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McDonald’s, Old Spice and Corona prove the best branding is multi-sensory.

Multi-sensory branding is on the rise because of one simple human truth; consumers perceive the world using all of their senses. For a brand to succeed in the modern age, it needs to be more than meets the eye, and savvy marketers are building holistic expressions that consider what people see, hear, feel and believe.

When your messaging uses a strategic combination of visual and sonic branding, all boats rise with the tide. Visual branding works on a cognitive level, sonic assets deliver on a deeper emotional level. When they’ve been designed to work in harmony, these sensory dance partners leave a lasting impression that improves performance exponentially (see our pick of the best sonic logos).

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Sourced from CREATIVE BLOQ

BY BILLY JONES.

Hootsuite’s VP of marketing explains how incorporating AI as an integral part of strategy and brainstorming processes has transformed everything.

BY BILLY JONES3 MINUTE READ

In the fast-paced world of marketing, I’ve always approached creativity as an organization’s bread and butter, with innovation as the knife that spreads it. As the VP of marketing at Hootsuite, I’ve found an unexpected ally in this creative quest—artificial intelligence and, more specifically, ChatGPT.

I’ve incorporated AI as an integral part of my strategy and brainstorming process in the past year—transforming the way I think, create, and deliver business value for my organization. Here are five ways it’s made an impact.

REINVENTING THE CREATIVE BRIEF

My years in agency life at BBDO have ingrained in me a love for structured creativity. The “Get-Who-To-By-Because” brief has always been a staple in my toolbox. It helps zone in on who I am trying to target, pushes me to identify the pain point I am trying to solve, how I plan to solve it, the key message that I’m trying to drive home, and the why behind the entire campaign.

Recently I began using ChatGPT to reframe these briefs. By feeding it relevant information and asking for multiple versions of a brief within the “Get-Who-To-By-Because” format, I’ve been amazed by the unexpected perspectives it offers. This process has helped fuel my creativity. Coupled with my experience in the creative space and deep understanding of my customer, it ensures that the final output is both human-centric and insight-driven.

CRAFTING TARGET PERSONAS WITH PRECISION

We all know that data is king. But the interpretation of any data is the key to the kingdom. ChatGPT’s ability to dive into vast public data pools has been a game changer for developing customer personas.

For instance, I asked ChatGPT to define the core demographics of North American social media managers.

From there, I used that very demographic output as an input to a user persona framework. ChatGPT was able to create detailed user personas that captured everything from challenges and joys to the preferred technology stack, budget, and even their favored media outlets. These insights have been invaluable in refining my team’s content and paid media strategies.

ENHANCING RESPONSE-BASED ADVERTISING

In marketing’s creative landscape, a tactical approach is sometimes crucial. ChatGPT excels here, notably during a time-strapped holiday season. Tasked with creating a compelling email for a January webinar with little time and lots of folks on holiday, we used prompted ChatGPT with our holiday webinar theme “Supercharge Your 24 Social Strategy” and asked for it to help us craft a click-worthy email via the AIDA (Attention-Interest-Desire-Action) framework. The outcome was a remarkable 300% increase in click-through rates, showcasing AI’s power in strategic, responsive advertising.

ACKNOWLEDGING THE POWER OF AI EDITING

From crafting a Slack message to assisting with internal briefs, ChatGPT has been my go-to editor. Its ability to tailor certain messages to specific communication styles—such as being jargon-free—is nothing short of impressive. This has enhanced the clarity and impact of my communications across the board.

SERVING AS A CREATIVE ARCHIVIST

In preparing for a product launch, ChatGPT has served me well as a creative archivist—providing insights on past marketing campaigns from companies who have similarly launched disruptive products.

By getting specific around needing to understand the specific tactics that drove success, ChatGPT has helped shape our approach to generating fame and achieving widespread industry impact.

These are just a few examples of how I’ve used AI in the past year. It has played multiple roles—from a strategist and brainstorming partner to a copywriter and researcher.

Throughout all of this, it’s important to remember that AI is a tool and not a replacement for human creativity.

To me, AI provides deep insights based on what’s been done. But it’s our creativity that dreams up ideas that have never been done. As we continue to harness AI’s power, it’s our human touch that will continue to make a real difference in the world of marketing.

Feature Image Credit: Getty Images

BY BILLY JONES.

Billy Jones is the VP of Marketing at Hootsuite. More

Sourced from FastCompany

By Dirk Petzold

In creativity, where ideas and imagination dance in a constant symphony, staying inspired can be a challenge.

As creative professionals, we’re constantly bombarded with stimuli, from the latest trends to the ever-evolving technological landscape. But amidst this whirlwind of inspiration, it’s easy to lose sight of our unique spark.

Fear not, fellow creatives! For within us lies a wellspring of untapped potential, waiting to be unleashed. In this blog post, we’ll embark on a journey to rekindle your creative fire and guide you toward a world of boundless inspiration.

1. Embrace the Power of Curiosity

Curiosity is the gateway to creativity. It’s that insatiable thirst for knowledge, that desire to explore the unknown sparks new ideas and ignites the imagination. So, step out of your comfort zone and delve into the world around you. Visit museums, attend lectures, read books, and engage in conversations with people from all walks of life. Let your curiosity guide you, and you’ll be amazed at the treasures you uncover.

2. Seek Inspiration in the Everyday

Creativity isn’t confined to grand gestures or elaborate setups. It’s often hiding in plain sight, waiting to be discovered in the mundane moments of everyday life. Pay attention to the details, the subtle nuances that make up the world around you. A fleeting glance at a sunset, the aroma of freshly baked bread, the laughter of children playing in the park – these seemingly ordinary occurrences can be rich sources of inspiration.

3. Embrace Collaboration and Feedback

Creativity thrives in a collaborative environment. Surround yourself with like-minded individuals who challenge your perspectives, push your boundaries, and offer constructive feedback. Engage in open discussions, share your work, and seek out fresh perspectives. Collaboration will not only spark new ideas but also refine your creative voice.

4. Embrace the Power of Rest and Rejuvenation

Creativity is like a muscle; it needs time to rest and recover to function at its best. Don’t be afraid to step away from your work, to disconnect from the digital world, and be present in the moment. Take a walk in nature, listen to music, or engage in activities that bring you joy and relaxation. When you return to your work, you’ll approach it with fresh eyes and renewed energy.

5. Never Stop Learning and Experimenting

The creative journey is a lifelong adventure. There’s always something new to learn, a new technique to master, or a new medium to explore. Embrace the spirit of lifelong learning and never stop experimenting. Step outside your comfort zone, try new things and don’t be afraid to fail. It’s in the process of experimentation that we discover our unique creative identities.

Remember, creativity is not a destination but a continuous journey. It’s about nurturing your curiosity, embracing the every day, finding inspiration in collaboration, and never losing sight of the power of rest and rejuvenation.

So, fellow creatives, let us embark on this journey together, fuelled by passion, curiosity, and an insatiable desire to express ourselves. Together, we can unlock the boundless potential that lies within us and create works of art that touch the hearts and minds of others.

Feel free to get your daily dose of creative inspiration on WE AND THE COLOR.

By Dirk Petzold

Sourced from WATC

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And the logo is deliciously retro.

McDonald’s has been sneakily building a brand new spin-off restaurant with an out-of-this-world theme. The new establishment named ‘CosMc’s’, has appeared in Bolingbrook, Illinois and until now has been kept under wraps – but recent images of the new building have garnered a mixed response online.

As of now, it’s unclear how CosMc’s will compare to McDonald’s existing chains but from the theming alone, it looks like we’re in for a blast from the past. This new design is certainly a change from what we’ve seen before, but McDonald’s iconic golden arches still remain one of the best logos of all time.

As you can imagine, the design of the mysterious CosMc’s is suitably space-themed, with a deep blue exterior and McD’s yellow accents (with a cameo from the golden arches of course). The CosMc’s wordmark logo is perhaps the biggest change from McDonald’s branding, featuring retro-inspired curved text that gives the restaurant a nostalgic appearance.

If you’re familiar with the intricate world of McDonald’s lore, you may recall the classic character behind the new restaurant design. CosMc was a fleeting side character featured in various McD’s ads in the late 80s and 90s – Ronald’s extra-terrestrial pal who’s arguably lesser known than other McDonald’s characters. After the success (and trauma) of the latest Grimace shake trend, do I spy McDonald’s attempting to revive another forgotten friend?

Feature Image credit: Tony Baggett via Getty Images

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Natalie is Creative Bloq’s staff writer. With an eye for trending topics and a passion for internet culture, she brings you the latest in art and design news. A recent English Literature graduate, Natalie enjoys covering the lighter side of the news and brings a fresh and fun take to her articles. Outside of work (if she’s not glued to her phone), she loves all things music and enjoys singing sweet folky tunes.

Sourced from CREATIVEBLOG

By Nick Horne 

When I say that creative agencies are killing creativity, don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to set up an all-out war with particular agencies. It’s not about agencies that fall into the ‘creative’ category per se. It’s the term ‘creative agency’ itself.

It’s a conceit invented to save the ‘ad’ agencies of old from crumbling under the up-surge of digital. In theory, it moved them away from being the TV agency in the mind of marketers, allowing them to maintain a bigger piece of the pie.

Likewise ‘smart marketing’: for some it’s a fair title, but for others it’s been a mask. An excuse to pitch the ‘we do digital, too’ idea when really, they’re creating a 15-second cut-down for social because digital is a loss leader to the bit they really want, the 60-second TV or cinema ad.

What does it mean to be creative?

The term was invented at a time when the more interesting and creative work was happening in non-traditional media. And so, a land grab was made on the ownership of creativity. As a result, every other media channel now seems to operate in service of proving the value of those big shoots.

Print and radio have become devalued and frequently lacking creativity. The industry has created an environment where budgets and effort are being funnelled so much to one medium or production that we’re tying our hands and cutting off huge opportunities for brands to shine.

Digital has all too often been demoted to basic social cut-downs of the 60-second film, with little consideration of how well it suits the behaviour of that channel.

I’m not going to decry TV as a medium, and I’m not going to argue against the many cases made over recent years for the value of brand building or fame, and the contribution TV makes to that.

It’s important that we stick to the true meaning of creativity. As Paul Feldwick put it, it’s “the artistry and skills that make things popular and distinctive” and not “innovation or originality for its own sake”. But, nor is it the sole pursuit of one type of agency, and one form of creativity from very singular minds.

It’s important that we stretch to find (or craft) the new whether that’s in film or other mediums. The problem is that, currently, it feels like some creatives start with ‘where would we like to shoot next?’ and not ‘what’s the idea?’. Where there is an idea there sometimes seems to be little challenge as to ‘how do we express this best?’.

There are plenty of examples where digital- or experiential-first ideas have created huge fame. They were admittedly fewer and further between, but we never harnessed and made repeatable those instances before resorting back to the safety of the old proven mediums.

The problem

Big networks have gone on to hoover up creatives from a broader more diverse creative background but then create a culture where those creatives are also drawn toward writing the big scripts, they’re rewarded more for that, and it’s held in higher regard.

It shouldn’t be down to the creative teams to fight to broaden the output; that’s the role of agency leadership and the clients. The direction and brief from the start should be to look in every corner to unearth ideas.

I spoke to one senior creative who had recently left a big network and was excited at the opportunity to “do different stuff”; to not be hemmed in by this culture. On one hand, it’s a symptom of the creative drain. But on the other it’s wildly damning of the industry’s standards. Creatives used to leave agencyland when they couldn’t live up to its demands anymore, not the other way around.

It’s also in part the power dynamic created by the term ‘creative agency’. Ownership of creativity by a small, core group whose interest is really in a limited range of mediums will always create a conflict of interest.

The solution

It’s more important than ever both for the retention of creative minds and also for the creation of the best work that we re-introduce tension in the industry, and that clients demand it. Not fewer/larger networks taking up the larger share of budget, but more open and equal bites at creativity, agencies encouraged to challenge each other. Helping make us think more broadly and freer. Ultimately, creative minds with a focus once again on idea first before medium.

And there’s the crux: ideas should own the title ‘creativity’. Not companies, not media channels; ideas. And competition for the best idea is the only healthy way.

Feature Image Credit: Creatives aren’t challenging themselves enough, according to True’s Nick Horne / Ryan Quintal

By Nick Horne 

Sourced from The Drum

By Amy Houston 

To mark the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, creative agency And Us has devised the world’s first interactive street view of a war zone. Here’s how.

On February 24, 2022, Vladimir Putin waged an illegal war with Ukraine, inflicting mass devastation on the country, resulting in thousands of deaths and millions of innocent displaced people. In the year that has passed, a ravaged Ukraine is totally unrecognizable.

“There’s been quite a clear pattern of targeting civilian areas,” says Jamie Kennaway, executive creative director at And Us. “We had the idea of bringing it to life in a way that people can explore and see in a visceral way. It brings it home in a different way.”

“Whether it was Yemen or Iraq, there’s never been an accurate representation of a war-torn country [on Google Street View]. [Google], understandably, don’t want to show violence.” With this in mind, just how difficult would it be to get someone on the ground to document the conflict?

Through previous projects, the indie agency had a network of people that could help. Diego Borges, the agency’s tech director, was able to connect with an exec working at Google Street View who, in turn, happened to know someone that was in Ukraine at the time who could get images. From the beginning, the duo says that the entire project has been both serendipitous and scary.

Taking a Street View car camera through an active war zone is obviously not an advisable plan, admits Kennaway. There were many times they would be on the phone with their Ukrainian contact and he was in an area that was under attack or experiencing power cuts. With a project like this, there are always going to be trepidations, no matter how important the cause is. “We didn’t want to put anyone at risk and we don’t put anyone at risk from a security point of view either,” he adds, stating clearly that the photographer and agencies safety was always front of mind.

Potential issues with Google were also a consideration as the photographer had previously worked with the tech giant and had been supplied with equipment under strict conditions. After talks, they came to an agreement. “There’s a situation on the ground that people need to see.”

The original plan was to get their Ukrainian partner there with a remote-controlled armored car fitted with cameras and drones. But in the planning stages, the photographer suggested using the masses of footage he had on file from his posting in Ukraine. Quickly, the creatives realized they could use scenes from various cities and not just one “symbolic area” in order to give an accurate representation of what was really happening on the ground. They could show the real devastation in Kyiv, Irpin, Kharkiv, Izyum and Cherigiv and Sumy.

“There’s no bigger documentation of what is happening,” says Kennaway. “There’s lots of other footage like drone shots, stuff on CNN and the BBC, a clip here and something there, but to say, come see for yourself, essentially, we realized that the angle was that we were asking people to bear witness.” This, he adds, has been important throughout horrific events in history and is extremely powerful.

For the immersive user journey itself, the team wanted to show what seemed to be the “deliberate targeting of civilian areas” and to highlight that they were “accessing something that was quite obviously a crime.” The notion of their being an undeniable truth eventually led the team to the frank campaign name.

“Obviously mistruth is a weapon of war. You take the camera down the street and it goes up onto this, there’s something very raw and untouched about it.” Looking through the before and after images were shocking, they say.

The end result is a dedicated website that allows the user to make their way through the streets of the chosen six Ukrainian cities, similar to Google Maps. By zooming in and looking around, people get a full 360 view of the devastation inflicted upon those areas.

But to guarantee the project would be seen by millions, the agency needed the backing of a client. “There’s a bit of virtue signaling. There’s a lot of stuff going on [there], versus actual people and institutions on the ground who are trusted with where the money goes,” he said. The more they spoke with Ukrainians on the ground, the more they realized some ‘charities’ were not as trusted or helpful as others.

This meant laborious research and a vetting process to ensure the partners they brought on were valid and doing vital work on the ground. The collective includes President Zelenskyy’s United24 initiative), Voices of Children, which offers long-term psychological support to children affected by war, plus Nova Ukraine and Vostok-Sos, both provide humanitarian supplies. Specifically, feedback from United24 suggested that they get approached constantly to partner on projects and they don’t go with everything. “We weren’t relying on United24, it was just a big surprise that in the end, they wanted to partner. We weren’t expecting that.”

The campaign rollout was decided early on, with a huge emphasis on the press and social media. “It is essentially a carrot that we’re going to give PR for the wider conversation,” admits Kennaway. He says they sought advice to see if it was “PR-able” and if not, they might have reconsidered what they were doing because that was the one chance it had and nobody has a “billion dollars of media money.”

“We’re going to try and get this through mainstream media and obviously the marketing world I mean, I was a bit hesitant about marketing media at first, but we said to our clients that marketing media is important because we can get it spreading in a different way, in different load channels that will also then give it exposure.”

Kennaway is super conscious that he doesn’t want this project to come off as all about the agency, which would feel wrong. The initiative itself has to lead, he wants people to see the efficacy of it and why it’s important. It’s about the “causes involved, the story behind it, and maybe some of the technicality,” he concludes.

“We’re just the puppeteers.”

By Amy Houston 

Sourced from The Drum

By Bernard May

As marketers and brands around the world start 2023, one subject I find myself discussing more and more frequently is creativity. Internally, creativity is critical for keeping agencies competitive. Externally, creativity is key for driving results for our clients and partners.

But just saying “think creatively” is a vague request and, therefore, a lost cause. Creativity means different things across the spectrum of marketing channels and expertise.

Looking forward to next year, I want to take some time to outline not only why creativity is key but also where creativity comes into play for improving performance and maybe even helping to future-proof the marketing industry.

Automation Fuels Creativity

While some fear automation as a threat to their particular area of marketing expertise, I personally see automation innovations as gifts that allow us to refocus our creative mindsets.

The time that may have been taken up by manually tracking data points for optimizing the performance of a landing page, for example, can now be reinvested into creating more landing pages for testing. New ad platform innovations like Google’s Performance Max may free up time for Google marketers to create more differentiated ad messaging for more rapid testing and optimization.

As another example, not too long ago, we had to crack open a laptop and dedicate hours upon hours to edit video content. Now edits, flashy transitions and color correcting can be automated on our phones if we desire.

I urge fellow marketers to take advantage of and embrace automation for reasons like these. Time is our most precious commodity, and automation offers us all more time to get creative with our content.

Strategy Requires Creativity

Often overlooked is the need to flex creative thinking to develop effective marketing strategies. Developing creative strategies is an underappreciated but deeply important skill for effective marketing campaigns.

At its core, strategy is problem-solving—mapping out a solution of tactics, tools and processes for going from where you are to where you want to be. Now, this may require thinking about data in creative new ways, exploring the connection of marketing channels from different angles and even re-exploring the pieces of the marketing funnel for different clients.

Remember, a creative mindset is not confined to copy, messaging and design. Without a strategy, there is no vision for how the pieces of the marketing puzzle will fit together. Without creativity, your marketing strategy is likely to fall flat.

Context Takes Creativity

If you take one thing away from this exploration of creativity, let this unpacking of context be the winner.

Context, in my opinion, generates 80% to 90% of the power attached to any piece of marketing content. Ad channels, website content, emails, social platforms, etc.—each require a different understanding when adapting content to the specific medium.

This is a very jargon-filled way of saying “what works in one place may not work in another.” For example, it requires creativity to take the essence of a product page on a website and pivot it to work for a Google ad. Even repurposing the minimal text of a Google ad for Facebook demands an understanding of the context so you can make the appropriate changes.

Just because someone is an amazing blog writer does not mean they can just bang out copy for a Google ad, Facebook ad or email drip campaign—and vice versa. It takes rapid creative thinking and an understanding of the content’s real-world context to be effective. Take the time to ensure you have the right creative minds in the right seats.

Loyalty Needs Creativity

In 2023, customer loyalty, and in turn better customer lifetime value, will become even more important. With a possible recession on the horizon, brands need to hold on to as much repeat business as possible.

So, where does the creative mindset come into play? Well, what drives loyalty is different across the board. It may take a combination of data, messaging and channel creativity to find an effective strategy for outreach, follow-up and loyalty-based promotions that are personalized for your various customer cohorts.

This might even mean polling your customer base to better understand their needs and desires so that you can proceed with creative and innovative loyalty programs.

Customers Want Creativity

All in all, customers have a thirst for creativity—something that breaks through the noise and makes them pay attention. There is a reason that people always talk about the commercials they see during the Super Bowl—it’s the “Super Bowl” of creative ideas.

The good news (and bad news) is that there are no rules surrounding creative concepts. “Got Milk?” and “Think Different” were beyond basic but broke through decades ago and are still remembered today.

There is a reason that consumers across demographics have pivoted to a platform like TikTok: We are attracted to new ideas. This platform has fostered a completely new avenue where creators are promoting products in ways that massive brands could never have seen coming.

The point is that customers and clients will always be in the market for new creative ideas and concepts. Businesses and brands will forever need creative strategies to progress. Marketers cannot ignore the power of creativity.

Creativity Is Non-negotiable

We have to invest in creative minds and ideas to keep our customer bases secure. You, your business or your agency partner may not (understandably) have every single creative angle covered. Anyone who claims to be an expert in every creative sphere is either lying to you or themselves.

So consider the various touchpoints of creativity, from the aesthetic to the strategic, and be sure to have your bases covered as you welcome 2023.

Feature Image Credit: Getty

By Bernard May

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website.

Bernard May is the CEO of National Positions, a 5-time Inc. 500 company, award-winning marketing agency and Google Premier Partner. Read Bernard May’s full executive profile here.

Sourced from Forbes

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That you have to be a creative professional to build amazing creative online is a myth.

A critical piece of our work at Meta is talking to small business owners about their wins, and, perhaps more importantly, their challenges, so that we can take those learnings to better serve the small- and medium-sized business (SMB) community. And while all small businesses are unique, in many cases, their challenges are the same– whether they’re starting out, or they have been in business for decades.

This is especially true when it comes to marketing, with new tools and trends popping up continuously. A common refrain from business owners is that rather than feeling empowered by the new digital tools at their disposal, they can feel intimidated. In fact, 40% of small businesses say a “lack of experience and understanding of digital marketing” is a top marketing challenge.

Additionally, through our work with small businesses owners, we have learned that time and budget constraints are key blockers when it comes to creativity. Even though entrepreneurs are inherently creative -the ingenuity of small businesses throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic proving that beyond a doubt- many business owners have shared that it can be difficult to translate that creativity to their online presence.

I believe it’s essential to help business owners embrace their creativity, allowing them to showcase their companies and connect with customers online and offline. I’m here to myth-bust that you have to be a creative professional to build amazing creative online. Here are three tips to help entrepreneurs tap into their creativity, and effectively market their business online:

1. MAKE FOR MOBILE While the criteria for big ideas haven’t changed, mobile-first is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. So, what are the keys to success when building content for mobile? I recommend following a few best practices. First, we’ve seen that vertical videos perform best, allowing you to take advantage of more real estate on people’s phone or tablet screens. (Imagine if you rent out a massive billboard, and instead of using the whole advertising space, you use 10% of it.) Some other notable insights: content that features people (vs. just product shots) tends to perform better. Think about how you can incorporate humans into your content- whether its employees, paid models, or customers who’ve given you permission to use their images. You also want to communicate clearly and succinctly. Our research has found that ads with short text overlays and captions below 300 words are optimal.

2. ADD VIDEO TO THE MIX Across our platforms, we’ve seen that the majority of video-only or video-plus-static-image campaigns outperform static-only campaigns in both increasing conversions and driving top-of-mind awareness. When experimenting with video and video-plus-static combined content, remember that short is sweet. There is no magic duration- your content should be as short as it can be, but also as long as it needs to be. Think of it as a game of Jenga: you build your content, and then start removing bits and pieces until you reach that critical point, where if you remove one more word, the whole thing will fall apart- this is when you know you’ve reached the right duration. Given this limited amount of time, don’t try to do too much– highlight your brand, and focus on a singular message. If possible, end with a clear call to action that indicates what you want your audience to do next– like visit your website, purchase a specific product or service, or contact you for more information.

3. GIVE REELS A SHOT Reels already make up more than 20% of the time that people spend on Instagram, so we know there is an appetite to explore a brand’s story in this format. When you’re building this type of content, think of it as infotainment. You want the content you’re presenting to be useful and engaging, while inspiring your audience to get to know more about your brand. For example, think about what are some of the most common questions you get from customers, and build video content that answers your top three queries. If you’re launching a new offering, develop a video that previews the new product or service, showing how it benefits customers. Make sure you’re entertaining and informing for optimal results.

From making for mobile, educating while informing and entertaining audiences, and understanding how to add video into the mix, there are a variety of ways business owners can expand their marketing horizons and tap into their creativity. Also, I want to remind all business owners: don’t doubt yourself. You are creative, and your business is unique. Now, you have the tools and skills (to continue) to show the world.

Feature Image Credit: shutterstock

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Sourced from Entrepreneur Middle East

By Amy Houston

Tasked with touting its latest privacy features, WhatsApp’s creative team devised a plan to take the somewhat dry topic and make it exciting. Here’s the story behind the 3D billboard that intrigued the internet.

3D billboards are the hot marketing medium of the moment, and the Meta-owned messaging app WhatsApp was the latest brand to hop on the trend. Yet, amid the sea of stunts, this Piccadilly activation stood out and garnered industry-wide praise for its creativity.

“We’re very excited. You think about these things, you envision what you’re going to do, but to see it come to life and be embraced by people means the team is feeling very proud,” says Vivian Odior, global head of marketing at WhatsApp, about the reaction.

“Partly because of the creative prowess behind it, but more importantly the messaging that we were able to bring to our users in a powerful, impactful and memorable way. It was a lot of fun. It was definitely a creative dream.”

The project was a collaboration between Meta’s in-house team Creative X and production company Ntropic. The team quickly realized that if they were going to nail this, they needed something bold. “We fell in love with the concept that technology really is modern-day magic. It gave us a license to represent privacy features such as ‘end-to-end encryption’ and ‘disappearing messages’ in truly astonishing ways,” explains Garrett Jones, creative director at Meta.

“When we began thinking about this iconic media placement, we saw a great opportunity to reinforce the brand’s stance on privacy with a visual metamorphosis of a 200-year-old piece of architecture.”

With the location a huge consideration in this project, digitally altering the building made the ad feel more immersive for viewers. It was a “canvas” adds Odior, stating that “we really lucked up on the space at Piccadilly and we wanted to step up to the challenge. We looked for a creative process that was going to be simple in terms of the message that it delivered so that we could spend most of our time on the technicalities and how we brought it to life.”

It was a super-fast turnaround too, with the billboard taking less than four weeks to complete. “Ntropic applied a cinema-quality VFX team to a very simple idea, and I think the result was pretty magical,” recalls Jones. “Our three-chapter story began with a live moment that reflected the WhatsApp community, then leaped further away from IRL with every step. We suspended reality for thousands of passers-by and sparked a conversation around WhatsApp’s ongoing privacy efforts with a bit of ‘wow’ to break up the day.”

In recent years privacy concerns have been a hot topic for many people, with Meta products often at the centre of debates. “We want people to enjoy that story – it doesn’t need to be a boring write-up,” notes Odior. “These features are exciting, they’re very empowering and knowing that they’re there protecting you is super important. It was another way to have that conversation with our users.”

Understanding how WhatsApp “moves the needle” is key to the conversation. “Do people hear us? Do they believe us? What do they think about us now? When you look at the billboard, the reaction speaks for itself,” adds Odior. “People really reacted, they loved the creativity and they took notice.”

Leaning into creative ways of describing privacy and connecting with people is an approach that the marketer says WhatsApp will be continuing. “Once you get a taste of that, there’s definitely no going back.”

By Amy Houston

Sourced from The Drum

By Collette Eccleston

Rational thinking might be overrated – especially during a recession, argues Collette Eccleston, senior vice-president of Material.

For many businesses, it can be difficult to resist that gut instinct to “batten down the hatches” at the first sign of trouble. But playing it safe isn’t what makes a brand recession-proof. The truth is that times of uncertainty can offer one of the best opportunities for your brand to make new connections with customers – that is, if you’re willing to think outside of the box.

If you’re a car rental company in bankruptcy, would buying 100,000 Teslas make any sense? Anyone would find it to be completely irrational and totally reckless. Yet Hertz made this decision as part of its bigger vision, which in turn led to a remarkable turnaround for the company in just over a year.

Like something straight out of a science fiction movie, Hertz now owns the largest fleet of autonomous vehicles. Thanks to a $4.2bn investment, Hertz has managed to propel itself ahead of the pack in a race to transform the car rental industry.

Hertz’s recent move shows that decisions that may seem irrational on the surface can often pay off. So, why do the rest of us judge irrationality as a flaw in human behavior? Irrationality in our professional lives is often exactly what’s needed to unlock the next million-dollar idea.

To be irrational is to be human

Running your business on rationality alone assumes that the people you serve are also rational. Humans make tens of thousands of decisions each day – most of which are not driven by logic at all. It’s our gut instinct that gives us the ability to quickly assess how we feel about the many choices that cross our paths.

That’s not to say rational considerations such as affordability don’t matter. For example, if someone needs a pair of shoes, they might select the $24.99 pair over the $25.99 one. It’s only a dollar less, but they could rationalize cost savings as the motivator. What about choosing a pair of shoes priced at $100 more? Emotion becomes the motivating factor in making that purchase. This is where behavioral science and psychology shed some light.

The four fundamental human needs – belonging, appeal, security and exploration – are a helpful lens for interpreting the motivation behind certain behaviors. When seen through this perspective, splurging $100+ on a pair of shoes starts to make sense; it just follows a different set of motivations. For example, this pair of shoes might unlock a consumer’s need to be a part of a community (belonging) or improve their confidence (appeal). Perhaps they find security in paying a little more for a brand they trust (security). Maybe they’re drawn to an innovative design that promises to boost performance (exploration). This is where an otherwise thrifty customer might be tempted to replace a functional need with a pair of high-end kicks.

Humans simply are not rational beings, so it makes little sense to appeal to consumers through rational means alone. It takes tapping into unconscious and emotional needs – irrational needs – to change behavior and benefit brands. By embracing irrational thinking, we expand what is possible in the process of designing products, services and experiences for our customers and employees.

Irrationality belongs in business – especially during a recession

Some of today’s most successful brands were built on once irrational concepts. And in fact, we’ve seen how times of uncertainty can provide the best opportunity to take that calculated leap. Airbnb is one such success story.

During the Great Recession of 2008, the brand got its start by tactically driving consumers to do something we’ve all grown up being told not to – enter a stranger’s home. Since then, Airbnb has not only been successful in effectively changing the industry and our cities, but also consumer minds and habits.

Behavioral science and psychology help brands, such as Airbnb and Hertz, decode ‘irrational’ consumer behaviors and provide context for the human experience: why we say one thing and do another is irrational, but when applied to business, it expands innovative thinking.

Here’s a formula for escaping this rut and bringing structure to the process:

  • See the world devoid of constants. Get into the required headspace for irrational thinking. Set aside all assumptions about ‘absolute truths’ and give yourself room to play in a world without limits
  • Create an irrational vision statement. Create a vision to be your North Star. Identify your role and purpose and what you want to achieve in this ideal and limitless world. If a decision doesn’t move you in the desired direction, then don’t do it
  • Stay the course with one-degree decisions. This is how you complete the equation, taking the small steps that will get you closer to making your irrational vision a reality

Returning to the example of Airbnb, we could imagine a world where it’s possible for people to truly feel at home everywhere. Through this perspective, we can see how Airbnb’s vision of belonging was born. It’s simple, compelling and deliciously irrational (you can’t really belong everywhere, can you?). But it comes to life through a series of one-degree decisions: services and features executed through design and technology that deliver on one of the most fundamental of human needs – community.

Reaping the benefits of irrationality will require more than an exercise in creative thinking. Brands need to commit to embracing irrationality before they have proof of what can be achieved. When brands move past the status quo and champion deep human understanding, they’ll find themselves among the most influential companies of tomorrow.

By Collette Eccleston

Collette Eccleston, senior vice-president, behavioural science, and Ben Gaddis, executive vice-president, digital products and experience at Material.

Sourced from The Drum