Alyssa Stevens, Global Director of PR, Social Media & Influencer Marketing

The creator economy has officially arrived on the national stage, and if you’ve been paying attention, you’ll know that influencer and social media marketing are no longer just buzzwords. As the political landscape heats up, we’re witnessing the industry’s growing influence in ways that are impossible to ignore.

The recent inclusion of social media influencers in high-profile political events, like the Democratic National Convention and the White House’s inaugural Creator Economy Conference, marks a significant evolution in how political communication is unfolding. This isn’t just about politics recognizing the power of platforms like TikTok—it’s about the media landscape itself transforming. As the Global Director of Social Media & Influencer Marketing at Connelly Partners, I find this movement not just fascinating but vital for the future of how we engage with audiences.

Influencers, once primarily leveraged for brand awareness, are now pivotal players in the political arena. Their ability to engage with communities on a personal level makes them invaluable assets for candidates like Kamala Harris, who uses TikTok to connect with voters. The recent White House Creator Economy Conference, which gathered 100 professionals from my industry, discussed the future of digital content, touching on topics like AI, mental health, and fair pay. Similarly, the Democratic National Convention invited 200 content creators to cover the event, offering them an exclusive vantage point of the stage. These events are more than just milestones; they are a clear acknowledgment of the creator economy’s role in shaping public opinion and driving meaningful conversations. Having worked in the influencer and social industry for well over a decade, I see this as a moment that cements its journey from niche to mainstream.

For brands and agencies, this evolution should be a wake-up call. The creator economy is no longer just about product placements or brand endorsements; it’s about fostering genuine relationships and understanding the nuances of audience engagement. As political campaigns tap into the authenticity that influencers bring, recognizing that traditional advertising and news sources may not fully capture the attention of today’s audiences, brands must adapt.

Influencer marketing has been – and will continue to be crucial in any comprehensive campaign. Brands must collaborate more deeply with creators and platforms to harness the power of influencers in ways that truly resonate. Whether for political, social, or commercial purposes, this dynamic and ever-changing landscape demands a thoughtful, strategic approach to stay ahead. Now more than ever, it’s clear that the creator economy isn’t just a trend—it’s a driving force that will continue to shape the future of marketing and communication…and perhaps even the 2024 election! 

Katie Coccia, Senior Manager of Human Resources and Facilities

We just hosted another Connelly Partners Empowering Women’s Networking Event, which offered both CP and non-CP women the chance to meet someone new, make meaningful connections, and learn about personal brands. 

But what is a personal brand? And how is it different from a reputation? 

Simply put, a reputation is built on trust and is influenced by how others view your actions and conduct. A personal brand, however, is the image that you want others to have of you [1]. It is intentionally and strategically designed to convey your unique value and it sets you apart from others in your field [2]. It gives you the tools needed to fight imposter syndrome, all while helping you gain support from people who will elevate and speak up for you [3][4]. 

At the event, attendees wrote down one word to describe their personal brand and shared it with their peers. We saw many powerful words like evolve, curious, brave, and more. I left the event feeling energized and inspired, and I caught up with a few colleagues to hear their thoughts.

The personal brand word exercise was fun and uplifting. I liked how it painted a picture of everyone’s personalities and key strengths—highlighting how powerful we can be when we join forces and are eager to learn from one another. My word was “enthusiasm” as I take pride in approaching my work with positive energy and optimism—to encourage my teammates and create a more collaborative environment, even when facing challenges. – Courtney Marlow, Senior PR & Social Media Manager

This was my first women’s event. I got to talk to and connect with ladies at CP from other departments that I otherwise never get a chance to talk to. I feel like I learned more about them, and people learned more about me. My personal brand word was “trust!” I find when there is trust in the workplace, it builds the comfort to work and speak up especially when you have a new idea. – Chandani Patel, Staff Accountant

I loved meeting people in other roles and hearing about their work experience. My word was “authenticity.” I feel like with advertising authenticity is important. Telling stories in a way that resonates is important to me in my work, and it was cool to talk with folks in other disciplines who also shared that same value! – Alexa Caruso, Junior Art Director

Now that you know a little more about personal branding and why it is important, it’s your turn! What word describes your personal brand?

Watch for details on our next Women’s Networking evening. If you aren’t on the invite list please reach out to Ashley Campbell. 

Sources:

1. What’s the Point of a Personal Brand? – Harvard Business Review
2. A New Approach to Building Your Personal Brand – Harvard Business Review
3. Find Your Voice, Communicate Your Value: How to Build a Personal Brand as a Woman – LinkedIn
4. How Women Can Develop and Promote Their Personal Brand – Harvard Business Review 

Sports tourism is booming! More and more people are embarking on once-in-a-lifetime trips to attend major sporting events. From the F1 race to Wimbledon, The Masters, the COPA, or the Paris Olympics—take your pick! With the Paris Olympics in full swing, we’re diving into the profiles of those flocking to this grand and historic event. 

From die-hard sports fans, who are invested in every second of the action, to casual fans hoping to spot a celebrity or two, learn more about attendees of the Olympics!

Chris Watts, Media Technology Specialist

This past week’s news that Google will be keeping third-party cookies around might have broken the internet, but don’t worry— that’s about all it did to the web. After years of preparation and significant investment in cookie alternatives, the decision to keep third-party cookies alive has raised many questions about the future and renewed some ongoing concerns. 

While the immediate impact of this decision may seem minimal, let’s take a closer look at what this means for the future of privacy, advertising, and the digital marketing industry.

The Cookie Conundrum and Google’s Privacy Sandbox: A Closer Look at Third-Party Cookies

Lest we forget the original plan to deprecate cookies was driven by a desire to address privacy concerns. However, that sentiment was quickly lost as the industry came up with potential workarounds. Enter unique alternative IDs, identity graphs, and Google’s own Privacy Sandbox. Exactly as it sounds, the Sandbox is a fenced-in area with kids, or the marketing industry, playing with Google coined sandbox tools. These tools or “proposals” are aimed to replace the separate functions of the cookie and offer privacy-focused solutions for personalized advertising while minimizing data collection.

While the Sandbox and other alternatives do aim to give consumers more control over their privacy, the reality is that we are simply shifting our trust from one entity to another. Instead of rethinking data collection, we are merely transferring it to a corporation, which may end up holding as much, if not more, information as entities do now. Furthermore, by using tools that link online identifiers with personal information, we are, in fact, reducing privacy rather than enhancing it.

Shifting away from third-party cookies or adopting alternative technologies may appear to be a step forward, but it doesn’t address the fundamental issue. The real challenge lies in improving consumer choice alongside the handling of data. We need to find a way to give consumers genuine preference control over their privacy while still meeting the demands of effective and efficient marketing.

Navigating Industry Whiplash & The Road Ahead

I feel a mix of empathy and pragmatism about this situation. On one hand, companies have invested significant time, money, and resources into new processes that may now be adjusted or ultimately abandoned. However, it seems that few advertisers had fully embraced these new methods, partly due to skepticism about the deprecation actually happening. This period has been a valuable testing ground, forcing the industry to look within itself and explore alternative solutions, while bolstering the focus on consumer privacy. With enhanced understanding of our own internal processes, we as brands have a real opportunity to improve transparency and build trust with our consumers.

Food for thought – With consumer privacy in mind, we need to remind ourselves that brand awareness is not always positive. As a consumer there have been plenty of times that the same ads have popped up everywhere I go, and it’s actually turned me away from a brand or product. When a consumer is doing their everyday browsing, we need to think of both new and current places that they’re being presented with the choice. This is apparent in consent banners, which allow consumers to opt in/reject all third-party cookies. But even so, the choice is incomprehensible to the average consumer.

I ask the question – How do we include the consent banner as part of the consumer journey? Not only with the intention of more consumers hopefully “accepting all”, but for that split second when someone appreciates being clearly presented with the choice and told what accepting cookies will mean for their future browsing experience and relationship with the brand. This is a very powerful first step towards brand trust.

Conclusion: The Evolving Landscape of Third-Party Cookies and Privacy

The industry will continue to evolve and adapt, regardless of what Google does next. But like in any fable, the lessons learned along the way were not in vain. We’re back to tackling privacy concerns head on, with consumers. Which seems a lot more straightforward. And when we look at that – it should never have been just about third-party cookies, but any 1:1 identifier. And that discussion still needs to be had.

But for the few early adopters that created truly privacy-first approaches (as opposed to the slew of cookie workarounds we saw) – congrats. You saw the forest through the trees and have something that’s actually future proof. And for agencies and advertisers, remember that no policy or software update can take away research and understanding of your customers, your media investments, and your business results.

By focusing on assessing performance against real business results – be it correlating results over a long period of time, test and learns, or more sophisticated data science models, you will be able to continue to evolve and stay successful amidst the ever-changing industry.

Grace Alimo, Paid Social Media Assistant

Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen some drastic changes in X, Instagram, and LinkedIn that will not only change the way we consume social media, but also change the way we advertise on the platform. It’s important to stay informed about these rapid changes on platforms to make sure your social media strategy is modern, adaptable, and high-performing. Here are the top three social media updates you need to know. 

X Is Now Allowing Explicit Sexual Content… WHAT!?

As of June 2024, X allowed “not safe for work” content, putting advertiser and client brand safety at risk. A recent Variety feature shares a statement from X in its updated usage policies: “You may share consensually produced and distributed adult nudity or sexual behavior, provided it’s properly labeled and not prominently displayed.” This raised alarms for both consumers and advertisers who don’t want their ads next to sexually explicit content. As advertisers, brand safety is a table-stake and thus an important consideration. X has released that they will support advertisements near these types of explicit posts. However, the platform also offers controls to avoid appearing next to this type of content if you are worried about brand safety. So, check your campaigns to ensure these controls are applied!

Instagram Is Rolling out Unskippable Ads… 

Instagram is now testing ad breaks, which force users to stop and watch an ad for 3-5 seconds, which will be disruptive for users. PRWeek recently polled 525 people on LinkedIn to see how consumers would react to these unskippable ads. 51% of users said they would delete the app, 7% said they would pay to have the ads go away, and 41% said they would just live with the unskippable ads. While only time will tell if these poll results hold true, we do expect this to be an unfavorable update that’s bound to frustrate some users. On the contrary, if adapted, this could be great for advertisers to leverage, as the average watch time per video on social media is :01 second. Unskippable ads could allow for better attention by utilizing the longer time for more messaging.

LinkedIn Adds New Premium Video Ad Placements and AI

LinkedIn is launching a new program called “The Wire,” which allows advertisers to purchase 3 to 15-second-long pre-roll ads on trusted publisher content on the LinkedIn platform itself. When users watch a video on LinkedIn from one of the trusted publishers, they will be forced to watch an ad first. LinkedIn has connected with the following companies: Barron’s, Bloomberg, Business Insider, Forbes, MarketWatch, NBCUniversal, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, Yahoo! Finance, and more. This is exciting because advertisers are now able to place advertisements on reliable, brand-safe company videos from publishers that have a large audience.

LinkedIn is also rolling out AI integrations. These Automated “Accelerate” Ad Campaigns will enable marketers to use generative AI for their campaign creative. This is comparable to the Meta Advantage Plus campaign which allows Meta to automatically generate AI campaigns rather than manually building them. These AI features enable your entire campaign creation process to be automatic, saving valuable time for advertisers. This will allow LinkedIn’s algorithm to find users to connect with your brand and drive better performance with your campaign. However, when using AI campaigns, advertisers lose some control of specific targeting. This can be alarming for advertisers as we always want to be more intentional about what ads are being served to specific users at the correct moment. We use AI sparingly, in controlled instances throughout campaigns to improve performance without changing our targeting or brand message. 

Joshua Cook, Digital and Social Media Manager

Connelly Partners had the great privilege to host Dr. Ciarán O’Carroll on 3rd July, who facilitated our first Climate Fresk Workshop at our Dublin office. Our very own Anita Freeman, who attended a Climate Fresk earlier in the year, helped in delivering the session to members of the local community. We were joined by a diverse range of people, from business leaders to mindful residents, teenagers to DSP cardholders, all looking to learn more about the climate crisis and how they can make positive decisions to help our planet reach a greener future. 

Climate Fresk is a workshop built to explain the climate crisis in a way that is easy for everyone to understand – in the form of a card exercise. Each group begins by plotting various issues that the environment faces in 2024. Using a cause and effect methodology, all members of the team consider their cards and where they feel they should sit on a timeline. Through conversation and teamwork, all sets of cards are discussed and examined. At the end of the exercise, we are greeted by an overall picture of the seriousness and severity of the problem that our planet is facing. 

The reasoning behind this is to show how our personal choices have a knock-on effect, ultimately leading to detrimental effects on our planet. However, all is not lost, as Dr. Ciarán then offered solutions, both personal and collective, to help ensure our planet’s future. 

The group left the session feeling refreshed and ready to combat the challenges before us. Overall, the session was incredible in giving us all the fire in our bellies needed to tackle the climate crisis. We’d like to thank Dr. Ciarán, Anita, and all the people who attended the fresk. We know this is only the beginning and we’ll have many different climate events moving forward, helping to create a greener future for us all.  

JoAnne Borselli, Group Brand Director

Across the nation, museums and heritage tourism sites often struggle to present diverse, inclusive narratives. The Black experience is frequently underrepresented or entirely absent from these spaces. Yet, Black history is deeply intertwined with every aspect of U.S. history. The United States could not have established itself without the crucial contributions of enslaved and free Black Americans.

Our client, Visit Williamsburg, is the destination marketing organization representing Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown, Virginia. For years, this destination has been dedicated to researching, uncovering, and telling a more accurate and inclusive history of our nation. Despite these efforts, many remain unaware of the stories being uncovered. So Visit Williamsburg is shining a spotlight on the important work being done by community members across the region. In 2023, Connelly Partners developed a plan to support this messaging and amplify it through our integrated channel strategy.

In 2024, we launched paid partnerships with Essence magazine and Travel Noire. These Black-owned media partners were selected based on their strong reputations within the community and their broad audience reach. Essence is a leading media brand for the Black community, highlighting news and information on entertainment, social, and business topics. Travel Noire, a brand within the Blavity Inc. network, focuses on travel content aimed at Black millennials and Gen Z.

The Essence partnership involved creating a 20-minute documentary-style video showcasing prominent Black voices in the Williamsburg community and highlighting untold stories from our history. With Travel Noire, the partnership features a digital microsite with multiple editorial articles about evolving museum content, a new art installation at The College of William & Mary, and more. This digital content, featured on each media partner’s websites, is amplified through their owned and earned media channels, as well as Visit Williamsburg’s own channels.

Through these strategic partnerships and storytelling efforts, Visit Williamsburg aims to ensure that the rich, complex narratives of Black Americans are recognized and celebrated, enhancing the historical tapestry of our nation for all visitors.

As an agency hyper-focused on the importance of human truths, the opportunity to partner with a client who is so committed to telling a more accurate history of the United States is truly an honor.

Check out the video on Essence.com and learn more about the stories being showcased across the region on TravelNoire.com. Most importantly, pack your bags and head to Williamsburg for a trip that’s equal parts educational, inspiring, and fun.

Ashley Campbell, Group Brand Director

Empowerment (noun)
em·​pow·​er·​ment
The act or action of empowering someone or something: the granting of the power, right, or authority to perform various acts or duties. [1]

How many times have you seen an event, conference, or piece of content coupling females with empowerment? But have you ever taken a step back to look at the definition? I personally hadn’t. “Granting of the power” is an eye-opening definition of the word. As women, we should not be granted the power, it should be inherent in our being. The reality here is that being granted the power is not all that powerful.

In case you missed it, we just ran our third “CP Empowering Women’s Networking” event in Boston. Leading up to the gathering, the definition of the event name shed some light on a problem that my colleagues and I felt we needed to address. Sure, networking should create a sense of empowerment. But the power is already within us.

At each of these events, my colleague Michele Hart-Henry, Managing Director of CP Health, and I lead a networking exercise that encourages our guests to chat with someone they have never met. Last month our topic was imposter syndrome. 

We have learned over time that these programs foster positive discussion. So, after reflecting on the name of our event, we determined that our April event topic should be ‘Stepping into the Power.’ We asked guests to discuss an example of a situation where they were either proud of embracing their power, or a time they wished they had stepped into it. 

This fostered wonderful conversation. We learned of times where these women were proud of using their voices to support and sponsor their colleagues. We also learned of times where they felt they voiced an opinion and were unfortunately shut down and wished they had not given up.

So, as you read this blog, we ask that you consider rethinking the word “empowerment.” Instead ladies, embrace the power you already have.

Please keep an eye out for our next Women’s Networking evening, which we plan to hold this summer. We’re excited to announce a new name via this fourth Connelly Partners event, but you’ll have to stay tuned to learn more!

If you aren’t on our invite list please reach out to me, Ashley Campbell. And while you’re at it, feel free to send event name suggestions my way as well. 

Sources:

1. Merriam-Webster

Neal Malone, Social Media & Influencer Management Supervisor
Will Maslach, Paid Social Manager

Connelly Partners was among a small group of U.S.-based independent agencies invited by TikTok to participate in its Agency Summit in New York City last week. Paid Social Manager Will Maslach and Social Media & Influencer Management Supervisor Neal Malone represented CP at the day-long event, connecting with leaders of TikTok’s global marketing team and attending sessions designed specifically for agencies that are ahead of the curve in leveraging the platform on behalf of their clients. Here are their key takeaways from the Summit:

Short-Form Video Isn’t Just a Media Format, It’s a Societal Behavior at This Point

With the recent passage of a law that could ban TikTok in the US, the conversation around the platform has understandably shifted to what would happen if it went away. But let’s put the platform aside for a second and just focus on the behavior at the center of it all. We as a society are so immensely hooked on the consumption of short-form video that we would go just about anywhere to get it. Potential ban or not, this format will continue captivating users and becoming further ingrained in our daily lives—and marketers know that. That’s why you can expect brands to continue full steam ahead on TikTok until they’re told otherwise. 

Matching Audiences to Funnel Stages Drives Performance, but Creative Reigns Supreme

Creative was at the center of every session at the Summit, and rightfully so—it has become the leading driver of paid social results and performance. Most brands and social media advertisers know how to target, how to pick correct campaign objectives, and how to optimize towards better performance, but the one piece of the puzzle that most marketers still struggle to get right is creative. Overly produced and branded ads—like the traditional commercials you see on TV—stick out like a sore thumb on all social platforms, especially on TikTok. There’s something innately human about all of the organic, lo-fi content that you see on TikTok—and in fact most of the users that are going viral are the ones that are authentically showing the full human experience. Creative agencies that recognize this and lean into it (even the ones without significant paid social experience) often see far better performance than the expert media agencies that lack creative chops. At CP, we have found success in blending the creative expertise of our organic social team and the media knowledge of our paid social team. Working together on an integrated level has driven excellent results for our social and influencer clients. 

Organic Channels Act as a Testing Ground for Paid Content

One of the most celebrated aspects of TikTok’s algorithm is the fact that a brand’s organic content can go viral at any time, regardless of follower numbers. But the truth is, generating meaningful reach and engagement with purely organic content is really hard. That’s why TikTok strongly recommends an approach that incorporates both organic and paid content. One interesting way brands are putting this integrated strategy into practice is using their organic TikTok channel as an incubator for their paid content. That’s right, their organic content essentially acts as a research and development vehicle, and then the posts that resonate the most get moved into the paid campaign and served to expanded audiences.

TikTok Is No Longer a “Nice to Have” for Most Brands—It’s a “Need to Have”

The rise of TikTok within the advertising world has been nothing short of meteoric, but with all innovation comes risk. As recent as last year, brands were asking themselves if they needed to be on TikTok and what the value was in joining. But with the platform’s rapid growth over the last year—new products, new ad formats, and other innovations—TikTok has become table stakes for any full-scale social strategy. So now, instead of brands questioning why they need a TikTok channel, they’re asking how they can get involved. The dynamic has shifted to the point where brands know that TikTok is a place where they can cultivate their next generation of buyers/customers. At CP, we’re here to help those brands that know they need to get in the game, but don’t yet know how to play. 

At CP, we are always asking “why?” We’re fascinated and ever curious about customer mood and mindset. Here are a few observations and constructive fodder for discussion from our anthropology and strategic planning teams from this past quarter.

1. Country Music Reclamation
Redefining what country can be.

Observation: Beyoncé’s newest single, “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” has reached #1 on the country charts, making her the first Black woman to achieve this despite the genre’s origin within Black culture. 

Country has notoriously struggled to diversify its modern audience, but now millions of fans are embracing it with open arms. It’s an impressive show of devotion and open-mindedness from loyal Beyoncé listeners.

What brands can do: Cultivating trust with supporters creates more room for experimentation. Break from industry or product stereotypes to foster innovation and attract new, diverse consumers.

Sources: Axios, Glamour & The New York Times

2. Campaigns Struggle With the ‘Pull’ Realities of Social Media:
Recognizing the power in commenting.

Observation: President Biden recently launched a TikTok account to engage young voters. However, this content ‘push’ has been met with a bombardment of critical replies, i.e. unwanted ‘pull’ from pro-Palestinian protesters. This backlash is a “digital manifestation” of direct, explicit demands by the electorate that are communicated directly to the country’s highest office.

What brands can do: Take critical comments seriously and use them as a launching pad to engage in meaningful conversations and demonstrate a willingness to address issues rather than dismissing or ignoring them.

Sources: NBC News & CNN

3. The Lure of Hit Series, True Detective:
Complex character portrayals.

Observation: “True Detective: Night Country” concluded its season with remarkable viewing success, averaging 12.7 million cross-platform viewers, surpassing the that of its three season predecessors.

This season’s most notable differences were the female-dominated cast and the symbolic exploration of trauma. The show strikingly balanced the bleak aspects with a touch of idealism and dark comedy.

What brands can do: Authenticity, imperfection and the creation of new norms continue to be the most coveted content online.

Sources: Variety, Deadline, IGN & Spokesman

4. Fashion as Viral Theater:
Breaking from norms via immersive online experiences.

Observation: John Galliano’s Maison Margiela Spring/Summer 2024 show at Paris Fashion Week went completely viral, even in digital circles outside of the fashion world. The immersive nature of Galliano’s shows, where the audience becomes active participants, smelling the air and sensing the fabric, added to the appeal. The clothes themselves were not just fashion items; they became tangible mementos of an extraordinary fashion experience.

What brands can do: Designing events that engage multiple senses and transport the audience into a unique world can profoundly enhance the brand’s appeal, spark virality and leave a lasting impression.

Sources: The New York Times & Another Magazine

5. Apartment Amenities as the New “Third Place:”
Re-prioritizing and fostering physical community in novel spaces.

Observation: The decline of “third places,” physical community spaces beyond home and work, has exacerbated the loneliness epidemic heightened during & still growing post-pandemic. To counteract this, third places are being created inside new apartment complex developments, combining workspaces, amenities, and social areas like golf simulators, saunas, and indoor pickleball courts – all designed to physically reunite humans.

What brands can do: Be proactive in addressing the loneliness epidemic how ever it makes the most sense for you brand…accessible opportunities & programs that reconnect people with the community is everyone’s responsibility.

Sources: The Independent, Building Design + Construction & Refinery29

All good things expire. Look out for more reports coming soon.