Katie Coughlin, Associate Media Director
Matty Habersaat, Media Planner

At the recent Digiday Retail Media Summit in New York, one thing was clear: retail media has moved from a rising trend to an undeniable force. With more than 200 retailers now running their own media networks and global investment projected to hit $60 billion in 2025, it’s reshaping how brands connect with consumers and how retailers grow revenue. Walmart’s recent earnings call underscored the stakes: advertising now accounts for nearly a third of their operating income.

But while the category is still growing, expansion is slowing. What was once explosive is entering a new, more mature phase – one where scale alone isn’t enough, and differentiation, measurement, and consumer-first thinking become the true levers of success.

From Fragmentation to Integration

A common thread from the summit: the landscape is too fragmented. Each retailer’s network comes with its own audience, tools, and measurement framework, leaving brands to juggle multiple approaches. Leaders from Mars and RoC Skincare emphasized the same starting point: the consumer. Retail media strategies that begin with how people actually shop – whether that means impulse purchases, replenishment cycles, or curbside pickup – are better positioned to succeed.

The next evolution will depend on breaking down silos. Brands don’t want dozens of disconnected platforms; they want an ecosystem where planning, activation, and measurement feel seamless across partners.

New Growth Levers

With growth rates cooling, retailers are turning to new channels and tactics. Connected TV, “ownable moments”, and alternative placements are helping brands stand out while avoiding costly competition. At the same time, emerging disruptors like AI shopping tools are forcing both brands and retailers to rethink how consumers discover and purchase products – and how to keep ad dollars working in that journey.

Measuring True Impact: The Power of Incrementality

As retail media matures, the focus continues to shift from simple metrics like ROAS to understanding the incremental impact of campaigns – the value a campaign drives beyond what would have happened organically. Brands and retailers are investing in studies and measurement approaches that show how advertising actually moves the needle, rather than just attributing sales to impressions.

Closed-loop sales lift analyses, along with “in-flight” measurement that allows campaigns to be optimized in real time, are emerging as best practices. This approach helps brands answer the critical question: Which ad dollars are truly generating new sales or engagement, and which are just capturing what would have happened anyway?

Incrementality-focused measurement is becoming the gold standard for proving value, aligning brand and retail goals, and guiding smarter investment decisions in a complex, multi-network ecosystem.

The Road Ahead:

Retail media is at a turning point. The era of rapid expansion is giving way to a phase defined by collaboration, consumer-first strategies, and smarter measurement. Success will come to those who focus on understanding and engaging the consumer, integrating campaigns across platforms, exploring new channels, and measuring impact in ways that reflect true incremental value. The brands and retailers that can align around these principles will be best positioned to thrive in this evolving landscape.

Enda Gallen, Senior UX/UI Designer

It’s More Than Just Compliance

Accessibility is no longer a “nice to have.” It’s a legal requirement, a business advantage, and most importantly, a way to ensure everyone can interact with your brand. As regulations like the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) continue to evolve, businesses that fall behind risk legal action, reputational  damage, and lost revenue.

But accessibility doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By treating it as a structured, step-by-step process, your business can not only meet compliance standards but also create digital experiences that are better for all users.

At Connelly Partners, we use an end-to-end process to help organizations embed accessibility into their design, development, and long-term strategy. Here’s how it works.

Understand the Law

Accessibility law varies depending on where your organization operates and who your users are. In the EU, the EAA will require digital products and services to meet accessibility standards from 2025. In the US, the ADA and Section 508 already require compliance for many businesses and public services.

The challenge? Regulations are often written in dense, technical language. We translate them into clear, practical requirements that make sense for your business. You’ll know which rules apply, what deadlines you’re working toward, and what “good” looks like in practice.

This first step turns a confusing legal obligation into a manageable starting point.

Map an Accessibility Strategy

Once you know the rules, you need a plan. Accessibility isn’t a one-off project – it’s an ongoing commitment that touches design, development, content, and operations.

We work with businesses to map a tailored accessibility strategy, including:

• Priorities: Which fixes or updates will have the biggest impact fastest?
• Timelines: How to phase improvements around your release cycles and resources.
• Ownership: Who in your organization is responsible for what, from testing to content updates?

This roadmap ensures accessibility doesn’t slip between departments or stall after launch. Instead, it becomes an integrated part of how your digital team works.

Prepare an Accessibility Statement

Transparency builds trust. Most regulations require an Accessibility Statement published on your website or app. But beyond compliance, this statement is an opportunity to show your audience that you take accessibility seriously.

We help businesses draft clear, user-friendly statements that:

• Outline your accessibility goals and progress
• Share contact routes for users who need assistance
• Commit to ongoing improvements as your offerings develop

Done right, this statement signals accountability to regulators and empathy to your customers.

Complete an Accessibility Audit

An accessibility audit is the heart of the process. It tells you where you stand and what needs attention.

We conduct expert reviews against the WCAG 2.2 AA standards, combining:

• Automated testing tools to catch common code issues
• Manual reviews by specialists to identify usability barriers that tools can’t see

This audit produces a clear list of issues, categorised by severity and user impact. Think of it as your accessibility health check, giving you the data to take action.

Start Fixing Issues

Knowing the problems is only half the battle – you need solutions. Many organizations struggle here, because accessibility fixes aren’t always straightforward.

Our developers and designers work through a prioritised backlog, tackling the most critical barriers first.

We provide:

• Practical guidance on how to implement changes for your developers OR implementation of accessibility fixes by our own development team
• Reusable patterns and components in accessible design systems for consistency
• Comprehension QA and UAT with accessibility experts and reviews with accessible technology users

The result is not just quick fixes, but long-term improvements that prevent the same issues from happening again.

Monitor Compliance and Regular Reporting

Accessibility isn’t “done” once you’ve fixed your site. New content, features, and updates can reintroduce barriers. That’s why the final step is ongoing monitoring and reporting.

We can provide:

• Regular audits to check compliance as your site evolves
• Automated testing for continuous feedback
• Easy-to-read progress reports that keep all stakeholders informed

This monitoring protects you from slipping out of compliance and demonstrates your commitment to inclusivity year-round.

Why This Matters for Business

Following this process keeps you legally compliant – but the benefits go much further:

• Reach more customers: One in four people live with some kind of disability. Accessibility ensures you don’t shut out potential users.
• Improve user experience: Clearer navigation, stronger contrast, and better structure help everyone, not just those with disabilities.
• Strengthen your brand: Companies that prioritise inclusivity build trust and loyalty with their audiences.
• Future-proof your digital assets: Accessibility reduces technical debt by making your site more robust and adaptable to future devices and standards.

In other words: accessibility isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good business.

Building Accessibility Into Your Future

The landscape of digital accessibility is shifting quickly. With the EAA now live and the ADA already active, businesses that act now will not only avoid fines but also gain a competitive edge.

At Connelly Partners, we work with organizations to help them understand where they stand, where they need to be, and how to get there – thoughtfully and effectively. Whether you’re starting with an audit or developing a long-term strategy, we’re here to support you at every step.

If you’re interested in learning more about how accessibility can become a natural part of how your business grows and connects, let’s talk.

Michelle Capasso, Partner & Chief Media Officer

Key Takeaways from the Brand Innovators Sports, Entertainment & Culture Summit

At the Brand Innovators Sports, Entertainment & Culture Summit in Boston, the focus was on the power of sports partnerships. One theme took center stage: in an era of fragmented attention, partnerships with dedicated sports franchises offer brands more than just borrowed equity, they offer a platform for authentic connection with fans. 

As media leaders, we know live sports are one of the last strongholds of appointment viewing in traditional media, giving brands an incredible opportunity for real-time connection. An authentic connection with fans is the ultimate goal, regardless of scale. 

A great example was MassMutual’s move to turn their logo into a functional pitch count for the in-stadium experience at Fenway Park. It’s a brilliant strategy that embodies the idea of approaching sports fans with authenticity and humility. Instead of demanding attention, the brand became a natural and additive part of the fan experience, creating a truly authentic connection.

At Connelly Partners, we believe emotion drives every transaction. Every brand, no matter the size, has the ability to build emotional equity. Whether you’re activating with a stadium takeover, with an influencer activation or across digital touchpoints, the goal is the same: to build brand equity by sparking the emotions that truly move people. 

Because at the end of the day, it’s not about borrowing someone else’s thunder.

It’s about creating a spark of your own.

Enda Gallen, Senior UX/UI Designer

Turn Compliance into Competitive Edge

Digital accessibility is not just a legal requirement – it’s a powerful opportunity. With regulations like the European Accessibility Act (EAA) now in effect across the EU and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) already firmly established in the US, businesses have a clear mandate to create accessible digital experiences. But beyond compliance, embracing accessibility means reaching broader audiences, improving user experience, and strengthening brand trust. At Connelly Partners, we work with organizations to ensure full compliance and turn this regulatory obligation into a competitive advantage. Here’s six ways how:

Better Products

Accessible design isn’t a niche, but is part of fundamentally good design. By requiring straightforward layouts, clear navigation, and inclusive content, it naturally elevates your entire user experience (UX). Whether it’s captions on videos or keyboard‑friendly navigation, these improvements benefit everyone – leading to superior, more intuitive digital products.

A Broader Market

There are over 87 million EU citizens and more than 1 in 4 Americans living with some kind of disability – plus millions more elderly or temporarily impaired users – all of whom benefit greatly from accessible design. Compliance with accessibility standards unlocks this large audience and lets them use your products or services without friction or barriers.

Enhanced Brand Reputation

Accessibility sends a clear message: we care. With the EAA now live and further developments to the ADA on the horizon, consumers will increasingly see accessibility compliance as a marker of trustworthiness and professionalism. An accessible experience signals leadership, competence, and social responsibility.

Lower Legal Risk

In the EU, new products and major updates must comply immediately, while existing offerings have until 28 June 2030 to fully align with the EAA, and Member States are already penalising serious usability lapses. Penalties vary per member state: Italy allows fines up to 5 % turnover; Spain fines up to €600,000 for serious breaches; Germany imposes up to €100,000 per non‑compliant product, Ireland holds company officers personally liable if offences occur with their consent or from neglect and penalties include prison sentences. 

In the US, ADA liability extends beyond regulatory action. A booming number of lawsuits, often filed by so‑called “serial plaintiffs” and specialised law firms, target websites and digital services as “public accommodations.” These suits, often initiated by individuals and their attorneys seeking injunctive relief and legal fees, typically result in settlements ranging from $5,000 to $20,000, even for small businesses. However, cases against Target, MIT, Harvard, Netflix and others have cost from the hundreds of thousands to millions.

Ongoing compliance isn’t optional anymore, but essential.

Cost-Efficiency

Ensuring accessibility from the outset of the product lifecycle is far more cost‑effective than retrofitting or enduring enforcement under the EAA or ADA.

The cost of non-compliance can be severe, but achieving accessibility doesn’t have to be. Think of accessibility like insurance. You don’t wait for a problem before protecting yourself. Building accessibility in from the start not only shields your business from legal and financial risk, it’s also much more affordable than reacting after a complaint or lawsuit.

The actual cost depends on the size and complexity of your digital product, but thanks to improved tools and growing industry expertise, compliance is now more achievable than ever. When accessibility is treated as a core design principle, rather than an afterthought, new projects can avoid expensive retrofits entirely.

Early investment in your projects saves time, effort, and money.

Innovation Through Accessibility

Embracing accessibility often leads to breakthrough innovation. OXO’s Good Grips utensils, inspired by arthritis-friendly design, redefined kitchen tools for everyone through universal ergonomics. Microsoft’s Xbox Adaptive Controller transformed gaming by accommodating diverse physical abilities, setting a new standard in inclusive hardware. IKEA’s stylish BÄSTIS collection integrates accessible features without sacrificing design, proving function and form can coexist. Rare Beauty, founded by Selena Gomez, reimagined cosmetic packaging with easy-grip applicators and twist-off lids, supporting users with limited dexterity. 

These brands demonstrate that designing with accessibility in mind not only expands usability but also inspires better, more thoughtful products for everyone.

Why Choose Connelly Partners

As a specialist agency, Connelly Partners offers full-service accessibility support:

Comprehensive accessibility audits aligned with the EAA and ADA: EN 301 549 and WCAG 2.2 AA
Development of accessible digital experiences (digital products, websites, apps)
User testing with assistive tools and participants
Certified accessibility experts 
Full compliance documentation & monitoring

We know the accessibility landscape. We align not just to avoid penalties, but to amplify your brand.

Making Accessibility a Core Part of Your Business

Staying compliant with accessibility standards isn’t just about avoiding risk – it’s about doing what’s right for your users and your brand. From websites and digital services to products and contracts, both EU and U.S. regulations continue to evolve, and it’s important to stay ahead.

At Connelly Partners, we work with organizations to help them understand where they stand, where they need to be, and how to get there – thoughtfully and effectively. Whether you’re starting with an audit or developing a long-term strategy, we’re here to support you at every step.

If you’re interested in learning more about how accessibility can become a natural part of how your business grows and connects, let’s talk.

Gene Begin, Managing Director, CP Education

Colleges, universities, and education organizations have a world of opportunity leveraging their advocates and turning them into influencers.

Utilizing the loyalty loop of a consumer decision journey can be one of the most cost-effective marketing strategies in any organization, let alone education. Advocacy drives awareness and influence and while this can happen within a variety of channels, advocacy is most prominent within social media. Social sharing is the online adaptation of the most successful marketing strategy in the history of humankind – word of mouth. 

Just think about how often you gather recommendations from your family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances, whether online or in person. That advocacy absolutely shapes your decision-making. 

Educational organizations should be taking advantage of this with their built-in community of advocates – employees, current students, board members, alumni, and even admitted students. This network is full of individuals with influence in multiple industries and audience segments. 

But in today’s creator economy, advocacy marketing for many organizations is not enough. Individuals within our networks have seen influencer marketing become part of the norm with their social feeds and they now understand how to take advantage of and monetize that sphere of influence. Even my pre-teens understand there are ways to monetize social content as they have seen their older cousin be successful in doing so in her career. Do not hesitate to budget and pay for advocacy and content creation. It should be an essential part of your integrated marketing strategy.

And remember, while our advocate networks in education are large and primed to be tapped into for influence, size doesn’t always matter when it comes to an individual’s network. Some of the most effective spheres of influence can be smaller, yet very committed and engaged. Community engagement really can be about the quality and not the quantity when it comes to activating a network. 

Influencer marketing truly harnesses the power and the authenticity of the human voice to impact brand perception and brand engagement. But identifying your target audience and evaluating the influencer’s following as a match is crucial. 

I recently moderated an influencer marketing panel at the eduWeb Summit in Portland, Maine. Below is a copy of that panel’s presentation, and if you want a partner on your influencer efforts, don’t hesitate to reach out. Our Influencer Marketing team helps activate the right influencers for your organization to build strategies that foster trust and leverage the strength of the human connection.

Nick Maumus, Assistant Media Planner

Sustainability is a buzzword in every industry, and it will only become more prominent as the climate crisis continues to grow. But when “carbon emissions” is mentioned in conversation; we default to thinking about the energy sector, big oil companies, and that dreaded Honda Civic revving its engine every early morning. What we forget is the prevalent and material impact caused by the digital world, and more specifically, advertising and media.

Firstly, carbon emissions in digital advertising are very real and have a much more prevalent impact than most of us realize. For context; 1M impressions creates 1 metric ton of CO2e (One passenger on a round-trip flight from Boston to London), and Google serves about 30 billion on an average day! 

Scope 1, 2, and 3: Categorizing Carbon Emissions

In terms of how we identify and categorize these carbon emissions; there is the Scope framework, which is divided into three categories.

• Scope 1 includes direct emissions from the business such as buildings, facilities, and company vehicles. 
• Scope 2 is related to energy consumption primarily demanded from the power grid to fuel activities, included in but not limited to those covered in Scope 1. It also encompasses utilities and power sources produced by entities other than the one using the energy.
• Scope 3, which accounts for approximately 90% of carbon emissions, originates from a business’s supply chain.

When we think of this in the context of media, the supply chain is not necessarily raw materials or manufactured inputs as might be the case for a computer chip manufacturer. For brands and agencies, the supply chain is most evident in the programmatic marketplace, where each publisher has multiple bid requests for every ad slot, and buyers are bidding on it all.

Additionally, every transaction and exchange of data that occurs on the programmatic supply chain releases a variable amount of carbon emissions; the larger and less efficient the supply chain, the more carbon is emitted. Publishers often duplicate ad bids for the same slot on overlapping DSPs and direct partnerships, leading to unnecessary and wasted transactions.

Measuring Media Emissions

Media emission measurement partners, such as Scope3, have entered the space to analyze programmatic publishers and raise awareness of their environmental impact. They provide a comparative ranking of the publisher’s total carbon footprint, their programmatic supply chain, and how their footprint breaks out among ad selection; media distribution; and creative delivery. 

Another valuable resource is a study conducted by Fifty-Five titled The Carbon Footprint of Media Campaigns. This public study examines the carbon emissions generated by a one-month mock omnichannel media campaign. The fascinating part of this study is how they were able to analyze the emissions from the four digital channels they chose to include. In their findings, they discovered that 323 Tons of CO2e were released over the course of one-month. However, if advertisers take sustainable digital advertising best practices into account, they can bring that total down on average 32% to 218T. 

Sustainability and Advertising: A Win-Win Partnership

Every impact, whether large or small, makes a difference in the climate issue. It is important that we spread awareness and resources to educate ourselves, and our industry, on the ways we can each drive change. In the context of programmatic supply chains, MFA (Made for Advertising) sites and ad-cluttered platforms are much less environmentally friendly—and on top of that, advertisers typically avoid these sites anyway. 

So, an incentive makes itself clear; a more efficient campaign is a cleaner campaign, and a cleaner campaign is a more effective campaign. All in all, understanding areas of improvement while maintaining the integrity of our campaigns can lead to bottom line improvements and notable environmental impacts. Next time you are in planning or see an innovative media placement, I invite you to explore the associated carbon journey and how you might be able to include sustainable digital advertising practices into your value chain. 

Grace Alimo, Paid Social Media Specialist

The world of social media is always changing. It is reshaping how we connect, how we share information, and how businesses engage with their audiences. These platforms are innovating faster than ever, driven by new ways users behave, technological advancements, and ever-intensifying competition for user attention (or “advertiser attention” depending on your angle). Keeping up with these endless platform changes isn’t just important; it’s absolutely vital to make sure your social media strategy remains modern, highly adaptable, and high-performing.

Here is how the recent updates on Meta, Reddit, and Snapchat will shake up how you advertise:

Meta Expands Ad Placements with Threads

Meta has officially launched Threads as a new ad placement for all global advertisers, released just three months after initial testing phases. This development enables advertisers to leverage Meta’s ecosystem more effectively, allowing them to seamlessly extend existing campaign creatives and target users directly in their Threads feeds. The strategic value here is multifaceted: it presents a prime opportunity to capture an audience that might be more active on Threads compared to other Meta properties, and potentially achieve more favorable CPMs as this new inventory matures and competition for placements develops. 

While the integration is simple with a new placement section in Ads Manager, optimizing performance on Threads requires a new approach. Threads has a large and engaged user base of over 130 million monthly users, primarily consisting of young adults between 18 and 34, with a notable skew towards male users. This audience offers strong cross-platform potential, with a significant portion also being active on Facebook (70%) and Instagram (51%). Creative content must be adapted to authentically resonate within Threads’ predominantly text-based and conversation-focused environment. 

Advertisers are observing that initial ad performance on Threads often aligns with upper-funnel objectives, such as reach and engagement. Advertisers can utilize Meta’s Advantage+ platform for automated optimization, with Threads now being a default inclusion for new campaigns. Advertisers who may be worried about Brand Safety and maintaining a manual approach may want to add this to their list of things to check on before launching new campaigns. 

Reddit Rolls Out Smarter Optimization Tools

Reddit, a platform often recognized for its unique, community-driven audience and high user engagement, is enhancing its Ad Manager with the introduction of new automated optimization insights and an “Optimization Score.” These in-stream recommendations are designed to empower advertisers to maximize their ad spend and improve campaign performance. The system leverages systematic analysis of Reddit’s ad response data and content interactions, providing guidance directly within the advertiser’s dashboard. 

A core component of this update is the “Optimization Score,” which assesses an account’s adherence to Reddit’s best practices. For accounts scoring below an 80-point threshold, the platform will proactively highlight specific areas for improvement, offering tailored tips to refine ad setups. This initiative not only aims to streamline the optimization process but also helps advertisers more effectively engage Reddit’s product-savvy audience, capitalizing on the platform’s growing role in user purchase decisions and recommendations.

Snapchat Bolsters Advertising with AI-Powered Updates

Snapchat is making changes in Artificial Intelligence to significantly improve its advertising capabilities. Key introductions include advanced AI-powered budgeting and bidding options that are designed to automate campaign optimization and enhance efficiency. These tools empower advertisers to set specific target costs-per-action, with Snap’s intelligent system then dynamically allocating spend to the top-performing ad sets within a campaign. This shift towards AI-driven optimization promises to streamline campaign management, reduce manual intervention, and improve overall performance outcomes using Snap’s deep understanding of user behavior and ad response. 

Snapchat’s popular “Sponsored Snaps” are receiving important updates as well, including new call-to-action options, a transition to auction-based delivery to open up more direct engagement, and even collaborations with creator handles. This focus on AI integration underscores Snapchat’s commitment to providing advertisers with smarter, effective, and scalable solutions.

Collectively, these updates underscore a strong industry trend toward more integrated, AI-automated, and data-driven advertising solutions. Adapting your social media strategies to proactively leverage these new placements, optimization tools, and AI-powered capabilities will be essential for unlocking new performance opportunities and maintaining a competitive edge in the dynamically evolving social media landscape.

Gene Begin, Managing Director, CP Education

Three days with colleagues and industry peers at a higher education marketing conference always does two things: confirms challenges are similar no matter the institution and motivates and invigorates marketers to meet those challenges head on. This year’s eduWeb in Portland, Maine was no different. 

AI tips aside (I mean what conference doesn’t cover AI in 2025), three themes I gleaned from the keynotes and session discussions I attended were that institutions needed to prioritize brand clarity, incorporate the strategic use of influencer marketing (insert obvious bias here), and make smart investments in paid media.

Achieving Brand Clarity

Two keynotes focused on brand: “How Brand Clarity Affects Enrollment” with ADV Market Research & Consulting and Bates College and “Does Your Brand Even Matter?” by Ethan Braden, CMCO at Texas A&M.  Both highlighted how understanding your institution’s brand narrative is paramount for reputation, reach and enrollment success. ADV’s research survey of 3500 prospective students exhibited how a brand story is essentially the compelling reason your institution exists and how important it is for a prospective student to see themselves as part of it.

A new Gallup poll shows that confidence in U.S. higher education is actually on the rise, with much thanks deservedly being given upon higher ed marketers. While Braden acknowledged that differentiation in the sector can be challenging due to similar principles, a collaborative industry, and inward-looking influence, colleges and universities have increasingly continued to market the value of higher education in recent years. 

Though industry brand-building has been instrumental, colleges and universities must focus on building their individual brands to see their own success. Ethan shared that to build a memorable brand, an institution should focus on five key principles:

Great brands are built on great insights.

Great brands stand for something and for someone.

Great brands offer outcomes, not features.

Great brands evoke feelings, not just facts.

Great brands tell great stories.

The goal is to enchant your audience, rousing and attracting ecstatic admiration and demand.

The Power of Paid Media Investment

In the research done by ADV Market Research & Consulting, it indicated a strong correlation between ad spend and brand clarity. The schools with the higher paid media investment were more likely to have a brand that resonated with prospective audiences. And as Texas A&M CMCO Ethan Braden reminded us, even the most popular brands in the world need to invest in  media. In 1986, in a speech to his board, Steve Jobs said, “Every brand needs investment and caring.” Nearly 40 years later, all of his remarks, including “It’s a very noisy world”, are extremely relatable to the present day.

In paid media, data can reveal clear pathways to success. That certainly holds true to your own campaigns and historical performance. But industry performance can also help provide some direction. Creative Communications Associates (CCA) led a great session with lessons learned from more than 50 higher ed media campaigns they led in recent years. 

Their top 10 insights from their campaigns were:

Meta was the platform driving most conversions; 98% of conversions were parents.

Sponsored content boosts awareness.

November had the highest number of conversions for undergrad programs; 25% more than the second highest month, December.
– Graduate campaigns’ highest month was January and March was the second highest month; January conversions were 21% more than March.

The best performing ads had graphical treatments and/or campus visuals; the sea of sameness of photos with smiling faces did not perform well.

Traditional media boosted search volume by 20-50%, depending on the channels used; the top performing channel was TV, followed by radio, outdoor and print.

Static images drove more conversions than carousel and video formats; videos drove the most engagement.

Meta’s top targeting tactic was Advantage+; it provided a 20-30% boost in overall performance, including conversions (30% higher) and costs (CPC was 20% less and CPA was 10% less).

For graduate campaigns, LinkedIn was the highest performing platform.
– Conversation ad leads are more likely to apply than not; send the conversation ads from a person rather than the institution.

TikTok drove most traffic to the website when included in the media mix; Meta was second and display was third.

Incentives work; people will give information if receiving something (infographic, guide, thought leadership content, etc).

Embracing Influencer Marketing

While two sessions spoke directly about influencer marketing (our Incorporating Influencer Marketing in Your Media Strategy panel and Maximizing Influencer Marketing by Maya Demishkevich), multiple speakers and attendees also spoke about its growing impact on their campuses and in prospective student recruitment.

In the college search process, prospective students are increasingly looking for authentic voices. In the research from ADV Market Research & Consulting, social media content not directly managed by the college, such as posts from current students, ambassadors, and influencers, were more highly desired than branded social media content. 

The emphasis in content should be on the student experience, tailored to specific student affinities. Be sure to use influencers of all kinds, ensuring you’re representing underrepresented groups, students from non-traditional backgrounds and programs that may not have the strongest marketing budget. And think of activating staff, faculty and external audiences such as college counselors to showcase different perspectives and relate to families and guardians who may be exploring the institution.

We all can have anxious feelings around these types of big life changes and this is one of the biggest purchase decisions for any family. Authenticity can be more important than ever to limit that anxiety. And an insider perspective for those who don’t have access to visit firsthand can go a long way in making prospective audiences more comfortable throughout the college search process. As the ADV team shared, people connect with and respond to stories, much more than data points. By leveraging the authentic voices and stories of those who are experiencing or have experienced your institution firsthand, you can create powerful narratives that resonate deeply with future students.

Enda Gallen, Senior UX/UI Designer

Time is running out. On 28 June 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) becomes enforceable across the EU, bringing with it strict accessibility standards for digital services and products. If your business isn’t compliant, you’re not just risking legal penalties. You’re missing out on a rapidly growing market, damaging your reputation, and falling behind more forward-thinking competitors.

Accessibility is no longer a ‘nice to have’. It’s a business-critical requirement – and the brands that act now will be the ones that thrive.

What Is the European Accessibility Act?

The EAA is an EU directive designed to ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to everyday digital products and services – from banking apps to e-commerce platforms, e-books to transport ticketing systems.

First passed in 2019, enforcement begins 28 June 2025, with full compliance for legacy services required by 2030. Crucially, any updates to existing platforms after June 2025 must meet the new standards immediately.

If you offer digital services in the EU and you’re not a micro-enterprise (under 10 staff and €2M turnover), this applies to you. That includes:

• Marketing agencies managing digital properties
• Brands with consumer-facing websites or apps
• Providers of online services like banking, e-commerce, or streaming
• Distributors and importers of electronic goods

Why It Matters: Business Risk and Opportunity

For marketing leaders, brand owners, and digital teams, the EAA represents more than a compliance checkbox – it’s a strategic turning point. Here’s why:

1. Legal Exposure

Non-compliance in Ireland can result in fines of up to €60,000, imprisonment, and personal liability for company directors. Irish regulators are mandated to enforce these rules with teeth.

2. Missed Market Reach

Over 85 million people in Europe live with a disability – a massive market segment. Ignoring accessibility means excluding a sizable and loyal audience with growing buying power. Additionally, SEO benefits of accessible design push you higher in the competitive search space.

3. Brand Reputation

Consumers and partners are paying attention. Demonstrating accessibility sends a clear message about your brand’s values. Falling short risks alienating audiences – and being publicly called out.

4. Innovation and Efficiency

Accessibility drives better design. Think voice interfaces, screen readers, or captioned content – features born from accessible design that now benefit everyone.

5. Competitive Advantage

While many businesses scramble at the last minute, those who act now gain the edge. You’ll launch faster, iterate better, and scale with confidence – all while meeting your compliance obligations.

What Compliance Actually Requires

The EAA requires that digital services are:

• Perceivable – content is accessible in multiple ways (e.g. alt text, captions)
• Operable – usable without a mouse (e.g. keyboard navigation)
• Understandable – intuitive, consistent, and readable
• Robust – compatible with assistive technologies

These principles are closely aligned with WCAG 2.2 Level AA, the international benchmark for digital accessibility. The success of each principal can be empirically verified through its success criteria, meaning the path to compliance is clear, measurable, and achievable.

The Act means your websites, mobile apps, online platforms, self-service kiosks, and customer support systems must be accessible by default, and stay that way through every product iteration. While this may seem like a major challenge, you have a partner ready to help!

Your Digital Partner in Compliance – and Beyond

At Connelly Partners, we don’t just help you avoid risk – we help you unlock opportunity.

Our team of accessibility-certified UX designers, strategists, and developers work hand-in-hand with your internal teams to ensure your digital ecosystem is compliant, accessible, and high-performing. Here’s how we deliver value:

• Accessibility Audits – Identify WCAG and EAA gaps across your digital products
• UX and UI Redesign – Create intuitive but compliant interfaces without sacrificing creativity
• Accessible Design Systems – Build scalable component libraries for consistency across channels
• Brand Accessibility Guidelines – Align accessibility with your visual identity and tone of voice
• Accessibility Compliance Monitoring and Maintenance – Ongoing support to ensure compliance, even as your products and services continue to grow and evolve

Our approach doesn’t just tick boxes. We future-proof your platforms and position your brand as a leader in accessible design.

Ready or Not – The EAA Deadline Is Approaching

With the imminent launch of the EAA, now is the time to act – don’t wait to scramble for compliance. The businesses moving today will be the ones who build trust, gain market share, and lead the next generation of digital experience.

We’re here to guide you through every step – from audit to implementation, strategy to scale.

Let’s make accessibility part of your competitive advantage.

Ready to make your business accessible to all? Talk with Connelly Partners today.

Vaunnie McDermott was appointed Managing Director of Connelly Partners’ Dublin office in 2018. She has overseen the growth of the agency to a 50 person team in Ireland and led the integration of ZOO Digital. Under her leadership, the Dublin office has become a key hub for Connelly Partners—a global agency with offices also in Boston and Vancouver.

What are your main priorities and goals in your role?

My goal is for Connelly Partners to be recognised as Ireland’s most effective advertising agency—one that delivers commercial growth for our clients through standout, strategically-led creative solutions to their business challenges. My priorities are twofold: drive strategic business growth and continue building a high-performing, future-ready team. That means continuing to invest in upskilling, particularly around emerging tech like AI, while creating an environment where talent feels supported, inspired, and empowered to do their best work.

What are your biggest challenges as a business leader?

Companies across the country are facing challenges around the speed of change – and our challenges are no different. It’s about staying agile, always finding new solutions and acknowledging that previous processes and ways of working may no longer be of value. Managing teams and driving organisational culture with hybrid working, balanced with rising costs of running a business.

What have been your highlights in business over the past year?

The past year has been a real turning point for us. We welcomed new creative leadership with Sam Moorhead and Mikey Fleming as Co-Creative Directors, joining legendary Executive Creative Director Mike Garner and digital specialist and Creative Director, Chris Preston. We have other exciting additions coming soon too. We’ve had some major new business wins, including Waterways Ireland, University of Galway, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Youth, and being added to the HSE agency framework. The merger with ZOO Digital has made us one of the largest independent full-service agencies in Ireland, and having the support and insights from our teams in Boston and Vancouver allows us to deliver meaningful work that resonates both locally and internationally.

Where do you want your business/brand to be this time next year?

A year from now, we hope to be operating on a bigger, more connected scale. Not just growing our team, but working smarter. We’re currently exploring a new office space that encourages creative collaboration across disciplines and makes it easier to work face-to-face with our clients. We want collaboration to be less of a scheduled event and more a part of how we work every day.

Our goal is for clients to see us not just as their agency, but as a trusted partner—someone they can count on to help them move their business forward and understands the commercial goals of their business.

Over the past few years, we’ve focused on breaking down silos between teams, offices, and even countries to deliver the best thinking, quickly. Next year, we want to keep building on that—going deeper into the industries we know best, fine-tuning how we work, and staying one step ahead so we can help brands do the same.

What new trends are emerging in your industry?

AI is constantly evolving in our industry and everyday new tools are available. The challenge/opportunity is to use AI effectively and efficiently for our clients – using human minds to prompt and curate the technology to augment our talent and get the reliable results our clients need to keep them ahead of their competitors.

What are the challenges facing the industry going forward?

One of the biggest challenges is the sheer volume of content competing for attention. In a world of constant change and content overload, brands are under enormous pressure not just to stand out—but to truly connect. Our response is to think outside of traditional advertising. It’s about understanding what motivates your audience’s behaviour and building campaigns that are culturally resonant, not just creatively clever. This is especially important to reach younger audiences. They expect brands to show up authentically, in the spaces they already occupy, with ideas that feel relevant.

This shift demands more from agencies: more agility, more integration, and a deeper understanding of both the customer journey and the world our audiences live in. It also challenges agencies and clients to move beyond the brief and become true strategic partners.

Are there any major changes that you’d like to see in your sector?

I’d like to see the reframing of the client/agency relationship so agencies are seen as a strategic investment on the P&L, not just a transactional service that costs money. Too often, the conversation still starts with cost and ends with deliverables. That mindset limits what we can achieve together. Agencies should be viewed as growth drivers, not suppliers.

Our job is to see around corners for our clients. We bring a deep understanding of consumer behaviour to the table, and when that’s combined with the client’s brand expertise, it becomes a powerful partnership. That’s where real impact is made—and where our value lies. It’s time we moved the conversation on from hourly rates, and towards measurable impact and long-term value. When we’re aligned around growth, everyone wins.

As an employer, are you finding any skill gaps in the market?

What we’re noticing isn’t so much a lack of individual skills—it’s a gap in how brands are able to keep up with the pace of change, especially when it comes to delivering consistently across the full customer journey. Too often, efforts are still fragmented—different partners for different channels, each with their own priorities. That slows things down and makes execution harder than it needs to be. That’s why, back in 2021, we set a clear goal: to simplify things. We wanted to remove the friction of working across multiple agencies, verticals, and markets. So we expanded strategically, made acquisitions, and built out new capabilities to offer everything under one roof. Now, our clients have one agency, one partner, one call.

We understand how each piece of the customer journey connects—from awareness to conversion to retention—and our teams are set up to move with that full view in mind. It’s not just about having the right skills; it’s about having them all work together seamlessly. That’s where we’ve seen the biggest difference for our clients—and it’s why we’ve built the model we have today.

How do you keep your team/staff motivated?

Culture has always been a commitment at Connelly Partners—not a buzzword. Staying aligned on values and building a strong internal identity around our mission and vision is key to keeping teams engaged. People need to know why they’re here, and why they’d choose us over another agency. That clarity and sense of purpose makes a real difference.

We also invest in initiatives that support both personal and professional growth. One example is CP Abroad, which gives team members the opportunity to work from any of our global offices. It’s been a huge motivator—broadening perspectives, deepening collaboration across hubs, and reinforcing our commitment to being a truly connected, international agency.

What is the best advice you have been given, or would give, in business?

Control what you can control…. Find a way to get back into a flow mindset where you are at your best. Focus on how you can get the job done and not be overwhelmed by the deliverables because with a clear calm mind, you will do a much better job.

Check out the full article from Business & Finance here.