I wasn’t planning on watching night after night of the US Open. Something about it lured me in. I wasn’t the only one. More than 2.7 million people were glued to their seats to witness Serena Williams’ victory over Danka Kovinic in her farewell tournament – up 279% from last year and the largest opening round audience since ESPN aired the tournament in 2009. Serena’s retirement and excellent marketing drove this massive rise in viewership. There…
Really understanding your customers is fundamental to realizing the greatest return on investment from your marketing and advertising. Here are five hacks to uncover insights that enable you to connect with them. Hack No. 1: Conduct primary customer research. You need to hear from your most loyal customers, your least loyal customers, your newest customers and your most profitable customers. Call them. Better yet, engage a third-party research firm to interview them. A third-party firm will…
I started my career working at some of the best ad agencies in the world. Then I switched to the “client side” where I engaged numerous advertising, digital, and public relations agencies. I’ve learned a few things that enable me to help our clients hire the right agency, produce the best outcomes, and create long-lasting relationships. Unfortunately, many clients have come to Viva La Brand with stories of failed agency relationships. These failed relationships are stressful,…
It’s 5 days until the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams faceoff in Los Angeles for Super Bowl LVI. This year, the NFL is giving Super Bowl attendees free NFTs that commemorate their tickets and serve as digital keepsakes. Also for the first time, there are five headliners for the Super Bowl halftime show – Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J Blige, and Kendrick Lamar. 37 total advertisers will go for the ring Thirty-seven advertisers…
Marketers are in a pickle. The pandemic has created new challenges as everyone’s trying to grow their brands while not disappointing their customers. Supply chain, inflation and staffing shortages require a reexamination of your advertising program. Another layer of complexity is the fact that people hate ads! As advertisers bombard consumers across platforms like TikTok, Facebook, television, billboards and more, consumers are trying to avoid them, signing up for ad blockers and subscription services. We’re…
Marketers are in a pickle. The pandemic has created new challenges as everyone’s trying to grow their brands while not disappointing their customers. Supply chain, inflation and staffing shortages require a reexamination of your advertising program. Another layer of complexity is the fact that people hate ads! As advertisers bombard consumers across platforms like TikTok, Facebook, television, billboards and more, consumers are trying to avoid them, signing up for ad blockers and subscription services. We’re…
We’re in the thick of the planning season. Here are eight tips to enhance your marketing plan. Tip #1: Know thy customer.It’s easy to post on social media. It’s hard to deeply understand your customers to ensure you’re posting where and what they care about. It’s easy to spend money on ads. It’s hard to create a value proposition that differentiates your brand in a relevant, compelling, and meaningful way. It all starts with understanding your…
The role of social media marketing in your business plan is important. But how do you determine what to do and how to do it? Keep these things in mind: DO work backward Why is social media part of your marketing plan? Like all business planning, start at the end by defining what success looks like. What metrics do you need to achieve for social media to be an integral part of your marketing program?…
Laura Sheridan, President of Viva La Brand, remembers her first meeting with her first prospect after launching Viva La Brand. It was a flop. She arrived at the meeting with a one-pager with no white space and way too many words. The one-pager was a list of every possible service Viva La Brand could offer. Fifteen years later, Laura and her amazing team, arrive at meetings empty-handed but loaded with questions to learn about the…
What do IKEA and Madewell have in common? They both adjusted their strategy to embrace evolving consumer trends. Understanding customer preferences, even when at first glance they appear to be bad for your brand, is key to winning. Here are two brand success stories about bold marketers that used the latest consumer trends to guide their business strategy. CASE-IN-POINT #1: IKEA & IKEA Hacking Last August, a 31-year old executive assistant was sick of her “cheap…
