Mediaboss Marketing

The default approach for brands working with creators is broken. Too many marketers approach creators with a transactional mindset, where the process (and the outcome) is akin to purchasing media. Its ad-buying via creators.

This type of creator marketing almost always emanates from a brands media budgetnot creative, culture or brandand filters through the brands media agency.

Typically, marketers instruct media agencies to work with influencers as part of their overall media plan. Media agencies ship RFPs to a set of influencer marketing agencies. The brand then chooses an agency based on who can offer the most views, impressions or engagements for the least amount of budget. Briefs are sent out to creators, an Instagram post or TikTok is created, and voila, the transaction is complete.Creators are commoditized as units of media.

The result is a series of one-off engagements at scale, and over the last several years this approach has unfortunately become the norm.Check off the influencer box and move on to the next bucket in your media plan.

But there are limitations to this approach.

As we know, viewers grow weary of this type of transactional brand behavior, especially when its the norm. In an era of on-demand entertainment, viewers can easily tune out brand messaging that isnt delivered thoughtfully or with respect for its audience. Marketers increasingly express concern about whether the transactional approach to creator partnerships is actually driving long-term value or is capturing the attention of audiences for more than a moment.

This dynamic is also not exclusive to the creator economy. There are parallel debates actively occurring in more traditional venues: Brands like Airbnb are struggling to balance their investments in creative storytelling and brand-building with performance media and channels like search. After an era where brands had been increasing investments in performance media across the board, they are seeing diminishing returnsand brand-building and storytelling are fighting back.

The limitations of the transactional approach to creator partnerships were best illustrated through the lens of perhaps the most well-known brand and talent partnership of all time. What if Nike had approached Michael Jordan the way many brands approach influencers today? Wear our shoes for this one game, appear in this one commercial, stand next to our logo this one time. Unquantifiable brand value and equity would have been lost. Just like with traditional advertising, brands that invest in deeper, longer, creatively driven, strategically rooted relationships with creators will win.

The best marketers will think about creators the same way they might approachhigher-funnel brand-building or partnerships with traditional talent: How can we tell a more meaningful brand story? How can we create a deeper connection with our audience? How can we align ourselves on a more substantive level with this new generation of personalities and tastemakers?

The savviest brands are already pursuing this approach. The briefs originate from the brand marketers themselves, who view creator partnerships as a top-of-the-funnel, brand-building opportunity.

And they are going directly to partners that specialize in this space and can help them define and realize their vision for collaborating with creatorscontent agencies focused on the creator economy, talent management firms that understand how to work with brands, publisher partners that have in-house creative and talent departments.

And theyre going many levels deeper on the type of content, partnerships and strategy they are bringing to the creator space.

So dont treat creators like units of media. They represent the biggest opportunity in marketing today for brands to reach a new generation of viewers who tune out traditional media. If brands dont approach creators with the right mindset, they shouldnt be surprised when a creator builds their competitors brand instead.

Read more:
Creators Are People, Not Ad Units. Brands Need to Catch Up - Adweek

In the last 10 years, PR has taken a different dimension, especially after the entry of social media and the rapid shift to digital during the pandemic period. At the same time, the industry has been facing stiff challenges, moreover client expectations have also increased, with more emphasis being given to digital and online reputation management. The industry has undergone a radical shift and the current times have pushed the industry to change gears.

In conversation with Adgully, Pranav Kumar, Managing Director, Allison+Partners, speaks about the talent crunch facing the PR industry, how technology is impacting the PR operations, handling crisis situations in the era of social media, and much more.

What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the public relations industry in India today, and how do you plan to address them?

Lets look at the opportunities first. If you look at the recent Public Relations Consultants of Indias (PRCAI) SPRINT 2022-23 report, communications consultancies are well positioned for robust growth in the year ahead, with top-tier firms growing in double digits. PR practitioners increasingly have a seat at the table, with at least eight out of every ten clients C-suite working closely with their communications teams and agency partners. Coming out of the pandemic, public relations as a function has been indispensable, fuelling the need for empathy-based and purposeful communications.

None of this can happen without the right people and hence, talent is the number one challenge that the report identified in terms of challenges, beyond any macro-economic challenges or any other externalities. With attrition close to 20 per cent, consultancies will need to do a lot more to attract, manage, and retain talent. Lastly, the report also points to a greater need for bridging client and agency expectations, where the need for quality counsel and talent needs to better align with budgets.

How has technology changed the way in which public relations is practiced in India, and what new trends do you see emerging in this field?

I tend to think that PR firms are progressive on the whole and most modern-day firms experiment with, and embrace, new technology. Technologys velocity is such that we need to constantly think ahead-of-the curve. Look no further than the November 2022 iteration of Open AIs chatbot, Chat GPT 3 that takes generative AI to the next level with the capability to generate text, imagery, or other media in response to prompts. It certainly made the entire PR fraternity sit up and take notice.

We are seeing the emergence of two themes from this disruption: Firstly, we need to see technology as an enabler, the better we understand it and leverage it, the faster it will take away mundane and laborious tasks allowing us to focus on creativity and in developing campaigns that strike a chord with target audiences. Secondly, we need to not let technology take over or intimidate us, we need to define its use and control it, rather than the other way around. Tools like Chat GPT 3, Google Analytics, and many more will allow us to be more insights focused, helping us research better and equipped to run campaigns. While generative AI can create content at lightning speed, from what we know so far its best use at the moment lies in helping us iterate better versions of content we create with a human touch and one that resonates best with our audience.

How should a PR firm handle a crisis situation induced by a social media-influenced boycott campaign of its client?

Operating transparently, authentically, staying true to ones brand promise, values, and good stewardship overall are bulwarks to prevent such a situation in the first place. However, massive social media and consumer empowerment, an environment teeming with polarization and misinformation means that even the most innocuous campaigns and well-intentioned brands can get into undesirable or sticky situations.

If a brand is a victim of misinformation, fake news, or any malice, a quick and effective response is important to shape the narrative and manage responses effectively to dispel misperceptions by issuing frequent statements and taking a proactive media strategy to get ahead of the news cycle. Precise monitoring is important to inform next steps or a shift in strategy. Should a brands campaign not pass the litmus test of consumer or political sensitivities and inadvertently offend a particular cohort, from our experience, its best to own up through expedient and transparent information and take corrective action. Of course, in extreme cases as we have seen in recent times, brands may even need to pull back on their ill-fated campaigns for greater good (including for business compulsions).

Every situation has its own backdrop and undercurrents. This is not necessary to have a prescriptive answer or modus operandi.

How has the PR industry in India evolved over the past few years, and what trends do you see emerging in the near future?

The pandemic showed us how resilient communications as a function is to businesses. The PR industry overall demonstrated agility by helping brands navigate a disrupted environment where it was important more than ever, to showcase authenticity, being purposeful, and yet balancing those objectives with corporate and brand reputation in order to accomplish business objectives such as brand building, or increasing market share compulsions. I expect that the times ahead will be no different with the lines between marketing and communications blurring even more.

Again, referring back to the PRCAI SPRING Report 2022-23, key emerging trends include the increasing role of regional media in India, with clients increasingly investing more in Tier - two/ three markets, the growth of paid media with shrinking editorial real-estate across publications, growing demand for specialised crisis counsel, public affairs, and internal communications. A digital-first world means that PR firms will continue to bolster their social media marketing capabilities, taking much more of marketing budgets from 10 per cent in 2019, to almost double of that by 2023/24.

How has your agency adapted to the changing media landscape, particularly with the rise of social media and digital communication?

Being creative public relations practitioners, we use our skills in messaging, engagement, storytelling, and content to help clients navigate todays omni-channel world and in driving online-first outcomes. Our talented teams in India and around the world are adept in driving integrated campaigns given the changing media landscape. Our Marketing Innovation Team looks at meshing creativity with technology to offer a swath of solutions ranging from short-form and long-form video, editorial, on-going influencer campaigns, to paid media partnerships to help brands bring their stories to life.

What steps do you take to ensure that your clients messages are effectively communicated to their target audiences, and how do you measure the success of your PR campaigns?

While there are various ways to do this, we typically look at running messaging workshops with our clients and their stakeholders to help hone-in on specific messaging and developing an overarching narrative. Audience and channel segmentation come next with spokesperson training an essential prerequisite to be able to deliver those messages effectively. Monitoring and tracking on how we are doing on message delivery is critical for us to refine or tweak our strategies. Measurement criterias vary from client to client. We build customised dashboards which are closely linked to specific goals, including aligning to specific MIS parameters, client-side. We also use a variety of tools for mainstream and social media tracking to measure parameters like on-message delivery, share of voice, impressions, and more.

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PR firms will continue to bolster their social media marketing ... - Adgully

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Angel Mae Glutz runs a fine art and tattoo studio called Coven in Jacksonville, Florida. To promote her business and bring in clientele from all over, Glutz says she uses a variety of social media platforms, including TikTok.

Facebook and Instagram and TikTokhave been incredible, she said. I moved a lot in my 20s and 30s, and those platforms made it a lot easier for my clientele to follow me.

But entrepreneurs like Glutz who rely on social media for their businesses could wind up as collateral damage in the ongoing battle against China-based TikTok on Capitol Hill. The White House has already banned TikToks use on government devices and lawmakers are weighing legislation to limit communication platforms and tech owned by foreign adversaries.

The potential for a blanket ban on a global tech player like TikTok, with more than 150 million users in the U.S., could have significant ripple effects on the influencers and small businesses that generate revenue from the app.

Social media sites like TikTok and Instagram, among others, have come under fire for data privacy issues. Some are now pushing back via grassroots marketing campaigns, running commercials on platforms like Hulu and YouTube that show their positive impact on Americans.

In the TikTok Sparks Good campaign, the company shares user testimonials, such as one from a member of the Air National Guard who uses TikTok to post informational videos to the military. More recently, Instagram launched a TV ad showing a young hockey player posting videos of his practices on Instagram, as his mother helps manage his screen time and any negative comments.

Much of this ad spend is a response to the U.S. governments scrutiny of social media sites, ramped up lately due to the latest string of broader data leaks. For example, authorities are still investigating the months-long leakage of classified military documents later publicized by Russia on social media sites. The Federal Trade Commission is pursuing a wide-ranging investigation of Twitter in connection with alleged violations of FTC privacy rules.

Meanwhile, lawmakers are weighing a proposed bill, called the Restrict Act (Restricting the Emergence of Security Threats that Risk Information and Communications Technology), which would ban any communications tech that the U.S. government sees as a security threat produced by six foreign adversaries: China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia and Venezuela.

The Restrict Act, though controversial, has now garnered bipartisan support from 25 senators and is backed by the White House. Its early in the legislative process; the bill still needs a full mark-up in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation before it can proceed.

The bill would put the Department of Commerce in charge of regulating and blocking communication technology made by foreign adversaries that pose a security threat.

The threat that everyone is talking about is TikTok, and how it could enable surveillance by the Chinese Communist Party, or facilitate the spread of malign influence campaigns in the U.S., said Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) in a March 7 announcement of a bipartisan bill. We need a comprehensive, risk-based approach that proactively tackles sources of potentially dangerous technology before they gain a foothold in America, so we arent playing Whac-A-Mole and scrambling to catch up once theyre already ubiquitous.

Leaders in the House have voiced support for such legislation, with some wanting to ban TikTok outright, though that would be very difficult considering that millions of people in the U.S. (including small business owners) use it daily. The White House took some action on February 27 by giving federal agencies 30 days to erase TikTok from all government devices.

The Restrict Act was introduced the same month that TikToks CEO, Shou Chew, testified before Congress. He argued that TikTok is not under the control of its China-based parent, ByteDance.

TikTok, as a U.S. company incorporated in the United States, is subject to the laws of the United States, Chew said in his testimony on March 23 before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. TikTok has never shared, or received a request to share, U.S. user data with the Chinese government.

TikTok has significantly ramped up its privacy policies and security in recent years, as have other social media platforms, including Instagram and Facebook. Chew added that TikTok has begun storing data from the U.S. on a server farm in Texas, a project expected to cost $1.5 billion.

Within the year, he said, all protected U.S. data will be under the protection of U.S. law and under the control of the U.S.-led security team. Under this structure, there is no way for the Chinese government to access it or compel access to it.

TikToks privacy issue cant be fully resolved using familiar protective measures, such as using virtual private networks (VPNs). Masking the users IP address, as VPNs do, is of limited use in blocking surveillance of device-specific data. One reason is because certain types of data are drawn from device functions like Wi-Fi location tracking and GPS, not a browser or app.

When the Restrict Act first came out, some critics raised concerns that the bill could authorize the Commerce Department to levy a $1 million fine against individuals who use a VPN to access TikTok in the event the app were banned. But most of those concerns have been resolved, and the text of the bill never mentions VPN.

A spokesperson for Warner has been quoted by at least one media outlet as saying the legislation is aimed at companies like TikTok that create systemic risks to the United Statess national securitynot at individual users.

Many users of social apps like TikTok and Instagram say there are privacy and block options they can apply to feel more in-control and safe with what they choose to post. There are also many tutorials by these companies, and users of the platform explaining how to control the settings. Glutz recalled how a younger user of TikTok, whom she was tattooing, showed her how to set up controls so that only followers of a certain age could see his post about getting the tattoo.

I actually get comfort in using social media from my younger clientsthey literally grew up on social media. The younger generation understands the safety equipment associated with these apps, Glutz says. Its the same way a ship captain understands the boating equipment better than anyone else.

See the article here:
TikTok, Other Social Media Face U.S. Roadblocks; Companies And ... - Forbes

Name: Cameron BarhamDegree: BA,Psychology with a criminal justice minorCollege: College of Liberal ArtsHometown: Allentown, PennsylvaniaGraduation year: 2023

Big Future: A counselor at Allentown Residential, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility. He is also attending Chestnut Hill College in the fall to obtain a masters degree in counseling with a concentration in child and adolescent therapy and trauma studies.

Why Temple: After visiting Temple University as a high school senior years ago, Cameron Barham, CLA 23, was immediately drawn to the campus diversity and inclusiveness, as well as its city within a city atmosphere. He felt that Temple would allow him to grow personally and professionally and provide the support he would need to achieve his dreams.

Standout internships: Cameron landed a marketing research internship in 2022 at the European Institute of Innovation for Sustainability while studying abroad in Italy. The internship allowed him to apply his knowledge of psychology to the field of marketing through the institutes fashion sustainability project. The opportunity was an eye-opening experience for Cameron because it showed him there were unique and endless ways to apply his degree in the real world including advertising, business and marketing, pathways he had never considered before.

Philly life: As an Allentown native, Cameron quickly came to love the hustle and bustle of Philadelphia. There is so much life always pulsing around him when he steps foot onto the citys sidewalks, and he relishes the feeling because its a stark contrast to his hometown. And, of course, the citys food scene has a special place in Camerons heart. He loves trying out different cuisines at Center City restaurants with his friends and family.

Temple Made moment: Camerons most significant moment at Temple occurred when he switched his major from bioengineering to psychology after his first year. After taking engineering classes and learning about the role of a bioengineer, Cameron realized that he couldnt spend his career focused on lab work. He needed a career where he was able to be more hands-on in addressing social issues and decided to major in psychology and minor in criminal justice.

Hootable: My Temple classes have been pillars for me. They helped pave my way by not only giving me more insight into my career field, but also helping me have a clearer sense of the specific populations I would like to work with. My professors also provided the support I needed to excel in my coursework and connected me with internships that helped launch me into my career after graduation.

- Ayana Jones

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Inside the mind: Temple senior takes the next step toward his dream ... - Temple University News

Bud Light continues to face backlash more than a month after its polarizing pact with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney prompted outrage from conservatives that an industry guru believes was one of the biggest social media misfires of all time.

The saga began when Mulvaney publicized that thebeer companysent packs of Bud Light featuring the influencers face as a way to celebrate a full year of "girlhood." Mulvaney said the cans were her "most prized possession" on Instagram with a post that featured "#budlightpartner."The backlash was swift and parent company Anheuser-Busch has been faced with plummeting sales as a result, losing some $5 billion in market value.

"In my career, and from what I've seen, this has by far been one of the most polarizing instances within the social media space," Viral Nation marketing strategist Emma Ferrara told Fox News Digital.

Ferrara believes Bud Light should have approached the attempt to reach the transgender community, or new customers of any kind, more strategically.

Bud Light continues to face backlash more than a month after its polarizing pact with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney prompted outrage. (Getty)

BUD LIGHT IN SERIOUS TROUBLE OF LOSING STATUS AS TOP-SELLING BEER IN US, INDUSTRY EXPERT WARNS

"When you're looking to connect with a new community, which I think is incredibly important, I think there is a right and wrong way to approach that. And it starts with understanding who your core audience is," she said. "It starts with also understanding who is your brand and what are your values and what's your purpose."

Ferrara feels Bud Light should have figured out how to connect its once-loyal consumer base with the community it was trying to reach, which the beer maker seemingly failed to do. Once-proud consumers across America were outraged that Bud Light celebrated a full year of "girlhood" with a transgendered person, which has emerged as one of the most polarizing issues in America.

Many have scolded Bud Light over the partnership, with everything from blue collar Americans boycotting the product to conservative rock star Kid Rock using severalBud Lightcases for target practice.

Ferrara thinks Bud Light would have been better off bringing in a "real, authentic and credible fan of Bud Light" within the transgender community if it wanted to reach that demographic, as Mulvaney didnt feel like an authentic consumer of the product.

"Brands need to be aware that the transgender community is not a monolith, and individuals within that community have, you know, many different experiences and perspectives and identities," Ferrara said. "That means brands need to conduct thorough research and gain a deep understanding of the nuances within that community. And as well, I think there should have been some steps to really understand their current community and how they feel around that topic."

BUD LIGHTS PACT WITH TRANS ACTIVIST DYLAN MULVANEY SPARKS OUTRAGE, PRAISE

Dylan Mulvaney models Maybelline Makeup products in TikTok video from March. (Screenshot/Oli Londons Twitter account)

The Bud Light situation has been at the forefront of the cultural zeitgeist for over a month, and has been a fixture among conservative talking points in recent weeks.

"This very much ties back to the notion that not all publicity is good publicity," Ferrara said.

Things have gotten so ugly that Anheuser-BuschsCEO Michel Doukeris addressed the ordeal on an earnings call with investors on Thursday. He downplayed the brand's partnership, and insisted there is "misinformation" spreading on social media about the company's team-up with Mulvaney.

"We need to clarify the facts that this was one can, one influencer, one post and not a campaign," Doukeris said, noting that the company has provided "direct financial support" to the frontline workers impacted by the boycott, naming delivery drivers, sales representatives, wholesalers, bar owners and servers.

CEO DISTANCES ANHEUSER-BUSCH FROM BUD LIGHT DYLAN MULVANEY CONTROVERSY: 'NOT A FORMAL CAMPAIGN'

Ferrara thinks Doukeris comments missed the mark.

"I really am of the belief that there is no such thing as a small post, or one post, or diminishing the meaning behind that. I do believe that there was an effort to connect with the community and one that, I think, just came about in the wrong way because it was inauthentic, and it wasn't credible," she said.

"When we think about the social space and when we think about partnerships and when we think about diverse groups and creators, including those from the transgender community, I think it's really important for brands to take a step back to ensure that they're relevant, they're authentic and they're credible in regard to the brands need to really develop a thoughtful and nuanced strategy around this," Ferrara continued. "I think it's important that you have the right experts to help you navigate and understand what is the best way to meaningfully connect, and is it even the right community to connect to?"

During Thursdays call, Doukerissaid it was too early to tell how the boycott affected Bud Light sales but was bullish thatAnheuser-Busch will quickly recoverfrom any setback. He reminded investors that the company has navigated global challenges including temporary bans on beer sales in certain countries and shutdowns of bars and restaurants across the globe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The backlash has also led Bud Light toshake up its marketing team.

FOX Business' Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.

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Bud Light still facing outrage after one of 'most polarizing' social media gaffes ever, industry guru says - Fox News