Eight critical marketing tips you need to know about for a successful 2024.
In 2023 we interviewed dozens of brand marketing decision makers in the Portada network. Eight marketing tips they provided you need to be in the know about for 2024.
1. Marketing Tips: Use Experiential Initiatives to Create Contextually Relevant Content
Jaime Keller, Brand Director of Bombay Sapphire Gin for North America Bacardi, (photo) told us about the Bombay Sapphire campaign called Saw This, Made This, campaign, which starts with experiential components which then are amplified through media. We now have reached a post-covid “new normal” for experiential marketing. Bacardi’s Bombay Sapphire campaign exemplifies how brands activate and leverage experiential marketing experiences in a post-COVID world (and also a post-cookie world).
“Part of the uniqueness of this campaign is that we can create contextually relevant content; which bodes well for distribution in paid and earned media,” Keller told us. “We like to work with partners who are approachable and culturally available,” Keller noted.
Part of the uniqueness of this campaign is that we can create contextually relevant content.
2. Make Sure you Exploit the Potential of Shoppable Video and Social Commerce
Daniel Martin Angelus, VP Digital Sales & Marketing at Nutrabolt, provided Portada a few crucial marketing tips. He said that shoppable Video/live streams and social commerce can be critical tools in the sales and marketing funnel. “There is plenty of data that shows that engagement with video keeps increasing and that video content helps conversion which has made the presence of videos on product display pages and even ads a must. Now we are seeing more and more tools to make live streams and videos not just a brand awareness/discovery opportunity but also a shoppable experience. I expect this to continue to evolve until most videos include a way to purchase or learn more about products. More and more websites will integrate these types of videos on product display pages or create live events similar to what you see on marketplaces (Amazon Live) or social.” Social commerce is also making a dent in beverage marketing. According to Martin, “social media usage is catching up to overall internet usage and social media is being used increasingly to research brands, for younger generations even more than search engines. Similar to the shoppable video trend I mentioned earlier and tying into the overall omnichannel trend, offering the possibility to customers to research and buy your products on whatever channel they choose to be is going to be critical. We’ve seen this explode in China and are fully expecting this trend to expand globally.”
Now we are seeing more and more tools to make live streams and videos not just a brand awareness/discovery opportunity but also a shoppable experience.
3. Marketing Tips: Unlock Your Multicultural Strategy as a Whole and Figure Out How Soccer Fits In
Soccer marketing will play an increasing role for marketers in multicultural America. Portada is surveying brand marketers and media agency executives on their soccer marketing-related initiatives. The final and aggregate results, along with a wealth of other high-quality content, will be included in our Insights Report: The Transformative Impact of Soccer on U.S. Marketing and Media, which we will be publishing in 2024. As part of the survey, decision-makers are asked: “What challenges/obstacles do they see for the growth of soccer as a major way for marketers to engage with audiences in the U.S.” The answer of one of the brand marketers interviewed deserves much attention:
We have to unlock our multicultural strategy as a whole and figure out how soccer fits in.
4. In-Housing Marketing Functions? Maintain Continous Relationships With External Agencies
Even if you are in-housing marketing functions, a critical marketing tip is to maintain continuous relationships with external agencies, Karolina Tuszewicka, Head of Media, LATAM at HP Inc (photo) told us: “First, hire great talent who can help build the practice! Adjust to the company’s needs as this is the only successful way to make a difference; having an internal team allows for that. Continuous relationships with external agencies and media partners are crucial for us to have a strong planning and activation practice in-house. Don’t forget that building an in-house practice is more than just media – we had to establish dedicated finance and procurement teams to help negotiate contracts, build financial infrastructure, and get invoices paid.”
Continuous relationships with external agencies and media partners are crucial for us to have a strong planning and activation practice in-house.
5. Marketing Tips: Be Aware of Underserved Markets; They Can Substantially Increase Your Advertising ROI
After introducing its extensive Spanish-language mortgage program last September, Guaranteed Rate started rolling out its first-ever Hispanic-targeted advertising campaign based on the spot La Casa de Mis Suenos. This was the first time the mortgage lender was advertising in Spanish, Camilo Escalante, Executive Director of Diverse Segments for Guaranteed Rate, told Portada that the campaign was activated in the top 25 affordability markets for first-time home buyers and in heavily populated Hispanic areas. Some major hubs were included, like New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and New Jersey, but also “many other cities that have gotten migration over the last couple of years that are affordable and seeing growth.”
“This is the best-performing asset that Guaranteed Rate has ever produced, reflecting how underserved the Spanish-dominant market is,” Escalante said. The campaign produced a video open rate of 51%. (To be considered open, the video has to be watched for at least 15 seconds.)
This is the best-performing asset that Guaranteed Rate has ever produced, reflecting how underserved the Spanish-dominant market is. The campaign produced a video open rate of 51%.
6. Marketing Tips: Bilingual Marketing Can Help Create a More Inclusive Environment
Erik Thomas, director of experiential marketing for Hyundai Motor America (photo) told Portada all about Hyundai’s bilingual brand campaign, ‘The Miles that Unites Us’ .The campaign was inclusive from the start and developed as a dual-language campaign for both the General and Hispanic markets. Aimed at both General Market and Hispanic audiences, the campaign consists of both English and Spanish:15, 30, and 60 TV commercials, 30 radio spots and streaming audio, and digital assets that will be shared nationally through the end of 2023.
The campaign reflects the brand’s intent to always place people first and connect with all its buyers, both English- and Spanish-dominant, to reach a broader audience and increase engagement and persuasion that leads to greater changes in attitudes and intentions.
Bilingual marketing can help create a more inclusive environment, which can ultimately lead to better campaign results, Thomas claims.
7. Marketing Tips: Think about Complementary Products
Another useful marketing tip is to embed complementary products into your overall marketing strategy. A complementary product is an item that is bought together with the main product. These products are used in conjunction, so complementary goods often bring little value or can’t be used separately The recently released Delimex Taquito Platter is an interesting example. To some extent, with the Taquito platter initiative Delimex has replicated complementary products in other industries like razors and blades, flour and baking powder or laundry detergents, and fabric softeners. While it is likely that another taco brand can be used on the Delimex Taquito platter, there is an even stronger complementarity with the Delimex tacos and taquitos specifically. Lauren Nowak, Brand Manager Delimex, (photo) told Portada that the “plate is designed as a perfect vehicle for serving Delimex Taquitos and encourages consumers to purchase them to use together. Those who purchase the platter will also receive a coupon for free Delimex Taquitos.”
The plate is designed as a perfect vehicle for serving Delimex Taquitos and encourages consumers to purchase them to use together.
8. Leverage the Increasing Recognition of Mexican Culture
Marketers in the U.S. and globally are recognizing the ascent of Mexican culture. We interviewed Christina Choi – Senior Vice President – Tequila, Gin, Breakout Growth Brands, at Diageo to understand how she leverages the strong influence of Mexican culture. Additionally, Nicola Heckles, Vice President of Marketing Global, Smirnoff at Diageo, provided an example of the influence of Mexican culture at our Portada Live event. last September.
Christina Choi noted that “there is a vast richness in Mexican culture across film, fashion, architecture, music, food and art. Over the decades, Mexican culture has gone through many stages and evolved with all the different influences from each generation of artists, designers, chefs, and more. But what we’re seeing more and more is a renewed connection to Mexican culture – a recognition and celebration of this rich heritage across all disciplines that is building international prevalence. As an example of how she embeds Mexican culture in her campaigns, Choi cited the recent Don Julio campaign, created in collaboration with a selection of Mexican creatives at the forefront of modern Mexican culture, the campaign features a wide range of identities both in front of and behind the camera. The depth and complexity of Mexican culture allow a wide breadth of people to find and develop a deep connection to the country. Mexican people continue to live every day Por Amor, ‘for the love’, and through Tequila Don Julio’s new global campaign, we are shedding light on the inspirational Mexican diaspora and the vast impact of Mexico on culture worldwide.”
Nicola Heckles, Vice President of Marketing Global, Smirnoff at Diageo, emphasized that the influence of Mexican culture is not only critical in marketing but also in product innovation.
What we’re seeing more and more is a renewed connection to Mexican culture – a recognition and celebration of this rich heritage across all disciplines that is building international prevalence.