leveraging technology to scale and amplify consumer voices, influencer marketing was born and continues to exist as a powerful tool when it comes to building brand trust and strengthening relationships via social media.
From repurposing content on product packaging to redistributing content through e-commerce, brands are now able to reap the benefits of personalized content at scale without the high costs they once faced.
In our always-on world, influencer marketing is undoubtedly the key to participating in the conversation on social media and by 2020, the industry will be worth an estimated $10 billion. As we look to the future, where will the real value of influencer marketing lie for brands? Trust isn’t the only thing influencers are brilliant at creating, and as brands continue to struggle with the time and cost effectiveness of traditional methods of content creation, they are turning to micro-influencers for the solution. Leading brands are realizing that the value of influencers extends far beyond the initial engagement of a post, but rather into the quality of the content. From repurposing content on product packaging to redistributing content through e-commerce, brands are now able to reap the benefits of personalized content at scale without the high costs they once faced. Sourcing high performing, on-demand content for a fraction of the price is the future of content marketing. And UGC content is the solution. Check out what some leading brands are doing by extending the shelf-life of influencer content beyond the initial activation.
Branded content for Nivea
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EXTENDING THE SHELF LIFE OF INFLUENCER CONTENT
Litehouse: eCommerce Savage X Fenty: Email
Litehouse, one of America’s favorite refrigerated dressings brands, wanted to create authentic and engaging social content to showcase their products’ versatility and ease-of-use, specifically with the Litehouse Homestyle Ranch dressing. By partnering with Social Native to unlock the creative powers of 90 real-life families to produce an array of authentic content on Instagram, Litehouse increased sales by 95% during the promotion. Leveraging the content beyond social, Litehouse repurposed the UGC across their e-commerce pages, website and sales collateral. R E A D THE CASE STUDY >
Coca-Cola: Social Coca-Cola wanted to join the conversation on #NationalSandwichDay with fresh, relevant content that would stand out on social feeds. They activated a network of creators via Social Native and within 3 hours, created 30 personalized images to choose from.
With a mission to celebrate fearlessness, confidence, and inclusivity, Savage X Fenty has focused on a social-and-digital-first marketing approach from the outset. With macro-influence at its core and micro-influence in its DNA, Savage X Fenty is redefining influencer marketing and its cultural impact on the world today. While Social Native UGC continues to fuel Savage X Fenty’s social media, it is also driving its email marketing strategy in new and creative ways.
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EXTENDING THE SHELF LIFE OF INFLUENCER CONTENT
Maple Hill: Packaging
Polaroid: Paid Social
Maple Hill, a 100% grass-fed organic dairy brand, worked with Social Native to empower 125 microinfluencers in efforts to harness the enthusiasm of real, local consumers to fuel advertising with authentic and personalized consumer recommendations.
As part of a complete rebrand, Polaroid needed to create enough content to replace white backdrop product images on their website and social channels, and run authentic and personalized ad experiences across social.
Beyond the initial activation, Maple Hill successfully repurposed micro-influencer content on its packaging. Having recently edged its way onto the shelves of some major retailers, such as Whole Foods Market and Publix, Maple Hill succeeded in increasing in-store sales by 172% as a result of their targeted influencer activations and UGC content strategy.
By leveraging Social Native’s micro-influencers, Polaroid created over 1,000 unique images and videos. The impact on paid social? A 213% increase in ad click-through rate, a 200% higher return on ad spend, and a 120% boost in engagement rate. RE AD T H E C AS E S T U DY >
R E A D THE C ASE STUDY >
Zillow: TV Zillow helps people across the US find new homes every day, so it only made sense that they would unlock the authenticity of real-life families in their most recent TV spot. Zillow tapped into the authenticity of their actual consumers by leveraging UGC videos in their commercial for a national television spot.
WAT C H T H E AD >
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Perfecting the Pitch As of 2019, just 4% of Fortune 500 companies are led by a female CEO, and 25% of global businesses have no women in senior management roles. The world’s most impactful businesses are made up of hardworking women whose talents, skills and commitments are critical to a company’s overall success. Although great strides have been made in recent times to uplift women, there’s still a long way to go.
Want to never be told “No” again? Then make it impossible for them not to say “Yes.”
Creating awareness around the often unseen issues that impact women in the workplace is the first step in pursuing positive change. The second step? Taking action. Founded on International Women’s Day 2019 by Bhaji Illuminati, VP of Marketing at Social Native, the GLOW event series has brought together dozens of women in the LA area.
GLOW
is a network of marketers who empower each other in personal, professional and purposeful ways. By creating a community that connects, inspires and celebrates women, GLOW unlocks unlimited possibilities for women’s growth and leadership in the business community.
Led by founding member Nicole Rowett, Global Brand Lead at TBWA\Chiat\Day, May’s event was all about Perfecting The Pitch. For Nicole, inspiring, leading, motivating and guiding are the best tools we can invest in, and they ultimately lead to the greatest business success. With client experience including Target, McDonald’s, TripAdvisor, and Honest Company, Nicole has become a master of perfecting the pitch. Whether it be personal or professional, the art of pitching ideas is critical to success.
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GLOW: A PROFESSIONAL WOMENS’ NETWORK
5 Tips For Perfecting The Pitch Know your audience In order to successfully pitch, you have to know who you are pitching to. Whether you’re pitching to an individual or a group, it is important to have a solid understanding of who they are, what drives them and what unnerves them. This type of knowledge only comes with research. Before entering the room, Google them, search for them on LinkedIn and dive into a recent campaign they’ve worked on. Make sure you have enough information to understand their background and expertise to ask the right questions at the right time. Upon entering the room, get a feel for their personality types. Are they risk averse? Are they entrepreneurial? Are they outof-the-box thinkers? Probe for what drives people by asking
Make sure you have enough information to understand their background and expertise to ask the right questions at the right time.
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questions about third-party campaigns i.e. “I just saw this recent campaign, what did you think? Did you hate it or love it?” Once you have this knowledge, it will soon become apparent which type of communication methods are most effective.
Although it is important to be accommodating and flexible, this is your pitch so ensure that you maintain confidence in leading the discussion in the overall direction you plan for it to go in, and don’t be afraid to redirect the conversation when needed.
Know your key figures, don’t dilute a story, be single-minded about your focus and keep it simple. Less is always more Remember, building trust with those in the room is the key for success, and trust can only be built by leading effective communication and having all the information you need to answer any questions they may have.
Establish goals and expectations It is important to establish and state your objective clearly and early on when pitching to others. In order for them to get on board, you have to know where you are driving to first. When entering the room, ensure you have an intended narrative and structure to your pitch, but always be prepared to pivot at the hand of the decision maker. For example, if they want to talk budget first, be prepared to talk budget first.
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It is often easy to ramble and overcompensate to ensure that a point is conveyed, but this can often be detrimental to the overall impact of the pitch. The power of the word is one not to go unnoticed, so be mindful of your choice of words and how you articulate your objectives. Be precise, talk with conviction, know your key figures, don’t dilute a story, be single-minded about your focus and keep it simple. Introverts, it’s okay to not dominate the conversation, less can be more. Extroverts, take a step back sometimes to let others contribute, silence isn’t a bad thing.
GLOW: A PROFESSIONAL WOMENS’ NETWORK
Listen Pitching is just as much about listening as it is about talking. Taking a temperature check throughout your pitch is one of the most effective ways to get your audience to listen and reengage. A simple “Do you have any questions?” or “Does this make sense?” will ensure you’re focusing on the needs and wants of the decision maker at all times. A successful communicator is someone who knows how and when to pivot the conversation. If you have a great idea that they’re not getting, drop it, but find a different way to come back to it with a different context later on. If you know you’ve lost someone on a point you’re trying to make or an idea you’re trying to sell, let it go and move on. It’s okay to be vulnerable and not know everything, and thinking on the spot is more valuable than following a specific script.
Be a team player Pitching as a team can be the be all or end all depending upon the group’s chemistry and ability to work together and not against one another. Ensuring that individuals have compatible personalities, knowing when to take the lead, when to remain quiet and when to step in will allow you to leverage the benefits of a group’s dynamic to your advantage. It’s hard to say no to an inspiring individual, but even harder to say no to a cohesive team.
A successful communicator is someone who knows how and when to pivot the conversation. So in conclusion, how do you perfect your pitch? Doing your research, adjusting your communication to cater to different personalities, setting clear goals, being selective in what you say, listening to others, knowing when to pivot a conversation, ensuring that your team maintains effective levels of chemistry and having the resources to back up anything you present will all help to perfect your pitch. Whether you’re selling to a client, proposing an idea to a boss or even asking for that promotion, make it impossible to say no. Trust in yourself, follow these steps and your knowledge will shine through.
We are always looking to grow our community. If you’re a female marketer in the Los Angeles area and are interested in attending a GLOW event, we’d love for you to send us a DM! togetherweglow.com @_togetherweglow_
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Branded content for Journeys
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Content creation is both an art and a science. With the rise of user generated content (UGC) in digital marketing, filtering out the best content is becoming increasingly important to maximize results and drive performance. Brands are leveraging UGC to create more meaningful relationships with their consumers, but not all content is created equal. The Social Native Content Awards recognize the best content created across the platform. Creators from all over the world, with all different backgrounds and interests, partnered with the brands they love to create authentic and personalized content to fuel their marketing needs.
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2019 CONTENT OF THE YEAR
S E E MOR E C O N T E N T A WARD S >
Best Moment Captured Brooke is a 27-year-old adventure, travel, and wedding photographer based out of Phoenix, Arizona. In her spare time, she creates epic content for brands like Arrowhead. We just have one question... How many times did her friend have to jump in the pool behind her for this perfect shot?
Branded content for Arrowhead
Most Vibrant Merry is a 29-year-old makeup artist and beauty blogger from Bergenfield, New Jersey. When she is not perfecting her cutcrease, Merry is experimenting with new, colorful ways to showcase the latest beauty trends and must-have products.
Branded content for NYX
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2019 CONTENT OF THE YEAR
Most Empowering Sarah is a 21-year-old lifestyle blogger from Fishers, Indiana. From beauty and fashion, to fitness and food, Sarah is a creator of many talents. In addition to her epic content skills, we are constantly inspired by her commitment to creating a dialogue around body confidence and inclusivity.
Branded content for Forrest Films
Best Contrast Polina is a 21-year-old photographer and social media fanatic based in Los Angeles, California. With her eye for design, Polina is creating innovative content that’s helping Crocs better resonate with Gen Zers.
Branded content for Crocs
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2019 CONTENT OF THE YEAR
S E E MOR E C O N T E N T A WARD S >
Most Trendy Favio is a 28-year-old entertainment, fashion and travel enthusiast from Henderson, Nevada. Favio’s use of bright colors and contrast align perfectly with Fila’s new trendy Disruptor. Our creators do more than just promote the brands they love—they integrate, cooperate and collaborate with them in thoughtful, creative ways.
Branded content for Fila
Most Colorful Alexis is a 40-year-old foodie from Menlo Park , California. With a mission to share her healthy and delicious recipes with the world, Alexis leverages the colorfulness of her ingredients to make the most vibrant content.
Branded content for Cuisinart
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2019 CONTENT OF THE YEAR
Most Fabulous Have you ever seen a pooch with so much sass? Sparkles is a 9-year-old shitzu from Alpharetta, Georgia. In her spare time, Sparkles enjoys long walks, pamper sessions, and modeling for her owner Diane to create epic content for brands like Petco!
Branded content for Petco
Most Refreshing Sparkling water as refreshing as crisp, cold air. Justin is a 29-yearold travel creator based in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. Justin’s content consists of beautiful landscapes and architecture captured in muted yet rich earth tones, and his interests include tech, art, and design.
Branded content for Perrier
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Content so good you jump for joy. Learn more: socialnative.com/Q4
Branded content created by Social Native
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