Orli LeWinter

Hawk... you know... Should brands follow trends? As tempting it maybe on the virality of said trend... 1. Only if it fits the brand image and values. 2. Only if it is relevant and also has some value for the target audience. 3. Only if you are not following all trends all the time. 4. Only if you have some clever idea that is different from what other brands are doing in following such trend. Of course the nature of the trend is that we get on and stay as close to it without infringing copyright or open ourselves for lawsuits - but a lazy copy paste is not a good way. Put some effort, come up with a clever idea that taps into the trend. And no, for this particular trend, it's not a good fit for most of the brands. Sure some brands could - I can see a condoms (you know with extra lube), cough medicine (or dry mouth medicine if there is any) or .. I can't think of more, but I'd keep my brand away from this trend - unless we have a clever idea!!! ADWEEK attempts to answer. Check it out.

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Netflix is the latest titan to recognize the value of programmatic advertising with the announcement of its strategy to distribute unsold OTT/CTV ad space across several different providers. The Trade Desk, Google DV360, Magnite are cited as the next batch of providers. Up until now, CTV media buyers had to go through Microsoft Xandr DSP or book with Netflix publisher-direct. It reminds me of the moment when Lamar Advertising Company took the same bold step to ensure their unsold space was programmatically available in top notch, third party SSP platforms like Place Exchange and others. It’s a rite of passage. Expanding the surface area of buy-side and sell-side platforms unlocks massive revenue dollars, when done right. Some of the smartest people in the world of business work at Netflix. This is proof of that. Many hands make light work! This layers on a new dimension for marketers when they say that they can now “Netflix and Chilll”. 📺😎👏🏼 #programmaticadvertising #ctv #innovation #followthemoney https://lnkd.in/gJU9ytZi

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Great article. We've been preaching this for YEARS at Backbone Media. When we have the opportunity to connect Brand Campaigns with Performance Media efforts, everyone wins. It takes patience and it takes a leadership team that believes in the long term. YETI and its "YETI Presents" film series. YETI's first National TV campaign. Ooni's investment in Pizza Wars and other great pizza-making content. Smartwool's "Do What Feels Natural" campaign. These are all strong examples of connecting Brand Marketing with Performance Marketing. It's clear that when it all comes together everyone wins... DTC, wholesale partners, owned retail stores... We run performance campaigns focused on LTV:CAC ratios and MER with the best of them, but where Backbone Media stands out is connecting Brand Media with Performance Media and thinking about it all as one cohesive strategy. https://lnkd.in/gcFSHw53

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With a world focused on instant gratification sometimes the importance of consistent brand presence goes unnoticed. Chief Brand Officers are the unsung heroes that keep the ship from hitting that iceberg. This is a good read if you are interested in finding out how instrumental branding is to your success.

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Great end of year share. A few of my favs: it needs to be actionable to be useful and just because a platform gives you a measurement it doesn’t mean it’s worthy of being measured.

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At ROI, we periodically engage influencers as part of broader ad campaigns for our clients. And as the newly minted owner of an e-commerce fragrance site (www.LiveTheLuxeLife.biz - shameless plug!), I’m getting an up-close-and-personal view of the impact/value of influencer marketing and how dramatically it’s changed the advertising landscape that I’ve known for decades. Per Goldman Sachs (https://lnkd.in/esXNSVPu), "influencing" now is a $250 billion business driving brands' communication with consumers via teens and adults with large followings on Instagram, TikTok, etc. Influencer marketing sways purchasing decisions, driving increased engagement, brand awareness, and sales. True, celebrities have endorsed products in traditional advertising for eons - Steve Allen for Timex, Arthur Godfrey for Lipton's Tea. Now, social media has democratized "celebrity" in the role of the "influencer." But now, anyone with a sizable online following can work with brands and retailers to make big bucks successfully promoting products. Bye-bye, traditional advertising landscape, and hello, big shift in consumer trust. Traditional ads might seem hollow, impersonal. Today's influencers are perceived as more identifiable, relatable, and trustworthy; as friends. They know the best way to build a loyal audience is appearing authentic and building community around that implied authenticity. When they engage directly with followers, answering questions, commenting, and showing a more human side, fans are more willing to gobble up and engage with what they promote/recommend. Influencer marketing drives a level of one-to-one, yet mass engagement that traditional advertising simply doesn't. Followers comment, share, and like, ask questions about products being promoted and get answered directly, fostering a sense of intimate community. Engagement rates (likes, comments, shares) are often higher with influencer-driven content than traditional ads. Influencers also now are skilled content creators, producing high-quality, visually appealing, lifestyle material - blog posts, videos, stories, etc. - that resonates. They weave products into their lives in ways that feel natural, e.g. using beauty products in a makeup tutorial or demoing a travel gizmo while on a trip. Research shows that 49% of consumers depend on influencer recommendations before making a purchase; 40% of people say they’ve bought a product after seeing it on Instagram. Influencers often build their reputations over years - as they promote goods and services to their audiences, they embed brands into their content, creating lasting impressions. None of this is easy for a 45-year veteran of the traditional media world to admit. But, then again, as NBA legend BJ Armstrong once opined, “Either you change with the times or you get rolled over.” What he said!  

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📹 Amazon is Shaking Up the Streaming Advertising Market! 📺 In January, Amazon made a bold move by making all Prime Video subscriptions ad-supported by default. Just six months in, the impact is clear and brands need to pay close attention to how this will further change the advertising landscape: 🔸 Subscription Changes: Prime Video now defaults to ad-supported at $14.99/month for Prime members and $8.99/month for non-Prime members. Want ad-free? It’s an extra $3/month. 🔸 Market Impact: Amazon joins Netflix and Disney in offering ad-supported tiers, leading to an oversupply in the ad marketplace and therefore companies like Disney are now working harder to attract advertisers. 🔸 Ad Market Dynamics: Prime Video could add over 50 billion impressions to the connected TV (CTV) market this year. Amazon's aggressive pricing strategy is pushing down ad costs, with CPM rates between $30 and $35 which is causing competitors, like Netflix, to lower their CPM rates to stay competitive. 🔸 Competitive Edge: Amazon’s extensive audience reach and customer data from Prime gives it a significant advantage! They can integrate their search advertising with Prime Video, enhancing content monetization and lowering ad prices. 🔸 Market Trends: More consumers are opting for cheaper ad-supported streaming plans. MoffettNathanson predicts a 33% growth in advertising video on demand this year. 🔸 Industry Adaptation: Amazon's approach is pushing the industry to focuse more on market share over high ad prices. SO... What are some things you should be thinking about for YOUR brand? 🔹 Commitment to a proper investment and appropriate flight length 🔹 Plan for ample amounts of video development and to A/B test 🔹 Leverage your data to create tailored targeting 🔹 Take advantage of competitive pricing NOW - test early & often 🔹 Look for the halo effect and take advantage of retargeting 🔹 Up your influencer marketing game - it can boost your credibility, especially with young shoppers 🚀 Exciting times ahead for streaming and advertising! We're following them closely here at The Topo Agency, so if you looking to learn more follow along, reach out to me or someone from my team and as always head over to our website at www.thetopoagency.com to learn more about service offerings! #Streaming #Advertising #Amazon #PrimeVideo #Marketing #TechTrends

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In today’s market, brands are not only marketing to minority consumers; they are also building meaningful and authentic relationships. With the increasing buying power of diverse groups, brands are leveraging tailored strategies and inclusive initiatives to engage minority communities. Here’s how: 1. Culturally Relevant Campaigns: Brands are creating campaigns that resonate deeply with the values and cultures of minority groups. For instance, Procter & Gamble’s “The Talk” and “The Look” campaigns successfully tackled issues of racial bias and earned widespread recognition, generating millions of views and sparking conversations nationwide. 2. Representation Matters: Companies are investing in diverse talent, both in front of and behind the camera. Nike’s collaboration with Colin Kaepernick was a powerful move that addressed social justice, resonating with Black and minority communities and ultimately leading to a $6 billion increase in brand value. 3. Community Engagement: Brands are not just telling stories; they are part of the story. Target has committed to spending over $2 billion with Black-owned businesses by 2025 and has launched initiatives to elevate and support underrepresented entrepreneurs. This commitment is measured through progress updates, helping to build lasting trust. 4. Inclusive Product Lines: Offering products that cater to diverse needs is crucial. Fenty Beauty disrupted the cosmetics industry by launching 40 foundation shades (later expanded to 50), setting a new standard for inclusivity. Within the first month, the brand reached $100 million in sales, demonstrating the impact of addressing gaps in the market. 5. Community Investment: McDonald’s has partnered with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) through the Black & Positively Golden Scholarship Program, awarding scholarships to students and showcasing real impact stories that inspire others to invest in education. These techniques aren’t just about marketing; they are about relationship-building rooted in authenticity and sustained investment. Brands that understand and act on these strategies often see measurable returns, from increased brand loyalty to greater revenue. #InclusiveMarketing #DiversityAndInclusion #BrandStrategy #RepresentationMatters #CommunityEngagement #CulturalMarketing

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‘Big Advertising’ needs to think small. Advertising today is a myriad of smaller things, not just a few big things, and the ad industry needs to more fully embrace this reality or continue to be disintermediated. In large part the industry employs old world approaches to meet new world challenges. And in quite a big week for Big Advertising, this is the first of a double header by me. It lays some foundations for change, and the second part will be published next week, detailing more of the implications for brands. MarketingWeek Jellyfish The Brandtech Group

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After 23 years of managing agency reviews at AAR Partners agency search consultancy, I have tons of comments regarding this article by M.T. Fletcher of Ad Age. Frankly this has been a hot topic for more years that I can remember but lately new business pitches really do feel defective for many reasons. Why? It's always been an expense line on the P&L but its simply become too expensive and expansive for both parties involved. Inflation is soaring for one. Tack on the fact that many reviews are not organized, clearly defined or managed with undivided attention allowing both parties to put their best foot forward by making comprehensive decisions. But why else did the Mad Men era of pitching turn mad and bad? - The average pitch process is 3-4 months (or longer). - The average cost of an agency search is a combined $300K for both agency and client. - The pitch work is rarely produced, prolonging launch in market. - The pitch process is often an unrealistic representation of a client-agency working relationship. - The pitch often showcases a “pitch team” versus the real day-to-day working team (however, agencies know that this is not acceptable with AAR-led reviews). - The pitch takes a toll on mental and physical health. - All marketers have just a few months (if not weeks) to show ROI. Speed to market is critical. - 75% of marketers are managing agency reviews in-house but most admit to not knowing the appropriate landscape and as a result, many relationships unravel within 12-months. - The proverbial revolving door is spinning at a faster pace leaving both marketer and agency teams with different people not too long after the pitch process is complete. - The pitch investment is often not recouped since the average relationship has dropped to two-three years (and some less than within that time frame). - Comprehensive pitch processes used to equate to longer client-agency tenures but that is no longer the case. Change needs to happen and AAR Partners is at the forefront making changes to the agency search process. How? We've been on a mission since 2018 to "reverse the search" and now we're taking it one masive step foward to "kill the pitch!" Of course, pitching will never fully die but we are adamant about: - Streamlined processes. - Shorter and less demanding RFIs. - No unrealistic demands and deadlines. - Massive changes to the pitch assignment. - Less travel (although one IRL meeting is beneficial). We're making strides to have a productive but appropriate pitch process for both parties involved and where we can... We're pushing to "kill the pitch!" #agencysearch #newbusiness #agencyreviews #agencies #pitching

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According to Lindsay Rittenhouse at Ad Age there are just shy of 14,000 U.S. agencies and more opening their doors then ever before. Of course, that begs the question I’ve been asked as a search consultant at AAR Partners for 23 years: How do I differentiate my agency? I’ll repost part of Monday’s POV since it’s rather relevant to this article: …. after decades of reviewing, evaluating and offering counsel on the infamous "creds deck" there's one simple question that I ask agencies: Why you? Push that question a little further and think about: - Why did you start another agency? - What was in your heart and mind to feel that your agency was going to solve an untapped problem? - Or better yet, what pissed you off enough to make a change?! I'm not sure two day immersions are needed when the answer is the one reason that pushed you to want to make a difference. That's your differentiator! —————— I’ll add one more thought here in addition to Monday’s POV. The one and only true proprietary tool you have as an agency is your… p e o p l e ! We are in the business of relationships first. Make sure your people build that relationship by highlighting how they can solve the prospects’ challenges. I can recall so many final decisions being made on the final question of “who would you rather have a drink with?” Cliche? Yes! True? You bet! And when you do win the account after putting in all the work, do not become complacent! This one word is the killer behind all breakups. To all those just starting out on your new journey… much success to you! As a past client of AAR Partners once said, “Make sure your YOU is in all you DO.” Want to grow your agency? Need more advice? Want AAR to get to know your agency and help with new business? Ask about AAR Partners Agency Growth Program. Want to strengthen your client-agency relationship? Need help with brand growth? Thinking about an agency search? Email [email protected] #agencygrowth #newbusiness #marketing #brandgrowth

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Excellent article highlighting the industry's shift toward new compensation models. The WFA/MediaSense study provides valuable data validating what many of us are seeing in the field. The insight about 74% of advertisers wanting to better align agency remuneration with intended outcomes is particularly telling. I recently wrote a deeper analysis of the evolving agency compensation landscape that complements these findings. While AI and automation are indeed key drivers, we're also seeing fascinating shifts in talent dynamics, the rise of specialized independent agencies, and the emergence of innovative hybrid compensation models. For those interested in exploring this topic further, here's a link to my recent article that examines additional factors reshaping agency compensation: https://lnkd.in/daQWhhPJ #advertising #marketing #cmoinsights #agencycompensation #newbusiness #procurement #cmo #agencyselection #partnerships

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Successful CEOs surround themselves with experts to advise. Analytics, impressions, CTRs - what matters? All these new numbers now in marketing don’t make sense. It’s like learning to read a balance sheet. 😩 With our help, CEOs and CMOs can now look at a dashboard, have the correct metrics, and know what #marketing success is. Let’s do this.

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The ad tech industry has been making waves with the rise of "digital twins." Brands now use first-party data to create archetypal personas, enabling them to test campaign strategies and product development in a virtual sandbox. AWS's focus on synthetic data highlights the shift towards privacy-conscious testing. Think of it like simulating a football season on Madden—predictive but not perfect. 🏈💡 #AdTech #Advertising #Data #AWS

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I believe one of the most incredible thinkers in #B2Bmarketing today is Jann Martin Schwarz. There are writers who are much more than the stories they tell. These stylists deliver more than anyone else. Nabokov, Kafka, Elliot. Today I believe James Parker and his new book “Odes to Being Alive” is the greatest contemporary example. Jann shares something with them – it’s not simply the content of his argument that makes engaging with Jann so valuable. This is important because he’s famous for taking “contrarian” points of view on modern marketing challenges. He's pioneering thinking during his leadership of The B2B Institute, collaborating with brilliant thinkers like Mark Ritson, Roger Martin, and Les Binet around topics like customer promise, category entry points, etc. He’s challenged widely held assumptions around hyper-targeting and other supposed truisms of our industry. While there are incredible practical insights in this work (and I’d recommend heading to Linkedin's B2B Institute without hesitation), the way Jann thinks and considers our area of the marketing ecosystem is even more important than the content of his thinking. Finding inspiration in how Jann thinks will help ALL of your work – beyond the specifics of any given topic. I was lucky enough to spend a moment with him at The Saturnalia Chateau, where he shared incredible insights about the buying committee and the complexity of how groups make decisions. A few friends who might enjoy: Dan Rosenberg, Toni Clayton-Hine, Jessica Deckinger, Amanda St L Jobbins, Christopher Burns, Dan Petrossi, Jonah Goodhart, Patrick Reynolds, Noah Brier, Natalie Ely, Jeremy Botwinick, Hannah Budreski, Anna Griffin, Tisha Hulburd, Christi Moot, and Jeff Brooks #B2B #buyingcommittee #marketingstrategy

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It’s time to launch a Media practice at Bullish. We started Bullish because early-stage brands didn’t have access to some of the best tried and proven expertise that later-stage brands benefited from. We developed a hybrid fund / agency business model to close that gap. It’s now clear - after 10 years investing-building-exiting big ideas in the early-stage - that the vast majority of Media offerings out there aren’t really built for where and how we operate at Bullish. And - with an endless ecosystem of upstarts mixed with the infinite applications of AI - the game has changed. The same kind of gap that inspired us to bring more Consulting and Creative services inside 10 years ago, now exists in Media. We see a massive opportunity to bring an integrated, agile, focused media offering to growing companies. We won’t be orienting around “the funnel,” we won’t be talking in impressions, we won’t be optimizing our spend to CAC and little else. There are new ways to do new things. We will be planning against THEIR journey, we will be focused on engagement, we will be orchestrating our efforts to LTV and much more. But to make this vision a reality, we need the right leader; we need someone with the right mix of ambition and accountability, with a skill-set to match. We’re looking for: Someone who starts with people - what they think / feel / do - how they make decisions. Someone who experiments with new and old media, both digital and analog. Someone who can balance the need for short-term sales with long-term equity. Is that you? Is that your friend? Is that your friend of a friend? Please reach out if the answer is yes. #bebullish

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A flat reporting structure always worked for me. As the CEO, in both my media and advertising stints, I immediately formed a cross-functional Leadership Team. It was deliberately called that and not ‘Executive Committee’ as leadership team captures the role this team was required to play, better. I had up to 28 people reporting into me directly and part of the leadership team. We met regularly. Once a quarter at least, for a two-day offsite. The benefits: 1. Faster, transparent, communication. From them to me. Me to them. And most importantly, to each other. 2. Faster learning from each other. If some businesses were trying something new it could be tried elsewhere. 3. Appreciation of every functional head’s role. 4. Quicker ‘buy-in’ of decisions, leading to faster implementation. 5. Formation of informal networks within the team for better collaboration. 6. Shared vision. Shared responsibility. Aligned objectives. 7. Creation of a team culture in the organisation as these leaders formed their own similar teams in their units. I hope my ex- leadership team members agree with the above. #leadership #teamswin #organisationculture

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So glad to see Digiday and Kimeko McCoy write about retail media networks that every marketer, especially those in CPGs, needs to read and absorb. There are pros and cons. My business partner Boris Litvinov contributes. Unfortunately, we are seeing marketers over-invest in RMN with blind faith without realizing the 2X-6X cost implications which affects ROI/ROAS. In an economy when budgets are so tight, no CPG marketer can afford to be that frivolous with their investments, but they are. #rmn #retail #media #retailmedianetworks

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