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

Attending industry conferences is like diving headfirst into a whirlpool of knowledge, surrounded by the latest trends and cutting-edge ideas. Recently, I had the privilege of attending the Influencer Marketing Show in the heart of New York City, where thought leaders, marketers, and influencers converged to discuss the ever-evolving dynamics of the creator economy. In this blog, I’ll share some of the key takeaways from the conference and discuss how they can help to shape the exciting future of influencer marketing.

Embracing a Creator-First Strategy 

One of the recurring themes at #IMSNYC was the significance of adopting a creator-first strategy. That means placing creators front and center in creative campaigns, social media initiatives, and even on brand websites. With estimates suggesting that over one billion people could identify as content creators by 2030, it’s high time brands recognize and harness the immense power of these influential individuals.

Riding the Wave of the Passion Economy

The creator economy, at its core, is a manifestation of the passion economy. People are monetizing their passions by creating content around the things they truly love. This phenomenon opens up exciting opportunities for brands to tap into these passions and leverage influencers to co-create content that resonates with audiences. By collaborating with influencers who are genuinely passionate about their niche, brands can deliver authentic, trust-building content that aligns with consumer interests.

Unveiling the “Why” Behind Your Brand

Before embarking on any influencer campaign, it’s essential for marketers to peel back the layers and uncover the true “why” behind the customer’s desire to engage with a brand. By understanding these motivations and aspirations, you can build influencer programs that best align with your target audience. Authenticity, relevance, and purpose should guide the creation of influencer campaigns that not only promote products or services but also connect with consumers on a deeper level. 

Don’t Miss the Free Information Exchange

Brands should view influencers and the comment section of their sponsored posts as a treasure trove of free information. By actively monitoring and engaging with the comment section, brands can gain invaluable insights into how their brand or product is resonating with their intended audience. This two-way communication allows brands to not only measure the impact of their influencer campaigns but also receive genuine feedback from consumers. Brands shouldn’t shy away from constructive criticism; instead, they should proactively address concerns and suggestions to demonstrate a commitment to improvement and customer satisfaction. By leveraging the comment section as a feedback loop, brands can strengthen their relationships with consumers, refine their strategies, and foster a sense of trust and transparency.

Connecting, Not Just Reaching, Gen Z

Marketing to Gen Z requires a whole new approach. It’s no longer about merely “reaching” them; it’s about connecting with them on a deep, personal level. This is where influencers come into play. Gen Z wants to feel like an integral part of a brand, and influencers can help foster that connection. By partnering with influencers who align with Gen Z’s values and interests, brands can forge authentic relationships that tap into this demographic. Building trust and nurturing a sense of community are key to capturing the attention and loyalty of Gen Z consumers.

The Influencer Marketing Show in New York City shed light on the evolving landscape of the creator economy and its impact on brand marketing. As brands navigate this dynamic environment, it is crucial to adopt a creator-first approach, tap into the passion economy, craft purpose-driven influencer programs, create a feedback loop on social media, and connect with Gen Z on a meaningful level. By incorporating these key takeaways into their strategies, brands can forge genuine connections, build trust, and harness the full potential of influencer marketing in the digital age.

Jared Smith, Assistant Media Planner

Advertising is undoubtedly a fast-moving, always-adapting industry that keeps you on your toes. Staying up to date with the latest trends is extremely important to ensure you aren’t left in the dust. That’s why professionals from across the digital marketing, media, and advertising industries gather each year for DigiMarCon, a conference that serves as an opportunity to learn from and network with industry leaders.

This year, I attended the conference with the Connelly Partners Media team. What made this conference even more special was that we were supporting fellow teammate and Associate Media Director, Erin Mullaney, who was speaking at the conference. Erin shared her wisdom with the Boston advertising scene during her session, “Elevate Your Media Strategy by Keeping Advertising Human.” 

As an agency built on being “Defiantly Human,” Erin spoke about what CP stands for and what the media team at CP is always striving to achieve. We are constantly digging deeper and assessing the incrementality that is being driven by our campaigns. After all, attributable results do not always tell the full story. Often it takes looking past the primary KPIs, and considering how media spend actually impacts the behavior of our audience. Erin alluded to a variety of ways to measure incrementality, ranging from test & learns to data science models and brand lift studies. All of these methods treat the exposed audience as a physical, decision-making, human being. They dive past primary KPIs and cluttered data, and into what actually tips the scale for a campaign. 

Erin provided many great examples including a mock campaign for Visit Las Vegas. Imagine that there’s an “old campaign” and a “new campaign” and the primary KPI is cost per visitor. The old creative is converting visitors at a much lower cost than the new creative, so just by looking at the primary KPI, it would make sense to shut off the new creative version and solely run the old one. However, by looking further into each post, it is clear that the new creative is generating an exponentially greater amount of comments and shares. These metrics, despite not being primary KPIs, are both examples of how the different campaigns are resonating with our audience. With these human actions in mind, we can predict that the new creative version will eventually perform better in terms of cost per visitor, as some of the people commenting and sharing the post will convert down the line. This example, albeit very simplified, shows how overlooked metrics can be extremely important in analyzing a campaign. 

In addition to Erin’s session, I enjoyed learning about content strategy with Tom Shapiro of Stratabeat. This session focused mainly on how to win with content and capitalize on creativity. Mr. Shapiro brought up a very thought-provoking point; most jobs do not give people enough opportunity to tap into their creative potential. Thinking creatively is something that is necessary for more than just the creative or content strategy teams at an advertising agency. It is something that should be done across all teams, a point that tied directly into Erin’s presentation. In media strategy, thinking past primary KPIs and tying pieces of the larger puzzle together is a form of creativity. This process of thinking is fluid and ever-changing, and tapping into creativity while working in media allows our entire team to be the best it can be. 

Having the opportunity to attend a conference like DigiMarCon, and learn each day from knowledgeable experts, has allowed me to grow in an industry that I am passionate about. Specifically, Erin’s presentation taught me valuable lessons about always looking past the surface and continuing to apply the Defiantly Human thought process in what we do here at CP for our clients.

Skye Stewart, Public Relations & Social Media Supervisor

According to a recent 2023 Travel Trends Report released by Hopper, travelers have significantly changed the way they’ve booked their trips in the “post-pandemic” world and it’s expected that they will be booking more last-minute travel than ever. Stemming from that, Hopper’s report has also found that travelers are more flexible when it comes time to book a vacation, and they are willing to go just about anywhere as long as a great deal is involved. So, how are they learning about these destinations? Today, millennials and Gen-Zers are primarily using social media to discover destinations and influencers are playing a key role in that.

Let’s dive into how and why influencers are game-changers for tourism boards and travel organizations by helping them drive awareness of their destination’s unique offerings.

Helping Consumers Uncover a New Destination Through a Unique Lens

By partnering with influencers and subject matter experts that align with your mission and goals, you’re offering potential travelers a firsthand look into what your destination offers before they book their tickets. During a time when cost concerns are prevalent, partnering with influencers who can showcase convenience and accessibility is important. Not only can they highlight activities, hotels, and restaurants in your destination, but they can also share how safe and comfortable they feel there. In addition to itinerary ideas and cost-saving opportunities, these are important items that help to create an experience they’ll enjoy–which forms a domino effect as they recommend their trip to others and share about it on social media.

Influencers Provide a Humanized Look Into Travel That’s Organic and Real

At the end of the day, we’re all guilty of a little (or a lot) of mindless social media scrolling, and let’s face it–entertaining travel and lifestyle content are some of our favorites. Consuming real-time footage of someone else’s trip on social media is much more personal than checking out a brand’s website, for example. Content that’s posted by influencers offers a real and unique perspective that you might not find anywhere else as you look to make your travel decisions. Posting in real-time also showcases more raw content that resembles what an average person’s trip may look like–allowing travelers to truly step into someone else’s shoes and picture themselves there.

As Travel Trends Change, so Does Your Destination’s Story

While we see travel habits fluctuate due to the world we live in, destinations can work with influencers to test the waters. In particular, influencers can help bring trends to life quickly and efficiently as a component of an entire ad campaign. For example, we know that wellness vacations are trending in 2023. With that in mind, what does your destination offer that can help someone rejuvenate and unwind? Whether it’s an itinerary curated with salt spas and massages or activities that help you spend time in the great outdoors, partnering with a niche influencer who values wellness and self-care can help highlight your destination’s story through a lens that ultimately provides a more personalized touch and experience.

Driving Positive Sentiment in an Authentic Way

Through influencer partnerships, not only are you raising awareness in general of your destination, but you’re also helping to build trust among your target audience by driving positive sentiment authentically. While potential travelers can see beautiful content captured by an influencer, they are also hearing honest opinions and reviews directly from someone who’s been there and experienced it. You can’t get any more candid than that!

While these are just a few of the benefits your destination can get by partnering with influencers, there are so many more. These are just the tip of the iceberg! To take it a step further, you might even consider providing your influencer partners with special deals or discount codes to offer their followers as a way to successfully turn wanderlust into actual travel. In the end, we’re all influenced by others’ recommendations whether we mean to be or not! Use that to your advantage and the possibilities are endless.

Want to learn more about our influencer marketing experience at Connelly Partners? Click here.

Image courtesy of Rio Travelers

Michele Hart-Henry, Managing Director, Connelly Partners Health

Are We Ready for the Future?

The headlines from the most recent global healthcare meetings, such as the annual Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) meeting or The MedTech Forum, are notable in their focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and its application across the care continuum. These events and others like them feature presentations on AI developments, new collaborations built around AI tools, and partnerships among health technology companies introducing new uses of AI in care settings. 

However, any conversation about how patients and consumers understand and view AI in healthcare is missing from the headlines and articles. 

Back to the Future?

AI is already in use in multiple healthcare arenas. Algorithms help predict the onset or potential severity of disease, read and interpret radiology studies, screen for complications from diseases like diabetes and assist in the drug development process, just to name a few typical applications. However, the conversations are now expanding to include generative AI.

As described by TechTarget, Generative AI is “a type of artificial intelligence technology that can produce various types of content including text, imagery, audio and synthetic data. The recent buzz around generative AI has been driven by the simplicity of new user interfaces for creating high-quality text, graphics and videos in a matter of seconds.” 

Seeking to learn more, we recently went to ChaptGPT4 and asked: “How do patients feel about AI in healthcare”? The answer generated via this technology:

“The use of AI in healthcare is a relatively new and rapidly evolving field, so there is no single answer to how patients feel about it. However, research suggests that patients generally have a positive attitude towards AI use in healthcare, especially when it comes to improving the accuracy and speed of diagnosis, treatment, and disease prevention.” 

Based on this answer, generated using AI, all is well in healthcare, and patients generally accept artificial intelligence in their care. But is that really the case? Do we, as healthcare consumers and patients, know enough or understand how AI is useful in our care? You may be surprised by some of the results.

AI Can Do Anything You Can Do Better?

One recent study published by the notable journal JAMA Internal Medicine reported that patients and consumers actually preferred the responses from a generative AI chatbot to those generated by physicians. Researchers used questions posted on a social network and used generative AI to create new answers to those 195 questions. They then compared the chatbot answers to the ones provided by physicians using a team of licensed healthcare professionals to choose “which response was better” and judge both “the quality of the information provided” and “the empathy or bedside manner provided.” In nearly all cases, the evaluators preferred the generative AI answers, rating them as higher in quality and significantly higher in empathy. 

If generative AI is rated more empathetic and thorough than physicians in answering questions, are healthcare consumers more likely to view its use favorably? Not if it’s a replacement for actual providers, according to a study published in The Lancet Digital Health. In a review of more than twenty studies from eight countries, researchers found the acceptability of AI in care settings was more likely if it was used as a support tool rather than a substitute for providers. In many reviewed studies, participants envisioned AI as a second opinion or a means to simplify notes or instructions provided by their caregivers. However, participants indicated concern about depersonalization, lack of privacy and loss of provider control in health decision-making. 

One application of AI as a supplement to providers is the recent collaboration between Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI and Epic’s EHR platform. In this use case, the generative AI will fill in missing information in patient records but could also suggest diagnoses and be used to predict disease outcomes based on analysis of historical data. According to the companies’ joint announcement, the integration “is meant to increase provider’s productivity, reduce administrative burden and improve care by giving clinicians more time to spend with their patients.”

Proceed With Caution

Last month, The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a call for what it refers to as the “safe and ethical application of AI” for health, citing concerns that “precipitous adoption of untested systems could lead to errors by health-care workers, cause harm to patients, erode trust in AI and thereby undermine (or delay) the potential long-term benefits and uses of such technologies around the world.”  

But as developments like the partnership between Azure OpenAI and Epic become more mainstream, how will they affect consumers and healthcare consumerism? According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, 60% of Americans indicated discomfort with providers relying on AI in their own healthcare. Among the primary drivers of this view is disbelief that using AI will improve health outcomes, with only 38% of those surveyed saying that using AI to diagnose disease and recommend treatments would lead to better health outcomes, 33% saying it would lead to worse outcomes and 27% saying it won’t make much difference.

Interestingly, in that same Pew survey, of those who indicated concern about health equity, 51% of respondents said that AI could help improve bias and unfair treatment if it was used to diagnose disease and recommend treatments for patients. And survey respondents also believe that AI use in healthcare could reduce medical mistakes.

Pew survey respondents also indicated concern with the impact of AI use on the personal connection between a provider and a patient. With increased consumer involvement in a patient-centered healthcare model, patients might question clinicians’ decisions and want to be informed whether the decisions are based on AI recommendations. 

In Ireland, a country championing AI and its benefits to the economy, the government is building a coordinated approach to help drive public trust, including creating “an AI ambassador to promote awareness among the public and businesses of the potential that AI offers, serving as a champion of AI as a positive force for the economy and society, and emphasizing an ethical approach.”

Irish acceptance of AI in all facets of its economy, including healthcare, is driven by the country’s early identification of deep tech, like AI, as drivers in economic growth. But, as in the US, there are recently reported concerns about privacy, misuse, degrading of relationships and potential medical errors due to using AI in patient care.

Brand and Broader Implications

When discussing AI in the context of health brands, it’s important to be transparent and clear about what AI is, how it is used and how it can benefit health organizations, providers and consumers. Doing so requires: 

1. Defining AI: Begin by explaining what AI is and how it works in simple, accessible language. It’s important to avoid jargon and technical terms that may confuse audiences.
2. Focusing on Benefits: Highlight the benefits that AI can bring, such as improved diagnosis, more accurate treatment planning, and better outcomes. It’s important to emphasize that AI is a tool that can help provide better care rather than a replacement for humans, clinicians or experts.
3. Addressing Concerns: Acknowledge concerns about AI, such as fears of job loss or privacy concerns. Be transparent about how AI is used and what data is being collected and used.
4. Being Honest: It’s important to be honest about the limitations of AI and its potential benefits. AI is not a magic bullet that can solve all healthcare problems; acknowledging this is important.
5. Providing Examples or Success Stories: Use real-world examples to illustrate how AI is used in healthcare and makes a difference for organizations and patients. This can help your audiences understand the potential of AI and how it can benefit them.

Overall, health brands should strive to be transparent, honest and informative about AI. Especially since the Pew survey suggests that three-quarters of Americans question the pace of adoption of AI in healthcare, fearing that the system is moving too fast before fully understanding the implications and usefulness of this technology. 

This article is co-authored by Michele Hart-Henry, Global Managing Director of Connelly Partners Health and Mary McMahon, Group Strategy Director and Lead for Connelly Partners Health in Ireland.

Allyson Chapman, Associate Director of Strategy

Imagine this: You receive a meeting invitation and the subject line stops you in your tracks. It’s not because you’re excited, instead, you’re dreading it. You’ve been invited to a workshop.

A workshop is a structured educational event where participants gather to learn about a particular subject through lectures, discussions, and practical exercises. It’s typically held in a classroom or similar setting, and attendees are expected to actively engage in the learning process. The content covered in a workshop can vary depending on the topic, but the main purpose is to provide a platform for knowledge transfer and skill development.

Doesn’t that sound boring? 

That’s because 1) it is and 2) ChatGPT wrote that definition so it’s lacking an element that’s critical to defining a successful workshop: a human touch.

What if instead of that scenario, you knew that this workshop might include conversations about unknown planets, Dr. Strange, and football? More interested?

I’ve been facilitating and designing workshops for the past ten years, and in that time, I’ve discovered a definition that feels a bit different than that of our AI friend. Workshops are focused opportunities to approach a business or human problem by thinking outside of the box and departing (briefly) from the day-to-day. 

When we add that dash of humanity, suddenly a workshop doesn’t seem so… boring.

Workshops are an aid in accomplishing different goals. They help build connections, frame problems, make space, look for possibilities, and create change. But how do we take a workshop from boring to brilliant? Part of my definition of a workshop includes thinking outside of the box and a brief departure from the day-to-day. Incorporating opportunities for varied participation and engagement is key to getting the mind to work differently and approach problems in new ways. This is rooted in behavioral psychology.

Are you familiar with System 1 vs. System 2 thinking? Here’s a quick refresher on the two:

What is 1+1? 2. This is an example of System 1 thinking. It’s something we know immediately and requires little effort. 

Consider this: A bat and a ball together cost $1.10. The bat costs a dollar more than the ball. How much does the ball cost? 

If you move quickly, it’s easy to say the ball costs $0.10. But when you slow down, you realize that the difference between $1.00 and $0.10 is $0.90. So the answer is actually $0.05 because the bat costs $1.05, which is a dollar more than $0.05. This is System 2 thinking as it requires our brains to allocate more attention to an effortful mental activity that demands it, like complex computations.

In an organization, it’s easy to operate only in System 1: we go through a process and we move quickly. When we switch to System 2, it means taking a step back and thinking about things differently to become more conscious of what we are doing and why, rather than just doing it. It’s the combination of thinking fast and slow that can help break down barriers to reaching novel ideas. A workshop setting is the perfect space to be switching constantly between those System 1 and System 2 thought processes.

The next time you get a calendar invite for an upcoming workshop, get excited. Because maybe you’ll be talking about aliens and Marvel movies, discovering parallel universes, or playing a round of catch to stretch your mind and approach a problem differently. And maybe – just maybe – achieve brilliance. 

Kim Mazejka, Media Planner

Watch time for Over the Top (OTT) services has skyrocketed over the past few years as binge-streamers have declared they are here to stay. 

Advertisers have been recommending investment shifts to Connected TV (CTV) for years now, and the increase in CTV ad spend over the past few years has reflected this widespread change. But what was previously a simple answer to the problem of reaching cord-cutters has become extremely fragmented over time, creating gaps in our ability to reach audiences at the scale we think we are.

While Linear can be broken down into Cable vs Broadcast, OTT can be broken down into CTV (Connected TV; anything that is streamed to a television device) and FEPs (Full Episode Players; anything streamed to a desktop, mobile, tablet, or other device). These filter down into different subscription types, (ad-free or ad-supported) as well as Free Ad Supported TV (FAST), in which a subscription is not needed to access ad-supported streaming. 

The majority of larger players in the space fall under the SVOD category (Subscription Video on Demand), with most being hybrid ad-free and ad-supported these days, offering tiered paid subscriptions. AVOD (Advertising-Based Video on Demand) services, such as Fubo and Sling, only offer paid ad-supported options as these try to mirror a cable-esque experience. On the other hand, FAST are services that do not require a subscription and are more widely available.

Content differs from service to service, with more premium inventory available through higher-priced subscriptions, and audience demographics following suit; keeping in mind that more affluent audiences are more likely to pay for ad-free services. 

When it comes to media buying, this gets even more complicated as we look at OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) such as LG, Samsung, and most recently, Roku. These manufacturers use the data from their products and advertise to users of their TV products specifically. Partners such as Samba TV have ACR (Automatic Content Recognition) tech that we are also able to take advantage of without running directly on one type of television. Even further, we are able to run ads across DSPs (Demand-Side Platforms) utilizing ACR data, audience data from those with proprietary audience data, and run across multiple types of devices at the same time, all with real-time bidding. 

So what does all of this mean for ads in the CTV landscape?

Despite the sharp increase in time spent watching CTV, and the ad spend that follows, we must take into account that about 47% of this watch time is not ad-supported. Reaching the full cord-cutter audience isn’t as simple as putting an ad on a top streaming service… if it’s even ad-supported. And with all this fragmentation, TV is no longer the mass-reach channel it once was. Understanding your audience and their media consumption behaviors, looking for incremental reach across tactics and channels, and creating a comprehensive CTV and Linear strategy is imperative to maximizing your target audience reach.

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.

1. Living With Tech Disruption
An opportunity cloaked in uncertainty.

Observation: In the past few months much has been made of technology entering our lives. Examples include worldwide buzz around generative AI like ChatGPT (and now GPT-4) to new technologies being used in sports in the form of pitch clocks, VR, and data tracking. 

In the advertising world, technology like generative AI serves as a potential threat that could marginalize creativity across various competencies. Much is still to be explored and learned.

What brands can do: Always explore – rather than reject – these emerging technologies, viewing them as potential tools rather than automatic threats. Some may come, some may go – however, through exploration, brands and consumers can reap any potential benefits that may be presented to us today and into the future.

Sources: The Atlantic, Forbes, The New York Times & The Good Phight 

2. De-influencing & Consumerism
Don’t buy that, buy this instead.

Observation: Influencer marketing is changing and creators are leaving #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt back in 2022 in favor of #De-influencing in 2023. As ‘eat the rich’ storylines permeate culture, creators and Gen Z are taking advantage of an emergent push against consumption culture. However while the benefits of ‘de-influencing’ are serving negative views of consumerism, people are still being influenced towards other products, highlighting that de-influencing is more of a fun trend and TikTok buzzword due to the media and public’s embracing of the term.

What brands can do: For influencers—or brands that are becoming more wary of using influencers—they must consider their communication strategies and continue to avoid inauthentic means of communication and influence due to consumers’ ever-increasing demand for authenticity in the content they see.

Sources: AdAge, AdWeek & Business.com

3. Where Have the Customers Gone?
Customers are moving—meaning new markets and realities.

Observation: Customers are in a state of moving, and major shifts as it relates to where they live, work and shop are continuing to take place in 2023. Many cities, like Boston and Dublin for example, have seen population decreases since the beginning of the Covid pandemic in the spring of 2020. This is, in part, due to economic reasons such as the elevated housing market and cost of living as well as increasing work-from-home or work-from-anywhere flexibility. Lifestyle changes for consumers cause disruption to habits, which means priorities will come into focus, especially with their status quo being transformed.

What brands can do: The shifts in consumers and their environments means that brands may have to rethink how they reach their target customers given new lifestyles and realities, especially during certain periods of their lives like retirement.

Sources: The Boston Globe, The Irish Times, Brookings & CBS News

4. There Are Essentials Within ‘Essentials’
Non-negotiables shouldn’t feel like negotiables.

Observation: 66% of people in Ireland are actively seeking ways to spend less, but acknowledge that they will ultimately end up spending more in the coming months. People across the financial spectrum are adjusting their spending habits, even when it comes to ‘essential’ items. Those under the most pressure are trying to squeeze every ounce from their budget, while those who are better off are still trying to reduce their spending by looking for options that present ‘better value.’

What brands can do: There is an opportunity for brands, products and services across FMCG sectors to cement their position as a ‘non-negotiable’ essential. Brands can do this by leveraging emotional connections and moments that happen during these interactions, illustrating how they are crucial to these personal moments being successful.

Sources: Bord Bia X Canvas8 & Kantar

5. The Next Generation of Free Speech?
People are skirting around topics, we have to follow them.

Observation: Slang comes and goes, often it reflects a moment in time, illustrating what is happening in the world. As the day-to-day changes, so does the colloquial language used. Algospeak feels different though. The reason it exists is different. Algospeak is code or rhyming slang used to avoid moderation or censorship online. True crime content creators will often use the term ‘Unaliving’ when discussing cases – a code for killing or being killed e.g., ‘The suspect was apprehended by police after unaliving his wife.’ It is an attempt to speak freely without being penalized. Separately, Elon Musk is seeking to develop an alternative option to ChatGPT, one that doesn’t ‘penalize conservative biases.’

What brands can do: This matters for brands because while we may not understand or agree with these approaches, people are still actively trying to avoid being moderated. Going forward, brands need to consider these new ‘languages’ in order to maintain relevance and reach intended audiences.

Sources: Twitter, The Information, USA Today & RTE

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

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.

1. Living With Tech Disruption
An opportunity cloaked in uncertainty.

Observation: In the past few months much has been made of technology entering our lives. Examples include worldwide buzz around generative AI like ChatGPT (and now GPT-4) to new technologies being used in sports in the form of pitch clocks, VR, and data tracking. 

In the advertising world, technology like generative AI serves as a potential threat that could marginalize creativity across various competencies. Much is still to be explored and learned.

What brands can do: Always explore – rather than reject – these emerging technologies, viewing them as potential tools rather than automatic threats. Some may come, some may go – however, through exploration, brands and consumers can reap any potential benefits that may be presented to us today and into the future.

Sources: The Atlantic, Forbes, The New York Times & The Good Phight 

2. De-influencing & Consumerism
Don’t buy that, buy this instead.

Observation: Influencer marketing is changing and creators are leaving #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt back in 2022 in favor of #De-influencing in 2023. As ‘eat the rich’ storylines permeate culture, creators and Gen Z are taking advantage of an emergent push against consumption culture. However while the benefits of ‘de-influencing’ are serving negative views of consumerism, people are still being influenced towards other products, highlighting that de-influencing is more of a fun trend and TikTok buzzword due to the media and public’s embracing of the term.

What brands can do: For influencers—or brands that are becoming more wary of using influencers—they must consider their communication strategies and continue to avoid inauthentic means of communications and influence due to consumers’ ever increasing demand for authenticity in the content they see.

Sources: AdAge, AdWeek & Business.com

3. Where Have the Customers Gone?
Customers are moving—meaning new markets and realities.

Observation: Customers are in a state of moving, and major shifts as it relates to where they live, work and shop are continuing to take place in 2023. Many cities, like Boston and Dublin for example, have seen population decreases since the beginning of the Covid pandemic in the spring of 2020. This is, in part, due to economic reasons such as the elevated housing market and cost of living as well as increasing work-from-home or work-from-anywhere flexibility. Lifestyle changes for consumers cause disruption to habits, which means priorities will come into focus, especially with their status quo being transformed.

What brands can do: The shifts in consumers and their environments means that brands may have to rethink how they reach their target customers given new lifestyles and realities, especially during certain periods of their lives like retirement.

Sources: The Boston Globe, The Irish Times, Brookings & CBS News

4. There Are Essentials Within ‘Essentials’
Non-negotiables shouldn’t feel like negotiables.

Observation: 66% of people in Ireland are actively seeking ways to spend less, but acknowledge that they will ultimately end up spending more in the coming months. People across the financial spectrum are adjusting their spending habits, even when it comes to ‘essential’ items. Those under the most pressure are trying to squeeze every ounce from their budget, while those who are better off are still trying to reduce their spending by looking for options that present ‘better value.’

What brands can do: There is an opportunity for brands, products and services across FMCG sectors to cement their position as a ‘non-negotiable’ essential. Brands can do this by leveraging emotional connections and moments that happen during these interactions, illustrating how they are crucial to these personal moments being successful.

Sources: Bord Bia X Canvas8 & Kantar

5. The Next Generation of Free Speech?
People are skirting around topics, we have to follow them.

Observation: Slang comes and goes, often it reflects a moment in time, illustrating what is happening in the world. As the day-to-day changes, so does the colloquial language used. Algospeak feels different though. The reason it exists is different. Algospeak is code or rhyming slang used to avoid moderation or censorship online. True crime content creators will often use the term ‘Unaliving’ when discussing cases – a code for killing or being killed e.g., ‘The suspect was apprehended by police after unaliving his wife.’ It is an attempt to speak freely without being penalized. Separately, Elon Musk is seeking to develop an alternative option to ChatGPT, one that doesn’t ‘penalize conservative biases.’

What brands can do: This matters for brands because while we may not understand or agree with these approaches, people are still actively trying to avoid being moderated. Going forward, brands need to consider these new ‘languages’ in order to maintain relevance and reach intended audiences.

Sources: Twitter, The Information, USA Today & RTE

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

Alyssa Stevens, Director of Public Relations & Social Media

In early April, I headed down to the Sunshine State to attend PI LIVE Miami, a conference centered around building profitable partnerships through influencers, creators, affiliates, and more. I spent two days soaking up industry knowledge from top marketers, e-commerce brands, and leading content creators. 

The bottom line is that the consumer journey is no longer linear—in fact, it’s everything but. As marketers, we need to meet and influence consumers at every potential discovery point. What was evident during the conference is that the influencer marketing industry is continuing to grow exponentially. With more than 300 million people worldwide identifying as creators, it’s not surprising that Adobe recently reported that 25% of a brand’s consumers are creators with influence. Could 2023 truly be the year of the creator? 

In order to capitalize on the power of creators beyond their social media presence, you need to be strategic. Integration between cross-functional teams has never been more crucial and marketers need to think outside the box.  

Intrigued to learn more? Here are four key takeaways from PI LIVE Miami this year:

Climb Into the Mindset of Your Consumer

In order to market to your target audience, you have to develop a deep understanding of their mindset. Sounds simple, right? But that consumer discovery should also involve their social media search behavior. How does your consumer look for ideas on social media, find new influencers to follow, and embrace content trends? When marketers look to engage influencers, they should first search for their product/brand/campaign theme on social media to see the type of content and influencers the consumer would naturally find if they were to do this search themselves. From there, they can reverse engineer this process by creating a brief/campaign and choosing influencers that emulate what their target audience would find in the wild. This way, when the content comes to life and is posted on social media, it will resonate with the intended audience. 

Recruit Creators Like You Would Employees

The landscape has never been richer for brands to tap into their existing customer base to find influencers and content creators. But how do brands find them? Take an approach that’s similar to employee recruitment. Existing customers who know and love your brand will always offer the most authentic collaborations. Create a landing page on the brand’s website that invites influencers to apply to work with the brand and be part of their creator partnerships. From there, the brand can evaluate who in their existing customer base has social influence and also wants to support the brand in a more meaningful way on social media. This can cut out the guesswork for the brand while also leveraging authentic partnerships with its most influential customers. 

Use Generative AI to Inspire—but Not Replace—Creators

Chat GPT and its counterparts have taken the world by storm. As we embrace AI technology across various verticals, it’s important to consider how it can aid creators and human workflows instead of replacing them. Generative AI is meant to inspire and provide efficiencies with content generation. Content creators and influencers will still ideate with marketers around campaigns, but as AI evolves, they should also be empowered to bring it into the fold during the concept and content development phases to provide efficiencies. Creators could make one piece of content and then utilize AI to expand that content to multiple platforms, formats, and even languages! The speed at which AI can help create content is unmatched and if done in collaboration with a creator, there is no doubt it will revolutionize marketers’ ability to reach consumers across various content mediums. 

Don’t Be Afraid to Negotiate With Creators

The creator economy is exactly that. An economy. And the delivery of goods and services in exchange for monetary compensation is at the heart of a healthy ecosystem. Just like marketers wouldn’t take a magazine’s rate card at face value, they should also feel empowered to negotiate with creators. Think through the core deliverables that you really want and why, as well as what you can offer the influencer to sweeten the deal. Are you planning to whitelist/amplify their posts and offer them added exposure to new audiences? Will you be highlighting them on your social media or a website with credit to their page? Can you set up a revenue-sharing model based on post performance? All of these additional campaign attributes can help with negotiating influencer rates to ensure that a brand achieves the best deliverables/ROI from a collaboration and that influencers feel that their partnership is valued. 

Alyssa Stevens, Director of PR and Social Media
Paul M. Capobianco, Cultural Anthropologist 

We hear a lot about creating content with the goal of having it go “viral,” but in actuality, that shouldn’t be what we’re working to achieve. 

Yes, in today’s digital age, it’s more important than ever for brands to have a strong presence on social media, but it really comes down to creating content that moves the needle. Content should not only be engaging and entertaining, but also powerful enough to make people want to be part of it and share it. 

When content goes viral, it gets shared exponentially and reaches a massive audience in a short period of time. And while viral content can be highly effective in terms of brand exposure, it’s almost impossible to predict what will go viral—and if it does, it can also be difficult for brands to control.

Instead, at Connelly Partners, we like to encourage our clients to strive for “spreadable” content. 

Spreadable content is shared by multiple users across different platforms and networks but it is remixed with their own personality or experience. It’s often shared because it resonates with a particular audience or because it sparks a conversation or debate. Spreadable content has the potential to reach a large audience, but it doesn’t necessarily have to go viral to be successful. The sheer idea of people wanting to be a part of the content speaks volumes to its effectiveness. 

As marketers, we’re always trying to conceptualize how to create a memorable and spreadable moment on social media for our clients. This often comes with evaluating the risk-reward factor. Risks, albeit calculated, can often make brands feel uncomfortable, especially when those risks are taken on platforms like TikTok, which can garner high impressions and engagements. But the reward? Well, the rewards can be immeasurable when a social campaign is well-received by the public—especially when an audience is inclined to share their own spin on it!

One of my favorite examples of spreadable content is the #ThousandDollarCrocs challenge on TikTok. In collaboration with the popular artist, Post Malone, the brand asked consumers what their own thousand-dollar Crocs would look like. In turn, they received a plethora of people bedazzling their Crocs with paint, stickers, and other personal touches. So many people posted their creations that the campaign ended up resulting in nearly three billion views—and when the $1,000 Post Malone x Crocs shoes launched, they sold out immediately! 

The book, Spreadable Media, by American scholar Henry Jenkins dives into this differentiation by challenging readers’ notions about what goes “viral” and examining the factors such as audience engagement or participation against the concepts of what “sticks” and what “spreads.”

If we go back to the actual definition of a “virus” and how that ties back to social content, it makes even more sense why this shouldn’t be what we’re trying to achieve. People aren’t just acting as passive host cells by copy and pasting viral content – they are taking part in it creatively. Spreadable content is truly a remix and when someone participates in the progression of it, it has something to do with who they are, which is much more profound. We’re able to glean what resonates with people and reverse-engineer those human reasons or guidelines to then create future social content that is spreadable.

So, why should brands be open to taking risks in order to create a spreadable moment on social media? When brands relinquish some control over the creative process and allow their audience to “co-create,” the audience sees the investment on the brand side around this real and relatable content. It welcomes people into the brand’s community and invites them to contribute, thereby lifting the barrier between the brand and consumer. Authenticity is inherently spreadable, and as humans, we want to be part of something authentic.

Marketers and brands can learn far more from spreadable content than viral content because each person that participates in the content tells you something about themselves, as opposed to leaving it ambiguous through a simple “Share” button. When we encourage this shift in thinking among our clients, we’re unlocking fresh ways to express authenticity and brand values. 

At the end of the day, content is the biggest driver of your social media presence, and if you can create content that people want to actively participate in, your potential for success skyrockets. 

How does your social media measure up?