Happy Q3! We know, we can’t believe it either. With summer heating up, there's a lot happening. This last week brought a brand new social platform (👋 Threads!), a head-turning partnership at Wimbledon — and did you see Alix Earle and Jake Shane at the Alo Gym?
So let's get you up to speed — we've gathered everything you need to know now within the marketing + creative space.
We recommend reading this one with an iced latte (lavender's our fav), on your next subway ride, or saving it for a summer Friday.
Consider this a resource for marketers, by marketers. Enjoy!
How Brands Known for Winter Staples Approach Summer Marketing
Seasons change, so do strategies. Here we’ll analyze relevant brand moments, cultural trends and the marketing geniuses behind it all.
As the seasons change, so do marketing strategies. For some brands, the shift is seamless, and product and messaging are strong year-round. For brands with seasonal products, this calls for big shifts in strategy. With summer in full swing, we thought we'd take a look at how a few of our winter favorites are approaching marketing campaigns this summer. *Hint* they're crushing it.
UGG Goes Viral With Social-First Marketing
For some, UGG brings up early 2000's nostalgia — for all, UGG is known for warm, cozy, footwear. Though UGG now offers many types of footwear, they're known for their quintessential fuzzy boots and slippers. So what does that mean for summer? UGG's marketing team hasn't slowed down. With their viral "Feel House" activations, sandal pool floaties on everyone's feed, creator partnerships and memes, UGG is a force to be reckoned with on social media. Additionally, through all of this viral content, they're highlighting their lesser-known summer shoe options, making UGG our new go-to for sandals.
Halfdays Focuses on Community
Mountain performance brand Halfdays is known for their colorful ski and snowboard apparel, but this summer they've been turning their focus to community, to share their first-ever spring / summer collection. Through a nationwide community hike series, guides for outdoor adventures, and curated playlists for every activity, Halfdays is showing consumers that no matter the weather, they're there for them!
Canada Goose Leans Into Education
A classic brand known for extreme warmth in winter clothing, Canada Goose is leaning into education this season — on both their product and their mission. With their c, Canada Goose shares their commitment to sustainability and gives details on what they're doing to meet those goals. Not only is this information important to share, but it shows consumers why they should purchase Canada Goose products at any time of year: with products built for a lifetime, any time will do.
Whatever space you're in, marketing in your "off-season" can feel daunting — but looking at these "winter" brands crushing summer is a prime example of it's not *if*, but *how*.
How F1 is Dominating Marketing + Reaching New Audiences
Formula 1 — you're either obsessed, or don't know much about it. In the past, #TeamBreef was divided, some of us massive fans (our office dog is named after Daniel Ricciardo 🐶), and some of us not knowing much. But recently, F1 has been stepping up their marketing game, and now, who doesn't know when the next race is?
So what's the strategy? F1 has always been relevant and had sponsors flocking, but these days they're tapping new audiences and reaching new heights. Here are some key marketing moves you should note:
They're Getting Social
F1's getting social — on social! And in more ways than one. F1's official TikTok account shares consistent content, taps into trends, and gives us a look behind the curtain with BTS. Beyond that, F1 has filtered content and their race schedule integrated into the TikTok app — when users search "F1", videos are automatically filtered by Grand Prix location, and the race schedule is highlighted within the app — piquing the interest of TikTok users who may otherwise not tune into a race.
Reaching Out to New Audiences
This year, creators flocked to the Miami Grand Prix, and many fans were surprised by some of the faces that attended. These creators primarily fell into the lifestyle category, but they brought with them an entirely new audience — i.e. people who had never known about F1 but were now getting the chance to see a race through their favorite creators' content. Ultimately, this brought a new level of familiarity to a new audience — a massive moment for brand awareness.
Unexpected Partnerships
We've said it once and we'll say it again, we love an unexpected partnership, and F1 executes them seamlessly. Recently partnering with Google Chrome and rappers Lil Yachty and Busta Rhymes, F1 driver Lando Norris competed with the rappers to see which is faster than Google Chrome's browser — Lil Yachty and Busta Rhymes' fastest bars, or an F1 car’s fastest lap? All part of Google's new "Google Chrome Speed Challenge", this ad was loved by F1, rap and tech fans alike.
Overall, F1 is everywhere, who knows where they'll be next? We can't wait to find out!
The 411 on Threads
The news cycle is never-ending. Marketing is ever-evolving. Here we’ll keep you in the know on timely topics and key learnings that can elevate your marketing game.
We logged onto Instagram on July 5th prepared to do our typical afternoon research scroll when we were hit with the notification, "Say more with Threads — Instragam's new text app." This year, there’s been no shortage of new social platforms. There was BeReal, then Lemon8, but with its Instagram integration, Threads feels different — and after hitting 100 million users this week, it is definitely one to watch. Here's the 411 on Threads:
Owned by Meta, Threads is a text-based conversation app reminiscent of Twitter — but connected to Instagram. On Threads, users can share up to 500 characters of text, links, photos, and videos (up to 5 minutes long), as well as like / react / repost other users’ content.
Key Differentiators (Threads vs. Twitter)
The primary differentiator between Threads and Twitter is Threads' integration with Instagram. Users can easily share Threads posts to their Instagram feeds and Stories from the Threads app. Stand-out features include Threads' intuitive photo carousels (something Twitter lacks) and its higher character limit (500 vs 280). Threads also doesn't use hashtags or have a feature that allows users to search by keyword — engagement is key to discoverability on the app.
How Brands are Using Threads
Because Threads is connected to Instagram profiles, brands are jumping on it. The Instagram connection allows for easy setup — profile names, bios, and followers shift seamlessly, so users don’t have to build a community (or profile) from scratch. Though most brands seem to be in exploratory mode, many consider Threads a breath of fresh air. There is talk of Threads becoming a powerful tool for brands — especially among the lifestyle and consumer product spaces — as opposed to Twitter, where news outlets, tech and finance have taken center stage.
We're just getting started! Curious about Threads? Follow us here.
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.
Alo Yoga Builds a Space for Authentic Content at the Alo Gym
What do Jake Shane and Alix Earle have in common with Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber? They both have BFF dates at the Alo Gym. If you spend any time on TikTok you've seen any and every influencer and celebrity working out at this branded wellness club. The genius behind the gym? Going to the gym is already a part of most of these creators' routines, so offering them an elevated space is a no-brainer — they're excited to work out (and share!), resulting in a mega brand awareness moment.
💡 Takeaway: Consider convenience when it comes to brand activations. An activation could be amazing, but if people don't attend, that potential awareness moment is wasted. Think about an activity your community does in their everyday life, then elevate it. For Alo, offering a fun, branded space for creators to work out in (something they’d do anyway) just made sense.
Virgin Voyages Builds Buzz With an AI-Generated JLo
Virgin Voyages hit the nail on the head with their new Jen AI campaign starring Jennifer Lopez. Cruisers can now invite their friends and families on a trip using a personalized AI message from JLo. With two buzzy topics (AI + Jen), this campaign has created quite a stir, and consumers are stoked to try this new technology.
💡 Takeaway: Stay on top of new tech. In the marketing world, technology is ever-changing, and being an early adopter can be a key differentiator between you and competitors.
Gucci Makes Wimbledon Fashion Waves With Jannik Sinner Partnership
It’s not unusual for athletes to make fashion statements on the court — and Wimbledon is one of the world’s largest stages. However, when 21-year-old tennis star Jannik Sinner took the court with a logo-clad custom Gucci duffle bag, it gave people pause. A contrast from the usual nondescript accessories carried onto the court, and a contradiction to the usual strict dress policies, this moment turned heads.
💡 Takeaway: Know your audience (and surroundings!) to inform *how* and *when* to make a splash. In any other sport, this moment would not have given Gucci the attention it garnered. However, partnering with a tennis star (and knowing the culture of the sport) allowed Gucci to turn heads both on and off the court.
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).
Brandformance: Merging the words “branding” and “performance”, brandformance is the idea that campaigns can (and should) be designed with the focus of establishing brand identity AND exceeding performance targets — i.e. building campaigns that work smarter, not harder, across the funnel is key.
Digital Maturity: An organization's ability to quickly respond or react to opportunities in the market based on ever-shifting technology. The goal being to create value for consumers through new technology fast enough to have an advantage over competitors in your space. With AI's rise to prominence, digital maturity has become a big topic of conversation as companies race to become early adopters.
GARM: The Global Alliance for Responsible Media, GARM, was launched in 2019 with the purpose of addressing the challenges of harmful digital content and its monetization — in hopes of creating online safety for both consumers and advertisers. This year, GARM has expanded their focus to sustainable media — with the goal of lowering carbon emissions that result from media campaigns.
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That wraps our third issue! Keep an eye on your inbox for the next edition. In the meantime, browse more on The Breefing Room.
