M+C Saatchi SSK’s Post

🌟 Gen Z is driving change in the 2024 Presidential race, urging brands to take a stand on crucial social issues. Your voice matters in shaping a just future! 🌍🗳️ #GenZImpact #SocialJustice #BrandResponsibility #YouthLeadership #ChangeMakers https://bit.ly/3yI15H0

"There's this notion that for brands to be cool and break through the noise, that they should not try, and do everything super organic. But honestly, Gen Z likes to see that a brand has put in the time, put in the effort and put in the work to really listen to their audience and to specifically 'niche down' within the Gen Z audiences they are looking at." Besides the fact that 'niche down' is now one of my favorite phrases, I was blown away by Aaliyah J.'s contributions to the Ad Age Gen Z Roundtable on News and Politics last week. The above is just one snippet -- but she goes on to talk about the opportunity for brands to co-create with Gen Z, as well as her point of view on Gen Z's political engagement -- where she reminds us that they are both a generation undeterred from using their voices and the world's up-and-coming buyers and spenders, who care about whether brands take a stance or have a point of view: "I think empowering people who want to be engaged is the best thing we can do for humanity, honestly, at this point." GOLD! So thoughtful, so articulate -- and there is much for our industry, brand-side and agency alike, to glean from this convo. Take a listen! And thank you Garett Sloane for moderating. https://lnkd.in/gPn3A9KT

Let's talk about our least favorite topic? #Politics! 😬 Is America heading in the right direction? Can brands help unite the American people? ➡️ 59% of consumers feel optimistic - rather than pessimistic - about the upcoming election, compared to 53% in May 2024 ➡️ However, election stress has also increased between May - Aug 2024, from 51% to 55%  ➡️ And 79% of consumers plan to rely on social media for election news coverage, as 65% agree that traditional news media coverage overemphasizes and over-reports on certain political issues and events 💡 The opportunity for your brand 👉 Consumers are more open to brands taking political stances, though it remains risky. Brands can help fortify the glimmers of potential unity and optimism by appealing to shared American values and experiences. Celebrating family of all forms and valuing hard work are common threads that can help foster a sense of commonality and community despite political differences. To ease election stress, brands can offer trustworthy news, best practices to avoid fake or toxic election coverage, and provide feel-good content and promotions. Great insights by Lisa Dubina on Mintel's 'Countdown to the election: trending consumer sentiment' report.

🚀 From politics to brands, Gen Z demands authenticity and accountability. Explore how this generation's unique approach is driving change. #GenZ #BrandLoyalty #PoliticalViews https://bit.ly/3yI15H0

Brands don’t need to choose between playfulness and purpose – they can do both As the dreariness of the party political conferences unfolded this month, and we head into the endlessness of the US election and the sadness of escalating conflicts, I thought I’d use this month’s column as an industry call to arms – an appeal for more playfulness in marketing and advertising. This is not just because we could all do with more cheer but also because, as Kantar data revealed last month, despite its proven effectiveness, humour in advertising has declined over the last 20 years. We’ve become a serious bunch: https://lnkd.in/eu3AAkti #marketing #brands #strategy #seasonal #playfulness #biz

Righting the Democratic Party's Branding Wrong : A Marketing POV, Not A Political POV Whatever side of the aisle you sit on, Kamala Harris is about to make history as the first female, Black, and South Asian vice president - and potentially making even more history in November-, yet it’s undeniable as a brand expert that from a branding perspective, the Democratic Party has failed to build brand love for her over the last three years. As someone who thinks day in and day about these very challenges when it comes to brands, it’s clear to me that when it comes to effectively elevating its leaders and creating brand love, the Democrats could use some branding help. Hey, maybe there’s a cabinet position it it for someone!! In my book Moving Your Brand Out Of The Friend Zone https://a.co/d/copf7s7 I make this very clear: creating brand love hinges on two key indicators: passion and trust. Time to turn this around? My thoughts are simple: Emphasize Authentic Connections: The Democratic Party must focus on building authentic connections with voters by showcasing the real individuals behind their policies and actions. This means engaging with communities on a personal level, listening to their concerns, and responding with genuine empathy and solutions- not just platitudes and slogans.. Empower and Trust Your Leaders: The Party needs to support and empower VP Harris to engage authentically with the public- as who she is. By trusting her to make decisions and interact with voters directly, the Party can build trust and show that she is, in fact, approachable, relatable, genuinely invested in the well-being of the people, and - most importantly - up for the job. Strategic Sacrifice and Focus: To resonate with voters, the Democratic Party must streamline its messaging. This means making tough choices about what issues to prioritize and communicate. By focusing on a few key areas that truly define its values, the Party can create a stronger, more memorable connection with its audience. That’s what I would do. What would you do if this challenge landed in your lap? Avery Akkineni Gary Vaynerchuk Seth Matlins Antonio Lucio ADWEEK Ad Age The George Washington University School of Business Chief Outsiders David J. Katz Drew Neisser CMO Collaborative Club CMO Forbes CMO Network #Branding #Leadership #KamalaHarris #PoliticalStrategy #Marketing #ThoughtLeadership #DemocraticParty #2024Election

Following her recent appearance on the BBC, our global co-CEO, Linn Frost was asked by Campaign UK to expand on her thoughts around the dual nature of Social: a powerful tool for inspiration and connection, yet also a source of harm, distortion, and risk. Our key takeaways: 1️⃣ Social media acts as both a reflection and distortion of society, amplifying positive aspects like activism and creativity while exposing darker issues such as trolling, echo chambers, and harmful challenges. 2️⃣ Brands play a critical role in influencing social platforms, setting standards for content, and contributing positively through thoughtful campaigns and partnerships, as demonstrated by Norwich City FC and Virgin Money. 3️⃣ While age restrictions are a step toward safeguarding younger users, their effectiveness is limited due to underage users bypassing these measures, emphasising the need for broader solutions like proactive moderation and education. 4️⃣ An approach involving brands, platforms, governments, and individuals is necessary to ensure a safer and more positive online environment, leveraging influence, education, and regulation. You can see the full article on Campaign UK here: https://lnkd.in/g6uhiQZF

Mark Robinson, author of "Black on Madison Avenue," opened Cyndi Greenglass and my eyes to the problems and opportunities for minority professionals in the ad agency world. Robinson highlights three key areas of DEI on the advertising side: 1. Advertising agencies are set up to mirror their clients’ values and objectives, not to create change. There’s likely more appreciation of diversity on the client side. 2. DEI cannot be accomplished with just a seminar here and there; it requires time, dedication and effort. 3. It may come as a surprise to many that minority workers have long been early adopters of technology, from ecommerce, to social media and chat rooms. Listen to the full conversation here: https://lnkd.in/ehcdY7BR #DEI #diversity #marketing #MarketingHorizons WVU Marketing Communications Online Programs

Excerpt: “If we are strategic and disciplined in how we communicate, we can help shift the common-sense notions people have of what is going on in our world and we can create counternarratives that help make the world make sense for our perspectives. We need to be smart about how we communicate on social media and in legacy media.” https://lnkd.in/gRv4MaQX

I predicted 3 months back (on Reddit) that Trump would beat Harris, with the Left not turning out to vote. I attributed this to the US not being ready yet for a mixed-race female President. I was downvoted to oblivion. On Voting Day there was a 20m shortfall in Left voters compared to 2020, and Trump took the elections. What was obvious to me didn't seem obvious to others. And the reason is quite simple. I look at audiences, brands and long-term trends. I understand that there can be a lot of signals created in the short term but audience motivations and desires are resistant to change. So what can we learn from this? 1. When going up against an incumbent brand, disruption is a fine strategy. But it is easier to build a brand on 'incumbent but better', presenting a similar option but solving for existing flaws. Yes, it's not as exciting, but it's effective. 2. Trends are, by definition, temporary. It is important to not get seduced and side-tracked by every new thing you happen upon. Instead, build consistently based on a fixed vision that is definitively aligned with the aspirations and motivations of your target audience.