Social media and influencer marketing has become a thriving practice in the advertising industry, with many clients doubling down on spending in this area. Social media is a direct line to consumers, with an estimated 4.9 billion users globally. Steve Connelly recently spoke with AdAge, sharing his thoughts on the creator economy and why it is vital for marketers to leverage social and influencers for their clients.
Read more here.
Michele Hart-Henry, Managing Director, CP Health
Alyssa Stevens, Director of PR, Social Media & Influencer Marketing
Maya Menon Freeman, Strategy Intern
With over one billion global monthly active users, TikTok has amassed a captive audience for everything. From face creams to MRIs, native Gen Z seeks out online information on any and all subjects, including medical advice. Fifty percent of digital natives, aged 18 to 25, turn to social media platforms for health-related purposes either all the time (22%) or often (28%), according to Insider Intelligence’s US Digital Health Survey 2022. With a wealth of information that they’re used to at their fingertips, younger consumers tend to rely on digital resources for their well-being more than their older counterparts.
With the shifting dynamics of social media gaining more influence and legitimacy as a news source comes the risk of abusing this power. Experts warn that user-generated content on social media platforms, often shared by social influencers, can easily provide disinformation, creating a confusing and misleading mix of fact and fiction.
The most recent example of this is when Kim Kardashian received backlash for promoting an elective MRI scan that can cost up to $2.5k to her 364 million Instagram followers, claiming that the procedure “has really saved some of my friends’ lives.” The New York Times deemed the endorsement a signal of The New Status Symbol. Prenuvo, the company offering the imaging session, claims to search for early signs of cancer, aneurysms, liver diseases and even multiple sclerosis. The impulse to discover illnesses as early as possible is understandable, however, the American College of Radiology has stated that there is “no documented evidence that total body screening is effective in prolonging life,” and warns that scans could lead to “nonspecific findings” that require expensive follow-ups.
Unfortunately, a case like Kim K’s is not out of the ordinary. When non-professionals become leading health voices without any background or training, power shifts away from highly trained individuals, leading to ripple effects throughout the industry. For influencers promoting products or services with supposed medical benefits, these spotlights are often motivated by personal gain, whether financial or to expand influence and followers, as opposed to proven science. Influencers sharing recommendations may create an oversimplification of medicine at best, and create misinformation at worst. Influencers may even cause consumers or followers to self-diagnose and seek out treatments or shortcuts that may not be in their best interest.
As N. Adam Brown, MD, MBA explains, “we simply cannot treat healthcare innovations as trends. We must demand greater responsibility and accountability by platforms and companies using influencers to drive healthcare businesses.”
As true as the pitfalls may be when using influencers in the healthcare space, there is expansive potential for positive, authentic content that can improve health. Raising awareness is one of the simplest and most effective benefits derived from an influencer presence, leading to earlier detection, better management, and reduced stigma associated with some conditions.
The most successful example is the 2014 ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, which began as an Instagram trend and resulted in more than 17 million people participating in the Challenge and raising $115 million for The ALS Association. The culmination of that campaign was the Steve Gleason Act, which guarantees ALS patients access to much-needed speech-generating devices.
Influencers sharing their own health experiences can also lead to greater personal advocacy, where individuals feel empowered to seek out more personalized, high-quality care from their providers. In this same vein, platforms like TikTok create a lower barrier of entry for those afraid of asking personal or potentially embarrassing questions to their own medical teams.
Accounts like @avgdiabetic and @shaneburcaw share daily experiences of their chronic conditions as well as their lives outside of their medical care. They build an authentic connection with their viewers and speak truthfully to their own individual experiences, instead of plugging a new trend or product.
@nursehadley and @doctor.mike are excellent examples of healthcare professionals who are also influencers, using their experience to educate viewers in a way that is backed by science, years of medical school, and research. Credibility is the core of their persona, and rightfully so. They reach their followers through expertise with a personal touch. For healthcare professionals in particular, these platforms can be utilized as a social listening tool where users discuss frustrations or opportunities to respond to consumer needs.
Whether personal or professional, experience is the key. Speaking from a more personal place for non-HCPs enables authentic connections and greater empathy among followers. The greatest potential for positive effects comes directly from transparency and de-stigmatization of sharing one’s story. But leave the medical advice to the professionals, who are the most qualified to provide actual advice, knowledge, and best practices to counterbalance misinformation that can permeate social media.
TikTok and other social media platforms are here to stay. Deploying the reach of influencers to help consumers make good health choices is a continuing balancing act. While the supplanting of healthcare practitioners for the likes of Kim Kardashian is concerning, there is still an opportunity for impactful, empowering content to create broad awareness and move people in healthy directions.
Jane Amendolara, Assistant PR, Social Media & Influencer Marketing Manager
As a young female professional, I have quickly learned the importance of building relationships, fostering connections, and seeking mentorship. While essential, this can also be a daunting experience.
Various studies have shown that in comparison to their male counterparts, women struggle in networking environments. It comes down to the fact that women and men simply network differently. While men tend to focus on short-term needs, women succeed by building more long-term, personal relationships and friendships. Women often form connections through people they already know and develop smaller, tighter-knit networks that are built on trust. It’s been shown that women actually wind up in a worse position when they attempt to network like men with hopes of getting ahead. Not because they aren’t qualified or lack the necessary skills, but because they are missing the crucial need for a close inner circle of women. That female connection helps to provide critical information on job opportunities and challenges, and ultimately serves a deeper purpose than just a “way in.”
In a world where making meaningful connections in professional settings can be difficult, I feel extremely grateful that Connelly Partners recognizes this and helps provide me and my female colleagues with the warmth, support, and empowerment needed to successfully network.
Last month, Connelly Partners hosted its first Empowering Women Networking Event. We were joined by nearly 30 females from across a wide range of ages and industries, including former clients, prospective clients, friends, and job seekers. Together, we curated the welcoming environment that women need to build new relationships, both professionally and personally.
Not only was I given the privilege of being surrounded by a room full of driven females from all different backgrounds, but this became an opportunity for us to get to know one another in a safe space for authentic connection. Whether it was talking business or simply forming friendships, the women in attendance were eager to share their experiences, advice, insights, and wisdom. It was uplifting to see genuine connections forming rather than just mere business transactions.
Not to mention, how else would I have learned that there is in fact a correct way to wear a nametag?
This event wasn’t just about networking. It was about creating an inclusive space for empowerment and served as a reminder that the support of like-minded individuals is invaluable. As I continue my career, I’m eager to witness the impact of Connelly Partners’ continued initiative for women and their networks…and I feel grateful to be a part of the journey.
Interested in joining us for our next women’s networking event? Sign up here!
Travel Weekly, a leading provider of news, research, opinion, and analysis to the North American travel trade marketplace, has announced the results of the 2023 Magellan Awards. This year saw a record-breaking number of entries submitted from across the globe.
The awards honor excellence in design, marketing and services across various industry segments, including Hospitality, Airlines, Airports, Travel Destinations, Cruise Lines, and more. Entries are judged against Travel Weekly’s standard of excellence.
We are thrilled to share that our client, the Williamsburg Tourism Council, has secured one Silver and two Gold Magellan Awards.
Check out the full list of winners here and the official press release here.
Clark Shepard, Associate Creative Director
A writer has two jobs: observe and report.
I call it sponge work. You go into the world, you soak in every little insignificant detail, you wring it out onto the page – and little by little you come to understand there are no insignificant details. There are tiny little fragments of brilliance. Each and every one of them, the smoking gun leading us to something true and honest and human and real. Sure, maybe I’m assigning too much academia and empathy to a profession that is ultimately responsible for this Quizno’s ad, but let’s not forget it’s also the same profession that gave us Dr. Rick. And make no mistake: There would be no such Doctor without the sponge work.
Anyway, here I am burying the lead like a cooking blog you have to scroll through pages of “My husband’s laser tag obsession is ruining my life” just to find the recipe. Hi, I’m Clark Shepard, Associate Creative Director here at Connelly Partners, and I lived in Ireland for September as a part of our CP Abroad program. As I sit here and reflect on that experience – with incredible gratitude I might add – I keep coming back to one word (and yes, it’s a call back from one entire paragraph ago): Observation.
Is observation paramount to a writer’s success? Yes. Am I awesome at deploying it all the time? No. Why? Well, my therapist refused to be quoted for this blog post, but I think it comes down to this: nothing dulls the sensors quite like a routine. The same breakfast, the same commute, the same conversations with the same people – every day – it’s a restrictor plate on the lawn mower of creativity (weird metaphor, but I just mowed). So the prospect of leaving that routine of creature comforts behind was an utterly stomach-churning, terrifying, world-upending…relief. As I sat on the 7-hour flight from Boston to Dublin, in between viewings of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and a Masterclass on how to appreciate wine (turns out I was doing it wrong), I gave myself a challenge. A challenge to set aside the roles I play in my everyday life (a shameless entertainer with a need for validation in any and all forms, for example). Quite simply, I made it my mission to step back and listen up.
So I sat on barstools across Ireland, listening to people complain, and laugh, and express gratitude, and go on first dates, and also one or two last dates. Strangers taught me rugby on the fly, and let me join in the camaraderie of pain and euphoria and more pain during the World Cup. When I forgot to pack a raincoat on my first weekend trip to Howth, I sought shelter from a storm in a hole-in-the-wall pub. I ended up spending 6 hours there – just listening.
I hopped a 4am flight to London one morning and watched its city streets wake up. In the afternoon, I took the Underground to Tottenham to see my beloved Hotspurs in action. What I felt, sitting by myself in a stadium of 70,000 fans, was oddly anything but alone. After trailing for 98 minutes, they tied it up in electric fashion. Two minutes later, they scored again – producing from the crowd the single loudest sound I’ve ever heard (and the loudest, highest-pitched sound I’ve ever made). Strangers were grabbing me by the sleeves as I blindly grabbed back. A dad and his teenage son both bear-hugged me. Oh, and a woman, who could not have been a day younger than a full century, open-mouth kissed me. I called home to my wife, explaining in great detail that my mouth had remained shut for the duration. It was the latest winning comeback in Premier League history – she understood.
Later on in my trip, I took a tour bus from Galway, full of the most touristy tourists you’ll ever see, to the Cliffs of Moher. Though I spent hours weaving through the foot traffic of the path, and weaving through their conversations as I did, I might have only said three words the entire day. They all happened at the same moment, as I reached the preeminent cliff’s edge. I believe the words were “Holy F****ing Sh*t”.
For a month straight, I did the sponge work. Consciously at first, but then it just became second nature, as if my primal code was wiped back to its factory settings. When I got back to the States, I felt lighter. Not literally of course – Ireland operates as though potatoes are vegetables and Guinness has electrolytes. I felt lighter with this newfound proof that every second of life is fascinating if only you remember to tune in. I went to Ireland to become a better listener, and I might have accidentally become a better writer in the process. For that I’m grateful.
*Raises a Guinness*
To doing the sponge work.
Gene Begin, Managing Director, CP Education
Higher education has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years, whether it’s the ongoing demographic shift, the change in student and family expectations on the value of a degree, or the shifts in modality, exacerbated by the pandemic and advancements in technology. As colleges deal with this evolving landscape, and many simultaneously strive to find stable financial footing, they often find themselves evaluating their portfolio of programs. And while higher ed loves to call them “programs” to steer away from marketing language, let’s be clear. Programs are the “product,” the forgotten element of higher education marketing’s Four P’s.
Constituents on campus and beyond typically look to the marketing team for “promotion,” but let’s remind ourselves that there are Four P’s of marketing, with “place” and “price” being additions to the aforementioned “product” and “promotion.” Marketing leadership typically has expertise in market analysis, strategic planning and communication, always thinking about the audience first. Institutions build programs with two primary audiences in mind, students and employers, so who better to help strategize on programs than a leader who puts the consumer first in everything they do?
Today, we’ll leave thoughts on “place” and “price” for another time, so let’s focus on the benefits marketing leadership can provide in program development:
Understanding the demand for a particular program can significantly impact enrollment expectations. The shifts in demographics and the shifts in interests of different generations can help you identify emerging program ideas. Students and families expect programs to deliver tangible outcomes such as employability and career advancement, so understanding the needs of employers is table stakes. Additionally, evaluating industry data as well as institutional insights, such as enroll and non-admit information on your applicants’ majors that went to other institutions, could provide an understanding of new program potential.
Most marketing teams conduct primary market research at least every three to four years in addition to any ongoing brand studies. This research can be a starting point for program managers, but market research can also be conducted to determine which topics, subjects and programs are likely to attract prospective students and their families and meet the needs of today’s employers. Identifying trends and assessing demand can limit the risk of investing in programs with limited market potential.
In a crowded higher education marketplace that has turned into a commodity in the eyes of many consumers, it is very difficult to be distinctive. Not many colleges or universities can say they are distinct, but every college and university can differentiate from their top competitors. Marketing leaders can help assess how a program compares to its competitors and recommend potential variations or niche elements of the program vision that may generate a higher level of interest.
Successful programs require more than talented faculty and a well-intentioned curriculum. They need a compelling value proposition that resonates with prospective audiences and current students and communicates the key features and benefits provided by the new program. In fact, identifying a message that may differentiate from competitors is critical to help stand out. The positioning of the program from the competitive benchmarking will help institutions develop that primary message.
Programs are often created without integrated marketing and brand strategy in mind and that can be a serious detriment when the program is ready for the old reliable “P,” which is “promotion.” A new program is typically provided with a “marketing” allocation as part of its draft budget to help get “butts in seats.” First of all, it is likely not enough budget to build the brand of a new program on its own.
Secondly, there may be other budgets to leverage. Marketing leadership is often planning for the fiscal year far in advance to ensure that an integrated marketing campaign can holistically impact the institution and maximize visibility for its multiple programs. A new program can be an energizer to an integrated campaign, but its effectiveness can be exponentially more impactful if coordinated as part of a two-pronged brand marketing and enrollment strategy. The right marketing strategies reaching the right audience at the right time to inspire the right action can only be done through coordination, communication and collaboration. The analogy, “A rising tide lifts all boats,” is over-used for a reason; because it is accurate.
Change isn’t easy but product evaluation and evolution are critical to shaping the future of any institution. In fact, the evaluation of program offerings is an exercise that higher education institutions have been doing since their inception. But too often marketing leaders do not have a seat at the table early enough to help with program development. Rather than pulling our chief marketing and communications officers in to communicate and help community-manage stakeholder feedback after the announcement of the program evolution, let’s proactively plan to maximize program visibility and positively impact enrollment. I mean, those were the original objectives for the new program development anyway, weren’t they?
At CP, we are always asking “why?” We’re fascinated and ever curious about customer mood and mindset. Here’s a few observations and constructive fodder for discussion from our anthropology and strategic planning teams from this past quarter.
Observation: The #girlhood cultural movement is in full swing, evidenced by a surge of trends in feminine self-expression.
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour grossed over $1 billion. Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour impacted inflation in two countries. Barbie became the biggest movie of the year. The Women’s World Cup set new records in ticket sales and TV viewership.
What brands can do: Focus on empowering women to embrace and celebrate their individuality and unique experiences while emphasizing joy, creativity, and authenticity.
Sources: Fortune, Forbes & Variety
Observation: The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and SAG-AFTRA initiated strikes for equitable pay. This is historic as it is the first time both have simultaneously gone on strike since 1960.
The newly established Creators Guild of America characterizes itself as a “professional service organization” for digital content creators, extending benefits that are akin to those in unions.
What brands can do: Prioritize making their employees, and subsequently their customers, feel valued. Align themselves with workers’ rights by actively supporting fair compensation and ethical practices.
Sources: Vulture & TechCrunch
Observation: Streetwear is a major disruptor in modern retail, and its success is rooted in hype. The “hype” business model involves creating brand buzz through high-profile “drops,” and then leveraging that hype to sell ordinary products. MSCHF’s 2023 “Big Red Boots,” which sold out in seconds and ranked fourth on List’s list of most desired products, exemplify this strategy.
What brands can do: Borrow strategies from streetwear’s playbook to achieve similar success. Adopt limited “drops,” utilize irony, and create scarcity.
Sources: MSCHF & Courier Media
Observation: Allbirds revealed the design of its zero-carbon shoe, the “M0.0NSHOT.” Also released is an open source toolkit that outlines their process, including its materials and manufacturing.
In the 2023 Fashion Revolution’s Fashion Transparency Index, the luxury segment exhibited the most substantial improvements, with Gucci, Armani, Miu Miu, and Prada leading the way.
What brands can do: Investing in sustainable materials and production to reduce carbon footprints and publicizing footprint data for each product will demonstrate a proven commitment to climate action.
Sources: Retail Dive & Vogue
Observation: Popular European destinations proved their dominance, with a total of 11.7 million Americans traveling to Europe in 2023. International cruise bookings have also gone up 44% around European river routes.
June to August was the planet’s warmest period ever recorded. Because of rising summer temperatures, more people are seeking out cooler destinations like Denmark, France and the United Kingdom.
What brands can do: Climate-conscious messaging can work to reflect the changing priorities of consumers as our environment changes.
Observation: The fallout from Covid continues to be far reaching. People are rethinking what they want from travel, making authentic and immersive experiences central to a sense of ‘value’.
This might involve heading into the great outdoors for a wellness-focused retreat, indulging in adventure therapy, taking a package trip with strangers, or going on an old-fashioned tour with a range of exclusive perks.
What brands can do: Tap into the sentiments, the motivations behind them and leverage these themes in messaging. Positioning themselves as the facilitators or gatekeepers of these experiences.
All good things expire. Look out for more reports coming soon.
Thanks to our friends from Soccer Unity Project, Connelly Partners has been highlighted in the Boston Business Journal’s “Good News Tuesday” segment. The feature recognizes good deeds that make communities stronger.
Soccer Unity Project reimagines the power of soccer to build community, connect people from diverse backgrounds, and promote equity in youth play. The program annually serves 1,200 youth players and 750 adult players across Greater Boston.
The relationship began with a donation of office space in 2020, which has allowed Soccer Unity Project to host skill-building training, end-of-season gatherings, and more. It ensures the organization has a consistent meeting location, building familiarity among constituents and removing the financial stressor of rental space, which can be difficult for nonprofits. CP has also been a charitable workplace neighbor by offering industry expertise and promotional assets.
This is just one example of how corporate and nonprofit partnerships can work together for the community.
Learn more about the partnership here.
Home delivery service, MyMilkman.ie, has launched a new campaign highlighting the benefits of having a range of fresh products delivered to your door, including milk, cheese, juice, yogurt and eggs.
Created by Zoo Digital, part of Connelly Partners, it follows on from MyMilkman.ie’s 2022 campaign “For less Ugh and More Ahhh.” It has heightened the drama of these everyday pain points, as each video was framed as a mini TV drama with episodes focused on relatable and humorous ways people run out of the essentials, whilst showcasing the wide variety of products MyMilkman has to offer.
The campaign photography has received international creative industry acknowledgment. Three still photos were recently selected by industry-renowned publication, Lürzer’s Archive and are set to be published in its next publication.
Learn more about the campaign here.
We’re excited to announce that our work for Boston Pride for the People has been shortlisted in the Communication Arts Typography Competition’s advertising category.
The Competition celebrates the best use of typography as the primary visual element in design and advertising, as well as new typeface designs, calligraphy and hand lettering. Winners receive the Award of Excellence, one of the most coveted awards in the industry, and are published in the publication’s Typography Annual.
Read more about the competition.