Have you ever added items to your cart due to bonus offers? It’s a deliberate marketing strategy. Temu gamifies shopping.
Gamification in online shopping uses casino-style tactics to push buyers into purchasing more products. Variable rewards drive consumer behaviour.
Learn 5 ways to outsmart gamified marketing. Understand the illusion of savings and avoid impulse purchases. Take back control.
Have you ever found yourself adding items to your cart just because of a bonus offer you stumbled across? That wasn’t an accident. It’s a deliberate and highly successful marketing strategy.
Internet bazaars like Temu have gone through the roof in popularity as much for their apparently unbeatable prices as because of how they gamify shopping. One of their flashiest attractions is the promise of “big bonus discounts.” Their casino-style mechanisms that give users discounts, vouchers, or credits, at first glance seem to be a nice bonus. In fact, they are a quiet but powerful tactic to push buyers into putting more products into their baskets.
How Gamification Works in Online Shopping
Gamification—the application of game elements in a non-game environment—has become a routine strategy in online marketing. Fitness apps reward users with badges, banks give streak rewards, and e-learning sites provide points.
In the retail environment, however, gamification has special potency because it relates directly to expenditure. Temu and similar apps incorporate “prize wheel” into the user experience to simulate the thrill of the slot machine, providing an opportunity to “win” coupons, further discounts, or even free shipping. This is a tactic borrowed from the online gaming world, where free spins are popular form of casino bonus.
Every spin is a small win. Even a small reward—such as a few dollars taken off or a percentage discount—instils a sense of urgency. Consumers feel they have “earned” a prize and are motivated to use it before it runs out, which makes them purchase goods they otherwise would not have.
The Illusion of Savings: Understanding “Cart Creep”
Spin-the-wheel offers present discounts in the guise of fortune, redirecting consumers from considering need to grabbing a “prize.” Coupons usually come with minimum spends that encourage individuals to put more into their carts.
Hooked by Habit
Temu’s free spins aren’t a novelty that happens just once. They are replenished every day, often several times a day, entering a pattern of habit-based use. Even if consumers don’t intend to make a purchase, the temptation of a free spin lures them back into the app, where new items and lightning sales beckon.
This behaviour is based on behavioural economics. The variable reward—the thrill of not knowing what you’ll get—creates an exciting experience for the user. This unpredictability causes dopamine release in the brain, which gets the behaviour reinforced. Every spin not only keeps the app front of mind but also keeps the shopper pre-primed to buy something whenever they look at a “good deal.”
Shoppers often start with one or two items but end up with a full basket—a phenomenon dubbed “cart creep.” Spin-the-wheel deals push buyers to add more turning a $20 plan into a $65checkout. Similar tactics such as mystery boxes and lucky draws are used in flash sale sites to keep customers engaged. This is the same reason for the viral popularity of Labubu’s blind box strategy.
5 Ways to Outsmart Gamified Marketing
Getting to know these strategies is the most important step in shopping smart. Useful tips are:
Pause before spinning. Ask yourself whether you were going to purchase something prior to the offer. If not, then you’re likely being enticed by the game.
Read the fine print. Coupons mostly come with minimum spends or expire after hours, which promotes impulse purchasing.
Make a list. Hold yourself to things you really need rather than wandering through aimlessly to “spend” your prize.
Estimate actual savings. A 20% discount on something you don’t need isn’t saving money—it’s spending money.
Take advantage of a cooling-off period. If you find yourself vulnerable to a spin reward, wait a few hours before checking out. The rush will wear off, making rational decisions easier.
By treating “free spins” as a marketing strategy instead of an actual bonanza, you take back control over your shopping.
The Bottom Line
By combining entertainment and commerce, sites such as Temu have gamified online shopping. Spins for free and surprise rewards make it seem as though everyone triumphs. But in the end, the winner is usually the site itself, as it gains more engagement and bigger cart sizes.
Consumers aren’t hopeless, however. Learning how these strategies operate enables you think twice and not succumb to the trap of wastefulness.
Updated, Oct. 21 with an industry response to Google’s retreat on user privacy.
Apple warns iPhone users to stop using Google Chrome, and Microsoft has issued the same warning for Windows users. Now Google has confirmed more bad news for Chrome’s more than 3 billion users. Is it time to quit the world’s most popular browser?
Google’s plan to kill tracking cookies in Chrome centred on its Privacy Sandbox. This explored alternatives to cookies, seeking a balance between user privacy, the ad industry and regulators. That balance was never found. The focus on privacy is over.
Google has suddenly confirmed privacy initiatives “are being phased out.” The Privacy Sandbox, now in its sixth year, has essentially ended just months after Google confirmed tracking is here to stay and there are no viable alternatives.
The scale of this reversal is huge. “Google’s Privacy Sandbox is officially dead,” AdWeek reports, with Google telling the industry outlet “the entire project is being retired.”
The Privacy Sandbox has been fraught with issues since its inception. Its first initiative, the so-called Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoC) was infamously pilloried by Apple’s “Flock” remake of Hitchcock’s “The Birds,” promoting Safari at Chrome’s expense.
The list of initiatives now retiring “in light of their low levels of adoption,” include: Attribution Reporting API, IP Protection, On-Device Personalization, Private Aggregation, Protected Audience, Protected App Signals, Related Website Sets, SelectURL, SDK Runtime and Topics. In short, pretty much everything.
Responses to Google’s confirmation that the Privacy Sandbox is essentially dead have been are stark. Per Gizmodo, “Google just quietly killed something you may never have used or heard of: Privacy Sandbox. You should grieve this death anyway, because the implications are grim. This basically means six years’ worth of work toward ending third-party cookies in Chrome—which might have ultimately made cookies obsolete across all major browsers — has amounted to nothing.”
PPC Land says “Chrome kills most Privacy Sandbox technologies after adoption fails. Google retires nine Privacy Sandbox APIs following years of development, low uptake, and widespread industry criticism of the cookie replacement initiative.”
“Google has killed Privacy Sandbox,” Engadget says.
The irony for privacy advocates is that none of the negative headlines in the last two years — including stay of execution for tracking cookies and rebirth of digital fingerprinting — have dented Chrome’s dominance on mobile or desktops.
Chrome now has more than 70% of both the mobile and desktop global markets. The only threat on the horizon comes from new AI browsers, including Perplexity’s Comet and an eagerly anticipated option from Open AI.
There again, Google is rushing out advanced to maintain its lock, with its recent Gemini in Chrome upgrade designed to keep the upstart AI browsers at bay. Again, privacy warnings have already been issued, with Gemini harvesting more user data than the alternatives. But, again, it seems unlikely to make a difference to user adoption.
That said, Gizmodo warns “with Privacy Sandbox completely gone, it’s clear that somewhere along the line, the long deferred plan fizzled. Individual tracking of users is a load-bearing structure of the free, ad-supported internet, and that’s not about to change.” And when it comes to Google’s stewardship of the global internet, perhaps that’s the most surprisingly unsurprising news of all.
If there’s a root cause behind the death of Google’s Privacy Sandbox, it’s the tech giant’s precarious balancing act. It plays both game-keeper by safeguarding user privacy interests, and poacher, as the primary beneficiary from the digital ad industry it created.
Ultimately, the industry feared that killing cookies would benefit Google through its unique insider position at their expense, where on every level, any replacement for tracking cookies would water down their ability to track users across the web.
But for the industry we’re possibly now more in an uneasy limbo-land than a settled, long term solution for the privacy versus tracking tension that dominates big tech. Per Search Engine Land, “Google’s shutdown of Privacy Sandbox ends cookie chaos for now but leaves the future of privacy-first advertising uncertain.”
The ad industry-focused website says “the Privacy Sandbox was Google’s answer to growing privacy regulation and industry backlash against cross-site tracking — but its complexity, limited adoption, and regulatory scrutiny stalled momentum. At last, Google is no longer forcing a shift away from third-party cookies, preserving the familiar targeting and measurement tools that power much of digital advertising.”
But this comes with a warning: “While this offers short-term stability and fewer disruptions to campaign performance, it also signals that true privacy-safe ad solutions are still unresolved, leaving the industry without a clear path forward as regulators and browsers continue tightening data rules. In short — advertisers get breathing room today, but more uncertainty tomorrow.”
It’s no easier now to work through what happens longer term than it was six years ago, when the demise of tracking cookies was promised and Privacy Sandbox was born. This has proven an impossible problem to reconcile. The disappointment now is that users have paid the price for a schism at the heart of the online ad ecosystem.
You are being tracked on the browser most of you use, despite a promise that would stop. And there’s now no end in sight. Ultimately, perhaps that’s all that matters. And it comes as AI browsers are set to disrupt the entire ecosystem like never before.
Feature image credit: dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images
What consumers need from physical stores — and how retailers can rise to meet it — is evolving fast.
Key Takeaways
Shoppers don’t crave human interaction — they value expertise, efficiency and immediate product availability.
Retailers must leverage technology to personalize experiences, streamline checkout and strengthen supply chain reliability.
Physical stores remain relevant by focusing on curation, expertise and delivering value beyond convenience.
Nothing beats the human touch of a helpful salesperson, right?
Wrong.
For so long, retailers have been told that what sets brick-and-mortar apart is the “human element.” But a landmark new survey shows exactly the opposite: roughly half of younger consumers prefer a shopping experience that lets them avoid other people. Convenience and efficiency loom large here: more than three-quarters of Gen Z and millennial shoppers regularly choose online purchases and curbside or in-store pickup.
All of which raises the existential question: Why do we even have stores anymore, anyway?
The answer isn’t quite as bleak as it might seem. Physical stores have always served a central need for shoppers, and I don’t see that changing. But exactly what that need is — and how retailers can rise to meet it — is evolving fast.
Why retailers can’t count on the human element
First, though, when and why did human interaction become kryptonite for shoppers?
No surprises here: Covid was the accelerant, creating a wealth of possibilities for buying stuff with minimal human contact. On top of already abundant e-commerce options, we suddenly had new curbside pickup and delivery choices.
Throw in new norms for remote working, and that meant never having to chit-chat with anyone IRL.
Of course, the whole IRL thing was already on its way out, anyway. Today, nearly half of teens are constantly online, and 40% of Gen Z say they’re more comfortable communicating digitally than in person. For better or worse, digital interaction has become the predominant way we engage with the world.
All of that adds up to a major challenge for today’s brick-and-mortar retailers: How do you get shoppers in-store who don’t want to leave the house?
The answer requires not so much rethinking as remembering the role that stores play. After all, about 80% of transactions still take place in-store.
That’s not because of some touchy-feely human element — cheesy greeters, schmoozy salespeople, chatty checkout clerks — and it never was. It comes down to adding value, something that not just young shoppers but all shoppers prioritize.
The act of shopping in-store represents an exceptionally efficient way to browse, try, compare and learn. Smart retailers are increasingly leaning into those advantages, and they’re leveraging tech to do it — finding ways to personalize, customize and streamline the in-store experience for digitally native younger shoppers.
Here’s what I’ve seen working on the front lines with thousands of merchants around the world.
Expertise still matters
Small talk and schmoozing may be out. But genuine expertise is always in demand. And there’s arguably no substitute for speaking with an expert staff member who offers personalized service.
A couple of summers ago, in my hometown of Montreal, I bought a bike at Rebicycle, which assembles its rides from recycled components. For newbies, there’s a lot to learn about putting all of those pieces together, from the perfect seat to the right brakes to the ideal tire width. Talking to an expert in-store helped me reach the right decision in minutes… instead of hours searching online.
If Gen Z and Millennial shoppers are all about efficiency, it really doesn’t get much better. Even an AI chatbot can’t compete with a seasoned staff member who knows you, knows the merchandise and knows the stock.
Retailers are increasingly turning to tech to enhance this kind of in-store expertise. New apps, for example, turn any handheld device into a repository of product knowledge, letting staff of all experience levels easily share specs, insights and availability with customers.
The right stock is everything
Physicality and immediacy are two big things stores have going for them. You can physically try out what you’re looking for. And you can take it home immediately, right then and there. Even Amazon can’t top that.
But only if it’s in stock.
There’s nothing more frustrating than traipsing to a store, only to find something sold out (like that soy candle from my favourite downtown boutique — c’mon, guys, your site said two available!).
When it comes to stock, younger shoppers are especially antsy. Rather than wait for an item to be restocked, they’re willing to spend more to get it right away from another merchant.
So, how can retailers ensure they’ve got the right merchandise at the right time?
Seasonality forecasting is critical — i.e., making sure there’s enough stock during busy seasons and not too much at other times. To stock their stores, many retailers still rely on forecasting models that only tap recent sales data — or just go on gut instinct. That can leave them with empty shelves at the most important times of year. New tools remove the guesswork, drawing on historical sales trends to make order recommendations for seasonal products.
Supply chains are another pinch point — especially with tariffs wreaking havoc on inventories everywhere. Big merchants typically have access to alternate suppliers who can fill the gaps, but for smaller retailers, one hiccup can spell disaster. The good news is that new platforms are democratizing supply chain access, giving smaller stores access to the same vast global sourcing network as major retailers.
Avoid the bad checkout buzz kill
In a world where shoppers demand efficiency, checkout is an overlooked chance for brick-and-mortar retailers to set themselves apart.
For nine out of 10 consumers, a smooth checkout plays a major role in whether or not they return to a retailer. And eight out of 10 will avoid a business with a line-up, with 40% of that group either heading to a competitor or simply abandoning their purchase.
Self check-out to the rescue? Nope.
Unsurprisingly, two-thirds of consumers say they’ve used a dysfunctional self-service kiosk. Clunky tech is costing retailers money, too: 15% of shoppers admit using self-checkout to steal, and almost half of those folks plan to do it again.
A better way? I’m seeing more retailers arm their salespeople with handheld POS devices, capable of tabulating a customer’s order and even checking out, on the go. Not rocket science, but surprisingly effective.
An added advantage here: personalization. The latest tools can call up customer histories and preferences, enabling salespeople to offer additive suggestions or flag sale items… instead of just going for the hard sell. For a generation primed on online algorithms and recommendations, this feels second nature.
Shoppers’ preferences around human interaction in stores may wax and wane. One person’s friendly clerk might be another’s pushy salesperson. But ultimately, everyone — young or old — is seeking value in their in-store experience. Smart retailers know that personalization, curation and efficiency never go out of style.
Dax Dasilva is the CEO and founder of Lightspeed Commerce, the unified POS and payments platform for ambitious entrepreneurs. He is also the founder of Age of Union, an environmental alliance that has invested $40 million in protecting critical species and ecosystems.
Ogilvy UK will no longer work with influencers who distort or retouch their bodies or faces for brand campaigns in a bid to combat social media’s “systemic” mental health harms.
Dove already doesn’t work with influencers that edit content.
Speaking exclusively to The Drum, Ogilvy’s head of influence Rahul Titus said influencer marketing is “supposed to be the authentic side to marketing, but now it churns out such staged content that is so harmful to anybody looking at social media”.
Ogilvy’s policy comes as the UK government reviews the Digitally Altered Body Image Bill that would require an influencer to disclose edited content. The bill is on its second review in parliament but is struggling to make it through the proposal process. Titus hopes Ogilvy’s commitment to stop working with influencers who alter their images will help the bill get passed.
“We have a duty of care as marketers, as agencies and brands to the next generation of people so they don’t grow up with the same stuff we are seeing now,” says Titus.
He acknowledges that brands have “dipped their toes” in unedited influencer images, but they always fall back on running misguided anti-editing campaigns rather than implementing sweeping change.
“A lot of research has gone into this. We’ve been working with our behavioural sciences team and talking to a lot of influencers and we’ve spent a lot of time figuring out how to make it work.”
The ban applies to all parts of the Ogilvy UK group, which counts the likes of Dove among its clients. Dove’s global vice president external communications and sustainability, Firdaous El Honsali, came out in support of the policy. “We are delighted to see our partner Ogilvy tackling this topic. Dove only works with influencers that do not distort their appearance on social media – and together with Ogilvy and our community of influencers, we have created several campaigns that celebrate no digital distortion,” El Honsali says.
Ogilvy will roll out the policy in two phases. Starting next month, Titus’s team will be consulting with brands and influencers on the policy, and in May it will implement the ban. Titus has set a December deadline for a complete end to the editing of all sponsored or paid-for content in influencer activations.
“It’s easy for us to sit here and say ’there is a systemic issue, so we aren’t going to work with these types of influencers,’ but that’s not the solution and it won’t make the change we want to see. So we are going to take the time and consult our clients and put the plan in place.”
Ogilvy will use its InfluenceO tech stack to detect when images have been retouched.
Briefs will be made more flexible to allow for more authenticity from the start. Titus says: “We need to educate our clients to give influencers the freedom to express themselves a little bit more.”
Ogilvy also expects its quarterly diversity audits, put in place in 2020, will serve a secondary purpose of improving influencer diversity and, over time, naturally start working with less edited Influencers. “We are hoping that by improving influencer diversity, the type of influencers that brands work with will change to be more representative of the population.”
Titus is realistic that the policy will need time and for the rest of the industry to get behind the ban. “We are talking about reversing 10 years of social media behaviour and that’s not going to happen in two months. We know that what we are putting in place we will not see any immediate benefits for the next five years. It’s too big a project and that’s OK.”
Ogilvy hopes the policy will “set off a chain reaction” in the industry and Titus urges other members of the influencer marketing industry to approach him for a briefing. “It’s absolutely the right thing to do and we want to be the agency that puts the foundational parts in place so that other agencies can follow.
“Clients want it, the industry wants it, influencers are generally happy with it – so why haven’t we done this before?”
Imagine waking up one day to find that every click, search, and purchase you’ve made online has been carefully catalogued, not just by corporations but by anyone with the means to access it. It’s not paranoia; it’s reality. In a world where your digital footprint is currency, being untraceable is no longer just a preference, it’s a necessity for those who value their privacy. Whether you’re concerned about data breaches, targeted ads that seem to read your mind, or simply the idea of being constantly monitored, the ability to disappear online is a skill that feels more urgent than ever. But how do you take back control in a system designed to track your every move?
This guide, created by Proton, offers a step-by-step guide to reclaiming your privacy and reducing your online traceability. You’ll learn how to limit corporate surveillance, minimize tracking from smart devices, and even compartmentalize your digital identity to shield yourself from prying eyes. For those seeking the ultimate escape, it explores the possibility of complete anonymity, though not without its sacrifices. Each method is designed to empower you, balancing practicality with the level of privacy you desire. Whether you’re looking to protect sensitive information or vanish entirely, this guide will challenge you to rethink how you navigate the digital world. After all, in an age of constant surveillance, how much of your life do you truly own?
Reduce Your Digital Footprint
Key Takeaways :
Use ad blockers, privacy-focused browsers, and extensions like Privacy Badger to limit corporate surveillance and enhance online privacy.
Minimize smart device tracking by disabling Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when not in use and consider advanced tools like Pi-hole for network-level protection.
Compartmentalize your digital identity by using separate email accounts, phone numbers, and payment methods for different activities, supported by password managers for organization.
Protect personal information in public records by using legal entities, decoy addresses, and regular audits to reduce exposure to unwanted scrutiny.
Pursue complete anonymity by avoiding traceable devices, using cash or privacy-focused cryptocurrencies, and adopting a non-digital lifestyle if necessary.
1: Limit Corporate Surveillance
Corporations rely heavily on tracking your online behaviour to create detailed profiles for advertising, pricing strategies, and other purposes. To counter this, begin by using ad blockers. These tools prevent intrusive ads and tracking scripts from monitoring your activity across websites. While effective, some websites may restrict access or functionality if they detect an ad blocker in use.
For enhanced protection, switch to privacy-focused browsers like Brave or Firefox, which block third-party cookies and prevent browser fingerprinting. Additionally, consider installing extensions such as Privacy Badger or uBlock Origin to further reduce tracking. These measures may require slight adjustments to your browsing habits, as certain websites might not function optimally. However, the trade-off is a significantly more private online experience, allowing you to browse with greater peace of mind.
2: Minimize Smart Device Tracking
Smart devices, including smartphones, smart speakers, and connected appliances, are designed to collect and transmit data. To reduce this, start by disabling Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when they are not in use. This simple yet effective step prevents your devices from passively sharing information with nearby networks or devices.
For more advanced protection, consider implementing tools like Pi-hole, which blocks unwanted data transmission at the network level. While highly effective, setting up and maintaining such tools can be technically demanding. Additionally, disabling certain tracking features on smart devices may limit their functionality. Evaluate whether these trade-offs align with your privacy priorities, and adjust your approach accordingly.
Separating your digital identity into distinct compartments can significantly enhance your privacy. This involves using different email accounts, phone numbers, and payment methods for various aspects of your life, such as work, personal activities, and online shopping. By compartmentalizing your digital presence, you reduce the risk of a single data breach exposing all your information.
While this strategy is effective, it requires careful organization and discipline. Managing multiple accounts and credentials can be time-consuming, but the added security is invaluable for those committed to protecting their privacy. Tools like password managers can simplify this process by securely storing and organizing your login information, making sure that your digital compartments remain distinct and manageable.
4: Remove Public Records and Paper Trails
Public records, such as property ownership and voter registration, can reveal sensitive information like your home address. To obscure these details, consider using legal entities, such as trusts or corporations, to hold assets or manage financial accounts. This approach helps shield your personal information from public view.
Another effective strategy is to establish a decoy address for official purposes, such as a P.O. box or a mail forwarding service. This can help mask your actual location while still allowing you to receive important correspondence. Regularly auditing your privacy measures is also essential. Hiring professionals to identify vulnerabilities in your setup can help you address weaknesses before they are exploited. While these steps require time and effort, they provide a robust defence against unwanted scrutiny.
5: Pursue Complete Anonymity
For those seeking the highest level of privacy, adopting a non-digital lifestyle may be necessary. This involves avoiding traceable devices, such as smartphones, modern vehicles, and smart home systems. Instead, rely on analogue tools and non-digital alternatives to minimize your exposure to tracking.
When identification is required, consider using passports instead of driver’s licenses, as they do not disclose your residential address. Additionally, avoid using credit cards or other traceable payment methods, opting instead for cash or cryptocurrencies that prioritize anonymity. Achieving complete anonymity demands significant lifestyle changes and constant vigilance. You may need to forgo many conveniences of modern life, including online services and connected devices. While this level of privacy is not practical for everyone, it remains an option for those with the dedication and resources to pursue it.
Taking Control of Your Digital Presence
Disappearing online and protecting your privacy is a challenging yet attainable goal. By implementing these steps, you can progressively reduce your digital footprint while balancing convenience and security. Whether your aim is to limit corporate surveillance or achieve complete anonymity, the process is deeply personal and depends on your specific needs and comfort level. Each action you take brings you closer to reclaiming control over your digital presence, empowering you to navigate the online world on your terms.
What do the worst marketing misfires have in common? An absolute failure to read the room.
The Gist
AI authenticity crisis. The rush to adopt artificial intelligence has created a new category of marketing failures where technology replaces human connection, leaving audiences feeling manipulated rather than engaged.
Heritage vs. evolution paradox. From luxury automakers to beloved restaurant chains, brands attempting radical transformations learned that evolution requires honouring your DNA while building toward the future.
Crisis management meltdown.In our hyperconnected age, how brands respond to controversy matters as much as the initial campaign—wavering values and murky messaging amplify damage rather than contain it.
The marketing landscape has seen its successes and failures with advertising. The interesting fact is that people are becoming more vocal about what they like and don’t like.
Even Reddit has become a constant source of ad lessons, hosting distinct threads where people comment on bad ads. There is a dedicated channel called CommercialHate that displays ads and commentary.
These ads are more than poorly executed commercials. The responses are examples of sentiment analysis. They are case studies in what happens when brands misread cultural moments, abandon their heritage or let technology override authenticity.
Each failure offers lessons for marketing leaders navigating an increasingly complex digital ecosystem where every campaign faces instant, global scrutiny. In this post, we will look at the most notable brand examples of messaging missteps that have occurred in the last few years, and what lessons marketers can learn:
1. Google Gemini’s Olympic Heartbreak: AI Replacing Human Expression (2024)
Google’s 2024 Olympics ad featured a parent suggesting their child use Gemini AI to write a letter to her favourite athlete. The intent was to showcase AI capabilities.
Critics argued the commercial suggested that even heartfelt messages of admiration—the kind that define Olympic spirit—should be outsourced to artificial intelligence. In a celebration of human achievement, suggesting AI mediate a genuine connection felt tone-deaf. CNBC reported that Google had tested the ad before launching it.
The Lesson: AI Must Enhance Humanity, Not Replace It
AI in marketing faces a delicate balance between demonstrating innovation and preserving human authenticity. Technology works best when it enhances human capabilities rather than replacing human expression. Marketing leaders must recognize when automation crosses from helpful to harmful, particularly in emotionally charged contexts.
2. Levi’s AI-Generated Models: Diversity Without Investment (2023)
In 2023, Levi’s partnered with lalaland.ai to showcase AI-generated models for diversity representation. The backlash was immediate and brutal: critics called it lazy, problematic and racist. If Levi’s genuinely cared about diversity, why not hire real models from diverse backgrounds?
The fundamental error was treating diversity as a visual checkbox rather than a genuine commitment. Using synthetic humans to represent real human diversity struck audiences as fundamentally dishonest—particularly from a heritage brand built on authenticity.
The Lesson: Representation Requires Real Investment
When brands demonstrate support for DEI, customers expect real actions, not just visual presentations. In an AI-sceptical marketplace, automating human representation feels like avoiding the investment that genuine diversity requires. Authenticity demands substance over surface-level aesthetics.
3. Coca-Cola’s AI Christmas: Technology Destroying Nostalgia (2024)
Coca-Cola attempted to use AI to recreate its beloved “Holidays are coming” campaign in 2024. Despite similar festive imagery—sparkling lights, red trucks, joyous families—audiences couldn’t emotionally connect with the AI-generated version, according to CNBC.
The technology’s limitations became painfully apparent when tasked with recreating something fundamentally about human emotion and tradition. Critics described it as cold and impersonal, lacking the warmth that made the original iconic.
The Lesson: Innovation Should Not Erase Emotional Equity
Not everything should be automated, especially content where emotional resonance is the entire point. Brands sitting on cultural touchstones built over decades should recognize that innovation for innovation’s sake can destroy value rather than create it. Coca-Cola’s Christmas advertising carries enormous brand equity—using AI to replicate that heritage without understanding what made it special resulted in a hollow imitation.
4. Anheuser-Busch’s Bud Light Crisis: The Art of the Non-Apology (2023)
This partnership became one of the most financially devastating marketing decisions in recent memory, resulting in a $27 billion loss in market value and a 30% sales drop. But as I explored in my analysis ofwhat Anheuser-Busch got wrong, the initial partnership wasn’t the biggest mistake—it was the crisis response.
CEO Brendan Whitworth’s open letter, “Our Responsibility to America,” exemplified everything wrong with corporate crisis management. The statement tried to appeal to everyone while committing to nothing: “We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer.”
As Sara McCord, CEO of McCord Communications, noted in my piece: “Marketing to everyone is marketing to no one. … The statement fails to support anyone who would’ve felt targeted in recent days: those who support trans rights see that when the brand was attacked by conservatives it abandoned them, and those who do not support trans rights see no clear commitment to their agenda.”
The Lesson: Crisis Management Requires Clarity, Not Neutrality
Crisis response often evolves into ongoing campaigns when controversy persists. Brands attempting to maintain neutrality while prominent featuring their product strike an inappropriate tone—it feels like covert advertising masquerading as genuine dialogue. Moreover, transforming a brand image necessitates consistent, ongoing communication. Reacting with management changes doesn’t convey this consistency.
As I noted in my original analysis, if established brands are adapting to meet evolving expectations around inclusive marketing—and they should be—then executives need to exhibit more patience with results and be prepared for challenges. Making too abrupt changes can lead to poor partnership experiences and irreparable harm.
5. Jaguar’s ‘Copy Nothing’ Gambit: Selling Identity Without Product (2024)
Jaguar’s 2024 rebrand generated massive controversy with its fashion-forward video featuring no cars, diverse models and the tagline “Copy Nothing.” As I detailed in my analysis ofwhether CMOs can sell luxury without a product, the campaign represented a high-stakes bet on brand messaging over product.
The campaign aimed to reposition Jaguar as an ultra-luxury brand competing with Bentley and Ferrari, but it faced criticism for generic logos and unclear messaging. Most notably, trolls attacked the diversity of models as “too woke,” though these critics were unlikely to ever be Jaguar customers.
The real challenge? Jaguar discontinued most of its lineup and won’t launch its new electric Type 00 until 2026. The brand is literally selling an identity rather than a product—a two-year gap in automotive marketing terms.
The Lesson: Brand Reinvention Needs Proof, Patience and Precision
As I emphasized in my original analysis, marketers must pick metrics and KPIs that measure public campaign response. Brand awareness metrics like share of voice in luxury discussions, sentiment analysis of keywords and brand recognition ensure rebranding creates clear competitive separation.
Equally important: know the right stakeholders for valid campaign criticism. Carefully consider how rebranding messages will be received by different audience segments on each digital channel. Trolls are never your customers and should not dictate brand direction.
The gamble remains unresolved until 2026, but the journey offers lessons: sometimes the brand itself must be the product, but the messaging must clearly demonstrate how 100 years of history brings value to aspirational luxury plans.
6. Zara’s ‘The Jacket’ Campaign: Missing the Room Entirely (2023)
In December 2023, Zara launched “The Jacket” campaign featuring mannequins with missing limbs wrapped in white sheets amid rubble and broken plaster. The timing couldn’t have been worse — the campaign was launched during the Israel-Gaza conflict, and the imagery immediately drew comparisons to disturbing scenes from Gaza, including corpses wrapped in white burial shrouds.
Social media commentary was swift, according to NPR. The hashtag #BoycottZara trended quickly on X (formerly Twitter), and Britain’s Advertising Standards Authority received over 110 complaints. CNN Business reported that Zara pulled the campaign after the backlash, with parent company Inditex claiming the photos were taken in September, before the conflict began.
But as The Drum’s analysis revealed, the real failure was in crisis preparedness. Giselle Elsom, client services director at Truffle Social, noted: “It should then be checked before it goes live, especially during times like these.” Lucy Robertson, head of brand marketing at Seen Connects, emphasized that “brands need to be more sensitive to how customers are behaving and it’s really about reading the room.”
The Lesson: Cultural Context Must Be a Core Part of QA
Scheduled content requires final approval processes that account for current events. As The Drum’s experts emphasized, brands must be able to “switch direction quickly—this is the new normal.” World events can derail campaigns prepared months in advance, so marketing teams need “brave, bold decisions” to pull content that won’t land well with audiences. Cultural sensitivity isn’t just about the creative—it’s about knowing when to hit pause.
7. Bumble’s ‘Celibacy is Not the Answer’: Missing Cultural Movements (2024)
Bumble’s 2024 billboard campaign stating “Celibacy is not the answer” landed during growing conversations about women’s autonomy, dating culture burnout and the “4B movement,” in which some women choose celibacy as empowerment.
The campaign felt dismissive of legitimate concerns about modern dating dynamics, suggesting the app knew better than women making conscious choices about their bodies and relationships.
The Lesson: Know Your Audience’s Reality Before Challenging It
Focus groups made up of your actual target demographic would have flagged this messaging as insensitive before public rollout. Understanding your audience means listening to their current concerns and cultural movements, not dictating what their “answers” should be. When your product depends on people dating, telling them celibacy is wrong feels self-serving rather than supportive.
8. American Eagle’s ‘Great Jeans’: When Wordplay Backfires (2025)
American Eagle’s 2025 campaign paired Sydney Sweeney with the tagline “Great Jeans”—a pun on genes that some interpreted as body-coded, exclusionary and uncomfortably close to eugenics rhetoric. What was meant as playful wordplay quickly became a widely criticized example of tone-deaf marketing.
The Lesson: Clever Wordplay Cannot Come at the Expense of Inclusion
Pre-testing with diverse audiences catches these problems before launch. What seems clever in a conference room can read entirely differently in the marketplace. In our hyperconnected age, every message faces examination through multiple cultural lenses. Clarity and inclusivity beat cleverness when they conflict.
The fix was simple: test the tagline across subcultures and choose language that can’t be misinterpreted.
9. H&M’s ‘Coolest Monkey in the Jungle’: Implicit Bias on Display (2018)
In January 2018, H&M faced global outrage for featuring a Black child modelling a hoodie with the slogan “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle” on its UK website. Social media erupted immediately, with celebrities including The Weeknd, G-Eazy, Questlove and LeBron James condemning the ad. CNN Business reported that both The Weeknd and G-Eazy severed business ties with H&M over the incident.
The controversy intensified when observers noted that other hoodies from the same line—featuring phrases like “survival expert”—were modelled by white children. Billboard noted that the incident was “yet another sad reminder of how much more work needs to be done when it comes to understanding the implications that can arise behind certain images and messaging.”
H&M’s initial apology fell flat, forcing the company to issue a more detailed statement acknowledging that “even if unintentional, passive or casual racism needs to be eradicated wherever it exists.” NBC News reported that H&M responded by appointing Annie Wu as Global Leader for Diversity and Inclusiveness, though critics argued the damage was already done.
The Lesson: Diversity in the Room Prevents Harm in the World
As Billboard’s analysis emphasized: “This H&M incident again lets you know that no one of color is involved in these creative teams.” Diversity isn’t just about the final product—it’s about who’s in the room making decisions. The campaign revealed how implicit bias operates when homogeneous teams create content for diverse audiences. Multiple perspectives at every approval level aren’t optional—they’re essential for identifying racist implications before campaigns reach the public. H&M’s stock plummeted, and the brand lost major celebrity partnerships, demonstrating the financial and reputational cost of diversity failures.
10. PureGym’s ’12 Years A Slave’ Workout: Comparing Exercise to Enslavement (2020)
In 2020, PureGym Luton and Dunstable named a workout challenge “12 Years of Slave” and claimed “slavery was hard, and so is this.” The comparison of a voluntary fitness challenge to the historical enslavement of African Americans drew immediate, severe criticism.
The post was taken down, and PureGym apologized, stating they did not approve the post before it was made—revealing another layer of failure in brand oversight.
The Lesson: Some Topics Are Not Creative Raw Material
Some comparisons should never be made, regardless of the “creative” intent. Historical trauma, particularly relating to slavery and racism, cannot be co-opted for workout marketing. That should be a fundamental understanding by marketing teams at brands.
Robust approval processes ensure local franchises or branches cannot publish content that destroys brand reputation. Cultural sensitivity training should emphasize what’s absolutely off-limits, not just what’s questionable.
Conclusion: What Can Marketing Leaders Expect in 2026?
So, we don’t want to just dance on marketing graves here. What can we truly learn and expect in 2026? Start doubling down on customer experience.
Rishi Rana, CEO of Cyara, said in 2026, CMOs will stop measuring marketing success by impressions, clicks and campaigns and start measuring it by experience quality. As AI takes over more of the customer journey, from personalized offers to service conversations, the brand experience no longer ends at conversion, according to Rana. It lives and breathes in every automated touchpoint, he added.
“That’s why marketing leaders will begin reporting a new KPI at the board level: the Experience Quality Index (EQI),” Rana said. “EQI will blend accuracy, speed, and sentiment across human and AI interactions, creating a single measure of how every brand moment performs in the real world. In the AI era, marketing’s job isn’t just to attract customers, it’s to assure the quality of every promise a brand makes.”
Pierre DeBois is the founder and CEO of Zimana, an analytics services firm that helps organizations achieve improvements in marketing, website development, and business operations. Zimana has provided analysis services using Google Analytics, R Programming, Python, JavaScript and other technologies where data and metrics abide.
You might have noticed AI at the top of Google’s search page, but that might not be enough to compete with ChatGPT’s latest offering. For now, it is only available for Mac, but OpenAI has launched a browser called ChatGPT Atlas that searches, summarizes, and answers all your questions in one place. ChatGPT Atlas looks more like a traditional browser, complete with tabs and favourites. You can visit any site, ask questions about what you’re seeing, and get answers in real time without leaving the page. These changes can impact how major organizations like Google, LinkedIn, and Amazon operate. The question every major platform is asking is how to stay relevant when AI becomes the main hub for users. I discussed this with New York Times bestselling author, Seth Godin. Seth said AI is the biggest shift since electricity, calling it the final step in the capitalist drive to remove skill from workers and embed it in systems. He added that the alternative to being replaced is to use AI for small tasks while elevating our role to innovator, project manager, or visionary.
What Can Google Do To Compete With ChatGPT Atlas – Gado via Getty Images
What Can Google Do To Compete With ChatGPT Atlas
Google built its success on ads tied to search traffic. When users click links, Google earns revenue. If ChatGPT Atlas gives people what they want without leaving the page, those clicks go away. Google has tried to stay ahead by adding AI-generated summaries at the top of its results, but the larger challenge is finding a way to keep advertisers interested when fewer people are viewing or clicking links. Seth said Google “stumbled into a miracle” with its advertising model because people actually wanted ads like classifieds, but warned that model cannot be repeated. He believes ChatGPT cannot serve both advertisers and users without losing trust, just as Twitter failed when it chased ad revenue at the expense of experience.
For now, ChatGPT Atlas does not run ads, but that could change. If OpenAI eventually introduces paid placements, it could reshape the entire ad industry. Instead of buying keywords, advertisers might pay to have their product or service mentioned in an AI-generated answer. That could work only if people trust those answers. If users suspect bias or manipulation, they will lose confidence quickly.
Google has one major advantage: habit. Billions of people already use Google every day, and that brand loyalty is powerful. To compete, Google can build deeper integrations between its AI products and its other services. That means creating value through data, analytics, and productivity tools that make Google indispensable in everyday life.
What Can LinkedIn Do To Compete With ChatGPT Atlas – SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
What Can LinkedIn Do To Compete With ChatGPT Atlas
LinkedIn faces a different challenge. It already uses AI to help people write posts, apply for jobs, and analyse their professional networks. But users are starting to notice how repetitive AI-generated posts can feel. Many sound similar, polished but hollow, and that kind of content hurts engagement. Even AI-generated images are losing their novelty. Seth said LinkedIn’s algorithm shapes behaviour by rewarding certain posts, not necessarily better ideas. As people follow what the system rewards, it creates an ocean of sameness. Once the algorithm changes, users shift again, unaware of how it drives their actions.
If LinkedIn wants to compete with ChatGPT Atlas, it has to double down on human connection. The platform’s power comes from people wanting to be seen, to share achievements, and to prove they are ready for their next opportunity. AI can’t replace that desire for recognition.
One smart move would be to create short discussion threads that feature a single question and invite professionals to respond with their insights. For example, a thread could ask, “How would you handle a team that resists adopting new AI tools?” These would be shorter and livelier than traditional articles, giving people the chance to show how they think, not just what they know. The threads could be personalized to show up in their feed based on their level of experience or desire for future employment.
LinkedIn already invites experts to comment on major topics, but those responses are often longer articles. Quick threads could generate more interaction and show off the expertise of all users and not just experts. The problem would come from people asking ChatGPT or LinkedIn’s AI what a good response is. People need to trust that what they read is genuine. Seth warned that scammers are already scraping LinkedIn’s professional graph to impersonate trusted contacts, which makes authenticity even more critical for the platform’s future.
What Can Amazon Do To Compete With ChatGPT Atlas – Getty Images
What Can Amazon Do To Compete With ChatGPT Atlas
Amazon’s business depends on people searching within its platform. If users start asking ChatGPT Atlas for the best product and Atlas can place that item directly into a shopping cart, Amazon could lose control over discovery on their own site. People might never search inside Amazon again.
That scenario creates both risk and opportunity. Amazon has the infrastructure, logistics, and trust that AI companies lack. It can focus on building partnerships that allow its catalogue to integrate seamlessly into AI-driven searches. If someone asks Atlas for a recommendation and it links directly to Amazon, both companies benefit. But if OpenAI creates its own purchasing system, that could be a real threat to Amazon’s dominance.
To stay ahead, Amazon needs to make its customer experience even more personal. The company already collects detailed data about buying habits. If it uses that data to enhance how people shop, by predicting what they will need or showing real human reviews that feel trustworthy, it can maintain its edge.
Seth Godin Insights on ChatGPT Atlas – Getty Images for Watermark Conference for Women
As Seth put it, innovation starts small. He said we don’t need giant leaps, just tiny choices that persuade us to act, like solving small problems creatively every day. Seth described these as ‘buffet problems’ which are the small inefficiencies anyone can fix right where they stand, like pulling the buffet table away from the wall to help people navigate the table better. He also said fear is natural in times of change but should be used as fuel for upskilling and creative problem-solving, since curiosity identifies the problem and creativity finds the least painful solution.
Could ChatGPT Atlas Become The Biggest Platform Of All. Getty Images
Could ChatGPT Atlas Become The Biggest Platform Of All
There is no question that ChatGPT Atlas represents a major shift in how people will use the internet. But it will not exist in a vacuum. Competitors like Claude are improving quickly, and NVIDIA’s investments in AI infrastructure are setting the stage for even more powerful systems. The question is whether Atlas will become the default way people access information or one of many tools in a growing ecosystem. The companies that thrive will be the ones that stay curious and adaptable. As Seth noted, cycles of creative destruction are speeding up, from forty years to ten, and that waiting for top-down permission to innovate means waiting forever. Those who act first, even in small ways, will shape what comes next.
No ad budget? Try this tool – all you need is a URL to get started.
ZDNET’s key takeaways
Pomelli is an experiment from Google Labs and Google DeepMind.
It can create AI-generated ad campaigns for your business.
It’s only available in English in select countries.
Finding the budget, time, and resources to properly advertise as a small-to-medium-sized business (SMB) can be a daunting task. Pomelli, an AI experiment from Google Labs in collaboration with Google DeepMind, provides AI marketing tools to assist small businesses in creating social media campaigns.
Pomelli uses AI to create campaigns that are unique to your business; all you need to do is upload your business website to begin. Google says Pomelli uses your business URL to create a “Business DNA” that analyses your website images to identify brand identity. The Business DNA profile includes tone of voice, colour palettes, fonts, and pictures. Pomelli can also generate logos, taglines, and brand values.
After you’ve created a Business DNA, Pomelli generates ad campaign ideas. In a blog post, Google says this feature eliminates the laborious process of brainstorming unique ad campaigns. If users have their own campaign ideas, they can enter them into Pomelli as a prompt.
Finally, Pomelli will generate marketing assets for social media, websites, and advertisements. These assets can be edited, allowing users to change images, headers, fonts, colour palettes, descriptions, and create a call to action.
Pomelli is available as a public beta experiment in the US, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand in English only.
Similar products to try
Pomelli joins several recent releases from major tech companies that aim to use AI for advertising, including an AI agent from Amazon that makes ads start to finish. Adobe’s AI Foundry, released earlier this month, aims to manage copyright concerns by letting companies fine-tune Adobe image and video generation models with their own IP for a more personalized output.
Feature Image Credit: Screenshot by Jada Jones/ZDNET
These days, agencies act more like orchestrators of tech and creator access
A decade ago, I fought tooth and nail to gain a foothold in the advertising industry. I contacted the great-ish minds of our generation leading strategy at the legendary Madison Ave. shops and the new-fangled, tech-enabled experience studios. Handwritten letters rattled the bin without reply. Most emails went unanswered, save for a few generous folks who gleaned genuine interest in my request.
To those folks, I explained my interest—I am curious about people.
During a decade working brand-side marketing roles, I glimpsed what agency strategists got to do and I was jealous. One anecdote came from my time at a youth-focused travel company. As part of a project, I flew to London and trailed a few strategists from our agency for field research. We hit university pubs, buying students pints of cider and lager in exchange for travel stories and booking experiences.
Strategists sought a truth about humans, business and culture. While the world of advertising was already in flux, it still had some shine. It seemed a fitting way to use my journalism degree while making enough to not need more roommates than rooms in my apartment.
There were trips for some to industry confabs. At least once a week, we entertained a client with dinner and drinks or at least a stop at happy hour. I got to do plenty of research interviews. I even spent a few years working at iconic agencies in London, the birthplace of planning.
Today, I fear the industry is losing what made it home for misfits like myself—its focus on people.
Recently, a well-known CMO shared a screenshot on LinkedIn. In the midst of a publisher’s article was an ad. This ad looked nothing like the ads I wanted to help create. You can imagine it now. They are usually found at the bottom of articles on news websites. They feature a clickbait headline, an AI-generated image and a tiny disclosure line in a half-assed attempt to tell you what you’re seeing is an ad and not actual news.
Over the decade since I got into advertising, the share of ad revenue going to Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet and TikTok has climbed rom 22 percent to 65 percent, per MoffettNathanson. Instead of the industry using its understanding of people to help these platforms create ad formats and creative that work through narrative and entertainment, agencies bent the knee. They reworked ideas to fit formats, ceded creation to influencers and accepted that somewhere between 5 and 50 percent of the users seeing an ad weren’t people, but bots. Unsurprisingly, the percentage of humans who find advertising annoying has also climbed.
A recent report from Forrester predicts that, “As creators take on more ideation and production responsibilities, creative agencies will act more like orchestrators of tech and creator access.”
Times change and culture shifts. I’m not naïve enough to see this prediction as a surprise nor stubborn enough to grasp at the vestiges of the industry of yore. What floors me about Forrester’s prediction is how willing the industry is to cede its leadership in understanding people.
These digital behemoths have reduced users to data points that brands can buy for pennies on the dollar. They don’t need to understand their users. Heck, they don’t even need to acknowledge that there is a human user. What matters is the identifying ID that bought from an e-commerce shop after tapping an ad so bad that even a junior art director wouldn’t put it in a sparse portfolio.
Our industry can and should do better.
Let’s give life to those aggregated data points. Let’s help clients see what they are already pointing out themselves: AI slop and clickbait ads are not going to win hearts and minds.
Research from System1 and others has shown that creators, as proper collaborators, can play a brand-building role. We can’t settle for becoming an orchestrator when at the very least we should be composing the music.
And these people aren’t gone. In terms of positioning, they are still our most valuable offer. They show us that when the advertising industry focuses on people, both those creating the ads and those enjoying them, the advertising industry wins.
A massive disconnect exists between media spends and media consumption. The disconnect between ad spend and consumption reality has multiple causes:
1. Outdated media mix models offered by major consulting houses weight older media forms like broadcast and cable more than new forms of media or ignore them completely.
2. Media fragmentation has muddied the marketplace with hundreds of new channels.
3. New media forms don’t have or haven’t built platforms allowing advertising at scale.
4. Bureaucracy. Large marketing organizations are slow movers, despite audiences moving elsewhere.
5. Change is hard. Lazy marketers stick to what has worked in the past, ignoring audience shifts.
The cure to mismatched advertising remains simple: follow your audience. In the spirit of smarter marketing, we compiled statistics from eMarketer, Warc, and Statista to create a guide for modern media consumption. Four simple pie charts detail each generations media consumption.
Our goal – to encourage marketers to think critically on closing the gap between their marketing spends and viewership realities.
Gen Z: Occupy the social, video game and streaming space
Gen Z, people aged 12-25, are the socially conscious, woke, TikTok dancers that advertisers can’t talk enough about. This group can be boiled down to four channels: social, streaming TV, streaming music, and video games. That’s where 90% of your budget should go to reach ad land’s most desirable, youngest, and impressionable demographic. For young women, skew to streaming TV; for young men, invest more in video games. Social should be prioritized for each.
Consider cutting your entire traditional TV buy for this audience. Yes, I just said that. eMarketer and Warc put Gen Z TV consumption at less than an hour a day, the lowest of any group. We still think an hour is an overestimate from antiquated survey methods that don’t accurately reflect or reach this audience.
Gen Z should be reached through digital channels. Strategies that heavy up on social, video games, and streaming platforms (Hulu, YouTube, Twitch), will win here. Don’t over-complicate it and stop buying broadcast TV.
Millennials: Straddle old and new media as the OG digital disruptors
Millennials, consumers aged 26-44, embody digital disruption, inheriting their name from the millennia transition and Y2K. With the most dispersed media habits on our list, millennials epitomize the move to digital with the adoption of the internet, iPhone, and social. This shift has caused them to share media habits from both older and younger generations. I sit square in the middle at 31, having enjoyed the razor flip phone, iPod, and AOL instant messenger.
This is the generation that embodied digital disruption, where analogue, cable, and broadcast were challenged by digital media. The dispersed viewing habits require advertisers to spread media spends across a wide variety of platforms.
Although advertisers have dumped us as they chase younger consumers, this demographic offers the biggest upside in buying power for brands. In our prime working years, this generation is having kids, buying houses, getting a car, or going through their midlife crisis.
We are also the first generation to stream more TV. We invented and adopted streaming audio. We love podcasts with the highest consumption of any generation. We also make up the majority of the workforce now. Ignore us with caution.
Gen X: Dispersed media while holding on to traditional TV
Gen X, people aged 45-60, also known as the forgotten generation, grew up in 80s pastels, pioneered cable, and watched a lot of MTV. This is your aunt on your Facebook, commenting about how she saw Madonna at Studio54 that one time.
Gen X share distributed media consumption with the millennial audience, albeit skewing toward older media forms like traditional TV. Curiously, Gen X also consumes the least amount of media at roughly eight hours. This generation is most likely to still have their pay TV bundles as well as new streaming TV subscriptions.
Gen X is busy. They are the most likely to be parents (of Gen Alpha) and occupy senior work positions. Although the least covered in advertising trades, they have the highest disposal income of any generation, according to the World Economic Forum.
Gen X sits in its highest earning years before the retirement. Brands, especially housing, luxury, finance, and healthcare, would do well to remember Gen X. Advertisers should lean into traditional TV while spreading their spend into diverse media to reach this big spending consumer.
Boomers: Stick with traditional TV buys while dabbling in streaming and social
Boomers, consumers 60+, grew up the 50s and 60s and now have their feet up kicked up as they enter retirement. Boomers are the parents of the millennial generation and the most likely to lie about their drug use in college.
Boomers love traditional TV. This is your dad who sends you clips from FOX News, CNN or MSNBC on how the country is going to hell. Boomers are the most likely to have pay TV packages, watching roughly 4.5 hours each day, almost 50% of their total media consumption.
When they are not parked in front of the TV, Boomers dabble in social media and streaming TV. All advertising that seeks to reach this audience should have TV buys baked in. The original TV generation are still the OG couch potatoes. They will have the cable plugged in for the foreseeable future, but will slowly adopt new media to connect to post awkward comments to their kids and grandkids.
Parting thoughts on marketing across generations
The guide’s media breakouts should provide a blueprint for planning marketing campaigns around shifting media habits between generations. Keep in mind:
1. Tech adoption happens bottom up, from the youngest to oldest, necessitating new strategies to meet the younger generations where they are.
2. As new generations mature into adulthood, their media habits crystalize while their buying power increases. Don’t forget about the wisest and biggest wallets in favour of chasing youth.
3. No media really dies. Headlines like these are clickbait. The pie just shifts. Your marketing budget should reflect those consumer shifts.
The three takeaways will help you close the gap between budget allocation and consumer realities. The audience is what matters, no matter the medium.
Wes Morton is the founder and CEO of Creativ Strategies. A native Texan, his 10-year career has spanned three advertising agencies through New York and Los Angeles, managing multi-million-dollar campaigns for Sour Patch Kids, Swedish Fish, OREO, British Airways, EA, BEN and more. In 2021, Wes Morton founded Creativ Strategies, a full-service marketing consulting firm for media and tech brands, where he leads a team of expert marketing consultants. He writes and surfs every day from his home in Venice, California.
