🍱 Social Media Health Check-up; Thinking beyond the bottle; Deep Work Dreams
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Hello and welcome back to The Marketing Kable, where I'm taking you along on my journey to discover ideas, voices and campaigns that can inspire us.
something to read
take your social media to the gym. Social media is an untamable beast- a sophisticated creature that grows new heads, limbs, eyes and powers in the blink of an eye. And as marketers, we must grasp this relentless newness, make sense of it, and harness it to get where we're going.
Oglivy has released its Social Check-up 2023, and there is a lot to learn. This report looks at how pharmaceutical companies ace (or not) the social media game. The parameters were corporate identity, social content strategy, social experience and design, paid social, influence and social community.
Here's what we can learn from their triumphs and mistakes:
Consistency is cool: Look, I get it. We're all special snowflakes and want our brand to reflect our special snowflakiness. But here's the thing: consistency is key. If you want instant recognition and recall for your brand and message make sure your visual identity and tone of voice are consistent across all channels. Think of it like your outfits - rock your signature style while still dressing appropriately for the occasion.
Make it make sense: We all itch to break out our "fun" side and show the world our TikTok dance moves. But before you do, let's talk tactics. Most people won't see your entire social profile, so focus on each post's individual engagement. LinkedIn is the office party - professional (sorta), so keep it formal. But TikTok is like a backyard BBQ - organic, fun, and maybe a little bit wild - you can let loose. Tailor your tone and content to fit the platform. Just remember, no one wants to see their boss doing the "Savage" dance - so keep it classy, Sassy.
Listen to your audience: Here's where you take a page out of Tay Tay's playbook and put the audience first. By gathering insights into their interests and communicating what they want to hear, you can make sure your content hits all the right notes. Put down the mic and pay attention to what the fans are saying. And hey, while you're at it, why not collaborate with some of the biggest fan clubs in town? Partnering with relevant brands in your space and sharing their content expands your reach and can earn you some major street cred with the community you aim to communicate with. It's a win-win, people!
Get them to pay attention: Let's face it, most people consume content like they're scrolling through Instagram on the potty. So, if you want to capture their attention, we need to consider how they consume content. Are they on the go or multitasking? Do they have the attention span of a goldfish? They probably do, so let's keep that in mind.
Healthcare has some of the most fascinating stories to tell. So why not create an immersive experience that's as captivating as a Game of Thrones episode?
Keep with the times: If you want to be the talk of the town, create content that pops up on mobile devices. Short and sweet, bright and bold, and chunked into bite-sized pieces. And don't forget to follow the specific specs for each social media channel you use.
Diversity and inclusion aren't props, so if you've been living in the past, SNAP OUT OF IT. Avoid any stereotyping and showcase truly diverse perspectives. We're not living in the 90s anymore, folks.
Last but not least, authenticity is key. Nobody wants to see some fake, canned content. Keep it real and use genuine storytelling.
Make your paid content pay: If you want the content you've lovingly created to reach its fullest potential, allocate at least 20% of your budget to media spend.
Don't assume what your audience likes - test it out, and serve them what they want. Be an ace bartender - mix up those drinks to see which ones your regulars keep coming back for.
And hey, no being a one-trick pony. Avoid using the same old content for everything. Switch it up, match your posts to your objectives, and use the right format to get those clicks and conversions. No one ever won at chess with just one move.
Put your influencer strategy in place: Let's talk influencers. Building a successful influencer strategy is no easy feat; it takes a long-term approach and the right tools to do it right. And let me tell you; compliance guidelines are not optional; they are necessary if you want to avoid legal headaches.
Holding an ad board can be a game-changer. It's a great way to get expert insights and develop your influencer strategy, which can be invaluable in the long run.
But wait, there's more! Don't forget about employee advocacy. Employees can be some of the most powerful influencers. They know the company inside and out and can add that much-needed cred to your brand.
Your tribe helps you thrive: It's not all about gaining new followers; you gotta nurture the ones you already have. Engage with them, learn from them, and use their insights to craft killer content. Get creative and use all the bells and whistles each platform has to offer, from live events to polls and everything in between.
Responding to comments is just the starting point. Keep a watchful eye on your channels, respond promptly and show your audience some love. And if you're feeling overwhelmed, tools like chatbots and response platforms can help keep things under control. Phew.
something to watch
coming of age like you never saw it coming. I've always hated the coming-of-age genre of movies and TV (yes, I hate many things). Something about watching those black-and-white stories of emotional teenagers going through love, heartbreak, challenges and victories to "find themselves" pisses me off to no end. Probably because you don't actually "come of age" when you come of age legally. You're just a clueless 18-year-old who has no idea how the world works (but thinks she does).
Anyway, the coming-of-age trope is still spectacularly popular, and I must admit that contemporary coming-of-age stories are painted a lot greyer than they used to be a decade ago.
But there's one such story that took me by surprise when I saw it. It changed the way I looked at the phrase and shed new light on something that goes unnoticed by most of us.
The moving tale of a mother and daughter as the mother navigates menopause is depicted in AMV BBDO's commercial for TENA, directed by Shannon Murphy and produced by Lief.
The film plays on the premise that menopause is sometimes described as puberty in reverse, but unlike puberty, which is represented through varied shades of angst and growth, menopause is ignored.
Drawing references from the cultural influence of the coming-of-age genre, the film narrates another kind of story — by spotlighting menopause.
This film is a shining example of a heart-warming campaign that resonates deeply with its audience and confidently breaches boundaries that should have been broken long ago. Many have noted that this is the first ad to talk of incontinence that shows urine on screen – a bold and decisive move for a company whose products address this issue.
The biggest lesson from this campaign is that honesty works, and frankness works. Be direct and open with the people you want to reach, and find a place in their lives.
something to listen to
see you soon, SEO. If there's one thing about marketing I still don't quite get (okay there are SEVERAL things), it's SEO. I'm trying to learn what it is and how it works, but man, it's tough to keep my eyes from glazing over.
Perhaps you're the same and we can benefit from listening to a podcast (fingers crossed).
Hosted by Kate Toon, The Recipe For SEO Success Show has got a unique labelling system that categorizes each episode as "newbie" or "techie" to help you find your perfect match!
And let's talk about Kate, the host with the most - she's so lively and engaging, you won't even realize you're learning valuable tips on content marketing and website creation.
Kate also brings in SEO experts to share their knowledge and personal experiences on the show. All in all, it helps demystify SEO and I'm all for it. Let me know what you think.
something to inspire
divine design. It can be a challenge for working parents to ensure their children receive the medication they're supposed to at the right time. Drawing inspiration from her own situation and that of other working parents like her, Neha Tulsian came up with this genius design that solves her specific use case, but to us has much wider implications.
The grid she's designed uses simple pictograms with space to specify dosage. I can think of all the times when I've been utterly confused by medication doses that involved more than one drug. It's impressive how much thought went into making such a simple design - really hope it gets adopted by pharma companies because there is definitely a place for it in healthcare worldwide.
You might be thinking, "What about pill cases?"
Those are useful for chronic illnesses, but we rarely keep one around for the occasional minor ailment. Plus, pill cases assume there is someone to help fill them too. Neha's design can make such a difference to people who are not savvy or able-bodied enough on their own behalf - especially if language is also a challenge.
What do we take away from this?
Put your customer first: This seems like a given, but many marketers and designers simply don't. They make it all about the brand or the product. Neha's design puts the person who will use it first. And that is how it makes a mark.
Improve as much as you can: Even if something seems to be working "fine", ask yourself, can it be improved? Can it be made more useful? Am I making what I'm making just for those with certain privileges? Can I make it accessible to even more people?
something to learn
go deep, go hard. When I first bought a copy of Deep Work by Cal Newport from a book fair, one of my friends threatened to throw it out of the car window. He thought it was one of those 'self-help' books that promise to solve all your problems and 10x your life in every possible way from the moment you turn the first page.
He hadn't heard of Newport and his extensive research about the immense benefits of focused concentration and measured distraction. I had a fundamental idea, but when I finally read the book (which managed to stay inside the car despite threats to its physical safety), I was taken aback by its profundity. I'd suggest you read the book from cover to cover, but if you can't right now, check out this detailed guide to deep work created by Doist.
I'll jot down the basics for you:
What is deep work?
This fancy term basically means focusing on a hard task without getting sidetracked by anything else. If you can master deep work, you can get a ton of stuff done and develop some seriously impressive skills.
How to deep work?
To make the most of it, though, you gotta set up a routine that keeps interruptions at bay and gives you plenty of time to concentrate.
If you want to master deep work, Cal Newport has a few tricks up his sleeve, like scheduling time blocks, setting up a work environment free of distractions, and even meditating to sharpen your focus.
That's it for this edition of The Marketing Kable. If you received this newsletter as a forward, do consider signing up. It's forever free and just for you.
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