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On today's podcast, we dive into Marketing and AI predicting human behavior from voice. As marketers when we are looking at segmenting the market in a traditional sense are we really reaching our target market correctly? Joseph Turow of the Annenberg School for Communications at the University of Pennsylvania joins us this week and discusses his idea of 'segment making media' and 'society making media' and the importance for us to have a healthy balance of both within society making media. The capabilities of AI are mind-blowing and today companies are trying to understand more about artificial intelligence and how to enable this technology to help identify human behavior but as exciting as these advancements in technology where do we drive the line with privacy? Some companies might be playing with that line of what is allowed to be used and how much of that is known to consumers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Retail Dive's Carra Salpini joins the Marketing Matters show to discuss Hit or Miss: Here we describe Business Showers and the partnership of Casper and Bed Bath and Beyond. Congratulations! It's a Start-up. Some friends have babies, and some are starting companies so the new trend is to hold a 'Business shower' in the early stages o a start-up, sometimes when the business is still just developing as an idea. What is definitely a new concept, it allows an entrepreneur to celebrate a major life milestone. Similar to other types of showers these also include food, games, and yes, even a registry. In the summer of 2021, Bed Bath & Beyond and Caspter Sleep Inc. announced a new national partnership that will bring Casper's award-winning suite of sleep offerings to Bed Bath & Beyond customers through the website, mobile app, and select retail stores. Part of this partnership will also include a one-of-a-kind branded shop-in-shop at Bed Bath & Beyond's newly designed flagship store in New York City. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are joined by Elissa Bloom of the Philadelphia Fashion Incubator to discuss a few unique concepts in Fashion today. Elissa brings a unique and fresh understanding to the world of fashion and business and within her company manages all aspects from design, sourcing, manufacturing, marketing, sales, and distribution. Within the Incubator program, some new interesting products have launched during the pandemic. One unique product is the Juno Jones Safety Boot which is targeting a relatively untouched market with women who work in construction, engineering, architecture, and all kinds of hazardous industries. The boots a brainchild of Emily Soloby, a designer-in-residence at the Philadephia Fashion Incubator joined the incubator to take the boots "from an idea to a powerful reality". While creating the boots Soloby created a private Facebook group penned 'The Hazard Girls' and simultaneously built a target group in which would benefit from the creation of her boots that also allowed them to provide feedback to the creation of the boot. She really took her product marketing to the next level. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Retail Dive's Cara Salpini joins the Marketing Matters show to discuss Hit or Miss: Here we describe Victoria's Secret's new brand direction in their attempt to return to the runway. Victoria's Secret wants to get back on the runway - but in a more relevant way. Over 20 years the annual fashion show where the VS Angels flaunted bedazzled bras and lacy underwear ran but was ended after its December 2018 show when it suffered the worst ratings in its history. Victoria's Secret has now replaced its Angels with brand ambassadors who represent all body types and ages. While in-store the brand is also refreshing by using plus-size mannequins and updated fixtures. The seven founding ambassadors feature soccer star Megan Rapinoe; actress and businesswoman Priyanka Chopra Jonas; models Paloma Elsesser, Adut Akech, and Valentina Sampaio; professional skier Eileen Gu; and Advocate Amanda de Cadenet. Will Victoria's Secret new direction be an authentic change or a disaster in the making? Next, we discuss Reebok and the opportunity this brand now faces to reinvent itself. Adidas has owned Reebok since 2006 but after several years of revenue decline, Adidas announced that it would sell the business in December of 2020. Now, Reebok has been purchased by Authentic Brands Group (ABG) it now looks to re-invent itself to benefit from the ever-changing consumer environment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adweek's Robert Klara joins the Marketing Matters show to discuss Hit or Miss: Two very interesting collaborations with Gap X Yeezy and Swim Soups by Panera. In an attempt to revive itself, The Gap Brand has teamed up with Kanye West and Yeezy, his fashion company for a new clothing line called Yeezy Gap which launched in the first half of 2021. The overall mission was to create 'modern, elevated basics for men, women and kids at accessible price points." The line which is featured both at Gap Stores and online launched first with a bomber jacket that sold out in mere minutes and retailed for $200. The next collab might have you saying, 'what?!" In July Panera launched the Swim Soup Collection that featured four swimwear styles - two one-piece bathing suits and two pairs of swim trunks that pay homage to your favorite menu (soup) items. The collection was available for a limited time online only and retailed at $25 and sold out in less than a week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adweek's Scott Nover joins the Marketing Matters show to discuss Hit or Miss: Here we describe "Casa Blanca" the "Bumble" of real estate software solutions. Casa Blanca combines personalized technology with bespoke services for simple, stylish, and stress-free real estate. This intuitive app curates property listings based on what matters most to you, giving you a far more enjoyable search. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Movers + Shakers is an award-winning creative agency, born in 2016 as a collaboration between Broadway performer & director Geoffrey Goldberg and marketing expert Evan Horowitz. Their unique combination of music and marketing has led to a series of record-breaking campaigns across digital platforms. Throughout, the team focuses on spreading joy, and turning this positive emotional experience into brand love. Market advertising is always a shifting landscape. If you look at the evolution of advertising originally it was just about conveying a brand's message in a very one-directional sort of way. That evolved to the inclusion of entertainment and connecting with the audience on a more emotional level. And more recently we've seen participatory advertising where a brand is inviting their users to co-create the marketing in collaboration with a brand campaign. A recent campaign was launched last summer with e.l.f. cosmetics in the form of a TikTok native reality show. The reality show was created and aimed at TikTok users to help them become beauty influencers. Over 3,000 nomination videos were received and from there three lucky winners got to go through a month-long beauty camp where they were being mentored and trained by successful TikTok influencers on how to be successful. The daily series was broadcasted on e.l.f.'s TikTok brand channel and ended up increasing the following of their channel by over 50%. Digital disruption should happen in an organic and native way to the user, as opposed to being jarring. In addition, brands should not just copy/paste their brand strategy across the many social media channels that are available. Movers + Shakers provides those proven shortcuts and strategies to implement for success that feels authentic to the environment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Rowley, founder of Counterpoint Messaging has worked on over 500 democratic political campaigns in 47 states and has won 91% of his campaigns. Political "brands" involve a myriad of techniques to sell ideas, ideals, and political candidates to the general public through commercial branding and advertising in presidential political campaigns. However, nowadays it has become the norm to bash and minimize the opposing incumbent, instead of speaking to the political transformations and advancements that a candidate brings to the table. John refers to Frank Lloyd Wright in that his architectural designs come organically from the landscape and the same notion applies to political strategies. He has been involved in campaigns where they did not have to say one word about the opposing incumbent and achieved defeat because of the current circumstances. Building a political campaign strategy that is able to absorb negativity is a huge factor, especially with the inclusion of social media which allows for a rapid spread of information and reaching a much larger audience pool. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We have two guests on this episode, Bill Blubaugh, SVP Marketing & Communications, and Mark Schrieber, EVP and Chief Customer Officer at Utz Quality Foods. When the pandemic hit there was a big response to eating at home, therefore snacking throughout the day, and companion snacks to main meals were increased. Utz specifically saw an uptick in their core indulgent portion of their portfolio (potato and tortilla chips), and eventually started to see growth as well with the more permissible and healthy snack options such as popcorn, veggie straws, and snack mixes. The loyalty, love, and following for the Utz brand comes from the fact that they are a smaller, crafted brand and the idea of unmistakably delicious flavors that are family crafted resonates with people. Utz has been family-owned and run for 100 years, and to celebrate their hundredth year anniversary the brand has organized A Year of A Hundred Wishes which extends to consumer activation, employee engagement initiatives, and local community involvement. In addition, a consumer promotion called Our Candles, Your Wish is launching soon where consumers can blow out the candles on the Utz milestone celebration cake and win prizes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christine Moorman is the Sr. Professor of Business Administration at the Fuqua School of Business, Duke University, and the Founder and Director at the CMO Survey. The CMO Survey collects and disseminates the opinions of top marketers in order to predict the future of markets, track marketing excellence, and improve the value of marketing in firms and in society. In this episode, Christine shares that the usual trend of companies cutting their marketing budgets in an economic downfall, has not been the case throughout the Coronavirus pandemic and that companies have actually seen a 72% increase in the role of marketing. This is a phenomenal turn-around and we hope that the future importance of marketing continues to grow and be brought to the forefront. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have also been significant in the marketing sector this past year given the various political, racial, and socioeconomic events that occurred. Christine shares that an average increase of about 9% in DEI spending percent change has been seen. Check out all of the latest reports to gain more insights about marketing and how it contributes to the bigger picture in so many ways. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Robert Klara is the Senior Editor at Adweek Magazine and joins Barbara and Americus to discuss PharmaCompanies amongst the Coronavirus pandemic and marketing the vaccine. Americus shares some stats from the CDC which is reporting that 11.3% of the country is fully vaccinated, and 3.4% are within the waiting period to receive their second booster shot. Watching the vaccine story unfold has been very interesting as the pharmaceutical industry is historically held in one of the lowest regards by consumers, so Robert explores the idea of reputation repair through marketing and how we have seen that start to happen. Marketing strategies for pharmaceutical companies look very different from other industry segments as Barbara shares that historically pharma companies typically aren't interested in spending money on marketing dollars. Being in the research and development/product business, if consumers don't like what they are doing it doesn't hold as much weight since they are so product-focused. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Crocs was started in 2002 by three friends who were seeking to create a lightweight and comfortable boat shoe that would float and be stylish. In today's episode, Barbara and Americus are joined by the President of Crocs, Michelle Poole. Michelle shares that over the years the signature Crocs clog has been adopted by many age groups and industries. From kids, to the outdoor community, to healthcare workers, and food and beverage workers, who would spend long days working on their feet. Jibbitz, which are the customizable charms that can be placed in the holes of the Crocs clogs came from a couple in Boulder, CO who were creating these for kids to put in their shoes and were not a part of the founder's original vision. However, the addition of the Jibbitz Charms has turned into a unique selling proposition as Crocs are the only footwear brand that consumers can customize on the spot and express who they are, and what's important/valuable to them. Crocs has also managed and continues to thrive throughout the pandemic. Being able to communicate the relevant values to consumers was a significant stance. The fact that the clogs can be wiped clean and that you can take them on and off without touching them was valuable for consumers. The healthcare industry also found a huge need for Crocs and the company kicked into gear and set up a "Free Pair for Healthcare" campaign. Nearly 900K pairs of Crocs have been donated globally to healthcare workers on the frontlines of COVID-19.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Allison Miazga-Bedrick is the Senior Director Of Marketing of the M&M's Brand. Allison shares that the M&M's/Mars Wrigley brand participates in a big event every year. Last year it was the Emmy's and this year the brand had a spot in the Super Bowl LV game on February 7, 2021. The message behind their Super Bowl commercial is that candy is joy, and joy can be the precursor to any apology needed. Featuring Dan Levy, who you may know from the CBC sitcom Schitt's Creek. Mars Wrigley is a purpose-driven company and M&M's believes that fun and humor have the power to bring us closer together, so you see that tension in the ad and the offering of a bag of M&M's serves as the solution in a lighthearted and relevant way. Allison also speaks to the direct-to-consumer shift that we have seen in consumer marketing. Online at www.mms.com is where that direct-to-consumer and customization/personalization piece comes in. Design Your Own M&M's is where a consumer can customize the candy from start to finish and incorporate branded clip art, text, images, and packaging. Over the years the Mar's Wrigley brand has and continues to listen and engage with their consumer whether through voting, personalization, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Barbara and Americus are joined by two guests. Wilglory Tanjong, Founder, and CEO and Azline Nelson, CMO at the high fashion and luxury brand, Anima Iris. The name comes from Wilglory's friends and family as Anima is the name of her childhood best friend, and Iris is her mother's name. Anima Iris was founded a year ago and within weeks of launching the Coronavirus pandemic was in full force. Getting consumers to buy luxury handbags was definitely a concern for Wilglory and her team, but by building a solid community of black women and women of color who aren't really represented in the luxury market sector, the brand continues to grow and succeed. Wilglory explains that growing up she was always into fashion but couldn't relate to the women she saw in advertisements and brand campaigns. And early on she was a creative who was always drawing and found herself gravitating towards shapes and geometry. Those shapes are evident in the handbag designs where they are used in a really unique yet simplistic way. Even though the brand centers women of color as their brand narrative they have found that there are different aspects of this brand that women see themselves in and because of this, women from all walks of life are drawn to Anima Iris. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Barbara and Americus are joined by guest Erica Coates, who is the Chief Operating Officer at MOCEAN. For almost two decades, MOCEAN has been a leader in the world of entertainment marketing. From top-grossing Hollywood studios to traditional networks and emerging media, their clients include Disney, Marvel, Fox, Warner Bros. Netflix, FX, and CNN. Erica shares that paying great respect to the original story, characters, and the fictional world that die-hard fans know and love is hugely important and something that their staff of over 160 editors, producers, writers, animators, designers, directors, and strategists consistently strive for. Finding a happy marriage between the competing factors of staying authentic and accurate to the original creation while also maximizing the creative piece and bringing to life, for example, a Marvel comic story, is a bit of an art form. Erica explains that empowering their creative team members to be as broad-stroke and as outside of the box as possible, but still within the framework has allowed them their many success stories. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scott Nover is a Social Media Reporter at Adweek. He has written about media, tech, and politics for The Atlantic, The Washington Post Magazine, Vox, Fortune, Slate, and other outlets.  Former President, Donald Trump has been banned from some of the biggest names in tech due to his relentless and unfounded allegations of voter fraud and his refusal to accept his loss in the 2020 election. On January 6th, Twitter locked Donald Trump's account after the Capitol assault and two days later announced a permanent ban. Facebook and Instagram suspended Trump's account and later Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO announced a permanent ban. Snapchat also permanently disabled Trump's account on January 14th. Social media has increased the ability of information travel ten-fold, and sometimes this echo chamber can become dangerous and volatile when destructive opinions and misinformation are shared and accelerated. And while accounts can be banned, it really comes down to each and every one of us when we interact with social media, to make informed and ethical decisions about the information we post and share. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ricardo Marques, VP of Marketing at Michelob Ultra joins Barbara and Americus to discuss the brand's message that health, wellness, and balance should be at the core of all that we do. Enjoy the small moments, and don't take anything for granted. And this year's Superbowl campaign really drives that message home. There is a common misconception that amazing and elite athletes like Serena Williams, Peyton Manning, and Anthony Davis, are always working on their sport by constantly working out, dieting, and being very disciplined. However, through a number of interviews, the Michelob Ultra team found that even these superior athletes perform their best when they are happy and balanced. Not only is it okay, but it's also necessary to take breaks and relax every now and then. Otherwise, you just set yourself up for major burn out. Check out the "HAPPY" commercial here. Ricardo wraps by sharing that the brand has plans to continue to grow and that their Superbowl spot served as a great catalyst to continue spreading the message of joy, balance, and not to take life so seriously. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

VP of Marketing at Chipotle Mexican Grill, Stephanie Perdue joins Barbara and Americus to discuss Chipotle and the restaurant industry coping with the Coronavirus pandemic. Back in March 2020, the restaurant industry was hit hard when social distancing and stay at home orders were rolled out, meaning they had to close their doors. Chipotle responded very well by realizing their Gen-Z and Millennial customer base was transacting through their phone and at the start of the pandemic, 20% of sales were digital. Chipotle was founded on the radical belief that real food is better for you and for the world. Sourcing real and sustainable ingredients and providing food with high integrity standards is what the brand stands for, and they wanted to promote and advocate this message for their first-ever Superbowl Ad. Going beyond product and service was what Chipotle wanted to drive home as the pandemic has brought to light many issues, yet we still have the power to mobilize and have a positive impact on the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we are joined by Nicole Portwood, who is the VP of Marketing at Mountain Dew. This year, Mountain Dew launched a new permanent flavor in their lineup, and this hasn't been done in over a decade. Mountain Dew Major Melon is the brand's new watermelon flavored soda and for this year's Superbowl Ad they are doing something really fun. John Cena, WWE Superstar, and actor brings the larger than life flavor to fans nationwide. The commercial which aired during the first half of the game features hundreds, thousands, maybe even millions of Mtn Dew Major Melon bottles, and the fan to correctly count and tweet the exact number of bottles in the ad could win $1 million dollars. Not only does Mountain Dew get to change one lucky fan's life forever, but they also have the opportunity to create engagement and conversations after the fact surrounding the positivity, joy, and fun of this commercial. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Barbara and Americus welcome two guests: Raghuram Iyengar, Professor of Marketing at Wharton University, and Berkeley Dietvorst, Associate Professor of Marketing at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Algorithms are any step-by-step process that is consistent and that we don't deviate from. This can be something as simple as a recipe, or something far more complex such as computer algorithms that perform complex operations. There is a fair amount of ethical controversy surrounding the use of algorithms and in what context. For example, in a vaccination context, what would success look like and that really comes down to the eye of the beholder and their moral rules. Typically when an algorithm fails or is imperfect, we as humans lose trust and no longer want to use/interact with it. However, algorithms are great when set up correctly and maximize the variable as it is instructed to do. It's when an algorithm isn't given the right objective that we begin to run into issues. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.