VOL Trends & 6 Insights Digest
January 2018 TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
VOL Trends & 6 Insights Digest January 2018
Happy New Year and welcome to the sixth volume of Brand Network’s Trends & Insights Digest. This biannual digest is intended to be a useful and inspirational resource, keeping our members updated with relevant trends and helpful information. In this volume, we continue to explore the so-called ‘Millennial’ audience, mainly to reiterate there is no such thing! We also spotlight key developments in intellectual property and legal protection of brands. The Social Media segment for this edition brings an overview of different tools that members may find beneficial, from those that help with community management to simple scheduling platforms. And, in keeping with tradition, the digest begins with a profile of eight emerging consumer behaviours, examining the evidence supporting each – and the brand activities successfully tapping into these behavioural trends. As we enter 2018, we are evaluating both our digest and events, to ensure we deliver the most suitable and constructive content to members in the year ahead. We would very much welcome your feedback on either, and especially any topics, or indeed sections, that you would like to be added in future editions of the digest or covered in our associated live events. You are most welcome to share this digest among your colleagues, and I hope you and they find it helpful. Finally, my thanks to our partners for their valuable contributions to this edition.
Stephen Cheliotis
Chief Executive, The Centre for Brand Analysis [email protected]
© 2018 The Centre for Brand Analysis Ltd. No part of this digest may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, digital or mechanical, including scanning, photocopying, recording or any information storage and retrieval system relating to all or part of the text, photographs, logotypes without first obtaining permission in writing from the publisher together with the copyright owners as featured. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
TRENDS & CAMPAIGNS 1 –– BLURRED LINES –– COMFORT BLANKETS –– STORY TELLERS –– COMMITMENT ISSUES –– TOO PERFECT –– TOUCHY SUBJECTS –– AI ANGUISH –– COOL CONCERNS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CANVAS8 SOCIAL TOOLS 2 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH EIGHT&FOUR MILLENNIALS 3 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH INKLING LEGAL & IP TRENDS 4 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CMS OUR 5 PARTNERS TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
TRENDS & CAMPAIGNS TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
Summary of behaviours
BLURRED LINES COMFORT BLANKETS People are bringing the virtual closer to real life People are getting snug on their sofas 1 Many TV superfans will go the extra mile to extend the worlds of their 5 The ‘fear of missing out’ has been replaced by the ‘joy of missing out’ for many favourite shows. Brands are responding by breaking the fourth wall, using both people. While some are looking to cut their spending or enjoy a little ‘me-time’, interactive and real-life campaigns to help viewers feel closer to the action. others are embracing the simple pleasures of home – scented candles, soft blankets and Netflix binges among them.
STORY TELLERS COMMITMENT ISSUES People want to hear the whole story People don’t want to limit their options 2 A picture may be worth a thousand words, but with the popularity of 6 Whether it’s streaming services offering up content, dating apps suggesting Snapchat’s and Instagram’s story features, people are looking for more than mates, or LinkedIn alerts listing jobs, people have more freedom of choice than just the perfectly-timed photo. Instead, they want to be taken on a journey; and ever before. But this wealth of options is making it harder than ever for people brands are taking note, increasingly tapping into the power of storytelling. to commit and stick with something, whether that’s a potential partner or a media platform. TOO PERFECT TOUCHY SUBJECTS People are bored of perfection People want media to tackle taboo topics 3 In a culture where the spotlight is always on, aesthetic perfection has become the 7 While TV is often used as a form of escapism, people are increasingly looking norm, from Instagrammable dinners to picture perfect holidays. And while people for media that is diverse, reflects pressing world issues, and that acknowledges generally like aesthetically pleasing things, the downside of being flawless has the more taboo, touchy or sensitive subjects that aren’t traditionally turned come into view, spurring an appreciation for the beauty of imperfection. into entertainment. COOL CONCERNS AI ANGUISH People are putting their social stance on display People are uncomfortable using AI 8 From taking #nomakeup selfies to signing petitions on political issues, a growing 4 In August 2017, Elon Musk Tweeted that artificial intelligence poses vastly more sense of social responsibility and commitment to local community have changed risk than the nuclear capabilities of North Korea. While that may seem alarmist, the way people view social action. While being calm and collected was once a the general public are also apprehensive about AI, even when it’s in the form of sign of coolness, the new badge of cool is having a cause to shout about. retail chatbots. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
TRENDS & Blurred CAMPAIGNS lines
Many TV superfans will go the extra mile to extend the worlds of their favourite shows. Brands are responding by breaking the fourth wall, using both interactive and real-life campaigns to help viewers feel closer to the action. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
BLURRED Summary People want their favourite shows to extend LINES beyond the screen – so brands are using interactive and real-life campaigns to help viewers feel closer to the action. While viewers have long turned to fan-fiction and merchandise to feel like they’re a part of their favourite shows, interactive storylines, ad campaigns, and social media are now encouraging more involved viewing and participation. Given that a full 72% of TV superfans say social platforms play a role in their viewing habits, media producers are using social media to break the fourth wall and get up close in people’s real worlds. And it’s going both ways, with reality blurring back into fiction, too – when Twitter users imagined a film premise based on a picture of Lupita Nyong’o and Rihanna, Netflix took on the challenge of producing the hypothetical film. In the lead up to the US election, Netflix hijacked candidates’ jockeying to promote a new season of House of Cards. Publicity for the fictional Frank Underwood appeared alongside that of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump – garnering over 160,000 mentions on Twitter. In the buildup to its cult-themed seventh season, American Horror Story used its website to ‘recruit’ curious viewers to an online cult. And when burger chain Checkers teamed up with Rick Ross to ‘buy back the block,’ the charity campaign turned into real-life inspiration: moved by the project, Ross wrote a track that gained over 16 million listens on Youtube alone. The fading line between real life and fiction is extending beyond film and TV. In the wake of a FIFA ad featuring ‘El Tornado’ – a virtual football trick created within the video game – football fans and gamers alike tried to pull it off in real life, sharing their attempts over social media. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
BLURRED Evidence LINES
72% 1/5 of TV superfans say social platforms play A fifth of readers report characters from novels a role in their viewing habits [source] cropping up in their daily lives, hearing their voices even after putting books aside [source]
60% of TV superfans credit Twitter with We’re living in an age when the real and virtual motivating them to tune into a new TV show influence each other,” says EA SPORTS producer [source] Gilliard Lopes Dos Santos [source] TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
BLURRED Campaigns LINES
FIFA 18: El Tornado Cigna Health: TV Doctors American Horror Story: AHSCult.com In the ad for FIFA 18 by adam&eveDDB, a young “We may not know much about medicine, but To mark the upcoming season 7 of the American gamer completes a new move called ‘El Tornado’ we do know a lot about drama.” Created by Horror Story, viewers were encouraged to sign in the game. By sharing it online, he prompts McCann NY, health organisation Cigna teams up to AHSCult.com to receive their own cult players – digital and real – around the world to up with well-known TV doctors to help people ID number. Over six weeks, clues about the also attempt it – with Ronaldo himself even giving avoid drama by encouraging them to take control upcoming show were revealed to fans through it a go. of their health by urging them to go for medical Facebook messages, the website, and real-life
EA SPORTS FIFA is an iconic gaming and entertainment franchise. check-ups. situations, all while maintaining the illusion that the The chance to build a new skill into a game so embedded in culture Cigna is proud that our continuing efforts have helped raise individual was being recruited into a cult. is a rare opportunity – we can’t wait to see El Tornado take the awareness of the importance of preventive care, and have actually “This provides us the opportunity to do something different and to world by storm. Mat Goff, CEO of adam&eveDDB [source] driven a 6 percent increase in preventive care visits among Cigna have a longform engagement with the viewers as we take them customers. We hope that hearing from our new ‘TV Doctors’ through this experience to premiere.” (Hollywood Reporter, August ensemble this fall will spur even more people to take action and 2017) Jason Phipps, FX senior vp digital media marketing schedule their annual check-up. Cigna VP of global branding Stephen Cassell. [source] TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
TRENDS & Story CAMPAIGNS tellers
A picture may be worth a thousand words, but with the popularity of Snapchat’s and Instagram’s story features, people are looking for more than just the perfectly-timed photo. Instead, they want to be taken on a journey; and brands are taking note, increasingly tapping into the power of storytelling. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
STORY Summary TELLERS
Snapchat and Instagram’s story features offer a peek into the behind-the-scenes, unstaged realities of everyday life. Now, brands are using this same style of storytelling to humanise themselves. The internet has revolutionised the way we publish and consume information; and social media platforms now see 1.5 billion photos uploaded every day. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but with the popularity of Snapchat’s and Instagram’s story features, people are looking for more than just the perfectly-timed photo. Instead, they want to be taken on a journey; and brands are taking note, increasingly tapping into the power of storytelling. People are storytelling creatures, and with the introduction of new formats, social media platforms are spurring users to share more about their personal lives. Make- up artists are boosting their social following by posting behind-the-scenes tips that are more relatable to the majority of shoppers, while the success of online influencers is largely driven by them adding context to products outside of typical advertising channels. The NFL is now loosening its grip on over-polished team channels too, allowing them to post their own snaps from the sidelines, including player celebrations and sideline shenanigans. And Amazon’s Zappos is using real-life customer blunders in advertising its 24/7 customer service. Research shows that storytelling is powerful in both getting people to listen and encouraging empathy. To engage consumers on a deeper, more personal level means moving beyond that one best shot - there’s a before, and after, and there’s context to a narrative. Even recognising the ‘less amazing’ parts of a brand, like dairy-free milk brand Oatly is doing, or the brand’s rocky road to supplying the final product, like SpaceX and Glossier have done, can increase brand resonance. Telling the whole story is marking a shift in how people relate to and engage with brands, but humanising a brand can also mean loosening the control of the brand’s image. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
STORY Evidence TELLERS
71 % 92% of online influencers say that their of young Americans believe brands should let followers most appreciate their honesty consumers give their opinions on products before and authenticity [source] they’re created [source] 33% of Gen Zers want brands represented People are attracted to stories because we’re by real people [source] social creatures and we relate to other people,” says Keith Quesenberry, assistant professor of marketing at Messiah College [source] TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
STORY Campaigns TELLERS
Taylor Swift NOW: Making of a Song Lidl: Taste the Terroir SpaceX: How Not to Land an Orbital In preparation for the release of the pop With its ‘Taste the Terroir’ advert, Lidl takes a Rocket Booster superstar’s sixth studio album, Taylor Swift is doubtful critic (who speculated that their wine Elon Musk’s cutting edge self-landing rocket was giving fans an increased level of access to the tastes like mouthwash) to Saint Emilion in France, hailed as a major achievement for the privately creative process behind the making of the iconic where some of its £10 bottles’ grapes hail from. owned Space program SpaceX. But SpaceX songs and videos. In a series of behind-the-scenes The brand uses the wine’s backstory to show released a ‘blooper reel’ of the (many) failed YouTube and homemade Instagram videos, the that Lidl’s prices and high quality aren’t mutually attempts that preceded success, as a way to let pop star partners with US mobile giant AT&T to exclusive. people in on the less glamourous backstory and give fans a look into how she writes her songs, “For many of our customers the quality of our wine, and spirits, range the hard work that the brand went through. and how the album was produced. is one of the biggest and most persuasive surprises they have when “There’s a silly notion that failure’s not an option at NASA. Failure shopping at Lidl. We felt that that story would translate well in our The first public release from the campaign, a 10-minute raw footage is an option here. If things are not failing, you are not innovating campaign.” Ryan McDonnell, Commercial Director at Lidl UK [source] video of Swit’s process of making the ‘Gorgeous’ single, garnered enough.” Elon Musk, SpaceX founder and CEO [source] over 1.5 million views within its first week. [source] TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
TRENDS & To o CAMPAIGNS Perfect
In a culture where the spotlight is always on, aesthetic perfection has become the norm, from Instagrammable dinners to picture perfect holidays. And while people generally like aesthetically pleasing things, the downside of being flawless has come into view, spurring an appreciation for the beauty of imperfection. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
TOO Summary People might not be any closer to achieving perfection, PERFECT but that’s not the impression Instagram culture aims to give off. With over 55 million posts on Instagram tagged with #travelgram, over 140 million tagged as #foodporn, and nearly 5 million for #squadgoals, constant photo- documenting means that people are used to editing the flaws out of their holidays, food, and social lives. But people are realising that the fixation with perfection has its drawbacks, in all walks of life. Aside from the body image and mental health problems that stem from the pressure of portraying a perfect life, even beautiful food has come under fire. With roughly a third of the planet’s produce wasted each year and ‘visual imperfections’ often to blame, the social media spotlight on certain foods is contributing to the already vast food waste problem. In response, people are coming to find charm in imperfection itself. Afflicted with ‘perfection fatigue’ and unimpressed by flawless aesthetics, people are turning to brands, products, and services that make space for the off-kilter – a move expressed by Instagram’s Story feature, which replaces polished, permanent posts with a more spontaneous and temporary snapshot of users’ lives. From chipped furniture to hand-made crafts, people are embracing the concept of wabi-sabi, which recognises beauty in the minor flaws of products. As uniformity and symmetry are swapped for more unique and realistic looks, a growing number of food companies – Intermarché, Waitrose and Tesco among them – are championing less-than-perfect produce. Asda has earned praise with its ‘Wonky Veg Box’, and others are following suit, adding discounted lines to their aisles. Even within restaurant culture, brands are working to separate good quality food from a focus on aesthetics, with restaurants like Locol making food that’s up to artisan standards in all ways but appearance. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
TOO Evidence PERFECT
250,000+ There are over 250,000 posts on Instagram The post-industrial visual culture tends towards an tagged with #wabisabi [source] appreciation of beauty in imperfection,” says Ben Weaver, a creative director in the arts and culture space. “[There is] an obsession with nostalgia, vintage, hand-made, unique, rare and imperfect as a way of insisting on our humanity and 1/3 modulating the relentless expansion of technology into our About a third of the planet’s food – enough to lives. In many ways, we are now in a post-perfect era.” Ben feed 3 billion people – goes to waste, often Weaver, a creative director in the arts and culture space/ because of visual imperfections [source] Director Of External Relations at National Portrait Gallery [source] 250M Instagram Stories has 250 million daily users (TechCrunch, 2017) TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
TOO Campaigns PERFECT
Diesel: Go With the Flaw Reebok: Perfect Never McDonalds: McCafé Diesel’s “Go With the Flaw” campaign includes It’s part of supermodel Gigi Hadid’s job In an exaggeratedly picture-perfect coffee boys and girls that proudly flaunt features from description to look perfect, but Reebok Women’s market, McCafe is working against the idea of crooked noses to unibrows. The ad highlights the #PerfectNever campaign turned this idea on its coffee for the sake of Instagram. Their ad pokes beauty of things that might be dubbed ‘flaws’, head. The campaign had Hadid refuse the idea fun at an over-the-top hipster coffee industry, and aligns this unapologetic uniqueness with of perfection for herself, as a way of liberating instead promising that McDonald’s own coffee Diesel’s own unconventional brand ethos. other women from the pursuit of unrealistic has “none of the frills or fuss” that get between
“I was 15 years old when I made my first pair of jeans by hand. beauty standards. [source] people and their caffeine hits. Of course, they weren’t perfect, but that made them special and The #PerfectNever hashtag has been posted McDonald’s McCafe ad has been viewed nearly unique, like everything we have done across our history so far,” says Diesel founder Renzo Rosso. “I have always been more interested in over 46,000 times on Instagram. [source] a million times. [source] imperfection because it stands out from the crowd.” [source] TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
TRENDS & AI CAMPAIGNS Anguish
In August 2017, Elon Musk Tweeted that artificial intelligence poses vastly more risk than the nuclear capabilities of North Korea. While that may seem alarmist, the general public are also apprehensive about AI, even when it’s in the form of retail chatbots. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
AI Summary ANGUISH
AI is helping people find information, manage their finances, and make healthier choices, but people are apprehensive about the technology – especially when it’s in their personal spaces, or close to their children. In August 2017, Elon Musk Tweeted that artificial intelligence poses vastly more risk than the nuclear capabilities of North Korea. While that may seem alarmist, the general public are also apprehensive about AI; 42% of Americans don’t trust it and 40% of Britons believe humanoid bots could eventually destroy humanity. On a more practical level, although 45% of retailers in the US are planning to harness AI within the next three years, Americans say they find using AI chatbots frustrating. Three in ten say they don’t trust text bots to assist them with anything. But, our interactions and attitudes with AI aren’t clear-cut. A Pegasystems study found that 70% of people say they fear AI, but 50% were also unaware they’d interacted with it. And although people profess a particular aversion to AI boasting abstract human virtues, research conducted by AI developer Robin Labs found that a third of interactions with its bots are conversational, rather than focusing on a specific task. It’s one reason why tech brands are equipping bots with a sense of humour and teaching virtual assistants how to flirt with their bosses. AI causes most anguish when it’s within individual’s personal spaces, like at home or in the car. And though adults may engage with AI daily, they’re wary of exposing their kids to the tech; parents are protesting AI baby monitors and destroying tech-enabled dolls. With people being scared of losing jurisdiction over increasingly intelligent technology, Google’s Teachable Machine helps demystify ‘machine learning’ with a downloadable tool that helps people create simple artificial intelligence at home. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
AI Evidence ANGUISH
900,000 6% It’s estimated that 900,000 companies of people will use their AI assistants in public will have adopted AI by 2022 (ABI (Creative Strategies, 2016) Research, 2017)
63% Using voice interfaces humanises these devices, of people are concerned that their integrates them directly into users’ lives, and makes personal information will be recorded them more intuitive.” Ben Gwalchmai, digital by a voice-activated assistant (Toluna, humanities researcher at the National University of 2016) Ireland, Galloway [source] TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
AI Campaigns ANGUISH
Soylent: Trish Society of St-Vincent-de-Paul: BEN Google Home Mini: Gets You Soylent embraces its dystopian appeal with The SVDP taps into fears that, while robots The spots for Google’s newest home assistant, Trish, an artificial-intelligence spokeswoman may replace humans, they won’t be able to the Mini, represent an AI that’s soft, innocuous, who appears as a white box with a void in its match human empathy. The spot opens with a and helpful. Moreover, it’s an AI that ‘gets’ users’ centre. In the introductory spot, Trish appears robot nurse dancing forlornly with a patient. A most human qualities — the idiosyncrasies that to scan a viewer’s overall health to declare it flashback shows her unable to get out of bed make them recognizable: whether that’s their looks “buggy,” making Soylent recommendations and, sensing her inactivity, the robot suggests accent, tone of voice, or favourite song. By because she “loves you.” The campaign’s distracting activities (watching TV, along with making AI seem intuitive to its users’ needs and intentional creepiness means to unsettle, playing dancing) and alerts her that it’s summoned wishes, Google aims to soothe people’s anxieties on viewers’ fears that artificial intelligence heralds her doctor, missing cues that she’s fallen about welcoming the technology into their homes.
a new techno-dystopian era, in which everyone into depression. “Consumers are becoming increasingly comfortable with [AI voice cedes control to robots and, well, drinks Soylent. “Today, companion robots are being introduced to assist lonely assistants], which is driving engagement.” Martín Utreras, vice president of forecasting at eMarketer [source] “The W&K Lodge team’s focus on emerging areas of tech and its people. At Society of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, we think that only human ability to develop experiences that bring brands to life in unexpected beings can help in fighting loneliness.” Michel Lanternier, Chairman, ways appealed to our own team’s innovative spirit and mission. Society of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul [source] The type of work that the Lodge does is exactly what we need to attract this difficult to reach consumer.” Adam Grablick, Chief Marketing Officer, Soylent [source] TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
TRENDS & Comfort CAMPAIGNS blankets
The ‘fear of missing out’ has been replaced by the ‘joy of missing out’ for many people. While some are looking to cut their spending or enjoy a little ‘me-time’, others are embracing the simple pleasures of home – scented candles, soft blankets and Netflix binges among them. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
COMFORT Summary The ‘fear of missing out’ has been replaced by the ‘joy BLANKETS of missing out’ for many people, with 80% of Americans claiming they’ve lied to avoid leaving the house, and 72% of teens and Gen Yers saying they’d prefer to stay in on a Saturday night. While some are looking to cut their spending or enjoy a little ‘me-time’, others are embracing the simple pleasures of home – scented candles, soft blankets and Netflix binges among them. The commodification of ‘hygge’ – a Danish concept that refers to a sense of cosiness and contentment – is enabling people to easily acquire items that contribute to their domestic delight. While 800 copies of The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way To Live Well were sold every day in 2016, Hyggebox, is a subscription service that delivers themed packages each month designed to destress Brits. Yet while receiving a chocolate hedgehog or woollen throw may provide a fleeting moment of bliss, this kind of consumerism isn’t sustainable. Enter ‘lagom’, a Swedish way of living that emphasises taking only what you need from the planet without sacrificing the things you love. IKEA is hoping to pioneer this lifestyle in the UK through its Live Lagom project, which offers participants a £500 voucher to spend on goods that will help them live sustainably, as well as advice on how to be more eco-friendly. Of course, once people have everything they need to be snug at home, they don’t want to have to leave for anything. Thankfully, digital services available via phones, laptops and TVs mean they don’t have to. Between food delivery apps, live video chat platforms and the high quality original programming on streaming services, it’s never been easier to bunker down for an entire weekend, never seeing another human being. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
COMFORT Evidence BLANKETS
72% 55% of Gen Yers would rather stay in at the weekend than go of Brits over 16 years old watch more than one episode of out at night (White Hutchinson, 2016) the same show in one sitting at least once a month [source] 40% of Brits are happy to watch 4 hours or more of TV Being busy – which can often be seen as badge of honour (YouGov, 2017) – can in fact be detrimental to our psychological, physical and even our relational health. The feeling of always needing to be ‘on’ takes away from our ability to wind down and engage in the present moment. An activity like 53% Netflix can help to provide some downtime and facilitate of people say binge watching is the ideal way to unwind balance in our increasingly busy lives.” – Mark McCrindle, [source] social researcher at McCrindle Research TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
COMFORT Campaigns BLANKETS
Three: Bed ‘N’ Binge Retreat Just Eat: Magic is Real Baileys: Don’t Mind If I Baileys Three has created a pop-up resort in which For the growing pool of people staying sofa- On The Sofa people can binge-watch Netflix shows, to bring ridden at home, having food appear on one’s The ‘Don’t Mind If I Baileys’ ads focus on life’s attention to its ‘Go Binge’ initiative that lets users doorstep can feel like magic. In Just Eat’s ‘Magic is most pleasurable moments, and shows how well stream content without using up their mobile data. Real’ ad, the food delivery service depicts a cast Baileys pairs with them. To depict the pleasure For its pop-up resort, Three recreated bedrooms to of cooks and delivery drivers with supernatural of being at home, Baileys ‘On the Sofa’ segment show how binging and bunkering up at home go powers, highlighting the brand’s ability to bring features someone entirely lodged within their sofa, hand in hand. people meals without compromising comfort. with only an arm peeking out – highlighting how “It’s immersive and fun from start to finish and underlines what “[Magic is Real] will help build understanding around Just Eat – seriously people are taking their down time. the campaign is about by demonstrating how you can stream spreading the message that customers can have the food they want, Across Europe, 23.4 million people tuned into the ‘Don’t Mind If your favourite content wherever and whenever you wish.” Jolene how they want it and when they want it, at their fingertips”. Ben I Baileys” series of campaign videos, both natively and in their Sickelmore, head of marketing communications at Three Carter, Just Eat’s UK marketing director [source] newsfeeds. [source] TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
TRENDS & Commitment CAMPAIGNS issues
Whether it’s streaming services offering up content, dating apps suggesting mates, or LinkedIn alerts listing jobs, people have more freedom of choice than ever before. But this wealth of options is making it harder than ever for people to commit and stick with something, whether that’s a potential partner or a media platform. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
COMMITMENT Summary ISSUES
People have more freedom of choice than ever before – but a wealth of options are making it harder for people to commit and stick with something, whether that’s a partner or a media platform. Whether it’s the demand for expiring marriages, or Sony’s robot dog ‘Aibo’, people are looking to minimise their commitments. But it’s not just romance to pets that people have cold feet about – while 78% of Britons have taken up a subscription to a streaming service, many aren’t sticking with them. While the cult success of Game of Thrones had people signing up for HBO en masse, the show’s wrap had them unsubscribing just as swiftly, using easy cancellation as reason enough to dip in and out of their commitments. While Spotify and YouTube saved people from having to commit to a single song or album’s purchase, Britons can’t even commit to these platforms themselves – in the past three years, “stream-ripping” has shot up 141%. The attitude of commitment-phobia is extending to big ticket items, too. With 80% of Britons finding buying or selling a car particularly stressful, services like Volvo’s “Care” are letting people subscribe and upgrade cars as if they were smartphones. At work, people are sharing job roles rather than committing to a traditional 9-to-5, while students are subscribing to education software rather than investing in a textbook. On the bright side, dodging charges is also bringing people together, as start-up Kotas match-makes strangers to help them share Netflix and Spotify accounts, and Tinder TV lets friends swipe noncommittally as a group activity. And even brands are recognising that they cannot be the only option for people, with Burger King building a website showing people their suggestion of combining the Big Mac with a Whopper, and brands like Glossier maintaining an impartial blog that recommend other companies’ offerings to their consumers. As committing to a single provider moves off the table, brands are being candid with people about their options, rather than trying to rope them in. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
COMMITMENT Evidence ISSUES
+141 % 66% While streaming services make it easier of people say they chose not to message a Tinder to access music, use of stream ripping match [source] sites increased by over 141% since 2014 [source]
In a world where you can turn anything on and 87% off whenever you want, you’re always fighting for of Employees in the UK either work my wallet. I can cancel Hulu or Sling TV or HBO or flexibly, or want to work flexibly DirecTV Now – any of these things have become [Source] ‘point at a button and click’.” says Rich Greenfield, media analyst at BTIG [source] TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
COMMITMENT Campaigns ISSUES
Rentomojo: Be Committed to Change Giffgaff: Free to go, free to stay Equinox: Commit to Something Indian startup Rentmojo offers furniture, The ‘mobile network run by you’ is taking its Equinox is recognising that people aren’t fond appliances and bikes on subscription, for those user-sourced origins to the max, telling users that of committing, and is using its latest ad campaign who don’t want to commit to big-ticket purchases. they can stay if they’re happy and go if they’re to show that dedication has a time and place. By Their commercial shows a man who’s struggling not. Giffgaff stresses its contract-less nature, contrasting extreme commitments (from excessive to stick with one girlfriend, and suggests that encouraging people to enjoy its services without vanity to running a marijuana greenhouse) to Rentmojo can help with this aversion to commitment ever committing. gym-going, Equinox is pushing to popularise – at least in the realm of furnishings. “We broke the rules by reminding consumers that having no contract commitment again. “Millennials today value experiences more than owning assets. means they are free to leave and explore whenever they want. “There seems to be a push for ease and an overall lack of [Rentmojo] aims at providing easy, affordable and hassle-free Since the campaign broke, consideration has kept sky high.” Who commitment today. These [images] were designed to point out that solutions to this generation so that they can have better life Wot Why [source] commitments, not only in fitness but in life, fundamentally define you.” experiences without being tied to furniture, appliances and other John Parker, creative director of Wieden + Kennedy, who produced necessities which they may not need in future” Geetansh Bamania, the campaign [source] CEO & Founder, RentoMojo [source] TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
TRENDS & Touchy CAMPAIGNS subjects
While TV is often used as a form of escapism, people are increasingly looking for media that is diverse, reflects pressing world issues, and that acknowledges the more taboo, touchy or sensitive subjects that aren’t traditionally turned into entertainment. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
TOUCHY Summary People are looking for media that reflects pressing SUBJECTS world issues, and acknowledges the taboo, touchy or sensitive subjects that aren’t traditionally turned into entertainment. TV was once a form of escapism, but given that a full 80% of Americans think brands should take action to address society’s most pressing challenges, media brands are stepping up to the plate. They’re working to create media that reflects the lives of the people who consume it – and this means that entertainment can no longer afford to shy away from taboos. A full 55% of British parents never speak to their kids about mental health issues, but only 13% of Gen Yers feel comfortable managing their own health. With that in mind, people are looking to brands to open up dialogues around sensitive health topics. Netflix’s film To The Bone tackles the teen taboo of anorexia, while digital platform Vice Tonic helps Gen Y better engage with often unspoken health issues like HIV and STIs. The gaming industry, too, is centring its content around tough subject matters. Given that a full 65% of LGBT gamers don’t feel that all sexual orientations have adequate representation among game characters, Dream Daddy – a game that puts gamers in the shoes of a gay dad looking for a new partner – is addressing this lack of diversity through its characters and plot line. Brands are also recognising the needs to address bodily functions and are trying to destigmatise their presence in media. Indian movie Toilet puts the embarrassing subject of going to the loo – and those without access to adequate facilities – at the centre of its storyline to address the fact that nearly half of India’s population lives without a functioning toilet, while Cards Against Humanity’s ‘Just For Her’ edition of the popular card game used humour to show its opposition to the infamous Pink Tax faced by women. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
TOUCHY Evidence SUBJECTS
70% 46% of women want a more diverse range People spend 46% more on brands that invest time and of physical appearance, age, race, effort in connecting with customers in a meaningful way shape and size in marketing. (Dove, (Havas, 2015) 2016)
55% Films on social issues, till some time ago, were only limited of parents in the UK haven’t spoken to to doing the rounds of film festivals, but the fact that we their child about mental health issues can now make a mainstream film about a taboo topic [source] proves that people are changing their views” Shree Nayanan Singh, the director of Toilet (2017) [source] TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
TOUCHY Campaigns SUBJECTS
Burger King: Bullying Jr. Pornhub: Old School Agat Films & Ex Nihilo C/IE & In Burger King’s latest spot with No Bully, While most people think of STDs as the plight Audio Gaming: Notes on Blindness: the brand used its restaurant to ‘bully’ both a of the young, the elderly aren’t immune – among Into Darkness high-school junior and a Whopper Junior, to see people over 65, chlamydia rose by over 30% in When theologian John Hull found out he was which garnered more complaints. When more the last decade, and syphilis by over 50%. With this going blind, he started documenting the changes people stood up for the burger than the boy, in mind, Pornhub teamed up with adult film veteran he experienced before losing his sight completely. the brand used its findings to call attention to Nina Hartley to create a sex-ed programme In an effort to help people understand the true bullying-related issues. for seniors, with a tutorial exploring topics from sensory and psychological effects of blindness, “Our partnership with Burger King is an example of how brands contraception to physically undemanding gaming company Audio Gaming teamed up with can bring positive awareness to important issues. You have to start sexual positions. Agat Films to create an immersive VR experience somewhere, and they chose to start within.” No Bully’s CEO and “When we’re adolescents, they show us sex education videos in founder, Nicholas Carlisle [source] for which John’s original audio diary forms school, and while they can seem boring, you usually come away the backdrop. with some basics that you may have been too afraid to ask about yourself,” says Alex Katz, ECD at Officer & Gentleman, the Madrid “I would say that what guided the VR project is really the notion of agency that created the campaign. “While our elders may be pillars “experiencing.” This is why we start the experience with this very of wisdom, it seems that many of them are not following the first rule simple, already seen question of ‘How does it feel to be blind?’”, say from Sex 101: Always use protection. As a result, the spread of STDs Arnaud Colinart and Amaury La Burthe, the media-makers behind amongst this age group is rampant.” [source] the project. “It is an immersion in a completely different world of perception.” [source] TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
TRENDS & Cool CAMPAIGNS concerns
From taking #nomakeup selfies to signing petitions on political issues, a growing sense of social responsibility and commitment to local community have changed the way people view social action. While being calm and collected was once a sign of coolness, the new badge of cool is having a cause to shout about. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
COOL Summary CONCERNS
The global community is more polarised than ever – people are more vocal when it comes to challenging others’ political allegiances, religious faith or social ideologies, as people move away from moderate centrism towards rabid polemics. But as a polarised community, people are talking more. They’re taking action in droves, vying for accountability and transparency from the people who are meant to lead, protect, and speak on society’s behalf. In 2016, 89% of Britons took part in at least one charitable action, with 61% of Gen Zers signing a petition or taking part in some sort of social action. Digital platforms such as Change.org and 38 Degrees are helping facilitate the desire for action on one’s own terms, and are very much placing power into the hands of the people. But, are people being vocal for the sake of appearing interested – as a form of virtue signalling – or are they genuinely more concerned as a whole? Evidence suggests that people aren’t as self-obsessed as we are led to believe, and actually are giving a damn. What’s more, today’s youth are not as apathetic as they say they are; 49% of Gen Z Britons take part in a charitable action every year as a means of ‘giving back to their community’, while 33% of Americans (106 million) do the same every year. For brands, this growing clamour for action has presented an opportunity in cases where they’re able to help people speak up and voice their values. At the same time, the risk of trivialising these concerns has become more real than ever – as evidenced by the outcry around Pepsi’s Kendall Jenner ad. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
COOL Evidence CONCERNS
73% 61 % of Americans reported helping a of Britons aged 16-24 signed a petition in 2016 stranger in 2016 (Charities Aid (Charities Aid Foundation, 2017) Foundation, 2017)
87% of Americans will buy a product People power means that when we work together, because a company advocated for an we can achieve anything. We don’t need to wait for issue they cared about [source] politicians or slow-moving organisations to give us the opportunity to change things. We can work with each other and create lasting change immediately,” Robin Priestly, head of Campaigns by You, 38 Degrees. [source] TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
COOL Campaigns CONCERNS
Nespresso: ‘Choices We Make’ Dior: ‘We Should All be Feminists’ Patagonia: ‘Why Patagonia is Fighting for Nespresso tackles the issues of credibility when it As Dior’s first ever female artistic director, Maria Public Land’ comes to co-signing the idea of sustainable farming Grazia Chiuri, emblazoning a t-shirt with “We Patagonia has existed for 44 years and not and ‘Fair Trade’ purchasing. With the ‘Choices We Should All Be Feminists” was no gauche attempt to once aired a television advert. Until 2017. While Make’ campaign, Nespresso have laid bare how co-opt the overarching social movement of 2017. the outdoor apparel brand’s values may be they operate as both a sustainable and ethical Even though the t-shirt itself costs a staggering synonymous with sustainability, they created a business, rather than simply pay lip service to the $710, proceeds in part will go to Rhianna’s non- single minute-long ad, which effectively functioned concept – something that turns consumers off in profit Clara Lionel Foundation, and shows haute as a plea to protect US public lands. The campaign their thousands. couture is taking its image off the catwalk seriously. shunned Patagonia’s own commercial interests, “Consumers are valuing more a sustainable approach from different “I think to be feminine now – and this brand speaks about femininity instead tapped into the nation’s collective anxiety companies and we have not been aggressive or very open in the – to speak about the way you dress yourself, your point of view, you around land ownership in the US. way we have communicated this. This is something we will [now] define yourself in the way you want. Because fashion on one hand always communicate.” Alfonso Gonzalez, Chief Marketing Officer, is a beautiful dress, but if there’s no message, it’s just a beautiful “Patagonia wants to raise awareness of history’s lesson that when Nespresso. [source] dress.” Maria Grazia Chiuri, Dior [source] public lands are turned over to states that can’t afford to maintain them, the result is the land is often auctioned off to private companies who irrevocably damage them and deny access to them for all of us.” Yves Chouinard, founder, Patagonia [source] TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
SOCIAL TOOLS TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
SOCIAL Summary TOOLS
7 Social Media tools you need to know about. Every week sees the launch of a new set of Social Media tools, empowering marketers in their day-to-day work. From scheduling social posts, to gaining insights on audiences, being in the know on what social tools are available is essential. The use of Social Media for brands is no longer an option. It has become a crucial part of communications strategies, as Social Media provides instantly measurable results. It also enables marketers to reach a large number of people at a low cost. Whilst Social Media has undoubtedly changed the way people promote businesses, and target audiences, it can be extremely time intensive. Marketers have to collate large amounts of data, design content and analyse information effectively on a daily basis. It is essential for every Social Media marketer to have access to tools to help hone their craft. From community management, to content creation, to simple scheduling platforms, having social tools enables marketers, and allows them the opportunity to better manage their time and resource. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
SOCIAL Hootsuite TOOLS
Founded in 2008, Hootsuite is a Social Media tool used to manage online brand activity and to schedule content to a variety of Social Media services. Hootsuite is a robust management tool, which allows for users to monitor engagement and organise workflow in one place. On a single dashboard, marketers can quickly respond to messages, mentions and comments. There is also an option to save responses for future use, which is handy for responding to FAQs quickly. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
SOCIAL Hootsuite TOOLS
FEATURES PROS CONS Manage multiple social Can be used with 25+ social It can be costly to add extra profiles and users. networks. features. Monitoring key terms and Easy to use interface. The customized reporting is online mentions. The ability to integrate expensive. Schedule and publish content external apps such as Marketers can only use the on social channels. Salesforce into the tool for internal web link tracking Social analytics reports. more analytics. tool. The option of having multiple users. Customized analytics (Pro option).
Costs – Hootsuite has a free option, however the Pro options are inexpensive starting at $5.99 a month, other features such as in-depth reports come at an extra cost. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
SOCIAL Simply TOOLS Measured
Simply Measured has been designed to provide Social Media analytics and measurements for data-driven marketers. The platform collects and analyses social channel data, providing a short, but insightful snapshot of a brand’s performance. Simply Measured provides tools to access raw Social Media data and generates reports in Excel as, well as online. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
SOCIAL Simply TOOLS Measured
FEATURES PROS CONS In-depth profile analysis. Social Media monitoring and Expensive compared to Cross-channel analysis. research. other Social Media analytic platforms. Competitive analysis and Simply Measured produces benchmarking. easy to read reports. Interface is a bit clunky. Brand, keyword, and hashtag Insightful Social Media Varying levels of data monitoring. channel analytics. and integration on social channels. Social and web analytics. All in one dashboard. Some of the charts and Facebook and Twitter Competitive analysis and graphs provided do not advertising analytics. benchmarking. provide relevant insights. Customized dashboard.
Costs – start at $500 - $2,000 per month depending on which package you select. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
SOCIAL Netbase TOOLS
NetBase is a tool which provides accurate Social Media analytics in real-time. The platform provides a variety of analytics, charts and research tools. It is also able to easily monitor, track and analyze online activity through their social listening platform. Users can understand the public perception of their brand and compare it to the activity of competitors. Marketers can also gain a wealth of social insights on top performing campaigns and marketing strategies. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
SOCIAL Netbase TOOLS
FEATURES PROS CONS Real-time data updates. The tool is quick allowing Inconsistent sentiment Customizable dashboards. for analysis to take seconds, analysis instead of hours. Access to historical data. The quality of downloads for The dashboard is easy to reports and charts is low. Downloadable reports. navigate. No analysis around influencer Easy to use keyword search. The ability to fully customize profiles. and alter the ‘widgets’ used Limitation on historical data. in dashboards. Costs – Pricing depends on the type of package and number of users needed. Pricing details are available upon contacting Netbase. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
SOCIAL Sysomos TOOLS
Sysomos is an insights-driven social platform that gives marketers an easy way to search, and analyse social content in real-time. For marketers, Sysomos allows them to manage their earned, owned, and paid social media. The tool provides useful insights on audience behaviours and interests. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
SOCIAL Sysomos TOOLS
FEATURES PROS CONS Single dashboard. Easy to use search system. Sentiment analysis is Unlimited search terms. Real-time results. automated and therefore only moderately accurate. No limit on the number of Insightful graphs and search results. analytics. Twitter search only provides data that goes back one year. Online Influencer Useful filtering systems for identification. searches. The platform can only provide in-depth real-time data on Analytics. The tool’s ability to identify Twitter activities. Real-time monitoring. most retweeted and most influential tweets. Competitive benchmarking. Extensive audience analysis. Costs - Sysomos offers a separate SMB and enterprise pricing tier for each product, calculated in accordance with the business’s scale and needs. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
SOCIAL Sprout TOOLS Social
Founded in 2010, Sprout Social is built on the idea that the world is better when businesses and customers communicate freely. By using Sprout Social, a marketers can benefit from solutions for community management and social customer service. The tool also provides in-depth Social Media analytics. The features provided by Sprout Social are designed to help brands in managing their social care efforts in an effective and efficient way. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
SOCIAL Sprout TOOLS Social
FEATURES PROS CONS Can be used on mobile. Support for multiple profiles Lack of integration with Content scheduling. and users. YouTube, Instagram and other visual platforms. In-depth analytics. The ability to set specific permission levels and roles Unified inbox means Keyword monitoring. for different users. that it is hard to filter out Multiple users. Comprehensive analytics and conversations. Reporting system. reports. Expensive to use for teams Ability to access the tool via compared to other tools. mobile apps for iPhone, iPad Users cannot upload multiple and Android. images for scheduling.
Costs – Pricing depends on the type of package and number of users needed. Pricing details are available upon contacting Netbase. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
SOCIAL Brandwatch TOOLS
Brandwatch’s Social Media monitoring tool is designed to help marketers look at Social Media data and conversations. The tool provides users with analytics and the means to track online mentions of keywords. The tool’s coverage includes news sites, forums, blogs, and an array of social networks. Marketers can search data for terms they are researching, before using sentiment analysis and other analytic features for further insight. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
SOCIAL Brandwatch TOOLS
FEATURES PROS CONS Geographical data. The ability to create reports Limited information provided Sentiment analysis. on a daily, weekly and about Instagram. monthly basis. Influence insights. Not all data is filtered so Proactive and helpful support gaining insights can be time Customizable dashboards. team. intensive. Fast and intuitive interface. Regular platform updates. Needs more in-depth Downloadable data. Customizable graphs allow audience analytics. Unlimited number of users. users to drill deep into data. Shareable dashboards. Demographic insights. Automated reports.
Costs – Prices range from £500 to £2000 per month depending on the pricing plan. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
SOCIAL Sprinklr TOOLS
Sprinklr is a platform that offers end-to-end functionality. The tool provides features such as social listening, analytics, and content scheduling, providing marketers with all the functionality they may need. The Sprinklr dashboard is easy to customize, enabling marketers to shape the tool to meet their needs. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
SOCIAL Sprinklr TOOLS
FEATURES PROS CONS Content scheduling. Easy to use platform. The reporting is not always Community management. Reports are downloadable accurate, the metrics provided by native platforms Automated reports. and easy to read. and Sprinklr data does not Customizable dashboards. Competitor benchmarking. always match up. The option of having multiple Downloadable data. Initial set-up of dashboards users. Unlimited number of users. can be confusing and complicated. It is expensive in comparison to the free options.
Costs - Sprinklr’s SMB and enterprise pricing information is available only upon request TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
SOCIAL Conclusion TOOLS
What ever a marketer’s situation, managing Social Media channels requires the right strategy, and the right tools. While there are thousands of platforms available, before investing in any tool, marketers need to consider what they would want the tool to do. For instance, Hootsuite is great for scheduling, but has limited listening capabilities, where as Sysomos doesn’t provide content scheduling as a feature. As yet, there is no tool which is truly able to help marketers with all their needs. Nevertheless having access to, or investing in some of the tools featured on this list, will help in terms of time management and being able to gain valuable insights. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
MILLENNIALS TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
MILLENNIALS Examining a demographic, Part 2 TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
MILLENNIALS Examining a demographic, Part 2 In the Inkling ‘You Don’t Even Know Me’ report in July, the company put the spotlight on the myth of the homogenous ‘Millennial’ and demonstrated how different pushes and pulls associated with varying life stages (from High Schoolers all the way up to Young Families) impacted a whole range of purchase and lifestyle behaviours. Now with the first effects of Brexit-related price increases hitting consumers’ wallets, brands that charge a premium for their products will come under increasing pressure to justify their position. In Inkling’s latest research thought-piece ‘Gold Digging’, they have examined what the premium world means to these different life stages. Two things are increasingly becoming clear - the first is that a brief written to reach the catchall term ‘Millennials’ is bound to fail, as illustrated in the pages to follow that show for example how the attributes that drive a Uni Student to purchase and experience live events are simply not the same as those for a Shared Home Professional. What is also emerging is a focus on ‘value’ for this cohort when it comes to premium purchases. While old school luxury brands could rely on pure aspirational, ‘closed-off’ communications, and a tight control over their messaging, this age group wants a more open, collaborative and ‘useful’ relationship with premium brands. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
MILLENNIALS Examining a demographic, Part 2
12 6 % 129% Young Families were 126% more likely of High Schoolers valued heritage than other life stages to want brands First Jobbers were 129% more likely than to make engaging & relevant content other life stages to want daily motivation/ inspirations from brands (Source: Inkling) 12 8 % Uni Students were 128% more likely x2 to want brands to talk to them like a 18 to 34 year olds are 2X more likely than real person (Source: Inkling) other generations to reject the generational label ‘Millennial’ (60% vs. 30% for others) (Source: Pew Research) TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
MILLENNIALS Purchase Drivers TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
MILLENNIALS Purchase Drivers
The research for the report ‘You Don’t Even Know Me’ was underpinned by the simple question – were you the same person at 34 that you were at 16? Very few people think they are, which is why the study mapped a range of brand expectations and behaviours over major life stage milestones (attending University, getting your first job, cohabiting with partner, etc.) What was found is that the younger end of the 16 to 34 spectrum gravitate towards brand attributes that inform their identity and confidence, as well as more ‘emotional’ cues. Given their relatively early stage purchasing powers, it’s not surprising that these cohorts look to brands as a badge of personal enhancement and approval. For instance, High Schoolers value craftsmanship and on-trend brands, whilst Uni Students prefer small and niche brands that aren’t too mainstream. This was in contrast to the older end of the Millennial cohorts, who are more likely, than their younger counterparts, to respond to more ‘rational’ hooks. Shared Home Professionals were the most likely life stage to look for ‘value for money’ where as Young Families seek out reliability. What the report reveals is a definite maturity in purchase decisions. These life stages are adopting a much more skeptical stance to brand claims and attributes, instead looking for unambiguous proof points that point them towards getting the most bang for their buck. All of these differences also coexist with some common expectations from brands – like the demand for quality, authenticity and tech/ innovation, all of which had universal appeal across all life stages. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
MILLENNIALS Purchase Drivers
147 % 35% First Jobber Millennials are 147% of High Schoolers valued heritage more likely than others to value in brands (vs. 27% on average) British Brands (Source: Inkling) (Source: Inkling) 120% 1 in 2 Young Families were 120% more Uni Students wanted authenticity likely than others to value tech from their brands (Source: Inkling) and innovation (Source: Inkling) TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
MILLENNIALS Experiences TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
MILLENNIALS Experiences With 58% of CMOs surveyed by Freeman and SSI earlier this year saying that brand experiences deliver strong impact in connecting audiences to their brands and increasing advocacy, the number of brands pursuing this route to cut through to this age bracket is not unsurprising. A recent report by Eventbrite has further re-iterated the attraction of live experiences and events with 21-37 year olds in the UK, with an average attendance rate of 30 events/festivals yearly. In fact, 1 in 2 of 21-37 year olds say they intend to attend more music festivals, 4 in 10 said the same about food festivals and 1 in 5 intend to go to more immersive experiences or wellness events. Delving deeper into different life stages the report seeks to understand what different sub-sets of ‘Millennials’ were looking for from live experiences. Foodie focussed High Schoolers are most likely to be driven by food options. Novelty also resonates with this cohort, with the lure of trying out a new activity or tech device also driving them to seek out events. Uni Students are keen to learn something new or pick up a new skill at events, something festivals like Wilderness have capitalised on by including master-classes and lectures into their festival programming. First Jobbers wanted to go to events to have drinks and get dressed up, proving that brands shouldn’t shy away from escapist/dress-up event themes. Cohabiters - possibly with the highest disposable income amongst all Millennial life stages - want to immerse in culture and arts at events and challenge themselves physically, while time-strapped Young Families were most likely to consider the event’s location before heading there. They were also the most sensitive to waiting times and queues given their limited spare time. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
MILLENNIALS Experiences
149 % 153 % High Schoolers are 149% more likely Shared Home Professionals are 153% more than others to be driven by food likely to think the venue of a live experience options at live experiences is important (Source: Inkling) (Source: Inkling)
231 % Experiences are about audience involvement. Cohabiters are 231% more likely than We like the term ‘return on involvement’ others to go to events to immerse in rather than return on investment in terms culture and arts (Source: Inkling) of content, and the creation of engaging content.” Adam Boita, Head of Marketing, Pernod Ricard TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
MILLENNIALS Gold Digging TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
MILLENNIALS Gold Digging
In ‘Gold Digging: UK Millennials & Premium Brands’, a range of topics were explored by applying a premium world lens across life stages. The research unearthed some surprising insights around what makes 18 to 34 year olds spend more on products and services. What is clear is that sales and discounts are not the only way to trigger a premium purchase. High Schoolers were more likely than other life stages to trade up on their purchases as a reward on payday, reflecting their relative hand-to-mouth spending power. Influencer recommendations held the most sway with Uni Students, whilst celeb endorsements drove purchase amongst First Jobbers. Premium brands also need to activate around special occasions like weddings, parties, etc. with Shared Home Professionals most likely to trade up for these events. Savvy-shopper Young Families however were driven to premium purchases by way of discounts/sales, cementing their reputation as being squeezed on finances with the added responsibilities of raising children. Marketers need to forget the idea of the singular ‘Millennial’ and instead treat this cohort with a more focussed lens to truly cut through to them. The onus is on premium brands to consider the life stages of their audience and how they can contribute true ‘value’ to that equation to justify their mark-up. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
MILLENNIALS Gold Digging
15 % 31 % High Schoolers were 15% more likely Uni Students are 31% more likely to trade to make a premium purchase trade up via influencer recommendations up on payday (Source: Inkling) (Source: Inkling)
22% 1/2 Cohabiters are 22% more likely More than 1 in 2 Shared Home Professionals to buy premium after watching make premium purchases for particular branded videos (Source: Inkling) occasions (birthday, wedding, etc.) (Source: Inkling) TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
LEGAL & IP TRENDS TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
LEGAL & IP TRENDS GDPR Marketing and the GDPR: what changes do you need to make? The EU General Data Protection Regulations (“GDPR”) Accessing & removing data take effect on 25 May 2018. The GDPR will apply to any Following the ‘right to be forgotten’, the GDPR also enables organisations “processing” EU residents’ personal data, individuals to request access to, or the removal of, their data. regardless of whether the organisation is inside or outside the Marketers must ensure that users can easily ask for both of EU. Processing means virtually doing anything with data including these options. In addition to ensuring all email communications simply storing, recording or consulting. include a one-click unsubscribe link, it may be useful to link to a Breaches of the new regulation may give rise to fines of up user profile page that allows users to manage their email and to €20 million, or 4% of global annual turnover, whichever is data preferences. greater. These are industry-changing levels of fine for getting Justification for processing data data compliance wrong. The GDPR has already therefore had a The GDPR requires that any collection of data be justified wide-reaching impact, as all businesses rush to determine what and limited to what is necessary. For example, if you are compliance involves. It raises at least three major key concerns asking for your customers’ clothing sizes, is this in order to for advertising and marketing: offer a recommended size/fit, or is this just ‘nice-to-have’? 1. Permissions for processing data When collecting data, transparency is key – explaining to your 2. Accessing & removing data customers what data is needed for which purposes will help 3. Justification for processing data both with compliance and with building consumer trust. Overall, the GDPR may offer an opportunity to update Permissions for processing data marketing strategies, including consolidating user information Companies will need to consider how to manage marketing (including any specific consents and processing justifications) opt-ins. In order to send promotional emails, the GDPR requires in CRM software, and using this information to personalise obtaining express consent which is “freely given, specific, marketing communications. It will also be worth ensuring that any informed, and unambiguous”, and which is reinforced by clear third party tools and technology providers will also comply with and affirmative action. In practice, this means that a soft the GDPR. opt-in or implied consent (for example, a pre-ticked box or the ability to opt-out) will no longer be permissible. Instead, consent to receive marketing communications must be explicitly obtained. Best practice may include a follow-up email asking for confirmation of this consent. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
LEGAL & IP TRENDS #Influencer Advertising Social media platforms are no longer just a place for connecting with friends, but provide the chance to look through the lens at celebrities’ lives. Social media has itself created its own celebrities through The control that businesses choose to have over this type of popular accounts of the so-called ‘influencers’. It is no surprise advertising varies vastly. Some brands exert tight measures over that brands have noted this ‘influencer’ phenomenon and the associated content, whilst others give influencers discretion are taking advantage of the business opportunity. Influencer as what and how they post. Brands must be aware that merely partnerships have become an advertising strategy in itself, because the post originated from the influencer, this may not whilst creating a lucrative income stream for the individuals. escape liability. Recent ‘influencer’ adjudications by the ASA These accounts are therefore no longer just genuine opinions but include one dealing with snapchat posts by Marnie Simpson of peppered with brand partnership content. Geordie Shore fame. These ‘snaps’ were showing partnership However, the rise of affiliate marketing and sponsored content products but with no signpost that it was an advert. The ASA has led to unintended breaches of the UK Code of Non- held that these adverts were in breach of the CAP Code. These broadcast Advertising and Direct & Promotional Marketing (the adjudications were featured across the media highlighting that a CAP Code). Under the CAP Code, marketing communications breach can risk a reputational impact. must be identified as such (2.1) and they must not falsely imply Brands must ensure that they educate their affiliates to ensure that the marketer is a customer and must make the commercial the adverts are sufficiently clear to consumers as such. The ASA context known (2.3). Note that such sponsored communications has issued helpful guidance on this type of advertising at also risk triggering a breach of comparative advertising rules. https://www.asa.org.uk/advice-online/affiliate-marketing.html. Therefore, a sponsored post must be sufficiently clear to the consumer that it is an advert and has a commercial background. Some have taking to using hashtags to clear this hurdle, with #spon and #ad becoming commonplace. Although this is helpful tool, these phrases are often hidden amongst a sea of other hashtags used to boost the post. This remains a grey area and can result in consumers believing that the post is a purely personal opinion, rather than realising it is in effect commercial marketing communication. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
LEGAL & IP TRENDS EU Trade Mark regulation: what you need to know New changes to the European Union trade mark regime were introduced on the 1 October 2017. There are various procedural changes which your trade mark EU Certification mark attorneys should be aware of. However, there are two highlights A new type of right, an EU Certification Mark, has been from the latest changes, outlined below, which will be of interest introduced which will be available alongside individual trade to marketing and brand professionals: marks and collective trade marks. This right will allow certifying organisations to permit the use of their mark by those third Graphical Representation parties whose goods or services comply with the certification Under the new changes there is no longer a requirement to requirements. This seeks to harmonise the currently inconsistent represent a sign graphically. This will be welcome news to brand position between national and EU trade mark systems – as creatives who develop and want to protect non-traditional it stands many member states do not provide for certification trade marks or brand features, such as colours, shapes, sounds, marks. The introduction of this right creates opportunities for multimedia and even holograms. The practical impact of this is suppliers by offering certified goods and services across the EU. that brand owners can now seek to protect, as a pan-European trade mark, such features as long as it is in sufficiently clear Rights holders must assess their current trade mark portfolios format to represent the trade mark and to denote the origin of to ensure compliance with the new regime and ensure those those goods and services. rights are benefitting from the protection available. And of course, this is before Brexit arrives, which also may have a significant impact on your brand protection. Speak to your external lawyers or trade mark attorneys to ensure your brands are protected for the future. TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
LEGAL & IP TRENDS The importance of effective reputation management We continue to live in politically charged times and this has had an adverse effect for brands in 2017.
Boycotts: There were several boycotts of brands due to their advertisements from YouTube, following instances of advertising related issues in 2017, notably the boycott of Pepsi their advertising appearing alongside on politicised or products after the company created an advertisement featuring indecent videos. the model Kendall Jenner which was deemed to trivialise civil Reputation Management: From a legal perspective, issues rights campaigns. It is here that social media, often used as around reputation management are therefore a hot topic. It an effective tool by brands, can prove to be a double-edged is critical that brands consider such issues before entering a sword. Criticism can spread rapidly through different social contract, so that enforcement and other appropriate action can media channels, calling on consumers to disassociate themselves be taken swiftly in the event of such a crisis. Brands must ensure with a certain brand. that in any sponsorship, licensing, distribution or advertising Backlashes against brands can also occur due to its sponsorship contract, termination clauses are drafted widely to allow them policy. For example, in the USA, a social media campaign saw to terminate the contract if their name is brought into disrepute. users share videos of people destroying a particular brand’s Brands should also have reporting and decision mechanisms coffee machine as its advertisements were shown during a determined in advance as to what happens in a crisis situation. conservative political commentator’s television show. Your internal and external lawyers, ideally working alongside And of course, any suggestion that a company might be PR advisors, can add enormous value by stepping in swiftly and careless with your personal data or vulnerable to a cyber-attack taking steps to either take-down content, respond to allegations, can cause very significant and long-lasting brand trust issues. or deal with threats to the brand. Perceived Affiliation: This feeds into the wider controversy over the use of programmatic advertising platforms where brands may specify a target market for their advertisements but are ultimately unaware of where their content may end up, and, for some, what they are seemingly endorsing. More than 250 major companies including Mondelez, Lidl and Mars reportedly pulled OUR PARTNERS TRENDS & INSIGHTS DIGEST | JANUARY 2018 | VOL 6
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Canvas8 are the UK’s leading behavioural insights practice. With effect from 1 May 2017, three independent law firms - With a deep understanding of how consumers behave and Olswang, CMS and Nabarro – have merged and will operate think, and expertise that span five continents and twelve under the CMS brand. Now ranked as the world’s 6th largest sectors, their insights inspire innovation across some of the law firm, CMS combines 4,500 lawyers across 42 countries and world’s leading agencies, brands and organisations. Delivering 74 offices worldwide. their unique perspective through an online library and bespoke We have created a new future-facing law firm, one that is consultancy, Canvas8 is an unparalleled resource that enables well equipped to help our clients face the future with confidence. brands to develop ideas and strategies that resonate with CMS offers business-focused advice tailored to our clients’ their audience. If you would like to find out how any of the needs, whether in just their local market or across multiple behaviours in this summary are shaping consumer culture and jurisdictions. Across our six core sectors – Energy, Financial Services, influencing your brand then please get in touch with Jerome to Infrastructure and Project Finance, Lifesciences and Healthcare, find out more. Real Estate and Technology, Media and Telecommunications – we don’t just have some of the brightest and most creative legal minds. Jerome Linder, Client Services Director Our lawyers are fully immersed in the world our clients’ operates in; [email protected] | 020 3489 9520 | www.canvas8.com genuine experts in their fields, knowledgeable about the issues you currently face, and those that may lie just around the corner
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We’re a Modern Communications Agency with creative Inkling is an award-winning creative marketing agency and social expertise at the heart of the team. Our focus is specialising in PR, experiential, content and social for clients on delivering robust strategic thinking to feed into creative to like Birds Eye, The Body Shop, EA Games, Bang & Olufsen inspire audiences. Our capabilities span concept development, and BBC. Driven by the simple belief that the fastest creative content production, videography, influencer growing and most exciting brands are no longer built through management and media buying. Key client partnerships include traditional ad channels, Inkling works with its clients to create Melia Hotels International, Pernod Ricard, The British Heart campaigns that tap into key trends, passion points and sources Foundation and Sky. of influence.
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