INFLUENCERS

Quibi’s Celebrity Influencers, In the Parlor, with the Candlestick

Unless you’ve been on a Twitter detox, you probably know that Quibi is officially shutting down. From the pandemic to TikTok, everyone seems to have a theory on what killed the six-month-old short form video app—including me. 

Hot take: Quibi's celebrity-dependent marketing strategy did little to prevent its demise.

By the numbers

Hear me out. Quibi followed a tried-and-tested traditional TV marketing plan that should have worked, until it placed all its bets on Hollywood talent. 

• Quibi spent $63.7 million on linear TV advertising this year, generating a whopping 2.76 billion total impressions, per data iSpot shared with Marketing Brew.
• The app’s top impressions came from its early "intro to Quibi"-type spots on high-viewership programs such as the NBA, the Oscars, Super Bowl LIV, and the Super Bowl LIV Postgame. 

However: A drastic change to the content and messaging within Quibi’s ads directly preceded its death knell. In the second half of the year, the messaging became show-focused, promoting its star-studded talent roster, possibly in hopes that the celebs themselves would drive subscriptions. 

Hollywood heartbreak

Influencer marketers probably could have told the Quibsters that betting heavily on big celebrities for marketing success is quickly becoming a no-go. 

• “The smaller the follower size (nano-influencers with 5,000 or fewer followers being the exception), the more likely respondents are to see future engagement,” a December 2019 survey of almost 200 marketers across industries found, per RetailWire. 
• The same survey found that 77% of marketers wanted to work with micro-influencers, followed by macro influencers. 
• But the type of influencer marketers showed the least interest in working with was celebrity influencers (only 22%).

My takeaway: Of course there are many (many) reasons why Quibi went Qui-bye, but placing most of its eggs in the Hollywood basket was a misstep that could have easily been avoided. 

CAMPAIGNS

Some Spooky Halloween Marketing Stats

Reader, it’s officially spooky season. 

But you might not know it by the numbers: U.S. media spend on marketing Halloween candy decreased 19% year over year (YoY), and 25% fewer households than last year are planning on passing out candy, per Ad Age. 

• Brick and mortar candy sales are, however, up 26% YoY, also per market research firm Numerator’s Halloween Candy Tracker published by Ad Age. 

Trick or treat

Here’s how two major candy brands are adapting to meet would-be trick-or-treaters where they are right now...home.

Reese’s: If kids won’t come to doors for Halloween, this peanut butter and chocolate candy brand will bring doors to the kids. No, really, Reese’s invented a robot door that rolls around and dispenses candy to neighborhood children through its mail slot. 

• The marketing stunt should perform well on social—the door might come to you if you follow Reese’s on Instagram and post about the #ReesesDoor.

Sour Patch Kids: “Reverse trick or treating” is a thing now, and Sour Patch Kids is cashing in on it. The brand is cutting out the middleman by delivering boxes of candy and goodies directly to pumpkin-clad stoops rather than having kids roam the cul de sac. 

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JOBS GUIDE

Psst—We’re Launching a Jobs Guide

Before we kick off our official guide to getting a marketing job on Monday, we’re excited to share an edition of the Jobs Guide specifically for early-career Black marketers.

The drum roll: Back in June, I spoke with early-career Black marketing professionals as the industry reckoned with its own racism. They understandably had concerns about entering the marketing landscape during not only a recession, but an incredibly tense time for Black advertisers.

Step inside

After compiling their questions, we handed them over to two Black marketing industry experts (hint: One of them goes by Beyoncé on Twitter). They gave advice on… 

• The best ways for Black marketers to network in a virtual world
• How to talk about race at work
• Evaluating companies based on their responses to the recent Black Lives Matter movement

Favorite quote: “Your job is to worry less about what they may be thinking, and more about what you bring to the table. Your overall creativity, work ethic, and personality will supersede any limitations rooted in systemic racism, prejudice, or discrimination—remember that!” —Twitter’s Beyoncé of Marketing herself

For more: You can read the full piece for early-career Black marketers here.

WHAT ELSE IS BREWING

• Google might be facing another antitrust complaint more relevant to marketers.
• IPG tapped Philippe Krakowsky as its new CEO to replace Michael Roth.
• Netflix reported slowing subscriber growth in Q3 after its early pandemic boom.
• Snapchat, however, reported an increase in users and revenue in Q3.

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FRENCH PRESS

Marketing tips to make you fancy

Stories: LinkedIn has them now, and this infographic will teach you how to use them for business promo.

Events: Watch Morning Brew CEO Alex Lieberman’s recent CMO Series conversations with Taylor Offer, LinkedInfluencer and CEO/Founder of Feat, and Mekanism Cofounder and CEO Jason Harris, for the marketing wisdom you didn’t know you needed. 

CTR: Check out these 12 tricks to boost your organic CTR on Google.

ROI: Podcast analytics are...difficult. With that in mind, here’s how to get the highest ROI on your podcast marketing campaigns.

METRICS & MEDIA

Stat: 56% of respondents to a recent Morning Consult survey said they “pay close attention to brands’ ethical or political stances,” per data shared with Retail Brew.

Quote: “The difference between early 2020 and now is that you will need to keep reminding yourself that the rejection is not personal and that you must keep going.” —Amanda Nachman, Founder and CEO of College Magazine, TEDx Speaker, and author of #Qualified, told Marketing Brew for our jobs guide kicking off Monday.

Read: The Jezebel piece on the fall of Repeller—formerly known as Man Repeller—is quite the cautionary tale for what happens when a brand fails to live up to its promises. 

ICYMI

Catch up on the top Marketing Brew stories from the last few editions.

• Events marketing is still virtual—here’s how to make the most of it
• The Justice Department filed its antitrust suit against Google, but what does that mean for advertisers?
• Avocados From Mexico is the first Super Bowl regular to opt out of an ad