🍱 Everybody writes; Stop hiding that period; Can you imagine a genderless world?
This old marketing
Hello and welcome back to The Marketing Kable, where we're inspiring you with ideas, voices and campaigns we've curated just for you.
For the first edition in 2023, I'm waxing poetic about the marketing campaigns, tools, strategies and resources that made a mark on me in 2022.
something to read
When I first joined Hachi-Bee, The Kable's sister company, Karina wanted to send me a gift - Everybody Writes by Ann Handley. This was February 2022, and I had never heard of Ann or the book.
Cut to 6 months later: When Ann announced an updated edition of her book, I scrambled to grab a copy.
An all-time favourite at Bee and The Kable, Ann is a renowned marketer, writer and sought-after speaker. But more importantly, she is your FRIEND. That friend who instinctively knows your troubles and comes up with solutions even before you open your mouth to ask for them.
She's got tips, tricks, tools, metaphors and examples that can light a content marketing fire inside the coldest of hearts.
Grab your copy ASAP.
something to watch
That's me reacting to this video by Stayfree.
This film uses some impeccable slice-of-life storytelling to tell, well, pretty much everyone everywhere, really, how vital it is not to keep boys out of the period loop. How it is important to respond with understanding and facts when young boys are curious about menstruation.
Every scene is a veritable masterclass in storytelling. Every scene so poignant and achingly familiar that you want to scream at the adults on the screen to do better. "Boys don't use that word", retorts a mother when her son asks what a "period" is. In another scene, a teacher scolds a boy who calls out to his classmate that she has something on the back of her skirt.
It's time adults stopped treating menstruation like a top-secret dossier around children. It puts the onus on young menstruators to treat periods like a covert operation. Keeping boys in the dark about menstruation promotes shame and stigma around this oh-so-common phenomenon.
Fingers crossed, more brands follow Stayfree's straightforward and honest approach in 2023.
something to listen to
I'm keeping this short and simple: Knowledge, particularly knowledge you can access or acquire before others can, is a marketer's greatest goldmine.
In this episode of the This Old Marketing podcast, content marketing experts Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose make their predictions for 2023.
They talk about AI (the hottest frenemy on the block), TikTok, data privacy and more. I'll keep this spoiler-free and let you tune in for yourself.
something to inspire
Consider a world in which gender is irrelevant (I wish). CPB London's brilliant poster campaign from March 2022 asks us to Imagine.
This campaign was inspired by a nationwide survey that revealed 39% of primary school students still believe mum should look after kids and home while dad goes to work (Yikes).
The minimalist creatives simply ask us to imagine someone in the capacity of, say, a CEO, a nurse, or a makeup artist. Then politely inquire whether it is a man or a woman that occupies this role in our imagination.
I looked through the creatives, and woah, there are so many biases I still need to overcome! Thanks to Imagine's effective no-frills approach, people like me are gently nudged to reflect on their own mentalities instead of being told what to think.
something to learn
I'll close out this edition with a video podcast I came across two months ago. Hosted by Ali Abdal, a well-known influencer famous for his videos about productivity, entrepreneurship and leaving a career in medicine for YouTube, this podcast features creators, executives and business owners who share insights into their own journeys.
This particular episode features neuroscientist Dr Tara Swart, who talks about the brain's neuroplasticity - its ability to undergo change and create new pathways for thought and action.
As someone who struggles with overthinking and low moods, learning about neuroplasticity has been a joyful revelation. Take a deep dive with Ali and Dr Swart to learn how you can tame the beast that's keeping you alive.
And that's a wrap for this edition of The Marketing Kable. Let's see what horizons we reach and what boundaries we breach in 2023. Won't you come along for the ride?