It's that time of year — and we know you're busier than ever, so we'll keep this short. This week we're covering everything from the 'why' behind celebrity Creative Directors to a BFCM ad we didn't know we needed (but are now watching on repeat).
🔁So let's get you up to speed — here's everything you need to know now within the marketing + creative space.
Consider this newsletter a resource for marketers, by marketers. Enjoy!
Why Does Everyone have a podcast?
Social is an endless scroll. Where to stop? Here we analyze relevant moments, cultural trends and the marketing geniuses behind it all.
Podcasts are powerful. They've long been popular in the creator and celebrity spaces, but now more than ever brands are tapping into this channel. So why is every brand in every space — from tech to CPG — diving into the world of podcasts? Here are just a few ways they can bolster your brand:
Build Community (+ Loyalty!)
Put simply, podcasts are community-building machines — and the number of people tuning in to them is growing each year. Fostering community, trust and loyalty comes naturally on this channel, as podcasts lend themselves to authentically giving listeners a behind-the-scenes look into a particular topic. Trader Joe's uses their podcast, Inside Trader Joe's, to give their community an insider's look into product development, brand strategy and access to exclusive resources — the result? A passionate and loyal community that goes beyond the grocery store.
Establish Thought Leadership
Podcasts are a powerful positioning tool, allowing you to amplify your brand message in a way that is in your control. A popular strategy we're seeing brands tap into is using podcasts to establish themselves as thought leaders in their respective industries — ultimately positioning themselves as a resource for consumers in more ways than one. This strategy can be seen in Jack Daniel's podcast, Around the Barrel. Of course in the past, most consumers turned to Jack Daniel's for whiskey and whiskey only, but through their podcast, many are now turning to them as a trusted source of information about the spirits space.
Interact With a Highly Engaged Audience
Podcasts engage audiences like no other. According to a BBC Global News study, brand mentions in a branded podcast stand out, delivering an average of 16% higher engagement and 12% higher memory encoding than the surrounding content. Why is this? The conversational nature of podcasts keeps listeners engaged — and coming back for more!
With these stats and success stories, now is the time to jump on this powerful channel — and honestly, we're tempted. 👀
Marketing Wins We <3
Who doesn’t love a marketing win? Below are recent marketing moments we couldn’t help but share — and their main takeaways.
AriZona and Vacation Inc. Come Together for a Nostalgic Collab
This week, AriZona Iced Tea partnered with Vacation Inc. to bring a nostalgic lip balm collaboration to life. Though the product itself brought us back to the 90s, the hero spot announcing the collaboration took the nostalgia to a whole other level, emulating an infomercial from 30 years ago.
💡 Takeaway: Tap into nostalgia, drive community — and virality. Nostalgic moments are common experiences, and people can't help but share!
Adidas and UNheardof Drop a Sneaker Inspired by 100-year-old Grandmother Naomi Phillips
Now this is a collab you can't miss. Adidas and UNheardof recently dropped a shoe cheekily named "Grandma's Couch", inspired by 100-year-old grandmother Naomi Phillips. To take the announcement to the next level, Complex interviewed Naomi while unboxing the shoes, giving us an inside look into the inspo — we couldn't be more invested!
💡 Takeaway: Real stories resonate. Though flashy collabs have their purpose, a product with a real, relatable and compelling story behind it is powerful. Hearing that story straight from the source? Magic.
Walmart's Black Friday Commercial is the Mean Girls Sequel We Didn't Know We Needed
In an iconic turn of events, the Mean Girls cast reprised their roles for a Walmart spot that has captivated the internet — seamlessly incorporating Mean Girls references with info on Walmart's BFCM deals. Never did we think we'd have an ad on repeat, but here we are.
💡 Takeaway: It's all in the details! This ad doesn't miss a beat, from details like Gretchen's license plate reading "STRUDLGRL", to the spot itself being released on a Wednesday (on Wednesdays we wear pink!) — this ad features Mean Girls easter eggs and nods throughout. The result? Viewers are watching the entire 2-minute spot — a feat difficult to achieve for any ad let alone one of that length.
The Celeb Creative Director Boom
Social is an endless scroll. Where to stop? Here we analyze relevant moments, cultural trends and the marketing geniuses behind it all.
ICYMI, A$AP Rocky's recent appointment as Creative Director of Puma's F1 partnership was met with mixed reviews — "Is every celeb a CD now??" read a top TikTok comment — and in some ways, it feels that way.
Though the Celebrity Creative Director is a concept that many love to hate, brands continue to appoint celebs to these coveted roles. With so much discourse around the topic it had us wondering...why? So let's break it down — here's why the celeb CD is here to stay.
The New Celeb Endorsement
Though of course the strategy behind appointing a celeb CD varies from brand to brand, many attribute this phenomenon to the evolution of celebrity endorsements — and consumers.
With the emergence of the internet and social platforms, consumers got savvy; one-off endorsements were no longer cutting it, and if a celebrity slapped their name on a product with no real knowledge or care, it became incredibly apparent. Today's consumers crave authenticity, which means if any type of celebrity endorsement is going to have a return, that celeb's connection to the brand needs to feel genuine beyond a doubt. These days, having involvement behind the scenes is a necessary step in order to have any credibility or influence when backing a brand.
Awareness — It's as Simple as That
Though building credibility behind an endorsement is a massive part of the celeb CD strategy, brands can't deny the obvious: partnering with celebrities in this capacity brings a massive amount of eyeballs — and when done strategically, can bring the "right" eyeballs. Many brands bring on a celebrity Creative Director not only to foster brand awareness, but to tap into a consumer base they haven't before.
Another awareness-centered perk of tapping a celeb CD vs. a typical endorsement? The long-term nature of the partnership allows fans to follow along as their favorite celebrity evolves in their role with the brand, meaning more eyes for an extended period of time.
So, where will the celebrity Creative Director trend go? Time will tell, but despite the very mixed reviews, it doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon.
Marketing Jargon
In marketing, it feels like there's a new term being thrown around every day. We've got you! Here are a few you should have on your radar (and mention in your next meeting).
Interactive Video: A form of video that supports (and often encourages!) user interaction. Many brands are currently tapping this trend to support eComm conversion through tech like Tolstoy.
Challenger Brand: A brand that disrupts an industry — forcing larger players in the space to shift the way they do business.
Duopoly: Refers to two brands who dominate the market in a certain space, for example, Meta and X or Coca-Cola and Pepsi.
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That wraps issue no. 11 of The Breef POV! Keep an eye on your inbox for the next edition. In the meantime, browse more on The Breefing Room.
