Podcast Showdown, TikTok Trends and News Influencers

The 2024 U.S. election saw creators and influencers take on a much larger role compared to prior years — from involvement at the White House Creator Economy Conference to the battle of the candidates on some of the nation’s biggest podcasts.

During this political cycle, election campaigns increasingly leveraged influencer strategies, particularly through long-form podcasts on YouTube and Spotify and short-form content on TikTok. Even as candidates and creators debate the ongoing challenges and risks associated with using influencer marketing for political campaigns, creators have undeniably become a core part of political culture and strategy.

Global Director of PR, Social Media, and Influencer Marketing Alyssa Stevens shares her perspective on how creators and influencers could reshape politics.

Read more.

Gene Begin, Managing Director, CP Education
Alyssa Stevens, Global Director of PR, Social Media & Influencer Marketing
Erin Mullaney, Media Director

The American Marketing Association’s (AMA) Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education recently brought together more than 1,800 attendees from colleges, universities and higher education partners, the largest gathering in the history of the event AND the largest-ever symposium event for AMA, no matter the industry. 

The conference highlighted the importance of understanding people—especially the varied mix of higher education stakeholders—and the ways in which inclusivity, authenticity, and personalization are shaping higher education marketing. Here’s four themes we gathered from the insights shared.

Put People at the Center of Your Marketing: From Storytelling to Crisis Management

At the heart of the AMA Higher Ed conference was a call to center “people” in all aspects of marketing. This theme was underscored by nearly every keynote speaker. Whether discussing student-centered creative, generational differences, storytelling or crisis management, having a people-first mindset to your marketing and communications was paramount.

Keynote speaker Steve Robbins challenged the audience to rethink inclusion and recognize that our brains are wired to seek belonging. Our brain desires two things: to be part of a tribe and to be valued by that tribe. Yet, we also struggle when it comes to embracing difference. This makes inclusion a deliberate effort—especially in the context of higher education marketing where diverse student populations demand more than token gestures of representation.

Inclusion can’t be just a buzzword—it requires intentional action, thoughtful representation, and commitment to fostering a sense of belonging for all audiences. After last year’s Supreme Court decision on affirmative action, intentional inclusion marketing strategies are even more important than ever.

Authenticity, Trust and the Power of the Messenger

A significant portion of the event focused on the evolving expectations of Gen Z and Gen Alpha—two generations that are shaping higher education. 

“The messenger matters” was not only a great session led by Jeremy Tiers from Tudor Collegiate Strategies and Brian Piper from the University Rochester, but it was also a recurring theme throughout the conference. It’s no longer enough to create great content—you also need to think about who is delivering that content and how they resonate with your target audience.  Considering prospective students often are creators themselves, they are increasingly turning to social media influencers and content creators as their trusted sources for information due to the authenticity of their message.

This need is exacerbated by the general distrust these generations have in established organizations. This skepticism even extends to established digital platforms. YouTube and TikTok have overtaken Google as the preferred search tool for these generations, despite Google’s 88% share of search engine advertising. YouTube is also eating into the podcast space of Apple and Spotify due to video becoming a more preferred modality for podcast viewing.

Additionally, personalization is an important strategy to gain trust and show prospective audiences you are authentically trying to build a relationship with them. While only 18% of students believe higher ed’s communications feel personalized (per Tudor Collegiate Studies research), one college they worked with tested the impact of personalized, one-on-one counselor interactions and saw the likelihood of enrollment increase by 2.8 times. This kind of personalization can be a game-changer for colleges looking to convert prospects and applicants into enrolled students.

This session also made me think more deeply about what “feel” means when prospective students say that “it just felt right” when being asked why they chose a particular institution after a campus visit. More likely than not, that “feel” was generated by human interactions with the community. And research from the Edelman Trust Barometer confirmed that humans are the most trusted source of information, not a surprise considering word-of-mouth is still the most successful marketing tactic of all-time! 

Institutions that prioritize human connection—whether through counselors, faculty, parents and families, or peer networks—will gain a competitive edge in this era of distrust. With search intent and authentic messaging preferred on social channels, higher ed marketers need to shift their approach to prioritize these channels. If you want to stand out, use influencers who feel authentic and relatable, and focus on building personalized experiences that demonstrate a genuine investment in student success. 

Reframing Marketing for a Low-Trust World

In addition to influencer marketing in education, sessions explored other strategies for succeeding in a low-trust world. In a time when misinformation runs rampant, higher education marketers need to embrace “non-obvious thinking,” as coined by keynote speaker Rohit Bhargava. A few of his standout recommendations included:

• Stand for something – Develop a clear institutional identity and mission, and tell that story consistently.
• Embrace the conversation – Engage in two-way dialogue with prospective students and families. Marketers need to be listeners as much as they are speakers.
• Expand your audience – Diversify your approach to recruitment, focusing not just on traditional high school students but also on adult learners, international students, and underrepresented groups.

To break through the noise, higher ed institutions need to differentiate and be bold in standing for values and missions that resonate with the students they seek to enroll. The sheer volume of tuition increases and the increased competition for students has made differentiation more critical than ever. In the last 18 years, tuition industry-wide has skyrocketed by 506%, and yet many institutions still rely on the same tired marketing tactics based on geography, demographics, or selectivity.

VIV Higher Education led a session with great recommendations on the digital advertising front. They suggested your targeting strategies should aim to connect with students who are similar to those who already enrolled—focusing 80% on list-based targeting efforts and reserving 20% for experimenting with new audiences. Additionally, institutions must consider the full funnel of recruitment, allocating marketing budgets across awareness, recruitment, and advocacy stages.

They typically recommend 10-30% of budget in awareness, 60-80% in recruitment and 10% in advocacy.

With the long decision cycles for both undergraduate and graduate prospective students, creating awareness and nurturing long-term relationships is essential, so we would recommend the higher end of those awareness budget percentages. Additionally, every graduate program is unique, so whether using an area-of-study cluster strategy or a priority-program advertising approach, tailoring it to your specific university’s portfolio is important.

Summary

As higher education marketers, the time has come to embrace a people-first approach, grounded in authenticity, personalization, and inclusivity. The changing landscape requires a shift from traditional, one-size-fits-all marketing tactics to a more nuanced, human-centered strategy that resonates with today’s diverse audiences and skeptical, value-first populations. By incorporating some of these insights from AMA, institutions can build stronger connections with prospective students and position themselves for success in an increasingly competitive market.

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. 

Our Global Director of PR, Social Media and Influencer Marketing Alyssa Stevens recently moderated an influencer marketing panel at the American Marketing Association’s Symposium for Higher Education. 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.

Shannon Bresnahan, Brand Supervisor

Even before I was hired at Connelly Partners, I knew I was going to apply for the CP Abroad Program. During the many conversations leading up to my start at the agency, I learned so much about the program and grew increasingly excited. Prior to joining CP, I had some serious peaks and valleys in my life (felt like more valleys, but hindsight is always 20/20) and taking a trip seemed like just the experience I needed to bring me back to my old self. 

Curiosity Leads to Confidence

On the outside, I look like a pretty confident person, but like everyone else, I have my moments of doubt. Over the past few years, those moments had been growing, leaving me feeling increasingly uncertain about myself. Outside of work, I’ve never felt confident enough to grab dinner or a drink alone, let alone travel to another country solo. And at work, I tend to be more curious in meetings and listen to everyone else’s perspectives without always giving my own.

As a single woman, I lived in Dublin alone for the month and traveled by myself for two out of my five weekends abroad. Traveling solo in other countries pushed me into a new level of confidence I hadn’t tapped into before. I was, of course, having meals on my own and meeting new people, but I was also doing day trips and excursions alone, hoping to squeeze in as much as I could in a short amount of time. As I explored new experiences and built confidence, my curiosity about the world grew, and I wanted to play an active role in it rather than simply observing from the sidelines.

I could start to see a shift in my confidence at work even while I was still in Dublin. I was speaking up more in meetings and was less uncertain about my opinions. I’ve always been encouraged to share my thoughts and opinions at work, but I often held back, worried that someone might disagree or see my input as irrelevant. Once I started speaking up more, I realized just how wrong I was— my voice truly does matter.

As a Brand Supervisor, my work life is very organized with timelines and project plans guiding every client activity. In my personal life, I live more in the gray and fully embraced this on my solo trips. Occasionally I booked some tours but overall, I didn’t plan what museums or attractions I would see and I was able to be fully in the moment and absorb all the sights around me.

I’ve come to appreciate the excitement of embracing the gray areas, and I now want to bring that mindset into my work. Timelines will always be essential, but not having every detail doesn’t mean a project will fall apart. The unknown keeps you adaptable, ready to expect the unexpected and handle whatever comes your way.

I would have traveled without CP Abroad, but having the opportunity to fuse work and play taught me a lot about myself and how I want to work with my colleagues and clients moving forward. This is such a unique program and I can’t thank CP enough for the chance to live in Dublin for a month. I loved every moment and can’t wait to go back.

Ronan Doyle, Global Art Director

What a Time to Visit

Goosebumps. And not from the cold—in fact, this October was probably the warmest I’ve ever experienced. Blue skies, sun, and crazy vibrant Autumn colours. My Boston colleagues had told me fall is one of the best times to visit, and hey, they definitely weren’t wrong.

Frankie, my wife, and I had been to Boston once before in 2020, but the pandemic quickly cut that trip short. We had to leave without really seeing very much of the city, and everything shutting down around us. This time, however, was different, and it certainly delivered ten-fold. Boston has easily climbed to the top of our list of favorite cities, it has amazing history, rich culture, fantastic food, and incredibly friendly people.

Wanderlust

We usually skip the typical tourist attractions, preferring to wander and find hidden gems. Boston’s charm lies in its character—around every corner, there’s something new to see without it trying too hard to grab your attention. Whether we were climbing Bunker Hill, catching a boat on the Mystic River, or trying pizza near Hanover Street, it really felt like a big city with the charm of a small town.

Of course, Boston has its iconic sports culture and flashy lights, but what we loved most were the small quirks—like the funny voice that says “wait” at traffic lights. 

Another important part of our trip was visiting New York to see the 9/11 Memorial. I remember passing by the same spot in 1996 when my brother drove us from JFK to Scranton. This time though, I didn’t want a picture; it was about quiet reflection, and a reminder of the importance of making a difference in life. Our company’s vision might adapt, but I’m starting to understand what it means to be “defiantly human.” For me, it’s about striving to make a positive impact and that stood out as a reminder that we all have a chance to do that.

People

Meeting the friendly people in the Boston office was by far the highlight. Putting faces to names is invaluable, and I think the more people get the chance to do this, the more our multiple offices will feel like one. Conversations flow much easier when you have a face to talk to and I’m sure it will be easier when you have a face to put with that random slack or email. An extra bonus was working on a U.S. project while there, and I’d encourage anyone visiting another office to get involved in a project no matter how big or small.

Kudos to everyone who organized the apartment—it was truly the icing on the cake. It felt like a home away from home, with everything we needed for the month. Having a local food market nearby kept us from overspending on eating out every night, as tempting as that was! Standing on the roof deck, gazing at the twinkling lights, gave me a sense of calm in this bustling city. It made me feel very small, but also reminded me of the huge world out there and the chance we all have to make a difference.

Some of the highlights included meeting everyone in the office (including Carl and Beau the dogs), a surprise visit from Cape Cod relatives, river walks by Charlestown, Halloween pumpkins, finding the famous Good Will Hunting bench, the view from the top of the Prudential Tower, the beautiful Beacon Hill, the New England Aquarium, Fenway Park, the Hatch Awards, iconic New York sights, and, of course, lots of cold brew coffee.

Thank You

I honestly wish I could have Boston on-tap every day—but thankfully, I still have access to some of its people through our Boston office. This was an experience I’ll carry with me for a lifetime, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity given to me.

Ronan

Why She Holds the Key to Your Benefits Plan’s Success

Women are increasingly leading the charge in health decisions, from managing doctor’s appointments to making choices that affect their family’s overall well-being. As this year’s enrollment season kicks off, we’re taking a look at these women, who serve as the Chief Family Health Officer (CFHO) – the powerhouse behind the success of your benefits plan.

Sam Coons, Copywriter 

Last Thursday, I joined a handful of CPers who attended the 63rd annual Hatch Awards, hosted at Big Night Live. Connelly Partners had a great showing, taking home a collection of 15 awards, including 5 Golds. But just as important, we took home a few insights on the common threads amongst the winning work. 

The main takeaway wasn’t a huge surprise this year. Consumers just want to have fun. But not just any fun. Simple fun. The overwhelming majority of winning work had not only that ever-important “big idea” to it, but nothing felt like it was beaten to death by committee. Work ranging from clients like Progressive, to Bowery Farms, to Valvoline were all as easy to laugh at as they were to digest. And while we always look to move people emotionally in our work, we just can’t forget that bringing a little levity to someone’s day by making them chuckle at a silly joke or gasp at an incredible visual is still doing exactly that.

Our own winning work this year understood this, with simple, fun campaigns for clients like Boston Pride for the People, 123.ie, and Kayem. We couldn’t be more pumped for these wins!

As we shuffled out of the venue to celebrate before shifting into full gear for 2025, two words were repeated amongst us as an unofficial mantra for the year ahead. “Do less.” You just might win more that way.

Find the full list of winners here.

Mia Harvey, Brand Supervisor

After seeing so many of my colleagues have such amazing experiences on the CP Abroad program, I decided to take the leap and do the same! While I was incredibly fortunate to have friends and family visit me in Dublin, I spent a large chunk of my time alone, during which I cherished the moments with one of my greatest passions: reading. 

Coincidentally, some of my favorite books are set in Dublin and Ireland, including Sally Rooney’s Normal People and Paul Murray’s The Bee Sting. This provided the perfect excuse to revisit these beloved stories. As I settled into my working life, I found myself wandering the city each morning, tracing the footsteps of my favorite characters.

My explorations led me to the picturesque Trinity College, the charming Hodges Figgis bookstore, and, of course, the iconic River Liffey. Dublin is a city steeped in literary history, where the words of great authors resonate through its streets. I discovered more about the writers I admired, as well as those I hadn’t yet explored. I found myself at some of Dublin’s literary landmarks, such as Oscar Wilde’s statue in Merrion Square and his birthplace on Westland Row, and marveled at Trinity’s Long Room, feeling the weight of literary legacy all around me.

Alongside my favorites, I read James Joyce’s Dubliners, which immortalizes the essence of early 20th-century Dublin. As I walked through Temple Bar or along the Grand Canal, Joyce’s vivid depictions transformed my view of the city, revealing layers I hadn’t noticed before. During my last week in Dublin, Rooney’s latest release, Intermezzo, was published, allowing me to conclude my literary journey with one of my favorite authors, tying a perfect bow on my Dublin experience.

In addition to my reading adventures, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting new people at the Dublin office. My colleagues were not just coworkers; they were enthusiastic storytellers with their own insights into the city. Over coffee breaks and lunchtime chats, we exchanged recommendations for local spots. Their perspectives added depth to my understanding of Dublin, making the city feel even more vibrant.

By the time I arrived at the office each morning, I felt as if I had stepped into each story, becoming a character in my own narrative. Immersed in this vibrant city and enriched by the people I met in the Dublin office, I realized I was writing my own chapter in the ongoing tale of Dublin—a story inspired by the voices that came before me and the new connections I had made along the way.

Scott Freeman, SEO Manager
Anthony Quagliata, Paid Search Manager

Google’s AI Overview feature has drawn quite a reaction from the world of organic and paid search experts, but is it an innovative step forward, or is it simply Google trying to stay afloat in the fast-evolving AI race? As this feature continues to roll out across search results, many wonder if it’s a game changer or just hype.

What Exactly Is Google’s AI Overview?

In a nutshell, the AI Overview feature generates a succinct summary based on AI’s understanding of your search query. Instead of having users click through multiple search results, they are presented with a synthesized snapshot of relevant information at the very top of their search, theoretically offering faster and more accurate answers. Google touts it as a way to enhance user experience, making search more intuitive and less time-consuming.

How Often Is the AI Overview Showing Up in Search?

Many are curious how often they’ll encounter these AI Overviews, and research shows they now appear in 3.9% of trending news searches — a relatively small, but growing percentage. The potential for expansion is huge, though, as the feature is still being tested and improved. For example, some reports show that Google AI Overview results have been showing up in 80% of searches for high-profile news events, signaling that the tech giant is serious about this AI integration.

How Does This Impact SEO?

The real elephant in the room is how this new feature affects SEO. Will it boost traffic to your site or steal it away? The answer is complicated and murky. On one side, AI Overviews give users faster answers, potentially leading to lower click-through rates (CTR) for organic results. Some SEO experts are already sounding alarms, saying AI summaries could reduce visibility for traditional SEO and that organic results may be less prioritized. Initial tests have shown the AI Overview could lead to organic traffic decreases anywhere from 18-64% for some websites, especially for informational-type queries.

On the other hand, some SEOs see this as an opportunity. For example, content optimization for AI-driven summaries might become the next big thing, with SEO professionals looking to adjust their tactics. If AI Overviews are prioritizing concise, well-structured content, there’s room to optimize accordingly and stay relevant. With detailed analytics reporting, SEOs can gather relevant information on user behavior and engagement within the search engine results page itself. With that insight, SEOs can begin to hone their strategies and use the AI Overview to their advantage. 

How Does This Impact Paid Search?

Google’s AI Overview has already impacted paid search results in ways that are hard to ignore. As consumers have begun exploring this feature, there has been a significant rise in search traffic on Google. However, much like organic, a decline in paid search click-through rate has been observed since most people need to click through to ad listings rather than explore the summary the AI Overview provides. 

Another notable finding is a year-over-year rise in CPC (cost per click) as click volume has declined for advertisers. While CPC increases can also be linked to increased ad prices for companies to meet targets, it is hard to imagine they will come back down as Google continues to alter where ads show around the AI Overview. Considering they’ve talked about returning top placements above the Overview, it likely signals that CPC will continue to rise. Also, as recent as the beginning of October 2024, ads were introduced into AI Overview for mobile users and will likely become an increasingly competitive placement for competitors. 

What’s Next for AI in Search?

So, is this indeed the future of search? Google is banking on AI, but whether the feature is here to stay depends on how it adapts to user behavior. With 57% of users reporting positive experiences with AI in search results, the technology seems to be resonating with many. But at the same time, only 23% of users say they fully trust AI-generated results, leaving a lot of room for growth — and skepticism.

At the end of the day, Google’s AI Overview feature has the potential to reshape how we search and how marketing professionals do their jobs, but it’s still too early to tell if it will revolutionize the experience or simply be a flash in the pan. As AI continues to evolve, monitoring how these changes impact SEO, paid search, user trust, and the broader digital landscape is crucial.

We won gold at the 2024 Kinsale Sharks in the Advertising Film category. Our ‘Handbrake’ commercial for 123.ie takes a light-hearted approach to easing insurance worries

The Kinsale Sharks are Ireland’s most prestigious advertising award festival, and this win marks CP’s first gold.

“It’s a real testament to the team [in Dublin] and in Boston. A glass will be raised here and a little later over in the States,” shared Vaunnie McDermott, Managing Director of CP Dublin.

Read more.

Additional coverage:
Marketing.ie: Connelly’s 123.ie Wins Gold at Sharks