Mediaboss Marketing

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, staying connected is more important than ever.

Heard that one before?

Times have changed, and of course, so have many aspects of the way we think about branded content marketing. However, clich messaging still poses the same risk: tired platitudes can drive audiences further away with every attempt to draw them closer.

Your brand is one of millions navigating similar waters. Themes you use for the first time seem fresh to you, but the same emotions and terminology may already be working their way into content campaigns around the worldand consumers are growing tired of the same generalized statements about hard times. Overused, empty messaging can cause your branded content marketing initiatives to land with a thud when you expected a splash.

Becoming aware of these COVID clichs and steering clear of them can help you get back in the business of standing out with campaigns of substance. Whether youre producing copy for enhanced assets, social media posts, video copy, or email newsletters, watch out for these fresh phrases turned tired tropes. With a little creativity, your team can capture the same messaging through more spirited alternatives that resonate with your target audience.

Before the pandemic, using this phrase was a common way to add gravity to marketing pitches. And it made some sense as a lead-in when the effects of COVID-19 were still fresh. Months later, however, people have had time to adapt (to varying extents). Its former meaning is coming back with a vengeance, and using it to introduce an idea will reek of opportunistic capitalizing on the era.

Instead . . .

Skip to the point! Youre bound to type this phrase, or a similar one, without even thinking about itclichs love to sneak into your content that way. Just remove it and watch your sentences step into the present day.

Now more than ever, Effective marketers need to know how to collaborate with other teams effectively, without the meeting rooms and whiteboards.

According to Google Trends, the average monthly online use of the word unprecedented spiked in March 2020 and has remained at levels over double those from before the pandemic began. Thats just . . . well, you know. (This doesnt make it a good SEO keyword, by the way!)

Image attribution: Google Trends.

On top of being such a common word to describe the COVID-19 era, it doesnt actually say very much. If you feel the need to point out the nature of our reality right at this moment, its worth at least finding a novel way to say it.

Instead . . .

The next time youre tempted to use unprecedented or uncertain or difficult times, dig deeper and get specific. Home in on the particular message you want to send out. Alternatively, you can turn the concept on its head by being self-aware, acknowledging the common word, and getting your funny on.

Nobody has a compass to navigate these times, but at least we have . . .

These times are, for lack of a lesser-used word, unprecedented.

Throwback to precedented times.

The one means well, but with the shock value of COVID-19 behind us, this message has lost its power. The general perception of normal has changed, and with no definitive end date in sight, the notion of getting through the pandemic is more a display of disconnection from the COVID-19 reality than anything else.

Instead . . .

Try skipping the sentiment altogether. Focus on offering insights and tips on how your product or service can help consumers as they continue to acclimate to the next normal.

Image attribution: Markus Winkler from Unsplash.

The idea of a brand being present is too abstract to carry much weight. Unless your audience is in need of saving, this phrase is ready to give up the ghost. For general communication by your brand, its just noise; every brand is trying to stay in the minds of their consumers, just as we always have.

Instead . . .

Concentrate less on your own existence. Fast-forward to your audiences pain points, and center your branded content on what you are there forwithout overtly stating it.

We get itZoom fatigue is real. Were here to help your team members stay motivated to do great things.

Here to make online photo-sharing a snap.

This phrase automatically underestimates customers ability to communicate virtually. By now, many among even the most technophobic folks have decorated their video chat backdrops and accepted socially distant calls as the new norm for connection.

Instead . . .

Think about moving forward. Rather than referencing the idea of staying connected, encourage your audience to stay positive. Theyre already connected; get them invested in whats to come.

We get ityouve been around. When the pandemic began, many brands quickly pivoted to speaking about their own histories. Lean on creativity and consumer-focused messaging to help your brand stand out.

Instead . . .

When youre spreading a message of support, dont date yourself. Keep most of your focus on the present day.

Just like how a creative person doesnt prove anything by describing themselves as creative, your brand doesnt need to state how human it is.

Instead . . .

Show, dont tell! Share a photo of your Zoom grid of employees during your next all-hands company meeting. If anyone on your team puts time into volunteering, or even if youre just staying connected remotely, sharing those insider views softens branded content marketing with a dose of everyday truth that encourages empathy.

Image attribution: Engin Akyurt on Pixabay.

If a phrase sounds like it could have come from any company, then including it in your branded content marketing will only obscure your brands message. Quality content remains the lifeblood of effective content marketing. Staying true to your brand messaging will always result in more authentic content than simply jumping onto the latest buzz-phrase bandwagon.

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Featured image attribution: Sergey Semenov from Pixabay.

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7 COVID Clichs to Avoid in Your Branded Content Marketing (And What to Say Instead) - The Content Standard by Skyword

Have you ever personally experienced microaggressions or acts of racism in the workplace?

I would say I faced microaggressions for the most part. Whether it was me coming back from the weekend and people saying oh Janishas a new hair style or getting questions about where Im from in Atlanta. I grew up in a predominantly Black area, and as Atlanta became more and more gentrified, colleagues would talk about having to get through the sketchy part [of Atlanta] or saying I wouldnt move there. That was the part I grew up in. When they make comments about [my hometown] being the sketchy part they really mean its a predominantly Black community.

I dont know if its just some hope in me but I do believe this time is different. What "different" means, only time will tell. When I think about where I was in 2012, when Trayvon Martin was killed, I remember coming back [to work] and no one was talking about it at all. Or you could talk about it amongst other Black friends and colleagues at work, which as we know is already a small pool. But this time, I walked into the office and everyone was talking about it.[Her white colleagues] are understanding that Black voices need to be amplified. What were they doing before they got here? Thats always the question. But there is a tiny bit of hope that this time is different, especially given the fact that things have continued. This thing has not closed down.

It changed tremendously. We started our journey four years ago by making our Diversity and Inclusion Council. We had some service activities. When youre trying to move a culture, its a long-term journey. Then, when George Floyd was killed, the roadmap we had was completely thrown out the window. We decided we cannot put diversity and inclusion on the back burner. We had to take action. We had come up with the idea for Brave Spaces [where BIPOC and other employees from marginalized groups can go to share grievancesand creatively inclusive ideas for client work] from Adcolors Courageous Conversations, but we never could figure out how to implement it [across the agency] over the past three years. We thought wed have to have a protocol where employees couldnt talk over each other. The weekend we came back from George Floyd being killed, we threw our protocol out the door and said we need to have these conversations. We had an initial Zoom call that 182 people joined. Ourallies were there to listen.

Brave Spaces has been a hit, weve gotten so much positive feedback from that. Its allowed us to get to know each other. We sit next to the same people every day at work and we dont know them. We tend to assume that just because they "made it,"theyre "good."But we all go through things just as human beings and Brave Spaces has allowed us to share our stories. Weve had our brave sisters and brothers within ourAsian-American community talking about COVID being labeled as the Chinese flu, and all of the other [racist] things being said to them and their children.

Another big piece was the releasing of our [diversity] numbers. We realized he had to talk about where we are. Weve been on this journey for about five years and we know we still have miles to go. I remember meeting with our c-suite [beforehand] about that. I was scared; I was telling them that were going to out ourselves. But they were so receptive. I was talking to them about about the commitments I felt we should make. When my CEO said to me "this is a fair report,"it was the happiest day of my life. It meant he wants to improve and we have reason to improve, both internally and externally with our clients.

Yup. Because I have a strategy background, I know how to use my strategy hat and apply it to how I talk to my clients. I was on the phone with a lot of our clients as the [Black Lives Matter] protests were erupting. We made it clear to them that people are going to be asking about what they look like on the inside. We advised them on how to take care of their employees, how and where to donate. Companies have been called out for posting the black square on Twitter [showing solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement] but not having one person of color in the board room. Consumers today are looking at brands to be moral compasses. Theyre not going to buy from you if you dont stand for something. We are having those conversations. Americas alarm clock has gone off and brands have woken up. Conversations from a casting perspective have been going on for a long time but were moving from casting to cultural conversations. We all talk about how representation matters but nuance matters more. Just seeing a Black woman in a TV spot is not enough. The cultural insights have to be there too.

For sure. Client briefs before would be like we need to reach Gen Z and millennials, but now clients are saying we want to hit the African-American market and we want to make sure we are not just copying and pasting a general market spot and changing out the characters to make it the African-American spot. Before, that was OK.I dont think the culture ever thought it was OK, but the brands saw it as a good way to save money and time. Most brands are starting to see that diversity cant just be a checkpoint in your brief.

Its one of the reasons we released our diversity numbers. I was on a call [with a prospective client] who is a white woman who asked everyone to turn on their cameras because [the pitch] was for a project [targeted] to an African-American audience so she wanted to see the teams [reflectthe audience]. I kind of chuckled at that but was so proud.

Mentorship is number one. We have to make sure we are leveling the playing field for everyone, not just inside our walls but outside. I know we compete against agencies but when it comes to this topic, we need to share tips and tricks. So one of the other things were adding is a resource on our website that gives guidelines on how to hold a Brave Space, how to talk to your C-suite about releasing diversity numbers and implementing culture training. We are also making sure we are continuing to diversify our pipeline. When you hear things like the Wells Fargo CEOs comment [in which he blamed a "very limited pool of Black talent"for the company'slack of diversity within its workforce], we said we are going to go on Instagram and find a whole list of diverse creatives. We have to make sure we diversify our talent pool and when we get them in there, make sure we are inclusive to all.Advertising is already a business where you get thrown into the water; we have to make sure our employees have the tools to swim.

Go here to see the original:
Uncomfortable Conversations: The shift in widespread reactions, from Trayvon Martin to now - AdAge.com

It is often said if you are born poor it is not your fault but if you die poor it is definitely your fault. Some people have turned this statement into reality. Umesh vijay kakade is one of them.

Mr. Umesh Vijay kakade is a native of Pune, Maharashtra. He belongs to a middle class family with spiritual values and ethics. His father is a farmer and mother is a housewife. His brother owns a garment shop. Yet he has made his place in the Bollywood industry.

Umesh Vijay kakade is known as the founder and Artist Manager of UK Event & Entertainment. He has a great experience of 5 years in the Event & Entertainment Industry. He is a shining star in the glorious sky of Event and Modeling glamour world. He is popularly known for Managing Top Modeling fashion shows and celebrity events.

Currently, Umesh is in film making industry. He is working on making of a film. Even, he owns production house. He has a good experience of organizing and hosting celebrity events, promotion, campaign & Marketing.

At present, he is currently managing his UK events & Entertainment firm andBuilders andorsement agreement, Live concerts along with it he is an Artist Manager, Designer and fashion Show Organizer, Model Coordinator, Serials, Music Albums and TVC adds Casting Director and Film Maker.

Adding to his long list of work, he is doing Celebrity Endorsement, Digital Social Marketing as well as he deals in real estate business. The secret of his success is that he knows how to make people famous for their work.

He always had the desire to build himself into a person who can become an inspiration for others. We are truly inspired by him.

Read more:
Umesh Vijay Kakade is a true inspiration for us. - US Times Now

Anti-virus software developer John McAfee has been charged with promoting initial coin offerings to his Twitter followers without disclosing that issuers paid him more than $23 million in digital assets for the promotions.

McAfee, 74, is the latest high-profile figure to be accused of illegally touting ICOs, joining celebrities including music producer DJ Khaled and professional boxer Floyd Mayweather.

According to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the cybersecurity millionaire touted at least seven ICOs to his hundreds of thousands of Twitter followers from at least November 2017 through February 2018.

Responding to trolls who call everything that I recommend a shit coin, he wrote in one tweet that one issuer, Sether, was the first social marketing coin and its potential could equal the success of Twitter.

McAfees bodyguard, Jimmy Gale Watson, was also charged with substantially assist[ing] McAfees touting and scalping schemes.

Potential investors in digital asset securities are entitled to know if promoters were compensated by the issuers of those securities, Kristina Littman, chief of the SECs Cyber Unit, said in a news release. McAfee, assisted by Watson, allegedly leveraged his fame to deceptively tout numerous digital asset securities to his followers without informing investors of his role as a paid promoter.

McAfee had increased his Twitter following to 784,000 as of Feb. 17, 2018, in part by becoming a booster for bitcoin. As he gained fame in the digital asset community, the SEC said in a civil complaint, ICO issuers began asking him to promote their upcoming digital asset offerings.

The ICOs he promoted raised at least $41 million and he made approximately $23.2 million in secret compensation, demanding an upfront payment in bitcoin in addition to a percentage of the digital assets offered in the ICOs and, later, a percentage of the total funds raised from investors.

After one Twitter user suggested he was being paid for his recommendations, he replied: Get [obscenity] real. There is no amount of money that could make me say something I do not believe, or something I think may not happen.

Visual China Group via Getty Imag-es/Visual China Group via Getty Images

See more here:
Cybersecurity Tycoon Accused of Touting ICOs - CFO

KGBTexas Communications Shares Results of Worldcom Confidence Index

Employee-related topics represent five of the top seven topics for corporate CEOs and CMOs in the most recent Worldcom Confidence Index, a monthly snapshot of chief executive and chief marketing officer sentiment from around the world. KGBTexas Communications, a member of the Worldcom Group, shares key findings of particular relevance:

"These key findings demonstrate the importance of human capital in rebuilding the economy," said Katie Harvey, founder and CEO of KGBTexas Communications. "Companies that are willing and able to invest in their people will succeed in adapting to the changes that the pandemic has accelerated. The global perspective I'm afforded through our Worldcom partnership is invaluable, providing insight into the forces shaping the business world, which in turn allows me to anticipate and act strategically for our clients."

Also of note for the Texas economy, the energy sector ranks at the bottom of the newly released Worldcom Confidence Index. CMO confidence within the sector has plummeted as challenges rise within the industry, which continues to deal with the impact of COVID-19. "As a Texas-based CEO, I'm optimistic about the outlook of the energy sector here, and expect the industry will begin an upward swing in 2021 as the recovery continues," Harvey added.

The Worldcom Confidence Index shares global data derived from a sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) tool that reflects the confidence levels of over 54,000 CEOs and CMOs across industries on a variety of issues. The findings are indicative of the variables proving to be of most concern to business leaders, along with their confidence in addressing them.

About KGBTexas Communications

KGBTexas Communications has evolved from a single-person communications agency in 1994 to one of the largest woman-owned, full-service firms in Texas, with offices in San Antonio and Houston. A proud Worldcom Group partner since 2018, KGBTexas' integrated team of more than 40 professionals provides marketing services that include public affairs, public relations, advertising, digital and social marketing,creative content development,and media planning and buying. KGBTexas has played an integral role in some of Texas' most visible and significant public-and private-sector initiatives that have significant consequence in their communities. To learn more about KGBTexas, visit KGBTexas.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201008005802/en/

Read the rest here:
Global Sentiment of C-Suite Executives Shows Focus on Employees, Skills and Retention - Benzinga