Marketers Reveal Their Changing Attitudes to Purpose and Entertaining Ads and More – The CMO Whisperer’s Friday Fast Five

Happy Friday! Below are the five articles deemed read-worthy by yours truly. Enjoy!  

 

• Marketers Reveal Their Changing Attitudes to Purpose and Entertaining Ads

Source: Adweek 

Why you need to read it: As I wrote a few weeks ago, it appears the demise of 3rd party cookies is finally going to happen in 2024. What this means is that marketers and advertisers will need to up their creative game in a big way, as they will need creative to capture first-party data to offset the loss of their beloved 3rd party data.  

What you need to learn from it:

A survey of 700 CMOs and marketing leaders from the US, UK and more countries revealed that a key component to brand building in 2023 and beyond will be entertainment and storytelling. In other words, brands need to tap into the emotional side of consumers because the more people feel, the more they buy. 

Click here to read the full article. 

TL;DR: “If there has been one lesson learned from the wave of marketer insights shared around the hugely successful release of the Barbie movie this year, it’s simply that understanding what audiences want and how they like to be entertained will draw widespread attention. Yet in the third-party cookieless world that 2024 is set to bring, for marketers, knowing and owning their customer insights has never been more challenging, or potentially more rewarding.”

 

• 4 Ways to Boost CX with an Outstanding Digital Content Strategy

Source: CMSWire

Why you need to read it: Ignoring the fact that yours truly penned this piece, the REAL reason you need to read this is that while customers are quick to reward companies that offer them an outstanding customer experience, it’s important to not make the mistake of overlooking the value your digital content strategy brings to the CX table. 

What you need to learn from it: By now you should be fully aware of the need and benefit of providing a superior customer experience. But you need to remember you can use digital content strategy to smooth out the entire customer journey. 

Click here to read the full article. 

TL;DR: When your digital content strategy is working toward your CX goals, you improve your chance of long-term growth and success. If your content isn’t playing a part in your CX initiatives, make changes. You might be surprised at how quickly you see an uptick in customer satisfaction ratings, sales and referrals. 

 

• How to do Brave Brand Marketing in a Performance-based World

Source: AdAge  

Why you need to read it: While it is written from the POV of the agency world, the piece is very applicable to those on the brand side as well. The author makes an extremely well-laid out case that performance marketing and brand marketing – AKA emotionally-driven marketing – can AND should live in the same world and not only live, but thrive.  

What you need to learn from it: As the author puts it, “Scribble out the line between ‘performance’ and ‘brand’ marketing.” There’s nothing wrong with taking a performance marketing staple such as coupons and “dress them up in glorious brand clothes.” Far too long there’s been a belief that performance marketing tactics and brand/emotional marketing tactics shall never meet. It’s time to bring them together. And at the very least, test to see if there is a love connection.  

Click here to read the full article. 

TL;DR: “Ultimately, if creative brand marketing has a future alongside the ever-perfecting machinery of performance marketing, it needs to stop insisting on its own importance and arguing like an academic.” 

 

• 3 Ways to Align Marketers to Business Outcomes

Source: MarTech

Why you need to read it: Well, the answer to this question is found in the opening line of the article: Marketing teams have become the catch-all department for executing tactics, but we’ve lost sight of the most important factor — what business outcomes are they actually trying to achieve? Anyone at any level in marketing knows of the “catch-all” designation and thus is fully aware of the need to change this within their given organization.  

What you need to learn from it: While the author lays out three ways for alignment, the most important is the first one, alignment on the marketing outcomes you need to achieve. It can sound so simplistic but it amazes me how many times I hear of a given marketing team not being 100% aligned with the outcomes, the marketing outcomes, everyone seeks.  

Click here to read the full article. 

TL;DR: “It’s time to stop doing endless tactics. By aligning on business outcomes, having a transparent prioritization system and using data to inform what to work on next, you’ll align your marketing organization on the right work at the right time.” 

 

• Peyton Manning Shares the ‘Embarrassing’ Locker Room Moment that Transformed his Leadership Style

Source: Entrepreneur    

Why you need to read it: Regardless of whether you’re a football – American football that is – fan you need to read this as it provides a glimpse into the mind of a different kind of leader. In our world, we are accustomed to learning and hearing from business leaders. And there’s nothing wrong with that, of course. But it is incredibly valuable to learn from leaders outside our world of marketing and advertising. 

What you need to learn from it: Before anyone can lead, you must first earn the respect of those of you are entrusted to lead. In Peyton’s case it was the harsh lesson as a college freshman trying to inspire and lead older teammates before he had earned their respect.  

Click here to read the full article. 

TL;DR: “Manning pivoted to what he dubs ‘silent leadership,’ demonstrating through his actions — showing up for his team, staying humble and constantly striving to improve — that he could be an effective leader.”   

We have a saying around the halls of System1: We think much less than we think we think! As you’re pondering that thought-provoking statement, you’ll also want to download the book that has been described as “A brilliant summary of what we now know about the fast, unconscious drivers of most customer choices and their implications for marketers.”