Editor's Picks for ANA Magazine

Even before the surge in the COVID-19 Omicron variant, there was ample data chronicling the huge toll the pandemic has taken on people's mental health. Brands in the health care sector are responding proactively, offering new counseling services at or near their retail outlets. The efforts have led marketers to reevaluate how they talk about the highly sensitive subject of mental health and reduce the stigma people have about asking for help.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion is top of mind among a growing number of CMOs. In this interview, Esther Franklin, president of global strategy and cultural fluency at Spark Foundry, offers brand managers a roadmap.

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.

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.

With awards season around the corner, consumer brands have to make sure their real-time marketing operations are up to speed and not in any danger of missing something that suddenly goes viral.

A growing number of consumers are looking for an escape from the familiar as they start to venture out and the pandemic starts to wane. Some niche brands are responding to the call by touting the unique experiences they have to offer while encouraging consumers to unplug from their digital devices.

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.

Originally the stuff of science fiction, the metaverse is on the verge of reality. Companies are taking an incremental approach to entering what is a very complex universe for brands — and people — to navigate.

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 escalating threat posed by climate change has prompted some of the globe’s largest brands to take steps to dramatically reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. As they bolster their sustainability efforts, marketers must strike a delicate balance between communicating how they’re helping to improve the environment and keeping the focus on the benefits of their products and services.

Knowing what consumers love is all well and good. But marketers also need a sixth sense for what makes their audiences tick — particularly during stressful and uncertain times — if they want to generate love in return.

The proliferation of chief purpose officers provides CMOs with a lot more runway to boost the value of marketing throughout the company. But as they bring their company’s brand purpose to life, marketers must take the long view and be careful not to slip into ad-mode. They also need to collaborate with other business units on the best path forward.

Brands are accelerating their buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) financing options to appeal to younger consumers looking for more flexible ways to pay for their stuff. At the same time, retailers are trying to increase the appeal of BNPL to older generations used to traditional credit cards.

Brands and organizations are scrambling to sign up athletes after NCAA rule changes give amateur athletes the opportunity to sell their name, image, and likeness. Some deals could reach epic proportions. Sports marketing may never be the same.

Engaging with influencers has gone well beyond traditional brand partnerships. As companies develop their influencer marketing strategies, nuance will be a key ingredient moving forward.

With cyberattacks on the rise, marketers must understand the scope of the threat and be proponents for consistently updating their companies’ online defenses. However, to have an effect, CMOs first have to make sure they have a seat at the table when cyber issues are discussed and strategies crafted.

As the pandemic ebbs and consumers return to physical retail outlets, brands are looking to give consumers the best of both worlds: A better in-store experience combined with conveniences typically found only online. How do brands strike the right balance?

With most people willing to travel and venues once again filling to capacity, what’s the hold up on business-related events? The answer is, well, businesses, as they put the kibosh on travel spending and limit live programming. Meanwhile, brands are testing new concepts and creating more interactive elements for their virtual events.

As full-time employees return to the office, they’re bringing with them new demands that go well beyond asking for a “hybrid” schedule; CMOs and marketing departments will need to adapt or risk increasing turnover. In fact, people are leaving their jobs in growing numbers, with the quit rate at an all-time high.

As people return to a post-pandemic life, marketers are going to need to reevaluate their content marketing strategy if they want to stay viable and keep their audiences engaged. Producing content that brings meaning to people’s lives is shaping up to be the biggest challenge, along with devising new measurement tools.