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- 📩 Presidential Campaign Effects Legacy Media + Direct Marketing > Brand Marketing (for smaller and challenger brands)
📩 Presidential Campaign Effects Legacy Media + Direct Marketing > Brand Marketing (for smaller and challenger brands)
It's true. One of the biggest boosts that traditional media receives during the year is through the American presidential election. That, and more, covered in this week's newsletter.
Welcome to Thursday. Getting directly to the consumer is the name of the game. Big companies conduct brand marketing — large scale, massive reach, not personalized to any one person. Brand marketing is for huge budgets, or brands that already have a solidified customer base. But for new brands, challenger brands, and mom-and-pop brands, direct marketing is the way to go. Brand marketing gives your audience something that feels like it was made for them. If done correctly, it makes each person in your target audience feel seen. We dive deeper into direct marketing down below, during this week’s Strategy time…
Let’s jump in to what happened in marketing this week👇🏽
CMOs Gain CEO Confidence Amid Evolving Roles (FINALLY)
In the latest survey by Boathouse, CMOs are gaining increased recognition from CEOs, with nearly three-quarters of CEOs grading their CMOs with an A or a B for overall performance. This marks a 12-point jump from the previous survey. Additionally, 49% of CEOs now consider their marketing departments "best in class," up from 20% in 2021. CEOs believe that CMOs have a better understanding of the overall business picture, with 87% stating that their CMOs understand their vision. However, despite improvements, CEOs still express wariness, with only 9% believing their CMOs are personally loyal to them, signaling potential challenges for CMOs aspiring to CEO roles.
via Tito’s Handmade Vodka
Tito's Vodka Unveils Major Brand Platform Campaign: “With Tito’s”
Austin-based Tito’s Handmade Vodka has launched its first brand platform, titled "With Tito’s." The initiative features an autonomous and silent roving bar cart character called the Spokescart, which delivers Tito’s cocktails in various settings. The concept aims to highlight Tito’s contrast with celebrity-owned rivals, focusing on the product rather than a famous face. Tito’s, an independently owned company, became the top-selling vodka in the U.S. in 2020 and has continued to grow sales. The "With Tito’s" campaign includes advertising, events, collaborations, philanthropy, and other promotions throughout the year.
Presidential Election: Major Impacts on Legacy Media
Legacy media may find a temporary boost in ad revenue from the upcoming presidential election and the Paris Olympics, helping to offset declines in linear TV and print, according to a report from S&P Global. However, the long-term outlook remains challenging, with nearly 75% of total advertising expected to be digital in 2025. While national and local TV advertising is predicted to decline, U.S. digital advertising revenue is forecast to increase by 10.2% in 2024. The report notes that news channels, benefiting from political advertising during the election cycle, might fare better, but challenges persist, including economic factors such as inflation and high interest rates.
This is where we share our favorite ad each week, some old, some new👇🏼
This spot feels like a movie, and it’s f*cking hilarious. The detail and cinematics are on point, telling a funny story about a woman who discovers many aspects of her relationship with a man — who buys fake Magnum bars — are fake.
Enjoy!🍫
Want a deeper dive? This year, be on the lookout for “Backing Into the Brief” — a more detailed analysis of marketing campaigns where we work backwards from existing commercials to identify our definitions of the creative brief.
Each week we’ll discuss any given topic related to marketing👇🏼
Direct marketing is a targeted form of advertising that delivers promotional messages directly to a specific audience. Unlike mass marketing, which aims to reach a broad audience, direct marketing seeks to establish a one-on-one connection with individual consumers. This personalized approach is designed to prompt an immediate response, whether it's making a purchase, requesting information, or engaging with a brand.
Key Characteristics of Direct Marketing
1. Targeted Audience: Direct marketing focuses on a carefully selected target audience based on demographics, behaviors, or other relevant criteria. This ensures that the message reaches those most likely to be interested in the product or service.
2. Personalization: The messages in direct marketing are often personalized to resonate with the recipient. This personal touch can be achieved through the use of the recipient's name, past purchase history, or other relevant data.
3. Measurable Results: Direct marketing campaigns are designed to generate measurable responses. This could include tracking the number of inquiries, website visits, or sales resulting from the campaign. This data is valuable for evaluating the campaign's effectiveness.
Common Strategies in Direct Marketing:
1. Direct Mail: This involves sending physical promotional materials, such as postcards, catalogs, or brochures, directly to a targeted audience's mailbox. Direct mail allows for a tangible connection with the audience.
2. Email Marketing: Leveraging email to communicate directly with potential customers is a widely used direct marketing strategy. It involves sending personalized messages, newsletters, or promotional offers to a targeted list of email subscribers.
3. Telemarketing: Telemarketing involves reaching out to potential customers via phone calls. It allows for direct interaction, enabling marketers to address questions and concerns in real-time.
4. Social Media Marketing: While social media is often associated with mass marketing, it can also be used for direct marketing. Marketers can create targeted ads, sponsored posts, or personalized content to reach specific audiences on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.
5. Direct Response Advertising: This includes television or radio commercials, print ads, or online ads that prompt an immediate response from the audience, such as calling a toll-free number or visiting a website.
How Direct Marketing is Done:
1. Data Collection: Marketers gather and analyze data to identify their target audience. This data may include demographic information, purchase history, online behavior, and more.
2. Message Development: Craft personalized and compelling messages tailored to the target audience. This involves creating content that addresses the audience's needs, preferences, and pain points.
3. Channel Selection: Choose the appropriate channels for delivering the message. This could involve a combination of direct mail, email, social media, and other channels based on where the target audience is most accessible.
4. Execution: Implement the direct marketing campaign, whether it's sending out physical mailers, launching email sequences, or running targeted ads.
5. Response Tracking: Monitor and track the responses generated by the campaign. This includes measuring key performance indicators (KPIs) such as conversion rates, click-through rates, and overall return on investment (ROI).
Best Practices in Direct Marketing:
1. Segmentation: Divide the target audience into segments based on shared characteristics. This allows for more personalized and relevant messaging.
2. Clear Call-to-Action (CTA): Clearly instruct the audience on what action to take. Whether it's making a purchase, filling out a form, or visiting a website, a concise and compelling CTA is crucial.
3. Testing and Optimization: Continuously test different elements of the campaign, such as headlines, offers, and images. Use the data gathered to optimize and improve future campaigns.
4. Compliance: Ensure that the direct marketing efforts comply with relevant regulations, especially regarding data privacy and anti-spam laws.
5. Personalization: Leverage available data to personalize messages. Personalized communication is more likely to capture the audience's attention and drive engagement.
Direct marketing, when executed effectively, can build strong connections with consumers and drive measurable results. By understanding the target audience, employing personalized messaging, and utilizing various channels, marketers can create impactful campaigns that resonate with individual recipients.
Our favorite content from this week!👇🏼
Don’t find customers for your product. Find products for your customers…