BRANDS

What Now?

With the outcome of the U.S. presidential election still unclear, 2020 has served us yet another helping of uncertainty. 

I've put together some advice for marketers trying to figure out what to do when no one really knows what to do.

Under (holiday) pressure

Making the call to pull or adjust a campaign during tense times is always challenging, even if it’s the right choice. Add the looming prospect of forgone holiday sales to the mix, and those decisions become that much more stressful. 

But, at least in the near term, marketers might have a bit of a grace period to tweak campaigns without worrying too much about hurting holiday sales.

• Election week’s holiday shopping is forecast to drop by $300 million, or 11% year over year, according to early estimates from Adobe Analytics data shared with Retail Brew. 
• That’s actually a normal pattern for election years, despite nothing being normal about this election year. 

Big picture: If you feel like something is off with your campaign’s messaging right now, don’t let the impending holiday season stop you from fixing it. The stakes of getting things wrong with consumers right now are higher than potential losses due to holiday sales.

• Remember that 62% of respondents to Edelman’s Spring 2020 Brand Trust survey agreed with the statement, “Our country will not make it through [the pandemic] without brands playing a critical role in addressing the challenges we face.”

On what to do when you can’t unplug

Even without the stress of the 2020 holiday season fast approaching, many social platforms could become less brand safe in the coming days. 

And even more steady channels could be at risk for tone-deaf content, creating a situation 2020’s marketers know all too well. When the rest of the world unplugs while waiting for certainty and facts, you have to monitor the situation closely and act accordingly. 

Check in with yourself: When you can’t unplug 100%, taking a step back is especially important. “If leaders let earlier catastrophes echo in their head, it can lead to withdrawal at the very time that they actually need to be most available to others. Make sure you're checking in with yourself,” Hilton’s former CMO Kellyn Smith Kenny told Adweek regarding election stress.

Opportunity in the uncertainty: “I think that marketing and branding is a bit of risk-taking…we [need] to focus on those amazing moments to achieve greatness. Greatness inspires the possibility,” SVP of DC Comics Daniel Cherry told Adweek. 

CAMPAIGNS

Jägermeister Votes to Save Lesbian Bars

At least one alcohol brand is making its “save the bars from shutting down during the pandemic” messaging way more specific. In fact, Jägermeister would like its target audience to save exactly 15 bars.  

• Liqueur brand Jägermeister partnered with the Lesbian Bar Project for its month-long fundraising #savethenight campaign aimed at preserving the 15 remaining lesbian bars in the United States. 
• The campaign is rolling out a 90-second PSA about the project, narrated by “Orange Is the New Black” star Lea DeLaria, as well as an eventual documentary series. 

Zoom out: As of last year, the LGBTQ+ community had $3.7 trillion in purchasing power. Many brands target that community during Pride, but one-off efforts can come across as performative “rainbow washing” unless brands invest in that community year-round. 

My takeaway: Jägermeister’s choice to partner with an organization that financially supports beloved lesbian community mainstays seems like an authentic way to convey commitment to LGBTQ+ consumers. It could also help bolster the brand’s reputation beyond this month, such as when Pride 2021 rolls around. 

SPONSORED BY MARKETO

Don’t Press That Send Button Yet!

Email sender’s remorse: We’ve all had it. But unlike the typos in emails to our BFF, email marketing mistakes go out to hundreds of thousands of subscribers.

Luckily, the email-mistake-busters at Marketo have put together the 8 most common email marketing mistakes, so you can avoid and fix them. 

They know marketing emails are no small fish, which is why their eBook covers the most classic of email mistakes, such as: 

• Unclear subject lines 
• Failure to measure email inboxing 
• Using image-based CTA buttons 

You can say so long to marketing email faux pas and long nights pondering, “why oh why did I hit send?!” Well, that might be a little dramatic, but you get the point. 

Start sending better marketing emails. Download Marketo’s eBook today. 

JOBS GUIDE

We’re Still Trying to Help You Get a Job

If you haven’t heard, we launched the second chapter of Marketing Brew’s Post-2020 Guide to Getting Hired in the Marketing Industry on Monday. This chapter is all about landing a marketing role at creative and media agencies during all this. 

Keep scrolling to find out who hiring managers at innovative agencies like Red Antler and Mustache are most excited about right now, then click here to read the full chapter.

Red Antler Co-founder Emily Heyward: “I always appreciate it when it feels like a person doesn’t just want a job, but wants a job with us.”

Mustache Director of Social Media Anthony Hagan: “I'm looking for applicants that have current websites of work relevant to the position, updated LinkedIn pages, a presence on social platforms, and concise cover letters that are laced with the positivity and personality you hope to bring to my team.”

Red Antler Chief People Officer Hannah Lindsey: “We have come to really see value in the ability to be hyper-adaptable in a time of change, and candidates who demonstrate that ability, even if they don’t have the technical skills for a job, are really exciting.”

WHAT ELSE IS BREWING

• YouTube allowed misinformation about election results to be shared last night, and Facebook clarified its opinion on prematurely announcing results midway through the chaos.  
• Nielsen is joining The Trade Desk’s cookie-free tracking solution.  
• President Trump’s diversity training order that could affect some agencies is facing a lawsuit from civil rights orgs.
• iHeartMedia and Horizon are integrating their data platforms to improve audience impression visibility.

SPONSORED BY REV

Captions equal captivated virtual audiences. Rev Live Captions are powered by the world’s most accurate speech-to-text AI, and are now available for Zoom—great news for your live events. Having captions helps you be inclusive and provide accessibility to people who are hard of hearing. Plus, they increase productivity and good vibes on your digital events. Try Rev Live Captions free for seven days.

FRENCH PRESS

Marketing tips to make your election week less stressful

Podcasts: The most recent episode of Adlandia is my favorite marketing podcast election special thus far—the hosts interview Christian Tom, Head of Digital Partnerships for Biden for President, who had a fascinating marketing career before he got into politics. 

Misinformation: We’re being flooded with it right now—here’s how to make accurate info stand out on social this week. 

Self-care: Harvard Business Review wrote this no-BS guide to self-care during the aftermath of election night. 

Big pictures: Storyful gathered data-driven tips for handling the 2020 election just for brand marketers.  

AD ANTIQUES

Pinterest

This 1952 Budweiser ad suggests that alcohol brands started capitalizing on the election long before 2020.  

ICYMI

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

• This health company made billboards that disinfect your phone
• How higher ed marketers are adapting to the pandemic
• No one told Facebook’s Q3 earnings report about the boycott