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Showing posts from October, 2022

Love at first stride: OkCupid and Sweatcoin’s digital collaboration journey

How do you find a partner? Using a digital service like the dating platform OkCupid? Or a more traditional blind date? Ironically, the story behind the digital collaboration between OkCupid and the exercise rewards app Sweatcoin was a little closer to the latter. Beginning with a mutual introduction, the digital collaboration transpired to be a match made in heaven. One hundred three-month subscriptions to OkCupid’s premium tier ‘sold out’ on Sweatcoin’s marketplace within 24 hours. We spoke with Michael Kaye, Head of Global Communications at OkCupid, and Jessica Butcher MBE, CMO at Sweatcoin, to learn how this sell-out digital collaboration was formed. A match made in heaven OkCupid is a dating platform that connects millions of users based on questions. The questions offer a huge insight into its users which are used to match them with potential partners. Its partner, Sweatcoin, is a free-to-download app that counts the steps of its users. In return for steps, it rewards exerci

Marketing in a recession: benefits of affiliates and partnerships

Rising interest rates and inflation, dampened economic activity, and trade uncertainty – economies worldwide face the prospect of a tough fourth quarter of 2022. As a result, marketers are increasingly looking for cost-effective strategies that maximize return on investment and minimize risk.   Since its emergence in the early 21 st century, affiliate and partnership marketing has proved a fertile source of commercial return and growth; its value in the current recessionary environment could be greater than ever, according to Maura Smith, CMO at Partnerize.   Catalyst to decision-making   “Recent events have served as a catalyst for companies to expedite their decision-making,” says Smith.   “Affiliate marketing gives marketers a means to access their target audience through the power of partnerships. The channel offers the necessary combination of scale and automation, delivering a strong 12-to-1 return on ad spend. That level of return is hard to turn down,” she adds.   A recen

CSR in the metaverse: Why marketers must prioritize inclusivity and diversity

30-second summary: The metaverse is the next step in the internet’s evolution We must ensure that there is a safe, inclusive space for a wide range of people involved with the metaverse’s creation from the start This includes representation in development, broad access, and ensuring safety Our internet is once again entering a seismic shift. To properly characterize this monumental moment in tech history, Will Page coined the term Tarzan Economics . Simply put, the framework refers to how the internet and technology can transform the way consumers and brands interface, forcing companies to jump from one vine (their old business model) to a new vine (the emerging model). In this environment of Web3 , which encompasses the evolution of the metaverse, NFTs, and blockchain – we are amid one of the biggest vine swings in the history of the internet. For many brands, the swing into Web3 starts with the metaverse, giving brands both an opportunity to establish their presence in a ne

How IBM’s The Weather Channel built brand utility to become the US’ 8th most trusted brand

IBM’S The Weather Company, through The Weather Channel App, is a hugely popular source of weather reports and forecasts. Morning Consult recognized The Weather Channel brand as the 8 th most-trusted brand in the US. Moreover, over 425 million people use the app. The Weather Channel has prioritized brand utility to continue improving its reputation. Its marketing team has forecasted brand relevance, influence, and humanity as the three prongs of brand utility. Campaigns over the past year have aimed to improve The Weather Channel App’s performance in each of these areas. With the help of Randi Stipes, VP of IBM Brand Marketing and CMO at The Weather Company, we look at how it has measured and improved performance in these three areas and built brand utility as a result. 1. Brand relevance Goal: Show consumers that weather is relevant and connected to every part of their daily life, purchasing patterns, and future planning. Outcome: Grace Wells’ TikTok advert showed how the weath

The new rules for success in the metaverse era

30-second summary: The shift towards a new age of experience-driven web is unavoidable – and brands need to start thinking about the role they can play in this evolving space. Before brands jump into activating in the metaverse, they need to consider why they want to do it and plan an effective strategy. This is a chance for brands to get imaginative and have some fun, creating activations and environments that audiences would never be able to experience in a non-digital world. The metaverse provides the opportunity to stimulate all senses – use it. The internet as we know it is changing, and that’s a fact. But the arrival of the metaverse is not simply the introduction of a shiny new piece of technology that will sparkle momentarily before fading into the background. The term itself is yet to be defined. It’s being defined as we speak and will be for years to come. The metaverse promises to transform how we interface with the internet and therefore what the internet feels li

The four common mistakes holding back your email success

30-second summary: Email innovation is everywhere, from technology and how we use it, to the wider practices of effective email marketing. Marketers who reject it likely aren’t seeing the results they would like. Staying up to date with email means more than just adopting the latest technology. Teams need to prioritize an objective-driven strategy over tactics to avoid wasting time and money and alienating customers. Using data and technology allows you to target audiences, select the right content, manage frequency, and send messages at the right time reflecting customer behavior. When we can identify the things that hold us back from success, we can clear the decks for greater email success. This is the second installment in a four-part email marketing series delivered by expert Kath Pay. Has there ever been a more exciting time to be an email marketer? After 24 years in the business, I believe we are living in the best of email times. I’m passionate about email’s prospect

Gotta catch ‘em all! Pokémon’s global prize draw is a triumph in localization

Pokémon recently celebrated the 25 th anniversary of its legendary card game. To mark the quarter century, it created a music album with the help of artists such as Post Malone and Katy Perry. Moreover, it announced a prize competition where fans could win a limited edition 12” vinyl record. With a global audience, this meant considering the localization requirements for each market. To add to the challenge, Pokémon wished to include under-18s, furthering the complexity of legal adherence. Accordingly, it enlisted the help of the promotion marketing agency PromoVeritas . Running across 17 markets, the competition received over 50,000 entries, with 700 lucky winners. The promotion increased the combined following of Pokémon’s social media by 470,000. Mark Stern, New Business Director at PromoVeritas, explains the challenge of creating a legally compliant global competition for Pokémon fans. Localization across seventeen markets Pokémon is a universally beloved brand across all age

Rethink, resist, refocus! Maximising your marketing budget in tough economic times

30-second summary: Erica Gunn, CMO at Canto, offers a guide to maximizing your marketing budget in tough economic circumstances Don’t wait and take action now. Walk in your customers’ shoes and understand their needs better. Maximize your potential, make the most of your martech stack, and be agile and responsive, not reactive Make smart investments into your martech and make it work harder for you The economic storm is upon us. As marketers, we must be prepared for challenges to our budgets. It’s easy to give in and let your marketing budget be cut back to the bare minimum, with a reduction in headcount and spending. However, marketers shouldn’t be afraid to make the case to future-proof their business, even in difficult times. Investment may not seem the obvious answer to budgetary threats but being in control and having a clear strategy for marketing efficiency will reap rewards as markets change and recession looms. In the words of Sam Walton, founder of Walmart, when aske