It’s no secret that times are tough for consumers. But as the economy shows signs of recovery, exactly how tough are we talking?

Well, the most recent data is in… and things still aren’t looking too pretty. PwC’s first bi-annual report for this year says that a huge 69% of consumers are restricting their spending on non-essentials. In general, it seems the mood is pessimistic.

There are some positives, though. 43% of consumers said they plan to increase their online shopping over the next half of the year, and it’s likely that the majority of this will be on social media – meaning that social ads effort is gonna pay off.

Our view? To capture sales, brands need to shift things up. When times are tough, consumers flock to brands they have a relationship with and who offer an experience and a product. In today’s landscape, digital innovation is critical on both fronts, and the biggest brands are already acting on this to stay ahead of the game.

Okay, dumb question. OF COURSE you do.

But the trouble is, ad real estate is getting BUSY. Don’t believe me? The average American sees 4,000 to 10,000 advertisements EVERY SINGLE DAY. 

Now, be honest, from all the ads you saw yesterday, how many of them can you remember? Probably 1 or 2 at the most. You see, it’s not enough to create an ad, you’ve got to create an earworm.

And the best way to do so? Get creative. We know it’s cliché, but the winners always seem to be those wild cards, those ideas you scrapped, or those ideas your ad manager pitched to you but you wrote off / changed beyond recognition (you know who you are lol). 

So long as your wild-card ads are not controversial / political / dangerous — please don’t turn yourself into a meme— then what do you have to lose? And if all else fails, try these mind games.

FYI, if you’re getting comments like this you’ve gone too far.

We’re kicking off this month by examining what one brand is getting right. If you know me, you know how long I’ve been obsessed with Raw Garden. They caught me with their social media marketing — their IG is so beautiful and engaging, tapping directly into what their customers want to see — and since then, I’ve been hooked on their great products and excellent messaging.

Their signature clean, elevated vibe is carried throughout their customer touchpoints, with their super aesthetic website (seriously, check out those subtle animations that just lift their imagery off the screen 🤤) and their emails that just feel like they’re speaking directly to me.

What I love about Raw Garden is how they’ve taken what could be a ‘trashy’ product and elevated it through lifestyle marketing that hones in on their audience. Plus, their products are the bomb — I personally only ever buy their extracts and pens (you know great marketing is the only way to this marketer’s heart 💚)

So, what can we learn from Raw Garden? Firstly, remember that customers come first and that when your uniquely specific vibe resonates with the right people, your marketing will likely be successful. 

Secondly, think outside of the box: don’t let assumptions about your product dictate your approach to telling your story — not every ouid smoker fits in the same box and that’s why Raw Garden has my custom 100% of the time.

Are you starting from these positions in your brand? If not, it’s time to head back to the drawing board.