Matthew Schwartz

Many brands strive to rise above the clutter. However, it may be a tougher hill to climb for marketers working at brands with well-established histories. Here's how brands such as A&W Restaurants, EY, Pepsi, and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey use their legacies to drive innovation and change.

When Chipotle CMO Chris Brandt met with some of the founders of The Farmlink Project, which connects farmers to food banks to deliver food to people in need, he didn't have to think too long about starting a partnership with the nonprofit. After helping to get the word out via several marketing vehicles in the past few years, Chipotle has lived its brand mission and continues to provide the nonprofit with invaluable support.

On the road to a streaming universe, linear TV continues to offer advertisers a still-reliable marketing vehicle with broad reach. The next frontier for marketers is how to optimize their ads across both streaming and linear platforms.

The New York Islanders wanted to take its relationship with the Guide Dog Foundation to a higher level, so the National Hockey League team created Puppies with a Purpose. The program, now in its third year, provides funding and training for puppies that are eventually partnered with people who are blind or visually impaired. Throughout the training process the pups get to mingle with fans at games and community-related events, which is crucial for the development of guide dogs.

Despite the growing power of the “silver economy” and traditional notions of aging being constantly upended, advertisers continue to give the 50-plus market short shrift. As the size of this market — and its immense wealth — grows, can brands continue to afford to ignore them?

CMOs cite a lack authority when their companies enter foreign markets, and they feel frustrated by the experience, according to a recent study. But chief marketers can play an instrumental role for brands that are expanding their global footprint — if senior management has the will to provide more managerial discretion.

Social media has pulled ahead of email marketing as the top marketing tactic for B2B companies, says a recent study. As social platforms command a growing number of ad dollars, the challenge for marketers will be to tailor their messages so they play into the strengths of each channel, whether text for Twitter, visuals for Instagram, or original video content on YouTube.

Corona Island is taking brand extension to another level. The island, which opens this summer, will offer visitors a slew of environmental lessons that they can apply at home. Felipe Ambra, global VP for Corona at Anheuser-Busch InBev, hopes the destination will also serve as a beacon for other brands eager to accelerate their sustainability efforts.

Brands and organizations can appeal to much more diverse and wider audiences, thanks to a new online platform offered by Microsoft Advertising. The program consists of nearly 40 business attributes based on research showing what is most important to people in building trust with brands.

The traits associated with empathy have been part of the marketing mix for years. But COVID-19 has dramatically, and perhaps permanently, altered the framework when it comes to how brands communicate with their audiences.

Frank Cooper III, CMO at BlackRock, discusses how CMOs can play a key role driving brand purpose and the opportunity for chief marketers as more and more companies hire chief purpose officers.