Chuck Kapelke

With the pandemic starting to fade, this summer is expected to be quite different from the past two. Consumer-facing marketers will need to shift gears somewhat, from supplying an accelerating amount of digital content to ramping up efforts to reach people who will be clamoring for live events and spending a lot more time outdoors.

How brands have responded to the war in Ukraine provides valuable lessons for marketers navigating an increasingly unpredictable world. The crisis has reinforced the need to be nimble and responsive and ensure that every single part of a company’s operation is aligned on the brand’s values.

The pending "cookiepocalypse" combined with new privacy regulations may be a blessing in disguise, as they force B2B marketers to prioritize the cultivation of first-party data. However, a new study suggests that a majority of marketers are not taking the necessary steps to adapt their data approaches and operations accordingly.

Influencer marketing is expected to grow to more than $4 billion this year, according to a recent study, with micro influencers leading the charge. Finding micro influencers begins with identifying creators whose audiences align with a brand's target audience and who have a strong affinity for a company's product and services.

Many American consumers may be reluctant to buy stuff from Twitter, Facebook, and other social platforms. However, younger generations are among the biggest social shoppers, suggesting that adoption rates are poised to surge. Job one for marketers to join the fray is to meld their catalogs with their social media accounts and tag their products in posts and videos.

Deepfake technologies, or synthetic media, have advanced rapidly in the past few years, spawning a range of applications that could have profound implications for marketers. For all its potential, however, synthetic media presents thorny ethical and legal questions for brands and organizations.

To push back against the tide of the “Great Resignation,” agencies and brand-side marketers need to focus on building a people-first workplace. They have to be flexible when it comes to where people want to work and reassure current and prospective employees that their time is valued — inside and outside of the office. Companies demanding that people constantly be in the office are going to lose.

When CMOs and CIOs collaborate the results include more engaged customers and healthier returns from marketing technology investments. However, without both sides first agreeing on governing principles, merging marketing and IT teams may end up being a wasted exercise.

The COVID-19 pandemic has given nonprofits an opportunity to think creatively about how they can engage donors. Fundraisers share the challenges they faced, the strategies used to overcome them, and the lessons they learned.

B2B brands are struggling with generating decent returns from their video investments. Part of the problem may be that marketers are getting hung up on thinking they have to produce Hollywood-style movies to justify their investments. Most important is conveying information that’s easy to digest and focuses on customers’ needs.

As the definition of celebrity evolves, marketers have a much bigger canvas to draw in new spokespeople. But they do have to be extra careful that the person matches the tone of the ad campaign and shares the company’s values.