How to Make Sure Your Branded Content Isn’t Really Just an Ad Engaging stories should tell what products stand for, not what they do

Just because you have a TV or movie star doesn’t automatically make your content branded entertainment.

by Kaaren Whitney-Vernon

Within the last few years, we’ve seen the TV and advertising industries devolve into a state of bedlam.

The ensuing conundrum of how you reach consumers when none of them is even remotely interested in watching your commercials has certainly made a few ad executives reevaluate their career choices. But it has also given rise to perhaps the mostcreative thinking our industry has witnessed in decades. (more…)

Infographic: Multicultural Millennials Take Brand Loyalty Seriously And 83% want companies to take a stand on issues

 

by Carrie Cummings

Millennials are buying luxury brands, but they don’t perceive themselves as frivolous. Getty Images

Multicultural millennials make up nearly half of the demographic. And new research from Buzz Marketing Group sheds light on media, tech and shopping trends coming from this segment. “When it comes to loyalty, multicultural millennials give as much as they get,” said Buzz Marketing Group CEO and founder Tina Wells. “They know what they like, and aren’t shy about sharing that information with their friends and contacts. (more…)

Why Email Marketing Is Essential for Business [Infographic]

Newsflash: Email marketing is neither dead nor dying.

Each year, many bloggers write doom-and-gloom posts about email marketing. They predict the end is near for the strategy of reaching an audience via their inboxes. But guess what? Email marketing is still very much alive and kicking.

In short, many businesses find that email marketing continues to be one of their most effective tools for generating sales.

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Who’s Manipulating Whom: The Coming Wave of Personalization

How Gen Zs Are Using Data to Create Preferences and Shape Digital Experiences

By . Published on .

We often think of brands using data to gain insights about consumers, but marketers often forget that they are not the only ones manipulating it. Increasingly, consumers are, too. Any time they state a preference for a music service or tap an option to rate content, they are personalizing their own experience as well. While this may seem a minor point, it underscores a growing trend that could prove highly disruptive to brands in the near future. (more…)

The Psychology of Colors in Marketing [infographic]

Do you feel inexplicably calm when surrounded by a sea of blue water or a forest of green trees? Perhaps you feel a slight agitation when looking at a red stop sign or stop light?

The reality is that color has a powerful psychological impact – and that this affect can be harnessed by webmasters and digital marketers alike to promote different buyer behaviors online. To learn more, check out our new “The Psychology of Colors in Marketing” infographic:” (more…)

ADS WITH IMPACT: WHAT MESSAGING THEMES SPEAK LOUDEST TO CONSUMERS?

MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT| 10-19-2015

Reaching your audience is an important component of any ad campaign, but what good is ad reach if it doesn’t resonate with the audience? A recent Nielsen global online survey discussed the trust levels across earned, owned and paid advertising formats, but effective campaigns require more than identifying the right channel for reaching consumers. It’s also about delivering the right message. (more…)

5 Reasons to Become a YouTube Advertiser

Thinking of becoming a YouTube advertiser? This insights roundup will help get you off the fence.

If there’s one thing that online audiences love, it’s engaging, inspiring, and thoughtful content — which is why YouTube has grown to become the third-most popular websiteon the Internet.

Potential YouTube advertisers will be happy to hear that the platform’s engagement stats are through the roof, too.

According to Google, 3 out of 4 YouTube users agree: “If there’s a brand I love, I tell everyone about it.” Collectively, people watch hundreds of millions of hours of content on YouTube and generate billions of views each day.

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