Each Tuesday morning, we convene for a caffeine-fueled “Lightning Chat” about the past week’s hottest news. Through cross-functional input and debate from different teams – designers, developers, strategists and anyone else that’s in the trenches on a daily basis – we aim to find new perspectives and “lightning bolt” ideas about branding and marketing. Here are a few topics we covered this week, and why we think they matter.
1. Clorox Wants To Take Your Temperature
What Happened: Clorox partnered with Kinsa, a tech start-up that sells app-connected thermometers, to locate ZIP codes with an increase in fevers. In those areas, the company bumped up digital and spend, hoping that the ailing households would be in the market for disinfecting wipes.
Our Take: Clearly, Clorox’s strategy has been paying off since their ad engagement has increased by 22%. But at what cost to the consumer? In an age in which data collection is so highly debated, it’s unlikely that your regular, everyday person will feel comfortable with their health information being collected and leveraged for advertising. How might other companies adopt this strategy in the future?
[Source: Kinsa]
2. Facebook Rolls Out 3D photos
What Happened: Facebook’s newly rolled-out 3D photos are accessible in the News Feed and on Facebook VR, which allows you to use your mouse or finger to move around the image and see more dimension.
Our Take: This seems like a cool idea, and the possibilities for advertising are endless. But will the trend really catch on?
[Source: Facebook Newsroom]
What Happened: This week, the NBC’s new logo for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics was revealed.
Our Take: Is the ‘Tokyo’ font too stereotypical? Or thoughtful? Regardless, it’s impressive to see 9 0’s so elegantly pulled together in one design.
[Source: UnderConsideration]
4. Google & Tinder’s partnership – ad match in heaven?
What Happened: Tinder will sell the ads on Google’s ad server, where it will manage and measure campaigns to maximize revenue. Advertisers will be able to buy impressions from the ad server at a fixed price with programmatic guaranteed deals or buy from private marketplaces.
Our Take: As user adoption with this app continues, it could be a good channel for fitness or lifestyle social influencers to promote products. We’re keeping an eye on this as well as Facebook’s upcoming in-app dating features.
5. Is Dunkin Donuts Going Through an Identity Crisis?
What Happened: Back in September, Dunkin Donuts rebranded to just, Dunkin. According to Dunkin’s own press release, the choice to remove the “Donuts” comes from a long-running effort to get people into stores during the day.
Our Take: It’s been a little over a month since Dunkin’s rebrand, and so far, it seems as if the company is going through a bit of an identity crisis. Instead of focusing on furthering their own brand, their marketing has been positioned only towards their biggest competitor, Starbucks. While Dunkin’ has a long history of advertising price within their marketing, simply saying that you’re, “cheaper than Starbucks” isn’t a differentiator.
[Source: Inc.dom]
6. Budweiser promises a ‘purposeful’ Superbowl
What Happened: Amid celebrity boycotts, Budweiser still plans to advertise at the Super Bowl because the event celebrates American culture and thus aligns with the brand’s purpose.
Our Take: Staying true to a brand’s purpose has quickly become a hot topic in the industry (think Nike, Patagonia, etc.) While insights used to be a key driver in advertising, brands are now casting them aside to promote who they are instead. Advertising is now all about standing your ground.
[Source: Thedrum.com]
7. Starbucks opens its first signing store in Washington, D.C.
What Happened: In an effort to combat the disbelief that a deaf person could take on a management or executive role, Starbucks opened their first signing store in D.C., complete with murals, touchpads, and fingerspelling.
Our Take: While some may find this move a gimmicky PR tactic, it’s clear from the company’s long history of advocacy that this opening comes from a place of good. Hopefully, others will follow in their footsteps.
