Sarah Hofstetter

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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Great and provocative read on Liquid Deaths’s success story. So many insights and examples which are relevant for FMCG challenger brands as well. Mark Ritson claims that “… if you step back and look at the original ‘four Ps’, it is almost impossible not to acknowledge that while the promotional P has its place, the product P is invariably the most important tactical consideration. Shitty marketing can surely kill a great product, but without a successful, product even the best marketing does little other than speed its own demise.” And I fully agree (see my earlier post for details) - so if you’re not yet following Mark, do it asap. It’s worth it (and entertaining). #challengerbrands #productlaunches #offlineretail

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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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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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Bye Bye Barbie 🩷 Deadpool ❤️ and Wolverine 💛 are this summers blockbuster collab dream 💭 moment for marketers. Many brands have already jumped on board and I have to say all are pretty good from Kraft Heinz to Xbox to Jack in the Box, Oldspice and HEINEKEN Beverages they all hit the tone just right. The ADWEEK article below does a great job summarizing it all. Now where do influencers fit into all this? Amplification! Storytelling! Reviews! There’s already tons of content on social media and influencers are sharing their thoughts by tapping style trends like skits and duets to talk anything from new popcorn bucket, top 5 scenes, theatre content and of course reviews. Listen up marketers 🗣️ whether you do an official collab or not, you can find your way in. Just make sure you stay relevant and it makes sense and you don’t come off as awkward or cringy. I know what I am doing tonight? Sound off 📣 on brands who should be collaborating…tag the brand. Let’s share those ideas with them. I’ll go first Dunkin'​ 🍩 ☕️ does so many cool collabs and has been hitting it out of the park. Where’s my Deadpool and Wolverine drink or donut? I’d love to see them visit a store and bring a funny skit to life. #marketing #influencer #creator #social #content #movie #collaborations

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With the Ad Age SMALL AGENCY CONFERENCE & AWARDS coming up in Boston on July 23 & 24, 2024 I started thinking about Indies, small and midsize shops. Spoiler alert: I'm more excited than ever about the future of small and midsize agencies. Here's why: Agility is King -- Small doesn't limit impact. Their ability to adapt quickly to market changes and client needs is unparalleled. Specialized Expertise -- They’re not just competing; they’re excelling in areas where deep, focused expertise matters. Personal Touch -- Clients are getting the attention they crave. Senior hands-on talent wins the day. Cost-Effectiveness -- Lower overhead equals competitive pricing without sacrificing quality. Innovation Leaders -- Small shops and Indies adopt new technologies and strategies, setting trends rather than following them. I also wanted to understand the impact AI is having on these shops and found some interesting facts. (sourced from Perplexity and Waldo and speaking to 4-5 Indie owners)... • 56% of midsize companies are prioritizing AI investments. • Nearly 8 in 10 are moving quickly to implement generative AI. • 72% believe AI will significantly impact their productivity and are making investments (not millions -smarter thousands). Why? AI allows smaller agencies to offer sophisticated services that rival larger firms. It's not about size anymore; it's about smarts. Operational Efficiency: Automating routine tasks frees up creatives to do what they do best – innovate. Data-Driven Insights: AI-powered analytics give smaller agencies the kind of data muscle previously reserved for the big players. Enhanced Customer Experiences: Personalized services, predictive analytics – AI is helping smaller agencies deliver big on client satisfaction. Is it perfect? No - everyone said economic uncertainty, the political landscape, increased competition, finding clients at lower project compensation and competing against the majors are real concerns. Based on my review.... We're in an era where agility, specialized expertise, and AI-powered capabilities converge making indie, small and midsize shops a great choice for many clients. Outsmart, not outspend. Kudos to those making it happen on their own. #advertising #smallagencies #soulpurposeadvisory

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Some good advice here.

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🤘 Whoa! Is your brand totally bogged down in all those campaigns and deadlines? It's easy to get caught in the rush and forget the most excellent part—building a righteous brand foundation. 🎸 For food and beverage brands, it might seem chill to delay your brand strategy while you focus on the gnarly stuff like promotion. But trust us, a killer strategy is what makes your brand bodacious—it helps guide every decision and takes your marketing from so-so to totally awesome. ⚡ Imagine this, dudes: Your brand isn’t just surviving, it’s thriving! Every move you make, is totally in sync with your brand's mission, purpose, and tribe. When your strategy is solid, you know exactly where to go and how to get there. Most triumphant! 🛹 Don’t let the chaos of today make you forget your brand’s future. The most excellent strategy is what you need to go from gnarly to legendary. Ready to build a totally radical foundation? Hit up Retail Voodoo, and let’s take your brand on an excellent adventure to success! https://lnkd.in/d6rtwgk9 #BrandStrategy #FoodAndBeverage #PackageDesign #CPG #BeExcellentToYourBrand #BetterForYouBrands #RetailVoodoo #EpicGrowth

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As a brand creative and strategist, I often face the dilemma of when to disrupt a winning formula and when to protect a brand’s heritage (and when to do both at the same time). In my new article in Forbes https://lnkd.in/gWXffTCr, I examine how to navigate this balance by breaking down four case studies of successful brand stewardship. It turns out that sometimes the marketer’s bravest move is restraining themselves from changing what is already working. You wouldn’t rebrand the Mona Lisa, would you? #brandstrategy #brandstewardship #branding #Firehouse #Forbes #marketing

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Thank goodness the advertising industry is finally moving away from outdated and stereotypical social grading. Rather than relying on ABC1 classification, brands are now connecting with specialized interests, subcultures, and communities. This shift has allowed for more creativity to flourish, as brands and their fanbases can now connect through shared meaning. SO much better. #Advertising #CreatorEconomy #Marketing #Community

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"Lose all the indulgent cock about courage and possibilities and transparency. We aren’t saving the world. We are serving it coffee. Remember that brand positioning, whatever you call it, is what we want our customers to think when they think about us. Nothing more." Brands, know your place. #brandstrategy

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When I decided to leave my role as SVP of Marketing Billd back in June of 2023 to start my own CPG brand, there was ONE thing I heard very consistently from almost everyone I spoke to.... "Have you heard of SKU?" It was clockwork. I'm not kidding. If I met anyone in CPG (Founders, investors, etc.), they'd all say "You need to get in touch with the folks at SKU. Even just the connections will be helpful." 14 months later, Amia was accepted into the Fall 2024 Cohort at SKU and will be joining 7 other exciting brands and founders on a journey towards acceleration, learning, community, and opportunity. I'm thankful for all of the opportunities that I continue to get with this brand. To me, it's a testament to our mission and vision of empowering a billion people worldwide to take control of their migraines through more holistic, dietary approaches, without the need for pharmaceuticals. We have a big vision. To ensure every single grocery store worldwide has a "Trigger-Free" aisle that people with migraine can shop, just like allergen or gluten-free aisles. Don't get me wrong. This shit is hard. The opportunities that have opened up are great. And it's nice validation. But nothing is handed to me. I'm busting my ass every step of the way. Thanks to Brooke Wilson, Buff Greebe and Michelle Breyer for the opportunity! Looking forward to working with you all. About SKU: SKU was founded in 2011 by lawyer Shari Wynne Ressler and serial entrepreneur Clayton Christopher, founder of Sweet Leaf Tea and Deep Eddy Vodka, with the mission of accelerating CPGs. It has been a catalyst in establishing Austin as a CPG powerhouse. Since it was founded, more than 100 companies have completed the SKU program. SKU has gained a national reputation for excellence, with such publications as Forbes naming it one of the top CPG accelerators. Learn more at www.sku.is.

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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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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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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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The kids are alright - and they're changing the luxury beverage game Luxury brands are pivoting fast to engage a new generation of affluent consumers Reimagined packaging, digital experiences, purpose-driven messaging Influencer collabs are helping heritage brands stay relevant It's a fascinating window into the rapidly evolving world of luxury marketing Brands are getting creative to adapt to shifting tastes & disruptive new players The most agile will thrive by cracking the code on what young affluents crave How is your brand connecting with the next generation of luxury consumers? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments Source: https://lnkd.in/gwnSz88j ___ I'm Lawrence Lo and I help #DTC & #ecommerce brands grow! Visit my website to learn more. Like + Follow + 🔔 for daily marketing news.

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In honor of the Google trial starting today, we admit 'you should be buying more out-of-home' into evidence. My latest piece about how signal deprecation creates yet another great reason for Pharma & OTC marketers to diversify more spend into OOH. Accretive DPAA OAAA National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) #helpingbrandswin #datadrivenDOOH

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