It’s the season of love not the Super Bowl don’t even start and this month I’m reflecting on my love for the game not football I’m warning you of marketing!
There’s something so great, in my opinion, about making a sale. You know the one: that buzz of closing a new deal, the rush when those campaign stats come in, the quarter’s sales numbers hitting that extra digit.
That’s the moment I live for, and no human relationship can come close (lol, sorry to my bf reading this).
In this issue, we’re delving into the work I ❤️, discovering the pushback against AI, the strange strategy Temu is embracing, and why personalization is my word of the year.
Welcome to Happy Marketing!
There’s something so great, in my opinion, about making a sale. You know the one: that buzz of closing a new deal, the rush when those campaign stats come in, the quarter’s sales numbers hitting that extra digit.
That’s the moment I live for, and no human relationship can come close (lol, sorry to my bf reading this).
In this issue, we’re delving into the work I ❤️, discovering the pushback against AI, the strange strategy Temu is embracing, and why personalization is my word of the year.
Welcome to Happy Marketing!
The Super Bowl: Advertising’s Happy Place
Okay fine. Let’s get it over with.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or in Europe lolz), you’ll have been in only one place last Sunday: In front of the TV, surrounded by the fraught tension of sports. *shudder*
There are many reasons why we watch the Super Bowl, but I would hazard a guess that only 30% of this year’s viewers were interested in the game. The rest were there for Taylor Swift.
But I was there for the ads, and it didn’t disappoint. This year’s offerings included ads for Beyonce, Chinese ecom giant Temu, and Jesus. A classic American trilogy.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or in Europe lolz), you’ll have been in only one place last Sunday: In front of the TV, surrounded by the fraught tension of sports. *shudder*
There are many reasons why we watch the Super Bowl, but I would hazard a guess that only 30% of this year’s viewers were interested in the game. The rest were there for Taylor Swift.
But I was there for the ads, and it didn’t disappoint. This year’s offerings included ads for Beyonce, Chinese ecom giant Temu, and Jesus. A classic American trilogy.
But it was Temu that stuck out. Not because their ad was good (What does ‘shop like a billionaire’ even mean?) but because it made me think of the critical tension within advertising: Ads are never enough by themselves, but advertising is usually compulsory for brands to achieve any noteworthy success.
This must be what drives Temu, whose ad strategy seems to be simply ‘make every American know our name and how to pronounce it.’
This is an expensive strategy. Enough to drive up advertising prices across the whole internet with ballpark estimates from JP Morgan analysts placing it around $3 billion. But this is a familiar strategy: Shein has used it, and TikTok has, too.
Will it work? From the way I was humming ‘oh, oh, Temu’ on Sunday night, it very well might.
This must be what drives Temu, whose ad strategy seems to be simply ‘make every American know our name and how to pronounce it.’
This is an expensive strategy. Enough to drive up advertising prices across the whole internet with ballpark estimates from JP Morgan analysts placing it around $3 billion. But this is a familiar strategy: Shein has used it, and TikTok has, too.
Will it work? From the way I was humming ‘oh, oh, Temu’ on Sunday night, it very well might.
This Month’s Ad Campaign Deep-Dive
Building off the success (or not) of Temu, now we’re looking at an excellent ad series: LinkedIn’s own campaign they’re running across Meta, Google Ads, and Programmatic.
What do I love about it?
Firstly, it’s hilarious! It speaks directly to its audience with a unique moment that is instantly relatable. I love the pic — the slight confusion on this man’s face is so relatable, and the copy is on point.
What don’t I love?
To be honest, nothing. There isn’t anything I’d do differently here. But what do you think?
Firstly, it’s hilarious! It speaks directly to its audience with a unique moment that is instantly relatable. I love the pic — the slight confusion on this man’s face is so relatable, and the copy is on point.
What don’t I love?
To be honest, nothing. There isn’t anything I’d do differently here. But what do you think?
The Reports are Rolling In
February seems to be the new January for brands publishing their annual deep-dive reports, and I’m here for it.
This month, we’ve seen reports from Brandwatch, the Marketer of 2024, and Prowly, the Top PR Trends and Predictions for 2024. Plus, I’m just getting to the Enterprise Content Report (published in December, but it sat on my reading list for a few months! Oops).
Here are three of my key takeaways from this reading:
This month, we’ve seen reports from Brandwatch, the Marketer of 2024, and Prowly, the Top PR Trends and Predictions for 2024. Plus, I’m just getting to the Enterprise Content Report (published in December, but it sat on my reading list for a few months! Oops).
Here are three of my key takeaways from this reading:
- Content marketing is saturated & personalization prevails
- Technology + Data analytics = A match made in heaven
- The market is changing. Fast.
But that doesn’t mean it’s not important. 76% of enterprise marketers found that content was more important to them over this last year, yet 58% of general marketers said they were concerned about content saturation and quality.
This means that we’re creating more content that doesn’t have a strategy behind it. This is not the answer: Those most successful marketers surveyed said they create content that is personalized and that they cover stories their competitors don’t — all crucial ingredients in the recipe for success.
Increased saturation means that content marketers and PR professionals are reliant on AI and new technologies to speed up the process. This is great, but it needs a strategy behind it to get right. Personalized content is tricky to do using generic AI tools.
But those who don’t invest in the latest tech are being left behind. Digital content and PR aren’t going anywhere, But it’s analytics that is really making the difference. 72% of marketers consider analytics tools the most important in their tech stack, and proving the case with ROI and the stats is critical.
Perhaps you saw the decline of X (Twitter) coming. But it’s just one example of how rapidly the plates shift in the marketing world. This year, in-person events are back with a vengeance, old spray-and-pray tactics are finished, and rapidly changing public behavior means the ability to pivot is needed now more than ever.
Email is Making a Comeback
I mean, did it ever go anywhere?
This year, all the signs are pointing towards email being the missing link. BUT (and this is a big ‘but’) only if you do it correctly.
This means opt-in, value-packed comms are IN, and mass-sent, un-personalized comms are OUT.
That’s not a surprise. But where 2023 really shined was in the newsletter realm (hello 👋 – it’s no coincidence that you’re reading this one!) – providing regular, personal, valuable content in a monthly format, building up the relationship, and sending your unique insights out to the void.
So, how can you do it in your own business?
These examples from Klaviyo might help you create a niche approach for your own brand. Follow them up with these examples for sick landing pages that actually convert.
But if you don’t have the time/energy/desire to dive into it all yourself, reach out to our team. We’d love to help you get an email strategy set up that knocks the socks off your list. Just hit reply, and we’ll get something scheduled.
This year, all the signs are pointing towards email being the missing link. BUT (and this is a big ‘but’) only if you do it correctly.
This means opt-in, value-packed comms are IN, and mass-sent, un-personalized comms are OUT.
That’s not a surprise. But where 2023 really shined was in the newsletter realm (hello 👋 – it’s no coincidence that you’re reading this one!) – providing regular, personal, valuable content in a monthly format, building up the relationship, and sending your unique insights out to the void.
So, how can you do it in your own business?
These examples from Klaviyo might help you create a niche approach for your own brand. Follow them up with these examples for sick landing pages that actually convert.
But if you don’t have the time/energy/desire to dive into it all yourself, reach out to our team. We’d love to help you get an email strategy set up that knocks the socks off your list. Just hit reply, and we’ll get something scheduled.
Keep It Personal
You, dear readers, are my elite circle, so I feel confident letting you in on something we’ve been up to behind the scenes at Nouvel Age Media.
We’ve been testing. And when I say testing, I mean testing.
Our team of crack copywriters and digital marketing experts have been blasting out email campaigns and LinkedIn DMs, trying out novel approaches, and getting personal in the DMs.
The results? Personalization outperforms generalization on almost every level (this shouldn’t be a surprise – it’s the main theme of the last three sections, after all)
How can you take advantage of this? If you’re a B2B brand like us, our strategy is to think about the receiver and tailor content to them. That means researching your prospects, finding innovative ways to stand out from the crowd, and taking advantage of real moments of engagement.
All this is hard work, and here’s the kicker. It’s difficult to automate.
You might be able to get away with it in ecom, but for those big-ticket B2B sales, automation might be hampering your marketing success.
Sorry, but someone’s gotta say it.
We’ve been testing. And when I say testing, I mean testing.
Our team of crack copywriters and digital marketing experts have been blasting out email campaigns and LinkedIn DMs, trying out novel approaches, and getting personal in the DMs.
The results? Personalization outperforms generalization on almost every level (this shouldn’t be a surprise – it’s the main theme of the last three sections, after all)
How can you take advantage of this? If you’re a B2B brand like us, our strategy is to think about the receiver and tailor content to them. That means researching your prospects, finding innovative ways to stand out from the crowd, and taking advantage of real moments of engagement.
All this is hard work, and here’s the kicker. It’s difficult to automate.
You might be able to get away with it in ecom, but for those big-ticket B2B sales, automation might be hampering your marketing success.
Sorry, but someone’s gotta say it.
The Pushback Against AI
Along with Zuck, I’m all for AI. It’s a wonderful tool, and you can prise my chatGPT account out of my cold, dead hands but could it be that some brands aren’t in favor?
I’ve seen headwinds of a pushback this month, and it’s being called an acoustic revolution.
It makes sense: The more AI becomes our norm, the more brands need something human to differentiate themselves, and the more ‘acoustic’ they have to be.
This is a real danger that I’ve been going on about for ages. You don’t want a content strategy based on AI-generated content. Why? Because everyone else has the same as you.
Sure, use AI as a tool, but do not use it as the be-all and end-all of content creation. Keep your unique voice, keep your originality, and keep your audience engaged.
Instead, use AI for things that matter, like analyzing data.
(PS Look out for something exciting from me next month, where we’re delving into this acoustic revolution even more)
I’ve seen headwinds of a pushback this month, and it’s being called an acoustic revolution.
It makes sense: The more AI becomes our norm, the more brands need something human to differentiate themselves, and the more ‘acoustic’ they have to be.
This is a real danger that I’ve been going on about for ages. You don’t want a content strategy based on AI-generated content. Why? Because everyone else has the same as you.
Sure, use AI as a tool, but do not use it as the be-all and end-all of content creation. Keep your unique voice, keep your originality, and keep your audience engaged.
Instead, use AI for things that matter, like analyzing data.
(PS Look out for something exciting from me next month, where we’re delving into this acoustic revolution even more)
🎵 The Sound of Music 🎵
Do you hear it? It’s the sound of brands using music to advertise!
Okay, let’s take it back. Hasn’t this always been going on?
Well, yes and no. There have always been those catchy jingles and licensing payments to musicians, which means music has been a core part of ads for a while.
But TikTok has taken it to another level (just ask Universal), and I predict that AI music generators are about to take it even further.
So, what does this mean for brands? Do we now need an audio strategy? Well, it might not be a bad idea to use a dance strategy, a gif strategy, and a sticker strategy… Or alternatively, use influencers to help.
Okay, let’s take it back. Hasn’t this always been going on?
Well, yes and no. There have always been those catchy jingles and licensing payments to musicians, which means music has been a core part of ads for a while.
But TikTok has taken it to another level (just ask Universal), and I predict that AI music generators are about to take it even further.
So, what does this mean for brands? Do we now need an audio strategy? Well, it might not be a bad idea to use a dance strategy, a gif strategy, and a sticker strategy… Or alternatively, use influencers to help.
The UGC Content Tip for Results
The other day, I almost bought from an IG ad that was promising to sell me a drawing of my soulmate for $35.
Okay, back up. Why? Because their marketing was so good.
The clincher? Their powerful, creator-generated UGC content. They had a New Age creator talk about how this psychic had drawn her soulmate, and I got sucked into the professional lighting, the way her story sounded so organic, and how confidently she shared her story on screen.
It got me! I headed to get my credit card, and I was under the spell until my bf asked me what I was doing. I couldn’t go through with it after the look he gave me.
Okay, back up. Why? Because their marketing was so good.
The clincher? Their powerful, creator-generated UGC content. They had a New Age creator talk about how this psychic had drawn her soulmate, and I got sucked into the professional lighting, the way her story sounded so organic, and how confidently she shared her story on screen.
It got me! I headed to get my credit card, and I was under the spell until my bf asked me what I was doing. I couldn’t go through with it after the look he gave me.
😬😬😬😬
But it got me thinking about the power of UGC.
You see, not all social media users are gifted content creators. My mom sharing her fave Tupperware on her iPhone 5 isn’t gonna get the same response as a serious Instagrammer with the latest tech.
(And it should be Instagram – here’s why)
But there’s a sweet spot in UGC. If it is too amateur, your audience will swipe past it; if it is too professional-looking, your audience won’t engage organically. The ideal is a mix between the two – natural-looking videos from social media users with decent followings who appear comfortable on camera and know basic production techniques.
This month, you can use Instagram’s latest feature to turn your UGC into organic story content your audience will love.
But it got me thinking about the power of UGC.
You see, not all social media users are gifted content creators. My mom sharing her fave Tupperware on her iPhone 5 isn’t gonna get the same response as a serious Instagrammer with the latest tech.
(And it should be Instagram – here’s why)
But there’s a sweet spot in UGC. If it is too amateur, your audience will swipe past it; if it is too professional-looking, your audience won’t engage organically. The ideal is a mix between the two – natural-looking videos from social media users with decent followings who appear comfortable on camera and know basic production techniques.
This month, you can use Instagram’s latest feature to turn your UGC into organic story content your audience will love.
The Power of SEO
Ahh, SEO the eternal marketing riddle.
Do you ever feel like SEO is a whole load of rules that make no sense and seemingly have no impact on traffic until 6 months later?
Do you ever feel like SEO is a whole load of rules that make no sense and seemingly have no impact on traffic until 6 months later?
Me when someone talks about technical SEO, lolz.
To beat the confusion, I’ve rounded up the best tips, tricks, and deep dives for you to delve into, bookmark, and put into practice.
This month’s reading list includes:
🌎 Tips to increase localized traffic to the EU with a US-hosted domain
💰 How to prove your SEO is actually impacting your bottom line
🔗 10 internal-linking strategies for accessibility
This month’s reading list includes:
🌎 Tips to increase localized traffic to the EU with a US-hosted domain
💰 How to prove your SEO is actually impacting your bottom line
🔗 10 internal-linking strategies for accessibility
Cheesy Nacho Drink, Anyone?
If there’s one thing I don’t understand about Mexican food, it’s salty drinks.
Seriously, I love a margarita, but PLEASE miss me with a salt rim. And my mango is fine without that salty chili powder gracias. I’d rather have a refreshing beverage/fruit without the gross taste of THE SEA.
I KNOW this is controversial. Don’t come for me.
So, I think it goes without saying that I’m not going to be in the queue for the Empirical x Doritos Nacho Cheese Spirit, that’s for sure.
Seriously, I love a margarita, but PLEASE miss me with a salt rim. And my mango is fine without that salty chili powder gracias. I’d rather have a refreshing beverage/fruit without the gross taste of THE SEA.
I KNOW this is controversial. Don’t come for me.
So, I think it goes without saying that I’m not going to be in the queue for the Empirical x Doritos Nacho Cheese Spirit, that’s for sure.
What’s up babe? You haven’t touched your limited edition nacho cheese margarita? 😬
Cheesy, salty, savory, and just plain strange, this is a weird combo that doesn’t appeal to me at all. With a 42% ABV and the smell of nacho cheese hitting your nostrils in every sip, it’s sure to be a wild ride here.
Doritos is no stranger to odd combinations and flavor profiles, so this isn’t something unexpected (Burt’s Bees is another one on this trend). But really, is there a market here?! I guess the novelty is there, and us Mexicans do like some weird shit.
I have written a lot about brand collabs in the last few editions of Happy Marketing, but I’m on the fence about this one. Is this a radical lack of audience awareness or a hilarious, fun twist on an alcoholic beverage? My inbox is open for your thoughts!
Doritos is no stranger to odd combinations and flavor profiles, so this isn’t something unexpected (Burt’s Bees is another one on this trend). But really, is there a market here?! I guess the novelty is there, and us Mexicans do like some weird shit.
I have written a lot about brand collabs in the last few editions of Happy Marketing, but I’m on the fence about this one. Is this a radical lack of audience awareness or a hilarious, fun twist on an alcoholic beverage? My inbox is open for your thoughts!
Want Another Date in Your Diary?
Feeling left out after all the Valentine’s hype? Want an occasion to try out your latest Mob Wife wardrobe? HMU and I’ll take you out🌹
Over a virtual coffee, I’ll spill the beans on how we can help you level up your marketing strategy — a session that will mean more in the long run than another Bumble date 😉
Book a time on my call and I’ll see you there.
Over a virtual coffee, I’ll spill the beans on how we can help you level up your marketing strategy — a session that will mean more in the long run than another Bumble date 😉
Book a time on my call and I’ll see you there.
💋x 💋x
Natalie
CEO & Founder,
Nouvel Âge Media
Natalie
CEO & Founder,
Nouvel Âge Media