AW SHORTS – BRANDS + MARKETERS

Virtual events can seem like strange and unengaging substitutes for in-person events, but the truth is that they are rich with opportunities to build personal connections.

Despite gathering significant momentum in recent years, the concept of diversity seems to remain a separate workstream for many businesses, as opposed to manifesting itself as a significant shift in policy, process, and approach.

The economic impact of the pandemic has not been spread equally. Hard-hit industries like travel, retail and automotive were forced to rethink fundamental principles underpinning their normal business practices. While some faced hardships due to a prolonged disruption in trading, others capitalised on this new digital-first environment.

Your brand strategy was never destined to succeed. Months of work, resources, discussions, and meetings that somehow never get you to the gold at the end of that proverbial rainbow. It’s a chronic problem caused by the system we’re working both in and against.

Coming from the world of a creative agency, it can be hard to fully appreciate all of the digital advancements the industry has experienced in the last 5-10 years. Companies have talked about breaking down silos for years now, but implementing change is notoriously difficult.

In the privacy and a loyalty-forward world of empowered consumers, brand leaders are eager to understand what drives demand. When playing the long game of building customer relationships, customer mapping becomes ever more important and as such, it’s crucial to get it right.

Although they’ve “always been right”, customers have never had the power they do in 2021.

As brands have reevaluated how they communicate in unprecedented times, agencies have spent the better part of 2020 adapting their strategies to fit into this new reality.

As we’ve been forced to rethink all aspects of our industry over the past year it’s also time to rethink how we approach ad buying in the TV space. It’s time to reassess what the best process is not only for media owners but for buyers.

The imminent UK government ban on advertising products that are high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) is almost certainly well-intentioned. But it is also heavy-handed, especially given the positive impact of industry self-regulation, as well as the advanced technologies available to manage and control ad exposure.